Elevated N-methyltransferase expression induced by hepatic stellate cells contributes to the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulation of the CD44v3 isoform.

Abstract

The cross-talk between hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and hepatic carcinoma cells contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. We report here that activated HSCs induce upregulation of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), which is known to regulate multiple metabolic pathways in hepatoma cells of the liver. High levels of NNMT in HCC tissues were positively correlated with vascular invasion, increased serum HBV-DNA levels, and distant metastasis. In addition, functional assays showed that NNMT promoted HCC cell invasion and metastasis by altering the histone H3 methylation on 27 methylation pattern and transcriptionally activating cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44). NNMT-mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of CD44 mRNA resulted in the formation of a CD44v3 splice variant, while its product 1-methyl-nicotinamide stabilized CD44 protein by preventing ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Finally, NNMT was also shown to be a target of statins that inhibited metastasis of hepatoma cells. Taken together, our study shows for the first time that the NNMT/CD44v3 axis regulates HCC metastasis and presents NNMT as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

• Authors: Jie Li, Song You, Sheng Zhang, Qing Hu, Fuqiang Wang, Xiaoqin Chi, Wenxiu Zhao, Chengrong Xie, Changmao Zhang, Yaqi Yu, Jianmin Liu, Yue Zhao, Pingguo Liu, Yi Zhang, Xujin Wei, Qiu Li, Xiaomin Wang, Zhenyu Yin
• Journal: Molecular oncology (Mol Oncol) Vol. 13 Issue 9 Pg. 1993-2009 (09 2019) ISSN: 1878-0261 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 31294922 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2019 The Authors. Published by FEBS Press and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• CD44V3,8-10
• Hyaluronan Receptors
• Neoplasm Proteins
• Protein Isoforms
• NNMT protein, human
• Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase

Topics

• Animals
• Biomarkers, Tumor (genetics, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Hep G2 Cells
• Hepatic Stellate Cells (metabolism, pathology)
• Humans
• Hyaluronan Receptors (genetics, metabolism)
• Liver Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Nude
• Neoplasm Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Protein Isoforms (genetics, metabolism)