Fibroblast activation protein promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating the immunity

Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) has been indicated to express in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in most cancers. This work was dedicated to exploring FAP's effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, ImmPort, and Reactome databases. The correlation between FAP and HCC patients' prognosis was explored via survival analysis. The qRT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to analyze the FAP mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. The cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined using the cell counting kit-8 assay kit and Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis kit, respectively. The HCC patients with FAP overexpression displayed a worse prognosis. The FAP expression was positively associated with the infiltration levels of tumor purity, B cell, CD8 + T cell, CD4 + T cell, macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cell. The optimal nine immune related genes were screened between two groups (FAP high vs. low). Moreover, we identified 24 energy metabolism related genes (FAP high vs. low) and these 24 genes were highly expressed in the high FAP expression group. The FAP expression had a significant positive correlation with the expression of PD-1, CTLA4, PDL-1, and PDL-2. The FAP overexpression promoted proliferation and migration while inhibiting the apoptosis of HCC cells. The FAP overexpression promoted the progression of HCC by regulating the immunity to affect the prognosis of HCC patients, thereby serving as a poor prognostic marker for HCC patients.

KIF2C accelerates the development of non-small cell lung cancer and is suppressed by miR-186-3p via the AKT-GSK3β-β-catenin pathway

This study aimed to explore how kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) influences the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The levels of KIF2C and microRNA-186-3p (miR-186-3p) were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Through the utilization of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, wound closure assay, and Transwell assay, NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were identified, respectively. NSCLC cell apoptosis was assessed using the TUNEL assay and flow cytometry (FCM) assay. Luciferase reporter analysis was used to investigate the relationship between KIF2C and miR-186-3p. Western blot assays were conducted to investigate the influence of KIF2C on the AKT-GSK3β-β-catenin pathway. The results showed that KIF2C was up-regulated in NSCLC cells, which predicted poor prognosis. KIF2C overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells as well as inhibited NSCLC cell apoptosis. KIF2C was as a key target of miR-186-3p. High expression of KIF2C, meanwhile, increased the levels of β-catenin, p-GSK-3β and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT). KIF2C downregulation and miR-186-3p upregulation reversed these outcomes. As an oncogenic factor, KIF2C is negatively regulated by miR-186-3p and participates in the progression of NSCLC through the AKT-GSK3β-β-catenin pathway.