Mechanisms of mutant β-catenin in endometrial cancer progression

SENP5 promotes endometrial cancer cell growth by regulating β-catenin deSUMOylation to enhance GPX4-resistance to ferroptosis

BACKGROUND

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a significant and serious gynecological cancer, constituting a considerable risk to women's health. The desumoylation of SUMO specific peptidase 5 (SENP5) is intricately linked with various cancers. Nonetheless, the function of SENP5 in EC and its regulation of EC progression through the related mechanism of desumoylation modification remain elusive.

METHODS

Five samples of EC tumor tissues, along with para-cancerous tissues, were obtained. The expression of SENP5 in EC was assessed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Western blot. HEC-1-B cells were treated with liposomes to interfere SENP5 and/or β-catenin expression. The methodologies employed to assess the impact of SENP5 on the proliferation of EC cells via β-catenin included RT-qPCR, Western blot, CCK8, EDU, and C11-BODIPY methods. Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP), and SUMOylation analysis were conducted to investigate the desumoylation modification of β-catenin by SENP5.

RESULTS

SENP5 exhibited elevated expression levels in EC cancer tissues and was correlated with a negative prognosis for patients diagnosed with EC. The suppression of SENP5 inhibited the expression of β-catenin and GPX4, activated ferroptosis, and inhibited HEC-1-B -cell proliferation. Knockdown of β-catenin counteracted the impact of SENP5 overexpression on ferroptosis and HEC-1-B proliferation. In addition, SENP5 stabilized β-catenin level in HEC-1-B cells through desumoylation modification of the β-catenin protein.

CONCLUSIONS

SENP5 promotes GPX4-mediated ferroptosis resistance, thereby enhancing the proliferation of EC cells by regulating β-catenin desumoylation, this finding indicates that SENP5 may serve as a promising target for therapeutic interventions in the treatment of EC.

Differential Localization of β-Catenin Protein in CTNNB1 Mutant Endometrial Cancers Results in Distinct Transcriptional Profiles

CTNNB1 exon 3 mutation is a well-established driver of nearly 30% of endometrioid endometrial cancers (EECs), and this is associated with worse patient survival. Paradoxically, we have previously demonstrated that mutant β-catenin protein does not robustly localize to the nucleus in these cancers. The purpose of this study was to determine downstream gene expression in these cancers with nuclear or membrane/cytoplasmic mutant β-catenin protein localization. Spatial transcriptomics was performed on tumors with intratumor nuclear and nonnuclear mutant β-catenin, using the protein localization to select for regions of interest (ROIs). Differential expression analysis of all nuclear and nonnuclear ROIs yielded distinct transcriptional profiles based on the localization of β-catenin. Analysis revealed enrichment for Wnt signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition pathways in nuclear ROIs and hormone signaling in nonnuclear ROIs. Hierarchical clustering yielded 2 clusters comprised of almost entirely nuclear or nonnuclear ROIs. A novel therapeutic target, TROP2, encoded by the TACSTD2 gene, was identified to be altered by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These data provide evidence for highly heterogeneous intratumor transcriptional profiles dependent on β-catenin protein localization in EEC with CTNNB1 driver mutations. Therefore, reporting of β-catenin immunohistochemistry should include an estimated percentage of tumor with nuclear localization in EEC tumors with exon 3 CTNNB1 mutations.

High-grade Endometrial Carcinomas With Solid Basaloid Morphology and Geographic Necrosis Lacking Definitive Pilomatrix-like Features: Clinicopathologic Characteristics Including Aggressive Behavior and Novel Molecular Events

High-grade endometrioid carcinomas occasionally demonstrate solid basaloid morphology with geographic necrosis (SB-GN). This pattern is among the defining features of pilomatrix-like high-grade endometrioid carcinoma (PiMHEC), a recently proposed tumor type which is additionally characterized by the presence of shadow cells, abnormal beta-catenin/ CTNNB1 mutations, strong CDX2 expression, and poor outcomes. Clinicopathologic overlap between PiMHEC and other high-grade endometrial cancers with SB-GN has not been established. We screened 300 endometrial carcinomas on tissue microarray for SB-GN histology and performed a detailed whole-section morphologic review, immunohistochemical analysis, and next-generation sequencing on all cases bearing this pattern. Four (1.3%) demonstrated SB-GN. All 3 with clinical follow-up had extremely aggressive behavior despite being MMR-deficient; in contrast, only 27% of other MMR-deficient high-grade carcinomas recurred. One SB-GN case met most of the previously outlined diagnostic criteria for PiMHEC including abnormal beta-catenin/ CTNNB1 (p.S37P variant) and strong CDX2 expression; notably, however, shadow cells were absent. This case also demonstrated a KRAS p.A59T pathogenic variant. The other 3 cases also lacked shadow cells; the 2 with sequencing data bore no CTNNB1 abnormalities but showed likely oncogenic variants involving the pilomatrixoma-associated gene FGFR2. All 3 cases with molecular results also bore somatic Notch pathway ( NOTCH1/NOTCH2/NOTCH3 ) variants. The single case treated with immunotherapy showed complete and sustained response with regression of bone metastases despite abnormal beta-catenin/ CTNNB1 , which has been associated with immunotherapeutic resistance. These data suggest that the SB-GN pattern may connote a poor prognosis even in the absence of overt pilomatrix-like differentiation, and that novel molecular events may have implications for the treatment of these tumors.

Advanced organoid models for targeting Kras-driven lung adenocarcinoma in drug discovery and combination therapy

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases to treat due to its heterogeneity. Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (KRAS) mutations are genetic drivers in numerous cancer types including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Despite recent advances in KRAS-targeted therapies, treatment resistance and limited therapeutic options necessitate advanced preclinical models, such as organoids, to identify personalized cancer therapies by screening novel therapeutic strategies and synergistic drug combinations.

RESULTS

We established LUAD in genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of KrasG12V & Trp53 Δex2-10 (KP) and KP with Ctnnb1Δex3 mutation (KPC). Tumor-derived organoids from these models recapitulated the genomic landscape and histopathological characteristics of their parental tumors. The organoids displayed tumorigenic potential when implanted in immunocompromised mice, forming tumors in contrast to unlike healthy lung-derived organoids. Drug screening identified effective kinase inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors against the organoids. Notably, the combination of these drugs exhibited the highest synergy in KPC organoids.

CONCLUSION

We successfully developed LUAD organoids harboring Kras mutations and identified multiple potential therapeutic agents targeting these cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated the effectiveness of a DNMT inhibitor-based combination therapy, presenting a promising strategy for this challenging lung cancer subtype.

Clinical translation of metabolomics markers in endometrial carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

This comprehensive review highlights the current research on metabolomics and the metabolic pathways involved in endometrial cancer (EC), offering potential non-invasive biomarkers for EC.

METHODS

The data was extracted from published manuscripts between 2015 and 2024 using the reputed search engine "Pubmed." All gathered data were organized into a single table, facilitating a comparison with earlier findings.

RESULTS

The results of this study revealed most metabolites identified in previous metabolomic research on EC are associated with lipid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, understanding these metabolic pathway alterations in EC is crucial for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatments by specially targeting these metabolic pathways.

CircRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactome analysis in endometrial cancer

In recent years, exploring the potential of miRNAs as novel diagnostic, prognostic and diagnostic markers have gained much attention. In current study, we conducted an in-depth circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactome to reveal significant molecular processes and biological pathways putatively associated with endometrial cancer (EC). Firstly, we retrieved two circRNAs from circad, hsa_circ_0002577 & hsa_circ_0109046, based on their association with the EC. Subsequently, we predicted miRNAs sponging sites in the two circRNAs and the potential target mRNAs of the predicted miRNAs. Sequestered miRNAs target a number of oncogenes (CBL, MET, KRAS), tumor suppressor (CFT R), receptor protein kinases & GT Pase (MET, KRAS, RAB1B), methyltransferases (SET D8), receptors associated factors (T RAF2, GRB2), growth factors (FGF20), autophagy (BECN1, AT G14), apoptotic regulators (BCL2), transcription factors (T Fs) (CREB1, RUNX1, RUNX2) and gene regulators (CCND1, HIF1A); and others, including some novel gene candidates (CREB1, FGF20, IFI27), that have never been implicated in EC earlier. The expression of hsa-miR-433-3p showed significant predictive relevance (Fold Change = 1.8, AUC = 0.736, Mann-Whitney test p-value = 6.1 e- 14) suggesting its predictive relevance in assessing patients' response to chemotherapy. The hsamiR- 188-3p targets autophagic and apoptotic regulators and its upregulation in endometriosis may be used as for the early stage diagnostic purpose. The hsa-miR-502-5p targets SET D8, T RAF2 and others and suggests additional genomic/epigenomic molecular targets for promising therapeutic interventions in EC. Predicted miRNAs target a number of mRNAs having varied functional impacts and offer an in-depth mechanistic insights for expatiating the biological and regulatory role in EC.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibition for the treatment of patients with primary advanced or recurrent dMMR/MSI high endometrial cancer in 2025

