Coexisting overexpression of STOML1 and STOML2 proteins may be associated with pathology of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Transcriptional profiles analysis of effects of Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein 16 on THP-1 macrophages

Introduction

Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasitic protozoan, is globally recognized for its ability to cause parasitic diseases and has developed diverse strategies to evade immune-mediated elimination. The protein ROP16 of T.gondii plays a crucial role in this evasion process by specifically targeting macrophages and mononuclear phagocytes in vivo. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the involvement of type II ROP16 proteins in infection, inflammation, and other processes remain unknown.

Methods

To investigate the mechanism of action of gonococcal ROP16 proteins in human macrophages, we constructed a lentivirus overexpressing ROP16 and established stably transfected cell lines. We then analyzed the gene transcriptional profiles of ROP16 II in THP-1 macrophages using transcriptome sequencing. Interaction networks were constructed by screening differentially expressed genes and performing gene function enrichment analysis.

Results

As a result, five differentially expressed genes were identified: AAMDC, GPR158, RAD9A, STOML1, and STRA13. Immuno-featured differential analysis showed that type 17 T helper cells were more strongly correlated with GPR158 and STRA13, while CD8 T-cell was most strongly correlated with STOML1.

Discussion

Therefore, we conclude that the ROP16 protein plays a pivotal role in THP-1 macrophage infection and these five differentially expressed genes may serve as promising molecular targets for the prevention or control of toxoplasmosis. These findings have significant implications for the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis.

Cytochrome B5 type A alleviates HCC metastasis via regulating STOML2 related autophagy and promoting sensitivity to ruxolitinib

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in the world. However, its role and underlying molecular mechanism in HCC progression remain unclear. We found that CYB5A plays a key role in HCC metastasis by inhibiting the JAK1/STAT3 pathway through binding to STOML2. CYB5A combined with STOML2 can predict the outcome of patients. To demonstrate the effect of CYB5A on JAK1 inhibitor function, we applied Ruxolitinib in metastatic tumors with high CYB5A expression and found that it slowed disease progression and prolonged survival in mice. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the Ruxolitinib effect on the metastatic ability of HCC cells in vivo and in vitro.

Stomatin-knockdown effectively attenuates sepsis-induced oxidative stress and inflammation of alveolar epithelial cells by regulating CD36

Sepsis-induced acute lung injury is a type of lung disease with a high fatality rate that is characterized by acute inflammation. In the present study, the underlying role and potential mechanism of the stomatin (STOM) protein were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in a mouse lung epithelial cell line, MLE-12. The expression levels of STOM and CD36 were measured using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Subsequently, the expression levels of STOM and CD36 in LPS-treated MLE-12 cells were knocked down or overexpressed, respectively, via transfection with a small interfering RNA-STOM or a CD36-overexpression vector. An RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay was used to determine the interaction between STOM and CD36, while Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and ELISA were performed to detect cell viability and oxidative stress, respectively. Moreover, western blotting and ELISA kits were used to detect the expression levels of associated inflammatory factors. The results of the present study demonstrated that STOM expression was upregulated in MLE-12 cells treated with LPS compared with the untreated control group. According to the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database, it was predicted that STOM and CD36 had the ability to interact with each other. The predicted binding between STOM and CD36 was verified using a RIP assay. The results demonstrated that STOM positively regulated the expression of CD36. Moreover, in LPS-treated MLE-12 cells, STOM-knockdown reversed the inhibitory effects of LPS on cell viability, and the promoting effects of LPS on oxidative stress and inflammation. These aforementioned changes were alleviated by the overexpression of CD36. To conclude, the results of the present study revealed that STOM may interact with CD36 to affect the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation in LPS-treated MLE-12 cells.

Expression of STOML2 promotes proliferation and glycolysis of multiple myeloma cells via upregulating PAI-1

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the effects of STOML2 and the relationship between STOML2 and PAI-1 in the development of multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODS

Cell proliferation was tested using CCK-8 assay and cell colony formation assay. Glucose consumption, lactate production and ATP level were measured using commercial kits. The mRNA and protein expression were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

Both mRNA and protein expression of STOML2 were upregulated in MM patients compared to healthy volunteers. CCK-8 and colony formation assays demonstrated that STOML2 silencing inhibited cell proliferation in MM cells. Knockdown of STOML2 reduced glucose consumption, lactate production and ATP/ADP ratios. STOML2 silencing by shSTOML2 led to reduced PAI-1 expression. Overexpression of PAI-1 reversed the inhibitory effects of shSTOML2 on MM cell growth.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study demonstrated that STOML2 silencing inhibits cell proliferation and glycolysis through downregulation of PAI-1 expression, suggesting a new therapeutic target for MM.