CircVDAC3 sequesters microRNA-592 and elevates EIF4E3 expression to inhibit the progression of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence has shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in gastric cancer (GC) tumorigenesis. However, specific functional circRNAs in GC remain to be discovered, and their underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

METHODS

CircRNAs that were differentially expressed between GC tissues and controls were analyzed using a circRNA microarray dataset. The expression of circVDAC3 in GC was determined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the structural features of circVDAC3 were validated. Cell function assays and animal experiments were conducted to explore the effects of circVDAC3 on GC. Finally, bioinformatics analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and dual luciferase assays were used to analyze the downstream mechanisms of circVDAC3.

RESULTS

Our results showed that circVDAC3 was downregulated in GC and inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of GC cells. Mechanistically, circVDAC3 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) of miR-592 and deregulates the repression of EIF4E3 by miR-592. EIF4E3 is downregulated in GC and overexpression of miR-592 or knockdown of EIF4E3 in circVDAC3-overexpressing cells weakens the anticancer effect of circVDAC3.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides evidence that circVDAC3 affects the growth and metastasis of GC cells via the circVDAC3/miR-592/EIF4E3 axis. Our findings offer valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying GC tumorigenesis and suggest novel therapeutic strategies.

TP53 to mediate immune escape in tumor microenvironment: an overview of the research progress

Increasing evidence suggests that key cancer-causing driver genes continue to exert a sustained influence on the tumor microenvironment (TME), highlighting the importance of immunotherapeutic targeting of gene mutations in governing tumor progression. TP53 is a prominent tumor suppressor that encodes the p53 protein, which controls the initiation and progression of different tumor types. Wild-type p53 maintains cell homeostasis and genomic instability through complex pathways, and mutant p53 (Mut p53) promotes tumor occurrence and development by regulating the TME. To date, it has been wildly considered that TP53 is able to mediate tumor immune escape. Herein, we summarized the relationship between TP53 gene and tumors, discussed the mechanism of Mut p53 mediated tumor immune escape, and summarized the progress of applying p53 protein in immunotherapy. This study will provide a basic basis for further exploration of therapeutic strategies targeting p53 protein.

USP10 promotes the progression of triple-negative breast cancer by enhancing the stability of TCF4 protein

Investigating the role of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Analyzed USP10 expression levels in tumors using public databases. Detected USP10 mRNA and protein levels in cell lines. Examined USP10 expression in tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. Conducted USP10 knockdown experiments and analyzed changes in cell proliferation and metastasis. Confirmed protein-protein interactions with USP10 through mass spectrometry, Co-IP, and fluorescence experiments. Assessed impact of USP10 on transcription factor 4 (TCF4) ubiquitination and validated TCF4's influence on TNBC cells. We initially identified a pronounced overexpression of USP10 across multiple tumor types, including TNBC. Subsequently, we observed a conspicuous upregulation of USP10 expression levels in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal breast epithelial cells. However, upon subsequent depletion of USP10 within cellular contexts, we noted a substantial attenuation of malignant proliferation and metastatic potential in TNBC cells. In subsequent experimental analyses, we elucidated the physical interaction between USP10 and the transcription factor TCF4, whereby USP10 facilitated the deubiquitination modification of TCF4, consequently promoting its protein stability and contributing to the initiation and progression of TNBC. Collectively, this study demonstrates that USP10 facilitated the deubiquitination modification of TCF4, consequently promoting its protein stability and contributing to the initiation and progression of TNBC.

[Analysis of prognostic factors of pediatric kidney transplantation]

