Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor family members is associated with prognosis in early stage cervical cancer patients

Integrated In-Silico and In Vitro analysis to Decipher the contribution of bisphenol-A in cervical cancer

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic chemical widely used as a monomer for producing polycarbonate plastics. The present investigation employed an in-silico approach to identify BPA-responsive genes and comprehend the biological functions affected using in vitro studies. A Comparative Toxicogenomics Database search identified 29 BPA-responsive genes in cervical cancer (CC). Twenty-nine genes were screened using published datasets, and thirteen of those showed differential expression between normal and CC samples. Protein-Protein Interaction Networks (PPIN) analysis identified BIRC5, CASP8, CCND1, EGFR, FGFR3, MTOR, VEGFA, DOC2B, WNT5A, and YY1 as hub genes. KM-based survival analysis identified that CCND, EGFR, VEGFA, FGFR3, DOC2B, and YY1 might affect CC patient survival. SiHa and CaSki cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were all considerably accelerated by BPA exposure. Changes in cell morphology, remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, increased number and length of filopodia, elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species and calcium, and lipid droplet accumulation were noted upon BPA exposure. BPA treatment upregulated the expression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition pathway members and enhanced the nuclear translocation of CTNNB1. We showed that the enhanced migration and nuclear translocation of CTNNB1 upon BPA exposure is a calcium-dependent process. The present study identified potential BPA-responsive genes and provided novel insights into the biological effects and mechanisms affected by BPA in CC. Our study raises concern over the use of BPA.

Exploring MiR-484 Regulation by Polyalthia longifolia: A Promising Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Cervical Cancer through Integrated Bioinformatics and an In Vitro Analysis

BACKGROUND

MiR-484, implicated in various carcinomas, holds promise as a prognostic marker, yet its relevance to cervical cancer (CC) remains unclear. Our prior study demonstrated the Polyalthia longifolia downregulation of miR-484, inhibiting HeLa cells. This study investigates miR-484's potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target in CC through integrated bioinformatics and an in vitro analysis.

METHODS

MiR-484 levels were analyzed across cancers, including CC, from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The limma R package identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between high- and low-miR-484 CC cohorts. We assessed biological functions, tumor microenvironment (TME), immunotherapy, stemness, hypoxia, RNA methylation, and chemosensitivity differences. Prognostic genes relevant to miR-484 were identified through Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses, and a prognostic model was captured via multivariate Cox regression. Single-cell RNA sequencing determined cell populations related to prognostic genes. qRT-PCR validated key genes, and the miR-484 effect on CC proliferation was assessed via an MTT assay.

RESULTS

MiR-484 was upregulated in most tumors, including CC, with DEGs enriched in skin development, PI3K signaling, and immune processes. High miR-484 expression correlated with specific immune cell infiltration, hypoxia, and drug sensitivity. Prognostic genes identified were predominantly epidermal and stratified patients with CC into risk groups, with the low-risk group showing enhanced survival and immunotherapeutic responses. qRT-PCR confirmed FGFR3 upregulation in CC cells, and an miR-484 mimic reversed the P. longifolia inhibitory effect on HeLa proliferation.

CONCLUSION

MiR-484 plays a crucial role in the CC progression and prognosis, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for targeted therapy.

Molecular Targeting of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Pathway across Various Cancers

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases that are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, and development. FGFR alterations including amplifications, fusions, rearrangements, and mutations can result in the downstream activation of tyrosine kinases, leading to tumor development. Targeting these FGFR alterations has shown to be effective in treating cholangiocarcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, and myeloid/lymphoid neoplasms, and there are currently four FGFR inhibitors approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There have been developments in multiple agents targeting the FGFR pathway, including selective FGFR inhibitors, ligand traps, monoclonal antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates. However, most of these agents have variable and low responses, with some intolerable toxicities and acquired resistances. This review will summarize previous clinical experiences and current developments in agents targeting the FGFR pathway, and will also discuss future directions for FGFR-targeting agents.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of 5-((2-(4-bromo/chloro benzoyl) benzofuran-5-yl) methyl)-2-((1-(substituted)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)benzaldehyde analogues

Novel 5-((2-(4-bromo/chloro benzoyl) benzofuran-5-yl) methyl)-2-((1-(substituted)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)benzaldehyde analogues about twenty-one were synthesized all through standard chemical procedures. The structure of the compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectral analysis after purification. All the compounds were screened for In Vitro lung and cervical cancer activity against A-549 and HeLa cell lines, respectively, by MTT assay protocol using various nanomolar (nM) concentrations. IC50 value were calculated from cell viability data. 2-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl substituted derivative presented outstanding activity against both the cell lines compared to standard drug doxorubicin. The methoxy, chloro, fluoro and formyl substituted analogues showed a moderate activity and whereas methyl substituted analogues activity was poor. The morphological deformation of both cell lines by best IC50 value analogues proved as potent inhibitors of cancer cells growth. Molecular docking studies were performed against extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 these results are incredibly in agreement with the investigational data.

The Significance of Human Papillomavirus Receptors Related Genetic Variants in Cervical Cancer Screening

