Podocalyxin promotes glioblastoma multiforme cell invasion and proliferation via β-catenin signaling

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 28;9(10):e111343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111343. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Both podocalyxin (PODX) and β-catenin (β-cat) signaling reportedly play important roles in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) progression. In this study, we for the first time explored crosstalk between PODX and β-cat signaling in GBM cells, and assessed its impact on GBM cell invasion and proliferation. Stable overexpression of PODX in LN-229 and U-118 MG human GBM cells increased the soluble/intracellular β-cat level, TOPflash luciferase reporter activity, the mRNA levels of β-cat signaling target genes, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression/activity, and cell invasion and proliferation, which was abolished by selective p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor PD169316 and selective β-cat signaling inhibitor CCT031374. On the other hand, stable knockdown of PODX in LN-229 and U-118 MG cells decreased the soluble β-cat level, TOPflash luciferase reporter activity, the mRNA levels of β-cat signaling target genes, MMP9 expression/activity, and cell invasion and proliferation, which was completely reversed by overexpression of a constitutively active β-cat mutant. In addition, overexpression of PODX induced p38 MAPK activity and inactivating phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) at serine 389 in LN-229 and U-118 MG cells, which was abolished by PD169316, but not CCT031374; knockdown of PODX decreased p38 MAPK activity and inactivating phosphorylation of GSK-3β at serine 389 in both cell lines, which was not significantly affected by overexpression of constitutively active β-cat. In conclusion, this study indicates that PODX promotes GBM cell invasion and proliferation by elevating the soluble β-cat level/β-cat signaling through the p38 MAPK/GSK-3β pathway. Uncovering the PODX/β-cat signaling axis adds new insights not only into the biological functions of PODX and β-cat, but also into the molecular mechanisms underlying GBM progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Glioblastoma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Sialoglycoproteins / genetics
  • Sialoglycoproteins / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Sialoglycoproteins
  • beta Catenin
  • podocalyxin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation (grants #14A2256), Hunan, China. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.