The ERK5/NF-κB signaling pathway targets endometrial cancer proliferation and survival

Targeting NF-κB in Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Alleviation: from Signaling Networks to Therapeutic Targeting

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a major complication of liver trauma, resection, and transplantation that can lead to liver dysfunction and failure. Scholars have proposed a variety of liver protection methods aimed at reducing ischemia-reperfusion damage, but there is still a lack of effective treatment methods, which urgently needs to find new effective treatment methods for patients. Many studies have reported that signaling pathway plays a key role in HIRI pathological process and liver function recovery mechanism, among which nuclear transfer factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway is one of the signal transduction closely related to disease. NF-κB pathway is closely related to HIRI pathologic process, and inhibition of this pathway can delay oxidative stress, inflammatory response, cell death, and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, NF-κB can also interact with PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and Nrf2 signaling pathways to participate in HIRI regulation. Based on the role of NF-κB pathway in HIRI, it may be a potential target pathway for HIRI. This review emphasizes the role of inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway in oxidative stress, inflammatory response, cell death, and mitochondrial dysfunction in HIRI, as well as the effects of related drugs or inhibitors targeting NF-κB on HIRI. The objective of this review is to elucidate the role and mechanism of NF-κB pathway in HIRI, emphasize the important role of NF-κB pathway in the prevention and treatment of HIRI, and provide a theoretical basis for the target NF-κB pathway as a therapy for HIRI.

IDO1 promotes CSFV replication by mediating tryptophan metabolism to inhibit NF-κB signaling

Tryptophan metabolism plays a crucial role in facilitating various cellular processes essential for maintaining normal cellular function. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) catalyzes the conversion of tryptophan (Trp) into kynurenine (Kyn), thereby initiating the degradation of Trp. The resulting Kyn metabolites have been implicated in the modulation of immune responses. Currently, the role of IDO1-mediated tryptophan metabolism in the process of viral infection remains relatively unknown. In this study, we discovered that classical swine fever virus (CSFV) infection of PK-15 cells can induce the expression of IDO1, thereby promoting tryptophan metabolism. IDO1 can negatively regulate the NF-κB signaling by mediating tryptophan metabolism, thereby facilitating CSFV replication. We found that silencing the IDO1 gene enhances the expression of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IL-6 by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, our observations indicate that both silencing the IDO1 gene and administering exogenous tryptophan can inhibit CSFV replication by counteracting the cellular autophagy induced by Rapamycin. This study reveals a novel mechanism of IDO1-mediated tryptophan metabolism in CSFV infection, providing new insights and a theoretical basis for the treatment and control of CSFV.IMPORTANCEIt is well known that due to the widespread use of vaccines, the prevalence of classical swine fever (CSF) is shifting towards atypical and invisible infections. CSF can disrupt host metabolism, leading to persistent immune suppression in the host and causing significant harm when co-infected with other diseases. Changes in the host's metabolic profiles, such as increased catabolic metabolism of amino acids and the production of immunoregulatory metabolites and their derivatives, can also influence virus replication. Mammals utilize various pathways to modulate immune responses through amino acid utilization, including increased catabolic metabolism of amino acids and the production of immunoregulatory metabolites and their derivatives, thereby limiting viral replication. Therefore, this study proposes that targeting the modulation of tryptophan metabolism may represent an effective approach to control the progression of CSF.

IGF2BP2-modified circular RNA circCHD7 promotes endometrial cancer progression via stabilizing PDGFRB and activating JAK/STAT signaling pathway

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a class of covalently closed, single-stranded RNAs and have been linked to cancer progression. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is a ubiquitous RNA modification in cancer cells. Increasing evidence suggests that m6A can mediate the effects of circRNAs in cancer biology. In contrast, the post-transcriptional systems of m6A and circRNA in the progression of endometrial cancer (EC) remain obscure. The current study identified a novel circRNA with m6A modification, hsa_circ_0084582 (circCHD7), which was upregulated in EC tissues. Functionally, circCHD7 was found to promote the proliferation of EC cells. Mechanistically, circCHD7 interacted with insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein (IGF2BP2) to amplify its enrichment. Moreover, circCHD7 increased the mRNA stability of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) in an m6A-dependent manner, thereby enhancing its expression. In addition, the circCHD7/IGF2BP2/PDGFRB axis activated the JAK/STAT signaling pathway and promoted EC cell proliferation. In conclusion, these findings provide new insights into the regulation of circRNA-mediated m6A modification, and the new "circCHD7-PDGFRB" model of regulation offers new perspectives on circCHD7 as a potential target for EC therapy.

Unveiling the role of tRNA-derived small RNAs in MAPK signaling pathway: implications for cancer and beyond

tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are novel small non-coding RNAs originating from mature or precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNA), typically spanning 14 to 30 nt. The Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway orchestrates cellular responses, influencing proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and transformation. tsRNAs influence the expression of the MAPK signaling pathway by targeting specific proteins within the pathway. Presently, four MAPK-linked tsRNAs have implications in gastric cancer (GC) and high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Notably, tRF-Glu-TTC-027 and tRF-Val-CAC-016 modulate MAPK-related protein expression, encompassing p38, Myc, ERK, CyclinD1, CyclinB, and c-Myc, hindering GC progression via MAPK pathway inhibition. Moreover, tRF-24-V29K9UV3IU and tRF-03357 remain unexplored in specific mechanisms. KEGG analysis posits varied tsRNAs in MAPK pathway modulation for diverse non-cancer maladies. Notably, high tRF-36-F900BY4D84KRIME and tRF-23-87R8WP9IY expression relates to varicose vein (VV) risk. Elevated tiRNA-Gly-GCC-001, tRF-Gly-GCC-012, tRF-Gly-GCC-013, and tRF-Gly-GCC-016 target spinal cord injury (SCI)-related brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), influencing MAPK expression. tRF-Gly-CCC-039 associates with diabetes foot sustained healing, while tRF-5014a inhibits autophagy-linked ATG5 in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Additionally, tsRNA-14783 influences keloid formation by regulating M2 macrophage polarization. Upregulation of tRF-Arg-ACG-007 and downregulation of tRF-Ser-GCT-008 are associated with diabetes. tsRNA-04002 alleviates Intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD) by targeting PRKCA. tsRNA-21109 alleviates Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by inhibiting macrophage M1 polarization. The upregulated tiNA-Gly-GCC-002 and the downregulated tRF-Ala-AGC-010, tRF-Gln-CTG-005 and tRF-Leu-AAG-001 may be involved in the pathogenesis of Lupus nephritis (LN) by affecting the expression of MAPK pathway. Downregulation of tsRNA-1018, tsRNA-3045b, tsRNA-5021a and tsRNA-1020 affected the expression of MAPK pathway, thereby improving Acute lung injury (ALI). This review comprehensively dissects tsRNA roles in MAPK signaling across cancers and other diseases, illuminating a novel avenue for translational medical exploration.

Prediction of immune infiltration and prognosis for patients with cholangiocarcinoma based on a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature

Objective

Cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) is a malignant disease that affects the digestive tract, and it is characterized by a poor prognosis. This research sought to explore the involvement of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs (CRLs) in the prognostic prediction and immune infiltration of cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods

The expression profiles and clinical data of CHOL patients were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and CRLs were defined via co-expression analysis. Two molecular clusters distinguished by cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) were produced. Then a risk signature consisted by four CRLs was formed, and all samples were separated into low- and high-risk groups using a risk score. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, principal component analysis, differentially expressed analysis, immune cell infiltration analysis, and sensitivities analysis of chemotherapy drugs were conducted between the two groups. Simultaneously, the expression values of four lncRNAs confirmed by real-time PCR in our own 20 CHOL samples were brought into the risk model.

Results

The CHOL samples could be differentiated into two molecular clusters, which displayed contrasting survival times. Additionally, patients with higher risk scores had significantly worse prognosis compared to those in the low-risk group. Furthermore, both immune infiltration and enrichment analysis revealed significant discrepancies in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) between different risk groups. Moreover, the predictive power and the correlation with CA19-9 and CEA of risk signature were validated in our own samples.