To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human papillomavirus (HPV) receptor associated genes and HPV susceptibility and clinical outcomes in Chinese women, from October 2016 to March 2020, a total of 3,066 women were recruited for a 3-year prospective population-based cervical cancer screening clinical trial. The primary endpoint was histological cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 and worse (CIN2+). Twenty-nine SNPs of HPV receptor associated genes on women with available cytology residual samples at baseline were detected using MALDI-TOF MS. Eligible data were available for 2,938 women. Rs16894821 (GG versus AA, OR =1.71 [1.08 to 2.69]) and rs724236 (TT versus AA, OR = 1.73 [1.14 to 2.62]) in SDC2 were significantly related to the HPV susceptibility. And rs2575712 (TT versus GG, OR = 2.78 [1.22 to 6.36]) in SDC2 was associated with increased HPV 16/18 susceptibility. Four SNPs (rs1047057 and rs10510097 in FGFR2 gene, rs2575735 in SDC2 gene, and rs878949 in HSPG2 gene) were significantly associated with persistent HPV infection. Importantly, the genotypes of rs16894821 under recessive model (GG versus AA/AG, OR = 2.40 [1.12 to 5.15]) in SDC2 and rs11199993 under dominant model (GC/CC versus GG, OR = 1.64 [1.01 to 2.68]) in FGFR2 were significantly associated with the disease progression. Finally, SNPs showed comparable efficacy in detecting CIN2+ for the women infected with non-HPV16/18 compared with cervical cytology (sensitivity: 0.51 [0.36 to 0.66] versus 0.44 [0.30 to 0.60], specificity: 0.96 [0.96 to 0.97] versus 0.98 [0.97 to 0.99], positive predictive value: 0.23 [0.15 to 0.33] versus 0.33 [0.22 to 0.47], and negative predictive value: 0.99 [0.98 to 0.99] versus 0.99 [0.98 to 0.99]). SNPs in HPV receptor related genes may influence HPV susceptibilities and clinical outcomes in Chinese women. IMPORTANCE Virus receptors are known to mediate virus attachment and further lead to virus infection of the host cells. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human papillomavirus (HPV) receptor associated genes and HPV susceptibility and clinical outcomes in Chinese women, and to explore the new triaging strategy for non-16/18 high-risk HPV infection.

Correlation between [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET Imaging and HIF-1α Immunohistochemical Analysis in Cervical Cancer: Proof-of-Concept

Hypoxia leads to changes in tumor microenvironment (upregulated CAFs) with resultant aggressiveness. A key factor in the physiological response to hypoxia is hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET imaging has been demonstrated in various cancer types. We hypothesized that [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET may be used as an indirect tracer for mapping hypoxia by correlating the image findings to pathological analysis of HIF-1α expression. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET/CT scans of women with cancer of the cervix were reviewed and the maximum and mean standardized uptake value (SUVmax and SUVmean) and FAPI tumor volume (FAPI-TV) were documented. Correlation analysis was performed between PET-derived parameters and immunohistochemical staining as well as between PET-derived parameters and the presence of metastasis. Ten women were included. All patients demonstrated tracer uptake in the primary site or region of the primary. All patients had lymph node metastases while only six patients had distant visceral or skeletal metastases. The mean SUVmax, SUVmean, and FAPI-TV was 18.89, 6.88, and 195.66 cm3, respectively. The average FAPI-TV for patients with additional sites of metastases was higher than those without. Immunohistochemistry revealed varying intensities of HIF-1α expression in all tested samples. There was a positive correlation between the presence of skeletal metastases and staining for HIF-1α (r=0.80;p=0.017). The presence of skeletal metastasis was correlated to the HIF-1⍺ staining (percentage distribution). Furthermore, the FAPI-TV was a better predictor of metastatic disease than the SUVmax.

Clinical Value of Serum miR-106a in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Human Papillomavirus-Positive Cervical Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Cervical cancer (CC) is a prevailing malignant tumor in women, mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This study investigated miR-106a expression in the serum of HPV-positive CC patients and estimated its value in diagnosis and prognosis.

METHODS

We enrolled 120 CC patients as study subjects, with another 80 healthy women as controls. Clinical baseline data and clinicopathological indexes including age, tumor size, differentiation degree, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) were recorded. Serum miR-106a expression was measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to estimate the efficacy of miR-106a in diagnosing CC or HPV-positive CC. Under a 5-year follow-up, patient survival was recorded, and the impact of miR-106a on overall survival rate was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The logistic regression model was used to analyze whether miR-106a was an independent prognostic factor for HPV infection in CC patients.

RESULTS

Serum miR-106a was upregulated in CC patients and the level >1.365 assisted the CC diagnosis. miR-106a expression in HPV-positive CC patients was elevated relative to HPV-negative CC patients, and serum miR-106a level >1.300 distinguishing HPV positive and HPV negative. HPV positivity was linked with tumor differentiation degree, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, and SCC-Ag in CC patients, but not with age and tumor size. High expression of miR-106a in HPV-positive CC patients increased the risk of poor prognosis, and miR-106a expression is an independent prognostic factor for HPV infection in CC patients.

CONCLUSION

High expression of miR-106a assists in the diagnosis of HPV-positive CC and predicts poor prognosis.

Systematic Analysis of the Therapy Resistance Genes and their Prognostic Relevance in Cervical Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Critical issues in the therapeutic management of cervical cancer (CC) include therapy resistance and treatment failure. The development of therapy resistance is a multifaceted, progressive process, including genetic and epigenetic abnormalities. The present study aimed to identify genes that may contribute to therapy resistance in CC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We have created an extensive list of the genes in cancer that are therapy-resistant using a text-mining approach. The list was compared with the TCGA-CESC dataset to identify the differentially expressed therapy resistance genes (DETRGs) in CC. We used online resources (UALCAN, DNMIVD, cBio- Portal, HCMDB, OncoDB, ShinyGO, HPA, KM Plotter, TIMER, and DGIdb) to determine the potential association between methylation and expression of therapy resistance genes with the prognosis and clinical outcomes in CC.

RESULTS

The systematic analysis identified 71 out of 91 DETRGs showed aberrant DNA methylation. The overlapping analysis identified 25 genes to show an inverse correlation between methylation and expression. Further, differential expression or methylation could be helpful in CC staging, HPV association, prediction of metastasis and prognosis. The study identified seven driver genes in CC. The PPIN identifies ten hub genes (HGs) associated with CC staging, cancer hallmarks, and prognosis to affect long-term survival.

CONCLUSION

Our thorough investigation uncovered several novel genes and pathways that might contribute to therapy resistance in CC. The genes identified in our study may serve as a biomarker, prognostic indicator, and therapeutic target in CC.

FGFR2-IIIb Expression by Immunohistochemistry Has High Specificity in Cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 Genomic Alterations

BACKGROUND

FGFR2 genomic alterations are observed in 10-20% of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Although FGFR2 fusions are an important actionable target, FGFR2 protein expression has not been thoroughly characterized.

AIMS

To evaluate FGFR2 protein expression in cholangiocarcinoma harboring FGFR2 genomic alterations.

