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Xiao H, Huang J, Wu H, Li Y, Wang Y. Pro-tumorigenic activity of PYCR1 in gastric cancer through regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26883. [PMID: 38455525 PMCID: PMC10918153 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The primary objective of this investigation was to assess the impact of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) on the progression of gastric cancer (GC), specifically focusing on tumor growth and metastatic potential. Methods Surgical specimens from patients with different stages of GC were assayed for PYCR1 expression using immunohistochemistry. PYCR1 expression was manipulated by depletion or overexpression approaches in GC cells, and these cells were applied to explore the functional roles of PYCR1. Expression of apoptosis- and metastasis-related markers was quantified through quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. Results Higher PYCR1 expression was ascertained in surgical specimens from patients with GC as compared to noncancerous adjacent tissues. Additionally, PYCR1 overexpression in GC tissues was linked to adverse clinical outcomes. The depletion of PYCR1 in GC cells resulted in a pronounced reduction in proliferation, the induction of apoptosis, and the attenuation of invasion and metastasis. Conversely, its ectopic expression notably augmented proliferation, restricted apoptosis, and stimulated invasion and metastasis. In addition, the knockdown of PYCR1 resulted in a significant elevation in the activation of caspase 3, a key protein involved in apoptosis. This depletion also led to a decrease in the activation or expression of proteins associated with metastasis, such as phosphorylated (p)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), p-AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT), and snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (Snail). Additionally, it resulted in an upregulation of E-cadherin expression. Conversely, the overexpression of PYCR1 notably increased the levels of p-PI3K, p-AKT, and Snail, while simultaneously reducing E-cadherin expression. Conclusion PYCR1, by activating PI3K/AKT signaling, assumes a crucial role in governing malignant characteristics of GC cells, including proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. These findings underscore the promising potential of PYCR1 as a diagnostic biomarker and a target for tailored therapeutic interventions in patients with GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijie Xiao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Jiannan Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Colorectal and Anal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Haitao Wu
- Cancer Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - YuYing Li
- Cancer Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yizhuo Wang
- Cancer Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
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Xu Y, Zuo W, Wang X, Zhang Q, Gan X, Tan N, Jia W, Liu J, Li Z, Zhou B, Zhao D, Xie Z, Tan Y, Zheng S, Liu C, Li H, Chen Z, Yang X, Huang Z. Deciphering the effects of PYCR1 on cell function and its associated mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:2223-2239. [PMID: 34239351 PMCID: PMC8241733 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.58026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) has been associated with the development of certain cancers; however, no studies have specifically examined the role of PYCR1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas expression array and meta-analysis conducted using the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we determined that PYCR1 was upregulated in HCC compared to adjacent nontumor tissues (P < 0.05). These data were verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Additionally, patients with low PYCR1 expression showed a higher overall survival rate than patients with high PYCR1 expression. Furthermore, PYCR1 overexpression was associated with the female sex, higher levels of alpha-fetoprotein, advanced clinical stages (III and IV), and a younger age (< 45 years old). Silencing of PYCR1 inhibited cell proliferation, invasive migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastatic properties in HCC in vitro and in vivo. Using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics tools for data-dependent network analysis, we found binary relationships among PYCR1 and its interacting proteins in defined pathway modules. These findings indicated that PYCR1 played a multifunctional role in coordinating a variety of biological pathways involved in cell communication, cell proliferation and growth, cell migration, a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, ion binding, etc. The structural characteristics of key pathway components and PYCR1-interacting proteins were evaluated by molecular docking, and hotspot analysis showed that better affinities between PYCR1 and its interacting molecules were associated with the presence of arginine in the binding site. Finally, a candidate regulatory microRNA, miR-2355-5p, for PYCR1 mRNA was discovered in HCC. Overall, our study suggests that PYCR1 plays a vital role in HCC pathogenesis and may potentially serve as a molecular target for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhen Xu
- Department of pathology, Affiliated hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310000, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenpu Zuo
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Medical Scientific Research Center, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Qinle Zhang
- Genetic and metabolic central laboratory, the maternal and children's health hospital of Guangxi, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiang Gan
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Ning Tan
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Wenxian Jia
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiayi Liu
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhouquan Li
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Dong Zhao
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhibin Xie
- Department of Urology, the Five Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
| | - Yanjun Tan
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Shengfeng Zheng
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Chengwu Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
| | - Hongtao Li
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhijian Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- Scientific Research Center, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Disease Proteomics Research, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhaoquan Huang
- Department of pathology, Affiliated hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, 541001, Guangxi, China
- Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530000, Guangxi, China
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