COPB2 promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenesis through up-regulating YAP1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma cells

Adaptations of membrane trafficking in cancer and tumorigenesis

Membrane trafficking, a fundamental cellular process encompassing the transport of molecules to specific organelles, endocytosis at the plasma membrane and protein secretion, is crucial for cellular homeostasis and signalling. Cancer cells adapt membrane trafficking to enhance their survival and metabolism, and understanding these adaptations is vital for improving patient responses to therapy and identifying therapeutic targets. In this Review, we provide a concise overview of major membrane trafficking pathways and detail adaptations in these pathways, including COPII-dependent endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi vesicle trafficking, COPI-dependent retrograde Golgi-to-ER trafficking and endocytosis, that have been found in cancer. We explore how these adaptations confer growth advantages or resistance to cell death and conclude by discussing the potential for utilising this knowledge in developing new treatment strategies and overcoming drug resistance for cancer patients.

Dual role of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells and their cell-free extracellular vesicles in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths. However, the surgical control of the CRC progression is difficult, and in most cases, the metastasis leads to cancer-related mortality. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) with potential translational applications in regenerative medicine have been widely researched for several years. MSCs could affect tumor development through secreting exosomes. The beneficial properties of stem cells are attributed to their cell-cell interactions as well as the secretion of paracrine factors in the tissue microenvironment. For several years, exosomes have been used as a cell-free therapy to regulate the fate of tumor cells in a tumor microenvironment. This review discusses the recent advances and current understanding of assessing MSC-derived exosomes for possible cell-free therapy in CRC.

A single C-terminal residue controls SARS-CoV-2 spike trafficking and incorporation into VLPs

The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is delivered to the virion assembly site in the ER-Golgi Intermediate Compartment (ERGIC) from both the ER and cis-Golgi in infected cells. However, the relevance and modulatory mechanism of this bidirectional trafficking are unclear. Here, using structure-function analyses, we show that S incorporation into virus-like particles (VLP) and VLP fusogenicity are determined by coatomer-dependent S delivery from the cis-Golgi and restricted by S-coatomer dissociation. Although S mimicry of the host coatomer-binding dibasic motif ensures retrograde trafficking to the ERGIC, avoidance of the host-like C-terminal acidic residue is critical for S-coatomer dissociation and therefore incorporation into virions or export for cell-cell fusion. Because this C-terminal residue is the key determinant of SARS-CoV-2 assembly and fusogenicity, our work provides a framework for the export of S protein encoded in genetic vaccines for surface display and immune activation.

Strategies for rapid production of crystallization quality coatomer WD40 domains

The vesicular secretion of soluble cargo proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is accompanied by the export of ER-resident membrane proteins that are co-packaged in secretory vesicles. The cytosolic coatomer protein complex I (COPI) utilizes the N-terminal WD40 domains of α-COPI and β'-COPI subunits to bind these membrane protein "clients" for ER retrieval. These "αWD40" and "β'WD40" domains are structural homologs that demonstrate distinct selectivity for client proteins. However, elucidation of the atomic-level principles of coatomer-client interactions has been challenging due to the tendency of αWD40 domain to undergo aggregation during expression and purification. Here we describe a rapid recombinant production strategy from E. coli, which substantially enhances the quality of the purified αWD40 domain. The αWD40 purification and crystallization are completed within one day, which minimizes aggregation losses and yields a 1.9 Å resolution crystal structure. We demonstrate the versatility of this strategy by applying it to purify the β'WD40 domain, which yields crystal structures in the 1.2-1.3 Å resolution range. As an alternate recombinant production system, we develop a cost-effective strategy for αWD40 production in human Expi293 cells. Finally, we suggest a roadmap to simplify these protocols further, which is of significance for the production of WD40 mutants prone to rapid aggregation. The WD40 production strategies presented here are likely to have broad applications because the WD40 domain represents one of the largest families of biomolecular interaction modules in the eukaryotic proteome and is critical for trafficking of host as well as viral proteins such as the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis unveiling the oncogenic effect of plant homeodomain finger protein 14 (PHF14) in human tumors

The plant homeodomain (PHD) finger refers to a protein motif that plays a key role in the recognition and translation of histone modification marks by promoting gene transcriptional activation and silencing. As an important member of the PHD family, the plant homeodomain finger protein 14 (PHF14) affects the biological behavior of cells as a regulatory factor. Several emerging studies have demonstrated that PHF14 expression is closely associated with the development of some cancers, but there is still no feasible pan-cancer analysis. Based on existing datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), we performed a systematic analysis of the oncogenic role of the PHF14 gene in 33 human cancers. The expression level of PHF14 was significantly different between different types of tumors and adjacent normal tissues, and the expression or genetic alteration of PHF14 gene was closely related to the prognosis of most cancer patients. Levels of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) infiltration in various cancer types were also observed to correlate with PHF14 expression. In some tumors, PFH14 may play a role in tumor immunity by regulating the expression levels of immune checkpoint genes. In addition, the results of enrichment analysis showed that the main biological activities of PHF14 were related to various signaling pathways or chromatin complex effects. In conclusion, our pan-cancer research shows that the expression level of PHF14 is closely related to the carcinogenesis and prognosis of certain tumors, which needs to be further verified by more experiments and more in-depth mechanism exploration.

Targeting YAP1/TAZ in nonsmall-cell lung carcinoma: From molecular mechanisms to precision medicine

Accumulating evidence has underscored the importance of the Hippo-YAP1 signaling in lung tissue homeostasis, whereas its deregulation induces tumorigenesis. YAP1 and its paralog TAZ are the key downstream effectors tightly controlled by the Hippo pathway. YAP1/TAZ exerts oncogenic activities by transcriptional regulation via physical interaction with TEAD transcription factors. In solid tumors, Hippo-YAP1 crosstalks with other signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, receptor tyrosine kinase cascade, Notch and TGF-β to synergistically drive tumorigenesis. As YAP1/TAZ expression is significantly correlated with unfavorable outcomes for the patients, small molecules have been developed for targeting YAP1/TAZ to get a therapeutic effect. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on the deregulation of Hippo-YAP1 pathway in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, discuss the molecular mechanisms of its dysregulation in leading to tumorigenesis, explore the therapeutic strategies for targeting YAP1/TAZ, and provide the research directions for deep investigation. We believe that detailed delineation of Hippo-YAP1 regulation in tumorigenesis provides novel insight for accurate therapeutic intervention.

The role of YAP1 in survival prediction, immune modulation, and drug response: A pan-cancer perspective

Introduction

Dysregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway has been implicated in multiple pathologies, including cancer, and YAP1 is the major effector of the pathway. In this study, we assessed the role of YAP1 in prognostic value, immunomodulation, and drug response from a pan-cancer perspective.

Methods

We compared YAP1 expression between normal and cancerous tissues and among different pathologic stages survival analysis and gene set enrichment analysis were performed. Additionally, we performed correlation analyses of YAP1 expression with RNA modification-related gene expression, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), immune checkpoint regulator expression, and infiltration of immune cells. Correlations between YAP1 expression and IC₅₀s (half-maximal inhibitory concentrations) of drugs in the CellMiner database were calculated.

Results

We found that YAP1 was aberrantly expressed in various cancer types and regulated by its DNA methylation and post-transcriptional modifications, particularly m6A methylation. High expression of YAP1 was associated with poor survival outcomes in ACC, BLCA, LGG, LUAD, and PAAD. YAP1 expression was negatively correlated with the infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD4+ Th1 cells, T follicular helper cells, NKT cells, and activated NK cells, and positively correlated with the infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in pan-cancer. Higher YAP1 expression showed upregulation of TGF-β signaling, Hedgehog signaling, and KRAS signaling. IC₅₀s of FDA-approved chemotherapeutic drugs capable of inhibiting DNA synthesis, including teniposide, dacarbazine, and doxorubicin, as well as inhibitors of hypoxia-inducible factor, MCL-1, ribonucleotide reductase, and FASN in clinical trials were negatively correlated with YAP1 expression.

Discussion

In conclusion, YAP1 is aberrantly expressed in various cancer types and regulated by its DNA methylation and post-transcriptional modifications. High expression of YAP1 is associated with poor survival outcomes in certain cancer types. YAP1 may promote tumor progression through immunosuppression, particularly by suppressing the infiltration of CD8+ T lymphocytes, CD4+ Th1 cells, T follicular helper cells, NKT cells, and activated NK cells, as well as recruiting MDSCs and CAFs in pan-cancer. The tumor-promoting activity of YAP1 is attributed to the activation of TGF-β, Hedgehog, and KRAS signaling pathways. AZD2858 and varlitinib might be effective in cancer patients with high YAP1 expression.

Depletion of COPI in cancer cells: the role of reactive oxygen species in the induction of lipid accumulation, noncanonical lipophagy and apoptosis

The coatomer protein complex 1 (COPI) is a multisubunit complex that coats intracellular vesicles and is involved in intracellular protein trafficking. Recently we and others found that depletion of COPI complex subunits zeta (COPZ1) and delta (ARCN1) preferentially kills tumor cells relative to normal cells. Here we delineate the specific cellular effects and sequence of events of COPI complex depletion in tumor cells. We find that this depletion leads to the inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, followed by accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) and autophagy-associated proteins LC3-II and SQSTM1/p62 and, finally, apoptosis of the tumor cells. Inactivation of ROS in COPI-depleted cells with the mitochondrial-specific quencher, mitoquinone mesylate, attenuated apoptosis and markedly decreased both the size and the number of LDs. COPI depletion caused ROS-dependent accumulation of LC3-II and SQSTM1 which colocalizes with LDs. Lack of double-membrane autophagosomes and insensitivity to Atg5 deletion suggested an accumulation of a microlipophagy complex on the surface of LDs induced by depletion of the COPI complex. Our findings suggest a sequence of cellular events triggered by COPI depletion, starting with inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation, followed by ROS activation and accumulation of LDs and apoptosis.

The therapeutic effect of exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells on colorectal cancer: Toward cell-free therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is known for its high mortality rate and affects more men than women. The treatment requires invasive surgical interventions, however, the progression of CRC metastasis is difficult to control in most cases. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with their outstanding characteristics have been widely used in the treatment of degenerative diseases as well as cancers. They affect the tumor microenvironment through either cell-cell interactions or communications with their secretome. While stem cells may represent a dual role in tumor proliferation and progression, exosomes have attracted much attention as a cell-free therapy in CRC treatment. Exosomes derived from native or genetically modified MSCs, as well as exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs), have been evaluated on CRC progression. Moreover, MSC-derived exosomes have been used as a carrier to deliver anticancer agents in colorectal cancer. In this review, we overview and discuss the current knowledge in both stem cell-based and cell-free exosome therapy of CRC.

Comprehensive analysis reveals COPB2 and RYK associated with tumor stages of larynx squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the highly aggressive malignancy types of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas; genes involved in the development of LSCC still need exploration.

METHODS

We downloaded expression profiles of 96 (85 in advanced stage and 11 in early stage) LSCC patients from TCGA-HNSC. Function enrichment and protein-protein interactions of genes in significant modules were conducted. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to explore potential prognostic biomarkers for LSCC. The expression levels of genes at different stages were compared and visualized via boxplots. Immune infiltration was examined by the CIBERSORTx web-based tool and depicted with ggplot2. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was utilized to analyze functional enrichment terms and pathways. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) was used to verify the expression of genes in the LSCC samples.

RESULTS

We identified 25 modules, including 3 modules significantly related to tumor stages of LSCC via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). UIMC1, NPM1, and DCTN4 in the module 'cyan', TARS in the module 'darkorange', and COPB2 and RYK in the module 'lightyellow' showed statistically significant relation to overall survival. The expression of COPB2, DCTN4, RYK, TARS, and UIMC1 indicated association with the change of fraction of immune cells in LSCC patients; two genes, COPB2 and RYK, indicated different expression in various tumor stages of LSCC. Finally, COPB2 and RYK showed high-expression in tumor tissues of advanced LSCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provided a potential perceptive in analyzing progression of LSCC cells and exploring prognostic genes.

Implication of COPB2 Expression on Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis

Simple Summary

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of COPB2 expression on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) pathogenesis. cSCC, a common category of skin cancer, is marked by a reasonably favorable prognosis. However, there has been a steady rise in the annual incidence of cases; in particular, a subset of cases showed aggressive progression. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of cSCC pathogenesis is largely unknown. In the present study, we found that COPB2 may act as a potential oncogene and modulator of the tumor immune microenvironment in cSCC pathogenesis. Therefore, COPB2 can serve as a novel predictive prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target in cSCC patients.

Abstract

The underlying molecular mechanisms of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) pathogenesis are largely unknown. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) expression on cSCC pathogenesis. Clinicopathological significance of COPB2 in cSCC was investigated by analyzing the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and through a retrospective cohort study of 95 cSCC patients. The effect of COPB2 expression on the biological behavior of cSCC cells was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. We found that COPB2 expression was significantly higher in cSCC samples than in normal skin samples. In our cohort, a considerable association was found between COPB2 expression and indicators of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), such as histocompatibility complex class (MHC) I, and MHC II, CD4+/ CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Additionally, COPB2 expression had an independent impact on worsened recurrence-free survival in our cohort. Furthermore, decreased proliferation, invasion, tumorigenic activities, and increased apoptosis were observed after COPB2 knockdown in cSCC cells. COPB2 may act as a potential oncogene and candidate modulator of the TIME in cSCC. Therefore, it can serve as a novel predictive prognostic biomarker and candidate immunotherapeutic target in cSCC patients.

