Associations Between Polymorphisms in Genes Related to Oxidative Stress and DNA Repair, Interactions With Serum Antioxidants, and Prostate Cancer Risk: Results From the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial

Bioinformatics analysis combined with experimental validation reveals the biological role of the ILK gene in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a prevalent urological malignancy. The integrin-linked kinase (ILK) gene has been identified as an oncogenic driver in hormonal cancers, including PCa.

METHODS

To identify key genes in PCa, we utilized differential gene expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA). The ILK gene was silenced using short interfering RNA (siRNA), and subsequent experiments focusing on cellular functionality were conducted to evaluate its impact on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. We examined the expression of autophagy-related and cell cycle-related proteins, including MAP1LC3A, BECN1, C-MYC, TP53, and MDM2. Moreover, we conducted Mfuzz expression pattern clustering analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune function analysis, transcription factor (TF) analysis, and drug prediction.

RESULTS

544 significant genes were identified by WGCNA. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis revealed that MYC was the central regulatory gene, with the intersected genes mainly involved in regulating cell adhesion and drug metabolism in prostate cancer (PCa). Experimental results showed LNCaP cell proliferation was significantly inhibited in the knockdown groups (P < 0.001). Moreover, ILK silencing increased apoptosis in LNCaP cells compared to normal cells and empty vectors, and transfected LNCaP cells were arrested in the S phase of the cell cycle. Notably, C-MYC expression decreased following ILK silencing. Subsequently, we further identified ILK-related regulatory biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONS

The ILK is an oncogene mainly through influencing the C-MYC in PCa. Inhibition of ILK expression would be a promising method for treating the development and progression of PCa.

Bee Pollen Phytochemicals and Nutrients as Unequaled Pool of Epigenetic Regulators: Implications for Age-Related Diseases

Bee pollen is characterized by an exceptional diversity and abundance of micronutrients and bioactive phytochemicals. This richness remains very sparsely investigated, but accumulating evidence strongly supports a promising future for bee pollen in human nutrition and medicine. Epigenetic regulation is among the most compelling biomedical topics that remain completely untapped in bee pollen and bee derivative research. In our current research, we identified numerous ubiquitous compounds that are consistently present in this matrix, regardless of its botanical and geographical origins, and that have been well studied and documented as epigenetic regulators in recent years. Given the relative newness of both bee pollen biomedical research and epigenetic studies within nutritional, pharmaceutical, and medical sciences, this review aims to bridge these valuable fields and advance related experimental investigations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that has aimed to comprehensively investigate the epigenetic modulatory potential of bee pollen compounds. Our findings have also unveiled several intriguing phenomena, such as a dual effect of the same compound depending on the cellular context or the effect of some compounds on the cross-generational heritability of epigenetic traits. Although experimental studies of epigenetic regulation by bee pollen as a whole or by its extract are still lacking, our current study clearly indicates that this research avenue is very promising and worth further investigations. We hope that our current work constitutes a foundational cornerstone of future investigations for this avenue of research.

AR (CAG)n Microsatellite and APEX1 c.444T>G (p.Asp148Glu) Polymorphisms as Independent Prognostic Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer: Insights from an Argentinian Cohort

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer-related death in Argentinian men. Predicting outcomes in localized PCa remains difficult due to tumor heterogeneity. In this study, we assessed the impact of AR (CAG)n and APEX1 c.444T>G polymorphisms on biochemical relapse in Argentine patients with localized PCa.

METHODS

We genotyped blood samples from 123 PCa patients for AR (CAG)n and APEX1 p.Asp148Glu (c.444T>G) polymorphisms. Associations with clinicopathological parameters and biochemical relapse-free survival (BRFS) were assessed.

RESULTS

AR (CAG)20-23 was associated with a family history of breast/ovarian cancer (p = 0.0469). The combination of AR (CAG)20-23 and APEX1 c.444TT/GG correlated with a 2.89 times higher risk of biochemical relapse (log-rank p = 0.006). Multivariable analysis confirmed AR and APEX1 polymorphisms as independent predictors of biochemical relapse (HR = 3.95, p = 0.002). In patients with PSA levels <10 ng/mL, combined AR (CAG)20-23 and APEX1 c.444TT/GG genotypes were significantly associated with an increased risk of biochemical relapse (HR = 2.61, p = 0.044). Multivariable analysis confirmed the prognostic significance of these genotypes (HR = 3.44, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has identified AR (CAG)n and APEX1 c.444T>G polymorphisms as independent predictors of PCa relapse in Argentinian patients, suggesting their potential use in improving prognostic models.

