ZYG11A serves as an oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer and influences CCNE1 expression

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Distinct Patterns Between the Invasive and Noninvasive Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Although most pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs)/pituitary adenomas remain intrasellar, a significant proportion of tumors show parasellar invasive growth and 6% to 8% infiltrate the bone structures, thus affecting the prognosis. There is an unmet need to identify novel markers that can predict the parasellar growth of PitNETs. Furthermore, mechanisms that regulate bone invasiveness of PitNETs and factors related to tumor vascularization are largely unknown. We used genome-wide mRNA analysis in a cohort of 77 patients with PitNETs of different types to explore the differences in gene expression patterns between invasive and noninvasive tumors with respect to the parasellar growth and regarding the rare phenomenon of bone invasiveness. Additionally, we studied the genes correlated to the contrast enhancement quotient, a novel radiological parameter of tumor vascularization. Most of the genes differentially expressed related to the parasellar growth were genes involved in tumor invasiveness. Differentially expressed genes associated with bone invasiveness are involved in NF-κB pathway and antitumoral immune response. Lack of clear clustering regarding the parasellar and bone invasiveness may be explained by the influence of the cell lineage-related genes in this heterogeneous cohort of PitNETs. Our transcriptomics analysis revealed differences in the molecular fingerprints between invasive, including bone invasive, and noninvasive PitNETs, although without clear clustering. The contrast enhancement quotient emerged as a radiological parameter of tumor vascularization, correlating with several angiogenesis-related genes. Several of the top genes related to the PitNET invasiveness and vascularization have potential prognostic and therapeutic application requiring further research.

Modeling the relationship between gene expression and mutational signature

Background

Mutational signatures computed from somatic mutations, allow an in-depth understanding of tumorigenesis and may illuminate early prevention strategies. Many studies have shown the regulation effects between somatic mutation and gene expression dysregulation.

Methods

We hypothesized that there are potential associations between mutational signature and gene expression. We capitalized upon RNA-seq data to model 49 established mutational signatures in 33 cancer types. Both accuracy and area under the curve were used as performance measures in five-fold cross-validation.

Results

A total of 475 models using unconstrained genes, and 112 models using protein-coding genes were selected for future inference purposes. An independent gene expression dataset on lung cancer smoking status was used for validation which achieved over 80% for both accuracy and area under the curve.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that the associations between gene expression and somatic mutations can translate into the associations between gene expression and mutational signatures.

Identification of the prognostic and therapeutic values of cyclin E1 (CCNE1) gene expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A database mining approach

Cyclin E1 (CCNE1) is a protein-coding gene that belongs to the Cyclin family of genes which controls the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle. Previously, its abnormal expression pattern has been examined and found to be correlated with ovarian and breast cancer progression. Herein, we exploited a bioinformatics and database mining strategy to unveil the therapeutic and prognostic significance of CCNE1 gene expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LUSC). CCNE1 gene was reported to be highly expressed in LUAD and LUSC tissues. Its promoter and coding sequences were reported to be aberrantly methylated in LUAD and LUSC tissues than in normal tissues. Moreover, around 12 somatic mutations (frequency: 0.7%) were recorded in the CCNE1 coding region from different studies involving LUAD and LUSC patients' whole genome sequences. The CCNE1 gene expression was also correlated with LUAD and LUSC patients’ overall and disease-specific survival. Immune infiltration analysis revealed the association between CCNE1 gene expression and the abundance of numerous immune cells (i.e., T cells and B Cells) infiltration in LUAD and LUSC patients. Two previously known genes involved in oncogenic processes i.e., CDC45 and PDCD5 were identified as the most highly co-expressed genes of CCNE1 in LUAD and LUSC tissues. Altogether, the CCNE1 gene and its transcriptional and translational products may serve as a prognostic or therapeutic target in the diagnosis and treatment of LUAD and LUSC patients. The scientific findings of this study should assist in translating CCNE1 into clinical practice for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.

