Family with sequence similarity 111 member B contributes to tumor growth and metastasis by mediating cell proliferation, invasion, and EMT via transforming acidic coiled-coil protein 3/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

Development and validation of a radiomic prediction model for TACC3 expression and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer using contrast-enhanced CT imaging

BACKGROUNDS

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prognosis remains poor despite treatment advances, and classical prognostic indicators often fall short in precision medicine. Transforming acidic coiled-coil protein-3 (TACC3) has been identified as a critical factor in tumor progression and immune infiltration across cancers, including NSCLC. Predicting TACC3 expression through radiomic features may provide valuable insights into tumor biology and aid clinical decision-making. However, its predictive value in NSCLC remains unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to construct and validate a radiomic model to predict TACC3 levels and prognosis in patients with NSCLC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Genomic data and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA). A total of 320 cases of lung adenocarcinoma from TCGA and 122 cases of NSCLC from GEO were used for prognostic analysis. Sixty-three cases from TCIA and GEO were included for radiomics feature extraction and model development. The radiomics model was constructed using logistic regression (LR) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms. We predicted TACC3 expression and evaluated its correlation with NSCLC prognosis using contrast-enhanced CT-based radiomics.

RESULTS

TACC3 expression significantly influenced NSCLC prognosis. High TACC3 levels were associated with reduced overall survival, potentially mediated by immune microenvironment and tumor progression regulation. LR and SVM algorithms achieved AUC of 0.719 and 0.724, respectively, which remained at 0.701 and 0.717 after five-fold cross-validation.

CONCLUSION

Contrast-enhanced CT-based radiomics can non-invasively predict TACC3 expression and provide valuable prognostic information, contributing to personalized treatment strategies.

Identification of Tumor Suppressive miR-144-5p Targets: FAM111B Expression Accelerates the Malignant Phenotypes of Lung Adenocarcinoma

Accumulating evidence suggests that the passenger strands microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from pre-miRNAs are closely involved in cancer pathogenesis. Analysis of our miRNA expression signature of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed that miR-144-5p (the passenger strand derived from pre-miR-144) was significantly downregulated in LUAD tissues. The aim of this study was to identify therapeutic target molecules controlled by miR-144-5p in LUAD cells. Ectopic expression assays demonstrated that miR-144-5p attenuated LUAD cell aggressiveness, e.g., inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion abilities, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cells. A total of 18 genes were identified as putative cancer-promoting genes controlled by miR-144-5p in LUAD cells based on our in silico analysis. We focused on a family with sequence similarity 111 member B (FAM111B) and investigated its cancer-promoting functions in LUAD cells. Luciferase reporter assay showed that expression of FAM111B was directly regulated by miR-144-5p in LUAD cells. FAM111B knockdown assays showed that LUAD cells significantly suppressed malignant phenotypes, e.g., inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion abilities, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cells. Furthermore, we investigated the FAM111B-mediated molecular networks in LUAD cells. Identifying target genes regulated by passenger strands of miRNAs may aid in the discovery of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for LUAD.

Unravelling the Intricate Roles of FAM111A and FAM111B: From Protease-Mediated Cellular Processes to Disease Implications

Proteases are critical enzymes in cellular processes which regulate intricate events like cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. This review highlights the multifaceted roles of the serine proteases FAM111A and FAM111B, exploring their impact on cellular functions and diseases. FAM111A is implicated in DNA replication and replication fork protection, thereby maintaining genome integrity. Additionally, FAM111A functions as an antiviral factor against DNA and RNA viruses. Apart from being involved in DNA repair, FAM111B, a paralog of FAM111A, participates in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. It influences the apoptotic pathway by upregulating anti-apoptotic proteins and modulating cell cycle-related proteins. Furthermore, FAM111B's association with nucleoporins suggests its involvement in nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking and plays a role in maintaining normal telomere length. FAM111A and FAM111B also exhibit some interconnectedness and functional similarity despite their distinct roles in cellular processes and associated diseases resulting from their dysfunction. FAM111A and FAM111B dysregulation are linked to genetic disorders: Kenny-Caffey Syndrome type 2 and Gracile Bone Dysplasia for FAM111A and POIKTMP, respectively, and cancers. Therefore, the dysregulation of these proteases in diseases emphasizes their potential as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Future research is essential to unravel the intricate mechanisms governing FAM111A and FAM111B and explore their therapeutic implications comprehensively.