TP53INP1 Downregulation Activates a p73-Dependent DUSP10/ERK Signaling Pathway to Promote Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Develop a prognostic and drug therapy efficacy prediction model for hepatocellular carcinoma based on telomere maintenance-associated genes

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a substantial global health challenge because of its grim prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) significantly influence cancer progression, yet their prognostic value in HCC remains largely unexamined. This research aims to establish a telomere maintenance-associated genes(TMGs)-based prognostic model using transcriptomic and clinical data to evaluate its effectiveness in predicting patient outcomes in HCC.

Methods

The identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were derived from the analysis of transcriptomic and clinical information sourced from the database of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and were cross-referenced with TMGs. Candidate risk factors were initially assessed using univariate Cox regression, subsequently followed by LASSO, and then refined through multivariate Cox regression to establish a risk prediction model. This model's predictive accuracy was validated through Kaplan-Meier(K-M) survival analysis, with external validation in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Additionally, a nomogram incorporating age and tumor stage was developed. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), immune profile, and drug sensitivity in HCC were also analyzed. Furthermore, we employed RT-PCR to confirm the expression levels of the genes related to TMGs in HepG2 cell lines.

Results

A prognostic model comprising 3 core genes was constructed, with high-risk individuals showing significantly lower overall survival (OS). The association between elevated TMB and diminished survival in high-risk patients was uncovered through TMB analysis. Immune profiling indicated notable disparities in immune infiltration among these groups, with high-risk patients displaying elevated Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores, suggesting potential immune evasion.

Conclusion

In short, our prognosis model based on TMGs effectively categorized HCC patients using risk scores, enabling dependable prognostic forecasts and identification of potential therapeutic targets for personalized treatment in HCC management. Future studies should explore integrating this model into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

The role of kinesin superfamily proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma

The most prevalent form of primary liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant global health challenge due to its limited therapeutic options. Researchers are currently focused on the complex molecular landscape that governs the initiation and progression of HCC in order to identify new avenues for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In the context of HCC, the Kinesin Superfamily Proteins (KIFs) have become critical regulators of cellular processes, prompting a growing interest in their function among the diverse array of molecular actors implicated in cancer. The KIFs, a family of microtubule-based molecular motors, are renowned for their essential roles in the dynamics of mitotic spindles and intracellular transport. Beyond their well-established functions in normal cellular physiology, emerging evidence indicates that dysregulation of KIFs significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of HCC. Novel therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers are revealed through the unique opportunity to comprehend the complex interplay between KIFs and the molecular events that drive HCC.

STK3 kinase activation inhibits tumor proliferation through FOXO1-TP53INP1/P21 pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, caused by the inactivation of critical cell growth regulators that lead to uncontrolled proliferation and increased malignancy. Although Serine/Threonine Kinase 3 (STK3), also known as Mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 2 (MST2), is a highly conserved kinase of the Hippo pathway, plays a critical role in immunomodulation, organ development, cellular differentiation, and cancer suppression, its phenotype and function in ESCC require further investigation. In this study, we report for the first time on the role of STK3 kinase and its activation condition in ESCC, as well as the mechanism and mediators of kinase activation.

METHODS

In this study, we investigated the expression and clinical significance of STK3 in ESCC. We first used bioinformatics databases and immunohistochemistry to analyze STK3 expression in the ESCC patient cohort and conducted survival analysis. In vivo, we conducted a tumorigenicity assay using nude mouse models to demonstrate the phenotypes of STK3 kinase. In vitro, we conducted Western blot analysis, qPCR analysis, CO-IP, and immunofluorescence (IF) staining analysis to detect molecule expression, interaction, and distribution. We measured proliferation, migration, and apoptosis abilities in ESCC cells in the experimental groups using CCK-8 and transwell assays, flow cytometry, and EdU staining. We used RNA-seq to identify genes that were differentially expressed in ESCC cells with silenced STK3 or FOXO1. We demonstrated the regulatory relationship of the TP53INP1/P21 gene medicated by the STK3-FOXO1 axis using Western blotting and ChIP in vitro.

RESULTS

We demonstrate high STK3 expression in ESCC tissue and cell lines compared to esophageal epithelium. Cellular ROS induces STK3 autophosphorylation in ESCC cells, resulting in upregulated p-STK3/4. STK3 activation inhibits ESCC cell proliferation and migration by triggering apoptosis and suppressing the cell cycle. STK3 kinase activation phosphorylates FOXO1Ser212, promoting nuclear translocation, enhancing transcriptional activity, and upregulating TP53INP1 and P21. We also investigated TP53INP1 and P21's phenotypic effects in ESCC, finding that their knockdown significantly increases tumor proliferation, highlighting their crucial role in ESCC tumorigenesis.

CONCLUSION

STK3 kinase has a high expression level in ESCC and can be activated by cellular ROS, inhibiting cell proliferation and migration. Additionally, STK3 activation-mediated FOXO1 regulates ESCC cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by targeting TP53INP1/P21. Our research underscores the anti-tumor function of STK3 in ESCC and elucidates the mechanism underlying its anti-tumor effect on ESCC.

EGFR and Hippo signaling pathways are involved in organophosphate esters-induced proliferation and migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells

The widespread application of organophosphate flame retardants has led to pervasive exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs), prompting considerable concerns regarding their potential health risk to humans. Despite hints from previous research about OPEs' association with breast cancer, their specific effects and underlying mechanisms of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of four representative OPEs on cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, migration, and the expression of genes and proteins associated with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Hippo signaling pathways in TNBC (MDA-MB-231) cells. Our findings revealed that treatment with 1-25 μM triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) induced TNBC cell proliferation and accelerated cell cycle progression, with upregulation in MYC, CCND1, and BRCA1 mRNA. Moreover, exposure to 1-25 μM TPHP, 10-25 μM TDCIPP, and 1-10 μM tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) induced MMP2/9 mRNA expression and enhanced migratory capacity, except for 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP). Mechanistically, four OPEs treatments activated the EGFR-ERK1/2 and EGFR-PI3K/AKT signaling pathways by increasing the transcript of EGFR, ERK1/2, PI3K, and AKT mRNA. OPEs treatment also suppressed the Hippo signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of MST1 mRNA and phosphorylation of LATS1, leading to the overactivation of YAP1 protein, thereby promoting TNBC cell proliferation and migration. In summary, our study elucidated that activation of the EGFR signaling pathway and suppression of the Hippo signaling pathway contributed to the proliferation, cell cycle dysregulation, and migration of TNBC cells following exposure to OPEs.

miR-142: A Master Regulator in Hematological Malignancies and Therapeutic Opportunities

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of non-coding RNA whose dysregulation is frequently associated with the onset and progression of human cancers. miR-142, an ultra-conserved miRNA with both active -3p and -5p mature strands and wide-ranging physiological targets, has been the subject of countless studies over the years. Due to its preferential expression in hematopoietic cells, miR-142 has been found to be associated with numerous types of lymphomas and leukemias. This review elucidates the multifaceted role of miR-142 in human physiology, its influence on hematopoiesis and hematopoietic cells, and its intriguing involvement in exosome-mediated miR-142 transport. Moreover, we offer a comprehensive exploration of the genetic and molecular landscape of the miR-142 genomic locus, highlighting its mutations and dysregulation within hematological malignancies. Finally, we discuss potential avenues for harnessing the therapeutic potential of miR-142 in the context of hematological malignancies.

