The cell cycle, cancer development and therapy

Preparation, characterization and cytotoxic activity of selenium nanoparticles stabilized with a heteropolysaccharide isolated from Sanghuangporus vaninii residue

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) possess unique features with excellent bioavailability and bioactivity, but the poor stability limits its application. A combination of polysaccharides and SeNPs is an effective strategy to overcome the limitation. Herein, a heteropolysaccharide (SVL-3) with an average molecular weight of 2.428 × 104 Da was purified from the fruiting body residue of Sanghuangporus vaninii after soaking in sorghum wine, which was composed of fucose, galactose, glucose, fructose and 3-O-methyl-galactose. The main chain of SVL-3 was composed of →6)-α-3-MeO-Galp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →2,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1 → and →3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, and the branched chain was composed of →4)-α-D-Xylp-(1 → and α-L-Fucp-(1→. For enhancing bioactivity of SVL-3 and stability of SeNPs, SVL-3-functionalized SeNPs (SVL-3-SeNPs) was prepared, which contained 45.31 % polysaccharide and 48.49 % selenium. SVL-3-SeNPs maintained an emphatic stability over 28 days at 4 °C and pH 6-8, and exhibited a higher cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells than SVL-3 and SeNPs. The inhibitory effect of SVL-3-SeNPs on the cancer cells may be associated with the mechanisms by inducing S-phase arrest, triggering apoptosis and elevating the protein levels of Cytochrome c, Caspases and cleaved caspases 3 and 9. These results indicated that SeNPs modified by S. vaninii polysaccharides can be utilized as a potential material for targeted antitumor drugs.

Role of fibroblast autophagy and proliferation in skin anti-aging

Skin, as the outermost protective barrier of the body, becomes damaged with age and exposure to external stimuli. Dermal fibroblasts age and undergo apoptosis, which decreases collagen, collagen fibers, elastic fibers, hyaluronic acid, etc., leading skin to loss of elasticity and appearance of wrinkles. Skin aging is complex, involving several biological reactions，and various treatment methods are used to treat it. This review focuses on the importance of autophagy and cell proliferation in skin anti-aging, summarizes research progress on skin anti-aging by regulating autophagy and promoting the proliferation of dermal fibroblasts, and discusses future directions on skin anti-aging research.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos with the homology of medicine and food: a review of active ingredients, anticancer mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, quality control, toxicity and applications

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF, called Jinyinhua in China), comes from the dried flower buds or flowers to be opened of Lonicera japonica Thunb. in the Lonicera family. It has a long history of medicinal use and has a wide range of application prospects. As modern research advances, an increasing number of scientific experiments have demonstrated the anticancer potential of LJF. However, there is a notable absence of systematic reports detailing the anti-tumor effects of LJF. This review integrates the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with contemporary pharmacological techniques, drawing upon literature from authoritative databases such as PubMed, CNKI, and WanFang to conduct a comprehensive study of LJF. Notably, a total of 507 compounds have been isolated and characterized from the plant to date, which include volatile oils, organic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, triterpenes and triterpenoid saponins. Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that LJF extract, along with components such as chlorogenic acid, luteolin, rutin, luteoloside, hyperoside and isochlorogenic acid, exhibits potential anticancer activities. Consequently, we have conducted a comprehensive review and summary of the mechanisms of action and clinical applications of these components. Furthermore, we have detailed the pharmacokinetics, quality control, and toxicity of LJF, while also discussing its prospective applications in the fields of biomedicine and preventive healthcare. It is hoped that these studies will provide valuable reference for the clinical research, development, and application of LJF.

PCAF acetylates AIB1 to form a transcriptional coactivator complex to promote glycolysis in endometrial cancer

Introduction

Despite rapid advances in molecular biology, personalized molecular therapy remains a clinical challenge for endometrial cancer due to its complex and heterogeneous tumor microenvironment.Based on clinical findings, AIB1 is a marker molecule for poor prognosis in endometrial cancer and may serve as a potential therapeutic target. Moreover, it is well known that aerobic glycolysis plays an important role in tumour energy metabolism. It has been previously reported in various hormone-related tumour studies that AIB1 affects glycolysis and promotes tumour development. However, the link between AIB1 and aerobic glycolysis in estrogen-dependent endometrial cancer remains unclear.

Methods

We used two endometrial cancer cell lines to validate the high expression of target genes and the effect on the proliferative and invasive capacity of the tumours and verified the pattern of interactions and epigenetic modifications by CHIP and CO-IP techniques. Finally, the conclusions were validated on homozygous mice.

Results

In this study, we investigated the transcriptional co-activation functions of AIB1, including its acetylation by PCAF, binding to the c-myc transcription factor, and recruitment of glycolysis-related gene promoters.

