IFIT1 modulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells via Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Protumorigenic Interferon-Stimulated Genes in Cancer: A Comprehensive Review

Interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), whose production is triggered by interferons, are known to defend the host from pathogenic and cancer-specific antigens, one of which is by inducing apoptosis in infected or mutated cells. It has been reported recently that specific ISGs aid cancer cells in evading immunosurveillance and inflammatory cells by inhibiting the apoptosis process. This report reviewed four apoptosis-regulating ISG proteins: interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), interferon alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27), interferon alpha-inducible protein 6 (IFI6), and radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2 (RSAD2), demonstrating anti-apoptosis function, and considered them protumorigenic.

Deciphering the molecular mechanism of long non-coding RNA HIF1A-AS1 regulating pancreatic cancer cells

Background

HIF1A-AS1, an antisense transcript of HIF1α gene, is a 652-bp LncRNA that is globally expressed in multiple tissues of animals. Recent evidence indicated that HIF1A-AS1 was involved in tumorigenesis of several types of cancer. However, the role of lncRNA in PC has not been reported, and the molecular mechanism remains elusive.

Results

In order to investigate the role of HIF1A-AS1 in PC, it was overexpressed in some PC cell lines (PANC-1, PATU8988 and SW1990), and a series of experiments including cell viability detection, flow cytometry, transwell migration, clone formation and wound healing were performed. Functionally, the results indicated that overexpression of HIF1A-AS1 could greatly inhibit proliferation and migration and promote apoptosis of PC cells. Moreover, the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) quantitative proteomics analysis was implemented to explore the underlying mechanism and the results indicated that OE of HIF1A-AS1 globally affected the expression levels of multiple proteins associated with metabolism of cancer. At last, the network analysis revealed that most of these differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were integrated and severed essential roles in regulatory function. In view of this, we guessed HIF1A-AS1 overexpression induced the dysfunction of metabolism and disordered proteins' translation, which may account for its excellent tumour suppressor effect.

Conclusions

HIF1A-AS1 altered the cell function of PC cell lines via affecting the expression of numerous proteins. In summary, HIF1A-AS1 may exhibit a potential therapeutic effect on PC, and our study provided useful information in this filed.

Dual-inhibition of NAMPT and PAK4 induces anti-tumor effects in 3D-spheroids model of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer follows a characteristic progression pattern, forming multiple tumor masses enriched with cancer stem cells (CSCs) within the abdomen. Most patients develop resistance to standard platinum-based drugs, necessitating better treatment approaches. Targeting CSCs by inhibiting NAD+ synthesis has been previously explored. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), which is the rate limiting enzyme in the salvage pathway for NAD+ synthesis is an attractive drug target in this pathway. KPT-9274 is an innovative drug targeting both NAMPT and p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4). However, its effectiveness against ovarian cancer has not been validated. Here, we show the efficacy and mechanisms of KPT-9274 in treating 3D-cultured spheroids that are resistant to platinum-based drugs. In these spheroids, KPT-9274 not only inhibited NAD+ production in NAMPT-dependent cell lines, but also suppressed NADPH and ATP production, indicating reduced mitochondrial function. It also downregulated of inflammation and DNA repair-related genes. Moreover, the compound reduced PAK4 activity by altering its mostly cytoplasmic localization, leading to NAD+-dependent decreases in phosphorylation of S6 Ribosomal protein, AKT, and β-Catenin in the cytoplasm. These findings suggest that KPT-9274 could be a promising treatment for ovarian cancer patients who are resistant to platinum drugs, emphasizing the need for precision medicine to identify the specific NAD+ producing pathway that a tumor relies upon before treatment.

