CRABP1, C1QL1 and LCN2 are biomarkers of differentiated thyroid carcinoma, and predict extrathyroidal extension

Lipocalin-2 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma and its association with clinicopathological characteristics

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to assess Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) expression in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and to compare it with multinodular goitre (MNG). We also investigated the correlation between LCN2 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 63 surgically treated adult patients with papillary carcinoma and 65 adult patients with a MNG. Age, gender, physical, radiological and histopathological examinations, and surgical data of the patients were extracted from the hospital records. Size, histological subtype, capsule invasion, multifocality, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), lymph node metastasis (LNM), and immunohistochemical (IHC) studies of the tumour were recorded from the final histopathological reports of patients with PTC. The patient groups were compared in terms of LCN2 expression. The relationships between LCN2 expression and clinicopathological and other IHC parameters were also evaluated in patients with PTC.

RESULTS

LCN2 expression was significantly higher in the PTC group than in the control group. No significant correlation was demonstrated between LCN2 expression and the presence of multifocal disease, capsular invasion, vascular invasion, ETE, and LNM. There was a moderate positive correlation between LCN2 and human bone marrow endothelial cell marker-1 (HBME-1) expressions, however, no correlation was found between LCN2 and cytokeratin-19 (CK19), CD56, and galectin-3.

CONCLUSION

LCN2 expression may be a useful biomarker in differentiating benign and malignant lesions of the thyroid gland; however, its expression pattern may not be associated with clinicopathologic characteristics of the PTC and should be investigated in further studies with larger clinical samples.

NF-κB in Thyroid Cancer: An Update

The dysregulated NF-κB basal activity is a common feature of human thyroid carcinomas, especially in poorly differentiated or undifferentiated forms that, even if rare, are often resistant to standard therapies, and, therefore, are uncurable. Despite the molecular mechanisms leading to NF-κB activation in thyroid cancer being only partially understood, during the last few years, it has become clear that NF-κB contributes in different ways to the oncogenic potential of thyroid neoplastic cells. Indeed, it enhances their proliferation and viability, promotes their migration to and colonization of distant organs, and fuels their microenvironment. In addition, NF-κB signaling plays an important role in cancer stem cells from more aggressive thyroid carcinomas. Interfering with the different upstream and/or downstream pathways that drive NF-κB activity in thyroid neoplastic cells is an attractive strategy for the development of novel therapeutic drugs capable of overcoming the therapy resistance of advanced thyroid carcinomas. This review focuses on the recent findings about the key functions of NF-κB in thyroid cancer and discusses the potential implications of targeting NF-κB in advanced thyroid carcinomas.

Identification of Treg-related prognostic molecular subtypes and individualized characteristics in clear cell renal cell carcinoma through single-cell transcriptomes and bulk RNA sequencing

BACKGROUND

In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the role of Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) as prognostic and immunotherapy response predictors is not fully explored.

METHODS

Analyzing renal clear cell carcinoma datasets from TISCH, TCGA, and GEO, we focused on 8 prognostic Treg genes to study patient subtypes in ccRCC. We assessed Treg subtypes in relation to patient prognosis, tumor microenvironment, metabolism. Using Cox regression and principal component analysis, we devised Treg scores for individual patient characterization and explored the molecular role of C1QL1, a critical gene in the Treg model, through in vivo and in vitro studies.

RESULTS

Eight Treg-associated prognostic genes were identified, classifying ccRCC patients into cluster A and B. Cluster A patients showed poorer prognosis with distinct clinical and molecular profiles, potentially benefiting more from immunotherapy. Low Treg scores correlated with worse outcomes and clinical progression. Low scores also suggested that patients might respond better to immunotherapy and targeted therapies. In ccRCC, C1QL1 knockdown reduced tumor proliferation and invasion via NF-kb-EMT pathways and decreased Treg cell infiltration, enhancing immune efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

The molecular subtype and Treg score in ccRCC, based on Treg cell marker genes, are crucial in personalizing ccRCC treatment and underscore C1QL1's potential as a tumor biomarker and target for immunotherapy.

