He-Chan Pian inhibits the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer via the miR-205-5p-mediated regulation of the GREM1/Rap1 signaling pathway

LncRNA AC100826.1 regulated PLCB1 to promote progression in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor. In the present study, we identified a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) AC100826.1 (simplify to Lnc1), which was highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues compared with the paracancerous tissues. We also observed the critical role of Lnc1 in regulating the metastasis ability of NSCLC cells.

METHODS

RNA sequencing was performed to detect differential expression levels of lncRNAs in NSCLC tissues and its paracancerous tissues. Effects of Lnc1 on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were determined by CCK-8, transwell and scratch assays. The xenograft experiment confirmed the effect of Lnc1 on NSCLC cells proliferation and migration abilities in vivo. RT-qPCR and western blots were performed to determine the expression levels of mRNAs and proteins.

RESULTS

The expression level of Lnc1 was related to multiple pathological results, knockdown of Lnc1 can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis abilities of NSCLC cells. silencing phospholipase C, β1(PLCB1) can reverse the promoting effects of overexpression Lnc1 on NSCLC cells proliferation and migration abilities. In addition, the Rap1 signaling pathway was implicated in the regulation of Lnc1 in NSCLC metastasis.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that Lnc1 regulated the metastatic ability of NSCLC cells through targeting the PLCB1/Rap1 signal pathway.

Topology-regulated nanocatalysts for ferroptosis-mediated cancer phototherapy

Ferroptosis-mediated tumor treatment is constrained by the absence of single-component, activatable multifunctional inducers. Given this, a topological synthesis strategy is employed to develop an efficient bismuth-based semiconductor nano-photocatalyst (Bi2O3:S) for tumor ferroptosis therapy. Photo-excited electrons can participate in the reduction reaction to produce harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) when exposed to near-infrared light. Meanwhile, photo-excited holes can contribute to the oxidation reaction to utilize extra glutathione (GSH) in tumors. In the acidic tumor microenvironment, bismuth ions generated from Bi2O3:S may further cooperate with GSH to amplify oxidative stress damage and achieve biodegradation. Both promote ferroptosis by downregulating glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression. Besides, sulfur doping optimizes its near-infrared light-induced photothermal conversion efficiency, benefiting its therapeutic effect. Thus, bismuth ions and holes synergistically drive photo-activable ferroptosis in this nanoplatform, opening up new avenues for tumor therapy.

PLAU and GREM1 are prognostic biomarkers for predicting immune response in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common malignant tumor. Identification of biomarkers and understanding their potential functions will facilitate the treatment and diagnosis in LUAD patients. The yellow module (cor = 0.31, P = 2e-6) was selected as the core module based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) by integrating RNA-seq data and tumor stage. Two upregulated genes (PLAU and GREM1) in yellow module were identified to be biomarkers. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis displayed that high expression levels of them had a poor overall survival (OS). And, their high expression levels revealed higher tumor stage and relapse possibility in LUAD patients, and could be a prognostic parameter. Both biomarkers showed similar immune cell expression profiles in low- and high-expression groups. Strongly positive correlation between both biomarkers and biomarkers of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were also clarified in TCGA-LUAD cohort. Importantly, single gene GSEA showed that transcriptional mis-regulation in cancer and microRNAs in cancer were enriched in LUAD patients. Therefore, a miRNA-mRNA-transcription factors (TFs) co-expression regulatory networks was constructed for each biomarker, various miRNAs and TFs were related to PLAU and GREM1. Among which, 6 downstream TFs were overlapped genes for both biomarkers. Notably, 2 of these TFs (FOXF1 and TFAP2A) exhibited significantly abnormal expression levels. Among which, FOXF1 was downregulated and TFAP2A was upregulated in TCGA-LUAD cohort. Both TFs showed a significantly positive correlation with the expression level of PLAU. In conclusion, we identified 2 biomarkers related to immune response and achieved a good accuracy in predicting OS in patients with LUAD.

