Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Gene Variants and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk

Germline Mutations in 12 Genes and Risk of Ovarian Cancer in Three Population-Based Cohorts

BACKGROUND

With the widespread use of multigene panel genetic testing, population-based studies are necessary to accurately assess penetrance in unselected individuals. We evaluated the prevalence of germline pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants (mutations) in 12 cancer-predisposition genes and associations with ovarian cancer risk in three population-based prospective studies [Nurses' Health Study (NHS), NHSII, Cancer Prevention Study II].

METHODS

We included women with epithelial ovarian or peritoneal cancer (n = 776) and controls who were alive and had at least one intact ovary at the time of the matched case diagnosis (n = 1,509). Germline DNA was sequenced for mutations in 12 genes. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ovarian cancer risk by mutation status.

RESULTS

The mutation frequency across all 12 genes was 11.2% in cases and 3.3% in controls (P < 0.0001). BRCA1 and BRCA2 were the most frequently mutated (3.5% and 3.8% of cases and 0.3% and 0.5% of controls, respectively) and were associated with increased ovarian cancer risk [OR, BRCA1 = 12.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.72-32.45; OR, BRCA2 = 9.18; 95% CI = 3.98-21.15]. Mutation frequencies for the other genes were ≤1.0% and only PALB2 was significantly associated with risk (OR = 5.79; 95% CI = 1.09-30.83). There was no difference in survival for women with a BRCA germline mutation versus no mutation.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is needed to better understand the role of other mutations in ovarian cancer among unselected populations.

IMPACT

Our data support guidelines for germline genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 among women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer; testing for PALB2 may be warranted.

Increased TCP11 gene expression can inhibit the proliferation, migration and promote apoptosis of cervical cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is a common gynecological malignancy. Gene microarray found that TCP11 gene was highly expressed in cervical cancer. However, the effect of TCP11 gene on the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of cervical cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear.

METHODS

GEPIA database, tissue microarray, western blot and qRT-PCR were used to analyze the expression of TCP11 gene in cervical cancer tissues and cells and its relationship with patients' survival rate. The cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the expressions of cell cycle and apoptosis related molecules and EMT-related molecules were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The results showed that TCP11 gene was highly expressed in cervical cancer tissues and cells compared with normal cervical tissues and cells, and its expression was positively correlated with patients' survival rate. The results of proliferation and migration assays showed that TCP11 overexpression inhibited the proliferation and migration of HeLa and SiHa cells. The results showed that TCP11 overexpression blocked the cell cycle of HeLa and SiHa cells, decreased the expression of CDK1 and Cyclin B1, and increased the apoptosis and the expression of caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3 and cleaved-PARP. TCP11 overexpression increased the protein and mRNA expression of EMT-related molecules ZO-1 and E-cadherin. Conversely, TCP11 knockdown promoted the proliferation of HeLa and SiHa cells and the migration of HeLa cells.

CONCLUSIONS

TCP11 overexpression significantly inhibited the occurrence and development of cervical cancer cells, it may be a potentially beneficial biomarker for cervical cancer.

A Review of Laser Therapies for the Treatment of Scarring and Vascular Anomalies

Significance: Laser use has become part of the gold standard of treatment as an effective adjuvant in multimodal therapy for pathologic scarring caused by burns, trauma, acne, and surgery, as well as vascular anomalies. Understanding indications and applications for laser therapy is essential for physicians to improve patient outcomes. Recent Advances: Since the 1980s, the medical use of lasers has continuously evolved with improvements in technology. Novel lasers and fractionated technologies are currently being studied in the hopes to improve treatment efficacy, while reducing complications. Recent advancements include acne treatment with novel picosecond lasers, new hypertrophic scar therapies with simultaneous laser and intense pulsed light use, and novel systems such as lasers with intralesional optical fiber delivery devices. In addition, optimizing the timing of laser therapy and its use in multimodal treatments continue to advance the field of photothermolysis. Critical Issues: Selecting the correct laser for a given indication is the fundamental decision when choosing a laser balancing effective treatment with minimal complications. This article covers the principles of laser therapy, the preferred lasers used for the treatment of scarring and vascular anomalies, and discusses the current evidence behind these laser choices. Future Directions: To optimize laser therapy, larger randomized control trials and split scar studies are needed. Continued advancement through better randomized controlled studies will help to improve patient outcomes on a broader scale.

