zDHHC3-mediated S-palmitoylation of SLC9A2 regulates apoptosis in kidney clear cell carcinoma

Comprehensive analysis of a palmitoylation-related prognostic signature in colorectal cancer: Implications for immune therapy and personalized treatment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. While immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown promise in treatment, there is a need for reliable biomarkers to predict patient prognosis and guide personalized therapies. Palmitoylation, a post-translational modification, has been implicated in various cancer processes, yet its role in CRC prognosis remains unclear. Transcriptome, survival, somatic mutation and copy number variation data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and the GSE17538 dataset was used for external validation. A palmitoylation-related risk signature was developed using univariate Cox regression, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups based on the median risk score. Prognostic accuracy was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves and Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS) analysis with validation in an independent cohort. Functional enrichment, immune cell infiltration and drug sensitivity analyses were performed to explore underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications. Subsequently, keratin 8 pseudogene 12 (KRT8P12) overexpression was evaluated in HT29 cells, and knockdown HT29 cell lines were generated using lentivirus. Cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays, cell migration was evaluated by Transwell assay and cell apoptosis was assessed using Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining. A palmitoylation-related risk signature consisting of six genes (KRT8P12, ZDHHC3, PCOLCE2, MPP2, LARS2 and MMAA) was identified. High-risk patients exhibited significantly worse OS (HR=3.19; P<0.001) compared with low-risk patients. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed enhanced immune activity in the low-risk group, which was associated with higher expression of immune checkpoint genes. Immunotherapy prediction models indicated that low-risk patients might benefit more from immune checkpoint inhibitors. Drug sensitivity analysis identified distinct drug response profiles between the high- and low-risk groups. Furthermore, in vitro, KRT8P12 promoted tumor cell proliferation and migration while inhibiting apoptosis. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the role of KRT8P12 as a palmitoylation-related gene in regulating CRC. In addition, the palmitoylation-associated risk signature may offer a promising tool for prognostic prediction in CRC and could guide personalized treatment strategies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies.

SNP rs6543176 is associated with extreme human longevity but increased risk for cancer

Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) might offer insights into rare genetic variants associated with healthy aging and extreme longevity (EL), potentially pointing to useful therapeutic targets. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study using WGS data from the Long Life Family Study and identified a novel longevity-associated variant rs6543176 in the SLC9A2 gene. This SNP also showed a significant association with reduced hypertension risk and an increased, though not statistically significant, cancer risk. The association with cancer risk was replicated in the UK Biobank and FinnGen. Metabolomic analyses linked the rs6543176 longevity allele to higher serine levels, potentially associated with delayed mortality. Our findings warrant further investigation of SLC9A2's role in both longevity and cancer susceptibility, and they highlight the need for careful evaluation in developing anti-aging therapies based on EL-associated alleles.

S-acylation of Ca2+ transport proteins in cancer

Alterations in cellular calcium (Ca2+) signals have been causally associated with the development and progression of human cancers. Cellular Ca2+ signals are generated by channels, pumps, and exchangers that move Ca2+ ions across membranes and are decoded by effector proteins in the cytosol or in organelles. S-acylation, the reversible addition of 16-carbon fatty acids to proteins, modulates the activity of Ca2+ transporters by altering their affinity for lipids, and enzymes mediating this reversible post-translational modification have also been linked to several types of cancers. Here, we compile studies reporting an association between Ca2+ transporters or S-acylation enzymes with specific cancers, as well as studies reporting or predicting the S-acylation of Ca2+ transporters. We then discuss the potential role of S-acylation in the oncogenic potential of a subset of Ca2+ transport proteins involved in cancer.