Knockout of the Placenta Specific 8 Gene Affects the Proliferation and Migration of Human Embryonic Kidney 293T Cell

Characterizing genes associated with cancer using the CRISPR/Cas9 system: A systematic review of genes and methodological approaches

The CRISPR/Cas9 system enables a versatile set of genomes editing and genetic-based disease modeling tools due to its high specificity, efficiency, and accessible design and implementation. In cancer, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been used to characterize genes and explore different mechanisms implicated in tumorigenesis. Different experimental strategies have been proposed in recent years, showing dependency on various intrinsic factors such as cancer type, gene function, mutation type, and technical approaches such as cell line, Cas9 expression, and transfection options. However, the successful methodological approaches, genes, and other experimental factors have not been analyzed. We, therefore, initially considered more than 1,300 research articles related to CRISPR/Cas9 in cancer to finally examine more than 400 full-text research publications. We summarize findings regarding target genes, RNA guide designs, cloning, Cas9 delivery systems, cell enrichment, and experimental validations. This analysis provides valuable information and guidance for future cancer gene validation experiments.

Multifaced roles of PLAC8 in cancer

The role of PLAC8 in tumorigenesis has been gradually elucidated with the development of research. Although there are common molecular mechanisms that enforce cell growth, the impact of PLAC8 is varied and can, in some instances, have opposite effects on tumorigenesis. To systematically understand the role of PLAC8 in tumors, the molecular functions of PLAC8 in cancer will be discussed by focusing on how PLAC8 impacts tumorigenesis when it arises within tumor cells and how these roles can change in different stages of cancer progression with the ultimate goal of suppressing PLAC8-relevant cancer behavior and related pathologies. In addition, we highlight the diversity of PLAC8 in different tumors and its functional output beyond cancer cell growth. The comprehension of PLAC8's molecular function might provide new target and lead to the development of novel anticancer therapies.

Proteomic Analysis Reveals That Placenta-Specific Protein 9 Inhibits Proliferation and Stimulates Motility of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Placenta-specific protein 9 (PLAC9) is a putative secretory protein that was initially identified in the placenta and is involved in cell proliferation and motility. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that PLAC9 is repressed in lung cancers (LCs), especially lung adenocarcinomas, compared to that in the paired adjacent normal tissues, indicating that PLAC9 might be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary diseases. To investigate the potential role of PLAC9 in the abnormal reprogramming of airway epithelial cells (AECs), a key cause of pulmonary diseases, we constructed a stable PLAC9-overexpressing human bronchial epithelial cell line (16HBE-GFP-Plac9). We utilized the proteomic approach isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) to analyze the effect of PLAC9 on cellular protein composition. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analyses revealed that GO terms and pathways associated with cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cell motility and migration were significantly enriched among the proteins regulated by PLAC9. Our in vitro results showed that PLAC9 overexpression reduced cell proliferation, altered cell cycle progression, and increased cell motility, including migration and invasion. Our findings suggest that PLAC9 inhibits cell proliferation through S phase arrest by altering the expression levels of cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and promotes cell motility, likely via the concerted actions of cyclins, E-cadherin, and vimentin. Since these mechanisms may underlie PLAC9-mediated abnormal human bronchial pathogenesis, our study provides a basis for the development of molecular targeted treatments for LCs.

Applications of CRISPR-Cas9 in gynecological cancer research

Gynecological cancers pose a significant threat to women's health worldwide, with cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer having high incidences. Current gynecological cancer treatment methods mainly include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy. The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology as a new therapeutic method has shown tremendous effect in the treatment of other cancers, promoting research on its potential therapeutic effect in gynecological cancer. In this article, we reviewed the current research status of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in gynecological cancer, focusing on the importance of studying the mechanism of CRISPR-Cas9 in gynecological cancer treatment, thereby laying a foundation for further research on its clinical application.