COMMD7 Regulates NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stem-like Cells

COMMD10 inhibited DNA damage to promote the progression of gastric cancer

PURPOSE

The copper metabolism MURR1 domain 10 (COMMD10) plays a role in a variety of tumors. Here, we investigated its role in gastric cancer (GC).

METHODS

Online prediction tools, quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the expression of COMMD10 in GC. The effect of COMMD10 knockdown was investigated in the GC cell lines and in in vivo xenograft tumor experiments. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to explore the relationships between COMMD10 and DNA damage.

RESULTS

The expression of COMMD10 was upregulated in GC compared to that in para-cancerous tissue and correlated with a higher clinical TNM stage (P = 0.044) and tumor size (P = 0.0366). High COMMD10 expression predicted poor prognosis in GC. Knockdown of COMMD10 resulted in the suppression of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, accompanied by cell cycle arrest and an elevation in apoptosis rate. Moreover, the protein expression of COMMD10 was decreased in cisplatin-induced DNA-damaged GC cells. Suppression of COMMD10 impeded DNA damage repair, intensified DNA damage, and activated ATM-p53 signaling pathway in GC. Conversely, restoration of COMMD10 levels suppressed DNA damage and activation of the ATM-p53 signaling cascade. Additionally, knockdown of COMMD10 significantly restrained the growth of GC xenograft tumors while inhibiting DNA repair, augmenting DNA damage, and activating the ATM-p53 signaling pathway in xenograft tumor tissue.

CONCLUSION

COMMD10 is involved in DNA damage repair and maintains genomic stability in GC; knockdown of COMMD10 impedes the development of GC by exacerbating DNA damage, suggesting that COMMD10 may be new target for GC therapy.

Decoding Gastric Cancer: Machine Learning Insights Into the Significance of COMMDs Family in Immunotherapy and Diagnosis

Copper, an indispensable trace element for the human body, serves not only as a crucial auxiliary factor in redox reactions within the organism but also as a significant constituent of numerous key metabolic enzymes. The COMMD family plays a vital role in regulating copper at both the cellular and systemic levels, particularly in the realm of tumor research, an area notably deficient in gastric cancer investigations. With the advancement of precision medical techniques, individualized and precise screening and treatment have become paramount considerations in the contemporary medical landscape for gastric cancer therapy. In light of this, we meticulously scrutinized existing transcriptomic datasets for gastric cancer, validating the expression levels and prognostic value of COMMD family genes. Simultaneously, employing the ssGSEA algorithm, we devised the COMMDs score. Enrichment analysis, gene mutations, and clinical features were incorporated into the assessment of this score. Furthermore, we contextualized the COMMDs score within the framework of the immune microenvironment, evaluating the relationship between the COMMDs family and immune factors as well as immune cells. The results suggest a correlation between the COMMDs score and various immune-related features. Based on this foundation, multiple machine learning approaches indicated Logistic Regression, with a remarkable ROC of 0.972, as the optimal diagnostic model. To accentuate the translational medical value of the COMMDs family, we selected COMMD10 as a differential gene in gastric cancer for further validation. Functional experiments revealed a decline in the proliferative and migratory capabilities of gastric cancer cells upon silencing COMMD10. Additionally, through pathway intervention, we unveiled the PI3K-AKT pathway as a potential mechanism through which COMMD10 influences gastric cancer activity. In summary, our study affirms the prospective role of the COMMDs family as potential markers for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer in the future.

SUMOylation controls Hu antigen R posttranscriptional activity in liver cancer

The posttranslational modification of proteins critically influences many biological processes and is a key mechanism that regulates the function of the RNA-binding protein Hu antigen R (HuR), a hub in liver cancer. Here, we show that HuR is SUMOylated in the tumor sections of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in contrast to the surrounding tissue, as well as in human cell line and mouse models of the disease. SUMOylation of HuR promotes major cancer hallmarks, namely proliferation and invasion, whereas the absence of HuR SUMOylation results in a senescent phenotype with dysfunctional mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Mechanistically, SUMOylation induces a structural rearrangement of the RNA recognition motifs that modulates HuR binding affinity to its target RNAs, further modifying the transcriptomic profile toward hepatic tumor progression. Overall, SUMOylation constitutes a mechanism of HuR regulation that could be potentially exploited as a therapeutic strategy for liver cancer.