Restraint of chaperonin containing T-complex protein-1 subunit 3 has antitumor roles in non-small cell lung cancer via affection of YAP1

The implication of chaperonin containing T-complex protein-1 subunit 3 (CCT3) in carcinogenesis has been observed in a diverse malignancies. However, the relevance of CCT3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been well addressed. This research is dedicated to investigating the expression pattern and functional role of CCT3 in NSCLC. An elevation in CCT3 levels was observed in NSCLC tissue, which was linked to a reduced overall survival rate. The inhibition of CCT3 by shRNA-mediated gene silencing induced suppressive effects on the transformative phenotypes of NSCLC cells, including the inhibition of cell proliferation and invasion, and the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Further investigation revealed that the silencing of CCT3 led to the suppression of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), and decreased the expression of YAP1 target genes in NSCLC cells. The activation of YAP1 via forced expression of constitutively active YAP1 mutant reversed CCT3-restraint-evoked antitumor effects in NSCLC cells. Crucially, NSCLC cells with CCT3 silencing also exhibited weakened oncogenicity in nude mice associated with the down-regulation of YAP1 activation in xenografts. To sum up, these observations of our work show that the inhibition of CCT3 produces antitumor effects in NSCLC via the suppression of YAP1. This study unveils a possible role CCT3/YAP1 axis in NSCLC and suggests CCT3 as a candidate anticancer target.

Chemical Genetics Screen Identifies COPB2 Tool Compounds That Alters ER Stress Response and Induces RTK Dysregulation in Lung Cancer Cells

Activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are common driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). First, second and third generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are effective at inhibiting mutant EGFR NSCLC, however, acquired resistance is a major issue, leading to disease relapse. Here, we characterize a small molecule, EMI66, an analog of a small molecule which we previously identified to inhibit mutant EGFR signalling via a novel mechanism of action. We show that EMI66 attenuates receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) expression and signalling and alters the electrophoretic mobility of Coatomer Protein Complex Beta 2 (COPB2) protein in mutant EGFR NSCLC cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that EMI66 can alter the subcellular localization of EGFR and COPB2 within the early secretory pathway. Furthermore, we find that COPB2 knockdown reduces the growth of mutant EGFR lung cancer cells, alters the post-translational processing of RTKs, and alters the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway. Lastly, we show that EMI66 treatment also alters the ER stress response pathway and inhibits the growth of mutant EGFR lung cancer cells and organoids. Our results demonstrate that targeting of COPB2 with EMI66 presents a viable approach to attenuate mutant EGFR signalling and growth in NSCLC.

An Integrative Pan-Cancer Analysis of the Oncogenic Role of COPB2 in Human Tumors

Several studies have suggested that coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) may act as an oncogene in various cancer types. However, no systematic pan-cancer analysis has been performed to date. Therefore, the present study analyzed the potential oncogenic role of COPB2 using TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) datasets. The majority of the cancer types overexpressed the COPB2 protein, and its expression significantly correlated with tumor prognosis. In certain tumors, such as those found in breast and ovarian tissues, phosphorylated S859 exhibited high expression. It was found that mutations of the COPB2 protein in kidney and endometrial cancers exhibited a significant impact on patient prognosis. It is interesting to note that COPB2 expression correlated with the number of cancer-associated fibroblasts in certain tumors, such as cervical and endocervical cancers and colon adenocarcinomas. In addition, COPB2 was involved in the transport of substances and correlated with chemotherapy sensitivity. This is considered the first pan-tumor study, which provided a relatively comprehensive understanding of the mechanism by which COPB2 promotes cancer growth.

Identification and Validation of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Targets for Fluorescence Molecular Endoscopy

Dysplasia and intramucosal esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) frequently go unnoticed with white-light endoscopy and, therefore, progress to invasive tumors. If suitable targets are available, fluorescence molecular endoscopy might be promising to improve early detection. Microarray expression data of patient-derived normal esophagus (n = 120) and ESCC samples (n = 118) were analyzed by functional genomic mRNA (FGmRNA) profiling to predict target upregulation on protein levels. The predicted top 60 upregulated genes were prioritized based on literature and immunohistochemistry (IHC) validation to select the most promising targets for fluorescent imaging. By IHC, GLUT1 showed significantly higher expression in ESCC tissue (30 patients) compared to the normal esophagus adjacent to the tumor (27 patients) (p < 0.001). Ex vivo imaging of GLUT1 with the 2-DG 800CW tracer showed that the mean fluorescence intensity in ESCC (n = 17) and high-grade dysplasia (HGD, n = 13) is higher (p < 0.05) compared to that in low-grade dysplasia (LGD) (n = 7) and to the normal esophagus adjacent to the tumor (n = 5). The sensitivity and specificity of 2-DG 800CW to detect HGD and ESCC is 80% and 83%, respectively (ROC = 0.85). We identified and validated GLUT1 as a promising molecular imaging target and demonstrated that fluorescent imaging after topical application of 2-DG 800CW can differentiate HGD and ESCC from LGD and normal esophagus.

Effect of COPB2 expression on proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) is involved in the regulation of malignant biological behavior of various tumor cells. However, its expression and clinical significance in gastric cancer are still unclear.

AIM

To investigate the effects of COPB2 on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of gastric cancer cells and the possible mechanism.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical method was used to observe the expression of COPB2 in gastric cancer and adjacent tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression of COPB2 protein in gastric cancer tissues and gastric cancer cell lines (SGC-7901, MKN45, and AGS). After transfection of COPB2-shRNA and its corresponding negative control (Con-shRNA), and pcDNA-COPB2 and its corresponding negative control (pcDNA-Con) into SGC-7901 cells, the effects of knockdown or overexpression of COPB2 on the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells were analyzed by CCK-8 assay, cell colony formation assay, and Transwell assay, and the effect of knockdown or overexpression of COPB2 on AKT signaling in gastric cancer cells was detected by Western blot. A tumor xenograft model was established to detect the effect of knockdown of COPB2 on tumor growth.

RESULTS

Compared with adjacent tissues and normal gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), the expression of COPB2 protein was significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues and gastric cancer cell lines (SGC-7901, MKN45, and AGS). Knockdown of COPB2 inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of SGC-7901 and the expression of p-Akt protein, while overexpression of COPB2 showed the opposite effect. In addition, knockdown of COPB2 inhibited SGC-7901 cell growth in vivo in a tumor xenograft model.

CONCLUSION

Knockdown of COPB2 expression can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer cells, and this effect may be related to the inhibition of AKT signaling activity.

COPB2: a transport protein with multifaceted roles in cancer development and progression

The Coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) is involved in the formation of the COPI coatomer protein complex and is responsible for the transport of vesicles between the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum. It plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of these cellular organelles, as well as in maintaining cell homeostasis. More importantly, COPB2 plays key roles in embryonic development and tumor progression. COPB2 is regarded as a vital oncogene in several cancer types and has been implicated in tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and metastasis. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the roles of COPB2 in cancer development and progression in the context of the hallmarks of cancer.

miR-133b inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting CDCA8

OBJECTIVE

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common type of lung cancer. This study aims to explore the mechanism by which CDCA8 regulates cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD, and to generate novel insights into targeted therapy of LUAD.

METHODS

Expression profiles of mature microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs, along with clinical data of LUAD were downloaded from TCGA database for differential analysis and survival analysis to mine differentially expressed mRNAs. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CDCA8 and miR-133b in LUAD cell lines, and western blot was used to detect protein expression. The effects of CDCA8 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells were detected by CCK-8 assay, scratch healing assay, and Transwell assay. Bioinformatics predicted the target miRNA of CDCA8, and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the binding relationship between miR-133b and CDCA8.

RESULTS

Data from TCGA-LUAD showed that CDCA8 was significantly overexpressed in LUAD tissue, while its upstream miRNA (miR-133b) was significantly lowly expressed. The result of dual-luciferase test showed that miR-133b targeted CDCA8. The results of in vitro functional experiments showed that overexpression of CDCA8 could promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD cells, and miR-133b could reverse this promotion by targeting CDCA8.

CONCLUSION

This study found that CDCA8 was a carcinogenic factor in LUAD cells and it was regulated by upstream miR-133b. miR-133b could inhibit proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD cells by targeting CDCA8.

COPB2: A Novel Prognostic Biomarker That Affects Progression of HCC

Purpose

This study is aimed at investigating the expression, underlying biological function, and clinical significance of coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

HCC-related data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database, and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A logistic regression module was applied to analyze the relationship between the expression of COPB2 and clinicopathologic characteristics. The Cox proportional hazard regression model and Kaplan–Meier method were used for survival analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to annotate the underlying biological functions. Loss-of-function experiments were conducted to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Results

COPB2 was overexpressed in HCC, and high expression of COPB2 was significantly correlated with higher alpha fetoprotein (AFP) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.616, >20 vs. ≤20, p < 0.05), stage (OR = 1.744, III vs. I, p < 0.05), and grade (OR = 1.746, G4+G3 vs. G2+G1, p < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that HCC patients with high COPB2 expression had a worse prognosis than those with low COPB2 expression (p < 0.0001 for TCGA cohort, p < 0.05 for ICGC cohort). The univariate Cox (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.068, p < 0.0001) and multivariate Cox (HR = 2.011, p < 0.05) regression analyses suggested that COPB2 was an independent risk factor. GSEA showed that mTOR and other tumor-related signaling pathways were differentially enriched in the high COPB2 expression phenotype. Silencing of COPB2 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and mTOR signaling.

