Alpha-6 integrin promotes radioresistance of glioblastoma by modulating DNA damage response and the transcription factor Zeb1

Cell Death Dis. 2018 Aug 29;9(9):872. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-0853-x.

Abstract

Radiotherapy is the cornerstone of glioblastoma (GBM) standard treatment. However, radioresistance of cancer cells leads to an inevitable recurrence. In the present study, we showed that blocking α6-integrin in cells derived from GBM biopsy specimens cultured as neurospheres, sensitized cells to radiation. In cells downregulated for α6-integrin expression, we observed a decrease in cell survival after irradiation and an increase in radio-induced cell death. We also demonstrated that inhibition of α6-integrin expression affects DNA damage checkpoint and repair. Indeed, we observed a persistence of γ-H2AX staining after IR and the abrogation of the DNA damage-induced G2/M checkpoint, likely through the downregulation of the checkpoint kinase CHK1 and its downstream target Cdc25c. We also showed that α6-integrin contributes to GBM radioresistance by controlling the expression of the transcriptional network ZEB1/OLIG2/SOX2. Finally, the clinical data from TCGA and Rembrandt databases demonstrate that GBM patients with high levels of the five genes signature, including α6-integrin and its targets, CHK1, ZEB1, OLIG2 and SOX2, have a significantly shorter overall survival. Our study suggest that α6-integrin is an attractive therapeutic target to overcome radioresistance of GBM cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Cell Division / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1 / genetics
  • DNA Damage / genetics*
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • G2 Phase / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Glioblastoma / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Integrin alpha Chains / genetics*
  • Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2 / genetics
  • Radiation Tolerance / genetics*
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1 / genetics*
  • cdc25 Phosphatases / genetics

Substances

  • Integrin alpha Chains
  • Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors
  • ZEB1 protein, human
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1
  • cdc25 Phosphatases