Targeting the COMMD4-H2B protein complex in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 85-90% of all lung cancers. Identification of novel therapeutic targets are required as drug resistance impairs chemotherapy effectiveness. COMMD4 is a potential NSCLC therapeutic target. The aims of this study were to investigate the COMMD4-H2B binding pose and develop a short H2B peptide that disrupts the COMMD4-H2B interaction and mimics COMMD4 siRNA depletion.

METHODS

Molecular modelling, in vitro binding and site-directed mutagenesis were used to identify the COMMD4-H2B binding pose and develop a H2B peptide to inhibit the COMMD4-H2B interaction. Cell viability, DNA repair and mitotic catastrophe assays were performed to determine whether this peptide can specially kill NSCLC cells.

RESULTS

Based on the COMMD4-H2B binding pose, we have identified a H2B peptide that inhibits COMMD4-H2B by directly binding to COMMD4 on its H2B binding binding site, both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of NSCLC cell lines with this peptide resulted in increased sensitivity to ionising radiation, increased DNA double-strand breaks and induction of mitotic catastrophe in NSCLC cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data shows that COMMD4-H2B represents a novel potential NSCLC therapeutic target.

Multifaceted role of NF-κB in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy: Molecular landscape, therapeutic compounds and nanomaterial approaches

The predominant kind of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that its treatment have been troublesome difficulties for physicians due to aggressive behavior of tumor cells in proliferation and metastasis. Moreover, stemness of HCC cells can result in tumor recurrence and angiogenesis occurs. Another problem is development of resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in HCC cells. Genomic mutations participate in malignant behavior of HCC and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) has been one of the oncogenic factors in different human cancers that after nuclear translocation, it binds to promoter of genes in regulating their expression. Overexpression of NF-κB has been well-documented in increasing proliferation and invasion of tumor cells and notably, when its expression enhances, it induces chemoresistance and radio-resistance. Highlighting function of NF-κB in HCC can shed some light on the pathways regulating progression of tumor cells. The first aspect is proliferation acceleration and apoptosis inhibition in HCC cells mediated by enhancement in expression level of NF-κB. Moreover, NF-κB is able to enhance invasion of HCC cells via upregulation of MMPs and EMT, and it triggers angiogenesis as another step for increasing spread of tumor cells in tissues and organs. When NF-κB expression enhances, it stimulates chemoresistance and radio-resistance in HCC cells and by increasing stemness and population of cancer-stem cells, it can provide the way for recurrence of tumor. Overexpression of NF-κB mediates therapy resistance in HCC cells and it can be regulated by non-coding RNAs in HCC. Moreover, inhibition of NF-κB by anti-cancer and epigenetic drugs suppresses HCC tumorigenesis. More importantly, nanoparticles are considered for suppressing NF-κB axis in cancer and their prospectives and results can also be utilized for treatment of HCC. Nanomaterials are promising factors in treatment of HCC and by delivery of genes and drugs, they suppress HCC progression. Furthermore, nanomaterials provide phototherapy in HCC ablation.

Structure of the endosomal Commander complex linked to Ritscher-Schinzel syndrome

The Commander complex is required for endosomal recycling of diverse transmembrane cargos and is mutated in Ritscher-Schinzel syndrome. It comprises two sub-assemblies: Retriever composed of VPS35L, VPS26C, and VPS29; and the CCC complex which contains twelve subunits: COMMD1-COMMD10 and the coiled-coil domain-containing (CCDC) proteins CCDC22 and CCDC93. Combining X-ray crystallography, electron cryomicroscopy, and in silico predictions, we have assembled a complete structural model of Commander. Retriever is distantly related to the endosomal Retromer complex but has unique features preventing the shared VPS29 subunit from interacting with Retromer-associated factors. The COMMD proteins form a distinctive hetero-decameric ring stabilized by extensive interactions with CCDC22 and CCDC93. These adopt a coiled-coil structure that connects the CCC and Retriever assemblies and recruits a 16th subunit, DENND10, to form the complete Commander complex. The structure allows mapping of disease-causing mutations and reveals the molecular features required for the function of this evolutionarily conserved trafficking machinery.