Opposite Effects of CRABP1 and CRABP2 Homologs on Proliferation of Breast Cancer Cells and Their Sensitivity to Retinoic Acid

Resistance of tumor cells to retinoic acid (RA), a promising therapeutic agent, is the major factor limiting the use of RA in clinical practice. The mechanisms of resistance to RA are still poorly understood. Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Proteins, CRABP1 and CRABP2, are essential mediators of RA signaling, but role of the two CRABP homologs in regulating cellular sensitivity to RA has not been well studied. In addition, the effects of CRABP1 and CRABP2 on cell proliferation have not been compared. Here, using a broad panel of breast cancer cell lines with different levels of RA sensitivity/resistance, we show for the first time that in the RA-sensitive cells, CRABP1 expression is restricted by methylation, and protein levels are highly variable. In the moderately-RA-resistant cell lines, high level of CRABP1 is observed both at the mRNA and protein levels, unchanged by inhibition of DNA methylation. The cell lines with maximum resistance to RA are characterized by complete repression of CRABP1 expression realized at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels, and exogenous expression of each of the CRABP homologs has no effect on the studied characteristics. CRABP1 and CRABP2 proteins have opposing effects on proliferation and sensitivity to RA. In particular, CRABP1 stimulates and CRABP2 reduces proliferation and resistance to RA in the initially RA-sensitive cells, while in the more resistant cells the role of each homolog in both of these parameters is reversed. Overall, we have shown for the first time that CRABP proteins exert different effects on the growth and sensitivity to RA of breast cancer cells (stimulation, suppression, or no effect) depending on the baseline level of RA-sensitivity, with the effects of CRABP1 and CRABP2 homologs on the studied properties always being opposite.

Downregulation of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 fosters epithelial-mesenchymal transition in thyroid cancer

Cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (CRABP1) participates in the regulation of retinoid signaling. Previous studies showed conflicting results regarding the role of CRABP1 in tumor biology, including protumorigenic and tumor-suppressive effects in different types of cancer. Our bioinformatics analyses suggested that CRABP1 expression was downregulated in thyroid cancer. Ectopic expression of CRABP1 in thyroid cancer cells suppressed migratory and invasive activity without affecting cell growth or cell cycle distribution. In transformed normal thyroid follicular epithelial cells, silencing of CRABP1 expression increased invasiveness. Additionally, CRABP1 overexpression was associated with downregulation of the mesenchymal phenotype. Kinase phosphorylation profiling indicated that CRABP1 overexpression was accompanied by a decrease in phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and downstream phosphorylation of Akt, STAT3, and FAK, which were reversed by exogenous EGF treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis of our tissue microarrays revealed an inverse association between CRABP1 expression and disease stage of differentiated thyroid cancer. Taken together, our results suggest that CRABP1 expression is aberrantly lost in thyroid cancer, and this downregulation promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition at least partly through modulating EGF receptor signaling.

NF-κB signaling activation and roles in thyroid cancers: implication of MAP3K14/NIK

Among follicular-derived thyroid cancers (TC), those with aggressive behavior and resistance to current treatments display poor prognosis. NF-κB signaling pathways are involved in tumor progression of various cancers. Here, we finely characterize the NF-κB pathways and their involvement in TC. By using immunoblot and gel shift assays, we demonstrated that both classical and alternative NF-κB pathways are activated in ten TC-derived cell lines, leading to activated RelA/p50 and RelB/p50 NF-κB dimers. By analyzing the RNAseq data of the large papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, we identified a tumor progression-related NF-κB signature in BRAFV600E mutated-PTCs. That corroborated with the role of RelA and RelB in cell migration and invasion processes that we demonstrated specifically in BRAFV600E mutated-cell lines, together with their role in the control of expression of genes implicated in invasiveness (MMP1, PLAU, LCN2 and LGALS3). We also identified NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) as a novel actor of the constitutive activation of the NF-κB pathways in TC-derived cell lines. Finally, its implication in invasiveness and its overexpression in PTC samples make NIK a potential therapeutic target for advanced TC treatment.

Mapping and targeting of C1ql1-expressing cells in the mouse

The C1Q complement protein C1QL1 is highly conserved in mammals where it is expressed in various tissues including the brain. This secreted protein interacts with Brain-specific Angiogenesis Inhibitor 3, BAI3/ADGRB3, and controls synapse formation and maintenance. C1ql1 is expressed in the inferior olivary neurons that send projections to cerebellar Purkinje cells, but its expression in the rest of the brain is less documented. To map C1ql1 expression and enable the specific targeting of C1ql1-expressing cells, we generated a knockin mouse model expressing the Cre recombinase under the control of C1ql1 regulatory sequences. We characterized the capacity for Cre-driven recombination in the brain and mapped Cre expression in various neuron types using reporter mouse lines. Using an intersectional strategy with viral particle injections, we show that this mouse line can be used to target specific afferents of Purkinje cells. As C1ql1 is also expressed in other regions of the brain, as well as in other tissues such as adrenal glands and colon, our mouse model is a useful tool to target C1ql1-expressing cells in a broad variety of tissues.

Pleiotropy of C1QL proteins across physiological systems and their emerging role in synapse homeostasis

The C1q/TNF superfamily of proteins engages in a pleiotropy of physiological functions associated with various diseases. C1QL proteins demonstrate important protective and regulatory roles in the endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and nervous systems in both human and rodent studies. Studies in the central nervous system (CNS), adipose, and muscle tissue reveal several C1QL protein and receptor pathways altering multiple cellular responses, including cell fusion, morphology, and adhesion. This review examines C1QL proteins across these systems, summarizing functional and disease associations and highlighting cellular responses based on in vitro and in vivo data, receptor interaction partners, and C1QL-associated protein signaling pathways. We highlight the functions of C1QL proteins in organizing CNS synapses, regulating synapse homeostasis, maintaining excitatory synapses, and mediating signaling and trans-synaptic connections. Yet, while these associations are known, present studies provide insufficient insight into the underlying molecular mechanism of their pleiotropy, including specific protein interactions and functional pathways. Thus, we suggest several areas for more in-depth and interdisciplinary hypothesis testing.

Deleting Cellular Retinoic-Acid-Binding Protein-1 (Crabp1) Gene Causes Adult-Onset Primary Hypothyroidism in Mice

Adult-onset primary hypothyroidism is commonly caused by iatrogenic or autoimmune mechanisms; whether other factors might also contribute to adult hypothyroidism is unclear. Cellular Retinoic-Acid-Binding Protein 1 (CRABP1) is a mediator for Non-canonical signalling of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA). CRABP1 Knockout (CKO) mice develop and reproduce normally but begin to exhibit primary hypothyroidism in adults (~3 months old) including increased body weight, decreased body temperature, reduced plasma levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine, and elevated levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone. Histopathological and gene expression studies reveal significant thyroid gland morphological abnormalities and altered expression of genes involved in thyroid hormone synthesis, transport, and metabolism in the CKO thyroid gland at ~6 months old. These significantly affected genes in CKO mice are also found to be genetically altered in human patients with hypothyroidism which could result in a loss of function, supporting the clinical relevance of CKO mice in humans with hypothyroidism. This study identifies, for the first time, an important role for CRABP1 in maintaining the health of the thyroid gland in adults and reports that CKO mice may provide an experimental animal model for studying the mechanisms underlying the development of adult hypothyroidism in humans.

Lipocalin 2 may be a key factor regulating the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine

Owing to the high heterogeneity of pancreatic cancer, patient-derived xenografts (PDX) can compensate for the defects of cell line-derived xenografts (CDX) and also better preserve the heterogeneity and tumor microenvironment of primary tumors. Further, gemcitabine, which is used for the treatment of various cancers, is prone to tumor drug resistance, and this limits its sustained efficacy. Therefore, in this study, our objective was to screen appropriate individual therapeutic drugs for pancreatic cancer. To this end, we established pancreatic cancer PDX models from different patients and screened gemcitabine sensitivity regulatory molecules via high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Based on the results obtained, gemcitabine was identified as the most suitable chemotherapeutic drug in a variety of PDX models. Additionally, our results indicated that Lipocalin 2 (LCN 2) may play an important role in the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer to gemcitabine treatment. Thus, the study provides a new potential intervention target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in clinical practice.

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PDX model plays an important role in the screening of chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer.

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Gemcitabine is the most suitable chemotherapeutic drug in a variety of PDX models of pancreatic cancer.

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Lcn2 may be involved in the sensitivity of gemcitabine in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and the change of Lipocalin 2 levels determines the gemcitabine therapeutic output.

CRABP1 in Non-Canonical Activities of Retinoic Acid in Health and Diseases

In this review, we discuss the emerging role of Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein 1 (CRABP1) as a mediator of non-canonical activities of retinoic acid (RA) and relevance to human diseases. We first discuss the role of CRABP1 in regulating MAPK activities and its implication in stem cell proliferation, cancers, adipocyte health, and neuro-immune regulation. We then discuss an additional role of CRABP1 in regulating CaMKII activities, and its implication in heart and motor neuron diseases. Through molecular and genetic studies of Crabp1 knockout (CKO) mouse and culture models, it is established that CRABP1 forms complexes with specific signaling molecules to function as RA-regulated signalsomes in a cell context-dependent manner. Gene expression data and CRABP1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of human cancer, neurodegeneration, and immune disease patients implicate the potential association of abnormality in CRABP1 with human diseases. Finally, therapeutic strategies for managing certain human diseases by targeting CRABP1 are discussed.

C1q-like 1 is frequently up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma and contributes to the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells

This study aims to investigate the effects of C1q-like 1 (C1QL1) on the growth and migration of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells and the underlying mechanism. The expression of C1QL1 in LUAD tissues and its prognostic value were analyzed using the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. To investigate the function of C1QL1, loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays were conducted in Calu-3 cells and LTEP-a-2 cells, respectively. Cell growth was evaluated by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. Transwell assays were performed to assess cell invasive and migratory abilities. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect RNA and protein expression, respectively. Firstly, we found that C1QL1 was highly expressed and predicted poor outcomes in LUAD patients from TCGA database. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression levels of C1QL1 were higher in LUAD cells than that in normal lung cells. Results of functional experiments illustrated that depletion of C1QL1 restrained the growth, invasion and migration of Calu-3 cells, meanwhile over-expression of C1QL1 presented the opposite results in LTEP-a-2 cells. Furthermore, we discovered that down-regulation of C1QL1 elevated the protein level of E-cadherin and reduced the protein levels of N-cadherin, Vimentin and Snail in Calu-3 cells, whereas over-expression of C1QL1 led to the opposite outcomes in LTEP-a-2 cells. Our data indicated that C1QL1 functioned as a crucial driver in LUAD cell growth and motility, which might be achieved by modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). These consequences are of important relevance for the design of therapeutic strategies for LUAD.

Long non-coding RNA LINC00887 promotes progression of lung carcinoma by targeting the microRNA-206/NRP1 axis