METHODS

FGFR2 protein expression was evaluated in 99 CCA cases with two different antibodies. FGFR2 genomic alterations were confirmed via next-generating sequencing (NGS) or FISH. Primary objective was to determine the specificity and sensitivity of FGFR2 immunohistochemistry staining for detecting FGFR2 genomic alterations. Secondary objectives included overall FGFR2 immunohistochemistry staining in CCA patients, and evaluation of whether FGFR2 expression correlates with clinical outcomes including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and time-to-tumor recurrence (TTR).

RESULTS

Immunohistochemistry staining with two antibodies against FGFR2, FPR2-D, and clone 98706 showed high accuracy (78.7% and 91.9%) and specificity (82.9% and 97.7%), and moderate sensitivity (53.9% and 57.1%), respectively, when compared with the standard methods for detecting FGFR2 genomic alterations. In a median follow-up of 72 months, there were no statistically significant differences in OS, PFS, and TTR, for patients with positive or negative FGFR2 staining.

CONCLUSION

FGFR2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry has high specificity and therefore could be used to imply the presence of FGFR2 genomic alterations in the context of a positive test. In the case of a negative test, NGS or FISH would be necessary to ascertain cases with FGFR2 genomic alterations.

FGFR3 Nuclear Translocation Contributes to Proliferative Potential and Poor Prognosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) was revealed to have divergent, even opposite roles in different neoplasms. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its impact on biological behavior and prognosis was not well elucidated.

METHODS

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 was downregulated by RNA interference to explore its impact on cell proliferative proclivity in PDAC cells. Furthermore, tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry for FGFR3 was performed in 326 patients with PDAC who underwent radical resection, and its clinicopathologic and prognostic implications were then evaluated.

RESULTS

First, successful FGFR3 knockdown remarkably decreased its expression, cell proliferation, and S-phase ratio in the cell cycle in 2 PDAC cell lines, BxPC-3 and AsPC-1. Meanwhile, alterations in p-Akt, cyclin D1, cyclin B1, and p21 were also observed. Subsequently, high nuclear FGFR3 expression, but not cytoplasmic, was significantly common in tumor tissues and positively associated with N stage and dismal overall survival in the entire cohort. In addition, nuclear FGFR3 expression was also prognostic in 10 of 14 subsets. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified nuclear expression of FGFR3 as an independent prognosticator in the entire cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed that FGFR3 nuclear translocation contributes to cell proliferative potential and predicts poor long-term prognosis in PDAC after surgical resection.

FGF signalling facilitates cervical cancer progression

Cervical cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women worldwide. While cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), not all females infected with HPV develop the disease, suggesting that other factors might facilitate its progression. Growing evidence supports the involvement of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) axis in several cancers, including gynecological. However, for cervical cancer, the molecular mechanisms that underpin the disease remain poorly understood, including the role of FGFR signaling. The aim of this study was to investigate FGF(R) signaling in cervical cancer through bioinformatic analysis of cell line and patient data and through detailed expression profiling, manipulation of the FGFR axis, and downstream phenotypic analysis in cell lines (HeLa, SiHa, and CaSki). Expression (protein and mRNA) analysis demonstrated that FGFR1b/c, FGFR2b/c, FGFR4, FGF2, FGF4, and FGF7 were expressed in all three lines. Interestingly, FGFR1 and 2 localized to the nucleus, supporting that nuclear FGFRs could act as transcription factors. Importantly, 2D and 3D cell cultures demonstrated that FGFR activation can facilitate cell functions correlated with invasive disease. Collectively, this study supports an association between FGFR signaling and cervical cancer progression, laying the foundations for the development of therapeutic approaches targeting FGFR in this disease.

Intratumoral γδ T-Cell Infiltrates, Chemokine (C-C Motif) Ligand 4/Chemokine (C-C Motif) Ligand 5 Protein Expression and Survival in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy which is often associated with a complex tumor microenvironment attributable to etiology-induced cellular inflammation. γδ T cells are known to detect and react to chronic inflammation, which is linked to cancer development, progression, and metastasis. Our recent genomic study revealed an increased infiltration of several immune cell types, including γδ T cells, in tumor microenvironments of a Thai HCC subtype associated with a good prognosis.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Here, we quantified the amount of γδ T cells using a γδ T-cell-specific gene signature in 247 Chinese HCC patients. We also validated the γδ T-cell signature in American HCC patients. Additionally, such an association was only found in tumor transcriptomic data, but not in adjacent nontumor transcriptomic data, suggesting a selective enrichment of γδ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the γδ T-cell signature was positively correlated with the expression of natural killer cell receptor genes, such as NKG2D and cytolytic T-cell genes granzymes and perforin, suggesting a stronger T-cell-mediated cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, we found that the γδ T-cell-specific gene expression is positively correlated with the expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4)/chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) and C-C chemokine receptor type 1 (CCR1)/C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5), the receptors for γδ T cells. We validated these results using immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor biopsies from 182 HCC patients. Moreover, we found evidence of CCL4/CCL5-mediated recruitment of γδ T cells both in vitro and in a murine orthotopic Hepa1-6 HCC model.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that CCL4/CCL5 may interact with their receptor, CCR1/CCR5, which may facilitate the recruitment of γδ T cells from peripheral blood or peritumor regions to the tumor regions. Consequently, an increasing infiltration of γδ T cells in tumors may enhance antitumor immunity and improve patients' prognosis.

4-HNE Immunohistochemistry and Image Analysis for Detection of Lipid Peroxidation in Human Liver Samples Using Vitamin E Treatment in NAFLD as a Proof of Concept

Lipid peroxidation is a common feature of liver diseases, especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There are limited validated tools to study intra-hepatic lipid peroxidation, especially for small specimen. We developed a semi-quantitative, fully automated immunohistochemistry assay for the detection of 4-hydroxynoneal (4-HNE) protein adducts, a marker of lipid peroxidation, for adaptation to clinical diagnostics and research. We used Hep G2 cells treated with 4-HNE to validate specificity, sensitivity, and dynamic range of the antibody. Staining and semi-quantitative automated readout were confirmed in human needle-biopsy liver samples from subjects with NAFLD and normal liver histology. The ability to detect changes in lipid peroxidation was tested in paired liver biopsies from NAFLD subjects, obtained before and after 4 weeks of treatment with the antioxidant vitamin E (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01792115, n=21). The cellular calibrator was linear and NAFLD patients had significantly higher levels of 4-HNE adducts compared to controls (p=0.02). Vitamin E treatment significantly decreased 4-HNE (p=0.0002). Our findings demonstrate that 4-HNE quantification by immunohistochemistry and automated image analysis is feasible and able to detect changes in hepatic lipid peroxidation in clinical trials. This method can be applied to archival and fresh samples and should be considered for use in assessing NAFLD histology.