Genetic variants in epithelial-mesenchymal transition genes as predictors of clinical outcomes in localized prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). However, little is known about genetic variants in the EMT pathway as predictors of aggressiveness, biochemical recurrence (BCR) and disease reclassification in localized PCa.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multistage study, we evaluated 5186 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 264 genes related to EMT pathway to identify SNPs associated with PCa aggressiveness and BCR in the MD Anderson PCa (MDA-PCa) patient cohort (N = 1762), followed by assessment of the identified SNPs with disease reclassification in the active surveillance (AS) cohort (N = 392).

RESULTS

In the MDA-PCa cohort, 312 SNPs were associated with high D'Amico risk (P < 0.05), among which, 14 SNPs in 10 genes were linked to BCR risk. In the AS cohort, 2 of 14 identified SNPs (rs76779889 and rs7083961) in C-terminal Binding Proteins 2 gene were associated with reclassification risk. The associations of rs76779889 with different endpoints were: D'Amico high versus low, odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 2.89 (1.32-6.34), P = 0.008; BCR, hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) = 2.88 (1.42-5.85), P = 0.003; and reclassification, HR (95% CI) = 2.83 (1.40-5.74), P = 0.004. For rs7083961, the corresponding risk estimates were: D'Amico high versus low, odds ratio (95% CI) = 1.69 (1.12-2.57), P = 0.013; BCR, HR (95% CI) = 1.87 (1.15-3.02), P = 0.011 and reclassification, HR (95% CI) = 1.72 (1.09-2.72), P = 0.020. There were cumulative effects of these two SNPs on modulating these endpoints.

CONCLUSION

Genetic variants in EMT pathway may influence the risks of localized PCa's aggressiveness, BCR and disease reclassification, suggesting their potential role in the assessment and management of localized PCa.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans as targets for cancer therapy: a review

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play important roles in cancer initiation and progression, by interacting with the signaling pathways that affect proliferation, adhesion, invasion and angiogenesis. These roles suggest the possibility of various strategies of regulation of these molecules. In this review, we demonstrated that the anticancer drugs can regulate the heparan sulfate proteoglycans activity in different ways: some act directly in core protein, and can bind to a specific type of HSPG. Others drugs interact with glycosaminoglycans chains, and others can act directly in enzymes that regulate HSPGs levels. We also demonstrated that the HSPGs drug targets can be divided into four groups: monoclonal antibodies, antitumor antibiotic, natural products, and mimetics peptide. Interestingly, many drugs demonstrated in this review are approved by FDA and is used in cancer therapy (Food and Drug Administration) like trastuzumab, panitumumab, bleomycin and bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (ASCO) or are in clinical trials like codrituzumab and genistein. This review should help researchers to understand the mechanism of action of anticancer drugs existing and also may inspire the discovery of new drugs that regulate the heparan sulfate proteoglycans activity.

TNFAIP8 variants as potential epidemiological and predictive biomarkers in ovarian cancer

Background

This research aimed to investigate the association between tumor necrosis factor-a-induced protein 8 (TNFAIP8) polymorphisms and ovarian cancer (OC) susceptibility.

Methods

A case–control study of 210 patients with OC and 231 healthy controls was conducted to assess the association between TNFAIP8 polymorphisms (rs11064, rs1045241, and rs1045242) and OC risk in Heilongjiang Province of China. The SNaPshot SNP assay was conducted to detect SNP genotype. Logistic regression analysis was applied to illustrate the underlying association.

Results

Our research found that TNFAIP8 rs11064 and rs1045242 were significantly connected with the susceptibility of OC. Additionally, rs1045242 increased the risk of OC, while rs11064 performed a protective role in the risk of OC. Data revealed that rs1045242 strongly related with advanced FIGO stage, larger residual tumor, and the presence of recurrence.

