The molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in cardiovascular disease

Ferroptosis is a programmed iron-dependent cell death characterized by accumulation of lipid peroxides (LOOH) and redox disequilibrium. Ferroptosis shows unique characteristics in biology, chemistry, and gene levels, compared to other cell death forms. The metabolic disorder of intracellular LOOH catalyzed by iron causes the inactivity of GPX4, disrupts the redox balance, and triggers cell death. Metabolism of amino acid, iron, and lipid, including associated pathways, is considered as a specific hallmark of ferroptosis. Epidemiological studies and animal experiments have shown that ferroptosis plays an important character in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), heart failure (HF), cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This review systematically summarized the latest research progress on the mechanisms of ferroptosis. Then we report the contribution of ferroptosis in cardiovascular diseases. Finally, we discuss and analyze the therapeutic approaches targeting for ferroptosis associated with cardiovascular diseases.

Establishment of Prognosis Model in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Based on Hypoxia Microenvironment, and Exploration of Hypoxia-Related Mechanisms

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous hematologic neoplasm with poor survival outcomes. However, the routine clinical features are not sufficient to accurately predict the prognosis of AML. The expression of hypoxia-related genes was associated with survival outcomes of a variety of hematologic and lymphoid neoplasms. We established an 18-gene signature-based hypoxia-related prognosis model (HPM) and a complex model that consisted of the HPM and clinical risk factors using machine learning methods. Both two models were able to effectively predict the survival of AML patients, which might contribute to improving risk classification. Differentially expressed genes analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) categories, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed to reveal the underlying functions and pathways implicated in AML development. To explore hypoxia-related changes in the bone marrow immune microenvironment, we used CIBERSORT to calculate and compare the proportion of 22 immune cells between the two groups with high and low hypoxia-risk scores. Enrichment analysis and immune cell composition analysis indicated that the biological processes and molecular functions of drug metabolism, angiogenesis, and immune cell infiltration of bone marrow play a role in the occurrence and development of AML, which might help us to evaluate several hypoxia-related metabolic and immune targets for AML therapy.

Prognostic Autophagy-Related Genes of Gastric Cancer Patients on Chemotherapy

Background: Chemotherapy resistance based on fluorouracil and cisplatin is one of the most encountered postoperative clinical problems in patients diagnosed with gastric cancer (GC), resulting in poor prognosis. Aim of the Study: This study aimed to combine autophagy-related genes (ARGs) to investigate the susceptibility patients with GC to postoperative chemotherapy. Methods: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, gene expression data for GC patients undergoing chemotherapy were integrated and analyzed. Prognostic genes were screened based on univariate and multivariate analysis regression analysis. Subjects were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the median risk score. Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate OS and DFS. The accuracy of the prediction was determined by the subject operating characteristic curve analysis. In addition, stratified analyses based on different clinical variables was performed to assess the correlation between risk scores and clinical variables. Quantitative real-time (qRT) PCR was used to verify the expression of CXCR4 in GC tissues and cell lines. Results: A total of nine ARGs related to the prognosis of chemotherapy patients were screened out. Compared with normal gastric mucosa cell, CXCR4 showed elevated expression in GC and was significantly associated with survival. Based on GEO and TCGA databases, the model accurately predicted DFS and OS after chemotherapy. Conclusion: This study established prognostic markers based on nine genes, predicting that ARGs are related to chemotherapy susceptibility of GC patients, which can provide better individualized treatment regimens for clinical practice.

Long non-coding RNA BACE1-AS plays an oncogenic role in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through miR-214-3p/APLN axis

BACE1 antisense RNA (BACE1-AS) is implicated in promoting cell proliferation in different types of tumors. However, the function and mechanism of BACE1-AS in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear. In the present study, we found that the relative expression of BACE1-AS in HCC cell lines, HCC tissues, and serum samples of HCC patients was significantly increased, and its high expression was correlated with the poor prognosis of HCC patients. In addition, overexpression of BACE1 promoted HCC cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, and invasion, but inhibited cell apoptosis, while knockdown of BACE1 exerted the opposite role. Furthermore, BACE1-AS sponged miR-214-3p and inhibited its expression, thus promoting Apelin (APLN) expression. Overexpression or knockdown of miR-214-3p could partially reverse the abnormal proliferation, cell cycle progression, migration, invasion, and apoptosis caused by overexpression or knockdown of BACE1. These findings suggest that the BACE1-AS/miR-214-3p/APLN axis is a novel signaling pathway that facilitates HCC.

MicroRNA-139-5p Suppresses Cell Malignant Behaviors in Breast Cancer through Targeting MEX3A

OBJECTIVE

The study was designed to evaluate the underlying mechanism of microRNA-139-5p in breast cancer (BC).

METHODS

Expression statuses of microRNA-139-5p and MEX3A were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The anticancer effect of microRNA-139-5p in vitro was tested by a set of assays. Interaction between microRNA-139-5p and MEX3A was validated by dual-luciferase detection.

RESULTS

MicroRNA-139-5p expression in BC cells was obviously low, while MEX3A was significantly overexpressed. MicroRNA-139-5p restrained proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities of BC cells and increased apoptosis level of BC cells, while MEX3A exerted a promoting effect on BC cell growth. Dual-luciferase reporter detection confirmed that microRNA-139-5p bound to MEX3A 3'-UTR.

CONCLUSIONS

MicroRNA-139-5p inhibited the development of BC by targeting MEX3A. MicroRNA-139-5p/MEX3A may be a target for BC therapy.

Emerging Roles of Energy Metabolism in Ferroptosis Regulation of Tumor Cells

Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death, which is characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lethal lipid peroxides and involved in many critical diseases. Recent reports revealed that cellular energy metabolism activities such as glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), and tricarboxylic acid cycle are involved in the regulation of key ferroptosis markers such as reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), therefore imposing potential regulatory roles in ferroptosis. Remarkably, tumor cells can activate adaptive metabolic responses to inhibit ferroptosis for self-preservation such as the upregulation of glycolysis and PPP. Due to the rapid proliferation of tumor cells and the intensified metabolic rate, tumor energy metabolism has become a target for disrupting the redox homeostasis and induce ferroptosis. Based on these emerging insights, regulatory impact of those-tumor specific metabolic aberrations is systematically characterized, such as rewired glucose metabolism and metabolic compensation through glutamine utilization on ferroptosis and analyzed the underlying molecular mechanisms. Additionally, those ferroptosis-based therapeutic strategies are also discussed by exploiting those metabolic vulnerabilities, which may open up new avenues for tumor treatment in a clinical context.

Non-coding RNAs as biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma-A systematic review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy in the world and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death, and its incidence is increasing globally. Despite significant advances in treatment strategies for HCC, the prognosis is still poor due to its high recurrence rate. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the pathogenesis of HCC and further develop new therapies to improve the prognosis and quality of life of HCC patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are small non-coding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression that is abnormally expressed in cancer-associated genomic regions or vulnerable sites. More and more findings have shown that miRNAs are important regulatory factors of mRNA expression in HCC, and they are receiving more and more attention as a possible key biomarker of HCC. This review mainly summarizes the potential applied value on miRNAs as diagnostic, drug resistant, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers in the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of HCC. Also, we summarize the research value of long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and miRNAs network in HCC as novel biomarkers, aiming at providing some references for the therapy of HCC.

Long noncoding RNA SNHG4: a novel target in human diseases

Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted great attention from researchers. LncRNAs are non-protein-coding RNAs of more than 200 nucleotides in length. Multiple studies have been published on the relationship between lncRNA expression and the progression of human diseases. LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4), a member of the lncRNA SNHG family, is abnormally expressed in a variety of human diseases, including gastric cancer, renal cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, osteosarcoma, cervical cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, neonatal pneumonia, diabetic retinopathy, neuropathic pain, acute cerebral infarction, acute myeloid leukaemia, and endometriosis. In this paper, the structure of SNHG4 is first introduced, and then studies in humans, animal models and cells are summarized to highlight the expression and function of SNHG4 in the above diseases. In addition, the specific mechanism of SNHG4 as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) is discussed. The findings indicate that SNHG4 can be used as a biomarker for disease prognosis evaluation and as a potential target for disease diagnosis and treatment.

