YAP/TAZ-TEAD activity promotes the malignant transformation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia through enhancing the characteristics and Warburg effect of cancer stem cells

Shu Li; Xing Li; Yong-Bin Yang; Su-Fang Wu

doi:10.1007/s10495-023-01935-0

YAP/TAZ-TEAD activity promotes the malignant transformation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia through enhancing the characteristics and Warburg effect of cancer stem cells

Apoptosis. 2024 Mar 29. doi: 10.1007/s10495-023-01935-0. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shu Li¹, Xing Li¹, Yong-Bin Yang¹, Su-Fang Wu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200080, China. wsf_sfph@sjtu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38553612
DOI: 10.1007/s10495-023-01935-0

Abstract

A number of studies have confirmed that Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ)-transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD) activity is the driver of cancer development. However, the role and mechanism of the YAP/TAZ-TEAD pathway in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) remain to be clarified. Therefore, this study was designed to observe the effect of YAP/TAZ-TEAD activity on the development of CIN and provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of CIN. Firstly, cervical tissues were collected from CIN patients in different stages [CIN grade 1 (CIN1) tissue, CIN grade 2/3 (CIN 2/3) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)] and healthy volunteers. Next, the expression levels of YAP, TAZ and TEAD in cervical tissues and cells were observed by immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR and western blot. Besides, Z172 and Z183 cells were transfected with siRNA-YAP/TAZ (si-YAP/TAZ) and YAP/TAZ overexpression vector (YAP-5SA). Also, Z172 cells were co-transfected with YAP-5SA and si-TEAD2/4. Subsequently, the stemness characteristics, glycolysis level and malignant transformation of cells in each group were observed by sphere-formation assay, commercial kit, MTT, Transwell, scratch experiment, xenotransplantation and western blot.The expression of YAP, TAZ and TEAD increased significantly in cervical cancer tissue and cell line at the stage of CIN2/3 and SCC. When YAP/TAZ was knocked down, the stemness characteristics, glycolysis level and malignant transformation of cancer cells were notably inhibited; while activating YAP/TAZ exhibited a completely opposite result. In addition, activating YAP/TAZ and knocking down the TEAD expression at the same time significant weakened the effect of activated YAP/TAZ signal on precancerous cells and reduced inhibitory effect of knocking down TEAD alone. YAP/TAZ-TEAD signal activates the characteristics and Warburg effect of cancer stem cells, thereby promoting the malignant transformation of CIN.

Keywords: Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN); Characteristics of cancer stem cells; Transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD); Warburg effect; Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ).