Novel tumor suppressor SPRYD4 inhibits tumor progression in hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing apoptotic cell death

SPRY4 regulates ERK1/2 phosphorylation to affect oxidative stress and steroidogenesis in polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age. The role of Sprouty RTK Signaling Antagonist 4 (SPRY4) in ovarian function in PCOS was investigated herein, focusing on its regulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. PCOS models were established in mice using dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The expression levels of SPRY4 in ovarian tissues were analyzed through RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. SPRY4 knockdown was achieved via lentivirus, and its effects on endocrine function, ovarian morphology, oxidative stress, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were evaluated. Afterwards, granulosa cells were isolated and treated with DHEA and ERK2 agonist tert-Butylhydroquinone. The impacts of ERK2 activation on the regulation of SPRY4 knockdown were assessed using ELISA, fluorescent probes, western blotting, and biochemical assays. SPRY4 knockdown normalized the estrous cycle, reduced serum levels of testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone, and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio, and improved ovarian morphology. Additionally, SPRY4 knockdown alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels while increasing superoxide dismutase activity. It also restored steroidogenic enzyme expression, which were disrupted by DHEA induction. In vitro, SPRY4 knockdown enhanced granulosa cell viability and reduced ERK1/2 phosphorylation, with tert-Butylhydroquinone reversing these effects and restoring oxidative stress and steroidogenesis disruptions. Together, SPRY4 modulates ERK1/2 phosphorylation to influence oxidative stress and steroidogenesis in PCOS. Targeting SPRY4 may provide novel therapeutic avenues for improving ovarian function and managing PCOS.

FKBP11 upregulation promotes proliferation and migration in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths world over. Early diagnosis and effective treatment monitoring significantly improves patients' outcomes. FKBP11 gene is highly expressed in HCC and could play a role in its development, early diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of FKBP11 in HCC, its correlation with patients' clinical characteristics and potential role in HCC development.

METHODS

Expression was determined by bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. CCK-8, Transwell and wound healing assays were used to investigate involvement in HCC development.

RESULTS

FKBP11 was significantly upregulated in HCC cells, tissues and blood (all p< 0.001). Its receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve had an AUC of 0.864 (95% CI: 0.823-0.904), at a sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.78 indicating a good diagnostic potential in HCC. Its expression was markedly reduced after surgery (p< 0.0001), indicating a potential application in HCC treatment follow-up. Knockdown of FKBP11 in HCC cells attenuated proliferation and migration, suggesting a possible role in HCC pathogenesis.

CONCLUSION

This study thus found that FKBP11 is upregulated in HCC, and the upregulation promotes HCC development. FKBP11 levels are significantly reduced post-surgery and could be a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker for HCC.

Identification of SPRYD4 as a tumour suppressor predicts prognosis and correlates with immune infiltration in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive solid tumour with a 5-year survival rate ranging from 7% to 20%. It is, therefore, urgent to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve the outcomes of patients with CCA. SPRY-domain containing protein 4 (SPRYD4) contains SPRY domains that modulate protein-protein interaction in various biological processes; however, its role in cancer development is insufficiently explored. This study is the first to identify that SPRYD4 is downregulated in CCA tissues using multiple public datasets and a CCA cohort. Furthermore, the low expression of SPRYD4 was significantly associated with unfavourable clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis in patients with CCA, indicating that SPRYD4 could be a prognosis indicator of CCA. In vitro experiments revealed that SPRYD4 overexpression inhibited CCA cells proliferation and migration, whereas the proliferative and migratory capacity of CCA cells was enhanced after SPRYD4 deletion. Moreover, flow cytometry showed that SPRYD4 overexpression triggered the S/G2 cell phase arrest and promoted apoptosis in CCA cells. Furthermore, the tumour-inhibitory effect of SPRYD4 was validated in vivo using xenograft mouse models. SPRYD4 also showed a close association with tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and important immune checkpoints including PD1, PD-L1 and CTLA4 in CCA. In conclusion, this study elucidated the role of SPRYD4 during CCA development and highlighted SPRYD4 as a novel biomarker and tumour suppressor in CCA.

MicroRNA-363-3p promote the development of acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1 mutation by targeting SPRYD4 and FNDC3B

BACKGROUND

Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) is one of the most frequently mutated genes in most of hematological malignancies, especially in acute myeloid leukemia. In the present study, we aimed to identify the key genes and microRNAs based on acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1 mutation. The newly finding targeted genes and microRNA associated with RUNX1 may benefit to the clinical treatment in acute myeloid leukemia.

MATERIAL/METHODS

The gene and miRNA expression data sets relating to RUNX1 mutation and wild-type adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Differentially expressed miRNAs and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by edgeR of R platform. Gene ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed by Metascape and Gene set enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction network and miRNA-mRNA regulatory network were performed by Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database and Cytoscape software.

RESULTS

A total of 27 differentially expressed miRNAs (25 upregulated and 2 downregulated) and 561 DEGs (429 upregulated and 132 downregulated) were identified. Five miRNAs (miR-151b, miR-151a-5p, let-7a-2-3p, miR-363-3p, miR-20b-5p) had prognostic significance in AML. The gene ontology analysis showed that upregulated DEGs suggested significant enrichment in MHC class II protein complex, extracellular structure organization, blood vessel development, cell morphogenesis involved in differentiation, embryonic morphogenesis, regulation of cell adhesion, and so on. Similarly, the downregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in secretory granule lumen, extracellular structure organization. In the gene set enrichment analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, the RUNX1 mutation was associated with adherent junction, WNT signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, pathways in cancer, cell adhesion molecules CAMs, MAPK signaling pathway. Eleven genes (PPBP, APP, CCR5, HLA-DRB1, GNAI1, APLNR, P2RY14, C3AR1, HTR1F, CXCL12, GNG11) were simultaneously identified by hub gene analysis and module analysis. MicroRNA-363-3p may promote the development of RUNX1 mutation AML, targeting SPRYD4 and FNDC3B. In addition, the RUNX1 mutation rates in patient were obviously correlated with age, white blood cell, FAB type, risk(cyto), and risk(molecular) (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings have indicated that multiple genes and microRNAs may play a crucial role in RUNX1 mutation AML. MicroRNA-363-3p may promote the development of RUNX1 mutation AML by targeting SPRYD4 and FNDC3B.

Homer2 and Homer3 Act as Novel Biomarkers in Diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer‐related mortality worldwide. Early detection of HCC can significantly improve patients' outcomes. An increasing number of studies have validated that Homer is dysregulated in cancers and may serve as diagnostic markers. In the present study, we investigated the expression profile and diagnostic significance of Homer2 and Homer3 in hepatitis B virus-induced HCC (HBV-HCC).

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR), western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry analysis.

Results: Homer2 and Homer3 were downregulated in HCC. The expression of Homer2 was associated with tumor differentiation grade (P= 0.012) and total protein (TP) level (P= 0.032). Homer3 was related to tumor size (P= 0.010), tumor nodes (P= 0.026) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level (P= 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that the combination of Homer2, Homer3 and AFP possessed a high accuracy (AUC=0.900) to diagnose HCC cases from healthy controls.

Conclusion: Our data indicated that Homer2 and Homer3 were downregulated in HCC and might be potential diagnostic marker for HCC.

Construction of a Comprehensive Multiomics Map of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Screening of Possible Driver Genes

Objectives: The occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex process involving genetic mutations, epigenetic variation, and abnormal gene expression. However, a comprehensive multiomics investigation of HCC is lacking, and the available multiomics evidence has not led to improvements in clinical practice. Therefore, we explored the molecular mechanism underlying the development of HCC through an integrative analysis of multiomics data obtained at multiple levels to provide innovative perspectives and a new theoretical basis for the early diagnosis, personalized treatment and medical guidance of HCC.

Methods: In this study, we collected whole-exome sequencing data, RNA (mRNA and miRNA) sequencing data, DNA methylation array data, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We analyzed the copy number variation (CNV) in HCC using GISTIC2. MutSigCV was applied to identify significantly mutated genes (SMGs). Functional enrichment analyses were performed using the clusterProfiler package in R software. The prognostic values of discrete variables were estimated using Kaplan–Meier survival curves.

Results: By analyzing the HCC data in TCGA, we constructed a comprehensive multiomics map of HCC. Through copy number analysis, we identified significant amplification at 29 loci and significant deletions at 33 loci. A total of 13 significant mutant genes were identified. In addition, we also identified three HCC-related mutant signatures, and among these, signature 22 was closely related to exposure to aristolochic acids. Subsequently, we analyzed the methylation level of HCC samples and identified 51 epigenetically silenced genes that were significantly associated with methylation. The differential expression analysis identified differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs in HCC samples. Based on the above-described results, we identified a total of 93 possible HCC driver genes, which are driven by mutations, methylation, and CNVs and have prognostic value.

Conclusion: Our study reveals variations in different dimensions of HCC. We performed an integrative analysis of genomic signatures, single nucleotide variants (SNVs), CNVs, methylation, and gene expression in HCC. Based on the results, we identified HCC possible driver genes that might facilitate prognostic prediction and support decision making with regard to the choice of therapy.

LINC01419 promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma by enhancing NDRG1 promoter activity

PURPOSE

Emerging evidence indicates that dysfunction of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) plays an essential role in the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study we investigated the potential roles and molecular mechanisms involving LINC01419 in HCC.

