Wnt signaling pathway in cancer immunotherapy

Exploration of genetic characterization in hyperprogressive disease after immunotherapy retreatment in a patient with LCNEC: A case report

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic option for large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). However, various studies have suggested a potential risk of hyperprogressive disease (HPD) in patients receiving ICI, which might be associated with gene alterations. Here, this is the first report on an unknown primary LCNEC patient who had achieved a long-term response from ICI treatment (atezolizumab), but developed HPD after tumor progression due to receiving another ICI agent (serplulimab). The mutation region of FAT4, SMARCA4, CYLD, CTNNB1, and KIT was altered prior to serplulimab treatment compared to before atezolizumab treatment. This case suggested a potential association between these mutated genes and HPD. Patients with the aforementioned genes should caution when selecting ICI treatment. These findings required further confirmation in a larger study cohort.

Bidirectional crosstalk between the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunotherapy: A bibliometric study

Immunotherapy has recently attracted considerable attention. However, currently, a thorough analysis of the trends associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immunotherapy is lacking. In this study, we used bibliometric tools to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress in EMT-immunotherapy research. A total of 1,302 articles related to EMT and immunotherapy were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The analysis indicated that in terms of the volume of research, China was the most productive country (49.07%, 639), followed by the United States (16.89%, 220) and Italy (3.6%, 47). The United States was the most influential country according to the frequency of citations and citation burstiness. The results also suggested that Frontiers in Immunotherapy can be considered as the most influential journal with respect to the number of articles and impact factors. "Immune infiltration," "bioinformatics analysis," "traditional Chinese medicine," "gene signature," and "ferroptosis" were found to be emerging keywords in EMT-immunotherapy research. These findings point to potential new directions that can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of immunotherapy and EMT and help develop strategies for improving immunotherapy.

Circ_0011058 alleviates RA pathology through the circ_0011058/miR-335-5p/CUL4B signal axis

Our previous study found that Cullin 4B (CUL4B) inhibited rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathology through glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3β)/canonical Wnt signalling pathway. In this work, pre-experiment and bioinformatics analysis suggested that circ_0011058 may lead to the up-regulation of CUL4B expression by inhibiting miR-335-5p. Therefore, we studied whether circ_0011058 can promote the expression of CUL4B through sponging the miR-335-5p and further promote the pathological development of RA. Bioinformatics prediction, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blot (WB), double luciferase reporter gene and other relevant methods were used to study the inhibition of circ_0011058 on RA pathology and its molecular mechanism. Results showed that the expression of circ_0011058 was significantly increased in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats and RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). The knockout of circ_0011058 inhibited the proliferation of AA FLS and RA FLS, decreased the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and inhibited the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), fibronectin, which showed that circ_0011058 had a strong role in promoting RA pathology. Furthermore, miR-335-5p expression was reduced in AA rats and RA FLS. The highly expressed circ_0011058 directly sponged the miR-335-5p, which led to the increase of CUL4B expression and promoted the activation of the GSK3β/canonical signalling pathway. Finally, we confirmed that miR-335-5p mediated the roles of circ_0011058 in promoting RA pathological development, which showed that the circ_0011058/miR-335-5p/CUL4B signal axis was involved in RA pathology. This work was of great significance for clarifying the roles of circ_0011058 in RA pathology, and further work was needed to establish whether circ_0011058 was a potential therapeutic target or diagnostic marker for RA.

YTHDF2 favors protumoral macrophage polarization and implies poor survival outcomes in triple negative breast cancer

Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) frequently experience resistance to chemotherapy, leading to recurrence. The approach of optimizing anti-tumoral immunological effect is promising in overcoming such resistance, given the heterogeneity and lack of biomarkers in TNBC. In this study, we focused on YTHDF2, an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA-reader protein, in macrophages, one of the most abundant intra-tumoral immune cells. Using single-cell sequencing and ex vivo experiments, we discovered that YTHDF2 significantly promotes pro-tumoral phenotype polarization of macrophages and is closely associated with down-regulated antigen-presentation signaling to other immune cells in TNBC. The in vitro deprivation of YTHDF2 favors anti-tumoral effect. Expressions of multiple transcription factors, especially SPI1, were consistently observed in YTHDF2-high macrophages, providing potential therapeutic targets for new strategies. In conclusion, YTHDF2 in macrophages appears to promote pro-tumoral effects while suppressing immune activity, indicating the treatment targeting YTHDF2 or its transcription factors could be a promising strategy for chemoresistant TNBC.

Signaling pathways in colorectal cancer implications for the target therapies

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) stands as a pressing global health issue, marked by the unbridled proliferation of immature cells influenced by multifaceted internal and external factors. Numerous studies have explored the intricate mechanisms of tumorigenesis in CRC, with a primary emphasis on signaling pathways, particularly those associated with growth factors and chemokines. However, the sheer diversity of molecular targets introduces complexity into the selection of targeted therapies, posing a significant challenge in achieving treatment precision. The quest for an effective CRC treatment is further complicated by the absence of pathological insights into the mutations or alterations occurring in tumor cells. This study reveals the transfer of signaling from the cell membrane to the nucleus, unveiling recent advancements in this crucial cellular process. By shedding light on this novel dimension, the research enhances our understanding of the molecular intricacies underlying CRC, providing a potential avenue for breakthroughs in targeted therapeutic strategies. In addition, the study comprehensively outlines the potential immune responses incited by the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, with a specific focus on immune cells, cytokines, and their collective impact on the dynamic landscape of drug development. This research not only contributes significantly to advancing CRC treatment and molecular medicine but also lays the groundwork for future breakthroughs and clinical trials, fostering optimism for improved outcomes and refined approaches in combating colorectal carcinoma.

miR-199a-5p modulates choroidal neovascularization by regulating Wnt7b/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) can be seen in many fundus diseases, and lead to fundus exudation, bleeding, or vision loss. miRNAs are vital regulator in CNV. miR-199a-5p has been proved to be involved in regulating vascular formation of endothelial cells, but its role in CNV remains unclear. This study aims to study the role of miR-199a-5p in CNV. Laser irradiation was used to induce CNV model. The lesion area of CNV was calculated by high-resolution angiography with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran. Wnt family member 7b (Wnt7b), β-catenin, and Wnt pathway proteins was measured by western blot. Immunofluorescence was performed to test Wnt7b, β-catenin, CD31, and p-p65. miR-199a-5p and Wnt7b mRNA were tested by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell count kit-8, wound healing, Transwell, tube formation, and flow cytometry were used to detect the function of miR-199a-5p and Wnt7b on human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMEC). TargetScan database and dual-luciferase reporter assay verified the interaction between miR-199a-5p and Wnt7b. The results revealed that Wnt7b increased in CNV rats. Knocking down Wnt7b repressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, and accelerated cell apoptosis of HRMEC. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-199a-5p targeted Wnt7b. Overexpression of miR-199a-5p inhibited the angiogenesis of HRMEC and promoted cell apoptosis by inhibiting Wbt7b. In vivo experiment found that Wnt7b rescued the promotion of miR-199a-5p inhibition on CNV lesion of rats. In addition, Wnt7b positively regulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoted the angiogenesis of HRMEC. In conclusion, overexpression of miR-199a-5p inhibited the angiogenesis of HRMEC by regulating Wnt7b/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may serve as a promising therapy target of CNV.

hUCMSC-derived exosomes protect against GVHD-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in CD4+ T cells by targeting the miR-16-5p/ATF6/CHOP axis

Exosomes generated from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are thought to be a unique therapeutic strategy for several autoimmune deficiency illnesses. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hUCMSC-Exo) on CD4+ T cells dysfunction during graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and to identify the underlying processes involved. Here, we showed that hUCMSC-Exo treatment can effectively attenuate GVHD injury by alleviating redox metabolism disorders and inflammatory cytokine bursts in CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, hUCMSC-Exo ameliorate ER stress and ATF6/CHOP signaling-mediated apoptosis in CD4+ T cells and promote the development of CD4+IL-10+ T cells during GVHD. Moreover, downregulating miR-16-5p in hUCMSC-Exo impaired their ability to prevent CD4+ T cells apoptosis and weakened their ability to promote the differentiation of CD4+IL-10+ T cells. Collectively, the obtained data suggested that hUCMSC-Exo suppress ATF6/CHOP signaling-mediated ER stress and apoptosis in CD4+ T cells, enhance the differentiation of CD4+IL-10+ T cells, and reverse the imbalance of immune homeostasis in the GVHD process by transferring miR-16-5p. Our study provided further evidence that GVHD patients can benefit from hUCMSC-Exo-mediated therapy.