An Autophagy-Related Long Non-Coding RNA Prognostic Signature for Patients with Lung Squamous Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatics Analysis

Purpose

Lung cancer is the most common and deadly cancer type affecting humans. Although huge progress has been made on early diagnosis and precision treatment, the overall 5 year survival rate remains low. In this study, we constructed an autophagy-related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) prognostic signature for guiding clinical practice.

Methods

From The Cancer Genome Atlas, we retrieved mRNA and lncRNA expression matrices of patients with lung squamous carcinoma. We then established a prognostic risk model using Lasso regression and multivariate Cox regression. The model generated a risk score to differentiate high- and low-risk groups. An ROC curve and nomogram were used to visualize the predictive ability of the current signatures. Finally, we used Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to determine gene ontology and pathway enrichment.

Results

After screening 1248 autophagy-related lncRNAs, we selected seven lncRNAs (LUCAT1, AC022150.2, AL035425.3, AC138976.2, AC106786.1, GPRC5D-AS1 and AP006545.2) for our signature. Univariate (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.147, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.681–2.743, P < 0.001) and multivariate (HR = 2.096, 95% CI: 1.652–2.658, P < 0.001) Cox regression analyses revealed that the risk score is an independent predictive factor for LUSC patients. Further, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.622, 0.699, and 0.721, respectively, for the 1 year, 3 year, and 5 year risk scores—indicating a reliable model. Selected lncRNAs were primarily enriched in autophagy, metabolism, MAPK pathway, and JAK/STAT pathway. Further drug sensitivity analysis revealed that low-risk patients were more sensitive to Cisplatin, Docetaxel, Vinblastine, and Vinorelbine. Finally, a multi-omics analysis found that lncRNA-linked proteins IKBKB and SQSTM1 were expressed at low levels and significantly correlated in tumor samples, compared with normal tissue.

Conclusion

Our prognostic model successfully predicted patient prognosis in lung cancer.

CircC6orf132 Facilitates Proliferation, Migration, Invasion, and Glycolysis of Gastric Cancer Cells Under Hypoxia by Acting on the miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 Axis

Background: Hypoxia is a crucial factor in the progression of various tumors, including gastric cancer (GC). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are important regulators in GC, and this study focused on researching circC6orf132 in GC progression under hypoxia.

Methods:In vitro experiments were performed in GC cells under hypoxia (1% O₂). CircC6orf132, microRNA-873-5p (miR-873-5p), and protein kinase AMP-activated alpha 1 catalytic subunit (PRKAA1) levels were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Colony formation assay and transwell assay were used for detecting cell proliferation and migration or invasion. Glycolytic metabolism was evaluated using lactate production, glucose uptake, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR). Western blotting was performed for determining protein expression. The target interaction was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. In vivo assay was conducted via mouse xenograft model.

Results: The expression of circC6orf132 was significantly high in GC cells under hypoxia. Hypoxia-induced GC proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis were reversed by silencing circC6orf132. CircC6orf132 targeted miR-873-5p; and the inhibition of circC6orf132 knockdown for the effects of hypoxia on GC cells was abrogated by miR-873-5p inhibitor. PRKAA1 was validated as a downstream gene of miR-873-5p, and miR-873-5p functioned as an anticancer molecule in GC cells under hypoxia by downregulating PRKAA1 level. CircC6orf132 could regulate PRKAA1 by sponging miR-873-5p. CircC6orf132/miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis could regulate GC progression under the hypoxic condition. CircC6orf132 downregulation reduced tumorigenesis in vivo through affecting the miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis.

Conclusion: CircC6orf132 has been affirmed to promote proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in GC under hypoxia, partly by depending on the regulation of miR-873-5p/PRKAA1 axis.

Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma presenting as melena with long-term survival: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL) is a rare primary intestinal T-cell lymphoma, previously known as enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma type II. MEITL is an aggressive T-cell lymphoma with a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. The known major complications of MEITL are intestinal perforation and obstruction. Here, we present a case of MEITL that was diagnosed following upper gastrointestinal bleeding from an ulcerative duodenal lesion, with recurrence-free survival for 5 years.

CASE SUMMARY

A 68-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with melena and mild anemia. An urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed bleeding from an ulcerative lesion in the transverse part of the duodenum, for which hemostatic treatment was performed. MEITL was diagnosed following repeated biopsies of the lesion, and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) chemotherapy was administered. She achieved complete remission after eight full cycles of CHOP therapy. At the last follow-up examination, EGD revealed a scarred ulcer and ¹⁸Fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed no abnormal FDG accumulation. The patient has been in complete remission for 68 mo after initial diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

To rule out MEITL, it is important to carefully perform histological examination when bleeding from a duodenal ulcer is observed.

MEX3A knockdown inhibits the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer via modulating CDK2 expression

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract and a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Mex-3 RNA binding family member A (MEX3A) promotes the progression of multiple types of cancer, including ovarian and cervical cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, the role of MEX3A in CRC is not completely understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the function of MEX3A in CRC. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MEX3A in CRC cells were analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. Cell Counting Kit-8 assays were used to measure cell viability. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were detected via flow cytometry, and CRC cell invasion was analyzed by performing Transwell assays. Moreover, the mitochondrial membrane potential in CRC cells was measured via JC-1 staining. The results of the present study revealed that the expression levels of MEX3A were upregulated in CRC tissues compared with adjacent healthy tissues. MEX3A knockdown notably inhibited CRC cell viability, and induced apoptosis and mitochondrial injury. In addition, MEX3A knockdown markedly induced G₁ phase cell cycle arrest in CRC cells via downregulating CDK2 expression. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested that MEX3A knockdown may inhibit the tumorigenesis of CRC cells by regulating CDK2 expression. Therefore, MEX3A may serve as a novel target for CRC treatment.

Identification of a Novel Signature Predicting Overall Survival in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly heterogeneous tumor with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Therefore, effective predictive models are needed to evaluate patient outcomes and optimize treatment. Methods: Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) method was used to identify highly robust differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) between HNSCC and normal tissue in 9 GEO and TCGA datasets. Univariate Cox regression analysis and Lasso Cox regression analysis were performed to identify DEGs related to the Overall survival (OS) and to construct a prognostic gene signature (HNSCCSig). External validation was performed using GSE65858 dataset. Moreover, comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were used to identify the association between HNSCCSig and tumor immune environment. Results: A total of 257 reliable DEGs were identified by differentially analysis result of TCGA and GSE65858 datasets. The HNSCCSig including 7 mRNAs (SLURP1, SCARA5, CLDN10, MYH11, CXCL13, HLF, and ITGA3) were developed and validated to identify high-risk group who had a worse OS than low-risk group in TCGA and GSE65858 datasets. Cox regression analysis showed that the HNSCCSig could independently predict OS in both the TCGA and the GSE65858 datasets. Further research demonstrated that the infiltration bundance of CD8 + T cells, B cells, neutrophils, and NK cells were significantly lower in the high-risk group. A nomogram was also constructed by combining the HNSCCSig and clinical characters. Conclusion: We established and validated the HNSCCSig consisting of SLURP1, SCARA5, CLDN10, MYH11, CXCL13, HLF, and ITGA3. A nomogram combining HNSCCSig and some clinical parameters was constructed to identify high-risk HNSCC-patients with poor prognosis.

miR-1293 acts as a tumor promotor in lung adenocarcinoma via targeting phosphoglucomutase 5

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histologic subtype of lung cancer. Studies have found that miR-1293 is related to the survival of LUAD patients. Unfortunately, its role in LUAD remains not fully clarified.

Methods

miR-1293 expression and its association with LUAD patients’ clinical characteristics were analyzed in TCGA database. Also, miR-1293 expression was detected in LUAD cell lines. Cell viability, migration, invasion and expression of MMP2 and MMP9 were measured in LUAD cells following transfection with miR-1293 mimic or antagomir. Phosphoglucomutase (PGM) 5 was identified to be negatively related to miR-1293 in LUAD patients in TCGA database, and their association was predicated by Targetscan software. Hence, we further verified the relationship between miR-1293 and PGM5. Additionally, the effect and mechanism of miR-1293 were validated in a xenograft mouse model.

