Egr2 and 3 maintain anti-tumour responses of exhausted tumour infiltrating CD8 + T cells

Identification and validation of susceptibility modules and hub genes in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis using WGCNA and machine learning

BACKGROUND

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), superseding juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting children and characterized by various types of childhood arthritis. JIA manifests clinically with joint inflammation, swelling, pain, and limited mobility, potentially leading to long-term joint damage if untreated. This study aimed to identify genes associated with the progression and prognosis of JIA polyarticular to enhance clinical diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

We analyzed the gene expression omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE1402 to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in peripheral blood single nucleated cells (PBMCs) of JIA polyarticular patients. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to identify key gene modules, and protein-protein interaction networks (PPIs) were constructed to select hub genes. The random forest model was employed for biomarker gene screening. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted using David's online database, gene ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis to annotate and identify potential JIA pathways. Hub genes were validated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

PHLDA1, EGR3, CXCL2, and PF4V1 were identified as significantly associated with the progression and prognosis of JIA polyarticular phenotype, demonstrating high diagnostic and prognostic assessment value.

CONCLUSION

These genes can be utilized as potential molecular biomarkers, offering valuable insights for the early diagnosis and personalized treatment of JIA polyarticular patients.

Spatial transcriptomics reveal high T cell and monocyte status as predictive and prognostic markers in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

In the present study, we intended to discover predictive or prognostic factors of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We intended to investigate the differences between PDAC cases that are treated with upfront surgery (UFS) and surgery after neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy (NAT), and cases with good and poor responses to NAT, using digital spatial profiling (DSP) and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis.

METHODS

Forty-eight PDAC cases that were surgically resected with or without NAT were included. A tissue microarray was constructed for DSP and IHC. Pathological tumor regression to NAT was graded based on the College of American Pathologists (CAP) system.

RESULTS

Between the UFS and NAT groups, there were no significant differentially expressed genes in all cell types. In the NAT group, MFAP4 and EGR3 were upregulated in CAP 2 in pan CK- and CD45-negative cells. Gene set enrichment analysis of CD45-positive cells showed that genes related to B or T cell-associated pathways were enriched in CAP 2, which correlated with the IHC; higher CD3-, CD4-, and CD8-positive cell densities in CAP 2. Multivariate analysis revealed age, high monocyte infiltration, and high CD68-positive cell infiltration as independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased expression of MFAP4 and EGR3 as well as high CD3-, CD4-, and CD8-positive cell infiltration may be predictive markers of the NAT response in PDAC. Additionally, high monocyte infiltration and high CD68-positive cell infiltration could serve as prognostic markers for PDAC.

C6 Ceramide Inhibits Canine Mammary Cancer Growth and Metastasis by Targeting EGR3 through JAK1/STAT3 Signaling

Cancer is the leading cause of death in both humans and companion animals. Canine mammary tumor is an important disease with a high incidence and metastasis rate, and its poor prognosis remains a serious clinical challenge. C6 ceramide is a short-chain sphingolipid metabolite with powerful potential as a tumor suppressor. However, the specific impact of C6 ceramide on canine mammary cancer remains unclear. However, the effects of C6 ceramide in canine mammary cancer are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the role of C6 ceramide in the progress of canine mammary cancer and explored its potential mechanism. C6 ceramide inhibited cell growth by regulating the cell cycle without involving apoptosis. Additionally, C6 ceramide inhibited the migration and invasion of CHMp cells. In vivo, C6 ceramide decreased tumor growth and metastasis in the lungs without side effects. Further investigation found that the knockdown of EGR3 expression led to a noticeable increase in proliferation and migration by upregulating the expressions of pJAK1 and pSTAT3, thus activating the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, C6 ceramide inhibits canine mammary cancer growth and metastasis by targeting EGR3 through the regulation of the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. This study implicates the mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor activity of C6 ceramide and demonstrates the potential of EGR3 as a novel target for treating canine mammary cancer.