Molecular mechanisms of 3,3'4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

The potential roles of PKM2 in cerebrovascular diseases

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a key enzyme involved in glycolysis,plays an important role in regulating cell metabolism and growth under different physiological conditions. PKM2 has been intensively investigated in multiple cancer diseases. Recent years, many studies have found its pivotal role in cerebrovascular diseases (CeVDs), the disturbances in intracranial blood circulation. CeVDs has been confirmed to be closely associated with oxidative stress (OS), mitochondrial dynamics, systemic inflammation, and local neuroinflammation in the brain. It has further been revealed that PKM2 exerts various biological functions in the regulation of energy supply, OS, inflammatory responses, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The roles of PKM2 are closely related to its different isoforms, expression levels in subcellular localization, and post-translational modifications. Therefore, summarizing the roles of PKM2 in CeVDs will help further understanding the molecular mechanisms of CeVDs. In this review, we illustrate the characteristics of PKM2, the regulated PKM2 expression, and the biological roles of PKM2 in CeVDs.

Personal exposure to airborne organic pollutants and lung function changes among healthy older adults

Epidemiological evidence on the impact of airborne organic pollutants on lung function among the elderly is limited, and their underlying biological mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein, a longitudinal panel study was conducted in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, involving 76 healthy older adults monitored over a span of five months repetitively. We systematically evaluated personal exposure to a diverse range of airborne organic pollutants using a wearable passive sampler and their effects on lung function. Participants' pulmonary function indicators were assessed, complemented by comprehensive multi-omics analyses of blood and urine samples. Leveraging the power of interaction analysis, causal inference test (CIT), and integrative pathway analysis (IPA), we explored intricate relationships between specific organic pollutants, biomolecules, and lung function deterioration, elucidating the biological mechanisms underpinning the adverse impacts of these pollutants. We observed that bis (2-chloro-1-methylethyl) ether (BCIE) was significantly associated with negative changes in the forced vital capacity (FVC), with glycerolipids mitigating this adverse effect. Additionally, 31 canonical pathways [e.g., high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) signaling, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and heme and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis] were identified as potential mechanisms. These findings may hold significant implications for developing effective strategies to prevent and mitigate respiratory health risks arising from exposure to such airborne pollutants. However, due to certain limitations of the study, our results should be interpreted with caution.

The potential of aryl hydrocarbon receptor as receptors for metabolic changes in tumors

Cancer cells can alter their metabolism to meet energy and molecular requirements due to unfavorable environments with oxygen and nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, metabolic reprogramming is common in a tumor microenvironment (TME). Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated nuclear transcription factor, which can be activated by many exogenous and endogenous ligands. Multiple AhR ligands can be produced by both TME and tumor cells. By attaching to various ligands, AhR regulates cancer metabolic reprogramming by dysregulating various metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, lipid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism. These regulated pathways greatly contribute to cancer cell growth, metastasis, and evading cancer therapies; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, we review the relationship between TME and metabolism and describe the important role of AhR in cancer regulation. We also focus on recent findings to discuss the idea that AhR acts as a receptor for metabolic changes in tumors, which may provide new perspectives on the direction of AhR research in tumor metabolic reprogramming and future therapeutic interventions.

Forces at play: exploring factors affecting the cancer metastasis

Metastatic disease, a leading and lethal indication of deaths associated with tumors, results from the dissemination of metastatic tumor cells from the site of primary origin to a distant organ. Dispersion of metastatic cells during the development of tumors at distant organs leads to failure to comply with conventional treatments, ultimately instigating abrupt tissue homeostasis and organ failure. Increasing evidence indicates that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a crucial factor in cancer progression and the process of metastatic tumor development at secondary sites. TME comprises several factors contributing to the initiation and progression of the metastatic cascade. Among these, various cell types in TME, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), T cells, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), are significant players participating in cancer metastasis. Besides, various other factors, such as extracellular matrix (ECM), gut microbiota, circadian rhythm, and hypoxia, also shape the TME and impact the metastatic cascade. A thorough understanding of the functions of TME components in tumor progression and metastasis is necessary to discover new therapeutic strategies targeting the metastatic tumor cells and TME. Therefore, we reviewed these pivotal TME components and highlighted the background knowledge on how these cell types and disrupted components of TME influence the metastatic cascade and establish the premetastatic niche. This review will help researchers identify these altered components' molecular patterns and design an optimized, targeted therapy to treat solid tumors and restrict metastatic cascade.

Mitochondrial and Proteasome Dysfunction Occurs in the Hearts of Mice Treated with Triazine Herbicide Prometryn

Prometryn is a methylthio-s-triazine herbicide used to control the growth of annual broadleaf and grass weeds in many cultivated plants. Significant traces of prometryn are documented in the environment, mainly in waters, soil, and plants used for human and domestic consumption. Previous studies have shown that triazine herbicides have carcinogenic potential in humans. However, there is limited information about the effects of prometryn on the cardiac system in the literature, or the mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying any potential cytotoxic effects are not known. It is important to understand the possible effects of exogenous compounds such as prometryn on the heart. To determine the mechanisms and signaling pathways affected by prometryn (185 mg/kg every 48 h for seven days), we performed proteomic profiling of male mice heart with quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using ten-plex tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling. The data suggest that several major pathways, including energy metabolism, protein degradation, fatty acid metabolism, calcium signaling, and antioxidant defense system were altered in the hearts of prometryn-treated mice. Proteasome and immunoproteasome activity assays and expression levels showed proteasome dysfunction in the hearts of prometryn-treated mice. The results suggest that prometryn induced changes in mitochondrial function and various signaling pathways within the heart, particularly affecting stress-related responses.

Glutathione peroxidase 2 knockdown suppresses gastric cancer progression and metastasis via regulation of kynurenine metabolism

Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most lethal malignancies due to its poor early diagnosis and high metastasis rate, and new therapeutic targets are urgently needed to develop effective anti-GC drugs. Glutathione peroxidase-2 (GPx2) plays various roles in tumor progression and patient survival. Herein, we found that GPx2 was overexpressed and negatively correlated with poor prognosis by using clinical GC samples for validation. GPx2 knockdown suppressed GC proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and in vivo. In addition, proteomic analysis revealed that GPx2 expression regulated kynureninase (KYNU)-mediated metabolism. As one of the key proteins involved in tryptophan catabolism, KYNU can degrade the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine (kyn), which is an endogenous ligand for AhR. Next, we revealed that the activation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated KYNU-kyn-AhR signaling pathway caused by GPx2 knockdown was involved in GC progression and metastasis. In conclusion, our results showed that GPx2 acted as an oncogene in GC and that GPx2 knockdown suppressed GC progression and metastasis by suppressing the KYNU-kyn-AhR signaling pathway, which was caused by the accumulation of ROS.

Consequences of reprogramming acetyl-CoA metabolism by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in the mouse liver

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent environmental contaminant that induces the progression of steatosis to steatohepatitis with fibrosis in mice. Furthermore, TCDD reprograms hepatic metabolism by redirecting glycolytic intermediates while inhibiting lipid metabolism. Here, we examined the effect of TCDD on hepatic acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and β-hydroxybutyrate levels as well as protein acetylation and β-hydroxybutyrylation. Acetyl-CoA is not only a central metabolite in multiple anabolic and catabolic pathways, but also a substrate used for posttranslational modification of proteins and a surrogate indicator of cellular energy status. Targeted metabolomic analysis revealed a dose-dependent decrease in hepatic acetyl-CoA levels coincident with the phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1), and the induction of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase, while repressing ATP citrate lyase and short-chain acyl-CoA synthetase gene expression. In addition, TCDD dose-dependently reduced the levels of hepatic β-hydroxybutyrate and repressed ketone body biosynthesis gene expression. Moreover, levels of total hepatic protein acetylation and β-hydroxybutyrylation were reduced. AMPK phosphorylation was induced consistent with acetyl-CoA serving as a cellular energy status surrogate, yet subsequent targets associated with re-establishing energy homeostasis were not activated. Collectively, TCDD reduced hepatic acetyl-CoA and β-hydroxybutyrate levels eliciting starvation-like conditions despite normal levels of food intake.

Reprogramming of glycolysis by chemical carcinogens during tumor development

Indiscriminate usage and mismanagement of chemicals in the agricultural and industrial sectors have contaminated different environmental compartments. Exposure to these persistent and hazardous pollutants like heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, aromatic hydrocarbons, and pesticides can result in various health adversities, including cancer. Chemical carcinogens follow a similar pattern of carcinogenesis, like oxidative stress, chromosomal aberration, DNA double-strand break, mismatch repair, and misregulation of oncogenic and/or tumor suppressors. Out of several cancer-associated endpoints, cellular metabolic homeostasis is the commonest to be deregulated upon chemical exposure. Chemical carcinogens hamper glycolytic reprogramming to fuel the malignant transformation of the cells and/or promote cancer progression. Several regulators like Akt, ERK, Ras, c-Myc, HIF-1α, and p53 regulate glycolysis in chemical-induced carcinogenesis. However, the deregulation of the anabolic biochemistry of glucose during chemical-induced carcinogenesis remains to be uncovered. This review comprehensively covers the environmental chemical-induced glycolytic shift during carcinogenesis and its mechanism. The focus is also to fill the major gaps associated with understanding the fairy tale between environmental carcinogens and metabolic reprogramming. Although evidence from studies regarding glycolytic reprogramming in chemical carcinogenesis provides valuable insights into cancer therapy, exposure to a mixture of toxicants and their mechanism of inducing carcinogenesis still needs to be studied.

The Role of PKM2 in the Regulation of Mitochondrial Function: Focus on Mitochondrial Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, Dynamic, and Apoptosis. PKM2 in Mitochondrial Function

The M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) is one isoform of pyruvate kinase (PK). PKM2 is expressed at high levels during embryonic development and tumor progression and is subject to complex allosteric regulation. PKM2 is a special glycolytic enzyme that regulates the final step of glycolysis; the role of PKM2 in the metabolism, survival, and apoptosis of cancer cells has received increasing attention. Mitochondria are directly or indirectly involved in the regulation of energy metabolism, susceptibility to oxidative stress, and cell death; however, the role of PKM2 in mitochondrial functions remains unclear. Herein, we review the related mechanisms of the role of PKM2 in the regulation of mitochondrial functions from the aspects of metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS), dynamic, and apoptosis, which can be highlighted as a target for the clinical management of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Involvement of Kynurenine Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Simple Summary

The kynurenine pathway (KP) is a biochemical pathway that synthesizes the vital coenzyme, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺). In cancer, the KP is significantly activated, leading to tryptophan depletion and the production of downstream metabolites, which skews the immune response towards tumour tolerance. More specifically, advanced stage cancers that readily metastasize evidence the most dysregulation in KP enzymes, providing a clear link between the KP and cancer morbidity. Consequently, this provides the rationale for an attractive new drug discovery opportunity for adjuvant therapeutics targeting KP-mediated immune tolerance, which would greatly complement current pharmacological interventions. In this review, we summarize recent developments in the roles of the KP and clinical trials examining KP inhibition in liver cancer.

Abstract

As the second and third leading cancer-related death in men and the world, respectively, primary liver cancer remains a major concern to human health. Despite advances in diagnostic technology, patients with primary liver cancer are often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Treatment options for patients with advanced hepatocarcinoma (HCC) are limited to systemic treatment with multikinase inhibitors and immunotherapy. Furthermore, the 5-year survival rate for these late-stage HCC patients is approximately 12% worldwide. There is an unmet need to identify novel treatment options and/or sensitive blood-based biomarker(s) to detect this cancer at an early stage. Given that the liver harbours the largest proportion of immune cells in the human body, understanding the tumour–immune microenvironment has gained increasing attention as a potential target to treat cancer. The kynurenine pathway (KP) has been proposed to be one of the key mechanisms used by the tumour cells to escape immune surveillance for proliferation and metastasis. In an inflammatory environment such as cancer, the KP is elevated, suppressing local immune cell populations and enhancing tumour growth. In this review, we collectively describe the roles of the KP in cancer and provide information on the latest research into the KP in primary liver cancer.

The Gut Microbiota Activates AhR Through the Tryptophan Metabolite Kyn to Mediate Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastasis

Background: The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is increasing year by year. It is difficult to have complete treatment so far. Studies have shown that tryptophan metabolite Kynurenine (Kyn) affects cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, adhesion, and differentiation. Our aim is to explore whether Kyn activates aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to mediate RCC metastasis.

Methods: We collected RCC tissues and feces from RCC patients. 16S rRNA technology was performed to analyze the gut microbial composition of RCC patients. LC-MS/MS was used to analyze the gut microbial metabolites. The AhR was inhibited and treated with Kyn. Immunofluorescence was used to measure the degree of AhR activation. The migration and invasion ability of 786-O cells was tested by Transwell assay. Flow cytometry and cell cycle assay were utilized to observe the apoptosis and cycle of 786-O cells. CCK-8 assay was used to detect 786-O cells proliferation. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect AhR and EMT-related genes expression level.

Results: AhR expression was up-regulated in RCC tissues. RCC gut microbiota was disordered. The proportion of Kyn was increased in RCC. After being treated with Kyn, the migration, invasion, and proliferation ability of 786-O cells were decreased. Furthermore, the expression of EMT-related protein E-cadherin decreased, and the expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin increased. The proportion of 786-O cells in the S phase increased. The apoptosis rate of 786-O cells was inhibited.

Conclusion: The tryptophan metabolite Kyn could activate AhR. Kyn could promote 786-O cells migration and invasion. Gut microbiota could activate AhR through its tryptophan metabolite Kyn to mediate RCC metastasis.

TDO2 Promotes the EMT of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Kyn-AhR Pathway

Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), an enzyme involved in tryptophan (Trp) metabolism has been linked with some malignant traits of various cancers. Kyn, the main product of Trp metabolism pathway catalyzed by TDO2 and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in tumor cells, was also demonstrated to activate aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which may regulate cancer growth and invasion in some malignancies. However, whether TDO2 participates in the metastasis and invasion of HCC has not been explored before. The underlying mechanism played by TDO2 in this process still requires further investigation. Here, we demonstrated that overexpression of TDO2 correlates with advanced stage or malignant traits in HCC patients. Knockdown or inhibition of TDO2 suppressed the migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential program happened in the initial phase of cancer metastasis. We found that in HCC cells, TDO2 promoted the EMT process evidenced by altered levels of biomarkers for EMT. Mechanically, TDO2 regulated the Kyn production in HCC cell via activated aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Together, these results indicate that TDO2 promotes the EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma through activating Kyn-AhR pathway, thereby participating in the metastasis and invasion of HCC.

Iron-Storage Protein Ferritin Is Upregulated in Endometriosis and Iron Overload Contributes to a Migratory Phenotype

High levels of iron in the peritoneal cavity during menstruation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. However, whether iron directly affects the growth or migration of human endometriotic cells is poorly understood. This study demonstrated the presence of increased levels of the iron storage protein, ferritin, in the endometriotic tissues of patients with endometriosis. Furthermore, iron treatment stimulated the migration and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), but not growth, of 12Z human endometriotic cells. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/-9 was markedly increased through iron treatment in 12Z cells. Interestingly, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were significantly increased by iron in 12Z cells, and N-acetyl-L-cysteine significantly reduced iron-induced migration and MMP-2/-9 expression. Additionally, iron stimulated the activation of the NFκB pathway, and the activation was associated with iron-induced migration and MMP-2/-9 expression in 12Z cells. Moreover, iron markedly increased EMT and MMP-2/-9 expression in endometriotic lesions in an endometriosis mouse model. Taken together, these results suggest that iron may contribute to the migration abilities of human endometriotic cells via MMP expression through the ROS–NFκB pathway.

Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Expression Facilitates the Malignant Phenotype and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Although advances have been made in the development of antiangiogenesis targeted therapy and surgery, metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still incurable. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is mainly expressed in a variety of germ and somatic cells, and induces somatic hypermutation and class-switch recombination, playing a vital role in antibody diversification. We confirmed that AID was expressed at a higher level in ccRCC tissues than in the corresponding nontumor renal tissues. We explored the impact of AID on ccRCC proliferation, invasion, and migration. In 769-p and 786-0 cells, expression of an AID-specific short hairpin RNA significantly reduced AID expression, which markedly inhibited tumor cell invasion, proliferation, and migration. Previous studies showed that AID is associated with Wnt ligand secretion mediator (WLS/GPR177), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) regulation, which was further confirmed in human ccRCC tissues. Therefore, we studied the relationship between AID and these three molecules, and the impact of AID on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in ccRCC. WLS/GPR177, SDF-1/CXCL12, and CDK4 were sensitive to 5-azacytidine (a DNA demethylation agent), which reverted the inhibition of carcinogenesis caused by AID repression. In summary, AID is an oncogene that might induce tumorigenesis through DNA demethylation. Targeting AID may represent a novel therapeutic approach to treat metastatic ccRCC.

