The PAX6-ZEB2 axis promotes metastasis and cisplatin resistance in non-small cell lung cancer through PI3K/AKT signaling

• Published in: Cell death & disease Vol. 10; no. 5; p. 349
• Main Authors: Wu, Dong-Ming, Zhang, Ting, Liu, Ya-Bin, Deng, Shi-Hua, Han, Rong, Liu, Teng, Li, Jing, Xu, Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Springer Nature B.V 25.04.2019; Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Animals; Cadherins - metabolism; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - mortality; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell migration; Cell Movement; Chemotherapy; Cisplatin; Cisplatin - pharmacology; Cisplatin - therapeutic use; Down-Regulation - drug effects; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; E-cadherin; Epidermal growth factor receptors; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition - drug effects; Female; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - mortality; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Mesenchyme; Metastases; Metastasis; Mice; Mice, Nude; Non-small cell lung carcinoma; Pax6 protein; PAX6 Transcription Factor - antagonists & inhibitors; PAX6 Transcription Factor - genetics; PAX6 Transcription Factor - metabolism; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - chemistry; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - antagonists & inhibitors; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering - metabolism; Signal transduction; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Stem cells; Tumors; Wnt protein; Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2 - antagonists & inhibitors; Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2 - genetics; Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 2 - metabolism
• ISSN: 2041-4889; 2041-4889
• DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1591-4

Paired-box 6 (PAX6) is an important transcription factor required for the function of human neuroectodermal epithelial tissues. Previous studies have suggested that it is also expressed in several types of tumors and has an oncogenic role. However, little is known about its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we found that PAX6 expression levels were upregulated in human lung cancer tissues and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. PAX6 overexpression significantly promoted NSCLC epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis, whereas its knockdown inhibited these processes. PAX6 is commonly correlated with EMT-mediated stem cell transformation, thereby inducing cisplatin resistance. Using the RT Profiler PCR Array, we found that WNT5A, EGFR, and ZEB2 were differentially regulated in response to PAX6 modulation. In addition, PAX6 directly bound to the promoter region of ZEB2. ZEB2 knockdown significantly reduced the expression and function of PAX6. ZEB2 was upregulated upon PAX6 overexpression and downregulated upon PAX6 knockdown, whereas E-cadherin expression negatively correlated with PAX6 levels. Moreover, p-PI3K and p-AKT were significantly enhanced by PAX6, which was reversed by the addition of the PI3K-AKT inhibitor, LY294002. These data suggest that PAX6 can mediate E-cadherin downregulation through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by directly binding the promoter region of ZEB2, thereby mediating cell migration, stem cell transformation, and cisplatin resistance; and ultimately, affecting survival in NSCLC patients.