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CCNE1 gene is highly expressed in LUAD and LUSC tissues

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CCNE1 gene is differentially methylated in LUAD and LUSC tissues

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CCNE1 overexpression is associated with the poor overall survival of LUAD and LUSC patients

Establish of an Initial Platinum-Resistance Predictor in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Patients Regardless of Homologous Recombination Deficiency Status

Backgrounds

Ovarian cancer (OC) is still the leading aggressive and lethal disease of gynecological cancers, and platinum-based regimes are the standard treatments. However, nearly 20%–30% of patients with OC are initial platinum resistant (IPR), and there is a lack of valid tools to predict whether they will be primary platinum resistant or not prior to chemotherapy.

Methods

Transcriptome data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was downloaded as the training data, and transcriptome data of GSE15622, GSE102073, GSE19829, and GSE26712 were retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) as the validation cohorts. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected between platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant patients from the training cohort, and multiple machine-learning algorithms [including random forest, XGboost, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression] were utilized to determine the candidate genes from DEGs. Then, we applied logistic regression to establish the IPR signature based on the expression. Finally, comprehensive clinical, genomic, and survival feature were analyzed to understand the application value of the established IPR signature.

Results

A total of 532 DEGs were identified between platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive samples, and 11 of them were shared by these three-machine learning algorithms and utilized to construct an IPR prediction signature. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.841 and 0.796 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Notably, the prediction capacity of this signature was stable and robust regardless of the patients’ homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and mutation burden status. Meanwhile, the genomic feature was concordant between samples with high- or low-IPR signature, except a significantly higher prevalence of gain at Chr19q.12 (regions including CCNE1) in the high-IPR signature samples. The efficacy of prediction of platinum resistance of IPR signature successfully transferred to the precise survival prediction, with the AUC of 0.71, 0.72, and 0.66 to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival, respectively. At last, we found a significantly different tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes feature, including lower abundance of CD4+ naive T cells in the samples with high-IPR signature. A relatively lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) value and more sensitivity to multiple therapies including Gefitinib may suggest the potency to transfer from platinum-based therapy to immunotherapy or target therapies in patients with high-IPR signature.

Conclusion

Our study established an IPR signature based on the expression of 11 genes that could stably and robustly distinguish OC patients with IPR and/or poor outcomes, which may guide therapeutic regimes tailoring.

Autosomal dominant diabetes associated with a novel ZYG11A mutation resulting in cell cycle arrest in beta-cells

Diabetes is a genetically heterogeneous disease, for which we are aiming to identify causative genes. Here, we report a missense mutation (c.T1424C:p.L475P) in ZYG11A identified by exome sequencing as segregating with hyperglycemia in a Thai family with autosomal dominant diabetes. ZYG11A functions as a target recruitment subunit of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that plays an important role in the regulation of cell cycle. We demonstrate an increase in cells arrested at G₂/mitotic phase among beta-cells deficient for ZYG11A or overexpressing L475P-ZYG11A, which is associated with a decreased growth rate. This is the first evidence linking a ZYG11A mutation to hyperglycemia, and suggesting ZYG11A as a cell cycle regulator required for beta-cell growth. Since most family members were either overweight or obese, but only mutation carriers developed hyperglycemia, our data also suggests the ZYG11A mutation as a genetic factor predisposing obese individuals to beta-cell failure in maintenance of glucose homeostasis.

ZYG11A Is Expressed in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer and Correlates With Low Grade Disease

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) are important players in the development of gynecological malignancies, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The identification of biomarkers that can help in the diagnosis and scoring of EOC patients is of fundamental importance in clinical oncology. We have recently identified the ZYG11A gene as a new candidate target of IGF1 action. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of ZYG11A in EOC patients and to correlate its pattern of expression with histological grade and pathological stage. Furthermore, and in view of previous analyses showing an interplay between ZYG11A, p53 and the IGF1 receptor (IGF1R), we assessed a potential coordinated expression of these proteins in EOC. In addition, zyg11a expression was assessed in ovaries and uteri of growth hormone receptor (GHR) knock-out mice. Tissue microarray analysis was conducted on 36 patients with EOC and expression of ZYG11A, IGF1R and p53 was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Expression levels were correlated with clinical parameters. qPCR was employed to assess zyg11a mRNA levels in mice tissues. Our analyses provide evidence of reduced ZYG11A expression in high grade tumors, consistent with a putative tumor suppressor role. In addition, an inverse correlation between ZYG11A and p53 levels in individual tumors was noticed. Taken together, our data justify further exploration of the role of ZYG11A as a novel biomarker in EOC.

Influence of gene expression on survival of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Approximately 10%‐20% of patients with clinically localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at time of surgery will subsequently experience metastatic progression. Although considerable progression was seen in the systemic treatment of metastatic ccRCC in last 20 years, once ccRCC spreads beyond the confines of the kidney, 5‐year survival is less than 10%. Therefore, significant clinical advances are urgently needed to improve overall survival and patient care to manage the growing number of patients with localized ccRCC. We comprehensively evaluated expression of 388 candidate genes related with survival of ccRCC by using TCGA RNAseq (n = 515), Total Cancer Care (TCC) expression array data (n = 298), and a well characterized Moffitt RCC cohort (n = 248). We initially evaluated all 388 genes for association with overall survival using TCGA and TCC data. Eighty‐one genes were selected for further analysis and tested on Moffitt RCC cohort using NanoString expression analysis. Expression of nine genes (AURKA, AURKB, BIRC5, CCNE1, MK167, MMP9, PLOD2, SAA1, and TOP2A) was validated as being associated with poor survival. Survival prognostic models showed that expression of the nine genes and clinical factors predicted the survival in ccRCC patients with AUC value: 0.776, 0.821 and 0.873 for TCGA, TCC and Moffitt data set, respectively. Some of these genes have not been previously implicated in ccRCC survival and thus potentially offer insight into novel therapeutic targets. Future studies are warranted to validate these identified genes, determine their biological mechanisms and evaluate their therapeutic potential in preclinical studies.

Hsa_circ_0012563 promotes migration and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating XRCC1/EMT pathway

BACKGROUND

Recent reports have indicated that circular RNA (circRNA) may regulate tumorigenesis development. However, the function of circRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unclear.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The RT-qPCR assay was performed to detect hsa_circ_0012563 expression in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Then, the MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometric assay, and cell migration and invasion assay were performed to examine the function of hsa_circ_0012563. In addition, the RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect XRCC1 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related gene expression.

RESULTS

The RT-qPCR revealed that the hsa_circ_0012563 expression was remarkably upregulated in ESCC tissue and ESCC cell lines. Functionally, downregulation of hsa_circ_0012563 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanically, the knockdown of hsa_circ_0012563 inhibited XRCC1-mediated EMT pathway to suppress cell migration and invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, these results reveal hsa_circ_0012563 is a critical oncogene and may be a novel biomarker in ESCC.

Exosomal microRNA-144 from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibits the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting CCNE1 and CCNE2

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent mesenchymal cells present in various adult tissues. MSCs secrete exosomes as regulators of the tumor niche, with involvement in tumorigenesis and metastasis. The regulatory role of microRNAs (miRs or miRNAs) in MSCs via targeting cyclin E1 (CCNE1) or cyclin E2 (CCNE2) has been extensively reported. Since exosomes are considered as protective and enriched sources of shuttle miRNAs, we hypothesized that exosomal transfer of miR-144 from bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMMSCs) would affect the development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells by targeting CCNE1 and CCNE2.

Methods

We first quantified the levels of miR-144, CCNE1, and CCNE2 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines and then undertook gain- and loss-of-function studies of miR-144, CCNE1, and CCNE2 to investigate their roles in the biological characteristics of NSCLC in vitro. NSCLC cells (A549) were exposed to exosomes derived from MSCs, and cell proliferation and colony formation rate were determined using in vitro assays. Finally, effects of BMMSC-derived exosomal miR-144 on tumor development were studied in vivo.

Results

In NSCLC tissues and cell lines, miR-144 was expressed poorly and CCNE1 and CCNE2 were expressed highly. Artificially elevating miR-144 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, and the number of S phase-arrested cells in NSCLC by downregulating CCNE1 and CCNE2. Additionally, BMMSC-derived exosomal miR-144 led to restrained NSCLC cell proliferation and colony formation. These inhibitory effects of BMMSC-derived exosomes carrying miR-144 on NSCLC were confirmed by experiments in vivo.

Conclusion

Collectively, these findings revealed inhibitory effects of BMMSC-derived exosomal miR-144 on NSCLC progression, which were mediated by downregulation of CCNE1 and CCNE2.

Circular RNA ATXN7 promotes the development of gastric cancer through sponging miR-4319 and regulating ENTPD4

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) which are shown as a class of RNAs exhibit the importance in the regulation of gene expression and the development of biological process. However, the expression profile and molecular mechanism of circRNA ATXN7 (circATXN7) is still mostly uncertain in gastric cancer (GC).

Methods

qRT-PCR analysis was performed to detect the expression of circATXN7, miR-4319 and ENTPD4 in GC tissues and cells. CCK-8, colony formation, EdU, flow cytometry, TUNEL and transwell assays were conducted to assess the effect of circATXN7 or miR-4319 on cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. In vivo assays were utilized to further analyze the function of circATXN7 on the tumorigenesis and progression of GC. The interaction between miR-4319 and circATXN7 (or ENTPD4) was verified using luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays.

Results

The results showed an upregulated circATXN7 expression in GC tissues and cell lines. Besides, silenced circATXN7 hampered the proliferation and invasion as well as promoted the apoptosis in GC cells. Moreover, low expression of miR-4319 was found in GC. It was determined that circATXN7 acted as a sponge for miR-4319 and had a negative association with miR-4319. We also found that miR-4319 upregulation restrained GC cell proliferation and migration whereas enhanced apoptosis. Subsequently, ENTPD4, the target gene of miR-4319, was found overexpressed in GC. Additionally, it was negatively correlated with miR-4319 whereas positively associated with circATXN7. In vivo experiments, circATXN7 silence was confirmed to inhibit GC tumor growth.

Conclusions

CircATXN7 promoted GC development through sponging miR-4319 and regulating ENTPD4, which identified circATXN7 as a new biomarker in GC.

Identification of ZYG11A as a candidate IGF1-dependent proto-oncogene in endometrial cancer

The insulin-like growth factors (IGF) have a key role in the development of gynecological cancers, including endometrial tumors. Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) constitutes a defined histological category among endometrial cancers. Laron syndrome (LS) is a genetic type of dwarfism that results from mutation of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene, and is the best characterized entity under the spectrum of the congenital IGF1 deficiencies. Epidemiological studies have shown that LS patients are protected from cancer development. Recent genome-wide association studies conducted on LS-derived lymphoblastoid cells led to the identification of a series of metabolic genes whose over-representation in this condition might be linked to cancer protection. Our analyses led to the identification of ZYG11A, a potential cell cycle regulator, as a new downstream target for IGF1 action. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the regulation of ZYG11A gene expression by IGF1 and insulin in endometrial cancer cell lines and to assess the impact of tumor suppressor p53 on ZYG11A expression and biological action. Using USC-derived cell lines expressing a wild type or a mutant p53 gene, we demonstrate that IGF1 inhibited ZYG11A mRNA and protein levels in cells containing a wild type p53. On the other hand, IGF1 potently stimulated ZYG11A expression in mutant p53-expressing cells. Data presented here links the IGF1 and p53 signaling pathways with ZYG11A action. The clinical implications of the present study in endometrial and other types of cancer must be further investigated.

TFAP2A Induced KRT16 as an Oncogene in Lung Adenocarcinoma via EMT

Objectives: keratin 16 (KRT16) is a type I cytokeratin that overexpressed in many kinds of cancers, but unlike other keratins, KRT16 was poorly studied, so the aim of current study was to determine the biological role of KRT16 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Materials and Methods: by utilizing open access data, we determined KRT16 expression in LUAD. After that we evaluated the biological role of KRT16 in-vitro and in-vivo. We also explored the reason for KRT16 overexpression. Last, we explored the clinical significance of KRT16 in LUAD.

Results: we found KRT16 is overexpressed in LUAD and positively correlated with lymph node metastasis. Knockdown of KRT16 significantly influenced the LUAD cells' migration, invasion, proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Moreover, TFAP2A could transcriptionally overexpress KRT16, which contributed to the TFAP2A tumorigenicity. Last, we determined that high level of KRT16 predicts poor prognosis of LUAD patients.

Conclusions: our data indicate that, TFAP2A induced KRT16 overexpression promotes tumorigenicity in LUAD via EMT, and KRT16 expression could serve as an independent prognosis marker.

Circular RNA ATXN7 is upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes disease progression

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs that is generated from back-splicing, and is characterized by a covalent closed loop without 3′ and 5′ ends. Recently, the biological function of circRNAs has received increasing attention; however, studies on circRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have rarely been reported. In the present study, the expression profiles of circRNAs in NSCLC were investigated, and the association between the circular RNA ATXN7 (circATXN7) expression level and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with NSCLC was assessed. In addition, the effects of circATXN7 on cell proliferation and invasion were examined. The results revealed that circATXN7 was upregulated in 45 NSCLC tissues compared with its expression in non-tumor tissues. However, there was no marked difference between the expression level of circATXN7 and the majority of the examined clinicopathological characteristics. It was also observed that the survival time of patients with high circATXN7 levels was shorter compared with that of patients with low circATXN7 levels, although the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Furthermore, silencing of circATXN7 by small interfering RNA inhibited the proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro. Taken together, the present study was the first to identify that circATXN7 was upregulated in NSCLC tumor tissues. Furthermore, the downregulation of circATXN7 markedly inhibited the proliferation and invasion abilities of NSCLC cells.

FLOT1 promotes tumor development, induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and modulates the cell cycle by regulating the Erk/Akt signaling pathway in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

FLOT1 is a scaffolding protein of lipid rafts that is believed to be involved in numerous cellular processes. However, few studies have explored the function of FLOT1 in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the underlying mechanisms of FLOT1 activity.

Methods

FLOT1 knockdown and overexpression models were constructed via lentivirus. Cell growth, invasion, migration, and apoptosis were detected to evaluate the role of FLOT1 in LUAD development. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell cycle regulatory markers were then examined. Finally, the influence of FLOT1 on the Erk/Akt signaling pathway was investigated.

Results

FLOT1 promoted cell growth, invasion, and migration and inhibited cell apoptosis. In addition, FLOT1 induced EMT and modulated the cell cycle by activating the Erk/Akt signaling pathway.

Conclusion

The findings indicate a significant role of FLOT1 in LUAD development. Targeting FLOT1 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for LUAD.

DNA hypomethylation-related overexpression of SFN, GORASP2 and ZYG11A is a novel prognostic biomarker for early stage lung adenocarcinoma

Although alteration of DNA methylation in advanced cancer has been extensively investigated, few data for early-stage lung adenocarcinoma are available. Here, we compared DNA methylation profiles between adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and early invasive adenocarcinoma using the Infinium methylation array to investigate methylation abnormalities causing early progression of adenocarcinomas. We focused on differentially methylated sites which were located in promoter CpG islands or shore regions, and identified 579 hypermethylated sites and 23 hypomethylated sites in early invasive adenocarcinoma relative to AIS and normal lung. These hypermethylated genes were significantly associated with neuronal pathways such as the GABA receptor and serotonin signaling pathways. Among the hypomethylated genes, we found that GORASP2, ZYG11A, and SFN had significantly lower methylation rates at the shore regions and significantly higher protein expression in invasive adenocarcinoma. Moreover, overexpression of those proteins was strongly associated with patient’s poor outcome. Despite DNA demethylation at the promoter region might be rare relative to DNA hypermethylation, we identified 2 new genes, GORASP2 and ZYG11A, which show hypomethylation and overexpression in invasive adenocarcinoma, suggesting that they have important functions in tumor cells. These genes may be clinically applicable as prognostic indicators and could be potential novel target molecules for drug development.

LINC01510 suppresses cell proliferation and invasion by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling in renal cell carcinoma

The role of long non-coding RNA in Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumorigenesis and progression remains largely unknown. Here, we found that LINC01510 functions as a tumor suppressor in RCC tumorigenesis. We screened TCGA database and then found that LINC01510 is significantly down-regulated in malignant RCC tissues, and the lower expression of LINC01510 predicts poor prognosis. Moreover, the down-regulated LINC01510 was further confirmed in our fresh tissues and cell lines. Biological functions assays shown that Ectopic expression of LINC01510 not only inhibits RCC cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, but also impairs cell invasion ability. Moreover, we found overexpression of LINC01510 inhibits the expression of CCND1 and CCNE1, as well as MMPs (MMP2, MMP7 and MMP9), and thus affecting RCC cell cycle and invasion. Meanwhile, Western blot assays revealed that the expression of β-catenin is regulated by LINC01510; overexpression of β-catenin could partly rescue the cell viability and invasion ability caused by ectopic expression of LINC01510. Taken together, we found that LINC01510 regulates cell proliferation and invasion by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in RCC.

Synaptotagmin7 Is Overexpressed In Colorectal Cancer And Regulates Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation

Purpose: Synaptotagmin7 (SYT7) belongs to the synaptotagmin gene family and plays an important role in synaptic transmission. However, the function of this gene in most human cancer especially in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In this research, we examined SYT7's role in CRC and tried to reveal its underlying mechanism.

Methods: We examined SYT7's expression levels in normal colorectal tissue and CRC tissues from 83 patients and analyzed the possible correlation between the expression level of SYT7 and pathological characteristics. The influences of SYT7 knockdown on cell growth were detected by Celigo image cytometer, colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis and apoptosis assay in vitro. The possible molecular mechanism was assessed using a microarray and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

Results: Our results show that the expression of SYT7 is upregulated in colorectal cancer tissues in comparison with normal tissues and positively correlated with the pathological stage of colorectal cancer. (P=0.015). We examined SYT7's role in human colorectal cancer cell line RKO by using SYT7-shRNA and revealed that SYT7 knockdown inhibit cell proliferation (P=8.6E-5), clonogenic ability (P=4.5E-6) and promoted G2/M Phase arrest and apoptosis (P=4.6E-7). Multiple cancer-associated pathways regulated by SYT7 were unraveled by microarray and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

Conclusions: Our study suggests that SYT7 plays an important role in the development of CRC and SYT7 may become a new therapeutic target in CRC.

Upregulated long non-coding RNA SBF2-AS1 promotes proliferation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common types of malignant tumors located within the digestive system, with >50% of esophageal cancer cases worldwide occurring in China. Recent studies have demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are frequently dysregulated in cancer; however, few lncRNAs have been characterized in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In the present study, a novel lncRNA, SET-binding factor 2 (SBF2) antisense RNA1 (SBF2-AS1) was exhibited in ESCC. Expression levels of SBF2-AS1 in ESCC and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were detected using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. SBF2-AS1 was knocked down, and proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and the cell cycle were examined in ESCC cells. Results identified that SBF2-AS1 was significantly upregulated in ESCC compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues (fold increase, 8.82; P=0.023). The SBF2-AS1 expression level was significantly increased in patients who had a smoking (9.927 vs. 4.507; P=0.030) and/or drinking (10.938 vs. 4.232; P=0.032) history. Patients with a large tumor size exhibited increased SBF2-AS1 expression (≥4 vs. <4 cm, 14.898 vs. 5.435; P=0.018). Patients with advanced ESCC exhibited increased upregulation of SBF2-AS1 [tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) I-II vs. TNM III-IV, 1.302 vs. 15.475; P<0.01]. SBF2-AS1 was also silenced using small interfering RNA. Cell proliferative and invasive ability were significantly inhibited (P<0.05) following SBF2-AS1 silencing, the cell cycle was arrested in the G₂ phase; however, there was no significant difference in the proportion of apoptotic cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed that genes associated with cell cycle biological processes, including the cancer suppressor gene cyclin-dependent kinase 1A (CDKN1A), were significantly associated with SBF2-AS1 in ESCC tissues. Further validation confirmed that CDKN1A expression levels were increased in ECA-109 cells following SBF2-AS1 silencing. The results of the present study demonstrate that SBF2-AS1 is significantly upregulated in ESCC, and that silencing of SBF2-AS1 inhibits the proliferative and invasive ability of ESCC cells. SBF2-AS1 may be a novel biomarker and therefore a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

Atlas on substrate recognition subunits of CRL2 E3 ligases

The Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases belong to the Cullin-Ring Ligase (CRL) family, which is a crucial determinant of proteasome-based degradation processes in eukaryotes. Because of the finding of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL), the Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases gain focusing in the research of many diseases, especially in tumors. These multisubunit enzymes are composed of the Ring finger protein, the Cullin2 scaffold protein, the Elongin B&C linker protein and the variant substrate recognition subunits (SRSs), among which the Cullin2 scaffold protein is the determining factor of the enzyme mechanism. Substrate recognition of Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases depends on SRSs and results in the degradation of diseases associated substrates by intracellular signaling events. This review focuses on the diversity and the multifunctionality of SRSs in the Cullin2-type ubiquitin ligases, including VHL, LRR-1, FEM1b, PRAME and ZYG11. Recently, as more SRSs are being discovered and more aspects of substrate recognition have been illuminated, insight into the relationship between Cul2-dependent SRSs and substrates provides a new area for cancer research.

MNK1/2 inhibition limits oncogenicity and metastasis of KIT-mutant melanoma

Melanoma can be stratified into unique subtypes based on distinct pathologies. The acral/mucosal melanoma subtype is characterized by aberrant and constitutive activation of the proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase C-KIT, which drives tumorigenesis. Treatment of these melanoma patients with C-KIT inhibitors has proven challenging, prompting us to investigate the downstream effectors of the C-KIT receptor. We determined that C-KIT stimulates MAP kinase-interacting serine/threonine kinases 1 and 2 (MNK1/2), which phosphorylate eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and render it oncogenic. Depletion of MNK1/2 in melanoma cells with oncogenic C-KIT inhibited cell migration and mRNA translation of the transcriptional repressor SNAI1 and the cell cycle gene CCNE1. This suggested that blocking MNK1/2 activity may inhibit tumor progression, at least in part, by blocking translation initiation of mRNAs encoding cell migration proteins. Moreover, we developed an MNK1/2 inhibitor (SEL201), and found that SEL201-treated KIT-mutant melanoma cells had lower oncogenicity and reduced metastatic ability. Clinically, tumors from melanoma patients harboring KIT mutations displayed a marked increase in MNK1 and phospho-eIF4E. Thus, our studies indicate that blocking MNK1/2 exerts potent antimelanoma effects and support blocking MNK1/2 as a potential strategy to treat patients positive for KIT mutations.

HOXC13 promotes proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma via modulation of CCND1 and CCNE1

In this study, we confirmed that HOXC13 might be a potential oncogene in lung adenocarcinoma through an analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. Further analysis revealed that the expression of HOXC13 was significantly higher in lung adenocarcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues; importantly, its expression correlated with poor clinical characteristics and worse prognosis. In vitro experiments showed that HOXC13 expression generally increased in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Moreover, knockdown of HOXC13 inhibited lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, and induced G1-phase arrest via downregulation of CCND1 and CCNE1. Conversely, HOXC13 overexpression promoted lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, and decreased the percentage of cells in G1-phase via upregulation of CCND1 and CCNE1. We also found that miR-141 downregulated HOXC13, by directly targeting its 3'UTR, and inhibited proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Taken together, our results suggest that HOXC13, which is directly targeted by miR-141, is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma, and promotes proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma by modulating the expression of CCND1 and CCNE1.

ZNF692 promotes proliferation and cell mobility in lung adenocarcinoma

By analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, we discovered that the zinc finger protein 692 (ZNF692) were over-expressed in Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues (P < 0.0001). In this study, we investigated the function of ZNF692 in the progression of LUAD. We found that ZNF692 knockdown inhibited LUAD cells proliferation, migration, and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. And LUAD cell apoptosis was induced following the down-regulation of ZNF692. Our results show that ZNF692 is over-expressed in LUAD tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and hyper-expression of ZNF692 in LUAD is an independent risk factor for worse overall survival in LUAD patients (HR: 8.800, 95%CI: 1.082-71.560, P = 0.042) by Tissue Microarray stain assay (TMA). GO analysis indicated that most genes were enriched in metabolic process which were associated highly with ZNF692 levels. Collectively, our results suggested that ZNF692 may serve as a potential oncogene and biomarker in LUAD by influencing cell metabolism.

Cell division cycle 20 overexpression predicts poor prognosis for patients with lung adenocarcinoma

The cell division cycle 20, a key component of spindle assembly checkpoint, is an essential activator of the anaphase-promoting complex. Aberrant expression of cell division cycle 20 has been detected in various human cancers. However, its clinical significance has never been deeply investigated in non-small-cell lung cancer. By analyzing The Cancer Genome Atlas database and using some certain online databases, we validated overexpression of cell division cycle 20 in both messenger RNA and protein levels, explored its clinical significance, and evaluated the prognostic role of cell division cycle 20 in non-small-cell lung cancer. Cell division cycle 20 expression was significantly correlated with sex (p = 0.003), histological classification (p < 0.0001), and tumor size (p = 0.0116) in non-small-cell lung cancer patients. In lung adenocarcinoma patients, overexpression of cell division cycle 20 was significantly associated with bigger primary tumor size (p = 0.0023), higher MKI67 level (r = 0.7618, p < 0.0001), higher DNA ploidy level (p < 0.0001), and poor prognosis (hazard ratio = 2.39, confidence interval: 1.87-3.05, p < 0.0001). However, in lung squamous cell carcinoma patients, no significant association of cell division cycle 20 expression was observed with any clinical parameter or prognosis. Overexpression of cell division cycle 20 is associated with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients, and its overexpression can also be used to identify high-risk groups. In conclusion, cell division cycle 20 might serve as a potential biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma patients.

SNAP23 promotes the malignant process of ovarian cancer

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) was the primary malignant gynecological cancer and SNARE protein is closely related with tumor progression. Here, we identified SNAP23, a member of SNARE complex, as a potential oncogene in OC.

Methods

We determined the expression of SNAP23 in OC tissues and explored the clinical significance through bioinformatics analysis. The effects of SNAP23 on OC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis were then evaluated in vitro.

Results

SNAP23 is hyper-expressed in OC tumor tissues compared to normal tissues, and increased expression of SNAP23 is associated with a poor progression free survival (HR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.07–1.44, p = 0.0042). SNAP23 knock down increases cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion of OC cells. GO analysis reveals that most genes correlated highly with SNAP23 were enriched in metabolic process.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that SNAP23 may serve as an oncogene promoting tumorigenicity of OC cells by decreasing apoptotic process.

Circular RNA has_circ_0067934 is upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and promoted proliferation

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most prevalent and deadly types of cancer worldwide especially in Eastern Asia and the prognosis of ESCC remain poor. Recent evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in multiple diseases, including cancer. In this study, we characterized a novel circRNA termed hsa_circ_0067934 in ESCC tumor tissues and cell lines. We analyzed a cohort of 51 patients and found that hsa_circ_0067934 was significantly overexpressed in ESCC tissues compared with paired adjacent normal tissues. The high expression level of hsa_circ_0067934 was associated with poor differentiation (P = 0.025), I-II T stage (P = 0.04), and I-II TNM stage (P = 0.021). The in vitro silence of hsa_circ_0067934 by siRNA inhibited the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells and blocked cell cycle progression. Cell fraction analyses and fluorescence in situ hybridization detected that hsa_circ_0067934 was mostly located in the cytoplasm. Our findings suggest that hsa_circ_0067934 is upregulated in ESCC tumor tissue. Our data suggest that hsa_circ_0067934 represents a novel potential biomarker and therapeutic target of ESCC.