FGFR4 promotes nuclear localization of GABP to inhibit cell apoptosis in uterine leiomyosarcoma

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) has been indicated as a potential "oncogene" in various types of cancer. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of FGFR4 on uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) progression remain unclear. In this study, we firstly discovered that FGFR4 was upregulated in ULMS specimens and cell lines and closely associated with poor prognosis of ULMS patients. Cell viability and apoptosis assays showed that FGFR4 deletion inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, FGFR4 silence increased cytoplasmic GABP (GA binding protein) expression, while it decreased the nuclear GABP level to inhibit nuclear localization of GABP. Mechanistically, the inhibition ability of FGFR4 silence on nuclear localization of GABP was mediated via mammalian Ste20-like kinases 1 (MST1) activation, which could promote phosphorylation of large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) to reduce nuclear localization of GABP. Gain- and loss-of-functional assays indicated that FGFR4 promoted nuclear localization of GABP to inhibit cell apoptosis in ULMS. In conclusion, our findings indicated that FGFR4 inhibited cell apoptosis in ULMS via the promotion of MST1/LATS1-mediated GABP nuclear localization, shedding light on the underlying mechanism of FGFR4-induced ULMS progression.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling as therapeutic targets in female reproductive system cancers

Ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and endometrial cancer are three relatively common malignant cancers of the female reproductive system. Despite improvements in female genital tract cancer detection and development of new therapeutic approaches, there are still poor prognoses and some do not respond to therapeutic patterns, displaying low survival and high frequency of recurrence. In an era of personalized medicine, novel therapeutic approaches with greater efficacy for these cancers represent an unmet need. One of the actionable signaling pathways is the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling pathway. Several mutations and alterations in FGF/FGFR family members have been reported in human cancers. FGF/FGFR signaling pathway has become a new target for cancer therapy. This review will summarize the role of FGFR pathway and the genetic alterations of the FGF/FGFR related to female reproductive system cancer. We will describe the available inhibitors of FGFR pathway for potential treatment of female reproductive system cancer. Furthermore, we will discuss FGFR-targeted therapies under clinical development for treatment of female reproductive system cancer.

FGFR4: A promising therapeutic target for breast cancer and other solid tumors

The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling pathway has long been known to cancer researchers because of its role in cell survival, proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. Dysregulation of FGFR signaling is frequently reported in cancer studies, but most of these studies focus on FGFR1-3. However, there is growing evidence implicating an important and unique role of FGFR4 in oncogenesis, tumor progression, and resistance to anti-tumor therapy in multiple types of cancer. Importantly, there are several novel FGFR4-specific inhibitors in clinical trials, making FGFR4 an attractive target for further research. In this review, we focus on assessing the role of FGFR4 in cancer, with an emphasis on breast cancer. First, the structure, physiological functions and downstream signaling pathways of FGFR4 are introduced. Next, different mechanisms reported to cause aberrant FGFR4 activation and their functions in cancer are discussed, including FGFR4 overexpression, FGF ligand overexpression, FGFR4 somatic hotspot mutations, and the FGFR4 G388R single nucleotide polymorphism. Finally, ongoing and recently completed clinical trials targeting FGFRs in cancer are reviewed, highlighting the therapeutic potential of FGFR4 inhibition for the treatment of breast cancer.

TOM40 Inhibits Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth by Modulating Mitochondrial Function Including Intracellular ATP and ROS Levels

TOM40 is a channel-forming subunit of translocase, which is essential for the movement of proteins into the mitochondria. We found that TOM40 was highly expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells at both the transcriptional and translational levels; its expression increased significantly during the transformation from normal ovarian epithelial cells to EOC (p < 0.001), and TOM40 expression negatively correlated with disease-free survival (Hazard ratio = 1.79, 95% Confidence inerval 1.16–2.78, p = 0.009). TOM40 knockdown decreased proliferation in several EOC cell lines and reduced tumor burden in an in vivo xenograft mouse model. TOM40 expression positively correlated with intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels. The low ATP and high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels increased the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in TOM40 knockdown EOC cells. However, AMPK activity did not correlate with declined cell growth in TOM40 knockdown EOC cells. We found that metformin, first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, effectively inhibited the growth of EOC cell lines in an AMPK-independent manner by inhibiting mitochondria complex I. In conclusion, TOM40 positively correlated with mitochondrial activities, and its association enhances the proliferation of ovarian cancer. Also, metformin is an effective therapeutic option in TOM40 overexpressed ovarian cancer than normal ovarian epithelium.

HSP90A inhibition promotes anti-tumor immunity by reversing multi-modal resistance and stem-like property of immune-refractory tumors

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising cancer treatment. However, the presence of immune-refractory tumor cells limits its clinical success by blocking amplification of anti-tumor immunity. Previously, we found that immune selection by immunotherapy drives the evolution of tumors toward multi-modal resistant and stem-like phenotypes via transcription induction of AKT co-activator TCL1A by NANOG. Here, we report a crucial role of HSP90A at the crossroads between NANOG-TCL1A axis and multi-aggressive properties of immune-edited tumor cells by identifying HSP90AA1 as a NANOG transcriptional target. Furthermore, we demonstrate that HSP90A potentiates AKT activation through TCL1A-stabilization, thereby contributing to the multi-aggressive properties in NANOG^high tumor cells. Importantly, HSP90 inhibition sensitized immune-refractory tumor to adoptive T cell transfer as well as PD-1 blockade, and re-invigorated the immune cycle of tumor-reactive T cells. Our findings implicate that the HSP90A-TCL1A-AKT pathway ignited by NANOG is a central molecular axis and a potential target for immune-refractory tumor.