Discussion

Our findings provide new clues that perturbation of normal homeostatic levels of AIB1 is linked with endometrial cancer. These findings suggest that targeting AIB1-mediated regulation of aerobic glycolysis may offer a novel therapeutic approach for endometrial cancer with high AIB1 expression, opening new avenues for personalized diagnostics and treatment strategies in this disease.

Potential prognostic biomarker SERPINA12: implications for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most prevalent malignant tumors, exhibiting a high morbidity and mortality rate. The mechanism of its occurrence and development requires further study. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of SERPINA12 in the diagnosis, prognosis prediction and biological function within HCC.

METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data were employed to analyze the relationship between clinical features and SERPINA12 expression in HCC. Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized to analyze the correlation between SERPINA12 expression and prognosis in HCC. The function of SERPINA12 was determined by enrichment analysis, and the relationship between SERPINA12 expression and immune cell infiltration was investigated. The expression of SERPINA12 was examined in 75 patients with HCC using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry, and survival analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The expression of SERPINA12 from TCGA database was found to be significantly higher in HCC tissues than in normal tissues and carried a poor prognosis. ROC curve demonstrated the diagnostic potential of SERPINA12 for HCC. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that pathologic T stage, tumor status, and SERPINA12 expression were independently associated with patient survival. The SERPINA12 expression was found to correlate with immune cell infiltration. Our RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical analysis revealed high expression of SERPINA12 in tumor tissues. Survival analysis indicated its association with poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

SERPINA12 is a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis, and it is associated with immune cell infiltration.

Role of cell division cycle-associated proteins in regulating cell cycle and promoting tumor progression

The cell division cycle-associated protein (CDCA) family is important in regulating cell division. High CDCA expression is significantly linked to tumor development. This review summarizes clinical and basic studies on CDCAs conducted in recent decades. Furthermore, it systematically introduces the molecular expression and function, key mechanisms, cell cycle regulation, and roles of CDCAs in tumor development, cell proliferation, drug resistance, invasion, and metastasis. Additionally, it presents the latest research on tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment targeting CDCAs. These findings are pivotal for further in-depth studies on the role of CDCAs in promoting tumor development and provide theoretical support for their application as new anti-tumor targets.

ROR2 promotes cell cycle progression and cell proliferation through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in gastric cancer

Proliferation is a critical characteristic of the progression of gastric cancer (GC). Receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2), the orphan receptor tyrosine kinase-like receptor, exhibits effects on tumor growth due to its abnormal expression in cancer. The goal of our study was to assess the potential regulatory role exerted by the ROR2 on GC cells. Through previous bioinformatics analysis, we discovered an association between ROR2 and the G2/M phase of the GC cell cycle. However, little is known about the link between ROR2 and the G2/M phase cell cycle in GC. Here, the findings of our study indicate that ROR2, after transcribed expression by Twist1, activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K signal transduction pathway, thus leading to the acceleration of the G2/M phase and subsequent promotion of cell proliferation in GC. Furthermore, the functional link among ROR2, Twist1, and G2/M phase of cell cycle was also confirmed in mouse xenograft tissues and human tissues. ROR2 expression was correlated with Twist expression and lower survival in vivo. Notably, our suggestion is that focusing on ROR2 as a potential therapeutic approach could show potential for the management of GC.

The clinical significance of endoplasmic reticulum stress related genes in non-small cell lung cancer and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism for CAV1

In recent years, protein homeostasis imbalance caused by endoplasmic reticulum stress has become a major hallmark of cancer. Studies have shown that endoplasmic reticulum stress is closely related to the occurrence, development, and drug resistance of non-small cell lung cancer, however, the role of various endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes in non-small cell lung cancer is still unclear. In this study, we established an endoplasmic reticulum stress scores based on the Cancer Genome Atlas for non-small cell lung cancer to reflect patient features and predict prognosis. Survival analysis showed significant differences in overall survival among non-small cell lung cancer patients with different endoplasmic reticulum stress scores. In addition, endoplasmic reticulum stress scores was significantly correlated with the clinical features of non-small cell lung cancer patients, and can be served as an independent prognostic indicator. A nomogram based on endoplasmic reticulum stress scores indicated a certain clinical net benefit, while ssGSEA analysis demonstrated that there was a certain immunosuppressive microenvironment in high endoplasmic reticulum stress scores. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis showed that scores was associated with cancer pathways and metabolism. Finally, weighted gene co-expression network analysis displayed that CAV1 was closely related to the occurrence of non-small cell lung cancer. Therefore, in order to further analyze the role of this gene, Chinese non-smoking females were selected as the research subjects to investigate the relationship between CAV1 rs3779514 and susceptibility and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer. The results showed that the mutation of rs3779514 significantly reduced the risk of non-small cell lung cancer in Chinese non-smoking females, but no prognostic effect was found. In summary, we proposed an endoplasmic reticulum stress scores, which was an independent prognostic factor and indicated immune characteristics in the microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer. We also validated the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism locus of core genes and susceptibility to non-small cell lung cancer.

