Clinical significance of serum neuron-specific enolase in patients with adult T-cell leukemia

Circular RNA circESYT2 serves as a microRNA-665 sponge to promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through ENO2

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators in tumor progression, yet their specific role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we utilized high-transcriptome sequencing to identify the upregulation of circESYT2 (hsa_circ_002142) in HCC tissues. Functional experiments carried out in vivo and in vitro revealed that circESYT2 played a significant role in maintaining the growth and metastatic behaviors of HCC. Through integrative analysis, we identified enolase 2 (ENO2) as a potential target regulated by circESYT2 through the competitive endogenous RNA sponge mechanism. Additional gain- or loss-of-function experiments indicated that overexpression of circESYT2 led to a tumor-promoting effect, which could be reversed by transfection of microRNA-665 (miR-665) mimic or ENO2 knockdown in HCC cells. Furthermore, the direct interaction between miR-665 and circESYT2 and between miR-665 and ENO2 was confirmed using RNA immunoprecipitation, FISH, RNA pull-down, and dual-luciferase reporter assays, highlighting the involvement of the circESYT2/miR-665/ENO2 axis in promoting HCC progression. These findings shed light on the molecular characteristics of circESYT2 in HCC tissues and suggest its potential as a biomarker or therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

Gamma-enolase: a well-known tumour marker, with a less-known role in cancer

Background

Gamma-enolase, known also as neuron-specific enolase (NSE), is an enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, which is expressed predominantly in neurons and cells of the neuroendocrine system. As a tumour marker it is used in diagnosis and prognosis of cancer; however, the mechanisms enrolling it in malignant progression remain elusive. As a cytoplasmic enzyme gamma-enolase is involved in increased aerobic glycolysis, the main source of energy in cancer cells, supporting cell proliferation. However, different cellular localisation at pathophysiological conditions, proposes other cellular engagements.

Conclusions

The C-terminal part of the molecule, which is not related to glycolytic pathway, was shown to promote survival of neuronal cells by regulating neuronal growth factor receptor dependent signalling pathways, resulting also in extensive actin cytoskeleton remodelling. This additional function could be important also in cancer cells either to protect cells from stressful conditions and therapeutic agents or to promote tumour cell migration and invasion. Gamma-enolase might therefore have a multifunctional role in cancer progression: it supports increased tumour cell metabolic demands, protects tumour cells from stressful conditions and promotes their invasion and migration.

Elevated levels of 14-3-3 proteins, serotonin, gamma enolase and pyruvate kinase identified in clinical samples from patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a heterogeneous disease that is common in both men and women, continues to be one of the predominant cancers worldwide. Lifestyle, diet, environmental factors and gene defects all contribute towards CRC development risk. Therefore, the identification of novel biomarkers to aid in the management of CRC is crucial. The aim of the present study was to identify candidate biomarkers for CRC, and to develop a better understanding of their role in tumourogenesis.

METHODS

In this study, both plasma and tissue samples from patients diagnosed with CRC, together with non-malignant and normal controls were examined using mass spectrometry based proteomics and metabolomics approaches.

RESULTS

It was established that the level of several biomolecules, including serotonin, gamma enolase, pyruvate kinase and members of the 14-3-3 family of proteins, showed statistically significant changes when comparing malignant versus non-malignant patient samples, with a distinct pattern emerging mirroring cancer cell energy production.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis and management of CRC could be enhanced by the discovery and validation of new candidate biomarkers, as found in this study, aimed at facilitating early detection and/or patient stratification together with providing information on the complex behaviour of cancer cells.

The role of thymidine kinase in cancer diseases

Thymidine kinase 1 (TK 1-fetal) is a cell cycle-dependent marker that increases dramatically during the S-phase of the cell cycle. In this review, the authors discuss serum levels of thymidine kinase in a variety of neoplasias. Determination of thymidine kinase helps to monitor the follow-up of solid tumours and haematological malignancies as well as indicating the efficacy of adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy. Elevated levels of thymidine kinase must always be interpreted together with a detailed knowledge of the patient's condition because nonspecific elevations of serum levels (inflammatory and autoimmune diseases) must be excluded.

Serum neuron-specific enolase is correlated with clinical outcome of patients with non-germinal center B cell-like subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab-based immunochemotherapy

The present study examines the clinical significance of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in patients with non-germinal center B-cell type (non-GCB) of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that received rituximab chemotherapy. Serum NSE values were measured using electrochemiluminescence assay in 53 patients. About 54.7% of the DLBCL patients had positive expression of serum NSE (>15.20 ng/ml), which closely correlated with performance status, serum LDH level, B symptoms, IPI scores, and Ann-Arbor stages (P < 0.05). The mean serum NSE value in patients with non-GCB subtype of DLBCL was significantly higher than that of GCB subtype of DLBCL (P = 0.001), and among patients in non-GCB subtype group, there was significant difference in the 5-year OS rate between NSE-positive group and negative group (28.3% vs. 81.6%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, serum NSE level was found to be an independent prognostic factor in patients with non-GCB subtype. Serum NSE may be a novel marker of disease aggressiveness as well as a prognostic factor for non-GCB subtype of DLBCL in the era of rituximab.

Prognostic significance of neuron-specific enolase in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab-based immunochemotherapy

The present study examined the clinical significance of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Serum NSE values were measured using a electrochemiluminescence assay in 106 patients and tissue NSE expression was examined using immunohistochemistry in 65 patients. Fifty-four percent of patients had a positive expression of serum NSE (>15.20 ng/mL), and cytoplasmic NSE was pathologically demonstrated in 26/65 cases, which showed a positive correlation with that of serum NSE expression. The serum NSE value was closely correlated with performance status, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, and Ann Arbor stage, and declined significantly in patients who responded to treatment. In the rituximab-immunochemotherapy group, there was a significant difference in the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate between the NSE-positive and -negative groups (93% vs. 44%, p = 0.001), and the serum NSE level was found to be an independent prognostic factor. Serum NSE may be a novel marker of disease aggressiveness as well as a prognostic factor for DLBCL in the era of rituximab.

XPA-210: a new proliferation marker to characterize tumor biology and progression of renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Recent lung cancer data have shown an association of XPA-210, a key peptide of thymidine kinase, with advanced disease. We thus assessed its proliferation status in primary (M0) and metastatic (M1) renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

METHODS

Paraffin slides from 30 patients (mean age: 61.2 years; range: 42-84) with clear-cell RCC (M0 in 10; non-osseous M1 in 10; osseous M1 in 10) were T-matched for pT1/pT3. Corresponding malignant and benign renal parenchyma were immunohistochemically stained against XPA-210. Staining density was determined by a semi-quantitative score of positive cell shares. Staining intensity included the precise cellular location.

RESULTS

XPA-210 occurred predominantly in the nucleus, with a minor cytoplasmatic component. RCC tissue showed higher density and stronger intensity than did benign renal tissue in both nucleus (P = 0.005) and cytoplasm (P = 0.01). Density and intensity were positively associated with tumor diameters ≤7 cm, whereas they tended to correlate inversely in tumors >7 cm (P 0.07). Density of stained cells was significantly higher in metastatic than in localized RCC in both nucleus and cytoplasm (P < 0.04). Non-osseous M1 tissue showed significantly higher nuclear and cytoplasmatic expression than did M0 tissue (P < 0.05), whereas osseous M1 tissue did not.

CONCLUSIONS

In all RCC tissues, XPA-210 staining was significantly higher in the nucleus than in cytoplasm, potentially owing to large cytoplasmatic spaces as a characteristic histologic feature of clear-cell component. XPA-210 expression gradually increased from localized to metastatic disease, peaking in patients without bone involvement. Therefore, XPA-210 might aid the selection of appropriate adjuvant treatment in high-risk patients.

Susceptibility of human T-cell leukemia virus type I-infected cells to humanized anti-CD30 monoclonal antibodies in vitro and in vivo

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive malignancy of activated CD4(+) T cells associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) infection. No conventional chemotherapy regimen has appeared successful in patients with ATL, thus establishing effective therapy is urgently required. In some cases, ATL tumor cells express CD30 on the cell surface, therefore, a therapy with mAb against CD30 would be beneficial. To investigate the effect of CD30-mediated therapy on ATL, we assessed SGN-30, a chimeric anti-CD30 mAb, and SGN-35, a monomethyl auristatin E-conjugated anti-CD30 mAb, in vitro and in vivo. Three HTLV-I-infected cell lines were co-cultured with SGN-30 or SGN-35, and the growth-inhibitory effects on the HTLV-I-infected cells were evaluated using an in vitro cell proliferation assay and cell cycle analysis. SGN-30 and SGN-35 showed growth-inhibitory activity against the HTLV-I-infected cell lines by apoptosis and/or cell growth arrest in vitro. To further investigate the effects of SGN-30 and SGN-35 on HTLV-I-infected cells in vivo, we used NOD/SCID mice subcutaneously engrafted with HTLV-I-infected cells. Both mAbs significantly inhibited the growth of HTLV-I-infected cell tumors in the NOD/SCID murine xenograft models. These data suggest that CD30-mediated therapy with SGN-30 or SGN-35 would be useful for patients with ATL.

[Relapsing pleural effusion and gastric polyposis: a case report]

The authors present the case of a lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) with pleuro-pulmonary involvement. It was a very aggressive primary gastric lymphoma of the MALT subtype, diagnosed in an 86-year-old woman admitted in Pulmonology ward at our Hospital with pleural effusion. Helicobacter pylori search was negative, what is infrequent. The disease was already disseminated at the time of the diagnosis and did not respond to various treatment modalities, what is also an uncommon finding. Clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of this disease are reviewed, pointing out its unique features and comparing the particular aspects of this case with the published literature. The authors stress that LPD is an important diagnosis to be held in mind in the case of a pleural effusion of unknown aetiology.

Role of caveolin 1, E-cadherin, Enolase 2 and PKCalpha on resistance to methotrexate in human HT29 colon cancer cells

Background

Methotrexate is one of the earliest cytotoxic drugs used in cancer therapy, and despite the isolation of multiple other folate antagonists, methotrexate maintains its significant role as a treatment for different types of cancer and other disorders. The usefulness of treatment with methotrexate is limited by the development of drug resistance, which may be acquired through different ways. To get insights into the mechanisms associated with drug resistance and sensitization we performed a functional analysis of genes deregulated in methotrexate resistant cells, either due to its co-amplification with the dhfr gene or as a result of a transcriptome screening using microarrays.

Methods

Gene expression levels were compared between triplicate samples from either HT29 sensitive cells and resistant to 10^-5 M MTX by hybridization to the GeneChip^® HG U133 PLUS 2.0 from Affymetrix. After normalization, a list of 3-fold differentially expressed genes with a p-value < 0.05 including multiple testing correction (Benjamini and Hochberg false discovery rate) was generated. RT-Real-time PCR was used to validate the expression levels of selected genes and copy-number was determined by qPCR. Functional validations were performed either by siRNAs or by transfection of an expression plasmid.

Results

Genes adjacent to the dhfr locus and included in the 5q14 amplicon were overexpressed in HT29 MTX-resistant cells. Treatment with siRNAs against those genes caused a slight reduction in cell viability in both HT29 sensitive and resistant cells. On the other hand, microarray analysis of HT29 and HT29 MTX resistant cells unveiled overexpression of caveolin 1, enolase 2 and PKCα genes in resistant cells without concomitant copy number gain. siRNAs against these three genes effectively reduced cell viability and caused a decreased MTX resistance capacity. Moreover, overexpression of E-cadherin, which was found underexpressed in MTX-resistant cells, also sensitized the cells toward the chemotherapeutic agent. Combined treatments targeting siRNA inhibition of caveolin 1 and overexpression of E-cadherin markedly reduced cell viability in both sensitive and MTX-resistant HT29 cells.

Conclusion

We provide functional evidences indicating that caveolin 1 and E-cadherin, deregulated in MTX resistant cells, may play a critical role in cell survival and may constitute potential targets for coadjuvant therapy.

Proteomic analysis of acute myeloid leukemia: Identification of potential early biomarkers and therapeutic targets

The main goal of this study was to analyze, using proteomic techniques, changes in protein expression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells that could give insights into a better early prognosis for tumor pathophysiology. Proteomic analysis of different subtypes of AML cells was carried out using 2-DE and MALDI-TOF PMF analysis. Proteins identified as more significantly altered between the different AMLs belonged to the group of suppressor genes, metabolic enzymes, antioxidants, structural proteins and signal transduction mediators. Among them, seven identified proteins were found significantly altered in almost all the AML blast cells analyzed in relation to normal mononuclear blood cells: alpha-enolase, RhoGDI2, annexin A10, catalase, peroxiredoxin 2, tromomyosin 3, and lipocortin 1 (annexin 1). These differentially expressed proteins are known to play important roles in cellular functions such as glycolysis, tumor suppression, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis, and they might contribute to the adverse evolution of the disease. Proteomic analysis has identified for the first time novel proteins that may either help to form a differential prognosis or be used as markers for disease outcome, thus providing potential new targets for rational pathogenesis-based therapies of AML.

Differentially expressed cytosolic proteins in human leukemia and lymphoma cell lines correlate with lineages and functions

Identification of cytosolic proteins differentially expressed between types of leukemia and lymphoma may provide a molecular basis for classification and understanding their cellular properties. Two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) and mass spectrometry have been used to identify proteins that are differentially expressed in cytosolic extracts from four human leukemia and lymphoma cell lines: HL-60 (acute promyelocytic leukemia), MEC1 (B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia), CCRF-CEM (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and Raji (B-cell Burkitt's lymphoma). A total of 247 differentially expressed proteins were identified between the four cell lines. Analysis of the data by principal component analysis identified 22 protein spots (17 different protein species) differentially expressed at more than a 95% variance level between these cell lines. Several of these proteins were differentially expressed in only one cell line: HL-60 (myeloperoxidase, phosphoprotein 32 family member A, ras related protein Rab-11B, protein disulfide-isomerase, ran-specific GTPase-activating protein, nucleophosmin and S-100 calcium binding protein A4), and Raji (ezrin). Several of these proteins were differentially expressed in two cell lines: Raji and MEC1 (C-1-tetrahydrofolate synthase, elongation factor 2, alpha- and beta-tubulin, transgelin-2 and stathmin). MEC1 and CCRF-CEM (gamma-enolase), HL-60 and CCRF-CEM (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 N). The differentially expressed proteins identified in these four cell lines correlate with cellular properties and provide insights into the molecular basis of these malignancies.

Current views in HTLV-I-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the relative percentage of malignant lymphoid proliferations varies widely according to geographical location and ethnic populations. HTLV-I is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and is also associated with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). However, a definite role of HTLV-I in mycosis fungoides (MF) and/or Sezary syndrome (SS) remains controversial. While most HTLV-I-infected individuals remain asymptomatic carriers, 1-5% will develop ATLL, an invariably fatal expansion of virus-infected CD4+ T cells. This low incidence and the long latency period preceding occurrence of the disease suggest that additional factors are involved in development of ATLL. In this review, diagnosis, clinical features, and molecular pathogenesis of HTLV-I are discussed.

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