The clinical significance of transcription factor WD repeat and HMG-box DNA binding protein 1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and its potential molecular mechanism

BACKGROUND

Currently, high expression of WD repeat and HMG-box DNA binding protein 1 (WDHD1) has been found in a variety of tumors; but there is no research has been conducted concerning the expression of WDHD1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Our purpose is to investigate the expression and the latent mechanism of WDHD1 in LSCC.

METHODS

Firstly, 9 data sets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and ArrayExpress were statistically analyzed to explore the expression of WDHD1 in LSCC; immunohistochemistry was performed in 79 LSCC tissues and 44 non-cancer tissues to further verify the result. In addition, the target gene of WDHD1 was predicted and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the target gene. The potential mechanism of WDHD1 in LSCC was investigated by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses and protein-protein interaction network (PPI).

RESULTS

The WDHD1 mRNA was expressed at higher levels in the LSCC tissue than in the normal tissue (SMD=1.90, 95% CI=1.50-2.30); and the results of immunohistochemistry were consistent with the conclusion. Using chip-seq analysis, we found that S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) had a significant binding peak with WDHD1, and the expression of these two genes was significantly positively correlated. Immunohistochemistry showed that Skp2 was also highly expressed in LSCC. In addition, GO and KEGG analysis revealed the WDHD1 positively correlated genes was closely related to cell cycle, and PPI analysis identified 10 hub genes: COL7A1, COL4A2, COL4A1, COL4A6, COL11A1, COL5A2, COL1A1, COL13A1, COL8A1 and COL10A1, which may be critical to the progression of LSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

WDHD1 was overexpressed in LSCC tissues. Meanwhile, WDHD1 and its target gene Skp2 for transcriptional regulation may play a role in the progression of LSCC by regulating the cell cycle.

The Scar-in-a-Jar: studying potential antifibrotic compounds from the epigenetic to extracellular level in a single well

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Fibrosis, a pathological accumulation of collagen in tissues, represents a major global disease burden. Effective characterization of potential antifibrotic drugs has been constrained by poor formation of the extracellular matrix in vitro, due to tardy procollagen processing by collagen C-proteinase/BMP-1, and difficulties in relating this matrix to cell numbers in experimental samples.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The Scar-in-a-Jar model provided, in vitro, the complete biosynthetic cascade of collagen matrix formation including complete conversion of procollagen by C-proteinase/BMP-1, its subsequent extracellular deposition and lysyl oxidase-mediated cross-linking, achieved by applying the biophysical principle of macromolecular 'crowding'. Collagen matrix deposition, velocity and morphology can be controlled using negatively charged 'crowders' in a rapid (2 days) mode or a mixture of neutral 'crowders' in an accelerated (6 days) mode. Combined with quantitative optical bioimaging, this novel system allows for in situ assessment of the area of deposited collagen(s) per cell.

KEY RESULTS

Optical evaluation of known and novel antifibrotic compounds effective at the epigenetic, post-transcriptional/translational/secretional level correlated excellently with corresponding biochemical analyses. Focusing on quantitation of deposited collagen, the Scar-in-a-Jar was most effective in assessing novel inhibitors that may have multiple targets, such as microRNA29c, found to be a promising antifibrotic agent.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This novel screening system supersedes current in vitro fibroplasia models, as a fast, quantitative and non-destructive technique. This method distinguishes a reduction in collagen I deposition, excluding collagen cross-linking, and allows full evaluation of inhibitors of C-proteinase/BMP-1 and other matrix metalloproteinases.