Early development of esophageal squamous cell cancer: Stem cells, cellular origins and early clone evolution

Non‑coding RNA: A promising diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Review)

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common form of malignant tumor in the digestive system that is classified into two types: Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma. ESCC is known for its early onset of symptoms, which can be difficult to identify, as well as its rapid progression and tendency to develop drug resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These factors contribute to the high incidence of disease and low cure rate. Therefore, a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target need to be identified for ESCC. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a class of molecules that are transcribed from DNA but do not encode proteins. Initially, ncRNAs were considered to be non-functional segments generated during transcription. However, with advancements in high-throughput sequencing technologies in recent years, ncRNAs have been associated with poor prognosis, drug resistance and progression of ESCC. The present study provides a comprehensive overview of the biogenesis, characteristics and functions of ncRNAs, particularly focusing on microRNA, long ncRNAs and circular RNAs. Furthermore, the ncRNAs that could potentially be used as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for ESCC are summarized to highlight their application value and prospects in ESCC.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals the landscape of epithelial-mesenchymal transition molecular heterogeneity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent and highly lethal malignant disease. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial in promoting ESCC development. However, the molecular heterogeneity of ESCC and the potential inhibitory strategies targeting EMT remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed high-resolution single-cell transcriptome data encompassing 209,231 ESCC cells from 39 tumor samples and 16 adjacent samples obtained from 44 individuals. We identified distinct cell populations exhibiting heterogeneous EMT characteristics and identified 87 EMT-associated molecules. The expression profiles of these EMT-associated molecules showed heterogeneity across different stages of ESCC progression. Moreover, we observed that EMT primarily occurred in early-stage tumors, before lymph node metastasis, and significantly promoted the rapid deterioration of ESCC. Notably, we identified SERPINH1 as a potential novel marker for ESCC EMT. By classifying ESCC patients based on EMT gene sets, we found that those with high EMT exhibited poorer prognosis. Furthermore, we predicted and experimentally validated drugs targeting ESCC EMT, including dactolisib, docetaxel, and nutlin, which demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting EMT and metastasis in ESCC. Through the integration of scRNA-seq, RNA-seq, and TCGA data with experimental validation, our comprehensive analysis elucidated the landscape of EMT during the entire course of ESCC development and metastasis. These findings provide valuable insights and a reference for refining ESCC clinical treatment strategies.

Spatio-temporal heterogeneity in cancer evolution and tumor microenvironment of renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus

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.

The possible molecular mechanism underlying the involvement of the variable shear factor QKI in the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of oesophageal cancer

OBJECTIVE

Based on the GEO, TCGA and GTEx databases, we reveal the possible molecular mechanism of the variable shear factor QKI in epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of oesophageal cancer.

METHODS

Based on the TCGA and GTEx databases, the differential expression of the variable shear factor QKI in oesophageal cancer samples was analysed, and functional enrichment analysis of QKI was performed based on the TCGA-ESCA dataset. The percent-spliced in (PSI) data of oesophageal cancer samples were downloaded from the TCGASpliceSeq database, and the genes and variable splicing types that were significantly related to the expression of the variable splicing factor QKI were screened out. We further identified the significantly upregulated circRNAs and their corresponding coding genes in oesophageal cancer, screened the EMT-related genes that were significantly positively correlated with QKI expression, predicted the circRNA-miRNA binding relationship through the circBank database, predicted the miRNA-mRNA binding relationship through the TargetScan database, and finally obtained the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network through which QKI promoted the EMT process.

RESULTS

Compared with normal control tissue, QKI expression was significantly upregulated in tumour tissue samples of oesophageal cancer patients. High expression of QKI may promote the EMT process in oesophageal cancer. QKI promotes hsa_circ_0006646 and hsa_circ_0061395 generation by regulating the variable shear of BACH1 and PTK2. In oesophageal cancer, QKI may promote the production of the above two circRNAs by regulating variable splicing, and these circRNAs further competitively bind miRNAs to relieve the targeted inhibition of IL-11, MFAP2, MMP10, and MMP1 and finally promote the EMT process.

CONCLUSION

Variable shear factor QKI promotes hsa_circ_0006646 and hsa_circ_0061395 generation, and downstream related miRNAs can relieve the targeted inhibition of EMT-related genes (IL11, MFAP2, MMP10, MMP1) and promote the occurrence and development of oesophageal cancer, providing a new theoretical basis for screening prognostic markers of oesophageal cancer patients.

Update on the Molecular Pathology of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common skin cancer, originating from keratinocytes of the spinous layer. Numerous risk factors have been discovered for the initiation and growth of this type of cancer, such as exposure to UV and ionizing radiation, chemical carcinogens, the presence of immunosuppression states, chronic inflammation, infections with high-risk viral strains, and, last but not least, the presence of diseases associated with genetic alterations. The important socio-economic impact, as well as the difficulty associated with therapy for advanced forms, has made the molecular mechanisms underlying this neoplasia more and more intensively studied, with the intention of achieving a better understanding and advancing the treatment of this pathology. This review aims to provide a brief foray into the molecular, genetic, and epigenetic aspects of this cancer, as well as the treatment methods, ranging from the first used to the latest targeted therapies.