Function and mechanism exploration of zinc finger protein 64 in lung adenocarcinoma cell growth and metastasis

KDM1A-mediated ZFP64 demethylation activates CENPL to promote epithelial ovarian cancer progression

Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A) has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for treating various cancers, owing to its observed overexpression. However, its function in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains uncertain. The current study sought to investigate the function of KDM1A on malignant phenotypes of EOC cells as well as the underlying mechanism. Colony formation assay, cell counting kit-8, wound healing, Transwell assays, and TUNEL assays were performed to investigate the effects of KDM1A, Zinc finger protein 64 (ZFP64), and centromere protein L (CENPL) in vitro, while subcutaneous tumor formation models were established in nude mice to evaluate their roles in vivo. KDM1A, ZFP64, and CENPL were overexpressed in EOC tissues and cells. Knockdown of KDM1A, ZFP64, or CENPL inhibited the biological behavior of EOC cells. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that KDM1A stimulated ZFP64 expression by removing the H3K9me2 mark from its promoter. Restoration of ZFP64 promoted EOC cell malignant phenotype in the presence of KDM1A knockdown. ZFP64 activated CENPL transcription. Reactivation of CENPL promoted the growth of EOC cells in vivo inhibited by knockdown of ZFP64. Collectively, KDM1A promoted EOC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and reduced apoptosis by activating the ZFP64/CENPL axis, which triggered EOC progression.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10616-024-00671-w.

Secretase promotes AD progression: simultaneously cleave Notch and APP

Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves complex pathological mechanisms. Secretases include membrane protein extracellular structural domain proteases and intramembrane proteases that cleave the topology to type I or type II. Secretases can effectively regulate the activation of Notch and amyloid precursor protein (APP), key factors in the progression of AD and cancer. This article systematically summarizes the intracellular localization, cleavage sites and products, and biological functions of six subtypes of secretases (α-secretase, β-secretase, γ-secretase, δ-secretase, ε-secretase, and η-secretase), and for the first time, elucidates the commonalities and differences between these subtypes of secretases. We found that each subtype of secretase primarily cleaves APP and Notch as substrates, regulating Aβ levels through APP cleavage to impact the progression of AD, while also cleaving Notch receptors to affect cancer progression. Finally, we review the chemical structures, indications, and research stages of various secretase inhibitors, emphasizing the promising development of secretase inhibitors in the fields of cancer and AD.

Prognostic analysis of patients with gastric cancer based on N6-methyladenosine modification patterns and tumor microenvironment characterization

Background

Cancers arise from genetic and epigenetic abnormalities that affect oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, compounded by gene mutations. The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification, regulated by methylation regulators, has been implicated in tumor proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis. However, the role of m6A modification patterns in the tumor microenvironment of gastric cancer (GC) remains poorly understood.

Materials and methods

In this study, we analyzed m6A modification patterns in 267 GC samples utilizing 31 m6A regulators. Using consensus clustering, we identified two unique subgroups of GC. Patients with GC were segregated into high- and low-infiltration cohorts to evaluate the infiltration proportions of the five prognostically significant immune cell types. Leveraging the differential genes in GC, we identified a "green" module via Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis. A risk prediction model was established using the LASSO regression method.

Results

The "green" module was connected to both the m6A RNA methylation cluster and immune infiltration patterns. Based on "Module Membership" and "Gene Significance", 37 hub genes were identified, and a risk prediction model incorporating nine hub genes was established. Furthermore, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA Immunoprecipitation assays revealed that YTHDF1 elevated the expression of DNMT3B, which synergistically promoted the initiation and development of GC. We elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of DNMT3B by YTHDF1 and explored the crosstalk between m6A and 5mC modification.

Conclusion

m6A RNA methylation regulators are instrumental in malignant progression and the dynamics of tumor microenvironment infiltration of GC. Assessing m6A modification patterns and tumor microenvironment infiltration characteristics in patients with GC holds promise as a valuable prognostic biomarker.

Integrated Single Cell and Bulk RNA-Seq Analysis Revealed Immunomodulatory Effects of Ulinastatin in Sepsis: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit, which is caused by unregulated inflammatory response leading to organ injuries. Ulinastatin (UTI), an immunomodulatory agent, is widely used in clinical practice and is associated with improved outcomes in sepsis. But its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Our study integrated bulk and single cell RNA-seq data to systematically explore the potential mechanisms of the effects of UTI in sepsis. After adjusting for potential confounders in the negative binomial regression model, there were more genes being downregulated than being upregulated in the UTI group. These down-regulated genes were enriched in the neutrophil involved immunity such as neutrophil activation and degranulation, indicating the immunomodulatory effects of UTI is mediated via regulation of neutrophil activity. By deconvoluting the bulk RNA-seq samples to obtain fractions of cell types, the Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were significantly expanded in the UTI treated samples. Further cell-cell communication analysis revealed some signaling pathways such as ANEEXIN, GRN and RESISTIN that might be involved in the immunomodulatory effects of UTI. The study provides a comprehensive reference map of transcriptional states of sepsis treated with UTI, as well as a general framework for studying UTI-related mechanisms.