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The Cancer Genome Atlas identified four distinct molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer (EC): POLE mutated, mismatch repair deficient (dMMR), copy number low, and copy number high. The goal of this review is to summarize the profound clinical implications of molecular subtyping, particularly in guiding treatment decisions for dMMR and microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) EC.

RECENT FINDINGS

Clinical trials have demonstrated the remarkable efficacy of immunotherapy in dMMR/MSI-H EC tumors. Trials including GARNET, KEYNOTE-158, NRG GY-018, and RUBY have shown significant improvements in clinical outcomes for patients with advanced and recurrent disease, leading to FDA approvals for immunotherapy in both frontline and recurrent EC treatment settings.Building on these successes, recent studies, including DUO-E, are exploring combination therapies to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy in EC. Simultaneously, trials including NRG GY-020, are investigating the potential benefits of immunotherapy in early-stage disease.

SUMMARY

Immunotherapy therapy has revolutionized the treatment of endometrial cancer in both upfront and recurrent settings, with molecular subtyping identifying patients most likely to benefit, especially those with dMMR/MSI-H tumors.

Assessment of Cyclin D1 Expression: Prognostic Value and Functional Insights in Endometrial Cancer: In Silico Study

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cancer in women worldwide, with rising incidence, particularly in economically developed countries where obesity and type 2 diabetes are prevalent risk factors. EC comprises various histological subtypes with distinct behaviors: Type I tumors are generally estrogen-driven with favorable prognosis, while Type II tumors are hormone-independent, aggressive, and associated with poorer outcomes. Dysregulation of the cell cycle, particularly through cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their regulators like Cyclin D1 (CCND1), plays a crucial role in EC progression and recurrence. Cyclin D1 overexpression is often observed in the early stages of endometrioid carcinoma and complex hyperplasia, marking potential early carcinogenic events, while lower expression levels are common in high-grade subtypes like serous carcinoma. Although CDK inhibitors targeting Cyclin D1/CDK4/6 complexes have shown therapeutic potential in cancers such as breast and lung, their role in EC remains underexplored. This study integrates immunohistochemical evaluations of Cyclin D1 expression in EC patient samples with data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to assess its prognostic significance across EC subtypes. By correlating molecular, histopathological, and clinical outcomes, we aim to clarify the impact of Cyclin D1 dysregulation on EC progression and recurrence. Our findings may inform more personalized therapeutic approaches, particularly for high-grade and treatment-resistant forms of EC.

β-catenin is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Uterine Sarcoma

IntroductionUterine sarcoma (US) is an extremely rare and aggressive gynecologic malignancy with a poor overall survival (OS). The efficient prognostic biomarker is currently lacking.MethodsUtilizing a Sweden microarray dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (GSE119043, n = 50) and a clinical cohort (n = 31) retrospectively collected from Suining Central Hospital, we analyzed β-catenin expression profiles and corresponding clinicopathological characteristics. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess β-catenin expression level. Survival analysis was used to assess the relationship between β-catenin expression and prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to characterize the specific pathways involved in β-catenin expression.ResultsImmunohistochemistry indicated that β-catenin expression was significantly upregulated in US group compared to both the normal uterine smooth muscle (UNSM) and uterine leiomyoma (ULM) groups (P < .01). IHC also exhibited a significant difference in β-catenin expression levels in four pathological subtypes. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS) suggested higher levels of β-catenin expression compared with adenosarcoma (AS) or low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS), but no statistically significant difference was found in box plot (P > .05). GSEA indicated that transcriptional dysregulation in cancer, Wnt, AMPK, MAPK, PI3K, p53, Ras, and TNF signaling pathway were positively enriched in β-catenin high-expression group. Though survival analysis showed that β-catenin expression level was not associated with survival, low-β-catenin expression group showed a longer median OS compared to high expression group (56.17 months VS 9.60 months) in Sweden microarray dataset. Similar results were also observed for progression-free survival (PFS) in clinical cohort (not reached VS 45.97 months in high-expression group). Tumor type, lymphadenectomy, family history of malignancy and tumor recurrence remained significant predictors of OS, while only tumor type, stage and tumor recurrence had prognostic significance for PFS. Age, tumor size, menopausal status, CA125, adjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy, were not associated with survival (P > .05).Conclusionβ-catenin was highly expressed in uterine sarcoma and may be promising as a novel potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis.

β‑catenin expression in endometrioid type endometrial cancer: Expression patterns and impact on disease outcomes

Determination of nuclear and/or cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin by immunohistochemistry in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) may constitute a potential diagnostic method for identifying patients with a catenin β1 (CTNNB1) gene mutation and those at risk of disease recurrence. The present study aimed to investigate β-catenin expression patterns in hysterectomy specimens of patients with endometrioid type EC using immunohistochemistry, and to examine the prognostic impact of β-catenin. The study was a single-institutional, retrospective cohort trial enrolling consecutive patients with a postoperative histopathological diagnosis of endometrioid EC who underwent hysterectomy between January 2015 and December 2018. Histopathology slides from 75 patients were stained with a monoclonal antibody targeting the β-catenin protein. Any percentage of nuclear staining, whether focal or diffuse, was considered 'β-catenin nuclear-positive'. The cytoplasmic staining reaction of β-catenin was assessed based on the percentage of stained cells and staining intensity. Immune-reactivity score (IRS) values were determined by multiplying the scores for the percentage of staining and staining intensity. IRS values 0 to 2 were regarded as negative expression, 3 to 4 as low expression, 6 to 8 as moderate expression, and 9 to 12 as high expression. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was used as the prognostic endpoint. Only 2 out of 75 tissue samples (2.7%) exhibited nuclear β-catenin expression, with a low staining percentage of 5%. By contrast, cytoplasmic staining was observed in all samples (100%). According to the IRS findings, 1.3% of the samples exhibited negative cytoplasmic expression, 42.7% low expression, 38.7% moderate expression and 17.3% high expression. Cox regression analysis revealed that staining with β-catenin, either nuclear or cytoplasmic, had no impact on RFS, and stage was the sole independent prognostic factor. In conclusion, based on these results, β-catenin expression in endometrioid EC was revealed to be mostly cytoplasmic, with only 2.7% of tissue samples exhibiting nuclear expression. Overall, β-catenin expression has no impact on RFS.

PKM2 promotes glioma progression by mediating CTNNB1 expression

BACKGROUND

Glioma is a common intracranial tumor, exhibiting a high degree of aggressiveness and invasiveness. Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) is overexpressed in glioma tissues. However, the biological role of PKM2 in glioma is unclear.

METHODS

The qRT-PCR, CCK-8, Transwell, flow cytometry detection, western blot assays, ELISA assay, and pyruvate kinase activity assays were performed in glioma cells transfected with PKM2 shRNA to explore the function of PKM2 in glioma progression. Then, STRING website was used to predict the proteins that interacted with PKM2, and Co-IP assay was conducted to further validate their interaction. Subsequently, the above experiments were performed again to find the effect of catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) overexpression on PKM2-deficient glioma cells. The transplanted tumor models were also established to further validate our findings.

RESULTS

PKM2 was up-regulated in glioma cells and tissues. After inhibiting PKM2, the proliferation, migration, glycolysis, and EMT of glioma cells were significantly decreased, and the proportion of apoptosis was increased. The prediction results of STRING website showed that CTNNB1 and PKM2 had the highest interaction score. The correlation between CTNNB1 and PKM2 was further confirmed by Co-IP test. PKM2 knockdown suppressed glioma cell proliferation, migration, glycolysis, and EMT, while CTNNB1 overexpression rescued these inhibitory effects. Correspondingly, PKM2 knockdown inhibited glioma growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

In summary, these findings indicated that PKM2 promotes glioma progression by mediating CTNNB1 expression, providing a possible molecular marker for the clinical management of gliomas.

