The role of vesicular overexpressed in cancer pro-survival protein 1 in hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation

Circular RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent advances

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have covalently closed loop structures at both ends, exhibiting characteristics dissimilar to those of linear RNAs. Emerging evidence suggests that aberrantly expressed circRNAs play crucial roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by affecting the proliferation, apoptosis and invasive capacity of HCC cells. Certain circRNAs may be used as biomarkers to diagnose and predict the prognosis of HCC. Therefore, circRNAs are expected to become novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HCC. Herein, we briefly review the characteristics and biological functions of circRNAs, focusing on their roles in HCC to provide new insights for the early diagnosis and targeted therapy of HCC.

Identification of Cross-Talk and Pyroptosis-Related Genes Linking Periodontitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Revealed by Transcriptomic Analysis

BACKGROUND

The current study is aimed at identifying the cross-talk genes between periodontitis (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as the potential relationship between cross-talk genes and pyroptosis-related genes.

METHODS

Datasets for the PD (GSE106090, GSE10334, GSE16134) and RA (GSE55235, GSE55457, GSE77298, and GSE1919) were downloaded from the GEO database. After batch correction and normalization of datasets, differential expression analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The cross-talk genes linking PD and RA were obtained by overlapping the DEGs dysregulated in PD and DEGs dysregulated in RA. Genes involved in pyroptosis were summarized by reviewing literatures, and the correlation between pyroptosis genes and cross-talk genes was investigated by Pearson correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was carried out to identify the significant modules which contained both cross-talk genes and pyroptosis genes in both PD data and RA data. Thus, the core cross-talk genes were identified from the significant modules. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to identify the predictive accuracy of these core cross-talk genes in diagnosing PD and RA. Based on the core cross-talk genes, the experimentally validated protein-protein interaction (PPI) and gene-pathway network were constructed.

RESULTS

A total of 40 cross-talk genes were obtained. Most of the pyroptosis genes were not differentially expressed in disease and normal samples. By selecting the modules containing both cross-talk genes or pyroptosis genes, the blue module was identified to be significant module. Three genes, i.e., cross-talk genes (TIMP1, LGALS1) and pyroptosis gene-GPX4, existed in the blue module of PD network, while two genes (i.e., cross-talk gene-VOPP1 and pyroptosis gene-AIM2) existed in the blue module of RA network. ROC curve analysis showed that three genes (TIMP1, VOPP1, and AIM2) had better predictive accuracy in diagnosing disease compared with the other two genes (LGALS1 and GPX4).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed shared mechanisms between RA and PD based on cross-talk and pyroptosis genes, supporting the relationship between the two diseases. Thereby, five modular genes (TIMP1, LGALS1, GPX4, VOPP1, and AIM2) could be of relevance and might serve as potential biomarkers. These findings are a basis for future research in the field.

Emerging a Novel VOPP1-EGFR Fusion Coexistent With T790M as an Acquired Resistance Mechanism to Prior Icotinib and Sensitive to Osimertinib in a Patient With EGFR L858R Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Background

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) fusions are rare genomic events in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Clinical support and evidence to guide management are absent for NSCLC patients harboring EGFR fusion.

Case Presentation

In this case report, we describe a 69-year-old female who received right lobectomy and was diagnosed with pathological stage IIIA lung adenocarcinoma harboring EGFR L858R. Twenty months later he had recurrent disease in the liver, lung, and bone, and was treated with icotinib. A novel vesicular overexpressed in cancer pro-survival protein 1 (VOPP1)-EGFR fusion gene coexistent with T790M were identified by next-generation sequencing using pericardial effusion and blood samples after icotinib treatment, which led to progression after icotinib six months and suggested a potential resistance mechanism. Subsequently, the patient was switched to osimertinib treatment, which resulted in a progression-free survival interval of more than 11 months.

Conclusions

The present results suggested that acquired VOPP1-EGFR fusion gene with T790M potentially serve an additional resistance mechanism to first-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. And the present case increases the evidence supporting use of osimertinib for treatment of NSCLC patients harboring EGFR fusion.

Identification of Key eRNAs for Spinal Cord Injury by Integrated Multinomial Bioinformatics Analysis

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe neurological deficit affecting both young and older people worldwide. The potential role of key enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in SCI remains elusive, which is a prominent challenge in the trauma repair process. This study aims to investigate the roles of key eRNAs, transcription factors (TFs), signaling pathways, and small-molecule inhibitors in SCI using multi-omics bioinformatics analysis. Methods: Microarray data of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from 27 healthy volunteers and 25 chronic-phase SCI patients were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed transcription factors (DETFs), differentially expressed enhancer RNAs (DEeRNAs), and differentially expressed target genes (DETGs) were identified using the Linear Models for Microarray Data (limma) package. Fraction of immune cells was estimated using CIBERSORT algorithm. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) was applied to identify the downstream signaling pathways. The eRNA regulatory network was constructed based on the correlation results. Connectivity Map (CMap) database was used to find potential drugs for SCI patients. The cellular communication analysis was performed to explore the molecular regulation mechanism of SCI based on single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) data were used to validate the key regulatory mechanisms. scRNA-seq dataset was used to validate the cell subtype localization of the key eRNAs. Results: In total, 21 DETFs, 24 DEeRNAs, and 829 DETGs were identified. A regulatory network of 13 DETFs, six DEeRNAs, seven DETGs, two hallmark pathways, two immune cells, and six immune pathways was constructed. The link of Splicing factor proline and glutamine rich (SFPQ) (TF) and vesicular overexpressed in cancer prosurvival protein 1 (VOPP1) (eRNA) (R = 0.990, p < 0.001, positive), VOPP1 (eRNA) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (target gene) (R = 0.974, p < 0.001, positive), VOPP1, and T helper (Th) cells (R = -0.987, p < 0.001, negative), and VOPP1 and hallmark coagulation (R = 0.937, p < 0.001, positive) was selected. Trichostatin A was considered the best compound target to SCI-related eRNAs (specificity = 0.471, p < 0.001). Conclusion: VOPP1, upregulated by SFPQ, strengthened the transient expression of EGFR. Th cells and coagulation were the potential downstream pathways of VOPP1. This regulatory network and potential inhibitors provide novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for SCI.

Long non-coding RNA OIP5-AS1 promotes the progression of esophageal cancer by regulating miR-30a/VOPP1 expression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve an important role in the development of esophageal cancer (EC), which is the eighth most common type of cancer worldwide. lncRNA opa-interacting protein 5 antisense transcript 1 (OIP5-AS1) is associated with human malignancy. However, the biological roles of OIP5-AS1 in the development of EC remain unclear. In the present study, transfection was conducted, and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis were used for the detection of mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to study the interaction between miRNA and lncRNA or genes. The results revealed that OIP5-AS1 expression in EC tissues and cultured EC cells was upregulated, microRNA-30a (miR-30a) expression was downregulated. OIP5-AS1-knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of EC9706 and EC109 cells. miR-30a was confirmed to interact with OIP5-AS1, and miR-30a-mimics transfection ameliorated the effects of OIP5-AS1 in EC cells. Vesicular overexpressed in cancer prosurvival protein 1 (VOPP1) was verified as the direct target of miR-30a. VOPP1 expression was positively correlated with OIP5-AS1 expression in EC cells. Overexpression of VOPP1 ameliorated the negative effects of OIP5-AS1-knockdown on EC9706 and EC109 cells. In conclusion, OIP5-AS1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of EC cells by increasing VOPP1 expression by sponging miR-30a.

RNA polymerase II subunit 3 regulates vesicular, overexpressed in cancer, prosurvival protein 1 expression to promote hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationships between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the expression of RNA polymerase II subunit 3 (RPB3) and vesicular, overexpressed in cancer, prosurvival protein 1 (VOPP1), and to determine whether RPB3 regulates VOPP1 expression to promote HCC cell proliferation, tumor growth, and tumorigenesis.

METHODS

HCC and adjacent liver samples were collected from 51 patients with HCC who underwent surgical excision between September 20, 2010 and June 22, 2017. Immunohistochemical staining, western blot, quantitative PCR, plate colony assay, and RNA microarray were used to detect relevant indexes for further analyses.

RESULTS

VOPP1 was shown to function as a target gene of RPB3 in facilitating HCC proliferation, and was downregulated after RBP3 silencing. Additionally, hepatic tumor tissues demonstrated high VOPP1 expression. Furthermore, VOPP1 silencing suppressed tumor growth and cell proliferation and elicited apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

RPB3 regulates VOPP1 expression to promote HCC cell proliferation, tumor growth, and tumorigenesis.