A High-Quality Blue Whale Genome, Segmental Duplications, and Historical Demography

The blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, is the largest animal known to have ever existed, making it an important case study in longevity and resistance to cancer. To further this and other blue whale-related research, we report a reference-quality, long-read-based genome assembly of this fascinating species. We assembled the genome from PacBio long reads and utilized Illumina/10×, optical maps, and Hi-C data for scaffolding, polishing, and manual curation. We also provided long read RNA-seq data to facilitate the annotation of the assembly by NCBI and Ensembl. Additionally, we annotated both haplotypes using TOGA and measured the genome size by flow cytometry. We then compared the blue whale genome with other cetaceans and artiodactyls, including vaquita (Phocoena sinus), the world's smallest cetacean, to investigate blue whale's unique biological traits. We found a dramatic amplification of several genes in the blue whale genome resulting from a recent burst in segmental duplications, though the possible connection between this amplification and giant body size requires further study. We also discovered sites in the insulin-like growth factor-1 gene correlated with body size in cetaceans. Finally, using our assembly to examine the heterozygosity and historical demography of Pacific and Atlantic blue whale populations, we found that the genomes of both populations are highly heterozygous and that their genetic isolation dates to the last interglacial period. Taken together, these results indicate how a high-quality, annotated blue whale genome will serve as an important resource for biology, evolution, and conservation research.

Novel Insights into the Role of the Antioxidants in Prostate Pathology

To date, it is known that antioxidants protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress and associated with pathological conditions. Several studies have established that inflammation is a state that anticipates the neoplastic transformation of the prostate. Although many experimental and clinical data have indicated the efficacy of antioxidants in preventing this form of cancer, the discrepant results, especially from recent large-scale randomized clinical trials, make it difficult to establish a real role for antioxidants in prostate tumor. Despite these concerns, clinical efficacy and safety data show that some antioxidants still hold promise for prostate cancer chemoprevention. Although more studies are needed, in this review, we briefly describe the most common antioxidants that have shown benefits in preclinical and clinical settings, focusing our attention on synthesizing the advances made so far in prostate cancer chemoprevention using antioxidants as interesting molecules for the challenges of future therapies.

hOGG1 rs1052133 Polymorphism and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Chinese Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND We performed a case-control study and an updated meta-analysis to assess the relationship between the hOGG1 rs1052133 polymorphism and prostate cancer (PCa) risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS We recruited 160 PCa cases and 243 healthy controls. For the meta-analysis, relevant studies were recruited from diverse databases up to April 2022. Genetic risk was evaluated by using an odds ratio (OR) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The genotypes of this polymorphism were genotyped via the SNaPshot genotyping method. RESULTS In the case-control study, we failed to identify any association between the hOGG1 rs1052133 polymorphism and PCa risk. Negative results were also obtained when stratified analyses were performed based on the patient's prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) level and Gleason score, as well as tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage. To enlarge the sample size, we performed a restricted updated meta-analysis by recruiting 10 case-control studies (including the current one), and the results suggested that genotypes of rs1052133 polymorphism were significantly associated with an elevated risk of PCa in 2 genetic models - the heterozygote and dominant models. In the stratification analysis by population ethnicity, a significant association of this polymorphism with susceptibility to PCa was found both in the Asian populations and White populations. CONCLUSIONS Our case-control and updated meta-analysis study suggest that the hOGG1 rs1052133 polymorphism is a susceptibility factor for PCa, but still needs to be further verified in the Chinese population.

NRF2: A crucial regulator for mitochondrial metabolic shift and prostate cancer progression

Metabolic alterations are a common survival mechanism for prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance. Oxidative stress in the cellular and tumor microenvironment dictates metabolic switching in the cancer cells to adopt, prosper and escape therapeutic stress. Therefore, regulation of oxidative stress in tumor cells and in the tumor-microenvironment may enhance the action of conventional anticancer therapies. NRF2 is the master regulator for oxidative stress management. However, the overall oxidative stress varies with PCa clinical stage, metabolic state and therapy used for the cancer. In agreement, the blanket use of NRF2 inducers or inhibitors along with anticancer therapies cause adverse effects in some preclinical cancer models. In this review, we have summarized the levels of oxidative stress, metabolic preferences and NRF2 activity in the different stages of prostate cancer. We also propose condition specific ways to use NRF2 inducers or inhibitors along with conventional prostate cancer therapies. The significance of this review is not only to provide a detailed understanding of the mechanism of action of NRF2 to regulate oxidative stress-mediated metabolic switching by prostate cancer cells to escape the radiation, chemo, or hormonal therapies, and to grow aggressively, but also to provide a potential therapeutic method to control aggressive prostate cancer growth by stage specific proper use of NRF2 regulators.