ATXN2-mediated translation of TNFR1 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via m(6)A-dependent manner

Ataxin-2: a powerful RNA-binding protein

Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) was originally discovered in the context of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), but it has become a key player in various neurodegenerative diseases. This review delves into the multifaceted roles of ATXN2 in human diseases, revealing its diverse molecular and cellular pathways. The impact of ATXN2 on diseases extends beyond functional outcomes; it mainly interacts with various RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to regulate different stages of post-transcriptional gene expression in diseases. With the progress of research, ATXN2 has also been found to play an important role in the development of various cancers, including breast cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and esophageal cancer. This comprehensive exploration underscores the crucial role of ATXN2 in the pathogenesis of diseases and warrants further investigation by the scientific community. By reviewing the latest discoveries on the regulatory functions of ATXN2 in diseases, this article helps us understand the complex molecular mechanisms of a series of human diseases related to this intriguing protein.

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.

Association of TNFRSF19 with a TNF family-based prognostic model and subtypes in gliomas using machine learning

Purpose

TNF family members (TFMs) play a crucial role in different types of cancers, with TNF Receptor Superfamily Member 19 (TNFRSF19) standing out as a particularly important member in this category. Further research is necessary to investigate the potential impact of TFMs on prognosis prediction and to elucidate the function and potential therapeutic targets linked to TNFRSF19 expression in gliomas.

Methods

Three databases provided the data on gene expression and clinical information. Fourteen prognostic members were found through univariate Cox analysis and subsequently utilized to construct TFMs-based model in LASSO and multivariate Cox analyses. TFMs-based subtypes based on the expression profile were identified using an unsupervised clustering method. Machine learning algorithm identified key genes linked to prognostic model and subtype. A sequence of immune infiltrations was evaluated using the ssGSEA and ESTIMATE algorithms. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the patterns of expression and the clinical significance of TNFRSF19.

Results

Our development of a prognostic model and subtypes based on the TNF family was successful, resulting in accurate predictions of prognosis. The findings indicate that TNFRSF19 exhibited strong performance. Upregulation of TNFRSF19 was correlated with malignant phenotypes and poor prognosis, which was confirmed through immunohistochemistry. TNFRSF19 played a role in reshaping the immunosuppressive microenvironment in gliomas, and multiple drug-targeted TNFRSF19 molecules were identified.

Conclusions

The TMF-based prognostic model and subtype can facilitate treatment decisions for glioma. TNFRSF19 is an outstanding representative of a predictor of prognosis and immunotherapy effect in gliomas.

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) Methylation Is Associated with the Immune Microenvironments in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH)

Researchers have recently found that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a type of internal posttranscriptional modification that is essential in mammalian mRNA. However, the features of m6A RNA methylation in acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remain unknown. To explore differential methylations and to discover their functions in acute ICH patients, we recruited three acute ICH patients, three healthy controls, and an additional three patients and healthy controls for validation. The m6A methylation levels in blood samples from the two groups were determined by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadruple mass spectrometry (UPLC-QQQ-MS). Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) was employed to identify differences in m6A modification, and the differentially expressed m6A-modified genes were confirmed by MeRIP-qPCR. We found no significant differences in the total m6A levels between the two groups but observed differential methylation peaks. Compared with the control group, the coding genes showing increased methylation following acute ICH were mostly involved in processes connected with osteoclast differentiation, the neurotrophin signaling pathway, and the spliceosome, whereas genes with reduced m6A modification levels after acute ICH were found to be involved in the B-cell and T-cell receptor signaling pathways. These results reveal that differentially m6A-modified genes may influence the immune microenvironments in acute ICH.

m6 A demethylase Fto regulates the TNF-α-induced inflammatory response in cementoblasts

OBJECTIVE

Apical periodontitis is the most frequently occurring pathological lesion. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (Fto) is the first identified RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase. However, whether Fto regulates apical periodontitis remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of Fto in the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced inflammatory response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We established an apical periodontitis model. An immortalized cementoblast cell line (OCCM-30) cells were exposed to TNF-α. Fto, Il6, Mcp1, and Mmp9 expressions were assessed by qRT-PCR. We knocked down Fto using lentiviruses and detected TNF-α-induced inflammation-related gene expressions and mRNA stability.