Fundamental insights and molecular interactions in pancreatic cancer: Pathways to therapeutic approaches

The gastrointestinal tract can be affected by a number of diseases that pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignant manifestation of them. The prognosis of PC patients is unfavorable and because of their diagnosis at advanced stage, the treatment of this tumor is problematic. Owing to low survival rate, there is much interest towards understanding the molecular profile of PC in an attempt in developing more effective therapeutics. The conventional therapeutics for PC include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as emerging immunotherapy. However, PC is still incurable and more effort should be performed. The molecular landscape of PC is an underlying factor involved in increase in progression of tumor cells. In the presence review, the newest advances in understanding the molecular and biological events in PC are discussed. The dysregulation of molecular pathways including AMPK, MAPK, STAT3, Wnt/β-catenin and non-coding RNA transcripts has been suggested as a factor in development of tumorigenesis in PC. Moreover, cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis and necroptosis demonstrate abnormal levels. The EMT and glycolysis in PC cells enhance to ensure their metastasis and proliferation. Furthermore, such abnormal changes have been used to develop corresponding pharmacological and nanotechnological therapeutics for PC.

RAD54B promotes gastric cancer cell migration and angiogenesis via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is an epidemic malignancy that is commonly diagnosed at the late stage. Evidence has elucidated that RAD54B exerts a crucial role in the progress of various tumors, but its specific role and mechanism in gastric cancer remain gloomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The level of RAD54B was detected by western blot. RAD54B expression was downregulated or upregulated in both MKN45 and AGS cells by the transfection of shRAD54B or overexpression plasmid, respectively. The role of RAD54B in the growth, migration, invasion and tube formation of gastric cancer was evaluated by Edu, colony formation, transwell and tube formation assays. In addition, the molecular mechanism of RAD54B in gastric cancer was also determined by western blot. Moreover, in vivo experiment was conducted in xenografted mice.

RESULTS

The expression of RAD54B was discovered to be upregulated in gastric cancer based on the ATGC and GEPIA databases, which was also confirmed in gastric cancer cell lines. Moreover, overexpression of RAD54B enhanced the growth, migration, invasion, tube formation and Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis in AGS and MKN45 cells. As expected, knockdown of RAD54B in AGS and MKN45 cells reversed these promotions. More importantly, in vivo assay also verified that RAD54B accelerated the growth of gastric cancer and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Both loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays demonstrated that RAD54B facilitated gastric cancer cell progress and angiogenesis through the Wnt/β-catenin axis.

IFIT3 accelerates the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by targeting PD-L1 to activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence has shown interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) may be predicted to be a candidate oncogene and involved in the onset and progression of cancer, but IFIT3's potential role in cancer, particularly in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), is not well recognized. This study aims to reveal the role of IFIT3 in HNSC and the underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemical staining, RT-PCR, and Western blotting analysis were used to detect IFIT3 expression in HNSC. CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, wound-healing assays, transwell assays, and sphere formation were used to explore proliferative, migratory, and invasive activities and cancer stemness of HNSC cells after IFIT3 knockdown and over-expressed. The alterations of EMT markers and PI3K/AKT pathway were detected by Western blotting. Animal studies were performed to analyze the effect of IFIT3 on tumor growth and metastasis of HNSC in vivo.

RESULTS

In this study, we observed that IFIT3 was highly expressed in HNSC, and its higher expression contributed to poorer survival of patients with clinical stage IV or grade 3. Function assay indicated that IFIT3 promoted malignant behaviors in vitro, as well as tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. Meanwhile, PD-L1 knockdown or over-expressed reversed cancer cell stemness, migration, invasion, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway which were regulated by IFIT3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal that IFIT3 promotes EMT and cancer stemness by targeting PD-L1 to activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in HNSC, and targeting IFIT3 may be a novel strategy for the treatment of patients with HNSC.