The m6A modification-mediated OGDHL exerts a tumor suppressor role in ccRCC by downregulating FASN to inhibit lipid synthesis and ERK signaling

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, and the impact of lipid metabolism as a crucial aspect of metabolic reprogramming on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression has been established. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the relationship between metabolic abnormalities and ccRCC progression remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify key regulatory factors of metabolic reprogramming in ccRCC and provide potential therapeutic targets for ccRCC patients. Potential metabolic regulatory factors in ccRCC were screened using bioinformatics analysis. Public databases and patient samples were used to investigate the aberrant expression of Oxoglutarate dehydrogenase-like (OGDHL) in ccRCC. The function of OGDHL in ccRCC growth and metastasis was evaluated through in vitro and in vivo functional experiments. Mechanistic insights were obtained through luciferase reporter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, RNA methylation immunoprecipitation, and mutagenesis studies. OGDHL mRNA and protein levels were significantly downregulated in ccRCC tissues. Upregulation of OGDHL expression effectively inhibited ccRCC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, FTO-mediated OGDHL m6A demethylation suppressed its expression in ccRCC. Mechanistically, low levels of OGDHL promoted TFAP2A expression by inhibiting ubiquitination levels, which then bound to the FASN promoter region and transcriptionally activated FASN expression, thereby promoting lipid accumulation and ERK pathway activation. Our findings demonstrate the impact of OGDHL on ccRCC progression and highlight the role of the FTO/OGDHL/TFAP2A/FASN axis in regulating ccRCC lipid metabolism and progression, providing new targets for ccRCC therapy.

DUSP10 is a novel immune-related biomarker connected with survival and cellular proliferation in lower-grade glioma

OBJECTIVE

The role of dual-specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10) has been investigated in several types of cancer. Nevertheless, the underlying function of DUSP10 in lower-grade glioma (LGG) remains undetermined.

METHODS

We entirely determined the expression features and prognostic significance of DUSP10 in numerous tumors by implementing a pan-cancer analysis. Adjacently, we thoroughly inspected the correlation between DUSP10 expression and clinicopathologic features, prognosis, biological processes, immune traits, gene variations, and treatment responses based on the expression features in LGG. In vitro studies were conducted to detect the underlying functions of DUSP10 in LGG.

RESULTS

Unconventionally boosted DUSP10 expression and higher DUSP10 expression correlated with poorer prognosis were discovered in various tumors, including LGG. Fortunately, DUSP10 expression was proven to be an independent prognostic indicator of patients with LGG. Additionally, DUSP10 expression was tightly linked to the immune modulation, gene mutations, and response to immunotherapy/chemotherapy in LGG patients. In vitro studies illustrated that the DUSP10 was abnormally increased and pivotal for cell proliferation in LGG.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, we verified that DUSP10 was an independent prognostic indicator and may become a novelty target of targeted therapy of LGG.

Mmu-miR-25-3p promotes macrophage autophagy by targeting DUSP10 to reduce mycobacteria survival

Background

The present study aimed to investigate the regulation of miR-25-3p on macrophage autophagy and its effect on macrophage clearance of intracellular Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) retention based on the previous findings on the differential expression of exosomal miRNA in macrophages infected with BCG.

Methods

Through enrichment analysis and Hub gene analysis, key differentially expressed miRNA and its target genes were selected. The targeted binding ability of the screened mmu-miR-25-3p and its predicted target gene DUSP10 was determined through the TargetScan database, and this was further verified by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. mmu-miR-25-3p mimics, mmu-miR-25-3p inhibitor, si-DUSP10, miR-NC,si-NC and PD98059 (ERK Inhibitor) were used to intervene macrophages Raw264.7. Rt-qPCR was used to detect the expression levels of mmu-miR-25-3p and DUSP10 mRNA. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of DUSP10, LC3-II, p-ERK1/2, beclin1, Atg5 and Atg7. The autophagy flux of macrophage Raw264.7 in each group was observed by confocal laser microscopy, and the expression distribution of DUSP10 and the structure of autophagosomes were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Finally, the intracellular BCG load of macrophage Raw264.7 was evaluated by colony-forming unit (CFU) assay.

Results

Bioinformatics analysis filtered and identified the differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs. As a result, mmu-miR-25-3p expression was significantly increased, and dual specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10) was predicted as its target gene that was predominantly involved in autophagy regulation. The dual luciferase reporter gene activity assay showed that mmu-miR-25-3p was targeted to the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of DUSP10. The infection of BCG induced the upregulation of mmu-miR-25-3p and downregulation of DUSP10 in RAW264.7 cells, which further increased the expression of LC3-II and promoted autophagy. Upregulated mmu-miR-25-3p expression decreased the level of DUSP10 and enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which in turn upregulated the expression of LC3-II, Atg5, Atg7, and Beclin1. Immuno-electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and autophagic flux analysis further confirmed that the upregulation of mmu-miR-25-3p promotes the autophagy of macrophages after BCG infection. The CFU number indicated that upregulated mmu-miR-25-3p expression decreased the mycobacterial load and accelerated residual mycobacteria clearance.

Conclusion

mmu-miR-25-3p promotes the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 by inhibiting the expression of DUSP10, thus enhancing the BCG-induced autophagy of macrophages. These phenomena reduce the bacterial load of intracellular Mycobacterium and facilitate the clearance of residual mycobacteria. mmu-miR-25-3p has great potential as a target for anti-tuberculosis immunotherapy and can be the optimal miRNA loaded into exosomal drug delivery system in future studies.