RESULTS

Mice with apical periodontitis showed downregulation of Fto expression. OCCM-30 cells exposed to TNF-α showed an upregulation of inflammation-related genes with a decrease in Fto. Furthermore, knockdown of Fto promoted the expressions of Il6, Mcp1, and Mmp9 in TNF-α-treated OCCM-30 cells as compared with negative control cells, whereas it did not affect the mRNA stability. Interestingly, Fto knockdown activated the p65, p38, and ERK1/2 pathways, and it slightly activated the JNK signaling pathway after TNF-α administration in OCCM-30 cells.

CONCLUSION

A TNF-α-induced decrease in the expression of Fto might play a critical role in the inflammatory response in cementoblasts, and knockdown of Fto might upregulate the inflammatory response.

JMJD6 functions as an oncogene and is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors with a high prevalence and poor prognosis. It is an urgent problem to deeply understand the molecular mechanism of ESCC and develop effective diagnostic and prognostic methods.

METHODS

Using tumor tissue and corresponding paracancerous samples from 141 resected ESCC patients, we assessed Jumonji domain-containing protein 6 (JMJD6) expression using Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and univariate or multivariate analysis were used to investigate the relationship between JMJD6 expression and clinicopathological features. The expression status and prognostic value of JMJD6 were analyzed by bioinformatics and enrichment analysis.

RESULTS

The expression of JMJD6 in ESCC samples was higher than that in the corresponding paracancerous samples, and high expression of JMJD6 was positively associated with poor prognosis of ESCC patients. In addition, bioinformatics analysis of the expression and prognosis of JMJD6 in a variety of tumors showed that high expression of JMJD6 was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in ESCC patients. Enrichment analysis indicated that the high expression of genes similar to JMJD6, such as Conserved oligomeric Golgi 1(COG1), Major facilitator superfamily domain 11 (MFSD11) and Death Effector Domain Containing 2 (DEDD2), was associated with poor prognosis of ESCC, suggesting that JMJD6 might be involved in the occurrence and prognosis of ESCC.

CONCLUSION

Our study found that JMJD6 expression was significantly increased in ESCC patients and positively correlated with prognosis, indicating that targeting JMJD6 might be an attractive prognostic biomarker and provides a potential treatment strategy for ESCC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was approved by Tangdu Hospital ethics committee (No. TDLL-202110-02).

The diverse role of RNA methylation in esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is one of the major life-threatening diseases in the world. RNA methylation is the most common post-transcriptional modification and a wide-ranging regulatory system controlling gene expression. Numerous studies have revealed that dysregulation of RNA methylation is critical for cancer development and progression. However, the diverse role of RNA methylation and its regulators in esophageal cancer remains to be elucidated and summarized. In this review, we focus on the regulation of major RNA methylation, including m ⁶A, m ⁵C, and m ⁷G, as well as the expression patterns and clinical implications of its regulators in esophageal cancer. We systematically summarize how these RNA modifications affect the "life cycle" of target RNAs, including mRNA, microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and tRNA. The downstream signaling pathways associated with RNA methylation during the development and treatment of esophageal cancer are also discussed in detail. Further studies on how these modifications function together in the microenvironment of esophageal cancer will draw a clearer picture of the clinical application of novel and specific therapeutic strategies.

Aberrant RNA m6A modification in gastrointestinal malignancies: versatile regulators of cancer hallmarks and novel therapeutic opportunities

