A mechanism for epithelial–mesenchymal transition and anoikis resistance in breast cancer triggered by zinc channel ZIP6 and STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3)

Genes involved in normal developmental processes attract attention as mediators of tumour progression as they facilitate migration of tumour cells. EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition), an essential part of embryonic development, tissue remodelling and wound repair, is crucial for tumour metastasis. Previously, zinc transporter ZIP6 [SLC39A6; solute carrier family 39 (zinc transporter), member 6; also known as LIV-1) was linked to EMT in zebrafish gastrulation through a STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) mechanism, resulting in nuclear localization of transcription factor Snail. In the present study, we show that zinc transporter ZIP6 is transcriptionally induced by STAT3 and unprecedented among zinc transporters, and is activated by N-terminal cleavage which triggers ZIP6 plasma membrane location and zinc influx. This zinc influx inactivates GSK-3β (glycogen synthase kinase 3β), either indirectly or directly via Akt or GSK-3β respectively, resulting in activation of Snail, which remains in the nucleus and acts as a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin (epithelial cadherin), CDH1, causing cell rounding and detachment. This was mirrored by ZIP6-transfected cells which underwent EMT, detached from monolayers and exhibited resistance to anoikis by their ability to continue proliferating even after detachment. Our results indicate a causative role for ZIP6 in cell motility and migration, providing ZIP6 as a new target for prediction of clinical cancer spread and also suggesting a ZIP6-dependent mechanism of tumour metastasis.