Covalent Degrader of the Oncogenic Transcription Factor β-Catenin

β-catenin (CTNNB1) is an oncogenic transcription factor that is important in cell-cell adhesion and transcription of cell proliferation and survival genes that drive the pathogenesis of many different types of cancers. However, direct pharmacological targeting of CTNNB1 has remained challenging. Here, we have performed a screen with a library of cysteine-reactive covalent ligands to identify the monovalent degrader EN83 that depletes CTNNB1 in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent manner. We show that EN83 directly and covalently targets CTNNB1 three cysteines C466, C520, and C619, leading to destabilization and degradation of CTNNB1. Through structural optimization, we generate a highly potent and relatively selective destabilizing degrader that acts through the targeting of only C619 on CTNNB1. Our results show that chemoproteomic approaches can be used to covalently target and degrade challenging transcription factors like CTNNB1 through destabilization-mediated degradation.

Comprehensive landscape of junctional genes and their association with overall survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Objectives

Junctional proteins are involved in tumorigenesis. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between junctional genes and the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Methods

Transcriptome, mutation, and clinical data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). "Limma" was used to screen differentially expressed genes. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to identify junctional genes associated with LUAD prognosis. The junctional gene-related risk score (JGRS) was generated based on multivariate Cox regression analysis. An overall survival (OS) prediction model combining the JGRS and clinicopathological properties was proposed using a nomogram and further validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) LUAD cohort.

Results

To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the correlation between the mRNA levels of 14 junctional genes (CDH15, CDH17, CDH24, CLDN6, CLDN12, CLDN18, CTNND2, DSG2, ITGA2, ITGA8, ITGA11, ITGAL, ITGB4, and PKP3) and clinical outcomes of patients with LUAD. The JGRS was generated based on these 14 genes, and a higher JGRS was associated with older age, higher stage levels, and lower immune scores. Thus, a prognostic prediction nomogram was proposed based on the JGRS. Internal and external validation showed the good performance of the prediction model. Mechanistically, JGRS was associated with cell proliferation and immune regulatory pathways. Mutational analysis revealed that more somatic mutations occurred in the high-JGRS group than in the low-JGRS group.

Conclusion

The association between junctional genes and OS in patients with LUAD demonstrated by our "TCGA filtrating and GEO validating" model revealed a new function of junctional genes.

Evaluation of prognostic potential of β-catenin and L1CAM expression according to endometrial cancer risk group

OBJECTIVE

We investigate the prognostic role of β-catenin and L1 neuronal cell-adhesion molecule (L1CAM) according to risk groups in endometrial carcinomas (EC).

METHODS

A total of 335 EC patients were classified according to the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer. We evaluated the expression of ß-catenin and L1CAM using immunohistochemistry, and their association with clinicopathological characteristics and survival.

RESULTS

The expressions of β-catenin and L1CAM were observed in 10.4% of all patients, respectively, and showed mutually exclusive pattern. While β-catenin expression was associated with endometrioid histology (p = 0.035) and low tumor grade (p = 0.045), L1CAM expression was associated with non-endometrioid histology (p < 0.001), high tumor grade (p < 0.001), lymphovascular space invasion (p = 0.006), and advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (p = 0.001). β-catenin expression was most frequent in the no specific molecular (NSMP) group (26/35, 74.3%), followed by the DNA polymerase-ε-mutated (POLE-mut) (6/35, 17.1%), and mismatch repair-deficiency (dMMR) (3/35, 8.6%). L1CAM expression was most frequent in the p53-abnormal group (22/35, 62.9%), followed by the NSMP (6/35, 17.1%), dMMR (4/35, 11.4%), and POLE-mut (3/35, 8.6%). Although both markers did not show statistical significance in multivariate analysis for both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival in entire cohort, β-catenin positivity was identified as the sole factor associated with worse PFS in the high-intermediate risk subgroup (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The expression of nuclear β-catenin may serve as a potential biomarker for predicting recurrence and guiding therapeutic strategies in high-intermediate risk EC patients.

Detection of driver mutations and genomic signatures in endometrial cancers using artificial intelligence algorithms

Analyzed endometrial cancer (EC) genomes have allowed for the identification of molecular signatures, which enable the classification, and sometimes prognostication, of these cancers. Artificial intelligence algorithms have facilitated the partitioning of mutations into driver and passenger based on a variety of parameters, including gene function and frequency of mutation. Here, we undertook an evaluation of EC cancer genomes deposited on the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancers (COSMIC), with the goal to classify all mutations as either driver or passenger. Our analysis showed that approximately 2.5% of all mutations are driver and cause cellular transformation and immortalization. We also characterized nucleotide level mutation signatures, gross chromosomal re-arrangements, and gene expression profiles. We observed that endometrial cancers show distinct nucleotide substitution and chromosomal re-arrangement signatures compared to other cancers. We also identified high expression levels of the CLDN18 claudin gene, which is involved in growth, survival, metastasis and proliferation. We then used in silico protein structure analysis to examine the effect of certain previously uncharacterized driver mutations on protein structure. We found that certain mutations in CTNNB1 and TP53 increase protein stability, which may contribute to cellular transformation. While our analysis retrieved previously classified mutations and genomic alterations, which is to be expected, this study also identified new signatures. Additionally, we show that artificial intelligence algorithms can be effectively leveraged to accurately predict key drivers of cancer. This analysis will expand our understanding of ECs and improve the molecular toolbox for classification, diagnosis, or potential treatment of these cancers.

Interactions between miRNAs and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue (glands and stroma) outside the confines of the uterus and often involves vital organs such as the intestines and urinary system. Endometriosis is considered a refractory disease owing to its enigmatic etiology, propensity for recurrence following conservative or surgical interventions, and the absence of radical treatment and long-term management. In recent years, the incidence of endometriosis has gradually increased, rendering it a pressing concern among women of childbearing age. A more profound understanding of its pathogenesis can significantly improve prognosis. Recent research endeavors have spotlighted the molecular mechanisms by which microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the occurrence and progression of endometriosis. Many miRNAs have been reported to be aberrantly expressed in the affected tissues of both patients and animal models. These miRNAs actively participate in the regulation of inflammatory reactions, cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Their capacity to modulate crucial signaling pathways, such as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, reinforces their potential utility as diagnostic markers or therapeutic agents for endometriosis. In this review, we provide the latest insights into the role of miRNAs that interact with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway to regulate the biological behaviors of endometriosis cells and disease-related symptoms, such as pain and infertility. We hope that this review will provide novel insights and promising targets for innovative therapies addressing endometriosis.

USP43 impairs cisplatin sensitivity in epithelial ovarian cancer through HDAC2-dependent regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of cancer death all over the world. USP43 functions as a tumor promoter in various malignant cancers. Nevertheless, the biological roles and mechanisms of USP43 in EOC remain unknown. In this study, USP43 was highly expressed in EOC tissues and cells, and high expression of USP43 were associated with a poor prognosis of EOC. USP43 overexpression promoted EOC cell proliferation, enhanced the ability of migration and invasion, decreased cisplatin sensitivity and inhibited apoptosis. Knockdown of USP43 in vitro effectively retarded above malignant progression of EOC. In vivo xenograft tumors, silencing USP43 slowed tumor growth and enhanced cisplatin sensitivity. Mechanistically, USP43 inhibited HDAC2 degradation and enhanced HDAC2 protein stability through its deubiquitylation function. USP43 diminished the sensitivity of EOC cells to cisplatin through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway mediated by HDAC2. Taken together, the data in this study revealed the functions of USP43 in proliferation, migration, invasion, chemoresistance of EOC cells, and the mechanism of HDAC2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, USP43 might serve as a potential target for the control of ovarian cancer progression.

Risk-stratification machine learning model using demographic factors, gynaecological symptoms and β-catenin for endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Demographic features, suggestive gynaecological symptoms, and immunohistochemical expression of endometrial β-catenin have a prognostic capacity for endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. This study assessed the interaction of all variables and developed risk stratification for endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2023 to July 2023 at two teaching hospitals in Makassar Indonesia. Patients (< 70 years old) with suggestive symptoms of endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma or being referred with disease code N.85 who underwent curettage and/or surgery for pathology assessment except those receiving radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, presence of another carcinoma, coagulation disorder, and history of anti-inflammatory drug use and unreadable samples. Demographic, and clinical symptoms were collected from medical records. Immunohistochemistry staining using mouse-monoclonal antibodies determined the β-catenin expression (percentage, intensity, and H-score) in endometrial tissues. Ordinal and Binary Logistic regression identified the potential predictors to be included in neural networks and decision tree models of histopathological grading according to the World Health Organization/WHO grading classification.

