Long Non-coding RNA TPT1-AS1 Suppresses APC Transcription in a STAT1-Dependent Manner to Increase the Stemness of Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells

In vitro investigation of epigenetic regulators related to chemo-resistance and stemness of CD133+VE cells sorted from U87MG cell line

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and malignant adult primary brain tumor with frequent relapse and resistance to therapies. Glioma stem cells, a rare population, is thought to be the reason behind the treatment's failure. It is imperative to investigate the disease mechanisms and identify the biomarkers by which glioma stem cells would contribute to treatment relapse and resistance to already available chemotherapeutic agents. The CD133+VE cells were isolated from U87MG cell line and characterized by morphological features, cell viability, self-renewal efficiency, migration potential and karyotyping. Doxorubicin Cisplatin, Irinotecan, Etoposide and Temozolomide were used to determine the anti-proliferative effect on CD133+VE cells. Confocal microcopy was used to localize the chemotherapeutic agents in the CD133+VE cells. In quest of epigenetic biomarkers, RNA sequencing was performed to find the role of lncRNAs in stemness and resistance to therapies. U87cell line and CD133-VE cells were kept as controls for all the experiments. It was found that CD133+VEcells were highly proliferative with increased migration potential, elevated IC50 values against chemotherapeutic agents and showed distinct karyotyping related to pluripotency. Chemotherapeutic agent such as Doxorubicin was localized outside the nucleus revealing the drug resistance as evident by confocal microscopy. RNA sequencing revealed 126 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) in CD133+VEcells among which lncRNA LOXL1-AS1 was highly upregulated and lncRNA PAX8-AS1 was significantly downregulated. These lncRNAs has been reported to be related to drug resistance, migration and epithelial- to- mesenchymal transmission (EMT), self-renewal and stemness properties contributing to poor prognosis and disease relapse.

Exploring the interplay of natural products and long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and overcoming drug resistance

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is recognized as one of the most prevalent malignancies, both in terms of incidence and mortality rates. Current research into CRC has shed light on the molecular mechanisms driving its development. Several factors, including lifestyle, environmental influences, genetics, and diet, play significant roles in its pathogenesis. Natural compounds such as curcumin, tanshinone, lycorine, sinomenine, kaempferol, verbascoside, quercetin, berberine, and fisetin have shown great promise in the prevention and treatment of CRC. Research has also highlighted the significance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CRC. Among these, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to regulate the transcription of genes involved in cancer. LncRNAs contribute to cancer stem cell (CSC) proliferation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and chemoresistance. Specific lncRNAs, including GAS5, LNC00337, HOTAIR, TPT1-AS1, cCSC1, BCAR4, TUG1, and Solh2, play crucial roles in these processes. They hold potential as novel biomarkers, detectable in bodily fluids and tissues, and could serve as therapeutic targets due to their involvement in drug resistance and sensitivity. These insights could improve CRC treatment strategies, addressing resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current knowledge regarding the effectiveness of natural anti-cancer agents in CRC treatment. Additionally, it offers an in-depth evaluation of lncRNAs in CRC, their role in the disease's progression, and their potential applications in its management.

Interplay between JAK/STAT pathway and non-coding RNAs in different cancers

Progress in the identification of core multi-protein modules within JAK/STAT pathway has enabled researchers to develop a better understanding of the linchpin role of deregulated signaling cascade in carcinogenesis and metastasis. More excitingly, complex interplay between JAK/STAT pathway and non-coding RNAs has been shown to reprogramme the outcome of signaling cascade and modulate immunological responses within tumor microenvironment. Wealth of information has comprehensively illustrated that most of this complexity regulates the re-shaping of the immunological responses. Increasingly sophisticated mechanistic insights have illuminated fundamental role of STAT-signaling in polarization of macrophages to M2 phenotype that promotes disease aggressiveness. Overall, JAK/STAT signaling drives different stages of cancer ranging from cancer metastasis to the reshaping of the tumor microenvironment. JAK/STAT signaling has also been found to play role in the regulation of infiltration and activity of natural killer cells and CD4/CD8 cells by PD-L1/PD-1 signaling. In this review, we have attempted to set spotlight on regulation of JAK/STAT pathway by microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs in primary tumors and metastasizing tumors. Therefore, existing knowledge gaps need to be addressed to propel this fledgling field of research to the forefront and bring lncRNAs and circRNAs to the frontline of clinical practice. Leveraging the growing momentum will enable interdisciplinary researchers to gain transition from segmented view to a fairly detailed conceptual continuum.