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to participate in multiple biological processes, including tumorigenesis. In the current study, the function of a novel lncRNA LINC00887 was investigated in lung carcinoma. For this purpose, LINC00887 expression was assessed by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Cell viability was determined by the CCK-8 and EdU assays. Cell invasion, migration were assessed by the transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. A dual luciferase assay was used for analysis of the interaction between LINC00887 and miR-206, as well as the relationship of miR-206 with NRP1. A tumor xenograft study was performed to investigate the LINC00887-miR-206-NRP1 axis in vivo. The expression levels of LINC00887 were upregulated in lung carcinoma tissues and cells compared with adjacent tissues or normal cells (BEAS-2B). Knockdown LINC00887 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of lung carcinoma A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Furthermore, LINC00887 was identified as a competing endogenous RNA and to directly interact with miR-206. Mechanistically, miR-206 was demonstrated to regulate neuropilin-1 (NRP1) expression by targeting the NRP1 3'-untranslated region. The results of the present study suggested that the LINC00887-miR-206-NRP1 axis served a critical role in regulating lung carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, xenograft tumor model experiments revealed that silencing LINC00887 suppressed lung carcinoma tumor growth of in vivo. In summary, our results suggest that LINC00887 may serve an oncogenic role in lung carcinoma by targeting the miR-206/NRP1 axis, providing a potential therapeutic target for patients with lung carcinoma.

The Oncocytic Variant of Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma Shows a Specific Immune-Related Gene Expression Profile

BACKGROUND

Poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) is a rare, follicular cell-derived neoplasm with an unfavorable prognosis. The oncocytic variant of PDTC may be associated with even more adverse outcome than classical PDTC cases, but its specific molecular features are largely unknown. Our aim was to explore the immune-related gene expression profile of oncocytic and classical PDTC, in correlation with clinical and pathological characteristics (including programmed death ligand 1 [PD-L1] expression) and outcome, and in comparison with a control group of well-differentiated follicular carcinomas (WDFCs), including conventional follicular carcinomas (FTCs) and Hürthle cell carcinomas (HCCs).

METHODS

A retrospective series of 48 PDTCs and 24 WDFCs was analyzed by means of NanoString technology employing the nCounter PanCancer Immune Profiling panel. Gene expression data were validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Oncocytic PDTCs showed a specific immune-related gene expression profile, with higher expression of LAIR2, CD274, DEFB1, IRAK1, CAMP, LCN2, LY96, and APOE, and lower expression of NOD1, as compared to conventional PDTCs. This molecular signature was associated with increased intratumoral lymphocytic infiltration, PD-L1 expression, and adverse outcome. Three of these genes, CD274, DEFB1, and IRAK1, as well as PD-L1 expression, were also the hallmarks of HCCs as compared to FTCs. By contrast, the panel of genes differentially regulated in PDTCs as compared to WDFCs was unrelated to the oncocytic phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed a distinctive immune-related gene expression profile of oncocytic PDTC and confirmed a more aggressive outcome in this cancer subtype. These findings may provide guidance when exploring novel immunotherapeutic options for oncocytic PDTC patients.

Bioinformatic screening and identification of downregulated hub genes in adrenocortical carcinoma

The molecular mechanisms of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) carcinogenesis and progression remain unclear. In the present study, three microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were screened, which identified a total of 96 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was established for these DEGs and module analysis was performed using STRING and Cytoscape. A total of eight hub genes were identified from the most significant module; namely, calponin 1 (CNN1), myosin light chain kinase (MYLK), cysteine and glycine rich protein 1 (CSRP1), myosin heavy chain 11 (MYH11), fibulin extracellular matrix protein 2 (EFEMP2), fibulin 1 (FBLN1), microfibril associated protein 4 (MFAP4) and fibulin 5 (FBLN5). The biological functions of these hub genes were analyzed using the DAVID online tool. Changes in the expression of hub genes did not affect overall survival; however, downregulated EFEMP2 decreased disease-free survival. CSRP1 and MFAP4 expression levels were associated with adverse clinicopathological features. In conclusion, although all eight hub genes were downregulated in ACC, they appeared to have important functions in ACC carcinogenesis and progression. Identification of these genes complements the genetic expression profile of ACC and provides insight for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of ACC.

