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Han J, Ji R, Zheng S, Xia X, Du W, He H, Han C, Zhao W, Li X, Wang Y, Zhang L. HOXB9 promotes osteosarcoma cell survival and malignancy under glucose starvation via upregulating SPP1 expression. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 224:116208. [PMID: 38621423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Homeobox B9 (HOXB9) has been shown to play a critical role in several tumors. However, the precise biological mechanisms and functions of HOXB9 in osteosarcoma remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that HOXB9 was increased upon glucose starvation. Elevated HOXB9 suppressed osteosarcoma cell death and supported cell growth and migration under glucose starvation. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that HOXB9 directly bound to the promoter of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) and transcriptionally upregulated SPP1 expression which then led cell death decrease and cell growth increase under glucose deprivation environment. Clinically, HOXB9 was significantly upregulated in osteosarcoma compared with normal tissues and increase of HOXB9 expression was positively associated with the elevation of SPP1 in osteosarcoma. Overall, our study illustrates that HOXB9 contributes to malignancy in osteosarcoma and inhibits cell death through transcriptional upregulating SPP1 under glucose starvation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Han
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China; Dalian NO.3 People's Hospital, Department of Orthopedics, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Renchen Ji
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China; College of Stomatology Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Shuo Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Xin Xia
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Wenxiao Du
- School of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Hongtao He
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Chuanchun Han
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China
| | - Wenzhi Zhao
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China.
| | - Xiaojie Li
- College of Stomatology Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China.
| | - Yuan Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China.
| | - Lu Zhang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, 116044, PR China.
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Liu L, Xue W. Thalidomide suppresses migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells by inhibiting HOXB7-mediated activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14434. [PMID: 38230780 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Heaps of studies have verified the effects of thalidomide (THA) on colorectal cancer (CRC). Howbeit, the corresponding mechanism awaits illustration, which is the foothold of this study. Following the treatment of 0, 1.94, 7.75, or 19.36 μM THA, CRC cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were evaluated by methyl tetrazolium, flow cytometry, wound-healing, and transwell assays. Homeobox B7 (HOXB7) expression in CRC was analyzed and detected by bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR or western blot. After the corresponding transfection or treatment with inhibitor of catenin-responsive transcription-3 (iCRT-3), abovementioned CRC cell biological behaviors as well as expression levels of HOXB7 and β-catenin were evaluated. 7.75 and 19.36 μM THA dwindled CRC cell viability, migration, and invasion, and facilitated apoptosis. HOXB7 upregulation was detected in CRC cells, which promoted the viability, migration, invasion, and β-catenin expression, and weakened the apoptosis of CRC cells. Also, HOXB7 upregulation counteracted the effects of THA on CRC cells. iCRT-3 restrained β-catenin expression, viability, migration, and invasion, whereas promoting the apoptosis of CRC cells. In addition, iCRT-3 antagonized the effects of overexpressed HOXB7 on CRC cells. THA inhibits the migration and invasion of CRC cells, which is achieved by suppressing HOXB7-mediated activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyang Liu
- Department of Anoretal, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Wusong Xue
- Department of Anoretal, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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Wu S, Zhu D, Feng H, Li Y, Zhou J, Li Y, Hou T. Comprehensive analysis of HOXC8 associated with tumor microenvironment characteristics in colorectal cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21346. [PMID: 37885723 PMCID: PMC10598528 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence have highlighted the essential roles of HOX genes in embryonic development and carcinogenesis. As a member of the HOX gene family, the abnormal expression of HOXC8 gene is associated with the progression and metastasis of various tumors. However, potential roles of HOXC8 in colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis and tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling remain unclear. Methods We conducted an integrated analysis of clinical and molecular characteristics, relevant oncogenic and immune regulation roles and drug sensitivity features of HOXC8 in CRC. Results HOXC8 expression was markedly high expressed in CRC samples compared to normal samples, and the upregulated expression of HOXC8 was associated with poor prognosis. High HOXC8 expression was significantly associated with invasion-related pathways especially epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vitro experiments showed significantly up-regulated HOXC8 expression in some CRC cell lines and its promoting effect on EMT and cell proliferation. TME categorization through transcriptomic analysis of CRC patients with high HOXC8 expression identified two different TME subtypes known as immune-enriched with fibrotic subtype and immune-depleted subtype. Patients with immune-enriched, fibrotic subtype exhibited significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS), upregulated PD-L1 and CTLA4 expression and higher TMB than those with the immune-depleted subtype. Conclusions HOXC8 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis and specific TME subtypes in CRC. This study provided valuable resource for further exploring the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets of HOX genes in CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sifan Wu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Dandan Zhu
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Huolun Feng
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yafang Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University (Tongan Branch), The Third Hospital of Xiamen, Xiamen, Fujian, 316000, China
| | - Jianlong Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yong Li
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Ganzhou Municipal Hospital, Ganzhou, China
| | - Tieying Hou
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
- Guangdong Center for Clinical Laboratory, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
- Hospital Office, Huazhong University of Science and Technology Union Shenzhen Hospital/Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518052, China
- Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518073, China
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Ye J, Liu W, Yu X, Wu L, Chen Z, Yu Y, Wang J, Bai S, Zhang M. TRAF7-targeted HOXA5 acts as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer progression and stemness via transcriptionally activating SPRY2 and regulating MEK/ERK signaling. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:378. [PMID: 37845209 PMCID: PMC10579307 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01675-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeobox A5 (HOXA5), a homeodomain transcription factor, is considered a tumor suppressor in cancer progression; however, its function in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. This study focused on the relevance of HOXA5 in PCa progression. We identified the downregulation of HOXA5 in PCa tissues based on the TCGA database and further verified in 30-paired PCa and adjacent normal tissues. Functional studies revealed that HOXA5 upregulation impaired the stem-like characteristics and malignant behaviors of PCa cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, HOXA5 was found to be regulated by tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 7 (TRAF7), a putative E3-ubiquitin ligase. We observed that TRAF7 was overexpressed in PCa and subsequently enhanced the degradation of HOXA5 protein via its ubiquitin ligase activity, contributing to the acquisition of an aggressive PCa phenotype. For its downstream mechanism, we demonstrated that sprouty RTK signaling antagonist 2 (SPRY2) served as a downstream target of HOXA5. HOXA5 could directly bind to the SPRY2 promoter, thereby regulating the SPRY2-mediated MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Silencing SPRY2 largely compromised the tumor-suppressive effect of HOXA5 in PCa progression and cancer stemness. Our findings highlight the previously-underappreciated signaling axis of TRAF7-HOXA5-SPRY2, which provides a novel prognostic and therapeutic target for PCa treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Ye
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wangmin Liu
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xueyang Yu
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Lina Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhengjie Chen
- Department of Urology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yufei Yu
- Department of Urology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jianfeng Wang
- Department of Urology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Song Bai
- Department of Urology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
| | - Mo Zhang
- Department of Urology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
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5
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Wang L, Wang X, Sun H, Wang W, Cao L. A pan-cancer analysis of the role of HOXD1, HOXD3, and HOXD4 and validation in renal cell carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:10746-10766. [PMID: 37827698 PMCID: PMC10599751 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
HOXD1, HOXD3, and HOXD4 are members of the HOXD genes family and are related to tumorigenesis of the tumor. However, whether HOXDs (1, 3, 4) have a crucial role across pan-cancer is still unknown. HOXD1, HOXD3, and HOXD4 expressions were analyzed using public databases in 33 types of tumors. The UCSC Xena website was carried out to investigate the relationship between the expression of genes and the progress of cancers. The biological functions of HOXD3 were tested by colony forming, transwell, wound healing, and xenograft assay in vitro and in vivo. GSEA was used to identify the associated cancer hallmarks with HOXDs expression. Immune cell infiltration analysis was applied to verify the immune cell infiltrations related to genes. The results showed HOXD1, HOXD3, and HOXD4 co-low expressed in BRCA, COAD, KICH, KIRC, KIRP, READ, and TGCT. In the KIRC, all of HOXDs expression was connected with tumor stage and histological grade. Upregulation of HOXDs was associated with improved OS, DSS, and PFI. Down-expression of HOXD3 induced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vivo and in vitro. In addition, HOXDs were connected with immune-activated hallmarks and cancer immune cell infiltrations. These findings demonstrated that HOXDs may be indicative biomarkers for the prognosis and immunotherapy in pan-cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Haifeng Sun
- The Third Department of Medical Oncology, Shaanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710065, P.R. China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Li Cao
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi’an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
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Liu J, Feng H, Wang D, Wang Y, Luo J, Xu S, Zhao F, Qin G. HOXA13 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma HNE1 cells by upregulating the expression of Snail and MMP-2. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12978. [PMID: 37563232 PMCID: PMC10415404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40041-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeobox A13 (HOXA13) has been verified as an oncogen in some malignancies. However, its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is still unclear. This study aims to explore the role of HOXA13 in NPC and its underlying mechanism. The mRNA expression of HOXA13 in NPC was obtained from the GSE53819 and GSE64634 datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. MTT, colony formation and transwell assays and xenograft tumour models were used to investigate the effects of HOXA13 on NPC HNE1 cells in vitro and in vivo. The expression of HOXA13, epithelial-mesenchymal transition-transcription factor (EMT-TF) Snail and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) was detected by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. The results showed that HOXA13 was upregulated in NPC. Silencing HOXA13 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNE1 cells, which inhibited tumour growth, while overexpression of HOXA13 induced the opposite effects. In addition, the expression of Snail and MMP-2 at the transcriptional and protein levels was associated with the expression of HOXA13. In summary, our results suggest that HOXA13 plays a role as a cancer-promoting gene in NPC. The underlying mechanism may be related to the upregulation of Snail and MMP-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinping Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Huajun Feng
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Dingting Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Jian Luo
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, 644000, China
| | - Shengen Xu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Feipeng Zhao
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China
| | - Gang Qin
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, NO: 25, Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, 646000, China.
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Yi C, Wei W, Wan M, Chen Y, Zhang B, Wu W. Expression Patterns of HOX Gene Family Defines Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2023; 195:5072-5093. [PMID: 36976502 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04443-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathophysiology is prevalently related with HOX genes. However, the study on associations of extensive HOX genes with tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity of HCC remains scarce. The data sets of HCC were downloaded from TCGA, ICGC, and GEO by bioinformatics method and analyzed. Based on a computational frame, HCC samples were divided into a high and a low HOXscore group, and significantly shorter survival time in the high HOXscore was observed relative to low HOXscore group using survival analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that the high HOXscore group was more likely to be enriched in cancer-specific pathways. Furthermore, the high HOXscore group was involved in the infiltration of inhibitory immune cells. In response to anti-cancer drugs, the high HOXscore group was more sensitive to mitomycin and cisplatin. Importantly, the HOXscore was associated with the therapeutic efficacy of PD-L1 blockade, suggesting that the development of potential drugs targeting these HOX genes to aid the clinical benefits of immunotherapy is needed. In addition, RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry showed 10 HOX genes mRNA expression was higher in HCC compared to the normal tissues. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of HOX genes family in HCC and revealed the potential function of these HOX genes family in tumor microenvironment (TME) and identified their therapeutic liability in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Eventually, this work highlights the cross-talk and potential clinical utility of HOX genes family in HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhong Yi
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Interventional, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Maolin Wan
- Department of Interventional, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Ya Chen
- Department of Interventional, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Interventional, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Wenze Wu
- Department of Interventional, Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.
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8
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Zhang J, Zhang X, Su J, Zhang J, Liu S, Han L, Liu M, Sun D. Identification and validation of a novel HOX-related classifier signature for predicting prognosis and immune microenvironment in pediatric gliomas. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1203650. [PMID: 37547473 PMCID: PMC10401438 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1203650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Pediatric gliomas (PGs) are highly aggressive and predominantly occur in young children. In pediatric gliomas, abnormal expression of Homeobox (HOX) family genes (HFGs) has been observed and is associated with the development and progression of the disease. Studies have found that overexpression or underexpression of certain HOX genes is linked to the occurrence and prognosis of gliomas. This aberrant expression may contribute to the dysregulation of important pathological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. This study aimed to propose a novel HOX-related signature to predict patients' prognosis and immune infiltrate characteristics in PGs. Methods: The data of PGs obtained from publicly available databases were utilized to reveal the relationship among abnormal expression of HOX family genes (HFGs), prognosis, tumor immune infiltration, clinical features, and genomic features in PGs. The HFGs were utilized to identify heterogeneous subtypes using consensus clustering. Then random forest-supervised classification algorithm and nearest shrunken centroid algorithm were performed to develop a prognostic signature in the training set. Finally, the signature was validated in an internal testing set and an external independent cohort. Results: Firstly, we identified HFGs significantly differentially expressed in PGs compared to normal tissues. The individuals with PGs were then divided into two heterogeneous subtypes (HOX-SI and HOX-SII) based on HFGs expression profiles. HOX-SII showed higher total mutation counts, lower immune infiltration, and worse prognosis than HOX-SI. Then, we constructed a HOX-related gene signature (including HOXA6, HOXC4, HOXC5, HOXC6, and HOXA-AS3) based on the cluster for subtype prediction utilizing random forest supervised classification and nearest shrunken centroid algorithm. The signature was revealed to be an independent prognostic factor for patients with PGs by multivariable Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: Our study provides a novel method for the prognosis classification of PGs. The findings also suggest that the HOX-related signature is a new biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with PGs, allowing for more accurate survival prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Capital Medical University Electric Power Teaching Hospital, State Grid Beijing Electric Power Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xueguang Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Capital Medical University Electric Power Teaching Hospital, State Grid Beijing Electric Power Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junyan Su
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Zhang
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Siyao Liu
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Li Han
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Dawei Sun
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
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9
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Fedoseyeva VB, Novosadova EV, Nenasheva VV, Novosadova LV, Grivennikov IA, Tarantul VZ. Transcription of HOX Genes Is Significantly Increased during Neuronal Differentiation of iPSCs Derived from Patients with Parkinson's Disease. J Dev Biol 2023; 11:23. [PMID: 37367477 DOI: 10.3390/jdb11020023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most serious movement disorder, but the actual cause of this disease is still unknown. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cultures from PD patients carry the potential for experimental modeling of underlying molecular events. We analyzed the RNA-seq data of iPSC-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs) and terminally differentiated neurons (TDNs) from healthy donors (HD) and PD patients with mutations in PARK2 published previously. The high level of transcription of HOX family protein-coding genes and lncRNA transcribed from the HOX clusters was revealed in the neural cultures from PD patients, while in HD NPCs and TDNs, the majority of these genes were not expressed or slightly transcribed. The results of this analysis were generally confirmed by qPCR. The HOX paralogs in the 3' clusters were activated more strongly than the genes of the 5' cluster. The abnormal activation of the HOX gene program upon neuronal differentiation in the cells of PD patients raises the possibility that the abnormal expression of these key regulators of neuronal development impacts PD pathology. Further research is needed to investigate this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viya B Fedoseyeva
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Ekaterina V Novosadova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Valentina V Nenasheva
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Lyudmila V Novosadova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Igor A Grivennikov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav Z Tarantul
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow 123182, Russia
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10
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Chen J, Higgins MJ, Hu Q, Khoury T, Liu S, Ambrosone CB, Gong Z. DNA methylation differences in noncoding regions in ER negative breast tumors between Black and White women. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1167815. [PMID: 37293596 PMCID: PMC10244512 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1167815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Incidence of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer, an aggressive tumor subtype associated with worse prognosis, is higher among African American/Black women than other US racial and ethnic groups. The reasons for this disparity remain poorly understood but may be partially explained by differences in the epigenetic landscape. Methods We previously conducted genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of ER- breast tumors from Black and White women and identified a large number of differentially methylated loci (DML) by race. Our initial analysis focused on DML mapping to protein-coding genes. In this study, motivated by increasing appreciation for the biological importance of the non-protein coding genome, we focused on 96 DMLs mapping to intergenic and noncoding RNA regions, using paired Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 450K array and RNA-seq data to assess the relationship between CpG methylation and RNA expression of genes located up to 1Mb away from the CpG site. Results Twenty-three (23) DMLs were significantly correlated with the expression of 36 genes (FDR<0.05), with some DMLs associated with the expression of single gene and others associated with more than one gene. One DML (cg20401567), hypermethylated in ER- tumors from Black versus White women, mapped to a putative enhancer/super-enhancer element located 1.3 Kb downstream of HOXB2. Increased methylation at this CpG correlated with decreased expression of HOXB2 (Rho=-0.74, FDR<0.001) and other HOXB/HOXB-AS genes. Analysis of an independent set of 207 ER- breast cancers from TCGA similarly confirmed hypermethylation at cg20401567 and reduced HOXB2 expression in tumors from Black versus White women (Rho=-0.75, FDR<0.001). Discussion Our findings indicate that epigenetic differences in ER- tumors between Black and White women are linked to altered gene expression and may hold functional significance in breast cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhong Chen
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Michael J. Higgins
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Qiang Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Thaer Khoury
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Christine B. Ambrosone
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Zhihong Gong
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
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11
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Zheng D, Ning J, Xia Y, Ruan Y, Cheng F. Comprehensive analysis of a homeobox family gene signature in clear cell renal cell carcinoma with regard to prognosis and immune significance. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1008714. [PMID: 36387262 PMCID: PMC9660242 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1008714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeobox (HOX) family genes have been linked to multiple types of tumors, while their effect on malignant behaviors of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and clinical significance remains largely unknown. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the expression profiles and prognostic value of HOX genes in ccRCC using datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. We developed a prognostic signature comprising eight HOX genes (HOXB1, HOXA7, HOXB5, HOXD8, HOXD9, HOXB9, HOXA9, and HOXA11) for overall survival prediction in ccRCC and it allowed patients to be subdivided into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis in all the internal and external cohorts revealed significant difference in clinical outcome of patients in different risk groups, indicating the satisfactory predictive power of the signature. Additionally, we constructed a prognostic nomogram by integrating signature-derived risk score and clinical factors such as gender, age, T and M status, which might be helpful for clinical decision-making and designing tailored management schedules. Immunological analysis revealed that the regulatory T cells (Tregs) infiltrated differently between the two subgroups in both TCGA and ICGC cohorts. ssGSEA method showed that the enrichment scores for mast cells were significantly lower in high-risk group compared with the low-risk group, which was consistent in both TCGA and ICGC cohorts. As for the related immune function, the enrichment scores of APC co-inhibition, para-inflammation, and type II IFN response were consistently lower in high-risk group in both cohorts. Of the eight HOX genes, the mRNA and protein levels of HOXD8 were downregulated in ccRCC than that in normal tissues, and decreased expression of HOXD8 was associated with increased tumor grade and stage, and lymph node metastasis. Survival analysis revealed that lower expression of HOXD8 predicted worse overall survival in ccRCC. In conclusion, our HOX gene-based signature was a favorable indicator to predict the prognosis of ccRCC cases and associated with immune cell infiltration. HOXD8 might be a tumor suppressor gene in ccRCC and a potential predictor of tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yuan Ruan
- *Correspondence: Fan Cheng, ; Yuan Ruan,
| | - Fan Cheng
- *Correspondence: Fan Cheng, ; Yuan Ruan,
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12
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Wang L, Qiao C, Cao L, Cai S, Ma X, Song X, Jiang Q, Huang C, Wang J. Significance of HOXD transcription factors family in progression, migration and angiogenesis of cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 179:103809. [PMID: 36108961 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factors (TFs) of the HOX family play significant roles during early embryonic development and cellular processes. They also play a key role in tumorigenesis as tumor oncogenes or suppressors. Furthermore, TFs of the HOXD geFIne cluster affect proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumors. Consequently, dysregulated activity of HOXD TFs has been linked to clinicopathological characteristics of cancer. HOXD TFs are regulated by non-coding RNAs and methylation of DNA on promoter and enhancer regions. In addition, HOXD genes modulate the biological function of cancer cells via the MEK and AKT signaling pathways, thus, making HOXD TFs, a suitable molecular marker for cancer prognosis and therapy. In this review, we summarized the roles of HOXD TFs in different cancers and highlighted its potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Wang
- Gastroenterology department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China; Institute of precision medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Chenyang Qiao
- Gastroenterology department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China
| | - Li Cao
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Shuang Cai
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Ma
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xinqiu Song
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Medical College of Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Qiuyu Jiang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Chen Huang
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Jinhai Wang
- Gastroenterology department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China; Institute of precision medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, PR China.
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13
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LINC00511/hsa-miR-573 axis-mediated high expression of Gasdermin C associates with dismal prognosis and tumor immune infiltration of breast cancer. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14788. [PMID: 36042287 PMCID: PMC9428000 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19247-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is considered the second commonest human carcinoma and the most incident and mortal in the female population. Despite promising treatments for breast cancer, mortality rates of metastatic disease remain high. Gasdermin C (GSDMC) is an affiliate of the gasdermin (GSDM) family, which is involved in the process of pyroptosis. Pyroptosis is implicated in tumorigenesis, but the role of GSDMC in cancer cells is yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanism of GSDMC in breast cancer. We conducted a pan-cancer analysis of the expression and prognosis of GSDMC utilizing multidimensional data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We investigated GSDMC expression levels in 15 BC tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Further verification was performed in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We discovered that elevated GSDMC expression was considerably linked to a worse prognosis in breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). Next, we identified noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) which contributing to higher expression of GSDMC by a series of expression, survival, and correlation analysis. We finally identified LINC00511/hsa-miR-573 axis to be the most promising ncRNA-associated pathways that account for GSDMC in BRCA. Furthermore, we demonstrated the significant correlations between GSDMC expression and immune infiltrates, immune checkpoints, and immune markers in BRCA. This study illustrated that ncRNAs-mediated upregulation of GSDMC linked to dismal prognosis and also exhibited a correlation with tumor immune cell infiltration in BRCA. It is anticipated to offer novel ideas for the link between pyroptosis and tumor immunotherapy.
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14
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Belpaire M, Taminiau A, Geerts D, Rezsohazy R. HOXA1, a breast cancer oncogene. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188747. [PMID: 35675857 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
More than 25 years ago, the first literature records mentioned HOXA1 expression in human breast cancer. A few years later, HOXA1 was confirmed as a proper oncogene in mammary tissue. In the following two decades, molecular data about the mode of action of the HOXA1 protein, the factors contributing to activate and maintain HOXA1 gene expression and the identity of its target genes have accumulated and provide a wider view on the association of this transcription factor to breast oncogenesis. Large-scale transcriptomic data gathered from wide cohorts of patients further allowed refining the relationship between breast cancer type and HOXA1 expression. Several recent reports have reviewed the connection between cancer hallmarks and the biology of HOX genes in general. Here we take HOXA1 as a paradigm and propose an extensive overview of the molecular data centered on this oncoprotein, from what its expression modulators, to the interactors contributing to its oncogenic activities, and to the pathways and genes it controls. The data converge to an intricate picture that answers questions on the multi-modality of its oncogene activities, point towards better understanding of breast cancer aetiology and thereby provides an appraisal for treatment opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Belpaire
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Taminiau
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Dirk Geerts
- Heart Failure Research Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center (AMC), Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - René Rezsohazy
- Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology Group (AMCB), Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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15
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Gao DZ, Yang YS, Wang Z, Zhao XF. Expression profile and prognostic significance of HOXB13 in rectal cancer. Int J Biol Markers 2022; 37:140-148. [PMID: 35296171 DOI: 10.1177/17246008221076151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern and prognostic significance of HOXB13 in rectal cancer. METHODS HOXB13 expression in rectal cancer and normal adjacent tissues was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, and its clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were statistically tested. Furthermore, we evaluated the association between tumor immune infiltrating cells and HOXB13 using the tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) database. The potential biological mechanism associated with HOXB13 overexpression was investigated by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RESULTS The expression of HOXB13 messenger RNA and protein in human rectal cancer tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). HOXB13 expression was significantly correlated with depth of invasion, lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and pathological tumor node metastasis stage (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curves confirmed that HOXB13 overexpression was correlated negatively with overall survival and disease-free survival in rectal cancer (P < 0.05). Also, multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that HOXB13 expression, age, and lymphatic invasion were independent prognostic factors in rectal cancer (P < 0.05). Plus, the results from the TIMER database indicated that HOXB13 expression has a significant association with several immune cell infiltrates. Finally, the GSEA results indicated that HOXB13 participated in the various immune-associated processes, including natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the T-cell receptor signaling pathway. CONCLUSION Our study showed an essential role of HOXB13 in rectal cancer immunity and prognosis. Significantly, the overexpression of HOXB13 leads to the worse prognosis for patients with rectal cancer, which will contribute to understanding molecular mechanisms associated with tumor pathogenesis and prognosis in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Zhi Gao
- Department of General Surgery, 194043Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Yu-Shen Yang
- Department of General Surgery, 194043Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Zhun Wang
- Department of General Surgery, 194043Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian 116021, China
| | - Xue-Feng Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, 194043Dalian University Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Dalian 116021, China
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16
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DNA methyltransferase 1 inhibits microRNA-497 and elevates GPRC5A expression to promote chemotherapy resistance and metastasis in breast cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:112. [PMID: 35255904 PMCID: PMC8903738 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02466-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Abnormal DNA methylation of tumor suppressor gene promoter has been found in breast cancer. Therefore, the current study set out to explore how DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) affects breast cancer through mediating miR-497/GPRC5A axis. Methods After loss and gain-of-function approaches were conducted in MCF-7/ADR and MCF-7 cells, cell viability, IC50 value, invasion, migration and apoptosis were measured, respectively. In addition, drug resistance, metastasis and apoptosis-related protein expression were examined using immunoblotting. ChIP and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays were carried out to validate relationship among DNMT1, miR-497, and GPRC5RA. Subcutaneous xenograft tumor model in nude mice was established to detect effects of DNMT1 on growth and metastasis of breast cancer in vivo. Results It was found that DNMT1 was notably increased, while miR-497 was poorly-expressed in breast cancer. Highly-expressed DNMT1 could promote chemotherapy resistance and metastasis of breast cancer. Meanwhile, DNMT1 modified methylation of CpG island in miR-497 promoter region, thereby repressing miR-497 level. In addition, miR-497 targeted GPRC5A expression to curb chemotherapy resistance and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Lastly, in vivo experiments showed that knockdown of DNMT1 could suppress breast cancer growth and metastasis. Conclusions Collectively, our findings indicated that DNMT1 may inhibit miR-497 and boost the expression of GPRC5A through methylation, thus augmenting breast cancer chemotherapy resistance and metastasis, which provides novel mechanistic insight into the unrecognized roles of DNMT1 in breast cancer. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02466-5.
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17
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Qin Z, Zhou C. HOXA13 promotes gastric cancer progression partially via the FN1-mediated FAK/Src axis. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:7. [PMID: 35197128 PMCID: PMC8864865 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers causing a poor prognosis worldwide. HOXA13, as a member of the homeobox (HOX) family, is involved in the regulation of cancer progression and has attracted increasing attention, as a potential novel target for anticancer strategies. However, the significance of HOXA13 in GC remains unclear. This article aims to explore the potential mechanism of HOXA13 in GC progression. Methods Quantitative real-time PCR was carried out to detect the expression of HOXA13 and FN1 and the correlation between HOXA13 and FN1 in GC tissues. In vitro assays were conducted to investigate the role of HOXA13 and FN1 in the malignant phenotypes of GC cells and the function of HOXA13 in the activation of the FAK/Src axis in GC cells. Coimmunoprecipitation was performed to reveal the relationship between ITGA5, ITGB1 and FN1 in GC cells. A dual luciferase assay was performed to assess miR-449a-targeted regulation of HOXA13 expression. Results Quantitative real-time PCR verified that HOXA13 was elevated and positively correlated with FN1 in GC. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that high expression of HOXA13 promoted GC progression, especially metastasis. Mechanistically, rescue experiments, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase assays revealed that HOXA13 directly bound to the FN1 promoter region to enhance the activation of the FAK/Src axis, leading to GC cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, the result of a dual luciferase assay suggested that HOXA13 was directly targeted by miR-449a. Conclusions Our results show that HOXA13 is a positive regulator of the FAK/Src axis mediated by FN1 in GC and promotes GC progression. Thus, targeting HOXA13, together with FN1, may provide a novel prospective anticancer strategy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40164-022-00260-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 85 Wujin Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Chongzhi Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 85 Wujin Road, Shanghai, China.
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18
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Jiang T, Luo ZB. LOC102724163 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion by stimulating MUC19 expression. Oncol Lett 2022; 23:100. [PMID: 35154431 PMCID: PMC8822485 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2022.13220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant disease and the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Numerous studies have previously verified the important role of long non-coding RNAs in a number of biological processes in BC. In the present study, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR demonstrated that LOC102724163 expression levels were significantly upregulated in BC tissues compared to matched adjacent normal tissues and were associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with BC. Gain or loss of function assays indicated that overexpression of LOC102724163 significantly increased tumorgenicity in vivo and cell migration, proliferation and invasion in vitro. In the mechanistical aspect, LOC102724163 sponged microRNA (miR)-508-5p to elevate MUC19 expression. Additionally, rescue assays ascertained the function of the LOC102724163/miR-508-5p/MUC19 axis in the proliferation and invasion of BC cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to have demonstrated that LOC102724163 may act as a competing endogenous RNA to control MUC19 expression levels by competitively sponging miR-508-5p to modulate BC progression. Therefore, the present study has provided new insights into BC diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Jiang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
| | - Zhong-Bing Luo
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, P.R. China
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19
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Wen P, Dayyani F, Tao R, Zhong X. Screening and verification of potential gene targets in esophageal carcinoma by bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 10:70. [PMID: 35282073 PMCID: PMC8848373 DOI: 10.21037/atm-21-6589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Background To evaluate the potential of candidate proteins as diagnostic markers or drug targets in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA). Methods GSE20347, GSE17351, and GSE45670 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Differently expressed genes (DEGs) between ESCA and normal esophageal tissues from patients were obtained. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed. The genes commonly featured in ESCA were screened by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression and Boruta feature selection algorithm. The transcriptome data and corresponding clinical data of ESCA were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public database. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to explore the core genes related to the prognosis of patients. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was generated by GeneMANIA to visualize the functional network between genes. Expressions of CRIP2, FOS, and HOXA10 genes in ESCA cells were verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results Out of 11,207 genes, 430 DEGs were identified, including 210 up-regulated genes and 220 down-regulated genes. After taking the intersection of LASSO regression and Boruta algorithm, 15 core genes were identified. Survival analyses demonstrated that low expression of CRIP2 (P=2.643e-02), as well as high expression of FOS (P=4.837e-02) and HOXA10 (P=4.97e-02), was significantly associated with the worse prognosis of ESCA patients. The 3 genes were strongly correlated with the content of immune cells and the stage of tumors. The expression of CRIP2 was correlated with the sensitivity of patients to dasatinib; FOS expression was correlated with the sensitivity of patients to erlotinib, and HOXA10 expression affected the sensitivity of patients to cisplatin, dasatinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib. The cBioportal database showed that 56 patients (31%) had the above core gene mutations: CRIP2 (8%), FOS (10%), and HOXA10 (17%). The IHC showed that there were differences in the expressions of these core genes between ESCA patients and the normal population (P<0.05), with ESCA patients showing higher expression. Conclusions The low CRIP2 expression and high expressions of FOS and HOXA10 are associated with more advanced tumor stage, which may have the potential to be novel biomarkers for treatment selection in ESCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingwu Wen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China
| | - Farshid Dayyani
- Chao Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Randa Tao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Xiongping Zhong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, China
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20
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Qi L, Ye C, Zhang D, Bai R, Zheng S, Hu W, Yuan Y. The Effects of Differentially-Expressed Homeobox Family Genes on the Prognosis and HOXC6 on Immune Microenvironment Orchestration in Colorectal Cancer. Front Immunol 2021; 12:781221. [PMID: 34950145 PMCID: PMC8688249 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.781221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The homeobox (HOX) gene family encodes highly conserved transcription factors, that play important roles in the morphogenesis and embryonic development of vertebrates. Mammals have four similar HOX gene clusters, HOXA, HOXB, HOXC, and HOXD, which are located on chromosomes 7, 17,12 and 2 and consist of 38 genes. Some of these genes were found to be significantly related to a variety of tumors; however, it remains unknown whether abnormal expression of the HOX gene family affects prognosis and the tumor microenvironment (TME) reshaping in colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, we conducted this systematic exploration to provide additional information for the above questions. Methods RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and mRNA expression data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) combined with online tumor analysis databases (UALCAN, TIMER, PrognoScan) were utilized to explore the relationship among abnormal expression of HOX family genes, prognosis and the tumor immune microenvironment in CRC. Results 1. Differential expression and prognosis analysis: 24 genes were significantly differentially expressed in CRC compared to adjacent normal tissues, and seven upregulated genes were significantly associated with poor survival. Among these seven genes, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that only high expression of HOXC6 significantly contributed to poor prognosis; 2. The influence of overexpressed HOXC6 on the pathway and TME: High HOXC6 expression was significantly related to the cytokine pathway and expression of T cell attraction chemokines, the infiltration ratio of immune cells, expression of immune checkpoint markers, tumor mutation burden (TMB) scores and microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) scores; 3. Stratified analysis based on stages: In stage IV, HOXC6 overexpression had no significant impact on TMB, MSI-H, infiltration ratio of immune cells and response prediction of immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs), which contributed to significantly poor overall survival (OS). Conclusion Seven differentially expressed HOX family genes had significantly worse prognoses. Among them, overexpressed HOXC6 contributed the most to poor OS. High expression of HOXC6 was significantly associated with high immunogenicity in nonmetastatic CRC. Further research on HOXC6 is therefore worthwhile to provide potential alternatives in CRC immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Qi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenyang Ye
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rui Bai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wangxiong Hu
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Yuan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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21
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Zhang Y, Yu Y, Su X, Lu Y. HOXD8 inhibits the proliferation and migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells and induces apoptosis in them through regulation of AKT/mTOR pathway. Reprod Biol 2021; 21:100544. [PMID: 34454307 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2021.100544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
HOXD8 (Homeobox D8) functions as an apoptotic inducer to suppress tumor progression. However, the role of HOXD8 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not been fully understood. Firstly, HOXD8 was found to be reduced in TNBC tissues based on the TCGA samples through Ualcan (http://ualcan.path.uab.edu/analysis.html) prediction. Moreover, data from qRT-PCR and western blot confirmed the lower expression of HOXD8 in the TNBC tissues or cells than that in paracancerous tissues or human mammary epithelial cell line (MCF10A), respectively. Secondly, pcDNA-mediated over-expression of HOXD8 were conducted in TNBC cells, and the gain-of functional assays showed that over-expression of HOXD8 promoted TNBC cell progression with repressed cell apoptosis and induced proliferation, migration and invasion. Moreover, xenografted mouse model was constructed by injection of tumor cell line with stable over-expression of HOXD8 to assess the in vivo tumor growth, and the results revealed that over-expression of HOXD8 inhibited tumor growth. Lastly, our results showed that AKT and mTOR phosphorylation were repressed by HOXD8 over-expression in TNBC cells. In conclusion, HOXD8 functioned as an apoptotic inducer to suppress TNBC cell growth and progression by inhibition of AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Zhang
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, the Affiliated Peoples Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, 315040, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, the Affiliated Peoples Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, 315040, China
| | - Xiaobao Su
- Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, the Affiliated Peoples Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, 315040, China
| | - Yuqin Lu
- Department of Nail Breast Surgery, Huai'an Second People's Hospital, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, 223002, China.
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22
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Wang MQ, Yin QY, Chen YR, Zhu SL. Diagnostic and prognostic value of HOXC family members in gastric cancer. Future Oncol 2021; 17:4907-4923. [PMID: 34751593 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2021-0291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims: HOX clusters encode proteins that play pivotal roles in regulating transcription factors and many other proteins during embryogenesis. However, little is known about the diagnostic and prognostic values of HOXC family members in gastric cancer (GC). Materials and methods: The authors evaluated the data in patients with GC based on bioinformatics analysis. Results: HOXC6/8/9/10/11/13 were overexpressed in GC and associated with a poor prognosis. HOXC4/5 were downregulated in GC tissues. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that they have high diagnostic value. In addition, HOXC4/5/6/9/10/11/13 were negatively correlated with DNA methylation level. The gene set enrichment analysis results implied that they play essential roles in multiple biological processes underlying tumorigenesis. Conclusion: HOXC family members are potential targets for diagnosis and may work as prognostic biomarkers of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Qian Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qi-Yun Yin
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yi-Ru Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sen-Lin Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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23
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Feng Y, Zhang T, Wang Y, Xie M, Ji X, Luo X, Huang W, Xia L. Homeobox Genes in Cancers: From Carcinogenesis to Recent Therapeutic Intervention. Front Oncol 2021; 11:770428. [PMID: 34722321 PMCID: PMC8551923 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.770428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeobox (HOX) genes encoding an evolutionarily highly conserved family of homeodomain-containing transcriptional factors are essential for embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. HOX genes are involved in cell identity determination during early embryonic development and postnatal processes. The deregulation of HOX genes is closely associated with numerous human malignancies, highlighting the indispensable involvement in mortal cancer development. Since most HOX genes behave as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in human cancer, a better comprehension of their upstream regulators and downstream targets contributes to elucidating the function of HOX genes in cancer development. In addition, targeting HOX genes may imply therapeutic potential. Recently, novel therapies such as monoclonal antibodies targeting tyrosine receptor kinases, small molecular chemical inhibitors, and small interfering RNA strategies, are difficult to implement for targeting transcriptional factors on account of the dual function and pleiotropic nature of HOX genes-related molecular networks. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the roles of HOX genes in human cancer and emphasizes the emerging importance of HOX genes as potential therapeutic targets to overcome the limitations of present cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tongyue Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangyuan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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24
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Wang L, Gao Y, Tong D, Wang X, Guo C, Guo B, Yang Y, Zhao L, Zhang J, Yang J, Qin Y, Liu L, Huang C. MeCP2 drives hepatocellular carcinoma progression via enforcing HOXD3 promoter methylation and expression through the HB-EGF/EGFR pathway. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:3147-3163. [PMID: 34028973 PMCID: PMC8564637 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox D3 (HOXD3), a member of the homeobox family, was described to regulate tumorigenesis, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis in various tumor types. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating HOXD3 during hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) migration, invasion, and angiogenesis remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that HOXD3 expression is enhanced by the binding of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), a methyl-CpG binding protein, together with CREB1to the hypermethylated promoter of HOXD3. Inhibition of HOXD3 eliminated the tumorigenic effects of MeCP2 on HCC cells. Furthermore, HOXD3 directly targeted the promoter region of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) via the EGFR-ERK1/2 cell signaling pathway and promoted invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, elevated expression of MeCP2, CREB1, and HB-EGF in HCC correlated with a poor survival rate. Our findings reveal the function of the MeCP2/HOXD3/HB-EGF regulatory axis in HCC, rendering it an attractive candidate for the development of targeted therapeutics and as a potential biomarker in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Wang
- Department of Digestive Diseases in Precision Medicine Institutethe Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChina
| | - Yi Gao
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Yan'an Key Laboratory of Chronic Disease Prevention and ResearchChina
| | - Dongdong Tong
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Chen Guo
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Bo Guo
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Lingyu Zhao
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Jing Zhang
- Yan'an Key Laboratory of Chronic Disease Prevention and ResearchChina
| | - Juan Yang
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Yannan Qin
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Liying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
| | - Chen Huang
- Department of cell Biology and GeneticsSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to DiseasesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyTranslational Medicine InstituteSchool of Basic Medical SciencesXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
- Cardiovascular Research CenterXi'an Jiaotong University Health Science CenterChina
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25
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Aguiar GDM, Ramão A, Plaça JR, Simões SC, Scaraboto NV, Freitas-Castro F, Cardoso C, Sousa JDF, Silva WA. Upregulation of HOX genes promotes cell migration and proliferation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Tumour Biol 2021; 43:263-278. [PMID: 34633333 DOI: 10.3233/tub-211525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expression dysregulation of HOX homeobox genes has been observed in several cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). Although characterization of HOX gene roles in HNSC development has been reported, there is still a need to better understand their real contribution to tumorigenesis. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the protein-coding HOX genes (HOXA10, HOXC9, HOXC10, and HOXC13) in cellular processes related to carcinogenesis and progression of the HNSC. METHODS Expression of HOX genes was analyzed in HNSC RNA-Seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and by RT-qPCR in different tumor cell lines. siRNA-mediated knockdown of HOXA10, HOXC9, HOXC10 or HOXC13 was performed in HNSC cell lines, and predicted transcriptional targets HOX genes was analyzed by bioinformatic. RESULTS Thirty-one out of the 39 mammalian HOX genes were found upregulated in HNSC tissues and cell lines. The HOXC9, HOXC10 or HOXC13 knockdown attenuated cell migration, and lead to downregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, which were predicted as transcriptional targets of these three HOX genes. Diminished colony formation and cell cycle arrest after HOXC10 or HOXC13 knockdown were also observed, corroborating the fact that there was an enrichment for genes in proliferation/cell cycle pathways. CONCLUSIONS In summary, we revealed roles for HOXC9, HOXC10, and HOXC13 in cell migration and proliferation/cell cycle progression in HNSC cells and suggested that those HOX members contribute to HNSC development possibly by regulating tumor growth and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziela de Moura Aguiar
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Anelisa Ramão
- Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Jessica Rodrigues Plaça
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Sarah Capelupe Simões
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Natália Volgarine Scaraboto
- Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe Freitas-Castro
- Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Cibele Cardoso
- Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Josane de Freitas Sousa
- Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Wilson Araújo Silva
- Department of Medical Imaging, Hematology and Clinical Oncology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Center of Cell-Based Therapy (CEPID/FAPESP), National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy (INCTC/CNPq), Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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26
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Ge F, Tie W, Zhang J, Zhu Y, Fan Y. Expression of the HOXA gene family and its relationship to prognosis and immune infiltrates in cervical cancer. J Clin Lab Anal 2021; 35:e24015. [PMID: 34606634 PMCID: PMC8605136 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The homeobox A cluster (HOXA) gene family is participated in multiple biological functions in human cancers. To date, little is known about the expression profile and clinical significance of HOXA genes in cervical cancer. Methods We downloaded RNASeq data of cervical cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The difference in HOXA family expression was analyzed using independent samples t test. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to assess the effect of HOXA family expression on survival, and a nomogram predicting survival was generated. We assessed the infiltration difference in immune cells and expression difference of immunity biomarkers between two groups with different expression level of HOXA genes through Immune Cell Abundance Identifier (ImmuCellAI) and independent samples t test, respectively. Results Our results showed that the HOXA1 gene was upregulated, while the HOXA10 and HOXA11 were downregulated in cervical cancer. Downregulation of HOXA1 was related to a poor outcome for cervical cancer patient. We also identified a significantly increased abundance of T helper 2 cells (Th2) and higher expression of PD‐L1 in cervical cancer patients with lower expression of HOXA10 and HOXA11. The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) results indicated that HOXA1 and HOXA11 were involved in immune responses pathways and participated in the activation of a variety of classic signaling pathways related to the progression of human cancer. Conclusion This study comprehensively analyzed different HOXA genes applying public database to determine their expression patterns, potential diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment values in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfen Ge
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Weiwei Tie
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Junli Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yingying Fan
- Department of Gynecology, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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27
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Paço A, Leitão-Castro J, Freitas R. Epigenetic Regulation of CDH1 Is Altered after HOXB7-Silencing in MDA-MB-468 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1575. [PMID: 34680970 PMCID: PMC8535730 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
HOXB7 is often overexpressed in breast cancer cells and found to relate to poor prognosis. The search for the HOXB7 targets, as a transcription factor, has led to molecules involved in regulating cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and processes such as angiogenesis and therapy resistance. However, the specific targets affected by the deregulation of HOXB7 in breast cancer remain largely unknown in most molecular sub-types, such as triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). To unveil the molecular basis behind these aggressive and often untreatable cancers, here we explored the contribution of HOXB7 deregulation for their aggressiveness. To this end, HOXB7 was silenced in TNBC Basal A cells MDA-MB-468, and the phenotype, gene/protein expression, and methylation profile of putative targets were analyzed. Lower migration and invasion rates were detected in HOXB7-silenced cells in comparison with the controls. In addition, these cells expressed more CDH1 and less DNMT3B, and the promoter methylation status of CDH1 diminished. Our data suggest that the HOXB7 transcription factor may act on TNBC Basal A cells by controlling CDH1 epigenetic regulation. This may occur indirectly through the up-regulation of DNMT3B, which then controls DNA methylation of the CDH1 promoter. Thus, future approaches interfering with HOXB7 regulation may be promising therapeutic strategies in TNBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paço
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.P.); (J.L.-C.)
| | - Joana Leitão-Castro
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.P.); (J.L.-C.)
| | - Renata Freitas
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (A.P.); (J.L.-C.)
- ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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28
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Belpaire M, Ewbank B, Taminiau A, Bridoux L, Deneyer N, Marchese D, Lima-Mendez G, Baurain JF, Geerts D, Rezsohazy R. HOXA1 Is an Antagonist of ERα in Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:609521. [PMID: 34490074 PMCID: PMC8417444 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.609521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and the leading cause of female cancer mortality worldwide. About 70% of breast cancers express ERα. HOX proteins are master regulators of embryo development which have emerged as being important players in oncogenesis. HOXA1 is one of them. Here, we present bioinformatic analyses of genome-wide mRNA expression profiles available in large public datasets of human breast cancer samples. We reveal an extremely strong opposite correlation between HOXA1 versus ER expression and that of 2,486 genes, thereby supporting a functional antagonism between HOXA1 and ERα. We also demonstrate in vitro that HOXA1 can inhibit ERα activity. This inhibition is at least bimodal, requiring an intact HOXA1 DNA-binding homeodomain and involving the DNA-binding independent capacity of HOXA1 to activate NF-κB. We provide evidence that the HOXA1-PBX interaction known to be critical for the transcriptional activity of HOXA1 is not involved in the ERα inhibition. Finally, we reveal that HOXA1 and ERα can physically interact but that this interaction is not essential for the HOXA1-mediated inhibition of ERα. Like other HOX oncoproteins interacting with ERα, HOXA1 could be involved in endocrine therapy resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Belpaire
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Bruno Ewbank
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Arnaud Taminiau
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Laure Bridoux
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Noémie Deneyer
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Damien Marchese
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Gipsi Lima-Mendez
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jean-François Baurain
- Pôle d'imagerie moléculaire, radiothérapie et oncologie (MIRO), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), UCLouvain, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium.,King Albert II Cancer Institute, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium
| | - Dirk Geerts
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam University Medical Centrum (AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - René Rezsohazy
- Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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29
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Hu Y, Pan Q, Wang M, Ai X, Yan Y, Tian Y, Jing Y, Tang P, Jiang J. m 6A RNA Methylation Regulator YTHDF1 Correlated With Immune Microenvironment Predicts Clinical Outcomes and Therapeutic Efficacy in Breast Cancer. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:667543. [PMID: 34434939 PMCID: PMC8380833 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.667543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Increasing evidence highlights the roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and its regulators in oncogenesis. Herein, this study observed the associations of m6A regulators with breast cancer. Methods: RNA-seq profiles of breast cancer were retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of m6A regulators was analyzed in tumor and normal tissues. Their expression correlations were analyzed by Spearson test. Overall survival (OS) analysis of these regulators was then presented. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed in high and low YTHDF1 expression groups. The correlations of YTHDF1 expression with immune cells and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were calculated in breast cancer samples. Somatic variation was assessed in high and low YTHDF1 expression groups. Results: Most of m6A regulators were abnormally expressed in breast cancer compared to normal tissues. At the mRNA levels, there were closely relationships between them. Among them, YTHDF1 up-regulation was significantly related to undesirable prognosis (p = 0.025). GSEA results showed that high YTHDF1 expression was associated with cancer-related pathways. Furthermore, YTHDF1 expression was significantly correlated with T cells CD4 memory activated, NK cells activated, monocytes, and macrophages. There were higher TMB scores in YTHDF1 up-regulation group than its down-regulation group. Missense mutation and non-sense mutation were the most frequent mutation types. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that dysregulated m6A regulator YTHDF1 was predictive of survival outcomes as well as response to immunotherapy of breast cancer, and were closely related to immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Hu
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qinwen Pan
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Minghao Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiang Ai
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuzhao Yan
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuting Jing
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Peng Tang
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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30
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Liu L, Jia S, Jin X, Zhu S, Zhang S. HOXC11 Expression Is Associated with the Progression of Colon Adenocarcinoma and Is a Prognostic Biomarker. DNA Cell Biol 2021; 40:1158-1166. [PMID: 34415792 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2021.0368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the role of HOXC11 in progression and prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients. The COAD patient data were downloaded from "The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)" database. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the correlation between HOXC11 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics. The significance of difference in overall survival between different groups was determined by log-rank test. The HOXC11 expression was verified from mRNA and protein level by conducting real-time quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Significantly enriched Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were screened after gene set enrichment analysis. As a result, high HOXC11 expression was closely related to the occurrence of COAD based on the data in TCGA, which was then successfully validated in cell lines and clinical tissues. Enhanced HOXC11 expression was significantly associated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) and M stage. Prognosis of highly expressed HOXC11 COAD patients was significantly worse than those with low HOXC11 expression. GRAFT_VERSUS_HOST_DISEASE and other signaling pathways were significantly activated in high HOXC11 expression COAD patients. In conclusion, high expression of HOXC11 was closely associated with the progression of COAD, and HOXC11 was a promising prognostic biomarker in COAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linna Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Shujuan Jia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowei Jin
- Department of Gastroenterology, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Shengtao Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Shutian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing Key Laboratory for Precancerous Lesion of Digestive Disease, Beijing, P.R. China
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El-Huneidi W, Eladl MA, Muhammad JS. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in microRNA binding sites on the HOX genes regulate carcinogenesis: An in-silico approach. Biochem Biophys Rep 2021; 27:101083. [PMID: 34368470 PMCID: PMC8326182 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.101083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox proteins, encoded by HOX genes, are transcriptional factors playing a crucial role in the master regulatory pathway in the cells. Any mutations in HOX genes will affect the expression of its allied proteins. Such mutations were correlated to the development of different cancer types. In this study, we found 15 HOX genes with a potential target to miRNA, which regulates the translation of the protein by binding to its mRNA through the 3′UTR region. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in this binding region could drastically affect the protein expression by affecting the number and the stability of miRNA-mRNA complexes. We found 77 miRNAs in 15 genes which were found to have altered binding efficiency because of 26 SNPs. After which, we tried to evaluate the impact of each of these SNPs on related HOX genes. Some SNPs such as SNP 15689 on the HOXB7 gene will decrease gene expression by creating or enhancing new binding sites for miRNA to mRNA, while other SNPs such as SNP 872760 on the HOXB5 gene will overexpress the gene by breaking or decreasing existing binding sites from miRNA to mRNA. Then we conducted an expression analysis to compare the mRNA expression profiles in normal and cancer tissue. Subsequently, we did an enrichment analysis followed by a network analysis to shed light on the metabolic function of the gene that could be affected by mutation and whether these mutations may affect other genes. For the first time, this study delivers information on the possible epigenetic regulation of HOX genes via the 77 miRNAs that have predicted target binding sites on HOX mRNAs, and SNPs may regulate those. Furthermore, we show that the HOX gene misregulation may influence other HOX and non-HOX genes, based on network analysis. Genes affected by SNPs in miRNA lead to deregulation of HOX genes that will cause cancer. HOX genes have role in posttranscriptional nucleic acid and protein binding. The mutational effect of any HOX gene affects other members of HOX genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waseem El-Huneidi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Ahmed Eladl
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jibran Sualeh Muhammad
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, United Arab Emirates
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Gong D, Zhu H, Zeng L, Hu R, Hu J, Ding J. Overexpression of HOXA10 promotes the growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2454-2462. [PMID: 34293937 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211030854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of HOX transcription factor family has frequently been observed in multiple human cancers; however, their role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma remains largely unclear. In the present study, we found that HOX gene family is consistently upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and identified HOXA10 as one of the mostly upregulated HOX genes. Importantly, we show that HOXA10 overexpression is associated with transcriptional activation of multiple oncogenes essential for nasopharyngeal carcinoma carcinogenesis, including S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2), calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2), and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). Mechanistically, the overexpression of SKP2 induces the degradation of cell cycle inhibitor p27, leading to rapid cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. The overexpression of CAMKK2 is associated with enhanced mTOR signaling activity to meet the increased demand for proteins synthesis in rapid growing nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Moreover, MMP1 overexpression facilitates nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell migration and invasion and contributes to cancer metastasis and progression. We thus concluded that HOXA10 overexpression promotes the growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by transcriptionally activating various oncogenic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Gong
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- Department of Breast Cancer Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Lei Zeng
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Ronghuan Hu
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Jiali Hu
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Jianwu Ding
- Department of Oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.,Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Cancer Research, Nanchang 330006, China
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Tang D, Zhang Z, Zboril E, Wetzel MD, Xu X, Zhang W, Chen L, Liu Z. Pontin Functions as A Transcriptional Co-activator for Retinoic Acid-induced HOX Gene Expression. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166928. [PMID: 33713676 PMCID: PMC8184613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pontin is a AAA+ ATPase protein that has functions in various biological contexts including gene transcription regulation, chromatin remodeling, DNA damage sensing and repair, as well as assembly of protein and ribonucleoprotein complexes. Pontin is known to regulate the transcription of several important signaling pathways, including Wnt signaling. However, its role in early embryonic signaling regulation remains unclear. Retinoic acid (RA) signaling plays a central role in vertebrate development. Using an in vivo biotin tagging technology, we mapped the genome-wide binding pattern of Pontin before and after RA-induced differentiation in the pluripotent embryo carcinoma cell line NTERA-2. Biotin ChIP-seq revealed significant changes in genome-wide Pontin binding sites upon RA stimulation. We also identified a substantial amount of overlapping binding peaks between Pontin and RARα, especially on all of the HOX gene loci (A-D clusters). Pontin knockdown experiments showed that its chromatin binding at the HOX gene clusters is required for RA-induced HOX gene expression. Furthermore, we performed Global Run-On sequencing (GRO-seq) to map de novo transcripts genome-wide and found that Pontin knockdown significantly diminished nascent HOX gene transcripts, indicating that Pontin regulates HOX gene expression at the transcriptional level. Finally, proteomic analysis demonstrated that Pontin associates with chromatin organization/remodeling complexes and various other functional complexes. Altogether, we have demonstrated that Pontin is a critical transcriptional co-activator for RA-induced HOX gene activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Tang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of General Practice, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Emily Zboril
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Michael D Wetzel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Xinping Xu
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Jiangxi Institute of Respiratory Disease, The Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Lizhen Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Zhijie Liu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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Pajares MJ, Alemany-Cosme E, Goñi S, Bandres E, Palanca-Ballester C, Sandoval J. Epigenetic Regulation of microRNAs in Cancer: Shortening the Distance from Bench to Bedside. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147350. [PMID: 34298969 PMCID: PMC8306710 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease involving alterations of multiple processes, with both genetic and epigenetic features contributing as core factors to the disease. In recent years, it has become evident that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), an epigenetic factor, play a key role in the initiation and progression of cancer. MicroRNAs, the most studied non-coding RNAs subtype, are key controllers in a myriad of cellular processes, including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Furthermore, the expression of miRNAs is controlled, concomitantly, by other epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, resulting in aberrant patterns of expression upon the occurrence of cancer. In this sense, aberrant miRNA landscape evaluation has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer management. In this review, we have focused on the regulation (biogenesis, processing, and dysregulation) of miRNAs and their role as modulators of the epigenetic machinery. We have also highlighted their potential clinical value, such as validated diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and their relevant role as chromatin modifiers in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J. Pajares
- Biochemistry Area, Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarre, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.J.P.); (S.G.)
- IDISNA Navarra’s Health Research Institute, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
| | - Ester Alemany-Cosme
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Health Research Institute la Fe, 460026 Valencia, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (C.P.-B.)
| | - Saioa Goñi
- Biochemistry Area, Department of Health Sciences, Public University of Navarre, 31008 Pamplona, Spain; (M.J.P.); (S.G.)
| | - Eva Bandres
- IDISNA Navarra’s Health Research Institute, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Immunology Unit, Department of Hematology, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Cora Palanca-Ballester
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Health Research Institute la Fe, 460026 Valencia, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (C.P.-B.)
| | - Juan Sandoval
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Health Research Institute la Fe, 460026 Valencia, Spain; (E.A.-C.); (C.P.-B.)
- Epigenomics Core Facility, Health Research Institute la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-961246709
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35
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Estrogen suppresses HOXB2 expression via ERα in breast cancer cells. Gene 2021; 794:145746. [PMID: 34062258 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The expression of HOXB2, a homeobox transcription factor, is altered in a variety of solid tumors. Using an in vivo screen to identify regulators of breast tumor growth in murine mammary fat pads, Boimel and co-workers recently identified HOXB2 as a tumor suppressor. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of its role in breast cancer is not understood. Given the emerging interaction of estrogen-regulated gene expression and altered HOX gene expression network in the pathophysiology of breast cancer, this study addressed the relationship between estrogen signaling and HOXB2 expression. Using a mouse model and human breast cancer cell lines, we show that estrogen suppresses HOXB2 expression. Suppression of HOXB2 by PPT, a known ERα agonist, in MCF-7 and T47D cells indicated the involvement of ERα, which was confirmed by siRNA-mediated ERα knockdown experiments. In-silico analysis of the upstream promoter region revealed the presence of three putative EREs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments showed that upon estrogen binding, ERα engaged with EREs in the 5' upstream region of HOXB2 in MCF-7 and T47D cells. Future investigations should address the implications of estrogen-mediated suppression on the proposed tumor suppressor function of HOXB2.
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Abstract
The HOXC10 gene, a member of the HOX genes family, plays crucial roles in mammalian physiological processes, such as limb morphological development, limb regeneration, and lumbar motor neuron differentiation. HOXC10 is also associated with angiogenesis, fat metabolism, and sex regulation. Additional evidence suggests that HOXC10 dysregulation is closely associated with various tumors. HOXC10 is an important transcription factor that can activate several oncogenic pathways by regulating various target molecules such as ERK, AKT, p65, and epithelial mesenchymal transition-related genes. HOXC10 also induces drug resistance in cancers by promoting the DNA repair pathway. In this review, we summarize HOXC10 gene structure and expression as well as the role of HOXC10 in different human cancer processes. This review will provide insight into the status of HOXC10 research and help identify novel targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyong Fang
- Department of Science and Education, Jinhua Guangfu Oncology Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Jinhua Guangfu Oncology Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Liangliang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenxia Xu
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
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de Bessa Garcia SA, Araújo M, Pereira T, Freitas R. HOXB7 Overexpression Leads Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells to a Less Aggressive Phenotype. Biomedicines 2021; 9:515. [PMID: 34063128 PMCID: PMC8148148 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
HOX genes appear to play a role in breast cancer progression in a molecular subtype-dependent way. The altered expression of HOXB7, for example, was reported to promote breast cancer progression in specific subtypes. Here we induced HOXB7 overexpression in MDA-MB-231 cells, a cellular model of the Triple-Negative breast cancer molecular subtype, and evaluated the phenotypic changes in cell viability, morphogenesis, migration, invasion, and colony formation. During the phenotypic characterization of the HOXB7-overexpressing cells, we consistently found less aggressive behavior represented by lower cell viability, inhibition of cell migration, invasion, and attachment-independent colony formation capacities added to the more compact and organized spheroid growth in 3D cultures. We then evaluated the expression of putative downstream targets and their direct binding to HOXB7 comparing ChIP-qPCR data generated from HOXB7-overexpressing cells and controls. In the manipulated cells, we found enriched biding of HOXB7 to CTNNB1, EGFR, FGF2, CDH1, DNMT3B, TGFB2, and COMMD7. Taken together, these results highlight the plasticity of the HOXB7 function in breast cancer, according to the cellular genetic background and expression levels, and provide evidence that in Triple-Negative breast cancer cells, HOXB7 overexpression has the potential to promote less aggressive phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mafalda Araújo
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (M.A.); (T.P.)
| | - Tiago Pereira
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (M.A.); (T.P.)
| | - Renata Freitas
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (M.A.); (T.P.)
- ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Kvokačková B, Remšík J, Jolly MK, Souček K. Phenotypic Heterogeneity of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Mediated by Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2188. [PMID: 34063254 PMCID: PMC8125677 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13092188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast carcinoma known for its unusually aggressive behavior and poor clinical outcome. Besides the lack of molecular targets for therapy and profound intratumoral heterogeneity, the relatively quick overt metastatic spread remains a major obstacle in effective clinical management. The metastatic colonization of distant sites by primary tumor cells is affected by the microenvironment, epigenetic state of particular subclones, and numerous other factors. One of the most prominent processes contributing to the intratumoral heterogeneity is an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an evolutionarily conserved developmental program frequently hijacked by tumor cells, strengthening their motile and invasive features. In response to various intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, malignant cells can revert the EMT state through the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), a process that is believed to be critical for the establishment of macrometastasis at secondary sites. Notably, cancer cells rarely undergo complete EMT and rather exist in a continuum of E/M intermediate states, preserving high levels of plasticity, as demonstrated in primary tumors and, ultimately, in circulating tumor cells, representing a simplified element of the metastatic cascade. In this review, we focus on cellular drivers underlying EMT/MET phenotypic plasticity and its detrimental consequences in the context of TNBC cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Kvokačková
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic;
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Remšík
- Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India;
| | - Karel Souček
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic;
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne’s University Hospital, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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He Q, Huang W, Liu D, Zhang T, Wang Y, Ji X, Xie M, Sun M, Tian D, Liu M, Xia L. Homeobox B5 promotes metastasis and poor prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, via FGFR4 and CXCL1 upregulation. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:5759-5777. [PMID: 33897880 PMCID: PMC8058721 DOI: 10.7150/thno.57659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Since metastasis remains the main reason for HCC-associated death, a better understanding of molecular mechanism underlying HCC metastasis is urgently needed. Here, we elucidated the role of Homeobox B5 (HOXB5), a member of the HOX transcriptional factor family, in promoting HCC metastasis. Method: The expression of HOXB5 and its functional targets fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) were detected by immunohistochemistry. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were performed to measure the transcriptional regulation of target genes by HOXB5. The effects of FGFR4 and CXCL1 on HOXB5-mediated metastasis were analyzed by an orthotopic metastasis model. Results: Elevated expression of HOXB5 had a positive correlation with poor tumour differentiation, higher TNM stage, and indicated unfavorable prognosis. Overexpression of HOXB5 promoted HCC metastasis through transactivating FGFR4 and CXCL1 expression, whereas knockdown of FGFR4 and CXCL1 decreased HOXB5-enhanced HCC metastasis. Moreover, HOXB5 overexpression in HCC cells promoted myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) infiltration through CXCL1/CXCR2 axis. Either depletion of MDSCs by anti-Gr1 or blocking CXCL1-CXCR2 axis by CXCR2 inhibitor impaired HOXB5-mediated HCC metastasis. In addition, fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) contributed to the HOXB5 upregulation through PI3K/AKT/HIF1α pathway. Overexpression of FGF15 (an analog of FGF19 in mouse) promoted HCC metastasis, whereas knockdown of HOXB5 significantly inhibited FGF15-enhanced HCC metastasis in immunocompetent mice. HOXB5 expression was positively associated with CXCL1 expression and intratumoral MDSCs accumulation in human HCC tissues. Patients who co-expressed HOXB5/CXCL1 or HOXB5/CD11b exhibited the worst prognosis. Furthermore, the combination of FGFR4 inhibitor BLU-554 and CXCR2 inhibitor SB265610 dramatically decreased HOXB5-mediated HCC metastasis. Conclusion: HOXB5 was a potential prognostic biomarker in HCC patients and targeting this loop may provide a promising treatment strategy for the inhibition of HOXB5-mediated HCC metastasis.
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Lei D, Yang WT, Zheng PS. HOXB4 inhibits the proliferation and tumorigenesis of cervical cancer cells by downregulating the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:105. [PMID: 33479226 PMCID: PMC7820415 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03411-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Homeobox B4 (HOXB4), which belongs to the homeobox (HOX) family, possesses transcription factor activity and has a crucial role in stem cell self-renewal and tumorigenesis. However, its biological function and exact mechanism in cervical cancer remain unknown. Here, we found that HOXB4 was markedly downregulated in cervical cancer. We demonstrated that HOXB4 obviously suppressed cervical cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenic potential in nude mice. Additionally, HOXB4-induced cell cycle arrest at the transition from the G0/G1 phase to the S phase. Conversely, loss of HOXB4 promoted cervical cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analyses and mechanistic studies revealed that HOXB4 inhibited the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by direct transcriptional repression of β-catenin. Furthermore, β-catenin re-expression rescued HOXB4-induced cervical cancer cell defects. Taken together, these findings suggested that HOXB4 directly transcriptional repressed β-catenin and subsequently inactivated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, leading to significant inhibition of cervical cancer cell growth and tumor formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Lei
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Ting Yang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng-Sheng Zheng
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China. .,Section of Cancer Stem Cell Research, Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, 710061, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
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41
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Nakashoji A, Hayashida T, Yamaguchi S, Kawai Y, Kikuchi M, Yokoe T, Nagayama A, Seki T, Takahashi M, Kitagawa Y. Comprehensive analysis of the homeobox family genes in breast cancer demonstrates their similar roles in cancer and development. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021; 186:353-361. [PMID: 33459920 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-020-06087-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The homeobox (HOX) family consists of 39 genes whose expressions are tightly controlled and coordinated within the family, during development. We performed a comprehensive analysis of this gene family in cancer settings. METHODS Gene correlation analysis was performed using breast cancer data available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and data from the patients admitted to our hospital. We also analyzed the data of normal breast tissue (GSE20437). We next collected gene expression and prognosis data of breast cancer patients (GSE11121, GSE7390, GSE3494, and GSE2990) and performed unsupervised hierarchal clustering by the HOX gene expression pattern and compared prognosis. We additionally performed this analysis to leukemia (available in TCGA) and sarcoma (GSE20196) data. RESULTS Gene correlation analysis showed that the proximal HOX genes exhibit strong interactions and are expressed together in breast cancer, similar to the expression observed during development. However, in normal breast tissue, less interactions were observed. Breast cancer microarray meta-data classified by the HOX gene expression pattern predicted the prognosis of luminal B breast cancer patients (p = 0.016). Leukemia (p = 0.00016) and sarcoma (p = 0.018) presented similar results. The Wnt signaling pathway, one of the major upstream signals of HOX genes in development, was activated in the poor prognostic group. Interestingly, poor prognostic cancer presented stronger correlation in the gene family compared to favorable prognostic cancer. CONCLUSION Comprehensive analysis of the HOX family demonstrated their similar roles in cancer and development, and indicated that the strong interaction of HOX genes might be specific to malignancies, especially in the case of poor prognostic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Nakashoji
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Tetsu Hayashida
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan.
| | - Shigeo Yamaguchi
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Yuko Kawai
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kikuchi
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Takamichi Yokoe
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Aiko Nagayama
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Tomoko Seki
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Maiko Takahashi
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Yuko Kitagawa
- Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
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Paço A, Aparecida de Bessa Garcia S, Leitão Castro J, Costa-Pinto AR, Freitas R. Roles of the HOX Proteins in Cancer Invasion and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 13:E10. [PMID: 33375038 PMCID: PMC7792759 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasion and metastasis correspond to the foremost cause of cancer-related death, and the molecular networks behind these two processes are extremely complex and dependent on the intra- and extracellular conditions along with the prime of the premetastatic niche. Currently, several studies suggest an association between the levels of HOX genes expression and cancer cell invasion and metastasis, which favour the formation of novel tumour masses. The deregulation of HOX genes by HMGA2/TET1 signalling and the regulatory effect of noncoding RNAs generated by the HOX loci can also promote invasion and metastasis, interfering with the expression of HOX genes or other genes relevant to these processes. In this review, we present five molecular mechanisms of HOX deregulation by which the HOX clusters products may affect invasion and metastatic processes in solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paço
- BLC3—Biomassa Lenho-Celulósica de 3ª Geração, Campus of Technology and Innovation, 3405-169 Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal
| | - Simone Aparecida de Bessa Garcia
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (J.L.C.); (A.R.C.-P.); (R.F.)
| | - Joana Leitão Castro
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (J.L.C.); (A.R.C.-P.); (R.F.)
| | - Ana Rita Costa-Pinto
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (J.L.C.); (A.R.C.-P.); (R.F.)
| | - Renata Freitas
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (S.A.d.B.G.); (J.L.C.); (A.R.C.-P.); (R.F.)
- ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Prediction of genome-wide effects of single nucleotide variants on transcription factor binding. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17632. [PMID: 33077858 PMCID: PMC7572467 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74793-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Single nucleotide variants (SNVs) located in transcriptional regulatory regions can result in gene expression changes that lead to adaptive or detrimental phenotypic outcomes. Here, we predict gain or loss of binding sites for 741 transcription factors (TFs) across the human genome. We calculated ‘gainability’ and ‘disruptability’ scores for each TF that represent the likelihood of binding sites being created or disrupted, respectively. We found that functional cis-eQTL SNVs are more likely to alter TF binding sites than rare SNVs in the human population. In addition, we show that cancer somatic mutations have different effects on TF binding sites from different TF families on a cancer-type basis. Finally, we discuss the relationship between these results and cancer mutational signatures. Altogether, we provide a blueprint to study the impact of SNVs derived from genetic variation or disease association on TF binding to gene regulatory regions.
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Jin X, Dai L, Ma Y, Wang J, Yan H, Jin Y, Zhu X, Liu Z. Homeobox proteins are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:866. [PMID: 32907552 PMCID: PMC7487678 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07346-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have described the aberrant expression of homeobox (HOX) proteins in gastric cancer (GC), which is critically associated with the prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics of GC. This study was conducted to investigate the clinical value and action mechanisms of HOX proteins in GC. METHODS A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and the pooled odds ratio (OR) with its 95% CI were used to assess the effect of HOX protein expression on the prognosis and clinicopathological features of GC, respectively. RESULTS Nineteen studies containing 3775 patients were selected for this study. Heterogeneity among HRs of overall survival (OS) was markedly high (I2 = 90.5%, p = 0.000). According to the subgroup analysis, increased expression of HOX protein in the downregulated subgroup was associated with a good prognosis for patients with GC (pooled HR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.36-0.59, I2 = 3.1%, p = 0.377), while overexpression of HOX protein in the upregulated subgroup was correlated with a reduced OS (pooled HR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.79-3.74, I2 = 73.5%, p = 0.000). The aberrant expression of HOX protein was crucially related to the TNM stage, depth of tumour invasion, tumour size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, vascular invasion, histological differentiation and Lauren classification in patients with GC. In addition, the molecular mechanisms by which HOX proteins regulate tumorigenesis and development of GC were also explored. CONCLUSIONS HOX proteins play vital roles in GC progression, which might serve as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Jin
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Dai
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Yilan Ma
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiayan Wang
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Haihao Yan
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Jin
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojuan Zhu
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Institute of Digestive Endoscopy and Medical Centre for Digestive Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210011, People's Republic of China.
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Low HOXC10 expression in liver cancer regulates proliferation via a mechanism involving miR-221 and the MAPK signaling pathway. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:127. [PMID: 32934696 PMCID: PMC7471664 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeodomain-containing gene 10 (HOXC10) is associated with the progression of a variety of different types of human cancer; however, the role of HOXC10 in liver cancer is not completely understood. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of HOXC10 on liver cancer tumorigenesis. Quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression patterns of HOXC10 in cancer and adjacent healthy tissues. EdU, Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays were used to determine the functions of HOXC10 in liver cancer cell lines. ENCORI, TargetScan and miRTarBase were used to identify microRNAs that target HOXC10. The verification of the interaction between HOXC10 and microRNA-221 was determined by a luciferase assay. Compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues, the expression of HOXC10 was markedly decreased in liver cancer tissues. A HOXC10 small interfering (si)RNA significantly attenuated HOXC10 expression at the mRNA and protein levels, and enhanced cell proliferation compared with the siRNA-negative control group. In addition, the luciferase reporter assay indicated that microRNA-221 directly bound to the 3'-untranslated region of HOXC10, and interfered with the inhibitory effect of HOXC10 on proliferation. In addition, HOXC10 knockdown elevated the expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway markers compared with the siRNA-negative control group. Therefore, the results of the present study may aid with the development of novel therapeutic regimens and diagnostic markers of liver cancer.
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Paço A, de Bessa Garcia SA, Freitas R. Methylation in HOX Clusters and Its Applications in Cancer Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071613. [PMID: 32635388 PMCID: PMC7408435 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
HOX genes are commonly known for their role in embryonic development, defining the positional identity of most structures along the anterior–posterior axis. In postembryonic life, HOX gene aberrant expression can affect several processes involved in tumorigenesis such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. Epigenetic modifications are implicated in gene expression deregulation, and it is accepted that methylation events affecting HOX gene expression play crucial roles in tumorigenesis. In fact, specific methylation profiles in the HOX gene sequence or in HOX-associated histones are recognized as potential biomarkers in several cancers, helping in the prediction of disease outcomes and adding information for decisions regarding the patient’s treatment. The methylation of some HOX genes can be associated with chemotherapy resistance, and its identification may suggest the use of other treatment options. The use of epigenetic drugs affecting generalized or specific DNA methylation profiles, an approach that now deserves much attention, seems likely to be a promising weapon in cancer therapy in the near future. In this review, we summarize these topics, focusing particularly on how the regulation of epigenetic processes may be used in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paço
- Centre Bio: Bioindustries, Biorefineries and Bioproducts, BLC3 Association—Technology and Innovation Campus, 3405-169 Oliveira do Hospital, Portugal;
| | | | - Renata Freitas
- I3S—Institute for Innovation & Health Research, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;
- ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Garcia SADB, Araújo M, Freitas R. Dataset of HOXB7, HOXB8 and HOXB9 expression profiles in cell lines representative of the breast cancer molecular subtypes Luminal a (MCF7), Luminal b (BT474), HER2+ (SKBR3) and triple-negative (MDA231, MDA468), compared to a model of normal cells (MCF10A). Data Brief 2020; 30:105572. [PMID: 32346580 PMCID: PMC7182708 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in HOXB genes expression in breast cancer have been described and related to therapy response and disease progression. However, due to breast cancer complexity and heterogeneity, added to the use of different technical approaches, the observed expression profiles are sometimes contradictory. Here, we provided the analyses of HOXB7, HOXB8 and HOXB9 expression profiles in cell lines extensively used in the literature addressing the putative role of HOXB genes in breast cancer (MCF7, BT474, SKBR3, MDA231 and MDA468) and representative of the clinical breast cancer molecular subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2+ and Triple-negatives Claudin-low/Basal), compared to a normal breast model (MCF10A), using quantitative-PCR (qPCR). This technique allows a very sensitive quantification of gene expression and was performed using the fluorophore SYBR Green in order to obtain the expression levels relative to a reference gene, GAPDH in this case. We showed that HOXB7 is upregulated in all breast cancer cells analyzed, while HOXB8 and HOXB9 are significantly upregulated in MCF7 (Luminal A), BT474 (Luminal B) and MDA231 cells (Triple-negative Claudin-low). In addition, we found that the magnitude of the upregulation is highly subtype-specific, being the HER2+ cells the model with lowest HOXB7 upregulation, presenting very low or even null expression for HOXB8 and HOXB9, respectively. These results are analyzed in more detail in "HOX genes function in Breast Cancer development" [1] and are potentially relevant for a better understanding of the molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer, in addition to be a valuable tool assisting researchers in the choice of the most suitable cell models to perform functional assays concerning HOXB7, HOXB8 and HOXB9 genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Aparecida de Bessa Garcia
- IBMC – Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, i3S – Institute for Innovation and Health Research, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mafalda Araújo
- IBMC – Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, i3S – Institute for Innovation and Health Research, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Renata Freitas
- IBMC – Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology, i3S – Institute for Innovation and Health Research, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS – Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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