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Asante DB, Tierno D, Woode M, Scaggiante B. Angiogenesis and Ovarian Cancer: What Potential Do Different Subtypes of Circulating Endothelial Cells Have for Clinical Application? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6283. [PMID: 38892471 PMCID: PMC11172689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) remains the most fatal disease of gynaecologic malignant tumours. The neovasculature in the tumour microenvironment principally comprises endothelial cells. Haematogenous cancer metastases are significantly impacted by tumour neovascularisation, which predominantly depends on the tumour-derived endothelial vasculogenesis. There is an urgent need for biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of drug response. Endothelial cells play a key role in angiogenesis and other forms of tumour vascularisation. Subtypes of circulating endothelial cells may provide interesting non-invasive biomarkers of advanced OC that might have the potential to be included in clinical analysis for patients' stratification and therapeutic management. In this review, we summarise the reported studies on circulating endothelial subtypes in OC, detailing their isolation methods as well as their potential diagnostic, prognostic, predictive and therapeutic utility for clinical application. We highlight key biomarkers for the identification of circulating endothelial cell subtypes and their targets for therapies and critically point out future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Du-Bois Asante
- Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast P.O. Box CCLN 33, Ghana; (D.-B.A.); (M.W.)
| | - Domenico Tierno
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 447, I-34149 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Michael Woode
- Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast P.O. Box CCLN 33, Ghana; (D.-B.A.); (M.W.)
| | - Bruna Scaggiante
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Valerio 28, I-34127 Trieste, Italy
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2
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Marrone L, Romano S, Malasomma C, Di Giacomo V, Cerullo A, Abate R, Vecchione MA, Fratantonio D, Romano MF. Metabolic vulnerability of cancer stem cells and their niche. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1375993. [PMID: 38659591 PMCID: PMC11039812 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1375993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSC) are the leading cause of the failure of anti-tumor treatments. These aggressive cancer cells are preserved and sustained by adjacent cells forming a specialized microenvironment, termed niche, among which tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are critical players. The cycle of tricarboxylic acids, fatty acid oxidation path, and electron transport chain have been proven to play central roles in the development and maintenance of CSCs and TAMs. By improving their oxidative metabolism, cancer cells are able to extract more energy from nutrients, which allows them to survive in nutritionally defective environments. Because mitochondria are crucial bioenergetic hubs and sites of these metabolic pathways, major hopes are posed for drugs targeting mitochondria. A wide range of medications targeting mitochondria, electron transport chain complexes, or oxidative enzymes are currently investigated in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials against hard-to-treat tumors. This review article aims to highlight recent literature on the metabolic adaptations of CSCs and their supporting macrophages. A focus is provided on the resistance and dormancy behaviors that give CSCs a selection advantage and quiescence capacity in particularly hostile microenvironments and the role of TAMs in supporting these attitudes. The article also describes medicaments that have demonstrated a robust ability to disrupt core oxidative metabolism in preclinical cancer studies and are currently being tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marrone
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Malasomma
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria Di Giacomo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Cerullo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosetta Abate
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Deborah Fratantonio
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University Giuseppe Degennaro, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Fiammetta Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Wang XY, Li HM, Xia R, Li X, Zhang X, Jin TZ, Zhang HS. KDM4B down-regulation facilitated breast cancer cell stemness via PHGDH upregulation in H3K36me3-dependent manner. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:915-928. [PMID: 37249813 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04777-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite recent advances have been made in clinical treatments of breast cancer, the general prognosis of patients remains poor. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a more effective therapeutic strategy. Lysine demethylase 4B (KDM4B) has been reported to participate in breast cancer development recently, but its exact biological role in breast cancer remains unclear. Here, we observed that KDM4B was down-regulated in human primary BRCA tissues and the low levels of KDM4B expression were correlated with poor survival. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that KDM4B inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. Besides, knockdown of KDM4B promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell stemness in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, KDM4B down-regulates PHGDH by decreasing the enrichment of H3K36me3 on the promoter region of PHGDH. Knockdown of PHGDH could significantly reversed proliferation, migration, EMT, and cell stemness induced by KDM4B silencing in breast cancer cells. Collectively, we propose a model for a KDM4B/PHGDH axis that provides novel insight into breast cancer development, which may serve as a potential factor for predicting prognosis and a therapeutic target for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yu Wang
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Hong-Ming Li
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Ran Xia
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Tong-Zhao Jin
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Hong-Sheng Zhang
- Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Pingleyuan 100#, District of Chaoyang, Beijing, 100124, China.
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Ji S, Yu H, Zhou D, Fan X, Duan Y, Tan Y, Lang M, Shao G. Cancer stem cell-derived CHI3L1 activates the MAF/CTLA4 signaling pathway to promote immune escape in triple-negative breast cancer. J Transl Med 2023; 21:721. [PMID: 37838657 PMCID: PMC10576881 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04532-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) development may be associated with tumor immune escape. This study explores whether the CHI3L1/MAF/CTLA4/S100A4 axis affects immune escape in TNBC through interplay with triple-negative breast cancer stem cells (TN-BCSCs). OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to utilize single-cell transcriptome sequencing (scRNA-seq) to uncover the molecular mechanisms by which the CHI3L1/MAF/CTLA4 signaling pathway may mediate immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer through the interaction between tumor stem cells (CSCs) and immune cells. METHODS Cell subsets in TNBC tissues were obtained through scRNA-seq, followed by screening differentially expressed genes in TN-BCSCs and B.C.s (CD44+ and CD24-) and predicting the transcription factor regulated by CHI3L1. Effect of CHI3L1 on the stemness phenotype of TNBC cells investigated. Effects of BCSCs-231-derived CHI3L1 on CTLA4 expression in T cells were explored after co-culture of BCSCs-231 cells obtained from microsphere culture of TN-BCSCs with T cells. BCSCs-231-treated T cells were co-cultured with CD8+ T cells to explore the resultant effect on T cell cytotoxicity. An orthotopic B.C. transplanted tumor model in mice with humanized immune systems was constructed, in which the Role of CHI3L1/MAF/CTLA4 in the immune escape of TNBC was explored. RESULTS Eight cell subsets were found in the TNBC tissues, and the existence of TN-BCSCs was observed in the epithelial cell subset. CHI3L1 was related to the stemness phenotype of TNBC cells. TN-BCSC-derived CHI3L1 increased CTLA4 expression in T cells through MAF, inhibiting CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity and inducing immunosuppression. Furthermore, the CTLA4+ T cells might secrete S100A4 to promote the stemness phenotype of TNBC cells. CONCLUSIONS TN-BCSC-derived CHI3L1 upregulates CTLA4 expression in T cells through MAF, suppressing the function of CD8+ T cells, which promotes the immune escape of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufeng Ji
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Yu
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, 528000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xulong Fan
- Department of Breast Surgery, Maternity and Children's Healthcare Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, 528000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Duan
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yijiang Tan
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Lang
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoli Shao
- Special Medical Service Center, General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, No. 253, Middle Gongye Avenue, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Jiawen W, Jinfu W, Jianyong L, Yaoguang Z, Jianye W. Comprehensive landscape of the miRNA-regulated prognostic marker LAYN with immune infiltration and stemness in pan-cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:10989-11011. [PMID: 37335337 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04986-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has created a significant risk to worldwide public health. According to recent research, C-type lectins may be SARS-CoV-2 receptors. Layilin (LAYN), a broadly expressed integral membrane hyaluronan receptor with a C-type lectin structural domain, is a gene related to cell senescence. There are a few studies on C-type lectins in pan-cancer, and no pan-cancer analysis has been conducted for LAYN. METHODS The genotype tissue expression (GTEx) portal and the cancer genome map (TCGA) database were used to collect samples from healthy and cancer patients. Bioinformatics methods are used to construct immune landscape, mutation landscape, and stemness landscape of LAYN. The single-cell sequencing data were used from the CancerSEA website to analyze the functions of LAYN. The prognosis potential of LAYN was discussed based on machine learning. RESULTS LAYN is differentially expressed among cancers. Survival analysis indicated that LAYN was related to a poor overall survival (OS) rate in cancers, like HNSC, MESO, and OV. Mutational landscapes of LAYN in SKCM and STAD were constructed. LAYN was negatively related to Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB) in THCA, PRAD, and UCEC, and with the Microsatellite Instability (MSI) in STAD, LUAD, and UCEC. The immune landscape in pan-cancer suggested that LAYN may be involved in tumor immune escape. LAYN plays a crucial role in the infiltration of immune cells in malignant tumors. LAYN participates in methylation modifications and affects tumor proliferation and metastasis by regulating stemness. Analysis of single-cell sequencing data suggests that LAYN may participate in several biological processes, like stemness, apoptosis, and DNA repair. LAYN transcript was predicted as a liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS)-related RNA. The results of KIRC were verified in the GEO and ArrayExpress databases. Furthermore, prognostic models based on machine learning of LAYN-related genes were established. Hsa-miR-153-5p and hsa-miR-505-3p may be the upstream miRNAs of LAYN and have a high value for tumor prognosis. CONCLUSION This study elucidated the functional mechanisms of LAYN from a pan-cancer perspective and provided novel insights into cancer prognosis, metastasis, and immunotherapy. LAYN has the potential to become a new target of mRNA vaccines and molecular therapies in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Jiawen
