Depletion of B cell CLL/Lymphoma 11B Gene Expression Represses Glioma Cell Growth

Insights of immune cell heterogeneity, tumor-initiated subtype transformation, drug resistance, treatment and detecting technologies in glioma microenvironment

BACKGROUND

With the gradual understanding of glioma development and the immune microenvironment, many immune cells have been discovered. Despite the growing comprehension of immune cell functions and the clinical application of immunotherapy, the precise roles and characteristics of immune cell subtypes, how glioma induces subtype transformation of immune cells and its impact on glioma progression have yet to be understood.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

In this review, we comprehensively center on the four major immune cells within the glioma microenvironment, particularly neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and other significant immune cells. We discuss (1) immune cell subtype markers, (2) glioma-induced immune cell subtype transformation, (3) the mechanisms of each subtype influencing chemotherapy resistance, (4) therapies targeting immune cells, and (5) immune cell-associated single-cell sequencing. Eventually, we identified the characteristics of immune cell subtypes in glioma, comprehensively summarized the exact mechanism of glioma-induced immune cell subtype transformation, and concluded the progress of single-cell sequencing in exploring immune cell subtypes in glioma.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

In conclusion, we have analyzed the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance detailly, and have discovered prospective immunotherapy targets, excavating the potential of novel immunotherapies approach that synergistically combines radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, thereby paving the way for improved immunotherapeutic strategies against glioma and enhanced patient outcomes.

BCL11b interacts with RNA and proteins involved in RNA processing and developmental diseases

BCL11b is a transcription regulator and a tumor suppressor involved in lymphomagenesis, central nervous system (CNS) and immune system developments. BCL11b favors persistence of HIV latency and contributes to control cell cycle, differentiation and apoptosis in multiple organisms and cell models. Although BCL11b recruits the non-coding RNA 7SK and epigenetic enzymes to regulate gene expression, BCL11b-associated ribonucleoprotein complexes are unknown. Thanks to CLIP-seq and quantitative LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry approaches complemented with systems biology validations, we show that BCL11b interacts with RNA splicing and non-sense-mediated decay proteins, including FUS, SMN1, UPF1 and Drosha, which may contribute in isoform selection of protein-coding RNA isoforms from noncoding-RNAs isoforms (retained introns or nonsense mediated RNA). Interestingly, BCL11b binds to RNA transcripts and proteins encoded by the same genes (FUS, ESWR1, CHD and Tubulin). Our study highlights that BCL11b targets RNA processing and splicing proteins, and RNAs that implicate cell cycle, development, neurodegenerative, and cancer pathways. These findings will help future mechanistic understanding of developmental disorders. IMPORTANCE: BCL11b-protein and RNA interactomes reveal BLC11b association with specific nucleoprotein complexes involved in the regulation of genes expression. BCL11b interacts with RNA processing and splicing proteins.

Knockdown of BCL-3 Attenuates Inflammatory Response in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Through an rBMECs/MGs Microenvironment

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe disease with high mortality. Recently, the role of BCL-3 in ICH has started to gain attention, but its mechanism remains unclear. A collagenase injection method was used to establish an ICH model in rats, and the expression of BCL-3 were detected. Rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (rBMECs) were isolated and induced with Hemin to establish an in vitro ICH model. The expression of BCL-3 was assessed, followed by detection of cell apoptosis. In the cell model, the recruitment, polarization, and pro-inflammatory features of the microglia (MGs) were assessed after co-cultured with rBMECs. Finally, in the ICH animal model, after knockdown of BCL-3, comprehensive evaluations of inflammatory responses in brain tissue, polarization and recruitment of microglia, and apoptosis were conducted. Results revealed an upregulated expression of BCL-3 in brain tissue of the ICH animal model. In Hemin-treated rBMECs, an upward trend in BCL-3 expression was observed, accompanied by an increase of cell apoptosis. After co-culturing with the in vitro model, microglia exhibited enhanced M1 polarization and intensified inflammatory responses. However, when BCL-3 expression was inhibited in the in vitro model, a reversal occurred in the polarization tendency and inflammatory responses of microglia. Additionally, after knockdown of BCL-3 in the animal model, notable improvements occurred in M1 polarization, infiltration of macrophages, and inflammatory reactions in the brain tissue. Therefore, BCL-3 modulates the inflammatory response after ICH occurrence through the BMECs/MGs microenvironment. Additionally, BCL-3 might be a potential therapeutic target for ICH management.

The function of BCL11B in base excision repair contributes to its dual role as an oncogene and a haplo-insufficient tumor suppressor gene

Genetic studies in mice and human cancers established BCL11B as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor gene. Paradoxically, BCL11B is overexpressed in some human cancers where its knockdown is synthetic lethal. We identified the BCL11B protein in a proximity-dependent biotinylation screen performed with the DNA glycosylase NTHL1. In vitro DNA repair assays demonstrated that both BCL11B and a small recombinant BCL11B213-560 protein lacking transcription regulation potential can stimulate the enzymatic activities of two base excision repair (BER) enzymes: NTHL1 and Pol β. In cells, BCL11B is rapidly recruited to sites of DNA damage caused by laser microirradiation. BCL11B knockdown delays, whereas ectopic expression of BCL11B213-560 accelerates, the repair of oxidative DNA damage. Inactivation of one BCL11B allele in TK6 lymphoblastoid cells causes an increase in spontaneous and radiation-induced mutation rates. In turn, ectopic expression of BCL11B213-560 cooperates with the RAS oncogene in cell transformation by reducing DNA damage and cellular senescence. These findings indicate that BCL11B functions as a BER accessory factor, safeguarding normal cells from acquiring mutations. Paradoxically, it also enables the survival of cancer cells that would otherwise undergo senescence or apoptosis due to oxidative DNA damage resulting from the elevated production of reactive oxygen species.