RESULTS

Abdominal enlargement was associated with worse pathological grading (adjusted odds ratio/aOR 6.7 95% CI 1.8-24.8). Increasing age (aOR 1.1 95% CI 1.03-1.2) and uterus bleeding (aOR 5.3 95% CI 1.3-21.6) were associated with carcinoma but not with %β-catenin and H-Score. However, adjusted by vaginal bleeding and body mass index, lower %β-catenin (aOR 1.03 95% 1.01-1.05) was associated with non-atypical hyperplasia, as well as H-Score (aOR 1.01 95% CI 1.01-1.02). Neural networks and Decision tree risk stratification showed a sensitivity of 80-94.8% and a specificity of 40.6-60% in differentiating non-atypical from atypical and carcinoma. A cutoff of 55% β-catenin area and H-Score of 110, along with other predictors could distinguish non-atypical samples from atypical and carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Risk stratification based on demographics, clinical symptoms, and β-catenin possesses a good performance in differentiating non-atypical hyperplasia with later stages.

MicroRNA Landscape in Endometrial Carcinomas in an Asian population: Unraveling Subtype-Specific Signatures

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that function in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. We analyzed the differential expression of miRNAs in 119 endometrial carcinomas, measuring their expression in histological subtypes, molecular subtypes, and tumors with CTNNB1 mutations. Tumors were subdivided into histological and molecular subtypes as defined by The Cancer Genome Atlas. The expression levels of 352 miRNAs were quantified using the PanoramiR panel. Mir-449a, mir-449b-5p, and mir-449c-5p were the top three miRNAs showing increased expression in both endometrioid and de-differentiated carcinomas but were not significantly increased in serous and clear cell carcinomas. The miRNAs with the most increased expression in serous and clear cell carcinomas were miR-9-3p and miR-375, respectively. We also identified 62 differentially expressed miRNAs among different molecular subtypes. Using sequential forward selection, we built subtype classification models for some molecular subtypes of endometrial carcinoma, comprising 5 miRNAs for MMR-deficient tumors, 10 miRNAs for p53-mutated tumors, and 3 miRNAs for CTNNB1-mutated tumors, with areas under curves of 0.75, 0.85, and 0.78, respectively. Our findings confirm the differential expression of miRNAs between various endometrial carcinoma subtypes and may have implications for the development of diagnostic and prognostic tools.

β-catenin inhibitor ICG-001 suppress cell cycle progression and induce autophagy in endometrial cancer cells

The incidence of endometrial cancer has been rising in recent years. Gene mutation and high protein expression of β-catenin are commonly detected in endometrioid endometrial cancer. ICG-001 is a β-catenin inhibitor via blocking the complex formation of β-catenin and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP). This study aims to investigate the effect of ICG-001 on endometrial cancer inhibition. First, endometrial carcinoma patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-derived organoids and primary cells were used to verify the inhibiting ability of ICG-001 on endometrial cancer. Furthermore, endometrial cancer cell lines were used to investigate the anticancer mechanism of ICG-001. Using MTT assay and tumor spheroid formation assay, ICG-001 significantly reduced the cell viability of HEC-59 and HEC-1A cells. ICG-001 enhanced cisplatin-mediated cytotoxicity. ICG-001 decreased cancer stem cell sphere formation. ICG-001 decreased the protein expressions of CD44, hexokinase 2 (HK2), and cyclin A. ICG-001 lowered the cell cycle progression by flow cytometer analysis. Autophagy, but no apoptosis, was activated by ICG-001 in endometrial cancer cells. Autophagy inhibition by ATG5 silencing enhanced ICG-001-mediated suppression of cell viability, tumor spheroid formation, and protein expression of cyclin A and CD44. This study clarified the mechanism and revealed the clinical potential of ICG-001 against endometrial cancer.