Knockdown of OLR1 weakens glycolytic metabolism to repress colon cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance by downregulating SULT2B1 via c-MYC

Exploring OLR1-mediated inflammatory mechanisms in the hematoma microenvironment of acute intracerebral hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke with high mortality and limited therapeutic options. The current study investigates the role of oxidative low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1) within the hematoma microenvironment, focusing on its impact on immune responses and disease progression in ICH patients. Through comprehensive bioinformatics analyses of datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including peripheral blood, brain tissue, and hematoma samples, we identified significant upregulation of OLR1, particularly in hematoma regions. This upregulation was strongly correlated with increased monocyte and macrophage activity, exacerbating neuroinflammation and contributing to poor clinical outcomes. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) further elucidated the involvement of OLR1 in monocyte-driven immune responses, suggesting its critical role in the pathophysiology of ICH. Validation through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed that OLR1 expression was significantly higher in hematoma samples than in peripheral blood, with the most notable elevation observed in patients with poor prognoses. Our findings suggest that OLR1 could serve as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for modulating immune responses in ICH. Targeted therapies to regulate OLR1 expression could potentially mitigate neuroinflammation and improve recovery outcomes. This study not only enhances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ICH but also provides a foundation for developing novel therapeutic strategies that focus on the hematoma microenvironment and immune modulation.

Exosomal ETV4 Derived From M2 Macrophages Induces Growth, Glycolysis and Stemness in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by UpRegulating SULT2B1 Expression

BACKGROUND

M2 macrophage-derived exosomes have been identified to modulate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. E-twenty-six (ETS) variant transcription factor 4 (ETV4) shows protumoral effects in HCC. Here, we aimed to probe whether ETV4 performed oncogenic effects on HCC by macrophage-derived exosomes and its associated mechanism.

METHODS

Exosomes were isolated from macrophages and co-cultured with HCC cells. qRT-PCR and western blotting were utilised for the detection of mRNA and protein. Cell survival was evaluated using EdU assay and flow cytometry. Glycolysis was determined by measuring the glucose uptake, lactate production, and ATP levels. Cell stemness was assessed by sphere formation and flow cytometry. The interaction between ETV4 and SULT2B1 (sulfotransferase family 2B member 1) was determined by a dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. In vivo assay was performed by establishing mouse xenograft models.

RESULTS

ETV4 was highly expressed in the exosomes of M2 macrophages and could be internalised by HCC cells. ETV4 derived from M2 macrophage exosomes promoted HCC cell proliferation, glycolysis and stemness in vitro, and enhanced HCC growth in nude mice. Mechanistically, ETV4 interacted with SULT2B1 and promoted it transcription. SULT2B1 silencing suppressed HCC cell proliferation, glycolysis and stemness. In addition, exosomal ETV4 derived from M2 macrophage performed its effects by modulating SULT2B1.

CONCLUSION

ETV4 derived from M2 macrophage exosomes promoted HCC cell proliferation, glycolysis and stemness by interacting with SULT2B1, suggesting a novel insight into developing exosome-based therapy for HCC.

Multi-omics and machine learning-driven CD8+ T cell heterogeneity score for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The heterogeneity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) poses a significant challenge to treatment, underscoring the urgent need for more precise and personalized therapeutic approaches. CD8+ T cells, integral components of the tumor immune microenvironment, have emerged as key targets for immunotherapy. Our research has established a correlation between a decrease in CD8+ T cell score and a poor clinical prognosis, highlighting the prognostic value of this biomarker. By analyzing the gene expression related to CD8+ T cells, we have differentiated HNSCC into cold and hot tumor subtypes, uncovering disparities in clinical prognosis and responses to immunotherapy. Utilizing eight machine learning methods, we identified the key gene OLR1. Single-cell analysis of HNSCC tissues and peripheral blood, along with spatial transcriptome analysis, revealed that OLR1 predominantly functions in macrophages, modulating the immune microenvironment of HNSCC. The expression level of OLR1 may serve as a predictive marker for immunotherapy responses. Moreover, drug sensitivity analysis and molecular docking studies have indicated that simvastatin and pazopanib are potential inhibitors of OLR1. These findings suggest that simvastatin and pazopanib could open up innovative potential therapeutic avenues for individuals with HNSCC.

