HCG18 Participates in Vascular Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating Macrophages and Tumor Stem Cells

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 as a biomarker of venous invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a fatal disease with a poor prognosis. While venous invasion is believed to contribute to liver metastasis and an unfavorable prognosis, the precise mechanisms involved remain unclear. Here, we conducted gene expression profiling on eight PDAC tissue samples exhibiting portal venous invasion (VI group) compared to PDAC samples without portal venous invasion (CA group) and normal portal vein tissues (NV group). A subset of genes, including tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1), C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), olfactomedin-like 2B (OLFML2B), and cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily B member 1 (CYP1B1), was found to be specifically expressed in the PDAC group with venous invasion. Immunohistochemical staining of 15 cases revealed significantly higher levels of TIMP1 (P=.026) and CXCR4 (P<.001) in the VI set compared to the CA set. In addition, the PDAC group with strong TIMP1 expression had a higher frequency of lymphovascular invasion (P<.001) and lower 5-year survival rates than the PDAC group with no/weak TIMP1 expression (P=.027). Specific TIMP1 expression in the venous invasion foci was highlighted on 3D reconstruction imaging. Invasion assays and/or Western blot analyses were performed on pancreatic cancer cells (Panc1), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and human endothelial cells (EA.hy926). TIMP1 inhibition suppressed cancer cell invasion in the presence of CAFs. TIMP1 expression increased with PI3Kp110, phospho-AKT, and phospho-ERK1/2 in Panc1 cells co-cultured with CAFs and EA.hy926 endothelial cells. Our data demonstrate that TIMP1 in pancreatic cancer cells promotes venous invasion of PDACs by activating the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 pathways in collaboration with CAFs and endothelial cells. Therefore, TIMP1 may serve as a biomarker for venous invasion in PDACs.

Tissue macrophages: origin, heterogenity, biological functions, diseases and therapeutic targets

Macrophages are immune cells belonging to the mononuclear phagocyte system. They play crucial roles in immune defense, surveillance, and homeostasis. This review systematically discusses the types of hematopoietic progenitors that give rise to macrophages, including primitive hematopoietic progenitors, erythro-myeloid progenitors, and hematopoietic stem cells. These progenitors have distinct genetic backgrounds and developmental processes. Accordingly, macrophages exhibit complex and diverse functions in the body, including phagocytosis and clearance of cellular debris, antigen presentation, and immune response, regulation of inflammation and cytokine production, tissue remodeling and repair, and multi-level regulatory signaling pathways/crosstalk involved in homeostasis and physiology. Besides, tumor-associated macrophages are a key component of the TME, exhibiting both anti-tumor and pro-tumor properties. Furthermore, the functional status of macrophages is closely linked to the development of various diseases, including cancer, autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic conditions, and trauma. Targeting macrophages has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy in these contexts. Clinical trials of macrophage-based targeted drugs, macrophage-based immunotherapies, and nanoparticle-based therapy were comprehensively summarized. Potential challenges and future directions in targeting macrophages have also been discussed. Overall, our review highlights the significance of this versatile immune cell in human health and disease, which is expected to inform future research and clinical practice.

YBX1: A Multifunctional Protein in Senescence and Immune Regulation

The Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) is a multifunctional protein with a wide range of roles in cell biology. It plays a crucial role in immune modulation, senescence, and disease progression. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the specific functions and mechanisms of YBX1 in these areas. Initially, YBX1 is shown to be closely associated with cellular senescence and impacts significant biological processes, including cell proliferation, damage repair, and metabolism. This suggests potential applications in the prevention and treatment of senescence-related diseases. Additionally, YBX1 regulates the immune response by controlling the function of immune cells and the expression of immune molecules. It is essential in maintaining immune system homeostasis and impacts the pathological process of various diseases, including tumors. Lastly, the diverse functions of the YBX1 protein make it a promising candidate for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for diseases. Comprehensive research on its mechanisms could provide novel insights and approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of related diseases.

The role of lncRNA HCG18 in human diseases

A substantial number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as potent regulators of human disease. Human leukocyte antigen complex group 18 (HCG18) is a new type of lncRNA that has recently been proven to play an important role in the occurrence and development of various diseases. Studies have found that abnormal expression of HCG18 is closely related to the clinicopathological characteristics of many diseases. More importantly, HCG18 was also found to promote disease progression by affecting a series of cell biological processes. This article mainly discusses the expression characteristics, clinical characteristics, biological effects and related regulatory mechanisms of HCG18 in different human diseases, providing a scientific theoretical basis for its early clinical application.

Molecular mechanisms of HCG18 in the sorafenib resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma

Sorafenib has been approved for advance hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, drug resistance often occurred. Therefore, it is of great significance to clarify the underlying mechanisms of sorafenib resistance and to find out the effective strategies to overcome sorafenib resistance. The expression of HCG18 was detected by qPCR, MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry and TUNEL assay were used to explore the function of HCG18 on sorafenib resistance in HCC. RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence labeling, luciferase reporter assay, western blot and qPCR were used to investigate the mechanism of HCG18 regulating sorafenib resistance in HCC. Our results showed that HCG18 was significantly increased in HCC, which resulted in shorter 5-year survival for patients with HCC. Sorafenib can induce the expression of HCG18, suggesting HCG18 might be involved in sorafenib resistance in HCC. Further analysis showed that knockdown of HCG18 can reduce viability and increase apoptosis of HCC cells. Mechanistically, HCG18 can bind to USP15, further regulated the protein stability of p65, TAB2 and TAB3, and nuclear location of p65, which finally modulated the NF-κB signaling. Our findings showed that HCG18 played an important role in sorafenib resistance in HCC. And knockdown of HCG18 can promote the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib, inferring that targeting HCG18 might be an effective strategy to overcome sorafenib resistance in HCC.

A Novel Prognostic Signature of comprising Nine NK Cell signatures Based on Both Bulk RNA Sequencing and Single-Cell RNA Sequencing for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has limited prognostic prediction due to its heterogeneity. Understanding the role of natural killer (NK) cells in HCC is vital for prognosis and immunotherapy guidance. We aimed to identify NK cell marker genes through scRNA-seq and develop a prognostic signature for HCC. Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data (GSE149614) from 10 patients and bulk RNA-seq data from 786 patients with clinicopathological information. NK cell marker genes were identified using clustering and marker finding functions. A predictive risk signature was constructed using LASSO-COX algorithm. Functional annotations and immune cell infiltration analysis were performed, and the nomogram's performance was evaluated. Results: We identified 79 NK cell marker genes associated with NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and immune response. The multigene signature significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) in TCGA-LIHC cohort and was validated in other cohorts. Low-risk patients exhibited higher immune cell infiltration, including CD8+ T cells. The risk signature was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR > 1, p < 0.001). The nomogram combining the risk signature and clinical predictors demonstrated robust prognostic ability. Conclusion: We developed a nine-gene signature prognostic model based on NK cell marker genes to accurately assess the prognostic risk of HCC. This model can be a valuable tool for personalized evaluation post-surgery. Our study underscores the potential of NK cells in HCC prognosis and highlights the importance of scRNA-seq analysis in identifying prognostic markers.

Reversal of HMGA1-Mediated Immunosuppression Synergizes with Immunogenic Magnetothermodynamic for Improved Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy

Magnetothermodynamic (MTD) therapy can activate antitumor immune responses by inducing potent immunogenic tumor cell death. However, tumor development is often accompanied by multifarious immunosuppressive mechanisms that can counter the efficacy of immunogenic MTD therapy. High-mobility group protein A1 (HMGA1) is overexpressed within hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and plays a crucial function in the generation of immunosuppressive effects. The reversal of HMGA1-mediated immunosuppression could enhance immunogenic tumor cell death-induced immune responses. A ferrimagnetic vortex-domain iron oxide (FVIO) nanoring-based nanovehicle was developed, which is capable of efficiently mediating an alternating magnetic field for immunogenic tumor cell death induction, while concurrently delivering HMGA1 small interfering (si)RNA (siHMGA1) to the cytoplasm of hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 cells for HMGA1 pathway interference. Using siHMGA1-FVIO-mediated MTD therapy, the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 tumors was inhibited, and the survival of a mouse model was improved. We also demonstrated that siHMGA1-FVIO-mediated MTD achieved synergistic antitumor effects in a subcutaneous hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa 1-6 and H22 tumor model by promoting dendritic cell maturation, enhancing antigen-presenting molecule expression (both major histocompatibility complexes I and II), improving tumor-infiltrating T lymphocyte numbers, and decreasing immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells, interleukin-10, and transforming growth factor-β expression. The nanoparticle system outlined in this paper has the potential to target HMGA1 and, in combination with MTD-induced immunotherapy, is a promising approach for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

The regulatory role of LncRNA HCG18 in various cancers

As a member of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), LncRNA HLA complex group 18 (HCG18) has recently become the focus of cancer research. As outlined in this review, LncRNA HCG18 has been reported to be dysregulated in various cancers development and appears to be activated in a variety of tumors, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), colorectal cancer (CRC), gastric cancer (GC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LHSCC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), osteosarcoma (OS), and prostate cancer (PCa). Furthermore, the expression of lncRNA HCG18 decreased in bladder cancer (BC) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Overall, the presence of these differential expressions suggests the clinical value of HCG18 in cancer therapy. Additionally, lncRNA HCG18 influences various biological processes of cancer cells. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms of HCG18 in cancer development, highlights reported the abnormal expression of HCG18 found in various cancer types, and aims to discuss the potential of HCG18 as a target for cancer therapy.