Recent Insights into the Roles of PEST-Containing Nuclear Protein

PEST-containing nuclear protein (PCNP), a short-lived small nuclear protein with 178 amino acids, is a nuclear protein containing two PEST sequences. PCNP is highly expressed in several malignant tumors such as cervical cancer, rectal cancer, and lung cancer. It is also associated with cell cycle regulation and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) and Wnt signaling pathways during tumor growth. The present article discuss how PCNP regulates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Wnt signaling pathways and related proteins, and the ubiquitination of PCNP regulates tumor cell cycle as well as the progress of the application of PCNP in the pathophysiology and treatment of colon cancer, human ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and oral squamous cell carcinoma. The main relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, with keywords such as PEST-containing nuclear protein (PCNP), cancer (tumor), and signaling pathways as inclusion/exclusion criteria. Relevant references has been included and cited in the manuscript.

Circ-0075305 hinders gastric cancer stem cells by indirectly disrupting TCF4-β-catenin complex and downregulation of SOX9

CircRNAs are covalently closed, single-stranded RNA that form continuous loops and play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of tumors. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are indispensable for cancer development; however, the regulation of cancer stem cell-like properties in gastric cancer (GC) and its specific mechanism remain poorly understood. We elucidate the specific role of Circ-0075305 in GC stem cell properties. Circ-0075305 associated with chemotherapy resistance was identified by sequencing GC cells. Subsequent confirmation in both GC tissues and cell lines revealed that patients with high expression of Circ-0075305 had significantly better overall survival (OS) rates than those with low expression, particularly when treated with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for GC. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that overexpression of Circ-0075305 can effectively reduce stem cell-like properties and enhance the sensitivity of GC cells to Oxaliplatin compared with the control group. Circ-0075305 promotes RPRD1A expression by acting as a sponge for corresponding miRNAs. The addition of LF3 (a β-catenin/TCF4 interaction antagonist) confirmed that RPRD1A inhibited the formation of the TCF4-β-catenin transcription complex through competitive to β-catenin and suppressed the transcriptional activity of stem cell markers such as SOX9 via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. This leads to the downregulation of stem cell-like property-related markers in GC. This study revealed the underlying mechanisms that regulate Circ-0075305 in GCSCs and suggests that its role in reducing β-catenin signaling may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate.

Human papillomavirus infection affects treatment outcomes and the immune microenvironment in patients with advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma receiving programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor-based combination therapy

BACKGROUND

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated malignancy. Immunotherapy is emerging as a potential treatment for advanced PSCC. In this study, the authors analyzed the association of HPV status with outcomes and the immune microenvironment in patients with advanced PSCC undergoing programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) inhibitor-based combination therapy (PCT).

METHODS

HPV status was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 87 patients with advanced PSCC treated with PCT. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in the HPV+ and HPV- groups were compared. Additionally, bulk RNA sequencing was performed to investigate the potential impact of HPV on the immune microenvironment in advanced PSCC.

RESULTS

Among patients receiving first-line PCT, ORR (91.7% vs. 64.6%, p = .014) and DCR (100.0% vs. 79.2%, p = .025) in the HPV+ group were higher compared to the HPV- group. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that the HPV+ group exhibited superior PFS (p = .005) and OS (p = .004) for patients in the first-line setting. However, these advantages of HPV infection were not observed in multi-line PCT (p > .050). HPV status remained an independent prognostic factor for predicting better ORR (p = .024), PFS (p = .002), and OS (p = .020) in the multivariate analyses. Landmark analyses showed that the HPV-induced superiority of PFS occurred at an early stage (within 3 months) and OS occurred at a relatively late stage (within 9 months). Bioinformatic analyses identified potential immune-activated genes (GLDC, CYP4F12, etc.) and pathways (RAGE, PI3K/AKT, etc.), antitumor immune cell subtypes, and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion scores in HPV+ tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

HPV infection may confer treatment efficacy and survival benefits in patients with advanced PSCC receiving first-line PCT because of the possible stimulation of the antitumor immune microenvironment.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may induce better objective response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) for advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) patients receiving first-line programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor-based combination therapy (PCT) instead of multi-line PCT. HPV infection-induced PFS advantage occurs at an early stage (within 3 months) whereas OS superiority occurs at a relatively late stage (within 9 months). Antitumor immune microenvironment could be stimulated by HPV infection in advanced PSCC tissues.

Wnt signaling: Modulating tumor-associated macrophages and related immunotherapeutic insights

Wnt signaling pathways are highly conserved cascades that mediate multiple biological processes through canonical or noncanonical pathways, from embryonic development to tissue maintenance, but they also contribute to the pathogenesis of numerous cancers. Recent studies have revealed that Wnt signaling pathways critically control the interplay between cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and potentially impact the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the evidence that Wnt signaling pathways boost the maturation and infiltration of macrophages for immune surveillance in the steady state but also polarize TAMs toward immunosuppressive M2-like phenotypes for immune escape in the TME. Both cancer cells and TAMs utilize Wnt signaling to transmit signals, and this interaction is crucial for the carcinogenesis and progression of common solid cancers, such as colorectal, gastric, hepatocellular, breast, thyroid, prostate, kidney, and lung cancers; osteosarcoma; and glioma. Specifically, compared with those in solid cancers, Wnt signaling pathways play a distinct role in the pathogenesis of leukemia. Efforts to develop Wnt-based drugs for cancer treatment are still ongoing, and some indeed enhance the anticancer immune response. We believe that the combination of Wnt signaling-based therapy with conventional or immune therapies is a promising therapeutic approach and can facilitate personalized treatment for most cancers.

Research Progress on the Mechanism of the SFRP-Mediated Wnt Signalling Pathway Involved in Bone Metabolism in Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a metabolic bone disease linked to an elevated fracture risk, primarily stemming from disruptions in bone metabolism. Present clinical treatments for OP merely alleviate symptoms. Hence, there exists a pressing need to identify novel targets for the clinical treatment of OP. Research indicates that the Wnt signalling pathway is modulated by serum-secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5), potentially serving as a pivotal regulator in bone metabolism disorders. Moreover, studies confirm elevated SFRP5 expression in OP, with SFRP5 overexpression leading to the downregulation of Wnt and β-catenin proteins in the Wnt signalling pathway, as well as the expression of osteogenesis-related marker molecules such as RUNX2, ALP, and OPN. Conversely, the opposite has been reported when SFRP5 is knocked out, suggesting that SFRP5 may be a key factor involved in the regulation of bone metabolism via the Wnt signalling axis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of SFRP5-induced OP have yet to be comprehensively elucidated. This review focusses on the molecular structure and function of SFRP5 and the potential molecular mechanisms of the SFRP5-mediated Wnt signalling pathway involved in bone metabolism in OP, providing reasonable evidence for the targeted therapy of SFRP5 for the prevention and treatment of OP.

C6orf15 promotes liver metastasis via WNT/β-catenin signalling in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colon cancer ranks third among global tumours and second in cancer-related mortality, prompting an urgent need to explore new therapeutic targets. C6orf15 is a novel gene that has been reported only in Sjogren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus patients. We found a close correlation between increased C6orf15 expression and the occurrence of colon cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of C6orf15 as a therapeutic target for colorectal cancer.

METHOD

RNA-seq differential expression analysis of the TCGA database was performed using the R package 'limma.' The correlation between target genes and survival as well as tumour analysis was analysed using GEPIA. Western blot and PCR were used to assess C6orf15 expression in colorectal cancer tissue samples. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to assess C6orf15 subcellular localization and tissue expression. The role of C6orf15 in liver metastasis progression was investigated via a mouse spleen infection liver metastasis model. The association of C6orf15 with signalling pathways was assessed using the GSEA-Hallmark database. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), qPCR and western blotting were performed to assess the expression of related mRNAs or proteins. Biological characteristics were evaluated through cell migration assays, MTT assays, and Seahorse XF96 analysis to monitor fatty acid metabolism.

RESULTS

C6orf15 was significantly associated with liver metastasis and survival in CRC patients as determined by the bioinformatic analysis and further verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC), qPCR and western blot results. The upregulation of C6orf15 expression in CRC cells can promote the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and cause an increase in downstream transcription. This leads to changes in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and alterations in fatty acid metabolism, which together promote liver metastasis of CRC.

CONCLUSION

Our study identified C6orf15 as a marker of liver metastasis in CRC. C6orf15 can activate the WNT/β-catenin signalling pathway to promote EMT and fatty acid metabolism in CRC.

TGF-β2-induced alterations of m6A methylation in hTERT RPE-1 cells

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a major type of RNA modification implicated in various pathophysiological processes. Transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2) induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in retinal pigmental epithelial (RPE) cells and promotes the progression of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). However, the role of m6A methylation in the EMT of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) retinal pigmental epithelium (RPE)-1 cells has not been clarified. Here, we extracted RNA from RPE cells subjected to 0 or 20 ng/mL TGF-β2 for 72 h and identified differentially methylated genes (DMGs) by m6A-Seq and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by RNA-Seq. We selected the genes related to EMT by conjoint m6A-Seq/RNA-Seq analysis and verified them by qRT-PCR. We then confirmed the function of m6A methylation in the EMT of RPE cells by knocking down the methyltransferase METTL3 and the m6A reading protein YTHDF1. Sequencing yielded 5814 DMGs and 1607 DEGs. Conjoint analysis selected 467 genes altered at the m6A and RNA levels that are closely associated with the EMT-related TGF-β, AGE-RAGE, PI3K-Akt, P53, and Wnt signaling pathways. We also identified ten core EMT genes ACTG2, BMP6, CDH2, LOXL2, SNAIL1, SPARC, BMP4, EMP3, FOXM1, and MYC. Their RNA levels were evaluated by qRT-PCR and were consistent with the sequencing results. We observed that METTL3 knockdown enhanced RPE cell migration and significantly upregulated the EMT markers N-cadherin (encoded by CDH2), fibronectin (FN), Snail family transcription repressor (SLUG), and vimentin. However, YTHDF1 knockdown had the opposite effects and decreased both cell migration and the N-cadherin, FN, and SLUG expression levels. The present study clarified TGF-β2-induced m6A- and RNA-level differences in RPE cells, indicated that m6A methylation might regulate EMT marker expression, and showed that m6A could regulate TGF-β2-induced EMT.

Chemotherapy induces myeloid-driven spatial T-cell exhaustion in ovarian cancer

To uncover the intricate, chemotherapy-induced spatiotemporal remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, we conducted integrative spatial and molecular characterization of 97 high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) samples collected before and after chemotherapy. Using single-cell and spatial analyses, we identify increasingly versatile immune cell states, which form spatiotemporally dynamic microcommunities at the tumor-stroma interface. We demonstrate that chemotherapy triggers spatial redistribution and exhaustion of CD8+ T cells due to prolonged antigen presentation by macrophages, both within interconnected myeloid networks termed "Myelonets" and at the tumor stroma interface. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics identifies prominent TIGIT-NECTIN2 ligand-receptor interactions induced by chemotherapy. Using a functional patient-derived immuno-oncology platform, we show that CD8+T-cell activity can be boosted by combining immune checkpoint blockade with chemotherapy. Our discovery of chemotherapy-induced myeloid-driven spatial T-cell exhaustion paves the way for novel immunotherapeutic strategies to unleash CD8+ T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity in HGSC.

Structure-Guided Discovery of Potent and Selective CLK2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder. However, there are no disease-modifying drugs approved for OA treatment. CDC2-like kinase 2 (CLK2) could modulate Wnt signaling via alternative splicing of Wnt target genes and further affect bone differentiation, chondrocyte function, and inflammation, making CLK2 an attractive target for OA therapy. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of highly potent CLK2 inhibitors based on Indazole 1. Among them, compound LQ23 showed more elevated inhibitory activity against CLK2 than the lead compound (IC50, 1.4 nM) with high CLK2/CLK3 selectivity (>70-fold). Furthermore, LQ23 showed outstanding antiosteoarthritis effects in vitro and in vivo, with the roles specific in decreased inflammatory cytokines, downregulated cartilage degradative enzymes, and increased joint cartilage via suppressing CLK2/Wnt signaling pathway. Overall, these data support LQ23 as a potential candidate for intra-articular knee OA therapy, leveraging its unique mechanism of action for targeted treatment.

IL-33 aggravates extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma aggressiveness and angiogenesis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) is an extremely aggressive form of lymphoma and lacks of specific diagnostic markers. The study intended to unearth the role of interleukin-33 (IL-33) in ENKTCL. RT-qPCR was conducted to assess mRNA levels of ENKTCL tissues and cells, while western blot assay was performed for evaluating protein levels. Plate cloning experiment and transwell assay were employed to measure aggressiveness of ENKTCL. Tube formation assay was executed to determine the angiogenesis ability. Mice ENKTCL xenograft model was designed to probe the impacts of IL-33 in vivo. IL-33 and suppression of tumorigenicity 2 receptor (ST2, receptor of IL-33) were enhanced in ENKTCL. IL-33 inhibition suppressed viability, migration, and invasion of ENKTCL cells. Moreover, IL-33 knockdown restricted angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, Wnt/β-catenin pathway associated proteins (β-catenin, c-myc, and cyclin D1) were downregulated by loss of IL-33. However, these impacts were overturned by Wnt/β-catenin signaling agonist lithium chloride (LiCl). Additionally, IL-33 silencing exerted anti-tumor effect via Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vivo. Silencing of IL-33 inhibited ENKTCL tumorigenesis and angiogenesis by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. As such, IL-33 might be a prospective treatment target for ENKTCL.

TNFRSF19 within the 13q12.12 Risk Locus Functions as a Lung Cancer Suppressor by Binding Wnt3a to Inhibit Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Cancer risk loci provide special clues for uncovering pathogenesis of cancers. The TNFRSF19 gene located within the 13q12.12 lung cancer risk locus encodes TNF receptor superfamily member 19 (TNFRSF19) protein and has been proved to be a key target gene of a lung tissue-specific tumor suppressive enhancer, but its functional role in lung cancer pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. Here we showed that the TNFRSF19 gene could protect human bronchial epithelial Beas-2B cells from pulmonary carcinogen nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK)-induced malignant transformation. Knockout of the TNFRSF19 significantly increased NNK-induced colony formation rate on soft agar. Moreover, TNFRSF19 expression was significantly reduced in lung cancer tissues and cell lines. Restoration of TNFRSF19 expression in A549 lung cancer cell line dramatically suppressed the tumor formation in xenograft mouse model. Interestingly, the TNFRSF19 protein that is an orphan membrane receptor could compete with LRP6 to bind Wnt3a, thereby inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that is required for NNK-induced malignant transformation as indicated by protein pulldown, site mutation, and fluorescence energy resonance transfer experiments. Knockout of the TNFRSF19 enhanced LRP6-Wnt3a interaction, promoting β-catenin nucleus translocation and the downstream target gene expression, and thus sensitized the cells to NNK carcinogen. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the TNFRSF19 inhibited lung cancer carcinogenesis by competing with LRP6 to combine with Wnt3a to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

IMPLICATIONS

These findings revealed a novel anti-lung cancer mechanism, highlighting the special significance of TNFRSF19 gene within the 13q12.12 risk locus in lung cancer pathogenesis.

LAIR1-mediated resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to T cells through a GSK-3β/β-catenin/MYC/PD-L1 pathway

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of studies have reported the involvement of oncogenes in the regulation of the immune system. LAIR1 is an immunosuppressive molecule and its role in immune-related diseases has been mainly reported. To date, it is unclear whether LAIR1 in tumor cells is involved in immune regulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of LAIR1 in the immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to seek the novel therapeutic discoveries.

METHODS

Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion database was used to predict the response of LAIR1 expression to immune checkpoint blockade. CD8+ T cells were co-cultured with HCC cells, and the killing efficiency of leukocytes on HCC cells was detected by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry was also used to detect the expression of inhibitory receptors. In addition, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and nucleus/cytoplasm fractionation experiments were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms by which LAIR1 created a suppressive tumor microenvironment.

