SOX30 Inhibits Tumor Metastasis through Attenuating Wnt-Signaling via Transcriptional and Posttranslational Regulation of β-Catenin in Lung Cancer

Resveratrol suppresses liver cancer progression by downregulating AKR1C3: targeting HCC with HSA nanomaterial as a carrier to enhance therapeutic efficacy

The enzyme AKR1C3 plays a crucial role in hormone and drug metabolism and is associated with abnormal expression in liver cancer, leading to tumor progression and poor prognosis. Nanoparticles modified with HSA can modulate the tumor microenvironment by enhancing photodynamic therapy to induce apoptosis in tumor cells and alleviate hypoxia. Therefore, exploring the potential regulatory mechanisms of resveratrol on AKR1C3 through the construction of HSA-RSV NPs carriers holds significant theoretical and clinical implications for the treatment of liver cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the targeted regulation of AKR1C3 expression through the loading of resveratrol (RSV) on nanomaterials HSA-RSV NPs (Nanoparticles) in order to alleviate tumor hypoxia and inhibit the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to explore its molecular mechanism. PubChem database and PharmMapper server were used to screen the target genes of RSV. HCC-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed through the GEO dataset, and relevant genes were retrieved from the GeneCards database, resulting in the intersection of the three to obtain candidate DEGs. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed on the candidate DEGs to analyze the potential cellular functions and molecular signaling pathways affected by the main target genes. The cytohubba plugin was used to screen the top 10 target genes ranked by Degree and further intersected the results of LASSO and Random Forest (RF) to obtain hub genes. The expression analysis of hub genes and the prediction of malignant tumor prognosis were conducted. Furthermore, a pharmacophore model was constructed using PharmMapper. Molecular docking simulations were performed using AutoDockTools 1.5.6 software, and ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the core target. In vitro cell experiments were carried out by selecting appropriate HCC cell lines, treating HCC cells with different concentrations of RSV, or silencing or overexpressing AKR1C3 using lentivirus. CCK-8, clone formation, flow cytometry, scratch experiment, and Transwell were used to measure cancer cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis, respectively. Cellular oxygen consumption rate was analyzed using the Seahorse XF24 analyzer. HSA-RSV NPs were prepared, and their characterization and cytotoxicity were evaluated. The biological functional changes of HCC cells after treatment were detected. An HCC subcutaneous xenograft model was established in mice using HepG2 cell lines. HSA-RSV NPs were injected via the tail vein, with a control group set, to observe changes in tumor growth, tumor targeting of NPs, and biological safety. TUNEL, Ki67, and APC-hypoxia probe staining were performed on excised tumor tissue to detect tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and hypoxia. Lentivirus was used to silence or overexpress AKR1C3 simultaneously with the injection of HSA-RSV NPs via the tail vein to assess the impact of AKR1C3 on the regulation of HSA-RSV NPs in HCC progression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that AKR1C3 is an important target gene involved in the regulation of HCC by RSV, which is associated with the prognosis of HCC patients and upregulated in expression. In vitro cell experiments showed that RSV significantly inhibits the respiratory metabolism of HCC cells, suppressing their proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoting apoptosis. Silencing AKR1C3 further enhances the toxicity of RSV towards HCC cells. The characterization and cytotoxicity experiments of nanomaterials demonstrated the successful construction of HSA-RSV NPs, which exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on HCC cells. In vivo, animal experiments further confirmed that targeted downregulation of AKR1C3 by HSA-RSV NPs suppresses the progression of HCC and tumor hypoxia while exhibiting tumor targeting and biological safety. Targeted downregulation of AKR1C3 by HSA-RSV NPs can alleviate HCC tumor hypoxia and inhibit the progression of HCC.

Diverse functions of SOX9 in liver development and homeostasis and hepatobiliary diseases

The liver is the central organ for digestion and detoxification and has unique metabolic and regenerative capacities. The hepatobiliary system originates from the foregut endoderm, in which cells undergo multiple events of cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation to form the liver parenchyma and ductal system under the hierarchical regulation of transcription factors. Studies on liver development and diseases have revealed that SRY-related high-mobility group box 9 (SOX9) plays an important role in liver embryogenesis and the progression of hepatobiliary diseases. SOX9 is not only a master regulator of cell fate determination and tissue morphogenesis, but also regulates various biological features of cancer, including cancer stemness, invasion, and drug resistance, making SOX9 a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis and progression. This review systematically summarizes the latest findings of SOX9 in hepatobiliary development, homeostasis, and disease. We also highlight the value of SOX9 as a novel biomarker and potential target for the clinical treatment of major liver diseases.

Deciphering the SOX4/MAPK1 regulatory axis: a phosphoproteomic insight into IQGAP1 phosphorylation and pancreatic Cancer progression

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to elucidate the functional role of IQGAP1 phosphorylation modification mediated by the SOX4/MAPK1 regulatory axis in developing pancreatic cancer through phosphoproteomics analysis.

METHODS

Proteomics and phosphoproteomics data of pancreatic cancer were obtained from the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) database. Differential analysis, kinase-substrate enrichment analysis (KSEA), and independent prognosis analysis were performed on these datasets. Subtype analysis of pancreatic cancer patients was conducted based on the expression of prognostic-related proteins, and the prognosis of different subtypes was evaluated through prognosis analysis. Differential analysis of proteins in different subtypes was performed to identify differential proteins in the high-risk subtype. Clinical correlation analysis was conducted based on the expression of prognostic-related proteins, pancreatic cancer typing results, and clinical characteristics in the pancreatic cancer proteomics dataset. Functional pathway enrichment analysis was performed using GSEA/GO/KEGG, and most module proteins correlated with pancreatic cancer were selected using WGCNA analysis. In cell experiments, pancreatic cancer cells were grouped, and the expression levels of SOX4, MAPK1, and the phosphorylation level of IQGAP1 were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot experiments. The effect of SOX4 on MAPK1 promoter transcriptional activity was assessed using a dual-luciferase assay, and the enrichment of SOX4 on the MAPK1 promoter was examined using a ChIP assay. The proliferation, migration, and invasion functions of grouped pancreatic cancer cells were assessed using CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays. In animal experiments, the impact of SOX4 on tumor growth and metastasis through the regulation of MAPK1-IQGAP1 phosphorylation modification was studied by constructing subcutaneous and orthotopic pancreatic cancer xenograft models, as well as a liver metastasis model in nude mice.

RESULTS

Phosphoproteomics and proteomics data analysis revealed that the kinase MAPK1 may play an important role in pancreatic cancer progression by promoting IQGAP1 phosphorylation modification. Proteomics analysis classified pancreatic cancer patients into two subtypes, C1 and C2, where the high-risk C2 subtype was associated with poor prognosis, malignant tumor typing, and enriched tumor-related pathways. SOX4 may promote the occurrence of the high-risk C2 subtype of pancreatic cancer by regulating MAPK1-IQGAP1 phosphorylation modification. In vitro cell experiments confirmed that SOX4 promoted IQGAP1 phosphorylation modification by activating MAPK1 transcription while silencing SOX4 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells by reducing the phosphorylation level of MAPK1-IQGAP1. In vivo, animal experiments further confirmed that silencing SOX4 suppressed the growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer by reducing the phosphorylation level of MAPK1-IQGAP1.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest that SOX4 promotes the phosphorylation modification of IQGAP1 by activating MAPK1 transcription, thereby facilitating the growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the development and therapeutic resistance of non-small cell lung cancer

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a critical pathway that influences development and therapeutic response of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, many Wnt regulators, including proteins, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have been found to promote or inhibit signaling by acting on Wnt proteins, receptors, signal transducers and transcriptional effectors. The identification of these regulators and their underlying molecular mechanisms provides important implications for how to target this pathway therapeutically. In this review, we summarize recent studies of Wnt regulators in the development and therapeutic response of NSCLC.

