1
|
Sun L, Han Y, Li B, Yang Y, Fang Y, Ren X, An L, Hou X, Fan H, Wu Y. A Novel Frameshift Variant of the ELF4 Gene in a Patient with Autoinflammatory Disease: Clinical Features, Transcriptomic Profiling and Functional Studies. J Clin Immunol 2024; 44:127. [PMID: 38773005 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-024-01732-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
We described the diagnosis and treatment of a patient with autoinflammatory disease, named "Deficiency in ELF4, X-linked (DEX)". A novel ELF4 variant was discovered and its pathogenic mechanism was elucidated. The data about clinical, laboratory and endoscopic features, treatment, and follow-up of a patient with DEX were analyzed. Whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify potential pathogenic variants. The mRNA and protein levels of ELF4 were analyzed by qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. The association of ELF4 frameshift variant with nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) in the pathogenesis DEX was examined. Moreover, RNA-seq was performed to identify the key molecular events triggered by ELF4 variant. The relationship between ELF4 and IFN-β activity was validated using a dual-luciferase reporter assay and a ChIP-qPCR assay. An 11-year-old boy presented with a Behçet's-like phenotype. The laboratory abnormality was the most obvious in elevated inflammatory indicators. Endoscopy revealed multiple ileocecal ulcers. Intestinal histopathology showed inflammatory cell infiltrations. The patient was treated with long-term immunosuppressant and TNF-α blocker (adalimumab), which reaped an excellent response over 16 months of follow-up. Genetic analysis identified a maternal hemizygote frameshift variant (c.1022del, p.Q341Rfs*30) in ELF4 gene in the proband. The novel variant decreased the mRNA level of ELF4 via the NMD pathway. Mechanistically, insufficient expression of ELF4 disturbed the immune system, leading to immunological disorders and pathogen susceptibility, and disrupted ELF4-activating IFN-β responses. This analysis detailed the clinical characteristics of a Chinese patient with DEX who harbored a novel ELF4 frameshift variant. For the first time, we used patient-derived cells and carried out transcriptomic analysis to delve into the mechanism of ELF4 variant in DEX.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.28 Xianning West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya'nan Han
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Benchang Li
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Ying Fang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoxia Ren
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Lu An
- Department of Pathology, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin Hou
- Department of Imaging, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Huafeng Fan
- Department of Education Science, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, China
| | - Yi Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.28 Xianning West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Du HQ, Zhao XD. Current understanding of ELF4 deficiency: a novel inborn error of immunity. World J Pediatr 2024; 20:444-450. [PMID: 38733460 DOI: 10.1007/s12519-024-00807-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND ELF4 deficiency has been recently recognized as a novel disorder within the spectrum of inborn errors of immunity (IEIs), specifically categorized as a "disease of immune dysregulation." Cases of this condition, reported by our team and others, are very limited worldwide. As such, our current knowledge of this new disease remains preliminary. This review aims to provide a brief overview of the clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies for this novel IEI. DATA SOURCES A comprehensive review was conducted after an extensive literature search in the PubMed/Medline database and websites concerning transcriptional factor ELF4 and reports concerning patients with ELF4 deficiency. Our search strategy was "ELF4 OR ETS-related transcription factor Elf-4 OR EL4-like factor 4 OR myeloid Elf-1-like factor" as of the time of manuscript submission. RESULTS The current signature manifestations of ELF4 deficiency disorder are recurrent and prolonged oral ulcer, abdominal pain, and diarrhea in pediatric males. In some cases, immunodeficiency and autoimmunity can also be prominent. Targeted Sanger sequencing or whole exome sequencing can be used to detect variation in ELF4 gene. Western blotting for ELF4 expression of the patient's cells can confirm the pathogenic effect of the variant. To fully confirm the pathogenicity of the variant, further functional test is strongly advised. Glucocorticoid and biologics are the mainstream management of ELF4 deficiency disorder. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric males presenting with recurring ulcerations in digestive tract epithelium with or without recurrent fever should be suspected of DEX. When atypical presentations are prominent, variations in ELF4 gene should be carefully evaluated functionally due to the complex nature of ELF4 function. Experience of treating DEX includes use of glucocorticoid and biologics and more precise treatment needs more patients to identify and further mechanistic study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Qiang Du
- Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Zhongshan Er Road 136Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Rare Diseases in Infection and Immunity, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Zhongshan Er Road 136Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang T, Zhang W, Fang C, Wang N, Zhuang Y, Gao S. Research on the Regulatory Mechanism of Ginseng on the Tumor Microenvironment of Colorectal Cancer based on Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics Validation. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2024; 20:486-500. [PMID: 37287284 DOI: 10.2174/1573409919666230607103721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A network pharmacology study on the biological action of ginseng in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) by regulating the tumor microenvironment (TME). OBJECTIVES To investigate the potential mechanism of action of ginseng in the treatment of CRC by regulating TME. METHODS This research employed network pharmacology, molecular docking techniques, and bioinformatics validation. Firstly, the active ingredients and the corresponding targets of ginseng were retrieved using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), the Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID), and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database@Taiwan (TCM Database@Taiwan). Secondly, the targets related to CRC were retrieved using Genecards, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). Tertiary, the targets related to TME were derived from screening the GeneCards and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)-Gene. Then the common targets of ginseng, CRC, and TME were obtained by Venn diagram. Afterward, the Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed in the STRING 11.5 database, intersecting targets identified by PPI analysis were introduced into Cytoscape 3.8.2 software cytoHubba plugin, and the final determination of core targets was based on degree value. The OmicShare Tools platform was used to analyze the Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the core targets. Autodock and PyMOL were used for molecular docking verification and visual data analysis of docking results. Finally, we verified the core targets by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases in bioinformatics. RESULTS A total of 22 active ingredients and 202 targets were identified to be closely related to the TME of CRC. PPI network mapping identified SRC, STAT3, PIK3R1, HSP90AA1, and AKT1 as possible core targets. Go enrichment analysis showed that it was mainly involved in T cell co-stimulation, lymphocyte co-stimulation, growth hormone response, protein input, and other biological processes; KEGG pathway analysis found 123 related signal pathways, including EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, chemokine signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, PD-L1 expression and PD-1 checkpoint pathway in cancer, etc. The molecular docking results showed that the main chemical components of ginseng have a stable binding activity to the core targets. The results of the GEPIA database showed that the mRNA levels of PIK3R1 were significantly lowly expressed and HSP90AA1 was significantly highly expressed in CRC tissues. Analysis of the relationship between core target mRNA levels and the pathological stage of CRC showed that the levels of SRC changed significantly with the pathological stage. The HPA database results showed that the expression levels of SRC were increased in CRC tissues, while the expression of STAT3, PIK3R1, HSP90AA1, and AKT1 were decreased in CRC tissues. CONCLUSION Ginseng may act on SRC, STAT3, PIK3R1, HSP90AA1, and AKT1 to regulate T cell costimulation, lymphocyte costimulation, growth hormone response, protein input as a molecular mechanism regulating TME for CRC. It reflects the multi-target and multi-pathway role of ginseng in modulating TME for CRC, which provides new ideas to further reveal its pharmacological basis, mechanism of action and new drug design and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiancheng Wang
- School of lntegrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Weijie Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Cancan Fang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Nan Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yue Zhuang
- School of Acupuncture and Massage, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Song Gao
- School of Chinese Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, the Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Guo C, Zhou N, Lu Y, Mu M, Li Z, Zhang X, Tu L, Du J, Li X, Huang D, Xu Q, Zheng X. FGF19/FGFR4 signaling contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma survival and immune escape by regulating IGF2BP1-mediated expression of PD-L1. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:115955. [PMID: 38048735 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have been widely used in clinical treatment of cancer patients, but only 20-30% of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Therefore, it is important to decipher the molecular mechanism of resistance to ICB and develop new combined treatment strategies. PD-L1 up-regulation in tumor cells contributes to the occurrence of immune escape. Increasing evidence shows that its transcription level is affected by multiple factors, which limits the objective response rate of ICB. Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, is widely involved in the malignant progression of many tumors by binding to fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4). In this study, we confirmed that FGF19 acts as a driver gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by binding to FGFR4. The up-regulation of FGF19 and FGFR4 in HCC is associated with poor prognosis. We found that FGF19/FGFR4 promoted the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells by driving IGF2BP1 to promote PD-L1 expression. Knockdown of FGFR4 significantly reduced the expression of IGF2BP1/PD-L1 and inhibited the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. These biological effects are achieved by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway. The combination of FGFR4 knockdown and anti-PD-1 antibody greatly suppressed tumor growth and enhanced the sensitivity of immunotherapy, highlighting the clinical significance of FGF19/FGFR4 activation in immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaoqin Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Nana Zhou
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Yisong Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Mingshan Mu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Zilin Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Linglan Tu
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Jingyang Du
- School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xiangyu Li
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Dongsheng Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China.
| | - Qiuran Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China.
| | - Xiaoliang Zheng
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Bioengineering, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China; Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Experimental Animal's & Nonclinical Laboratory Studies, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Shu J, Wang K, Zhao D, Zhou Y. Plumbagin induces apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibits protein synthesis in LoVo colon cancer cells: A proteomic analysis. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 102:1075-1084. [PMID: 37558615 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Extracted from the roots of Plumbago zeylanica L., plumbagin is a natural naphthoquinone with potential as an anticancer compound. However, no studies have investigated its impact on LoVo (colon cancer) cells, and the specific mechanisms by which plumbagin exerts its anticancer effects remain to be established. The anticancer potential of plumbagin against LoVo cells was evaluated using a battery of assays, including MTT assay, clone formation assay, transwell chamber invasion assay, and wound-curing assay. Cell cycle analysis and cell apoptosis analysis were conducted to break down the anticancer impact of plumbagin on LoVo cells. A label-free proteomics technology was employed to investigate alterations in protein expression in LoVo cells treated with plumbagin. Our investigation indicated that plumbagin markedly inhibited the LoVo cells proliferation, and induced the apoptosis in LoVo cells, simultaneously induced G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest. The LC-MS/MS proteomics assay revealed 78 proteins that were differentially expressed upon treatment with plumbagin. Bioinformatics and functional analyses indicated that these proteins were predominantly involved in protein synthesis and translation. Our findings revealed that multiple mechanisms are involved in the anticancer activity of plumbagin against LoVo cells, resulting in decreased cell viability. Proteomic analysis suggests that plumbagin may impede protein synthesis by reducing the expression of eukaryotic initiation factors. Our findings demonstrate that plumbagin exerts its anticancer activity against LoVo cells through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and disruption of protein synthesis. These results provide new insights into the therapeutic potential of plumbagin for colon cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jianlong Shu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaijie Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Danya Zhao
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanlin Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lu J, Zhang Q, Mo L, Chen W, Mao L. Comprehensive analysis of E47‑like factors and verification of ELF4 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2023; 26:395. [PMID: 37600328 PMCID: PMC10433703 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.13981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prominent subtype of renal cancer and E47-like factors (ELFs) are important in tumorigenesis; however, the specific role of key ELFs in ccRCC remains unclear. The present study comprehensively analyzed RNA sequencing and clinical data from multiple databases, and identified differentially expressed ELFs (ELF3-5) in ccRCC. The DNA promoter methylation, genetic variation and clinical significance of ELF3-5 in ccRCC were analyzed using the cBioPortal and UALCAN databases. The association between ELF3-5 and multiple immune cell infiltration was analyzed using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource. Subsequently, ELF4 was selected and its association with biological functions was assessed. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, Transwell, macrophage chemotaxis and polarization assays were conducted to validate the functions of ELF4. Notably, the mRNA expression levels of ELF4 were significantly upregulated in ccRCC, whereas ELF3 and ELF5 mRNA expression levels were significantly downregulated. Clinical significance analysis revealed that ELF4 showed a high clinical significance with tumor grade, clear cell type A and B subtypes, and incidence rates of amplification in genetic variation. Further analyses indicated that ELF4 may be involved in multiple immune cell differentiation. Additionally, cell experiments revealed that ELF4 inhibition downregulated 769-P and 786-O proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of ELF4 in cancer cells also inhibited M2 macrophage polarization and chemotaxis towards 769-P and 786-O cells. Conclusively, the present findings indicated the clinical significance of ELF4 in ccRCC, and verified its key role in driving cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promoting M2 macrophage polarization and chemotaxis in ccRCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Lu
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
- Department of Urology, Enze Hospital, Taizhou Enze Medical Center, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Licai Mo
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Weiying Chen
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
- Department of Urology, Enze Hospital, Taizhou Enze Medical Center, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Linghong Mao
- Department of Urology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
- Department of Urology, Enze Hospital, Taizhou Enze Medical Center, Taizhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|