Hepatitis B virus infection disrupts homologous recombination in hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing resection inhibitor ADRM1

The bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation of the carcinogenic role of EXO1 in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Exonuclease 1 (EXO1), a protein involved in mismatch repair and recombination processes, has been identified as a prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Nevertheless, its role in LUAD progression remains elusive. This study seeks to elucidate the functional significance of EXO1 in LUAD and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target.

Materials and methods

Patient RNA-seq and clinical data were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Subsequently, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to identify pivotal genes. Validation of the expression of signature genes was carried out through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Additionally, the association between EXO1 expression and clinical data was investigated. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to assess EXO1 expression in 93 cases of invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Finally, cellular functional assays were conducted to investigate the impact of EXO1 on LUAD cells.

Results

Ten key molecules (PBK, ASPM, NCAPG, EXO1, MKI67, RRM2, AURKA, DLGAP5, UBE2C, and CDC6) exhibited significantly elevated expression levels in LUAD tissues. Moreover, elevated levels of EXO1 gene expression correlated strongly with advanced T, N, and M stages and were significantly associated with immune cell infiltration in LUAD. Furthermore, marked increases in EXO1 protein expression were observed in patients diagnosed with invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Notably, patients diagnosed with invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma who exhibited elevated EXO1 expression levels exhibited increased lymph node metastasis, pleural invasion, poor tumor differentiation, and advanced clinical stage. Additionally, this study employed wound healing assay and CCK-8 cell proliferation assays to investigate the significant role of EXO1 in promoting the growth and migration of lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Conclusions

This study identified ten hub genes associated with the initiation and progression of LUAD. Additionally, EXO1 may serve as a prognostic marker for LUAD patients, offering new perspectives for clinical treatments.

Ubiquitin: A double-edged sword in hepatitis B virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatitis B virus is one of the leading causes behind the neoplastic transformation of liver tissue and associated mortality. Despite the availability of many therapies and vaccines, the pathogenic landscape of the virus remains elusive; urging the development of novel strategies based on the fundamental infectious and transformative modalities of the virus-host interactome. Ubiquitination is a widely observed post-translational modification of several proteins, which either regulates the proteins' turnover or impacts their functionalities. In recent years, ample amount of literature has accumulated regarding the ubiquitination dynamics of the HBV proteins as well as the host proteins during HBV infection and carcinogenesis; with direct and detailed characterization of the involvement of HBV in these processes. Interestingly, while many of these ubiquitination events restrict HBV life cycle and carcinogenesis, several others promote the emergence of hepatocarcinoma by putting the virus in an advantageous position. This review sums up the snowballing literature on ubiquitination-mediated regulation of the host-HBV crosstalk, with special emphasis on its influence on the establishment and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma on a molecular level. With the advent of cutting-edge ubiquitination-targeted therapeutic approaches, the findings emanating from this review may potentiate the identification of novel anti-HBV targets for the formulation of novel anticancer strategies to control the HBV-induced hepato-carcinogenic process on a global scale.

Role of hepatitis B virus non-structural protein HBx on HBV replication, interferon signaling, and hepatocarcinogenesis

Hepatitis B, a global health concern caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV), infects nearly 2 billion individuals worldwide, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). HBV, a hepatotropic DNA virus, predominantly targets and replicates within hepatocytes. Those carrying the virus are at increased risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting in nearly 900,000 fatalities annually. The HBV X protein (HBx), encoded by the virus's open reading frame x, plays a key role in its virulence. This protein is integral to viral replication, immune modulation, and liver cancer progression. Despite its significance, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying HBx remain elusive. This review investigates the HBx protein's roles in HBV replication, interferon signaling regulation, and hepatocellular carcinoma progression. By understanding the complex interactions between the virus and its host mediated by HBx, we aim to establish a solid foundation for future research and the development of HBx-targeted therapeutics.