Staphylococcus aureus acquires resistance to glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin via CXCL10

BACKGROUND

Glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic available for the infection to Staphylococcus aureus (SA), however, SA has a strong adaptive capacity and thereby acquires resistance to vancomycin. This study aims to illuminate the possible molecular mechanism of vancomycin resistance of SA based on the 16S rRNA sequencing data and microarray profiling data.

METHODS

16S rRNA sequencing data of control samples and urinary tract infection samples were retrieved from the EMBL-EBI (European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute) database. Correlation of gut flora and clinical indicators was evaluated. The possible targets regulated by SA were predicted by microarray profiling and subjected to KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analysis. CXCL10 gene knockout and overexpression were introduced to evaluate the effect of CXCL10 on the virulence of SA and the resistance to vancomycin. SA strains were co-cultured with urethral epithelial cells in vitro. The presence of SA virulence factors was detected using PCR. Biofilm formation of SA strains was assessed using the microtiter plate method. Furthermore, the antibiotic sensitivity of SA strains was evaluated through vancomycin testing.

RESULTS

Gut flora and its species abundance had significant difference between urinary tract infection and control samples. SA was significantly differentially expressed in urinary tract infection samples. Resistance of SA to vancomycin mainly linked to the D-alanine metabolism pathway. SA may participate in the occurrence of urinary tract infection by upregulating CXCL10. In addition, CXCL10 mainly affected the SA resistance to vancomycin through the TLR signaling pathway. In vitro experimental results further confirmed that the overexpression of CXCL10 in SA increased SA virulence and decreased its susceptibility to vancomycin. In vitro experimental validation demonstrated that the knockout of CXCL10 in urethral epithelial cells enhanced the sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) to vancomycin.

CONCLUSION

SA upregulates the expression of CXCL10 in urethral epithelial cells, thereby activating the TLR signaling pathway and promoting resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics in SA.

Downregulation of HMGCS2 mediated AECIIs lipid metabolic alteration promotes pulmonary fibrosis by activating fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Abnormal lipid metabolism has recently been reported as a crucial signature of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the origin and biological function of the lipid and possible mechanisms of increased lipid content in the pathogenesis of IPF remains undetermined.

METHODS

Oil-red staining and immunofluorescence analysis were used to detect lipid accumulation in mouse lung fibrosis frozen sections, Bleomycin-treated human type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECIIs) and lung fibroblast. Untargeted Lipid omics analysis was applied to investigate differential lipid species and identified LysoPC was utilized to treat human lung fibroblasts and mice. Microarray and single-cell RNA expression data sets identified lipid metabolism-related differentially expressed genes. Gain of function experiment was used to study the function of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coa Synthase 2 (HMGCS2) in regulating AECIIs lipid metabolism. Mice with AECII-HMGCS2 high were established by intratracheally delivering HBAAV2/6-SFTPC- HMGCS2 adeno-associated virus. Western blot, Co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, site-directed mutation and flow cytometry were utilized to investigate the mechanisms of HMGCS2-mediated lipid metabolism in AECIIs.

RESULTS

Injured AECIIs were the primary source of accumulated lipids in response to Bleomycin stimulation. LysoPCs released by injured AECIIs could activate lung fibroblasts, thus promoting the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. Mechanistically, HMGCS2 was decreased explicitly in AECIIs and ectopic expression of HMGCS2 in AECIIs using the AAV system significantly alleviated experimental mouse lung fibrosis progression via modulating lipid degradation in AECIIs through promoting CPT1A and CPT2 expression by interacting with PPARα.

CONCLUSIONS

These data unveiled a novel etiological mechanism of HMGCS2-mediated AECII lipid metabolism in the genesis and development of pulmonary fibrosis and provided a novel target for clinical intervention.

Multifaceted roles and functions of SOX30 in human cancer

SRY-box transcription factor 30 (SOX30) participates in tumor cell apoptosis in lung cancer. The occurrence of somatic SOX30 mutations, the expression signature of SOX30 in normal and cancer tissues, the correlation of SOX30 with immune cells and immune-related genes, and the clinical significance of SOX30 in various cancers have stimulated interest in SOX30 as a potential cancer biomarker. SOX30 influences drug sensitivity and tumor immunity in specific cancer types. In this review, we have comprehensively summarized the latest research on the role of SOX30 in cancer by combining bioinformatics evidence and a literature review. We summarize recent research on SOX30 in cancer regarding somatic mutations, trials, transcriptome analysis, clinical information, and SOX30-mediated regulation of malignant phenotypes. Additionally, we report on the diagnostic value of SOX30 mRNA expression levels across different cancer types. This review on the role of SOX30 in cancer progression may provide insights into possible research directions for SOX30 in cancer and a theoretical basis for guiding future studies.

SOX on tumors, a comfort or a constraint?

The sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) family, composed of 20 transcription factors, is a conserved family with a highly homologous HMG domain. Due to their crucial role in determining cell fate, the dysregulation of SOX family members is closely associated with tumorigenesis, including tumor invasion, metastasis, proliferation, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness and drug resistance. Despite considerable research to investigate the mechanisms and functions of the SOX family, confusion remains regarding aspects such as the role of the SOX family in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and contradictory impacts the SOX family exerts on tumors. This review summarizes the physiological function of the SOX family and their multiple roles in tumors, with a focus on the relationship between the SOX family and TIME, aiming to propose their potential role in cancer and promising methods for treatment.

Clinical Significance of SOX10 Expression in Human Pathology

The embryonic development of neural crest cells and subsequent tissue differentiation are intricately regulated by specific transcription factors. Among these, SOX10, a member of the SOX gene family, stands out. Located on chromosome 22q13, the SOX10 gene encodes a transcription factor crucial for the differentiation, migration, and maintenance of tissues derived from neural crest cells. It plays a pivotal role in developing various tissues, including the central and peripheral nervous systems, melanocytes, chondrocytes, and odontoblasts. Mutations in SOX10 have been associated with congenital disorders such as Waardenburg-Shah Syndrome, PCWH syndrome, and Kallman syndrome, underscoring its clinical significance. Furthermore, SOX10 is implicated in neural and neuroectodermal tumors, such as melanoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), and schwannomas, influencing processes like proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In mesenchymal tumors, SOX10 expression serves as a valuable marker for distinguishing between different tumor types. Additionally, SOX10 has been identified in various epithelial neoplasms, including breast, ovarian, salivary gland, nasopharyngeal, and bladder cancers, presenting itself as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker. However, despite these associations, further research is imperative to elucidate its precise role in these malignancies.

TC2N Promotes Cell Proliferation and Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most prevalent types of cancer worldwide, has an exceedingly poor prognosis. Tandem C2 domain nuclear protein (TC2N) has been implicated in tumorigenesis and serves as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in different types of cancer. Here, we explore the possible regulatory activities and molecular mechanisms of TC2N in HCC progression. However, TC2N expression was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and hepatoma cell lines, and this upregulation was positively correlated with tumor progression in HCC patients. The ectopic overexpression of TC2N accelerated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells, whereas its knockdown showed the opposite effects. Bioinformatics analysis showed that TC2N participates in the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Mechanistically, TC2N activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by regulating the expression levels of β-catenin and its downstream targets CyclinD1, MMP7, c-Myc, c-Jun, AXIN2, and glutamine synthase. Furthermore, the deletion of β-catenin effectively neutralized the regulation of TC2N in HCC proliferation and metastasis. Overall, this study showed that TC2N promotes HCC proliferation and metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, indicating that TC2N might be a potential molecular target for the treatment of HCC.