METTL3-mediated m6A modification of CDCA7 mRNA promotes COAD progression

BACKGROUND

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) represents a frequent malignant tumor of the digestive system with high mortality and poor prognosis. As a prevalent internal mRNA modification in eukaryotic cells, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been reported to participate in tumor malignancy. This study is designed to explore the role and mechanism of Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in the progression of COAD.

METHODS

In this research, the GEPIA database was applied to analyze the relationship between COAD and cell division cycle-associated protein 7 (CDCA7) or METTL3. Cell viability, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, transwell assays. The glycolysis level was detected via specific kits. CDCA7, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and METTL3 protein levels were determined by western blot assay. The biological role of CDCA7 on COAD tumor growth was examined by the xenograft tumor model in vivo. After RBPsuite analysis, the interaction between METTL3 and CDCA7 was verified by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP).

RESULTS

METTL3 and CDCA7 were highly expressed in COAD tissues and cells. Furthermore, the silencing of CDCA7 hindered COAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, glycolysis, EMT, and promoted apoptosis in vitro, as well as retarded tumor growth in vivo. At the molecular level, METTL3 might enhance the stability of CDCA7 mRNA via m6A methylation.

CONCLUSION

METTL3 contributes to the malignant progression of COAD cells partly by regulating the stability of CDCA7 mRNA, providing a promising therapeutic target for COAD treatment.

PTGR1-mediated immune evasion mechanisms in late-stage triple-negative breast cancer: mechanisms of M2 macrophage infiltration and CD8+ T cell suppression

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by metabolic dysregulation. Tumor cell immune escape plays an indispensable role in the development of TNBC tumors. Furthermore, in the abstract, we explicitly mention the techniques used and enhance the clarity and impact of our findings. "Based on bioinformatics analysis results, we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 technology to knockout the target gene and established a mouse model of breast cancer. Through experiments such as CCK8, scratch assay, and Transwell assay, we further investigated the impact of target gene knockout on the malignant behavior of tumor cells. Subsequently, we conducted immunohistochemistry and Western Blot experiments to study the expression of macrophage polarization and infiltration-related markers and evaluate the effect of the target gene on macrophage polarization. Next, through co-culture experiments, we simulated the tumor microenvironment and used immunohistochemistry staining to observe and analyze the distribution and activation status of M2 macrophages and CD8+ T cells in the co-culture system. We validated in vivo experiments the molecular mechanism by which the target gene regulates immune cell impact on TNBC progression.

Deciphering COPS5 influence on immune infiltration and prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a widespread malignancy originating from the mucous epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of HNSCC remains challenging. This study investigates the intricate relationship among COPS5, immune infiltration patterns, and prognostic implications in HNSCC. Through comprehensive analyses of 519 HNSCC cases from TCGA and single-cell data from the GEO database, we utilize the CIBERSORT algorithm to discern immune cell dynamics influenced by COPS5 expression. Notably, Treg cells emerge as a central point in the interplay between COPS5 and immune modulation. Further analyses, encompassing differential gene expression, immune-related gene set enrichment, and protein-protein interaction networks, elucidate the molecular landscape associated with COPS5 in HNSCC. A prognostic risk model, incorporating CD27, TNFRSF4, FADD, and PSMD14, is formulated and validated across diverse datasets. The model demonstrates robust predictive power, underscoring its potential as a valuable prognostic tool. These genes, essential for immune regulation and cell cycle control, provide insights into the intricate mechanisms influencing HNSCC progression. In conclusion, this study not only reveals the impact of COPS5 on immune dynamics in HNSCC but also introduces a concise and effective prognostic model.

Research progress in mechanism of anticancer action of shikonin targeting reactive oxygen species

Excessive buildup of highly reactive molecules can occur due to the generation and dysregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their associated signaling pathways. ROS have a dual function in cancer development, either leading to DNA mutations that promote the growth and dissemination of cancer cells, or triggering the death of cancer cells. Cancer cells strategically balance their fate by modulating ROS levels, activating pro-cancer signaling pathways, and suppressing antioxidant defenses. Consequently, targeting ROS has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Shikonin and its derivatives, along with related drug carriers, can impact several signaling pathways by targeting components involved with oxidative stress to induce processes such as apoptosis, necroptosis, cell cycle arrest, autophagy, as well as modulation of ferroptosis. Moreover, they can increase the responsiveness of drug-resistant cells to chemotherapy drugs, based on the specific characteristics of ROS, as well as the kind and stage of cancer. This research explores the pro-cancer and anti-cancer impacts of ROS, summarize the mechanisms and research achievements of shikonin-targeted ROS in anti-cancer effects and provide suggestions for designing further anti-tumor experiments and undertaking further experimental and practical research.