Identification of a prognosis‑associated signature associated with energy metabolism in triple‑negative breast cancer

At present, a large number of exciting results have been found regarding energy metabolism within the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) field. Apart from aerobic glycolysis, a number of other catabolic pathways have also been demonstrated to participate in energy generation. However, the prognostic value of energy metabolism for TNBC currently remains unclear. In the present study, the association between gene expression profiles of energy metabolism and outcomes in patients with TNBC was examined using datasets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas. In total, four robust TNBC subtypes were identified on the basis of negative matrix factorization clustering and gene expression patterns, which exhibited distinct immunological, molecular and prognostic (disease-free survival) features. The differentially expressed genes were subsequently identified from the subgroup that demonstrated the poorest prognosis compared with the remaining 3 subgroups, where their biological functions were assessed further by means of gene ontology enrichment analysis. Any signatures found to be associated with energy metabolism were then established using the Cox proportional hazards model to assess patient prognosis. According to results of Kaplan-Meier analysis, the constructed signature consisting of eight genes that were associated with energy metabolism distinguished patient outcomes into low- and high-risk groups. In addition, this signature, which was found to be markedly associated with the clinical characteristics of the patients, served as an independent factor in predicting TNBC patient prognosis. According to gene set enrichment analysis, the gene sets related to the high-risk group participated in the MAPK signal transduction pathway, focal adhesion and extracellular matrix receptor interaction, whilst those related to the low-risk group were revealed to be mainly associated with mismatch repair and propanoate metabolism. Findings from the present study shed new light on the role of energy metabolism within TNBC, where the eight-gene signature associated with energy metabolism constructed can be utilized as a new prognostic marker for predicting survival in patients with TNBC.

Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential of Lipocalin 2 in Cancer

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a secreted glycoprotein linked to several physiological roles, including transporting hydrophobic ligands across cell membranes, modulating immune responses, maintaining iron homeostasis, and promoting epithelial cell differentiation. Although LNC2 is expressed at low levels in most human tissues, it is abundant in aggressive subtypes of cancer, including breast, pancreas, thyroid, ovarian, colon, and bile duct cancers. High levels of LCN2 have been associated with increased cell proliferation, angiogenesis, cell invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, LCN2 modulates the degradation, allosteric events, and enzymatic activity of matrix metalloprotease-9, a metalloprotease that promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Hence, LCN2 has emerged as a potential therapeutic target against many cancer types. This review summarizes the most relevant findings regarding the expression, biological roles, and regulation of LCN2, as well as the proteins LCN2 interacts with in cancer. We also discuss the approaches to targeting LCN2 for cancer treatment that are currently under investigation, including the use of interference RNAs, antibodies, and gene editing.

Clinical Significance and Potential Regulatory Mechanisms of Serum Response Factor in 1118 Cases of Thyroid Cancer Based on Gene Chip and RNA-Sequencing Data

Background

Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most prevalent endocrine malignancies and there may be many unclarified molecular events and gene types involved in TC. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical implications and potential mechanisms of serum response factor (SRF) in TC.

Material/Methods

RNA-sequencing and gene chip data with TC expression were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas/Genotype-Tissue Expression, Gene Expression Omnibus, ArrayExpress, Sequence Read Archive, and Oncomine. SRF expression of all TC and adjacent non-cancerous tissue were calculated using the t test, STATA, and Meta-DiSc. The related pathways of the potential SRF target genes and target miRNAs were explored. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the association between SRF and its putative miRNA.

Results

One RNA-sequencing and 15 gene chips were collected, and the pooled standardized mean difference of SRF was −1.00. Furthermore, the area under the curve of sROC of SRF in TC was 0.8251, indicating a dramatic decreased expression of SRF in TC tissues based on 1118 cases. The intersection of differentially expressed genes in TC, SRF co-expressed genes, and SRF potential target genes achieved from Cistrome Cancer led to 169 overlapped genes. miR-330-5p was predicted to target SRF, which was further confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Conclusions

The reduction of SRF appears to play a crucial role in the origin of TC. These properties are accomplished by the target genes of SRF, as a transcription factor, or by the axes with the associated miRNAs.