- Department of Urology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wang Jinfu
- Department of Urology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liu Jianyong
- Department of Urology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhang Yaoguang
- Department of Urology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wang Jianye
- Department of Urology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Wang R, Li S, Hou Q, Zhang B, Chu H, Hou Y, Ni C, Sun L, Ran Y, Zheng H. Propofol inhibits colon cancer cell stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by regulating SIRT1, Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Discov Oncol 2023; 14:137. [PMID: 37490168 PMCID: PMC10368601 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-023-00734-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Propofol is a common sedative-hypnotic drug used for general anesthesia. Recent studies have drawn attention to the antitumor effects of propofol, but the potential mechanism by which propofol suppresses colon cancer stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has not been fully elucidated. METHODS For the in vitro experiments, we used propofol to treat LOVO and SW480 cells and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) to detect proliferation. Self-renewal capacity, cell invasion and migration, flow cytometry analysis, qPCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the suppression of propofol to colon cancer cells and the underlying mechanism. Tumorigenicity and immunohistochemistry experiments were performed to confirm the role of propofol in vivo. RESULT We observed that propofol could suppressed stem cell-like characteristics and EMT-related behaviors, including self-renewal capacity, cell invasion and migration in colon cancer cells, and even suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo. Furthermore, investigations of the underlying mechanism revealed that propofol treatment downregulated SIRT1. SIRT1 overexpression or knockdown affected the stemness and EMT of colon cancer cells. Additionally, propofol reversed stemness and EMT in cells with overexpressing SIRT1 and subsequently inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitor blocked the propofol-induced reduction of sphere-formation and cell invasion-migration. CONCLUSION Propofol inhibits LOVO and SW480 cell stemness and EMT by regulating SIRT1 and the Wnt/β-catenin and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Our findings indicate that propofol inhibits SIRT1 in cancer and is advantageous in colon cancer surgical treatment of patients with high SIRT1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runjia Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Qi Hou
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Huaqing Chu
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yu Hou
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Cheng Ni
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Li Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center, National Cancer Clinical Research Center, Shenzhen Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, 518116, China.
| | - Yuliang Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Hui Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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Deng T, Zhong P, Lou R, Yang X. RNF220 promotes gastric cancer growth and stemness via modulating the USP22/wnt/β-catenin pathway. Tissue Cell 2023; 83:102123. [PMID: 37295272 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2023.102123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignancy that seriously threatens the health and life of patients. Although Ring finger 220 (RNF220) has been demonstrated to participate in the development of various cancers, its role and mechanism in GC remain undiscovered. The expression of RNF220 was determined by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Western blot. Additionally, the overall survival (OS) and post-progression survival (PPS) were analyzed based on the levels of RNF220 in the TCGA database. The role and mechanism of RNF220 in growth and stemness were investigated using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, sphere-formation, co-immunoprecipitation, and Western blot experiments. Furthermore, the role of RNF220 was investigated in a xenografted mouse model. The expression of RNF220 was found to be upregulated in GC, which predicted unfavorable OS and PPS in patients with GC. Knockdown of RNF220 reduced cell viability, colony numbers, numbers of spheres formation, and the relative protein levels of Nanog, Sox2, and Oct4 in both AGS and MKN-45 cells. Moreover, overexpression of RNF220 increased cell viability and the numbers of spheres formation in MKN-45 cells. Mechanistically, RNF220 bound to USP22, and interference of RNF220 downregulated the Wnt/β-catenin axis via USP22, which was confirmed by the overexpression of USP22 in both cell lines. Furthermore, silencing of RNF220 significantly decreased tumor volume and weight, the level of Ki-67, and the relative protein levels of USP22, β-catenin, c-myc, Nanog, Sox2, and Oct4. Taken together, downregulation of RNF220 suppressed GC cell growth and stemness by downregulating the USP22/Wnt/β-catenin axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taozhi Deng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hainan Cancer Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570000, China
| | - Ping Zhong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hainan Cancer Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570000, China
| | - Runlong Lou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hainan Cancer Hospital, Haikou, Hainan 570000, China
| | - Xiaojun Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Suzhou BenQ Medical Center, The Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215010, China.
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Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Hu X, Chen Y, Zhuang L, Zhang S. ZNF677 inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma growth and tumor stemness by regulating FOXO3a. Hum Cell 2023:10.1007/s13577-023-00910-w. [PMID: 37129799 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00910-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common cancer with an increasing incidence worldwide. Zinc-finger proteins 677 (ZNF677) is involved in the progression and methylation of various cancers, but its role and mechanism in OSCC remain indeterminate. The expression of ZNF677 was analyzed by online database and immunohistochemistry, while the methylation level of ZNF677 was determined by the methylation-specific PCR. The role and mechanism of ZNF677 in the tumor cell growth, migration, invasion and stemness were addressed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, Transwell, wound-healing, sphere‑formation, and western blot assays. In addition, its function was also investigated in a xenografted mice model. The results showed that ZNF677 was lowly expressed in OSCC with a hypermethylation level, which predicted poor overall survival in patients with HNSC. Upregulation of ZNF677 reduced the cell viability, Edu positive cells, numbers of invasion cells, the migration ability, numbers of spheres formation and the expression of proliferation, migration and stemness related proteins in CAL-27 and SCC25 cells. Mechanically, the relative levels of p-AKT/AKT were decreased and the levels of p-FOXO3a/FOXO3a were increased in both cells overexpressed with ZNF677, which were reversed by the SC79 treatment. Moreover, interference of FOXO3a recovered the suppressive effects of ZNF677 overexpression on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and stemness of OSCC cells. Furthermore, overexpression of ZNF677 reduced the tumor volume and weight, and the relative protein level of p-AKT/AKT with an increased level of p-FOXO3a/FOXO3a, and improved pathological symptoms in vivo. Collectively, ZNF677 suppressed OSCC cells growth, migration, invasion and stemness through inhibiting AKT/FOXO3a pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zebiao Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, No. 250, East Street, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, No. 250, East Street, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Hu
- Department of Prosthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350000, Fujian, China
| | - Yanru Chen
- Department of Stomatology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, No. 250, East Street, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Liangliang Zhuang
- Department of Stomatology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, No. 250, East Street, Quanzhou, 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Shuqin Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, Jinjiang Stomatological Hospital, Quanzhou, 362200, Fujian, China
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Yin Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li J, Liang S, Zhang W, Ma Z, Liu S, Zou X. DZIP1 expressed in fibroblasts and tumor cells may affect immunosuppression and metastatic potential in gastric cancer. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 117:109886. [PMID: 36805200 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.109886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) contains complex components, of which the most well-known one is the tumor-associated fibroblast (CAF) that participates in the development and progression of tumors. A high abundance of CAFs implies that tumor stroma is also abundant and often predicts a poor prognosis, especially in terms of immunotherapeutic resistance. In this study, DAZ interacting zinc finger protein 1 (DZIP1) was identified to be upregulated in CAFs and malignant epithelial cells based on single-cell sequencing. Furthermore, results from The Cancer Genome Atlas database showed that this gene was highly positively associated with the mesenchymal phenotype in gastric cancer (GC). In addition, molecular experiments verified that DZIP1 directly promoted the proliferation of CAFs and enhanced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells to drive angiogenesis. Also, the upregulated DZIP1 in GC cells was found to directly promote invasion and metastasis. Finally, multiplex immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry showed that DZIP1 was correlated with the immunosuppressive microenvironment of GC and resulted in a poor response to immunotherapy. Overall, our findings suggest that DZIP1 is expressed in both tumor parenchyma and mesenchyme and that it is involved in shaping the immunosuppressive microenvironment and inducing EMT by participating in tumor-stromal signaling crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yin
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yuanjie Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yunya Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jiepin Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; Zhangjiagang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang 215600, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shuo Liang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhibin Ma
- Hunan Aifang Biological Company Limited, Changsha 410000, Hunan Province, China
| | - Shenlin Liu
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Xi Zou
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing the University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China.