RESULTS

LAIR1 expression in HCC was associated with worse immune prognosis and T-cell dysfunction. HCC cells overexpressing LAIR1 co-cultured with CD8+ T cells induced exhaustion of latter. Mechanism studies indicated that LAIR1 in HCC cells up-regulated the phosphorylation of β-catenin by inducing the phosphorylation of GSK-3β, leading to the impairment of the expression and the nuclear localization signal of β-catenin. Low β-catenin expression and nuclear localization signal inhibited MYC-mediated PD-L1 expression. Therefore, PD-L1 up-regulated by LAIR1 caused the exhaustion of infiltrating CD8+ T cells in HCC, which aggravated the malignant progression of HCC.

CONCLUSION

LAIR1 increased PD-L1 expression through the GSK-3β/β-catenin/MYC/PD-L1 pathway and promoted immune evasion of HCC cells. Targeted inhibition of LAIR1 helped to enhance the immune killing effect of CD8+ T cells in HCC.

SENP3 mediates the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to accelerate the growth and metastasis of oesophagal squamous cell carcinoma in mice

As a common malignant tumor, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is occasionally seen in clinical practice. This type of disease has low incidence rate and mortality. The post-translational modification of small ubiquitin like modifiers (SUMO) can play a crucial role in regulating protein function, and can significantly impact the occurrence and development of diseases. SUMO-specific peptidase (SENP) affects cell activity by regulating the biological function of SUMO. SENP3 belongs to the SENP family, and available data indicate that many malignancies are associated with SENPs, it is currently unclear its role in ESCC. This study indicates that there is a high level of SENP3 expression in ESCC tumor cells. If the expression level of this gene is high, it can have a significant impact on ESCC cell lines and affect physiological activities such as invasion of KYSE170 cells. If the gene is knocked out, this situation will not occur. There is also research data indicating that this gene can effectively activate related signaling pathways, thereby promoting the physiological activities of malignant tumor cells. In a nude mouse xenograft tumor model, KYSE170 cells with SENP3 expression knockdown induced a smaller volume and weight of tumor tissue. Therefore, it can be clearly stated that SENP3 can enable Wnt/ β- The catenin signaling pathway is stimulated, which in turn affects the physiological activities of ESCC cells, including the invasion process. The results of this article lay the foundation for clinical staff to carry out clinical management.

Tumor cell stemness in gastrointestinal cancer: regulation and targeted therapy

The cancer stem cells are a rare group of self-renewable cancer cells capable of the initiation, progression, metastasis and recurrence of tumors, and also a key contributor to the therapeutic resistance. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanism of tumor stemness regulation, especially in the gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, is of great importance for targeting CSC and designing novel therapeutic strategies. This review aims to elucidate current advancements in the understanding of CSC regulation, including CSC biomarkers, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs. We will also provide a comprehensive view on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) display an overall tumor-promoting effect, including the recruitment and impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the establishment of an immunosuppressive milieu, and the induction of angiogenesis and hypoxia. Lastly, this review consolidates mainstream novel therapeutic interventions targeting CSC stemness regulation.

Transcriptome Data Revealed the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network during the Proliferation and Differentiation of Myoblasts in Shitou Goose

CircRNA, a recently characterized non-coding RNA (ncRNA) variant, functions as a molecular sponge, exerting regulatory control by binding to microRNA (miRNA) and modulating the expression of downstream proteins, either promoting or inhibiting their expression. Among poultry species, geese hold significant importance, prized by consumers for their delectable taste and rich nutritional content. Despite the prominence of geese, research on the growth and development of goose muscle, particularly the regulatory role of circRNAs in goose muscle formation, remains insufficiently explored. In this study, we constructed comprehensive expression profiles of circRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) within the myoblasts and myotubes of Shitou geese. We identified a total of 96 differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) and 880 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs). Notably, the parental genes of DEcircRNAs and DEmRNAs exhibited enrichment in the Wnt signaling pathway, highlighting its potential impact on the proliferation and differentiation of goose myoblasts. Employing RNAhybrid and miRDB, we identified circRNA-miRNA pairs and mRNA-miRNA pairs that may play a role in regulating myogenic differentiation or muscle growth. Subsequently, utilizing Cytoscape, we constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network aimed at unraveling the intricate regulatory mechanisms involved in goose muscle growth and development, which comprises 93 circRNAs, 351 miRNAs, and 305 mRNAs. Moreover, the identification of 10 hub genes (ACTB, ACTN1, BDNF, PDGFRA, MYL1, EFNA5, MYSM1, THBS1, ITGA8, and ELN) potentially linked to myogenesis, along with the exploration of their circRNA-miRNA-hub gene regulatory axis, was also conducted. These competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks elucidate the molecular regulatory mechanisms associated with muscle growth in Shitou geese, providing deeper insights into the reciprocal regulation of circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA in the context of goose muscle formation.

The dynamic shifts of IL-10-producing Th17 and IL-17-producing Treg in health and disease: a crosstalk between ancient "Yin-Yang" theory and modern immunology

The changes in T regulatory cell (Treg) and T helper cell (Th) 17 ratios holds paramount importance in ensuring internal homeostasis and disease progression. Recently, novel subsets of Treg and Th17, namely IL-17-producing Treg and IL-10-producing Th17 have been identified. IL-17-producing Treg and IL-10-producing Th17 are widely considered as the intermediates during Treg/Th17 transformation. These "bi-functional" cells exhibit plasticity and have been demonstrated with important roles in multiple physiological functions and disease processes. Yin and Yang represent opposing aspects of phenomena according to the ancient Chinese philosophy "Yin-Yang" theory. Furthermore, Yin can transform into Yang, and vice versa, under specific conditions. This theory has been widely used to describe the contrasting functions of immune cells and molecules. Therefore, immune-activating populations (Th17, M1 macrophage, etc.) and immune overreaction (inflammation, autoimmunity) can be considered Yang, while immunosuppressive populations (Treg, M2 macrophage, etc.) and immunosuppression (tumor, immunodeficiency) can be considered Yin. However, another important connotation of "Yin-Yang" theory, the conversion between Yin and Yang, has been rarely documented in immune studies. The discovery of IL-17-producing Treg and IL-10-producing Th17 enriches the meaning of "Yin-Yang" theory and further promotes the relationship between ancient "Yin-Yang" theory and modern immunology. Besides, illustrating the functions of IL-17-producing Treg and IL-10-producing Th17 and mechanisms governing their differentiation provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the dynamically changing statement of immune statement in health and diseases.

Immunogram defines four cancer-immunity cycle phenotypes with distinct clonal selection patterns across solid tumors

BACKGROUND

The cancer-immunity cycle (CI cycle) provides a theoretical framework to illustrate the process of the anticancer immune response. Recently, the update of the CI cycle theory emphasizes the importance of tumor's immunological phenotype. However, there is lack of immunological phenotype of pan-cancer based on CI cycle theory.

METHODS

Here, we applied a visualizing method termed 'cancer immunogram' to visualize the state of CI cycle of 8460 solid tumors from TCGA cohort. Unsupervised clustering of the cancer immunogram was performed using the nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) analysis. We applied an evolutionary genomics approach (dN/dS ratio) to evaluate the clonal selection patterns of tumors with distinct immunogram subtypes.

RESULTS

We defined four major CI cycle patterns across 32 cancer types using a cancer immunogram approach. Immunogram-I was characterized by 'hot' and 'exhausted' features, indicating a favorable prognosis. Strikingly, immunogram-II, immunogram-III, and immunogram-IV represented distinct immunosuppressive patterns of 'cold' tumor. Immunogram-II was characterized by 'cold' and 'radical' features, which represented increased expression of immune inhibitor molecules and high levels of positive selection, indicating the worst prognosis. Immunogram-III was characterized by 'cold' and 'recognizable' features and upregulated expression of MHC I molecules. Immunogram-IV was characterized by 'cold' and 'inert' features, which represented overall immunosuppression, lower levels of immunoediting and positive selection, and accumulation of more tumor neoantigens. In particular, favorable overall survival was observed in metastatic urothelial cancer patients with immunogram-I and immunogram-IV after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Meanwhile, a higher response rate to ICI therapy was observed in metastatic gastric cancer patients with immunogram-I phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide new insight into the interaction between immunity and cancer evolution, which may contribute to optimizing immunotherapy strategies.

