Induction of Ras by SAF-1/MAZ through a feed-forward loop promotes angiogenesis in breast cancer

OTUB1 accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma by stabilizing RACK1 via its non-canonical ubiquitination

BACKGROUND

Dysregulated ubiquitination modification occupies a pivotal role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis and progression. The ubiquitin aldehyde binding 1 (OTUB1) was aberrantly upregulated and exhibited the pro-tumorigenic function in HCC. However, the underlying mechanisms and responsible targets of OTUB1 remain unclear.

METHODS

First, bioinformatics analysis, western blot and immunohistochemistry staining were applied to analyze OTUB1 expression in HCC specimens. Then, immunoprecipitation assay-tandem mass spectrometry (MS) combined with the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the downstream target of OTUB1. Co-immunoprecipitation and ubiquitination assays were used to identify the mechanisms involved. Finally, we explored the regulatory effect of MAZ on OTUB1 through ChIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

OTUB1 was broadly elevated in HCC tissues and promoted the proliferation and metastasis of HCC in vitro and in vivo. The receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) performed as a functional partner of OTUB1 and its hyperactivation was associated with aggressive development and other malignant features in HCC by activating oncogenes transcription. Mechanistically, OTUB1 directly bound to RACK1 at its C-terminal domain and decreased the K48-linked ubiquitination of RACK1 through its non-canonical suppression of ubiquitination activity, which stabilized RACK1 protein levels in HCC cells. Therefore, OTUB1 significantly increased multiple oncogenes expression and activated PI3K/AKT and FAK/ERK signaling in a RACK1-dependent manner in HCC. Moreover, the transcription factor MAZ upregulated OTUB1 expression through identifying a putative response element of OTUB1 promoter area.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings might provide a new therapeutic strategy for HCC by modifying the MAZ-OTUB1-RACK1 axis.

PCGF6/MAX/KDM5D facilitates MAZ/CDK4 axis expression and pRCC progression by hypomethylation of the DNA promoter

Polycomb group RING finger protein 6 (PCGF6) plays an important role as a regulator of transcription in a variety of cellular processes, including tumorigenesis. However, the function and expression of PCGF6 in papillary RCC (pRCC) remain unclear. In the present study, we found that PCGF6 expression was significantly elevated in pRCC tissues, and high expression of PCGF6 was associated with poor survival of patients with pRCC. The overexpression of PCGF6 promoted while depletion of PCGF6 depressed the proliferation of pRCC cells in vitro. Interestingly, myc-related zinc finger protein (MAZ), a downstream molecular of PCGF6, was upregulated in pRCC with hypomethylation promoter. Mechanically, PCGF6 promoted MAZ expression by interacting with MAX and KDM5D to form a complex, and MAX recruited PCGF6 and KDM5D to the CpG island of the MAZ promoter and facilitated H3K4 histone demethylation. Furthermore, CDK4 was a downstream molecule of MAZ that participated in PCGF6/MAZ-regulated progression of pRCC. These results indicated that the upregulation of PCGF6 facilitated MAZ/CDK4 axis expression and pRCC progression by hypomethylation of the MAZ promoter. The PCGF6/MAZ/CDK4 regulatory axis may be a potential target for the treatment of ccRCC.

Fucoxanthin Is a Potential Therapeutic Agent for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers diagnosed and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Although there are first-line treatments for BC, drug resistances and adverse events have been reported. Given the incidence of BC keeps increasing, seeking novel therapeutics is urgently needed. Fucoxanthin (Fx) is a dietary carotenoid commonly found in seaweeds and diatoms. Both in vitro and in vivo studies show that Fx and its deacetylated metabolite fucoxanthinol (Fxol) inhibit and prevent BC growth. The NF-κB signaling pathway is considered the major pathway contributing to the anti-proliferation, anti-angiogenesis and pro-apoptotic effects of Fx and Fxol. Other signaling molecules such as MAPK, MMP2/9, CYP and ROS are also involved in the anti-cancer effects by regulating the tumor microenvironment, cancer metastasis, carcinogen metabolism and oxidation. Besides, Fx also possesses anti-obesity effects by regulating UCP1 levels and lipid metabolism, which may help to reduce BC risk. More importantly, mounting evidence demonstrates that Fx overcomes drug resistance. This review aims to give an updated summary of the anti-cancer effects of Fx and summarize the underlying mechanisms of action, which will provide novel strategies for the development of Fx as an anti-cancer therapeutic agent.