Ghrelin promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation of adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells by DDX17‑mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/β‑catenin axis

Adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) differentiate into cardiomyocytes and may be an ideal cell source for myocardial regenerative medicine. Ghrelin is a gastric‑secreted peptide hormone involved in the multilineage differentiation of MSCs. To the best of our knowledge, however, the role and potential downstream regulatory mechanism of ghrelin in cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs is still unknown. The mRNA and protein levels were measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blotting. Immunofluorescence staining was used to show the expression and cellular localization of cardiomyocyte markers and β‑catenin. RNA sequencing was used to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that regulated by ghrelin. The present study found that ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs in a concentration‑dependent manner, as shown by increased levels of cardiomyocyte markers GATA binding protein 4, α‑myosin heavy chain (α‑MHC), ISL LIM homeobox 1, NK2 homeobox 5 and troponin T2, cardiac type. Ghrelin increased β‑catenin accumulation in nucleus and decreased the protein expression of secreted frizzled‑related protein 4 (SFRP4), an inhibitor of Wnt signaling. RNA sequencing was used to determine the DEGs regulated by ghrelin. Functional enrichment showed that DEGs were more enriched in cardiomyocyte differentiation‑associated terms and Wnt pathways. Dead‑box helicase 17 (DDX17), an upregulated DEG, showed enhanced mRNA and protein expression levels following ghrelin addition. Overexpression of DDX17 promoted protein expression of cardiac‑specific markers and β‑catenin and enhanced the fluorescence intensity of α‑MHC and β‑catenin. DDX17 upregulation inhibited protein expression of SFRP4. Rescue assay confirmed that the addition of SFRP4 partially reversed ghrelin‑enhanced protein levels of cardiac‑specific markers and the fluorescence intensity of α‑MHC. In conclusion, ghrelin promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation of ADMSCs by DDX17‑mediated regulation of the SFRP4/Wnt/β‑catenin axis.

TMEM196 inhibits lung cancer metastasis by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

PURPOSE

The TMEM196 protein, which comprises four membrane-spanning domains, belongs to the TMEM protein family. TMEM196 was identified as a candidate tumor suppressor gene in lung cancer. However, its role and mechanism in lung cancer metastasis remain unclear. Here, we study the role of TMEM196 in tumor metastasis to further verify the function in lung cancer.

METHODS

In this study, we used qRT-PCR, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry to examine the expression levels of TMEM196 and related proteins in lung cancer tissues and tumor cells. We utilized Transwell assays, xenograft nude mouse models, and TMEM196^-/- mouse models to evaluate the effects of TMEM196 on tumor invasion and metastasis. Finally, we used bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays to explore the molecular mechanism of TMEM196 as a tumor suppressor.

RESULTS

We found that TMEM196 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly decreased in lung cancer tissues and cells. Low expression of TMEM196 in clinical patients was associated with poor prognosis. TMEM196 strongly inhibited tumor metastasis and progression in vitro and in vivo. The primary lung tumors induced by tail vein-inoculated B16 cells in TMEM196^-/- mice were significantly larger than those in TMEM196^+/+ mice. Mechanistically, TMEM196 inhibited the Wnt signaling pathway and repressed β-catenin promoter transcription. TMEM196 silencing in lung cancer cells and mice resulted in significant upregulation of the expression of β-catenin and Wnt signaling pathway downstream target genes (MMP2 and MMP7). Decreasing β-catenin expression in TMEM196-silenced cancer cells attenuated the antimetastatic effect of TMEM196.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed that TMEM196 acts as a novel lung cancer metastasis suppressor via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

LINC00669 promotes lung adenocarcinoma growth by stimulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Lung cancer poses severe threats to human health. It is indispensable to discover more druggable molecular targets. We identified a novel dysregulated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), LINC00669, in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) by analyzing the TCGA and GEO databases. Pan-cancer analysis indicated significantly upregulated LINC00669 across 33 cancer types. GSEA revealed a tight association of LINC00669 with the cell cycle. We next attempted to improve the prognostic accuracy of this lncRNA by establishing a risk signature in reliance on cell cycle genes associated with LINC00669. The resulting risk score combined with LINC00669 and stage showed an AUC of 0.746. The risk score significantly stratified LUAD patients into low- and high-risk subgroups, independently predicting prognosis. Its performance was verified by nomogram (C-index = 0.736) and decision curve analysis. Gene set variation analysis disclosed the two groups' molecular characteristics. We also evaluated the tumor immune microenvironment by dissecting 28 infiltrated immune cells, 47 immune checkpoint gene expressions, and immunophenoscore within the two subgroups. Furthermore, the risk signature could predict sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors and other anticancer therapies. Eventually, in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to validate LINC00669's function using qRT-PCR, CCK8, flow cytometry, western blot, and immunofluorescence staining. The gain- and loss-of-function study substantiated LINC00669's oncogenic effects, which stimulated non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation but reduced apoptosis via activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Its oncogenic potentials were validated in the xenograft mouse model. Overall, we identified a novel oncogenic large intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA), LINC00669. The resulting signature may facilitate predicting prognosis and therapy responses in LUAD.

Investigating the role of FADS family members in breast cancer based on bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates the significance of fatty acid metabolism in BC. Fatty acid desaturase (FADS) is closely associated with cancer occurrence and development. Here, bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation were applied to investigate the potential functions of FADS in BC. Several public databases, including TCGA, GEO, HPA, Kaplan-Meier plotter, STRING, DAVID, cBioPortal, TIMER, TRRUST, and LinkedOmics were used to determine mRNA/protein expression levels, prognostic significance, functional enrichment, genetic alterations, association with tumor-infiltrating immune cells, and related transcription factors and kinases. BC tissues showed higher and lower mRNA expression of FADS2/6/8 and FADS3/4/5, respectively. FADS1/2/6 and FADS3/4/5 showed higher and lower protein expression levels, respectively, in BC tissues. Moreover, FADS1/7 up- and FADS3/8 down-regulation predicted poor overall and recurrence-free survival, while FADS2/5 up- and FADS4 down-regulation were associated with poor recurrence-free survival. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that FADS2/3/4/8 were indicative diagnostic markers. FADS family members showing differential expression levels were associated with various clinical subtypes, clinical stages, lymph node metastasis status, copy number variants, DNA methylation, and miRNA regulation in BC. The mRNA expression level of FADS1/2/3/4/5/7/8 was observed to be significantly negatively correlated with DNA methylation. FADS1/2 upregulation was significantly correlated with clinical stages. FADS1/4 expression was obviously lower in BC patients with higher lymph node metastasis than lower lymph node metastasis, while FADS7/8 expression was obviously higher in BC patients with higher lymph node metastasis than lower lymph node metastasis. FADS family members showed varying degrees of genetic alterations, and Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses suggested their involvement in lipid metabolism. Their expression level was correlated with immune cell infiltration levels. FADS2 was chosen for further validation analyses. We found FADS2 to be significantly over-expressed in clinical BC tissue samples. The proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of MDA-MB-231 and BT474 cells were significantly reduced after FADS2 knockdown. Furthermore, FADS2 may promote the occurrence and development of BC cells via regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Altogether, our results suggest that FADS1/2/3/4 can serve as potential therapeutic targets, prognostic indicators, and diagnostic markers in patients with BC.

The emerging role of miR-653 in human cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) refer to a family of non-coding RNA with ~22 nucleotides in length. A high number of studies show evidence that deregulation in miRNAs expression could be implicated in the processes of many pathologies such as cancer, hypoxia, and stroke. Herein, we aimed to summarize the miR-653 expression level and molecular mechanisms through which it functions in human cancer. It was found that variations in miR-653 expression are linked to tumor aggressiveness and unfavorable prognosis in human cancer, and it plays an inhibitory effect in some types of cancer, such as breast, cervical, liver, renal, and lung cancers. In contrast, it plays an acceleratory impact in some other cancers, such as bladder and prostate cancers. In gastric cancer, the role played by miR-653 is still controversial and will need to be elucidated in future studies. Future studies could definitely establish targeting miR-653 as a novel strategy in human cancer, from diagnosis to effective treatment.

SOX30 Overexpression Reflects Tumor Invasive Degree, Lymph Node Metastasis and Predicts Better Survival in Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Long-Term Follow-Up Cohort Study

Aims

Sex-determining region Y-box containing gene 30 (SOX30) takes part in the progression of several cancers, while its clinical engagement in colorectal cancer (CRC) is obscure. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association of SOX30 with clinicopathological features and prognosis in CRC patients.

Methods

Tumor and adjacent noncancerous specimens of 195 CRC patients who received resection were acquired. Furthermore, an immunohistochemistry assay was performed to detect SOX30 protein expression in these specimens; meanwhile, SOX30 mRNA expression was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay in 95 out of 195 specimens. Moreover, clinical characteristics and survival data (follow-up duration median (range): 71.0 (7.0-95.0) months) of CRC patients were gathered.

Results

SOX30 protein and mRNA expressions were both decreased in CRC tumor tissue compared to adjacent tissue (both P < 0.001). Furthermore, a negative correlation was found in tumor SOX30 protein expression with tumor size (P = 0.049), lymph node (LYN) metastasis (P = 0.018), T stage (P = 0.001), N stage (P = 0.034), and TNM stage (P = 0.001); tumor SOX30 mRNA expression was also negatively correlated with LYN metastasis (P = 0.001), T stage (P = 0.019), N stage (P = 0.004), and TNM stage (P < 0.001). Furthermore, tumor SOX30 protein expression was positively correlated with overall survival (OS) (P = 0.017), while tumor SOX30 mRNA expression was not correlated with OS (P = 0.070). Multivariate Cox’s regression analysis illustrated that tumor SOX30 protein high expression was an independent factor for favorable OS (hazard ratio: 0.525, P = 0.034).

Conclusions

SOX30 has potential as a biomarker for the progression and prognostication of CRC, which might improve the management of CRC.

Role of microRNAs in regulation of WNT signaling pathway in urothelial and prostate cancers

Background

Urothelial cancer (UC) and prostate cancer (PCa) are the most common cancers among men with a high ratio of mortality in advanced-stages. The higher risk of these malignancies among men can be associated with higher carcinogens exposure. Molecular pathology of UC and PCa is related to the specific mutations and aberrations in some signaling pathways. WNT signaling is a highly regulated pathway that has a pivotal role during urothelial and prostate development and homeostasis. This pathway also plays a vital role in adult stem cell niches to maintain a balance between stemness and differentiation. Deregulation of the WNT pathway is frequently correlated with tumor progression and metastasis in urothelial and prostate tumors. Therefore, regulatory factors of WNT pathways are being investigated as diagnostic or prognostic markers and novel therapeutic targets during urothelial and prostate tumorigenesis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a pivotal role in WNT signaling regulation in which there are interactions between miRNAs and WNT signaling pathway during tumor progression. Since, the miRNAs are sensitive, specific, and noninvasive, they can be introduced as efficient biomarkers of tumor progression.

Main body

In present review, we have summarized all of the miRNAs that have been involved in regulation of WNT signaling pathway in urothelial and prostate cancers.

Conclusions

It was observed that miRNAs were mainly involved in regulation of WNT signaling in bladder cancer cells through targeting the WNT ligands and cytoplasmic WNT components such as WNT5A, WNT7A, CTNNB1, GSK3β, and AXIN. Whereas, miRNAs were mainly involved in regulation of WNT signaling in prostate tumor cells via targeting the cytoplasmic WNT components and WNT related transcription factors such as CTNNB1, GSK3β, AXIN, TCF7, and LEF1. MiRNAs mainly functioned as tumor suppressors in bladder and prostate cancers through the WNT signaling inhibition. This review paves the way of introducing a noninvasive diagnostic panel of WNT related miRNAs in urothelial and prostate tumors.

Advance of SOX Transcription Factors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Role, Tumor Immune Relevance to Targeted Therapy

Simple Summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest human health burdens worldwide. However, the molecular mechanism of HCC development is still not fully understood. Sex determining region Y-related high-mobility group box (SOX) transcription factors not only play pivotal roles in cell fate decisions during development but also participate in the initiation and progression of cancer. Given the significance of SOX factors in cancer and their ‘undruggable’ properties, we summarize the role and molecular mechanism of SOX family members in HCC and the regulatory effect of SOX factors in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of various cancers. For the first time, we analyze the association between the levels of SOX factors and that of immune components in HCC, providing clues to the pivotal role of SOX factors in the TIME of HCC. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges of targeting SOX factors for cancer.

Abstract

Sex determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) factors belong to an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors that play essential roles in cell fate decisions involving numerous developmental processes. In recent years, the significance of SOX factors in the initiation and progression of cancers has been gradually revealed, and they act as potential therapeutic targets for cancer. However, the research involving SOX factors is still preliminary, given that their effects in some leading-edge fields such as tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remain obscure. More importantly, as a class of ‘undruggable’ molecules, targeting SOX factors still face considerable challenges in achieving clinical translation. Here, we mainly focus on the roles and regulatory mechanisms of SOX family members in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the fatal human health burdens worldwide. We then detail the role of SOX members in remodeling TIME and analyze the association between SOX members and immune components in HCC for the first time. In addition, we emphasize several alternative strategies involved in the translational advances of SOX members in cancer. Finally, we discuss the alternative strategies of targeting SOX family for cancer and propose the opportunities and challenges they face based on the current accumulated studies and our understanding.

Exosome-Derived lncRNA NEAT1 Exacerbates Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy by Promoting Ferroptosis Through Regulating miR-9-5p/TFRC and GOT1 Axis

Sepsis can cause sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), but whether SAE was induced or exacerbated by ferroptosis remains unknown. In this study, the rat sepsis model was constructed using the cecal ligation and puncture method. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability was measured by Evans blue dye (EBD) in vivo. The levels of ROS, Fe ion, MDA, GSH, and GPX4 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The exosomes isolated from serum were cultured with bEnd.3 cells for the in vitro analysis. Moreover, bEnd.3 cells cultured with 100 μM FeCl3 (iron-rich) were to simulate ferroptosis stress. The cell viability was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to confirm the relationship between miR-9-5p with NEAT1, TFRC, and GOT1. In vivo, it is found that BBB permeability was damaged in model rats. Level of ROS, Fe ion, and MDA was increased, and level of GSH and GPX4 was decreased, which means ferroptosis was induced by sepsis. Exosome-packaged NEAT1 in serum was significantly upregulated in model rats. In vitro, it is found that NEAT1 functions as a ceRNA for miR-9-5p to facilitate TFRC and GOT1 expression. Overexpression of NEAT1 enhanced ferroptosis stress in bEnd.3 cells. Increased miR-9-5p alleviated sepsis-induced ferroptosis by suppressing the expression of TFRC and GOT1 both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, these findings suggest that sepsis induced high expression of serous exosome-derived NEAT1, and it might exacerbate SAE by promoting ferroptosis through regulating miR-9-5p/TFRC and GOT1 axis.