2,3'4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl induces hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through pyruvate kinase M2-dependent glycolysis

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are classic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and are associated with the progression of many cancers, including liver cancer. The present study investigated the effect of 2,3'4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB118) on hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that PCB118 exposure promotes the proliferation and glycolysis of hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells. Moreover, PCB118 exposure increased the expression level of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and its nuclear translocation, whereas treatment with PKM2 shRNA suppressed the induction of cell proliferation and glycolysis by PCB118. PCB118 stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by activating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. Treatment with the antioxidants N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) prevented PCB118-induced effects on PKM2, cell proliferation and glycolysis. Furthermore, we found that PCB118 activated NADPH oxidase through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in SMMC-7721 cells. Consistently, treatment with AhR shRNA suppressed PCB118-induced effects on PKM2, cell proliferation and glycolysis. Overall, these results indicated that PCB118 promotes HCC cell proliferation via PKM2-dependent upregulation of glycolysis, which is mediated by AhR/NADPH oxidase-induced ROS production.

PKM2-regulated STAT3 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression via TGF-β1-induced EMT

Recent studies have demonstrated pleiotropic roles of pyruvate kinase isoenzyme type M2 (PKM2) in tumor progression. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the effects of PKM2 on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) metastasis and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remain to be established. In this study, we observed upregulation of PKM2 in ESCC tissues that was markedly associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. High PKM2 expression in tumor tissues frequently coincided with the high pSTAT3Tyr705 expression and low E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, altered PKM2 expression was significantly associated with proliferation, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells, in addition to expression patterns of EMT markers (Snail, E-cadherin, and vimentin) and pSTAT3^Tyr705 /STAT3 ratio. Overexpression of STAT3 significantly attenuated the effects of PKM2 knockdown on cell proliferation and motility as well as expression of pSTAT3 ^Tyr705 and EMT markers. Consistently, stable short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated silencing of PKM2 reversed the effects of TGF-β1 treatment, specifically, upregulation of PKM2, phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr705, and increased EMT, migration, and invasion. We propose that PKM2 regulates cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via phosphorylation of STAT3 through TGF-β1-induced EMT. Our findings collectively provide mechanistic insights into the tumor-promoting role of PKM2, supporting its prognostic value and the therapeutic utility of PKM2 inhibitors as potential antitumor agents in ESCC.

3,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl influences mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in granulosa cells

3,3',4,4',5-Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB126) is a persistent organic environmental pollutant which can affect various biological activities of organisms, such as immunity, neurological function, and reproduction. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effects of PCB126 on granulosa cells (GCs). GCs were collected from ovaries in PMSG-treated mice, after 24 hours culture. GCs were then incubated with 10 pg/mL, 100 pg/mL, and 10 ng/mL of PCB126 for another 24 hours. Following these steps, exposed GCs were collected for further experimentation. Our data showed that the number of GCs in the 10 ng/mL PCB126 decreased. Meanwhile, pyknotic nuclei and condensed chromatin increased, while the apoptotic cells in the 10 ng/mL PCB126 group were significantly increased. Furthermore, the expression of the apoptotic executive protein caspase-3 increased after PCB126 treatment. The expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and Bim related to the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway were also influenced to different degrees. Thus, our data suggested that PCB126 affect the GCs apoptosis, and mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was involved in this process.