DUSP10 upregulation is a poor prognosticator and promotes cell proliferation and migration in glioma

Dual-specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10) correlates with inflammation, cytokine secretion, cell proliferation, survival, and apoptosis. However, its role in glioma is unclear. Herein, we sought to examine the expression and the underlying carcinogenic mechanisms of DUSP10 action in glioma. DUSP10 expression in glioma was significantly higher than that in normal brain tissues. High DUSP10 expression indicated adverse clinical outcomes in glioma patients. Increased DUSP10 expression correlated significantly with clinical features in glioma. Univariate Cox analysis showed that high DUSP10 expression was a potential independent marker of poor prognosis in glioma. Furthermore, DUSP10 expression in glioma correlated negatively with its DNA methylation levels. DNA methylation level of DUSP10 also correlated negatively with poor prognosis in glioma. More importantly, DUSP10 expression correlated positively with the infiltration of B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells in glioma. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis confirmed that DUSP10 participated in signaling pathways involved in focal adhesion, TNF cascade, Th17 cell differentiation, and NF-kappa B cascade. Finally, we uncovered that DUSP10 was dramatically upregulated in glioblastoma (GBM) cells and that the knockdown of DUSP10 inhibited glioma cell proliferation and migration. Our findings suggested that DUSP10 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in glioma.

A pyroptosis-related gene signature provides an alternative for predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant neoplasm with limited treatment options and poor outcomes. Thus, there is an urgent need to find sensitive biomarkers for HCC.

METHODS

Gene expression and clinicopathological information were obtained from public databases, based on which a pyroptosis-related gene signature was constructed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. The applicability of the signature was evaluated via Kaplan-Meier curve and time-dependent ROC curve. TIMER, QUANTISEQ, MCPCOUNTER, EPIC, CIBERSORT, ssGSEA, and ESTIMATE were employed to assess the immune status. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Wilcoxon test. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were adopted for linear correlation analysis. Genetic knockdown was conducted using siRNA transfection and the mRNA expression levels of interest genes were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Finally, protein levels in 10 paired tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues from HCC patients were measured using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

A pyroptosis-related gene signature was established successfully to calculate independent prognostic risk scores. It was found that survival outcomes varied significantly between different risk groups. In addition, an attenuated antitumor immune response was found in the high-risk group. Meanwhile, multiple immune checkpoints were up-regulated in high-risk score patients. Cell cycle-related genes, angiogenesis-related genes and tumor drug resistance genes were also markedly elevated. Knockdown of prognostic genes in the signature significantly inhibited the expression of immune checkpoint genes and angiogenesis-related genes. Besides, each prognostic gene was expressed at a higher level in HCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully established a novel pyroptosis-related gene signature which could help predict the overall survival and assess the immune status of HCC patients.

Protein Tyrosine Kinase 7 (PTK7) Promotes Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via SOX9 Regulation and TGF-β Signaling

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Metastasis is found in most advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and it drives tumor recurrence and systemic failure. There is no effective treatment owing to its complex biological features. Many of the molecular drivers of metastasis are crucial players in normal physiology but behave unconventionally during cancer progression. Targeting these molecular drivers for therapy and differentiating them from a physiological background require a detailed examination of the novel mechanisms involved in their activation during metastasis.

METHODS

Publicly available transcriptomic data such as that of TCGA-LIHC and Gene Expression Omnibus were utilized to identify novel targets upregulated in advanced and metastatic HCC. Validation of candidates was assisted by immunohistochemistry performed on tissue microarrays derived from more than 100 HCC patients. Expression of protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) was studied under the treatment of transforming growth factor-β1 and knockdown of SRY-Box Transcription Factor 9 (SOX9) to delineate upstream regulation, while CRISPR-mediated knockout and lentiviral overexpression of PTK7 in HCC cells were performed to study their functional and signaling consequences. Manipulated HCC cells were injected into mice models either by orthotopic or tail-vein injection to observe for any in vivo pro-metastatic effects.

RESULTS

PTK7 was discovered to be the kinase most significantly upregulated in advanced and metastatic HCC, at both transcriptomic and proteomic level. Bioinformatic analyses and functional assays performed in HCC cell lines revealed transforming growth factor-β signaling and SOX9 to be important activators of PTK7 expression. Functionally, enrichment of PTK7 expression could positively regulate metastatic potential of HCC cells in vitro and in lung metastasis models performed in immunodeficient mice. The up-regulation of PTK7 recruited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition components, zinc finger protein SNAI2 (SLUG) and zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study proposes PTK7 as a novel molecular driver in metastatic HCC, particularly in a transforming growth factor-β-activated microenvironment. The preferential expression of PTK7 resulted in a previously unobserved regulatory effect on the recruitment of epithelial-mesenchymal transition components, which established PTK7 as a potential determinant of specific epithelial-mesenchymal transition status. Therefore, our data support the continual development of PTK7-targeted agents as antimetastatic therapies.

Mechanism and Therapeutic Targets of c-Jun-N-Terminal Kinases Activation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is the most common chronic liver disease. Activation of mitogen-activated kinases (MAPK) cascade, which leads to c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation occurs in the liver in response to the nutritional and metabolic stress. The aberrant activation of MAPKs, especially c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNKs), leads to unwanted genetic and epi-genetic modifications in addition to the metabolic stress adaptation in hepatocytes. A mechanism of sustained P-JNK activation was identified in acute and chronic liver diseases, suggesting an important role of aberrant JNK activation in NASH. Therefore, modulation of JNK activation, rather than targeting JNK protein levels, is a plausible therapeutic application for the treatment of chronic liver disease.

EGF-Dependent Activation of ELK1 Contributes to the Induction of CLDND1 Expression Involved in Tight Junction Formation

Claudin proteins are intercellular adhesion molecules. Increased claudin domain-containing 1 (CLDND1) expression is associated with the malignant transformation of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells with low sensitivity to hormone therapy. Abnormal CLDND1 expression is also implicated in vascular diseases. Previously, we investigated the regulatory mechanism underlying CLDND1 expression and identified a strong enhancer region near the promoter. In silico analysis of the sequence showed high homology to the ETS domain-containing protein-1 (ELK1)-binding sequence which is involved in cell growth, differentiation, angiogenesis, and cancer. Transcriptional ELK1 activation is associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade originating from the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Here, we evaluated the effect of gefitinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on the suppression of CLDND1 expression using ELK1 overexpression in luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. ELK1 was found to be an activator of the enhancer region, and its transient expression increased that of CLDND1 at the mRNA and protein levels. CLDND1 expression was increased following EGF-induced ELK1 phosphorylation. Furthermore, this increase in CLDND1 was significantly suppressed by gefitinib. Therefore, EGF-dependent activation of ELK1 contributes to the induction of CLDND1 expression. These findings open avenues for the development of new anticancer agents targeting CLDND1.

miR-155-3p: processing by-product or rising star in immunity and cancer?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in gene regulation that target specific mRNAs for degradation or translational repression. Each miRNA is synthesized as a miRNA duplex comprising two strands (5p and 3p). However, only one of the two strands becomes active and is selectively incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex in a process known as miRNA strand selection. Recently, significant progress has been made in understanding the factors and processes involved in strand selection. Here, we explore the selection and functionality of the miRNA star strand (either 5p or 3p), which is generally present in the cell at low levels compared to its partner strand and, historically, has been thought to possess no biological activity. We also highlight the concepts of miRNA arm switching and miRNA isomerism. Finally, we offer insights into the impact of aberrant strand selection on immunity and cancer. Leading us through this journey is miR-155, a well-established regulator of immunity and cancer, and the increasing evidence that its 3p strand plays a role in these arenas. Interestingly, the miR-155-5p/-3p ratio appears to vary dependent on the timing of the immune response, and the 3p strand seems to play a regulatory role upon its partner 5p strand.