Wnt-3a improves functional recovery after spinal cord injury by regulating the inflammatory and apoptotic response in rats via wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

The specific molecular mechanism of neuroprotective effects of wnt-3a on spinal cord injury (SCI) has not been elucidated. In our study, we evaluated the recovery of motor function after SCI by BBB, observed neuronal apoptosis by western blot and TUNEL, observed the changes of neuronal inflammation by western blot and immunofluorescence staining, and observed the changes of motoneurons and spinal cord area in the anterior horn of the spinal cord via Nissl and HE staining. We found that wnt-3a could significantly promote the recovery of motor function, reduce the loss of motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, promote the recovery of injured spinal cord tissue, inhibit neuronal apoptosis and inflammatory response, and ultimately promote neuronal function after SCI. However, when XAV939 inhibits the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, the neuroprotective effects of wnt-3a are also significantly inhibited. The above results together indicated that wnt-3a exerts its neuroprotective effect on after SCI via activating the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Promising role of protein arginine methyltransferases in overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance

Drug resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment, necessitating the development of novel strategies to overcome it. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are enzymes responsible for epigenetic arginine methylation, which regulates various biological and pathological processes, as a result, they are attractive therapeutic targets for overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance. The ongoing development of small molecules targeting PRMTs has resulted in the generation of chemical probes for modulating most PRMTs and facilitated clinical treatment for the most advanced oncology targets, including PRMT1 and PRMT5. In this review, we summarize various mechanisms underlying protein arginine methylation and the roles of specific PRMTs in driving cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, we highlight the potential clinical implications of PRMT inhibitors in decreasing cancer drug resistance. PRMTs promote the formation and maintenance of drug-tolerant cells via several mechanisms, including altered drug efflux transporters, autophagy, DNA damage repair, cancer stem cell-related function, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and disordered tumor microenvironment. Multiple preclinical and ongoing clinical trials have demonstrated that PRMT inhibitors, particularly PRMT5 inhibitors, can sensitize cancer cells to various anti-cancer drugs, including chemotherapeutic, targeted therapeutic, and immunotherapeutic agents. Combining PRMT inhibitors with existing anti-cancer strategies will be a promising approach for overcoming anti-cancer drug resistance. Furthermore, enhanced knowledge of the complex functions of arginine methylation and PRMTs in drug resistance will guide the future development of PRMT inhibitors and may help identify new clinical indications.

BICDL1 Predicts Poor Prognosis and is Correlated with Methylation and Immune Infiltration in Colorectal Cancer

Background

Bicaudal-D (BICD) Family Like Cargo Adaptor 1 (BICDL1) is an essential component of the molecular mechanism during neuronal development. However, BICDL1 has not been reported in cancer. Using bioinformatics analysis, we systematically evaluated the potential role of BICDL1 in CRC.

Methods

Colorectal cancer (CRC) and normal tissue samples were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis, nomogram, COX analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the prognostic power. Correlation analysis was also conducted to explore the correlation between mRNA expression and the methylation level of BICDL1 using cBioPortal, and the correlation between immune infiltration and BICDL1. RT-qPCR and Western blot assays were performed to analyze BICDL1 expression level between human colorectal cancer cell lines and normal colonic epithelial cells.

Results

BICDL1 had a higher expression in CRC tissues than in normal tissues (p < 0.001) in TCGA and GES 74602 datasets. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with high BICDL1 expression had lower overall survival (OS) (1.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-2.17, p=0.019). The ROC curves demonstrated that BICDL1 has high specificity and efficiency in diagnosis (AUC=0.919, CI: 0.895-0.943). The expression level of BICDL1 was significantly correlated with the infiltrating levels of Treg (R=0.146, p <0.001), TFH (R=0.080, p=0.043), NK CD56bright cells (R=0.149, p <0.001), aDC (R=0.095, p=0.016), and T helper cell infiltration (R=-0.084, p=0.034). The correlation between BICDL1 expression and methylation levels was negative (R2=0.134, p <0.001), and CRC patients had lower methylation levels than normal people (p=0.036). BICDL1 mRNA and its protein expression levels in CRC cell lines (SW620) was markedly increased compared with that of normal colonic epithelial cells (NCM460) (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

BICDL1 may be a potential biomarker for evaluating immune infiltration levels and prognosis of CRC.

Brusatol enhances MEF2A expression to inhibit RCC progression through the Wnt signalling pathway in renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most aggressive subtype of kidney tumour with a poor prognosis and an increasing incidence rate worldwide. Brusatol, an essential active ingredient derived from Brucea javanica, exhibits potent antitumour properties. Our study aims to explore a novel treatment strategy for RCC patients. We predicted 37 molecular targets of brusatol based on the structure of brusatol, and MEF2A (Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2A) was selected as our object through bioinformatic analyses. We employed various experimental techniques, including RT-PCR, western blot, CCK8, colony formation, immunofluorescence, wound healing, flow cytometry, Transwell assays and xenograft mouse models, to investigate the impact of MEF2A on RCC. MEF2A expression was found to be reduced in patients with RCC, indicating a close correlation with MEF2A deubiquitylation. Additionally, the protective effects of brusatol on MEF2A were observed. The overexpression of MEF2A inhibits RCC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. In xenograft mice, MEF2A overexpression in RCC cells led to reduced tumour size compared to the control group. The underlying mechanism involves the inhibition of RCC cell proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the modulation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling. Altogether, we found that MEF2A overexpression inhibits RCC progression by Wnt/β-catenin signalling, providing novel insight into diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for RCC patients.

Tumour-agnostic plasma assay for circulating tumour DNA predicts outcome in recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with a PD-1 inhibitor

BACKGROUND

Only 15-20% of recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN) patients derive long-term benefit from nivolumab or pembrolizumab. We developed a circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) tumour-agnostic assay aimed at the early prediction of single agent programmed cell death 1 (PD1) inhibitor efficacy in R/M SCCHN.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Our tumour-agnostic assay included 37 genes frequently mutated in R/M SCCHN and two HPV16 genes. Primary endpoint was the concordance between ctDNA kinetics (ΔctDNA) and the best overall response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. ΔctDNA was defined as the difference in mean variant allele frequency (VAF) between the on-treatment sample harvested 6-10 weeks (FU1) after PD1 inhibitor initiation and the pre-treatment plasma sample (ΔctDNA = mean FU1 VAF - mean pre-treatment VAF).

RESULTS

ctDNA was detected in 35/44 (80%) of the pre-treatment plasma samples. The concordance between ΔctDNA and imaging response was observed in 74%. Median progression-free survival was 8.6 months in the favourable ΔctDNA group and 2.5 months in the unfavourable ΔctDNA group (p = 0.057). Median overall survival (OS) was 18.1 and 8.2 months in the favourable and unfavourable ΔctDNA groups, respectively (p = 0.13). In patients with PD-L1 expressing SCCHN (Combined Positive Score ≥1), OS was significantly better in patients with favourable ΔctDNA compared with patients with unfavourable ΔctDNA: median OS was 41.5 and 8.4 months (p = 0.033), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumour-agnostic ctDNA analysis for human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative and HPV-positive R/M SCCHN is feasible. ctDNA kinetics show promising results in predicting the efficacy of PD1 inhibitors in R/M SCCHN.

Intricate confrontation: Research progress and application potential of TRIM family proteins in tumor immune escape

BACKGROUND

Tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins have more than 80 members and are widely found in various eukaryotic cells. Most TRIM family proteins participate in the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system as E3-ubiquitin ligases; therefore, they play pivotal regulatory roles in the occurrence and development of tumors, including tumor immune escape. Due to the diversity of functional domains of TRIM family proteins, they can extensively participate in multiple signaling pathways of tumor immune escape through different substrates. In current research and clinical contexts, immune escape has become an urgent problem. The extensive participation of TRIM family proteins in curing tumors or preventing postoperative recurrence and metastasis makes them promising targets.

AIM OF REVIEW

The aim of the review is to make up for the gap in the current research on TRIM family proteins and tumor immune escape and propose future development directions according to the current progress and problems.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

This up-to-date review summarizes the characteristics and biological functions of TRIM family proteins, discusses the mechanisms of TRIM family proteins involved in tumor immune escape, and highlights the specific mechanism from the level of structure-function-molecule-pathway-phenotype, including mechanisms at the level of protein domains and functions, at the level of molecules and signaling pathways, and at the level of cells and microenvironments. We also discuss the application potential of TRIM family proteins in tumor immunotherapy, such as possible treatment strategies for combination targeting TRIM family protein drugs and checkpoint inhibitors for improving cancer treatment.

PRI-724 and IWP-O1 Wnt Signaling Pathway Inhibitors Modulate the Expression of Glycolytic Enzymes in Tongue Cancer Cell Lines

The dysregulation of energetic metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. Indeed, the growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells depends heavily on glycolytic activity, which can be considered a potential therapeutic target. Wnt signaling is one of the pathways that undergoes upregulation in HNSCC. Our previous studies have shown that Wnt signaling inhibitors-PRI-724 and IWP-O1-attenuate tongue SCC survival and reduce glucose uptake and lactate release. The aim of this research was to further evaluate the possible mechanisms of the previously observed effects. We assessed the effect of PRI-724 and IWP-O1 on the expression of selected glycolytic enzymes: phosphofructokinase M, pyruvate kinase M2, and lactate dehydrogenase. Relative transcript expression was assessed by real-time PCR, and protein levels by Western blot. Moreover, clinical data concerning mRNA and protein expression, gene promoter methylation, and HNSCC patients' survival time were analyzed by the UALCAN tool, and protein-protein interaction was assessed using the STRING database. Experimental and bioinformatic data confirmed the relation between Wnt signaling and glycolytic enzymes in tongue cancer cells and HNSCC clinical samples. Overall, the inhibition of glucose metabolism by Wnt signaling inhibitors is a promising mode of action against tongue cancer cells.

SOX18 Promotes the Proliferation of Dermal Papilla Cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

SRY-box transcription factor 18 (SOX18) is known to play a crucial role in the growth and development of hair follicles (HF) in both humans and mice. However, the specific effect of SOX18 on sheep hair follicles remains largely unknown. In our previous study, we observed that SOX18 was specifically expressed within dermal papilla cells (DPCs) in ovine hair follicles, leading us to investigate its potential role in the growth of hair follicles in sheep. In the present study, we aimed to examine the effect of SOX18 in DPCs and preliminarily study its regulatory mechanism through RNA-seq. We initially found that the overexpression of SOX18 promoted the proliferation of DPCs compared to the negative control group, while the interference of SOX18 had the opposite effect. To gain further insight into the regulatory mechanism of SOX18, we conducted RNA-seq analysis after knocking down SOX18 in Hu sheep DPCs. The result showed that the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway was involved in the growth process of DPC after SOX18 knockdown. Subsequently, we investigated the effect of SOX18 on the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway in DPCs using TOP/FOP-flash, qRT-PCR, and Western blot (WB) analysis. Our data demonstrated that SOX18 could activate the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway in DPCs. Additionally, we observed that SOX18 could rescue the proliferation of DPCs after inhibiting the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. These findings underscore the essential role of SOX18 as a functional molecule governing the proliferation of DPCs. Additionally, these findings also greatly enhance our understanding of the role of SOX18 in the proliferation of DPCs and the growth of wool in Hu sheep.

LY6/PLAUR domain containing 3 (LYPD3) maintains melanoma cell stemness and mediates an immunosuppressive microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Malignant melanoma is a highly heterogeneous skin cancer with the highest mortality rate among dermatological cancers. Catenins form functional networks in the nucleus to regulate gene expression and determine cell fate. Dysregulation of catenin expression correlates with the malignant characteristics of the tumor. We aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of catenins in melanoma and to further define the function of catenin-related molecular signaling in the tumor microenvironment.

METHODS

In this study, a bioinformatics approach combined with experimental validation was used to explore the potential tumor biology mechanisms of catenin-related signaling.

RESULTS

Melanoma patients can be divided into two catenin clusters. Patients defined by high Junction Plakoglobin (JUP), Plakophilin 1 (PKP1), Plakophilin 3 (PKP3) levels (C2) had shorter survival time than other patients (C1). We demonstrated that JUP regulates Anterior Gradient 2 (AGR2)/LY6/PLAUR Domain Containing 3 (LYPD3) to maintain melanoma stemness and promotes glycolysis. We also found that LYPD3 was co-expressed with S100A9 and associated with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME).

CONCLUSION

The JUP/AGR2/LYPD3 signaling axis plays an important role in the malignant features of melanoma. Targeting the JUP/AGR2/LYPD3 signaling axis can help develop promising drugs.

Identification of Molecular Subtypes and Prognostic Characteristics of Adrenocortical Carcinoma Based on Unsupervised Clustering

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with a poor prognosis. Increasing evidence highlights the significant role of immune-related genes (IRGs) in ACC progression and immunotherapy, but the research is still limited. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, immune-related molecular subtypes were identified by unsupervised consensus clustering. Univariate Cox analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression were employed to further establish immune-related gene signatures (IRGS). An evaluation of immune cell infiltration, biological function, tumor mutation burden (TMB), predicted immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity in ACC patients was conducted to elucidate the applicative efficacy of IRGS in precision therapy. ACC patients were divided into two molecular subtypes through consistent clustering. Furthermore, the 3-gene signature (including PRKCA, LTBP1, and BIRC5) based on two molecular subtypes demonstrated consistent prognostic efficacy across the TCGA and GEO datasets and emerged as an independent prognostic factor. The low-risk group exhibited heightened immune cell infiltration, TMB, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), associated with a favorable prognosis. Pathways associated with drug metabolism, hormone regulation, and metabolism were activated in the low-risk group. In conclusion, our findings suggest IRGS can be used as an independent prognostic biomarker, providing a foundation for shaping future ACC immunotherapy strategies.

A three-stage eccDNA based molecular profiling significantly improves the identification, prognosis assessment and recurrence prediction accuracy in patients with glioma

Glioblastoma (GBM) progression is influenced by intratumoral heterogeneity. Emerging evidence has emphasized the pivotal role of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) in accelerating tumor heterogeneity, particularly in GBM. However, the eccDNA landscape of GBM has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we first identified the eccDNA profiles in GBM and adjacent tissues using circle- and RNA-sequencing data from the same samples. A three-stage model was established based on eccDNA-carried genes that exhibited consistent upregulation and downregulation trends at the mRNA level. Combinations of machine learning algorithms and stacked ensemble models were used to improve the performance and robustness of the three-stage model. In stage 1, a total of 113 combinations of machine learning algorithms were constructed and validated in multiple external cohorts to accurately distinguish between low-grade glioma (LGG) and GBM in patients with glioma. The model with the highest area under the curve (AUC) across all cohorts was selected for interpretability analysis. In stage 2, a total of 101 combinations of machine learning algorithms were established and validated for prognostic prediction in patients with glioma. This prognostic model performed well in multiple glioma cohorts. Recurrent GBM is invariably associated with aggressive and refractory disease. Therefore, accurate prediction of recurrence risk is crucial for developing individualized treatment strategies, monitoring patient status, and improving clinical management. In stage 3, a large-scale GBM cohort (including primary and recurrent GBM samples) was used to fit the GBM recurrence prediction model. Multiple machine learning and stacked ensemble models were fitted to select the model with the best performance. Finally, a web tool was developed to facilitate the clinical application of the three-stage model.

Reduced 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase 1 is served as an unfavorable biomarker and is related to immune infiltration in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, cervical cancer (CC) remains the most prevalent malignancy of the female reproductive system, posing a threat to women's life and health, and increasing the medical and economic burden on society. Therefore, the search for tumor biomarkers for CC remains an important research direction. Immunotherapy has significantly improved patient outcomes, and genes related to tumor immune infiltration have been clinically relevant and highly reproducible biomarkers that affect the prognosis and response to treatment of CC. 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase 1 (DECR1) was considered to be an oncogene in a previous study, but relationship between DECR1 and immune infiltration was not mentioned. Our study aimed to reveal the clinical value of DECR1 in CC and to investigate its relationship with immune infiltration.

METHODS

Human Protein Atlas was used to identify the localization of DECR1. The Ualcan database, TCGA, and IHC were used to assess the prognostic value of DECR1. GSEA was used to assess the possible signaling pathways of DECR1 in CC. The TIMER database was applied to reveal the relevance between DECR1 and immune infiltration. GEPIA was conducted to detect the co-relationship among DECR1, immune markers, and typical molecules of apoptosis.

RESULTS

DECR1 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and overlapped with the endoplasmic reticulum. DECR1 was downregulated in CC compared to adjacent tissue. Survival analysis showed that patients with lower expression of DECR1 have a worse prognosis in CC. GSEA suggested that DECR1 was closely related to apoptosis signaling. TIMER showed that DECR1 was positively correlated with CD8+ T cell and CD4+ T cell but not with B cell in CC.

CONCLUSION

DECR1 may be a potential cancer suppressor in CC and may be involved in apoptotic pathways and associated with immune infiltration.

Deciphering the Mysterious Relationship between the Cross-Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Neurodegenerative and Oncological Diseases

The relationship between oncological pathologies and neurodegenerative disorders is extremely complex and is a topic of concern among a growing number of researchers around the world. In recent years, convincing scientific evidence has accumulated that indicates the contribution of a number of etiological factors and pathophysiological processes to the pathogenesis of these two fundamentally different diseases, thus demonstrating an intriguing relationship between oncology and neurodegeneration. In this review, we establish the general links between three intersecting aspects of oncological pathologies and neurodegenerative disorders, i.e., oxidative stress, epigenetic dysregulation, and metabolic dysfunction, examining each process in detail to establish an unusual epidemiological relationship. We also focus on reviewing the current trends in the research and the clinical application of the most promising chemical structures and therapeutic platforms that have a modulating effect on the above processes. Thus, our comprehensive analysis of the set of molecular determinants that have obvious cross-functional pathways in the pathogenesis of oncological and neurodegenerative diseases can help in the creation of advanced diagnostic tools and in the development of innovative pharmacological strategies.

Unlocking the role of non-coding RNAs in prostate cancer progression: exploring the interplay with the Wnt signaling pathway

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in males, exhibiting a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations that pose challenges in its diagnosis and treatment. The Wnt signaling pathway, a conserved and complex pathway, is crucial for embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, and various physiological processes. Apart from the classical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, there exist multiple non-classical Wnt signaling pathways, including the Wnt/PCP and Wnt/Ca2+ pathways. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the occurrence and development of PCa and the response to PCa treatment. ncRNAs are known to execute diverse regulatory roles in cellular processes, despite their inability to encode proteins. Among them, microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs play key roles in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway in PCa. Aberrant expression of these ncRNAs and dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway are one of the causes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis in PCa. Moreover, these ncRNAs affect the characteristics of PCa cells and hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Herein, we summarize the role of ncRNAs in the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway during the development of PCa. Additionally, we present an overview of the current progress in research on the correlation between these molecules and clinical features of the disease to provide novel insights and strategies for the treatment of PCa.

The construction and validation of ECM-related prognosis model in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a kind of common and aggressive tumor with high mortality. The application of molecular biomarkers is useful for the early diagnosis and treatment of LSCC.

Methods

The expression and clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to discriminate between LSCC and normal samples. The hub genes were screened out through univariate and multivariate cox analyses. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to validate the predictive performance. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were used to determine the enrichment function. Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network was constructed in STRING. The immune analysis was performed by ESTIMATE, IPS and xCELL. The drug sensitivity was identified with GSCA database.

Results

We identified that 47 extracellular matrix (ECM) genes were differentially expressed in LSCC compared with normal group. Univariate and multivariate cox analysis determined that leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 4 (LGI4), matrilin 4 (MATN4), microfibrillar-associated protein 2 (MFAP2) and fibrinogen like 2 (FGL2) were closely related to the disease free survival (DSS) of LSCC. ROC curve determined that the risk model has a good predictive performance. PPI network showed the top 100 genes with high correlation of hub genes. The ssGSEA, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses determined that immune response was significantly involved in the development of LSCC. Immune infiltration analysis showed that most immune cells and immune checkpoints were inhibited in high risk score group. Drug sensitivity analysis showed that MATN4, FGL2 and LGI4 were negatively related to various drugs, while MFAP2 was positively related to many drugs.

Conclusion

We established a risk model constructed with four ECM-related genes, which could effectively predict the prognosis of LSCC.

Small-molecular cyclic peptide exerts viability suppression effects on HepG2 cells via triggering p53 apoptotic pathways

Cyclic peptides have become an attractive modality for drug development due to their high specificity, metabolic stability and higher cell permeability. In an effort to explore novel antitumor compounds based on natural cyclopeptide from the phakellistatin family, we found an isoindolinone-containing analog (S-PK6) of phakellistatin 6 capable of suppressing the viability and proliferation of HepG2 cells. The aim of the present study is to shed light on the mechanism of action of this novel compound. We have detected differences in gene expression before and after treatment with S-PK6 in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line by transcriptome sequencing. To further investigate biological effects, we have also extensively investigated the tumor cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential, and intracellular Ca2+ concentration after S-PK6 treatment. Based on the finding that the apoptosis was associated with the p53 signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway, western blotting tests were used to assess the expression level of p53 protein and its degenerative regulator MDM2 protein, which showed that S-PK6 could increase p53 levels efficiently. In summary, our results demonstrate the mechanism of action of a small-molecule cyclopeptide, which could be very useful for examining of the possible mechanisms of natural cyclopeptides.

CD44 expression is correlated with osteosarcoma cell progression and immune infiltration and affects the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

CD44 is associated with a variety of human diseases and plays a potential role in tumorigenesis, however, the mechanism of its role in osteosarcoma remains unclear. We analyzed the expression of CD44 in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and genotype-tissue expression pan-cancer data and found that it was highly expressed in most tumors, including sarcoma. The expression of CD44 in osteosarcoma cell lines was higher than that in human osteoblast cell line in the results of the Western blot and Immunohistochemical staining assay. The results of colony formation assay and CCK 8 showed that CD44 improved the proliferation capacity of osteosarcoma cells, transwell assay and wound healing assay showed that CD44 improved the migration capacity of osteosarcoma cells. Further studies revealed that CD44 exerts its influence on the biological behavior of osteosarcoma cells through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Since CD44 may be involved in the immune response, we analyzed the correlation between CD44 expression and immune cell infiltration in TCGA database using the previous cluster analyzer R software package, TIMER2.0 database and, GEPIA2 database, and found its involvement in the immune infiltration of osteosarcoma. Therefore, we believe that CD44 could be a potential target for the treatment of osteosarcoma patients and may be a candidate biomarker for immune infiltration-related prognosis.

Identifying the critical state of cancers by single-sample Markov flow entropy

Background

The progression of complex diseases sometimes undergoes a drastic critical transition, at which the biological system abruptly shifts from a relatively healthy state (before-transition stage) to a disease state (after-transition stage). Searching for such a critical transition or critical state is crucial to provide timely and effective scientific treatment to patients. However, in most conditions where only a small sample size of clinical data is available, resulting in failure when detecting the critical states of complex diseases, particularly only single-sample data.

Methods

In this study, different from traditional methods that require multiple samples at each time, a model-free computational method, single-sample Markov flow entropy (sMFE), provides a solution to the identification problem of critical states/pre-disease states of complex diseases, solely based on a single-sample. Our proposed method was employed to characterize the dynamic changes of complex diseases from the perspective of network entropy.

Results

The proposed approach was verified by unmistakably identifying the critical state just before the occurrence of disease deterioration for four tumor datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, two new prognostic biomarkers, optimistic sMFE (O-sMFE) and pessimistic sMFE (P-sMFE) biomarkers, were identified by our method and enable the prognosis evaluation of tumors.

Conclusions

The proposed method has shown its capability to accurately detect pre-disease states of four cancers and provide two novel prognostic biomarkers, O-sMFE and P-sMFE biomarkers, to facilitate the personalized prognosis of patients. This is a remarkable achievement that could have a major impact on the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases.

POLRMT over-expression is linked to WNT/beta-catenin signaling, immune infiltration, and unfavorable outcomes in lung adenocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Mitochondrial RNA polymerase (POLRMT) is essential for the expression of mitochondrial genes. In recent studies, POLRMT expression promoted non-small cell cancer cell proliferation in cell lines and xenografts. The present study investigated the impact of POLRMT expression and function on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients.

METHOD

Multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics) from publicly available databases were used to assess the role of POLRMT expression and function in LUAD. These findings were further verified using cancer tissues from clinical samples.

RESULTS

POLRMT was over-expressed in LUADs, with mutation frequencies ranging from 1.30% to 5.71%. Over-expression of POLRMT was associated with an abnormal clinicopathological condition resulting in a decreased lifespan. Furthermore, gene sets enrich analysis revealed that POLRMT expression was linked to WNT/beta-catenin signaling; the expression of downstream target genes was positively correlated with POLRMT expression. Also, POLRMT expression was positively correlated with immunosuppressive genes, thereby affecting immune infiltration.

CONCLUSION

POLRMT is over-expressed in LUAD, thereby impacting patient survival. It is also involved in WNT/beta-catenin signaling and may affect tumor infiltration.

Molecular regulation mechanism of intestinal stem cells in mucosal injury and repair in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease with complex causes. The main pathological changes were intestinal mucosal injury. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein coupled receptor 5 (LGR5)-labeled small intestine stem cells (ISCs) were located at the bottom of the small intestine recess and inlaid among Paneth cells. LGR5+ small ISCs are active proliferative adult stem cells, and their self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation disorders are closely related to the occurrence of intestinal inflammatory diseases. The Notch signaling pathway and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway are important regulators of LGR5-positive ISCs and together maintain the function of LGR5-positive ISCs. More importantly, the surviving stem cells after intestinal mucosal injury accelerate division, restore the number of stem cells, multiply and differentiate into mature intestinal epithelial cells, and repair the damaged intestinal mucosa. Therefore, in-depth study of multiple pathways and transplantation of LGR5-positive ISCs may become a new target for the treatment of UC.

Targeting Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway by Flavonoids: Implication for Cancer Therapeutics

The Wnt pathway has been recognized for its crucial role in human development and homeostasis, but its dysregulation has also been linked to several disorders, including cancer. Wnt signaling is crucial for the development and metastasis of several kinds of cancer. Moreover, members of the Wnt pathway have been proven to be effective biomarkers and promising cancer therapeutic targets. Abnormal stimulation of the Wnt signaling pathway has been linked to the initiation and advancement of cancer in both clinical research and in vitro investigations. A reduction in cancer incidence rate and an improvement in survival may result from targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. As a result, blocking this pathway has been the focus of cancer research, and several candidates that can be targeted are currently being developed. Flavonoids derived from plants exhibit growth inhibitory, apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and anti-migratory effects against various malignancies. Moreover, flavonoids influence different signaling pathways, including Wnt, to exert their anticancer effects. In this review, we comprehensively evaluate the influence of flavonoids on cancer development and metastasis by focusing on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and we provide evidence of their impact on a number of molecular targets. Overall, this review will enhance our understanding of these natural products as Wnt pathway modulators.

Comprehensive analysis of prognostic value and immunotherapy prospect of brain cytoplasmic RNA1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The expression of brain cytoplasmic RNA1 (BCYRN1) is linked to the clinicopathology and prognosis of several types of cancers, among which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent types of cancer worldwide.

AIM

To explore the prognostic value and immunotherapeutic potential of BCYRN1 in HCC by bioinformatics and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Information was obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. First, the correlation between BCYRN1 expression and prognosis and clinicopathologic characteristics of HCC patients was explored. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between BCYRN1 and HCC prognosis. Secondly, potential functions and pathways were explored by means of enrichment analysis of differentially-expressed genes. The relationships between BCYRN1 expression and tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint, drug sensitivity and immunotherapy effect were also investigated. Finally, three major databases were searched and used to conduct a meta-analysis on the relationship between BCYRN1 expression and patient prognosis.

RESULTS

BCYRN1 expression was significantly higher in HCC compared to normal tissues and was linked to a poor prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics. Enrichment analysis showed that BCYRN1 regulates the extracellular matrix and transmission of signaling molecules, participates in the metabolism of nutrients, such as proteins, and participates in tumor-related pathways. BCYRN1 expression was linked to the tumor microenvironment, immune cell infiltration, drug sensitivity and the efficacy of immunotherapy. Furthermore, the meta-analysis in this study showed that BCYRN1 overexpression was related to a worse outcome in HCC patients.

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of BCYRN1 relates to poor prognosis and may be a potential prognostic factor and immunotherapeutic target in HCC.

Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period

Horns, also known as headgear, are a unique structure of ruminants. As ruminants are globally distributed, the study of horn formation is critical not only for increasing our understanding of natural and sexual selection but also for the breeding of polled sheep breeds to facilitate modern sheep farming. Despite this, a significant number of the underlying genetic pathways in sheep horn remain unclear. In this study, to clarify the gene expression profile of horn buds and investigate the key genes in horn bud formation, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was utilized to investigate differential gene expression in the horn buds and adjacent forehead skin of Altay sheep fetuses. There were only 68 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified, consisting of 58 up-regulated genes and 10 down-regulated genes. RXFP2 was differentially up-regulated in the horn buds and had the highest significance (p-value = 7.42 × 10^-14). In addition, 32 DEGs were horn-related genes identified in previous studies, such as RXFP2, FOXL2, SFRP4, SFRP2, KRT1, KRT10, WNT7B, and WNT3. Further, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched with regard to growth, development, and cell differentiation. Pathway analysis revealed that the Wnt signaling pathway may be responsible for horn development. Further, through combining the protein-protein interaction networks of the DEGs, it was found that the top five hub genes, namely, ACAN, SFRP2, SFRP4, WNT3, and WNT7B, were also associated with horn development. Our results suggest that only a few key genes, including RXFP2, are involved in bud formation. This study not only validates the expression of candidate genes identified at the transcriptome level in previous studies but also provides new possible marker genes for horn development, which may promote our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of horn formation.

Cells of the tumor microenvironment speak the Wnt language

Wnt signaling plays numerous functions in cancer, from primary transformation and tumor growth to metastasis. In addition to these cancer cell-intrinsic functions, Wnt signaling emerges to critically control cross-communication among cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we summarize the evidence that not only multiple cancer cell types, but also cells constituting the TME 'speak the Wnt language'. Fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelia, and lymphocytes all use the Wnt language to convey messages to and from cancer cells and among themselves; these messages are important for tumor progression and fate. Decoding this language will advance our understanding of tumor biology and unveil novel therapeutic avenues.

Thiram, an inhibitor of 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2, enhances the inhibitory effects of hydrocortisone in the treatment of osteosarcoma through Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Background

The anti-osteosarcoma effects of hydrocortisone and thiram, an inhibitor of type 2 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD2), have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of hydrocortisone alone or the combination of hydrocortisone with thiram on osteosarcoma and the molecular mechanism, and determine whether they can be as new therapeutic agents for osteosarcoma.

Methods

Normal bone cells and osteosarcoma cells were treated with hydrocortisone or thiram alone or in combination. The cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by using CCK8 assay, wound healing assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. An osteosarcoma mouse model was established. The effect of drugs on osteosarcoma in vivo was assessed by measuring tumor volume. Transcriptome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, RT–qPCR, Western blotting (WB), enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and siRNA transfection were performed to determine the molecular mechanisms.

Results

Hydrocortisone inhibited the proliferation and migration, and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of osteosarcoma cells in vitro. Hydrocortisone also reduced the volume of osteosarcoma in mice in vivo. Mechanistically, hydrocortisone decreased the levels of Wnt/β-catenin pathway-associated proteins, and induced the expression of glucocorticoid receptor α (GCR), CCAAT enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP-beta) and 11HSD2, resulting in a hydrocortisone resistance loop. Thiram inhibited the activity of the 11HSD2 enzyme, the combination of thiram and hydrocortisone further enhanced the inhibition of osteosarcoma through Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Conclusions

Hydrocortisone inhibits osteosarcoma through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thiram inhibits 11HSD2 enzyme activity, reducing hydrocortisone inactivation and promoting the effect of hydrocortisone through the same pathway.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40360-023-00655-0.