The regulation of cancer cell invasive behaviour by Chloride Interacellular Channel 3 (CLIC3) and Transglutaminasae 2

Rüngeler, Elena Elisabeth (2016) The regulation of cancer cell invasive behaviour by Chloride Interacellular Channel 3 (CLIC3) and Transglutaminasae 2. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

A study into the role of secreted CLIC3 in tumour cell invasion.

The initiation and progression of cancers is thought to be linked to their relationship with a population of activated fibroblasts, which are associated with tumours. I have used an organotypic approach, in which plugs of collagen I are
preconditioned with fibroblastic cells, to characterise the mechanisms through which carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) influence the invasive behaviour of tumour cells. I have found that immortalised cancer-associated fibroblasts
(iCAFs) support increased invasiveness of cancer cells, and that this is associated with the ability of CAFs to increase the fibrillar collagen content of the
extracellular matrix (ECM). To gain mechanistic insight into this phenomenon, an in-depth SILAC-based mass proteomic analysis was conducted, which allowed
quantitative comparison of the proteomes of iCAFs and immortalised normal fibroblast (iNFs) controls. Chloride Intracellular Channel Protein 3 (CLIC3) was one of the most significantly upregulated components of the iCAF proteome.
Knockdown of CLIC3 in iCAFs reduced the ability of these cells to remodel the ECM and to support tumour cell invasion through organotypic plugs. A series of
experiments, including proteomic analysis of cell culture medium that had been preconditioned by iCAFs, indicated that CLIC3 itself was a component of the iCAF secretome that was responsible for the ability of iCAFs to drive tumour cell invasiveness. Moreover, addition of soluble recombinant CLIC3 (rCLIC3) was sufficient to drive the extension of invasive pseudopods in cancer cell lines, and
to promote disruption of the basement membrane in a 3D in vitro model of the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) transition.
My investigation into the mechanism through which extracellular CLIC3 drives tumour cell invasiveness led me to focus on the relationship between CLIC3 and the ECM modifying enzyme, transglutaminase-2 (TG2). Through this, I have found that TG2 physically associates with CLIC3 and that TG2 is necessary for CLIC3 to drive tumour cell invasiveness.
These data identifying CLIC3 as a key pro-invasive factor, which is secreted by CAFs, provides an unprecedented mechanism through which the stroma may drive cancer progression.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Cancer cell invasion, Chloride Intracellular Channel 3 (CLIC3), Transglutaminase 2.
• Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General); Q Science > QH Natural history; Q Science > QH Natural history > QH345 Biochemistry
• Colleges/Schools: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences > Beatson Institute of Cancer Research
• Funder's Name: Cancer Research UK (CAN-RES-UK)
• Supervisor's Name: Norman, Professor Jim
• Date of Award: 2016
• Depositing User: Elena E Rüngeler
• Unique ID: glathesis:2016-7379
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 May 2016 14:03
• Last Modified: 29 May 2017 12:50
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/7379