Nanog can confer resistance to cancer immunotherapy by promoting AKT activity. Here, the authors demonstrate that HSP90A is a Nanog target that stabilizes the AKT coactivator TCL1, thereby activating AKT, and that HSP90A inhibition can enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of adoptive T cell transfer and checkpoint blockade.

Long Noncoding RNA ZFPM2-AS1 Enhances the Malignancy of Cervical Cancer by Functioning as a Molecular Sponge of microRNA-511-3p and Consequently Increasing FGFR2 Expression

Purpose

A long noncoding RNA called ZFPM2 antisense RNA 1 (ZFPM2-AS1) has been verified as a key modulator in multiple human cancer types. Nonetheless, the expression and functions of ZFPM2-AS1 in cervical cancer remain poorly understood. Therefore, our purpose was to characterize the expression pattern, clinical value, and detailed roles of ZFPM2-AS1 in cervical cancer.

Methods

Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR was carried out to measure ZFPM2-AS1 expression in cervical cancer. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, Transwell migration and invasion assays, and a tumor xenograft experiment were conducted to determine the influence of ZFPM2-AS1 on cervical cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in vitro and on tumor growth in vivo, respectively.

Results

ZFPM2-AS1 was found to be aberrantly upregulated in cervical cancer, and its upregulation was associated with unfavorable values of clinical parameters. A ZFPM2-AS1 knockdown significantly reduced cervical cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and increased apoptosis in vitro. The ZFPM2-AS1 knockdown decelerated tumor growth of cervical cancer cells in vivo. Molecular investigation indicated that ZFPM2-AS1 acts as a molecular sponge of microRNA-511-3p (miR-511-3p) in cervical cancer cells. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) mRNA was validated as a direct target of miR-511-3p in cervical cancer, and its expression was positively modulated by ZFPM2-AS1. The effects of the ZFPM2-AS1 knockdown on malignant characteristics of cervical cancer cells were greatly attenuated by miR-511-3p inhibition.

Conclusion

ZFPM2-AS1 promotes cervical cancer progression through upregulation of miR-511-3p–FGFR2 axis output, thereby pointing to possible diagnostics and therapeutics based on the ZFPM2-AS1–miR-511-3p–FGFR2 pathway.

The discovery of potent and stable short peptide FGFR1 antagonist for cancer therapy

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) is one of the attractive pharmaceutical targets for cancer therapy. The FGFR1 targeting antagonist peptides, especially of the short peptides harbouring only coding amino acid might highlights promising aspects for their higher affinity, specificity and lower adverse reactions. However, most of peptides inhibitors remain in preclinical research, likely associating with their instability and short half-life. In this study, we found a stable short peptide inhibitor P48 and speculated that its stability might be related to its non-linear spatial structure. In addition, P48 could target the extracellular immunoglobulin domain of FGFR1, and effectively block the particular signaling pathways of FGFR1, which lead to the inhibition of cancer proliferation, invasion in vitro and restraint of tumor growth in vivo. Together, this study provided a promising FGFR1 inhibitor with the potential to be developed as an antitumor drug.

MicroRNA-889-3p targets FGFR2 to inhibit cervical cancer cell viability and invasion

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently dysregulated in cervical cancer, and the aberrant regulation of miRNAs may be involved in the regulation of various cancer-associated biological processes. Therefore, further exploration of the specific roles of dysregulated miRNAs in cervical cancer and their associated mechanism may promote the development of effective therapeutic approaches. miRNA-889-3p (miR-889) serves crucial roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies concerning the relationship between miR-889 and cervical cancer were performed. The aims of this study were to measure miR-889 expression in cervical cancer and to examine the potential effects of miR-889 in cervical cancer development on a molecular level to provide potential clinical insight. The present study revealed that miR-889 was downregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Reduced miR-889 expression was significantly associated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics cancer staging and with lymph node metastasis. In addition, miR-889 overexpression reduced cervical cancer cell viability and invasive ability. Using bioinformatics analysis, fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) was predicted to be a potential target of miR-889, which was confirmed using luciferase reporter assay. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis results suggested that miR-889 overexpression decreased FGFR2 expression in cervical cancer cells at the mRNA and the protein level, respectively. Conversely, FGFR2 silencing using small interfering RNA imitated the tumor suppressive effects of miR-889 overexpression in cervical cancer cells, which was successfully reversed by plasmid-facilitated FGFR2 overexpression. These observations demonstrated that miR-889 may serve tumor suppressive roles in cervical cancer by directly targeting FGFR2, which indicated that this miRNA may be a promising therapeutic target for patients with cervical cancer.

Phosphorylation of a Conserved Tyrosine in the Papillomavirus E2 Protein Regulates Brd4 Binding and Viral Replication

The papillomavirus (PV) E2 protein coordinates viral transcription and genome replication. Following a strategy to identify amino acids in E2 that are posttranslationally modified, we reported that tyrosine kinase fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) complexes with and phosphorylates E2, which inhibits viral DNA replication. Here, we present several lines of evidence indicating that tyrosine (Y) 138 of HPV-31 E2 is a substrate of FGFR3. The active form of FGFR3 bound to and phosphorylated the region of amino acids (aa) 107 to 175 in HPV-31 E2. The E2 phenylalanine (F) mutant Y138F displayed reduced FGFR3-induced phosphotyrosine. A constitutive kinase-active FGFR3 inhibited wild-type (WT) E2-induced E1-dependent DNA replication, while the 138F mutant retained activity. The tyrosine to glutamic acid (E) mutant Y138E, which can mimic phosphotyrosine, failed to induce transient DNA replication, although it maintained the ability to bind and localize the viral DNA helicase E1 to the viral origin. The bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4) binds to E2 and is necessary for initiation of viral DNA synthesis. Interestingly, the Y138E protein coimmunoprecipitated with full-length Brd4 but was defective for association with its C-terminal domain (CTD). These results imply that the activity of the FGFR3 kinase in the infected epithelial cell restricts the HPV replication program through phosphorylation of E2 at Y138, which interferes with E2 binding to the Brd4 CTD, and that this interaction is required for initiation of viral DNA synthesis.IMPORTANCE Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are highly infectious pathogens that commonly infect the oropharynx and uterine cervix. The idea that posttranslational modifications of viral proteins coordinates viral genome replication is less explored. We recently discovered that fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) phosphorylates the viral E2 protein. The current study demonstrates that FGFR3 phosphorylates E2 at tyrosine 138, which inhibits association with the C-terminal peptide of Brd4. This study illustrates a novel regulatory mechanism of virus-host interaction and provides insight into the role of Brd4 in viral replication.

Recent Advances on the Molecular Mechanism of Cervical Carcinogenesis Based on Systems Biology Technologies

Cervical cancer is one of the common malignancies in women worldwide. Exploration of pathogenesis and molecular mechanism of cervical cancer is pivotal for development of effective treatment for this disease. Recently, systems biology approaches based on high-throughput technologies have been carried out to investigate the expression of some genes and proteins in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabonomics of cervical cancer. Compared with traditional methods，systems biology technology has been shown to provide large of information regarding prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cervical cancer. These molecular signatures from system biology technology could be useful to understand the molecular mechanisms of cervical cancer development and progression, and help physicians to design targeted therapeutic strategies for patients with cervical cancer.

Cancer of Reproductive System: Receptors and Targeting Strategies

Carcinogenesis in the different organs of the reproductive system, particularly, prostate, ovarian, and cervical tissues, involves aberrant expression of various physiological receptors belonging to different superfamilies. This chapter provides insights into the physiological receptors that are associated with the genesis, progression, metastasis, management, as well as the prognosis of the cancers of the male and female reproductive systems. It also highlights the structural and binding characteristics of the highly predominant receptors, namely, androgen, estrogen, progesterone, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors, which are overexpressed in these cancers and discusses various strategies to target them.

Methylation-Based Classification of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma into Two New Subclasses Differing in Immune-Related Gene Expression

Cervical cancer is traditionally classified into two major histological subtypes, cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and cervical adenocarcinoma (CA). However, heterogeneity exists among patients, comprising possible subpopulations with distinct molecular profiles. We applied consensus clustering to 307 methylation samples with cervical cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Fisher’s exact test was used to perform transcription factors (TFs) and genomic region enrichment. Gene expression profiles were downloaded from TCGA to assess expression differences. Immune cell fraction was calculated to quantify the immune cells infiltration. Putative neo-epitopes were predicted from somatic mutations. Three subclasses were identified: Class 1 correlating with the CA subtype and Classes 2 and 3 dividing the CSCC subtype into two subclasses. We found the hypomethylated probes in Class 3 exhibited strong enrichment in promoter region as compared with Class 2. Five TFs significantly enriched in the hypomethylated promoters and their highly expressed target genes in Class 3 functionally involved in the immune pathway. Gene function analysis revealed that immune-related genes were significantly increased in Class 3, and a higher level of immune cell infiltration was estimated. High expression of 24 immune genes exhibited a better overall survival and correlated with neo-epitope burden. Additionally, we found only two immune-related driver genes, CARD11 and JAK3, to be significantly increased in Class 3. Our analyses provide a classification of the largest CSCC subtype into two new subclasses, revealing they harbored differences in immune-related gene expression.

Genomic Network-Based Analysis Reveals Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Up-Regulating Factor-Related Prognostic Markers in Cervical Carcinoma

We previously showed that PAUF is involved in tumor development and metastases in cervical cancer. This study was conducted to discover novel molecular markers linked with PAUF in cervical cancer using genomic network analysis and to assess their prognostic value in cervical cancer. Three PAUF-related genes were identified using in-silico network-based analysis of the open genome datasets. To assess the expression of these genes and their relationship to the outcome of cervical cancer, immunohistochemical analysis was performed using cervical cancer TMA. The associations of the identified proteins with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis were examined. AGR2, BRD7, and POM121 were identified as interconnected with PAUF through in-silico network-based analysis. AGR2 (r = 0.213, p < 0.001) and POM121 (r = 0.135, p = 0.013) protein expression were positively correlated with PAUF. BRD7^High and AGR2^Low were significantly associated with favorable disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.009 and p < 0.001, respectively), and in combination with PAUF^High, even more significantly favorable DFS observed (p < 0.001 for both). In multivariate analysis, AGR2^High (HR = 3.16, p = 0.01) and BRD7^High (HR = 0.5, p = 0.025) showed independent prognostic value for DFS. In a random survival forest (RSF) model, the combined clinical and molecular variable model predicted DFS with significantly improved power compared with that of the clinical variable model (C-index of 0.79 vs. 0.75, p < 0.001). In conclusion, AGR2 and BRD7 expression have prognostic significance in cervical cancer and provide opportunities for improved treatment options. Genomic network-based approaches using the cBioPortal may facilitate the discovery of additional biomarkers for the prognosis of cervical cancer and may provide new insights into the biology of cervical carcinogenesis.

Elevated expression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) is associated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance in epithelial ovarian cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) is a ligand of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and has been reported to be involved in pancreatic tumor development. However, the significance of PAUF expression in epithelial ovarian cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the possible clinical significance of PAUF in epithelial ovarian cancer. We examined the link between PAUF and TLR4 in ovarian cancer cell lines. Recombinant PAUF induced cell activation and proliferation in ovarian cancer cell lines, whereas PAUF knockdown inhibited these properties. Subsequently, we assessed PAUF and TLR4 expression by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray of 408 ovarian samples ranging from normal to metastatic. PAUF expression positively correlated with TLR4 expression. Overexpression of PAUF was associated with high-grade tumor (p = 0.014) and chemoresistant tumor (p = 0.017). Similarly, high expression of TLR4 correlated with advanced tumor stage (p = 0.002) and chemoresistant tumor (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that PAUF^high, TLR4^high, and PAUF^high/TLR4^high expression are independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival, while TLR4^high and PAUF^high/TLR4^high expression were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Our results suggest that PAUF has a role in ovarian cancer progression and is a potential prognostic marker and novel chemotherapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Reduced expression of FILIP1L, a novel WNT pathway inhibitor, is associated with poor survival, progression and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer

Filamin A interacting protein 1-like (FILIP1L) is an inhibitor of the canonical WNT pathway. WNT/β-catenin signaling and its downstream pathway, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), play a key role in ovarian cancer metastasis and chemoresistance. To study the clinical implications of FILIP1L in regulating the WNT/β-catenin pathway, the expression of FILIP1L, β-catenin, SNAIL and SLUG was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays of 369 ovarian samples ranging from normal to metastatic. In addition, the results were validated in mouse model and in vitro cell culture. In the present study, we demonstrated that FILIP1L expression was inversely correlated with poor prognosis, stage and chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Notably, low FILIP1L expression was independent negative prognostic factor with respect to overall and disease-free survival. FILIP1L inhibited peritoneal metastases in orthotopic mouse model. FILIP1L knockdown induced chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cells and this phenotype was rescued by simultaneous knockdown of FILIP1L and SLUG, an EMT activator. We also demonstrated that FILIP1L regulates β-catenin degradation. FILIP1L co-localizes with phospho-β-catenin and increases phospho-β-catenin at the centrosomes, destined for proteosomal degradation. Finally, we showed that FILIP1L regulates EMT. Overall, these findings suggest that FILIP1L promotes β-catenin degradation and suppresses EMT, thereby inhibiting metastases and chemoresistance. Our study provides the first clinical relevance of FILIP1L in human cancer, and suggests that FILIP1L may be a novel prognostic marker for chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients. Further, the modulation of FILIP1L expression may have the potential to be a target for cancer therapy.

Differential Expression of FGFRs Signaling Pathway Components in Bladder Cancer: A Step Toward Personalized Medicine

Variations Improper activation and inappropriate expression of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) in cancer suggests that they can act as therapeutic targets. Fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors are currently employed in clinical trials of different cancers. Regarding the essence and the importance of the personalized medicine, mainly mirrored by remarkable inter-individual variations in different populations, we aimed to perform a pilot study to address FGFR1 and FGFR3 expression levels and their correlation with the clinicopathological features in Iranian patients with bladder cancer (BC). Paired tumor and adjacent non tumor tissue samples along with their clinico-pathological parameters were obtained from 50 cases diagnosed with BC in different stages and grades. The mRNA expressions of FGFR1 and FGFR3 in tissue samples were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). The expression levels of FGFR3 were significantly higher in tumor tissues when compared to adjacent normal tissues (p = 0.007), regardless of the stages and grades of the tumor. Over expression was associated with cigarette smoking (p = 0.037) and family history for cancer (p = 0.004). Decreased expression of FGFR1 was observed, remarkably evident in high-grade tumors (p = 0.047), while over expression was detected in low-grade samples. This pilot study clearly suggests that in Iranian BC patients FGFR1 and FGFR3 expression patterns are different, and also highly distinctive with regard to the tumor’s stage and grade. Such particular expression patterns may indicate their special values to be employed for interventional studies aiming targeted therapy. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to validate our results.

MiR-628-5p decreases the tumorigenicity of epithelial ovarian cancer cells by targeting at FGFR2

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which are 19-24 nucleotides in length. MiRNAs play a vital role in the whole process of tumour development, but how they influence the tumourigenecity of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC)cells is rarely researched. In our study, it was verified that miR-628-5p decreased the stem like cell percentage of EOC cells by inducing their apoptosis. The animal experiments showed that miR-628-5p decreased the tumourigenecity of EOC cells. Besides, we found miR-628-5p targeted at and down-regulated the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2). FGFR2 expressed higher in ovarian cancer tissues and was correlated with worse prognosis. Our findings indicated that miR-628-5pplays an important role in ovarian cancer stem cell driven tumorigenesis.

Association between FGFR4 gene polymorphism and high-risk HPV infection cervical cancer

OBJECTIVES

To discuss the association between FGFR4 gene polymorphism rs351855 (Glu388Aly) and the susceptibility and chemotherapeutic effect of cervical cancer infected by high-risk type HPV.

METHODS

A total of 162 patients with high-risk HPV cervical cancer and 162 healthy women were collected and the genotypes of the FGFR4 rs351855 locus were detected. The genotype distributions in the two groups were compared. The cervical cancer patients were divided into four groups which namely good therapeutic effect group and bad therapeutic effect, recurrence or metastasis and no recurrence or metastasis group respectively, and the risks of different genotype on the curative effect and prognosis were analyzed by Logistic regression. The survival time of patients with different genotypes was compared.

RESULTS

There was no statistic difference in FGFR4 rs351855 genotype distribution between the patients group and control group (P > 0.05), among which the risk of chemotherapy failure on GA + AA patients was 3.257 times as much as that of the GG patients, and the risk of recurrence or metastasis of GA + AA patients was 2.783 times as much as that of the GG patients. For AA patients, the risk of chemotherapy failure and the risk of relapse and metastasis are 3.833 and 3.406 times, respectively, as much as that of the GG patients. The overall survival of GA and AA patients was shorter than that of the GG patients, and significant difference was found (χ² = 7.098, P = 0.029). The difference in overall survival between GA + AA patients and GG patients was almost statistically significant (χ² = 3.634, P = 0.057).

CONCLUSIONS

The FGFR4 rs351855 polymorphism is not associated with the susceptibility of high-risk HPV cervical cancer, but patients with gene A was at higher risk of unfavorable chemotherapy prognosis compared with patients with GG.

Synaptonemal complex protein 3 is associated with lymphangiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer patients with lymph node metastasis

Background

The interaction of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)/VEGF-D/VEGF receptor-3 is considered to be a major driver of lymphangiogenesis, however the mechanism of this process remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the possible lymphangiogenic significance of synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SCP3) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

The expression of SCP3, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D were measured and examined a correlation between SCP3 and VEGF-C or VEGF-D in various human lung cancer cell lines. Subsequently, we assessed SCP3, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D expression in archival tumor tissues from 89 NSCLC patients with lymph node (LN) metastasis by combined immunohistochemistry with quantitative digital image analysis.