MicroRNA-106a regulates autophagy-related cell death and EMT by targeting TP53INP1 in lung cancer with bone metastasis

Bone metastasis is one of the most serious complications in lung cancer patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in tumour development, progression and metastasis. A previous study showed that miR-106a is highly expressed in the tissues of lung adenocarcinoma with bone metastasis, but its mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we showed that miR-106a expression is dramatically increased in lung cancer patients with bone metastasis (BM) by immunohistochemical analysis. MiR-106a promoted A549 and SPC-A1 cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. The results of bioluminescence imaging (BLI), micro-CT and X-ray demonstrated that miR-106a promoted bone metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that miR-106a upregulation promoted metastasis by targeting tumour protein 53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1)-mediated metastatic progression, including cell migration, autophagy-dependent death and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, autophagy partially attenuated the effects of miR-106a on promoting bone metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma. These findings demonstrated that restoring the expression of TP53INP1 by silencing miR-106a may be a novel therapeutic strategy for bone metastatic in lung adenocarcinoma.

Kinesin family member 2C promotes hepatocellular carcinoma growth and metastasis via activating MEK/ERK pathway

The current work was intended to explore the function and mechanism of Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, KIF2C expression was at a high level in HCC and indicated poor prognosis. Silencing KIF2C significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cells. Furthermore, silencing KIF2C markedly decreased the expression of Snail, Vimentin, p-MEK, and p-ERK, but increased E-cadherin expression in HCC cells. Moreover, we also found that MEK/ERK inhibitor U0126 could enhance the impact on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion induced by silencing KIF2C in HCC. On the contrary, MEK/ERK activator PAF could weaken the impact induced by silencing KIF2C in HCC. Thus, our findings indicate that KIF2C can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion by activating MEK/ERK pathway in HCC.

Dysregulation of Non-coding RNAs mediates Cisplatin Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and therapeutic strategies

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth major contributor to cancer-related deaths worldwide, and patients mostly have poor prognosis. Although several drugs have been approved for the treatment of HCC, cisplatin (CDDP) is still applied in treatment of HCC as a classical chemotherapeutic drug. Unfortunately, the emergence of CDDP resistance has caused HCC patients to exhibit poor drug response. How to mitigate or even reverse CDDP resistance is an urgent clinical issue to be solved. Because of critical roles in biological functional processes and disease developments, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been extensively studied in HCC in recent years. Importantly, ncRNAs have also been demonstrated to be involved in the development of HCC to CDDP resistance process. Therefore, this review highlighted the regulatory roles of ncRNAs in CDDP resistance of HCC, elucidated the multiple potential mechanisms by which HCC develops CDDP resistance, and attempted to propose multiple drug delivery systems to alleviate CDDP resistance. Recently, ncRNA-based therapy may be a feasible strategy to alleviate CDDP resistance in HCC. Meanwhile, nanoparticles can overcome the deficiencies in ncRNA-based therapy and make it possible to reverse tumor drug resistance. The combined use of these strategies provides clues for reversing CDDP resistance and overcoming the poor prognosis of HCC.

SNRPC promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell motility by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition

The therapeutic outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfactory because of poor response and acquired drug resistance. To better elucidate the molecular mechanisms of HCC, here we used three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets to identify potential oncogenes, and thereby identified small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide C (SNRPC). We report that SNRPC is highly up‐regulated in HCC tissues as determined using immunohistochemistry assays of samples from a cohort of 224 patients with HCC, and overexpression of SNRPC was correlated with multiple tumors, advanced stage, and poor outcome. Kaplan–Meier analysis confirmed that patients with high SNRPC expression exhibited shorter survival in four independent HCC cohorts (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, SNRPC mutations are significantly more frequent in HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues and are an early event in the development of HCC. Functional network analysis suggested that SNRPC is linked to the regulation of ribosome, spliceosome, and proteasome signaling. Subsequently, gain‐ and loss‐of‐function assays showed that SNRPC promotes the motility and epithelial–mesenchymal transition of HCC cells in vitro. SNRPC expression was negatively correlated with the infiltration of CD4⁺ T cells, macrophage cells, and neutrophil cells (all P < 0.05), as determined by analyzing the TIMER (Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource) database. In conclusion, our findings suggest that SNRPC has a potential role in epithelial–mesenchymal transition and motility in HCC.

SETD8 potentiates constitutive ERK1/2 activation via epigenetically silencing DUSP10 expression in pancreatic cancer

Constitutive ERK1/2 activation has been frequently observed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). How ERK1/2 activation status been potentiated and maintained by epigenetic mechanisms has seldom been discussed in PDAC. In this study, we first examined the expression status of p-ERK1/2 in PDAC tissues by immunohistochemical staining and then screened possible epigenetic factors that displayed different expression status between p-ERK1/2 high and low groups by RNA profiling, and found that SETD8 displayed an increased expressional pattern in p-ERK1/2high patient group. Then the impact of SETD8 on the proliferation of PDAC cells were investigated on the basis of gain or loss-of-function assays. RNA sequencing assays were performed to screen potential SETD8 downstream targets that contribute to ERK1/2 activation. Mass spectrometry and transcriptional analysis, including dual-luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP), were used to explore the molecular mechanisms that governing SETD8-mediated ERK1/2 activation. In vitro cell line studies and in vivo xenograft mouse model studies indicated that SETD8 promoted cell proliferation and increased tumor formation capacity of PDAC cell lines. Mechanism explorations uncovered that SETD8 suppressed the expression of DUSP10, which was responsible for dephosphorylation of ERK1/2. Mass spectrometry and transcriptional analysis results demonstrated that STAT3 interacted with SETD8 and recruited SETD8 to the promoter region of DUSP10, leading to epigenetic silencing of DUSP10 and the resultant activation of ERK1/2. In conclusion, SETD8 interacts with STAT3 on DUSP10 promoter region and epigenetically silences DUSP10 expression. Decreased DUSP10 expression in PDAC potentiates activation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, resulting in unfavorable prognosis of PDAC.

