NUSAP1 knockdown inhibits cell growth and metastasis of non-small-cell lung cancer through regulating BTG2/PI3K/Akt signaling

Diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential of exosomal microRNAs in renal cancer

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) arises from the tubular epithelial cells of the nephron. It has the highest mortality rate among urological cancers. There are no effective therapeutic approaches and no non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis and follow-up. Thus, suitable novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets are essential for improving RCC diagnosis/prognosis and treatment. Circulating exosomes such as exosomal microRNAs (Exo-miRs) provide non-invasive prognostic/diagnostic biomarkers and valuable therapeutic targets, as they can be easily isolated and quantified and show high sensitivity and specificity. Exosomes secreted by an RCC can exhibit alterations in the miRs' profile that may reflect the cellular origin and (patho)physiological state, as a ''signature'' or ''fingerprint'' of the donor cell. It has been shown that the transportation of renal-specific miRs in exosomes can be rapidly detected and measured, holding great potential as biomarkers in RCC. The present review highlights the studies reporting tumor microenvironment-derived Exo-miRs with therapeutic potential as well as circulating Exo-miRs as potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers in patients with RCC.

Bioinformatics-based screening and analysis of the key genes involved in the influence of antiangiogenesis on myeloid-derived suppressor cells and their effects on the immune microenvironment

This study aimed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the influence of antiangiogenic therapy on myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) infiltration and investigate their mechanisms of action. Data on DEGs after the action of antiangiogenic drugs in a pan-cancer context were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the clusterProfiler package in R software. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was performed using the gene set variation analysis package to evaluate the levels of immune cells and the activity of immune-related pathways. The relationships of DEGs with the infiltration levels of MDSCs and specific immune cell subpopulations were investigated via gene module analysis. The top 10 key genes were subsequently obtained from PPI network analysis using the cytoHubba plugin of the Cytoscape platform. When the DEGs of the four datasets were intersected, a DEG in the intersection of three datasets and 12 DEGs in the intersection of two datasets were upregulated, and 28 DEGs in the intersection of two datasets were downregulated. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs were associated with multiple important signaling pathways closely related to tumor onset and development, including cell differentiation, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, and immune responses. Most downregulated genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) were positively correlated with MDSC expression. Only MGP was negatively correlated; the correlation between CACNG6 and MDSC expression was statistically insignificant. In lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), the relationships of PMEPA1, PCDH7, NEURL1B, and CACNG6 with MDSC expression were statistically insignificant; MGP was negatively correlated with MDSC expression. The top 10 key genes with the highest degree scores obtained using the cytoHubba plugin of Cytoscape were AURKB, RRM2, BUB1, NUSAP1, PRC1, TOP2A, NCAPH, CENPA, KIF2C, and CCNA2. Most of these genes were upregulated in LUAD and associated with immune cell infiltration and prognosis in tumors. An analysis of the relationships between DEGs and infiltration by other specific immune cells revealed the presence of consistent patterns in the downregulated genes, which exhibited positive correlations with the levels of Th2 cells, γδ T cells, and CD56dim NK cells, and negative correlations with other infiltrating immune cells. Antiangiogenic therapy may regulate MDSC infiltration through multiple important signaling pathways closely associated with tumor onset and development, such as cell differentiation, cell proliferation, the cell cycle, and immune responses. Antiangiogenic drugs may exert effects by affecting various types of infiltrating cells associated with immune suppression.

Unveiling NUSAP1 as a common gene signature linking chronic HBV infection and HBV-related HCC

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a significant contributor to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Chronic HBV infection (CHB) facilitates disease progression through various mechanisms. However, the specific factor responsible for the progression of HBV infection to HCC remains unresolved. This study aims to identify the hub gene linking CHB and HBV-related HCC through bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification.

METHODS

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in datasets encompassing CHB and HBV-HCC patients from the GEO database. Enriched pathways were derived from GO and KEGG analysis. Hub genes were screened by protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and different modules in Cytoscape software. The significance of the selected hub gene in prognosis was further assessed in validated datasets. The effects of hub genes on cell growth and apoptosis were further determined in functional experiments.

RESULTS

The study revealed upregulation of NUSAP1 in CHBs and HBV-HCCs. High expression of NUSAP1 served as an independent predictor for poor prognosis of liver cancers. Functional experiments demonstrated that NUSAP1 promotes cell growth, influences cell cycle process, and protects cells from apoptosis in HepG2.2.15 cells.

CONCLUSION

NUSAP1 serves as a poor prognostic indicator for liver cancers, and potentially plays a crucial role in HBV-HCC progression by promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis.

Integrative analysis of single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing data revealed T cell marker genes based molecular sub-types and a prognostic signature in lung adenocarcinoma

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising modality for addressing advanced or conventionally drug-resistant malignancies. When it comes to lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), T cells have demonstrated significant influence on both antitumor activity and the tumor microenvironment. However, their specific contributions remain largely unexplored. This investigation aimed to delineate molecular subtypes and prognostic indicators founded on T cell marker genes, thereby shedding light on the significance of T cells in LUAD prognosis and precision treatment. The cellular phenotypes were identified by scrutinizing the single-cell data obtained from the GEO repository. Subsequently, T cell marker genes derived from single-cell sequencing analyses were integrated with differentially expressed genes from the TCGA repository to pinpoint T cell-associated genes. Utilizing Cox analysis, molecular subtypes and prognostic signatures were established and subsequently verified using the GEO dataset. The ensuing molecular and immunological distinctions, along with therapy sensitivity between the two sub-cohorts, were examined via the ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and ssGSEA methodologies. Compartmentalization, somatic mutation, nomogram development, chemotherapy sensitivity prediction, and potential drug prediction analyses were also conducted according to the risk signature. Additionally, real-time qPCR and the HPA database corroborated the mRNA and protein expression patterns of signature genes in LUAD tissues. In summary, this research yielded an innovative T cell marker gene-based signature with remarkable potential to prognosis and anticipate immunotherapeutic outcomes in LUAD patients.

Analysis of two-gene signatures and related drugs in small-cell lung cancer by bioinformatics

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a poor prognosis and can be diagnosed with systemic metastases. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of SCLC are unclear, requiring further investigation. The current research aims to identify relevant biomarkers and available drugs to treat SCLC. The bioinformatics analysis comprised three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (including GSE2149507, GSE6044, and GSE30219). Using the limma R package, we discovered differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the current work. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were made by adopting the DAVID website. The DEG protein-protein interaction network was built based on the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins website and visualized using the CytoHubba plugin in Cytoscape, aiming to screen the top ten hub genes. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was adopted for verifying the level of the top ten hub genes. Finally, the potential drugs were screened and identified using the QuartataWeb database. Totally 195 upregulated and 167 downregulated DEGs were determined. The ten hub genes were NCAPG, BUB1B, TOP2A, CCNA2, NUSAP1, UBE2C, AURKB, RRM2, CDK1, and KIF11. Ten FDA-approved drugs were screened. Finally, two genes and related drugs screened could be the prospective drug targets for SCLC treatment.

Identification and verification of microtubule associated genes in lung adenocarcinoma

Associated with high morbidity and mortality, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is lacking in effective prognostic prediction and treatment. As chemotherapy drugs commonly used in clinics, microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) are limited by high toxicity and drug resistance. This research aimed to analyze the expression profile of microtubule-associated genes (MAGs) in LUAD and explore their therapy efficiency and impact on prognosis. Key MAGs were identified as novel molecular targets for targeting microtubules. The LUAD project in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to identify differently expressed MAGs. On the one hand, a microtubule-related prognostic signature was constructed and validated, and its links with clinical characteristics and the immune microenvironment were analyzed. On the other hand, hub MAGs were obtained by a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Following the expression of hub MAGs, patients with LUAD were classified into two molecular subtypes. A comparison was made of the differences in half-maximal drug inhibitory concentration (IC50) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) between groups. In addition, the influence of MAGs on the anticancer efficacy of different therapies was explored. MAGs, which were included in both the prognosis signature and hub genes, were considered to have great value in prognosis and targeted therapy. They were identified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 154 differently expressed MAGs were discovered. For one thing, a microtubule-related prognostic signature based on 14 MAGs was created and identified in an external validation cohort. The prognostic signature was used as an independent prognostic factor. For another, 45 hub MAGs were obtained. In accordance with the expression profile of 45 MAGs, patients with LUAD were divided into two subtypes. Distinct differences were observed in TMB and IC50 values of popular chemotherapy and targeted drugs between subtypes. Finally, five genes were included in both the prognosis signature and hub genes, and identified by qRT-PCR. A microtubule-related prognosis signature that can serve as an independent prognostic factor was constructed. Microtubule subtype influenced the efficacy of different treatments and could be used to guide therapy selection. In this research, five key MAGs, including MYB proto-oncogene like 2 (MYBL2), nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1), kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A), KIF15 and KIF20A, were verified and identified. They are promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets in LUAD.

Expression Profile and Gene Regulation Network of NUSAP1 in Pan Cancers Based on Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis

Background

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) plays key roles in microtubules and chromosomes in normal cells both structurally and functionally. In malignancies, NUSAP1 is frequently dysregulated and mutated. However, the expression profiles and biological functions of NUSAP1 in tumors remain unclear.

Methods

NUSAP1 expression in BALB/c mice and human normal or tumor tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was utilized to assess the prognostic significance of NUSAP1 in tumors, and principal component analysis and co-expression analysis were performed to explore the unique roles of NUSAP1. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed with DAVID. The relevance between NUSAP1 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells was investigated using TIMER. A transcriptional regulation network was constructed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Results

NUSAP1 expression levels in various mice tissues were different. Compared with normal tissues, NUSAP1 was strongly expressed in several human tumor tissues. We believe that NUSAP1 distinctly impacts the prognosis of several cancers and plays various roles in thymoma and testicular germ cell tumors. Further, NUSAP1 expression levels were significantly positively associated with diverse infiltrating levels of immune cells, including B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages, in thymoma. The expression level of NUSAP1 demonstrated strong relevance with various immune markers in thymoma. Finally, the miR-1236-5p-NUSAP1 and TCF3-NUSAP1 network revealed the tumor-promoting role of NUSAP1 and pertinent underlying mechanisms in human liver hepatocellular carcinoma.

Conclusion

NUSAP1 may be regarded as a therapeutic target or potential prognostic biomarker for various cancer types.

Comprehensively analyzing the genetic alterations, and identifying key genes in ovarian cancer

Though significant improvements have been made in the treatment methods for ovarian cancer (OC), the prognosis for OC patients is still poor. Exploring hub genes associated with the development of OC and utilizing them as appropriate potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets is highly valuable. In this study, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from an independent GSE69428 Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset between OC and control samples. The DEGs were processed to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using STRING. Later, hub genes were identified through Cytohubba analysis of the Cytoscape. Expression and survival profiling of the hub genes were validated using GEPIA, OncoDB, and GENT2. For exploring promoter methylation levels and genetic alterations in hub genes, MEXPRESS and cBioPortal were utilized, respectively. Moreover, DAVID, HPA, TIMER, CancerSEA, ENCORI, DrugBank, and GSCAlite were used for gene enrichment analysis, subcellular localization analysis, immune cell infiltration analysis, exploring correlations between hub genes and different diverse states, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA co-regulatory network analysis, predicting hub gene-associated drugs, and conducting drug sensitivity analysis, respectively. In total, 8947 DEGs were found between OC and normal samples in GSE69428. After STRING and Cytohubba analysis, 4 hub genes including TTK (TTK Protein Kinase), (BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase B) BUB1B, (Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1) NUSAP1, and (ZW10 interacting kinetochore protein) ZWINT were selected as the hub genes. Further, it was validated that these 4 hub genes were significantly up-regulated in OC samples compared to normal controls, but overexpression of these genes was not associated with overall survival (OS). However, genetic alterations in those genes were found to be linked with OS and disease-free (DFS) survival. Moreover, this study also revealed some novel links between TTK, BUB1B, NUSAP1, and ZWINT overexpression and promoter methylation status, immune cell infiltration, miRNAs, gene enrichment terms, and various chemotherapeutic drugs. Four hub genes, including TTK, BUB1B, NUSAP1, and ZWINT, were revealed as tumor-promotive factors in OC, having the potential to be utilized as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC management.

NUSAP1, a novel stemness-related protein, promotes early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma

Early recurrence (within 2 years after resection) is the primary cause of poor outcomes among hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and liver cancer stem cells are the main contributors to postsurgical HCC recurrence. Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) has been reported to be involved in tumor progression. We investigated the function and clinical value of NUSAP1 in early recurrence of HCC. Data from public datasets and our cohort were used to assess the association between NUSAP1 expression and early HCC recurrence. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were carried out in vivo and in vitro. The predictive effect of NUSAP1 on early HCC recurrence was further evaluated by a validation cohort. We found that elevated NUSAP1 expression in HCC specimens was correlated with poor outcome, especially in cases with postoperative early recurrence. Functional studies indicated that NUSAP1 significantly promotes HCC progression. A postsurgical recurrence murine model further revealed that upregulated NUSAP1 dramatically increased the likelihood of HCC early recurrence. RNA sequencing data revealed that the gene sets of cancer stemness and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway were enriched by NUSAP1 overexpression. Mechanistically, NUSAP1 enhanced cancer stemness through stimulating STAT3 nuclear translocation and activation through receptor of activated protein C kinase 1 (RACK1). In a validation cohort with 112 HCC patients, NUSAP1 effectively predicted HCC early recurrence. Our results indicated that NUSAP1 promotes early recurrence of HCC by sustaining cancer stemness and could serve as a valuable predictive indicator for postsurgical intervention in HCC patients.

The Effect of Coumestrol on Hub Genes in Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatic Strategy

Purpose There is limited treatment for lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), so there is an urgent need to find new antitumor drugs. Materials and Methods We downloaded datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Cancer Genome Atlas databases. We used GEO2R and the “limma” package to screen differentially expressed genes. We used the Cytoscape software to screen out hub genes. We screened herbs that act on hub genes on the Chinese medicine website. We then studied the effect of coumestrol (CM) on the hub genes in the H226 cell line. Results Seven hub genes were screened, namely CCNB2, CENPF, KIF11, MELK, nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1), PBK, and RRM2. We observed that CM had a tumor-inhibiting effect on H226 cells by inhibiting the expression of CCNB2, KIF11, and NUSAP1. Conclusion CM, screened by bioinformatics and network pharmacology, can inhibit H226 cells by downregulating CCNB2, KIF11, and NUSAP1.

Identification and clinical validation of NUSAP1 as a novel prognostic biomarker in ovarian cancer

Background

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) was shown to be involved in cell cycle regulation in cancer. However, its prognostic value and underlying mechanism in ovarian cancer remain unclear.

Methods

Oncomine, TCGA, CCLE, and UALCAN databases were used to analyze the expression level of NUSAP1 in ovarian cancer. The Kaplan–Meier plotter database was used to evaluate its prognostic value. The results from these analyses were further validated using immunohistochemical assay. The potential molecular mechanism of NUSAP1 in ovarian cancer was assessed with respect to homologous recombination repair, mismatch repair, and immunology using different databases.

Results

Database analyses and experimental results demonstrated that NUSAP1 was highly expressed in ovarian cancer, its levels being correlated with the FIGO stage. High NUSAP1 expression was an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Moreover, NUSAP1 was associated with cell cycle, DNA replication, homologous recombination, and p53 signaling pathway. A positive correlation was identified between the expression of NUSAP1 and BRCA1/2 in ovarian cancer. In addition, NUSAP1 was associated with the expression of DNA mismatch repair genes and immune cell infiltration.

Conclusions

NUSAP1 may be a valuable prognostic marker, as well as a novel biomarker for evaluating the response to immunotherapy of patients with ovarian cancer.

Evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of NUSAP1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma and identify the relationship with genes, proteins, and immune factors

Background

Nucleolar spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is reported to be a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker for a variety of cancers, but relevant studies are lacking in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods

The relationship between NUSAP1 expression and the overall survival (OS) of pan-cancer was examined by GEPIA and KMplot. We explored the relationship between NUSAP1 and clinical PTC data based on the THCA dataset of TCGA and the GEO dataset of NCBI; GO, KEGG analysis, and ceRNA networks were performed on co-expressed genes through LinkedOmics and Starbase. We assessed the relevance between NUSAP1 and the tumor microenvironment using ESTIMATE, correlations between NUSAP1 and immune cells with TIMER, the relationship between NUSAP1 and immunotherapy by TCIA, and small-molecule drugs targeting NUSAP1 that can be discovered using the CMap database.

Results

Higher expression of NUSAP1 in pan-cancer tissues was correlated with shorter OS. NUSAP1 was also significantly expressed in PTC tissues and was an independent prognostic risk factor. Compared to the NUSAP1 low expression group, the NUSAP1 high expression group was more likely to also have lymph node metastasis, pathological PTC type, shorter progression-free survival (PFS), and higher scores for immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. The genes associated with NUSAP1 were mostly involved in the cell cycle, immune-related pathways, and AITD. Ten lncRNAs (GAS5, SNHG7, UCA1, SNHG1, HCP5, DLEU2, HOTAIR, TP53TG1, SNHG12, C9orf106), eleven miRNAs (hsa-miR-10a-5p, hsa-miR-10b-5p, hsa-miR-18a-5p, hsa-miR-18b-5p, hsa-miR-128-3p, hsa-miR-214-3p, hsa-miR-219a-2-3p, hsa-miR-339-5p, hsa-miR-494-3p, hsa-miR-545-3p, hsa-miR-769-5p), and one mRNA (NUSAP1) were constructed. NUSAP1 participated in the formation of the tumor microenvironment. CMap predicted the 10 most important small molecules about NUSAP1.

Conclusions

In PTC, NUSAP1 shows good diagnostic value and prognostic value; NUSAP1 impacts the cell cycle, immune-related pathways, and AITD and has a complex effect on the tumor microenvironment in PTC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-022-02652-9.

Knockdown of NUSAP1 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion through downregulation of TOP2A in human glioblastoma

Nucleolar and spindle associated protein 1 (NUSAP1), an indispensable mitotic regulator, has been reported to be involved in the development, progression, and metastasis of several types of cancer. Here, we investigated the expression and biological function of NUSAP1 in human glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive brain tumor type with largely ineffective treatment options. Analysis of the molecular data in CGGA, TCGA and Rembrandt datasets demonstrated that NUSAP1 was significantly upregulated in GBM relative to low grade gliomas and non-neoplastic brain tissue samples. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with tumors showing high NUSAP1 expression exhibited significantly poorer survival in both CGGA (P = 0.002) and Rembrandt cohorts (P = 0.017). Analysis of RNA sequencing data from P3-cells with stable knockdown of NUSAP1 revealed topoisomerase 2A (TOP2A) as a possible molecule downregulated by the loss of NUSAP1. Molecular analysis of the CGGA data revealed a strong correlation between NUSAP1 and TOP2A expression in primary gliomas and recurrent gliomas samples. SiRNA knockdown of either NUSAP1 or TOP2A in U251, T98 and GBM derived patient P3 cells inhibited GBM cell proliferation and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis. Finally, stable knockdown of NUSAP1 with shRNA led to decreased tumor growth in an orthotopic xenograft model of GBM in mice. Taken together, NUSAP1 gene silencing induced apoptosis possibly through the downregulation of the candidate downstream molecule TOP2A. Interference with the expression of NUSAP1 might therefore inhibit malignant progression in GBM, and NUSAP1 might thus serve as a promising molecular target for GBM treatment.

Transcription factor HOXB2 upregulates NUSAP1 to promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of nephroblastoma cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

The transcription factor homeobox protein Hox-B2 (HOXB2) and its downstream factor nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) play important regulatory roles in cell proliferation, invasion and migration. However, their effects and specific mechanisms in nephroblastoma have not been previously investigated, to the best of our knowledge. Therefore, in the present study, the mRNA and protein expression levels of HOXB2 and NUSAP1 were determined in nephroblastoma cells using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analyses, respectively. Furthermore, cell transfection experiments were carried out to knock down NUSAP1 and overexpress HOXB2 in nephroblastoma cell lines. The proliferative, invasive and migratory abilities of nephroblastoma cells were assessed by MTT, EdU, colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays. In addition, the JASPAR website was used to predict the association between HOXB2 and NUSAP1, which was further verified by dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Finally, the expression levels of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins were measured by western blot analysis. The results showed that the expression of NUSAP1 was abnormally upregulated in nephroblastoma cell lines. However, NUSAP1 silencing attenuated the proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of nephroblastoma cells. The results also suggested that HOXB2 could transcriptionally activate NUSAP1. Therefore, HOXB2 overexpression abrogated the inhibitory effect of NUSAP1 silencing on the proliferation and metastasis of nephroblastoma cells, possibly via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The aforementioned findings indicated that HOXB2 may upregulate NUSAP1 to promote the proliferation, invasion and migration of nephroblastoma cells via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

BTG2 as a tumor target for the treatment of luminal A breast cancer

As one of the most common breast cancer subtypes, luminal A breast cancer is sensitive to endocrine-based therapy and insensitive to chemotherapy. Patients with luminal A subtype of breast cancer have a relatively good prognosis compared with that of patients with other subtypes of breast cancer. However, with the increased incidence in endocrine resistance and severe side effects, simple endocrine therapy has become unsuitable for the treatment of luminal A breast cancer. Therefore, identifying novel therapeutic targets for luminal A breast cancer may accelerate the development of an effective therapeutic strategy. The bioinformatical analysis of the current study, which included KEGG and GO analyses of the GSE20437 dataset containing 24 healthy and 18 breast cancer tissue samples, identified key target genes associated with breast cancer. Moreover, survival analysis results revealed that a low expression of BTG2 was significantly associated with the low survival rate of patients with breast cancer, indicated that B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) may be a potential target in breast cancer. However, BTG2 may be cancer type-dependent, as overexpression of BTG2 has been demonstrated to suppress the proliferation of pancreatic and lung cancer cells, but promote the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. Since the association between BTG2 and luminal A-subtype breast cancer remains unclear, it is important to understand the biological function of BTG2 in luminal A breast cancer. Based on the expression levels of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor, MCF-7 cells were selected in the present study as a luminal A breast cancer cell type. MTT, Transwell invasion and wound healing assays revealed that overexpression of BTG2 suppressed the levels of MCF-7 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, the downregulation of BTG2 at the mRNA and protein level was also confirmed in luminal A breast tumor tissue, which was consistent with the results in vitro. These results indicated that BTG2 may act as an effective target for the treatment of luminal A breast cancer.

UTMD-mediated delivery of miR-21-5p inhibitor suppresses the development of lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) is a new type of gene delivery technology. MiR-21-5p was highly expressed in a variety of cancers. In this paper, miR-21-5p inhibitor was transfected into lung cancer cells by UTMD to observe its role in lung cancer.

METHODS

StarBase was used to analyze the miR-21-5p expression in lung cancer patients and its relationship with the prognosis of the patients. MiR-21-5p expression in lung cancer tissues or cell lines was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Effects of gradient concentration (0, 5, 10, 20, 30%) of SonoVue or gradient mechanical index (MI) (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 W/cm²) on the cell viability were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The targeting relationship between miR-21-5p and B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) was predicted by TargetScan and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay, while the expressions of the two genes were determined by qRT-PCR. Through liposome transfection or UTMD transfection, the effects of miR-21-5p/BTG2 on the biological behaviors of lung cancer cells, the size of xenograft tumors and the expressions of ki67 and miR-21-5p were measured by qRT-PCR, western blot, cell function experiments and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTS

MiR-21-5p expression was upregulated in lung cancer, which was associated with a poor prognosis. The optimal ultrasound conditions were 10% SonoVue concentration and 1 W/cm². UTMD transfection exerted a stronger effect than liposome transfection. MiR-21-5p promoted cell viability, proliferation and migration yet suppressed apoptosis by targeting BTG2. MiR-21-5p inhibitor reduced the size and volume of xenograft tumor and the expressions of ki67 and miR-21-5p in xenograft tumor tissues.

CONCLUSION

UTMD-mediated miR-21-5p inhibitor can more effectively suppress the development of lung cancer.

PAQR4 promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by activating PI3K/AKT pathway

Progestin and adipoQ receptor 4 (PAQR4) is a novel tumorigenic factor that promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in lung and breast cancer, but its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unknown. The aim of our study was to explore its role and underlying mechanism in the development of HCC. Analysis of GEPIA database indicated that PAQR4 was highly expressed in HCC samples, and the mRNA level of PAQR4 was negatively correlated with the overall survival of HCC patients. Knockdown of PAQR4 in Hep3B cells suppressed cell proliferation by hindering G1/S transition of cell cycle as shown by the flow cytometry analysis. PAQR4 knockdown also expedited the cell apoptosis. Knockdown of PAQR4 repressed the migratory and invasive potential of Hep3B cells. PAQR4 knockdown sensitized Hep3B cells to apatinib-based chemotherapy. PAQR4 knockdown blocked the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway, as reflected by the reduced phosphorylation of AKT and p85. Conversely, overexpression of PAQR4 exerted opposite effects in Huh-7 cells. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 could eliminate the effects of PAQR4 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, chemoresistance, and invasion. In tumor xenograft model, knockdown of PAQR4 suppressed tumor growth in vivo, while PAQR4 overexpression promoted tumor growth. Collectively, our data suggest that PAQR4 has a tumorigenic effect on HCC progression by activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

Nucleolar and spindle associated protein 1 enhances chemoresistance through DNA damage repair pathway in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by binding with RAD51

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is an essential regulator of mitotic progression, spindle assembly, and chromosome attachment. Although NUSAP1 acts as an oncogene involved in the progression of several cancers, the exact role of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains elusive. Herein, we first discovered obvious overexpression of NUSAP1 in CLL associated with poor prognosis. Next, the NUSAP1 level was modulated by transfecting CLL cells with lentivirus. Silencing NUSAP1 inhibited the cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase arrest. Mechanistically, high expression of NUSAP1 strengthened DNA damage repairing with RAD51 engagement. Our results also indicated that NUSAP1 knockdown suppressed the growth CLL cells in vivo. We further confirmed that NUSAP1 reduction enhanced the sensitivity of CLL cells to fludarabine or ibrutinib. Overall, our research investigates the mechanism by which NUSAP1 enhances chemoresistance via DNA damage repair (DDR) signaling by stabilizing RAD51 in CLL cells. Hence, NUSAP1 may be expected to be a perspective target for the treatment of CLL with chemotherapy resistance.

Nkx3-1 and Fech genes might be switch genes involved in pituitary non-functioning adenoma invasiveness

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are typical pituitary macroadenomas in adults associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Although pituitary adenomas are commonly considered slow-growing benign brain tumors, numerous of them possess an invasive nature. Such tumors destroy sella turcica and invade the adjacent tissues such as the cavernous sinus and sphenoid sinus. In these cases, the most critical obstacle for complete surgical removal is the high risk of damaging adjacent vital structures. Therefore, the development of novel therapeutic strategies for either early diagnosis through biomarkers or medical therapies to reduce the recurrence rate of NFPAs is imperative. Identification of gene interactions has paved the way for decoding complex molecular mechanisms, including disease-related pathways, and identifying the most momentous genes involved in a specific disease. Currently, our knowledge of the invasion of the pituitary adenoma at the molecular level is not sufficient. The current study aimed to identify critical biomarkers and biological pathways associated with invasiveness in the NFPAs using a three-way interaction model for the first time. In the current study, the Liquid association method was applied to capture the statistically significant triplets involved in NFPAs invasiveness. Subsequently, Random Forest analysis was applied to select the most important switch genes. Finally, gene set enrichment (GSE) and gene regulatory network (GRN) analyses were applied to trace the biological relevance of the statistically significant triplets. The results of this study suggest that "mRNA processing" and "spindle organization" biological processes are important in NFAPs invasiveness. Specifically, our results suggest Nkx3-1 and Fech as two switch genes in NFAPs invasiveness that may be potential biomarkers or target genes in this pathology.

Exosomal microRNA-15a from ACHN cells aggravates clear cell renal cell carcinoma via the BTG2/PI3K/AKT axis

Accumulating studies have indicated that exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) can mediate clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at the early stage, but the mechanisms remain to be specified. Here, we investigated the mechanism of exosomal miR-15a in ccRCC. After successful isolation of exosomes from RCC cells, we found that miR-15a was upregulated in ccRCC cells. Moreover, upregulation of miR-15a by pre-miR-15a promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ccRCC cells. A luciferase assay revealed that B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) was a target gene of miR-15a and negatively correlated with miR-15a expression. BTG2 was poorly expressed in ccRCC, which reduced the proliferation of ccRCC cells. In addition, overexpression of BTG2 could reverse the promotive effects of miR-15a on ccRCC. Furthermore, BTG2 reduced PI3K/AKT pathway activity. Our results collectively indicated that exosomal miR-15a from RCC cells accelerated cell viability by downregulating BTG2 and promoting the activity of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. We demonstrated a novel mechanism by which exosomal miR-15a exerted pro-proliferatory effects on ccRCC, highlighting the potential of exosomal miR-15a as a target for ccRCC prognosis.

ANKRD22 enhances breast cancer cell malignancy by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway via modulating NuSAP1 expression

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in women worldwide. Although great advancements have been achieved in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, the prognosis of patients with breast cancer is still poor due to distal recurrence and metastasis after surgery. This study aimed to assess the role of ankyrin repeat domain 22 (ANKRD22) in the progression of breast cancer and investigate the molecular mechanism. Using immunohistochemistry, we demonstrated that the expression level of ANKRD22 in human breast cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal breast tissues. ANKRD22 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer cells, as confirmed by BrdU, colony formation, transwell, and immunoblot assays. Immunoblot assays further indicated that ANKRD22 regulated the expression of nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NuSAP1) and then caused the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, overexpression of NUSAP1 reversed the inhibitory effects of ANKRD22 knockdown on the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of breast cancer cells. In summary, this study demonstrated that ANKRD22 enhanced breast cancer cell malignancy by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway via modulating NuSAP1 expression, which might shed light on new therapeutic approaches for breast cancer.