Conclusion

COPB2 is a novel prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for HCC.

MiR-216a-3p regulates the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells via targeting COPB2

Effect of miR-216a-3p on lung cancer hasn't been investigated. Here, we explored its effects on lung cancer. MiR-216a-3p expression in lung cancer tissues and cells was detected by RT-qPCR. The target gene of miR-216a-3p was predicted by bioinformatics and confirmed by luciferase-reporter assay. After transfection, cell viability, migration, invasion, proliferation, and apoptosis were detected by MTT, scratch, transwell, colony formation, and flow cytometry. The expressions of COPB2 and apoptosis-related factors were detected by RT-qPCR or western blot. MiR-216a-3p was low-expressed and COPB2 was high-expressed in lung cancer tissues and cells. MiR-216a-3p targeted COPB2 and regulated its expression. MiR-216a-3p inhibited lung cancer cell viability, migration, invasion, and proliferation, while promoted apoptosis. Effect of miR-216a-3p on lung cancer was reversed by COPB2. MiR-216a-3p regulated proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cells via targeting COPB2.

LncRNA HOTAIRM1 Inhibits the Proliferation and Invasion of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells via the miR-498/WWOX Axis

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) is a major form of lung cancer, which is a main cause of global cancer-related death in male and female patients. LncRNAs are implicated in tumor development. However, the functions and mechanisms of the LncRNA HOTAIRM1 in ADC are not known.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Here, the downregulated HOTAIRM1 in ADC was selected by TCGA analysis. Subsequently, qRT-PCR, CCK-8, EdU, cell apoptosis, cell cycle and cell invasion assays were utilized for evaluating the roles of HOTAIRM1 in ADC. Finally, we explored the mechanism of HOTAIRM1 in ADC.

RESULTS

HOTAIRM1 expression was considerably decreased in ADC tissues. The knockdown of HOTAIRM1 promoted the cell cycle, growth, and invasion of ADC. Moreover, HOTAIRM1 competitively bound miR-498 to regulate the expression of WWOX.

CONCLUSION

HOTAIRM1 suppressed the proliferation and invasion of ADC cells via the modulation of miR-498/WWOX axis. This finding suggested that it might be clinically valuable as a biomarker for ADC. Furthermore, the findings suggest LncRNA HOTAIRM1 as a candidate therapeutic target in ADC.

The Yin and Yang of Autosomal Recessive Primary Microcephaly Genes: Insights from Neurogenesis and Carcinogenesis

The stem cells of neurogenesis and carcinogenesis share many properties, including proliferative rate, an extensive replicative potential, the potential to generate different cell types of a given tissue, and an ability to independently migrate to a damaged area. This is also evidenced by the common molecular principles regulating key processes associated with cell division and apoptosis. Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a neurogenic mitotic disorder that is characterized by decreased brain size and mental retardation. Until now, a total of 25 genes have been identified that are known to be associated with MCPH. The inactivation (yin) of most MCPH genes leads to neurogenesis defects, while the upregulation (yang) of some MCPH genes is associated with different kinds of carcinogenesis. Here, we try to summarize the roles of MCPH genes in these two diseases and explore the underlying mechanisms, which will help us to explore new, attractive approaches to targeting tumor cells that are resistant to the current therapies.

COPZ1 depletion in thyroid tumor cells triggers type I IFN response and immunogenic cell death

The coatomer protein complex zeta 1 (COPZ1) represents a non-oncogene addiction for thyroid cancer (TC); its depletion impairs the viability of thyroid tumor cells, leads to abortive autophagy, ER stress, UPR and apoptosis, and reduces tumor growth of TC xenograft models. In this study we investigated the molecular pathways activated by COPZ1 depletion and the paracrine effects on cellular microenvironment and immune response. By comprehensive and target approaches we demonstrated that COPZ1 depletion in TPC-1 and 8505C thyroid tumor cell lines activates type I IFN pathway and viral mimicry responses. The secretome from COPZ1-depleted cells was enriched for several inflammatory molecules and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Moreover, we found that dendritic cells, exposed to these secretomes, expressed high levels of differentiation and maturation markers, and stimulated the proliferation of naïve T cells. Interestingly, T cells stimulated with COPZ1-depleted cells showed increased cytotoxic activity against parental tumor cells. Collectively, our findings support the notion that targeting COPZ1 may represent a promising therapeutic approach for TC, considering its specificity for cancer cells, the lack of effect on normal cells, and the capacity to prompt an anti-tumor immune response.

Upregulation of the Coatomer Protein Complex Subunit beta 2 (COPB2) Gene Targets microRNA-335-3p in NCI-H1975 Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Promote Cell Proliferation and Migration

Background

The coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) gene is upregulated and promotes cell proliferation in some cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miRNA) targeting by COPB2 gene expression in human lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, including NCI-H1975 cells.

