Angiogenin-mediated ribosomal RNA transcription as a molecular target for treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Phospholipid scramblase 1: a protein with multiple functions via multiple molecular interactors

Phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) is the most studied protein of the scramblase family. Originally, it was identified as a membrane protein involved in maintaining plasma membrane asymmetry. However, studies conducted over the past few years have shown the involvement of PLSCR1 in several other cellular pathways. Indeed, PLSCR1 is not only embedded in the plasma membrane but is also expressed in several intracellular compartments where it interacts with a diverse repertoire of effectors, mediators, and regulators contributing to distinct cellular processes. Although most PLSCR1 interactors are thought to be cell-type specific, PLSCR1 often exerts its regulatory functions through shared mechanisms, including the trafficking of different molecules within intracellular vesicles such as endosomes, liposomes, and phagosomes. Intriguingly, besides endogenous proteins, PLSCR1 was also reported to interact with exogenous viral proteins, thereby regulating viral uptake and spread. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge about the multiple roles of PLSCR1 in distinct cellular pathways.

Overexpression of angiogenic factors and matrix metalloproteinases in the saliva of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: potential non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers

Backgrounds

Salivary biomarkers hold huge potential for the non-invasive diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Angiogenic factors and matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) are highly expressed in OSCC tissue, but their expression patterns in the saliva are unknown. This study aimed to analyze the levels of angiogenic factors and MMPs in tumor tissue and saliva of OSCC patients.

Methods

OSCC-tissue, adjacent normal tissue (ANT), saliva from OSCC patients, and healthy controls were obtained. The expression patterns of angiogenic factors and MMPs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, protein chip array, and RT-qPCR.

Results

Results showed higher expression of ANG, ANG-2, HGF, PIGF, VEGF, MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-13, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in OSCC-tissues compared to the ANT. Among the overexpressed markers in OSCC-tissues, HGF, VEGF, PIGF, PDGF-BB, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-13, and TIMP-2 were significantly upregulated in the saliva of OSCC patients compared to healthy controls.

Conclusions

The levels of HGF, VEGF, PIGF, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-13, and TIMP-2 were upregulated both in OSCC tissue and saliva of OSCC patients. Bioinformatic analysis revealed the correlation of these factors with patient survival and cancer functional states in head and neck cancer, indicating these factors as possible saliva-based non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic markers and therapeutic targets of OSCC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09630-0.

Functional roles of the human ribonuclease A superfamily in RNA metabolism and membrane receptor biology

The human ribonuclease A (hRNase A) superfamily is comprised of 13 members of secretory RNases, most of which are recognized as catabolic enzymes for their ribonucleolytic activity to degrade ribonucleic acids (RNAs) in the extracellular space, where they play a role in innate host defense and physiological homeostasis. Interestingly, human RNases 9-13, which belong to a non-canonical subgroup of the hRNase A superfamily, are ribonucleolytic activity-deficient proteins with unclear biological functions. Moreover, accumulating evidence indicates that secretory RNases, such as human RNase 5, can be internalized into cells facilitated by membrane receptors like the epidermal growth factor receptor to regulate intracellular RNA species, in particular non-coding RNAs, and signaling pathways by either a ribonucleolytic activity-dependent or -independent manner. In this review, we summarize the classical role of hRNase A superfamily in the metabolism of extracellular and intracellular RNAs and update its non-classical function as a cognate ligand of membrane receptors. We further discuss the biological significance and translational potential of using secretory RNases as predictive biomarkers or therapeutic agents in certain human diseases and the pathological settings for future investigations.

Human Ribosomal RNA-Derived Resident MicroRNAs as the Transmitter of Information upon the Cytoplasmic Cancer Stress

Dysfunction of ribosome biogenesis induces divergent ribosome-related diseases including ribosomopathy and occasionally results in carcinogenesis. Although many defects in ribosome-related genes have been investigated, little is known about contribution of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in ribosome-related disorders. Meanwhile, microRNA (miRNA), an important regulator of gene expression, is derived from both coding and noncoding region of the genome and is implicated in various diseases. Therefore, we performed in silico analyses using M-fold, TargetScan, GeneCoDia3, and so forth to investigate RNA relationships between rRNA and miRNA against cellular stresses. We have previously shown that miRNA synergism is significantly correlated with disease and the miRNA package is implicated in memory for diseases; therefore, quantum Dynamic Nexus Score (DNS) was also calculated using MESer program. As a result, seventeen RNA sequences identical with known miRNAs were detected in the human rRNA and termed as rRNA-hosted miRNA analogs (rmiRNAs). Eleven of them were predicted to form stem-loop structures as pre-miRNAs, and especially one stem-loop was completely identical with hsa-pre-miR-3678 located in the non-rDNA region. Thus, these rmiRNAs showed significantly high DNS values, participation in regulation of cancer-related pathways, and interaction with nucleolar RNAs, suggesting that rmiRNAs may be stress-responsible resident miRNAs which transmit stress-tuning information in multiple levels.

Beyond the Ribosome: Extra-translational Functions of tRNA Fragments

High-throughput sequencing studies of small RNAs reveal a complex milieu of noncoding RNAs in biological samples. Early data analysis was often limited to microRNAs due to their regulatory nature and potential as biomarkers; however, many more classes of noncoding RNAs are now being recognized. A class of fragments initially excluded from analysis were those derived from transfer RNAs (tRNAs) because they were thought to be degradation products. More recently, critical cellular function has been attributed to tRNA fragments (tRFs), and their conservation across all domains of life has propelled them into an emerging area of scientific study. The biogenesis of tRFs is currently being elucidated, and initial studies show that a diverse array of tRFs are generated from all parts of a tRNA molecule. The goal of this review was to present what is currently known about tRFs and their potential as biomarkers for the earlier detection of disease.

Pharmacokinetics of neamine in rats and anti-cervical cancer activity in vitro and in vivo

OBJECTIVE

To study the pharmacokinetics of neamine in rats and to evaluate its anti-cervical cancer activity.

METHODS

The plasma level of neamine was determined by HPLC-ELSD. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using DAS 2.0 software. Tissue microarray analysis was conducted to examine angiogenin (ANG) expression in normal and cancerous cervical tissues and to determine its correlation with clinical and pathologic presentations of cervical cancers. The anti-cervical cancer activity of neamine was assessed both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

After intravenous (i.v.) administration of 15, 30, and 60 mg kg(-1) neamine, the pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: AUC(0-t), 9,398.0 ± 653.4, 19,235.2 ± 2,939.0, and 35,437.7 ± 3,772.2 mg L(-1) min; C max, 170.8 ± 13.1, 353.3 ± 15.8, and 464.0 ± 33.1 mg L(-1); T 1/2, 34.9 ± 4.1, 46.8 ± 5.1, and 58.0 ± 12.5 min, respectively. The bioavailability of neamine administered through intramuscular, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intragastric route was 14.0 ± 3.0, 8.4 ± 0.6, 6.5 ± 3.3, and 3.1 ± 0.2 %, respectively. Up-regulated ANG expression and increased nuclear translocation were observed in cervical cancers as compared to normal cervical tissues. Moreover, upregulation of ANG was positively correlated with primary tumor invasion. Neamine inhibited ANG-induced HUVEC and HeLa cell proliferation as well as nuclear translocation of ANG. Consistently, neamine inhibited both the establishment and progression of xenograft human cervical cancers in athymic mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The bioavailability of neamine administered through extravascular routes was low. The half-life of neamine through i.v. administration was short. This suggests that a higher dosing frequency in order to maintain a therapeutic effect. Neamine holds potential against cervical cancer. The mechanisms of neamine inhibition are through blocking nuclear translocation of ANG thereby inhibiting both angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation.

Neamine inhibits oral cancer progression by suppressing angiogenin-mediated angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation

BACKGROUND

Angiogenin undergoes nuclear translocation and stimulates ribosomal RNA transcription in both endothelial and cancer cells. Consequently, angiogenin has a dual effect on cancer progression by inducing both angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to assess whether neamine, a blocker of nuclear translocation of angiogenin, possesses antitumor activity toward oral cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antitumor effect of neamine on oral cancer cells was examined both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

Neamine inhibited the proliferation of HSC-2, but not that of SAS oral cancer cells in vitro. Treatment with neamine effectively inhibited growth of HSC-2 and SAS cell xenografts in athymic mice. Neamine treatment resulted in a significant decrease in tumor angiogenesis, accompanied by a decrease in angiogenin- and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cancer cells, especially of HSC-2 tumors.

CONCLUSION

Neamine effectively inhibits oral cancer progression through inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. Neamine also directly inhibits proliferation of certain types of oral cancer cells. Therefore, neamine has potential as a lead compound for oral cancer therapy.

The role of angiogenin in pT1-T2 tongue carcinoma neo-angiogenesis and cell proliferation: an exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Angiogenin (ANG) is a member of the ribonuclease superfamily and of medical interest largely because it supports the growth of primary and metastatic malignancies. This study is the first to investigate the potential role of ANG in tongue carcinoma neo-angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation.

METHODS

Angiogenin expression (in carcinoma cells and endothelial intratumor vessel cells), CD105-assessed micro-vessel density (MVD), and MIB-1 expression were correlated with prognostic parameters in 28 primarily consecutively operated pT1-T2 tongue carcinomas (squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]). Whenever feasible, a computer-based image analysis system was used for the immunohistochemical reaction analysis.

RESULTS

No significant correlations emerged between ANG expression in the tongue carcinoma cells or endothelial intratumor vessel cells and tongue SCC recurrence rate or disease-free survival (DFS). ANG expression was also unrelated to CD105-assessed MVD or MIB-1 expression. Conversely, CD105-assessed MVD correlated directly with recurrence rate (P = 0.02) and DFS was significantly shorter in cases with CD105-assessed MVD >167 micro-vessels/mm(2) than in those with CD105-assessed MVD ≤167 micro-vessels/mm(2) (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the hypothesis that CD105-assessed MVD would be a valuable parameter for predicting which patients with tongue SCC are at greatest risk of disease recurrence. Despite our study results, the role of ANG in tongue carcinoma warrants further investigation in larger series.