BCL11B expression in hepatocellular carcinoma relates to chemosensitivity and clinical prognosis

INTRODUCTION

B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 11B (BCL11B) is a subunit of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes and functions in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis upon DNA replication stress and damages via transcription. Many malignancies were reported to exhibit changes in BCL11B gene expression; however, no study has focused on the relationship between BCL11B and hepatocellular carcinoma, which potentially exhibits DNA replication stress and damages upon its oncogenesis. Thus, in this study, we examined the molecular characterization of BCL11B expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The cumulative progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly longer in the clinical cases of BCL11B-negative hepatocellular carcinoma than BCL11B-positve cases. Microarray and real-time PCR analyses in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines indicated a correlation between BCL11B and GATA6, a gene reported to be correlated with oncogenic activities and resistance to anthracycline, which is often used for hepatocellular carcinoma chemotherapy. Consequently, BCL11B-overexpressing cell lines exhibited resistance to anthracycline in cell growth assays and the resistance has been evidenced by the increased expression of BCL-xL in cell lines. The results were supported by the analyses of human HCC samples showing the correlation between BCL11B and GATA6 expressions.

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that overexpression of BCL11B amplifies GATA6 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo that leads to anti-apoptotic signal activation, and induces resistance to chemotherapy, which influenced the postoperative prognosis.

Comparison of Oncogenes, Tumor Suppressors, and MicroRNAs Between Schizophrenia and Glioma: The Balance of Power

The risk of cancer in schizophrenia has been controversial. Confounders of the issue are cigarette smoking in schizophrenia, and antiproliferative effects of antipsychotic medications. The author has previously suggested comparison of a specific cancer like glioma to schizophrenia might help determine a more accurate relationship between cancer and schizophrenia. To accomplish this goal, the author performed three comparisons of data; the first a comparison of conventional tumor suppressors and oncogenes between schizophrenia and cancer including glioma. This comparison determined schizophrenia has both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting characteristics. A second, larger comparison between brain-expressed microRNAs in schizophrenia with their expression in glioma was then performed. This identified a core carcinogenic group of miRNAs in schizophrenia offset by a larger group of tumor-suppressive miRNAs. This proposed "balance of power" between oncogenes and tumor suppressors could cause neuroinflammation. This was assessed by a third comparison between schizophrenia, glioma and inflammation in asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma (ALRCM). This revealed that schizophrenia shares more oncogenic similarity to ALRCM than glioma.

BCL11B suppresses tumor progression and stem cell traits in hepatocellular carcinoma by restoring p53 signaling activity

Accumulating evidence indicates that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis, recurrence, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance are strongly associated with liver cancer stem cells (CSCs), a rare subpopulation of highly tumorigenic cells with self-renewal capacity and differentiation potential. Previous studies identified B cell leukemia/lymphoma-11b (BCL11B) as a novel tumor suppressor with impressive capacity to restrain CSC traits. However, the implications of BCL11B in HCC remain unclear. In this study, we found that low BCL11B expression was an independent indicator for shorter overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR) for HCC patients with surgical resection. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed BCL11B as a tumor suppressor in HCC with inhibitory effects on proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and mobility. Furthermore, BCL11B could suppress CSC traits, as evidenced by dramatically decreased tumor spheroid formation, self-renewal potential and drug resistance. A Cignal Finder Array and dual-luciferase activity reporter assays revealed that BCL11B could activate the transcription of P73 via an E2F1-dependent manner. Thus, we concluded that BCL11B is a strong suppressor of retaining CSC traits in HCC. Ectopic expression of BCL11B might be a promising strategy for anti-HCC treatment with the potential to cure HBV-related HCC regardless of P53 mutation status.

High expression of stromal signatures correlated with macrophage infiltration, angiogenesis and poor prognosis in glioma microenvironment

Glioma is one of the most fatal tumors in central nervous system. Previous studies gradually revealed the association between tumor microenvironment and the prognosis of gliomas patients. However, the correlation between tumor-infiltrating immune cell and stromal signatures are unknown. In our study, we obtained gliomas samples from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The landscape of tumor infiltrating immune cell subtypes in gliomas was calculated by CIBERSORT. As a result, we found high infiltration of macrophages was correlated with poor outcome (P < 0.05). Then functional enrichment analysis of high/low macrophage-infiltrating groups was performed by GSEA. The results showed three gene sets includes 102 core genes about angiogenesis were detected in high macrophage-infiltrating group. Next, we constructed PPI network and analyzed prognostic value of 102 core genes. We found that five stromal signatures indicated poor prognosis which including HSPG2, FOXF1, KDR, COL3A1, SRPX2 (P < 0.05). Five stromal signatures were adopted to construct a classifier. The classifier showed powerful predictive ability (AUC = 0.748). Patients with a high risk score showed poor survival. Finally, we validated this classifier in TCGA and the result was consistent with CGGA. Our investigation of tumor microenvironment in gliomas may stimulate the new strategy in immunotherapy. Five stromal signature correlated with poor prognosis also provide a strong predator of gliomas patient outcome.

High Levels of HIST1H2BK in Low-Grade Glioma Predicts Poor Prognosis: A Study Using CGGA and TCGA Data

A number of biomarkers have been identified for various cancers. However, biomarkers associated with glioma remain largely to be explored. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between the expression and prognostic value of the HIST1H2BK gene in glioma. Sequential data filtering (survival analysis, independent prognostic analysis, ROC curve analysis, and clinical correlation analysis) was performed, which resulted in identification of the association between the HIST1H2BK gene and glioma. Then, the HIST1H2BK gene was analyzed using bioinformatics (Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, univariate Cox analysis, multivariate Cox analysis, and ROC curve analysis). The results showed that low expression of HIST1H2BK was associated with better prognosis, and high expression of HIST1H2BK was associated with poor prognosis. In addition, HIST1H2BK was an independent prognostic indicator for patients with glioma. We also evaluated the association between HIST1H2BK and clinical characteristics. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and analysis of immune infiltration were performed. The results showed that HIST1H2BK was associated with intensity of immune infiltration in glioma. Finally, co-expression analysis was performed. The results showed that HIST1H2BK was positively correlated with HIST1H2AG, HIST2H2AA4, HIST1H2BJ, HIST2H2BE, and HIST1H2AC, and negatively correlated with PDZD4, CRY2, GABBR1, rp5-1119a7.17, and KCNJ11. This study showed that upregulation of HIST1H2BK in low-grade glioma (LGG) tissue was an indicator of poor prognosis. Moreover, this study demonstrated that HIST1H2BK may be a promising biomarker for the treatment of LGG.

Bioinformatic identification and expression analysis of the chicken B cell lymphoma (BCL) gene

BACKGROUND

B cell lymphoma (BCL) families play an important role in apoptosis as a growth factor, cell death programming, cytokine expression and immune-related genes expression.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, to investigate the roles of BCLs, we performed genome-wide identification, expression and functional analyses of the BCL family in chicken.

METHODS

Chicken BCLs genes were identified and analyzed by using bioinformatics approach. Expression profiles and Hierarchical cluster analysis of the BCLs genes in different chicken tissues were obtained from the genome-wide RNA-seq in the GEO, and Cluster and Java Treeview, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 16 BCLs genes were identified from the chicken genome, which could be further classified into five distinct groups in the phylogenetic tree. On the other hand, the interaction among BCLs proteins and between BCLs proteins with NF-κB subunits are limited, indicating that the remaining the functions of BCLs protein could be investigated in chicken. Moreover, KEGG pathway analysis indicated that BCL gene family was involved in regulation of apoptotic and immune response. Finally, BCL gene family was differentially expressed in chicken tissues, pathogen infection and growth stages of early chicken early embryo.

CONCLUSION

This study provides significant insights into the potential functions of BCLs in chicken, including the regulation of apoptosis, cell death and expression of immune-related genes.

Function of B-Cell CLL/Lymphoma 11B in Glial Progenitor Proliferation and Oligodendrocyte Maturation

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 11B (Bcl11b) – a C2H2 zinc finger transcriptional factor – is known to regulate neuronal differentiation and function in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Although its expression is reduced during oligodendrocyte (OLG) differentiation, its biological role in OLGs remains unknown. In this study, we found that the downregulation of Bcl11b gene expression in glial progenitor cells (GPCs) by lentivirus-mediated gene knockdown (KD) causes a reduction in cell proliferation with inhibited expression of stemness-related genes, while increasing the expression of cell cyclin regulator p21. In contrast, OLG specific transcription factors (Olig1) and OLG cell markers, including myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), were upregulated in Bcl11b-KD GPCs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis indicated that Bcl11b bound to the promoters of Olig1 and PLP, suggesting that Bcl11b could act as a repressor for Olig1 and PLP, similar to its action on p21. An increase in the number of GC⁺- or PLP⁺- OLGs derived from Bcl11b-KD GPCs or OLG precursor cells was also observed. Moreover, myelin basic protein (MBP) expression in OLGs derived from Bcl11b-KD GPCs was enhanced in hippocampal neuron co-cultures and in cerebellar brain-slice cultures. The in vivo study using a lysolecithin-induced demyelinating animal model also indicated that larger amounts of MBP⁺-OLGs and PLP⁺-OLGs derived from implanted Bcl11b-KD GPCs were present at the lesioned site of the white matter than in the scramble group. Taken together, our results provide insight into the functional role of Bcl11b in the negative regulation of GPC differentiation through the repression of OLG differentiation-associated genes.