Over Expressed TKTL1, CIP-2A, and B-MYB Proteins in Uterine Cervix Epithelium Scrapings as Potential Risk Predictive Biomarkers in HR-HPV-Infected LSIL/ASCUS Patients

TKTL1 participated in malignant progression of cervical cancer cells via regulating AKT signal mediated PFKFB3 and thus regulating glycolysis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer (CC) is the second most common cancer among women with high morbidity and mortality. TKTL1 is a key protein in glucose metabolism in cancer cells and controls the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). In this paper, we aim to explore whether TKTL1 can participate in the malignant process of CC cells through glucose metabolism.

METHODS

The expression and activity of TKTL1 in CC cell lines were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Cell transfection was conducted to interfere the expression of TKTL1 in SiHa cells, with efficiency detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Cell proliferation was then measured by CCK-8 kits. Wound Healing and Transwell experiments were performed to respectively detect the levels of cell migration and invasion, and western blot was used to detect the expressions of migration-related proteins. Tunel and Western blot were used to detect the apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and ATP production were measured by corresponding commercial kits. Next, the expression of p-Akt, AKT, p-MTOR, mTOR, HK2 and PFKFB3 was detected by Western blot. The mechanism was further investigated by interfering the expression of HK2 and PFKFB3 and adding AKT agonist SC79. At the animal level, the tumor bearing mouse model of CC was constructed, and the weight, volume and pathological morphology of the tumor tissue were detected to verify the cell experiment.

RESULTS

TKTL1 expression was increased in CC cells. Interference of TKTL1 expression can inhibit TKTL1 enzyme activity, proliferation, invasion and migration of CC cells, and simultaneously suppress the generation of glycolysis. In addition, the results showed that TKTL1 activated PFKFB3 through AKT rather than HK2 signaling and is involved in glycolysis, cell invasion, migration, and apoptosis of CC cells. In animal level, inhibition of TKTL1 also contributed to decreased tumor volume of CC tumor bearing mice and improved histopathological status.

CONCLUSION

TKTL1 participated in malignant progression of CC cells via regulating AKT signal-mediated HK2 and PFKFB3 and thus regulating glucose metabolism.

Changes in the Proteome in the Development of Chronic Human Papillomavirus Infection-A Prospective Study in HIV Positive and HIV Negative Rwandan Women

BACKGROUND

Effects on the proteome when a high risk (HR)-HPV infection occurs, when it is cleared and when it becomes chronic were investigated. Moreover, biomarker panels that could identify cervical risk lesions were assessed.

METHODS

Cytology, HPV screening and proteomics were performed on cervical samples from Rwandan HIV+ and HIV- women at baseline, at 9 months, at 18 months and at 24 months. Biological pathways were identified using the String database.

RESULTS

The most significantly affected pathway when an incident HR-HPV infection occurred was neutrophil degranulation, and vesicle-mediated transport was the most significantly affected pathway when an HR-HPV infection was cleared; protein insertion into membrane in chronic HR-HPV lesions and in lesions where HR-HPVs were cleared were compared; and cellular catabolic process in high-grade lesions was compared to that in negative lesions. A four-biomarker panel (EIF1; BLOC1S5; LIMCH1; SGTA) was identified, which was able to distinguish chronic HR-HPV lesions from cleared HR-HPV/negative lesions (sensitivity 100% and specificity 91%). Another four-biomarker panel (ERH; IGKV2-30; TMEM97; DNAJA4) was identified, which was able to distinguish high-grade lesions from low-grade/negative lesions (sensitivity 100% and specificity 81%).

CONCLUSIONS

We have identified the biological pathways triggered in HR-HPV infection, when HR-HPV becomes chronic and when cervical risk lesions develop. Moreover, we have identified potential biomarkers that may help to identify women with cervical risk lesions.