Network pharmacology-based investigation of the effects of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on glioma proliferation and migration via the SRC/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

In the clinic, Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) is used as an adjuvant for cancer chemotherapy. However, the molecular mechanism is unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We screened potential targets of SFI action on gliomas by network pharmacology and performed experiments to validate possible molecular mechanisms against gliomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We consulted relevant reports on the SFI and glioma incidence from PubMed and Web of Science and focused on the mechanism through which the SFI inhibits glioma. According to the literature, two primary SFI components-Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. and Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge-have been found. All plant names have been sourced from "The Plant List" (www.theplantlist.org). The cell lines U87, T98G and GL261 were used in this study. The inhibitory effects of SFI on glioma cells U87 and T98G were detected by CCK-8 assay, EdU, plate cloning assay, scratch assay, Transwell assay, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry and Western blot. A subcutaneous tumor model of C57BL/6 mice was constructed using GL261 cells, and the SFI was evaluated by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. The targets of glioma and the SFI were screened using network pharmacology.

RESULTS

A total of 110 targets were enriched, and a total of 26 major active components in the SFI were investigated. There were a total of 3,343 targets for gliomas, of which 79 targets were shared between the SFI and glioma tissues. SFI successfully prevented proliferation and caused cellular S-phase blockage in U87 and T98G cells, thus decreasing their growth. Furthermore, SFI suppressed cell migration by downregulating EMT marker expression. According to the results of the in vivo tests, the SFI dramatically decreased the development of tumors in a transplanted tumour model. Network pharmacological studies revealed that the SRC/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be the pathway through which SFI exerts its anti-glioma effects.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings revealed that the SRC/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway may be involved in the mechanism through which SFI inhibits the proliferation and migration of glioma cells.

Prostate cancer genotyping for risk stratification and precision treatment

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. It is heterogeneous, as is evident from the wide spectrum of therapeutic approaches. Most patients with PC are initially responsive to androgen deprivation therapy; however, the majority of cases are either hormone-sensitive PC or castration-resistant PC. Current therapeutic protocols follow the evolution of PC, a continuously progressive process involving a combination of widespread genomic alterations. These genomic alterations are either hereditary germline mutations, such as mutations in BRCA2, or specific only to tumor cells (somatic). Tumor-specific genomic spectra include genomic structural rearrangements, canonical androgen response genes, and many other specific genes such as TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, SPOP/FOXA1, TP53/RB1/PTEN, and BRCA2. New evidence indicates the involvement of signaling pathways including PI3K, WNT/β-catenin, SRC, and IL-6/STAT, which have been shown to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition cancer stem cell-like features/stemness, and neuroendocrine differentiation in PC. Over the last decade, our understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationships has been enhanced considerably. The genetic background of PC related to canonical genetic alterations and signaling pathway activation genes has shed more insight into the molecular subtype and disease landscape, resulting in a more flexible role of individual therapies targeting diverse genotypes and phenotypes.

CRTAC1 identified as a promising diagnosis and prognostic biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma

CRTAC1, one of the pyroptosis-related genes, has been identified as a protective factor in certain kinds of cancer, such as gastric adenocarcinoma and bladder cancer. The study aimed to investigate the role of CRTAC1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). LUAD datasets were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), pyroptosis-related genes from GeneCard. Limma package used to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and weighted genes co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify CRTAC1 as hub gene. CRTAC1 expression was confirmed in a real-world cohort using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western Blot (WB) analyses. Cellular experiments were conducted to investigate CRTAC1's potential oncogenic mechanisms. CRTAC1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in LUAD tissues (p < 0.05) and showed high accuracy in diagnosing LUAD. Reduced CRTAC1 expression was associated with a poor prognosis. Higher CRTAC1 expression correlated with increased immune cell infiltration. Individuals with high CRTAC1 expression showed increased drug sensitivity. Additionally, qPCR and WB analyses showed that CRTAC1 expression was lower in tumor tissue compared to adjacent normal tissue at both the RNA and protein levels. Upregulation of CRTAC1 significantly inhibited LUAD cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in cellular experiments. CRTAC1 has the potential to serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in LUAD.

Overexpressed KCNK1 regulates potassium channels affecting molecular mechanisms and biological pathways in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the expression, molecular mechanism and its biological function of potassium two pore domain channel subfamily K member 1 (KCNK1) in bladder cancer (BC).

METHODS

We integrated large numbers of external samples (n = 1486) to assess KCNK1 mRNA expression levels and collected in-house samples (n = 245) for immunohistochemistry (IHC) experiments to validate at the KCNK1 protein level. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed to further assess KCNK1 expression and cellular communication. The transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of KCNK1 expression were explored by ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq and ChIA-PET data. Highly expressed co-expressed genes (HECEGs) of KCNK1 were used to explore potential signalling pathways. Furthermore, the immunoassay, clinical significance and molecular docking of KCNK1 were calculated.

