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Chen Q, Li D, Jiang L, Wu Y, Yuan H, Shi G, Liu F, Wu P, Jiang K. Biological functions and clinical significance of tRNA-derived small fragment (tsRNA) in tumors: Current state and future perspectives. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216701. [PMID: 38369004 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216701] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
A new class of noncoding RNAs, tsRNAs are not only abundant in humans but also have high tissue specificity. Recently, an increasing number of studies have explored the correlations between tsRNAs and tumors, showing that tsRNAs can affect biological behaviors of tumor cells, such as proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis, by modulating protein translation, RNA transcription or posttranscriptional regulation. In addition, tsRNAs are widely distributed and stably expressed, which endows them with broad application prospects in diagnosing and predicting the prognosis of tumors, and they are expected to become new biomarkers. However, notably, the current research on tsRNAs still faces problems that need to be solved. In this review, we describe the characteristics of tsRNAs as well as their unique features and functions in tumors. Moreover, we also discuss the potential opportunities and challenges in clinical applications and research of tsRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Chen
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Danrui Li
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Luyang Jiang
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yang Wu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Yuan
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guodong Shi
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fengyuan Liu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengfei Wu
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Kuirong Jiang
- Pancreas Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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Catalanotto M, Vaz JM, Abshire C, Youngblood R, Chu M, Levine H, Jolly MK, Dragoi AM. Dual role of CASP8AP2/FLASH in regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition plasticity (EMP). Transl Oncol 2024; 39:101837. [PMID: 37984255 PMCID: PMC10689956 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101837] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental program that consists of the loss of epithelial features concomitant with the acquisition of mesenchymal features. Activation of EMT in cancer facilitates the acquisition of aggressive traits and cancer invasion. EMT plasticity (EMP), the dynamic transition between multiple hybrid states in which cancer cells display both epithelial and mesenchymal markers, confers survival advantages for cancer cells in constantly changing environments during metastasis. METHODS RNAseq analysis was performed to assess genome-wide transcriptional changes in cancer cells depleted for histone regulators FLASH, NPAT, and SLBP. Quantitative PCR and Western blot were used for the detection of mRNA and protein levels. Computational analysis was performed on distinct sets of genes to determine the epithelial and mesenchymal score in cancer cells and to correlate FLASH expression with EMT markers in the CCLE collection. RESULTS We demonstrate that loss of FLASH in cancer cells gives rise to a hybrid E/M phenotype with high epithelial scores even in the presence of TGFβ, as determined by computational methods using expression of predetermined sets of epithelial and mesenchymal genes. Multiple genes involved in cell-cell junction formation are similarly specifically upregulated in FLASH-depleted cells, suggesting that FLASH acts as a repressor of the epithelial phenotype. Further, FLASH expression in cancer lines is inversely correlated with the epithelial score. Nonetheless, subsets of mesenchymal markers were distinctly up-regulated in FLASH, NPAT, or SLBP-depleted cells. CONCLUSIONS The ZEB1low/SNAILhigh/E-cadherinhigh phenotype described in FLASH-depleted cancer cells is driving a hybrid E/M phenotype in which epithelial and mesenchymal markers coexist.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joel Markus Vaz
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Reneau Youngblood
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Min Chu
- Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mohit Kumar Jolly
- Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Ana-Maria Dragoi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA; Feist-Weiller Cancer Center, INLET Core, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA.
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Shen W, Hu F, Lei P, Tang Y. Applications of CRISPR screening to lung cancer treatment. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1295555. [PMID: 38169973 PMCID: PMC10760454 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1295555] [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: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is an extremely aggressive and highly prevalent disease worldwide, and it is one of the leading causes of cancer death. Deciphering intrinsic genetic mechanism, finding new targets, and overcoming drug resistance are the key to lung cancer treatment. High-throughput CRISPR screening has been extensively used to obtain the genes related to cancers including lung cancer. This review describes CRISPR/Cas9 or CRISPR/dCas9-based technologies for high-throughput screening. We summarize the applications of CRISPR screening technology in exploring the mechanism of lung cancer development in vivo or in vitro, overcoming drug resistance, improving the effect of immunotherapy, and discovering new therapeutic targets. This review highlights the potential of CRISPR screening in combination with tumor barcoding and high-throughput sequencing (Tuba-seq) to precisely quantify the impact of alterations in many tumor suppressor genes on lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanying Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fangli Hu
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Lei
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Clinical Research Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Yijun Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Zhou S, Zheng J, Zhai W, Chen Y. Spatio-temporal heterogeneity in cancer evolution and tumor microenvironment of renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus. Cancer Lett 2023; 572:216350. [PMID: 37574183 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216350] [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] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis is the most fatal aspect of cancer, often preceded by a tumor thrombus (TT) which forms within the vascular system. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the predominant form of kidney cancer, witnesses a venous system invasion in 4-10% of cases, resulting in venous tumor thrombus (RCC-TT). This variant represents a formidable clinical challenge due to its escalated surgical complexity, heightened risk of progression and metastasis, and an adverse prognosis. However, recent trials addressing RCC-TT face significant barriers stemming from the profound inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity, patient-specific treatment variations, and distinct therapeutic resistance patterns between the primary tumor (PT) and the TT. This review delves into the unique evolutionary pathway of RCC-TT, the relationship between the staging and grading of RCC-TT invasion patterns, and the spatial molecular profiling of RCC-TT. Additionally, we assess the temporal heterogeneity among TT, PT, and distant metastases, as well as the functional phenotypes of TME components. An outlook for future research on RCC-TT is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian Zhou
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Junhua Zheng
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Wei Zhai
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China; Department of Urology, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Yonghui Chen
- Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
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Wang M, Chen M, Wu X, Huang X, Yu B. CRISPR applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2023; 28:73. [PMID: 37674114 PMCID: PMC10481571 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-023-00483-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the exploration of novel and more precise therapeutic options beyond conventional treatments. In this regard, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems have emerged as highly promising tools for clinical gene editing applications. The CRISPR family encompasses diverse CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins that possess the ability to recognize specific target sequences. The initial CRISPR system consisted of the Cas9 protein and a single-guide RNA, which guide Cas9 to the desired target sequence, facilitating precise double-stranded cleavage. In addition to the traditional cis-cleavage activity, the more recently discovered Cas12 and Cas13 proteins exhibit trans-cleavage activity, which expands their potential applications in cancer diagnosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the functional characteristics of Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13. Furthermore, we highlight the latest advancements and applications of these CRISPR systems in cancer gene therapy and molecular diagnosis. We also emphasize the importance of understanding the strengths and limitations of each CRISPR system to maximize their clinical utility. By providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of CRISPR technology in cancer research, we aim to inspire further exploration and innovation in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxia Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Menghui Chen
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Xia Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Xinbo Huang
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China.
| | - Bo Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China.
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