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Prostate Cancer Demonstrates Enhanced Immune Evasion Marked by IDO1 Expression

Cancer invasion and metastasis are driven by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), yet the exact mechanisms that account for EMT in clinical prostate cancer are not fully understood. Expression of N-cadherin is considered a hallmark of EMT in clinical prostate cancer. In this study, we determined the molecular mechanisms associated with N-cadherin expression in patients with prostate cancer. We performed laser capture microdissection of matched N-cadherin-positive and -negative prostate cancer areas from patient samples (n = 8), followed by RNA sequencing. N-cadherin expression was significantly associated with an immune-regulatory signature including profound upregulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1; log₂-fold change = 5.1; P = 2.98E-04). Fluorescent immunostainings of patient samples confirmed expression of IDO1 protein and also its metabolite kynurenine in primarily N-cadherin-positive areas. N-cadherin-positive areas also exhibited a local decrease of intraepithelial cytotoxic (CD8⁺) T cells and an increase of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (CD4⁺/FOXP3⁺). In conclusion, EMT in clinical prostate cancer is accompanied by upregulated expression of IDO1 and an increased number of regulatory T cells. These data indicate that EMT, which is an important step in tumor progression, can be protected from effective immune control in patients with prostate cancer.Significance: These findings demonstrate EMT is linked to an immunosuppressive environment in clinical prostate cancer, suggesting that patients with prostate cancer can potentially benefit from combinatorial drug therapy. Cancer Res; 78(16); 4671-9. ©2018 AACR.

Comparison of Hepatic NRF2 and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Binding in 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-Treated Mice Demonstrates NRF2-Independent PKM2 Induction

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces hepatic oxidative stress following activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Our recent studies showed TCDD induced pyruvate kinase muscle isoform 2 (Pkm2) as a novel antioxidant response in normal differentiated hepatocytes. To investigate cooperative regulation between nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2 (Nrf2) and the AhR in the induction of Pkm2, hepatic chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses were integrated with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) time-course data from mice treated with TCDD for 2-168 hours. ChIP-seq analysis 2 hours after TCDD treatment identified genome-wide NRF2 enrichment. Approximately 842 NRF2-enriched regions were located in the regulatory region of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), whereas 579 DEGs showed both NRF2 and AhR enrichment. Sequence analysis of regions with overlapping NRF2 and AhR enrichment showed over-representation of either antioxidant or dioxin response elements, although 18 possessed both motifs. NRF2 exhibited negligible enrichment within a closed Pkm chromatin region, whereas the AhR was enriched 29-fold. Furthermore, TCDD induced Pkm2 in primary hepatocytes from wild-type and Nrf2-null mice, indicating NRF2 is not required. Although NRF2 and AhR cooperate to regulate numerous antioxidant gene expression responses, the induction of Pkm2 by TCDD is independent of reactive oxygen species-mediated NRF2 activation.

Polychlorinated biphenyl 104 promotes migration of endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as part of environmental contaminants, have been proved to be related to endometriosis. This study is to investigate the effect of PCB 104 on cell migration, invasion and resultant gene expression in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Fifty-three specimens of eutopic endometrial tissues were collected from twenty-four women with endometriosis (EU-EMS) and twenty-nine women without endometriosis (EU-NON). Both EU-EMS and EU-NON were divided into the PCB 104 exposure group and the control group according to whether they were exposed to PCB 104. Primary cultured ESCs were exposed to PCB 104 at the micro molar doses (2 × 10^-3, 0.2 and 1 μmol/L) and concentrations of 2, 5 and 10 μmol/L in six-well plates. Cell mobility and proliferation assay were used to evaluate the effects of PCB 104 on the migration, invasion and proliferation of ESCs, and the effect of PCB 104 on actin cytoskeleton was also examined by immunofluorescence. Subsequently, the mRNA levels of related genes including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2, -3, -9, -10, E-cadherin, Snail, Slug and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) -2 in ESCs were examined by using real-time PCR, as well as protein levels of MMP-3 and MMP-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We explored the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-10 induced by PCB 104. Exposure to PCB 104 significantly increased the migration and invasion of ESCs. The mRNA and protein levels of MMP-3 and MMP-10 in ESCs treated with PCB 104 were higher than that in the control, with a dose- and time-dependent manner in mRNA level, while the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2, E-cadherin, Snail and Slug did not change significantly. Taken together, PCB 104 promotes migration and invasion of ESCs by inducing the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-10, which may involved the EGFR signalling pathway.