GALNT10 promotes the proliferation and metastatic ability of gastric cancer and reduces 5-fluorouracil sensitivity by activating HOXD13

Contribution of m5C RNA Modification-Related Genes to Prognosis and Immunotherapy Prediction in Patients with Ovarian Cancer

Background

5-Methylcytosine (m5C) RNA modification is closely implicated in the occurrence of a variety of cancers. Here, we established a novel prognostic signature for ovarian cancer (OC) patients based on m5C RNA modification-related genes and explored the correlation between these genes with the tumor immune microenvironment.

Methods

Methylated-RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing helped us to identify candidate genes related to m5C RNA modification at first. Based on TCGA database, we screened the differentially expressed candidate genes related to the prognosis and constructed a prognostic model using LASSO Cox regression analyses. Notably, the accuracy of the model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and receiver operator characteristic curves. Independent prognostic risk factors were investigated by Cox proportional hazard model. Furthermore, we also analyzed the biological functions and pathways involved in the signature. Finally, the immune response of the model was visualized in great detail.

Results

Totally, 2,493 candidate genes proved to be involved in m5C modification of RNA for OC. We developed a signature with prognostic value consisting of six m5C RNA modification-related genes. Specially, samples have been split into two cohorts with low- and high-risk scores according to the model, in which the low-risk OC patients exhibited dramatically better overall survival time than those with high-risk scores. Besides, not only was this model a prognostic factor independent of other clinical characteristics but it predicted the intensity of the immune response in OC. Significantly, the accuracy and availability of the signature were verified by ICGC database.

Conclusions

Our study bridged the gap between m5C RNA modification and the prognosis of OC and was expected to provide an effective breakthrough for immunotherapy in OC patients.

Coiled-Coil Domain-Containing Protein 45 Is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker and Is Associated with Immune Cell Enrichment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective

The role of coiled-coil domain-containing protein 45 (CCDC45) in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been reported. The present study is aimed at investigating the expression and prognosis of CCDC45 in HCC and its relevance to immune infiltration.

Methods

We conducted CCDC45 expression analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) tumor database, the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database, and the Tumor Immunological Evaluation Resource (TIMER). We used the University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer data analysis Portal (UALCAN) database to show the correlation of CCDC45 with clinical features. We examined the prognostic impact of CCDC45 expression levels on HCC patients with the Kaplan-Meier mapper database. Genes coexpressed with CCDC45 and its regulators were also identified using LinkedOmics. The enriched Gene Ontology (GO) categories and associated signaling pathways were estimated using GO, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Assay (GSEA) pathway data. Correlations between CCDC45 and cancer immune infiltration was analyzed through the TIMER and an integrated repository portal for Tumor-Immune System Interactions (TISIDB) databases.

Results

The expression of CCDC45 was elevated in HCC tissues compared to adjacent liver tissues, and overexpression of CCDC45 was significantly correlated with tumor stage. Furthermore, HCC patients with CCDC45 overexpression had a shorter overall survival (OS). Functional network analysis indicated that CCDC45 was involved in homologous recombination, spliceosome, and DNA replication. Interestingly, CCDC45 expression was positively correlated with the level of immune cell infiltration.

Conclusions

CCDC45 is associated with prognosis and immune infiltration of HCC and may be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Molecular Analysis of Prognosis and Immune Infiltration of Ovarian Cancer Based on Homeobox D Genes

Background

Homeobox D (HOXD) genes were associated with cancer pathogenesis. However, the role of HOXD genes in ovarian cancer (OC) and the possible mechanisms involved are unclear. In this study, we analyzed the function and regulatory mechanisms and functions of HOXD genes in OC based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis.

Methods

Expression of HOXD1/3/4/8/9/10/11/12/13 mRNA was analyzed between OC tissue and normal tissue using ONCOMINE, GEO, and TCGA databases. The relationship between HOXD expression and clinical stage was studied by GEPIA. The Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to analyze prognosis. cBioPortal was used to analyze the mutation and coexpression of HOXDs. GO and KEGG analyses were performed by the DAVID software to predict the function of HOXD coexpression genes. Immune infiltration analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the expression of HOXD genes and 24 immune infiltrating cells.

Results

The expression of HOXD3/4/8/9/10/11 was significantly lower in OC tissues than in normal ovarian tissues, while the expression of HOXD1/12/13 was significantly higher in OC tissues. The expression of HOXD genes was associated with FIGO stage, primary therapy outcome, tumor status, anatomic neoplasm subdivision, and age. The expression levels of HOXD1/3/4/8/9/10 correlated with tumor stage. HOXD1/8/9 could be served as ideal biomarkers to distinguish OC from normal tissue. Low HOXD9 expression was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.58–0.98; P = 0.034) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54–0.87; P = 0.002). The HOXD coexpression genes were associated with pathways including cell cycle, TGF-beta signaling pathway, cellular senescence, and Hippo signaling pathway. HOXD genes were significantly associated with immune infiltration.

Conclusion

The expression of HOXD genes is associated with clinical characteristics. HOXD9 is a new biomarker of prognosis in OC, and HOXD1/4/8/9/10 may be potential therapeutic targets. The members of the HOXD genes may be the response to immunotherapy for OC.

ARHGEF3 Associated with Invasion, Metastasis, and Proliferation in Human Osteosarcoma

Background

Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor composed of mesenchymal cells producing osteoid and immature bone. This study is aimed at developing novel potential prognostic biomarkers and constructing a miRNA-mRNA network for progression in osteosarcoma.

Method

GSE70367 and GSE70414 were obtained in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO software and the GEO2R calculation method were used to analyze two gene profiles. The coexpression of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) was identified and searched for in the FunRich database for pathway and ontology analysis. Cytoscape was utilized to construct the mRNA-miRNA network. Survival analysis of identified miRNAs and mRNAs was performed by utilizing the Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Besides, expression levels of DEMs and target mRNAs were verified by performing quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB).

Results

Six differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were identified, and 8 target genes were selected after screening. By using the KM Plotter software, miRNA-124 and ARHGEF3 were obviously associated with the overall survival of patients with osteosarcoma. Furthermore, ARHGEF3 was found downregulated in osteosarcoma cells by performing qRT-PCR and WB experiments. Results also showed that downregulated ARHGEF3 may associate with invasion, metastasis, and proliferation.

Conclusions

By using microarray and bioinformatics analysis, DEMs were selected, and a complete miRNA-mRNA network was constructed. ARHGEF3 may act as a therapeutic and prognostic target of osteosarcoma.