Identification and Somatic Characterization of the Germline PTEN Promoter Variant rs34149102 in a Family with Gastrointestinal and Breast Tumors

Genetic variants located in non-coding regions can affect processes that regulate protein expression, functionally contributing to human disease. Germline heterozygous mutations in the non-coding region of the PTEN gene have been previously identified in patients with PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) diagnosed with breast, thyroid, and/or endometrial cancer. In this study, we report a PTEN promoter variant (rs34149102 A allele) that was identified by direct sequencing in an Italian family with a history of gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma and breast cancer. In order to investigate the putative functional role of the rs34149102 A allele variant, we evaluated the status of PTEN alterations at the somatic level. We found that PTEN protein expression was absent in the GEJ adenocarcinoma tissue of the index case. Moreover, we detected the occurrence of copy number loss involving the PTEN rs34149102 major C allele in tumor tissue, revealing that the second allele was somatically inactivated. This variant is located within an active regulatory region of the PTEN core promoter, and in silico analysis suggests that it may affect the binding of the nuclear transcription factor MAZ and hence PTEN expression. Overall, these results reveal the functional role of the PTEN promoter rs34149102 A allele variant in the modulation of PTEN protein expression and highlight its contribution to hereditary cancer risk.

Roles of Myc-associated zinc finger protein in malignant tumors

As an important transcription factor that is widely expressed in most tissues of the human body, Myc-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) has been reported highly expressed in many malignant tumors and thought to be a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review, we aim to offer a comprehensive understanding of MAZ regulation in malignant tumors. The carboxy terminal of MAZ protein contains six C2H2 zinc fingers, and its regulation of transcription is based on the interaction between the GC-rich DNA binding sites of target genes and its carboxy-terminal zinc finger motifs. MAZ protein has been found to activate or inhibit the transcriptional initiation process of many target genes, as well as play an important role in the transcriptional termination process of some target genes, so MAZ poses dual regulatory functions in the initiation and termination process of gene transcription. Through the transcriptional regulation of c-myc and Ras gene family, MAZ poses an important role in the occurrence and development of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, and other malignant tumors. Our review shows a vital role of MAZ in many malignant tumors and provides novel insight for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

SIPL1, Regulated by MAZ, Promotes Tumor Progression and Predicts Poor Survival in Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer owing to a lack of effective targeted therapy and acquired chemoresistance. Here, we explored the function and mechanism of shank-interacting protein-like 1 (SIPL1) in TNBC progression.

METHODS

SIPL1 expression was examined in human TNBC tissues and cell lines by quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. SIPL1 overexpression and silenced cell lines were established in BT-549 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The biological functions of SIPL1 in TNBC were studied in vitro using the CCK-8 assay, CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability assay, caspase-3/8/9 assay, wound healing assay, and transwell assay and in vivo using a nude mouse model. The potential mechanisms underlying the effects of SIPL1 on TNBC progression were explored using bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by qPCR.

RESULTS

SIPL1 expression was higher in human TNBC tissues and cell lines than in adjacent normal tissues and a breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A). High expression of SIPL1 was positively correlated with poor overall and disease-free survival in patients with TNBC. SIPL1 overexpression elevated and SIPL1 silencing repressed the malignant phenotypes of TNBC cells in vitro. SIPL1 overexpression promoted xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Myc-associated zinc-finger protein (MAZ) transcriptionally activated SIPL1. Finally, we found that SIPL1 promoted TNBC malignant phenotypes via activation of the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the MAZ/SIPL1/AKT/NF-κB axis plays a crucial role in promoting the malignant phenotypes of TNBC cells.

KrasG12D induces changes in chromatin territories that differentially impact early nuclear reprogramming in pancreatic cells

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma initiation is most frequently caused by Kras mutations.

RESULTS

Here, we apply biological, biochemical, and network biology methods to validate GEMM-derived cell models using inducible KrasG12D expression. We describe the time-dependent, chromatin remodeling program that impacts function during early oncogenic signaling. We find that the KrasG12D-induced transcriptional response is dominated by downregulated expression concordant with layers of epigenetic events. More open chromatin characterizes the ATAC-seq profile associated with a smaller group of upregulated genes and epigenetic marks. RRBS demonstrates that promoter hypermethylation does not account for the silencing of the extensive gene promoter network. Moreover, ChIP-Seq reveals that heterochromatin reorganization plays little role in this early transcriptional program. Notably, both gene activation and silencing primarily depend on the marking of genes with a combination of H3K27ac, H3K4me3, and H3K36me3. Indeed, integrated modeling of all these datasets shows that KrasG12D regulates its transcriptional program primarily through unique super-enhancers and enhancers, and marking specific gene promoters and bodies. We also report chromatin remodeling across genomic areas that, although not contributing directly to cis-gene transcription, are likely important for KrasG12D functions.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, we report a comprehensive, time-dependent, and coordinated early epigenomic program for KrasG12D in pancreatic cells, which is mechanistically relevant to understanding chromatin remodeling events underlying transcriptional outcomes needed for the function of this oncogene.

Myc-associated zinc-finger protein promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression through transcriptional activation of the MAP2K2-dependent ERK pathway

Background

The dysfunction of myc-related zinc finger protein (MAZ) has been proven to contribute to tumorigenesis and development of multiple cancer types. However, the biological roles and clinical significance of MAZ in clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) remain unclear.

Methods

MAZ expression was examined in ccRCC and normal kidney tissue by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. Statistical analysis was used to evaluate the clinical correlation between MAZ expression and clinicopathological characteristics to determine the relationship between MAZ expression and the survival of ccRCC patients. The biological roles of MAZ in cells were investigated in vitro using MTT and colony assays. Luciferase reporter assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) were used to investigate the relationship between MAZ and its potential downstream signaling molecules.

Results

MAZ expression is elevated in ccRCC tissues, and higher levels of MAZ were correlated with poor survival of patients with ccRCC. MAZ upregulation elevates the proliferation ability of ccRCC cells in vitro, whereas silencing MAZ represses this ability. Our results further reveal that MAZ promotes cell growth, which is dependent on ERK signaling. Importantly, we found that MAZ positively regulates MAP2K2 expression in ccRCC cells. Mechanistically, MAZ binds to the MAP2K2 promoter and increases MAP2K2 transcription. Furthermore, MAP2K2 levels were shown to be increased in ccRCC tissues and to be associated with a poor prognosis of ccRCC patients. MAP2K2 upregulation activates the ERK signaling pathway and promotes ccRCC progression.

Conclusion

These results reveal that the MAZ/MAP2K2/ERK signaling axis plays a crucial role in promoting ccRCC progression, which suggests the potential therapeutic utility of MAZ in ccRCC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02020-9.

MicroRNA-29b-3p Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells by Regulating the Autophagy-Associated Protein MAZ

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between microRNA-29b-3p (miR-29b-3p) and myc-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) expression and the effects of this interaction on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells.

Methods

qPCR and Western blots were used to detect the expression of miR-29b-3p and MAZ. The dual luciferase reporter gene system was used to explore whether MAZ is the target of miR-29b-3p. Cell function experiments and a mouse tumorigenesis model were used to determine the effects of miR-29b-3p overexpression and MAZ depletion on proliferation, migration, and invasion in gastric cancer cell lines and on tumor growth.

Results

The expression level of miR-29b-3p was low and the expression level of MAZ was high in gastric cancer cells compared with normal human gastric mucosal epithelial cells. MAZ was the target gene of miR-29b-3p. The upregulation of miR-29b-3p reduces the expression of MAZ. Overexpression of miR-29b-3p and downregulation of MAZ inhibited the proliferation and migration of cancer cells and induced apoptosis by controlling the expression of autophagy-related proteins. MiR-29b-3p mimics inhibit tumor growth in mice.

Conclusion

MiR-29b-3p inhibits the migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells by regulating the autophagy-related protein MAZ.

MAZ promotes prostate cancer bone metastasis through transcriptionally activating the KRas-dependent RalGEFs pathway

Background

Clinically, prostate cancer (PCa) exhibits a high avidity to metastasize to bone. Myc-associated zinc-finger protein (MAZ) is a well-documented oncogene involved in the progression and metastasis of multiple cancer types, even in PCa. However, the clinical significance and biological roles of MAZ in bone metastasis of PCa remain unclear.

Methods

MAZ expression was examined in PCa tissues with bone metastasis, PCa tissues without bone metastasis and metastatic bone tissues by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the clinical correlation between MAZ expression and clinicopathological features and bone metastasis-free survival in PCa patients. Biological roles of MAZ in bone metastasis of PCa were investigated both in vitro by transwell assay, and in vivo by a mouse model of left cardiac ventricle inoculation. The bioinformatics analysis, western blot, pull-down assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays were applied to demonstrate and examine the relationship between MAZ and its potential downstream signalling pathway. TaqMan copy number assay was performed to identify the underlying mechanism responsible for MAZ overexpression in PCa tissues.

Results

MAZ expression is elevated in PCa tissues with bone metastasis compared with that in PCa tissues without bone metastasis, and is further increased in metastatic bone tissues. High expression of MAZ positively correlates with poor overall and bone metastasis-free survival in PCa patients. Upregulating MAZ elevates, while silencing MAZ represses the invasion and migration abilities of PCa cells in vitro and bone metastasis ability in vivo. Our results further reveal that MAZ promotes bone metastasis of PCa dependent on KRas signalling, although MAZ transcriptionally upregulates KRas and HRas expression, where the Ral guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RalGEF) signaling is responsible for the different roles of KRas and HRas in mediating the pro-bone metastasis of MAZ in PCa. Finally, our results indicate that recurrent gains contribute to MAZ overexpression in a small portion of PCa tissues.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the MAZ/Kras/ RalGEF signalling axis plays a crucial role in promoting PCa cell bone metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic utility of MAZ in bone metastasis of PCa.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1374-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Revealing the alternative promoter usage of SAF/MAZ gene by bichromatic fluorescent reporter construct

The large-scale identification of putative alternative promoters study shows more than 52% of human genes are regulated by alternative promoters. The human myc-associated zinc finger protein (SAF/MAZ) gene have SAF-1 and SAF-3 variants transcripted from two transcription start sites (TSSs). By using SAF/MAZ promoter as a model, we set up an approach to probe how the alternative promoters are regulated in real time. We have constructed the bichromatic fluorescent reporter driven by SAF/MAZ 5'-proximal promoter plasmids from which transactivation status of SAF-1 and SAF-3 alternative promoter could be monitored by EGFP and DsRed expression respectively. The results showed that the SAF-3 expression is regulated by alternative promoters. When the bichromatic fluorescent reporter was driven by -1692/+277 or -1401/+277 SAF/MAZ promoter the dominant expression of SAF-3 would be observed in comparison with SAF-1 expression. We also identified that Elk-1 is an inhibitory transcription factor for SAF-3 expression. The temporal diversity of SAF-1 and SAF-3 expressions can be observed via bichromatic fluorescent reporters. These imply that the bichromatic fluorescent reporter driven by alternative promoter construct might be a useful tool for decoding the temporal regulatory repertoire of alternative promoter in human genes.

Association between one-carbon metabolism indices and DNA methylation status in maternal and cord blood

One-carbon metabolism is essential for multiple cellular processes and can be assessed by the concentration of folate metabolites in the blood. One-carbon metabolites serve as methyl donors that are required for epigenetic regulation. Deficiencies in these metabolites are associated with a variety of poor health outcomes, including adverse pregnancy complications. DNA methylation is known to vary with one-carbon metabolite concentration, and therefore may modulate the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study addresses changes in one-carbon indices over pregnancy and the relationship between maternal and child DNA methylation and metabolite concentrations by leveraging data from 24 mother-infant dyads. Five of the 13 metabolites measured from maternal blood and methylation levels of 993 CpG sites changed over the course of pregnancy. In dyads, maternal and fetal one-carbon concentrations were highly correlated, both early in pregnancy and at delivery. The 993 CpG sites whose methylation levels changed over pregnancy in maternal blood were also investigated for associations with metabolite concentrations in infant blood at delivery, where five CpG sites were associated with the concentration of at least one metabolite. Identification of CpG sites that change over pregnancy may result in better characterization of genes and pathways involved in maintaining a healthy, term pregnancy.

Myc-Associated Zinc Finger Protein Regulates the Proinflammatory Response in Colitis and Colon Cancer via STAT3 Signaling

Myc-associated zinc finger (MAZ) is a transcription factor highly upregulated in chronic inflammatory disease and several human cancers. In the present study, we found that MAZ protein is highly expressed in human ulcerative colitis and colon cancer. However, the precise role for MAZ in the progression of colitis and colon cancer is not well defined. To determine the function of MAZ, a novel mouse model of intestinal epithelial cell-specific MAZ overexpression was generated. Expression of MAZ in intestinal epithelial cells was sufficient to enhance inflammatory injury in two complementary models of colitis. Moreover, MAZ expression increased tumorigenesis in an in vivo model of inflammation-induced colon cancer and was important for growth of human colon cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo Mechanistically, MAZ is critical in the regulation of oncogenic STAT3 signaling. MAZ-expressing mice have enhanced STAT3 activation in the acute response to colitis. Moreover, MAZ was essential for cytokine- and bacterium-induced STAT3 signaling in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, we show that STAT3 is essential for MAZ-induced colon tumorigenesis using a chemical inhibitor. These data indicate an important functional role for MAZ in the inflammatory progression of colon cancer through regulation of STAT3 signaling and suggest that MAZ is a potential therapeutic target to dampen STAT3 signaling in colon cancer.

The MAZ transcription factor is a downstream target of the oncoprotein Cyr61/CCN1 and promotes pancreatic cancer cell invasion via CRAF-ERK signaling

Myc-associated zinc-finger protein (MAZ) is a transcription factor with dual roles in transcription initiation and termination. Deregulation of MAZ expression is associated with the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the mechanism of action of MAZ in PDAC progression is largely unknown. Here, we present evidence that MAZ mRNA expression and protein levels are increased in human PDAC cell lines, tissue samples, a subcutaneous tumor xenograft in a nude mouse model, and spontaneous cancer in the genetically engineered PDAC mouse model. We also found that MAZ is predominantly expressed in pancreatic cancer stem cells. Functional analysis indicated that MAZ depletion in PDAC cells inhibits invasive phenotypes such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and the sphere-forming ability of PDAC cells. Mechanistically, we detected no direct effects of MAZ on the expression of K-Ras mutants, but MAZ increased the activity of CRAF-ERK signaling, a downstream signaling target of K-Ras. The MAZ-induced activation of CRAF-ERK signaling was mediated via p21-activated protein kinase (PAK) and protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) signaling cascades and promoted PDAC cell invasiveness. Moreover, we found that the matricellular oncoprotein cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) regulates MAZ expression via Notch-1-sonic hedgehog signaling in PDAC cells. We propose that Cyr61/CCN1-induced expression of MAZ promotes invasive phenotypes of PDAC cells not through direct K-Ras activation but instead through the activation of CRAF-ERK signaling. Collectively, these results highlight key molecular players in PDAC invasiveness and may help inform therapeutic strategies to improve clinical management and outcomes of PDAC.

MYC associated zinc finger protein promotes the invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing epithelial mesenchymal transition

MYC associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) plays a key role in regulation of gene expression and tumor development. Studies have shown that deregulated expression of MAZ is closely related to the progression of tumors such as glioblastoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer and liposarcoma. However, the role of MAZ in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully elucidated. Here, we found that expression of MAZ was increased in HCC and correlated to the distant metastasis of HCC. Moreover, we found that MAZ had a relationship with zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 and 2 (ZEB1 and ZEB2), two important mesenchymal markers in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that were over-expressed in HCC. After knocking-down MAZ expression in HCC cell lines using RNA interruption, HCC cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, invasion and migration were significantly inhibited. In addition, we found that expression of other EMT markers was also changed besides ZEB1 and ZEB2 by decreasing MAZ expression, both detected in vivo and in vitro assays. Therefore, we conclude that MAZ can promote the invasion and metastasis of HCC by inducing EMT.