Two-Dimensional-PAGE Coupled with nLC-MS/MS-Based Identification of Differentially Expressed Proteins and Tumorigenic Pathways in MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells Transfected for JTB Protein Silencing

The identification of new cancer-associated genes/proteins, the characterization of their expression variation, the interactomics-based assessment of differentially expressed genes/proteins (DEGs/DEPs), and understanding the tumorigenic pathways and biological processes involved in BC genesis and progression are necessary and possible by the rapid and recent advances in bioinformatics and molecular profiling strategies. Taking into account the opinion of other authors, as well as based on our own team's in vitro studies, we suggest that the human jumping translocation breakpoint (hJTB) protein might be considered as a tumor biomarker for BC and should be studied as a target for BC therapy. In this study, we identify DEPs, carcinogenic pathways, and biological processes associated with JTB silencing, using 2D-PAGE coupled with nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) proteomics applied to a MCF7 breast cancer cell line, for complementing and completing our previous results based on SDS-PAGE, as well as in-solution proteomics of MCF7 cells transfected for JTB downregulation. The functions of significant DEPs are analyzed using GSEA and KEGG analyses. Almost all DEPs exert pro-tumorigenic effects in the JTBlow condition, sustaining the tumor suppressive function of JTB. Thus, the identified DEPs are involved in several signaling and metabolic pathways that play pro-tumorigenic roles: EMT, ERK/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, mTOR, C-MYC, NF-κB, IFN-γ and IFN-α responses, UPR, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. These pathways sustain cancer cell growth, adhesion, survival, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, resistance to apoptosis, tight junctions and cytoskeleton reorganization, the maintenance of stemness, metabolic reprogramming, survival in a hostile environment, and sustain a poor clinical outcome. In conclusion, JTB silencing might increase the neoplastic phenotype and behavior of the MCF7 BC cell line. The data is available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD046265.

Kruppel-like factor 13 acts as a tumor suppressor in thyroid carcinoma by downregulating IFIT1

BACKGROUND

Kruppel-like factor 13 (KLF13) is a transcription factor and plays an important role in carcinogenesis. However, the significance of KLF13 in thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is underdetermined. In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical relevance and function of KLF13 in the progress of THCA.

METHODS

The expression of KLF13 in thyroid carcinoma and normal tissue was investigated by qPCR and IHC assay. The expression of KLF13 and IFIT1 in cell samples was investigated with Western blot assay. Cell proliferation ability was detected with CCK8 and colony formation assay. Cell growth in vivo with or without KLF13 overexpression was evaluated on a xenograft model. Cell migration ability was measured with Transwell assay. Cell cycle was detected with flow cytometer. The downstream genes of KLF13 were screened using RNA-seq assay. Luciferase activity was employed to assess the transcriptional regulation of KLF13 on IFIT1 promoter.

RESULTS

KLF13 expression was downregulated in THCA samples. KLF13 knockdown and overexpression promoted and inhibited the proliferation and migration of THCA cells, respectively. The RNA-seq, RT-qPCR and immunoblotting data showed that KLF13 knockdown significantly potentiated IFIT1 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Luciferase assays showed that KLF13 suppressed the transcription activity of IFIT1 promoter. Besides, IFIT1 upregulation was critical for the proliferation and migration of THCA cell lines. Lastly, silencing of IFIT1 greatly reversed the proliferation and migration induced by KLF13 knockdown.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, KLF13 may function as an anti-tumor protein in THCA by regulating the expression of IFIT1 and offer a theoretical foundation for treating thyroid carcinoma.

E3 ubiquitin ligase neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4 motivates FOXA1 ubiquitination and restrains proliferation of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells via the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway

Neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated gene 4 (NEDD4) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that recognizes substrates via protein-protein interactions and takes part in tumor development. This study aims to clarify NEDD4's functions in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and its downstream mechanisms. Collection of 53 DLBCL tissues and adjacent normal lymphoid tissues, and detection of NEDD4 and Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) in the tissues were conducted. The selection of DLBCL cells was for FARAGE, and test of cells' advancement was after transfection. Analysis of NEDD4 and FOXA1's link, and test of Wnt/β-catenin pathway were implemented. In vivo tumor xenograft experiments were put into effect. Detection of the pathological conditions of tumor tissues and the positive Ki67 in the family was implemented. It came out NEDD4 was reduced in DLBCL tissues and cell lines, and FOXA1 was elevated; Enhancing NEDD4 or repressing FOXA1 refrained DLBCL cells' advancement; NEDD4 could combine with FOXA1 and trigger its ubiquitination and degradation; NEDD4 inactivates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by motivating FOXA1 ubiquitination; NEDD4 enhancement refrained DLBCL growth in vivo. In conclusion, the E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4 accelerates FOXA1 ubiquitination but refrains DLBCL cell proliferation via the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway.

Harnessing neutrophil plasticity for HCC immunotherapy

Neutrophils, until recently, have typically been considered a homogeneous population of terminally differentiated cells with highly conserved functions in homeostasis and disease. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), tumour-associated neutrophils (TANs) are predominantly thought to play a pro-tumour role, promoting all aspects of HCC development and progression. Recent developments in single-cell technologies are now providing a greater insight and appreciation for the level of cellular heterogeneity displayed by TANs in the HCC tumour microenvironment, which we have been able to correlate with other TAN signatures in datasets for gastric cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). TANs with classical pro-tumour signatures have been identified as well as neutrophils primed for anti-tumour functions that, if activated and expanded, could become a potential therapeutic approach. In recent years, therapeutic targeting of neutrophils in HCC has been typically focused on impairing the recruitment of pro-tumour neutrophils. This has now been coupled with immune checkpoint blockade with the aim to stimulate lymphocyte-mediated anti-tumour immunity whilst impairing neutrophil-mediated immunosuppression. As a result, neutrophil-directed therapies are now entering clinical trials for HCC. Pharmacological targeting along with ex vivo reprogramming of neutrophils in HCC patients is, however, in its infancy and a greater understanding of neutrophil heterogeneity, with a view to exploit it, may pave the way for improved immunotherapy outcomes. This review will cover the recent developments in our understanding of neutrophil heterogeneity in HCC and how neutrophils can be harnessed to improve HCC immunotherapy.

How Different Pathologies Are Affected by IFIT Expression

The type-I interferon (IFN) system represents the first line of defense against viral pathogens. Recognition of the virus initiates complex signaling pathways that result in the transcriptional induction of IFNs, which are then secreted. Secreted IFNs stimulate nearby cells and result in the production of numerous proinflammatory cytokines and antiviral factors. Of particular note, IFN-induced tetratricopeptide repeat (IFIT) proteins have been thoroughly studied because of their antiviral activity against different viral pathogens. Although classically studied as an antiviral protein, IFIT expression has recently been investigated in the context of nonviral pathologies, such as cancer and sepsis. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), IFIT1 and IFIT3 promote metastasis, while IFIT2 exhibits the opposite effect. The role of IFIT proteins during bacterial/fungal sepsis is still under investigation, with studies showing conflicting roles for IFIT2 in disease severity. In the setting of viral sepsis, IFIT proteins play a key role in clearing viral infection. As a result, many viral pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, employ mechanisms to inhibit the type-I IFN system and promote viral replication. In cancers that are characterized by upregulated IFIT proteins, medications that decrease IFIT expression may reduce metastasis and improve survival rates. Likewise, in cases of viral sepsis, therapeutics that increase IFIT expression may improve viral clearance and reduce the risk of septic shock. By understanding the effect of IFIT proteins in different pathologies, novel therapeutics can be developed to halt disease progression.

Inside the stemness engine: Mechanistic links between deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer

Cell identity is largely determined by its transcriptional profile. In tumour, deregulation of transcription factor expression and/or activity enables cancer cell to acquire a stem-like state characterised by capacity to self-renew, differentiate and form tumours in vivo. These stem-like cancer cells are highly metastatic and therapy resistant, thus warranting a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms downstream of the transcription factors that mediate the establishment of stemness state. Here, we review recent research findings that provide a mechanistic link between the commonly deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. In particular, we describe the role of master transcription factors (SOX, OCT4, NANOG, KLF, BRACHYURY, SALL, HOX, FOX and RUNX), signalling-regulated transcription factors (SMAD, β-catenin, YAP, TAZ, AP-1, NOTCH, STAT, GLI, ETS and NF-κB) and unclassified transcription factors (c-MYC, HIF, EMT transcription factors and P53) across diverse tumour types, thereby yielding a comprehensive overview identifying shared downstream targets, highlighting unique mechanisms and discussing complexities.

ACY1 Downregulation Enhances the Radiosensitivity of Cetuximab-Resistant Colorectal Cancer by Inactivating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Treatment of cetuximab-resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global healthcare problem. This study aimed to assess the effects of radiotherapy on cetuximab-resistant CRC and explore the underlying mechanism. We established a cetuximab-resistant HCT116 cell line (HCT116-R) by extracorporeal shock. Differentially expressed mRNAs were screened from cells treated with different radiation doses using second-generation high-throughput sequencing. Sequence data showed that ACY1 was significantly downregulated in HCT116-R cells after irradiation. Analysis of the GEO and TCGA datasets revealed that high ACY1 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and a poor prognosis in CRC patients. In addition, immunohistochemistry results from CRC patients revealed that ACY1 protein expression was related to cetuximab resistance and lymph node metastasis. These findings suggested that ACY1 may function as an oncogene to promote CRC progression and regulate the radiosensitivity of cetuximab-resistant CRC. As expected, ACY1 silencing weakened the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of HCT116-R cells after radiotherapy. Mechanistically, TCGA data demonstrated that ACY1 expression was closely related to the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CRC. We validated that radiotherapy first reduced β-catenin levels, followed by decreased expression of the metastasis-related protein E-cadherin. Silencing ACY1 dramatically enhanced these changes in β-catenin and E-cadherin after radiotherapy. In conclusion, ACY1 downregulation could enhance the radiosensitivity of cetuximab-resistant CRC by inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, implying that ACY1 may serve as a radiotherapy target for cetuximab-resistant CRC.

Oral Microbiota-Driven Cell Migration in Carcinogenesis and Metastasis

The oral cavity harbors approximately 1,000 microbial species, and both pathogenic and commensal strains are involved in the development of carcinogenesis by stimulating chronic inflammation, affecting cell proliferation, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. Moreover, some substances produced by oral bacteria can also act in a carcinogenic manner. The link between oral microbiota and chronic inflammation as well as cell proliferation has been well established. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated the association of the oral microbiota with cell migration, which is crucial in regulating devastating diseases such as cancer. For instance, increased cell migration induced the spread of highly malignant cancer cells. Due to advanced technologies, the mechanistic understanding of cell migration in carcinogenesis and cancer metastasis is undergoing rapid progress. Thus, this review addressed the complexities of cell migration in carcinogenesis and cancer metastasis. We also integrate recent findings on the molecular mechanisms by which the oral microbiota regulates cell migration, with emphasis on the effect of the oral microbiota on adhesion, polarization, and guidance. Finally, we also highlight critical techniques, such as intravital microscopy and superresolution microscopy, for studies in this field.

Anti-inflammatory properties of pigment epithelium-derived factor

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response to harmful stimuli, such as cell damage, pathogens, or irritants. An excessive inflammatory response can lead to a variety of diseases. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an endogenous glycoprotein that belongs to the superfamily of serine protease inhibitors and has multiple biological activities. Accumulating evidence suggests that PEDF participates in various inflammatory-related diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, atherosclerosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and retinal diseases. However, the mechanism is still incompletely understood. In this paper, we review the anti-inflammatory properties of PEDF and discuss the underlying mechanisms. PEDF can exert its anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating the expression of inflammatory factors, promoting the synthesis of anti-inflammatory factors, inhibiting the activation of proinflammatory pathways and activating anti-inflammatory pathways. Examining the function of PEDF in inflammation addresses the need for further investigation and subsequent target-specific strategies for inflammatory disorders.