Results

We found miR-1293 expression was elevated, but PGM5 was decreased, in LUAD patients and cell lines. Higher miR-1293 expression was positively related to LUAD patients’ pathologic stage and poor overall survival. miR-1293 mimic significantly promoted, whereas miR-1293 antagomir suppressed the viability, migration, invasion, and expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in LUAD cells. PGM5 was a target of miR-1293. Overexpression of PGM5 abrogated the effects of miR-1293 on the malignant phenotypes of LUAD cells. Administration of miR-1293 antagomir reduced tumor volume and staining of Ki-67 and MMP9, but elevated PGM5 expression in vivo.

Conclusions

miR-1293 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of LUAD cells via targeting PGM5, which indicated that miR-1293 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for LUAD patients.

AGTRAP Is a Prognostic Biomarker Correlated With Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Recently, it has been reported that angiotensin II receptor-associated protein (AGTRAP) plays a substantial role in tumor progression. Nevertheless, the possible role of AGTRAP in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unrecognized.

Methods

The metabolic gene rapid visualizer, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, Human Protein Atlas, and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Database were used to analyze the expression of AGTRAP in HCC tissues and normal liver tissues or adjacent tissues. Kaplan-Meier plotter and UALCAN analysis were used to assess the prognostic and diagnostic value of AGTRAP. LinkedOmics and cBioPortal were used to explore the genes co-expressed with AGTRAP in HCC. To further understand the potential mechanism of AGTRAP in HCC, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment pathway analyses were performed using R software, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established using the STRING database, and the immune infiltration and T-cell exhaustion related to AGTRAP were explored via Timer and GEPIA. In addition, immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of AGTRAP protein in HCC tissues and paired adjacent tissues from clinical specimens.

Results

This study found that the mRNA and protein levels of AGTRAP in HCC tissues were higher than those in normal liver tissues and adjacent tissues, and higher mRNA levels of AGTRAP were associated with higher histological grade and a poor overall survival in HCC patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of AGTRAP was 0.856, suggesting that it could be a diagnostic marker for HCC. Moreover, the alteration rate of AGTRAP in HCC was 8%, and AGTRAP was involved in HCC probably through the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, AGTRAP was positively correlated with the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells, CD4⁺ T cells, B cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, and the levels of AGTRAP were significantly correlated with T-cell exhaustion biomarkers. The immunohistochemistry results confirmed that the protein levels of AGTRAP were consistently higher in HCC tissues than in paired adjacent tissues.

Conclusion

The clinical value of AGTRAP and its correlation with immune infiltration in HCC was effectively identified in clinical data from multiple recognized databases. These findings indicate that AGTRAP could serve as a potential biomarker in the treatment of HCC, thereby informing its prognosis, diagnosis, and even immunotherapy.

Pan-Cancer Analysis of PIMREG as a Biomarker for the Prognostic and Immunological Role

Phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein interacting mitotic regulator (PIMREG) localizes to the nucleus and can significantly elevate the nuclear localization of clathrin assembly lymphomedullary leukocythemia gene. Although there is some evidence to support an important action for PIMREG in the occurrence and development of certain cancers, currently no pan-cancer analysis of PIMREG is available. Therefore, we intended to estimate the prognostic predictive value of PIMREG and to explore its potential immune function in 33 cancer types. By using a series of bioinformatics approaches, we extracted and analyzed datasets from Oncomine, The Cancer Genome Atlas, Cancer Cell Lineage Encyclopedia (CCLE) and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA), to explore the underlying carcinogenesis of PIMREG, including relevance of PIMREG to prognosis, microsatellite instability (MSI), tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor microenvironment (TME) and infiltration of immune cells in various types of cancer. Our findings indicate that PIMREG is highly expressed in at least 24 types of cancer, and is negatively correlated with prognosis in major cancer types. In addition, PIMREG expression was correlated with TMB in 24 cancers and with MSI in 10 cancers. We revealed that PIMREG is co-expressed with genes encoding major histocompatibility complex, immune activation, immune suppression, chemokine and chemokine receptors. We also found that the different roles of PIMREG in the infiltration of different immune cell types in different tumors. PIMREG can potentially influence the etiology or pathogenesis of cancer by acting on immune-related pathways, chemokine signaling pathway, regulation of autophagy, RIG-I like receptor signaling pathway, antigen processing and presentation, FC epsilon RI pathway, complement and coagulation cascades, T cell receptor pathway, NK cell mediated cytotoxicity and other immune-related pathways. Our study suggests that PIMREG can be applied as a prognostic marker in a variety of malignancies because of its role in tumorigenesis and immune infiltration.

Overexpression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance

Cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) plays a significant role in certain malignancies. However, it remains unclear whether CDK1 plays a role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The aim of this study was to analyze the expression and clinical value of CDK1 in ESCC. CDK1 protein in 151 ESCC tissues and 138 normal esophageal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. RNA‐seq of eight pairs of ESCC and adjacent esophageal specimens was performed to evaluate the levels of CDK1 mRNA. Microarray and external RNA‐seq data from 664 cases of ESCC and 1733 cases of control tissues were used to verify the difference in CDK1 expression between the two groups. A comprehensive analysis of all data was performed to evaluate the difference in CDK1 between ESCC tissues and control tissues. Further, functional enrichment analyses were performed based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of ESCC and co‐expressed genes (CEGs) of CDK1. In addition, a lncRNA‐miRNA‐CDK1 network was constructed. The expression of CDK1 protein was obviously increased in ESCC tissues (3.540 ± 2.923 vs. 1.040 ± 1.632, P < 0.001). RNA‐seq indicated that the mRNA level of CDK1 was also highly expressed in ESCC tissues (5.261 ± 0.703 vs. 2.229 ± 1.161, P < 0.0001). Comprehensive analysis revealed consistent up‐regulation of CDK1 (SMD = 1.41; 95% CI 1.00–1.83). Further, functional enrichment analyses revealed that the functions of these genes were mainly concentrated in the cell cycle. A triple regulatory network of PVT1‐hsa‐miR‐145‐5p/hsa‐miR‐30c‐5p‐CDK1 was constructed using in silico analysis. In summary, overexpression of CDK1 is closely related to ESCC tumorigenesis.

Overexpression of MAL2 Correlates with Immune Infiltration and Poor Prognosis in Breast Cancer

Background

Myelin and lymphocyte, T cell differentiation protein 2 (MAL2) is highly expressed in various cancers and associated with the development and prognosis of cancer. However, the relationship between MAL2 and breast cancer requires further investigation. This study aimed to explore the prognostic significance of MAL2 in breast cancer.

Methods

MAL2 expression was initially assessed using the Oncomine database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to explore the association between clinical characteristics and MAL2 expression. The prognostic value of MAL2 in breast cancer was assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify the biological pathways correlated with MAL2 expression in breast cancer. Besides, a single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) was used to assess the relationship between the level of immune infiltration and MAL2 in breast cancer.

Results

Both bioinformatics and RT-qPCR results showed that MAL2 was expressed at high levels in breast cancer tissues compared with the adjacent tissues. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test indicated that MAL2 expression was related to stage, M classification, and vital status. Kaplan–Meier curves implicated that high MAL2 expression was significantly associated with the poor prognosis. Cox regression models showed that high MAL2 expression could be an independent risk factor for breast cancer. GSEA showed that 14 signaling pathways were enriched in the high-MAL2-expression group. Besides, the MAL2 expression level negatively correlated with infiltrating levels of eosinophils and plasmacytoid dendritic cells in breast cancer.

Conclusion

Overexpression of MAL2 correlates with poor prognosis and lower immune infiltrating levels of eosinophils and plasmacytoid dendritic cells in breast cancer and may become a biomarker for breast cancer prognosis.

High CTSL2 expression predicts poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Cathepsin like 2 (CTSL2) is a lysosomal cysteine protease, and may be associated with tumor metastasis. However, CTSL2 has not been reported as a biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, bioinformatics analysis using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas was performed. Wilcoxon rank-sum test and chi-square test were carried out. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression were performed to evaluate the effect of CTSL2 expression in the overall survival. Our results indicated that CTSL2 in tumor was significantly higher than that in normal tissue (P < 0.001). High CTSL2 expression was significantly associated with age (P = 0.02), vital status (P < 0.001), and T classification (P = 0.03), and correlated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.21–2.18, P = 0.001). CTSL2 expression was an independent risk factor for overall survival in patients with LUAD (HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.12–2.05, P = 0.006). A nomogram was plotted for illustration of CTSL2 expression on the risk of LUAD. Furthermore, in vitro cell experiments showed the CTSL2 promoted the proliferation and migration of A549 cells. In summary, high CTSL2 expression predicts poor prognosis in patients with LUAD.

Pancreatic cancer in 2021: What you need to know to win

Pancreatic cancer is one of the solid tumors with the worst prognosis. Five-year survival rate is less than 10%. Surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment, but the tumor is often diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease and surgery could be performed in a very limited number of patients. Moreover, surgery is still associated with high post-operative morbidity, while other therapies still offer very disappointing results. This article reviews every aspect of pancreatic cancer, focusing on the elements that can improve prognosis. It was written with the aim of describing everything you need to know in 2021 in order to face this difficult challenge.

A novel prognostic signature based on four glycolysis-related genes predicts survival and clinical risk of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common cancer with limited cure and poor survival. In our study, a bioinformatic analysis was conducted to investigate the role of glycolysis in the pathogenesis and progression of HCC.

METHODS

Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGESA) was used to calculate enrichment scores for each sample in TCGA-LIHC and GEO14520 according to the glycolysis gene set. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified a gene module closely related to glycolysis, and their function was investigated. Prognostic biomarkers were screened from these genes. Cox proportional hazard model and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to construct the prognostic signature. Kaplan-Meier (KM) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses evaluated the prediction performance of the prognostic signature in TCGA-LIHC and ICGC-LIRI-JP. Combination analysis data of clinical features and prognostic signature constructed a nomogram. Area under ROC curves and decision curve analysis were used to compare the nomogram and its components.

RESULTS

The glycolysis pathway was upregulated in HCC and was unfavorable for survival. The determined gene module was mainly enriched in cell proliferation. A prognostic signature (CDCA8, RAB5IF, SAP30, and UCK2) was developed and validated. KM and ROC curves showed a considerable predictive effect. The risk score derived from the signature was an independent prognostic factor. The nomogram increased prediction efficiency by combining risk signature and TNM stage and performed better than component factors in net benefit.

CONCLUSION

The gene signature may contribute to individual risk estimation, survival prognosis, and clinical management.

The Uniqueness of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Summary of the Process and Abnormality of Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Metabolism in ccRCC

Kidney cancer is a cancer with an increasing incidence in recent years. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) accounts for up to 80% of all kidney cancers. The understanding of the pathogenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis of renal carcinoma is not yet perfect. Kidney cancer has some characteristics that distinguish it from other cancers, and the metabolic aspect is the most obvious. The specificity of glucose and lipid metabolism in kidney cancer cells has also led to its being studied as a metabolic disease. As the most common type of kidney cancer, ccRCC has many characteristics that represent the specificity of kidney cancer. There are features that we are very concerned about, including the presence of lipid droplets in cells and the obesity paradox. These two points are closely related to glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. Therefore, we hope to explore whether metabolic changes affect the occurrence and development of kidney cancer by looking for evidence of changes on expression at the genomic and protein levels in glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism in ccRCC. We begin with the representative phenomenon of abnormal cancer metabolism: the Warburg effect, through the collection of popular metabolic pathways and related genes in the last decade, as well as some research hotspots, including the role of ferroptosis and glutamine in cancer, systematically elaborated the factors affecting the incidence and metastasis of kidney cancer. This review also identifies the similarities and differences between kidney cancer and other cancers in order to lay a theoretical foundation and provide a valid hypothesis for future research.

Systematic analysis of the relationship between ovarian cancer prognosis and alternative splicing

Background

Ovarian cancer(OC) is the gynecological tumor with the highest mortality rate, effective biomarkers are of great significance in improving its prognosis. In recent years, there have been many studies on alternative splicing (AS) events, and the role of AS events in tumor has become a focus of attention.

Methods

Data were downloaded from the TCGA database and Univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine AS events associated with OC prognosis.Eight prognostic models of OC were constructed in R package, and the accuracy of the models were evaluated by the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Eight types of survival curves were drawn to evaluate the differences between the high and low risk groups.Independent prognostic factors of OC were analyzed by single factor independent analysis and multi-factor independent prognostic analysis.Again, Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between splicing factors(SF) and AS events, and Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis were performed on OS-related SFs to understand the pathways.

Results

Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that among the 15,278 genes, there were 31,286 overall survival (OS) related AS events, among which 1524 AS events were significantly correlated with OS. The area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of AT and ME were the largest and the RI was the smallest,which were 0.757 and 0.68 respectively. The constructed models have good value for the prognosis assessment of OC patients. Among the eight survival curves, AP was the most significant difference between the high and low risk groups, with a P value of 1.61e − 1.The results of single factor independent analysis and multi-factor independent prognostic analysis showed that risk score calculated by the model and age could be used as independent risk factors.According to univariate COX regression analysis,109 SFs were correlated with AS events and adjusted in two ways: positive and negative.

Conclusions

SFs and AS events can directly or indirectly affect the prognosis of OC patients. It is very important to find effective prognostic markers to improve the survival rate of OC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-021-00866-1.

Identification of the Effects of Chondroitin Sulfate on Inhibiting CDKs in Colorectal Cancer Based on Bioinformatic Analysis and Experimental Validation

With a high occurrence rate and high mortality, the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly attracting the attention of scholars. Hub genes that determine the phenotypes of CRC become essential for targeted therapy. In the present study, the importance of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) on the occurrence of CRC was identified by data mining of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The results showed that the gene expression levels of CDK1, CDK4, and CDK6 were obviously changed in different stages of CRC. Among the CDKs, CDK4 was suggested as an independent risk factor for CRC based on Cox analysis. Furthermore, chondroitin sulfate (CS), a kind of dietary supplement to treat osteoarthritis, was predicted to treat CRC based on its chemical structure and GEO datasets. Cell assay experiments with the human CRC cell line HCT-116 also verified this prediction. CS inhibited the gene and protein expression levels of CDKs and increased the ratios of apoptotic or dead HCT-116 cells by regulating mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways. Our data highlight the essential roles of CDKs in CRC carcinogenesis and the effects of CS on treating CRC, both of which will contribute to the future CRC treatment.

Mex-3 RNA binding MEX3A promotes the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells via regulating RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 signaling pathway

Breast cancer has been known as cancer with high mortality rates. It has been studied that MEX3A (Mex-3 RNA Binding Family Member A) is involved in carcinogenesis by accelerating cancer proliferation and migration. Therefore, this research aimed to study how MEX3A regulates the biological behaviors of breast cancer. Firstly, we used GEPIA and KM-plotter databases to evaluate MEX3A expression in human breast cancer tissue compared to adjacent normal tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess MEX3A protein expression in clinical specimens. MEX3A mRNA expression level was assessed through quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Western blotting was used to detect protein expression. Moreover, Cell Count Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were used to determine the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, respectively. Our study found that MEX3A expression level was much higher in human breast cancer tissues as compared to adjacent normal tissues. Similarly, breast cancer cell lines showed higher expression of MEX3A as compared to the normal breast cells. This higher expression of MEX3A was linked with the poor survival of breast cancer. Moreover, we found that overexpression of MEX3A stimulated proliferation and migration in the breast cancer cells. However, inhibition of MEX3A significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. In addition, we determined that MEX3A could activate RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 signaling in the breast cancer cells. Overall, our study concluded that MEX3A promotes its migration and proliferation in breast cancer cells via modulating RhoA/ROCK1/LIMK1 signaling pathway.

SSRP1 Affects Growth and Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells Through AKT Pathway

Background: We aimed to figure out the SSRP1's potential influence on the apoptosis and proliferation of gastric cancer (GC) cells and its regulatory mechanism. Methods: SSRP1 expression in GC cells and tissues was detected via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The interrelation between clinicopathological characteristics of GC patients and SSRP1 expression was analyzed via χ2 test, and the correlation between SSRP1 expression and overall survival rate was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. After knockdown of SSRP1 in AGS cells, the SSRP1 expression, colony formation ability, cell viability, cell cycle changes, apoptosis rate, and migration and invasion ability were detected through qRT-PCR, colony formation assay, CCK8 assay, flow cytometry and transwell test, respectively. Finally, the effects of down-regulation of SSRP1 on the expressions of phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-AKT), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) were explored using Western blotting. Results: SSRP1 displayed a high expression in GC cells and tissues. SSRP1 expression was closely interrelated to the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and tumor size. The survival rate of patients was markedly shorter in high expression group than the lower expression group. After the knockdown of SSRP1 in cells, the viability and colony formation ability of AGS cells were inhibited. In addition, cell ration in the G1 phase was increased, while that in the S phase declined, and the cell invasion and migration were obviously weakened. It was found from Western blotting that the knockdown of SSRP1 could evidently suppress the protein levels of Bcl-2 and p-AKT, but promote the protein expression of Bax, indicating that silencing SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through incativating AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion: SSRP1 rose up in GC tissues and cells. Reduction of SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through inactiving AKT signaling pathway.

Identification and validation of tumor microenvironment-related lncRNA prognostic signature for uveal melanoma

AIM

To investigate the role of tumor microenvironment (TME)-related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in uveal melanoma (UM), probable prognostic signature and potential small molecule drugs using bioinformatics analysis.

METHODS

UM expression profile data were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and bioinformatics methods were used to find prognostic lncRNAs related to UM immune cell infiltration. The gene expression profile data of 80 TCGA specimens were analyzed using the single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) method, and the immune cell infiltration of a single specimen was evaluated. Finally, the specimens were divided into high and low infiltration groups. The differential expression between the two groups was analyzed using the R package 'edgeR'. Univariate, multivariate and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression analyses were performed to explore the prognostic value of TME-related lncRNAs. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional analyses were also performed. The Connectivity Map (CMap) data set was used to screen molecular drugs that may treat UM.

RESULTS

A total of 2393 differentially expressed genes were identified and met the criteria for the low and high immune cell infiltration groups. Univariate Cox analysis of lncRNA genes with differential expression identified 186 genes associated with prognosis. Eight prognostic markers of TME-included lncRNA genes were established as potentially independent prognostic elements. Among 269 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 69 were up-regulated and 200 were down-regulated. Univariate Cox regression analysis of the risk indicators and clinical characteristics of the 8 lncRNA gene constructs showed that age, TNM stage, tumor base diameter, and low and high risk indices had significant prognostic value. We screened the potential small-molecule drugs for UM, including W-13, AH-6809 and Imatinib.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic markers identified in this study are reliable biomarkers of UM. This study expands our current understanding of the role of TME-related lncRNAs in UM genesis, which may lay the foundations for future treatment of this disease.

Identification of Three Key Genes Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression Based on Co-expression Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the world. Due to the recurrence of HCC, its survival rate is still low. Therefore, it is vital to seek prognostic biomarkers for HCC. In this study, differential analysis was conducted on gene expression data in The Cancer Genome Atlas -LIHC, and 4482 differentially expressed genes in tumor tissue were selected. Then, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to analyze the co-expression of the gained differential genes. By module-trait correlation analysis, the turquoise gene module that was significantly related to tumor grade, pathologic_T stage, and clinical stage was identified. Thereafter, enrichment analysis of genes in this module uncovered that the genes were mainly enriched in the signaling pathways involved in spliceosome and cell cycle. After that, through correlation analysis, 18 hub genes highly correlated with tumor grade, clinical stage, pathologic_T stage, and the turquoise module were selected. Meanwhile, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by using genes in the module. Finally, three key genes, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L, serrate RNA effector molecule, and cyclin B2, were identified by intersecting the top 30 genes with the highest connectivity in PPI network and the previously obtained 18 hub genes in the turquoise module. Further survival analysis revealed that high expression of the three key genes predicted poor prognosis of HCC. These results indicated the direction for further research on clinical diagnosis and prognostic biomarkers of HCC.

Erastin‑induced ferroptosis causes physiological and pathological changes in healthy tissues of mice

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of cell death that relies on iron and lipid peroxidation, which is associated with multiple pathological processes in several diseases. Erastin is a small molecule capable of initiating ferroptotic cell death in cancer cells, which has shown great potential for cancer therapy. However, the physiological and pathological role of erastin-induced ferroptosis on healthy tissues has not been well characterized. The present study intraperitoneally injected erastin into healthy mice to detect the metabolic changes of several tissues of mice. Erastin injection induced typical characteristics of ferroptosis with higher level of serum iron and malondialdehyde and lower level of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase 4 protein. Erastin injection enhanced iron deposition in the brain, duodenum, kidney and spleen of mice. Erastin-induced ferroptosis altered the blood index values, causing mild cerebral infarction of brain and enlarged glomerular volume of kidney. It also promoted the growth of duodenal epithelium with thicker, longer and denser villi in erastin-treated mice. The findings provided evidence that erastin induced ferroptosis and caused pathological changes in healthy tissues of mice. This suggested that the anti-tumor drug erastin was somewhat toxic to healthy tissues.

Multi-omics Analysis of Ferroptosis Regulation Patterns and Characterization of Tumor Microenvironment in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Ferroptosis is a newly recognized mechanism of regulated cell death. It was reported to be highly associated with immune therapy and chemotherapy. However, its mechanism of regulation in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and influence on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) therapy are unknown. We identified a ferroptosis-specific gene-expression signature, an FPscore, developed by a principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm to evaluate the ferroptosis regulation patterns of individual tumor. Multi-omics analysis of ferroptosis regulation patterns was conducted. Three distinct ferroptosis regulation subtypes, which linked to outcomes and the clinical relevance of each patient, were established. A high FPscore of patients with OSCC was associated with a favorable prognosis, a ferroptosis-related immune-activation phenotype, potential sensitivities to the chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Importantly, a high FPscore correlated with a low gene copy number burden and high immune checkpoint expressions. We validated the prognostic value of the FPscore using independent immunotherapy and pan-cancer cohorts. Comprehensive evaluation of individual tumors with distinct ferroptosis regulation patterns provides new mechanistic insights, which may be clinically relevant for the application of combination therapies in OSCC.

Identification of Biomarkers Related to Prognosis of Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) is highly fatal and generally has a poor prognosis. To improve the prognosis of patients with BTCC, it is particularly important to identify biomarkers related to the prognosis. In this study, differentially expressed messenger RNAs were obtained by analyzing relevant data of BTCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Next, hub genes that were suitable for correlation analysis with prognosis were determined through constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of differentially expressed genes and screening of major modules in the network. Finally, survival analysis of these hub genes found that three of them (CCNB1, ASPM, and ACTC1) were conspicuously related to the prognosis of patients with BTCC (p < 0.05). By combining the clinical features of BTCC and the expression levels of the three genes, univariate Cox and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed and denoted that CCNB1 could be used as an independent prognostic factor for BTCC. This study provided potential biomarkers for the prognosis of BTCC as well as a theoretical basis for subsequent prognosis-related research.

Mitochondrial Carriers and Substrates Transport Network: A Lesson from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is one of the most widely used model organisms for investigating various aspects of basic cellular functions that are conserved in human cells. This organism, as well as human cells, can modulate its metabolism in response to specific growth conditions, different environmental changes, and nutrient depletion. This adaptation results in a metabolic reprogramming of specific metabolic pathways. Mitochondrial carriers play a fundamental role in cellular metabolism, connecting mitochondrial with cytosolic reactions. By transporting substrates across the inner membrane of mitochondria, they contribute to many processes that are central to cellular function. The genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes 35 members of the mitochondrial carrier family, most of which have been functionally characterized. The aim of this review is to describe the role of the so far identified yeast mitochondrial carriers in cell metabolism, attempting to show the functional connections between substrates transport and specific metabolic pathways, such as oxidative phosphorylation, lipid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and amino acids synthesis. Analysis of the literature reveals that these proteins transport substrates involved in the same metabolic pathway with a high degree of flexibility and coordination. The understanding of the role of mitochondrial carriers in yeast biology and metabolism could be useful for clarifying unexplored aspects related to the mitochondrial carrier network. Such knowledge will hopefully help in obtaining more insight into the molecular basis of human diseases.