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10
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Wang R, Yu W, Zhu T, Lin F, Hua C, Ru L, Guo P, Wan X, Xue G, Guo Z, Han S, Lv K, Zhang G, Ge H, Guo W, Xu L, Deng W. MED27 plays a tumor-promoting role in breast cancer progression by targeting KLF4. Cancer Sci 2023. [PMID: 36786527 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The mediator complex usually cooperates with transcription factors to be involved in RNA polymerase II-mediated gene transcription. As one component of this complex, MED27 has been reported in our previous studies to promote thyroid cancer and melanoma progression. However, the precise function of MED27 in breast cancer development remains poorly understood. Here, we found that MED27 was more highly expressed in breast cancer samples than in normal tissues, especially in triple-negative breast cancer, and its expression level was elevated with the increase in pathological stage. MED27 knockdown in triple-negative breast cancer cells inhibited cancer cell metastasis and stemness maintenance, which was accompanied by downregulation of the expression of EMT- and stem traits-associated proteins, and vice versa in non-triple-negative breast cancer. Furthermore, MED27 knockdown sensitized breast cancer cells to epirubicin treatment by inducing cellular apoptosis and reducing tumorsphere-forming ability. Based on RNA-seq, we identified KLF4 as the possible downstream target of MED27. KLF4 overexpression reversed the MED27 silencing-mediated arrest of cellular metastasis and stemness maintenance capacity in breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, MED27 transcriptionally regulated KLF4 by binding to its promoter region at positions -156 to +177. Collectively, our study not only demonstrated the tumor-promoting role of MED27 in breast cancer progression by transcriptionally targeting KLF4, but also suggested the possibility of developing the MED27/KLF4 signaling axis as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruozhu Wang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Wendan Yu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Tianhua Zhu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Fei Lin
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyu Hua
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Liyuan Ru
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ping Guo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xinyu Wan
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Guoqing Xue
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Ziyue Guo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Shilong Han
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Kuan Lv
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Guohui Zhang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hanxiao Ge
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Lingzhi Xu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell & The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Wuguo Deng
- Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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11
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Marrone L, D'Agostino M, Cesaro E, di Giacomo V, Urzini S, Romano MF, Romano S. Alternative splicing of FKBP5 gene exerts control over T lymphocyte expansion. J Cell Biochem 2023. [PMID: 36645880 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
FKBP51 is constitutively expressed by immune cells. As other FKBP family members, FKBP51 acts as a coreceptor for the natural products FK506 and rapamycin, which exhibit immunosuppressive effects. However, little is known about the intrinsic role of this large FKBP in the primary function of lymphocytes, that is, the adaptive immune response against foreign antigens, for example, pathogens. This paper aimed to investigate whether FKBP51 expression was modulated during lymphocyte activation. Moreover, as we recently identified a splicing isoform of FKBP51, namely FKBP51s, we also measured this splice protein, along with the canonical one, at different times of a peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture stimulated via T cell receptor. Our results show that the two FKBP51 isoforms were alternatively induced during the proliferative burst. Canonical FKBP51 increased in the time window between 48 and 96 h and its expression levels correlated with cyclin D levels. FKBP51s transiently increased earlier, at 24-36 h to reappearing later, at 120 h, when cyclin D expression returned at resting levels and proliferation ceased. Interestingly, within these two specific timeframes, FKBP51s accumulated in the nucleus. Here FKBP51s colocalized with the Foxp3 transcription factor at 36 h. Regulatory T cell (Treg) counts significantly decreased when FKBP51s was downmodulated. The coculture suppression assay suggested that FKBP51s supports the suppressive capability of Tregs. At 120 h, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments found FKBP51s linked to CCND1 gene, suggesting a possible effect on gene transcription regulation, as previously demonstrated in melanoma. In conclusion, our study shows that FKBP5 isoforms are upregulated during lymphocyte activation, albeit on different timeframes. The activation of canonical FKBP51 coincides with proliferation hallmarks; FKBP5 splicing occurs early to sustain Treg development and late when proliferation ceases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marrone
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimo D'Agostino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Cesaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Valeria di Giacomo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Urzini
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Fiammetta Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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12
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Ma K, Chen H, Wang K, Han X, Zhang Y, Wang H, Hu Z, Wang J. Pterostilbene inhibits the metastasis of TNBC via suppression of β-catenin-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition and stemness. J Funct Foods 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2022.105219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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13
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Inhibition of BAD-Ser99 phosphorylation synergizes with PARP inhibition to ablate PTEN-deficient endometrial carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:558. [PMID: 35725817 PMCID: PMC9209517 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04982-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) impairs DNA double-strand repair and confers sensitivity to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis). However, PARPis also hyperactivate the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in PTEN-deficient endometrial carcinoma (EC), which allows the emergence of PARPi resistance. BCL-2-associated death promoter (BAD), integrates the common cell survival effects of the RAS/MEK/MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. Herein, it was observed that increased BADSer99 (BADS99) phosphorylation in EC cells was significantly associated with PTEN-deficient status. Forced expression of phosphorylation deficient human BADS99A in PTEN-deficient EC cells significantly increased CASPASE 3/7 activity and decreased EC cell viability. Using NPB as a pharmacological inhibitor of pBADS99 phosphorylation, it was demonstrated that NPB synergized with PARPis (Olaparib, Rucaparib and Talazoparib) to enhance PARPi IC50 up to 60-fold and decreased survival, foci formation, and growth in 3D ex vivo culture of PTEN-deficient EC cells. Combined NPB-PARPi treatment of PTEN-deficient EC cells stimulated apoptosis and promoted DNA damage by impairment of homologous recombination. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 endonuclease system it was demonstrated that deletion of PTEN in PTEN replete EC cells enhanced the efficacy of combined NPB-PARPi treatment. Furthermore, combined inhibition of BADS99 phosphorylation and PARP ablated xenograft growth of PTEN-deficient EC cells. Similarly, a combination of NPB and PARPis significantly suppressed the growth of PTEN deficient patient-derived EC organoids. Hence, combined inhibition of BADS99 phosphorylation and PARP represents a rational and efficacious strategy to improve the prognosis of recurrent EC patients.