COMMD proteins function and their regulating roles in tumors

The COMMD proteins are a highly conserved protein family with ten members that play a crucial role in a variety of biological activities, including copper metabolism, endosomal sorting, ion transport, and other processes. Recent research have demonstrated that the COMMD proteins are closely associated with a wide range of disorders, such as hepatitis, myocardial ischemia, cerebral ischemia, HIV infection, and cancer. Among these, the role of COMMD proteins in tumors has been thoroughly explored; they promote or inhibit cancers such as lung cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, and prostate cancer. COMMD proteins can influence tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis, which are strongly related to the prognosis of tumors and are possible therapeutic targets for treating tumors. In terms of molecular mechanism, COMMD proteins in tumor cells regulate the oncogenes of NF-κB, HIF, c-MYC, and others, and are related to signaling pathways including apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. For the clinical diagnosis and therapy of malignancies, additional research into the involvement of COMMD proteins in cancer is beneficial.

Comprehensive analysis of COMMD10 as a novel prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer

Background

COMMD10 has an important role in the development of certain tumors, but its relevance to gastric cancer (GC) is unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference of COMMD10 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma (STAD) and analyze the correlation between COMMD10 expression and prognosis of STAD patients.

Methods

The expression levels of COMMD10 between STAD and normal tissues were explored using the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In addition, the expression of COMMD10 in GC was further validated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, qRT-PCR and Western blot. Dot blot experiments were used for exploring m6A expression levels in tissues with high and low COMMD10 expression. Kaplan-Meier analysis and COX regression analysis were used to explore the relationship between COMMD10 and STAD prognosis. A nomogram was constructed to predict the survival probability of STAD patients. GO and KEGG functional enrichment of COMMD10-related genes were performed. The Corrlot software package was used to analyze the correlation between COMMD10 expression levels and m6A modifications in STAD. An analysis of immune infiltration based on the CIBERSOFT and the single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) method was performed.

Results

COMMD10 expression was significantly associated with multiple cancers, including STAD in TCGA. COMMD10 expression was elevated in STAD cancer tissues compared to paracancerous tissues. COMMD10 upregulation was associated with poorer overall survival (OS), clinical stage, N stage, and primary treatment outcome in STAD. Functional enrichment of COMMD10-related genes was mainly involved in biological processes such as RNA localization, RNA splicing, RNA transport, mRNA surveillance pathways, and spliceosomes. The dot blot experiment showed that m6A levels were higher in cancer tissues with high COMMD10 expression compared with paracancerous tissues. COMMD10 was significantly correlated with most m6A-related genes. COMMD10 was involved in STAD immune cells infiltration, correlated with macrophage cells expression.

Conclusion

High COMMD10 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in STAD patients, and its functional realization was related to m6A modification. COMMD10 involved in STAD immune infiltration.

Multi-omics analysis of the oncogenic value of copper Metabolism-Related protein COMMD2 in human cancers

BACKGROUND

The copper metabolism MURR1 domain (COMMD) protein family is involved in tumorigenicity of malignant tumors. However, as the member of COMMD, the role of COMMD2 in human tumors remains unknown.

METHODS

We used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx), Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database, Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) platform, univariate Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier curve, cBioPortal, UALCAN database, Sangerbox online platform, GSCA database gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and GeneMANIA to analyze the expression of COMMD2, its prognostic values, genomic alteration patterns, and the correlation with tumor stemness, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and immune infiltrates, drug sensitivity, and gene function enrichment in pan-cancer. qRT-PCR, CCK-8, EdU, wound healing, and transwell migration assays were performed to confirm the function of COMMD2.

RESULTS

COMMD2 was strongly expressed in most cancer types. Elevated COMMD2 expression affects the prognosis, clinicopathological stage, and molecular or immune subtypes of various tumors. Moreover, promoter hypomethylation and mutations in the COMMD2 gene may be associated with its high expression and poor survival. Additionally, we discovered that COMMD2 expression was linked to tumor stemness, TMB, MSI, immune cell infiltration, immune-checkpoint inhibitors, and drug sensitivity in pan-cancer. Furthermore, the COMMD2 gene co-expression network is constructed with GSEA analysis, displaying significant interaction of COMMD2 with E2F targets, G2-M checkpoint, and mitotic spindle in bladder cancer (BLCA). Finally, RNA interference data showed suppression of COMMD2 prevented proliferation and migration of BLCA and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings shed light on the COMMD2 functions in human cancers and demonstrate that it is a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in pan-cancer.

Serum Proteomics Uncovers Biomarkers of Clinical Portal Hypertension in Children With Biliary Atresia

Children with biliary atresia (BA) often develop portal hypertension (PHT) and its complications, which are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to identify serum biomarkers of PHT by using large-scale proteomics. We applied the slow off-rate modified aptamer scan (SOMAscan) to measure 1,305 proteins in serum samples of children with BA with and without clinical evidence of PHT in validation and discovery cohorts enrolled in the Biliary Atresia Study of Infants and Children. Serum proteomics data was analyzed using logistic regression to identify protein(s) with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) ≥ 0.90. Immunostaining was used to characterize the cellular localization of the new biomarker proteins in liver tissues. We identified nine proteins in the discovery cohort (n = 40 subjects) and five proteins in the validation cohort (n = 80 subjects) that individually or in combination predicted clinical PHT with AUROCs ≥ 0.90. Merging the two cohorts, we found that semaphorin 6B (SEMA6B) alone and three other protein combinations (SEMA6B+secreted frizzle protein 3 [SFRP3], SEMA6B+COMM domain containing 7 [COMMD7], and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 [VCAM1]+BMX nonreceptor tyrosine kinase [BMX]) had AUROCs ≥ 0.90 in both cohorts, with high positive- and negative-predictive values. Immunostaining of the new protein biomarkers showed increased expression in hepatic endothelial cells, cholangiocytes, and immune cells within portal triads in BA livers with clinical PHT compared to healthy livers. Conclusion: Large-scale proteomics identified SEMA6B, SFRP3, COMMD7, BMX, and VCAM1 as biomarkers highly associated with clinical PHT in BA. The expression of the biomarkers in hepatic epithelial, endothelial, and immune cells support their potential role in the pathophysiology of PHT.

COMMD2 Upregulation Mediated by an ncRNA Axis Correlates With an Unfavorable Prognosis and Tumor Immune Infiltration in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) seriously endangers the health and quality of life of individuals worldwide. Increasing evidence has underscored that the copper metabolism MURR1 domain (COMMD) family plays important roles in tumorigenesis. However, the specific role, biological function, mechanism and prognostic value of COMMD2 and its correlation with immune cell infiltration in LIHC remain unknown. In this study, we first determined the expression and prognostic potential of COMMD2 in human tumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and identified COMMD2 as a potential oncogene in LIHC. High COMMD2 expression was associated with pathological tumor stage and metastasis. Subsequently, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) upregulating COMMD2 expression were identified by performing expression, correlation, and survival analyses in combination. The CRNDE/LINC00511/SNHG17/HCG18-miR-29c-3p axis was identified as the most likely ncRNA-associated pathway upstream of COMMD2 in LIHC. Next, the expression profiles of COMMD2 and ncRNAs were validated in LIHC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, COMMD2 was significantly positively correlated with tumor immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoint molecule expression. Importantly, COMMD2 potentially influenced prognosis by regulating immune cell infiltration in LIHC. Finally, COMMD2 was knocked down in LIHC cell lines using siRNAs for functional assays in vitro, resulting in suppressed cell proliferation and migration. In summary, our findings showed that the ncRNA-mediated upregulation of COMMD2 was associated with an unfavorable prognosis correlated with immune cell infiltration in LIHC.

Linc00852 from cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer cell-derived exosomes regulates COMMD7 to promote cisplatin resistance of recipient cells through microRNA-514a-5p

OBJECTIVE

Cisplatin (DDP)-based chemotherapy is commonly referred to as advanced gastric cancer (GC). The purpose of this study was to unravel whether Linc00852 from DDP-resistant tumor cell-derived exosomes (Exos) promotes DDP resistance of GC cells.

METHODS

Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of Linc00852, miR-514a-5p, COMM domain protein 7 (COMMD7) mRNA, Bax mRNA, and Bcl-2 mRNA. Western blot was used to measure the expression of COMMD7 protein. The IC50 value of DDP is determined by MTT assay. The cell proliferation ability was measured by colony formation test. The apoptosis ability was measured by flow cytometry. The interaction between Linc00852, miR-514a-5p, and COMMD7 was confirmed by luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. Xenograft tumor model was used to study the effect of Linc00852 on DDP resistance in vivo.

RESULTS

Linc00852 was up-regulated in DDP-resistant GC cells and their secreted exosomes. Down-regulating Linc00852 facilitated the sensitivity of DDP-resistant GC cells to DDP. Linc00852 bound to miR-514a-5p and COMMD7 was a target of miR-514a-5p. Linc00852 could regulate COMMD7 expression via targeting miR-514a-5p. Exosomes from DDP-resistant GC cells enhanced the resistance of recipient GC cells to DDP via exosomal delivery of Linc00852. Depletion of Linc00852 repressed the growth and DDP resistance of GC cells in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Linc00852 from DDP-resistant tumor cell-derived Exos regulates COMMD7 to promote drug resistance of GC cells through miR-514a-5p.

Commander Complex-A Multifaceted Operator in Intracellular Signaling and Cargo

Commander complex is a 16-protein complex that plays multiple roles in various intracellular events in endosomal cargo and in the regulation of cell homeostasis, cell cycle and immune response. It consists of COMMD1-10, CCDC22, CCDC93, DENND10, VPS26C, VPS29, and VPS35L. These proteins are expressed ubiquitously in the human body, and they have been linked to diseases including Wilson's disease, atherosclerosis, and several types of cancer. In this review we describe the function of the commander complex in endosomal cargo and summarize the individual known roles of COMMD proteins in cell signaling and cancer. It becomes evident that commander complex might be a much more important player in intracellular regulation than we currently understand, and more systematic research on the role of commander complex is required.

Transcriptional analysis of the expression, prognostic value and immune infiltration activities of the COMMD protein family in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The copper metabolism MURR1 domain (COMMD) protein family involved in tumor development and progression in several types of human cancer, but little is known about the function of COMMD proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

The ONCOMINE and the UALCAN databases were used to evaluate the expression of COMMD1-10 in HCC and the association of this family with individual cancer stage and tumor grade. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) Plotter and Cox analysis hint the prognostic value of COMMDs. A network comprising 50 most similar genes and COMMD1-10 was constructed with the STRING database. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using LinkedOmics database. The correlations between COMMD expression and the presence of immune infiltrating cells were also analyzed by the tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) database. GSE14520 dataset and 80 HCC patients were used to validated the expression and survival value of COMMD3. Human HCC cell lines were also used for validating the function of COMMD3.

