The Role of G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinases in Cancer

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of plasma membrane receptors. Emerging evidence demonstrates that signaling through GPCRs affects numerous aspects of cancer biology such as vascular remolding, invasion, and migration. Therefore, development of GPCR-targeted drugs could provide a new therapeutic strategy to treating a variety of cancers. G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) modulate GPCR signaling by interacting with the ligand-activated GPCR and phosphorylating its intracellular domain. This phosphorylation initiates receptor desensitization and internalization, which inhibits downstream signaling pathways related to cancer progression. GRKs can also regulate non-GPCR substrates, resulting in the modulation of a different set of pathophysiological pathways. In this review, we will discuss the role of GRKs in modulating cell signaling and cancer progression, as well as the therapeutic potential of targeting GRKs.

Comprehensive analysis of the SLC16A gene family in pancreatic cancer via integrated bioinformatics

SLC16A family members play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the exact role of distinct members in the SLC16A family in human pancreatic cancer remains unclear. Integrated bioinformatics analysis for the identification of therapeutic targets for certain cancers based on transcriptomics, proteomics and high-throughput sequencing could help us obtain novel information and understand potential underlying molecular mechanisms. In the present study, we investigated SLC16A family members in pancreatic cancer through accumulated data from GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus), TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and other available databases. The expression profile, clinical application significance and prognostic value of the SLC16A family for patients with pancreatic cancer were explored. SLC16A1, SLC16A3 and SLC16A13 exhibited biomarker potential for prognosis, and we further identified their related genes and regulatory networks, revealing core molecular pathways that require further investigation for pancreatic cancer.

Comprehensive analysis of the GATA transcription factor gene family in breast carcinoma using gene microarrays, online databases and integrated bioinformatics

Integrated studies of accumulated data can be performed to obtain more reliable information and more feasible measures for investigating the potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of breast cancer and exploring related molecular mechanisms. Our study aimed to explore the GATA family members involved in breast cancer by integrating data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and other online databases. We performed an integrated analysis of published studies from GEO and analyzed clinical data from TCGA and GTEx to evaluate the clinical significance and prognosis values of the GATA family in breast cancer. GATA3 was found to be upregulated and exhibited a favorable value in the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. Through this study, we identified possible GATA3-correlated genes and core pathways that play an important role, which requires further investigation in breast cancer.

SPARC is a Novel Prognostic Biomarker for Ovarian Cancer and Associated with Immune Signatures and Drug Response

Background: The calcium-binding matricellular glycoprotein (SPARC, secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine) belongs to the extracellular-matrix-protein family, and its functions mainly focus on tissue injury, remodeling, and tumorigenesis. The role of SPARC in ovarian cancer remains controversial at present. Methods: We searched SPARC using The Cancer Genome Atlas/Genotype-Tissue Expression (TCGA/GTEx) and other databases to analyze the relationship between its expression level and survival, immunity signatures, and chemical drug response, in ovarian cancer. Additionally, we overexpressed SPARC with plasmids in ovarian cancer SKOV3 and ID8 cell lines, then measured the effects of SPARC on the proliferation, migration, invasiveness, clonality, and stemness of ovarian cancer cells by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), Transwell, wound healing assay, adhesion assay, plate cloning assay, and soft agar spheroid formation in vitro. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed the potential signaling pathway for SPARC. Results: The higher expression of SPARC in ovarian cancer is related to more advanced tumor stage, poorer clinical survival, and worse chemical drug response, whereas it is positively correlated with immune signatures. For ovarian cancer phenotypes, higher SPARC expression level promotes cell proliferation, migration, colony formation, and spheroid formation. The GO and KEGG enrichment highlighted the potential molecular mechanisms for SPARC with PI3K-AKT and MAPK signaling regulation. Conclusions: SPARC promotes ovarian cancer progression through proliferation, migration, invasiveness, clonality, and stemness. A high level of expression of SPARC in ovarian cancer patients can be used as a marker of poor prognosis and poor drug response.