RESULTS

KCNK1 mRNA was significantly overexpressed in BC (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI [0.05; 1.11]), validated at the protein level (p < 0.0001). Upregulated KCNK1 mRNA exhibited highly distinguishing ability between BC and control samples (AUC = 0.82 [0.78-0.85]). Further, scRNA-seq analysis revealed that KCNK1 expression was predominantly clustered in BC epithelial cells and tended to increase with cellular differentiation. BC epithelial cells were involved in cellular communication mainly through the MK signalling pathway. Secondly, the KCNK1 transcription start site (TSS) showed promoter-enhancer interactions in three-dimensional space, while being transcriptionally regulated by GRHL2 and FOXA1. Most of the KCNK1 HECEGs were enriched in cell cycle-related signalling pathways. KCNK1 was mainly involved in cellular metabolism-related pathways and regulated cell membrane potassium channel activity. KCNK1 expression was associated with the level of infiltration of various immune cells. Immunotherapy and chemotherapy (docetaxel, paclitaxel and vinblastine) were more effective in BC patients in the high KCNK1 expression group. KCNK1 expression correlated with age, pathology grade and pathologic_M in BC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

KCNK1 was significantly overexpressed in BC. A complex and sophisticated three-dimensional spatial transcriptional regulatory network existed in the KCNK1 TSS and promoted the upregulated of KCNK1 expression. The high expression of KCNK1 might be involved in the cell cycle, cellular metabolism, and tumour microenvironment through the regulation of potassium channels, and ultimately contributed to the deterioration of BC.

Research Progress on the Correlation between Acetaldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant pathologic type of primary liver cancer. It is a malignant tumor of liver epithelial cells. There are many ways to treat HCC, but the survival rate for HCC patients remains low. Therefore, understanding the underlying mechanisms by which HCC occurs and develops is critical to explore new therapeutic targets. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is an important player in the redox reaction of ethanol with endogenous aldehyde products released by lipid peroxidation. Increasing evidence suggests that ALDH2 is a crucial regulator of human tumor development, including HCC. Therefore, clarifying the relationship between ALDH2 and HCC is helpful for formulating rational treatment strategies. This review highlights the regulatory roles of ALDH2 in the development of HCC, elucidates the multiple potential mechanisms by which ALDH2 regulates the development of HCC, and summarizes the progress of research on ALDH2 gene polymorphisms and HCC susceptibility. Meanwhile, we envision viable strategies for targeting ALDH2 in the treatment of HCC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Numerous studies have aimed to explore novel therapeutic targets for HCC, and ALDH2 has been reported to be a critical regulator of HCC progression. This review discusses the functions, molecular mechanisms, and clinical significance of ALDH2 in the development of HCC and examines the prospects of ALDH2-based therapy for HCC.

Identification and validation of aging-related genes in heart failure based on multiple machine learning algorithms

Background

In the face of continued growth in the elderly population, the need to understand and combat age-related cardiac decline becomes even more urgent, requiring us to uncover new pathological and cardioprotective pathways.

Methods

We obtained the aging-related genes of heart failure through WGCNA and CellAge database. We elucidated the biological functions and signaling pathways involved in heart failure and aging through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. We used three machine learning algorithms: LASSO, RF and SVM-RFE to further screen the aging-related genes of heart failure, and fitted and verified them through a variety of machine learning algorithms. We searched for drugs to treat age-related heart failure through the DSigDB database. Finally, We use CIBERSORT to complete immune infiltration analysis of aging samples.

Results

We obtained 57 up-regulated and 195 down-regulated aging-related genes in heart failure through WGCNA and CellAge databases. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that aging-related genes are mainly involved in mechanisms such as Cellular senescence and Cell cycle. We further screened aging-related genes through machine learning and obtained 14 key genes. We verified the results on the test set and 2 external validation sets using 15 machine learning algorithm models and 207 combinations, and the highest accuracy was 0.911. Through screening of the DSigDB database, we believe that rimonabant and lovastatin have the potential to delay aging and protect the heart. The results of immune infiltration analysis showed that there were significant differences between Macrophages M2 and T cells CD8 in aging myocardium.

Conclusion

We identified aging signature genes and potential therapeutic drugs for heart failure through bioinformatics and multiple machine learning algorithms, providing new ideas for studying the mechanism and treatment of age-related cardiac decline.

Transcriptome-wide analysis of the differences between MCF7 cells cultured in DMEM or αMEM

MCF7 cells have been used as an experimental model for breast cancer for decades. Typically, a culture medium is designed to supply cells with the nutrients essential for their continuous proliferation. Each medium has a specific nutritional composition. Therefore, cells cultured in different media may exhibit differences in their metabolism. However, only a few studies have investigated the effects of media on cells. In this study, we compared the effects of Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) and minimum essential medium alpha modification (αMEM) on MCF7 cells. The two media differentially affected the morphology, cell cycle, and proliferation of MCF7 cells, but had no effect on cell death. Replacement of DMEM with αMEM led to a decrease in ATP production and an increase in reactive oxygen species production, but did not affect the cell viability. RNA-sequencing and bioinformatic analyses revealed 721 significantly upregulated and 1247 downregulated genes in cells cultured in αMEM for 48 h compared with that in cells cultured in DMEM. The enriched gene ontology terms were related to mitosis and cell proliferation. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis revealed cell cycle and DNA replication as the top two significant pathways. MCF7 cells were hypoxic when cultured in αMEM. These results show that the culture medium considerably affects cultured cells. Thus, the stability of the culture system in a study is very important to obtain reliable results.

