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. 2018 Nov 22:8:548.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00548. eCollection 2018.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Identifies MAPK15 as a Potential Regulator of Radioresistance in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells

Affiliations

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Identifies MAPK15 as a Potential Regulator of Radioresistance in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells

Zhanzhan Li et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Since resistance to radiotherapy remains refractory for the clinical management of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), further understanding the mechanisms of radioresistance is necessary in order to develop more effective NPC treatment and improve prognosis. In this study, an integrated quantitative proteomic approach involving tandem mass tag labeling and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer was used to identify proteins potentially responsible for the radioresistance of NPC. The differential radiosensitivity in NPC model cells was examined through clonogenic survival assay, CCK-8 viability assay, and BrdU incorporation analysis. Apoptosis of NPC cells after exposure to irradiation was detected using caspase-3 colorimetric assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by a dichlorofluorescin diacetate fluorescent probe. In total, 5,946 protein groups were identified, among which 5,185 proteins were quantified. KEGG pathway analysis and protein-protein interaction enrichment analysis revealed robust activation of multiple biological processes/pathways in radioresistant CNE2-IR cells. Knockdown of MAPK15, one up-regulated protein kinase in CNE2-IR cells, significantly impaired clonogenic survival, decreased cell viability and increased cell apoptosis following exposure to irradiation, while over-expression of MAPK15 promoted cell survival, induced radioresistance and reduced apoptosis in NPC cell lines CNE1, CNE2, and HONE1. MAPK15 might regulate radioresistance through attenuating ROS accumulation and promoting DNA damage repair after exposure to irradiation in NPC cells. Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed enormous metabolic processes/signaling networks were potentially involved in the radioresistance of NPC cells. MAPK15 might be a novel potential regulator of radioresistance in NPC cells, and _targeting MAPK15 might be useful in sensitizing NPC cells to radiotherapy.

Keywords: MAPK15; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; quantitative proteomics; radioresistance; radiosensitivity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Quantitative proteomic analysis on CNE2 and its radioresistant subline CNE2-IR. (A) Clonogenic survival analysis on the radiosensitivity of CNE2 and CNE2-IR. The colony formation in CNE2 or CNE2-IR without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. CNE2-IR 6 Gy vs. CNE2 6 Gy, *P < 0.05. (B) Experimental scheme for the quantitative proteomic analysis on CNE2 and CNE2-IR. (C) QC validation of MS data. Mass error indicates distribution of all identified peptides. (D) Reproducibility of the quantitative proteomic analysis on CNE2 and CNE2-IR. (E) Peptide length distribution identified by quantitative proteomic analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bioinformatics analysis on radiosensitivity-related proteome in CNE2 and CNE2-IR. (A) Enrichment of differentially expressed proteins in CNE2 and CNE2-IR. Among the 754 differentially expressed proteins, 440 proteins were with increased level (CNE2-IR/CNE2, fold change ≥2) and 314 with decreased level (CNE2-IR/CNE2, fold change ≤ 0.5). (B) Intensive bioinformatic analysis on 754 differentially expressed proteins based on KEGG pathway analysis. The quantifiable proteins in this study were divided into four quantitative categories according to the CNE2-IR/CNE2 Ratio: Q1 (CNE2-IR/CNE2 Ratio < 0.33 and P-value < 0.05), Q2 (0.33 < CNE2-IR/CNE2 Ratio < 0.5 and P-value < 0.05), Q3 (2 < CNE2-IR/CNE2 Ratio < 3 and P-value < 0.05) and Q4 (CNE2-IR/CNE2 Ratio >3 and P-value < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Protein interaction networks based on Protein-Protein interaction enrichment analysis on radioresistance-related 440 proteins.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The amino acid sequences of the two unique MAPK15 peptides identified by LC-MS/MS. (A) GGLLQDVHVR; (B) LCDFGLAR.
Figure 5
Figure 5
High protein levels of MAPK15 regulate the radiosensitivity in CNE2-IR cells. (A) Western blotting validation on protein levels of five protein kinases (MAPK15, FYN, IKBKB, MAP2K6, and CDK4) in CNE2 and CNE2-IR cells. β-actin served as a loading control. (B) MAPK15 protein expression was significantly reduced in CNE2-IR cells transduced with shMAPK15 lentivirus (sh4). (C) Knockdown of MAPK15 increased radiosensitivity in CNE2-IR cells. The cell viability in NT or shMAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. shMAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. NT (6 Gy), n = 3 *P < 0.05. (D) Knockdown of MAPK15 attenuated colony formation after irradiation in CNE2-IR cells. The colony formation in NT or shMAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. shMAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. NT (6 Gy), n = 3, *P < 0.05. (E) Knockdown of MAPK15 impaired the proliferative potential of CNE2-IR cells exposed to irradiation. The BrdU incorporation in NT without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%. shMAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. NT (6 Gy), n = 4, *P < 0.05. (F) Knockdown of MAPK15 increased caspase-3 activity following irradiation in CNE2-IR cells. The caspase-3 activity in NT or shMAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. shMAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. NT (6 Gy), n = 4, *P < 0.05.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Over-expression of MAPK15 promotes radioresistance in NPC cells. (A) Transfection of MAPK15 plasmid considerably increased MAPK15 protein expression in three NPC cell lines CNE1, CNE2, and HONE1. (B) Over-expression of MAPK15 increased radioresistance in NPC cells. The cell viability in vector control (EV) or MAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. MAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. EV (6 Gy), n = 3, *P < 0.05. (C) Over-expression of MAPK15 increased colony formation after irradiation in NPC cells. The colony formation in EV or MAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. MAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. EV (6 Gy), n = 3, *P < 0.05. (D) Over-expression of MAPK15 enhanced the proliferative potential of NPC cells exposed to irradiation. The BrdU incorporation in EV or MAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%. MAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. EV (6 Gy), n = 4, *P < 0.05. (E) Over-expression of MAPK15 decreased caspase-3 activity following irradiation in NPC cells. The caspase-3 activity in EV or MAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%, respectively. MAPK15 (6 Gy) vs. EV (6 Gy), *P < 0.05.
Figure 7
Figure 7
MAPK15 regulates ROS accumulation and DNA damage repair in NPC cells. (A) Over-expression of MAPK15 enhanced the neutralization of ROS accumulation in CNE2 cells exposed to irradiation. The DCFDA fluorescence in EV or MAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%. MAPK15 (1 h, 6 h, 12 h) vs. EV (1 h, 6 h, 12 h), n = 4, *P < 0.05, respectively. (B) Knockdown of MAPK15 delayed the attenuation of ROS in CNE2-IR cells exposed to irradiation. The DCFDA fluorescence in NT or shMAPK15 without ionizing irradiation was regarded as 100%. shMAPK15 (1 h, 6 h, 12 h) vs. NT (1 h, 6 h, 12 h), n = 4, *P < 0.05, respectively. (C) Knockdown of MAPK15 delayed the DNA damage repair in CNE2-IR cells exposed to irradiation. γ-H2AX was used as a marker to reflect the double strand DNA breaks (DSBs) that are produced by ionizing radiation. β-actin served as a loading control. (D) Over-expression of MAPK15 in CNE2 cells promoted the DNA damage repair in CNE2-IR cells exposed to irradiation.

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