Combining single-cell RNA sequencing data and transcriptomic data to unravel potential mechanisms and signature genes of the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to lung adenocarcinoma and predict therapeutic agents

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have a significantly higher prevalence of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) than normal subjects, although the underlying association is unclear. The raw data involved were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were used to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and modular signature genes (MSGs). Genes intersecting DEGs and MSGs were considered hub genes for IPF and LUAD. Machine learning algorithms were applied to capture epithelial cell-derived signature genes (EDSGs) shared. External cohort data were exploited to validate the robustness of EDSGs. Immunohistochemical staining and K-M plots were used to denote the prognostic value of EDSGs in LUAD. Based on EDSGs, we constructed a TF-gene-miRNA regulatory network. Molecular docking can validate the strength of action between candidate drugs and EDSGs. Epithelial cells, 650 DEGs, and 1773 MSGs were shared by IPF and LUAD. As for 379 hub genes, we performed pathway and functional enrichment analysis. By analyzing sc-RNA seq data, we identified 1234 marker genes of IPF epithelial cell-derived and 1481 of LUAD. And these genes shared 8 items with 379 hub genes. Through the machine learning algorithms, we further fished TRIM2, S100A14, CYP4B1, LMO7, and SFN. The ROC curves emphasized the significance of EDSGs in predicting the onset of LUAD and IPF. The TF-gene-miRNA network revealed regulatory relationships behind EDSGs. Finally, we predicted appropriate therapeutic agents. Our study preliminarily identified potential mechanisms between IPF and LUAD, which will inform subsequent studies.

SOX9 promotes the invasion and migration of lung adenocarcinoma cells by activating the RAP1 signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

SOX9 has been shown to be related to the metastasis of various cancers. Recently, it has been reported that SOX9 plays a regulatory role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cell metastasis, but the specific mechanism remains to be explored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to observe the effect and mechanism of SOX9 on the invasion and migration of LUAD cells.

METHODS

RT-qPCR was applied to observe the expression of SOX9 and RAP1 in tumor tissues and corresponding normal lung tissues collected from LUAD patients. Co-immunoprecipitation and Pearson correlation to analyze the expression correlation of SOX9 with RAP1. To observe the role of SOX9, the invasion and migration levels of LUAD A549 cells in each group were observed by Transwell invasion assay and Scratch migration assay after knocking down or overexpressing SOX9. Besides, the expression levels of RAP1 pathway-related proteins (RAP1, RAP1GAP and RasGRP33) were observed by RT-qCPR or western blot. Subsequently, RAP1 was overexpressed and SOX9 was knocked down in A549 cells, and then the cell invasion/migration level and RAP1 pathway activity were assessed.

RESULTS

The expression levels of SOX9 and RAP1 in tumor tissues and A549 cells of LUAD patients were significantly increased and positively correlated. Overexpression of SOX9 or RAP1 alone in A549 cells enhanced the invasion and migration ability of cells, as well as up-regulated the expression levels of RAP1, RAP1GAP and RasGRP33. However, knocking down SOX9 decreased cell invasion and migration levels and weakened the activity of RAP1 pathway. Notably, overexpressing RAP1 while knocking down SOX9 significantly activated RAP1 pathway and promoted cell invasion and migration.

CONCLUSION

Overexpression of SOX9 in LUAD can significantly activate the RAP1 signaling pathway and promote cell invasion and migration.

Silencing of CD147 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion, lipid metabolism dysregulation and promotes apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma via blocking the Rap1 signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

CD147 is an important glycoprotein that participates in the progression of diverse cancers. This study aims to explore the specific function of CD147 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and to reveal related downstream molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

Followed by silencing of CD147, the viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of LUAD cells were measured by CCK8, wound healing, transwell assay, and flow cytometer, respectively. The expression of CD147 and two markers of lipid metabolism (FASN and ACOX1) were detected by qRT-PCR. A xenograft tumor model was constructed to investigate the function of CD147 in vivo. Then transcriptome sequencing was performed to explore the potential mechanisms. After measuring the expression of Rap1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK by western blot, the changes of CD147 and lipid metabolism markers (FASN, ACOX1) was detected by Immunohistochemistry. Moreover, a Rap1 activator and a Rap1 inhibitor were applied for feedback functional experiments.