PSMA expression level predicts differentiated thyroid cancer aggressiveness and patient outcome

Background

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is overexpressed on the endothelial cells of tumor neo-vessels of several solid malignancies, including differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). We aimed to test the potential role of PSMA as a biomarker for DTC aggressiveness and outcome prediction.

We retrospectively screened all patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2017 in our institution. Applying the inclusion (histological diagnosis of thyroid cancer and tissue availability) and exclusion criteria (no clinical or follow-up data or diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer), a cohort of 59 patients was selected. The monoclonal mouse anti-human PSMA antibody was used to stain tissue sections. A 3-point scale was used to score PSMA positivity: 0–5% expression was considered as negative (score 0), 6–50% as moderately positive (score 1), and 51–100% as highly positive (score 2). A cumulative score (0–10%, 11–79%, and 80–100%) was also explored. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to predict the presence of distant metastases, chosen as endpoint of aggressiveness. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Cox models were built to predict patient outcome in terms of recurrence, iodine refractoriness, and status at last follow-up, which were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier failure function.

Results

At immunostaining, 12, 25, and 22 patients had scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. According to the cumulative score, PSMA expression was ≤ 10% in 17 cases, 11–79% in 31 cases, and ≥ 80% in 11 cases. At multivariate analysis, age, sex, histotype, vascular invasion, T and N parameters, and PSMA positivity were significant predictors of distant metastases. The AUC was 0.92. Recurrence or progression occurred in 19/59 patients. Twelve patients developed radioiodine (RAI) refractoriness, after a median time of 17 months (range 2–32). One patient died of DTC; 46 of the 58 patients alive at last follow-up were disease free. Median DFS was 23 months (range 3–82). The final multivariate model to predict RAI refractoriness included as covariates the stage, high PSMA expression (≥ 80%), and the interaction between moderate PSMA expression (11–79%) and stage.

Conclusions

PSMA, a marker of neovasculature formation expressed by DTC, contributes in the prediction of tumor aggressiveness and patient outcome.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13550-019-0559-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A nomogram based on a gene signature for predicting the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to establish and validate a gene-expression-based prognostic signature in non-metastatic patients with HNSCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All the patients were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We randomly divided the GSE65858 samples into 70% (training cohort, n = 190) and 30% (internal validation cohort, n = 72). A total of 36 samples collected from the TCGA HNSCC databases were selected as an independent external validation cohort. The oligo package in R was used to normalize the raw data before analysis. Data characteristics were extracted, and a gene signature was built via the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model. The predictive model was developed by multivariable Cox regression analysis. T stage, N stage, human papilloma virus status, and the gene signature were incorporated in this predictive model, which was shown as a nomogram. Calibration and discrimination were performed to assess the performance of the nomogram. The clinical utility of this nomogram was assessed by the decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 2001 significant messenger RNAs in HNSCC samples were identified compared with normal samples. The gene signature contained seven genes and significantly correlated with overall survival. The gene signature was also significant in subgroup analysis of the primary cohort. The calibration was plotted in the external cohort (C-index 0.90, 95% CI 0.85, 0.95) compared with the training (C-index 0.76, 95% CI 0.73, 0.79) and internal (C-index 0.71, 95% CI 0.66, 0.77) cohorts. In clinic, a decision curve analysis demonstrated that the model including the prognostic gene signature score status was better than that without it.

CONCLUSION

This study developed and validated a predictive model, which can promote the individualized prediction of overall survival in non-metastatic patients with HNSCC.