Material/Methods

COPB2 expression in normal human bronchial epithelial cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. NCI-H1975 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were transfected with short-interfering COPB2 (siCOPB2). Cell apoptosis and cell proliferation were evaluated by flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, respectively. The transwell assay evaluated cell migration. Targeting of miR-335-3p by COPB2 was predicted using TargetScan 7.2 and verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay in NCI-H1975 cells. MiR-335-3p mimics were transfected into NCI-H1975 cells. The further functional analysis included detection of protein expression for cyclin D1, tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), Bcl-2, and Bax, to verify the role of miR-335-3p targeting by COPB2 in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Results

COPB2 was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma cells and was a direct target of miR-335-3p mimics. COPB2 knockdown promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration and proliferation in NCI-H1975 cells. The effects of COPB2 knockdown on NCI-H1975 cells were increased by miR-335-3p mimics, which also further reduced the expression levels of cyclin D1, MMP9, and Bcl-2 and further increased TIMP-1 and Bax by siCOPB2.

Conclusions

This study showed that COPB2 was the functional target of miR-335-3p in NCI-H1975 human adenocarcinoma cells.

SAG expression associates with COPB2-related signaling and a poorer prognosis in breast cancer

SAG is an essential RING component of the Cullin-RING ligase (CRL) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, which regulates diverse signaling pathways and biological processes, including cell apoptosis, embryonic development, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we revealed that SAG gene expression is upregulated in breast cancer cells and that SAG overexpression is associated with significant poorer survival in breast cancer, especially the luminal A subtype. We also detected highly correlated co-overexpression of SAG and COPB2 in breast cancers. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that SAG and COPB2 act cooperatively to stimulate breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Our findings suggest that levels of SAG and COPB2 expression may be useful prognostic indicators in breast cancers and that SAG may be involved in COPB2-related signaling during breast cancer development.

LncRNA NNT-AS1 promotes non-small cell lung cancer progression through regulating miR-22-3p/YAP1 axis

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related mortality worldwide. Studies have demonstrated that long noncoding RNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase‐antisense RNA1 (NNT‐AS1) functioned as an oncogene in most malignancies, including non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of NNT‐AS1 in NSCLC progression.

Methods

The levels of NNT‐AS1, miR‐22‐3p and Yes‐associated protein (YAP1) were detected by qRT‐PCR in NSCLC tissues and cells. Kaplan‐Meier analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between NNT‐AS1 expression and overall survival of NSCLC patients. Cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using transwell assay. The protein levels of YAP1 and EMT‐related proteins were detected by western blot. The molecular mechanism was predicted by starBase2.0 and validated by dual‐luciferase reporter assay or RNA pull‐down assay. Xenograft analysis was carried out to analyze tumor growth in vivo.

Results

We found that the levels of NNT‐AS1 and YAP1 were enhanced, while miR‐22‐3p expression was decreased in NSCLC tissues and cells. High NNT‐AS1 expression was correlated with poor prognosis. NNT‐AS1 knockdown impeded proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of NSCLC cells. NNT‐AS1 targeted miR‐22‐3p, and YAP1 was a target of miR‐22‐3p in NSCLC cells. Furthermore, NNT‐AS1 facilitated the progression of NSCLC by regulating miR‐22‐3p/YAP1 axis. NNT‐AS1 knockdown repressed tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

NNT‐AS1 facilitated proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of NSCLC cells by sponging miR‐22‐3p and regulating YAP1 expression, which might provide a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Targeting Non-Oncogene Addiction: Focus on Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common malignancy of endocrine organs with an increasing incidence in industrialized countries. The majority of TC are characterized by a good prognosis, even though cases with aggressive forms not cured by standard therapies are also present. Moreover, target therapies have led to low rates of partial response and prompted the emergence of resistance, indicating that new therapies are needed. In this review, we summarize current literature about the non-oncogene addiction (NOA) concept, which indicates that cancer cells, at variance with normal cells, rely on the activity of genes, usually not mutated or aberrantly expressed, essential for coping with the transformed phenotype. We highlight the potential of non-oncogenes as a point of intervention for cancer therapy in general, and present evidence for new putative non-oncogenes that are essential for TC survival and that may constitute attractive new therapeutic targets.

High expression of COPB2 predicts adverse outcomes: A potential therapeutic target for glioma

Aims

To evaluate the clinical significance of coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) in patients with glioma using a bioinformatics analysis.

Methods

Oncomine, GEO, and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases were used to examine the COPB2 transcript levels in glioma tissues. Gene expression profiles with clinical information from low‐grade glioma and glioblastoma (GBM) projects were analyzed for associations between COPB2 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics. Kaplan‐Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were used for survival analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to screen the pathways involved in COPB2 expression. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and correlograms were performed to verify the correlations between COPB2 and inflammatory responses. Canonical correlation analyses examined whether COPB2‐high patients have more infiltrating inflammatory and immune cells.

Results

COPB2 was highly expressed in gliomas and high COPB2 expression correlated with shorter overall survival time and several poor clinical prognostic variables. GSEA indicated that some immune‐related pathways and other signaling pathways in cancer were associated with the COPB2‐high phenotype. The GSVA and canonical correlation analysis demonstrated that COPB2 expression was closely linked to inflammatory and immune responses, and higher immune cell infiltration.

Conclusions

COPB2 may be a potential prognostic biomarker and an immunotherapeutic target for glioma.

MicroRNA-4461 derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell exosomes inhibits tumorigenesis by downregulating COPB2 expression in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the main cause of cancer-related deaths. It's reported that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) affects tumor development through secreting exosomes. This study aims to investigate the function of BMSCs-derived exosome miR-4461 in CRC. The results of qRT-PCR showed that miR-4461 expression in DLD1, HCT116 and SW480 CRC cells and CRC tissues was lower than that in FHC cells and normal tissues, respectively. And COPB2 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with miR-4461. Western blot was used to detect COPB2 protein expression. Dual-luciferase reporter assay results revealed that miR-4461 targeted COPB2. Transwell assay and CCK-8 assay demonstrated that COPB2 knockdown inhibited HCT116 and SW480 cells proliferation, migration and invasion abilities. Furthermore, BMSCs-derived exosome miR-4461 downregulated COPB2 expression and inhibited HCT116 and SW480 cells migration and invasion. The findings demonstrated that miR-4461 could be a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.

COPB2 is up-regulated in breast cancer and plays a vital role in the metastasis via N-cadherin and Vimentin

Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignant tumour for the adult female and its relative incidence has increased continuously in recent years. The primary molecular mechanisms of breast tumourigenesis remain unclear. With the sequencing technology, we found that coatomer protein complex subunit beta 2 (COPB2) gene is overexpressed in breast cancer tissues. However, the biological function of COPB2 in BC has yet to be determined. This current research demonstrates, significant up‐regulation of COPB2 in tissues of breast cancer while comparing the adjacent normal tissue both invalidated cohort and TCGA cohort. Up‐regulated expression of COPB2 was correlated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and oestrogen receptor (ER) in the TCGA cohort and a high level of COPB2 was associated with age and lymph node metastasis in the validated cohort. Besides, logistic analysis illustrated in BC patient COPB2 expression, tumour size, age, ER and disease stage were independent high‐risk factors of LNM. Loss of function experiments revealed that down‐regulation of COPB2 could inhibit capacities of proliferation and cell invasion in MDA‐MB‐231 and BT‐549 cell lines. Moreover, underexpression of COPB2 could decrease the EMT‐related protein N‐cadherin and vimentin which may lead to cell invasion. This current research provides new shreds of evidence that COPB2 overexpression shows significant character in the progression of breast cancer. To best of our knowledge, our findings indicated that COPB2 was vital oncogene which was associated with breast cancer.

Prognostic significance of nuclear Yes-associated protein 1 in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Nuclear Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) has often been regarded as an adverse prognostic indicator in various tumors. Recent studies have associated YAP1 with unfavorable prognosis in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, due to small sample sizes, the prognostic value of nuclear YAP1 in NSCLC patients is not well understood. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic role of nuclear YAP1 in NSCLC patients via a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Databases for papers investigating the prognostic significance of nuclear YAP1 expression in NSCLC patients. Hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with reference to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of NSCLC patients to provide synthesized estimates of the effects of nuclear YAP1 expression.

RESULTS

Among 414 cases, higher nuclear YAP1 expression presented as a predictive factor of poorer OS (HR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.11-2.08; P = .01; I = 0.0%) and decreased PFS (HR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.52-2.93; P < .001; I = 44.2%) in NSCLC patients. Subgroup analysis revealed shortened OS (HR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.14-2.34; P = .007; I = 0.0%) and worse PFS (HR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.53-3.30; P < .001; I = 0.0%) in patients from Asia with higher nuclear YAP1 expression. Prognosis was also worse in patients with III-IV stage cancer (PFSHR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.45-3.01; P < .001; I = 58.1%) and in patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (OS HR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.00-2.51; P = .048; I = 15.5%, and PFS HR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.62-3.42; P < .001; I = 0.0%).

CONCLUSION

High expression of nuclear YAP1 was associated with shorter survival outcome in patients with NSCLC.