CIRC_0068655 SILENCING AMELIORATES HYPOXIA-INDUCED HUMAN CARDIOMYOCYTE INJURY BY REGULATING APOPTOTIC AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES

ABSTRACT

Background: There is growing evidence suggesting that the dysregulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) plays a significant role in various myocardial disorders, including myocardial ischemia. This study aimed to explore the function of hsa_circ_0068655 (circ_0068655) in hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Methods: Human AC16 cardiomyocyte cells were cultured under anaerobic condition to induce an in vitro model of myocardial ischemia. Cell apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate staining and caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity assays. Cell proliferation was analyzed by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation assay. Inflammation was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Circ_0068655, miR-370-3p, and BCL-2-like 11 (BCL2L11) expression were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction or western blotting. The target interactions among circ_0068655, miR-370-3p, and BCL2L11 were predicted using bioinformatics tools and validated using dual-luciferase reporter assays and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: Hypoxia treatment led to upregulated expression of circ_0068655 and BCL2L11, and downregulated expression of miR-370-3p in AC16 cells. This treatment also resulted in reduced cell viability, increased apoptosis rate, elevated caspase-9/3 activities and cleavage, and enhanced production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Notably, knockdown of circ_0068655 alleviated these detrimental effects. In addition, circ_0068655 silencing-mediated effects were restored by decreasing miR-370-3p expression in hypoxia-treated AC16 cells. Moreover, ectopic BCL2L11 expression remitted the effects of miR-370-3p overexpression on hypoxia-treated AC16 cells. Mechanistically, circ_0068655 was found to act as a sponge for miR-370-3p, thereby regulating BCL2L11 expression. Conclusion: Circ_0068655 silencing ameliorated hypoxia-induced human cardiomyocyte injury through the miR-370-3p/BCL2L11 axis.

Harnessing machine learning technique to authenticate differentially expressed genes in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Advancements in early detection of the disease, prognosis and the development of therapeutic strategies necessitate tumor-specific biomarkers. Despite continuous efforts, no molecular marker has been proven to be an effective therapeutic tool for the early detection of cancer. The study aims to determine diagnostic and prognostic signature genes that may be involved in cancer pathology and hence, may serve as molecular markers.

STUDY DESIGN

Eight candidate genes were selected based on our prior study of transcriptomic sequencing and validated in 100 matched pair samples of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We further utilized machine learning approaches and examined the diagnostic presentation and predictive ability of the OSCC genes retrieved from publicly available The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and compared with our results.

RESULTS

We conducted qPCR analysis to validate the expression of each gene and observed that each gene was present in the majority of OSCC samples. The predictive ability of selected genes was stable (with an average accuracy of 84%) across different classifiers. However, on validation with our dataset, it showed 75% accuracy, which might be because of the demographic variation of the samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The present research outlines cancer-associated molecular biomarkers that might eventually contribute to an enhanced prognosis of cancer patient by identifying novel therapeutic targets.

Antitumor Effects of Tryptanthrin on Colorectal Cancer by Regulating the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway and Targeting Topo I and IDO1

Tryptanthrin (TRYP) is an indole quinazoline alkaloid with a range of pharmaceutical activities, but the specific mechanism of TRYP against colorectal cancer (CRC) remains obscure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effects of TRYP on CRC models both in vitro and in vivo and further analyze its concrete mechanisms. The results of the in vitro experiment show that TRYP effectively inhibited the proliferation and migration of SW620 cells, arrested the cell cycle at the S phase, and induced cell apoptosis. Deeply, TRYP dramatically increased the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase 3 while decreasing the expression of Bcl-2. The results of transcriptome sequencing implied that the inhibitory effects of TRYP were closely related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and the results of western blotting verified that TRYP could decrease the expression of p-Erk and increase the expression of p-p38 and p-Jnk. Besides, our results identified that topoisomerase I (Topo I) and indole amine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) were the targets of TRYP. In vivo, the results showed that different TRYP doses significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice, induced different degrees of necrosis in tumor tissues, decreased the expression level of Ki67 protein, and increased the apoptotic signal in tumor tissues. The findings demonstrated the inhibitory effects of TRYP on CRC, and the mechanisms were tightly connected to inhibiting the activity of Topo I and IDO1 and regulating the expression of the MAPK signaling pathway. Especially, it was first identified that TRYP could directly inhibit Topo I to arrest SW620 at the S phase. Therefore, this work established a scientific basis for the development of TRYP.

SULT2B1: a novel therapeutic target in colorectal cancer via modulation of AKT/PKM2-mediated glycolysis and proliferation

BACKGROUND

Sulfotransferase family 2B member 1 (SULT2B1) is involved in regulating cell proliferation, migration and metabolism. However, there is still dispute regarding whether SULT2B1 acts as an oncogene or a suppressor, and the intrinsic mechanisms in modulating tumor progression need to be further elucidated.

METHODS

This work aims to reveal the relationship among SULT2B1, AKT, PKM2 signaling and glycolytic pathways, and provided a theoretical basis for SULT2B1 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC.Bioinformatics methods, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunoblotting assays were performed to analyze the correlation between SULT2B1 and colorectal cancer (CRC). The effect of SULT2B1 on cell proliferation and migration were investigated by several phenotypic experiments in vitro and animal studies. The SULT2B1 interacting proteins were determined by immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and GST-pull down assays. Immunoblotting and mCherry-GFP-LC3 assays were performed to analysis autophagy. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assay was utilized to detect the effect of SULT2B1 in regulating transcription. Small molecule agonist/antagonist was used to modify protein activity and therefore analyze the mutual relationships.

RESULTS

SULT2B1 is a predictive biomarker that is abnormally overexpressed in CRC tissues. Overexpression of SULT2B1 promoted cell proliferation and migration, while its knockout suppressed these processes. Furthermore, SULT2B1 could directly interact with the oncogene AKT and thereby enhance the activity of AKT-mTORC1 signaling. Furthermore, PKM2 was found to bind with SULT2B1, and regulated by SULT2B1 at both transcription and degradation levels. Moreover, blocking glycolysis attenuated the promoting effect of OE-SULT2B1.

CONCLUSION

SULT2B1 acts as an oncogene in CRC via modulating the AKT/PKM2 axis, therefore making it a promising diagnostic and therapeutic target for CRC.

Prognostic and therapeutic potential of gene profiles related to tertiary lymphoid structures in colorectal cancer

The role of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in oncology is gaining interest, particularly in colorectal carcinoma, yet a thorough analysis remains elusive. This study pioneered a novel TLS quantification system for prognostic and therapeutic response prediction in colorectal carcinoma, alongside a comprehensive depiction of the TLS landscape. Utilizing single-cell sequencing, we established a TLS score within the Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME). Analysis of tertiary lymphoid structure-related genes (TLSRGs) in 1,184 patients with colon adenocarcinoma/rectum adenocarcinoma (COADREAD) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases led to the identification of two distinct molecular subtypes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) further segregated these patients into gene subtypes. A TLS score was formulated using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and its efficacy in predicting immunotherapy outcomes was validated in two independent cohorts. High-scoring patients exhibited a 'hot' immune phenotype, correlating with enhanced immunotherapy efficacy. Key genes in our model, including C5AR1, APOE, CYR1P1, and SPP1, were implicated in COADREAD cell proliferation, invasion, and PD-L1 expression. These insights offer a novel approach to colorectal carcinoma treatment, emphasizing TLS targeting as a potential anti-tumor strategy.

Human sulfotransferase SULT2B1 physiological role and the impact of genetic polymorphism on enzyme activity and pathological conditions

Human SULT2B1gene is responsible for expressing SULT2B1a and SULT2B1b enzymes, which are phase II metabolizing enzymes known as pregnenolone and cholesterol sulfotransferase (SULT), respectively. They are expressed in several tissues and contribute to steroids and hydroxysteroids homeostasis. Genetic variation of the SULT2B1 is reported to be associated with various pathological conditions, including autosomal recessive ichthyosis, cardiovascular disease, and different types of cancers. Understanding the pathological impact of SULT2B1 genetic polymorphisms in the human body is crucial to incorporating these findings in evaluating clinical conditions or improving therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this paper summarized the most relevant reported studies concerning SULT2B1 expression, tissue distribution, substrates, and reported genetic polymorphisms and their mechanisms in enzyme activity and pathological conditions.

Knockdown of sulfotransferase 2B1 suppresses cell migration, invasion and promotes apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cells via targeting annexin A9

BACKGROUND

Sulfotransferase family 2B member 1 (SULT2B1) has been reported to play oncogenic role in many types of cancers. Nevertheless, the role that SULT2B1 played in ovarian cancer (OC) and the hidden molecular mechanism is obscure.

METHODS

Expression of SULT2B1 in OC was analyzed by GEPIA database. qRT-PCR and western blot (WB) was applied for the appraisement of SULT2B1 and Annexin A9 (ANXA9) in OC cell lines. The capabilities of cells to proliferate, migrate and invade were assessed with CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, along with transwell assay. Cell apoptotic level was estimated utilizing flow cytometry. WB was employed for the evaluation of migration- and apoptosis-related proteins. Bioinformatic analysis and co-immunoprecipitation were used to predict and verify the combination of SULT2B1 and ANXA9.

RESULTS

The data showed that SULT2B1 and ANXA9 were upregulated in OC cells. SULT2B1 depletion suppressed the proliferative, migrative, and invasive capabilities of SKOV3 cells but facilitated the cell apoptosis. SULT2B1-regulated ANXA9 expression and were proved to bind to ANXA9. Additionally, ANXA9 deficiency exhibited the same impacts on cell migrative, invasive capability and apoptotic level as SULT2B1 silencing. Moreover, ANXA9 overexpression reversed the inhibitory impacts of SULT2B1 silencing on the proliferative, migrative, invasive, and apoptotic capabilities of SKOV3 cells.

CONCLUSION

In summary, SULT2B1 silencing repressed OC progression by targeting ANXA9.

Construction and assessment of an angiogenesis-related gene signature for prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Angiogenesis-associated genes (AAGs) play a critical role in cancer patient survival. However, there are insufficient reports on the prognostic value of AAGs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between AAG expression levels and survival in HNSC patients, explore the predictive value of signature genes and lay the groundwork for future in-depth research.

METHODS

Relevant data for HNSC were obtained from the databases. AAGs-associated signature genes linked to prognosis were screened to construct a predictive model. Further analysis was conducted to determine the functional correlation of the signature genes.

RESULTS

The signature genes (STC1, SERPINA5, APP, OLR1, and PDGFA) were used to construct prognostic models. Patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on the calculated risk scores. Survival analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group had a significantly lower overall survival than those in the low-risk group (P < 0.05). Therefore, this prognostic model was an independent prognostic factor for predicting HNSC. In addition, patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to multiple anti-cancer drugs. Functional correlation analysis showed a good correlation between the characteristic genes and HNSC metastasis, invasion, and angiogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This study established a new prognostic model for AAGs and may guide the selection of therapeutic agents for HNSC. These genes have important functions in the tumor microenvironment; it also provides a valuable resource for the future clinical trials investigating the relationship between HNSC and AAGs.

Arecoline promotes Akt-c-Myc-driven aerobic glycolysis in esophageal epithelial cells

Aerobic glycolysis is a typical metabolic rearrangement for tumorigenesis. Arecoline is of explicit carcinogenicity, numerous works demonstrate its mutagenicity, genotoxicity, and cytotoxicity. However, the effects of arecoline on aerobic glycolysis of esophageal epithelial cells remain unclear. In the present study, 5 μM arecoline efficiently increased HK2 expression to induce aerobic glycolysis in Het-1A-Are and NE2-Are cells. The mechanistic analysis showed that arecoline activated the Akt-c-Myc signaling pathway and reduced the GSK3β-mediated phosphorylation of c-Myc on Thr58 to prevent its ubiquitination and destruction, subsequently promoting HK2 transcription and expression. Taken together, these results suggest that arecoline can induce aerobic glycolysis of esophageal epithelial cells and further confirm that arecoline is a carcinogen harmful to human health.

Integrative Omics Analysis Reveals Metabolic Features of Ground-Glass Opacity-Associated Lung Cancer

Background: Ground-glass opacity (GGO)-associated cancers are increasingly prevalent, exhibiting unique clinical and molecular features that suggest the need for a distinct treatment strategy. However, the metabolic characteristics and vulnerabilities of GGO-associated lung cancers remain unexplored. Methods: We conducted metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses on 40 pairs of GGO-associated lung cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues. By integrating data from TCGA database and single-cell RNA sequencing, we aimed to identify aberrant metabolic pathways, establish a metabolite-associated gene signature, and pinpoint key metabolic genes. The physiological effect of key genes was detected in vitro and vivo assays. Results: We identified a 30-gene metabolite-associated signature and discovered aberrant metabolic pathways for GGO-associated lung cancer at both metabolic and transcriptional levels. Patients with this signature displayed specific prognostic and molecular features. Cox regression analysis, based on the Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) data, further narrowed down the metabolite-related gene signature, resulting in a 5-gene signature. Confirmed by single-cell RNA sequencing (GSE203360), the 5-gene signature was mainly expressed in cancer cells of GGO tissue. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) further validated the differential expression of these genes between GGO and adjacent normal tissue obtained from pulmonary surgery. Finally, our integrative analysis unveiled aberrant histidine metabolism at both the multi-omics and single-cell levels. Moreover, we identified MAOB as a key metabolic gene, demonstrating its ability to suppress cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in LUAD cell lines, both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: We identified a specific metabolite-associated gene signature and identified aberrant histidine metabolism in GGO-associated lung cancer from multiple perspectives. Notably, MAOB, a crucial component in histidine metabolism, demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation and metastasis of LUAD, indicating its potential significance in pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions.

RORα inhibits gastric cancer proliferation through attenuating G6PD and PFKFB3 induced glycolytic activity

BACKGROUND

Glycolysis is critical for harvesting abundant energy to maintain the tumor microenvironment in malignant tumors. Retinoic acid-related orphan receptor α (RORα) has been identified as a circadian gene. However, the association of glycolysis with RORα in regulating gastric cancer (GC) proliferation remains poorly understood.

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis and retrospective study were utilized to explore the role of RORα in cell cycle and glycolysis in GC. The mechanisms were performed in vitro and in vivo including colony formation, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), Epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT) and subcutaneous tumors of mice model assays. The key drives between RORα and glycolysis were verified through western blot and chip assays. Moreover, we constructed models of high proliferation and high glucose environments to verify a negative feedback and chemoresistance through a series of functional experiments in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

RORα was found to be involved in the cell cycle and glycolysis through a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) algorithm. GC patients with low RORα expression were not only associated with high circulating tumor cells (CTC) and high vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels. However, it also presented a positive correlation with the standard uptake value (SUV) level. Moreover, the SUVmax levels showed a positive linear relation with CTC and VEGF levels. In addition, RORα expression levels were associated with glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and phosphofructokinase-2/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFKFB3) expression levels, and GC patients with low RORα and high G6PD or low RORα and high PFKFB3 expression patterns had poorest disease-free survival (DFS). Functionally, RORα deletion promoted GC proliferation and drove glycolysis in vitro and in vivo. These phenomena were reversed by the RORα activator SR1078. Moreover, RORα deletion promoted GC proliferation through attenuating G6PD and PFKFB3 induced glycolytic activity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RORα was recruited to the G6PD and PFKFB3 promoters to modulate their transcription. Next, high proliferation and high glucose inhibited RORα expression, which indicated that negative feedback exists in GC. Moreover, RORα deletion improved fluorouracil chemoresistance through inhibition of glucose uptake.

CONCLUSION

RORα might be a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for GC through attenuating glycolysis.

GABA induced by sleep deprivation promotes the proliferation and migration of colon tumors through miR-223-3p endogenous pathway and exosome pathway

BACKGROUND

Research has indicated that long-term sleep deprivation can lead to immune dysfunction and participate in the occurance and progression of tumors. However, the relationship between sleep deprivation and colon cancer remains unclear. This study explored the specific mechanism through which sleep deprivation promotes the proliferation and migration of colon cancer, with a focus on the neurotransmitter GABA.

METHODS

Chronic sleep deprivation mice model were used to investigate the effect of sleep disorder on tumors. We detected neurotransmitter levels in the peripheral blood of mice using ELISA. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay were performed to investigate the effect of GABA on colon cancer cells, while immunofluorescence showed the distribution of macrophages in lung metastatic tissues. We isolated exosomes from a GABA-induced culture medium to explore the effects of GABA-induced colon cancer cells on macrophages. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments, luciferase report analysis, immunohistochemistry, and cytokine detection were performed to reveal the crosstalk between colon cancer cells and macrophages.

RESULTS

Sleep deprivation promote peripheral blood GABA level and colon cancer cell proliferation and migration. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that GABA-induced colon cancer metastasis is associated with enhanced recruitment of macrophages in the lungs. The co-culture results showed that GABA intensified M2 polarization of macrophage induced by colon cancer cells. This effect is due to the activation of the macrophage MAPK pathway by tumor-derived exosomal miR-223-3p. Furthermore, M2-like macrophages promote tumor proliferation and migration by secreting IL-17. We also identified an endogenous miR-223-3p downregulation of the E3 ligase CBLB, which enhances the stability of cMYC protein and augments colon cancer cells proliferation and migration ability. Notably, cMYC acts as a transcription factor and can also regulate the expression of miR-223-3p.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that sleep deprivation can promote the expression of miR-223-3p in colon cancer cells through GABA, leading to downregulation of the E3 ligase CBLB and inhibition of cMYC ubiquitination. Simultaneously, extracellular miR-223-3p promotes M2-like macrophage polarization, which leads to the secretion of IL-17, further enhancing the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells.

Clinical significance and immune landscape of angiogenesis-related genes in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Angiogenesis is a major promotor of tumor progression and metastasis. Nevertheless, it is undetermined how angiogenesis-related genes (ARGs) influence bladder cancer.

METHODS

The profiles of bladder cancer gene expression were collected from the TCGA-BLCA cohort. The LASSO regression analysis was used to build an angiogenesis-related signature (ARG_score) with the prognostic ARGs. Verification analyses were conducted across the GSE48075 dataset to demonstrate the robustness of the signature. Differences between the two risk groups based on clinical outcomes, immune landscape, mutation status, chemotherapeutic effectiveness for anticancer drugs, and immunotherapy efficacy were analyzed. A nomogram was developed to improve the clinical efficacy of this predictive tool. The expression levels of model genes in normal bladder epithelial cell lines (SV-HUC-1) and bladder cancer cell lines (T24 and 5637) were detected by qRT-PCR assay.

RESULTS

Four angiogenesis-associated gene signature was constructed based on the LASSO regression algorithm. The signature showed independent risk factors of overall survival for bladder cancer, validated using two external survival datasets. Additionally, we built a prognostic nomogram to improve the practicality of the ARG_score. High-risk individuals showed stronger immunocyte infiltration, immune-related functions, elevated expression of immune checkpoints, reduced TIDE score, and higher combined IPS-PD-1 and IPS-CTLA4 scores, suggesting a heightened responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Furthermore, patients with low and high risk showed distinct responsiveness to anticancer drugs. The expression levels of 5 model genes (COL5A2, JAG1, MSX1, OLR1, and STC) were significantly increased in bladder cancer cell lines (T24 and 5637) compared with the normal bladder epithelial cell line SV-HUC-1.

CONCLUSIONS

The model constructed based on ARGs may have wide application in predicting outcomes and therapeutic responses.

N6-methyladenosine modification of REG1α facilitates colorectal cancer progression via β-catenin/MYC/LDHA axis mediated glycolytic reprogramming

Aerobic glycolysis has been considered as a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the potential functional regulators of glycolysis in CRC remains to be elucidated. In the current study, we found that Regenerating islet-derived protein 1-alpha (REG1α) was significantly increased in both CRC tissues and serum, and positively associated with CRC patients' lymph node metastasis, advanced tumor stage, and unfavorable prognosis. Ectopic expression of REG1α contributed to various tumorigenic properties, including cell proliferation, cell cycle, migration, invasion, and glycolysis. In contrast, REG1α deficiency in CRC cells attenuated malignant properties and glucose metabolism. Mechanically, REG1α promoted CRC proliferation and metastasis via β-catenin/MYC axis-mediated glycolysis upregulation. Moreover, the malignant behaviors governed by REG1α could be effectively abolished by silencing of Wnt/β-catenin/MYC axis or glycolysis process using specific inhibitors. Besides, REG1α expression was mediated by METTL3 in an m6A-dependent manner. Overall, our work defines a novel regulatory model of the METTL3/REG1α/β-catenin/MYC axis in CRC, which indicates that REG1α could function as a novel biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for patients with CRC.

OLR1 Is a Pan-Cancer Prognostic and Immunotherapeutic Predictor Associated with EMT and Cuproptosis in HNSCC

Metabolism plays a critical role in cancer. OLR1 has been implicated in cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, while its association with tumorigenesis and tumor immunity remains poorly defined in the literature. We conducted comprehensive pan-cancer analyses based on the TCGA database to examine OLR1 expression and its prognostic implications. Correlations between OLR1 expression level and tumor immunity and immunotherapy were investigated by immune infiltration, enrichment, and TIDE analysis methods. Immunohistochemistry detected OLR1 expression in HNSCC. We used the GSEA method to explore the potential signaling pathways in which OLR1 is involved, and a correlation analysis to investigate the relationships between OLR1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cuproptosis. In addition, the effects of OLR1 knockdown on the EMT process, invasion, stemness, and cuproptosis of HNSCC cells were examined by scratch, Transwell, CCK8, sphere formation, and flow cytometry, while changes in related proteins were detected using the immunoblotting method. OLR1 is highly expressed in most cancers, and it is associated with patient prognosis. OLR1 expression positively correlates with immunosuppressive cell infiltration and immune checkpoint molecules, while being negatively associated with effector T cells. Moreover, significant correlations are observed between OLR1 expression and tumor mutation burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI) in some cancers. In HNSCC, OLR1 expression is related to advanced clinicopathological factors and unfavorable outcomes. Patients with high OLR1 expression levels are prone to experience immune escape and benefit less from immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Moreover, OLR1 expression may affect EMT, stemness, and cuproptosis resistance outcomes. OLR1 is an immune-related prognostic biomarker with potential as a prognostic indicator for immunotherapy, and it may also be involved in regulating the EMT process and cuproptosis in HNSCC.

A novel extrachromosomal circular DNA related genes signature for overall survival prediction in patients with ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

Ovarian cancer (OV) has a high mortality rate all over the world, and extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) plays a key role in carcinogenesis. We wish to study more about the molecular structure of eccDNA in the UACC-1598-4 cell line and how its genes are associated with ovarian cancer prognosis.

METHODS

We sequenced and annotated the eccDNA by Circle_seq of the OV cell line UACC-1598-4. To acquire the amplified genes of OV on eccDNA, the annotated eccDNA genes were intersected with the overexpression genes of OV in TCGA. Univariate Cox regression was used to find the genes on eccDNA that were linked to OV prognosis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and cox regression models were used to create the OV prognostic model, as well as the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve and nomogram of the prediction model. By applying the median value of the risk score, the samples were separated into high-risk and low-risk groups, and the differences in immune infiltration between the two groups were examined using ssGSEA.

RESULTS

EccDNA in UACC-1598-4 has a length of 0-2000 bp, and some of them include the whole genes or gene fragments. These eccDNA originated from various parts of chromosomes, especially enriched in repeatmasker, introns, and coding regions. They were annotated with 2188 genes by Circle_seq. Notably, the TCGA database revealed that a total of 198 of these eccDNA genes were overexpressed in OV (p < 0.05). They were mostly enriched in pathways associated with cell adhesion, ECM receptors, and actin cytoskeleton. Univariate Cox analysis showed 13 genes associated with OV prognosis. LASSO and Cox regression analysis were used to create a risk model based on remained 9 genes. In both the training (TCGA database) and validation (International Cancer Genome Consortium, ICGC) cohorts, a 9-gene signature could successfully discriminate high-risk individuals (all p < 0.01). Immune infiltration differed significantly between the high-risk and low-risk groups. The model's area under the ROC curve was 0.67, and a nomograph was created to assist clinician.

CONCLUSION

EccDNA is found in UACC-1598-4, and part of its genes linked to OV prognosis. Patients with OV may be efficiently evaluated using a prognostic model based on eccDNA genes, including SLC7A1, NTN1, ADORA1, PADI2, SULT2B1, LINC00665, CILP2, EFNA5, TOMM.

Identification of a chemoresistance-related prognostic gene signature by comprehensive analysis and experimental validation in pancreatic cancer

Background

Chemoresistance is a major hurdle to improving the prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC). This study aimed to identify key genes regulating chemoresistance and develop a chemoresistance-related gene signature for prognosis prediction.

Methods

A total of 30 PC cell lines were subtyped according to gemcitabine sensitivity data from the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP v2). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between gemcitabine-resistant and gemcitabine-sensitive cells were subsequently identified. These upregulated DEGs associated with prognostic values were incorporated to build a LASSO Cox risk model for The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Four datasets (GSE28735, GSE62452, GSE85916, and GSE102238) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were used as an external validation cohort. Then, a nomogram was developed based on independent prognostic factors. The responses to multiple anti-PC chemotherapeutics were estimated by the "oncoPredict" method. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) was calculated using the "TCGAbiolinks" package. Analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) was performed using the "IOBR" package, while the TIDE and "easier" algorithms were employed to estimate immunotherapy efficacy. Finally, RT-qPCR, Western blot and CCK-8 assays were conducted to validate the expression and functions of ALDH3B1 and NCEH1.

Results

A five-gene signature and a predictive nomogram were developed from six prognostic DEGs, including EGFR, MSLN, ERAP2, ALDH3B1, and NCEH1. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses indicated that all five genes were highly expressed in tumor samples. This gene signature was not only an independent prognostic factor but also a biomarker forecasting chemoresistance, TMB, and immune cells. In vitro experiments suggested that ALDH3B1 and NCEH1 were involved in PC progression and gemcitabine chemoresistance.

Conclusion

This chemoresistance-related gene signature links prognosis with chemoresistance, TMB, and immune features. ALDH3B1 and NCEH1 are two promising targets for treating PC.

Investigating the role of FADS family members in breast cancer based on bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates the significance of fatty acid metabolism in BC. Fatty acid desaturase (FADS) is closely associated with cancer occurrence and development. Here, bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation were applied to investigate the potential functions of FADS in BC. Several public databases, including TCGA, GEO, HPA, Kaplan-Meier plotter, STRING, DAVID, cBioPortal, TIMER, TRRUST, and LinkedOmics were used to determine mRNA/protein expression levels, prognostic significance, functional enrichment, genetic alterations, association with tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and related transcription factors and kinases. BC tissues showed higher and lower mRNA expression of FADS2/6/8 and FADS3/4/5, respectively. FADS1/2/6 and FADS3/4/5 showed higher and lower protein expression levels, respectively, in BC tissues. Moreover, FADS1/7 up- and FADS3/8 down-regulation predicted poor overall and recurrence-free survival, while FADS2/5 up- and FADS4 down-regulation were associated with poor recurrence-free survival. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that FADS2/3/4/8 were indicative diagnostic markers. FADS family members showing differential expression levels were associated with various clinical subtypes, clinical stages, lymph node metastasis status, copy number variants, DNA methylation, and miRNA regulation in BC. The mRNA expression level of FADS1/2/3/4/5/7/8 was observed to be significantly negatively correlated with DNA methylation. FADS1/2 upregulation was significantly correlated with clinical stages. FADS1/4 expression was obviously lower in BC patients with higher lymph node metastasis than lower lymph node metastasis, while FADS7/8 expression was obviously higher in BC patients with higher lymph node metastasis than lower lymph node metastasis. FADS family members showed varying degrees of genetic alterations, and Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses suggested their involvement in lipid metabolism. Their expression level was correlated with immune cell infiltration levels. FADS2 was chosen for further validation analyses. We found FADS2 to be significantly over-expressed in clinical BC tissue samples. The proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of MDA-MB-231 and BT474 cells were significantly reduced after FADS2 knockdown. Furthermore, FADS2 may promote the occurrence and development of BC cells via regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Altogether, our results suggest that FADS1/2/3/4 can serve as potential therapeutic targets, prognostic indicators, and diagnostic markers in patients with BC.

Establishment of a circular RNA regulatory stemness-related gene pair signature for predicting prognosis and therapeutic response in colorectal cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract with a poor prognosis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) affect disease outcomes and treatment responses in CRC. We developed a circular RNA (circRNA) regulatory stemness-related gene pair (CRSRGP) signature to predict CRC patient prognosis and treatment effects.

Methods

The circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles and clinical information of CRC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. CRSRGPs were established based on stemness-related genes in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. A CRSRGP signature was generated using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and Cox regression analysis of TCGA training set. The prognosis was predicted by generating a nomogram integrating the CRSRGP signature and clinicopathologic features. The model was validated in an external validation set (GSE17536). The antitumor drug sensitivity and immunotherapy responses of CRC patients in the high-risk group (HRG) and low-risk group (LRG) were evaluated by the pRRophetic algorithm and immune checkpoint analysis.

