Evaluation of the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of non-coding RNA and cell proliferation related gene association in hepatocellular carcinoma

Histone Chaperones and Digestive Cancer: A Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

The global burden of digestive cancer is expected to increase. Therefore, crucial for the prognosis of patients with these tumors is to identify early diagnostic markers or novel therapeutic targets. There is accumulating evidence connecting histone chaperones to the pathogenesis of digestive cancer. Histone chaperones are now broadly defined as a class of proteins that bind histones and regulate nucleosome assembly. Recent studies have demonstrated that multiple histone chaperones are aberrantly expressed and have distinct roles in digestive cancers.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this review is to present the current evidence regarding the role of histone chaperones in digestive cancer, particularly their mechanism in the development and progression of esophageal, gastric, liver, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers. In addition, the prognostic significance of particular histone chaperones in patients with digestive cancer is discussed.

METHODS

According to PRISMA guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases to identify studies on histone chaperones and digestive cancer from inception until June 2022.

RESULTS

A total of 104 studies involving 21 histone chaperones were retrieved.

CONCLUSIONS

This review confirms the roles and mechanisms of selected histone chaperones in digestive cancer and suggests their significance as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. However, due to their non-specificity, more research on histone chaperones should be conducted in the future to elucidate novel strategies of histone chaperones for prognosis and treatment of digestive cancer.

Identification of Hypoxia-Related Prognostic Signature and Competing Endogenous RNA Regulatory Axes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of liver cancer and one of the highly lethal diseases worldwide. Hypoxia plays an important role in the development and prognosis of HCC. This study aimed to construct a new hypoxia-related prognosis signature and investigate its potential ceRNA axes in HCC. RNA profiles and hypoxia genes were downloaded, respectively, from the Cancer Genome Atlas hepatocellular carcinoma database and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis website. Cox regression analyses were performed to select the prognostic genes and construct the risk model. The ENCORI database was applied to build the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA prognosis-related network. The TIMER and CellMiner databases were employed to analyze the association of gene expression in ceRNA with immune infiltration and drug sensitivity, respectively. Finally, the co-expression analysis was carried out to construct the potential lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA regulatory axes. We obtained a prognostic signature including eight hypoxia genes (ENO2, KDELR3, PFKP, SLC2A1, PGF, PPFIA4, SAP30, and TKTL1) and further established a hypoxia-related prognostic ceRNA network including 17 lncRNAs, six miRNAs, and seven mRNAs for hepatocellular carcinoma. Then, the analysis of immune infiltration and drug sensitivity showed that gene expression in the ceRNA network was significantly correlated with the infiltration abundance of multiple immune cells, the expression level of immune checkpoints, and drug sensitivity. Finally, we identified three ceRNA regulatory axes (SNHG1/miR-101-3p/PPFIA4, SNHG1/miR-101-3p/SAP30, and SNHG1/miR-101-3p/TKTL1) associated with the progression of HCC under hypoxia. Here, we constructed a prognosis gene signature and a ceRNA network related to hypoxia for hepatocellular carcinoma. Among the ceRNA network, six highly expressed lncRNAs (AC005540.1, AC012146.1, AC073529.1, AC090772.3, AC138150.2, AL390728.6) and one highly expressed mRNA (PPFIA4) were the potential biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma which we firstly reported. The three predicted hypoxia-related regulatory axes may play a vital role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Accurate Identification of Degraded Products of Aflatoxin B1 Under UV Irradiation Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and NMR Analysis

Analysis, purification, and characterization of AFB₁ degraded products are vital steps for elucidation of the photocatalytic mechanism. In this report, the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique was first coupled with purification and NMR spectral approaches to analyze and characterize degraded products of AFB₁ photocatalyzed under UV irradiation. A total of seventeen degraded products were characterized based on the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis, in which seven ones (1-7) including four (stereo) isomers (1,2, 5, and 6) were purified and elucidated by NMR experiments. According to the structural features of AFB₁ and degraded products (1-7), the possible photocatalytic mechanisms were suggested. Furthermore, AFB₁ and degraded products (1-7) were evaluated against different cell lines. The results indicated that the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique combined with purification, NMR spectral experiments, and biological tests was an applicable integrated approach for analysis, characterization, and toxic evaluation of degraded products of AFB₁, which could be used to evaluate other mycotoxin degradation processes.

miR-34a-5p suppresses the invasion and metastasis of liver cancer by targeting the transcription factor YY1 to mediate MYCT1 upregulation

BACKGROUND

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to act as molecular biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis (including liver cancer) and to be involved in the development and progression of cancer and other physiological and pathological changes. However, the role of miR-34a-5p in liver cancer is still largely unknown.

METHODS

In our study, the expression of miR-34a-5p in liver cancer tissues and HCC cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. The CCK-8, scratch wound-healing motility and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the effect on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The expression of YY1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and vimentin was analysed by western blotting. The dual luciferase assay was performed to confirm whether YY1 is a target of miR-34a-5p. The combination of YY1 and MYCT1 was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay.

RESULTS

The results showed that miR-34a-5p was downregulated in liver cancer tissues and HCC cell lines. Overexpression of miR-34a-5p inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells. YY1 was a direct target of miR-34a-5p, and the expression of YY1 could reverse the influence of miR-34a-5p on the proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells. YY1 inhibited MYCT1 expression by directly binding to its promoter region, and knockdown of MYCT1 reversed the influence of miR-34a-5p on the proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that miR-34a-5p could inhibit the invasion and metastasis of hepatoma cells by targeting YY1-mediated MYCT1 transcriptional repression.

Can small nucleolar RNA be a novel molecular target for hepatocellular carcinoma?

BACKGROUND

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) was closely related to HCC.

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether snoRNA can be used as a molecular target for HCC.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for the published literatures related to snoRNA and HCC until August 12, 2019. After identification, screening, and verification, this study finally included 26 studies correlating small nucleolar RNA host gene (SNHG) and HCC, and 8 studies correlating snoRNA and HCC. Based on the collation of the relevant literature, the correlation network diagram between snoRNAs and HCC was constructed.

RESULTS

The SNHGs, such as SNHG1, SNHG6, SNHG16, and SNHG20 can play varied roles in HCC through different regulatory mechanisms. These SNHGs can promote and inhibit tumorigenesis. SNORD76 can promote the proliferation of tumor tissues and cells in vitro through different pathways. SnoU2_19 and SNORD76 can function through the same pathway. SNHG3, SNHG20, SNHG6, SNORD76, and snoRA47 can modulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to regulate the development of HCC cell or tissue. SNHG16, SNORD76, and SnoU2_19 can regulate the development of HCC through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

snoRNA can regulate the occurrence of HCC by modulating multiple molecular signaling pathways. Hence, snoRNA can be a potential molecular target for HCC.