TRIM36 suppresses cell growth and promotes apoptosis in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

TRIM36 Inhibits the Development of AOM/DSS-Induced Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer by Promoting the Ubiquitination and Degradation of GRB7

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common cancer types for both sexes. Tripartite motif 36 (TRIM36) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in several cancer types, suggesting its involvement in cancer progression. However, the role of TRIM36 in the colorectal carcinogenesis remain unknown. In our in vivo experiments, we investigated the role of TRIM36 in AOM/DSS-induced colitis-associated carcinogenesis using TRIM36-knockout (TRIM36 KO) mice. Subsequently, we overexpressed and knocked down TRIM36 expression in two CRC cell lines to further confirm the role of TRIM36 in vitro. The UALCAN database revealed a significant decrease in TRIM36 levels in CRC tissues, including colon adenocarcinoma and rectum adenocarcinoma. A significant correlation was observed between TRIM36 levels and the histological subtype, individual cancer stage, and nodal metastasis status. The downregulation of TRIM36 in CRC tissues was further confirmed using our own collected clinical specimens. Low expression of TRIM36 was found to be associated with unfavorable overall survival and recurrence-free survival in CRC. TRIM36 KO promoted inflammation, inhibited autophagy, and facilitated the development of AOM/DSS-induced CRC. TRIM36 overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, while activated autophagy in CRC cells. TRIM36 directly bound to and regulated the ubiquitination of GRB7 protein. The tumor-suppressive role of TRIM36 in CRC cells was mediated by GRB7. The TRIM36/GRB7 axis may represent a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC.

TRIM36 serves as a prognostic indicator linked to immune infiltration in KIRC

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents approximately 85 % of all renal malignant tumors, with kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) being the most typical subtype. The tripartite motif (TRIM) family is involved in cancer initiation, progression, and therapy resistance. While TRIM36 has exhibited anti-tumor effects in various cancers, its relationship with KIRC remains unclear. In our research, we studied the relationship between TRIM36 and KIRC. Through a combination of bioinformatic analyses and validation experiments, we noted a rise in TRIM36 expression in KIRC, and the upregulation of TRIM36 expression is associated with a poorer prognosis in KIRC. Also, our findings from wound healing assays and transwell migration assays showed that TRIM36 promotes the proliferation and migration of KIRC cells. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we screened relevant genes and conducted enrichment analysis. We identified that TRIM36 may interact with 5 hub genes and involve in the cell cycle and cell division processes in KIRC. Additionally, through immune infiltration analysis, we found that TRIM36 may interact with 6 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and 6 immune inhibitors. In summary, our research identifies TRIM36 as a promising biomarker and comprehensively explores its promoting effect on the proliferation of KIRC.

Precision Targeting of BET Proteins - Navigating Disease Pathways, Inhibitor Insights, and Shaping Therapeutic Frontiers: A Comprehensive Review

The family of proteins known as Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) proteins has become a key participant in the control of gene expression, having a significant impact on numerous physiological and pathological mechanisms. This review offers a thorough investigation of the BET protein family, clarifying its various roles in essential cellular processes and its connection to a variety of illnesses, from inflammatory disorders to cancer. The article explores the structural and functional features of BET proteins, emphasizing their special bromodomain modules that control chromatin dynamics by identifying acetylated histones. BET proteins' complex roles in the development of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and cancer diseases are carefully investigated, providing insight into possible treatment avenues. In addition, the review carefully examines the history and relevance of BET inhibitors, demonstrating their capacity to modify gene expression profiles and specifically target BET proteins. The encouraging outcomes of preclinical and clinical research highlight BET inhibitors' therapeutic potential across a range of disease contexts. The article summarizes the state of BET inhibitors today and makes predictions about the challenges and future directions of the field. This article provides insights into the changing field of BET protein-targeted interventions by discussing the potential of personalized medicine and combination therapies involving BET inhibitors. This thorough analysis combines many aspects of BET proteins, such as their physiological roles and their roles in pathophysiological conditions. As such, it is an invaluable tool for scientists and medical professionals who are trying to figure out how to treat patients by using this fascinating protein family.

Multifaceted role of TRIM28 in health and disease

The TRIM (tripartite motif) family, with TRIM28 as a key member, plays a vital role in regulating health and disease. TRIM28 contains various functional domains essential for transcriptional regulation, primarily through its interaction with KRAB-ZNF proteins, which influence chromatin remodeling and gene expression. Despite extensive research, the precise mechanisms by which TRIM28 impacts health and disease remain elusive. This review delves into TRIM28's multifaceted roles in maintaining health, contributing to a variety of diseases, and influencing cancer progression. In cancers, TRIM28 exhibits a dual nature, functioning as both a tumor promoter and suppressor depending on the cellular context and cancer type. The review also explores its critical involvement in processes such as DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and the maintenance of stem cell properties. By uncovering TRIM28's complex roles across different cancers and other diseases, this review underscores its potential as a therapeutic target. The significance of TRIM28 as a versatile regulator opens the door to innovative therapeutic strategies, particularly in cancer treatment and the management of other diseases. Ongoing research into TRIM28 may yield key insights into disease progression and novel treatment options.

TRIM Proteins and Antiviral Microtubule Reorganization: A Novel Component in Innate Immune Responses?

TRIM proteins are a family of innate immune factors that play diverse roles in innate immunity and protect the cell against viral and bacterial aggression. As part of this special issue on TRIM proteins, we will take advantage of our findings on TRIM69, which acts by reorganizing the microtubules (MTs) in a manner that is fundamentally antiviral, to more generally discuss how host-pathogen interactions that take place for the control of the MT network represent a crucial facet of the struggle that opposes viruses to their cell environment. In this context, we will present several other TRIM proteins that are known to interact with microtubules in situations other than viral infection, and we will discuss evidence that may suggest a possible contribution to viral control. Overall, the present review will highlight the importance that the control of the microtubule network bears in host-pathogen interactions.

Specific CpG sites methylation is associated with hematotoxicity in low-dose benzene-exposed workers

Benzene is a broadly used industrial chemicals which causes various hematologic abnormalities in human. Altered DNA methylation has been proposed as epigenetic biomarkers in health risk evaluation of benzene exposure, yet the role of methylation at specific CpG sites in predicting hematological effects remains unclear. In this study, we recruited 120 low-level benzene-exposed and 101 control male workers from a petrochemical factory in Maoming City, Guangdong Province, China. Urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) in benzene-exposed workers was 3.40-fold higher than that in control workers (P < 0.001). Benzene-induced hematotoxicity was characterized by reduced white blood cells counts and nuclear division index (NDI), along with an increased DNA damage and urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (all P < 0.05). Methylation levels of TRIM36, MGMT and RASSF1a genes in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLCs) were quantified by pyrosequencing. CpG site 6 of TRIM36, CpG site 2, 4, 6 of RASSF1a and CpG site 1, 3 of MGMT methylation were recognized as hot CpG sites due to a strong correlation with both internal exposure and hematological effects. Notably, integrating hot CpG sites methylation of multiple genes reveal a higher efficiency in prediction of integrative damage compared to individual genes at hot CpG sites. The negative dose-response relationship between the combined methylation of hot CpG sites in three genes and integrative damage enabled the classification of benzene-exposed individuals into high-risk or low-risk groups using the median cut-off value of the integrative index. Subsequently, a prediction model for integrative damage in benzene-exposed populations was built based on the methylation status of the identified hot CpG sites in the three genes. Taken together, these findings provide a novel insight into application prospect of specific CpG site methylation as epi-biomarkers for health risk assessment of environmental pollutants.

Advances in the antitumor mechanisms of tripartite motif-containing protein 3

The tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) protein family has steadily become a hotspot in tumor-related research. As a member of the E3 ubiquitin ligase family, TRIM is working on many crucial biological processes, including the regulation of tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, and autophagy. Among the diverse TRIM superfamily members, TRIM3 operates via different mechanisms in various types of tumors. This review primarily focuses on the current state of research regarding the antitumor mechanisms of TRIM3 in different cancers. A more in-depth study of TRIM3 may provide new directions for future antitumor treatments. Our review focuses on TRIM3 proteins and cancer. We searched for relevant articles on the mechanisms by which TRIM3 affects tumorigenesis and development from 1997 to 2023 and summarized the latest progress and future directions. Triad-containing motif protein 3 (TRIM3) is an important protein, which plays a key role in the process of tumorigenesis and development. The comprehensive exploration of TRIM3 is anticipated to pave the way for future advancements in antitumor therapy, which is expected to be a new hallmark for cancer detection and a novel target for drug action. TRIM3 is poised to become a significant milestone in cancer detection and a promising focal point for drug intervention. Recent years have witnessed notable progress in research aimed at unraveling the antitumor mechanism of TRIM3, with far-reaching implications for practical tumor diagnosis, treatment protocols, efficacy evaluation, economics, and pharmaceutical utilization.

FOXA2 Suppression by TRIM36 Exerts Anti-Tumor Role in Colorectal Cancer Via Inducing NRF2/GPX4-Regulated Ferroptosis

The forkhead box transcription factor A2 (FOXA2) is a transcription factor and plays a key role in embryonic development, metabolism homeostasis and tumor cell proliferation; however, its regulatory potential in CRC is not fully understood. Here, it is found that FOXA2 expression is markedly up-regulated in tumor samples of CRC patients as compared with the normal tissues, which is closely associated with the worse survival in patients with CRC. Notably, a positive correlation between FOXA2 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) gene expression is observed in CRC patients. Mechanistically, FOXA2 depletion weakens the activation of Nrf2 pathway and decreases GPX4 level in CRC cells, thereby leading to ferroptosis, which is further supported by bioinformatic analysis. More intriguingly, the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif containing 36 (TRIM36) is identified as a key suppressor of FOXA2, and it is observed that TRIM36 can directly interact with FOXA2 and induce its K48-linked polyubiquitination, resulting in FOXA2 protein degradation in vitro. Taken together, all the studies demonstrate that FOXA2 mediated by TRIM36 promotes CRC progression by inhibiting the Nrf2/GPX4 ferroptosis signaling pathway, thus providing a new therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Identification of an Immune-Related Gene Signature Associated with Prognosis and Tumor Microenvironment in Esophageal Cancer

Background

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system with high mortality and morbidity. Current evidence suggests that immune cells and molecules regulate the initiation and progression of EC. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify immune-related genes (IRGs) affecting the biological behaviors and microenvironmental characteristics of EC.

Methods

Bioinformatics methods, including differential expression analysis, Cox regression, and immune infiltration prediction, were conducted using R software to analyze the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort was used to validate the prognostic signature. Patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups for further analyses, including functional enrichment, immune infiltration, checkpoint relevance, clinicopathological characteristics, and therapeutic sensitivity analyses.

Results

A prognostic signature was established based on 21 IRGs (S100A7, S100A7A, LCN1, CR2, STAT4, GAST, ANGPTL5, TRAV39, F2RL2, PGLYRP3, KLRD1, TRIM36, PDGFA, SLPI, PCSK2, APLN, TICAM1, ITPR3, MAPK9, GATA4, and PLAU). Compared with high-risk patients, better overall survival rates and clinicopathological characteristics were found in low-risk patients. The areas under the curve of the two cohorts were 0.885 and 0.718, respectively. Higher proportions of resting CD4⁺ memory T lymphocytes, M2 macrophages, and resting dendritic cells and lower proportions of follicular helper T lymphocytes, plasma cells, and neutrophils were found in the high-risk tumors. Moreover, the high-risk group showed higher expression of CD44 and TNFSF4, lower expression of PDCD1 and CD40, and higher TIDE scores, suggesting they may respond poorly to immunotherapy. High-risk patients responded better to chemotherapeutic agents such as docetaxel, doxorubicin, and gemcitabine. Furthermore, IRGs associated with tumor progression, including PDGFA, ITPR3, SLPI, TICAM1, and GATA4, were identified.

Conclusion

Our immune-related signature yielded reliable value in evaluating the prognosis, microenvironmental characteristics, and therapeutic sensitivity of EC and may help with the precise treatment of this patient population.