ICAM3 mediates tumor metastasis via a LFA-1-ICAM3-ERM dependent manner

ICAMs in Immunity, Intercellular Adhesion and Communication

Interactions among leukocytes and leukocytes with immune-associated auxiliary cells represent an essential feature of the immune response that requires the involvement of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). In the immune system, CAMs include a wide range of members pertaining to different structural and functional families involved in cell development, activation, differentiation and migration. Among them, β2 integrins (LFA-1, Mac-1, p150,95 and αDβ2) are predominantly involved in homotypic and heterotypic leukocyte adhesion. β2 integrins bind to intercellular (I)CAMs, actin cytoskeleton-linked receptors belonging to immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF)-CAMs expressed by leukocytes and vascular endothelial cells, enabling leukocyte activation and transendothelial migration. β2 integrins have long been viewed as the most important ICAMs partners, propagating intracellular signalling from β2 integrin-ICAM adhesion receptor interaction. In this review, we present previous evidence from pioneering studies and more recent findings supporting an important role for ICAMs in signal transduction. We also discuss the contribution of immune ICAMs (ICAM-1, -2, and -3) to reciprocal cell signalling and function in processes in which β2 integrins supposedly take the lead, paying particular attention to T cell activation, differentiation and migration.

TBX21 attenuates colorectal cancer progression via an ARHGAP29/RSK/GSK3β dependent manner

PURPOSE

Previous studies have shown that TBX21 (T-Box Transcription Factor 21) plays a vital role in coordinating multiple aspects of the immune response especially type 1 immune response as well as tumor progression. However, the function of TBX21 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear.

METHODS

IHC to investigate TBX21 expression in CRC tissues. Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays to validate TBX21 function in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq assay to explore target genes of TBX21. Human phospho-kinase array assay to explore down-stream signaling of TBX21.

RESULTS

We disclosed that the expression of TBX21 was marked decreased in CRC versus normal tissue, and negatively correlated with CRC TNM stages. Surprisingly, we found that the CRC and normal cell lines show no TBX21 expression levels. Ectopic expression of TBX21 inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro. Moreover, RNA-sequence data first time showed that ARHGAP29 acts as the target gene of TBX21 to mediate down-stream signaling activation. Human phospho-kinase array data first time displayed that ectopic expression of TBX21 reduced kinase RSK and GSK3β activation. In contrast, knocked down the expression of TBX21 or ARHGAP29 alternatively abolished TBX21 mediated cell proliferation suppression, cell apoptosis enhancement and RSK/GSK3β activation. In addition, xenograft model studies demonstrated that TBX21 inhibits colorectal tumor progression via ARHGAP29/ RSK/ GSK3β signaling in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, the aforementioned findings suggest a model of TBX21 in suppressing CRC progression. This may provide a promising target for CRC therapy.

Cell adhesion molecules and immunotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Current process and potential application

Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a severe disease and still has high mortality rate after conventional treatment (e.g., surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy). In NSCLC patients, cancer cells can induce immunosuppression, growth and metastasis by modulating cell adhesion molecules of both cancer cells and immune cells. Therefore, immunotherapy is increasingly concerned due to its promising anti-tumor effect and broader indication, which targets cell adhesion molecules to reverse the process. Among these therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors (mainly anti-PD-(L)1 and anti-CTLA-4) are most successful and have been adapted as first or second line therapy in advanced NSCLC. However, drug resistance and immune-related adverse reactions restrict its further application. Further understanding of mechanism, adequate biomarkers and novel therapies are necessary to improve therapeutic effect and alleviate adverse effect.

Functional evaluation of various ICAM3 transcript variants in diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma

Previous studies have identified several ICAM3 transcript variants and mainly investigated the function of the longest transcript of ICAM3 in various tumor progressions. However, the role of the other ICAM3 transcript variants remains unclear. Herein, we detected the expression of ICAM3 transcript variants 1-4 in DLBCL cells and tumor tissues, disclosed that variants 1, 3, and 4 were expressed in normal B cell lines and 3 DLBCL cell lines except SU-DHL-2 as well as tumor tissues, while variant 2 was not detected. Moreover, we found that ectopic expression of variants 1-4 enhanced cell proliferation by accelerating the cell cycle in SU-DHL2 cells in vitro. In addition, variants 1-4 overexpression showed no effects on SU-DHL2 cell apoptosis. Interestingly, the expression of variants 1, 3, and 4 promoted cell migration and EMT process while variant 2 had no effects. Collectively, the above results displayed the different roles of ICAM3 transcript variants in mediating DLBCL progression.

Methamphetamine induces transcriptional changes in cultured HIV-infected mature monocytes that may contribute to HIV neuropathogenesis

HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment (HIV-NCI) persists in 15-40% of people with HIV (PWH) despite effective antiretroviral therapy. HIV-NCI significantly impacts quality of life, and there is currently no effective treatment for it. The development of HIV-NCI is complex and is mediated, in part, by the entry of HIV-infected mature monocytes into the central nervous system (CNS). Once in the CNS, these cells release inflammatory mediators that lead to neuroinflammation, and subsequent neuronal damage. Infected monocytes may infect other CNS cells as well as differentiate into macrophages, thus contributing to viral reservoirs and chronic neuroinflammation. Substance use disorders in PWH, including the use of methamphetamine (meth), can exacerbate HIV neuropathogenesis. We characterized the effects of meth on the transcriptional profile of HIV-infected mature monocytes using RNA-sequencing. We found that meth mediated an upregulation of gene transcripts related to viral infection, cell adhesion, cytoskeletal arrangement, and extracellular matrix remodeling. We also identified downregulation of several gene transcripts involved in pathogen recognition, antigen presentation, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. These transcriptomic changes suggest that meth increases the infiltration of mature monocytes that have a migratory phenotype into the CNS, contributing to dysregulated inflammatory responses and viral reservoir establishment and persistence, both of which contribute to neuronal damage. Overall, our results highlight potential molecules that may be targeted for therapy to limit the effects of meth on HIV neuropathogenesis.

Detection of subtype-specific breast cancer surface protein biomarkers via a novel transcriptomics approach

BACKGROUND

Cell-surface proteins have been widely used as diagnostic and prognostic markers in cancer research and as targets for the development of anticancer agents. So far, very few attempts have been made to characterize the surfaceome of patients with breast cancer, particularly in relation with the current molecular breast cancer (BRCA) classification. In this view, we developed a new computational method to infer cell-surface protein activities from transcriptomics data, termed 'SURFACER'.

METHODS

Gene expression data from GTEx were used to build a normal breast network model as input to infer differential cell-surface proteins activity in BRCA tissue samples retrieved from TCGA versus normal samples. Data were stratified according to the PAM50 transcriptional subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 and Basal), while unsupervised clustering techniques were applied to define BRCA subtypes according to cell-surface proteins activity.

RESULTS

Our approach led to the identification of 213 PAM50 subtypes-specific deregulated surface genes and the definition of five BRCA subtypes, whose prognostic value was assessed by survival analysis, identifying a cell-surface activity configuration at increased risk. The value of the SURFACER method in BRCA genotyping was tested by evaluating the performance of 11 different machine learning classification algorithms.

CONCLUSIONS

BRCA patients can be stratified into five surface activity-specific groups having the potential to identify subtype-specific actionable targets to design tailored targeted therapies or for diagnostic purposes. SURFACER-defined subtypes show also a prognostic value, identifying surface-activity profiles at higher risk.

CCL16 maintains stem cell-like properties in breast cancer by activating CCR2/GSK3β/β-catenin/OCT4 axis

Rationale: Considerable evidence suggests that breast cancer metastasis and recurrence occur due to emergence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). In our previous study, we designed a high-throughput siRNA screening platform that identifies inflammation genes involved in the regulation of cancer cell stemness. We reported that CCL16 protein decreases OCT4 expression and reduces the ALDH+ subpopulation. However, the mechanism by which CCL16 maintains stem cell-like properties remains unclear.

Methods: Tissue microarrays were used to evaluate CCL16 expression. Cancer stemness assays were performed in CCL16 knockdown and overexpressing cells in vitro and in a xenograft model in vivo. Human phosphokinase array, immunofluorescence and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.

Results: We report that CCL16 was overexpressed in breast tumors and significantly correlated with clinical progression. We found that silencing CCL16 in MDA-MB-231 and BT549 cells diminished CSC properties including ALDH+ subpopulation, side population, chemo-resistance, and sphere formation. Furthermore, mice bearing CCL16-silenced MDA-MB-231 xenografts had lower tumorigenic frequency and developed smaller tumors. Exploration of the underlying mechanism found that CCL16 selects CCR2 to activate p-AKT/GSK3β signaling and facilitate β-catenin nuclear translocation. Further, CCL16 binds to the OCT4 promoter and promotes OCT4 expression. In addition, shRNAs targeting CCR2 and XAV939 targeting β-catenin abolished CCL16-mediated cancer stemness. Upstream, IL10 mediates STAT3 activation, which binds to the CCL16 promoter and enhances its expression. The STAT3-targeted inhibitor Stattic suppressed CCL16 expression in vitro and restrained tumor progression in vivo.

Conclusions: We identified a potential CSC regulator and suggest a novel mechanism for how CCL16 governs cancer cell stemness. We propose that CCL16 could be an effective target for breast cancer therapy.

Aspirin mediates histone methylation that inhibits inflammation-related stemness gene expression to diminish cancer stemness via COX-independent manner

Background

The widely recognized anti-cancer potential of aspirin has created a broad interest to explore the clinical benefits of aspirin in cancer therapy. However, the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-cancer potential of aspirin remains limited.

Methods

Cancer stemness assays which contained ALDH, side population, chemo-resistance, sphere formation, and tumorigenesis were performed to validate aspirin function in vitro and in vivo. Histone modification assay was performed to check the effect of aspirin on histone methylation as well as the activity of HDAC and KDM6A/B. Inhibitor in vivo assay was performed to evaluate therapeutic effects of various inhibitor combination manners.

Results

In regards to in vitro studies, aspirin diminishes cancer cell stemness properties which include reducing the ALDH+ subpopulation, side population, chemo-resistance, and sphere formation in three cancer types. In regards to in vivo studies, aspirin decreases tumor growth and metastasis and prolongs survival. In addition, our results showed that aspirin inhibits inflammation-related stemness gene expression (especially ICAM3) identified by a high-throughput siRNA platform. In regards to the underlying molecular mechanism of action, aspirin reduces histone demethylase (KDM6A/B) expression that mediates histone methylation and suppresses gene expression via a COX-independent manner. In regards to therapeutic strategies, aspirin combined HDM inhibitors, ICAM3 downstream signaling Src/PI3K inhibitors, or ICAM3 inhibitor Lifitigrast prevents cancer progression in vivo.

Conclusions

The aforementioned findings suggest a molecular model that explains how aspirin diminishes cancer cell stemness properties. These findings may provide novel targets for therapeutic strategies involving aspirin in the prevention of cancer progression.

Proteomic analysis enables distinction of early- versus advanced-stage lung adenocarcinomas

Background

A gel‐free proteomic approach was utilized to perform in‐depth tissue protein profiling of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) and normal lung tissues from early and advanced stages of the disease. The long‐term goal of this study is to generate a large‐scale, label‐free proteomics dataset from histologically well‐classified lung ADC that can be used to increase further our understanding of disease progression and aid in identifying novel biomarkers.

Methods and results

Cases of early‐stage (I‐II) and advanced‐stage (III‐IV) lung ADCs were selected and paired with normal lung tissues from 22 patients. The histologically and clinically stratified human primary lung ADCs were analyzed by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. From the analysis of ADC and normal specimens, 4863 protein groups were identified. To examine the protein expression profile of ADC, a peak area‐based quantitation method was used. In early‐ and advanced‐stage ADC, 365 and 366 proteins were differentially expressed, respectively, between normal and tumor tissues (adjusted P‐value < .01, fold change ≥ 4). A total of 155 proteins were dysregulated between early‐ and advanced‐stage ADCs and 18 were suggested as early‐specific stage ADC. In silico functional analysis of the upregulated proteins in both tumor groups revealed that most of the enriched pathways are involved in mRNA metabolism. Furthermore, the most overrepresented pathways in the proteins that were unique to ADC are related to mRNA metabolic processes.

Conclusions

Further analysis of these data may provide an insight into the molecular pathways involved in disease etiology and may lead to the identification of biomarker candidates and potential targets for therapy. Our study provides potential diagnostic biomarkers for lung ADC and novel stage‐specific drug targets for rational intervention.

Ibuprofen mediates histone modification to diminish cancer cell stemness properties via a COX2-dependent manner

Background

The anticancer potential of ibuprofen has created a broad interest to explore the clinical benefits of ibuprofen in cancer therapy. However, the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the anticancer potential of ibuprofen remains limited.

Methods

Cancer stemness assays to validate ibuprofen function in vitro and in vivo. Histone modification assays to check the effect of ibuprofen on histone acetylation/methylation, as well as the activity of HDAC and KDM6A/B. Inhibitors’ in vivo assays to evaluate therapeutic effects of various inhibitors’ combination manners.