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14
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Fan T, Kuang G, Long R, Han Y, Wang J. The overall process of metastasis: From initiation to a new tumor. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188750. [PMID: 35728735 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Metastasis-a process that involves the migration of cells from the primary site to distant organs-is the leading cause of cancer-associated death. Improved technology and in-depth research on tumors have furthered our understanding of the various mechanisms involved in tumor metastasis. Metastasis is initiated by cancer cells of a specific phenotype, which migrate with the assistance of extracellular components and metastatic traits conferred via epigenetic regulation while modifying their behavior in response to the complex and dynamic human internal environment. In this review, we have summarized the general steps involved in tumor metastasis and their characteristics, incorporating recent studies and topical issues, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, neutrophil extracellular traps, pre-metastatic niche, extracellular vesicles, and dormancy. Several feasible treatment directions have also been summarized. In addition, the correlation between cancer metastasis and lifestyle factors, such as obesity and circadian rhythm, has been illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyue Fan
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Guicheng Kuang
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Runmin Long
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunwei Han
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Blood Transfusion, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
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15
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Ye T, Lin L, Cao L, Huang W, Wei S, Shan Y, Zhang Z. Novel Prognostic Signatures of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Metabolic Pathway Phenotypes. Front Oncol 2022; 12:863266. [PMID: 35677150 PMCID: PMC9168273 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.863266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a disastrous cancer with an aberrant metabolism. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of metabolism in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Ten metabolism-related pathways were identified to classify the hepatocellular carcinoma into two clusters: Metabolism_H and Metabolism_L. Compared with Metabolism_L, patients in Metabolism_H had lower survival rates with more mutated TP53 genes and more immune infiltration. Moreover, risk scores for predicting overall survival based on eleven differentially expressed metabolic genes were developed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression model in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, which was validated in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) dataset. The immunohistochemistry staining of liver cancer patient specimens also identified that the 11 genes were associated with the prognosis of liver cancer patients. Multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that the differentially expressed metabolic gene-based risk score was also an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Furthermore, the risk score (AUC = 0.767) outperformed other clinical variables in predicting overall survival. Therefore, the metabolism-related survival-predictor model may predict overall survival excellently for HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingbo Ye
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Leilei Lin
- Department of Ultrasound, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lulu Cao
- Department of Pathology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, China
| | - Weiguo Huang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shengzhe Wei
- Department of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yunfeng Shan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhongjing Zhang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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16
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Ma K, Zhang C. HER4 Promotes Osteosarcoma Progression and Predicts Poor Prognosis through the PTEN-PI3K/AKT Pathway. J Cancer 2022; 13:290-303. [PMID: 34976190 PMCID: PMC8692681 DOI: 10.7150/jca.62787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have reported a relationship between human epidermal growth factor receptor 4 (HER4), a ubiquitously expressed and unique member of the ErbB family, and clinicopathological features of osteosarcoma. However, further investigation is warranted. HER4 expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The relationship between HER4 expression and the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma was determined by constructing a Kaplan-Meier curve. Cell viability and proliferation were investigated by MTT and colony formation assays. The mechanism underlying HER4-modulated proliferation and invasion/migration of osteosarcoma cells was determined by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference, colony formation, migration, invasion, and western blotting experiments. Spheroid formation assay and CD133+ cell populations were used to examine HER4-induced stem-like traits. The present findings revealed that HER4 was overexpressed in both osteosarcoma cells and tissues. Moreover, this overexpression was associated with high Enneking stage, metastasis, and recurrence. Sh-HER4 showed obviously suppressed cell viability, colony formation, and invasion/migration. In addition, knockdown of HER4 markedly attenuated the spheroid size and proportion of CD133-positive cells, as well as the expression of stemness markers. Sh-HER4 also reduced the tumor size, downregulated the expression of phosphorylated-PI3K (p-PI3K) and p-AKT, and increased that of p-phosphatase and tensin homolog (p-PTEN) in mouse tissue. From a mechanistic perspective, HER4 knockdown activated p-PTEN and suppressed p-PI3K and p-AKT expression. HER4 promoted osteosarcoma progression through inactivation of the PTEN-PI3K/AKT pathway. Taken together, the results indicate that HER4 represents a novel target in osteosarcoma progression and stemness modulation, and may be of value for the development of treatments against osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Ma
- Luoyang Orthopaedic Hospital of Henan Province & Orthopaedic Hospital of Henan Province, Luoyang, Henan 471002, China
| | - Chuan Zhang
- Luoyang Orthopaedic Hospital of Henan Province & Orthopaedic Hospital of Henan Province, Luoyang, Henan 471002, China
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17
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Jia Y, Shen P, Yan T, Zhou W, Sun J, Han X. Microfluidic Tandem Mechanical Sorting System for Enhanced Cancer Stem Cell Isolation and Ingredient Screening. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100985. [PMID: 34486235 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Robust isolation of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in a high-throughput, label-free manner is critical for understanding tumor heterogeneity and developing therapeutic strategies targeting CSCs. Cell-mechanics-based microfluidic sorting systems provide efficient and specific platforms for investigation of stem cell-like characteristics on the basis of cell deformability and cell-substrate adhesion properties. In the present study, a microfluidic tandem mechanical sorting system is developed to enrich CSCs with high flexibility and low adhesive capacity. In the integrated microfluidic system, cancer cells are driven by hydrodynamic forces to flow continuously through two featured devices, which are functionalized with sequentially variable microbarriers and surface-coated fluid mixing microchannels, respectively. Collected deformable and low-adhesive cancer cells exhibit enhanced stem cell-like properties with higher stemness and metastasis capacity both in vitro and in vivo, compared with each single device separation. Using these devices, bioactive natural compound screening targeting CSCs is performed and a potent therapeutic compound isoliquiritigenin from licorice is identified to inhibit the lung cancer stem cell phenotype. Taken together, this microfluidic tandem mechanical sorting system can facilitate drug screening targeting CSCs and the analysis of signals regulating CSC function in drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Peiliang Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Tao Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Weijia Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Jia Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
| | - Xin Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023 China
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18
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Zhang Z, Papa Akuetteh PD, Lin L, Wu Y, Li Y, Huang W, Ni H, Lv H, Zhang Q. Development and validation of a ferroptosis-related model for three digestive tract tumors based on a pan-cancer analysis. Epigenomics 2021; 13:1497-1514. [PMID: 34581636 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: To develop a ferroptosis gene-based survival-predictor model for predicting the prognosis of patients with digestive tract tumors, a pan-caner analysis was performed. Materials & methods: Based on unsupervised clustering and the expression levels of ferroptosis genes, patients with cancer were divided into two clusters. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method Cox regression analysis was used to establish the survival-predictor model. Results: Based on the pan-cancer analysis, a 20 gene-based survival-predictor model for predicting survival rates was developed, which was validated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusion: The survival-predictor model accurately predicted the prognosis of patients with digestive tract tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjing Zhang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Percy David Papa Akuetteh
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Leilei Lin
- First school of Clinical Medicine, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yiyang Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China
| | - Yimeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis & Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Weiguo Huang
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Haizhen Ni
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Heping Lv
- Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qiyu Zhang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325015, Zhejiang Province, China
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19
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PD-L1 Expression Fluctuates Concurrently with Cyclin D in Glioblastoma Cells. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092366. [PMID: 34572014 PMCID: PMC8468141 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite Glioblastoma (GBM) frequently expressing programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), treatment with anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD1) has not yielded brilliant results. Intratumor variability of PD-L1 can impact determination accuracy. A previous study on mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) reported a role for cyclin-D in control of PD-L1 expression. Because tumor-cell growth within a cancer is highly heterogeneous, we looked at whether PD-L1 and its cochaperone FKBP51s were influenced by cell proliferation, using U251 and SF767 GBM-cell-lines. PD-L1 was measured by Western blot, flow cytometry, confocal-microscopy, quantitative PCR (qPCR), CCND1 by qPCR, FKBP51s by Western blot and confocal-microscopy. Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation assay (xChIp) served to assess the DNA-binding of FKBP51 isoforms. In the course of cell culture, PD-L1 appeared to increase concomitantly to cyclin-D on G1/S transition, to decrease during exponential cell growth progressively. We calculated a correlation between CCND1 and PD-L1 gene expression levels. In the temporal window of PD-L1 and CCND1 peak, FKBP51s localized in ER. When cyclin-D declined, FKBP51s went nuclear. XChIp showed that FKBP51s binds CCND1 gene in a closed-chromatin configuration. Our finding suggests that the dynamism of PD-L1 expression in GBM follows cyclin-D fluctuation and raises the hypothesis that FKBP51s might participate in the events that govern cyclin-D oscillation.
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20
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Chen Y, Liang W, Liu K, Shang Z. FOXD1 promotes EMT and cell stemness of oral squamous cell carcinoma by transcriptional activation of SNAI2. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:154. [PMID: 34348789 PMCID: PMC8335989 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00671-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell stemness are implicated in the initiation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Revealing the intrinsic regulatory mechanism may provide effective therapeutic targets for OSCC. Results In this study, we found that Forkhead box D1 (FOXD1) was upregulated in OSCC compared with normal samples. Patients with a higher FOXD1 expression had a poorer overall survival and disease-free survival. Immunohistochemical staining results showed that FOXD1 expression was related to the clinical stage and relapse status of OSCC patients. When FOXD1 expression was knocked down in CAL27 and SCC25 cells, the migration, invasion, colony formation, sphere formation, and proliferation abilities decreased. Moreover, EMT and stemness-related markers changed remarkably, which indicated that the EMT process and cell stemness were inhibited. Conversely, overexpression of FOXD1 promoted EMT and cell stemness. Further study demonstrated that FOXD1 could bind to the promoter region and activate the transcription of SNAI2. In turn, the elevated SNAI2 affected EMT and cell stemness. An in vivo study showed that FOXD1-overexpressing CAL27 cells possessed a stronger tumorigenic ability. Conclusions Our findings revealed a novel mechanism in regulating EMT and cell stemness and proposed FOXD1 as a potential marker for the diagnosis and treatment of OSCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-021-00671-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology, Hubei Province and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education (Hubei-MOST KLOS & KLOBM), Wuhan, China
| | - Weilian Liang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology, Hubei Province and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education (Hubei-MOST KLOS & KLOBM), Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 237 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Zhengjun Shang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, 237 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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21
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Pan Z, Fang Q, Li L, Zhang Y, Xu T, Liu Y, Zheng X, Tan Z, Huang P, Ge M. HN1 promotes tumor growth and metastasis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma by interacting with STMN1. Cancer Lett 2020; 501:31-42. [PMID: 33359451 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies frequently associated with extrathyroidal extension and metastasis through pathways that remain unclear. Analysis of the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database and an independent cohort showed that the expression of hematological and neurological expressed 1 (HN1) was higher in thyroid cancers than in normal tissues, and negatively correlated with progression-free survival. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed higher HN1 expression in ATC compared to healthy tissues and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). HN1 knockdown attenuated migration and invasion of ATC cells, whereas HN1 overexpression increased migration and invasion of PTC cells. HN1 reduced the acetylation of α-tubulin and promoted progression through epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ATC cells and mouse xenografts. HN1 knockdown significantly attenuated TGF-β-induced mesenchymal phenotype, and inhibited tumor formation and growth of ATC xenografts in nude mice. Loss of STMN1 decreased the malignant potential of HN1, whereas HN1 knockdown in combination with STMN1 overexpression restored the aggressive properties of ATC cells. HN1 increased STMN1 mRNA expression, and prevented STMN1 ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. These results demonstrate that HN1 interacts with STMN1 and drives ATC aggressiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongfu Pan
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Qilu Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Tong Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yujia Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaochun Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhuo Tan
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China.
| | - Minghua Ge
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, China; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China.
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22
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Romano S, Cesaro E, Tufano M, Romano MF. Eradication of CSCs: the roadmap for curing cancer. Oncoscience 2020; 7:70-72. [PMID: 33195737 PMCID: PMC7640900 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Cesaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Tufano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Fiammetta Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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23
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Zeng F, Wang K, Liu X, Zhao Z. Comprehensive profiling identifies a novel signature with robust predictive value and reveals the potential drug resistance mechanism in glioma. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:2. [PMID: 31907037 PMCID: PMC6943920 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0492-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gliomas are the most common and malignant brain tumors. The standard therapy is surgery combined with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or other comprehensive methods. However, the emergence of chemoresistance is the main obstacle in treatment and its mechanism is still unclear. Methods We firstly developed a multi-gene signature by integrated analysis of cancer stem cell and drug resistance related genes. The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA, 325 samples) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, 699 samples) datasets were then employed to verify the efficacy of the risk signature and investigate its significance in glioma prognosis. GraphPad Prism, SPSS and R language were used for statistical analysis and graphical work. Results This signature could distinguish the prognosis of patients, and patients with high risk score exhibited short survival time. The Cox regression and Nomogram model indicated the independent prognostic performance and high prognostic accuracy of the signature for survival. Combined with a well-known chemotherapy impact factor-MGMT promoter methylation status, this risk signature could further subdivide patients with distinct survival. Functional analysis of associated genes revealed signature-related biological process of cell proliferation, immune response and cell stemness. These mechanisms were confirmed in patient samples. Conclusions The signature was an independent and powerful prognostic biomarker in glioma, which would improve risk stratification and provide a more accurate assessment of personalized treatment. Additional file 8 Video abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Zeng
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, No.119 South 4th Ring Road West, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Kuanyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Xiu Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100070, China
| | - Zheng Zhao
- Department of Molecular Neuropathology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, No.119 South 4th Ring Road West, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, China.
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