COMMD2 Upregulation Mediated by an ncRNA Axis Correlates With an Unfavorable Prognosis and Tumor Immune Infiltration in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) seriously endangers the health and quality of life of individuals worldwide. Increasing evidence has underscored that the copper metabolism MURR1 domain (COMMD) family plays important roles in tumorigenesis. However, the specific role, biological function, mechanism and prognostic value of COMMD2 and its correlation with immune cell infiltration in LIHC remain unknown. In this study, we first determined the expression and prognostic potential of COMMD2 in human tumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and identified COMMD2 as a potential oncogene in LIHC. High COMMD2 expression was associated with pathological tumor stage and metastasis. Subsequently, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) upregulating COMMD2 expression were identified by performing expression, correlation, and survival analyses in combination. The CRNDE/LINC00511/SNHG17/HCG18-miR-29c-3p axis was identified as the most likely ncRNA-associated pathway upstream of COMMD2 in LIHC. Next, the expression profiles of COMMD2 and ncRNAs were validated in LIHC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, COMMD2 was significantly positively correlated with tumor immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoint molecule expression. Importantly, COMMD2 potentially influenced prognosis by regulating immune cell infiltration in LIHC. Finally, COMMD2 was knocked down in LIHC cell lines using siRNAs for functional assays in vitro, resulting in suppressed cell proliferation and migration. In summary, our findings showed that the ncRNA-mediated upregulation of COMMD2 was associated with an unfavorable prognosis correlated with immune cell infiltration in LIHC.

Construction of a ceRNA Network and Comprehensive Analysis of lncRNA in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

To explore the RNA biomolecular marker associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis, we constructed a regulatory network of competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), which provides favorable conditions for the early diagnosis, prognostic monitoring, and personalized treatment of HCC. In this study, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of patients with HCC were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus. We identified 574 upregulated genes and 274 downregulated genes relevant to HCC occurrence (p < 0.05). Subsequently, we constructed the protein−protein interaction (PPI) network using these DEGs and identified the hub genes from the PPI. We then determined the expression and prognostic values of the hub genes from the GEPIA and Kaplan−Meier plotter databases. After the upstream microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were respectively identified by miRTarBase and miRNet, we validated the expression of the key miRNAs in the serum using qPCR experiments. Moreover, we identified a two-lncRNA (LINC01184 and ADORA2A-AS1) signature from the upstream lncRNA that effectively predicted overall survival and had promotive effects for HCC. To verify the clinical significance of the signature, we validated the expression of the lncRNA in HCC tissues. Finally, we discovered and identified four mRNAs, four miRNAs, and five lncRNAs associated with the prognosis of HCC and constructed a new ceRNA regulatory network, which will be beneficial for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

A Prognostic Pyroptosis-Related lncRNAs Risk Model Correlates With the Immune Microenvironment in Colon Adenocarcinoma

Recent studies have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may participate in the regulation of tumor cell proptosis. However, the connection between lncRNA expression and pyroptosis remains unclear in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). This study aims to explore and establish a prognostic signature of COAD based on the pyroptosis-related lncRNAs. We identify 15 prognostic pyroptosis-related lncRNAs (ZNF667-AS1, OIP5-AS1, AL118506.1, AF117829.1, POC1B-AS1, CCDC18-AS1, THUMPD3-AS1, FLNB-AS1, SNHG11, HCG18, AL021707.2, UGDH-AS1, LINC00641, FGD5-AS1 and AC245452.1) from the TCGA-COAD dataset and use them to construct the risk model. After then, this pyroptosis-related lncRNA signature is validated in patients from the GSE17536 dataset. The COAD patients are divided into low-risk and high-risk groups by setting the median risk score as the cut-off point and represented differences in the immune microenvironment. Hence, we construct the immune risk model based on the infiltration levels of ssGSEA immune cells. Interestingly, the risk model and immune risk model are both independent prognostic risk factors. Therefore, a nomogram combined risk score, immune risk score with clinical information which is meaningful in univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis is established to predict the overall survival (OS) of COAD patients. In general, the signature consisted of 15 pyroptosis-related lncRNAs and was proved to be associated with the immune landscape of COAD patients.