Hypoxia-Mediated Complement 1q Binding Protein Regulates Metastasis and Chemoresistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Modulates the PKC-NF-κB-VCAM-1 Signaling Pathway

Objectives

Complement 1q binding protein (C1QBP/HABP1/p32/gC1qR) has been found to be overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the underlying mechanisms of high C1QBP expression and its role in TNBC remain largely unclear. Hypoxia is a tumor-associated microenvironment that promotes metastasis and paclitaxel (PTX) chemoresistance in tumor cells. In this study, we aimed to assess C1QBP expression and explore its role in hypoxia-related metastasis and chemoresistance in TNBC.

Materials and Methods

RNA-sequencing of TNBC cells under hypoxia was performed to identify C1QBP. The effect of hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF-1α) on C1QBP expression was investigated using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The role of C1QBP in mediating metastasis, chemoresistance to PTX, and regulation of metastasis-linked vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) expression were studied using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Clinical tissue microarrays were used to verify the correlation of C1QBP with the expression of HIF-1α, VCAM-1, and RELA proto-oncogene nuclear factor-kappa B subunit (P65).

Results

We found that hypoxia-induced HIF-1α upregulated C1QBP. The inhibition of C1QBP notably blocked metastasis of TNBC cells and increased their sensitivity to PTX under hypoxic conditions. Depletion of C1QBP decreased VCAM-1 expression by reducing the amount of P65 in the nucleus and suppressed the activation of hypoxia-induced protein kinase C-nuclear factor-kappa B (PKC-NF-κB) signaling.immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of the tissue microarray showed positive correlations between the C1QBP level and those of HIF-1α, P65, and VCAM-1.

Conclusion

Targeting C1QBP along with PTX treatment might be a potential treatment for TNBC patients.

Loss of PR55α promotes proliferation and metastasis by activating MAPK/AKT signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

PR55α plays important roles in oncogenesis and progression of numerous malignancies. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study aims to characterize the functions of PR55α in HCC.

Methods

PR55α expressions in HCC tissues and paired healthy liver samples were evaluated using Western blot and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry. We knocked down the expression of PR55α in SMMC-7721 and LM3 cell lines via small interfering and lentivirus. In vitro cell counting, colony formation, migration and invasion assays were performed along with in vivo xenograft implantation and lung metastases experiments. The potential mechanisms involving target signal pathways were investigated by RNA-sequencing.

Results

PR55α expression level was suppressed in HCC tissues in comparison to healthy liver samples. Decreased PR55α levels were correlated with poorer prognosis (P = 0.0059). Knockdown of PR55α significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration, induced repression of the cell cycle progression and apoptosis in vitro while accelerating in vivo HCC growth and metastasis. Mechanistic analysis indicated that PR55α silencing was involved with MAPK/AKT signal pathway activation and resulted in increased phosphorylation of both AKT and ERK1/2.

Conclusions

This study identifies PR55α to be a candidate novel therapeutic target in the treatment of HCC.

β-Arrestin1 is involved in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant disease worldwide. It is implicated in high cancer-related mortality rates in humans. β-Arrestin1 (ARRB1) has been demonstrated to be related to the development of several cancers, while the relationship between ARRB1 and metastasis in HCC is unknown.

METHODS

A tissue microarray of 68 tissues from HCC patients with or without metastasis was collected. Wild-type and ARRB1 knockout mice were used to examine the role of ARRB1 in metastasis in vivo. The level of ARRB1 in HCC tissues, mouse liver tissues, and cell lines was determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Migration, invasion, and motility capacities of HCC cells were determined by transwell assay and wound healing assay. Vein injection of nude mice model was used to reveal the metastatic abilities of HCC cell lines. For the mechanism study, we investigated the effects of ARRB1 on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in HCC.

RESULTS

We reveal that ARRB1 accelerates metastasis in HCC and that ARRB1 deficiency inhibits hepatocarcinogenesis and reverses EMT in mice. ARRB1 regulates HCC cell migration and invasion and suppresses HCC metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we show that ARRB1 promotes EMT through the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that ARRB1 promotes HCC invasion and metastasis through p-ERK1/2-mediated EMT and that suppression of ARRB1 or p-ERK1/2 may offer potential therapeutic targets for HCC therapy.

miR-96 regulates liver tumor-initiating cells expansion by targeting TP53INP1 and predicts Sorafenib resistance

Liver tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs) contribute to tumorigenesis, progression, recurrence and drug resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism for the propagation of liver T-ICs remains unclear. In the present study, our finding shows that miR-96 is upregulated in liver T-ICs. Functional studies revealed that forced miR-96 promotes liver T-ICs self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Conversely, knockdown miR-96 inhibits liver T-ICs self-renewal and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, miR-96 downregulates TP53INP1 via its mRNA 3'UTR in liver T-ICs. Furthermore, the miR-96 expression determines the responses of hepatoma cells to sorafenib treatment. Analysis of patient cohorts and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) further demonstrate that the miR-96 may predict sorafenib benefits in HCC patients. Our findings revealed the crucial role of the miR-96 in liver T-ICs expansion and sorafenib response, rendering miR-96 as an optimal target for the prevention and intervention of HCC.

'Omics driven discoveries of gene targets for apoptosis attenuation in CHO cells

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are widely used in biopharmaceutical production. Improvements to cell lines and bioprocesses are constantly being explored. One of the major limitations of CHO cell culture is that the cells undergo apoptosis, leading to rapid cell death, which impedes reaching high recombinant protein titres. While several genetic engineering strategies have been successfully employed to reduce apoptosis, there is still room to further enhance CHO cell lines performance. 'Omics analysis is a powerful tool to better understand different phenotypes and for the identification of gene targets for engineering. Here, we present a comprehensive review of previous CHO 'omics studies that revealed changes in the expression of apoptosis-related genes. We highlight targets for genetic engineering that have reduced, or have the potential to reduce, apoptosis or to increase cell proliferation in CHO cells, with the final aim of increasing productivity.

Flaming the fight against cancer cells: the role of microRNA-93

There have been attempts to develop novel anti-tumor drugs in cancer therapy. Although satisfying results have been observed at a consequence of application of chemotherapeutic agents, the cancer cells are capable of making resistance into these agents. This has forced scientists into genetic manipulation as genetic alterations are responsible for generation of a high number of cancer cells. MicroRNAs (miRs) are endogenous, short non-coding RNAs that affect target genes at the post-transcriptional level. Increasing evidence reveals the potential role of miRs in regulation of biological processes including angiogenesis, metabolism, cell proliferation, cell division, and cell differentiation. Abnormal expression of miRs is associated with development of a number of pathologic events, particularly cancer. MiR-93 plays a significant role in both physiological and pathological mechanisms. At the present review, we show how this miR dually affects the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. Besides, we elucidate the oncogenesis or oncosuppressor function of miR-93.

RNA-binding protein MSI2 isoforms expression and regulation in progression of triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The RNA-binding protein Musashi-2 (MSI2) has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and tumor progression of some human cancers. MSI2 has also been reported to suppress tumor epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in breast cancer, and low MSI2 expression is associated with poor outcomes for breast cancer patients; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully investigated. This study investigated the expression and phenotypic functions of two major alternatively spliced MSI2 isoforms (MSI2a and MSI2b) and the potential molecular mechanisms involved in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression.

METHODS

The Illumina sequencing platform was used to analyze the mRNA transcriptomes of TNBC and normal tissues, while quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry validated MSI2 isoform expression in breast cancer tissues. The effects of MSI2a and MSI2b on TNBC cells were assayed in vitro and in vivo. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA sequencing were performed to identify the potential mRNA targets of MSI2a, and RIP and luciferase analyses were used to confirm the mRNA targets of MSI2.

RESULTS

MSI2 expression in TNBC tissues was significantly downregulated compared to that in normal tissues. In TNBC, MSI2a expression was associated with poor overall survival of patients. MSI2a overexpression in vitro and in vivo inhibited TNBC cell invasion as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activity. However, MSI2b overexpression had no significant effects on TNBC cell migration. Mechanistically, MSI2a expression promoted TP53INP1 mRNA stability by its interaction with the 3'-untranslated region of TP53INP1 mRNA. Furthermore, TP53INP1 knockdown reversed MSI2a-induced suppression of TNBC cell invasion, whereas ectopic expression of TP53INP1 and inhibition of ERK1/2 activity blocked MSI2 knockdown-induced TNBC cell invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study demonstrated that MSI2a is the predominant functional isoform of MSI2 proteins in TNBC, that its downregulation is associated with TNBC progression and poor prognosis and that MSI2a expression inhibited TNBC invasion by stabilizing TP53INP1 mRNA and inhibiting ERK1/2 activity. Overall, our study provides new insights into the isoform-specific roles of MSI2a and MSI2b in the tumor progression of TNBC, allowing for novel therapeutic strategies to be developed for TNBC.

Downregulation of HMGA1 Mediates Autophagy and Inhibits Migration and Invasion in Bladder Cancer via miRNA-221/TP53INP1/p-ERK Axis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in regulating the development and metastasis of human cancers. MiR-221 is reported to be an oncogene in multiple cancers, including bladder cancer (BC). Deregulation of autophagy is associated with multiple human malignant cancers. Whether and how miR-221 regulates autophagy and how miR-221 has been regulated in BC are poorly understood. This study explored the potential functions and mechanisms of miR-221 in the autophagy and tumorigenesis of BC. We showed that the downregulation of miR-221 induces autophagy via increasing TP53INP1 (tumor protein p53 inducible nuclear protein 1) and inhibits migration and invasion of BC cells through suppressing activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Furthermore, the expression of miR-221 is regulated by high-mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1) which is overexpressed in BC. And both miR-221 and HMGA1 are correlated with poor patient survival in BC. Finally, the downregulation of HMGA1 suppressed the proliferative, migrative, and invasive property of BC by inducing toxic autophagy via miR-221/TP53INP1/p-ERK axis. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the downregulation of miR-221 and HMGA1 mediates autophagy in BC, and both of them are valuable therapeutic targets for BC.

A new risk score based on twelve hepatocellular carcinoma-specific gene expression can predict the patients' prognosis

A large panel of molecular biomarkers have been identified to predict the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet with limited clinical application due to difficult extrapolation. We here generated a genetic risk score system comprised of 12 HCC-specific genes to better predict the prognosis of HCC patients. Four genomics profiling datasets (GSE5851, GSE28691, GSE15765 and GSE14323) were searched to seek HCC-specific genes by comparisons between cancer samples and normal liver tissues and between different subtypes of hepatic neoplasms. Univariate survival analysis screened HCC-specific genes associated with overall survival (OS) in the training dataset for next-step risk model construction. The prognostic value of the constructed HCC risk score system was then validated in the TCGA dataset. Stratified analysis indicated this scoring system showed better performance in elderly male patients with HBV infection and preoperative lower levels of creatinine, alpha-fetoprotein and platelet and higher level of albumin. Functional annotation of this risk model in high-risk patients revealed that pathways associated with cell cycle, cell migration and inflammation were significantly enriched. In summary, our constructed HCC-specific gene risk model demonstrated robustness and potentiality in predicting the prognosis of HCC patients, especially among elderly male patients with HBV infection and relatively better general conditions.

Prognostic impact of TP53INP1 gene expression in estrogen receptor α-positive breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Tumor protein 53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) is a key stress protein with tumor suppressor function. Several studies have demonstrated TP53INP1 downregulation in many cancers. In this study, we investigated the correlations of TP53INP1 mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues with prognosis and the correlations of microRNAs that regulate TP53INP1 expression in breast cancer patients with long follow-up.

METHODS

A total of 453 invasive breast cancer tissues were analyzed for TP53INP1 mRNA expression. We examined correlations of clinicopathological factors and expression levels of TP53INP1 mRNA in these samples. The expressions of miR-155, miR-569 and markers associated with tumor-initiating capacity were also analyzed. The median follow-up period was 9.0 years.

RESULTS

We found positive correlations between low expression of TP53INP1 mRNA and shorter disease-free survival and overall survival in breast cancer patients (P = 0.0002 and P < 0.0001, respectively), as well as in estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy (P = 0.01 and P = 0.0008, respectively). No correlations were found in ERα-negative patients. Low TP53INP1 mRNA levels positively correlated with higher grade and ERα-negativity. Multivariate analysis indicated that TP53INP1 mRNA level was an independent risk factor for overall survival both in overall breast cancer patients (hazard ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-3.92) and ERα-positive patients (hazard ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-4.64).

CONCLUSIONS

We show that low expression of TP53INP1 is an independent factor of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, especially ERα-positive patients. TP53INP1 might be a promising candidate biomarker and therapeutic target in ERα-positive breast cancer patients.

Inhibition of ERK1/2 in cancer-associated pancreatic stellate cells suppresses cancer-stromal interaction and metastasis

Background

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) have been related to multiple cancers, including breast cancer, hepatocellular cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. ERK1/2 inhibitor can suppress growth of KRAS-mutant pancreatic tumors by targeting cancer cell. However, no studies have shown the expression of ERK1/2 on pancreatic stromal and its effect on pancreatic cancer–stromal interaction.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were performed to detect the expression of p-ERK1/2 in pancreatic tissues and cells. Cell viability assay was used to study IC50 of ERK inhibitor on pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and primary cancer-associated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Transwell migration, invasion, cell viability assay, senescence β-galactosidase staining were performed to determine the effect of ERK inhibitor on PCCs and PSCs in vitro and in vivo. The expression of key factors involved in autophagy and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process were evaluated by western blotting. The expression of key factors related to cell invasiveness and malignancy were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Co-transplantation of PCC Organoid and PSC using a splenic xenograft mouse model was used to evaluated combined treatment of ERK inhibitor and autophagy inhibitor.

Results

Immunohistochemical staining in pancreatic tumor samples and transgenetic mice detected p-ERK1/2 expression in both cancer cells and stromal cells. In pancreatic tissues, p-ERK1/2 was strongly expressed in cancer-associated PSCs compared with cancer cells and normal PSCs. PSCs were also significantly more sensitive to ERK1/2 inhibitor treatment. Inhibition of ERK1/2 suppressed EMT transition in HMPCCs, upregulated cellular senescence markers, activated autophagy in cancer-associated PSCs; and suppressed cancer–stromal interaction, which enhanced invasiveness and viability of cancer cells. We also found that chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, suppressed ERK inhibition-induced autophagy and promoted PSC cellular senescence, leading to significantly decreased cell proliferation. The combination of an ERK inhibitor and autophagy inhibitor suppressed liver metastasis in a splenic pancreatic cancer organoid xenograft mouse model.

Conclusions

These data indicate that inhibition of ERK1/2 in cancer-associated pancreatic stellate cells suppresses cancer–stromal interaction and metastasis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1226-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

LncRNA GAS5-mediated miR-1323 promotes tumor progression by targeting TP53INP1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: MiR-1323 was identified in 2006. Until now, the roles and mechanisms of miR-1323 in the progression of cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the expressions, roles and mechanisms of miR-1323 in HCC development.

Methods: QRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expressions of miR-1323, GAS5 and TP53INP1 in HCC tissues and cell lines. CCK-8 assay, transwell invasion assay and flow cytometry assay were conducted to evaluate the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of HCC cells. Luciferase assay was used to identify microRNA-target interaction.

Results: Firstly, our results showed that miR-1323 promoted proliferation and invasion, and inhibited apoptosis of HCC cells. Secondly, we found that TP53INP1 was a direct target of miR-1323 and could reverse the effects of miR-1323 on proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of HCC cells. Thirdly, our results showed that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) GAS5 and miR-1323 could interact with each other and affect biological processes of HCC cells. Furthermore, we identified the negative correlations between miR-1323 and TP53INP1, and between miR-1323 and GAS5 in tumor tissues of patients with HCC.

Conclusion: Taken together, our study revealed the important roles of GAS5/miR-1323/TP53INP1 axis in HCC progression. This study also provided promising strategies for targeted therapy of patients with HCC.

A Novel lncRNA IHS Promotes Tumor Proliferation and Metastasis in HCC by Regulating the ERK- and AKT/GSK-3β-Signaling Pathways

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological processes such as tumor proliferation and metastasis. A close relationship between hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) and SMYD3 in promoting the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was recently reported. However, the exact oncogenic mechanism of HBx-SMYD3 remains unknown. In this study, by performing lncRNA microarray analysis, we identified a novel lncRNA that was regulated by both HBx and SMYD3, and we named it lncIHS (lncRNA intersection between HBx microarray and SMYD3 microarray). lncIHS was overexpressed in HCC and decreased the survival rate of HCC patients. Knockdown of lncIHS inhibited HCC cell migration, invasion, and proliferation, and vice versa. Further study showed that lncIHS positively regulated the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers c-Myc and Cyclin D1, as well as the activation of the ERK- and AKT-signaling pathways. lncIHS exerted its oncogenic effect through ERK and AKT signaling. Moreover, results from transcriptome-sequencing analysis and mass spectrometry showed that lncIHS regulated multiple genes that were the upstream molecules of the ERK- and AKT-signaling pathways. Therefore, our findings suggest a regulatory network of ERK and AKT signaling through lncIHS, which is downstream of HBx-SMYD3, and they indicate that lncIHS may be a potential target for treating HCC.

Modulation of YrdC promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via MEK/ERK signaling pathway

Accumulating evidence suggested that YrdC involved in growth, telomere homeostasis, translation and the N6-threonylcarbamoylation (t6A) of tRNA was abnormally expressed in the progression of tumor. However, the role of YrdC in hepatocellular carcinoma remained elusive. Our study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and oncogenic phenotypes of YrdC in hepatocellular carcinoma, and to determine its related mechanism of this disease. With the usage of GEO datasets, we analyzed the expression of YrdC in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the prognostic significance of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in TCGA. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses in vitro of YrdC were also performed to evaluate its effects on oncogenic phenotypes and relevant signaling pathways. YrdC expression was not only dysregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue but also related to the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, YrdC depletion suppressed the capability of proliferation, migration and invasion of huh7 cells, while there was opposite result for YrdC overexpression. Our data also unraveled that YrdC promoted the progression of HCC by activating MEK/ERK signaling pathways. Together, our findings indicated that YrdC was a potential prognosis marker for hepatocellular carcinoma, and therapeutic strategies targeting YrdC might hold promise in improving the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The Dual-Specificity Phosphatase 10 (DUSP10): Its Role in Cancer, Inflammation, and Immunity

Cancer is one of the most diagnosed diseases in developed countries. Inflammation is a common response to different stress situations including cancer and infection. In those processes, the family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) has an important role regulating cytokine secretion, proliferation, survival, and apoptosis, among others. MAPKs regulate a large number of extracellular signals upon a variety of physiological as well as pathological conditions. MAPKs activation is tightly regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation events. In this regard, the dual-specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10) has been described as a MAPK phosphatase that negatively regulates p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in several cellular types and tissues. Several studies have proposed that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) can be also modulated by DUSP10. This suggests a complex role of DUSP10 on MAPKs regulation and, in consequence, its impact in a wide variety of responses involved in both cancer and inflammation. Here, we review DUSP10 function in cancerous and immune cells and studies in both mouse models and patients that establish a clear role of DUSP10 in different processes such as inflammation, immunity, and cancer.

p73 induction by Abrus agglutinin facilitates Snail ubiquitination to inhibit epithelial to mesenchymal transition in oral cancer

BACKGROUND

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key step in oral cancer progression, is associated with invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance, thus targeting the EMT represents a critical therapeutic strategy for the treatment of oral cancer metastasis. Our previous study showed that Abrus agglutinin (AGG), a plant lectin, induces both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis to activate the tumor inhibitory mechanism.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the role of AGG in modulating invasiveness and stemness through EMT inhibition for the development of antineoplastic agents against oral cancer.