Unique structural features of the adenylate kinase hCINAP/AK6 and its multifaceted functions in carcinogenesis and tumor progression

Human coilin-interacting nuclear ATPase protein (hCINAP), also known as adenylate kinase 6 (AK6), is an atypical adenylate kinase with critical roles in many biological processes, including gene transcription, ribosome synthesis, cell metabolism, cell proliferation and apoptosis, DNA damage responses, and genome stability. Furthermore, hCINAP/AK6 dysfunction is associated with cancer and various inflammatory diseases. In this review, we summarize the structural features and biological roles of hCINAP in several important signaling pathways, as well as its connection with tumor onset and progression.

Tumor-promoting function of PIMREG in glioma by activating the β-catenin pathway

Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor in adults with an adverse prognosis and obscure pathogenesis. PICALM interacting mitotic regulator protein (PIMREG) functions as an oncogene in multiple types of cancer, but its function in glioma remains unknown. The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2, http://gepia2.cancer-pku.cn/#index) showed that PIMREG expression in the glioma tissues was higher than that in normal brain tissues. Herein, cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis exhibited that overexpression of PIMREG significantly promoted the proliferation of glioma cells and the transition from G1 phase of the cell cycle to S phase. Wound-healing and transwell assays showed that overexpression of PIMREG markedly enhanced the migration and invasion of glioma cells. Western blot analysis revealed that overexpression of PIMREG increased the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, Vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, and MMP-9, but reduced the expression of E-cadherin. In addition, overexpression of PIMREG activated the β-catenin signaling pathway, as evidenced by the increased total and nuclear expression of β-catenin and the up-regulated expression of its downstream target c-myc. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining further indicated the increased nuclear translocation of β-catenin in PIMREG-overexpressing cells. However, knockdown of PIMREG exerted opposite effects on glioma cells. Blockade of the β-catenin signaling by ICG-001 markedly impeded the promoting effects of PIMREG on glioma cell proliferation and invasion. In conclusion, PIMREG acts as a tumor promoter in glioma at least partly via activating the β-catenin signaling pathway. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanism for glioma pathogenesis and treatment.

Expression and prognostic potential of PLEK2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on bioinformatics analysis

Background

PLEK2 (pleckstrin) could bind to membrane‐bound phosphatidylinositols and further promote cell spread. Recently, several studies have noted the importance of PLEK2 in tumor metastasis. However, the role of PLEK2 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains to be elucidated.

Methods

The PLEK2 expression in HNSCC was identified using Oncomine, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), UALCAN databases, and western blot analysis. Prognosis analysis was performed using Kaplan–Meier plotter, DriverDBv3, UALCAN, UCSC Xena, and GEO databases. Single‐cell functional analysis was further performed using the cancerSEA database. The PLEK2‐related co‑expressed genes were identified, and gene set enrichment analysis was performed using LinkedOmics. Furthermore, the top 10 hub genes were identified using the cytoHubba plug‐in of Cytoscape. Then, gene enrichment analysis, pathway activity, and drug sensitivity analyses of the hub genes were performed using the R package “clusterProfiler” and GSCAlite. Finally, the UCSC Xena browser was utilized to explore the hub gene most likely to play a synergic role with PLEK2 in HNSCC.

Results

Elevated expression of PLEK2 was observed in HNSCC and even in HNSCC subgroups based on diverse clinicopathological features, portending a poor prognosis in HNSCC. PLEK2 was correlated with metastasis and hypoxia in HNSCC, and the PLEK2‐related co‐expressed genes were mainly involved in the focal adhesion pathway. The top 10 hub genes were primarily enriched in focal adhesion, HPV infection, ECM‐receptor interaction, and PI3K‐AKT signaling pathway, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition pathway was activated. Furthermore, the expression levels of the hub genes were associated with sensitivity and resistance to various small molecules and anti‐cancer drugs. Further study suggested that ITGA3 and PLEK2 might be viewed as inextricably linked in facilitating HNSCC metastasis.

Conclusions

In general, PLEK2 might serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of HNSCC and guide the development of targeted therapies for HNSCC.

Suppression of Tumorigenicity 5 Ameliorates Tumor Characteristics of Invasive Breast Cancer Cells via ERK/JNK Pathway

BACKGROUND

Suppression of tumorigenicity 5 (ST5) has been considered as a tumor suppressor gene in HeLa tumor cells. However, its role in the progression of breast cancer remains vague.

METHODS

Online database analysis was determined by Oncomine and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner v4.4 (bc-GenExMiner v4.4). Tumor biology behaviors were measured by MTT assay, wound healing model, Transwell and Flow cytometry assays. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was employed to detect promoter methylation.

RESULTS

Low level of ST5 was observed in breast cancer specimens, particularly in recurrent, invasive breast cancer cases compared to para-carcinoma tissue or non-invasive breast cancer. The downregulation of ST5 was also proved in MDA-MB-231 and SKBR3 cell lines with a high invasive capability as compared to MCF-7 cell with a low invasive capability. ST5 was negatively associated with pathological stages of breast cancer. ST5-downregulation promoted, while ST5-upregulation inhibited the progression of cell proliferation, cell cycle and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. Additionally, ST5 knockdown inhibited, whereas ST5 overexpression promoted apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells. However, ST5 modification, either upregulation or downregulation, had no significant impact on tumor behaviors of MCF-7 cells. Mechanistically, ST5 protein ablation activated, while ST5-upregulation repressed the activities of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and JNK, and subsequently the expression of c-Myc. PD98059-mediated ERK1/2 inhibition abolished the stimulatory effects of ST5-depletion on ERK1/2/JNK/c-Myc signaling axis, and ST5 depletion-mediated cell over-proliferation and migration. Of note, ST5 reduction in invasive breast cancer cells should implicate in the hypermethylation of ST5 promoter region.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that ST5 potentially acts as a tumor suppressor gene in invasive breast cancer through regulating ERK/JNK signaling pathway and provide a novel insight for breast cancer treatment.

Diarylpentanoid (1,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene-3-one) (MS13) Exhibits Anti-proliferative, Apoptosis Induction and Anti-migration Properties on Androgen-independent Human Prostate Cancer by Targeting Cell Cycle-Apoptosis and PI3K Signalling Pathways

Diarylpentanoids exhibit a high degree of anti-cancer activity and stability in vitro over curcumin in prostate cancer cells. Hence, this study aims to investigate the effects of a diarylpentanoid, 1,5-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene-3-one (MS13) on cytotoxicity, anti-proliferative, apoptosis-inducing, anti-migration properties, and the underlying molecular mechanisms on treated androgen-independent prostate cancer cells, DU 145 and PC-3. A cell viability assay has shown greater cytotoxicity effects of MS13-treated DU 145 cells (EC₅₀ 7.57 ± 0.2 µM) and PC-3 cells (EC₅₀ 7.80 ± 0.7 µM) compared to curcumin (EC₅₀: DU 145; 34.25 ± 2.7 µM and PC-3; 27.77 ± 6.4 µM). In addition, MS13 exhibited significant anti-proliferative activity against AIPC cells compared to curcumin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Morphological observation, increased caspase-3 activity, and reduced Bcl-2 protein levels in these cells indicated that MS13 induces apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent. Moreover, MS13 effectively inhibited the migration of DU 145 and PC-3 cells. Our results suggest that cell cycle-apoptosis and PI3K pathways were the topmost significant pathways impacted by MS13 activity. Our findings suggest that MS13 may demonstrate the anti-cancer activity by modulating DEGs associated with the cell cycle-apoptosis and PI3K pathways, thus inhibiting cell proliferation and cell migration as well as inducing apoptosis in AIPC cells.

Expression and Gene Regulation Network of Adenosine Receptor A2B in Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker

Adenosinereceptor A2B (ADORA2B) encodes a protein belonging to the G protein–coupled receptor superfamily. Abnormal expression of ADORA2B may play a pathophysiological role in some human cancers. We investigated whether ADORA2B is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The expression, various mutations, copy number variations, mRNA expression levels, and related network signaling pathways of ADORA2B were analyzed using bioinformatics-related websites, including Oncomine, UALCAN, cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, LinkedOmics, KM Plotter, and TIMER. We found that ADORA2B was overexpressed and amplified in LUAD, and a high ADORA2B expression predicted a poor prognosis for LUAD patients. Pathway analyses of ADORA2B in LUAD revealed ADORA2B-correlated signaling pathways, and the expression level of ADORA2B was associated with immune cell infiltration. Furthermore, ADORA2B mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in human LUAD cell lines (A549 cells and NCl-H1299 cells) than in normal human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells, and the transcript levels of genes positively or negatively correlated with ADORA2B were consistent and statistically significant. siRNA transfection experiments and functional experiments further confirmed these results. In vitro results were also consistent with those of bioinformatics analysis. Our findings provide a foundation for studying the role of ADORA2B in tumorigenesis and support the development of new drug targets for LUAD.

Molecular Mechanisms of Antiproliferative and Apoptosis Activity by 1,5-Bis(4-Hydroxy-3-Methoxyphenyl)1,4-Pentadiene-3-one (MS13) on Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Diarylpentanoid (DAP), an analog that was structurally modified from a naturally occurring curcumin, has shown to enhance anticancer efficacy compared to its parent compound in various cancers. This study aims to determine the cytotoxicity, antiproliferative, and apoptotic activity of diarylpentanoid MS13 on two subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells: squamous cell carcinoma (NCI-H520) and adenocarcinoma (NCI-H23). Gene expression analysis was performed using Nanostring PanCancer Pathways Panel to determine significant signaling pathways and targeted genes in these treated cells. Cytotoxicity screening revealed that MS13 exhibited greater inhibitory effect in NCI-H520 and NCI-H23 cells compared to curcumin. MS13 induced anti-proliferative activity in both cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Morphological analysis revealed that a significant number of MS13-treated cells exhibited apoptosis. A significant increase in caspase-3 activity and decrease in Bcl-2 protein concentration was noted in both MS13-treated cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. A total of 77 and 47 differential expressed genes (DEGs) were regulated in MS13 treated-NCI-H520 and NCI-H23 cells, respectively. Among the DEGs, 22 were mutually expressed in both NCI-H520 and NCI-H23 cells in response to MS13 treatment. The top DEGs modulated by MS13 in NCI-H520—DUSP4, CDKN1A, GADD45G, NGFR, and EPHA2—and NCI-H23 cells—HGF, MET, COL5A2, MCM7, and GNG4—were highly associated with PI3K, cell cycle-apoptosis, and MAPK signaling pathways. In conclusion, MS13 may induce antiproliferation and apoptosis activity in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of NSCLC cells by modulating DEGs associated with PI3K-AKT, cell cycle-apoptosis, and MAPK pathways. Therefore, our present findings could provide an insight into the anticancer activity of MS13 and merits further investigation as a potential anticancer agent for NSCLC cancer therapy.

LncRNA ELF3-AS1 is a Prognostic Biomarker and Correlated with Immune Infiltrates in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Expression of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) ELF3 antisense RNA 1 (ELF3-AS1) is observed in some cancers, while its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between ELF3-AS1 and HCC based on database, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis.

METHODS

In this study, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon sign-rank test, logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier method, Cox regression analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and immunoinfiltration analysis were used to assess the relationship between ELF3-AS1 expression and clinical characteristics of HCC patients, the relationship between ELF3-AS1 expression and prognosis of HCC patients, and the possible functions of ELF3-AS1 in HCC.

RESULTS

High expression of ELF3-AS1 in patients with HCC was related to T stage (P < 0.001), gender (P = 0.006), residual tumor (P = 0.008), histologic grade (P < 0.001), adjacent hepatic tissue inflammation (P = 0.011), AFP (P < 0.001), and vascular invasion (P = 0.028). High ELF3-AS1 expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) (P = 0.001) and DSS (P = 0.047). ELF3-AS1 expression (P = 0.011) was independently correlated with OS in HCC patients. In the high ELF3-AS1 expression group, GPCR-radioligand binding, M phase, Class A/1 (rhodopsin-like receptors), cell cycle checkpoints, translation, mitotic metaphase and anaphase, signaling by robo receptors, keratinization, and rRNA processing were differentially enriched by GESA. ELF3-AS1 expression was associated with immune infiltrating cells.

CONCLUSIONS

ELF3-AS1 expression was associated with poor prognosis in HCC. ELF3-AS1 expression was significantly associated with immune infiltration. ELF3-AS1 is a promising biomarker that can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

High expression of PIMREG predicts poor survival outcomes and is correlated with immune infiltrates in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

PIMREG is upregulated in multiple cancer types. However, the potential role of PIMREG in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. The present study aimed to explore its clinical significance in LUAD.

Methods

Using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, we obtained 513 samples of LUAD and 59 normal samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases to analyze the relationship between PIMREG and LUAD. We used t and Chi-square tests to evaluate the level of expression of PIMREG and its clinical implication in LUAD. The prognostic value of PIMREG in LUAD was identified through the Kaplan–Meier method, Cox regression analysis, and nomogram. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) were performed to screen biological pathways and analyze the correlation of the immune infiltrating level with the expression of PIMREG in LUAD.

Results

PIMREG was highly expressed in patients with LUAD. Specifically, the level of PIMREG gradually increased from pathological stage I to IV. Further, we validated the higher expression of PIMREG expressed in LUAD cell lines. Moreover, PIMREG had a high diagnostic value, with an -AUC of 0.955. Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analyses revealed that the high expression of PIMREG was independently associated with poor clinical outcomes. In our prognostic nomogram, the expression of PIMREG implied a significant prognostic value. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) identified that the high expression PIMREG phenotype was involved in the mitotic cell cycle, mRNA splicing, DNA repair, Rho GTPase signaling, TP53 transcriptional regulation, and translation pathways. Next, we also explored the correlation of PIMREG and tumor-immune interactions and found a negative correlation between PIMREG and the immune infiltrating level of T cells, macrophages, B cells, dendritic cells (DCs) , and CD8⁺ T cells in LUAD.

Conclusions

High levels of PIMREG correlated with poor prognosis and immune infiltrates in LUAD.

Trophinin Is an Important Biomarker and Prognostic Factor in Osteosarcoma: Data Mining from Oncomine and the Cancer Genome Atlas Databases

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a type of bone malignancy with a high rate of treatment failure. To date, few evident biomarkers for the prognostic significance of OS have been established. Oncomine was used to integrate RNA and DNA-seq data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the published literature. The correlation of the gene Trophinin (TRO) and different types of cancers was generated using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) online tool. Prognostic values of featured Melanoma Antigen Gene (MAGE) members were further assessed by establishing the overall survival using the Kaplan-Meier plotter. Moreover, the online tool, Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery version (DAVID), was used to understand the biological meaning list of the genes. MAGEB10, MAGED2, TRO, MAGEH1, MAGEB18, MAGEB6, MAGEB4, MAGEB1, MAGED4B, MAGED1, MAGEB2, and MAGEB3 were significantly overexpressed in sarcoma. TRO was further demonstrated to be distinctively upregulated in osteosarcoma cell lines and associated with shorter overall survival. TRO may play an important role in the development of OS and may be a promising potential biomarker and prognostic factor.