Elucidation of the anti-colon cancer mechanism of Phellinus baumii polyphenol by an integrative approach of network pharmacology and experimental verification

Colon cancer, a prevalent malignant tumor affecting the digestive system, presents a substantial risk to human health due to its high occurrence and mortality rates. Phellinus baumii polyphenol (PBP), a natural product derived from traditional Chinese medicine, has gained widespread popularity due to its low toxicity and minimal side effects, compared to radiation and chemotherapy. This study used an integrated approach of network pharmacology and experimental verification to elucidate the anti-colon cancer effects of PBP and its potential mechanisms. In network pharmacology, the identification of relevant targets involved a comprehensive search across multiple databases using keywords such as "active components of PBP" and "colon cancer". Venn diagram analysis was subsequently performed to ascertain the shared targets. To identify the key active components and core targets, we constructed a network of "Disease-Drug-Pathways-Targets" and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network among the targets using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Furthermore, molecular docking was carried out to predict the binding affinity and conformation between the main active compounds (davallialactone and citrinin) of PBP and the core targets (TP53, STAT3, CASP3, CTNNB1, PARP1, MYC). To validate our findings, in vitro experiments were conducted. We verified that PBP exerted an anti-colon cancer effect on human colon cancer HCT116 cells by significantly inhibiting cell proliferation, promoting apoptosis and arresting the cell cycle in S phase by using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry. Finally, we determined the key regulatory proteins related to apoptosis and the cell cycle by western blot analysis, and proposed the potential mechanism by which PBP exerts an anti-colon cancer effect by inducing the caspase-dependent mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway and arresting the cell cycle in S phase in HCT116 cells. These results suggest that PBP possesses substantial potential for the treatment of colon cancer and may serve as a viable alternative therapeutic strategy in colon cancer treatment.

The role of kaempferol in gynaecological malignancies: progress and perspectives

Kaempferol, a flavonoid derived from various herbs such as cocoyam, propolis, and grapefruit, has garnered interest due to its numerous pharmacological benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic properties. Kaempferol has been shown to possess notable anti-tumour bioactivity, indicating potential for treating gynaecological malignancies. To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the potential of kaempferol to induce tumour cell apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and prevent metastasis and invasion in several gynaecological malignancies, including breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers. However, there is currently insufficient research investigating the efficacy of kaempferol for the treatment of gynaecological malignancies, and a lack of systematic review of its mechanism of action. Therefore, this review is founded on a literature analysis of the anticancer effects of kaempferol on gynaecological malignancies. The goal is to provide valuable reference material for scientific researchers and medical practitioners.

The mitotic cell cycle-associated nomogram predicts overall survival in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to develop a prognostic model for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) associated with mitotic cell cycle. The model will predict the probability of survival at different time points and serve as a reference tool to evaluate the effectiveness of LUAD treatment.

METHODS

A cohort of 442 patients with LUAD from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database was randomly divided into a training group (n = 299) and a validation group (n = 99). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-COX algorithm was used to reduce the number of predictors based on the clinicopathological and RNA sequencing data to establish mutant characteristics that could predict patient survival. Additionally, gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), gene set variation analysis (GSVA), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analyses were conducted on the mutant characteristics. The performance of the developed nomogram was evaluated using calibration curves and the C-index.

RESULTS

The mutant characteristics had prognostic value for LUAD and acted as an independent prognostic factor. The mutant characteristics profile derived from the LASSO-COX algorithm demonstrated a significant association with overall survival in patients with LUAD. Functional annotation based on the mutant score, its involvement in the phase transition of the mitotic cell cycle, and its regulatory processes. The nomogram, which combined the mutant score with clinical factors associated with prognosis, showed robust accuracy in both the training and validation groups.

CONCLUSION

This study presents the first individualized model that establishes a mutant score for predicting survival in LUAD. This model can be used as a predictive tool for determining 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival probabilities in patients with LUAD.

Clinical features of dermatomyositis patients with anti-TIF1 antibodies: A case based comprehensive review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Dermatomyositis is chronic autoimmune disease primarily affecting skin and muscles. Antibodies are key players of pathogenesis and are in strong correlation with distinct clinical phenotypes. We present a case and a comprehensive review of the literature on dermatomyositis patients with Anti TIF1 antibodies.

