Do pentraxin 3 and neural pentraxin 2 have different facet function in hepatocellular carcinoma?

Significance of serum APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p in patients with colorectal cancer undergoing radical surgery

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract worldwide, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates.

AIM

To investigate the expression of serum apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 autoantibodies (APE1-AAbs), peripheral pentraxin-3 (PTX-3), and miR-486-3p in patients with CRC undergoing radical surgery and their relationship with postoperative recurrence and metastasis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 154 CRC patients who underwent laparoscopic radical surgery in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024. Patients were followed for one year postoperatively and divided into an occurrence group (n = 28) and a non-occurrence group (n = 126) based on whether they experienced recurrence or metastasis. The clinical data and the expression levels of APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC patients. The relationship of APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p with postoperative recurrence and metastasis was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to evaluate the predictive value of serum APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p levels alone and their combination for postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC.

RESULTS

The occurrence group had significantly higher proportions of patients with an age ≥ 60 years, lymph node metastasis, stage III disease, poor differentiation, tumor diameter > 5 cm, and higher platelet count, carcinoembryonic antigen, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels than the non-occurrence group (P < 0.05). The expression levels of APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p in the occurrence group were significantly higher than those in the non-occurrence group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis, stage III disease, poor differentiation, and elevated levels of APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p were risk factors for postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC patients (odds ratio > 1, P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the levels of APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p were positively correlated with postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC patients (r = 0.642, 0.653, and 0.631, respectively, P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve values for APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p levels alone and their combination in predicting postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC were 0.764, 0.783, 0.806, and 0.875, respectively, with the combination significantly outperforming individual markers (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Serum APE1-AAbs, PTX-3, and miR-486-3p levels are higher in CRC patients with postoperative recurrence and metastasis. These three markers are risk factors for postoperative recurrence and metastasis in CRC and can be used as predictive biomarkers. The combined detection of these markers has higher predictive value compared to individual tests.

The Role of Pentraxin 3 in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Gastrointestinal cancers have become a huge problem worldwide as the number of new cases continues to increase. Due to the growing need to explore new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the detection and treatment of cancerous lesions, we sought to elucidate the role of Pentraxin-3 in the progression of cancerous lesions, as it is involved in the process of angiogenesis and inflammation. Statistically significant changes in the concentration of this parameter have emerged in many gastrointestinal cancer patients. Moreover, it is related to the advancement of cancer, as well as processes leading to the development of those changes. In the case of studies concerning tissue material, both increased and decreased tissue expression of the tested parameter were observed and were dependent on the type of cancer. In the case of cell lines, both human and animal, a significant increase in Pentraxin 3 gene expression was observed, which confirmed the changes observed at the protein level. In conclusion, it can be assumed that PTX3, both at the level of gene expression and protein concentrations, is highly useful in the detection of gastrointestinal cancers, and its use as a biomarker and/or therapeutic target may be useful in the future.

Role of long pentraxin PTX3 in cancer

Cancer has become a leading cause of death and disease burden worldwide, closely related to rapid socioeconomic development. However, the fundamental reason is the lack of comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of cancer, accurate identification of preclinical cancer, and effective treatment of the disease. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to study specific mechanisms of cancer and develop effective prediction and treatment methods. Long Pentraxin PTX3 is a soluble pattern recognition molecule produced by various cells in inflammatory sites, which plays a role as a promoter or suppressor of cancer in multiple tumors through participating in innate immune response, neovascularization, energy metabolism, invasion, and metastasis mechanisms. Based on this, this article mainly reviews the role of PTX3 in various cancers.

Expression profile of adrenomedullin and its specific receptors in liver tissues from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and in tumorigenic cell line-secreted extracellular vesicles

The transcriptional profile of adrenomedullin (AM), a new metastasis-related factor involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its specific receptors (CLR, RAMP1, RAMP3) were evaluated in liver tissues of HCV-positive HCC subjects undergoing liver transplantation (LR) and in donors (LD). AM and its specific receptor expression were also assessed in extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by tumorigenic (HepG2) and non-tumorigenic (WRL68) cells by Real-Time PCR. AM expression resulted significantly elevated in LR concerning LD (p = 0.0038) and, for the first time, significantly higher levels in HCC patients as a function of clinical severity (MELD score), were observed. RAMP3 and CLR expression increased in LR as a function of clinical severity while RAMP1 decreased. Positive correlations were found among AM, its receptors, and apoptotic markers. No AM mRNA expression difference was observed between HepG2 and WRL68 EVs. RAMP1 and RAMP3 resulted lower in HepG2 concerning WRL68 while significantly higher levels were observed for CLR. While results at tissue level characterize AM as a regulator of carcinogenesis-tumor progression, those obtained in EVs do not indicate AM as a target candidate, neither as a pathological biomarker nor as a marker involved in cancer therapy.