Identification of LCN1 as a Potential Biomarker for Breast Cancer by Bioinformatic Analysis

The biological functions of lipocalin-1 (LCN1) are involved in innate immune responses and act as a physiological scavenger of potentially harmful lipophilic molecules. However, the relevance of LCN1 with cancer is rarely concerned currently. The aim of this study is to address the relevance of LCN1 with BRCA by bioinformatics. In this study, we found that the expressions of LCN1 increased significantly in various cancerous tissues, including BRCA, compared with their adjacent normal tissues through the TIMER database. Furthermore, UALCAN database analysis showed that the expression of LCN1 increased gradually from stage 1 to stage 4 and was upregulated in BRCA patients with different races and subtypes compared with that in the normal. In addition, those patients with perimenopause and postmenopause status displayed higher LCN1 expression. Importantly, LCN1 genetic alterations, including copy number amplification, deep deletion, and missense mutation, could be found, and the alteration frequency showed difference in various invasive BRCA through cBioPortal database. Moreover, a positive correlation between LCN1 somatic copy number alterations and immune cell enrichments was revealed in basal like BRCA by GISTIC 2.0. Finally, analysis on prognostic value of LCN1 by Kaplan-Meier plotter showed that low LCN1 expression correlated with poor prognosis for relapse-free survival in all types of BRCA, overall survival in luminal B BRCA, distant metastasis free survival in human epithelial growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) positive BRCA, and postprogression survival (PPS) in luminal A BRCA. But high LCN1 expression also displayed poor prognosis for PPS in HER2 positive BRCA. The results together verified the significance of LCN1 in BRCA, suggesting that it may be a potential biomarker for BRCA diagnosis.

MicroRNA-524-5p suppresses the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma cells via targeting on FOXE1 and ITGA3 in cell autophagy and cycling pathways

MicroRNAs are beneficial for cancer therapy as they can simultaneously downregulate multiple targets involved in diverse biological pathways related to tumor development. In papillary thyroid cancer, many microRNAs were identified as differentially expressed factors in tumor tissues. In another way, recent studies revealed cell proliferation, cell cycling, apoptosis, and autophagy are critical pathways controlling papillary thyroid cancer development and progression. As miR‐524‐5p was approved as a cancer suppressor targeting multiple genes in several types of cancer cells, this study aims to characterize the role of miR‐524‐5p in the thyroid cancer cell. The expression of miR‐524‐5p was decreased in the papillary thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines, while forkhead box E1 (FOXE1) and ITGA3 were increased. In the clinical case, expression of miR‐524‐5p, FOXE1, and ITGA3 were significantly correlated with papillary thyroid cancer development and progression. FOXE1 and ITGA3 were approved as direct targets of miR‐524‐5p. miR‐524‐5p could inhibit papillary thyroid cancer cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis through targeting FOXE1 and ITGA3. Cell cycling and autophagy pathways were disturbed by downregulation of FOXE1 and ITGA3, respectively. Collectively, miR‐524‐5p targeting on FOXE1 and ITGA3 prevents thyroid cancer progression through different pathways including cell cycling and autophagy.

Overexpression of LASS2 inhibits proliferation and causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in papillary thyroid cancer

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of LAG1 longevity-assurance homologue 2 (LASS2) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Methods

Immunohistochemistry staining was conducted to explore the expression levels of LASS2 in PTC tissues and adjacent normal thyroid tissues and nodular goiter tissues. Western blotting and RT-qPCR were performed to explore the expression levels of LASS2 in three PTC cell lines (TPC-1, K1, BCPAP). An Adv-LASS2-GFP recombinant adenovirus vector was constructed and transduced into BCPAP cells. Then CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were performed. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of p21, cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4, p53 and p-p53.

Results

LASS2 was downregulated in PTC tissues compared with adjacent thyroid tissues or nodular goiter tissues. In addition, the expression of LASS2 was found to be associated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. BCPAP cells expressed the lowest LASS2 compared to TPC-1 cells or K1 cells. Overexpression of LASS2 significantly inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis and caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in BCPAP cells. Furthermore, overexpression of LASS2 significantly increased the expression of p21, inhibited the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4, and increased the expression of p-p53, but did not effect the expression of p53 in BCPAP cells.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that overexpression of LASS2 inhibits PTC cell proliferation, promotes apoptosis and causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest via a p53-dependent pathway. Thus, LASS2 may serve as a novel biomarker in PTC.