RESULTS

The expression of all COMMD family members showed higher expression in HCC tissues than that in normal tissues, and is associated with clinical cancer stage and pathological tumor grade. In HCC patients, the transcriptional levels of COMMD1/4 are positively correlated with overall survival (OS), while those of COMMD2/3/7/8/9 are negatively correlated with OS. Multivariate analysis indicated that a high level of COMMD3 mRNA is an independent prognostic factor for shorter OS in HCC patients. However, the subset of patients with grade 3 HCC, K-M survival curves revealed that high COMMD3/5/7/8/9 expression and low COMMD4/10 expression were associated with shorter OS. In addition, the expression of COMMD2/3/10 was associated with tumor-induced immune response activation and immune infiltration in HCC. The expression of COMMD3 from GSE14520 dataset and 80 patients are both higher in tumor than that in normal tissue, and a higher level of COMMD3 mRNA is associated with shorter OS. Knockdown of COMMD3 inhibits human HCC cell lines proliferation in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicates that COMMD3 is an independent prognostic biomarker for the survival of HCC patients. COMMD3 supports the proliferation of HCC cells and contributes to the poor OS in HCC patients.

HOXB7 Overexpression Leads Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells to a Less Aggressive Phenotype

HOX genes appear to play a role in breast cancer progression in a molecular subtype-dependent way. The altered expression of HOXB7, for example, was reported to promote breast cancer progression in specific subtypes. Here we induced HOXB7 overexpression in MDA-MB-231 cells, a cellular model of the Triple-Negative breast cancer molecular subtype, and evaluated the phenotypic changes in cell viability, morphogenesis, migration, invasion, and colony formation. During the phenotypic characterization of the HOXB7-overexpressing cells, we consistently found less aggressive behavior represented by lower cell viability, inhibition of cell migration, invasion, and attachment-independent colony formation capacities added to the more compact and organized spheroid growth in 3D cultures. We then evaluated the expression of putative downstream targets and their direct binding to HOXB7 comparing ChIP-qPCR data generated from HOXB7-overexpressing cells and controls. In the manipulated cells, we found enriched biding of HOXB7 to CTNNB1, EGFR, FGF2, CDH1, DNMT3B, TGFB2, and COMMD7. Taken together, these results highlight the plasticity of the HOXB7 function in breast cancer, according to the cellular genetic background and expression levels, and provide evidence that in Triple-Negative breast cancer cells, HOXB7 overexpression has the potential to promote less aggressive phenotypes.

High expression of COMMD7 is an adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a frequent malignancy in adults worldwide; identifying preferable biomarkers has become one of the current challenges. Given that COMMD7 has been reported associated with tumor progression in various human solid cancers but rarely reported in AML, herein, RNA sequencing data from TCGA and GTEx were obtained for analysis of COMMD7 expression and differentially expressed gene (DEG). Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis of COMMD7-related DEGs was performed by GO/KEGG, GSEA, immune cell infiltration analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In addition, the clinical significance of COMMD7 in AML was figured out by Kaplan-Meier Cox regression and prognostic nomogram model. R package was used to analyze incorporated studies. As a result, COMMD7 was highly expressed in various malignancies, including AML, compared with normal samples. Moreover, high expression of COMMD7 was associated with poor prognosis in 151 AML samples, as well as subgroups with age >60, NPM1 mutation-positive, FLT3 mutation-negative, and DNMT3A mutation-negative, et al. (P < 0.05). High COMMD7 was an independent prognostic factor in Cox regression analysis; Age and cytogenetics risk were included in the nomogram prognostic model. Furthermore, a total of 529 DEGs were identified between the high- and the low- expression group, of which 92 genes were up-regulated and 437 genes were down-regulated. Collectively, high expression of COMMD7 is a potential biomarker for adverse outcomes in AML. The DEGs and pathways recognized in the study provide a preliminary grasp of the underlying molecular mechanisms of AML carcinogenesis and progression.

Evaluation of relationship between DNA methyltransferase 3 β gene and the risk of hip osteoarthritis: A case-control study based on a Han Chinese population

AIM

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease. Early studies have indicated that genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk of OA. However, the etiology of OA remains unknown. Our study aimed to evaluate the association of DNMT3B gene with the risk of hip OA in Han Chinese individuals.

METHODS

A total of 2070 subjects were recruited into the study, including 658 patients with hip OA and 1412 healthy controls. Twelve tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected and genotyped in our samples. Genetic associations between DNMT3B gene and the risk of hip OA were examined at both the single marker and haplotype levels. Cis-expression quantitative trait loci signals that achieve genome-wide significance of targeted SNPs from multiple types of human tissues were extracted from the GTEx database.

RESULTS

Significant signals were identified for SNP rs2424905 in 4 genetic models. The T allele was significantly associated with an increased risk of hip OA (odds ratio = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.28-1.83). The T allele was also significantly associated with higher Kellgren-Lawrence grade in the patients with hip OA (χ2  = 32.70, P = 1.37 × 10-6 ). Moreover, SNP rs2424905 was significantly associated with the gene expression level of multiple genes, including DNMT3B, C20orf203, COMMD7, EFCAB8, MAPRE1, and RP5-1085F17.3, from several types of human tissues.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that rs2424905 of DNMT3B gene contributed to the risk of hip OA and its clinical severity in a Han Chinese population. These findings suggested that rs2424905 of DNMT3B could be a promising genetic marker to assess susceptibility to hip OA in Han Chinese populations.

Defining COMMD4 as an anti-cancer therapeutic target and prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) account for 85–90% of all lung cancers. As drug resistance critically impairs chemotherapy effectiveness, there is great need to identify new therapeutic targets. The aims of this study were to investigate the prognostic and therapeutic potential of the copper-metabolism-domain-protein, COMMD4, in NSCLC.

Methods

The expression of COMMD4 in NSCLC was investigated using bioinformatic analysis, immunoblotting of immortalised human bronchial epithelial (HBEC) and NSCLC cell lines, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry of tissue microarrays. COMMD4 function was additionally investigated in HBEC and NSCLC cells depleted of COMMD4, using small interfering RNA sequences.

Results

Bioinformatic analysis and in vitro analysis of COMMD4 transcripts showed that COMMD4 levels were upregulated in NSCLC and elevated COMMD4 was associated with poor prognosis in adenocarcinoma (ADC). Immunoblotting demonstrated that COMMD4 expression was upregulated in NSCLC cells and siRNA-depletion of COMMD4, decreased cell proliferation and reduced cell viability. Cell death was further enhanced after exposure to DNA damaging agents. COMMD4 depletion caused NSCLC cells to undergo mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that COMMD4 may function as a prognostic factor in ADC NSCLC. Additionally, COMMD4 is a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC, as its depletion induces cancer cell death.

PIAS4, upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, promotes tumorigenicity and metastasis

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT4 (PIAS4) protein has been implicated in regulating various biological activities including protein posttranslational modification, such as SUMOylation. In this study, we explored the roles of PIAS4 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We analyzed the PIAS4 expression in cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues from 38 HCC patients and its correlation with patients' prognosis. In vitro, PIAS4 was overexpressed or knockdowned in Huh-7 and HepG-2 cells. Then Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay were performed to assess cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, respectively. Furthermore, SUMOylation of AMPKα and NEMO mediated by PIAS4 was investigated. The results showed that the PIAS4 expression was significantly upregulated in cancer tissues and was correlated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. PIAS4 silencing blocked the SUMOylation of AMPKα and NEMO, leading to enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, inhibition of AMPKα or NEMO by siRNAs attenuated the effect of PIAS4 silencing on Huh-7 and HepG-2 cells. In summary, our findings suggest that PIAS4 promotes tumorigenicity and metastasis of HCC cells by promoting the SUMOylation of AMPKα and NEMO.

Prognosis and modulation mechanisms of COMMD6 in human tumours based on expression profiling and comprehensive bioinformatics analysis

Background

The Copper Metabolism MURR1 (COMM) domain family has been reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis. As a prototype for the COMMD family, the expression pattern and biological function of COMMD6 in human tumours remain unknown.

Methods

COMMD6 expression in BALB/c mice and human tissues was examined using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Kaplan–Meier analysis was applied to evaluate the prognosis of COMMD6 in tumours. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) and transcriptional regulation network were constructed based on differentially expressed mRNAs, microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs from the cancer genome atlas database. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were used to explore the bioinformatics implication.

Results

COMMD6 expression was widely observed in BALB/c mice and human tissues, which predicted prognosis of cancer patients. Furthermore, we shed light on the underlying tumour promoting role and mechanism of COMMD6 by constructing a TEX41-miR-340-COMMD6 ceRNA network in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and miR-218-CDX1-COMMD6 transcriptional network in cholangiocarcinoma. In addition, COMMD6 may modulate the ubiquitination and degradation of NF-κB subunits and regulate ribonucleoprotein and spliceosome complex biogenesis in tumours.

Conclusions

This study may help to elucidate the functions and mechanisms of COMMD6 in human tumours, providing a potential biomarker for tumour prevention and therapy.

Context-Dependent Role of NF-κB Signaling in Primary Liver Cancer-from Tumor Development to Therapeutic Implications

Chronic inflammatory cell death is a major risk factor for the development of diverse cancers including liver cancer. Herein, disruption of the hepatic microenvironment as well as the immune cell composition are major determinants of malignant transformation and progression in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Considerable research efforts have focused on the identification of predisposing factors that promote induction of an oncogenic field effect within the inflammatory liver microenvironment. Among the most prominent factors involved in this so-called inflammation-fibrosis-cancer axis is the NF-κB pathway. The dominant role of this pathway for malignant transformation and progression in HCC is well documented. Pathway activation is significantly linked to poor prognostic traits as well as stemness characteristics, which places modulation of NF-κB signaling in the focus of therapeutic interventions. However, it is well recognized that the mechanistic importance of the pathway for HCC is highly context and cell type dependent. While constitutive pathway activation in an inflammatory etiological background can significantly promote HCC development and progression, absence of NF-κB signaling in differentiated liver cells also significantly enhances liver cancer development. Thus, therapeutic targeting of NF-κB as well as associated family members may not only exert beneficial effects but also negatively impact viability of healthy hepatocytes and/or cholangiocytes, respectively. The review presented here aims to decipher the complexity and paradoxical functions of NF-κB signaling in primary liver and non-parenchymal cells, as well as the induced molecular alterations that drive HCC development and progression with a particular focus on (immune-) therapeutic interventions.

Silver Ions as a Tool for Understanding Different Aspects of Copper Metabolism

In humans, copper is an important micronutrient because it is a cofactor of ubiquitous and brain-specific cuproenzymes, as well as a secondary messenger. Failure of the mechanisms supporting copper balance leads to the development of neurodegenerative, oncological, and other severe disorders, whose treatment requires a detailed understanding of copper metabolism. In the body, bioavailable copper exists in two stable oxidation states, Cu(I) and Cu(II), both of which are highly toxic. The toxicity of copper ions is usually overcome by coordinating them with a wide range of ligands. These include the active cuproenzyme centers, copper-binding protein motifs to ensure the safe delivery of copper to its physiological location, and participants in the Cu(I) ↔ Cu(II) redox cycle, in which cellular copper is stored. The use of modern experimental approaches has allowed the overall picture of copper turnover in the cells and the organism to be clarified. However, many aspects of this process remain poorly understood. Some of them can be found out using abiogenic silver ions (Ag(I)), which are isoelectronic to Cu(I). This review covers the physicochemical principles of the ability of Ag(I) to substitute for copper ions in transport proteins and cuproenzyme active sites, the effectiveness of using Ag(I) to study copper routes in the cells and the body, and the limitations associated with Ag(I) remaining stable in only one oxidation state. The use of Ag(I) to restrict copper transport to tumors and the consequences of large-scale use of silver nanoparticles for human health are also discussed.