Normal cells require adhesion to extracellular matrix for survival. Cell detachment causes a drastic increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promotes anoikis. In the present study, we observed that upon detachment from matrix, human mammary epithelial cells strongly upregulate manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD, or SOD2), a principal mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme that detoxifies ROS through dismutation of superoxide. Induction of MnSOD by cell detachment is dependent on the NFκB transcription factor. Detachment of mammary epithelial cells potently increases mitochondrial superoxide levels, which are further elevated by depletion of MnSOD in suspended cells. Consequently, cells depleted of MnSOD are hypersensitive to matrix detachment and exhibit increased anoikis. These results suggest that detachment-induced MnSOD counters mitochondrial superoxide accumulation and confers anoikis resistance. Taken together with our previous finding that detached cells evade excessive ROS production by attenuating oxidative metabolism of glucose, we conclude that mammary epithelial cells coordinate their responses to detachment through increasing MnSOD and decreasing ROS generation from mitochondrial glucose oxidation, thereby mitigating anoikis. Anoikis is a barrier to tumor metastasis. Indeed, MnSOD expression is elevated in human breast cancer metastases compared with primary tumors. Expression of MnSOD correlates with histologic tumor grades in human cancer and contributes to cancer cell's resistance to anoikis. Our study suggests that inhibition of ROS detoxification coupled with stimulation of glucose oxidative metabolism may be an efficient strategy to enhance anoikis and block metastasis.

Epithelial cell polarization and integration are essential to their function and loss of epithelial polarity and tissue architecture correlates with the development of aggressive tumors. Erbin is a basolateral membrane-associated protein. The roles of Erbin in establishing cell polarization and regulating cell adhesion have been suggested. Erbin is also a negative regulator in Ras-Raf-ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) signaling pathway. However, the potential functions of Erbin in human cancer are basically unknown. In the present study, we show, for the first time, that loss of Erbin endows cervical cancer cells with resistance to anoikis both in vitro and in vivo and promotes the growth and metastasis of human cervical cancer xenografts in nude mice. We found that knockdown of Erbin induced the phosphorylation, nuclear translocation and transcriptional activities of signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3) in cervical cancer cells. Overexpression of STAT3C or induction of endogenous STAT3 activation by interleukin (IL)-6 evidently inhibited anoikis of cervical cancer cells, whereas WP1066, a potent inhibitor of Janus-activated kinase 2 (Jak2)/STAT3, effectively blocked the effect of Erbin knockdown on cell survival under anchorage-independent conditions, indicating that loss of Erbin confers resistance of cervical cancer cells to anoikis in a STAT3-dependent manner. Interestingly, IL-6 induced STAT3 activation and Erbin expression simultaneously. Overexpression of STAT3C also significantly upregulated the level of Erbin, whereas the Jak2 inhibitor AG490 remarkably blocked not only STAT3 phosphorylation but also IL-6-induced Erbin expression. Knockdown of Erbin augmented the effects of IL-6 on STAT3 activation and anoikis resistance. In addition, by immunohistochemical analysis of Erbin expression, we demonstrate that the expression of Erbin is significantly decreased or even lost in cervical cancer tissues. These data reveal that Erbin is a novel negative regulator of STAT3, and the IL-6/STAT3/Erbin loop has a crucial role in cervical cancer progression and metastasis.