Conclusion

We developed a risk signature which could serve as an independent prognostic factor and offer a promising prediction for not only prognosis but also TIME in CHOL patients.

MAP kinase ERK5 modulates cancer cell sensitivity to extrinsic apoptosis induced by death-receptor agonists

Death receptor ligand TRAIL is a promising cancer therapy due to its ability to selectively trigger extrinsic apoptosis in cancer cells. However, TRAIL-based therapies in humans have shown limitations, mainly due inherent or acquired resistance of tumor cells. To address this issue, current efforts are focussed on dissecting the intracellular signaling pathways involved in resistance to TRAIL, to identify strategies that sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. In this work, we describe the oncogenic MEK5-ERK5 pathway as a critical regulator of cancer cell resistance to the apoptosis induced by death receptor ligands. Using 2D and 3D cell cultures and transcriptomic analyses, we show that ERK5 controls the proteostasis of TP53INP2, a protein necessary for full activation of caspase-8 in response to TNFα, FasL or TRAIL. Mechanistically, ERK5 phosphorylates and induces ubiquitylation and proteasomal degradation of TP53INP2, resulting in cancer cell resistance to TRAIL. Concordantly, ERK5 inhibition or genetic deletion, by stabilizing TP53INP2, sensitizes cancer cells to the apoptosis induced by recombinant TRAIL and TRAIL/FasL expressed by Natural Killer cells. The MEK5-ERK5 pathway regulates cancer cell proliferation and survival, and ERK5 inhibitors have shown anticancer activity in preclinical models of solid tumors. Using endometrial cancer patient-derived xenograft organoids, we propose ERK5 inhibition as an effective strategy to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL-based therapies.

USP14 predicts poorer survival outcomes and promotes tumor progression in endometrial carcinoma by activating NF-κB signaling

Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14), a member of the USP family, which catalyzes ubiquitin cleavage from a range of protein substrates, has been found dysregulated in several cancers. Our aim is to explore the functions and mechanism of USP14 in endometrial carcinoma (EC). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) were used to assess USP14 levels in EC tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues. USP14 overexpression or knockdown models were adopted to determine USP14-mediated effects on EC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The xenograft tumor experiment checked the effect of USP14 overexpression on tumor cell growth. Furthermore, the upstream signaling pathway of USP14 was predicted by bioinformatics. Consequently, EC tissues exhibited USP14 overexpression compared to normal paracancerous nontumor tissues. USP14 presence was linked to an adverse prognosis in EC cases. Functionally, USP14 overexpression reduced apoptosis and increased cell migration, invasion, and EMT in vivo and ex vivo. USP14 knockdown had the opposite effect. Mechanistically, NF-κB pathway activation occurred through the inhibitory effect of USP14 on I-κB expression. Conversely, NF-κB pathway inhibition attenuated USP14-mediated carcinogenic effects. Additionally, there existed a binding interaction between miR-124-3p and the 3'-UTR of USP14, resulting in USP14 activity inhibition. In summary, our research indicates that the involvement of miR-124-3p in USP14 regulation contributes to exacerbated EC progression through NF-κB pathway activation. The modulation of this pathway may be a new strategy for treating EC.

The significance of ERK5 catalytic-independent functions in disease pathways

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), also known as BMK1 or MAPK7, represents a recent addition to the classical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. This family includes well-known members such as ERK1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), as well as atypical MAPKs such as ERK3, ERK4, ERK7 (ERK8), and Nemo-like kinase (NLK). Comprehensive reviews available elsewhere provide detailed insights into ERK5, which interested readers can refer to for in-depth knowledge (Nithianandarajah-Jones et al., 2012; Monti et al., Cancers (Basel), 2022, 14). The primary aim of this review is to emphasize the essential characteristics of ERK5 and shed light on the intricate nature of its activation, with particular attention to the catalytic-independent functions in disease pathways.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate elicits a ROS-mediated proinflammatory response in human endometrial stromal cells via ERK5 activation