Insights into the Relationship between Pentraxin-3 and Cancer

Although cancer can be cured if detected early and treated effectively, it is still a leading cause of death worldwide. Tumor development can be limited by an appropiate immune response, but it can be promoted by chronic extensive inflammation through metabolic dysregulation and angiogenesis. In the past decade, numerous efforts have been made in order to identify novel candidates with predictive values in cancer diagnostics. In line with this, researchers have investigated the involvement of pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) in cellular proliferation and immune escape in various types of cancers, although it has not been clearly elucidated. PTX-3 is a member of the long pentraxin subfamily which plays an important role in regulating inflammation, innate immunity response, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Increased synthesis of inflammatory biomarkers and activation of different cellular mechanisms can induce PTX-3 expression in various types of cells (neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, myeloid dendritic cells, fibroblasts, and epithelial cells). PTX-3 has both pro- and anti-tumor functions, thus dual functions in oncogenesis. This review elucidates the potential usefulness of PTX-3 as a serum biomarker in cancer. While future investigations are needed, PTX-3 is emerging as a promising tool for cancer's diagnosis and prognosis, and also treatment monitoring.

Data mining of key genes expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: novel potential biomarkers of diagnosis prognosis or progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main cancer-related causes of death worldwide. The study aimed to perform a data mining analysis of the expression and regulatory role of key genes in HCC to reveal novel potential biomarkers of diagnosis prognosis, or progression since their availability is still almost lacking. Starting from data of our cohort of patients (HCV-positive HCC pts undergoing liver transplantation (LR, n = 10) and donors (LD, n = 14), deeply analyzed previously, in which apelin, osteopontin, osteoprotegerin, NOTCH-1, CASP-3, Bcl-2, BAX, PTX3, and NPTX2 were analyzed, we applied statistical analysis and in-silico tools (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, HCCDB database and GeneMania, UALCAN) to screen and identify the key genes. Firstly, we performed a stepwise regression analysis using our mRNA-datasets which revealed that higher expression levels of apelin and osteopontin were positively associated with the HCC and identified that the most consistently differentially expressed gene across multiple HCC expression datasets was only OPN. This comprehensive strategy of data mining evidenced that OPN might have a potential function as an important tumor marker-driven oncogenesis being associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients.

Increased Serum Pentraxin 3 Levels are Associated with Poor Prognosis of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of liver-related mortality. Serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has been revealed to be associated with the development of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. This study evaluated whether serum PTX3 is related to the survival of HBV-related HCC patients.

METHODS

One hundred and seven patients with HBV-related HCC were included. Baseline serum PTX3 levels were quantified using quantitative immunoassay. The HCC patients were followed-up for a median of 24 months and divided into high serum PTX3 level and low PTX3 level groups according to the baseline serum PTX3 levels. The overall survivals of the HBV-related HCC patients according to the serum PTX3 levels were compared. Factors potentially influencing the prognosis of the patients with HBV-related HCC were analyzed.

RESULTS

HCC patients with high serum PTX3 levels [PTX3 > 9.25ng/mL (n=85)] had a shorter overall survival time than HCC patients with low serum PTX3 levels [PTX3 ≤ 9.25ng/mL (n=22)] (P = 0.049). HCC patients with serum PTX3 levels between >9.25ng/mL and ≤9.25ng/mL had significant difference in HCC histology grade. Multivariate analysis showed that PTX3 level was an independent risk factor related to the overall survival of HCC patients (hazard ratio: 1.058, 95% confidence interval: 1.031-1.085, P <0.001).

CONCLUSION

These results support the involvement of PTX3 in the disease progression of HCC and suggest the potential of using serum PTX3 levels as a biomarker for the prognostic prediction of HBV-related HCC patients.