FOXQ1-mediated SIRT1 upregulation enhances stemness and radio-resistance of colorectal cancer cells and restores intestinal microbiota function by promoting β-catenin nuclear translocation

Background: Resistance of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to radiotherapy considerably contributes to poor clinical outcomes of CRC patients. Microarray profiling in this study revealed the differentially expressed forkhead box Q1 (FOXQ1) in CRC, and thus we aimed to illustrate the role of FOXQ1 in CRC by modulating stemness and radio-resistance of CRC cells. Methods: CRC and adjacent normal tissues were collected from CRC patients, and the correlation between FOXQ1 expression and CRC prognosis was analyzed. Subsequently, we determined the expression of FOXQ1, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and beta-catenin in CRC tissues and cell lines. The binding affinity between FOXQ1 and SIRT1 and that between SIRT1 and beta-catenin were validated with luciferase reporter gene, Co-IP and ChIP assays. Following a metagenomics analysis of CRC intestinal microbiota, the effects of the FOXQ1/SIRT1/beta-catenin axis on CRC stem cell phenotypes and radio-resistance was evaluated in vitro and in vivo through manipulation of gene expression. Besides, mouse feces were collected to examine changes in intestinal microbiota. Results: FOXQ1 was highly expressed in CRC tissues and cells and positively correlated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. FOXQ1 overexpression contributed to resistance of CRC cells to radiation. Knockdown of FOXQ1 inhibited the stemness of CRC cells and reversed their radio-resistance. FOXQ1 enhanced the transcriptional expression of SIRT1, and SIRT1 enhanced the expression and nuclear translocation of beta-catenin. Knockdown of FOXQ1 repressed SIRT1 expression, thus reducing the stemness and radio-resistance of CRC cells. Moreover, FOXQ1 knockdown suppressed CRC xenograft formation in xenograft-bearing nude mice through inhibiting SIRT1 and beta-catenin to reduce the content of pathological bacteria that were up-regulated in CRC. Conclusion: FOXQ1-mediated SIRT1 upregulation augments expression and nuclear translocation of beta-catenin and benefits CRC-related intestinal pathological bacterial, thereby enhancing the stemness and radio-resistance of CRC cells.

Automated summary

This study reveals the role of FOXQ1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) by modulating the stemness and radio-resistance of CRC cells. It was found that high expression of FOXQ1 is associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. FOXQ1 enhances the expression and nuclear translocation of SIRT1 and beta-catenin, leading to increased stemness and radio-resistance of CRC cells.