title: Aspartyl-asparagyl beta hydroxylase over-expression in human hepatoma is linked to activation of insulin-like growth factor and notch signaling mechanisms.
abstract: Aspartyl-(asparagyl)-beta-hydroxylase (AAH) is overexpressed in various malignant neoplasms, including hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). The upstream regulation of AAH and its functional role in Notch-mediated signaling and motility in HCC cells was accessed. The mRNA transcript levels of AAH, insulin receptor substrate (IRS), insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptors and polypeptides, Notch, Jagged, and HES were measured in 15 paired samples of HCC and adjacent HCC-free human liver biopsy specimens using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Overexpression of AAH was detected in 87% of the HCC relative to the paired HCC-free liver tissue. IRS-1, IRS-2, and IRS-4 were each overexpressed in 80% of the HCC samples, and IGF-I and IGF-2 receptors were overexpressed in 40% and 100% of the HCCs, respectively. All HCC samples had relatively increased levels of Notch-1 and HES-1 gene expression. Overexpression of AAH led to increased levels of Notch, and co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated a direct interaction between AAH and Notch as well as its ligand Jagged. In conclusion, contributions to the malignant phenotype of HCC is due to activation of IGF-I and IGF-II signaling that results in over-expression of both AAH and Notch. The functional role of AAH in relation to cell motility has been linked to increased activation of the Notch signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors.forename: M Chiara
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cantarini
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de la Monte
authors.forename: Maoyin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Errico
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trevisani
authors.forename: Jack R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wands
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C058291:aspartic acid 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase