Upregulation of cyclase-associated actin cytoskeleton regulatory protein 2 in epithelial ovarian cancer correlates with aggressive histologic types and worse outcomes

Integrative machine learning frameworks to uncover specific protein signature in neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (NECC) is a rare but highly aggressive tumor. The clinical management of NECC follows neuroendocrine neoplasms and cervical cancer in general. However, the diagnosis and prognosis of NECC remain dismal. The aim of this study was to identify a specific protein signature for the diagnosis of NECC.

METHODS

Protein and gene expression data for NECC and other cervical cancers were retrieved or downloaded from self-collected samples or public resources. Eleven machine-learning algorithms were packaged into 66 combinations, of which we selected the optimal algorithm, including randomForest, SVM-RFE, and LASSO, to select key NECC specific dysregulated proteins (kNsDEPs). The diagnostic effect of kNsDEPs was validated by a set of predictive models and immunohistochemical staining method. The dysregulation patterns of kNsDEPs were further investigated in other neuroendocrine carcinomas.

RESULTS

Our results showed that NECC displays distinctive biological characteristics, such as HPV18 infection, and exhibits unique molecular features, particularly an enrichment in cytoskeleton-related functions. Furthermore, secretagogin (SCGN), adenylyl cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2), and calcyclin-binding protein (CACYBP) were identified as kNsDEPs. These kNsDEPs play a central role in cytoskeleton protein binding and showcase robust diagnostic ability and specificity for NECC. Moreover, the concurrent upregulation of SCGN and CACYBP, along with the downregulation of CAP2, represents a unique feature of NECC, distinguishing it from other neuroendocrine carcinomas.

CONCLUSIONS

This study uncovers the significance of kNsDEPs and elucidates their regulated networks in the context of NECC. It highlights the pivotal role of kNsDEPs in NECC diagnosis, thus offering promising prospects for the development of diagnostic biomarkers for NECC.

Understanding functions of eEF1 translation elongation factors beyond translation. A proteomic approach

Mammalian translation elongation factors eEF1A1 and eEF1A2 are 92% homologous isoforms whose mutually exclusive tissue-specific expression is regulated during development. The isoforms have similar translation functionality, but show differences in spatial organization and participation in various processes, such as oncogenesis and virus reproduction. The differences may be due to their ability to interact with isoform-specific partner proteins. We used the identified sets of eEF1A1 or eEF1A2 partner proteins to identify cell complexes and/or processes specific to one particular isoform. As a result, we found isoform-specific interactions reflecting the involvement of different eEF1A isoforms in different cellular processes, including actin-related, chromatin-remodeling, ribonuclease H2, adenylyl cyclase, and Cul3-RING ubiquitin ligase complexes as well as initiation of mitochondrial transcription. An essential by-product of our analysis is the elucidation of a number of cellular processes beyond protein biosynthesis, where both isoforms appear to participate such as large ribosomal subunit biogenesis, mRNA splicing, DNA mismatch repair, 26S proteasome activity, P-body and exosomes formation, protein targeting to the membrane. This information suggests that a relatively high content of eEF1A in the cell may be necessary not only to maintain efficient translation, but also to ensure its participation in various cellular processes, where some roles of eEF1A have not yet been described. We believe that the data presented here will be useful for deciphering new auxiliary functions of eEF1A and its isoforms, and provide a new look at the known non-canonical functions of this main component of the human translation-elongation machinery.

CAP2 promotes gastric cancer metastasis by mediating the interaction between tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages

The metastasis of cancer cells is the main cause of death in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Mounting evidence has demonstrated the vital importance of tumor-associated macrophages in promoting tumor invasion and metastasis; however, the interaction between tumor cells and macrophages in GC is largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) was upregulated in GC, especially in cases with lymph node metastasis, and was correlated with a poorer prognosis. The transcription factor JUN directly bound to the promoter region of CAP2 and activated CAP2 transcription. The N-terminal domain of CAP2 bound to the WD5 to WD7 domains of receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) and induced M2 macrophage polarization by activating the SRC/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/ERK signaling pathway, which resulted in IL-4 and IL-10 secretion. Polarized M2 macrophages induced premetastatic niche formation and promoted GC metastasis by secreting TGFB1, which created a TGFB1/JUN/CAP2 positive-feedback loop to activate CAP2 expression continuously. Furthermore, we identified salvianolic acid B as an inhibitor of CAP2, which effectively inhibited GC cell invasion capabilities by suppressing the SRC/FAK/ERK signaling pathway. Our data suggest that CAP2, a key molecule mediating the interaction between GC cells and tumor-associated macrophages, may be a promising therapeutic target for suppressing tumor metastasis in GC.

CAP2 contributes to tumorigenesis in gastric cancer by targeting transcription factor SOX9

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common tumors and the major cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. The purpose of this study is to identify new biomarker and reveal its potential molecular mechanism in GC.

Methods

The expression of CAP2 was observed by the bioinformatics analysis and western blot assays. The effects of CAP2 on cell proliferation and growth were tested by MTT assay, EdU assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometric assay, respectively. ChIP and dual-luciferase assays were confirmed that SOX9 binding sites were putative regulatory elements in the transcriptional activation of CAP2. Furthermore, western blot and xenograft assays were applied to examine whether SOX9 was involved in the regulation of CAP2 expression.

Results

We reported that CAP2 is overexpressed in GC cells and tissues and related to a poorer prognosis for GC patients. Moreover, we found that knockdown of CAP2 suppressed the proliferation, growth, and cell cycle of GC cells. Besides, the transcription factor SOX9 participated in the CAP2-mediated proliferation of GC cells in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

Our results provide novel evidence that CAP2 plays an essential role in the genesis and development of GC, thus potentially highlighting this gene as a therapeutic target.

CAPt'n of Actin Dynamics: Recent Advances in the Molecular, Developmental and Physiological Functions of Cyclase-Associated Protein (CAP)

Cyclase-associated protein (CAP) has been discovered three decades ago in budding yeast as a protein that associates with the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-producing adenylyl cyclase and that suppresses a hyperactive RAS2 variant. Since that time, CAP has been identified in all eukaryotic species examined and it became evident that the activity in RAS-cAMP signaling is restricted to a limited number of species. Instead, its actin binding activity is conserved among eukaryotes and actin cytoskeleton regulation emerged as its primary function. However, for many years, the molecular functions as well as the developmental and physiological relevance of CAP remained unknown. In the present article, we will compile important recent progress on its molecular functions that identified CAP as a novel key regulator of actin dynamics, i.e., the spatiotemporally controlled assembly and disassembly of actin filaments (F-actin). These studies unraveled a cooperation with ADF/Cofilin and Twinfilin in F-actin disassembly, a nucleotide exchange activity on globular actin monomers (G-actin) that is required for F-actin assembly and an inhibitory function towards the F-actin assembly factor INF2. Moreover, by focusing on selected model organisms, we will review current literature on its developmental and physiological functions, and we will present studies implicating CAP in human pathologies. Together, this review article summarizes and discusses recent achievements in understanding the molecular, developmental and physiological functions of CAP, which led this protein emerge as a novel CAPt'n of actin dynamics.