Identification of SRY-box 30 as an age-related essential gatekeeper for male germ-cell meiosis and differentiation

Although important factors governing the meiosis have been reported in the embryonic ovary, meiosis in postnatal testis remains poorly understood. Herein, we first report that SRY‐box 30 (Sox30) is an age‐related and essential regulator of meiosis in the postnatal testis. Sox30‐null mice exhibited uniquely impaired testis, presenting the abnormal arrest of germ‐cell differentiation and irregular Leydig cell proliferation. In aged Sox30‐null mice, the observed testicular impairments were more severe. Furthermore, the germ‐cell arrest occurred at the stage of meiotic zygotene spermatocytes, which is strongly associated with critical regulators of meiosis (such as Cyp26b1, Stra8 and Rec8) and sex differentiation (such as Rspo1, Foxl2, Sox9, Wnt4 and Ctnnb1). Mechanistically, Sox30 can activate Stra8 and Rec8, and inhibit Cyp26b1 and Ctnnb1 by direct binding to their promoters. A different Sox30 domain required for regulating the activity of these gene promoters, providing a “fail‐safe” mechanism for Sox30 to facilitate germ‐cell differentiation. Indeed, retinoic acid levels were reduced owing to increased degradation following the elevation of Cyp26b1 in Sox30‐null testes. Re‐expression of Sox30 in Sox30‐null mice successfully restored germ‐cell meiosis, differentiation and Leydig cell proliferation. Moreover, the restoration of actual fertility appeared to improve over time. Consistently, Rec8 and Stra8 were reactivated, and Cyp26b1 and Ctnnb1 were reinhibited in the restored testes. In summary, Sox30 is necessary, sufficient and age‐associated for germ‐cell meiosis and differentiation in testes by direct regulating critical regulators. This study advances our understanding of the regulation of germ‐cell meiosis and differentiation in the postnatal testis.

Homeobox-A13 acts as a functional prognostic and diagnostic biomarker via regulating P53 and Wnt signaling pathways in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of lung cancer patients is poor without useful prognostic and diagnostic biomarker. To search for novel prognostic and diagnostic markers, we previously found homeobox-A13 (HOXA13) as a promising candidate in lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the precisely clinical feature, prognostic and diagnostic value, possible role and mechanism of HOXA13.

METHODS

Gene-expression was explored by real-time quantitative-PCR, western-blot and tissue-microarray. The associations were analyzed by Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression. The roles and mechanisms were evaluated by MTS, EdU, transwell, xenograft tumor and luciferase-reporter assays.

RESULTS

HOXA13 expression is increased in tumors, and correlated with age of patients. HOXA13 expression is associated with unfavorable overall survival and relapse-free survival of patients in four cohorts. Interestingly, HOXA13 has different prognostic significance in adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC), and is a sex- and smoke-related prognostic factor only in ADC. Importantly, HOXA13 can serve as a diagnostic biomarker for lung cancer, especially for SCC. HOXA13 can promote cancer-cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and facilitate tumorigenicity and tumor metastasis in vivo. HOXA13 acts the oncogenic roles on tumor growth and metastasis by regulating P53 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling activities in lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

HOXA13 is a new prognostic and diagnostic biomarker associated with P53 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.

Anti-Cancer Effect of Melatonin via Downregulation of Delta-like Ligand 4 in Estrogen-Responsive Breast Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND

The Notch signaling pathway has a key role in angiogenesis and Delta - Like Ligand 4 (DLL4) is one of the main ligands of Notch involved in cell proliferation in sprouting vessels.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of DLL4 in primary breast tumors and to examine the effect of melatonin on DLL4 expression in vitro.

METHODS

Eighty-five breast tumor and paired adjacent non-tumor tissue samples were collected. Apoptosis assay was performed on breast cancer cells to evaluate melatonin effects. Western blot and quantitative RT-PCR were used to measure DLL4 expression. Then, we investigated the effect of melatonin on the expression of DLL4 in four breast cancer cell lines at RNA and protein levels. We also performed a probabilistic neural network analysis to study genes closely associated with DLL4 expression.

RESULTS

Our results showed a significantly higher expression of DLL4 in tumor tissues compared to non-tumor tissues (P = 0.027). Melatonin treatment substantially attenuated DLL4 expression in BT474 and MCF-7 cells, but not in SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Also, melatonin induced apoptosis in all four cell lines. Network analysis revealed a set of 15 genes that had close association and interaction with DLL4. DLL4 was overexpressed in breast cancer tissues as compared to the non-tumor tissues.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that melatonin treatment attenuated DLL4 expression only in estrogen- responsive breast cancer cells and is able to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Characteristics of TGFBR1-EGFR-CTNNB1-CDH1 Signaling Axis in Wnt-Regulated Invasion and Migration in Lung Cancer

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of TGFBR1-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-CTNNB1-CDH1 axis in regulating the invasion and migration in lung cancer. Using the small interfering RNA technology, EGFR was silenced in H2170 and H1299 cells. Then, the colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities were detected using colony-forming assay and transwell assay. Moreover, the mRNA expression of smad2, smad3, CTNNB1, and CDH1, and the protein expression of TGFBR1, CDH1, and TCF were determined using the real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The results showed that silencing EGFR could significantly decrease the colony-forming ability in H2170 and H1299. Knocking down EGFR could significantly inhibit the invasion and migration ability of H2179 and H1299. Inhibiting the expression of EGFR could significantly decrease the expression of smad2, smad3, CDH1, and CTNNB1, with all P-values <0.05. In addition, silencing EGFR could markedly decrease the expression of TGFBR1 and CDH1 in H1299 and H2170, with all P-values <0.05. In conclusion, silencing EGFR could significantly regulate the progression of lung cancer via TGFBR1-EGFR-CTNNB1-CDH1 axis in Wnt signaling pathway.

Role of SOX Protein Groups F and H in Lung Cancer Progression

Simple Summary

The expression of SOX proteins has been demonstrated in many tissues at various stages of embryogenesis, where they play the role of transcription factors. The SOX18 protein (along with SOX7 and SOX17) belongs to the SOXF group and is mainly involved in the development of the cardiovascular system, where its expression was found in the endothelium. SOX18 expression was also demonstrated in neoplastic lines of gastric, pancreatic and colon adenocarcinomas. The prognostic role of SOX30 expression has only been studied in lung adenocarcinomas, where a low expression of this factor in the stromal tumor was associated with a worse prognosis for patients. Because of the complexity of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development, the role of the SOX proteins in this malignancy is still not fully understood. Many recently published papers show that SOX family protein members play a crucial role in the progression of NSCLC.

Abstract

The SOX family proteins are proved to play a crucial role in the development of the lymphatic ducts and the cardiovascular system. Moreover, an increased expression level of the SOX18 protein has been found in many malignances, such as melanoma, stomach, pancreatic breast and lung cancers. Another SOX family protein, the SOX30 transcription factor, is responsible for the development of male germ cells. Additionally, recent studies have shown its proapoptotic character in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Our preliminary studies showed a disparity in the amount of mRNA of the SOX18 gene relative to the amount of protein. This is why our attention has been focused on microRNA (miRNA) molecules, which could regulate the SOX18 gene transcript level. Recent data point to the fact that, in practically all types of cancer, hundreds of genes exhibit an abnormal methylation, covering around 5–10% of the thousands of CpG islands present in the promoter sequences, which in normal cells should not be methylated from the moment the embryo finishes its development. It has been demonstrated that in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases there is a large heterogeneity of the methylation process. The role of the SOX18 and SOX30 expression in non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) is not yet fully understood. However, if we take into account previous reports, these proteins may be important factors in the development and progression of these malignancies.

