Increased vasohibin-1 expression is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of renal cell carcinoma patients

Revealing the inhibitory effect of VASH1 on ovarian cancer from multiple perspectives

The function of Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) in human cancer has not been thoroughly or comprehensively examined. Here, we identified the tumor suppressor part of VASH1 across cancers, including epithelial ovarian tumors. Our study carefully contrasted the expression of VASH1 in pancancer and nontumorous tissues in a public database to explore its regulatory role in clinical prognosis, diagnosis, tumor purity, and immune cell infiltration. Next, we explored the antitumor mechanism of VASH1 through drug sensitivity, functional enrichment, and phenotypic experiments in ovarian cancer. Research suggests that the expression of VASH1 in neoplastic tissues is lower than that in normal tissues. VASH1 affects the OS and RFS of several tumor types. In addition, VASH1 expression resulted in a high OS and RFS in the diagnosis of tumor and nontumor tissues and negatively regulated tumor purity. Moreover, VASH1 controls the tumor microenvironment by regulating immunocyte infiltration. In ovarian cancer, VASH1 can serve as a biomarker to estimate the efficacy of chemotherapy. Functional enrichment analysis suggests that VASH1 plays a tumor suppressor role by regulating the extracellular matrix receptor pathway. VASH1 inhibition of the malignant phenotype of ovarian cancer cells was further confirmed by in vivo experiments. These results indicate that VASH1 acts as a cancer-inhibiting factor and potential therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.

Longitudinal transcriptome analysis of cattle infected with Theileria parva

The apicomplexan cattle parasite Theileria parva is a major barrier to improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Africa, killing over one million cattle on the continent each year. Although exotic breeds not native to Africa are highly susceptible to the disease, previous studies have illustrated that such breeds often show innate tolerance to infection by the parasite. The mechanisms underlying this tolerance remain largely unclear. To better understand the host response to T. parva infection we characterised the transcriptional response over 15 days in tolerant and susceptible cattle (n = 29) naturally exposed to the parasite. We identify key genes and pathways activated in response to infection as well as, importantly, several genes differentially expressed between the animals that ultimately survived or succumbed to infection. These include genes linked to key cell proliferation and infection pathways. Furthermore, we identify response expression quantitative trait loci containing genetic variants whose impact on the expression level of nearby genes changes in response to the infection. These therefore provide an indication of the genetic basis of differential host responses. Together these results provide a comprehensive analysis of the host transcriptional response to this under-studied pathogen, providing clues as to the mechanisms underlying natural tolerance to the disease.

Identification of VASH1 as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker of Lower-Grade Glioma by Quantitative Proteomics and Experimental Verification

Background

VASH1 is a novel angiogenic regulatory factor, that participates in the process of carcinogenesis and the development of diverse tumors. Our study aimed to investigate the expression and prognostic value of the VASH1 in Lower-Grade Glioma (LGG), to explore its functional network in LGG and its effects on biological behaviors.

Methods

LGG transcriptome data, somatic mutation profiles and clinical features analyzed in the present study were obtained from the TCGA, GTEx, CCLE, CGGA, UALCAN, and GEPIA2 databases, as well as clinical data and tissue sections of 83 LGG patients in our hospital. The expression characteristics of VASH1 in LGG were investigated by univariate, multivariate, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and western-blot. Subsequently, we analyzed the prognostic significance of VASH1 in LGG patients by survival analysis, subject operation characteristic curve, correlation analysis, external validation, independent prognostic significance analysis, and clinical stratification, and confirmed its biological effect on glioma cell lines in vitro. Finally, we performed GO, KEGG, and GSEA to clarify biological functions and related pathways. CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE algorithms were used to calculate the proportion of immune cells and immune microenvironment fraction in LGG.

Result

We found that VASH1 is highly expressed in LGG tissues and is associated with poor prognosis, WHO grade, IDH1 wild-type, and progressive disease (P < 0.05). Multivariate and the Nomogram model showed that high VASH1 expression was an independent risk factor for glioma prognosis and had better prognostic prediction efficacy in different LGG Patient cohorts (HR = 4.753 and P=0.002). In vitro experiments showed that knockdown of VASH1 expression in glioma cell lines caused increased glioma cell proliferation, invasion, and migration capacity. The mechanism may be related to VASH1 promoting microtubule formation and remodeling of immune microenvironment.