METHODS

The EMT- and stemness-related proteins were studied in oral cancer cells using Western blot analysis and fluorescence microscopy. The potential mechanisms of Snail downregulation through p73 activation in FaDu cells were evaluated using Western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation, confocal microscopy, and molecular docking analysis. Immunohistochemical staining of the tumor samples of AGG-treated FaDu-xenografted nude mice was performed.

RESULTS

At the molecular level, AGG-induced p73 suppressed Snail expression, leading to EMT inhibition in FaDu cells. Notably, AGG promoted the translocation of Snail from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in FaDu cells and triggered its degradation through ubiquitination. In this setting, AGG inhibited the interaction between Snail and p73 in FaDu cells, resulting in p73 activation and EMT inhibition. Moreover, in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated FaDu cells, AGG abolished the upregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 that plays a pivotal role in the upregulation of Snail to regulate the EMT phenotypes. In immunohistochemistry analysis, FaDu xenografts from AGG-treated mice showed decreased expression of Snail, SOX2, and vimentin and increased expression of p73 and E-cadherin compared with the control group, confirming EMT inhibition as part of its anticancer efficacy against oral cancer.

CONCLUSION

In summary, AGG stimulates p73 in restricting EGF-induced EMT, invasiveness, and stemness by inhibiting the ERK/Snail pathway to facilitate the development of alternative therapeutics for oral cancer.

Natural product pectolinarigenin inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis, and causes G2/M phase arrest of HCC via PI3K/AKT/mTOR/ERK signaling pathway

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by considerable phenotypic and molecular heterogeneity, but the overall survival of HCC patients remains extremely poor. Thus, novel and efficient alternatives to antitumor agents are urgently needed. Pectolinarigenin, a flavonoid compound extract, has been previously reported for the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer. However, the potential antitumor roles of pectolinarigenin in HCC have not been clearly elaborated. In the present study, we investigated its role in HCC treatment and explored the potential molecular mechanism(s).

Materials and methods

HCC cell lines SMMC7721 and PLC5 were cultured and treated with indicated concentrations of pectolinarigenin. For the HCC cell proliferation, after HCC cells were stimulated with indicated concentrations of pectolinarigenin, the cell viability was detected in CCK-8 and colony-forming assays. HCC cell invasion/migration assay was performed by Transwell and wound scratch methods. Additionally, cellular apoptosis and cell cycle arrest analysis was performed with flow cytometric analysis. Finally, the involved underlying signaling pathway, the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/ERK signaling-related molecular markers were detected through Western blot methods with indicated antibodies. Meanwhile, antitumor activity of pectolinarigenin was also assessed in tumor-bearing mice.

Results

The results indicated that the treatment with pectolinarigenin significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migratory and invasive abilities of SMMC7721 and PLC5 cells in concentration- and time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, pectolinarigenin markedly induced cell apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in SMMC7721 and PLC5 cells, which was associated with apoptosis- and cell cycle-related protein levels, respectively. Furthermore, pectolinarigenin inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR/ERK signaling pathway. It also significantly suppressed HCC tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

Pectolinarigenin could suppress the viability and motility and cause apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in HCC cell lines by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/ERK signaling pathway. This might be an appealing potential therapeutic agent for HCC treatment.

Exosomal miR-93 promotes proliferation and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by directly inhibiting TIMP2/TP53INP1/CDKN1A

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant cancer worldwide; lacking biomarkers for early prognostication contributes to its high lethality. Herein, we report a novel biomarker, exosome delivered miR-93, is up-regulated in HCC cell line media and serum samples of HCC patients. We measured the proliferation and invasion ability of HCC cell lines following exosomal miR-93 treatment. After prediction with online algorithms, we further confirmed that TP53INP1, TIMP2 and CDKN1A are direct targets of miR-93 by dual-luciferase reporter assay. In addition, the diagnostic value of exosomal miR-93 was evaluated by qPCR and ROC analysis. The significant correlation between serum exosomal miR-93 and clinical information including stage, tumor size were observed. Furthermore, the survival differences of HCC patients with high or low miR-93 were statistically significant using Kaplan-Meier analysis. In summary, our work identified exosomal miR-93 as a novel biomarker for both diagnosis and prognosis in HCC.

TP53INP1 inhibits hypoxia-induced vasculogenic mimicry formation via the ROS/snail signalling axis in breast cancer

Tumour protein p53‐inducible nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) is a tumour suppressor associated with malignant tumour metastasis. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a new tumour vascular supply pattern that significantly influences tumour metastasis and contributes to a poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of the relationship between TP53INP1 and breast cancer VM formation is unknown. Here, we explored the underlying mechanism by which TP53INP1 regulates VM formation in vitro and in vivo. High TP53INP1 expression was not only negatively correlated with a poor prognosis but also had a negative relationship with VE‐cadherin, HIF‐1α and Snail expression. TP53INP1 overexpression inhibited breast cancer invasion, migration, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and VM formation; conversely, TP53INP1 down‐regulation promoted these processes in vitro by functional experiments and Western blot analysis. We established a hypoxia model induced by CoCl₂ and assessed the effects of TP53INP1 on hypoxia‐induced EMT and VM formation. In addition, we confirmed that a reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐mediated signalling pathway participated in TP53INP1‐mediated VM formation. Together, our results show that TP53INP1 inhibits hypoxia‐induced EMT and VM formation via the ROS/GSK‐3β/Snail pathway in breast cancer, which offers new insights into breast cancer clinical therapy.

MiR-1180-5p regulates apoptosis of Wilms' tumor by targeting p73

Introduction

Wilms’ tumor (WT), the most common childhood tumor, occurs in sporadic or familial forms. Recent findings reported that abnormal expression in microRNA (miRNA) suggests an important role of miRNAs during WT progress. MiRNAs are endogenous short-chain noncoding RNAs, which have been reported as key biomarkers for detecting tumor onset and progression. However, the functional role of miR-1180 in WT has remained unknown.

Materials and methods

MTT and clonogenic survival assays were used to detect WT cell proliferation. Flow cytometry Annexin V-FITC was used to measure apoptosis. In addition, proteins expressions in the cells were determined by Western blotting.

Results

In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-1180 is upregulated in WT when compared with adjacent tissues by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. In addition, the inhibition of miR-1180 induced apoptosis in SK-NEP-1 cell line in vitro. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay showed that p73 protein was the target of miR-1180, which was confirmed by the results of Western blotting. Finally, in vivo data indicated that the tumor growth in mice was significantly inhibited by miR-1180 inhibitor.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that miR-1180 might serve as a therapeutic target for future WT therapy.