WNT/β-catenin signaling in the development of liver cancers

The WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway is a highly conserved and tightly controlled molecular mechanism that regulates embryonic development, cellular proliferation and differentiation. Of note, accumulating evidence has shown that the aberrant of WNT/β-catenin signaling promotes the development and/or progression of liver cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), the two most prevalent primary liver tumours in adults. There are two different WNT signaling pathways have been identified, which were termed non-canonical and canonical pathways, the latter involving the activation of β-catenin. β-catenin, acting as an intracellular signal transducer in the WNT signaling pathway, is encoded by CTNNB1 and plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. In the past research, most liver tumors have mutations in genes encoding key components of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, several of other signaling pathways also can crosswalk with β-catenin. In this review, we discuss the most relevant molecular mechanisms of action and regulation of WNT/β-catenin signaling in the development and pathophysiology of liver cancers, as well as in the development of therapeutics.

Puerarin Enhances the Anti-Tumor Effect of Cisplatin on Drug-Resistant A549 Cancer in vivo and in vitro Through Activation of the Wnt Signaling Pathway

Objective

The effect of PUE on enhancing the anti-cancerous efficacy of DDP on drug-resistant A549/DDP cancer and the underlying mechanisms were thoroughly investigated.

Materials and Methods

The cytotoxicity of PUE, DDP, and PUE + DDP to A549 cells and A549/DDP cells, respectively, is determined by cell apoptosis experiments. Anti-proliferation effect of PUE, DDP, and PUE + DDP on A549 cells and A549/DDP cells is evaluated by the cell cloning assay. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the levels of PUE, DDP, and PUE + DDP of cell proliferation-related genes and proteins expressions in A549/DDP cells are determined by Western blot assay. The levels of VEGF in A549/DDP cells after different treatment strategies are determined by ELISA assay. Qualitative and quantitative determination of VEGF expression in tumor tissues are done by immunohistochemical staining.

Results

In vitro cellular experiments revealed that co-incubation of A549/DDP cells with PUE and DDP led to a dramatically decreased cell viability and cell survival rate compared with the cells only treated by DDP. Such a stimulating effect of PUE on DDP was further confirmed in vivo with results shown that the A549/DDP cancer-bearing mice treaded by combination therapy achieved the lowest tumor growth rate and longest survival time.

Conclusion

Taking these results together, we can draw the conclusion that the PUE enhances the anti-tumor effect of DDP on the drug-resistant A549 cancer in vivo and in vitro through activation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

High expression of SRY-box transcription factor 30 associates with well differentiation, absent lymph node metastasis and predicts longer survival in nonsmall-cell lung cancer patients

The present study aimed to investigate SRY-box transcription factor 30 (SOX30) expression in nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues, and further explore the correlation of tumor SOX30 expression with clinical characteristics and survival profiles in patients with NSCLC.Totally, 365 patients with NSCLC who underwent resection were screened, and SOX30 expression was detected in their tumor tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues via immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay, which was assessed by a semiquantitative method considering the multiplying staining intensity score and staining density score. According to the tumor SOX30 expression, patients were categorized as tumor SOX30 low (IHC score ≤3) and high (IHC score 4-12) patients, the latter were further divided into tumor SOX30 high+ (IHC score 4-6), high++ (IHC score 7-9), and high+++ (IHC score 10-12) patients.SOX30 was downregulated in NSCLC tumor tissues compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues. Meanwhile, tumor SOX30 high expression associated with well differentiation, absent lymph node metastasis, decreased TNM stage, but did not associated with age, gender, history of smoke and drink, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, tumor size, or carcinoembryonic antigen level. Both accumulating disease-free survival and overall survival were the longest in tumor SOX30 high+++ patients, followed by tumor SOX30 high++ patients, and tumor SOX30 high+ patients, and the shortest in tumor SOX30 low patients. Besides, tumor SOX30 high expression was an independent predictor for longer disease-free survival and overall survival.Tumor SOX30 exhibits the potential to be a novel biomarker for survival prediction of patients with NSCLC.

SOX30 confers a tumor suppressive effect in acute myeloid leukemia through inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Recent studies suggested SRY-related high mobility group box 30 (SOX30) as a candidate tumor-promoter or tumor-inhibitor in multiple tumor types. Yet, the detailed role of SOX30 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has not been well studied. The present research was designed to investigate the detailed relevance of SOX30 in AML. The data of our study indicated that SOX30 expression was markedly downregulated in AML cells, a pattern associated with its hypermethylation. SOX30 overexpression caused a marked reduction in AML cell proliferation and colony formation, but it promoted AML cell apoptosis. By contrast, SOX30 depletion by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing had the opposite effect. Moreover, SOX30 overexpression markedly decreased β-catenin expression, a change that led to inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Notably, restoration of β-catenin expression partially reversed SOX30-mediated tumor suppressive effect in AML cells. In an AML-derived mouse xenograft model, SOX30 overexpression remarkably retarded the tumor growth in vivo. Overall, these data of the study suggest a tumor-inhibition role of SOX30 in AML, and highlight a key role of SOX30/Wnt/β-catenin axis in the progression of AML.

LHX3 is an advanced-stage prognostic biomarker and metastatic oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer and exhibits high morbidity and mortality in the world. We recently identified LHX3 as a preferentially expressed gene with a possible involvement in HCC.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the expression, clinical relevance, prognostic significance and functions of LHX3 in HCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LHX3 expression was assessed in 190 cancerous and 40 adjacent non-cancerous tissues by PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. Associations between LHX3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients were investigated. Correlations between LHX3 expression and overall survival of patients were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression methods. Functional roles of LHX3 were evaluated by transwell assays.

RESULTS

LHX3 expression is significantly increased in carcinoma tissues, and associated with clinical stage and metastasis of patients. LHX3 expression is much higher in the advanced-stage patients than the early-stage patients, and is sharply increased in metastasic patients. High LHX3 expression is associated with unfavorable overall survival, and is an independent prognostic factor of patients. Moreover, LHX3 is an unfavorable and independent prognostic factor unique to advanced-stage patients. Knockdown expression of LHX3 obviously inhibits tumor cell migration and invasion.

CONCLUSION

LHX3 is an advanced-stage prognostic biomarker, and acts as a new potential metastatic oncogene in HCC.

Correlation of sex-determining region Y-box 30 with tumor characteristics and its prognostic value in breast cancer

Objective

Sex‐determining region Y‐box 30 (SOX30) suppresses progression of several cancers, whereas its role in breast cancer is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to determine the correlation of SOX30 with tumor characteristics and prognosis in breast cancer patients.

Methods

The tumor samples of 510 breast cancer patients who underwent resection were obtained, and SOX30 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Clinical characteristics, disease‐free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) of breast cancer patients were recorded.

Results

There were 368 breast cancer patients in SOX30 low‐expression group and 142 in SOX30 high‐expression group. SOX30 was negatively correlated with tumor size (P = .010), tumor (T) stage (P < .001), node (N) stage (P = .001), and tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage (P < .001) in breast cancer patients. For prognosis, patients in SOX30 high‐expression group had prolonged DFS (P = .011) and OS (P = .002); moreover, increased SOX30 grade (assessed by semi‐quantitative scoring method assessment) was correlated with better DFS (P = .015) and OS (P = .014). Univariate Cox's regression analysis disclosed that SOX30 high expression was correlated with enhanced DFS (P = .012, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.582) and OS (P = .002, HR = 0.389); however, multivariate Cox's regression analysis revealed that SOX30 could not independently predict DFS (P = .224, HR = 0.766) or OS (P = .087, HR = 0.582) in breast cancer patients, indicating it might interact with other independent predictive factors (such as pathological differentiation, T stage, and N stage) to influence DFS and OS in breast cancer patients.