Conclusion

Our study firstly found that high VASH1 expression was associated with poor prognosis. In addition, We identified the possible mechanism by which VASH1 functioned in LGG. VASH1 inhibits the invasion and migration of tumor cells by affecting microtubule formation and immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. May be an important endogenous anti-tumor factor for LGG and provide a potential biomarker for individualized treatment of LGG.

Clinicopathological Role of Vasohibin in Gastroenterological Cancers: A Meta-Analysis

Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an angiogenesis inhibitor, while vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is a proangiogenic factor. The roles of VASH1 and VASH2 expression in gastroenterological cancers remain unclear. We searched for relevant literature, specifically studies on gastroenterological cancer, and evaluated the relationship between VASH expression and clinical outcomes. Nine studies on VASH1 involving 1,574 patients were included. VASH1 expression was associated with the TNM stage [OR (odds ratio) 2.05, 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.24-3.40], lymph node metastasis (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.24-2.58), lymphatic invasion (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.41-2.68), and venous invasion (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.60-3.88); poor clinical outcomes were associated with high VASH1 expression. High VASH1 expression was associated with a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) [HR (hazard ratio) 1.69, 95% CI 1.25-2.29] and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.28-3.15). Three studies on VASH2 involving 469 patients were analyzed. VASH2 expression was associated with the TNM stage (OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.89-9.51) and venous invasion (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.15-3.84); poor clinical outcomes were associated with high VASH2 expression. High VASH2 expression was associated with a significantly lower OS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.09-2.37). In conclusion, high VASH1 and VASH2 expression levels were associated with poor clinical outcomes and prognosis in patients with gastroenterological cancers.

Vasohibin-1 expression as a biomarker of aggressive nature in ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate: a retrospective cohort study at two centres in Japan

OBJECTIVES

Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an endogenous angiogenesis regulator expressed in activated vascular endothelial cells. We previously reported that high VASH1 expression is a predictor of progression in acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate by comparing the level of VASH1 expression between ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma specimens.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A retrospective cohort study at two centres in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

Among the 1495 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection for the past 15 years, a total of 14 patients diagnosed with ductal adenocarcinoma and 20 patients diagnosed with acinar adenocarcinoma with a Gleason score of 4+4 were included.

INTERVENTIONS

We immunohistochemically examined the CD34 expression as the microvessel density (MVD) and activated endothelial cells as the VASH1 density (vessels per mm²).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the association of MVD and VASH1 density between ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma, and the secondary outcome was their oncological outcomes.

RESULTS

Nine patients (64.3%) with ductal adenocarcinoma were diagnosed at an advanced clinical stage, and five patients (35.7%) died from cancer during a median follow-up of 56.0 months. The VASH1 densities (mean±SD) in ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma were 45.1±18.5 vs 16.1±21.0 (p<0.001), respectively, while the MVD (mean±SD) in ductal and acinar adenocarcinoma were 65.3±21.9 vs 80.8±60.7 (p=0.666), respectively. The 5-year cancer-specific survival rates for high and low VASH1 expression were 70.0% and 100.0% (p=0.006), respectively. High VASH1 expression and a diagnosis of ductal adenocarcinoma were significant predictors of cancer-specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Ductal adenocarcinoma was more aggressive and had higher VASH1 expression than acinar adenocarcinoma, although MVD was equivalent. These results indicate that VASH1 expression may serve as a novel biomarker for the aggressive nature of ductal adenocarcinoma.

Research on the prognosis of different types of microvessels in bladder transitional cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

At present, there is controversy on the role of microvessel density (MVD) in tumors as a prognostic indicator of bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC). However, the MVD in tumors is simply classified based on the expression of several different vascular markers, which has not been related to analytical research on the prognosis of patients with BTCC.

AIM

To explore the classification of blood vessels in tumors and studied the relationship between MVD and the prognosis of patients with BTCC.

METHODS

The tissue mass was detected by tissue microarray and immunohistochemical analysis with monoclonal antibodies against CD31, CD34, CD105, and vascular smooth muscle actin to investigate the MVD in BTCC. The measurement data are expressed as the mean ± SD. The difference between the groups was analyzed by the t-test, the counting data were analyzed by χ² test. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was estimated by the product-limit method. The log-rank time-series test was employed to compare the tumor-free survival curves.

RESULTS

The MVD was closely related to the pathological grade, invasive depth, and prognosis of BTCC. Significant differences were found between grade I and grade II, grade II and grade III, superficial and invasive type, and the tumor-free survival group and the recurrence or metastasis group (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that undifferentiated MVD was an independent prognostic factor for patient survival time. An inverse correlation between undifferentiated tumor MVD and differentiated tumor MVD in BTCC was also shown.

CONCLUSION

The classification of blood vessels in BTCC could act as an important prognostic indicator and may also be of great significance in the treatment of cancer.

Significance of tumor microenvironment in acquiring resistance to vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor and recent advance of systemic treatment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

The development of systemic therapies, including vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKI) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, inherent resistance is observed in some patients and acquired resistance commonly develops in many patients within several months of the initiation of systemic therapies. Since these treatments rarely cure patients, their aim is to suppress tumor progression and prolong survival. Therefore, the establishment of dependable criteria that predict responses and resistance to systemic therapies is clinically important, and the underlying molecular mechanisms also need to be elucidated for the future development of more effective therapies. We herein review recent advances in research on the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance, with a focus on morphological characteristics, tumor angiogenesis, and the tumor immune microenvironment in RCC and their relationships with VEGF-TKI treatments. Recent therapies using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and newly developed VEGF-TKI also appear to be effective for advanced RCC, with stable and durable responses to ICI being observed in some RCC patients. These new drugs and their outcomes have been briefly described.

Prognostic significance of vasohibin-1 and vasohibin-2 immunohistochemical expression in gastric cancer

PURPOSE

It was recently identified that the vasohibin family may regulate angiogenesis through suppression by the vasohibin-1 gene and promotion by the vasohibin-2 gene. We assessed vasohibin expression in gastric cancer patients and its effect on their prognosis.

METHODS

We evaluated vasohibin immunohistochemical expression in 210 patients with gastric cancer, who underwent radical surgery. The patients were divided first into a vasohibin-1-positive group and a vasohibin-1-negative group, and then into groups with high or low vasohibin-2 expression, to allow us to investigate the clinicopathological factors of prognosis retrospectively.

RESULTS

There were 139 patients in the vasohibin-1-positive group and 71 patients in the vasohibin-1-negative group, among which there were and 108 with high vasohibin-2 expression and 102 with low vasohibin-2 expression. Vasohibin-1 was associated with Ly (P = 0.003) and pT (P = 0.037), whereas vasohibin-2 was associated with Ly (P < 0.001), V (P < 0.001) and pStage (P < 0.001). Overall, cancer-specific and relapse-free survival rates were lower in the vasohibin-1-positive (P = 0.034, P < 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively) and high vasohibin-2 expression (P = 0.004, P = 0.003, P < 0.001, respectively) groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that vasohibin-1 expression was associated with cancer-specific (P = 0.014, hazard ratio [HR] 4.454) and relapse-free (P = 0.035, HR 2.557) survival and vasohibin-2 expression tended to influence relapse-free survival (P = 0.051, HR 2.061). Grouping patients by vasohibin expression status combinations showed correlation among their expressions (P = 0.005). Overall, cancer-specific and relapse-free survival rates were lowest in the vasohibin-1-positive and high vasohibin-2 expression group.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that vasohibin-1 and vasohibin-2 could be novel biomarkers for predicting gastric cancer prognosis.

Kaempferol protects retinal ganglion ceils from high-glucose-induced injury by regulating vasohibin-1

Kaempferol is a medicinal flavonol derived from the roots of Kaempferia galanga L. Kaempferol can affect cell survival, apoptosis, and anti-oxidation, though its role and underlying mechanism in retinal ganglion cells with high-glucose injury remains unclear. In this study, we explored kaempferol's role in high-glucose injury in cells from the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) line. RGC cells were isolated and then cultured in high glucose (55 mmol/L) for 0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h, and results showed decreased cell viability at 48 h and 72 h. We treated RGC cells with different concentrations of kaempferol (0 μmol/L, 20 μmol/L, 40 μmol/L, 60 μmol/L, 80 μmol/L, or 100 μmol/L) and high-glucose (55 mmol/L) for 48 h. The data indicated inhibited lactate dehydrogenase leakage, apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Moreover, whereas cell viability increased in RGC cells that were incubated with kaempferol (60 μmol/L, 80 μmol/L, or 100 μmol/L) and glucose (55 mmol/L), compared with glucose alone. Kaempferol (60 μmol/L) elevated ERK phosphorylation and vasohibin-1 (VASH1) expression, and inhibition of ERK phosphorylation reversed the effect of kaempferol (60 μmol/L) on VASH1 expression in RGC cells with high-glucose injury. Additionally, interference of VASH1 by VASH1 siRNA markedly reversed the effects of kaempferol (60 μmol/L) on cell viability, caspase-3 activity, and ROS levels in RGC cells with high glucose injury. Taken together, the results suggest that kaempferol protected retinal ganglion cells from high-glucose-induced injury via ERK and VASH1 signaling.

Clinical significance of programmed death-1 and programmed death-ligand 1 expression in the tumor microenvironment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Recently, immunotherapy based on blocking immune checkpoints with programmed death-1 (PD-1) or PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) Abs has been introduced for the treatment of advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), especially tumors resistant to vascular endothelial growth factor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs), but the significance of their expression in the tumor microenvironment is unclear. We investigated these immune checkpoint markers in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIIC) in the tumor microenvironment of 100 untreated and 25 VEGF-TKI-treated primary ccRCC tissues. Upregulated expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 by TIIC, and PD-L1 by tumor cells was associated with the histological grade and unfavorable prognosis of RCC patients. High PD-1 and PD-L1 expression by TIIC was associated with a poorer response to VEGF-TKI, whereas PD-L1 expression by tumor cells did not affect the efficacy of the treatment. Furthermore, increased PD-1-positive TIIC and PD-L1-positive TIIC were observed in tumors treated with VEGF-TKIs compared with those in untreated tumors. Our data suggest that PD-1 and PD-L1 expression by TIIC in the tumor microenvironment is involved in treatment resistance, and that sequential therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors could be a promising therapeutic strategy for ccRCC resistant to VEGF-TKI treatment.

Renal tubular injury exacerbated by vasohibin-1 deficiency in a murine cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury model

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently encountered in clinical practice, particularly secondarily to cardiovascular surgery and administration of nephrotoxic agents, and is increasingly recognized for initiating a transition to chronic kidney disease. Clarifying the pathogenesis of AKI could facilitate the development of novel preventive strategies, because the occurrence of hospital-acquired AKI is often anticipated. Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) was initially identified as an antiangiogenic factor derived from endothelial cells. VASH1 expression in endothelial cells has subsequently been reported to enhance cellular stress tolerance. Considering the importance of maintaining peritubular capillaries in preventing the progression of AKI, the present study aimed to examine whether VASH1 deletion is involved in the pathogenesis of cisplatin-induced AKI. For this, we injected male C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and VASH1 heterozygous knockout (VASH1^+/-) mice intraperitoneally with either 20 mg/kg cisplatin or vehicle solution. Seventy-two hours after cisplatin injection, increased serum creatinine concentrations and renal tubular injury accompanied by apoptosis and oxidative stress were more prominent in VASH1^+/- mice than in WT mice. Cisplatin-induced peritubular capillary loss was also accelerated by VASH1 deficiency. Moreover, the increased expression of ICAM-1 in the peritubular capillaries of cisplatin-treated VASH1^+/- mice was associated with a more marked infiltration of macrophages into the kidney. Taken together, VASH1 expression could have protective effects on cisplatin-induced AKI probably by maintaining the number and function of peritubular capillaries.

Expression of vasohibin-1 and -2 predicts poor prognosis among patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Vasohibin (VASH) -1 and -2 are novel angiogenic regulators. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic values of VASH1 expression and VASH2 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A total of 209 patients with ESCC were investigated. Resected tumor specimens were immunostained using anti-CD34 antibody, anti-VASH1 antibody and anti-VASH2 antibody. The ratio of the microvessels density and the VASH1 density as the VASH1-positive ratio were defined and the patients were divided into two groups (a high VASH1 group and a low VASH1 group) according to the average value. The patients were also divided into two groups (a high VASH2 group and a low VASH2 group) according to VASH2 expression upon immunostaining. The clinical outcomes of these two groups were then evaluated. The high VASH1 group contained 106 patients (50.7%). The high VASH2 group contained 48 patients (23.0%). Long-term survival was significantly poorer in the high VASH1 group compared with that in the low VASH1 group. A slight correlation between VASH1 expression and VASH2 expression was observed. The low VASH1/low VASH2 group had a better prognosis than the other three groups with different combinations of VASH1 and VASH2 expression levels. The present study showed that high VASH1 expression and high VASH2 expression may be novel independent predictors of a poor prognosis in patients with ESCC and that a slight correlation between VASH1 and VASH2 expression existed. The present findings suggest that combined evaluation of VASH1 and VASH2 expression should provide an improved understanding of their clinicopathological features.