NUSAP1 Accelerates Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation and Cell Cycle Progression via Upregulating CDC20 and Cyclin A2

Purpose

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is a significant mitotic regulator and has been found to be implicated in carcinogenesis of several cancers. The aim of this study was to explore the functional role and underlying mechanisms of NUSAP1 in osteosarcoma.

Methods

Western blot assay and Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were employed to assess the expressions of NUSAP1, cell division cycle 20 homologue (CDC20) and cyclin A2 (CCNA2) in osteosarcoma cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, and flow cytometry was applied for exploring cell cycle. In addition, an osteosarcoma tumor-bearing mouse model was established by injection of transfected osteosarcoma cells. Tumor volume and protein expressions of Ki67 and PCNA were examined. Bioinformatics analysis and immunoprecipitation were used to identify the combination of NUSAP1 with CDC20 and CCNA2.

Results

The mRNA and protein expression of NUSAP1 were extremely upregulated in osteosarcoma cells. Overexpression of NUSAP1 promoted whereas NUSAP1 silencing suppressed cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in transfected osteosarcoma cells. In osteosarcoma mouse model, NUSAP1 expression affected tumor volume and levels of Ki67 and PCNA. Moreover, CDC20 or CCNA2 silencing inhibited NUSAP1-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle in osteosarcoma cells.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrated that upregulated NUSAP1 may exacerbate the development of osteosarcoma by accelerating the proliferation and cell cycle process of osteosarcoma cells by binding to CDC20 and CCNA2, suggesting NUSAP1 as a possible therapeutic target for treatment of osteosarcoma.

Multi-Omics Analysis of Anlotinib in Pancreatic Cancer and Development of an Anlotinib-Related Prognostic Signature

Aberrant regulation of angiogenesis involves in the growth and metastasis of tumors, but angiogenesis inhibitors fail to improve overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients in previous phase III clinical trials. A comprehensive knowledge of the mechanism of angiogenesis inhibitors against pancreatic cancer is helpful for clinical purpose and for the selection of patients who might benefit from the inhibitors. In this work, multi-omics analyses (transcriptomics, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics profiling) were carried out to delineate the mechanism of anlotinib, a novel angiogenesis inhibitor, against pancreatic cancer cells. The results showed that anlotinib exerted noteworthy cytotoxicity on pancreatic cancer cells. Multi-omics analyses revealed that anlotinib had a profound inhibitory effect on ribosome, and regulated cell cycle, RNA metabolism and lysosome. Based on the multi-omics results and available data deposited in public databases, an anlotinib-related gene signature was further constructed to identify a subgroup of pancreatic cancer patients who had a dismal prognosis and might be responsive to anlotinib.

Nucleolar and spindle‑associated protein 1 promotes non‑small cell lung cancer progression and serves as an effector of myocyte enhancer factor 2D

As a potential oncogene, nucleolar and spindle‑associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is involved in the regulation of tumor cell proliferation, metastasis and drug resistance. However, the role of NUSAP1 in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the biological function and underlying molecular mechanisms of NUSAP1 in NSCLC. NUSAP1 expression was measured in NSCLC tissues and cell lines via immunohistochemistry and western blotting, respectively. NSCLC cell lines stably inhibiting NUSAP1 were established to investigate its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion, and on in vivo tumorigenicity. Additionally, the upstream and downstream mechanisms of NUSAP1 in regulating NSCLC progression were investigated. The results indicated that NUSAP1 expression was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. High NUSAP1 expression was associated with tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor patient survival, whereas knockdown of NUSAP1 inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion. Furthermore, downregulation of NUSAP1 decreased the growth of NSCLC xenografts in vivo. In addition, myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) directly targeted the NUSAP1 promoter, thereby enhancing the mRNA and protein expression levels of NUSAP1. Moreover, the results demonstrated that MEF2D expression was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and was positively correlated with NUSAP1 expression. MEF2D‑knockdown decreased NSCLC cell proliferation, colony formation and invasion. NUSAP1 upregulation reversed the effects of MEF2D‑knockdown on NSCLC progression. Furthermore, it was observed that MEF2D‑knockdown inhibited the accumulation and nuclear translocation of β‑catenin, thereby repressing the activation of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway in NSCLC cells, whereas NUSAP1 upregulation rescued the effects of MEF2D‑knockdown on the activation of the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that the MEF2D/NUSAP1 signaling pathway promoted NSCLC progression by inducing the activation of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling, and this novel mechanism may represent a potential treatment target for patients with NSCLC.

NUSAP1 Promotes Gastric Cancer Tumorigenesis and Progression by Stabilizing the YAP1 Protein

The Yes-associated protein (YAP1) is a main effector of the canonical Hippo pathway, which contributes greatly to tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis in multiple cancers, including gastric cancer (GC). Due to limited knowledge of YAP1 upregulation in cancer, it is a great challenge of therapeutic targets toward the Hippo-YAP1 pathway. Here, we identify nucleolar spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) as a novel binding partner of YAP1. The upregulation of NUSAP1 is associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes in GC patients, and NUSAP1 depletion impairs its oncogenic properties in vitro and in a xenograft model. Mechanistically, we discovered that NUSAP1 functions as a positive regulator of YAP1 protein stability, thereby inducing the transcription of Hippo pathway downstream target genes, such as CTGF and CYR61. More interestingly, we find that the cancer-promoting effects of NUSAP1 on GC cell growth, migration, and invasion are mainly mediated by YAP1. Furthermore, aberrant expression of NUSAP1 and YAP1 is highly correlated in GC cell lines and tissues. We herein clarify the role of the oncogenic NUSAP1-YAP1 axis in GC tumorigenesis and progression and, therefore, provide novel therapeutic targets for GC treatment.

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 accelerates cellular proliferation and invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by potentiating Wnt/β-catenin signaling via modulation of GSK-3β

Nucleolar and spindle-associated protein 1 (NUSAP1) is a pivotal tumor-related protein that has been implicated in the progression of broad spectrum of tumors. However, no detailed study of the role of NUSAP1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been reported. The aim of this work is to enhance our understanding of NUSAP1 in the progression of NPC. By analyzing data available within the Oncomine database, we found that NUSAP1 expression was elevated in NPC relative to normal tissues. Further, we showed that NUSAP1 expression in clinical specimens of NPC and several NPC cell lines was elevated. Down-regulation of NUSAP1 by gene silencing markedly depleted the capacity of NPC cells to proliferate and invade. Contrastingly, overexpression of NUSAP1 potentiated the proliferative and invasive abilities of NPC cells. Further mechanistic research revealed that NUSAP1 knockdown decreased levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in NPC cells via a mechanism associated with downregulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation. However, suppression of GSK-3β markedly abolished the inhibitory effect of NUSAP1 knockdown on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Further, inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling partially reversed NUSAP1-mediated tumor growth in NPC cells. In addition, NUSAP1 knockdown restrained tumorigenesis of NPC in vivo, and was associated with down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that NUSAP1 is capable of accelerating proliferation and invasion in NPC cells by potentiating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Our study unveils a potential role of NUSAP1 in promoting NPC tumors and suggests that the protein is an attractive antitumor target for NPC treatment.

Icariside II protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia‑induced injury by upregulating the miR‑7‑5p/BTG2 axis and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Icariside II (ICS II) has been reported to have protective effects against oxidative stress. However, whether ICS II protects cardiomyocytes from myocardial infarction (MI), and the associated underlying mechanisms, remain to be elucidated. Therefore, the current study investigated the effects of ICS II on hypoxia‑injured H9c2 cells, as well as the associated molecular mechanisms. A hypoxic injury model was established to emulate the effects of MI. The effects of ICS II on the proliferation of rat cardiomyocyte H9c2 cells were assessed with cell counting kit‑8 assays. The apoptotic status of the cells was assessed by flow cytometry, and the expression of apoptosis‑related proteins was analyzed by western blotting. A microRNA (miRNA/miR) microarray was used to quantify the differential expression of miRNAs after ICS II treatment, and the levels of miR‑7‑5p were further quantified by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Whether ICS II affected hypoxia‑injured cells via miR‑7‑5p was subsequently examined, and the target of miR‑7‑5p was also investigated by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays. The effects of ICS II on the PI3K/Akt pathway were then evaluated by western blot analysis. Hypoxia treatment decreased viability and the migration and invasion abilities of H9c2 cells, and also induced apoptosis. ICS II significantly increased viability and reduced hypoxia‑associated apoptosis. Moreover, ICS II treatment led to the upregulation of miR‑7‑5p, and the protective effects of ICS II were found to rely on miR‑7‑5p. Moreover, BTG anti‑proliferation factor (BTG2) was identified as a direct target of miR‑7‑5p, and overexpression of BTG2 inhibited the protective effects of miR‑7‑5p. Finally, ICS II treatment resulted in the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which is essential for the survival of H9c2 cells under hypoxic conditions. In summary, ICS II reduces hypoxic injury in H9c2 cells via the miR‑7‑5p/BTG2 axis and activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Overexpression of NuSAP1 is predictive of an unfavourable prognosis and promotes proliferation and invasion of triple-negative breast cancer cells via the Wnt/β-catenin/EMT signalling axis

OBJECTIVE

We analysed the effect of expression of nucleolar spindle-associated protein 1 (NuSAP1) on the prognosis of breast cancer (BC) and investigated its potential mechanism of tumourigenicity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We downloaded the RNA-seq breast cancer (BC) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and screened for the NuSAP1 gene using R software. The clinical data for patients with BC were screened and analysed using R software. A survival curve was drawn using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter. Cell proliferation and invasion were verified by the Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. Expression of NuSAP1, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal-transition-related proteins in TNBC was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting (WB).

RESULTS

Expression of NuSAP1 was upregulated in BC. The change in NuSAP1 expression levels was associated with multiple clinicopathological factors, and the higher the expression of NuSAP1 was, the shorter the survival time. In MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells, knockdown of NuSAP1 expression resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation and invasion; a decrease in expression of cyclin D1, vimentin, Slug, Twist, wnt3a, and pβ-catenin; and an increase in expression of e-cadherin. The results of the sh-NuSAP1 + ov-NuSPA1 group were the opposite of the results of the sh-NuSAP1 group.

CONCLUSION

NuSAP1 is a carcinogen that facilitates progression of TNBC through the Wnt/β-catenin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathways.