Journal Article

SAMD9 Promotes Postoperative Recurrence of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Stimulating MYH9‐Mediated GSK3β/β‐Catenin Signaling

Li, Qing, Luo, Hao, Wang, Yulun, Fan, Xiao‐Qing, Jin, Hua, Luo, Yuan‐Yuan, Deng, Meng‐Sheng, Dai, Fu‐Qiang, Xu, Cheng‐Xiong, Long, Tan, Xu, Bo, Guo, Wei, Wang, Ren‐Tao

2023

Overview

Recurrence is a challenge to survival after the initial treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). But, its mechanism remains elusive and there are currently no biomarkers to predict postoperative recurrence. Here, the possibility of sterile alpha motif domain‐containing protein 9 (SAMD9) as a predictor of postoperative recurrence of ESCC is evaluated and the molecular mechanisms by which SAMD9 promotes ESCC recurrence are elucidated. The authors found that the high level of SAMD9 is correlated with postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis of ESCC. Overexpression of SAMD9 promotes tumor stemness, angiogenesis, and EMT, while downregulation of SAMD9 reduced these phenotypes. Mechanistically, it is found that SAMD9 stimulated ubiquitination‐mediated glycogen synthase kinase‐3 beta (GSK‐3β) degradation by interaction with myosin‐9 (MYH9) and TNF receptor‐associated factor 6 (TRAF6), which in turn activated Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. Further, the authors demonstrated that silencing SAMD9 inhibited lung metastasis and tumor formation in vivo. Finally, the authors found that silencing MYH9 or β‐catenin, or overexpressing GSK‐3β inhibited SAMD9‐stimulated ESCC cell stemness, EMT, angiogenesis, metastasis, and tumorigenicity. Together, the findings indicate that the SAMD9/MYH9/GSK3β/β‐catenin axis promotes ESCC postoperative recurrence and that SAMD9 is a crucial target for ESCC therapy. Additionally, SAMD9 has the potential as a predictor of postoperative recurrence in ESCC. This work demonstrates the clinical and functional role of SAMD9 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). SAMD9 promotes MYH9/TRAF6‐regulated ubiquitination and degradation of GSK3β by binding to MYH9, leading to activation of the β‐catenin signaling pathway, which stimulates EMT, angiogenesis, and stemness of ESCC cells, and ultimately promotes ESCC metastasis and recurrence.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc,Wiley
• Subject: Angiogenesis / beta Catenin - metabolism / Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics / Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism / Esophageal cancer / Esophageal Neoplasms - genetics / Esophageal Neoplasms - metabolism / Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - genetics / Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - metabolism / esophageal squamous cell carcinoma recurrence / Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta - metabolism / Humans / Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - genetics / Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins - metabolism / Medical prognosis / Metastasis / Myosin Heavy Chains - genetics / Myosin Heavy Chains - metabolism / myosin‐9 / sterile alpha motif domain‐containing protein 9 / Survival analysis / Tumors / Wnt Signaling Pathway - genetics / β‐catenin signaling