Identification of potential hub genes via bioinformatics analysis combined with experimental verification in colorectal cancer

DSN1 may predict poor prognosis of lower-grade glioma patients and be a potential target for immunotherapy

DSN1 has been previously found to be positively correlated with various cancers. However, the effect of DSN1 or its methylation on the prognosis, molecular characteristics, and immune cell infiltration of low-grade glioma (LGG) has not yet been studied. We obtained 1046 LGG samples from the The Cancer Genome Atlas, The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) microarray, and CGGA RNA-Seq databases. Bioinformatic methods (gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), chi-square test, multivariate), and laboratory validation were used to investigate DSN1 in LGG. The expression levels of DSN1 mRNA and protein in LGG were substantially higher than those in normal brain tissue, and their expression was negatively regulated by methylation. The survival time of patients with low expression of DSN1 and cg12601032 hypermethylation was considerably prolonged. DSN1 was a risk factor, and of good diagnostic and prognostic value for LGG. Importantly, the expression of DSN1 is related to many types of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and has a positive correlation with PDL1. DSN1 promoted the activation of multiple cancer-related pathways, such as the cell cycle. Additionally, knockdown of DSN1 substantially inhibited the proliferation and invasion of LGG cells. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first comprehensive analysis of the mechanism of DSN1 leading to poor prognosis of LGG, which provides a new perspective for revealing the pathogenesis of LGG. DSN1 or its methylation has diagnostic value for the prognosis of glioma, and may become a new biological target of anti-tumor immunotherapy.

Knockdown of BUB1B Inhibits the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Colorectal Cancer by Regulating the JNK/c-Jun Signaling Pathway

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most common cancer, accounting for a significant number of cancer-related deaths worldwide every year. Yet, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the progression of this malignancy are not fully understood. Numerous studies indicate that BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase B (BUB1B) plays a role in the progression of various malignant tumors. However, the specific biological functions and the detailed mechanisms of how BUB1B influences CRC are still not completely known. This study aimed to explore the expression and role of BUB1B in CRC. Materials and Methods: To achieve this, the expression levels of BUB1B in human CRC tissues and cell lines were examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. The role and associated mechanisms of BUB1B in CRC cell progression were assessed both in vitro and in vivo using RNA interference. Results: The findings of this study revealed an elevated expression of BUB1B in both CRC tissues and cell lines. The silencing of BUB1B in CRC cell lines notably inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, the knockdown of BUB1B inhibited the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway, increased the expression of proapoptotic proteins, and decreased the expression of antiapoptotic proteins. The effects of BUB1B knockdown on CRC cell progression were reversed by the JNK activator PAF(C-16). Conclusions: In summary, the suppression of BUB1B hindered malignant tumor progression and heightened apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in CRC cells via the JNK/c-Jun pathway. Importantly, the removal of BUB1B expression curtailed tumor growth in human CRC xenografts in nude mice, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic target for CRC patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: No.2019 K-C086.

PICH deficiency limits the progression of MYC-induced B-cell lymphoma

Plk1-interacting checkpoint helicase (PICH) is a DNA translocase involved in resolving ultrafine anaphase DNA bridges and, therefore, is important to safeguard chromosome segregation and stability. PICH is overexpressed in various human cancers, particularly in lymphomas such as Burkitt lymphoma, which is caused by MYC translocations. To investigate the relevance of PICH in cancer development and progression, we have combined novel PICH-deficient mouse models with the Eμ-Myc transgenic mouse model, which recapitulates B-cell lymphoma development. We have observed that PICH deficiency delays the onset of MYC-induced lymphomas in Pich heterozygous females. Moreover, using a Pich conditional knockout mouse model, we have found that Pich deletion in adult mice improves the survival of Eμ-Myc transgenic mice. Notably, we show that Pich deletion in healthy adult mice is well tolerated, supporting PICH as a suitable target for anticancer therapies. Finally, we have corroborated these findings in two human Burkitt lymphoma cell lines and we have found that the death of cancer cells was accompanied by chromosomal instability. Based on these findings, we propose PICH as a potential therapeutic target for Burkitt lymphoma and for other cancers where PICH is overexpressed.

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem overexpressing microRNA-124-3p inhibit DLBCL progression by downregulating the NFATc1/cMYC pathway

BACKGROUND

Exosomes play important roles in intercellular communication by delivering microRNAs (miRNAs) that mediate tumor initiation and development, including those in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). To date, however, limited studies on the inhibitory effect of exosomes derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) on DLBCL progression have been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of hBMSC exosomes carrying microRNA-124-3p in the development of DLBCL.