16p11.2 transcription factor MAZ is a dosage-sensitive regulator of genitourinary development

Genitourinary (GU) birth defects are among the most common yet least studied congenital malformations. Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUTs) have high morbidity and mortality rates and account for ∼30% of structural birth defects. Copy number variation (CNV) mapping revealed that 16p11.2 is a hotspot for GU development. The only gene covered collectively by all of the mapped GU-patient CNVs was MYC-associated zinc finger transcription factor (MAZ), and MAZ CNV frequency is enriched in nonsyndromic GU-abnormal patients. Knockdown of MAZ in HEK293 cells results in differential expression of several WNT morphogens required for normal GU development, including Wnt11 and Wnt4. MAZ knockdown also prevents efficient transition into S phase, affects transcription of cell-cycle regulators, and abrogates growth of human embryonic kidney cells. Murine Maz is ubiquitously expressed, and a CRISPR-Cas9 mouse model of Maz deletion results in perinatal lethality with survival rates dependent on Maz copy number. Homozygous loss of Maz results in high penetrance of CAKUTs, and Maz is haploinsufficient for normal bladder development. MAZ, once thought to be a simple housekeeping gene, encodes a dosage-sensitive transcription factor that regulates urogenital development and contributes to both nonsyndromic congenital malformations of the GU tract as well as the 16p11.2 phenotype.

Antibodies against MYC-Associated Zinc Finger Protein: An Independent Marker in Acute Coronary Syndrome?

Introduction

Atherosclerosis is considered the pathophysiology underlying cardiovascular (CVD), cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular diseases. Evidence supporting an autoimmune component is emerging, with imaging studies correlating MYC-associated zinc finger protein antibody (MAZ-Ab) optical density (OD) with plaque activity. This study compares MAZ-Ab OD on ELISA testing among patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) to healthy controls and investigates the association of MAZ-Ab to traditional CVD risk factors.

Methods

Patients admitted with ACSs between August 2007 and July 2011 were included. Serum samples taken at presentation were retrospectively tested for MAZ-Ab and compared with serum from healthy volunteers with no CVD risk factors. Large-scale assessment of post-ACS prognostic relevance was performed using the established PLATO cohort.

Results

In total 174 ACS patients and 96 controls were included. Among ACS patients, median MAZ-Ab OD was higher compared with controls (0.46 vs. 0.27; p = 0.001). Although the majority of ACS patients (116/174; 67%) had suffered from a ST-elevation myocardial infarction, no significant differences in MAZ-Ab titers were evident between ACS subtypes (p = 0.682). No associations between MAZ-Ab OD and conventional CVD risk factors were identified. Large-scale testing revealed no prognostic stratification regarding reinfarction (OR 1.04 [95% CI: 0.94–1.16]; p = 0.436).

Conclusion

MAZ-Ab OD was higher or all ACS phenotypes compared with controls. Given current understanding of MAZ-Ab function, these findings support an autoimmune component to CVD independent of conventional risk factors and indeed the extent of end-organ damage.

Risk Factors and Preventions of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The development of breast cancer is a multi-step process involving multiple cell types, and its prevention remains challenging in the world. Early diagnosis of breast cancer is one of the best approaches to prevent this disease. In some developed countries, the 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer patients is above 80% due to early prevention. In the recent decade, great progress has been made in the understanding of breast cancer as well as in the development of preventative methods. The pathogenesis and tumor drug-resistant mechanisms are revealed by discovering breast cancer stem cells, and many genes are found related to breast cancer. Currently, people have more drug options for the chemoprevention of breast cancer, while biological prevention has been recently developed to improve patients' quality of life. In this review, we will summarize key studies of pathogenesis, related genes, risk factors and preventative methods on breast cancer over the past years. These findings represent a small step in the long fight against breast cancer.

The Transcriptional Network Structure of a Myeloid Cell: A Computational Approach

Understanding the general principles underlying genetic regulation in eukaryotes is an incomplete and challenging endeavor. The lack of experimental information regarding the regulation of the whole set of transcription factors and their targets in different cell types is one of the main reasons to this incompleteness. So far, there is a small set of curated known interactions between transcription factors and their downstream genes. Here, we built a transcription factor network for human monocytic THP-1 myeloid cells based on the experimentally curated FANTOM4 database where nodes are genes and the experimental interactions correspond to links. We present the topological parameters which define the network as well as some global structural features and introduce a relative inuence parameter to quantify the relevance of a transcription factor in the context of induction of a phenotype. Genes like ZHX2, ADNP, or SMAD6 seem to be highly regulated to avoid an avalanche transcription event. We compare these results with those of RegulonDB, a highly curated transcriptional network for the prokaryotic organism E. coli, finding similarities between general hallmarks on both transcriptional programs. We believe that an approach, such as the one shown here, could help to understand the one regulation of transcription in eukaryotic cells.

