Roles and mechanisms of Kinesin-6 KIF20A in spindle organization during cell division

Tandem mass tag-based proteomic analysis of granulosa and theca interna cells of the porcine ovarian follicle following in vitro treatment with vitamin D3 and insulin alone or in combination

This study was performed to investigate the proteomic basis underlying the interaction between vitamin D3 (VD) and insulin (I) within ovarian follicle using the pig as a model. Porcine antral follicles were incubated in vitro for 12 h with VD alone and I alone or in combination (VD + I) or with no treatment as the control (C). In total, 7690 and 7467 proteins were identified in the granulosa and theca interna compartments, respectively. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed 97 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) within the granulosa layer and 11 DAPs within the theca interna layer. In the granulosa compartment, VD affected proteome leading to the promotion of cell proliferation, whereas I influenced mainly proteins related to cellular adhesion. The VD + I treatment induced granulosa cell proliferation probably via the DAPs involved in DNA synthesis and the cell cycle regulation. In the theca interna layer, VD alone or in co-treatment with I affected DAPs associated with cholesterol transport and lipid and steroid metabolic processes that was further confirmed by diminished lipid droplet accumulation. SIGNIFICANCE: The application of quantitative proteomics demonstrated for the first time the complexity of VD and I interactions in porcine ovarian follicle, providing a framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying their cross-talk. Although identified DAPs were related to crucial ovarian processes, including the granulosa cell proliferation and cholesterol transport in the theca interna layer, novel molecular pathways underlying these processes have been proposed. The identified unique proteins may serve as indicators of VD and I interactions in both follicle layers, and could be useful biomarkers of ovarian pathologies characterized by impaired VD and I levels, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

Emerging roles of cytoskeletal transport and scaffold systems in human viral propagation

Viruses have long been recognized as significant pathogens, contributing to multiple global pandemics throughout human history. Recent examples include the 2009 influenza pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019. Despite ongoing experimental and clinical efforts, the development of effective antiviral treatments and vaccines remains challenging due to the high mutation rates of many human pathogenic viruses including influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2. As an alternative approach, antiviral strategies targeting host factors shared by multiple viruses could provide a more universally applicable solution. Emerging evidence suggests that viruses exploit the host cytoskeletal network to facilitate efficient viral replication and propagation. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between viral components and the cytoskeletal machinery may offer valuable insights for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutics. This review compiles and discusses current knowledge on the interactions between viruses and cytoskeletal elements, including kinesin, dynein, myosin, and vimentin, and explores their potential as therapeutic targets. The potential for these cytoskeletal components to serve as targets for new antiviral interventions is discussed in the context of diverse human viruses, including influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2, herpes simplex virus, human papillomavirus, and human immunodeficiency virus.

Sex differences in human pre-gastrulation embryos

Human fetuses exhibit notable sex differences in growth rate and response to the intrauterine environment, yet their origins and underlying mechanisms remain uncertain. Here, we conduct a detailed investigation of sex differences in human pre-gastrulation embryos. The lower methylation and incomplete inactivation of the X chromosome in females, as well as the sex-specific cell-cell communication patterns, contribute to sex-differential transcription. Male trophectoderm is more inclined toward syncytiotrophoblast differentiation and exhibits a stronger hormone secretion capacity, while female trophectoderm tends to retain cytotrophoblast program with stronger mitochondrial function as well as higher vasculogenesis and immunotolerance signals. Male primitive endoderm initiates the anterior visceral endoderm transcriptional program earlier than females. The cell cycle activities of the epiblast and primitive endoderm are higher in males compared to females, while the situation is opposite in the trophectoderm. In conclusion, our study provides in-depth insights into the sex differences in human pre-gastrulation embryos and contributes to unraveling the origins of the sex differences in human fetal development.

Advancing Cancer Therapy: The Role of KIF20A as a Target for Inhibitor Development and Immunotherapy

The analysis begins with a detailed examination of the gene expression and protein structure of KIF20A, highlighting its interaction with critical cellular components that influence key processes such as Golgi membrane transport and mitotic spindle assembly. The primary focus is on the development of specific KIF20A inhibitors, detailing their roles and the challenges encountered in enhancing their efficacy, such as achieving specificity, overcoming tumor resistance, and optimizing delivery systems. Additionally, it delves into the prognostic value of KIF20A across multiple cancer types, emphasizing its role as a novel tumor-associated antigen, which lays the groundwork for the development of targeted peptide vaccines. The therapeutic efficacy of these vaccines as demonstrated in recent clinical trials is discussed. Future directions are proposed, including the integration of precision medicine strategies to personalize treatments and the use of combination therapies to improve outcomes. By concentrating on the significant potential of KIF20A as both a direct target for inhibitors and an antigen in cancer vaccines, this review sets a foundation for future research aimed at harnessing KIF20A for effective cancer treatment.

Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 reduces KIF20A expression and promotes CDC25A proteasomal degradation in epithelial ovarian cancer

Background

Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 shows promising tumor-suppressive effects in ovarian cancer via inhibiting NF-κB signaling. This study aimed to explore the downstream tumor suppressive mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg3 via this signaling pathway.

Materials and methods

A systematical screening was applied to examine the expression profile of 41 kinesin family member genes in ovarian cancer. The regulatory effect of ginsenoside Rg3 on KIF20A expression was studied. In addition, we explored interacting proteins of KIF20A and their molecular regulations in ovarian cancer. RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used for bioinformatic analysis. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and A2780 were used as in vitro and in vivo cell models. Commercial human ovarian cancer tissue arrays were used for immunohistochemistry staining.

Results

KIF20A is a biomarker of poor prognosis among the kinesin genes. It promotes ovarian cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Ginsenoside Rg3 can suppress the transcription of KIF20A. GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation (IP) assays confirmed that KIF20A physically interacts with BTRC (β-TrCP1), a substrate recognition subunit for SCFβ-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase. In vitro ubiquitination and cycloheximide (CHX) chase assays showed that via interacting with BTRC, KIF20A reduces BTRC-mediated CDC25A poly-ubiquitination and enhances its stability. Ginsenoside Rg3 treatment partly abrogates KIF20A overexpression-induced CDC25A upregulation.

Conclusion

This study revealed a novel anti-tumor mechanism of ginsenoside Rg3. It can inhibit KIF20A transcription and promote CDC25A proteasomal degradation in epithelial ovarian cancer.

FOXM1/KIF20A axis promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression via regulating EMT signaling and affects immunotherapy response

Background

The correlation between FOXM1 and KIF20A has not been revealed in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods

Public data was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. R software was utilized for the execution of bioinformatic analysis. The expression levels of specific molecules (mRNA and protein) were detected using real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays. The capacity of cell growth was assessed by employing CCK8 and colony formation assay. Cell invasion and migration ability were assessed using transwell assay.

Results

In our study, we illustrated the association between FOXM1 and KIF20A. Our results indicated that both FOXM1 and KIF20A were associated with poor prognosis and clinical performance. The malignant characteristics of ccRCC cells can be significantly suppressed by inhibiting FOXM1 and KIF20A, as demonstrated by in vitro experiments. Moreover, we found that FOXM1 can upregulate KIF20A. Then, EMT signaling was identified as the underlying pathway FOXM1 and KIF20A are involved. WB results indicated that FOXM1/KIF20A axis can activate EMT signaling. Moreover, we noticed that FOXM1 and KIF20A can affect the immunotherapy response and immune microenvironment of ccRCC patients.

Conclusions

Our results identified the role of the FOXM1/KIF20A axis in ccRCC progression and immunotherapy, making it the underlying target for ccRCC.

Upregulation of the key biomarker kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) is associated with pulmonary artery hypertension

OBJECTIVE

Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) is a complex, fatal disease with limited treatments. This study aimed to investigate possible key targets in PAH through bioinformatics.

METHODS

GSE144274 were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH) and healthy subjects were identified and analyzed. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were analyzed, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING. The hub genes were identified by MCODE method. The expression levels of hub genes were validated in vitro and in vivo models. Finally, the ROC analysis was performed based on the level of hub genes in clinical plasma samples.

RESULTS

A total of 363 DEGs were identified. GO analysis on these DEGs were mainly enriched in cell division, inflammatory response, among others. In the KEGG pathways analysis, DEGs mainly involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, rheumatoid arthritis, and IL-17 signaling pathways were enriched. The DEGs were analyzed with the STRING for PPI network analysis, and 62 hub genes were identified by MCODE. Finally, 6 central genes, KIF18B, SPC25, DLGAP5, KIF20A, CEP55 and ANLN, were screened out due to their novelty role in PAH. The expression of KIF20A was validated to be significantly upregulated both in the lung tissue of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) mice and proliferative PASMCs. Additionally, KIF20A levels is evelated in PAH plasma and the area under the curve (AUC) to identify PAH was 0.8591 for KIF20A.

CONCLUSION

The level of KIF20A elevates during the progression of PAH, which suggestes it could be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for the PAH.

Identification, characterization, and prognosis investigation of pivotal genes shared in different stages of breast cancer

One of the leading causes of death (20.1 per 100,000 women per year), breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in females. Statistically, 95% of breast cancer are categorized as adenocarcinomas, and 55% of all patients may go into invasive phases; however, it can be successfully treated in approximately 70-80% of cases if diagnosed in the nascent stages. The emergence of breast tumor cells which are intensely resistant to conventional therapies, along with the high rate of metastasis occurrence, has highlighted the importance of finding novel strategies and treatments. One of the most advantageous schemes to alleviate this complication is to identify the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among primary and metastatic cancerous cells to use resultants for designing new therapeutic agents which are able to target both primary and metastatic breast tumor cells. In this study, the gene expression dataset with accession number GSE55715 was analyzed containing two primary tumor samples, three bone-metastatic samples, and three normal samples to distinguish the up- and down regulated genes in each stage compared to normal cells as control. In the next step, the common upregulated genes between the two experimental groups were detected by Venny online tool. Moreover, gene ontology, functions and pathways, gene-targeting microRNA, and influential metabolites were determined using EnrichR 2021 GO, KEGG pathways miRTarbase 2017, and HMDB 2021, respectively. Furthermore, elicited from STRING protein-protein interaction networks were imported to Cytoscape software to identify the hub genes. Then, identified hub genes were checked to validate the study using oncological databases. The results of the present article disclosed 1263 critical common DEGs (573 upregulated + 690 downregulated), including 35 hub genes that can be broadly used as new targets for cancer treatment and as biomarkers for cancer detection by evaluation of expression level. Besides, this study opens a new horizon to reveal unknown aspects of cancer signaling pathways by providing raw data evoked from in silico experiments. This study's outcomes can also be widely utilized in further lab research since it contains diverse information on common DEGs of varied stages and metastases of breast cancer, their functions, structures, interactions, and associations.

Expression, regulating mechanism and therapeutic target of KIF20A in multiple cancer

Kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) is a member of the kinesin family. It transports chromosomes during mitosis, plays a key role in cell division. Recently, studies proved that KIF20A was highly expressed in cancer. High expression of KIF20A was correlated with poor overall survival (OS). In this review, we summarized all the cancer that highly expressed KIF20A, described the role of KIF20A in cancer. We also organized phase I and phase II clinical trials of KIF20A peptides vaccine. All results indicated that KIF20A was a promising therapeutic target for multiple cancer.

Inhibition of KIF20A suppresses the replication of influenza A virus by inhibiting viral entry

The influenza A virus (IAV) has caused several pandemics, and therefore there are many ongoing efforts to identify novel antiviral therapeutic strategies including vaccines and antiviral drugs. However, influenza viruses continuously undergo antigenic drift and shift, resulting in the emergence of mutated viruses. In turn, this decreases the efficiency of existing vaccines and antiviral drugs to control IAV infection. Therefore, this study sought to identify alternative therapeutic strategies targeting host cell factors rather than viruses to avoid infection by mutated viruses. Particularly, we investigated the role of KIF20A that is one of kinesin superfamily proteins in the replication of IAV. The KIF20A increased viral protein levels in IAV-infected cells by regulating the initial entry stage during viral infection. Furthermore, the KIF20A inhibitor significantly suppressed viral replication, which protected mice from morbidity and mortality. Therefore, our findings demonstrated that KIF20A is highly involved in the viral replication process and viral propagation both in vitro and in vivo, and could thus be used as a target for the development of novel antiviral drugs.

KIF20A is associated with clinical prognosis and synergistic effect of gemcitabine combined with ferroptosis inducer in lung adenocarcinoma

Gemcitabine (GEM), an antimetabolite that terminates DNA synthesis, is commonly used in the treatment of cancers including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, downregulation of sensitivity limits the therapeutic effect. Ferroptosis as the new form of regulated cell death has been shown to have great potential for cancer treatment with chemoresistance. Here, three genes with both ferroptosis and GEM-response-associated features were screened from RNA sequencing and public data for constructing an independent risk model. LUAD patients with different risk scores had differences in mutational landscape, gene enrichment pathways, and drug sensitivity. By Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and colony forming assay, we demonstrate that GEM and ferroptosis inducer (FIN) imidazole Ketone Erastin had a synergistic combined anti-proliferative effect on LUAD cells and knockdown of KIF20A (the core gene of our model) further enhanced cell death in vitro by inducing ferroptosis. In conclusion, we identified a link between ferroptosis and GEM response in LUAD cells and developed a robust signature that can effectively classify LUAD patients into subgroups with different overall survival. For LUAD, the combined treatment modality of GEM and FIN is potentially effective and KIF20A may be a new therapeutic target.

Identification of chromosomal instability-associated genes as hepatocellular carcinoma progression-related biomarkers to guide clinical diagnosis, prognosis and therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of cancer characterized by high heterogeneity and a complex multistep progression process. Significantly-altered biomarkers for HCC need to be identified. Differentially expressed genes and weighted gene co-expression network analyses were used to identify progression-related biomarkers. LASSO-Cox regression and random forest algorithms were used to construct the progression-related prognosis (PRP) score. Three chromosomal instability-associated genes (KIF20A, TOP2A, and TTK) have been identified as progression-related biomarkers. The robustness of the PRP scores were validated using four independent cohorts. Immune status was observed using the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Comprehensive analysis showed that the patients with high PRP score had wider genomic alterations, more malignant phenotypes, and were in a state of immunosuppression. The diagnostic models constructed via logistic regression based on the three genes showed satisfactory performances in distinguishing HCC from cirrhotic tissues or dysplastic nodules. The nomogram combining PRP scores with clinical factors had a better performance in predicting prognosis than the tumor node metastasis classification (TNM) system. We further confirmed that KIF20A, TOP2A, and TTK were highly expressed in HCC tissues than in cirrhotic tissues. Downregulation of all three genes aggravated chromosomal instabilities in HCC and suppressed HCC cells viability both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our study highlights the important roles of chromosomal instability-associated genes during the progression of HCC and their potential clinical diagnosis and prognostic value and provides promising new ideas for developing therapeutic strategies to improve the outcomes of HCC patients.

Cucurbitacin B-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest of conjunctival melanoma cells mediated by GRP78–FOXM1–KIF20A pathway

Conjunctival melanoma (CM) is a rare and fatal malignant eye tumor. In this study, we deciphered a novel anti-CM mechanism of a natural tetracyclic compound named as cucurbitacin B (CuB). We found that CuB remarkably inhibited the proliferation of CM cells including CM-AS16, CRMM1, CRMM2 and CM2005.1, without toxicity to normal cells. CuB can also induce CM cells G2/M cell cycle arrest. RNA-seq screening identified KIF20A, a key downstream effector of FOXM1 pathway, was abolished by CuB treatment. Further target identification by activity-based protein profiling chemoproteomic approach revealed that GRP78 is a potential target of CuB. Several lines of evidence demonstrated that CuB interacted with GRP78 and bound with a K_d value of 0.11 μmol/L. Furthermore, ATPase activity evaluation showed that CuB suppressed GRP78 both in human recombinant GRP78 protein and cellular lysates. Knockdown of the GRP78 gene significantly induced the downregulation of FOXM1 and related pathway proteins including KIF20A, underlying an interesting therapeutic perspective. Finally, CuB significantly inhibited tumor progression in NCG mice without causing obvious side effects in vivo. Taken together, our current work proved that GRP78–FOXM1–KIF20A as a promising pathway for CM therapy, and the traditional medicine CuB as a candidate drug to hinder this pathway.

Anti-CD37 radioimmunotherapy with 177Lu-NNV003 synergizes with the PARP inhibitor olaparib in treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in vitro

Background and purpose

PARP inhibitors have been shown to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy in preclinical models. Radioimmunotherapy results in selective radiation cytotoxicity of targeted tumour cells. Here we investigate the combined effect of anti-CD37 β-emitting 177Lu-NNV003 radioimmunotherapy and the PARP inhibitor olaparib, and gene expression profiles in CD37 positive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cell lines.

Materials and methods

The combined effect of 177Lu-NNV003 and olaparib was studied in seven cell lines using a fixed-ratio ray design, and combination index was calculated for each combination concentration. mRNA was extracted before and after treatment with the drug combination. After RNA-sequencing, hierarchical clustering was performed on basal gene expression profiles and on differentially expressed genes after combination treatment from baseline. Functional gene annotation analysis of significant differentially expressed genes after combination treatment was performed to identify enriched biological processes.

Results

The combination of olaparib and 177Lu-NNV003 was synergistic in four of seven cell lines, antagonistic in one and both synergistic and antagonistic (conditionally synergistic) in two, depending on the concentration ratio between olaparib and 177Lu-NNV003. Cells treated with the combination significantly overexpressed genes in the TP53 signalling pathway. However, cluster analysis did not identify gene clusters that correlate with the sensitivity of cells to single agent or combination treatment.

Conclusion

The cytotoxic effect of the combination of the PARP inhibitor olaparib and the β-emitting radioimmunoconjugate 177Lu-NNV003 was synergistic in the majority of tested lymphoma cell lines.

Septin Remodeling During Mammalian Cytokinesis

Cytokinesis mediates the final separation of a mother cell into two daughter cells. Septins are recruited to the cleavage furrow at an early stage. During cytokinetic progression the septin cytoskeleton is constantly rearranged, ultimately leading to a concentration of septins within the intercellular bridge (ICB), and to the formation of two rings adjacent to the midbody that aid ESCRT-dependent abscission. The molecular mechanisms underlying this behavior are poorly understood. Based on observations that septins can associate with actin, microtubules and associated motors, we review here established roles of septins in mammalian cytokinesis, and discuss, how septins may support cytokinetic progression by exerting their functions at particular sites. Finally, we discuss how this might be assisted by phosphoinositide-metabolizing enzymes.

Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumours Are Susceptible to Panobinostat-Mediated Differentiation Therapy

Simple Summary

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (ATRT) is an aggressive undifferentiated malignancy of the central nervous system in children. A defining feature of ATRT is the loss of the SMARCB1 gene that is essential for regulating gene expression required for normal developmental processes. We show that treatment of human ATRT cell models with the histone deacetylate inhibitor, panobinostat, inhibits tumour growth, reactivates the expression of developmental genes, and drives neuronal differentiation. These results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of panobinostat for the treatment of ATRT.

Abstract

Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (ATRT) is a rare but highly aggressive undifferentiated solid tumour arising in the central nervous system and predominantly affecting infants and young children. ATRT is exclusively characterized by the inactivation of SMARCB1, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complex that is essential for the regulation of large sets of genes required for normal development and differentiation. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are a promising anticancer therapy and are able to mimic the normal acetylation functions of SMARCB1 in SMARCB1-deficient cells and drive multilineage differentiation in extracranial rhabdoid tumours. However, the potential efficacy of HDACi in ATRT is unknown. Here, we show that human ATRT cells are highly responsive to the HDACi panobinostat and that sustained treatment leads to growth arrest, increased cell senescence, decreased clonogenicity and induction of a neurogenesis gene-expression profile. Furthermore, in an orthotopic ATRT xenograft model, continuous panobinostat treatment inhibits tumour growth, increases survival and drives neuronal differentiation as shown by the expression of the neuronal marker, TUJ1. Collectively, this preclinical study supports the therapeutic potential of panobinostat-mediated differentiation therapy for ATRT.

Modeling reveals cortical dynein-dependent fluctuations in bipolar spindle length

Proper formation and maintenance of the mitotic spindle is required for faithful cell division. Although much work has been done to understand the roles of the key molecular components of the mitotic spindle, identifying the consequences of force perturbations in the spindle remains a challenge. We develop a computational framework accounting for the minimal force requirements of mitotic progression. To reflect early spindle formation, we model microtubule dynamics and interactions with major force-generating motors, excluding chromosome interactions that dominate later in mitosis. We directly integrate our experimental data to define and validate the model. We then use simulations to analyze individual force components over time and their relationship to spindle dynamics, making it distinct from previously published models. We show through both model predictions and biological manipulation that rather than achieving and maintaining a constant bipolar spindle length, fluctuations in pole-to-pole distance occur that coincide with microtubule binding and force generation by cortical dynein. Our model further predicts that high dynein activity is required for spindle bipolarity when kinesin-14 (HSET) activity is also high. To the best of our knowledge, our results provide novel insight into the role of cortical dynein in the regulation of spindle bipolarity.

Upregulating KTN1 promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma progression

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a common malignant tumor worldwide. Although kinectin 1 (KTN1) is the most frequently identified antigen in HCC tissues, the detailed roles of KTN1 in HCC remain unknown. This study seeks to clarify the expression status and clinical value of KTN1 in HCC and to explore the complicated biological functions of KTN1 and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: In-house reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of KTN1 in HCC tissues. External gene microarrays and RNA-sequencing datasets were downloaded to confirm the expression patterns of KTN1. The prognostic ability of KTN1 in HCC was assessed by a Kaplan-Meier curve and a hazard ratio forest plot. The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system was used to knock out KTN1 in Huh7 cells, which was verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing and western blotting. Assays of cell migration, invasion, viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis were conducted to explore the biological functions. RNA sequencing was performed to quantitatively analyze the functional deregulation in KTN1-knockout cells compared to Huh7-wild-type cells. Upregulated genes that co-expressed with KTN1 were identified from HCC tissues and were functionally annotated.

Results: KTN1 expression was increased in HCC tissues (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.20 [0.04, 0.37]). High KTN1 expression was significantly correlated with poorer prognosis of HCC patients, and KTN1 may be an independent risk factor for HCC (pooled HRs = 1.31 [1.05, 1.64]). After KTN1-knockout, the viability, migration, and invasion ability of HCC cells were inhibited. The proportion of HCC cells in the G0-G1 phases increased after KTN1 knockout, which also elevated the apoptosis rates in HCC cells. Several cascades, including innate immune response, chemical carcinogenesis, and positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II, were dramatically changed after KTN1 knockout. KTN1 primarily participated in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and microRNAs in cancer pathways in HCC tissues.