Results

Positive correlations between SCP3 and VEGF-C expression (R² = 0.743) and VEGF-D expression (R² = 0.932) were detected in various human lung cancer cell lines. The high expression of SCP3, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D were detected in 24 (27.0%), 22 (24.7%), 27 (30.3%), 27 (30.3%), and 24 cases (27.0%), respectively. Notably, SCP3 positively correlated with VEGF-C and VEGF-D expression (for both, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with VEGF-A and VEGF-B expression (P = 0.029 and P = 0.026, respectively). In multivariate analysis of patients with LN metastasis, SCP3 expression predicted worse overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.86, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

SCP3 is associated with lymphangiogenesis and provides insight into the SCP3-VEGF-C/VEGF-D axis based cancer therapy strategy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1241-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 Genetic Polymorphisms With the Development of Uterine Cervical Cancer and Patient Prognosis

This is the first study to investigate the relationships among fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) genetic polymorphisms, development of uterine cervical cancer, clinicopathological variables, and patient prognosis in Taiwanese women. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and genotyping were used to detect the genotype frequencies of 4 FGFR4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs351855 (C/T, Gly388Arg), rs2011077 (G/A), rs7708357 (G/A), and rs1966265 (Ile10Val), in 138 patients with invasive cancer, 89 with precancerous lesions of uterine cervix, and 335 normal controls. The results showed that there is no significant difference in the frequencies of FGFR4 SNPs rs351855, rs2011077, rs7708357, and 1966265 between women with cervical invasive cancer and normal controls even after controlling for age. However, significant differences existed in the distributions of the FGFR4 genetic polymorphism rs2011077, when mutant homozygotes (AA) were compared using other genotypes (GG/GA) as a reference, as well as rs1966265, when mutant homozygotes (AA) were compared using GG/GA as a reference, between women with cervical precancerous lesions and normal women even after controlling for age. In multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis was associated with cancer recurrence, and lymph node metastasis and FGFR4 rs351855 were associated with patient survival. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that FGFR4 rs2011077 and rs1966265 are associated with the progression of cervical normal tissues to precancerous lesions in Taiwanese women. Moreover, rs351855 (Gly388Arg) is the only FGFR4 genetic polymorphism that is associated with patient survival.

REP1 inhibits FOXO3-mediated apoptosis to promote cancer cell survival

Rab escort protein 1 (REP1) is a component of Rab geranyl-geranyl transferase 2 complex. Mutations in REP1 cause a disease called choroideremia (CHM), which is an X-linked eye disease. Although it is postulated that REP1 has functions in cell survival or death of various tissues in addition to the eye, how REP1 functions in normal and cancer cells remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that REP1 is required for the survival of intestinal cells in addition to eyes or a variety of cells in zebrafish, and also has important roles in tumorigenesis. Notably, REP1 is highly expressed in colon cancer tissues and cell lines, and silencing of REP1 sensitizes colon cancer cells to serum starvation- and 5-FU-induced apoptosis. In an effort to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying REP1-mediated cell survival under those stress conditions, we identified FOXO3 as a binding partner of REP1 using a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay system, and we demonstrated that REP1 blocked the nuclear trans-localization of FOXO3 through physically interacting with FOXO3, thereby suppressing FOXO3-mediated apoptosis. Importantly, the inhibition of REP1 combined with 5-FU treatment could lead to significant retarded tumor growth in a xenograft tumor model of human cancer cells. Thus, our results suggest that REP1 could be a new therapeutic target in combination treatment for colon cancer patients.

A melanin-bleaching methodology for molecular and histopathological analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue

Removal of excessive melanin from heavily pigmented formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) melanoma tissues is essential for histomorphological and molecular diagnostic assessments. Although there have been efforts to address this issue, current methodologies remain complex and time-consuming, and are not suitable for multiple molecular applications. Herein, we have developed a robust and rapid melanin-bleaching methodology for FFPE tissue specimens. Our approach is based on quick bleaching (15 min) at high temperature (80 °C) with 0.5% diluted hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in Tris-HCl, PBS, or Tris/Tricine/SDS buffer. Immunostaining for Ki-67 and HMB45 was enhanced by bleaching with 0.5% H2O2 in Tris/Tricine/SDS and Tris-HCl, respectively. In addition to histopathological applications, our approach also facilitates recovery of protein and nucleic acid from archival melanin-rich FFPE tissue sections. Protein extracted from bleached FFPE tissues was compatible with western blotting using anti-human GAPDH and AKT antibodies. Our bleaching condition significantly improved RNA quality compared with unbleached tissues without compromising the yield. Notably, the RNA/DNA obtained from bleached tissues was suitable for end point PCR and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. In conclusion, this improved melanin-bleaching method enhances and simplifies immunostaining procedures, and facilitates the use of melanin-rich FFPE tissues for histomorphological and PCR amplification-based molecular assays.

Identification of key genes associated with cervical cancer by comprehensive analysis of transcriptome microarray and methylation microarray

Cervical cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed type of cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women. The current study aimed to determine the genes associated with cervical cancer development. Microarray data (GSE55940 and GSE46306) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Overlapping genes between the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE55940 (identified by Limma package) and the differentially methylated genes were screened. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was subsequently performed for these genes using the ToppGene database. In GSE55940, 91 downregulated and 151 upregulated DEGs were identified. In GSE46306, 561 overlapping differentially methylated genes were obtained through the differential methylation analysis at the CpG site level, CpG island level and gene level. A total of 5 overlapping genes [dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4); endothelin 3 (EDN3); fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14); tachykinin, precursor 1 (TAC1); and wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 16 (WNT16)] between the 561 overlapping differentially methylated genes and the 242 DEGs were identified, which were downregulated and hypermethylated simultaneously in cervical cancer samples. Enriched GO terms were receptor binding (involving DPP4, EDN3, FGF14, TAC1 and WNT16), ameboidal-type cell migration (DPP4, EDN3 and TAC1), mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade (FGF14, EDN3 and WNT16) and cell proliferation (EDN3, WNT16, DPP4 and TAC1). These results indicate that DPP4, EDN3, FGF14, TAC1 and WNT16 may be involved in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer.