CRL4-DCAF8L2 E3 ligase promotes ubiquitination and degradation of BARD1

Prognostic potential of CUL3 ligase with differential roles in luminal A and basal type breast cancer tumors

Breast cancer is a prevalent and significant cause of mortality in women, and manifests as six molecular subtypes. Its further histologic classification into non-invasive ductal or lobular carcinoma (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma (ILC or IDC) underscores its heterogeneity. The ubiquitin-proteasome system plays a crucial role in breast cancer, with inhibitors targeting the 26S proteasome showing promise in clinical treatment. The Cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases, including CUL3, have direct links to breast cancer. This study focuses on CUL3 as a potential biomarker, leveraging high-throughput sequencing, gene expression profiling, experimental and data analysis tools. Through comprehensive analysis using databases like GEPIA2 and UALCAN, as well as TCGA datasets, CUL3's expression and its association with prognostic values were assessed. Additionally, the impact of CUL3 overexpression was explored in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, revealing distinct differences in molecular and phenotypic characteristics. We further profiled its expression and localization in breast cancer tissues identifying prominent differences between luminal A and TNBC tumors. Conclusively, CUL3 was found to be associated with cell cycle progression, and DNA damage response, exhibiting diverse roles depending on the tumor's molecular type. It exhibits a tendency to act as an oncogene in triple-negative tumors and as a tumor suppressor in luminal A types, suggesting a potential significance in breast cancer progression and therapeutic directions.

Identification of a Novel Long Non-coding RNA, lnc-ATMIN-4:2, and its Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance in Advanced Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as significant regulators of gene expression and a novel promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. This study identified a novel, differentially expressed lncRNA in advanced gastric cancer (AGC), Inc-ATMIN-4:2, and evaluated its clinicopathological and prognostic significance.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Whole transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in AGC tissue samples. We also analyzed lnc-ATMIN-4:2 expression in 317 patients with AGC using RNA in situ hybridization.

RESULTS

High (>30 dots) lnc-ATMIN-4:2 expression significantly correlated with younger age, poorly differentiated histology, diffuse type, deeper invasion depth, perineural invasion, lymph node metastasis, and higher stage group. In addition, high lnc-ATMIN-4:2 expression was significantly associated with worse overall survival in patients with AGC.

CONCLUSION

This study elucidated the significance of lncRNAs in AGC and indicated the value of lnc-ATMIN-4:2 expression as a predictive biomarker for the overall survival of patients with AGC.