Conclusion: Upregulation of KTN1 served as a promising prognosticator in HCC patients. KTN1 promotes the occurrence and deterioration of HCC by mediating cell survival, migration, invasion, cell cycle activation, and apoptotic inhibition. KTN1 may be a therapeutic target in HCC patients.

Hub biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma based on microarray technology

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common clinical intracranial malignancy worldwide, and the most common supratentorial tumor in adults. GBM mainly causes damage to the brain tissue, which can be fatal. This research explored potential gene targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM using bioinformatic technology.

METHODS

Public data from patients with GBM and controls were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Gene Expression Omnibus 2R (GEO2R). Construction of the protein-protein interaction network and the identification of a significant module were performed. Subsequently, hub genes were identified, and their expression was examined and compared by real-time quantitative (RT-q)PCR between patients with GBM and controls.

RESULTS

GSE122498 (GPL570 platform), GSE104291 (GPL570 platform), GSE78703_DMSO (GPL15207 platform), and GSE78703_LXR (GPL15207 platform) datasets were obtained from the GEO. A total of 130 DEGs and 10 hub genes were identified by GEPIA and GEO2R between patients with GBM and controls. Of these, strong connections were identified in correlation analysis between CCNB1, CDC6, KIF23, and KIF20A. RT-qPCR showed that all 4 of these genes were expressed at significantly higher levels in patients with GBM compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The hub genes CCNB1, CDC6, KIF23, and KIF20A are potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM.

Cellular fate of intersex differentiation

Infertile ovotestis (mixture of ovary and testis) often occurs in intersex individuals under certain pathological and physiological conditions. However, how ovotestis is formed remains largely unknown. Here, we report the first comprehensive single-cell developmental atlas of the model ovotestis. We provide an overview of cell identities and a roadmap of germline, niche, and stem cell development in ovotestis by cell lineage reconstruction and a uniform manifold approximation and projection. We identify common progenitors of germline stem cells with two states, which reveal their bipotential nature to differentiate into both spermatogonial stem cells and female germline stem cells. Moreover, we found that ovotestis infertility was caused by degradation of female germline cells via liquid-liquid phase separation of the proteasomes in the nucleus, and impaired histone-to-protamine replacement in spermatid differentiation. Notably, signaling pathways in gonadal niche cells and their interaction with germlines synergistically determined distinct cell fate of both male and female germlines. Overall, we reveal a cellular fate map of germline and niche cell development that shapes cell differentiation direction of ovotestis, and provide novel insights into ovotestis development.

Integrated Analysis of Hub Genes and Pathways In Esophageal Carcinoma Based on NCBI's Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) Database: A Bioinformatics Analysis

BACKGROUND Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is a health challenge with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Our aim is to screen for hub genes and pathways associated with ESCA pathology as diagnostic or therapeutic targets. MATERIAL AND METHODS We downloaded 2 ESCA-related datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of ESCA were determined by statistical analysis. Both Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs were performed using online analytic tools. Network analysis was employed to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and to filter hub genes. We evaluated the expression level and impact of hub genes on survival of ESCA patients using the OncoLoc webserver. RESULTS A total of 210 DEGs were identified. The GO analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in cell division. The KEGG pathway analysis showed DEGs that were enriched in cell cycle regulation, known cancer pathways, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. The top 10 hub genes were markedly upregulated in ESCA tissue compared with normal esophageal tissue. Moreover, the expression level of the hub genes was different at different pathological stages of ESCA. Further prognostic analysis identified that the top 10 hub genes were related to late survival of ESCA patients, while exhibiting few associations with early survival time. CONCLUSIONS The signaling pathways involving the DEGs probably represent the pathological mechanism underlying ESCA. The hub genes were associated with survival of ESCA patients, and as such have the potential to serve as diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets.

Knockdown of Kif20a inhibits growth of tumors in soft tissue sarcoma in vitro and in vivo

Kif20a (Kinesin Family Member 20A), plays a role in cell mitosis, cell migration and intracellular transport. Numerous studies have demonstrated that Kif20a is abnormally highly expressed in a variety of tumors and shows poor prognosis. Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) represents a group of malignant tumors with poor prognosis. The role of Kif20a in STSs has not been systematically studied. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis, in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to investigate the function of Kif20a in STSs. In bioinformatics analysis higher KIf20a expression indicated a poor prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that Kif20a may be related to cell cycle, p53 and other signaling pathways. In vitro experiments showed that after the down-regulation of Kif20a, cell proliferation, migration and invasion were decreased, while apoptosis was increased. In vivo experiments revealed that Kif20a affected the proliferation of tumors in tumor-bearing mice. In summary, our findings revealed that Kif20a performs an important role in STS, indicating that it is a potential prognostic biomarker and potentially representing a therapeutic target for the disease.

KIF20A silence inhibits the migration, invasion and proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer and regulates the JNK pathway

An increasing number of studies have shown that kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) was overexpressed in several types of cancer, and its overexpression correlated with the oncogenesis and prognosis of cancers. However, little is known about the roles of KIF20A in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, the aim of the present study was to demonstrate the expression of KIF20A in human NSCLC and reveal its biological functions and the underlying mechanisms. qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the expression of NSCLC patient specimens and NSCLC cell lines. The functions of KIF20A in migration and invasion were determined using Transwell assay. Cell proliferation capacity was performed by CKK-8 assay. We demonstrated that KIF20A was overexpressed in NSCLC specimens compared with the adjacent non-tumorous specimens, and high expression of KIF20A was associated with clinical stage and metastasis in NSCLC. Decreased expression of KIF20A inhibited NSCLC cells migration, invasion and proliferation. Most importantly, further experiments demonstrated that decreased the expression of KLF20A significantly downregulated expression of p-JNK and MMP7, which indicated that knockdown of KIF20A alters lung cancer cell phenotype and regulates JNK pathways. These results suggest that KIF20A may act as a putative oncogene and a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.

Unconventional Roles of Cytoskeletal Mitotic Machinery in Neurodevelopment

At first look, cell division and neurite formation seem to be two different, essential biological processes. However, both processes require extensive reorganization of the cytoskeleton, and especially microtubules. Remarkably, in recent years, independent work from several groups has shown that multiple cytoskeletal components previously considered specific for the mitotic machinery play important roles in neurite initiation and extension. In this review article, we describe how several cytoplasmic and mitotic microtubule motors, components of mitotic kinetochores, and cortical actin participate in reorganization of the microtubule network required to form and maintain axons and dendrites. The emerging similarities between these two biological processes will certainly generate new insights into the mechanisms generating the unique morphology of neurons.

Methylation-mediated repression of MiR-424/503 cluster promotes proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells through targeting the hub gene KIF23

Ovarian cancer is one type of gynecological malignancies with extremely high lethal rate. Abnormal proliferation and metastasis are regarded to play important roles in patients' death, whereas we know little about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Under this circumstance, our current study aims to investigate the role of hub genes in ovarian cancer. Bioinformatics analysis of the data from GEO and analyses of ovarian cancer samples were performed. Then, the results showed that KIF23, a hub gene, was mainly related to cell cycle and positively associated with poor prognosis. Meanwhile, both miR-424-5p and miR-503-5p directly targeted to 3'UTR of KIF23 to suppress the expression of KIF23 and inhibit ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, we discovered that miR-424/503 was epigenetically repressed by hypermethylation in the promoter regions, which directly modulated the expression of KIF23 to improve the oncogenic performance of cancer cells in vitro. Together, our research certifies that miR-424/503 cluster is silenced by DNA hypermethylation, which promotes the expression of KIF23, thereby regulating the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells. Interposing this process might be a novel approach in cancer therapy.