FKBP11 promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenesis via p53-related pathways in oral squamous cell carcinoma

FK506-binding proteins: Emerging target and therapeutic opportunity in multiple tumors

The FK506-binding protein (FKBP) family plays a key role in a variety of tumors and is involved in the regulation of important signaling pathways including AKT, NF-κB and p53, which affects cell proliferation, migration, and multiple cell death modes. Here, we summarize the findings that different FKBP family members exhibit dual functions of promoting or inhibiting tumorigenesis in different types of tumors. The expression levels of FKBP family members are closely related to the prognosis of patients, thus might be used as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In the future, it is necessary to combine single-cell sequencing to resolve the spatial distribution of FKBP isoforms, develop clinical validation to promote the translation from molecular mechanism to precision therapy.

FKBP Prolyl Isomerase 11: A Novel Oncogene Interacting With SRSF1 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the main subtypes of esophageal carcinoma with high morbidity. This study aimed to explore the role of FKBP prolyl isomerase 11 (FKBP11) in ESCC and investigate the underlying mechanism. FKBP11 levels in ESCC tumor tissues and cell lines were measured. Cell function assays were conducted to evaluate the role of FKBP11 in ESCC cells. The xenograft mouse model was established to validate the effect of FKBP11 on ESCC tumorigenesis in vivo. The co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to determine the FKBP11-interacting proteins. Obvious upregulations in FKBP11 expression were found in ESCC tumor tissues and cell lines. In vitro, FKBP11 knockdown weakened cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capacities and reinforced cell apoptosis in ESCC cells. In vivo, FKBP11 knockdown slowed ESCC tumorigenesis. The following mechanism investigation determined serine and arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) as the FKBP11-interacting protein in ESCC cells. FKBP11 directly bound to SRSF1 and FKBP11 knockdown decreased SRSF1 mRNA level. SRSF1 overexpression abrogated the inhibitory effect of FKBP11 knockdown on the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells. KBP11 functions as an oncogene in ESCC by targeting SRSF1.

HSP27 promotes vasculogenic mimicry formation in human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma via the AKT-MMP-2/9 pathway

PURPOSE

To explore the role and mechanism of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in SACC VM formation.

STUDY DESIGN

Immunohistochemistry and double staining with cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) were used to detect HSP27 expression and VM in 70 SACC tissue samples separately. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence were used to detect gene and protein expression. HSP27 in SACC cells were overexpression or downregulated by transfecting HSP27 or short hairpin RNA target HSP27 (sh-HSP27). The migration and invasion abilities of SACC cells were detected using wound healing and Transwell invasion assays. The VM formation ability of the cells in vitro was detected using a Matrigel 3-dimensional culture.

RESULTS

HSP27 expression was positively correlated with VM formation and affected the prognosis of patients. In vitro, HSP27 upregulation engendered VM formation and the invasion and migration of SACC cells. Mechanistically, HSP27 upregulation increased Akt phosphorylation and subsequently increased downstream matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 expressions.

CONCLUSION

HSP27 may plays an important role in VM formation in SACC via the AKT-MMP-2/9 signalling pathway.

Advances in prognostic models for osteosarcoma risk

The risk prognosis model is a statistical model that uses a set of features to predict whether an individual will develop a specific disease or clinical outcome. It can be used in clinical practice to stratify disease severity and assess risk or prognosis. With the advancement of large-scale second-generation sequencing technology, along Prognosis models for osteosarcoma are increasingly being developed as large-scale second-generation sequencing technology advances and clinical and biological data becomes more abundant. This expansion greatly increases the number of prognostic models and candidate genes suitable for clinical use. This article will present the predictive effects and reliability of various prognosis models, serving as a reference for their evaluation and application.

NCAPD2 promotes the malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of oral cancer, with a poor prognosis, yet the underlying mechanism needs further exploration. Non-SMC condensin I complex subunit D2 (NCAPD2) is a widely expressed protein in OSCC, but its role in tumor development is unclear. This study aimed to explore NCAPD2 expression and its biological function in OSCC. NCAPD2 expression in OSCC cell lines and tissue specimens was analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Cancer cell growth was evaluated using cell proliferation, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, and colony formation assays. Cell migration was evaluated using wound healing and Transwell assays. Apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry. The influence of NCAPD2 on tumor growth in vivo was evaluated in a mouse xenograft model. NCAPD2 expression was significantly higher in OSCC than that in normal oral tissue. In vitro, the knockdown of NCAPD2 inhibited OSCC cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. NCAPD2 depletion also significantly inhibited the migration of OSCC cells. Moreover, NCAPD2 overexpression induced inverse effects on OSCC cell phenotypes. In vivo, we demonstrated that downregulating NCAPD2 could inhibit the tumorigenicity of OSCC cells. Mechanically, OSCC regulation by NCAPD2 involved the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These results suggest NCAPD2 as a novel oncogene with an important role in OSCC development and a candidate therapeutic target for OSCC.

