Agmatinase promotes the lung adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis by activating the NO-MAPKs-PI3K/Akt pathway

Cell Death Dis. 2019 Nov 7;10(11):854. doi: 10.1038/s41419-019-2082-3.

Abstract

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. There is an urgent need to uncover the pathogenic mechanism to develop new treatments. Agmatinase (AGMAT) expression and its association with clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed via GEO, Oncomine, and TCGA databases, and IHC staining in human LUAD specimens. An EdU cell proliferation kit, propidiumiodide staining, colony formation, cell migration, and invasion assays, and a xenograft tumor model were used to detect the biological function of AGMAT in LUAD. Furthermore, the expression level of nitric oxide (NO) was detected using a DAF-FMDA fluorescent probe or nitrite assay kit, and further validated with Carboxy-PTIO (a NO scavenger). The roles of three isoforms of nitric oxide synthases (nNOS, eNOS, and iNOS) were validated using L-NAME (eNOS inhibitor), SMT (iNOS inhibitor), and spermidine (nNOS inhibitor). AGMAT expression was up-regulated in LUAD tissues. LUAD patients with high AGMAT levels were associated with poorer prognoses. AGMAT promoted LUAD tumorigenesis in NO released by iNOS both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, NO signaling up-regulated the expression of cyclin D1 via activating the MAPK and PI3K/Akt-dependent c-myc activity, ultimately promoting the malignant proliferation of tumor cells. On the whole, AGMAT promoted NO release via up-regulating the expression of iNOS. High levels of NO drove LUAD tumorigenesis via activating MAPK and PI3K/Akt cascades. AGMAT might be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for LUAD patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Ureohydrolases / genetics
  • Ureohydrolases / metabolism*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Ureohydrolases
  • AGMAT protein, human