METHODS

PubMed and Web of Science databases were reviewed. 166 articles were identified; 95 of them were evaluated; 79 of them included to the study. 45 of the included articles were case reports 9 were case series and 25 were research articles. In total 1065 patients were identified but number of patients with available information for different clinical features varied.

RESULTS

69.6% of the patients with Anti TIF1-γ were female. Prevalence of malignancy was 42.6% among patients with Anti TIF1-γ. Muscle weakness (83%), Gottron sign (82.2%), heliotrope rash (73.7%), nailfold capillary changes (67.7%), dysphagia (38.4%), and joint involvement (31.1%) were the most common clinical features seen in patients with Anti TIF1-γ. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) was reported among 8.7% of patients with Anti TIF1-γ. Advanced age, male gender, dysphagia, and V-neck rash were significant risk factors for malignancy, whereas juvenile age, ILD, TIF1-β antibodies and joint involvement were associated with a decreased risk for malignancy. Advanced age, malignancy, dysphagia, and muscle involvement were associated with an increased risk for mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with advanced age, male gender, dysphagia, and V-neck rash require strict cancer screening. Patients with advanced age, malignancy, dysphagia, and muscle involvement have poor prognosis and should receive aggressive treatment.

Autophagy modulates the stability of Wee1 and cell cycle G2/M transition

The mammalian cell cycle is divided into four sequential phases, namely G1 (Gap 1), S (synthesis), G2 (Gap 2), and M (mitosis). Wee1, whose turnover is tightly and finely regulated, is a well-known kinase serving as a gatekeeper for the G2/M transition. However, the mechanism underlying the turnover of Wee1 is not fully understood. Autophagy, a highly conserved cellular process, maintains cellular homeostasis by eliminating intracellular aggregations, damaged organelles, and individual proteins. In the present study, we found autophagy deficiency in mouse liver caused G2/M arrest in two mouse models, namely Fip200 and Atg7 liver-specific knockout mice. To uncover the link between autophagy deficiency and G2/M transition, we combined transcriptomic and proteomic analysis for liver samples from control and Atg7 liver-specific knockout mice. The data suggest that the inhibition of autophagy increases the protein level of Wee1 without any alteration of its mRNA abundance. Serum starvation, an autophagy stimulus, downregulates the protein level of Wee1 in vitro. In addition, the half-life of Wee1 is extended by the addition of chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor. LC3, a central autophagic protein functioning in autophagy substrate selection and autophagosome biogenesis, interacts with Wee1 as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation assay. Furthermore, overexpression of Wee1 leads to G2/M arrest both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, our data indicate that autophagy could degrade Wee1-a gatekeeper of the G2/M transition, whereas the inhibition of autophagy leads to the accumulation of Wee1 and causes G2/M arrest in mouse liver.

Research progress on the anti-tumor effect of Naringin

Naringin is a kind of natural dihydro flavone, which mainly exists in citrus fruits of the Rutaceae family, as well as traditional Chinese medicines such as trifoliate orange, fingered citron, exocarpium citri grandis, and rhizoma dynamite. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Naringin has excellent anti-tumor activity. Through reviewing the relevant literature at home and abroad in recent years, we summarized the pharmacological mechanism of Naringin to play an anti-cancer role in blocking tumor cell cycle, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor cell invasion and metastasis, inducing tumor cell autophagy, reversing tumor cell drug resistance and enhancing chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity, as well as anti-inflammatory to prevent canceration, alleviate Adverse drug reaction of chemotherapy, activate and strengthen immunity, It provides theoretical basis and reference basis for further exploring the anticancer potential of Naringin and its further development and utilization.

CCNB1 is involved in bladder cancer pathogenesis and silencing CCNB1 decelerates tumor growth and improves prognosis of bladder cancer

In search of an effective therapeutic target for bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), the present study aimed to investigate the expression of cyclin B1 (CCNB1) and its putative mechanism in BLCA. BLCA sequencing data from Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas were used to analyze expression of CCNB1 mRNA and high CCNB1 expression had a poorer prognosis compared with those with low expression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) samples collected from the Human Protein Atlas database were analyzed for CCNB1 protein expression. Short hairpin (sh) CCNB1-transfected BLCA T24 and 5637 cells were used to investigate the effects of CCNB1 and inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of BLCA cells, affect the cell cycle distribution and promote apoptosis of 5637 cells. A sh-CCNB1 BLCA chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) transplantation model was established to observe the impacts of sh-CCNB1 on the tumorigenesis of BLCA in vivo. Analysis of sequencing data showed that CCNB1 mRNA was significantly elevated in tumor and BLCA compared with normal tissues [standardized mean difference (SMD)=1.21; 95% CI: 0.26-2.15; I²=95.9%]. IHC indicated that CCNB1 protein was localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm and was significantly increased in BLCA tumor tissues. The in vitro tests demonstrated that proliferation of T24 and 5637 cells transfected with sh-CCNB1 was significantly inhibited and cell migration and invasion ability were significantly decreased. sh-CCNB1 decreased the percentage of T24 cells in G0/G1, 5637 cells in the G0/G1 phase and S phase and increased percentage of 5637 cells in the G2/M phase and increased early apoptosis of 5637 cells. The in vivo experiments demonstrated that the mass of transplanted tumors was significantly decreased compared with the control group following silencing of CCNB1. The present results suggested that CCNB1 was involve in the development and prognosis of BLCA and silencing of CCNB1 may be a promising targeted therapy for BLCA.