Genetic Investigation of Inverse Psoriasis

Inverse psoriasis is considered to be a rare variant of plaque-type psoriasis and is associated with significantly impaired quality of life. Clinical manifestations and treatment options are somewhat different for each subtype. Identifying genetic variants that contribute to the susceptibility of different types of psoriasis might improve understanding of the etiology of the disease. Since we have no current knowledge about the genetic background of inverse psoriasis, whole exome sequencing was used to comprehensively assess genetic variations in five patients with exclusively inverse lesions. We detected six potentially pathogenic rare (MAF < 0.01) sequence variants that occurred in all investigated patients. The corresponding mutated genes were FN1, FBLN1, MYH7B, MST1R, RHOD, and SCN10A. Several mutations identified in this study are known to cause disease, but roles in psoriasis or other papulosquamous diseases have not previously been reported. Interestingly, potentially causative variants of established psoriasis-susceptibility genes were not identified. These outcomes are in agreement with our hypothesis that the inverse subtype is a different entity from plaque-type psoriasis.

Seasonal variation in fluorescence characteristics of dissolved organic matter in wastewater and identification of proteins through HRLC-MS/MS

In the present study, wastewater samples acquired from five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), located in western India were characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy, and resin-based fractionation was conducted to fractionate DOM into hydrophobic and hydrophilic base, acid, and neutral fractions. Among several fractions, the hydrophilic acid (HIA) and hydrophilic neutral (HIN) fractions were present in higher abundance (more than 50% of DOC) compared to the hydrophilic base (HIB) fraction in both influent and effluent wastewater stream obtained from WWTPs. Tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like substances were also abundant in the influent and effluent stream of WWTPs. Further, LC-MS/MS analysis could identify 235 and 288 DOM proteins in the influent and effluent stream of WWTP-1, respectively. These proteins revealed varying percentage of tryptophan and tyrosine residues. The tryptophan residues primarily contributed to protein-like fluorescence in wastewater. The proteins were further classified based on their role in biological processes, location in the cell, and molecular function. Among several proteins, Alzheimer's and Huntington disease biomarkers were identified at WWTP-1. Their presence in the surface water can serve as an early warning system for wastewater-based epidemiology.

FAM64A is an androgen receptor-regulated feedback tumor promoter in prostate cancer

Endocrine therapy for prostate cancer (PCa) mainly inhibits androgen receptor (AR) signaling, due to increased androgen synthesis and AR changes, PCa evolved into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The function of Family With Sequence Similarity 64 Member A (FAM64A) and its association with prostate cancer has not been reported. In our research, we first reported that FAM64A is up-regulated and positively associated with poor prognosis of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) by TCGA database and immunohistochemistry staining. Moreover, knockdown of FAM64A significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of PCa cells in vitro. Mechanistically, FAM64A expression was increased by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through direct binding of AR to FAM64A promoter, and notably promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle of androgen-dependent cell line of PCa. In addition, abnormal expression of FAM64A affects the immune and interferon signaling pathway of PCa cells. In conclusion, FAM64A was up-regulated by AR through directly binding to its specific promoter region to promote the development of PCa, and was associated with the immune mechanism and interferon signaling pathway, which provided a better understanding and a new potential for treating PCa.

Molecular subtypes based on CNVs related gene signatures identify candidate prognostic biomarkers in lung adenocarcinoma

The classical factors for predicting prognosis currently cannot meet the developing requirements of individualized and accurate prognostic evaluation in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). With the rapid development of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies, genomic changes have been discovered. These sequencing data provide unprecedented opportunities for identifying cancer molecular subtypes. In this article, we classified LUAD into two distinct molecular subtypes (Cluster 1 and Cluster 2) based on Copy Number Variations (CNVs) and mRNA expression data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) based on non-negative matrix factorization. Patients in Cluster 1 had worse outcomes than that in Cluster 2. Molecular features in subtypes were assessed to explain this phenomenon by analyzing differential expression genes expression pattern, which involved in cellular processes and environmental information processing. Analysis of immune cell populations suggested different distributions of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells in the two subtypes. Subsequently, two novel genes, TROAP and RASGRF1, were discovered to be prognostic biomarkers in TCGA, which were confirmed in GSE31210 and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital LUAD cohorts. We further proved their crucial roles in cancers by vitro experiments. TROAP mediates tumor cell proliferation, cycle, invasion, and migration, not apoptosis. RASGRF1 has a significant effect on tumor microenvironment. In conclusion, our study provides a novel insight into molecular classification based on CNVs related genes in LUAD, which may contribute to identify new molecular subtypes and target genes.

CACNA1C is a prognostic predictor for patients with ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

CACNA1C, as a type of voltage-dependent calcium ion transmembrane channel, played regulatory roles in the development and progress of multiple tumors. This study was aimed to analyze the roles of CACNA1C in ovarian cancer (OC) of overall survival (OS) and to explore its relationships with immunity.

METHODS

Single gene mRNA sequencing data and corresponding clinical information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas Database (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) datasets. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to identify CACNA1C-related signal pathways. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate independent prognostic factors. Besides, associations between CACNA1C and immunity were also explored.

RESULTS

CACNA1C had a lower expression in OC tumor tissues than in normal tissues (P < 0.001), with significant OS (P = 0.013) and a low diagnostic efficiency. We further validated the expression levels of CACNA1C in OC by means of the ICGC dataset (P = 0.01), qRT-PCR results (P < 0.001) and the HPA database. Univariate and multivariate Cox hazard regression analyses indicated that CACNA1C could be an independent risk factor of OS for OC patients (both P < 0.001). Five significant CACNA1C-related signaling pathways were identified by means of GSEA. As for genetic alteration analysis, altered CACNA1C groups were significantly associated with OS (P = 0.0169), progression-free survival (P = 0.0404), disease-free survival (P = 0.0417) and disease-specific survival (P = 9.280e-3), compared with unaltered groups in OC. Besides, CACNA1C was dramatically associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) and immunity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results shed light on that CACNA1C could be a prognostic predictor of OS in OC and it was closely related to immunity.

Molecular mechanisms underlying curcumin-mediated microRNA regulation in carcinogenesis; Focused on gastrointestinal cancers

Curcumin is a bioactive ingredient found in the Rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Curcumin is well known for its chemopreventive and anti-cancer properties. Recent findings have demonstrated several pharmacological and biological impacts of curcumin, related to the control and the management of gastrointestinal cancers. Mechanistically, curcumin exerts its biological impacts via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects through the interaction with various transcription factors and signaling molecules. Moreover, epigenetic modulators such as microRNAs (miRNAs) have been revealed as novel targets of curcumin. Curcumin was discovered to regulate the expression of numerous pathogenic miRNAs in gastric, colorectal, esophageal and liver cancers. The present systematic review was performed to identify miRNAs that are modulated by curcumin in gastrointestinal cancers.

lncRNA LOXL1-AS1 promotes liver cancer cell proliferation and migration by regulating the miR-377-3p/NFIB axis

Liver cancer is becoming one of the most lethal malignancies due to its high incidence and mortality. Accumulating studies have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical regulators of the tumorigenesis and development of various types of cancer, including liver cancer. LncRNA LOXL1-antisense RNA 1 (LOXL1-AS1) has been identified as an oncogene in some types of human cancer; however, its role in liver cancer remains obscure. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to measure LOXL1-AS1 expression in liver cancer tissues and cells. Western blot, MTT, colony formation, glucose uptake and wound healing assays were used to explore the biological function of LOXL1-AS1 in liver cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis and RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays were used to explore the molecular mechanism of LOXL1-AS1 in liver cancer cells. Statistical analysis was used to compare the experimental results of different groups. In the present study, LOXL1-AS1 expression was significantly upregulated in liver cancer tissues and cells compared with in normal liver tissues and cells, respectively. High LOXL1-AS1 expression was associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with liver cancer. Furthermore, LOXL1-AS1-knockdown suppressed glucose metabolism, proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of liver cancer cells. Subsequently, LOXL1-AS1 acted as a microRNA (miR)-377-3p sponge, and nuclear factor I B (NFIB) was confirmed as the downstream target of miR-377-3p in liver cancer cells. Additionally, rescue assays suggested that NFIB overexpression countervailed the inhibitory influence of LOXL1-AS1 silencing on liver cancer cellular processes. The present study demonstrated that LOXL1-AS1 promoted glucose metabolism, proliferation, migration and EMT of liver cancer cells by sponging miR-377-3p and modulating NFIB, which may provide a novel insight for the treatment of liver cancer.