RESULTS

CD147 was up-regulated in LUAD cells, and its silencing inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, lipid metabolism dysregulation and promoted apoptosis, while overexpression of CD147 showed the opposite results. Silencing of CD147 also inhibited the growth of tumor xenografts in mice. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 834 up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 602 down-regulated DEGs. After functional enrichment, the Rap1 signaling pathway was selected as a potential target, which was then verified to be blocked by CD147 silencing. In addition, the treatment of Rap1 activator weakened the inhibiting effects of si-CD147 on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and lipid metabolism in LUAD cells, while the intervention of RAP1 inhibitor showed the opposite results.

CONCLUSIONS

Silencing of CD147 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, lipid metabolism dysregulation and promoted apoptosis of LUAD cells through blocking the Rap1 signaling pathway.

GREM1 is a potential biomarker for the progression and prognosis of bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Gremlin-1 (GREM1) is a protein closely related to tumor growth, although its function in bladder cancer (BCa) is currently unknown. Our first objective was to study the GREM1 treatment potential in BCa.

METHODS

BCa tissue samples were collected for the detection of GREM1 expression using Western blot analysis and Immunofluorescence staining. Association of GREM1 expression with clinicopathology and prognosis as detected by TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database. The functional investigation was tested by qRT-PCR, western blot analysis, CCK-8, cell apoptosis, wound healing, and transwell assays. The interaction between GREM1 and the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was assessed by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

GREM1 exhibited high expression in BCa tissues and was linked to poor prognosis. Stable knockdown of GREM1 significantly inhibited BCa cell (T24 and 5637) proliferation, apoptosis, migratory, invasive, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) abilities. GREM1 promotes the progression in BCa via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Findings demonstrate that the progression-promoting effect of GREM1 in BCa, providing a novel biomarker for BCa-targeted therapy.

Evaluation of GREM1 and THBS2 as prognostic markers in in non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the correlation between bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist Gremlin 1 (GREM1), Thrombospondin-2 (THBS2) and immune cell infiltration in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the related clinical significance.

METHODS

A total of 150 NSCLC patients admitted to our hospital during May 2019-January 2022 were picked. The expression of GREM1 and THBS2 and the infiltration of immune cells in tumor tissues were detected through immunohistochemistry (IHC). These objects were graded as GREM1-positive group (n = 97), GREM1-negative group (n = 53), THBS2-positive group (n = 102) and THBS2-negative group (n = 48) according to the expression of GREM1 and THBS2. The correlation between the expression of GREM1 and THBS2 with immune cell infiltration and clinicopathological indicators was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was adopted to analyze the relationship between the expression of GREM1 and THBS2 and the prognosis in NSCLC tissues. The overall progression-free survival (PFS) of the two groups were compared by log-rank test.

RESULTS

The results of IHC showed that the positive expression rate of GREM1 was 64.67% (97/150) in cancer tissues and 36.00% (54/150) in adjacent tissues. The positive expression rate of THBS2 was 68.00% (102/150) in cancer tissues and 25.33% (38/150) in adjacent tissues. The positive expression rate of GREM1 and THBS2 in cancer tissues was both much higher than that in adjacent tissues (P < 0.01). GREM1-positive group had much higher proportion of tumor diameter ≥ 2 cm, stage III-IV and lymph-node metastasis than GREM1-negative group (P < 0.05). THBS2-positive group had markedly higher proportion of tumor diameter ≥ 2 cm, stage III-IV, lymph-node metastasis and high differentiation than THBS2-negative group (P < 0.01). GREM1-positive group had much higher level of CD3 + T, and sharply lower level of CD8 + T and CD11c + DCs than GREM1-negative group (P < 0.01). THBS2-positive group had much higher level of CD3 + T, and sharply lower level of CD8 + T and CD11c + DCs than THBS2-negative group (P < 0.01). According to Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the overall median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.45 months. Log-rank test showed that NSCLC patients with positive GREM1 and THBS2 had much shorter PFS than negative patients (P < 0.01). Log-rank test showed that the expression of GREM1 and THBS2 was related to the PFS of patients (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