Objective: To evaluate the short-and mid-term efficacy of pediatric kidney transplantation and the risk factors for kidney graft and recipient. Methods: The baseline data and postoperative complications of pediatric donors and recipients of 284 kidney transplants were retrospectively analyzed in the Department of Kidney Transplantation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2010 to May 2021 and all subjects were followed up until December 31, 2021. According to the survival status of donors and recipients, they were divided into the graft-loss group and the graft-survival group, and the recipient death group and survival group, respectively. Univariate comparison between groups was performed by Log-rank test, and Cox proportional risk model was used to explore the independent risk factors for the graft and recipient survival. Results: Among the 284 children recipients, 184 cases (64.8%) were male and 100 cases(35.2%) were female, and 19 cases (6.7%) were living relative donor renal transplantation, 19 cases (6.7%) were preemptive transplantation, and 8 cases were secondary transplantation. The age of 284 recipients at the time of transplantation was 13.0 (9.0, 15.0) years, among whom 29 cases aged 0-6 years, 96 cases aged 7-11 years old, and 159 cases aged 12-18 years. The 1, 3, and 5 year survival rates were 92.3%, 88.9% and 84.8% for the kidney grafts, and were 97.1%, 95.6% and 94.4% for the recipients, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed postoperative acute rejection (HR=3.14, 95%CI 1.38-7.15, P=0.006) and perioperative vascular complications (HR=4.73, 95%CI 2.03-11.06, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for the survival of kidney graft. Postoperative infection (HR=14.23, 95%CI 3.45-58.72, P<0.001) was an independent risk factor for the postoperative mortality of recipients. Conclusions: Pediatric kidney transplantation shows a good short-and mid-term prognosis. Postoperative acute rejection and perioperative vascular complications are the risk factors for the survival of kidney graft, and postoperative infection is the risk factor affecting the survival of recipient.

Efficient synthesis of piperazinyl amides of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid

In the present study, a practical method to prepare piperazinyl amides of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid was developed. Two main procedures for the construction of important intermediate 8 are discussed. One procedure involves the amidation of 1-Boc-piperazine with 3-acetyl-18β-glycyrrhetinic acid, prepared by the reaction of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid with acetic anhydride without any solvent at 130 °C. The other procedure to prepare compound 8 involves the amidation of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid followed by the esterification with acetic anhydride. Finally, compound 8 underwent N-Boc deprotection to prepare product 4. To ascertain the scope of the reaction, another C-3 ester derivative 17 was tested under the optimized reaction conditions. Furthermore, the reasons for the appearance of byproducts were elucidated. Crystallographic data of a selected piperazinyl amide is reported.

Theoretical study on the structure–property relationship of D–A–π–A-type dye-sensitized solar cells: π-bridge and the side alkyl chain

Two series of dyes have been designed and theoretically characterized through density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory to systematically explore the structure–property relationship of dyes with D–A–π–A architecture and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells, particularly the influence of the π-bridge, including its alkyl side chain, adding additional conjugate spacer, displacement, and separation of π-bridge. Key parameters associated with the short-circuit current density Jsc and open-circuit photovoltage Voc were characterized and analyzed in detail. All of the analysis results manifest that dye H1 should be the best candidate to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells owing to the best optical absorption property (a broad absorption band from 300 to 900 nm for adsorbed dye) and other outstanding parameters.

Trehalose synthesis in Saccharomycopsis fibuligera does not respond to stress treatments

Synthesis of trehalose in Saccharomycopsis fibuligera sdu under various stress conditions was investigated. Neither the activation of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (SfTPS1) nor the change in trehalose content was observed under stress exposure of S. fibuligera sdu cells. The results of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, which was performed with the specific primers designed to target the SfTPS1 gene fragment cloned from this strain, also showed that all stress treatments did not increase the expression of SfTPS1 gene. These results demonstrated that synthesis of trehalose in response to stress conditions in S. fibuligera sdu clearly differs from that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and most other fungi. The phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence deduced from the SfTPS1 gene fragment showed that the SfTPS1 sequence formed a separate family that was far related to S. cerevisiae TPS1. The yeast strain, which can accumulate a large amount of trehalose under normal growth conditions, has many applications and TPS1 gene in such strain may have unique use in transgenic organisms.

Trehalose accumulation in a high-trehalose-accumulating mutant of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera sdu does not respond to stress treatments

The isolation of high-trehalose-accumulating mutant A11 from Saccharomycopsis fibuligera sdu has been previously described. In this paper, accumulation of trehalose under various stress conditions in S. fibuligera A11 was investigated. Neither activation of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (SfTps1) nor change in trehalose content was observed under stress exposure of S. fibuligera A11 cells. A fragment of the Sftps1 gene in this strain was also cloned by degenerate PCR using the CoDeHOP strategy and multiply-aligned Tps1 sequences. This sequence allowed us to investigate the expression of the Sftps1 gene, which was also kept constant under the various stress conditions. Altogether, these results indicate that trehalose metabolism in S. fibuligera A11 in response to stress conditions clearly differs from that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and most other fungi. The expression of the Sftps1 gene was not responsive to different stress treatments.