Hsp90 up-regulates PD-L1 to promote HPV-positive cervical cancer via HER2/PI3K/AKT pathway

• Published in: Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.) Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 130 - 12
• Main Authors: Zeng, Jie, He, Si-Li, Li, Li-Jie, Wang, Chen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 19.10.2021; BMC
• Subjects: Animals; B7-H1 Antigen - genetics; B7-H1 Antigen - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Cervical cancer; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gene Knockdown Techniques - methods; HER2; HPV16; Hsp90; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Human papillomavirus 16 - physiology; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Middle Aged; Papillomavirus Infections - genetics; Papillomavirus Infections - metabolism; Papillomavirus Infections - virology; PD-L1; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; Receptor, ErbB-2 - genetics; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Signal Transduction - genetics; Transferases - genetics; Transferases - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - genetics; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - metabolism; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - virology; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays - methods; Hsp90; PD-L1; HER2; Cervical cancer; HPV16
• DOI: 10.1186/s10020-021-00384-2
• ISSN: 1076-1551; 1528-3658

HPV16 is the predominant cancer-causing strain that is responsible for over 50% of all cervical cancers. In this study, we aim to investigate the therapeutic effect of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) knockdown on HPV16 cervical cancer progression and the underlying mechanism. The transcript and protein expression of Hsp90 in normal cervical and HPV16 cervical cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot. Hsp90 knockdown clones were established using HPV16 cervical cancer cell line Caski and SiHa cells. The effect of Hsp90 knockdown on HER2/PI3K/AKT pathway and PD-L1 expression was characterized using qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation and migration were determined using MTT and transwell assays. Using mouse xenograft tumor model, the impact of Hsp90 knockdown and PD-L1 overexpression on tumor progression was evaluated. Hsp90 expression was up-regulated in HPV16 cervical cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of Hsp90 inhibited proliferation and migration of Caski and SiHa cells. PD-L1 expression in cervical cancer tissues was positively correlated with Hsp90 expression, and Hsp90 regulated PD-L1 expression via HER2/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The results of mouse xenograft tumor model demonstrated Hsp90 knockdown suppressed tumor formation and overexpression of PD-L1 simultaneously eliminated the cancer-suppressive effect of Hsp90 knockdown. In this study, we demonstrated a promising tumor-suppressive effect of Hsp90 knockdown in HPV16 cervical cancers, and investigated the underlying molecular pathway. Our results suggested that Hsp90 knockdown holds great therapeutic potential in treating HPV16 cervical cancers.