Association between lncRNAs with stem cells in cancer; a particular focus on lncRNA-CSCs axis in cancer immunopathogenesis

A unique population of cells known as cancer stem cells (CSCs) is essential to developing and spreading cancer. Cancer initiation, maintenance, and progression are all believed to be significantly impacted by the distinct characteristics these cells exhibit regarding self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation. Transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational processes are the only steps of gene expression that lncRNAs can affect. As a result, these proteins participate in numerous biological processes, including the repair of DNA damage, inflammatory reactions, metabolic control, the survival of cells, intercellular communication, and the development and specialization of cells. Studies have indicated that lncRNAs are important for controlling the increase in the subset of CSCs contributing to cancer development. The knowledge that is currently available about lncRNAs and their critical role in maintaining the biological properties of CSCs is highlighted in this study.

High OCT4 Expression Might Be Associated with an Aggressive Phenotype in Rectal Cancer

Rectal cancer (RC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms, and cancer stem cells (CSCs) of the intestinal tract have been implicated in its origin. The oncofetal protein OCT4 has been linked to neoplastic processes, but its role and clinical significance in RC are unknown. This study investigates the expression of the stem cell marker OCT4 related to clinical-pathological characteristics and its clinical significance in RC patients. The expression level of stem cell marker OCT4 was analyzed in 22 primary rectal tumors by western blot. The association between OCT4 protein expression and the clinical-pathological features of tumors was evaluated by χ² test and Fisher's exact test. We demonstrated that the expression of the stem cell marker OCT4 was observed in tumor tissue but not adjacent non-tumor tissue. High expression of the stem cell marker OCT4 was significantly associated with histological differentiation grade (p = 0.039), tumor invasion level (p = 0.004), lymph node involvement (p = 0.044), tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (p = 0.002), and clinical stage (p = 0.021). These findings suggest that high OCT4 expression is associated with a more aggressive RC phenotype, with a greater likelihood of progression and metastasis. These results shed light on the importance of targeting this CSC marker to attenuate RC progression.

Clinicopathological and prognostic value of lncRNA TPT1-AS1 in cancer: a systematic review study and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Aberrant expression of lncRNAs in cancer cells can impact their key phenotypes. We aimed to summarize available evidence on clinicopathological and prognostic value of lncRNA TPT1-AS1 in cancer.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed on Medline and Embase databases using relevant key terms covering lncRNA TPT1-AS1, cancer, and clinical outcomes. The effect size estimates and their 95 % confidence interval (CI) were pooled using random-effects models. Meta- analyses were conducted using STATA 16.0 software.

RESULTS

Seventeen articles met our eligibility criteria. Tumor tissue compared to normal tissue showed increased level of lncRNA TPT1-AS1 expression (pooled standardized mean difference (95 % CI): 0.65 (0.52-0.79)). Overexpression of this lncRNA was a significant predictor for poor prognosis (Pooled log-rank test P-value < 0.001); in patients with high-level of lncRNA TPT1-AS1, the risk of death at five years was 1.40 times greater than their counterparts. The pooled Odds ratios for association lncRNA TPT1-AS1 with tumor stage, tumor size, and lymph node metastasis were 1.94 (95 % CI: 0.90-4.19, 8 studies, I² = 79.6 %), 2.33 (95 % CI: 1.31-4.14, 5 studies, I² = 40.0 %), and 1.89 (95 % CI: 1.08-3.36, 5 studies, I² = 61.7 %), respectively. Regarding the identified potential mechanisms, lncRNA TPT1-AS1 plays a role in cancer growth mainly by sponging miRNAs and regulating their downstream targets or controlling the expression of key cell cycle regulators.

CONCLUSION

In cancer patients, elevated expression of lncRNA TPT1-AS1 might be associated with a shorter Overall Survival, advanced stages, larger tumor size, and lymph node metastasis.

