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Chen D, Hou X. Aspartame carcinogenic potential revealed through network toxicology and molecular docking insights. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11492. [PMID: 38769413 PMCID: PMC11106323 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62461-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The research employed network toxicology and molecular docking techniques to systematically examine the potential carcinogenic effects and mechanisms of aspartame (L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester). Aspartame, a commonly used synthetic sweetener, is widely applied in foods and beverages globally. In recent years, its safety issues, particularly the potential carcinogenic risk, have garnered widespread attention. The study first constructed an interaction network map of aspartame with gastric cancer targets using network toxicology methods and identified key targets and pathways. Preliminary validation was conducted through microarray data analysis and survival analysis, and molecular docking techniques were employed to further examine the binding affinity and modes of action of aspartame with key proteins. The findings suggest that aspartame has the potential to impact various cancer-related proteins, potentially raising the likelihood of cellular carcinogenesis by interfering with biomolecular function. Furthermore, the study found that the action patterns and pathways of aspartame-related targets are like the mechanisms of known carcinogenic pathways, further supporting the scientific hypothesis of its potential carcinogenicity. However, given the complexity of the in vivo environment, we also emphasize the necessity of validating these molecular-level findings in actual biological systems. The study introduces a fresh scientific method for evaluating the safety of food enhancers and provides a theoretical foundation for shaping public health regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Chen
- Fenghua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xianbing Hou
- Fenghua Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
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Zarafshani M, Mahmoodzadeh H, Soleimani V, Moosavi MA, Rahmati M. Expression and Clinical Significance of IRE1-XBP1s, p62, and Caspase-3 in Colorectal Cancer Patients. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2024; 49:10-21. [PMID: 38322164 PMCID: PMC10839142 DOI: 10.30476/ijms.2023.96922.2856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Background Three main cell signaling pathways including the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) response, autophagy, and apoptosis play critical roles in both cell survival and death. They were found to crosstalk with one another during tumorigenesis and cancer progression. This study aimed to investigate the expression of the spliced form of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s), p62, and caspase-3, as the essential biomarkers of ERS, autophagy, and apoptosis in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as the correlation between their expression and clinicopathological data. Methods This retrospective study was conducted on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks, which were collected from patients and their tumor margins, from the tumor bank of Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran, Iran) from 2017 to 2019. Tissue microarray (TMA) was used to measure the XBP1s, p62, and caspase-3 biomarkers. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20, and P≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Evaluating the total of 91 patients, a significant relationship was found between XBP1s expression and TNM stage (P=0.003), primary tumor (pT) (P=0.054), and the degree of differentiation (P=0.006); and between caspase-3 with pT (P=0.004), and lymphovascular invasion (P=0.02). However, no significant correlation was found between p62 and clinicopathological data. Furthermore, a positive relationship between XBP1s and p62 was confirmed (correlation coefficient: 22.2% and P=0.05). Conclusion Our findings indicated that XBP1s could be considered as a target for therapy in personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadkian Zarafshani
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Habibollah Mahmoodzadeh
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Soleimani
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amin Moosavi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology (IMB), National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Tehran, Iran
| | - Marveh Rahmati
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Dominkuš PP, Mesic A, Hudler P. PLK2 Single Nucleotide Variant in Gastric Cancer Patients Affects miR-23b-5p Binding. J Gastric Cancer 2022; 22:348-368. [PMID: 36316110 PMCID: PMC9633926 DOI: 10.5230/jgc.2022.22.e31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Chromosomal instability is a hallmark of gastric cancer (GC). It can be driven by single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in cell cycle genes. We investigated the associations between SNVs in candidate genes, PLK2, PLK3, and ATM, and GC risk and clinicopathological features. MATERIALS AND METHODS The genotyping study included 542 patients with GC and healthy controls. Generalized linear models were used for the risk and clinicopathological association analyses. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The binding of candidate miRs was analyzed using a luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS The PLK2 Crs15009-Crs963615 haplotype was under-represented in the GC group compared to that in the control group (Pcorr=0.050). Male patients with the PLK2 rs963615 CT genotype had a lower risk of GC, whereas female patients had a higher risk (P=0.023; P=0.026). The PLK2 rs963615 CT genotype was associated with the absence of vascular invasion (P=0.012). The PLK3 rs12404160 AA genotype was associated with a higher risk of GC in the male population (P=0.015). The ATM Trs228589-Ars189037-Grs4585 haplotype was associated with a higher risk of GC (P<0.001). The ATM rs228589, rs189037, and rs4585 genotypes TA+AA, AG+GG, and TG+GG were associated with the absence of perineural invasion (P=0.034). In vitro analysis showed that the cancer-associated miR-23b-5p mimic specifically bound to the PLK2 rs15009 G allele (P=0.0097). Moreover, low miR-23b expression predicted longer 10-year survival (P=0.0066) in patients with GC. CONCLUSIONS PLK2, PLK3, and ATM SNVs could potentially be helpful for the prediction of GC risk and clinicopathological features. PLK2 rs15009 affects the binding of miR-23b-5p. MiR-23b-5p expression status could serve as a prognostic marker for survival in patients with GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Pužar Dominkuš
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aner Mesic
- University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Petra Hudler
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Yu B, Dai W, Pang L, Sang Q, Li F, Yu J, Feng H, Li J, Hou J, Yan C, Su L, Zhu Z, Li YY, Liu B. The dynamic alteration of transcriptional regulation by crucial TFs during tumorigenesis of gastric cancer. Mol Med 2022; 28:41. [PMID: 35421923 PMCID: PMC9008954 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00468-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mechanisms of Gastric cancer (GC) initiation and progression are complicated, at least partly owing to the dynamic changes of gene regulation during carcinogenesis. Thus, investigations on the changes in regulatory networks can improve the understanding of cancer development and provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of cancer. Methods Differential co-expression analysis (DCEA), differential gene regulation network (GRN) modeling and differential regulation analysis (DRA) were integrated to detect differential transcriptional regulation events between gastric normal mucosa and cancer samples based on GSE54129 dataset. Cytological experiments and IHC staining assays were used to validate the dynamic changes of CREB1 regulated targets in different stages. Results A total of 1955 differentially regulated genes (DRGs) were identified and prioritized in a quantitative way. Among the top 1% DRGs, 14 out of 19 genes have been reported to be GC relevant. The four transcription factors (TFs) among the top 1% DRGs, including CREB1, BPTF, GATA6 and CEBPA, were regarded as crucial TFs relevant to GC progression. The differentially regulated links (DRLs) around the four crucial TFs were then prioritized to generate testable hypotheses on the differential regulation mechanisms of gastric carcinogenesis. To validate the dynamic alterations of gene regulation patterns of crucial TFs during GC progression, we took CREB1 as an example to screen its differentially regulated targets by using cytological and IHC staining assays. Eventually, TCEAL2 and MBNL1 were proved to be differentially regulated by CREB1 during tumorigenesis of gastric cancer. Conclusions By combining differential networking information and molecular cell experiments verification, testable hypotheses on the regulation mechanisms of GC around the core TFs and their top ranked DRLs were generated. Since TCEAL2 and MBNL1 have been reported to be potential therapeutic targets in SCLC and breast cancer respectively, their translation values in GC are worthy of further investigation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10020-022-00468-7.
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Lin S, Que Y, Que C, Li F, Deng M, Xu D. Exosome miR-3184-5p inhibits gastric cancer growth by targeting XBP1 to regulate the AKT, STAT3, and IRE1 signalling pathways. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2022; 19:e27-e38. [PMID: 35394683 DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs can regulate the transcription of protein-coding genes associated with the development and progression of cancer. In this study, we explored the potential diagnostic function of exosome miR-3184-5p in gastric cancer. This exosome was isolated from the blood samples of 150 patients with gastric cancer and 60 healthy participants. The mean particle size and concentration of serum exosome in the patients with gastric cancer were 104.6 nm (93.97-115.84) and 6.21e+009 particles/ml (5.15e+009-7.12e+009), respectively. miR-3184-5p expression was substantially downregulated in the patients with gastric cancer compared with that in the healthy participants. The gastric cancer cell line HGC-27 was cultured and transfected with the mimic and an inhibitor to overexpress and inhibit miR-3184-5p expression. miR-3184-5p strongly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but induced cell apoptosis. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that XBP1 was the target of miR-3184-5p. miR-3184-5p substantially downregulated the expression of CD44, cyclin D1, MMP2, p65, p-AKT, and p-STAT3 but upregulated that of GRP78, IRE1, p-JNK, and CHOP. Moreover, miR-3184-5p cleaved caspase-12 and inhibited BCL-2 expression. These results suggested that the downregulation of miR-3184-5p in patients with gastric cancer might regulate the AKT, STAT3, and IRE1 pathways to promote the vitality of gastric cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangming Lin
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Surgery, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
| | - Yonggu Que
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Surgery, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
| | - Changrong Que
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Surgery, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
| | - Fudi Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Surgery, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
| | - Maoqing Deng
- Department of laboratory, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
| | - Dongbo Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Surgery, Longyan First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Longyan, P.R. China
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Li Q, Dai W, Liu J, Sang Q, Li YX, Li YY. Gene dysregulation analysis builds a mechanistic signature for prognosis and therapeutic benefit in colorectal cancer. J Mol Cell Biol 2020; 12:881-893. [PMID: 32717065 PMCID: PMC7883816 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjaa041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The implementation of cancer precision medicine requires biomarkers or signatures for predicting prognosis and therapeutic benefits. Most of current efforts in this field are paying much more attention to predictive accuracy than to molecular mechanistic interpretability. Mechanism-driven strategy has recently emerged, aiming to build signatures with both predictive power and explanatory power. Driven by this strategy, we developed a robust gene dysregulation analysis framework with machine learning algorithms, which is capable of exploring gene dysregulations underlying carcinogenesis from high-dimensional data with cooperativity and synergy between regulators and several other transcriptional regulation rules taken into consideration. We then applied the framework to a colorectal cancer (CRC) cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The identified CRC-related dysregulations significantly covered known carcinogenic processes and exhibited good prognostic effect. By choosing dysregulations with greedy strategy, we built a four-dysregulation (4-DysReg) signature, which has the capability of predicting prognosis and adjuvant chemotherapy benefit. 4-DysReg has the potential to explain carcinogenesis in terms of dysfunctional transcriptional regulation. These results demonstrate that our gene dysregulation analysis framework could be used to develop predictive signature with mechanistic interpretability for cancer precision medicine, and furthermore, elucidate the mechanisms of carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanxue Li
- School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.,Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Wentao Dai
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 201203, China.,Department of Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gastric Neoplasms, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Translation and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jixiang Liu
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 201203, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Translation and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qingqing Sang
- Department of Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Gastric Neoplasms, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yi-Xue Li
- School of Biotechnology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.,Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 201203, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Translation and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Li
- Shanghai Center for Bioinformation Technology, Shanghai 201203, China.,Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Pharmaceutical Translation and Shanghai Industrial Technology Institute, Shanghai 201203, China
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Gupta MK, Vadde R. Applications of Computational Biology in Gastrointestinal Malignancies. IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR GASTROINTESTINAL MALIGNANCIES 2020:231-251. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-6487-1_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
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Shi W, Chen Z, Li L, Liu H, Zhang R, Cheng Q, Xu D, Wu L. Unravel the molecular mechanism of XBP1 in regulating the biology of cancer cells. J Cancer 2019; 10:2035-2046. [PMID: 31205564 PMCID: PMC6548171 DOI: 10.7150/jca.29421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells are usually exposed to stressful environments, such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and other metabolic dysfunctional regulation, leading to continuous endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. As the most conserved branch among the three un-folded protein response (UPR) pathways, Inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)-X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) signaling has been implicated in cancer development and progression. Active XBP1 with transactivation domain functions as a transcription factor to regulate the expression of downstream target genes, including many oncogenic factors. The regulatory activity of XBP1 in cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and drug resistance promotes cell survival, leading to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In addition, the XBP1 peptides-based vaccination and/or combination with immune-modulatory drug administration have been developed for effective management for several cancers. Potentially, XBP1 is the biomarker of cancer development and progression and the strategy for clinical cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimei Shi
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Zhixi Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Linfu Li
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Hai Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Rui Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Qilai Cheng
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
| | - Daohua Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan China, 523808
| | - Longhuo Wu
- College of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou China, 341000
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Concordance Rate between Clinicians and Watson for Oncology among Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer: Early, Real-World Experience in Korea. Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 2019:8072928. [PMID: 30854352 PMCID: PMC6377977 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8072928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS/AIMS Watson for Oncology (WFO) is a cognitive technology that processes medical information by analyzing the latest evidence and guidelines. However, studies of the concordance rate between WFO and clinicians for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) are lacking. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 65 patients with AGC who consulted WFO and the Gachon Gil Medical Center multidisciplinary team (GMDT) in 2016 and 2017. The recommendations of WFO were compared with the opinions of the GMDT. WFO provided three treatment options: recommended (first treatment option), for consideration (second treatment option), and not recommended. RESULTS In total, 65 patients (mean age 61.0 years; 44 males and 21 females) were included in the study. The concordance rate between WFO and the GMDT was 41.5% (27/65) at the recommended level and 87.7% (57/65) at the for consideration level. The main causes of discordance between WFO and the GMDT were as follows. First, WFO did not consider the medical history. Second, WFO recommended the use of agents that are considered outdated in Korea. Third, some patients wanted to be involved in a clinical trial. Fourth, some patients refused to use the biologic agents recommended by WFO for financial reasons as they were not covered by medical insurance. CONCLUSIONS The concordance rate at the recommended level was relatively low but was higher at the for consideration level. Discordances arose mainly from the different medical circumstances at the Gachon Gil Medical Center (GMC) and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), the main WFO consulting center. The utility of WFO as a tool for supporting clinical decision making could be further improved by incorporating regional guidelines.
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