Long non-coding RNA PICSAR decreases adhesion and promotes migration of squamous carcinoma cells by downregulating α2β1 and α5β1 integrin expression

Minna Piipponen; Jyrki Heino; Veli-Matti Kähäri; Liisa Nissinen

doi:10.1242/bio.037044

Long non-coding RNA PICSAR decreases adhesion and promotes migration of squamous carcinoma cells by downregulating α2β1 and α5β1 integrin expression

Biol Open. 2018 Nov 14;7(11):bio037044. doi: 10.1242/bio.037044.

Authors

Minna Piipponen^{1

2

3}, Jyrki Heino⁴, Veli-Matti Kähäri^{1

2

3}, Liisa Nissinen^{5

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, FI-20520 Turku, Finland.
² Western Cancer Center (FICAN West), University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, FI-20520 Turku, Finland.
³ MediCity Research Laboratory, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland.
⁵ Department of Dermatology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, FI-20520 Turku, Finland liisa.nissinen@utu.fi.

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate various cellular processes, and they have emerged as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer. We have previously characterized the oncogenic role of lncRNA PICSAR (p38 inhibited cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma associated lincRNA) in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), the most common metastatic skin cancer. In this study, we show that knockdown of PICSAR in cSCC cells upregulates expression of α2, α5 and β1 integrins, resulting in increased cell adhesion and decreased cell migration on collagen I and fibronectin. In contrast, overexpression of PICSAR in cSCC cells downregulates expression of α2, α5 and β1 integrins on cell surface, resulting in decreased cell adhesion on collagen I and fibronectin and increased cell migration. These results demonstrate a novel mechanism for regulation of the expression of collagen and fibronectin binding integrins by lncRNA PICSAR, leading to altered adhesion and migration of cSCC cells.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Keywords: Adhesion; Cancer; Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; Integrin; Long non-coding RNA; PICSAR.