SERPINF1 Mediates Tumor Progression and Stemness in Glioma

Serpin family F member 1 (SERPINF1) reportedly plays multiple roles in various tumors; however, its clinical significance and molecular functions in glioma have been largely understudied. In the present study, we analyzed the prognostic value of SERPINF1 in three independent glioma datasets. Next, we explored the molecular functions and transcriptional regulation of SERPINF1 at the single-cell level. Moreover, in vitro experiments were conducted to evaluate the roles of SERPINF1 in the proliferation, invasion, migration, and stemness of glioma cells. Our results showed that a higher expression of SERPINF1 correlated with a poor overall survival rate in glioma patients (hazard ratio: 4.061 in TCGA, 2.017 in CGGA, and 1.675 in GSE16011, p < 0.001). Besides, SERPINF1 knockdown could suppress the proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioma cells in vitro. In addition, SERPINF1 expression was significantly upregulated in glioma stem cells (GSCs) compared to parental glioma cells. Knocking down SERPINF1 impaired the sphere formation of GSC-A172 and GSC-LN18. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that Notch signaling activation was closely associated with high SERPINF1 expression at the single-cell level. Furthermore, STAT1, CREM, and NR2F2 may participate in the transcriptional regulation of SERPINF1 in glioma. Overall, our results suggest that SERPINF1 may be a candidate prognostic predictor and potential therapeutic target for glioma.

A review of literature: role of long noncoding RNA TPT1-AS1 in human diseases

Human diseases are multifactorial processes mainly driven by the intricate interactions of genetic and environmental factors. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a type of non-coding RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the dysregulation of lncRNAs is associated with complex biological as well as pathological processes through various mechanism, especially the regulation of gene transcription and related signal transduction pathways. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have explored lncRNA-based clinical applications in different diseases. For instance, the lncRNA Tumor Protein Translationally Controlled 1 (TPT1) Antisense RNA 1 (TPT1-AS1) was found to be dysregulated in several types of disease and strongly associated with patient prognosis and diverse clinical features. Recent studies have also documented that TPT1-AS1 modulates numerous biological processes through multiple mechanisms, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, invasion, migration, radiosensitivity, chemosensitivity, stemness, and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. Furthermore, TPT1-AS1 was regarded as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of several human diseases. In this review, we summarize the role of TPT1-AS1 in human diseases with the aspects of its expression, relevant clinical characteristics, molecular mechanisms, biological functions, and subsequent clinical applications.

Wnt signaling in colorectal cancer: pathogenic role and therapeutic target

Background

The Wnt signaling pathway is a complex network of protein interactions that functions most commonly in embryonic development and cancer, but is also involved in normal physiological processes in adults. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway regulates cell pluripotency and determines the differentiation fate of cells during development. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway (also known as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway) is a recognized driver of colon cancer and one of the most representative signaling pathways. As a functional effector molecule of Wnt signaling, the modification and degradation of β-catenin are key events in the Wnt signaling pathway and the development and progression of colon cancer. Therefore, the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diseases, especially the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Objective

Inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway to explore the therapeutic targets of colorectal cancer.

Methods

Based on studying the Wnt pathway, master the biochemical processes related to the Wnt pathway, and analyze the relevant targets when drugs or inhibitors act on the Wnt pathway, to clarify the medication ideas of drugs or inhibitors for the treatment of diseases, especially colorectal cancer.

Results

Wnt signaling pathways include: Wnt/β-catenin or canonical Wnt signaling pathway, planar cell polarity (Wnt-PCP) pathway and Wnt-Ca²⁺ signaling pathway. The Wnt signaling pathway is closely related to cancer cell proliferation, stemness, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolism, inflammation and immunization, microenvironment, resistance, ion channel, heterogeneity, EMT/migration/invasion/metastasis. Drugs/phytochemicals and molecular preparations for the Wnt pathway of CRC treatment have now been developed. Wnt inhibitors are also commonly used clinically for the treatment of CRC.

Conclusion

The development of drugs/phytochemicals and molecular inhibitors targeting the Wnt pathway can effectively treat colorectal cancer clinically.