Screening of potential hub genes and key pathways associated with breast cancer by bioinformatics tools

Breast cancer (BC) remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. The development of new targeted therapies that may improve patient survival remains an area of growing interest. This study aimed to identify new biomarkers involved in BC progression that could be used as potential targeted therapies. DEGs were selected from three gene expression profiles, GSE55715, GSE124646, and GSE87049, using the GEO2R tool and Venn diagram software. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathways were then performed using DAVID software. Next, the PPI network was constructed using STRING and visualized using Cytoscape software, and hub genes were extracted using the cytoHubba plug-in. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter, while the expression of hub genes in BC was verified using the GEPIA2 tool. Finally, transcription the factors of hub genes were determined using the NetworkAnalyst database, and the TIMER tool was employed to explore the infiltration levels of tumor immune cells with related genes. A total of 146 DEGs were identified in the three datasets, including 60 upregulated genes that were enriched in the cell cycle, and 86 downregulated genes that were mainly enriched in the TNF signaling pathway and pathways in cancer. Ten genes were identified: BUB1, CDK1, HMMR, MAD2L1, CEP55, AURKA, CCNB2, TPX2, MELK, and KIF20A. The overexpression of hub genes, except CDK1, was associated with poor survival in BC and was regulated by several transcription factors involved in DNA binding activity and transcription regulation. The infiltration levels of immune cells were positively correlated with hub genes, particularly macrophages and CD4+ T cells. This study identified new reliable molecular biomarkers that can serve as potential therapeutic targets for BC treatment.

Emerging Role of Deuterium/Protium Disbalance in Cell Cycle and Apoptosis

Deuterium, a stable isotope of hydrogen, is a component of water and organic compounds. It is the second most abundant element in the human body after sodium. Although the concentration of deuterium in an organism is much lower than that of protium, a wide variety of morphological, biochemical, and physiological changes are known to occur in deuterium-treated cells, including changes in fundamental processes such as cell division or energy metabolism. The mode and degree of changes in cells and tissues, both with an increase and a decrease in the concentration of deuterium, depends primarily on the time of exposure, as well as on the concentration. The reviewed data show that plant and animal cells are sensitive to deuterium content. Any shifts in the D/H balance outside or inside cells promote immediate responses. The review summarizes reported data on the proliferation and apoptosis of normal and neoplastic cells in different modes of deuteration and deuterium depletion in vivo and in vitro. The authors propose their own concept of the effects of changes in deuterium content in the body on cell proliferation and death. The altered rate of proliferation and apoptosis indicate a pivotal role of the hydrogen isotope content in living organisms and suggest the presence of a D/H sensor, which is yet to be detected.

Identification and validation of a five-gene prognostic signature based on bioinformatics analyses in breast cancer

Background

This study aimed to identify prognostic signatures to predict the prognosis of breast cancer (BRCA) patients based on a series of comprehensive analyses of gene expression data.

Methods

The RNA-sequencing expression data and corresponding BRCA patient clinical data were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Firstly, the differently expressed genes (DEGs) related to prognosis between tumor tissues and normal tissues were ascertained by performing R package "limma". Secondly, the DEGs were used to construct a polygenic risk scoring model by the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression (Lasso-cox) analysis method. Thirdly, survival analysis was performed to investigate the risk score values in the TCGA cohort. And the enrichment analysis, immune cell infiltration levels analysis, and protein-protein internet (PPI) analysis were performed. Simultaneously, the GEO cohort was used to validate the model. Lastly, we constructed a nomogram to explore the influence of polygenic risk score and other clinical factors on the survival probability of patients with BRCA.

Results

A total of 1000 DEGs including 396 upregulated genes and 604 downregulated genes were identified from the TCGA-BRCA dataset. We obtained 5 prognosis-related genes, as the key biomarkers by Lasso-cox analysis (FBXL19, HAGHL, PHKG2, PKMYT1, and TXNDC17), all of which were significantly upregulated in breast tumors. The prognostic prediction of the 5 genes model was great in training and validation cohorts. Moreover, the high-risk group had a poorer prognosis. The Cox regression analysis showed that the comprehensive risk score for 5 genes was an independent prognosis factor.

Conclusion

The 5 genes risk model constructed in this study had an independent predictive ability to distinguish patients with a high risk of death from those with a low-risk score, and it can be used as a practical and reliable prognostic tool for BRCA.