Expression of parvin-beta is a prognostic factor for patients with urothelial cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

Thiazole-fused androstenone and ethisterone derivatives: potent β- and γ-actin cytoskeleton inhibitors to treat melanoma tumors

Melanoma, the most fatal form of skin cancer, often becomes resistant to the current therapeutic approaches in most patients. To explore new treatment options, fused thiazole derivatives were synthesized, and several of these compounds demonstrated potent anti-melanoma activity both in vitro and in vivo. These compounds exhibited significant cytotoxicity against melanoma cell lines at low concentrations. The lead molecules induced apoptosis and caused G2/M phase cell cycle arrest to a lesser extent. These compounds also displayed remarkable antimetastatic activities in several cell-based and molecular assays, significantly inhibiting key processes of metastasis, such as cell migration and adhesion. mRNA sequencing revealed significant downregulation of β-actin (ACTB) and γ-actin (ACTG1) at the transcriptional level, and a similar effect was observed at the protein level by western immunoblotting and proteomics assays. Actin-rich membrane protrusions formation is crucial for facilitating metastasis by promoting cell migration. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that compounds E28 and E47 inhibited the formation of these membrane protrusions and impaired actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Docking studies suggested the lead compounds may suppress tumor proliferation and metastasis by targeting the mechanistic target of Rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2). All these findings unanimously indicated the translational perspective of ethisterone and androstenone fused thiazole derivatives as potent antimetastatic and antimelanoma agents. In a preclinical mouse melanoma model, compounds E2 and E47 significantly reduced tumor growth and greatly improved overall mice survival, while showing a favorable safety profile based on a comprehensive blood plasma metabolite profile. These lead molecules also displayed promising physicochemical properties, making them strong candidates for further drug development studies.

PARVB deficiency alleviates cisplatin-induced tubular injury by inhibiting TAK1 signaling

Cisplatin-induced renal tubular injury largely restricts the wide-spread usage of cisplatin in the treatment of malignancies. Identifying the key signaling pathways that regulate cisplatin-induced renal tubular injury is thus clinically important. PARVB, a focal adhesion protein, plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis. However, the function of PARVB in kidney disease is largely unknown. To investigate whether and how PARVB contributes to cisplatin-induced renal tubular injury, a mouse model (PARVB cKO) was generated in which PARVB gene was specifically deleted from proximal tubular epithelial cells using the Cre-LoxP system. In this study, we found depletion of PARVB in proximal tubular epithelial cells significantly attenuates cisplatin-induced renal tubular injury, including tubular cell death and inflammation. Mechanistically, PARVB associates with transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a central regulator of cell survival and inflammation that is critically involved in mediating cisplatin-induced renal tubular injury. Depletion of PARVB promotes cisplatin-induced TAK1 degradation, inhibits TAK1 downstream signaling, and ultimately alleviates cisplatin-induced tubular cell damage. Restoration of PARVB or TAK1 in PARVB-deficient cells aggravates cisplatin-induced tubular cell injury. Finally, we demonstrated that PARVB regulates TAK1 protein expression through an E3 ligase ITCH-dependent pathway. PARVB prevents ITCH association with TAK1 to block its ubiquitination. Our study reveals that PARVB deficiency protects against cisplatin-induced tubular injury through regulation of TAK1 signaling and indicates targeting this pathway may provide a novel therapeutic strategy to alleviate cisplatin-induced kidney damage.

NET-related gene signature for predicting AML prognosis

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a malignant blood cancer with a high mortality rate. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) influence various tumor outcomes. However, NET-related genes (NRGs) in AML had not yet received much attention. This study focuses on the role of NRGs in AML and their interaction with the immunological microenvironment. The gene expression and clinical data of patients with AML were downloaded from the TCGA-LAML and GEO cohorts. We identified 148 NRGs through the published article. Univariate Cox regression was used to analyze the association of NRGs with overall survival (OS). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were utilized to assess the predictive efficacy of NRGs. Kaplan-Meier plots visualized survival estimates. ROC curves assessed the prognostic value of NRG-based features. A nomogram, integrating clinical information and prognostic scores of patients, was constructed using multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Twenty-seven NRGs were found to significantly impact patient OS. Six NRGs-CFTR, ENO1, PARVB, DDIT4, MPO, LDLR-were notable for their strong predictive ability regarding patient survival. The ROC values for 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 0.794, 0.781, and 0.911, respectively. In the training set (TCGA-LAML), patients in the high NRG risk group showed a poorer prognosis (p < 0.001), which was validated in two external datasets (GSE71014 and GSE106291). The 6-NRG signature and corresponding nomograms exhibit superior predictive accuracy, offering insights for pre-immune response evaluation and guiding future immuno-oncology treatments and drug selection for AML patients.

PARVB promotes malignant melanoma progression and is enhanced by hypoxic conditions

Beta-Parvin (PARVB) is an actin-binding protein with functionality in extracellular matrix binding. Recent studies suggest its potential as a biomarker for various cancers, given its role in governing several malignancies. Yet, its involvement and modulatory mechanisms in malignant melanoma remain under-explored.  In this research, we undertook a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis centered on PARVB. We probed its aberrant expression and prognostic implications, and assessed correlations between PARVB expression and immunocyte infiltration. This expression was subsequently corroborated using clinical samples. Both in vitro and in vivo, we discerned the functional ramifications of PARVB on melanoma. Furthermore, we scrutinized how HIF-1α/2α modulates PARVB and initiated a preliminary investigation into potential downstream pathways influenced by PARVB. Our results illuminate that elevated PARVB expression manifests across various tumors and significantly influences the prognosis of multiple cancers, emphasizing its peculiar expression and prognostic relevance in melanoma. Augmented PARVB levels were inversely proportional to immunocyte penetration in melanoma. Silencing PARVB curtailed cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and decelerated tumor expansion in vivo. Notably, hypoxic conditions, triggering HIF-1α/2α activation, appear to elevate PARVB expression by anchoring to the hypoxia-specific responsive element within the PARVB promoter. Enhanced PARVB levels seem intertwined with the activation of cellular proliferation circuits and the damping of inflammatory trajectories. Collectively, these revelations posit PARVB as a potential prognostic indicator and therapeutic linchpin for malignant melanoma.

Inhibition of the ILK-AKT pathway by upregulation of PARVB contributes to the cochlear cell death in Fascin2 gene knockout mice

The Fscn2 (Fascin2) gene encodes an actin cross-linking protein that is involved in the formation of hair cell stereocilia and retina structure. Mutations in Fscn2 gene have been linked to hearing impairment and retinal degeneration in humans and mice. To understand the function of the Fscn2 gene, we generated the Fscn2 knockout mice, which showed progressive loss of hearing and hair cells. Our goal of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying cochlear cell death in the Fscn2 knockout mice. Microarray analysis revealed upregulation of expression of PARVB, a local adhesion protein, in the inner ears of Fscn2 knockout mice at 8 weeks of age. Further studies showed increased levels of PARVB together with cleaved-Caspase9 and decreased levels of ILK, p-ILK, p-AKT, and Bcl-2 in the inner ears of Fscn2 knockout mice of the same age. Knockdown of Fscn2 in HEI-OCI cells led to decreased cell proliferation ability and migration rate, along with increased levels of PARVB and decreased levels of ILK, p-ILK, p-AKT, Bcl-2 and activated Rac1 and Cdc42. Overexpression of Fscn2 or inhibition of Parvb expression in HEI-OC1 cells promoted cell proliferation and migration, with increased levels of ILK, p-ILK, p-AKT, and Bcl-2. Finally, FSCN2 binds with PPAR-γ to reduce its nuclear translocation in HEI-OC1 cells, and inhibition of PPAR-γ by GW9662 decreased the level of PARVB and increased the levels of p-AKT, p-ILK, and Bcl-2. Our results suggest that FSCN2 negatively regulates PARVB expression by inhibiting the entry of PPAR-γ into the cell nucleus, resulting in inhibition of ILK-AKT related pathways and of cochlear cell survival in Fscn2 knockout mice. Our findings provide new insights and ideas for the prevention and treatment of genetic hearing loss.

A novel NET-related gene signature for predicting DLBCL prognosis

BACKGROUND

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive malignancy. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are pathogen-trapping structures in the tumor microenvironment that affect DLBCL progression. However, the predictive function of NET-related genes (NRGs) in DLBCL has received little attention. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between NRGs and the prognosis of DLBCL as well as their possible association with the immunological microenvironment.

METHODS

The gene expression and clinical data of patients with DLBCL were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We identified 148 NRGs through the manual collection of literature. GSE10846 (n = 400, GPL570) was used as the training dataset and divided into training and testing sets in a 7:3 ratio. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify overall survival (OS)-related NETs, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the NRGs. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to visualize survival functions. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the prognostic predictive ability of NRG-based features. A nomogram containing the clinical information and prognostic scores of the patients was constructed using multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional risk regression models.

RESULTS

We identified 36 NRGs that significantly affected patient overall survival (OS). Eight NRGs (PARVB, LYZ, PPARGC1A, HIF1A, SPP1, CDH1, S100A9, and CXCL2) were found to have excellent predictive potential for patient survival. For the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates, the obtained areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were 0.8, 0.82, and 0.79, respectively. In the training set, patients in the high NRG risk group presented a poorer prognosis (p < 0.0001), which was validated using two external datasets (GSE11318 and GSE34171). The calibration curves of the nomogram showed that it had excellent predictive ability. Moreover, in vitro quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) results showed that the mRNA expression levels of CXCL2, LYZ, and PARVB were significantly higher in the DLBCL group.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a genetic risk model based on NRGs to predict the prognosis of patients with DLBCL, which may assist in the selection of treatment drugs for these patients.

High-throughput functional screen identifies YWHAZ as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer metastasis

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer death due to its early metastasis and limited response to the current therapies. Metastasis is a complicated multistep process, which is determined by complex genetic alterations. Despite the identification of many metastasis-related genes, distinguishing the drivers from numerous passengers and establishing the causality in cancer pathophysiology remains challenging. Here, we established a high-throughput and piggyBac transposon-based genetic screening platform, which enables either reduced or increased expression of chromosomal genes near the incorporation site of the gene search vector cassette that contains a doxycycline-regulated promoter. Using this strategy, we identified YWHAZ as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer metastasis. We demonstrated that functional activation of Ywhaz by the gene search vector led to enhanced metastatic capability in mouse pancreatic cancer cells. The metastasis-promoting role of YWHAZ was further validated in human pancreatic cancer cells. Overexpression of YWHAZ resulted in more aggressive metastatic phenotypes in vitro and a shorter survival rate in vivo by modulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Hence, our study established a high-throughput screening method to investigate the functional relevance of novel genes and validated YWHAZ as a key regulator of pancreatic cancer metastasis.

Candidate Genes and Gene Networks Change with Age in Japanese Black Cattle by Blood Transcriptome Analysis

Age is an important physiological factor that affects the metabolism and immune function of beef cattle. While there have been many studies using the blood transcriptome to study the effects of age on gene expression, few have been reported on beef cattle. To this end, we used the blood transcriptomes of Japanese black cattle at different ages as the study subjects and screened 1055, 345, and 1058 differential expressed genes (DEGs) in the calf vs. adult, adult vs. old, and calf vs. old comparison groups, respectively. The weighted co-expression network consisted of 1731 genes. Finally, blue, brown, and yellow age-specific modules were obtained, in which genes were enriched in signaling pathways related to growth and development and immune metabolic dysfunction, respectively. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis showed gene interactions in each specific module, and 20 of the highest connectivity genes were chosen as potential hub genes. Finally, we identified 495, 244, and 1007 genes by exon-wide selection signature (EWSS) analysis of different comparison groups. Combining the results of hub genes, we found that VWF, PARVB, PRKCA, and TGFB1I1 could be used as candidate genes for growth and development stages of beef cattle. CORO2B and SDK1 could be used as candidate marker genes associated with aging. In conclusion, by comparing the blood transcriptome of calves, adult cattle, and old cattle, the candidate genes related to immunity and metabolism affected by age were identified, and the gene co-expression network of different age stages was constructed. It provides a data basis for exploring the growth, development, and aging of beef cattle.

Parvin: A hub of intracellular signalling pathways regulating cellular behaviour and disease progression

α-actinin superfamily houses the family of parvins, comprising α, β and γ isoforms in the vertebrates and a single orthologue in the invertebrates. Parvin as an adaptor protein is a member of the ternary IPP-complex including Integrin Linked Kinase (ILK) and particularly-interesting-Cys-His-rich protein (PINCH). Each of the complex proteins showed a conserved lineage and was principally used by the evolutionarily primitive integrin-adhesome machinery to regulate cellular behaviour and signalling pathways. Parvin facilitated integrin mediated integration of the extracellular matrix with cytoskeletal framework culminating in regulation of cellular adhesion and spreading, cytoskeleton reorganisation and cell survival. Studies have established role of parvin in pregnancy, lactation, matrix degradation, blood vessel formation and in several diseases such as cancer, NAFLD and cardiac diseases etc. This review narrates the history of parvin discovery, its elaborate gene structure and conservation across phyla including cellular expression, localisation and interacting partners in vertebrates as well as invertebrates. The review further discusses how parvin acts as an epicentre of signalling pathways, its associated mutants and diseased conditions.

Identification and validation of a risk signature based on extracellular matrix-related genes in gliomas

ABSTRACT

Gliomas have the highest incidence among primary brain tumors, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a vital role in tumor progression. We constructed a risk signature using ECM-related genes to predict the prognosis of patients with gliomas.mRNA and clinical data from glioma patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Differentially expressed ECM-related genes were screened, and a risk signature was built using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. Cell type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) was used to assess immune infiltration in different risk groups. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the molecular mechanisms of the genes employed in the risk score.Differentially expressed ECM-related genes were identified, and their associated regulatory mechanisms were predicted via analysis of protein-protein interaction (PPI), transcription factor (TF) regulatory and TF coexpression networks. The established risk signature considered 17 ECM-related genes. The prognosis of the high-risk group was significantly worse than that of the low-risk group. We used the CGGA database to validate the signature. CIBERSORT indicated that the levels of naive B cells, activated memory CD4 T cells, regulatory T cells, gamma delta T cells, activated NK cells, monocytes, activated dendritic cells and activated mast cells were higher in the high-risk group. The levels of plasma cells, CD8 T cells, naive CD4 T cells, resting memory CD4 T cells, M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, resting mast cells, and neutrophils were lower in the high-risk group. Ultimately, GSEA showed that the terms intestinal immune network for IgA production, primary immunodeficiency, and ECM receptor interaction were the top 3 terms enriched in the high-risk group. The terms Wnt signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, mTOR signaling pathway, and calcium signaling pathway were enriched in the low-risk group.We built a risk signature to predict glioma prognosis using ECM-related genes. By evaluating immune infiltration and biofunctions, we gained a further understanding of this risk signature. This risk signature could be an effective tool for predicting glioma prognosis.This study did not require ethical approval. We will disseminate our findings by publishing results in a peer-reviewed journal.

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) regulates KRAS, IPP complex and Ras suppressor-1 (RSU1) promoting lung adenocarcinoma progression and poor survival

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) forms a heterotrimeric protein complex with PINCH and PARVIN (IPP) in Focal Adhesions (FAs) that acts as a signaling platform between the cell and its microenvironment regulating important cancer-related functions. We aimed to elucidate the role of ILK in lung adenocarcinoma (LUADC) focusing on a possible link with KRAS oncogene. We used immunohistochemistry on human tissue samples and KRAS-driven LUADC in mice, analysis of large scale publicly available RNA sequencing data, ILK overexpression and pharmacological inhibition as well as knockdown of KRAS in lung cancer cells. ILK, PINCH1 and PARVB (IPP) proteins are overexpressed in human LUADC and KRAS-driven LUADC in mice representing poor prognostic indicators. Genes implicated in ILK signaling are significantly enriched in KRAS-driven LUADC. Silencing of KRAS, as well as, overexpression and pharmacological inhibition of ILK in lung cancer cells provide evidence of a two-way association between ILK and KRAS. Upregulation of PINCH, PARVB and Ras suppressor-1 (RSU1) expression was demonstrated in ILK overexpressing lung cancer cells in addition to a significant positive correlation between these factors in tissue samples, while KRAS silencing downregulates IPP and RSU1. Pharmacological inhibition of ILK in KRAS mutant lung cancer cells suppresses cell growth, migration, EMT and increases sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. ILK promotes an aggressive lung cancer phenotype with prognostic and therapeutic value through functions that involve KRAS, IPP complex and RSU1, rendering ILK a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in lung adenocarcinoma.

Differential expressions of integrin-linked kinase, β-parvin and cofilin 1 in high-fat diet induced prostate cancer progression in a transgenic mouse model

High-fat diet induced obesity was associated with more aggressive prostate cancer. Recent research has demonstrated that integrin-linked kinase (ILK), β-parvin and downstream cofilin 1 jointly affected cancer progression. Meanwhile, these proteins were also involved in energy metabolism. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the potential function of ILK, β-parvin and cofilin 1 in the high-fat diet-induced progression of prostate cancer. Transgenic mice with prostate cancer were employed, fed with different diets and sacrificed at 20 and 28 weeks. Tumor differentiation, extracapsular extension and metastasis were compared between the groups. Expression levels of ILK, β-parvin and cofilin 1 in prostate were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis and determined by an immunoreactivity score. Public databases were applied for analysis and validation. It was detected that high-fat diet feeding promoted cancer progression in transgenic mice with prostate cancer, with increased expressions of β-parvin (P=0.038) and cofilin 1 (P=0.018). Higher expressions of ILK, β-parvin and cofilin 1 were also associated with poorer cancer differentiation. Additionally, higher mRNA levels of CFL1 were correlated with a worse disease-free survival in patients of certain subgroups from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Further studies were warranted in discussing the potential roles of ILK, β-parvin and cofilin 1 in high-fat diet feeding induced progression of prostate cancer.

High PINCH1 Expression in Human Laryngeal Carcinoma Associates with Poor Prognosis

Focal adhesion signaling to actin cytoskeleton is critically implicated in cell migration and cancer invasion and metastasis. Actin-binding proteins cofilin and N-WASP regulate actin filament turnover, and focal adhesion proteins parvins and PINCH mediate integrin signaling to the actin cytoskeleton. Altered expression of these proteins has been implicated in human cancer. This study addresses their expression and prognostic significance in human laryngeal carcinoma. Protein expressions of cofilin, N-WASP, α-parvin, β-parvin, and PINCH1 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 72 human laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Correlations with clinicopathological data and survival were evaluated. All proteins examined were overexpressed in human laryngeal carcinomas compared to adjacent nonneoplastic epithelium. High expression of PINCH1 was associated significantly with high grade, lymph node-positive, and advanced stage disease. Moreover, high PINCH1 expression significantly associated with poor overall and disease-free survival and high cytoplasmic PINCH1 expression was shown by multivariate analysis to independently predict poor overall survival. In conclusion, we provide novel evidence that focal adhesion signaling to actin cytoskeleton is implicated in human laryngeal carcinogenesis and PINCH1 has prognostic significance in the disease.

Prognostic Genetic Signatures in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Urothelial carcinoma is a highly heterogeneous disease that can arise throughout the entire urothelial lining from the renal pelvis to the proximal urethra. Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is rare, and while it shares many similarities with urothelial carcinoma of bladder (UCB), there are also significant differences between UTUC and UCB regarding clinical management and outcomes. No major advances have been made recently in the development of new systemic therapies for urothelial carcinoma, partly due to the lack of understanding of underlying molecular pathogenetic mechanisms. In the past decade, the emergence of next-generation sequencing has greatly enabled genomic characterization of tumor samples. Researchers are currently exploring a personalized approach to augment traditional clinical decision-making based on genetic alterations. In the present review, we summarize current genomic advances in UTUC and discuss the potential implications of these developments for developing prognostic and predictive biomarkers.

Increased expression of ESCO1 is correlated with poor patient survival and its role in human bladder cancer

There is increasing evidence suggesting that establishment of sister chromatid cohesion N-acetyltransferase 1 (ESCO1) was involved in tumorigenesis. However, its role in bladder cancer remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to study the clinical correlation and biological significance of ESCO1 in bladder cancer. Our results showed that ESCO1 was significantly over-expressed in bladder cancer tissues compared with that in adjacent normal tissues. And, increased ESCO1 expression was significantly associated with higher grade (P < 0.001), higher tumor stage (P = 0.014), and multifocality (P = 0.042). Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards model were performed to determine the prognostic significance of ESCO1, and the results showed that ESCO1 is a useful prognostic marker for bladder cancer patients. Moreover, we found that ESCO1 knockdown inhibited the growth, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cells. In conclusion, our findings indicated that ESCO1 may play an important role in human bladder cancer, and ESCO1 might serve as a novel target and prognosis factor for human bladder cancer.

Focal Adhesion Proteins α- and β-Parvin are Overexpressed in Human Colorectal Cancer and Correlate with Tumor Progression

This study aims to address the role of focal adhesion proteins α- and β-parvin in human colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Expression of α- and β-parvin was examined by immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR in a series of human CRC. Parvins were overexpressed in CRC and their expression correlated significantly with tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and disease stage. A significant positive correlation of parvins protein expression with overexpression of integrin-linked kinase, p-AKT, and nuclear β-catenin, as well as with downregulation of E-cadherin was also observed. In conclusion, overexpression of α- and β-parvin seems to be implicated in human colorectal cancer progression.

SATB1 overexpression regulates the development and progression in bladder cancer through EMT

The global gene regulator Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1 (SATB1) has been reported to induce EMT-like changes and be associated with poor clinical outcome in several cancers. This study aims to evaluate whether SATB1 affects the biological behaviors of bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) and further elucidate if this effect works through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. The expression of SATB1, E-cadherin (epithelial markers), vimentin (mesenchymal markers) in BTCC tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues, as well as in two cell lines of bladder cancer were investigated. Whether the SATB1 expression is associated with clinicopathological factors or not was statistically analyzed. Cell invasion and migration, cell cycle, cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated in SATB1 knockdown and overexpressed cell lines. Our results showed that the expression of SATB1 was remarkably up-regulated both in BTCC tissues and in bladder cancer cell lines with high potential of metastasis. The results were also associated with EMT markers and poor prognosis of BTCC patients. Moreover, SATB1 induced EMT processes through downregulation of E-cadherin, upregulation of E-cadherin repressors (Snail, Slug and vimentin). SATB1 also promoted cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, cell invasion and cell migration, but did not alter cell survival. In conclusion, our results suggest that SATB1 plays a crucial role in the progression of bladder cancer by regulating genes controlling EMT processes. Further, it may be a novel therapeutic target for aggressive bladder cancers.

PARVB overexpression increases cell migration capability and defines high risk for endophytic growth and metastasis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Background:

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is highly diverse, even in its early stages. This cancer is classified into three subtypes (superficial, exophytic, and endophytic) based on macroscopic appearance. Of these subtypes, the endophytic tumours have the worst prognosis because of their invasiveness and higher frequency of metastasis.

Methods:

To understand the molecular mechanism underlying the endophytic subtype and to identify biomarkers, we performed a comprehensive gene expression microarray analysis of clinical biopsy samples and also confirmed the clinical relevance of differential gene expression.

Results:

Expression of the parvin-beta (PARVB) gene and its encoded protein was significantly upregulated in endophytic-type TSCC. PARVB is known to play a critical role in actin reorganization and focal adhesions. Knockdown of PARVB expression in vitro caused apparent decreases in cell migration and wound healing, implying that PARVB has a crucial role in cell motility. Moreover, metastasis-free survival was significantly lower in patients with higher tumour expression of PARVB.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that PARVB overexpression is a candidate biomarker for endophytic tumours and metastasis. This protein may be a clinically useful target for adjuvant TSCC therapy.

Molecular aspects of upper tract urothelial carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Primary upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a relatively rare tumor with up to 60% of cases being muscle invasive at presentation. In this article we review the molecular biology of UTUC, an understanding of which may help to address some of the dilemmas surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of this disease and ultimately lead to the introduction of personalized treatment plans.

METHODS

The literature search on the molecular aspects of UTUC was performed using the National Library of Medicine database.

RESULTS

UTUC and urothelial carcinomas of the bladder share many common biological pathways. UTUC are more commonly associated with conditions such as Balkan Endemic Nephropathy and Hereditary Non Polyposis Colon Cancer (HNPCC), the molecular basis of which is now being understood. A large number of potential biomarkers have been studied to help identify robust prognostic markers in UTUC.

CONCLUSION

Advances in our understanding of the biology of UTUC is may in the future help to identify novel druggable targets, clinically applicable biomarkers and guide treatment of the rare but lethal condition.

Migfilin, α-parvin and β-parvin are differentially expressed in ovarian serous carcinoma effusions, primary tumors and solid metastases

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to analyze the expression and clinical role of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), α-parvin, β-parvin and migfilin in advanced-stage serous ovarian carcinoma.

METHODS

Expression of these 4 proteins was investigated in 205 effusions and in 94 patient-matched solid lesions (33 primary tumors and 61 solid metastases) using immunohistochemistry. Protein expression was analyzed for association with clinicopathologic parameters and survival.

RESULTS

ILK, α-parvin, β-parvin and migfilin were expressed in tumor cells in 53%, 2%, 28% and 53% of effusions and 57%, 20%, 83% and 25% of solid lesions, respectively. Statistical analysis showed significantly higher α-parvin and β-parvin expression in primary carcinomas (p=0.02 and p=0.001, respectively) and solid metastases (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively), compared to effusions, with opposite findings for migfilin (p=0.006 and p=0.008 for primary carcinomas and solid metastases, respectively). ILK expression was comparable at all anatomic sites. β-Parvin expression in effusions was associated with better response to chemotherapy at diagnosis (p=0.014), with no other significant association with clinicopathologic parameters or survival. Expression in primary tumors and solid metastases was similarly unrelated to clinicopathologic parameters or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides further evidence to our previous observations that the adhesion profile of ovarian serous carcinoma cells in effusions differs from their counterparts in primary carcinomas and solid metastases. β-Parvin may be a novel marker of chemoresponse in metastatic ovarian carcinoma.

Meta analysis of gene expression changes upon treatment of A549 cells with anti-cancer drugs to identify universal responses

A meta-analysis of publicly available gene expression changes in A549 cells upon treatment with anti-cancer drugs is reported. To reduce false positives, both fold-change and significance level cutoffs were used. Simulated datasets and permutation analysis were used to guide choice of ratio cutoff. Of the genes identified, FDXR is the only gene differentially expressed in six of the seven drug treatments. Though FDXR has been reported to be differentially expressed upon treatment with 5-fluorouracil and its expression correlated to long term disease survival, to our knowledge this is a first study implicating a wide effect of anti-cancer drug treatment on FDXR expression. The other genes identified which are differentially expressed in four out of the seven drug treatments are CDKN1A and PARVB which are upregulated and MYC, HBP1, LDLR, SIM2, ALX1 and GPHN which are downregulated.