Conclusion

Sex‐determining region Y‐box 30 is a potential prognostic biomarker in breast cancer, which might contribute to the better outcome of breast cancer patients.

Corn silk crude polysaccharide exerts anti-pancreatic cancer activity by blocking the EGFR/PI3K/AKT/CREB signaling pathway

S1, a crude polysaccharide from corn silk, may significantly inhibit pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. It can induce apoptosis, arrest the cell cycle in S phase and impede pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion.

SOX30, a target gene of miR-653-5p, represses the proliferation and invasion of prostate cancer cells through inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

BACKGROUND

Sex-determining region Y-box containing gene 30 (SOX30) is a newly identified tumor-associated gene in several types of cancer. However, whether SOX30 is involved in the development and progression of prostate cancer remains unknown. This study investigated the potential role of SOX30 in prostate cancer.

METHODS

Prostate cancer cell lines and a normal prostate epithelial cell line were used for the experiments. The expression of SOX30 was determined using quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis. The malignant cellular behaviors of prostate cancer were assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation and Matrigel invasion assays. The miRNA-mRNA interaction was validated using the dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

SOX30 expression was lower in cells of prostate cancer lines than in cells of the normal prostate epithelial line. Its overexpression repressed the proliferation and invasion of prostate cancer cells. SOX30 was identified as a target gene of microRNA-653-5p (miR-653-5p), which is upregulated in prostate cancer tissues. MiR-653-5p overexpression decreased SOX30 expression, while its inhibition increased SOX30 expression in prostate cancer cells. MiR-653-5p inhibition also markedly restricted prostate cancer cell proliferation and invasion. SOX30 overexpression or miR-653-5p inhibition significantly reduced β-catenin expression and downregulated the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. SOX30 knockdown significantly reversed the miR-653-5p inhibition-mediated inhibitory effect on the proliferation, invasion and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in prostate cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results reveal a tumor suppressive function for SOX30 in prostate cancer and confirmed the gene as a target of miR-653-5p. SOX30 upregulation due to miR-653-5p inhibition restricted the proliferation and invasion of prostate cancer cells, and this was associated with Wnt/β-catenin signaling suppression. These findings highlight the importance of the miR-653-5p-SOX30-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis in prostate cancer progression.

TRIB3 promotes lung cancer progression by activating β-catenin signaling

TRIB3 roles in tumor progression have been revealed with similar or opposite results. Here, we found that TRIB3 expression was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and correlated with tumor grades and metastasis. Functional experiments showed that TRIB3 knockdown (KD) inhibited lung cancer cell migration, invasion, EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) process and stemness. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that TRIB3 physically interacted with β-catenin and increased the recruitment of β-catenin to the promoter region of genes regulated by Wnt. Re-activation of β-catenin attenuated the inhibition of TRIB3 KD on lung cancer progression. These results suggest that TRIB3 interacts with β-catenin and thus activates β-catenin signaling, which is responsible for lung cancer progression, and blocking TRIB3 activity might be developed to treat lung cancer.

Tac2-N acts as a novel oncogene and promotes tumor metastasis via activation of NF-κB signaling in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

High rates of recurrence and metastasis are the major cause of the poor outcomes for patients with lung cancer. In previous research, we have demonstrated that Tac2-N promotes tumor growth by suppressing p53 signaling in lung cancer. Beyond that, other biological functions and clinical significance of Tac2-N in lung cancer progression are still unknown.

METHODS

Tissue microarrays of 272 lung cancer patients were constructed to assess the association of Tac2-N expression and prognosis of lung cancer patients with different clinical stages. The protein expression of Tac2-N in metastatic and non-metastatic specimens were detected by IHC. In vitro migration and invasion and in vivo nude mice metastasis model were used to evaluate the effect of Tac2-N ectopic expression on metastasis capability of lung cancer cells. The downstream signaling pathway of Tac2-N was explored using luciferase reporter assays and WB.

RESULTS

The expression of Tac2-N was associated with advanced stages, but not with early stages (P = 0.513). Tac2-N expression is sharply overexpressed in metastatic tumors compared with non-metastatic tumors. In vitro and in vivo assays suggested that Tac2-N facilitated migration and invasion of lung cancer cells in vitro and promoted tumor metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, Tac2-N increased the degradation of IκB by promoting its phosphorylation, and subsequently activated NF-κB activity by facilitating the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and stimulating the transcription of targets, MMP7 and MMP9. Notably, the C2B domain of Tac2-N was crucial for Tac2-N to activate NF-κB signal. Blockage of NF-κB by shRNA or inhibitor attenuates the function of Tac2-N in the promotion of metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provided proof of principle to show that Tac2-N serves as a novel oncogene gene and plays an important role in the progression and metastasis of lung cancer.

Transcription factors in SOX family: Potent regulators for cancer initiation and development in the human body

Transcription factors (TFs) have a key role in controlling the gene regulatory network that sustains explicit cell states in humans. However, an uncontrolled regulation of these genes potentially results in a wide range of diseases, including cancer. Genes of the SOX family are indeed crucial as deregulation of SOX family TFs can potentially lead to changes in cell fate as well as irregular cell growth. SOX TFs are a conserved group of transcriptional regulators that mediate DNA binding through a highly conserved high-mobility group (HMG) domain. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that cell fate and differentiation in major developmental processes are controlled by SOX TFs. Besides; numerous reports indicate that both up- and down-regulation of SOX TFs may induce cancer progression. In this review, we discuss the involvement of key TFs of SOX family in human cancers.

SOX30 methylation correlates with disease progression in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Background

Our previous study has reported that aberrant SOX30 methylation was associated with poor prognosis in AML, and it correlated with disease progression in MDS. Herein, we further determined SOX30 methylation and its clinical significance in the other myeloid malignance - chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Methods

SOX30 methylation was examined by real-time quantitative methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing PCR, whereas SOX30 expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR.

Results

SOX30 methylation was identified in 11% (10/95) CML patients. SOX30 methylation was associated with lower hemoglobin and platelets (P=0.006 and 0.032, respectively). Importantly, significant differences were observed in the distributions of clinical stages and cytogenetics (P=0.006 and 0.002, respectively). The frequency of SOX30 methylation in chronic phase (CP) stage occurred with lowest frequency (4/74, 5%), higher in accelerated phase (AP) stage (1/7, 14%), and the highest in blast crisis (BC) stage (12/31, 39%). In addition, SOX30 methylated patients tended to have a higher level of BCR-ABL transcript than SOX30 non-methylated patients (P=0.063). In two paired CML patients, SOX30 methylation showed lower density in CP stage (19% and 17%, respectively), and was significantly increased in BC stage (89% and 69%, respectively) during disease progression. Additionally, SOX30 methylated CML patients presented a lower SOX30 transcript level than SOX30 non-methylated CML patients (P=0.046).

Conclusion

Our study revealed that SOX30 methylation correlated with disease progression in chronic myeloid leukemia.