Epigenomic reprogramming of therapy-resistant circulating tumor cells in colon cancer

Therapy resistance is a major challenge in colorectal cancer management. Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, in tumor cells are involved in the development of acquired resistance during treatment. Here, we characterized the DNA methylation landscape of colon circulating tumor cells (CTCs) during cancer progression and therapy resistance development. To this aim, we used nine permanent CTC lines that were derived from peripheral blood samples of a patient with metastatic colon cancer collected before treatment initiation (CTC-MCC-41) and during treatment and cancer progression (CTC-MCC-41.4 and CTC-MCC-41.5 [A-G]). We analyzed the DNA methylome of these nine CTC lines using EPIC arrays and also assessed the association between DNA methylation and gene expression profiles. We confirmed DNA methylation and gene expression results by pyrosequencing and RT-qPCR, respectively. The global DNA methylation profiles were different in the pre-treatment CTC line and in CTC lines derived during therapy resistance development. These resistant CTC lines were characterized by a more hypomethylated profile compared with the pre-treatment CTC line. Most of the observed DNA methylation differences were localized at CpG-poor regions and some in CpG islands, shore regions and promoters. We identified a distinctive DNA methylation signature that clearly differentiated the pre-treatment CTC line from the others. Of note, the genes involved in this signature were associated with cancer-relevant pathways, including PI3K/AKT, MAPK, Wnt signaling and metabolism. We identified several epigenetically deregulated genes associated with therapy resistance in CTCs, such as AP2M1. Our results bring new knowledge on the epigenomic landscape of therapy-resistant CTCs, providing novel mechanisms of resistance as well as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for advanced CRC management.

Mometasone Furoate Inhibits the Progression of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma via Regulating Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Non-Receptor Type 11

Mometasone furoate (MF) is a kind of glucocorticoid with extensive pharmacological actions, including inhibiting tumor progression; however, the role of MF in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of MF against HNSCC and investigate its underlying mechanisms. Cell viability, colony formation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis were analyzed to explore the effect of MF on HNSCC cells. A xenograft study model was used to investigate the effect of MF on HNSCC in vivo. The core targets of MF for HNSCC were identified using network pharmacology analysis, TCGA database analysis and real-time PCR. Molecular docking was performed to determine the binding energy. Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 11 (PTPN11)-overexpressing cells were constructed, and then, the cell viability and the expression levels of proliferation- and apoptosis-related proteins were detected after treatment with MF to explore the role of PTPN11 in the inhibitory effect of MF against HNSCC. After cells were treated with MF, cell viability and the number of colonies were decreased, the cell cycle was arrested and cell apoptosis was increased. The xenograft study results showed that MF could inhibit cell proliferation via promoting cell apoptosis in vivo. PTPN11 was shown to be the core target of MF against HNSCC via network pharmacology analysis, TCGA database analysis and real-time PCR. The molecular docking results revealed that PTPN11 exhibited the strongest ability to bind to MF. Finally, MF could attenuate the effects of increased cell viability and decreased cell apoptosis caused by PTPN11 overexpression, suggesting that MF can inhibit the progression of HNSCC by regulating PTPN11. MF targeted PTPN11, promoting cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis, and consequently exerting effective anti-tumor activity.

FKBP11 upregulation promotes proliferation and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths world over. Early diagnosis and effective treatment monitoring significantly improves patients' outcomes. FKBP11 gene is highly expressed in HCC and could play a role in its development, early diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of FKBP11 in HCC, its correlation with patients' clinical characteristics and potential role in HCC development.

METHODS

Expression was determined by bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. CCK-8, Transwell and wound healing assays were used to investigate involvement in HCC development.

RESULTS

FKBP11 was significantly upregulated in HCC cells, tissues and blood (all p< 0.001). Its receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve had an AUC of 0.864 (95% CI: 0.823-0.904), at a sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.78 indicating a good diagnostic potential in HCC. Its expression was markedly reduced after surgery (p< 0.0001), indicating a potential application in HCC treatment follow-up. Knockdown of FKBP11 in HCC cells attenuated proliferation and migration, suggesting a possible role in HCC pathogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This study thus found that FKBP11 is upregulated in HCC, and the upregulation promotes HCC development. FKBP11 levels are significantly reduced post-surgery and could be a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for HCC.

