Measurement of Circulating Progranulin (PGRN/GP88/GEP) by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Application in Human Diseases

Actoeside mitigated the renal proximal tubule cells damage triggered by high glucose through miR-766/VCAM1/NF-κB signalling pathway

CONTEXT

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) triggered by diabetes mellitus is one of the primary causes of end-stage renal failure worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

This study intends to explore the function and potential mechanism of actoeside on renal proximal tubule (HK-2) cells damage induced by high-glucose (HG).

METHODS

The DN model was established in HK-2 cells with 30 mM HG treatment. The viability, apoptosis and inflammation of HK-2 cells were analysed severally via CCK-8, flow cytomery and ELISA. The key factors related to NF-κB were detected by western blotting.

RESULTS

Actoeside attenuated the HG-induced HK-2 cells damage. The differentially expression of miR-766 and VCAM1 in DN patients was reversed by actoeside. Moreover, the increased phosphorylation levels of p65 NF-κB/IκBα induced by HG were attenuated by actoeside.

CONCLUSIONS

Actoeside promoted the growth and repressed the apoptosis and inflammation of HK-2 cells via miR-766/VCAM1/NF-κB signalling pathway, affording a promising idea for the treatment of DN.

GP88/PGRN Serum Levels Are Associated with Prognosis for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Simple Summary

An oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a tumor of the oral cavity that has a five-year survival rate of only around 50%. As this rate has not increased in recent decades, despite improvements in diagnosis and therapy, novel, easily accessible biomarkers for prognosis assessment are still needed. In our study, we measured the growth factor protein progranulin/GP88 in the serum of OSCC patients and demonstrated that an increased serum GP88 level is associated with a better prognosis for the OSCC patients in our study group. Furthermore, serum GP88 levels were not significantly associated with age, sex, or the tumor’s histological features, indicating that serum GP88 levels may be an independent predictor of an individual OSCC patient’s prognosis. These findings may help to improve therapy management of an OSCC in personalized medicine.

Abstract

Progranulin (PGRN)/GP88 is a growth factor that is expressed in a wide range of tumor tissues. The secreted form is involved in various biological processes including proliferation and inflammation. In several tumor types, the serum GP88 level is associated with a patient’s prognosis; however, data for oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) have not yet been reported. We measured the serum GP88 levels in 96 OSCC patients by an enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) and correlated these data with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcomes. The GP88 levels in the serum of OSCC patients and healthy volunteers were comparable. In OSCC patients, the levels did not correlate with age, sex, or TNM status. In a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, a serum GP88 level < 68 ng/mL was significantly associated with worsened survival (p = 0.0005, log-rank-test) as well as in uni- and multivariate Cox regression analyses (RR = 4.6 [1.6–12.9], p = 0.004 and RR = 4.2 [1.2–12.0], p = 0.008). This effect was predominant in OSCC patients older than 60.5 years (p = 0.027), while in younger patients no significant association between serum GP88 levels and prognosis could be observed. Altogether, lower serum GP88 levels are significantly associated with a worsened outcome for an OSCC and may be an interesting candidate for risk stratification during OSCC therapy.

Progranulin/GP88, A Complex and Multifaceted Player of Tumor Growth by Direct Action and via the Tumor Microenvironment

Investigation of the role of progranulin/GP88 on the proliferation and survival of a wide variety of cells has been steadily increasing. Several human diseases stem from progranulin dysregulation either through its overexpression in cancer or its absence as in the case of null mutations in some form of frontotemporal dementia. The present review focuses on the role of progranulin/GP88 in cancer development, progression, and drug resistance. Various aspects of progranulin identification, biology, and signaling pathways will be described. Information will be provided about its direct role as an autocrine growth and survival factor and its paracrine effect as a systemic factor as well as via interaction with extracellular matrix proteins and with components of the tumor microenvironment to influence drug resistance, migration, angiogenesis, inflammation, and immune modulation. This chapter will also describe studies examining progranulin/GP88 tumor tissue expression as well as circulating level as a prognostic factor for several cancers. Due to the wealth of publications in progranulin, this review does not attempt to be exhaustive but rather provide a thread to lead the readers toward more in-depth exploration of this fascinating and unique protein.