Conclusions

TNFAIP8 genetic variants, which may play difference roles, were significantly associated with OC susceptibility. The underlying molecular mechanism needs be clarified with scientific evidence.

The Role of Glypicans in Cancer Progression and Therapy

Glypicans are a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are attached to the cell membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Glypicans interact with multiple ligands, including morphogens, growth factors, chemokines, ligands, receptors, and components of the extracellular matrix through their heparan sulfate chains and core protein. Therefore, glypicans can function as coreceptors to regulate cell proliferation, cell motility, and morphogenesis. In addition, some glypicans are abnormally expressed in cancers, possibly involved in tumorigenesis, and have the potential to be cancer-specific biomarkers. Here, we provide a brief review focusing on the expression of glypicans in various cancers and their potential to be targets for cancer therapy.

The untapped potential of ascites in ovarian cancer research and treatment

The build-up of fluid in the peritoneal cavity-ascites-is a hallmark of ovarian cancer, the most lethal of all gynaecological malignancies. This remarkable fluid, which contains a variety of cellular and acellular components, is known to contribute to patient morbidity and mortality by facilitating metastasis and contributing to chemoresistance, but remains largely under-researched. In this review, we will critically analyse the evidence associating ascites with metastasis and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer and provide an update on research in the field. We will argue the case for ascites as a unique and accessible substrate for tracking tumour progression and for translational research that will enhance our understanding of this cancer and lead to improvements in patient outcomes.

Ovarian Primary and Metastatic Tumors Suppressed by Survivin Knockout or a Novel Survivin Inhibitor

Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family, is upregulated in multiple cancers including ovarian cancer, but is rarely detectable in normal tissues. We previously reported that survivin promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ovarian cancer cells, suggesting that survivin may contribute to ovarian tumor metastasis and chemoresistance. In this study, we tested whether knockout or pharmacologic inhibition of survivin overcomes chemoresistance and suppresses tumor metastasis. The genetic loss of survivin suppressed tumor metastasis in an orthotopic ovarian cancer mouse model. To pharmacologically test the role of survivin on ovarian tumor metastasis, we treated chemo-resistant ovarian cancer cells with a selective survivin inhibitor, MX106, and found that MX106 effectively overcame chemoresistance in vitro MX106 inhibited cell migration and invasion by attenuating the TGFβ pathway and inhibiting EMT in ovarian cancer cells. To evaluate the efficacy of MX106 in inhibiting ovarian tumor metastasis, we treated an orthotopic ovarian cancer mouse model with MX106, and found that MX106 efficiently inhibited primary tumor growth in ovaries and metastasis in multiple peritoneal organs as compared with vehicle-treated control mice. Our data demonstrate that inhibition of survivin using either genetic knockout or a novel inhibitor MX106 suppresses primary ovarian tumor growth and metastasis, supporting that targeting survivin could be an effective therapeutic approach in ovarian cancer.

Single nucleotide polymorphism of PIK3CA and its interaction with the environment are risk factors for Chinese Han ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The PI3K pathway is an important signaling network that regulates key cell functions such as cell growth, proliferation and survival. PIK3CA mutations are found in a variety of human cancers. This study aimed to analyze the effect of interactions between PIK3CA rs2699887, rs3976507, rs6443626 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and the environment on the risk of Chinese Han ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Sanger sequencing was used to analyze the PIK3CA rs2699887, rs3976507, rs6443626 genotypes in 350 Chinese Han ovarian cancer patients and 350 control individuals, and the expression of PIK3CA protein was detected in 117 ovarian cancer patients.

RESULTS

In subjects with age ≥60 years, Number liveborn ≤ 3, no smoking, no alcohol, and no family history of ovarian cancer, the risk of ovarian cancer of the rs2699887 T allele carriers were increased (all p < 0.05). In subjects with obesity (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2), Number liveborn ≤3, no smoking, no alcohol, and no family history of ovarian cancer, the risk of ovarian cancer of rs3976507 T allele carriers and rs6443626 C allele carriers were increased (all p < 0.05). PIK3CA protein expression level in PIK3CA rs2699887 C > T, rs3976507 C > T, rs6443626 T > C locus homozygotes was significantly higher than that in heterozygotes (p <  0.05).

CONCLUSION

Interaction between PIK3CA rs2699887 SNP and age, number of liveborn, tobacco, alcohol, a family history of ovarian cancer and other factors are associated with ovarian cancer risk. Interaction between PIK3CA rs3976507 and rs6443626 loci, and factors such as BMI, number of liveborn, tobacco, alcohol, and family history of ovarian cancer are associated with ovarian cancer risk.

Glypican 6 is a putative biomarker for metastatic progression of cutaneous melanoma

Due to the poor prognosis of advanced metastatic melanoma, it is crucial to find early biomarkers that help identify which melanomas will metastasize. By comparing the gene expression data from primary and cutaneous melanoma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we identified GPC6 among a set of genes whose expression levels can distinguish between primary melanoma and regional cutaneous/subcutaneous metastases. Glypicans are thought to play a role in tumor growth by regulating the signaling pathways of Wnt, Hedgehogs, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). We showed that GPC6 expression was up-regulated in a melanoma cell line compared to normal melanocytes and in metastatic melanoma compared to primary melanoma. Furthermore, GPC6 expression was positively correlated with genes largely involved in cell adhesion and migration in both melanoma samples and in RNA-seq samples from other TCGA tumors. Our results suggest that GPC6 may play a role in tumor metastatic progression. In TCGA melanoma samples, we also showed that GPC6 expression was negatively correlated with miR-509-3p, which has previously been shown to function as a tumor suppressor in various cancer cell lines. We overexpressed miR-509-3p in A375 melanoma cells and showed that GPC6 expression was significantly suppressed. This result suggested that GPC6 was a putative target of miR-509-3p in melanoma. Together, our findings identified GPC6 as an early biomarker for melanoma metastatic progression, one that can be regulated by miR-509-3p.

MicroRNA-16 inhibits migration and invasion via regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in ovarian cancer

As small non-coding RNA molecules, microRNAs (miRs) function in the regulation of tumorigenesis. Proliferation in ovarian cancer is considered to be associated with miR-16; however, the role of miR-16 in the migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells remains unclear. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR-16 expression is downregulated in the ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cell lines compared with that in normal ovarian epithelial cells (OECs). miR-16 overexpression inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells, and decreased the expression of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)2 and MMP9. Additionally, miR-16 upregulated the expression of cadherin 1, an intercellular adhesion molecule, and downregulated the expression of some mesenchymal markers, including snail family transcriptional repressor 2, snail family transcriptional repressor 1, Vimentin, twist family BHLH transcription factor 1 and cadherin 2 in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Furthermore, it was indicated that miR-16 overexpression in SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells resulted in a significant increase in anti-glycogen synthase kinase 3 β expression and a decrease in the expression of Wnt family member 3A, β-catenin, MYC proto-oncogene, BHLH transcription factor and cyclin D1 compared with the NC group. The results of the present study indicated that miR-16 exerts a suppressive effect on cell migration and invasion in ovarian cancer in vitro, through inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The data suggest that miR-16 may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.

AMD3100 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell invasion, and metastasis in the liver and the lung through blocking the SDF-1α/CXCR4 signaling pathway in prostate cancer

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) have been found to be tightly correlated with the progression of prostate cancer (PC). In this study, we investigated the effects of an SDF-1α/CXCR4 inhibitor, AMD3100, on cell progression and metastasis potential of human PC cells. Human PC cell lines (LNCaP, PC3, and DU145) were cultured to detect SDF-1α/CXCR4, which showed higher SDF-1α and CXCR4 expression than the normal human prostate epithelial cell line, RWPE-1. AMD3100 was confirmed to be an inhibitor of SDF-1α, and to detect the effect of SDF-1α/CXCR4 inhibition on PC, PC cells were treated with AMD3100 or/and CXCR4 siRNA. The results suggested that inhibition of the SDF-1α/CXCR4 pathway could promote the E-cadherin level but inhibit the levels of invasion and migration of vimentin, N-cadherin and α5β1 integrin. Finally, tumor formation in nude mice was conducted, and the cell experiment results were verfied. These data show that AMD3100 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration of PC cells by inhibiting the SDF-1α/CXCR4 signaling pathway, which provides a clinical target in the treatment of PC.

Knockout of MTF1 Inhibits the Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Due to peritoneal metastasis and frequent recurrence, ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecological cancers. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to ovarian tumor metastasis. In this study, we report for the first time that metal regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1) was upregulated in ovarian cancer, and its high expression was associated with poor patient survival and disease relapse. Knockout of MTF1 using lentiviral CRISPR/Cas9 nickase vector-mediated gene editing inhibited EMT by upregulating epithelial cell markers E-cadherin and cytokeratin 7, and downregulating mesenchymal markers Snai2 and β-catenin in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Loss of MTF1 reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in both SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Knockout of MTF1 upregulated the expression of the KLF4 transcription factor, and attenuated two cellular survival pathways, ERK1/2 and AKT. Our studies demonstrated that MTF1 plays an oncogenic role and contributes to ovarian tumor metastasis by promoting EMT. MTF1 may be a novel biomarker for early diagnosis as well as a drug target for clinical therapy.

miR-203 inhibits ovarian tumor metastasis by targeting BIRC5 and attenuating the TGFβ pathway

BACKGROUND

We previously reported that miR-203 functions as a tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer cells by directly targeting transcription factor Snai2 and inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), whereas BIRC5/survivin promotes EMT. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that miR-203 inhibits ovarian tumor metastasis by suppressing EMT through targeting BIRC5, using an orthotopic ovarian cancer mouse model.

METHODS

We overexpressed miR-203 in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells using a lentiviral vector and examined cell migration and invasion using transwell plates. The small molecule inhibitor, YM155, was used to inhibit survivin expression. miR-203-expressing and control SKOV3 cells were intrabursally injected into immunocompromised NSG female mice. Primary tumors in ovaries and metastatic tumors were collected to determine the expression of survivin and EMT markers using Western blot and immunostaining.

RESULTS

Overexpression of miR-203 inhibits EMT by targeting BIRC5 in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. miR-203 expression enhances the ability of the survivin inhibitor YM155 to reduce tumor cell migration and invasion in vitro. We further showed that miR-203 expression attenuated the TGFβ pathway in both SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. miR-203 expression also inhibited primary tumor growth in ovaries and metastatic tumors in multiple peritoneal organs including liver and spleen.

CONCLUSION

miR-203 inhibits ovarian tumor metastasis by targeting BIRC5/survivin and attenuating the TGFβ pathway.

Polymorphisms in genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and risk of non-small cell lung cancer

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process is a crucial step for tumor invasion and metastasis. Previous research investigating EMT has mostly focused on its role in cancer progression. Recent studies showed that EMT and EMT-driving transcription factor (EMT-TF) expression are early events in lung cancer pathogenesis, implying a potential association between EMT and lung cancer risk. In this study, we examined whether genetic variants in EMT-related genes are associated with risk of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We used data from a genome-wide association study of 1482 NSCLC cases and 1544 healthy controls as the discovery phase, in which we analyzed 1602 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 159 EMT-related genes. We then validated the significant SNPs in another 5699 cases and 5815 controls from the National Cancer Institute lung cancer genome-wide association study. Cumulative effects were evaluated for validated SNPs, and a gene-based test was performed to explore gene-level association with disease risk. In the discovery phase, 174 SNPs demonstrated significant associations with NSCLC risk. In the validation phase, seven SNPs mapped to EGFR, NOTCH3, ADGRF1 and SMAD3 were confirmed. Cumulative effect analysis of the significant SNPs demonstrated increasing risk with the number of unfavorable genotypes in the discovery and validation datasets. Gene-based analysis implicated ADGRF1, NOTCH3 and CDH1 as significant for NSCLC risk. Functional prediction revealed several potential mechanisms underlying these associations. Our results suggest that EMT-related gene variants may be involved in susceptibility to NSCLC; if confirmed, they might help identify higher-risk individuals.