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease affecting ~10% women in the reproductive age characterized by the growth of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. The inflammatory process has a key role in the initiation and progression of the disorder. Currently, there are no available early diagnostic tests and therapy relies exclusively on symptomatic drugs, so that elucidation of the complex molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis is an unmet need. The signaling of the bioactive sphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is deeply dysregulated in endometriosis. S1P modulates a variety of fundamental cellular processes, including inflammation, neo-angiogenesis, and immune responses acting mainly as ligand of a family of G-protein-coupled receptors named S1P receptors (S1PR), S1P1-5 . Here, we demonstrated that the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK5, that is expressed in endometriotic lesions as determined by quantitative PCR, is activated by S1P in human endometrial stromal cells. S1P-induced ERK5 activation was shown to be triggered by S1P1/3 receptors via a SFK/MEK5-dependent axis. S1P-induced ERK5 activation was, in turn, responsible for the increase of reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory cytokine expression in human endometrial stromal cells. The present findings indicate that the S1P signaling, via ERK5 activation, supports a proinflammatory response in the endometrium and establish the rationale for the exploitation of innovative therapeutic targets for endometriosis.

Modulation of ERK5 Activity as a Therapeutic Anti-Cancer Strategy

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) signaling pathway is one of four conventional mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways. Genetic perturbation of ERK5 has suggested that modulation of ERK5 activity may have therapeutic potential in cancer chemotherapy. This Miniperspective examines the evidence for ERK5 as a drug target in cancer, the structure of ERK5, and the evolution of structurally distinct chemotypes of ERK5 kinase domain inhibitors. The emerging complexities of ERK5 pharmacology are discussed, including the confounding phenomenon of paradoxical ERK5 activation by small-molecule ERK5 inhibitors. The impact of the recent development and biological evaluation of potent and selective bifunctional degraders of ERK5 and future opportunities in ERK modulation are also explored.

Effects of saponins from Chinese herbal medicines on signal transduction pathways in cancer: A review

Cancer poses a serious threat to human health, and the search for safe and effective drugs for its treatment has aroused interest and become a long-term goal. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCM), an ancient science with unique anti-cancer advantages, has achieved outstanding results in long-term clinical practice. Accumulating evidence shows that saponins are key bioactive components in TCM and have great research and development applications for their significant role in the treatment of cancer. Saponins are a class of glycosides comprising nonpolar triterpenes or sterols attached to hydrophilic oligosaccharide groups that exert antitumor effects by targeting the NF-κB, PI3Ks-Akt-mTOR, MAPK, Wnt-β-catenin, JAK-STAT3, APMK, p53, and EGFR signaling pathways. Presently, few advances have been made in physiological and pathological studies on the effect of saponins on signal transduction pathways involved in cancer treatment. This paper reviews the phytochemistry and extraction methods of saponins of TCM and their effects on signal transduction pathways in cancer. It aims to provide theoretical support for in-depth studies on the anticancer effects of saponins.

Bioinformatic analysis of differentially expressed profiles of lncRNAs and miRNAs with their related ceRNA network in endometrial cancer

Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding riboneucleic acids (lncRNAs), as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), play a key role in the initiation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer. As a new hypothesis, the lncRNA-micro RNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA), ceRNA regulatory network has been successfully constructed in a variety of cancers. However, lncRNA, which plays a ceRNA function in endometrial cancer (EC), is still poorly understood. In this study, we downloaded EC expression profiling from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and used the R software "edgeR" package to analyze the differentially expressed genes between EC and normal endometrium samples. Then, differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs were selected to construct a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA prognosis-related regulatory network based on interaction information. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the genes in the network to predict the potential underlying mechanisms and functions of lncRNAs in EC. Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Based on the "ceRNA hypothesis," we constructed a co-expression network of mRNA and lncRNA genes mediated by miRNA in the process of tumor genesis. Furthermore, we successfully constructed a dysregulated lncRNA-associated ceRNA network containing 96 DElncRNAs, 27 DEmiRNAs, and 74 DEmRNAs. Through Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, we found that 9 lncRNAs, 3 miRNAs, and 12 mRNAs were significantly correlated with the overall survival rate of patients among all lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs involved in ceRNA (P < .05). Our research provides a new perspective for the interaction among lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNA and lays the foundation for further research on the mechanism of lncRNAs in the occurrence of EC.