JMJD8 is a positive regulator of TNF-induced NF-κB signaling

EGLN3 attenuates gastric cancer cell malignant characteristics by inhibiting JMJD8/NF-κB signalling activation independent of hydroxylase activity

BACKGROUND

The expression of Egl-9 family hypoxia-inducible factor 3 (EGLN3) is notably decreased in various malignancies, including gastric cancer (GC). While the predominant focus has been on the hydroxylase activity of EGLN3 for its antitumour effects, recent findings have suggested nonenzymatic roles for EGLN3.

METHODS

This study assessed the clinical significance of EGLN3 expression in GC and explored the connection between EGLN3 DNA promoter methylation and transcriptional silencing. To investigate the effect of EGLN3 on GC cells, a gain-of-function strategy was adopted. RNA sequencing was conducted to identify the key effector molecules and signalling pathways associated with EGLN3.

RESULTS

EGLN3 expression was significantly reduced in GC tissues, correlating with poorer patient prognosis. EGLN3 hypermethylation disrupts transcriptional equilibrium, contributing to deeper tumour invasion and lymph node metastasis, thus exacerbating GC progression. Conversely, restoration of EGLN3 expression in GC cells substantially inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis. EGLN3 was also found to impede the malignant progression of GC cells by downregulating Jumonji C domain-containing protein 8-mediated activation of the NF-κB pathway, independent of its hydroxylase activity.

CONCLUSIONS

EGLN3 has the potential to hinder the spread of GC cells through a nonenzymatic mechanism, thereby shedding light on the complex nature of GC progression.

JMJD8 regulates neuropathic pain by affecting spinal cord astrocyte differentiation

The demethylase JmjC structural domain-containing protein 8 (JMJD8) has been demonstrated to be involved in cellular inflammatory responses. Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic pain, and it is unclear whether JMJD8 is involved in the regulation of NP. Using a chronic constriction injury (CCI) mouse model of NP, we investigated the expression levels of JMJD8 during NP and the influences of JMJD8 on regulating pain sensitivity. We found that JMJD8 expression in the spinal dorsal horn was reduced after CCI. Immunohistochemistry showed that JMJD8 was colabeled with GFAP in naïve mice. Knockdown of JMJD8 in the spinal dorsal horn astrocytes induced pain behavior. Further study showed that overexpression of JMJD8 in the spinal dorsal horn astrocytes not only reversed pain behavior but also activated the spinal dorsal horn A1 astrocytes. These results suggest that JMJD8 may modulate pain sensitivity by affecting activated the spinal dorsal horn A1 astrocytes and may be a potential therapeutic target for NP.

Therapeutic m6A Eraser ALKBH5 mRNA-Loaded Exosome-Liposome Hybrid Nanoparticles Inhibit Progression of Colorectal Cancer in Preclinical Tumor Models

Although therapeutic targets have been developed for colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy, the therapeutic effects are not ideal and the survival rate for CRC patients remains poor. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize a specific target and develop an efficacious delivery system for CRC therapy. Herein, we demonstrate that reduced ALKBH5 mediates aberrant m⁶A modification and tumor progression in CRC. Mechanically, histone deacetylase 2-mediated H3K27 deacetylation inhibits ALKBH5 transcription in CRC, whereas ectopic ALKBH5 expression decreases tumorigenesis of CRC cells and protects mice from colitis-associated tumor development. Further, METTL14/ALKBH5/IGF2BPs combine to modulate JMJD8 stability in an m⁶A-dependent manner, which increases glycolysis and accelerates the development of CRC by enhancing the enzymatic activity of PKM2. Moreover, ALKBH5 mRNA-loaded folic acid-modified exosome-liposome hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized and significantly inhibit the progression of CRC in preclinical tumor models by modulating the ALKBH5/JMJD8/PKM2 axis and inhibiting glycolysis. Overall, our research confirms the crucial function of ALKBH5 in regulating the m⁶A status in CRC and provides a direct preclinical approach for using ALKBH5 mRNA nanotherapeutics for CRC.

Genetic mapping of microbial and host traits reveals production of immunomodulatory lipids by Akkermansia muciniphila in the murine gut

The molecular bases of how host genetic variation impacts the gut microbiome remain largely unknown. Here we used a genetically diverse mouse population and applied systems genetics strategies to identify interactions between host and microbe phenotypes including microbial functions, using faecal metagenomics, small intestinal transcripts and caecal lipids that influence microbe-host dynamics. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping identified murine genomic regions associated with variations in bacterial taxa; bacterial functions including motility, sporulation and lipopolysaccharide production and levels of bacterial- and host-derived lipids. We found overlapping QTL for the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and caecal levels of ornithine lipids. Follow-up in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that A. muciniphila is a major source of these lipids in the gut, provided evidence that ornithine lipids have immunomodulatory effects and identified intestinal transcripts co-regulated with these traits including Atf3, which encodes for a transcription factor that plays vital roles in modulating metabolism and immunity. Collectively, these results suggest that ornithine lipids are potentially important for A. muciniphila-host interactions and support the role of host genetics as a determinant of responses to gut microbes.

JMJD8 Functions as a Novel AKT1 Lysine Demethylase

JMJD8 is a protein from the JMJD family that only has the JmjC domain. Studies on the function of JMJD8 indicate that JMJD8 is involved in signaling pathways, including AKT/NF-κB, and thus affects cell proliferation and development. Here, we reported the activity of JMJD8 as a non-histone demethylase. We investigated the demethylation of JMJD8 on trimethylated lysine of AKT1 in vivo and in vitro using trimethylated AKT1 short peptide and AKT1 protein, and we tracked the regulation of JMJD8 on AKT1 activity at the cellular level. The results showed that JMJD8, a mini lysine demethylase, altered AKT1 protein function via changing its degree of methylation.

Exploring links between 2-oxoglutarate-dependent oxygenases and Alzheimer's disease

Hypoxia, that is, an inadequate oxygen supply, is linked to neurodegeneration and patients with cardiovascular disease are prone to Alzheimer's disease (AD). 2-Oxoglutarate and ferrous iron-dependent oxygenases (2OGDD) play a key role in the regulation of oxygen homeostasis by acting as hypoxia sensors. 2OGDD also have roles in collagen biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, nucleic acid repair, and the regulation of transcription and translation. Many biological processes in which the >60 human 2OGDD are involved are altered in AD patient brains, raising the question as to whether 2OGDD are involved in the transition from normal aging to AD. Here we give an overview of human 2OGDD and critically discuss their potential roles in AD, highlighting possible relationships with synapse dysfunction/loss. 2OGDD may regulate neuronal/glial differentiation through enzyme activity-dependent mechanisms and modulation of their activity has potential to protect against synapse loss. Work linking 2OGDD and AD is at an early stage, especially from a therapeutic perspective; we suggest integrated pathology and in vitro discovery research to explore their roles in AD is merited. We hope to help enable long-term research on the roles of 2OGDD and, more generally, oxygen/hypoxia in AD. We also suggest shorter term empirically guided clinical studies concerning the exploration of 2OGDD/oxygen modulators to help maintain synaptic viability are of interest for AD treatment.

JMJD family proteins in cancer and inflammation

The occurrence of cancer entails a series of genetic mutations that favor uncontrollable tumor growth. It is believed that various factors collectively contribute to cancer, and there is no one single explanation for tumorigenesis. Epigenetic changes such as the dysregulation of enzymes modifying DNA or histones are actively involved in oncogenesis and inflammatory response. The methylation of lysine residues on histone proteins represents a class of post-translational modifications. The human Jumonji C domain-containing (JMJD) protein family consists of more than 30 members. The JMJD proteins have long been identified with histone lysine demethylases (KDM) and histone arginine demethylases activities and thus could function as epigenetic modulators in physiological processes and diseases. Importantly, growing evidence has demonstrated the aberrant expression of JMJD proteins in cancer and inflammatory diseases, which might serve as an underlying mechanism for the initiation and progression of such diseases. Here, we discuss the role of key JMJD proteins in cancer and inflammation, including the intensively studied histone lysine demethylases, as well as the understudied group of JMJD members. In particular, we focused on epigenetic changes induced by each JMJD member and summarized recent research progress evaluating their therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.

JMJD8 Is an M2 Macrophage Biomarker, and It Associates With DNA Damage Repair to Facilitate Stemness Maintenance, Chemoresistance, and Immunosuppression in Pan-Cancer

Background

JMJD8 has recently been identified as a cancer-related gene, but current studies provide limited information. We aimed to clarify its roles and the potential mechanisms in pan-cancer.

Methods

Pan-cancer bulk sequencing data and online web tools were applied to analyze JMJD8’s correlations with prognosis, genome instability, cancer stemness, DNA repair, and immune infiltration. Moreover, single-cell datasets, SpatialDB database, and multiple fluorescence staining were used to validate the association between JMJD8 expression and M2 macrophages. Further, we utilized ROCplotter and cMap web tool to analyze the therapeutic responses and screened JMJD8-targeted compounds, respectively, and we used AlphaFold2 and Discovery Studio to conduct JMJD8 homology modeling and molecular docking.

Results

We first noticed that JMJD8 was an oncogene in many cancer types. High JMJD8 was associated with lower genome stability. We then found that high JMJD8 correlated with high expression of mismatch repair genes, stemness, homologous repair gene signature in more than 9 cancers. ESTIMATE and cytokine analyses results presented JMJD8’s association with immunosuppression. Also, immune checkpoint CD276 was positively relevant to JMJD8. Subsequently, we validated JMJD8 as the M2 macrophage marker and showed its connection with other immunosuppressive cells and CD8+ T-cell depression. Finally, potential JMJD8-targeted drugs were screened out and docked to JMJD8 protein.

Conclusion

We found that JMJD8 was a novel oncogene, and it correlated with immunosuppression and DNA repair. JMJD8 was highly associated with immune checkpoint CD276 and was an M2 macrophage biomarker in many cancers. This study will reveal JMJD8’s roles in pan-cancer and its potential as a novel therapeutic target.

A Deep Learning-Based Framework for Supporting Clinical Diagnosis of Glioblastoma Subtypes

Understanding molecular features that facilitate aggressive phenotypes in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains a major clinical challenge. Accurate diagnosis of GBM subtypes, namely classical, proneural, and mesenchymal, and identification of specific molecular features are crucial for clinicians for systematic treatment. We develop a biologically interpretable and highly efficient deep learning framework based on a convolutional neural network for subtype identification. The classifiers were generated from high-throughput data of different molecular levels, i.e., transcriptome and methylome. Furthermore, an integrated subsystem of transcriptome and methylome data was also used to build the biologically relevant model. Our results show that deep learning model outperforms the traditional machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, to evaluate the biological and clinical applicability of the classification, we performed weighted gene correlation network analysis, gene set enrichment, and survival analysis of the feature genes. We identified the genotype-phenotype relationship of GBM subtypes and the subtype-specific predictive biomarkers for potential diagnosis and treatment.

The genetic basis of spatial cognitive variation in a food-caching bird

Spatial cognition is used by most organisms to navigate their environment. Some species rely particularly heavily on specialized spatial cognition to survive, suggesting that a heritable component of cognition may be under natural selection. This idea remains largely untested outside of humans, perhaps because cognition in general is known to be strongly affected by learning and experience.^1-4 We investigated the genetic basis of individual variation in spatial cognition used by non-migratory food-caching birds to recover food stores and survive harsh montane winters. Comparing the genomes of wild, free-living birds ranging from best to worst in their performance on a spatial cognitive task revealed significant associations with genes involved in neuron growth and development and hippocampal function. These results identify candidate genes associated with differences in spatial cognition and provide a critical link connecting individual variation in spatial cognition with natural selection.

MiR-873-5p: A Potential Molecular Marker for Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis

miR-873 is a microRNA located on chromosome 9p21.1. miR-873-5p and miR-873-3p are the two main members of the miR-873 family. Most studies focus on miR-873-5p, and there are a few studies on miR-873-3p. The expression level of miR-873-5p was down-regulated in 14 cancers and up-regulated in 4 cancers. miR-873-5p has many targeted genes, which have unique molecular functions such as catalytic activity, transcription regulation, and binding. miR-873-5p affects cancer development through the PIK3/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-Catenin, NF-κβ, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In addition, the target genes of miR-873-5p are closely related to the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, cell cycle, cell stemness, and glycolysis of cancer cells. The target genes of miR-873-5p are also related to the efficacy of several anti-cancer drugs. Currently, in cancer, the expression of miR-873-5p is regulated by a variety of epigenetic factors. This review summarizes the role and mechanism of miR-873-5p in human tumors shows the potential value of miR-873-5p as a molecular marker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

JMJD8 is a Novel Molecular Nexus Between Adipocyte-Intrinsic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Chronic low-grade inflammation, often referred to as metainflammation, develops in response to overnutrition and is a major player in the regulation of insulin sensitivity. While many studies have investigated adipose tissue inflammation from the perspective of the immune cell compartment, little is known about how adipocytes intrinsically contribute to metainflammation and insulin resistance at the molecular level. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for Jumonji C Domain Containing Protein 8 (JMJD8) as an adipocyte-intrinsic molecular nexus between inflammation and insulin resistance. We determined that JMJD8 was highly enriched in white adipose tissue, especially in the adipocyte fraction. Adipose JMJD8 levels were dramatically increased in obesity-associated insulin resistance models. Its levels were increased by feeding and insulin, and inhibited by fasting. A JMJD8 gain of function was sufficient to drive insulin resistance, whereas loss of function improved insulin sensitivity in mouse and human adipocytes. Consistent with this, Jmjd8-ablated mice had increased whole-body and adipose insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance on both chow and a high-fat diet, while adipocyte-specific Jmjd8-overexpressing mice displayed worsened whole-body metabolism on a high-fat diet. We found that JMJD8 affected the transcriptional regulation of inflammatory genes. In particular, it was required for LPS-mediated inflammation and insulin resistance in adipocytes. For this, JMJD8 required Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF3) to mediate its actions in adipocytes. Together, our results demonstrate that JMJD8 acts as a novel molecular factor that drives adipocyte inflammation in conjunction with insulin sensitivity.

Heat stress and immune response phenotype affect DNA methylation in blood mononuclear cells from Holstein dairy cows

Heat stress negatively affects health and production in cows. Examining the cellular response to heat stress could reveal underlying protective molecular mechanisms associated with superior resilience and ultimately enable selection for more resilient cattle. This type of investigation is increasingly important as future predictions for the patterns of heat waves point to increases in frequency, severity, and duration. Cows identified as high immune responders based on High Immune Response technology (HIR) have lower disease occurrence compared to their average and low immune responder herd-mates. In this study, our goal was to identify epigenetic differences between high and low immune responder cows in response to heat stress. We examined genome-wide DNA methylation of blood mononuclear cells (BMCs) isolated from high and low cows, before and after in vitro heat stress. We identified differential methylation of promoter regions associated with a variety of biological processes including immune function, stress response, apoptosis, and cell signalling. The specific differentially methylated promoter regions differed between samples from high and low cows, and results revealed pathways associated with cellular protection during heat stress.

JMJD8 Promotes Malignant Progression of Lung Cancer by Maintaining EGFR Stability and EGFR/PI3K/AKT Pathway Activation

JMJD8 is a JmjC domain-containing protein that has not been widely examined, despite its potential role in malignant tumor development. The underlying biological functions and molecular mechanisms of JMJD8 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. Herein, we explored the relationship between JMJD8 and the activation of malignancy pathways in NSCLC. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that high JMJD8 expression significantly correlated with cell differentiation and advanced TNM stages of NSCLC. The overexpression of JMJD8 promoted cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. Upon JMJD8 knockdown in lung cancer cell lines, cyclin B1, RhoA, RhoC, MMP9, and N-cadherin were down-regulated, and p21 and E-cadherin were conversely up-regulated. Key factors in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, such as p‑AKT, showed clear decreases in expression; additionally, the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which functions upstream of PI3K, was altered. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that JMJD8 interacts with EGFR, and JMJD8 knockdown accelerated EGFR degradation. Our results suggested that JMJD8 functions as an oncogenic regulator in NSCLC. We found that JMJD8 promotes carcinogenic activity in NSCLC cells by facilitating EGFR stability, thereby activating the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. JMJD8 shows potential as a prognostic marker for lung cancer patients, providing a new target for therapeutic strategies.

Aberrant JmjC domain-containing protein 8 (JMJD8) expression promotes activation of AKT and tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Posttranslational modifications of histone and nonhistone proteins greatly influence numerous molecular events in multiple diseases. Jumonji domain-containing proteins are a family functioning as histone demethylase. Jumonji domain-containing protein 8 (JMJD8) is Jumonji C (JmjC) domain-only member of this family, and its physiological functions remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which aberrant JMJD8 stimulates phosphorylation of AKT and activate AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway thereby promotes tumor cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We demonstrated that knockdown of JMJD8 increased the interaction of SETDB1 and phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) with AKT1 and resulted in enhanced trimethylation of AKT1 at lysine 142 (K142), which is crucial for cell membrane recruitment, phosphorylation, and activation of AKT. Moreover, the mutation of histidine 200 of JMJD8 (JMJD8-H200Q) disrupted its binding with AKT1 and increased interaction of SETDB1 and PDK1 with AKT1. Furthermore, histone demethylase jumonji domain-containing protein 2B functioned as an adapter to recruit β-catenin to the methylated AKT1 upon JMJD8 depression, which facilitated the phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser552 and its accumulation in cell nucleus where the activated β-catenin transcriptionally stimulated the expression of genes involved in EMT. In conclusion, our data unraveled a novel role of JMJD8 in regulating the migration and invasion of tumor via modulating AKT methylation and activation. In addition, this study showed that JMJD8 is a potential biomarker and drug design target for tumor EMT.

LY75 Ablation Mediates Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition (MET) in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Cells Associated with DNA Methylation Alterations and Suppression of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Growing evidence demonstrates that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) progression and spreading; however, its molecular mechanisms remain poorly defined. We have previously shown that the antigen receptor LY75 can modulate EOC cell phenotype and metastatic potential, as LY75 depletion directed mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) in EOC cell lines with mesenchymal phenotype. We used the LY75-mediated modulation of EMT as a model to investigate for DNA methylation changes during EMT in EOC cells, by applying the reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) methodology. Numerous genes have displayed EMT-related DNA methylation patterns alterations in their promoter/exon regions. Ten selected genes, whose DNA methylation alterations were further confirmed by alternative methods, were further identified, some of which could represent new EOC biomarkers/therapeutic targets. Moreover, our methylation data were strongly indicative for the predominant implication of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the EMT-induced DNA methylation variations in EOC cells. Consecutive experiments, including alterations in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in EOC cells with a specific inhibitor and the identification of LY75-interacting partners by a proteomic approach, were strongly indicative for the direct implication of the LY75 receptor in modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in EOC cells.

JmjC domain-containing protein 8 (JMJD8) represses Ku70/Ku80 expression via attenuating AKT/NF-κB/COX-2 signaling

Jumonji C (JmjC) domain-containing proteins have been shown to regulate cellular processes by hydroxylating or demethylating histone and non-histone targets. JMJD8 is a Jumonji C domain-containing protein localized in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and was recently shown to be involved in endothelial differentiation and cellular inflammation response. However, other physiological functions of JMJD8 remain to be elucidated. In this research, we found that knockdown of JMJD8 in cancer cells significantly increased cell proliferation, and attenuated ionizing irradiation or etoposide treatment-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) level through enhancing the expression of Ku70 and Ku80 which are key participants in the non-homologous end-joining repair of DSBs. We also provided evidence to show that knockdown of JMJD8 up-regulated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression which contributed to the enhanced expression of Ku70/Ku80 as shown by the results that pre-treatment of JMJD8 knockdown cells with COX-2 selective inhibitor NS-398 inhibited the induction of Ku70/Ku80. Furthermore, we identified that the up-regulation of COX-2 in JMJD8 knockdown cells was partially due to the increased activation of AKT/NF-κB signaling, and LY294002 (an inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway) repressed the induction of COX-2 and Ku70/Ku80. In conclusion, our research provided data to establish the role of JMJD8 in regulating tumor cell proliferation and their sensitivity to ionizing irradiation or chemo-therapy drug, and the AKT/NF-κB/COX-2 signaling mediated expression of Ku70/Ku80 was involved. The results of this research indicated that JMJD8 is a potential target for enhancing the efficacy of tumor radio- and chemo-therapies.

MiR-873-5p suppresses cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via directly targeting Jumonji domain-containing protein 8 through the NF-κB pathway in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Recent studies showed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the development of diseases, such as CRC. However, the role of miR-873-5p in CRC remains unclear. In this study, we found that miR-873-5p expression was down-regulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and the down-regulation of miR-873-5p expression was associated with poor survival in patients with CRC. MiR-873-5p could function as a tumour suppressor in CRC. It could inhibit the growth, proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells; influence the cell cycle and enhance apoptosis of CRC cells. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter analyses demonstrated that Jumonji domain-containing protein 8 (JMJD8) was a target of miR-873-5p that could directly target the 3'UTR of JMJD8 and significantly inhibit its expression in CRC cells. This study also verified that JMJD8 functioned as an oncogene in CRC cells. The over-expression of JMJD8 could partly save the harmful effects induced by miR-873-5p in CRC cells, demonstrating that miR-873-5p suppressed carcinogenesis by targeting JMJD8 in CRC. We also verified that miR-873-5p over-expression could suppress CRC cell growth by inhibiting JMJD8 and its downstream NF-κB pathway in CRC. Hence, miR-873-5p inhibited tumour growth, and it may be a potential biomarker and a promising treatment for CRC.

The small members of the JMJD protein family: Enzymatic jewels or jinxes?

Jumonji C domain-containing (JMJD) proteins are mostly epigenetic regulators that demethylate histones. However, a hitherto neglected subfamily of JMJD proteins, evolutionarily distant and characterized by their relatively small molecular weight, exerts different functions by hydroxylating proteins and RNA. Recently, unsuspected proteolytic and tyrosine kinase activities were also ascribed to some of these small JMJD proteins, further increasing their enzymatic versatility. Here, we discuss the ten human small JMJD proteins (HIF1AN, HSPBAP1, JMJD4, JMJD5, JMJD6, JMJD7, JMJD8, RIOX1, RIOX2, TYW5) and their diverse physiological functions. In particular, we focus on the roles of these small JMJD proteins in cancer and other maladies and how they are modulated in diseased cells by an altered metabolic milieu, including hypoxia, reactive oxygen species and oncometabolites. Because small JMJD proteins are enzymes, they are amenable to inhibition by small molecules and may represent novel targets in the therapy of cancer and other diseases.

JMJD8 is a novel endoplasmic reticulum protein with a JmjC domain

Jumonji C (JmjC) domain-containing proteins have been shown to regulate cellular processes by hydroxylating or demethylating histone and non-histone targets. JMJD8 belongs to the JmjC domain-only family that was recently shown to be involved in angiogenesis and TNF-induced NF-κB signaling. Here, we employed bioinformatic analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy to examine the physiological properties of JMJD8. We demonstrated that JMJD8 localizes to the lumen of endoplasmic reticulum and that JMJD8 forms dimers or oligomers in vivo. Furthermore, we identified potential JMJD8-interacting proteins that are known to regulate protein complex assembly and protein folding. Taken together, this work demonstrates that JMJD8 is the first JmjC domain-containing protein found in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum that may function in protein complex assembly and protein folding.

Quinic acid inhibits vascular inflammation in TNF-α-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, and the increased expression of adhesion molecules on vascular smooth muscle cells contributes to the progression of vascular disease. Quinic acid (QA) has been shown to possess radioprotection, anti-neuroinflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities; however, an anti-vascular inflammatory effect has not been reported. This study investigated the effect of QA on the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) stimulated by TNF-α in MOVAS cells. Pre-incubation of MOVAS cells, the mouse vascular smooth muscle cell line for 2h with QA (0.1, 1 and 10 μg/mL) dose-dependently inhibits TNF-α-induced mRNA and protein expression of VCAM-1 and monocyte adhesion. QA inhibits TNF-α-stimulated phosphorylation of MAP kinase and NK-κB activation. Our results indicate that QA inhibits the TNF-α-stimulated induction of VCAM-1 in VSMC by inhibiting the MAP kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways and the adhesion capacity of VSMC, which may explain the ability of QA to inhibit vascular inflammation such as atherosclerosis.

Hypoxia and Inflammation in Cancer, Focus on HIF and NF-κB

Cancer is often characterised by the presence of hypoxia and inflammation. Paramount to the mechanisms controlling cellular responses under such stress stimuli, are the transcription factor families of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF) and Nuclear Factor of κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). Although, a detailed understating of how these transcription factors respond to their cognate stimulus is well established, it is now appreciated that HIF and NF-κB undergo extensive crosstalk, in particular in pathological situations such as cancer. Here, we focus on the current knowledge on how HIF is activated by inflammation and how NF-κB is modulated by hypoxia. We summarise the evidence for the possible mechanism behind this activation and how HIF and NF-κB function impacts cancer, focusing on colorectal, breast and lung cancer. We discuss possible new points of therapeutic intervention aiming to harness the current understanding of the HIF-NF-κB crosstalk.