METHODS

Microarray-based expression analysis was adopted to identify differentially expressed genes and regulatory miRNAs, which revealed the candidate NFATc1. Next, the binding affinity between miR-124-3p and NFATc1 was detected by luciferase activity assays. The mechanism underlying NFATc1 regulation was investigated using lentiviral transfections. Subsequently, DLBCL cells were cocultured with exosomes derived from hBMSCs transfected with a miR-124-3p mimic or control. Proliferation and apoptosis were measured in vitro. Finally, the effects of hBMSC-miR-124-3p on tumor growth were investigated in vivo.

RESULTS

MiR-124-3p was expressed at low levels, while NFATc1 was highly expressed in DLBCL cells. MiR-124-3p specifically targeted and negatively regulated the expression of NFATc1 in DLBCL cells, upregulated miR-124-3p-inhibited DLBCL cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. The miR-124-3p derived from hBMSCs inhibits tumor growth both in vivo and in vitro via downregulation of the NFATc1/cMYC pathway.

CONCLUSION

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell overexpressing microRNA-124-3p represses the development of DLBCL through the downregulation of NFATc1.

Application of artificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer: A novel Prospect

In the past few decades, according to the rapid development of information technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has also made significant progress in the medical field. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer worldwide, and its incidence and mortality rates are increasing yearly, especially in developing countries. This article reviews the latest progress in AI in diagnosing and treating CRC based on a systematic collection of previous literature. Most CRCs transform from polyp mutations. The computer-aided detection systems can significantly improve the polyp and adenoma detection rate by early colonoscopy screening, thereby lowering the possibility of mutating into CRC. Machine learning and bioinformatics analysis can help screen and identify more CRC biomarkers to provide the basis for non-invasive screening. The Convolutional neural networks can assist in reading histopathologic tissue images, reducing the experience difference among doctors. Various studies have shown that AI-based high-level auxiliary diagnostic systems can significantly improve the readability of medical images and help clinicians make more accurate diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Moreover, Robotic surgery systems such as da Vinci have been more and more commonly used to treat CRC patients, according to their precise operating performance. The application of AI in neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy has further improved the treatment and efficacy evaluation of CRC. In addition, AI represented by deep learning in gene sequencing research offers a new treatment option. All of these things have seen that AI has a promising prospect in the era of precision medicine.

Identification of miR-3182 and miR-3143 target genes involved in the cell cycle as a novel approach in TNBC treatment: A systems biology approach

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis, lacking therapeutic targets. miRNAs play crucial roles in TNBC through regulating various mechanisms, including cellular growth and proliferation. This study aims to identify critical target genes of two novel miRNAs (miR-3143 and miR-3182) involved in the cell cycle of TNBC as possible therapeutic targets and investigates their regulatory and therapeutic roles through a systems biology approach and in vitro experiment. Datasets related to the TNBC cell line (MDA-MB-231) were screened and retrieved, and Gene regulatory networks were constructed. Significant regulatory motifs were detected and analyzed using the FANMOD and Cytoscape analyzer, and the clusters and seeds were identified using the MCODE. Functional enrichment analysis was also performed using DAVID and STRING. The most critical genes were determined using the analysis of GRN motifs and PPI clusters. The essential genes involved in the cell cycle were selected and verified using the bc-GenExMiner v4.7. We overexpressed miR-3143 and miR-3182 in the MDA-MB-231 cell line using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (HUCMSC)-miRNA loaded exosomes, and the expression of the critical target genes was investigated using RT-qPCR. We identified eight critical genes as potential therapeutic targets. Their expression decreased by overexpression of miR-3143 and miR-3182 in RT-qPCR. The identified critical genes have probably significant roles in the pathogenesis of TNBC through the cell cycle. We suggest that the overexpression of miR-3143 and miR-3182 could be a new therapeutic candidate in TNBC and is worth more investigation.

Transcriptomic Signatures in Colorectal Cancer Progression

AIMS

Due to a large number of identified hub-genes encoding key molecular regulators, which are involved in signal transduction and metabolic pathways in cancers, it is relevant to systemize and update these findings.

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, with high metastatic potential. Elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms and selection of novel biomarkers in CRC is of great clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE

This analytical review aims at the systematization of bioinformatics and experimental identification of hub-genes associated with CRC for a more consolidated understanding of common features in networks and pathways in CRC progression as well as hub-genes selection.

RESULTS

In total, 301 hub-genes were derived from 40 articles. The "core" consisted of 28 hub-genes (CCNB1, LPAR1, BGN, CXCL3, COL1A2, UBE2C, NMU, COL1A1, CXCL2, CXCL11, CDK1, TOP2A, AURKA, SST, CXCL5, MMP3, CCND1, TIMP1, CXCL8, CXCL1, CXCL12, MYC, CCNA2, GCG, GUCA2A, PAICS, PYY and THBS2) mentioned in not less than three articles and having clinical significance in cancerassociated pathways. Of them, there were two discrete clusters enriched in chemokine signaling and cell cycle regulatory genes. High expression levels of BGN and TIMP1 and low expression levels of CCNB1, CXCL3, CXCL2, CXCL2 and PAICS were associated with unfavorable overall survival of patients with CRC. Differently expressed genes such as LPAR1, SST, CXCL12, GUCA2A, and PYY were shown as down regulated, whereas BGN, CXCL3, UBE2C, NMU, CXCL11, CDK1, TOP2A, AURKA, MMP3, CCND1, CXCL1, MYC, CCNA2, PAICS were up regulated genes in CRC. It was also found that MMP3, THBS2, TIMP1 and CXCL12 genes were associated with metastatic CRC. Network analysis in ONCO.IO showed that upstream master regulators RELA, STAT3, SOX2, FOXM1, SMAD3 and NF-kB were connected with "core" hub-genes. Conclusión: Results obtained are of useful fundamental information on revealing the mechanism of pathogenicity, cellular target selection for optimization of therapeutic interventions, as well as transcriptomics prognostic and predictive biomarkers development.

Aberrant Expression of BUB1B Contributes to the Progression of Thyroid Carcinoma and Predicts Poor Outcomes for Patients

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the function and potential mechanism of BUB1B in THCA.

Methods: Expression of BUB1B in THCA was firstly determined, and its important prognostic value was then demonstrated. The potential mechanism was initially predicted by KEGG analysis. To explore the specific function of BUB1B in THCA, we used lentivirus infection to knock down the BUB1B, and then performed flow cytometry, colony formation, transwell, and wound-healing assays. Related protein expression was detected through western blotting. Additionally, we predicted the BUB1B-regulated pathways involved in THCA by GSEA analysis.

Results: BUB1B expression was highly increased in THCA tissues relative to normal controls. We further found that BUB1B was essential for tumor cell proliferation, and BUB1B high expression predicted a shorter PFS time of THCA patients. More importantly, Cox regression determined the BUB1B as an independent prognostic factor for PFS in THCA. BUB1B was initially found to participate in the cell cycle pathway from KEGG analysis. Unexpectedly, we did not detect the disturbing effect on the cell cycle distribution of THCA cells with BUB1B knockdown. But, BUB1B knockdown inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of THCA cells, as well as increased apoptotic cells, and the results were further confirmed by western blotting. Through GSEA analysis, we predicted a positive correlation between BUB1B and metastasis-related pathways such as mTOR and NF-kappa B signaling pathways.

Conclusions: Present study identified BUB1B as a promising clinical prognostic factor in THCA, as well as a potential novel therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer: Capable to overcome the heterogeneity-specific barrier and valid for global applications

INTRODUCTION

The heterogeneity-specific nature of the available colorectal cancer (CRC) biomarkers is significantly contributing to the cancer-associated high mortality rate worldwide. Hence, this study was initiated to investigate a system of novel CRC biomarkers that could commonly be employed to the CRC patients and helpful to overcome the heterogenetic-specific barrier.

METHODS

Initially, CRC-related hub genes were extracted through PubMed based literature mining. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the extracted hub genes was constructed and analyzed to identify few more closely CRC-related hub genes (real hub genes). Later, a comprehensive bioinformatics approach was applied to uncover the diagnostic and prognostic role of the identified real hub genes in CRC patients of various clinicopathological features.

RESULTS

Out of 210 collected hub genes, in total 6 genes (CXCL12, CXCL8, AGT, GNB1, GNG4, and CXCL1) were identified as the real hub genes. We further revealed that all the six real hub genes were significantly dysregulated in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients of various clinicopathological features including different races, cancer stages, genders, age groups, and body weights. Additionally, the dysregulation of real hub genes has shown different abnormal correlations with many other parameters including promoter methylation, overall survival (OS), genetic alterations and copy number variations (CNVs), and CD8+T immune cells level. Finally, we identified a potential miRNA and various chemotherapeutic drugs via miRNA, and real hub genes drug interaction network that could be used in the treatment of CRC by regulating the expression of real hub genes.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we have identified six real hub genes as potential biomarkers of CRC patients that could help to overcome the heterogenetic-specific barrier across different clinicopathological features.

Bufalin inhibits human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma tumorigenesis by inducing cell death through the Ca2+/NFATC1/cMYC pathway

The 5-year survival rate of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) can reach 60%. However, nearly half of patients undergo relapse/refractory issues with a survival period of less than 2 years. New therapeutic approaches are therefore needed to improve chemotherapy efficacy and patient survival. Bufalin (BF), isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Chansu, has been reported to play an anticancer role in multiple cancer cell types. However, there are few reports of the effects of BF on the growth of DLBCL. In the present study, we demonstrated that BF exerts antitumor activity in DLBCL cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of DLBCL cells with BF resulted in increased proliferation and apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Daily intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 mg/kg BF significantly delayed DLBCL xenograft growth in NOD/SCID mice without affecting body weight. Bioinformatics analysis showed that BF may regulate NFATC1 protein and affect expression of its downstream gene, cMYC. Our results suggest that BF can attenuate NFATC1 translocation by reducing the intracellular calcium concentration; BF may also have a low synergistic effect with cyclosporin A. In conclusion, we demonstrated that BF exerts antitumor activity that is mediated at least in part by the Ca2+/NFATC1/cMYC pathway. Our findings suggest that BF can be effectively applied as a novel potential therapeutic agent for DLBCL.

KNTC1 knockdown suppresses cell proliferation of colon cancer

Kinetochore-associated protein 1 (KNTC1) is a kind of kinetochore components that ensure the proper functioning of the spindle-assembly checkpoint. To date, the functional information of KNTC1 in colon cancer remains unknown. This study was aimed to investigate the role of KNTC1 in colon cancer. We found KNTC1 was significantly upregulated in the colon cancer compared to the normal tissues. ROC curve showed the area under the curve value of KNTC1 for the prediction of colon cancer was 0.93. Kaplan-Meier revealed highly expressed KNTC1 was associated with poor prognosis. KNTC1 was widely expressed in different colon cancer cell lines. Compared with the control lentiviral infected cells, KNTC1-shRNA cells exhibited significant reduction in cell growth rates and increase in the proportion of cells in the S phase, while decrease in the G1 and G2/M phase. Furthermore, knockdown of KNTC1 dramatically increased apoptosis in the colon cancer cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) in gene ontology (GO) showed that KNTC1 is closely associated with cell mitosis-related components, such as nuclear chromatin, centrosome, and spindle. Moreover, upregulated KNTC1 is significantly enriched in the biological process of DNA repair, mRNA processing, microtubule cytoskeleton organization and the molecular function of helicase activity, protein heterodimerization activity and catalytic activity acting on DNA in molecular function. Our data reveal the important roles of KNTC1 in driving tumor progression in colon cancers.

Significance of STAT3 in Immune Infiltration and Drug Response in Cancer

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a transcription factor and regulates tumorigenesis. However, the functions of STAT3 in immune and drug response in cancer remain elusive. Hence, we aim to reveal the impact of STAT3 in immune infiltration and drug response comprehensively by bioinformatics analysis. The expression of STAT3 and its relationship with tumor stage were explored by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Human Protein Altas (HPA), and UALCAN databases. The correlations between STAT3 and immune infiltration, gene markers of immune cells were analyzed by TIMER. Moreover, the association between STAT3 and drug response was evaluated by the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP). The results suggested that the mRNA transcriptional level of STAT3 was lower in tumors than normal tissues and mostly unrelated to tumor stage. Besides, the protein expression of STAT3 decreased in colorectal and renal cancer compared with normal tissues. Importantly, STAT3 was correlated with immune infiltration and particularly regulated tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), M2 macrophage, T-helper 1 (Th1), follicular helper T (Treg), and exhausted T-cells. Remarkably, STAT3 was closely correlated with the response to specified inhibitors and natural compounds in cancer. Furthermore, the association between STAT3 and drug response was highly cell line type dependent. Significantly, the study provides thorough insight that STAT3 is associated with immunosuppression, as well as drug response in clinical treatment.