GREM1 and THBS2 were highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and acted as pro-oncogenes in the development and progression of NSCLC, which aggravated the disease by mediating immune cell infiltration.

Roles of hypoxic environment and M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles on the progression of non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Hypoxia contributes to the development of invasive and metastatic cancer cells, and is detrimental to cancer treatment. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms by which hypoxic microenvironments affect hypoxic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development and the effects of M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) on NSCLC cells.

METHODS

A549 cells were cultured in an anoxic incubator for 48 h to construct hypoxic A549 cells, and then normal and hypoxic A549 cells were harvested for RNA sequencing. Next, THP-1 cells were used to induce M2 macrophages, and EVs were isolated from THP-1 cells and M2 macrophages. Cell counting kit-8 and transwell assays were used to determine the viability and migration of hypoxic A549 cells, respectively.

RESULTS

After sequencing, 2426 DElncRNAs and 501 DEmiRNAs were identified in normal A549 cells and hypoxic A549 cells. These DElncRNAs and DEmiRNAs were significantly enriched in "Wnt signaling pathway," "Hippo signaling pathway," "Rap1 signaling pathway," "calcium signaling pathway," "mTOR signaling pathway," and "TNF signaling pathway." Subsequently, ceRNA networks consisting of 4 lncRNA NDRG1 transcripts, 16 miRNAs and 221 target mRNAs were built, and the genes in the ceRNA networks were significantly associated with "Hippo signaling pathway" and "HIF-1 signaling pathway." EVs were successfully extracted from THP-1 cells and M2 macrophages, and M2 macrophage-derived EVs significantly enhanced the viability and migration of hypoxic A549 cells. Finally, M2 macrophage-derived EVs further upregulated the expression of NDRG1-009, NDRG1-006, VEGFA, and EGLN3, while downregulating miR-34c-5p, miR-346, and miR-205-5p in hypoxic A549 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

M2 macrophage-derived EVs may worsen the progression of NSCLC in a hypoxic microenvironment by regulating the NDRG1-009-miR-34c-5p-VEGFA, NDRG1-006-miR-346-EGLN3, NDRG1-009-miR-205-5p-VEGFA, and Hippo/HIF-1 signaling pathways.

Nanotechnology-empowered lung cancer therapy: From EMT role in cancer metastasis to application of nanoengineered structures for modulating growth and metastasis

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both males and females, and it is the first causes of cancer-related deaths. Chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy are conventional treatment of lung cancer and recently, immunotherapy has been also appeared as another therapeutic strategy for lung tumor. However, since previous treatments have not been successful in cancer therapy and improving prognosis and survival rate of lung tumor patients, new studies have focused on gene therapy and targeting underlying molecular pathways involved in lung cancer progression. Nanoparticles have been emerged in treatment of lung cancer that can mediate targeted delivery of drugs and genes. Nanoparticles protect drugs and genes against unexpected interactions in blood circulation and improve their circulation time. Nanoparticles can induce phototherapy in lung cancer ablation and mediating cell death. Nanoparticles can induce photothermal and photodynamic therapy in lung cancer. The nanostructures can impair metastasis of lung cancer and suppress EMT in improving drug sensitivity. Metastasis is one of the drawbacks observed in lung cancer that promotes migration of tumor cells and allows them to establish new colony in secondary site. EMT can occur in lung cancer and promotes tumor invasion. EMT is not certain to lung cancer and it can be observed in other human cancers, but since lung cancer has highest incidence rate, understanding EMT function in lung cancer is beneficial in improving prognosis of patients. EMT induction in lung cancer promotes tumor invasion and it can also lead to drug resistance and radio-resistance. Moreover, non-coding RNAs and pharmacological compounds can regulate EMT in lung cancer and EMT-TFs such as Twist and Slug are important modulators of lung cancer invasion that are discussed in current review.

Molecular mechanism of Wilms' tumor (Wt1) (+/-KTS) variants promoting proliferation and migration of ovarian epithelial cells by bioinformatics analysis

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a gynecological disease with the highest mortality. With the lack of understanding of its pathogenesis, no accurate early diagnosis and screening method has been established for EOC. Studies revealed the multi-faceted function of Wilms' tumor (Wt1) genes in cancer, which may be related to the existence of multiple alternative splices. Our results show that Wt1 (+KTS) or Wt1 (-KTS) overexpression can significantly promote the proliferation and migration of human ovarian epithelial cells HOSEpiC, and Wt1 (+KTS) effects were more evident. To explore the Wt1 (+/-KTS) variant mechanism in HOSEpiC proliferation and migration and ovarian cancer (OC) occurrence and development, this study explored the differential regulation of Wt1 (+/-KTS) in HOSEpiC proliferation and migration by transcriptome sequencing. OC-related hub genes were screened by bioinformatics analysis to further explore the differential molecular mechanism of Wt1 (+/-KTS) in the occurrence of OC. Finally, we found that the regulation of Wt1 (+/-KTS) variants on the proliferation and migration of HOSEpiC may act through different genes and signaling pathways and screened out key genes and differentially regulated genes that regulate the malignant transformation of ovarian epithelial cells. The implementation of this study will provide new clues for the early diagnosis and precise treatment of OC.

Acute toxicity, biochemical and transcriptomic analysis of Procambarus clarkii exposed to avermectin

BACKGROUND

Pesticides are extensively applied globally. Pesticide residues induce calamitous effects on the environment and untargeted organisms. Public concerns for the safety of freshwater organisms and the challenges posed by aquatic contaminants remain high. In the present study, the acute toxicity of avermectins (AVMs) to the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii was evaluated. We also evaluated the potential effects of AVM on the biochemical and transcriptomic status of the hepatopancreas and gastrointestinal tract in P. clarkii.

RESULTS

The 24, 48, 72, 96 h median lethal concentrations (LC₅₀ ) of AVM on crayfish were 2.626, 1.162, 0.723, 0.566 mg L^-1 , respectively. The crayfish were then exposed to 0.65 mg L^-1 of AVM for 96 h. AVM significantly altered biochemical parameters including AChE and CAT activities in the hepatopancreas, and AChE, SOD and Na + -K + -ATPase activities in the gastrointestinal tract at several time points. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis identified 953 and 1851 differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) in the hepatopancreas and gastrointestinal tract, respectively. KEGG enrichment showed that the gene expression profiles of the hepatopancreas and gastrointestinal tract were distinct from each other. The DEGs in the hepatopancreas were mostly enriched with stress-response pathways, while the majority of the DEGs in the gastrointestinal tract belonged to metabolism-related pathways.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that the AVM induced acute toxicity, oxidative stress, osmoregulation disturbance, neurotoxicity and transcriptome imbalance in crayfish. These findings unraveled the detrimental effects of AVMs exposure on crayfish. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Optimization of the extraction process and metabonomics analysis of uric acid-reducing active substances from Gymnadenia R.Br. and its protective effect on hyperuricemia zebrafish

Background

As Gymnadenia R.Br. (Gym) has an obvious uric acid-lowering effect, but its specific bioactive substances and mechanism are still unclear. The key metabolites and pathways used by Gym to reduce uric acid (UA) were identify.

Methods

An optimized extraction process for urate-lowering active substances from Gym was firstly been carried out based on the xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibition model in vitro; then, the Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and Q-Exactive mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) based on non-targeted metabolomics analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine were performed for comparison of Gym with ethanol concentration of 95% (low extraction rate but high XOD inhibition rate) and 75% (high extraction rate but low XOD inhibition rate), respectively; finally, the protective effect of ethanolic extract of Gym on zebrafish with Hyperuricemia (referred to as HUA zebrafish) was explored.

Results

We found that the inhibition rate of Gym extract with 95% ethanol concentration on XOD was 84.02%, and the extraction rate was 4.32%. Interestingly, when the other conditions were the same, the XOD inhibition rate of the Gym extract with 75% ethanol concentration was 76.84%, and the extraction rate was 14.68%. A total of 539 metabolites were identified, among them, 162 different metabolites were screened, of which 123 were up-regulated and 39 were down-regulated. Besides significantly reducing the contents of UA, BUN, CRE, ROS, MDA, and XOD activity in HUA zebrafish by Gym and acutely reduce the activity of SOD.

Conclusion

Along with the flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids, the ethanolic extract of Gym may be related to reduce the UA level of Gym.

Anesthetic propofol enhances cisplatin-sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cells through N6-methyladenosine-dependently regulating the miR-486-5p/RAP1-NF-κB axis

BACKGROUND

Drug resistance is a considerable challenge for chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Propofol, a commonly used intravenous anesthetics, has been reported to suppress the malignancy of various cancers. However, the effects of propofol on cisplatin (DDP) sensitivity in NSCLC and its molecular mechanisms have not been clearly clarified yet, and the present study aimed to resolve this problem.

METHODS

NSCLC cells were co-treated with propofol and DDP, Cell Counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry were conducted to test the role of propofol in regulating DDP-resistance in NSCLC. Next, through conducting quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, dual-luciferase gene reporter system and western blot, the responsible molecular axis in propofol regulating the DDP sensitivity in NSCLC was uncovered, and the function verification experiments were performed by transfection with the inhibitors or small interfering RNAs of those molecules.

RESULTS

Propofol suppressed cell viability, colony formation ability, tumorigenesis, and promoted cell apoptosis to enhance DDP-sensitivity in NSCLC in vitro and in vivo. Propofol increased miR-486-5p level in NSCLC cells and xenograft tumors tissues in a N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-dependent manner, thus inactivating the Ras-associated protein1 (RAP1)-NF-kappaB (NF-κB) axis. Propofol regulated the miR-486-5p/RAP1-NF-κB axis to improve DDP-sensitivity in NSCLC.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, this study firstly investigates the detailed molecular mechanisms by which propofol enhanced DDP-sensitivity in NSCLC cells, and a novel m6A-dependent miR-486-5p/RAP1-NF-κB axis is identified to be closely associated with the process.

Integrative Analysis From Multicenter Studies Identifies a WGCNA-Derived Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Signature for Ovarian Cancer

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major contributor to tumor stromal crosstalk in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and boost tumor progression by promoting angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. This study aimed to identify prognostic genes associated with CAFs that lead to high morbidity and mortality in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. We performed bioinformatics analysis in 16 multicenter studies (2,742 patients) and identified CAF-associated hub genes using the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A machine learning methodology was used to identify COL16A1, COL5A2, GREM1, LUM, SRPX, and TIMP3 and construct a prognostic signature. Subsequently, a series of bioinformatics algorithms indicated risk stratification based on the above signature, suggesting that high-risk patients have a worse prognosis, weaker immune response, and lower tumor mutational burden (TMB) status but may be more sensitive to routine chemotherapeutic agents. Finally, we characterized prognostic markers using cell lines, immunohistochemistry, and single-cell sequencing. In conclusion, these results suggest that the CAF-related signature may be a novel pretreatment guide for anti-CAFs, and prognostic markers in CAFs may be potential therapeutic targets to inhibit OC progression.