The role of SOX family members in solid tumours and metastasis

Cancer is a heavy burden for humans across the world with high morbidity and mortality. Transcription factors including sex determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) proteins are thought to be involved in the regulation of specific biological processes. The deregulation of gene expression programs can lead to cancer development. Here, we review the role of the SOX family in breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, brain tumours, gastrointestinal and lung tumours as well as the entailing therapeutic implications. The SOX family consists of more than 20 members that mediate DNA binding by the HMG domain and have regulatory functions in development, cell-fate decision, and differentiation. SOX2, SOX4, SOX5, SOX8, SOX9, and SOX18 are up-regulated in different cancer types and have been found to be associated with poor prognosis, while the up-regulation of SOX11 and SOX30 appears to be favourable for the outcome in other cancer types. SOX2, SOX4, SOX5 and other SOX members are involved in tumorigenesis, e.g. SOX2 is markedly up-regulated in chemotherapy resistant cells. The SoxF family (SOX7, SOX17, SOX18) plays an important role in angio- and lymphangiogenesis, with SOX18 seemingly being an attractive target for anti-angiogenic therapy and the treatment of metastatic disease in cancer. In summary, SOX transcription factors play an important role in cancer progression, including tumorigenesis, changes in the tumour microenvironment, and metastasis. Certain SOX proteins are potential molecular markers for cancer prognosis and putative potential therapeutic targets, but further investigations are required to understand their physiological functions.

SOX30 is a prognostic biomarker and chemotherapeutic indicator for advanced-stage ovarian cancer

New potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer should be identified. The amplification in chromosomal region 5q31-5q35.3 exhibits the strongest correlation with overall survival (OS) of ovarian cancer. SOX30 coincidentally located at this chromosomal region has been determined as a new important tumor suppressor. However, the prognostic value, role and mechanism of SOX30 in ovarian cancer are unexplored. Here, we reveal that SOX30 is frequently overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues and is associated with clinical stage and metastasis of ovarian cancer patients. High SOX30 expression predicts better OS and acts as an independent prognostic factor in advanced-stage patients, but is not associated with OS in early-stage patients. Based on the survival analyses, the advanced-stage patients with high SOX30 expression can receive platin- and/or taxol-based chemotherapy, whereas they should not receive chemotherapy containing gemcitabine or topotecan. Functionally, SOX30 strongly inhibits tumor cell migration and invasion in intro and suppresses tumor metastasis in vivo. SOX30 regulates some markers (E-CADHERIN, FIBRONECTIN, N-CADHERIN and VIMENTIN) and prevents the characteristics of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). SOX30 transcriptionally regulates the expression of E-CADHERIN, FIBRONECTIN and N-CADHERIN by binding to their promoters. Restoration of E-CADHERIN and/or N-CADHERIN when overexpressing SOX30 significantly reduces the anti-metastatic role of SOX30. Indeed, chemotherapy treatment containing platin or gemcitabine combined with SOX30 expression influences tumor cell metastasis and the survival of nude mice differently, which is closely associated with EMT. In conclusion, SOX30 antagonizes tumor metastasis by preventing EMT process that can be used to predict survival and incorporated into chemotherapeutics of advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients.

SOX30 specially prevents Wnt-signaling to suppress metastasis and improve prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Different histological subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) show different molecular characteristics and responses to therapeutic strategy. Identification of specific gene, clarification of its special roles and molecular mechanisms are crucial for developing new therapeutic approach for particular subtype patients.

METHODS

Surgical specimens of 540 NSCLC patients were recruited. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect SOX30 expression, and correlations with clinical parameters were analyzed. Functional experiments and gene ontology analysis were performed to investigate roles of SOX30. Network analysis, TOP/FOP-Flash assays, luciferase reporter assays and ChIP-PCR assays were performed to determine the mechanism. Survival analyses were calculated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. Recovery experiment was investigated the importance of the target of SOX30.

RESULTS

SOX30 expression is closely associated with histological types of NSCLC, and metastasis of adenocarcinoma (ADC) patients but not of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. SOX30 strongly inhibits cancer cell migration and invasion in ADC cell lines, whrereas not affects cell migration and invasion in SCC cell lines. The genes associated with SOX30 preferentially enrich in metastasis process and Wnt-signaling in only ADC patients. Consistently, SOX30 is negatively associated with the expression of Wnt-signaling and metastasis-related gene CTNNB1 (β-catenin) in ADC, but not in SCC. At the molecular level, SOX30 represses Wnt-signaling by directly transcriptional inhibition of CTNNB1 in ADC, and also not in SCC. In the clinical, SOX30 is a favorable and independent prognostic factor in ADC patients, whereas is an unfavorable and independent prognostic factor in SCC patients. Moreover, SOX30 expression is a double face early-stage prognostic biomarker in ADC and SCC patients. In addition, forcible restoration of CTNNB1 indeed can inhibit the anti-metastatic role of SOX30 in ADC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In early-stage ADC patients, elevated SOX30 expression inhibits tumor-metastasis by directly binding to CTNNB1 promoter resulting in a favorable prognosis of these patients. However, in early-stage SCC patients, SOX30 has no inhibitory role on tumor-metastasis due to not binding to CTNNB1 promoter leading to an unfavorable prognosis of the patients. This study highlights a special role and prognostic value of SOX30 in ADC, providing a novel therapeutic target for particular subtype NSCLC patients.

MicroRNA-645 represses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by inhibiting SOX30-mediated p53 transcriptional activation

Amount of evidence demonstrate that aberrant microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumorigenesis and progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, miR-645 is recently recognized as cancer-related miRNA and its significance in HCC remains largely unknown. In this study, we reported for the first that miR-645 expression was markedly elevated in HCC tissues and cell lines, and its up-regulation was associated with malignant clinical features, including tumor size and venous infiltration and poor prognosis. Our data revealed that miR-645 promoted cell proliferation, colony formation and inhibited apoptosis by gain- and loss-of function experiments in vitro. In vivo assays showed that miR-645 overexpression enhanced tumor growth. Moreover, miR-645 directly bound to the SOX30 3'-UTR and post-transcriptionally repressed SOX30 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, miR-645 inversely correlated with SOX30 expression in HCC tissues. Restoration of SOX30 expression at least partially abolished the biological effects of miR-645 on HCC cells. SOX30 regulated HCC progression through aberrant activation of p53 by directly binding to its promoter. Taken together, this research supports the first evidence that miR-645 exerts an oncogenic role in HCC progression and may be a therapeutic target for HCC treatment.

Identification and validation of SRY-box containing gene family member SOX30 methylation as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in myeloid malignancies

Background

Methylation-associated SOX family genes have been proved to be involved in multiple essential processes during carcinogenesis and act as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, staging, prediction of prognosis, and monitoring of response to therapy. Herein, we revealed SOX30 methylation and its clinical implication in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Results

In the discovery stage, we identified that SOX30 methylation, a frequent event in AML, was negatively associated with SOX30 expression and correlated with overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) in cytogenetically normal AML among SOX family members from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. In the validation stage, we verified that SOX30 methylation level was significantly higher in AML even in MDS-derived AML compared to controls, whereas SOX30 hypermethylation was not a frequent event in MDS. SOX30 methylation was inversely correlated with SOX30 expression in AML patients. Survival analysis showed that SOX30 hypermethylation was negatively associated with complete remission (CR), OS, and LFS in AML, where it only affected LFS in MDS. Notably, among MDS/AML paired patients, SOX30 methylation level was significantly increased in AML stage than in MDS stage. In addition, SOX30 methylation was found to be significantly decreased in AML achieved CR when compared to diagnosis time and markedly increased in relapsed AML when compared to the CR population.

Conclusions

Our findings revealed that SOX30 methylation was associated with disease progression in MDS and acted as an independent prognostic and predictive biomarker in AML.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-018-0523-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.