METHODS

The expression of LINC01419 in 40 pairs of HCC/normal tissues and 6 HCC cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. MTS, EdU, colony formation, scratch wound-healing and transwell assays were performed to assess the role of LINC01419 in HCC cell (SMMC7721 and SK-Hep1) proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Artificial modulation of LINC01419 (up- and downregulation) was performed to explore the role of LINC01419 in tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Interaction of LINC01419 with NDRG1 was assessed using qRT-PCR, RNA sequencing, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Physical interaction of LINC01419 with the NDRG1 promoter was assessed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

We observed LINC01419 overexpression in primary HCC tissues and HCC cell lines and that this overexpression positively correlated with large tumor size, increased vascular invasion and advanced TNM stage in 40 HCC patients. Exogenous LINC01419 expression significantly promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, as well as tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Conversely, we found that LINC01419 expression knockdown elicited opposite effects. Mechanistic investigations revealed that LINC01419 exerted its biological effects by regulating NDRG1. A dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that LINC01419 interacts with a specific region within the NDRG1 promoter, resulting in its activation.

CONCLUSIONS

From our data we conclude that LINC01419 acts clinically, functionally and mechanistically oncogenic in HCC. LINC01419 may, therefore, serve as a promising prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for HCC.

microRNA-4270-5p inhibits cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting SATB2

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a lethal cancer type for both males and females. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the initiation, development and metastasis of cancer. Although several miRNAs have been identified as drivers or suppressors of HCC, the molecular mechanisms of many miRNAs have not been investigated. Currently, we discovered that miR-4270-5p was a significantly downregulated miRNA in HCC. We revealed that miR-4270-5p overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. The data manifested that miR-4270-5p directly targeted SATB2, a key regulator of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), in HCC cells and reversed the EMT process. The rescue experiments suggested that SATB2 overexpression reversed the biological function of miR-4270-5p in HCC cells. Clinical data indicated that SATB2 expression was negatively correlated with miR-4270-5p levels in HCC patients. Our findings provided potential targets for prognosis and treatment of patients with HCC.

Multiple novel hepatocellular carcinoma signature genes are commonly controlled by the master pluripotency factor OCT4

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common solid tumor with a poor prognosis. HCC is often due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. As yet, efficacious HCC treatment regimens for late-stage HCC patients are lacking. Therefore, the identification of more specific and sensitive biomarkers for its early diagnosis and treatment remains an urgent need.

METHODS

Total RNAs from paired HBV-derived HCC tumors and adjacent peritumor tissues (APTs) were subjected to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC tumors and APTs were selected and verified.

RESULTS

We identified 166 DEGs and found that eight top-ranked and verified DEGs (TK1, CTTN, CEP72, TRIP13, FTH1, FLAD1, CHRM2, AMBP) all contained putative OCT4 binding motifs in their promoter regions. TK1, TRIP13 and OCT4 were found to exhibit concurrent higher expression levels in HCC tumors than in APTs. The mRNA levels of TK1, TRIP13 and OCT4 in a cohort of 384 HCC samples from the TCGA database were all found to be negatively correlated with patient overall survival, relapse-free survival and progression-free survival, underscoring the HCC biomarker status of TK1 and TRIP13 on one hand, and implicating their association with OCT4 on the other hand. Furthermore, OCT4 proteins were found to bind to the promoters of both genes in vitro and in vivo. Knocking out OCT4 in HCC-derived cell lines reduced the expression of TK1 and TRIP13 and significantly decreased their tumorigenicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Using RNA-seq, we identified several novel HCC signature genes that may serve as biomarkers for its diagnosis and prognosis. Their common transcriptional regulation by OCT4 suggests key roles in the development of HCC, and indicates that OCT4 may serve as a potential therapeutic target.

mTOR/HDAC1 Crosstalk Mediated Suppression of ADH1A and ALDH2 Links Alcohol Metabolism to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Onset and Progression in silico

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is ranked the third deadliest cancer worldwide whose molecular pathogenesis is not fully understood. Although deregulated metabolic pathways have been implicated in HCC onset and progression, the mechanisms triggering this metabolic imbalance are yet to be explored. Here, we identified a gene signature coding catabolic enzymes (Cat-GS) involved in key metabolic pathways like amino acid, lipid, carbohydrate, drug, and retinol metabolism as suppressed in HCC. A higher expression of deregulated Cat-GS is associated with good survival and less aggressive disease state in HCC patients. On the other hand, we identified mTOR signaling as a key determinant in HCC onset and progression, whose hyperactivation is found associated with poor survival and aggressive disease state in HCC patients. Next, out of Cat-GS, we established two key regulators of alcohol metabolism, alcohol dehydrogenase 1A (ADH1A) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), as being transcriptionally suppressed by histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) at the downstream of mTORC1 signaling. Suppressed ADH1A and ALDH2 expression aligns well with HCC-specific molecular profile and can efficiently predict disease onset and progression, whereas higher ADH1A and ALDH2 expression is associated with good survival and less aggressive disease state in HCC patients. Overall, our in silico findings suggest that transcriptional suppression of alcohol metabolism regulators, ADH1A and ALDH2, at the downstream of mTOR signaling is, in part, responsible for triggering oncogenic transformation of hepatocytes resulting in disease onset and progression in HCC.