Persistent virus-specific and clonally expanded antibody-secreting cells respond to induced self-antigen in the CNS

B cells contribute to the pathogenesis of both cellular- and humoral-mediated central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory diseases through a variety of mechanisms. In such conditions, B cells may enter the CNS parenchyma and contribute to local tissue destruction. It remains unexplored, however, how infection and autoimmunity drive transcriptional phenotypes, repertoire features, and antibody functionality. Here, we profiled B cells from the CNS of murine models of intracranial (i.c.) viral infections and autoimmunity. We identified a population of clonally expanded, antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) that had undergone class-switch recombination and extensive somatic hypermutation following i.c. infection with attenuated lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (rLCMV). Recombinant expression and characterisation of these antibodies revealed specificity to viral antigens (LCMV glycoprotein GP), correlating with ASC persistence in the brain weeks after resolved infection. Furthermore, these virus-specific ASCs upregulated proliferation and expansion programs in response to the conditional and transient induction of the LCMV GP as a neo-self antigen by astrocytes. This class-switched, clonally expanded, and mutated population persisted and was even more pronounced when peripheral B cells were depleted prior to autoantigen induction in the CNS. In contrast, the most expanded B cell clones in mice with persistent expression of LCMV GP in the CNS did not exhibit neo-self antigen specificity, potentially a consequence of local tolerance induction. Finally, a comparable population of clonally expanded, class-switched, and proliferating ASCs was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients. Taken together, our findings support the existence of B cells that populate the CNS and are capable of responding to locally encountered autoantigens.

Identification of an immune subtype-related prognostic signature of clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on single-cell sequencing analysis

Background

There is growing evidence that immune cells are strongly associated with the prognosis and treatment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Our aim is to construct an immune subtype-related model to predict the prognosis of ccRCC patients and to provide guidance for finding appropriate treatment strategies.

Methods

Based on single-cell analysis of the GSE152938 dataset from the GEO database, we defined the immune subtype-related genes in ccRCC. Immediately afterwards, we used Cox regression and Lasso regression to build a prognostic model based on TCGA database. Then, we carried out a series of evaluation analyses around the model. Finally, we proved the role of VMP1 in ccRCC by cellular assays.

Result

Initially, based on TCGA ccRCC patient data and GEO ccRCC single-cell data, we successfully constructed a prognostic model consisting of five genes. Survival analysis showed that the higher the risk score, the worse the prognosis. We also found that the model had high predictive accuracy for patient prognosis through ROC analysis. In addition, we found that patients in the high-risk group had stronger immune cell infiltration and higher levels of immune checkpoint gene expression. Finally, cellular experiments demonstrated that when the VMP1 gene was knocked down, 786-O cells showed reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion ability and increased levels of apoptosis.

Conclusion

Our study can provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ccRCC.

Identification of novel prognostic biomarkers for osteosarcoma: a bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed genes in the mesenchymal stem cells from single-cell sequencing data set

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a crucial role in osteosarcoma (OS) growth and progression. This study conducted a bioinformatics analysis of a single-cell ribonucleic acid sequencing data set and explored the MSC-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in advanced OS.

METHODS

MSC-specific DEGs from GSE152048 was extracted using Seurat R package. These DEGs were then subjected to the functional analysis, and several key genes were further identified and underwent a prognosis analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 234 upregulated and 280 downregulated DEGs were identified between the MSCs and other cells, and a total of 188 upregulated and 158 downregulated DEGs were identified between the MSCs and osteoblastic cells. The Gene Ontology (GO) functional analysis showed that the specific DEGs between the MSCs and osteoblastic cells were enriched in GO terms such as "collagen catabolic process", "positive regulation of pathway-restricted SMAD protein phosphorylation", "osteoblast differentiation", "regulation of release of cytochrome c from mitochondria" and "interleukin-1 production". The specific DEGs between the MSCs and osteoblastic cells were subjected to a protein-protein interaction network analysis. Further, a survival analysis of 20 genes with combined scores >0.94 revealed that the low expression of ANXA1 (annexin A1) and TPM1 (tropomyosin 1) was associated with the shorter overall survival of OS patients, while the high expression of FDPS (farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase), IFITM5 (interferon-induced transmembrane protein 5), FKBP11 (FKBP prolyl isomerase 11), SP7, and SQLE (squalene epoxidase) was associated with the shorter overall survival of OS patients. In a further analysis, we compared the expression of ANXA1, FDPS, IFITM5, FKBP11, SP7, SQLE, and TPM1 between the MSCs and high-grade OS cells. Further validation studies using the GSE42352 data set revealed that ANXA1, FKBP11, SP7, and TPM1 were more upregulated in the MSCs than the high-grade OS cells, while FDPS, IFITM5, and SQLE were more downregulated in the MSCs than the high-grade OS cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our bioinformatics analysis revealed 7 hub genes derived from the specific DEGs between the MSCs and osteoblastic cells. The 7 hub genes may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for patients with OS.

Oncogenic KPNA2 Serves as a Biomarker and Immune Infiltration in Patients With HPV Positive Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Human tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC), the most prevalent type of oral cancer, is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Our previous work showed Karyopherin α2 (KPNA2), as an oncogene of TSCC, by relegating the p53/autophagy signaling pathway. Nevertheless, the significance of KPNA2 in TSCC pathogenesis has not been established. KPNA2 levels were evaluated via the TCGA database, and its effects on survival outcomes were assessed by LASSO, Kaplan‐Meier, and COX regression analyses. CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE investigated the relationships between KPNA2 and immune infiltration. At the same time, KPNA2 and HPV infection was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the association between downstream molecular regulation pathways and KPNA2 levels was determined by GO, GSEA, and WGCNA. In TSCC, KPNA2 levels were associated with clinical prognosis and tumor grade. Moreover, KPNA2 may be involved in cancer cell differentiation and facilitates tumor-related genes and signaling pathways, such as Cell Cycle, Mitotic G1 phase, G1/S transition, DNA Repair, and Transcriptional Regulation TP53 signaling pathways. Nevertheless, regulatory B cells, follicular helper B cells, and immune and stromal scores between low- and high-KPNA2 expression groups were insignificant. These results imply that KPNA2 is highly involved in tumor grade and prognosis of TSCC. KPNA2 levels correct with HPV 16 markedly regulated cell differentiation, several oncogenes, and cancer‐related pathways.

Identification and Validation of HOTAIRM1 as a Novel Biomarker for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

ORAL squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignant tumor with the highest incidence among tumors involving the oral cavity maxillofacial region, and is notorious for its high recurrence and metastasis potential. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which regulate the genesis and evolution of cancers, are potential prognostic biomarkers. This study identified HOTAIRM1 as a novel significantly upregulated lncRNA in OSCC, which is strongly associated with unfavorable prognosis of OSCC. Systematic bioinformatics analyses demonstrated that HOTAIRM1 was closely related to tumor stage, overall survival, genome instability, the tumor cell stemness, the tumor microenvironment, and immunocyte infiltration. Using biological function prediction methods, including Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and Gene set variation analysis (GSVA), HOTAIRM1 plays a pivotal role in OSCC cell proliferation, and is mainly involved in the regulation of the cell cycle. In vitro, cell loss-functional experiments confirmed that HOTAIRM1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of OSCC cells, and arrested the cell cycle in G1 phase. At the molecular level, PCNA and CyclinD1 were obviously reduced after HOTAIRM1 knockdown. The expression of p53 and p21 was upregulated while CDK4 and CDK6 expression was decreased by HOTAIRM1 knockdown. In vivo, knocking down HOTAIRM1 significantly inhibited tumor growth, including the tumor size, weight, volume, angiogenesis, and hardness, monitored by ultrasonic imaging and magnetic resonance imaging In summary, our study reports that HOTAIRM1 is closely associated with tumorigenesis of OSCC and promotes cell proliferation by regulating cell cycle. HOTAIRM1 could be a potential prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for OSCC.

p53 signaling in cancer progression and therapy

The p53 protein is a transcription factor known as the "guardian of the genome" because of its critical function in preserving genomic integrity. The TP53 gene is mutated in approximately half of all human malignancies, including those of the breast, colon, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, and skin. When DNA damage occurs, the TP53 gene on human chromosome 17 stops the cell cycle. If p53 protein is mutated, the cell cycle is unrestricted and the damaged DNA is replicated, resulting in uncontrolled cell proliferation and cancer tumours. Tumor-associated p53 mutations are usually associated with phenotypes distinct from those caused by the loss of the tumor-suppressing function exerted by wild-type p53protein. Many of these mutant p53 proteins have oncogenic characteristics, and therefore modulate the ability of cancer cells to proliferate, escape apoptosis, invade and metastasize. Because p53 deficiency is so common in human cancer, this protein is an excellent option for cancer treatment. In this review, we will discuss some of the molecular pathways by which mutant p53 proteins might perform their oncogenic activities, as well as prospective treatment methods based on restoring tumor suppressive p53 functions.