Results

In our in vitro studies, we report that ibuprofen diminishes cancer cell stemness properties that include reducing the ALDH + subpopulation, side population and sphere formation in three cancer types. In our in vivo studies, we report that ibuprofen decreases tumour growth, metastasis and prolongs survival. In addition, our results showed that ibuprofen inhibits inflammation-related stemness gene expression (especially ICAM3) identified by a high-throughput siRNA platform. In regard to the underlying molecular mechanism of action, we report that ibuprofen reduces HDACs and histone demethylase (KDM6A/B) expression that mediates histone acetylation and methylation, and suppresses gene expression via a COX2-dependent way. In regard to therapeutic strategies, we report that ibuprofen combined HDAC/HDM inhibitors prevents cancer progression in vivo.

Conclusions

The aforementioned findings suggest a molecular model that explains how ibuprofen diminishes cancer cell stemness properties. These may provide novel targets for therapeutic strategies involving ibuprofen in the prevention of cancer progression.

Multi-omics analysis based on integrated genomics, epigenomics and transcriptomics in pancreatic cancer

Aim: Integrated analysis of genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics and clinical information contributes to identify specific molecular subgroups and find novel biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. Materials & methods: The DNA copy number variation, the simple nucleotide variation, methylation and mRNA data of pancreatic cancer patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Four molecular subgroups (iC1, iC2, iC3 and iC4) of pancreatic cancer were identified by integrating analysis. Results: The iC1 subgroup harbors better prognosis, higher immune score, lesser DNA copy number variation mutations and better genomic stability compared with iC2, iC3 and iC4 subgroups. Three new genes (GRAP2, ICAM3 and A2ML1) correlated with prognosis were identified. Conclusion: Integrated multi-omics analysis provides fresh insight into molecular classification of pancreatic cancer, which may help discover new prognostic biomarkers and reveal the underlying mechanism of pancreatic cancer.

TGIF2 promotes the progression of lung adenocarcinoma by bridging EGFR/RAS/ERK signaling to cancer cell stemness

TGF-β-induced factor homeobox 2 (TGIF2) is a transcription regulator that plays essential roles in the regulation of development and cell fate decisions. Aberrant expression of TGIF family proteins has been observed in several cancers, including ovarian, esophageal, and colorectal cancers. Here, we report that TGIF2 mediates the EGFR-RAS-ERK signaling pathway to enhance the stemness of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells and, therefore, promote the progression and metastasis of LUAD. We found that high TGIF2 expression was closely correlated with tumor growth, lymph node metastasis, and survival of patients with LUAD. Mice bearing TGIF2-silenced H1299 xenografts developed smaller tumors and fewer lung metastases. Importantly, silencing TGIF2 decreased the cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties in A549 and H1299 cells. Furthermore, we identified that TGIF2 binding to the OCT4 promoter promotes its expression. In both LUAD cells and in vivo LUAD mouse models, we revealed that EGFR-RAS-ERK signaling phosphorylated TGIF2 and increased its stability, which was important for TGIF2-promoted LUAD stemness since phosphorylation-deficient TGIF2 mutants lost these functions. Thus, our study revealed that an important factor, TGIF2, bridges EGFR signaling to the CSC characteristics of LUAD cells, which can be utilized as an effective target for LUAD therapy.

PPA1 promotes NSCLC progression via a JNK- and TP53-dependent manner

Inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPA1) promotes tumor progression in several tumor types. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we disclosed that PPA1 expression is markedly upregulated in lung carcinoma tissue versus normal lung tissue. We also found that the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines show increased PPA1 expression levels versus normal lung cell line control. Moreover, the knockdown of PPA1 promotes cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation. Whereas, the ectopic expression of PPA1 reduces cell apoptosis and enhances cell proliferation. Most interestingly, the expression of mutant PPA1 (D117A) significantly abolishes PPA1-mediated effect on cell apoptosis and proliferation. The underlying mechanism demonstrated that TP53 expression deficiency or JNK inhibitor treatment could abolish PPA1-mediated NSCLC progression. In summary, the aforementioned findings in this study suggest a new pathway the PPA1 mediates NSCLC progression either via TP53 or JNK. Most important, the pyrophosphatase activity is indispensible for PPA1-mediated NSCLC progression. This may provide a promising target for NSCLC therapy.