ERVK13-1/miR-873-5p/GNMT Axis Promotes Metastatic Potential in Human Bladder Cancer though Sarcosine Production.

Abstract

N-methyl-glycine (sarcosine) is known to promote metastatic potential in some cancers; however, its effects on bladder cancer are unclear. T24 cells derived from invasive cancer highly expressed GNMT, and S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) treatment increased sarcosine production, promoting proliferation, invasion, anti-apoptotic survival, sphere formation, and drug resistance. In contrast, RT4 cells derived from non-invasive cancers expressed low GNMT, and SAM treatment did not produce sarcosine and did not promote malignant phenotypes. In T24 cells, the expression of miR-873-5p, which suppresses GNMT expression, was suppressed, and the expression of ERVK13-1, which sponges miR-873-5p, was increased. The growth of subcutaneous tumors, lung metastasis, and intratumoral GNMT expression in SAM-treated nude mice was suppressed in T24 cells with ERVK13-1 knockdown but promoted in RT4 cells treated with miR-873-5p inhibitor. An increase in mouse urinary sarcosine levels was observed to correlate with tumor weight. Immunostaining of 86 human bladder cancer cases showed that GNMT expression was higher in cases with muscle invasion and metastasis. Additionally, urinary sarcosine concentrations increased in cases of muscle invasion. Notably, urinary sarcosine concentration may serve as a marker for muscle invasion in bladder cancer; however, further investigation is necessitated.

• Authors: Shingo Kishi, Shiori Mori, Rina Fujiwara-Tani, Ruiko Ogata, Rika Sasaki, Ayaka Ikemoto, Kei Goto, Takamitsu Sasaki, Makito Miyake, Satoru Sasagawa, Masashi Kawaichi, Yi Luo, Ujjal Kumar Bhawal, Kiyohide Fujimoto, Hidemitsu Nakagawa, Hiroki Kuniyasu
• Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (Int J Mol Sci) Vol. 24 Issue 22 (Nov 15 2023) ISSN: 1422-0067 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 38003554 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Sarcosine
• S-Adenosylmethionine
• MicroRNAs
• MIRN873 microRNA, human

Topics

• Humans
• Animals
• Mice
• Sarcosine (pharmacology)
• Mice, Nude
• S-Adenosylmethionine (metabolism)
• MicroRNAs (genetics, metabolism)
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms (genetics)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (genetics)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Cell Movement