Permanganate/S1 Nuclease Footprinting Reveals Non-B DNA Structures with Regulatory Potential across a Mammalian Genome

DNA in cells is predominantly B-form double helix. Though certain DNA sequences in vitro may fold into other structures, such as triplex, left-handed Z form, or quadruplex DNA, the stability and prevalence of these structures in vivo are not known. Here, using computational analysis of sequence motifs, RNA polymerase II binding data, and genome-wide potassium permanganate-dependent nuclease footprinting data, we map thousands of putative non-B DNA sites at high resolution in mouse B cells. Computational analysis associates these non-B DNAs with particular structures and indicates that they form at locations compatible with an involvement in gene regulation. Further analyses support the notion that non-B DNA structure formation influences the occupancy and positioning of nucleosomes in chromatin. These results suggest that non-B DNAs contribute to the control of a variety of critical cellular and organismal processes.

Overexpression and clinical significance of MYC-associated zinc finger protein in pancreatic carcinoma

This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of MYC-associated zinc finger protein (MAZ) in pancreatic carcinoma (PC), and the biological functions of MAZ in PC cells. MAZ expression was detected in 57 PC tissues and 41 paired adjacent nontumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. Compared to the expression in adjacent nontumor tissues, MAZ was significantly higher expressed in PC tissues (P<0.0001). In addition, MAZ expression had a significant correlation with certain clinical characteristics of PC patients, such as age, tumor diameter, tumor number, and the serum level of CA199 (P<0.05). The survival analysis showed that the survival time of PC patients with high expression of MAZ was significantly lower than patients with low expression of MAZ (P=0.0365). After MAZ was knocked down in PANC-1 cells by RNA interference, the cells’ ability to proliferate, invade, and migrate was decreased significantly (P<0.01). Moreover, MAZ expression was found to be associated with Ki-67, a cell proliferation marker, in PC tissues, further supporting the idea that MAZ promotes PC cell proliferation. Our study clarifies an oncogenic role of MAZ in pathogenesis of PC and provides MAZ as a biomarker in the treatment and prognosis of PC.

Differential protein expression and oncogenic gene network link tyrosine kinase ephrin B4 receptor to aggressive gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers

Transmembrane tyrosine-kinase Ephrin receptors promote tumor progression and/or metastasis of several malignancies including leukemia, follicular lymphoma, glioma, malignant pleural mesothelioma, papillary thyroid carcinoma, sarcomas and ovarian, breast, bladder and non-small cell lung cancers. They also drive intestinal stem cell proliferation and positioning, control intestinal tissue boundaries and are involved in liver, pancreatic and colorectal cancers, indicating involvement in additional digestive system malignancies. We investigated the role of Ephrin-B4 receptor (EPHB4), and its ligand EFNB2, in gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers in patient cohorts through computational, mathematical, molecular and immunohistochemical analyses. We show that EPHB4 is upregulated in preneoplastic gastroesophageal lesions and its expression further increased in gastroesophageal cancers in several independent cohorts. The closely related EPHB6 receptor, which also binds EFNB2, was downregulated in all tested cohorts, consistent with its tumor-suppressive properties in other cancers. EFNB2 expression is induced in esophageal cells by acidity, suggesting that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may constitute an early triggering event in activating EFNB2-EPHB4 signaling. Association of EPHB4 to both Barrett's esophagus and to advanced tumor stages, and its overexpression at the tumor invasion front and vascular endothelial cells intimate the notion that EPHB4 may be associated with multiple steps of gastroesophageal tumorigenesis. Analysis of oncogenomic signatures uncovered the first EPHB4-associated gene network (false discovery rate: 7 × 10(-90) ) composed of a five-transcription factor interconnected gene network that drives proliferation, angiogenesis and invasiveness. The EPHB4 oncogenomic network provides a molecular basis for its role in tumor progression and points to EPHB4 as a potential tumor aggressiveness biomarker and drug target in gastroesophageal cancers.