Validation of aspirin response-related transcripts in patients with coronary artery disease and preliminary investigation on CMTM5 function

Research insights into the chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTM): their roles in various tumors

The chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing (CMTM) family includes CMTM1-8 and CKLF, and they play key roles in the hematopoietic, immune, cardiovascular, and male reproductive systems, participating in the physiological functions, cancer, and other diseases associated with these systems. CMTM family members activate and chemoattract immune cells to affect the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells through a similar mechanism, the structural characteristics typical of chemokines and transmembrane 4 superfamily (TM4SF). In this review, we discuss each CMTM family member's chromosomal location, involved signaling pathways, expression patterns, and potential roles, and mechanisms of action in pancreatic, breast, gastric and liver cancers. Furthermore, we discuss several clinically applied tumor therapies targeted at the CMTM family, indicating that CMTM family members could be novel immune checkpoints and potential targets effective in tumor treatment.

Emerging role of exosome-derived non-coding RNAs in tumor-associated angiogenesis of tumor microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is an intricate ecosystem that is actively involved in various stages of cancer occurrence and development. Some characteristics of tumor biological behavior, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, inhibition of apoptosis, immune escape, angiogenesis, and metabolic reprogramming, are affected by TME. Studies have shown that non-coding RNAs, especially long-chain non-coding RNAs and microRNAs in cancer-derived exosomes, facilitate intercellular communication as a mechanism for regulating angiogenesis. They stimulate tumor growth, as well as angiogenesis, metastasis, and reprogramming of the TME. Exploring the relationship between exogenous non-coding RNAs and tumor-associated endothelial cells, as well as their role in angiogenesis, clinicians will gain new insights into treatment as a result.

Role of chemokine-like factor 1 as an inflammatory marker in diseases

Immunoinflammatory mechanisms have been incrementally found to be involved in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, with chemokines being the main drivers of immune cell infiltration in the inflammatory response. Chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1), a novel chemokine, is highly expressed in the human peripheral blood leukocytes and exerts broad-spectrum chemotactic and pro-proliferative effects by activating multiple downstream signaling pathways upon binding to its functional receptors. Furthermore, the relationship between CKLF1 overexpression and various systemic diseases has been demonstrated in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In this context, it is promising that clarifying the downstream mechanism of CKLF1 and identifying its upstream regulatory sites can yield new strategies for targeted therapeutics of immunoinflammatory diseases.

CMTM Family and Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers: A Comprehensive Review

Gastrointestinal tract cancers are a highly heterogeneous group of malignant diseases, contributing significantly to the burden of death worldwide. Chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family (CMTMs) plays important roles in cancer development and progression. Since the first member was cloned, there have been abundant studies on the relationships between the CMTM family and human cancers. It has been reported that the CMTM family has a large potential prognostic value for multiple cancers. Meanwhile, upregulated or downregulated expression of the family members was related to advanced tumor stage, metastasis, and overall survival. Studies have also reported that these proteins play critical roles in antitumor immunity. We performed a systematic review to sum up the latest advances of CMTM family’ roles in gastrointestinal tract cancers, with a primary focus on hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric carcinoma.

Impact of CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 6 (CMTM6) expression in gastric cancer

Background : CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 6 (CMTM6) is the master regulator of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). We aimed to clarify the significance of CMTM6 expression in gastric cancer (GC). Methods : A total of 105 patients who had undergone curative surgical resection for stage II / III GC at Tokushima University Hospital were included in this study. The expression of CMTM6 was examined by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, the relationship of each expression level to several prognostic factors was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results : CMTM6 was not positively correlated with any of the factors examined. The overall survival (OS) rates were significantly poorer in the CMTM6 high-expression group than in the CMTM low-expression group (5-year OS : 57.2% vs. 79.2%, respectively ; p < 0.05). Disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly poorer in the CMTM high-expression group than in the CMTM6 low-expression group (5-year DFS : 52.8% vs. 72.4%, respectively ; p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed CMTM6 expression as an independent prognostic factor in DFS (p < 0.05). CMTM6 expression tended to be correlated with PD-L1 expression (p = 0.07). Conclusions : CMTM6 is associated with a poor prognosis and immunotolerance through PD-L1 in GC. J. Med. Invest. 68 : 362-367, August, 2021.

Comprehensive analysis of the prognostic value of the chemokine-like factor-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing family in gastric cancer

Background

The chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing (CMTM) family refers to a family of transcriptional repressor genes. CMTMs are closely associated with the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms and development of multiple malignancies, including gastric cancer. However, their specific biological functions and prognostic values in gastric cancer have yet to be elucidated.

Methods

Tumor sample datasets were retrieved and analyzed using databases including Oncomine, STRING, GEPIA2, cBioportal, and Kaplan-Meier plotter. To investigate the prognostic role of CMTMs in gastric cancer, we applied unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis of CMTM gene expression patterns.

Results

While the mRNA levels of CMTM1/3/6/7/8 were upregulated in gastric cancer, CMTM2/4/5 showed no statistically significant difference at the mRNA level in patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, the mRNA expressions of different CMTMs exhibited strong correlations with various clinical parameters of patients with gastric cancer, including tumor stage, metastatic lymph node status, H. pylori status, and tumor grade. Also, the results suggested that elevated levels of CMTM3/5 mRNA had a significant association (P<0.05) with poor overall survival, progression-free survival, and post-progression survival. Conversely, elevated expression of CMTM2/4/6 mRNA had a significant association with better overall survival, progression-free survival, and post-progression survival. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis successfully identified 2 major clusters of patients as follows: signature #1: CMTM4/6/8 and signature #2: CMTM1/2/3/5/7. Signature #2 was closely correlated with poorer overall survival, which indicated that the expression pattern of the CMTM family could be a novel prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the expression levels of CMTM genes possibly have prognostic value as a biomarker of gastric cancer.

Development of a Bioinformatics Framework for Identification and Validation of Genomic Biomarkers and Key Immunopathology Processes and Controllers in Infectious and Non-infectious Severe Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Sepsis is defined as dysregulated host response caused by systemic infection, leading to organ failure. It is a life-threatening condition, often requiring admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). The causative agents and processes involved are multifactorial but are characterized by an overarching inflammatory response, sharing elements in common with severe inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) of non-infectious origin. Sepsis presents with a range of pathophysiological and genetic features which make clinical differentiation from SIRS very challenging. This may reflect a poor understanding of the key gene inter-activities and/or pathway associations underlying these disease processes. Improved understanding is critical for early differential recognition of sepsis and SIRS and to improve patient management and clinical outcomes. Judicious selection of gene biomarkers suitable for development of diagnostic tests/testing could make differentiation of sepsis and SIRS feasible. Here we describe a methodologic framework for the identification and validation of biomarkers in SIRS, sepsis and septic shock patients, using a 2-tier gene screening, artificial neural network (ANN) data mining technique, using previously published gene expression datasets. Eight key hub markers have been identified which may delineate distinct, core disease processes and which show potential for informing underlying immunological and pathological processes and thus patient stratification and treatment. These do not show sufficient fold change differences between the different disease states to be useful as primary diagnostic biomarkers, but are instrumental in identifying candidate pathways and other associated biomarkers for further exploration.

CMTM family proteins 1-8: roles in cancer biological processes and potential clinical value

The CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing (CMTM) family of genes comprises CKLF and CMTM1–8 (previously called chemokine-like factor superfamily 1–8, CKLFSF1–8). The CMTM family proteins contain a structurally conserved MAL and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane linking (MARVEL) domain. Dysregulated expression of multiple CMTM family members is a common feature in many human cancer types. CMTM proteins control critical biological processes in cancer development, including growth factor receptor activation and recycling, cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and immune evasion. Emerging in vivo and in vitro evidence indicates that the mechanisms of action of most CMTM proteins are complex and multifactorial. This review highlights new findings regarding the roles of CMTM1–8 in cancer, particularly in tumor growth, metastasis, and immune evasion. Additionally, the potential clinical value of CMTMs as novel drug targets or biomarkers is discussed.

Research Advances in CKLF-like MARVEL Transmembrane Domain-containing Family in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing member (CMTM) is a new gene family first cloned and reported in 2001. The CMTM family consists of nine members including CKLF and CMTM1-CMTM8, which are located on different chromosomes. Besides exhibiting extensive chemotactic activity, the CMTM family plays an important role in the hematopoiesis system, the immune system, the cardiovascular system and the male reproductive system. Recent in-depth research has also revealed that CMTM is closely associated with the genesis, development and metastasis of tumors, displaying opposing activities in diverse human tumors. In this review, we discuss the structural and functional characteristics of the CMTM family and summarize latest research findings of the relationship between several CMTM members and non-small cell lung cancer.