Endogenous Antiangiogenic Factors in Chronic Kidney Disease: Potential Biomarkers of Progression

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health problem. Unless intensive intervention is initiated, some patients can rapidly progress to end-stage kidney disease. However, it is often difficult to predict renal outcomes using conventional laboratory tests in individuals with CKD. Therefore, many researchers have been searching for novel biomarkers to predict the progression of CKD. Angiogenesis is involved in physiological and pathological processes in the kidney and is regulated by the balance between a proangiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, and various endogenous antiangiogenic factors. In recent reports using genetically engineered mice, the roles of these antiangiogenic factors in the pathogenesis of kidney disease have become increasingly clear. In addition, recent clinical studies have demonstrated associations between circulating levels of antiangiogenic factors and renal dysfunction in CKD patients. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the study of representative endogenous antiangiogenic factors, including soluble fms-related tyrosine kinase 1, soluble endoglin, pigment epithelium-derived factor, VEGF-A₁₆₅b, endostatin, and vasohibin-1, in associations with kidney diseases and discuss their predictive potentials as biomarkers of progression of CKD.

Monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4 are independent prognostic biomarkers for the survival of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma and those receiving therapy targeting angiogenesis

BACKGROUND

Prognostic biomarkers for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), particularly those receiving therapy targeting angiogenesis, are not well established. In this study, we examined the correlations of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and MCT4, 2 critical transporters for glycolytic metabolism, with various clinicopathological parameters as well as survival of patients with ccRCC and those treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors.

METHODS

A cohort of 150 ccRCC patients were recruited into this study. All patients underwent radical or partial nephrectomy as the first-line treatment, and 38 received targeted therapy (sorafenib or sunitinib) after the surgery. Expression levels of MCT1, MCT4, and CD34 were examined by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between MCT1 or MCT4 expression and different clinicopathological parameters or patient survival were analyzed among all as well as patients receiving targeted therapy.

RESULTS

MCT1 or MCT4 expression did not significantly correlate with sex, age, tumor diameter, microvascular density, tumor staging, pathological Furmann grade, or MSKCC (P>0.05). High expression of either MCT1 or MCT4 significantly correlated with reduced overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) among the total cohort of ccRCC patients. For patients receiving targeted therapy, high expression of either MCT1 or MCT4 significantly correlated with reduced PFS, but not OS. Both conditions were independent prognostic biomarkers for reduced PFS among all patients or those receiving targeted therapy.

CONCLUSION

MCT1 and MCT4 are prognostic biomarkers for patients with ccRCC or those receiving targeted therapy. High expression of these 2 proteins predicts reduced PFS in these patients.

Screening of medicinal plant phytochemicals as natural antagonists of p53-MDM2 interaction to reactivate p53 functioning

In most types of cancer, overexpression of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) often leads to inactivation of p53. The crystal structure of MDM2, with a 109-residue amino-terminal domain, reveals that MDM2 has a core hydrophobic region to which p53 binds as an amphipathic α helix. The interface depends on the steric complementarity between MDM2 and the hydrophobic region of p53. Especially, on p53's triad, amino acids Phe19, Trp23 and Leu26 bind to the MDM2 core. Results from studies suggest that the structural motif of both p53 and MDM2 can be attributed to similarities in the amphipathic α helix. Thus, in the current investigation it is hypothesized that the similarity in the structural motif might be the cause of p53 inactivation by MDM2. Hence, molecular docking and phytochemical screening approaches are appraised to inhibit the hydrophobic cleft of MDM2 and to stop p53-MDM2 interaction, resulting in reactivation of p53 activity. For this purpose, a library of 2295 phytochemicals were screened against p53-MDM2 to find potential candidates. Of these, four phytochemicals including epigallocatechin gallate, alvaradoin M, alvaradoin E and nordihydroguaiaretic acid were found to be potential inhibitors of p53-MDM2 interaction. The screened phytochemicals, derived from natural extracts, may have negligible side effects and can be explored as potent antagonists of p53-MDM2 interactions, resulting in reactivation of the normal transcription of p53.