Lentiviral CRISPR/Cas9 nickase vector mediated BIRC5 editing inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer cells

BIRC5 encodes the protein survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family. Survivin is highly expressed in a variety of cancers but has very low expression in the corresponding normal tissues, and its expression is often associated with tumor metastasis and chemoresistance. We report that survivin was highly expressed in ovarian cancer and strongly correlated with patient overall poor survival. For the first time, we provide experimental evidence that survivin is involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ovarian cancer cells. Lentiviral CRISPR/Cas9 nickase vector mediated BIRC5 gene editing led to the inhibition of EMT by upregulating epithelial cell marker, cytokeratin 7 and downregulating mesenchymal markers: snail2, β-catenin, and vimentin in both ovarian cancer SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Consistent with this molecular approach, pharmacological treatment of ovarian cancer cells using a small molecule survivin inhibitor, YM155 also inhibited EMT in these ovarian cancer cell lines. Overexpression of BIRC5 promoted EMT in SKOV3 cells. Using molecular or pharmacological approaches, we found that cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were significantly inhibited following BIRC5 disruption in both cell lines. Inhibition of BIRC5 expression also sensitized cell responses to paclitaxel treatment. Moreover, loss of BIRC5 expression attenuated TGFβ signaling in both SKOV3 and OVCAR3 cells. Collectively, our studies demonstrated that disruption of BIRC5 expression inhibited EMT by attenuating the TGFβ pathway in ovarian cancer cells.

Irisin suppresses the migration, proliferation, and invasion of lung cancer cells via inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

Irisin is involved in promoting metabolism, immune regulation, and affects chronic inflammation in many systemic diseases, including gastric cancer. However, the role of irisin in lung cancer is not well characterized. To determine whether irisin has a protective effect against lung cancer, we cultured A549 and NCI-H446 lung cancer cells and treated them with irisin. We detected the proliferation by MTT assay, and assessed the migration and invasion of the cells by scratch wound healing assay and Tran-swell assay. The expression levels of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and the related signaling pathways were detected by western blot analysis. Meanwhile, an inhibitor of PI3K was used to investigate the effect of irsin. Finally, the expression of Snail was detected. We demonstrated that irisin inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells, and has a novel role in mediating the PI3K/AKT pathway in the cells. Irisin can reverse the activity of EMT and inhibit the expression of Snail via mediating the PI3K/AKT pathway, which is a key regulator of Snail. These results revealed that irisin inhibited EMT and reduced the invasion of lung cancer cells via the PI3K/AKT/Snail pathway.

Genomic/Epigenomic Alterations in Ovarian Carcinoma: Translational Insight into Clinical Practice

Ovarian carcinoma is the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. Recent advance in genomic/epigenomic researches will impact on our prevention, detection and intervention on ovarian carcinoma. Detection of germline mutations in BRCA1/BRCA2, mismatch repair genes, and other genes in the homologous recombination/DNA repair pathway propelled the genetic surveillance of most hereditary ovarian carcinomas. Germline or somatic mutations in SMARCA4 in familial and sporadic small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemia type, lead to our recognition on this rare aggressive tumor as a new entity of the atypical teratoma/rhaboid tumor family. Genome-wide association studies have identified many genetic variants that will contribute to the evaluation of ovarian carcinoma risk and prognostic prediction. Whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing discovered rare mutations in other drive mutations except p53, but demonstrated the presence of high genomic heterogeneity and adaptability in the genetic evolution of high grade ovarian serous carcinomas that occurs in cancer progression and chemotherapy. Gene mutations, copy number aberrations and DNA methylations provided promising biomarkers for the detection, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy response and targets of ovarian cancer. These findings underscore the necessity to translate these potential biomarkers into clinical practice.