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is one of the most common malignancies, and a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. However, molecular targeted therapies are still lacking, leading to poor treatment efficacies. As an important layer of epigenetic regulation, RNA N6-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification is recently linked to various biological hallmarks of cancer by orchestrating RNA metabolism, including RNA splicing, export, translation, and decay, which is partially involved in a novel biological process termed phase separation. Through these regulatory mechanisms, m⁶A dictates gene expression in a dynamic and reversible manner and may play oncogenic, tumor suppressive or context-dependent roles in GI tumorigenesis. Therefore, regulators and effectors of m⁶A, as well as their modified substrates, represent a novel class of molecular targets for cancer treatments. In this review, we comprehensively summarize recent advances in this field and highlight research findings that documented key roles of RNA m⁶A modification in governing hallmarks of GI cancers. From a historical perspective, milestone findings in m⁶A machinery are integrated with a timeline of developing m⁶A targeting compounds. These available chemical compounds, as well as other approaches that target core components of the RNA m⁶A pathway hold promises for clinical translational to treat human GI cancers. Further investigation on several outstanding issues, e.g. how oncogenic insults may disrupt m⁶A homeostasis, and how m⁶A modification impacts on the tumor microenvironment, may dissect novel mechanisms underlying human tumorigenesis and identifies next-generation anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, we discuss advances in our understanding of m⁶A RNA modification since its discovery in the 1970s to the latest progress in defining its potential clinic relevance. We summarize the molecular basis and roles of m⁶A regulators in the hallmarks of GI cancer and discuss their context-dependent functions. Furthermore, the identification and characterization of inhibitors or activators of m⁶A regulators and their potential anti-cancer effects are discussed. With the rapid growth in this field there is significant potential for developing m⁶A targeted therapy in GI cancers.

Malignancies in Patients with Celiac Disease: Diagnostic Challenges and Molecular Advances

Celiac disease (CD) is a multiorgan autoimmune disorder of the chronic intestinal disease group characterized by duodenal inflammation in genetically predisposed individuals, precipitated by gluten ingestion. The pathogenesis of celiac disease is now widely studied, overcoming the limits of the purely autoimmune concept and explaining its hereditability. The genomic profiling of this condition has led to the discovery of numerous genes involved in interleukin signaling and immune-related pathways. The spectrum of disease manifestations is not limited to the gastrointestinal tract, and a significant number of studies have considered the possible association between CD and neoplasms. Patients with CD are found to be at increased risk of developing malignancies, with a particular predisposition of certain types of intestinal cancer, lymphomas, and oropharyngeal cancers. This can be partially explained by common cancer hallmarks present in these patients. The study of gut microbiota, microRNAs, and DNA methylation is evolving to find the any possible missing links between CD and cancer incidence in these patients. However, the literature is extremely mixed and, therefore, our understanding of the biological interplay between CD and cancer remains limited, with significant implications in terms of clinical management and screening protocols. In this review article, we seek to provide a comprehensive overview of the genomics, epigenomics, and transcriptomics data on CD and its relation to the most frequent types of neoplasms that may occur in these patients.

Critical Roles of METTL3 in Translation Regulation of Cancer

Aberrant translation, a characteristic feature of cancer, is regulated by the complex and sophisticated RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in the canonical translation machinery. N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modifications are the most abundant internal modifications in mRNAs mediated by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3). METTL3 is commonly aberrantly expressed in different tumors and affects the mRNA translation of many oncogenes or dysregulated tumor suppressor genes in a variety of ways. In this review, we discuss the critical roles of METTL3 in translation regulation and how METTL3 and m⁶A reader proteins in collaboration with RBPs within the canonical translation machinery promote aberrant translation in tumorigenesis, providing an overview of recent efforts aiming to 'translate' these results to the clinic.

RNA modification-mediated translational control in immune cells

RNA modifications play a vital role in multiple pathways of mRNA metabolism, and translational regulation is essential for immune cells to promptly respond to stimuli and adapt to the microenvironment. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation, which is the most abundant mRNA modification in eukaryotes, primarily functions in the regulation of RNA splicing and degradation. However, the role of m6Amethylation in translational control and its underlying mechanism remain controversial. The role of m6A methylation in translation regulation in immune cells has received relatively limited attention. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive summary of current studies on the translational regulation of m6A modifications and recent advances in understanding the translational control regulated by RNA modifications during the immune response. Furthermore, we envision the possible pathways through which m6A modifications may be involved in the regulation of immune cell function via translational control.