Results

We established an 18-CRSRGP signature to predict the prognosis and treatment responses of CRC patients. In the training and external validation sets, risk scores were used to categorize CRC patients into the HRG and LRG. The Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a poor prognosis for patients in the HRG and that subgroups with different clinical characteristics had significantly different prognoses. A multivariate Cox analysis revealed that the CRSRGP signature was an independent prognostic factor. The nomogram integrating clinical features and the CRSRGP signature efficiently predicted CRC patient prognosis, outperformed the current TNM staging system, and had improved practical clinical value. Anticancer drug sensitivity predictions revealed that the tumors of patients in the HRG were more sensitive to pazopanib, sunitinib, gemcitabine, lapatinib, and cyclopamine. Analysis of immune checkpoint markers demonstrated that patients in the HRG were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy.

Conclusion

An efficient, reliable tool for evaluating CRC patient prognosis and treatment response was established based on the 18-CRSRGP signature and nomogram.

The Effect and Related Mechanism of Action of Astragalus Compatible with Curcumin against Colon Cancer Metastasis in Mice

Colon cancer (CC) is the third most common tumor worldwide. Colon carcinogenesis is strongly linked to inflammation. The initiation and progression of colon cancer may be influenced by epigenetic processes. Cancer metastasis is a multistep process involving several genes and their products. During tumor metastasis, cancer cells first enhance their proliferative capacity by lowering autophagy and apoptosis, and then, their capacity is stimulated by boosting tumors' ability to take nutrients from the outside via angiogenesis. Traditional treatment focuses on eliminating tumor cells by triggering cell death or activating the immune system, which often results in side effects or chemoresistance recurrence. On the contrary, Chinese medicine theory considers the patient's entire inner system and aids in tumor shrinkage while also taking into account the mouse' general health. Because many Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) are consumed as food, using edible CHMs as a diet resource therapy for colon cancer treatment is a viable option. Two traditional Chinese herbs, Astragalus membranaceus and Curcuma zedoaria, are commonly utilized jointly in colon cancer preventive therapy. As a result, the anticancer effect of astragalus and curcumin (AC) on colon cancer suppression in an 18-week AOM-DSS colon cancer mouse model is investigated in this research. These findings may offer a scientific foundation for investigating colon cancer diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic application of AC in colon cancer treatment. These studies also highlighted the potential effect and mechanism of AC in the treatment of colon cancer, as well as providing insight into how to effectively use it.

The Role of C-Type Lectin Receptor Signaling in the Intestinal Microbiota-Inflammation-Cancer Axis

As a subset of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), C-type lectin-like receptors (CLRs) are mainly expressed by myeloid cells as both transmembrane and soluble forms. CLRs recognize not only pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), but also damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to promote innate immune responses and affect adaptive immune responses. Upon engagement by PAMPs or DAMPs, CLR signaling initiates various biological activities in vivo, such as cytokine secretion and immune cell recruitment. Recently, several CLRs have been implicated as contributory to the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation, which represents a prominent risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). CLRs function as an interface among microbiota, intestinal epithelial barrier and immune system, so we firstly discussed the relationship between dysbiosis caused by microbiota alteration and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), then focused on the role of CLRs signaling in pathogenesis of IBD (including Mincle, Dectin-3, Dectin-1, DCIR, DC-SIGN, LOX-1 and their downstream CARD9). Given that CLRs mediate intricate inflammatory signals and inflammation plays a significant role in tumorigenesis, we finally highlight the specific effects of CLRs on CRC, especially colitis-associated cancer (CAC), hoping to open new horizons on pathogenesis and therapeutics of IBD and CAC.

Inflammation-Related Gene Signature for Predicting the Prognosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose

The inflammatory response was associated with the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aimed to perform a novel prognostic signature based on inflammation-related genes (IRGs) for a better understanding of the prognosis of HNSCC.

Patients and Methods

IRGs were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to explore potential pathways. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression as well as the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) were utilized to construct an IRGs-based prognostic model on TCGA database and the GEO database was utilized for outcome validation. The nomogram model was constructed based on independent prognostic factors after univariate and multivariate Cox regression. The immune cell infiltration level was analyzed via the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database.

Results

In this study, we confirmed that 60% IRGs were abnormally expressed in HNSCC samples, and these were associated with important oncobiology. Then, a prognostic signature comprising 7 hub genes was generated based on TCGA database. The results were validated in 97 patients from GSE41613. A nomogram comprising risk score, age, M stage and N stage was generated to improve the accuracy of prognosis evaluation. The immune cell infiltration analysis suggested that 5 hub genes (ADGRE1, OLR1, TIMP1, GPR132 and CCR7) were negatively correlated with tumor purity and positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells.

Conclusion

Our study established a novel signature consisting of 7 hub genes for the prognostic prediction in patients with HNSCC.