Regulation of LCoR and RIP140 expression in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and correlation with CIN progression and dedifferentiation

Prognostic value of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma: A study based on multi-omics analysis and RT-PCR validation

Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between MALAT1 and the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: We constructed a MALAT1 protein-protein interaction network using the STRING database and a network of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) using the StarBase database. Using data from the GEPIA2 database, we studied the association between genes in these networks and survival of patients with HCC. The potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between MALAT1 and HCC prognosis were studied using combined data from RNA sequencing, DNA methylation, and somatic mutation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) liver cancer cohort. Tumor tissues and 19 paired adjacent non-tumor tissues (PANTs) from HCC patients who underwent radical resection were analyzed for MALAT1 mRNA levels using real-time PCR, and associations of MALAT1 expression with clinicopathological features or prognosis of patients were analyzed using log-rank test and Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon test. Results: Five interacting proteins and five target genes of MALAT1 in the ceRNA network significantly correlated with poor survival of patients with HCC (p < 0.05). High MALAT1 expression was associated with mutations in two genes leading to poor prognosis and may upregulate some prognostic risk genes through methylation. MALAT1 was significantly co-expressed with various signatures of genes involved in HCC progression, including the cell cycle, DNA damage repair, mismatch repair, homologous recombination, molecular cancer m6A, exosome, ferroptosis, infiltration of lymphocyte (p < 0.05). The expression of MALAT1 was markedly upregulated in HCC tissues compared with PANTs. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with high MALAT1 expression had significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.033) and overall survival (OS) (p = 0.023) than those with low MALAT1 expression. Median PFS was 19.2 months for patients with high MALAT1 expression and 52.8 months for patients with low expression, while the corresponding median OS was 40.5 and 78.3 months. In subgroup analysis of patients with vascular invasion, cirrhosis, and HBsAg positive or AFP positive, MALAT1 overexpression was significantly associated with shorter PFS and OS. Models for predicting PFS and OS constructed based on MALAT1 expression and clinicopathological features had moderate predictive power, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.661-0.731. Additionally, MALAT1 expression level was significantly associated with liver cirrhosis, vascular invasion, and tumor capsular infiltration (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: MALAT1 is overexpressed in HCC, and higher expression is associated with worse prognosis. MALAT1 mRNA level may serve as a prognostic marker for patients with HCC after hepatectomy.

Expression of GMFB in High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Its Role in Cervical Cancer

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a collective term for specific precancerous lesions associated with cervical cancer (CC). Although it has been affirmed with slow development of several levels of cellular changes, the existing poor prognosis calls for an urgent need to diagnose CIN at early stage and be aware of markers related to its pathogenesis and prognosis. We explored the expression level of a newly marker GMFB and its regulatory effect on CIN and CC. Patient samples and cell models were included. Bioinformatic studies were taken to predict its binding to miR-143-3p, miR-26b-5p, miR-191-5p, and miR-223-3p. Luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were used to validate the prediction. Edu assay and flow cytometry were used to measure the regulation of GMFB on proliferation and apoptosis of CC cells. qRT-PCR was used for mRNA expression level detection. The results showed that GMFB was targeted by miR-143-3p, miR-26b-5p, miR-191-5p, and miR-223-3p. It had elevated expression in both CIN and CC samples. GMFB had highly prognostic value for CIN, and lymph node metastasis of CC was much associated with high GMFB expression level. Besides, silencing of GMFB inhibited CC cell proliferation and elevated cell apoptosis. In conclusion, we determined that GMFB has regulatory effect on high grade CIN and CC, which could lighten a novel way in exploring their pathogenesis and improving accuracy of prognosis.

The Expression of NRIP1 and LCOR in Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to analyze the expression of nuclear receptor interacting protein 1 (NRIP1) and its partner ligand-dependent nuclear receptor co-repressor (LCOR) in endometrioid endometrial cancer and to investigate their association with estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), Ki-67, clinicopathological parameters and patient survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemical evaluation was carried out to investigate the subcellular expression of NRIP1 and LCOR in endometrioid endometrial cancer samples. Statistical analysis was used to identify the correlations of NRIP1 and LCOR expression with clinicopathological variables and to estimate the survival rates.

RESULTS

Endometrial cancer tissues exhibited higher expression of NRIP1 and LCOR in comparison with the normal tissues. Cytoplasmic LCOR expression was positively associated with ER and PR expression, while cytoplasmic NRIP1 expression was positively associated with ER expression. Moreover, cytoplasmic expression of NRIP1 was positively associated with Ki-67.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated that high cytoplasmic expression of LCOR may predict a longer overall survival of patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. Patients with tumors expressing low levels of LCOR showed a worse survival compared to those expressing high levels.

The role of EP-2 receptor expression in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Prostaglandin induced signalling is involved in different cancers. As previously described, the EP3 receptor expression decreases with increasing stage of cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN). In addition, in cervical cancer EP3 is an independent prognosticator for overall survival and correlates with FIGO stages. Currently the role of Prostaglandin 2 receptor 2 (EP2) in CIN is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyse the expression of EP2 for potential prognostic value for patients with cervical dysplasia. EP2 expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in 33 patient samples (CIN1–3) using the immune-reactivity scoring system (IRS). Expression levels were correlated with clinical outcome to analyse prognostic relevance in patients with CIN2. Data analysis was performed using non parametric Kruskal–Wallis and Spearman rank sum test. Cytoplasmic expression levels of EP2 correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with different grades of cervical dysplasia. Median EP2-IRS in CIN1 was 2 (n = 8), 3 in CIN2 (n = 9) and 6 in CIN3 (n = 16). Comparing regressive (n = 3, median IRS = 2) to progressive (n = 6, median IRS = 4) CIN2 cases the median IRS differed significantly (p = 0.017). Staining intensity (p = 0.009) and IRS (p = 0.005) of EP2 and EP3 correlate inversely. EP2 expression level significantly increases with higher grade of CIN and could qualify as a potential prognostic marker for the regressive or progressive course in CIN2 lesions. These findings emphasize the significant role of PGE2 signalling in CIN and could help to identify targets for future therapies.