The Role of m6A Modification and m6A Regulators in Esophageal Cancer

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, the most prevalent RNA modification, is involved in all aspects of RNA metabolism, including RNA processing, nuclear export, stability, translation and degradation. Therefore, m6A modification can participate in various physiological functions, such as tissue development, heat shock response, DNA damage response, circadian clock control and even in carcinogenesis through regulating the expression or structure of the gene. The deposition, removal and recognition of m6A are carried out by methyltransferases, demethylases and m6A RNA binding proteins, respectively. Aberrant m6A modification and the dysregulation of m6A regulators play critical roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers. The pathogenesis of esophageal cancer (ESCA) remains unclear and the five-year survival rate of advanced ESCA patients is still dismal. Here, we systematically reviewed the recent studies of m6A modification and m6A regulators in ESCA and comprehensively analyzed the role and possible mechanism of m6A modification and m6A regulators in the occurrence, progression, remedy and prognosis of ESCA. Defining the effect of m6A modification and m6A regulators in ESCA might be helpful for determining the pathogenesis of ESCA and providing some ideas for an early diagnosis, individualized treatment and improved prognosis of ESCA patients.

ATXN2-Mediated PI3K/AKT Activation Confers Gastric Cancer Chemoresistance and Attenuates CD8+ T Cell Cytotoxicity

As one of the primary therapeutic choices, chemotherapy is widely adopted for progressive gastric cancer (GC), but the development of chemoresistance has limited chemotherapy efficacy and partly contributes to poor prognosis. Immunotherapy is increasingly being applied in the clinical treatment of GC and is also benefitting patients. To ascertain whether ATXN2 affects chemotherapy efficacy in GC cells and its role in GC immune escape, we performed high-throughput sequencing to clarify genes differentially expressed between 5-FU-resistant and 5-FU-sensitive GC cells and then conducted qRT–PCR to assess ATXN2 expression in GC tissues. Furthermore, the influence of ATXN2 on resistance was studied in vitro and in vivo, ATXN2 and other protein expression levels were detected using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC), and the direct association of SP1 and ATXN2 was confirmed through luciferase reporter gene analysis. We found elevated ATXN2 in GC tumors and a negative correlation between ATXN2 levels and the prognosis of GC. Furthermore, by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway, ATXN2 was found to promote chemoresistance in GC, facilitating BCL2L1 expression. In GC cells, ATXN2 further stimulated PD-L1 expression and provided better immunotherapy efficacy. Finally, we demonstrated that SP1 transcriptionally regulated the expression of ATXN2 and prompted GC chemoresistance and immune escape. In conclusion, our study reveals the important roles of the SP1/ATXN2/PI3K-AKT/BCL2L1 signalling pathway in GC chemoresistance and of the SP1/ATXN2/PI3K-AKT/PD-L1 signalling pathway in GC immunotherapy. Our findings provide new theories and experimental references for overcoming chemotherapy resistance in GC and enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy for GC.

Antisense lncRNA PCNA-AS1 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression through the miR-2467-3p/PCNA axis

Multiple studies have indicated that long non-coding RNAs are aberrantly expressed in cancers and are pivotal in developing various tumors. No studies have investigated the expression and function of long non-coding antisense RNA PCNA-AS1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, the expression of PCNA-AS1 was identified by qRT–PCR. Cell function assays were used to explore the potential effect of PCNA-AS1 on ESCC progression. A prediction website was utilized to discover the relationships among PCNA-AS1, miR-2467-3p and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Dual luciferase reporter gene and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were executed to verify the binding activity between PCNA-AS1, miR-2467-3p and PCNA. As a result, PCNA-AS1 was highly expressed in ESCC and was associated with patient prognosis. PCNA-AS1 overexpression strongly contributed to ESCC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. PCNA-AS1 and PCNA were positively correlated in ESCC. Bioinformatics analysis, RIP and luciferase reporter gene assays revealed that PCNA-AS1 could act as a competitive endogenous RNA to sponge miR-2467-3p, thus upregulating PCNA. In conclusion, the current outcome demonstrates that PCNA-AS1 may be a star molecule in the treatment of ESCC.