Effects of upregulation of Id3 in human lung adenocarcinoma cells on proliferation, apoptosis, mobility and tumorigenicity

ALDOA coordinates PDE3A through the β-catenin/ID3 axis to stimulate cancer metastasis and M2 polarization in lung cancer with EGFR mutations

Lung cancer has a high incidence rate and requires more effective treatment strategies and drug options for clinical patients. EGFR is a common genetic alteration event in lung cancer that affects patient survival and drug strategy. Our study discovered aberrant aldolase A (ALDOA) expression and dysfunction in lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations. In addition to investigating relevant metabolic processes like glucose uptake, lactate production, and ATPase activity, we examined multi-omics profiles (transcriptomics, proteomics, and pull-down assays). It was observed that phosphodiesterase 3A (PDE3A) enzyme and ALDOA exhibit correlation, and furthermore, they impact M2 macrophage polarization through β-catenin and downstream ID3. In addition to demonstrating the aforementioned mechanism of action, our experiments discovered that the PDE3 inhibitor trequinsin has a substantial impact on lung cancer cell lines with EGFR mutants. The trequinsin medication was found to decrease the M2 macrophage polarization status and several cancer phenotypes, in addition to transduction. These findings have potential prognostic and therapeutic applications for clinical patients with EGFR mutation and lung cancer.

EGF stimulates human trophoblast cell invasion by downregulating ID3-mediated KISS1 expression

Background

During pregnancy, trophoblast cell invasion needs to be finely controlled. Aberrant trophoblast cell invasion is associated with placental diseases. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor, EGFR, are expressed in trophoblast cells. Although the pro-invasive effect of EGF on trophoblast cells has been reported, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown.

Results

In the present study, we conducted an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to HTR-8/SVneo human trophoblast cells in response to EGF and identified KISS1 as a target gene of EGF. The human KISS1 gene encodes kisspeptin, also known as metastin, which can suppress tumor metastasis. Our results showed that EGF treatment downregulated KISS1 expression and secretion by activating the EGFR-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In addition, the expression of inhibitor of DNA-binding protein 3 (ID3) was downregulated by EGF and that was required for the EGF-suppressed KISS1 expression. Functionally, transwell invasion assays demonstrated that EGF stimulated human trophoblast cell invasion by downregulating KISS1 expression. Preeclampsia (PE) is a placental disease characterized by insufficient trophoblast cell invasion. Our clinical results revealed that serum levels of EGF were downregulated while serum and placental levels of KISS1 were upregulated in PE patients.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that downregulation of EGF can lead to poor trophoblast cell invasion by increasing KISS1 expression which subsequently contributes to the pathogenesis of PE.

Single-cell lineages reveal the rates, routes, and drivers of metastasis in cancer xenografts

Detailed phylogenies of tumor populations can recount the history and chronology of critical events during cancer progression, such as metastatic dissemination. We applied a Cas9-based, single-cell lineage tracer to study the rates, routes, and drivers of metastasis in a lung cancer xenograft mouse model. We report deeply resolved phylogenies for tens of thousands of cancer cells traced over months of growth and dissemination. This revealed stark heterogeneity in metastatic capacity, arising from preexisting and heritable differences in gene expression. We demonstrate that these identified genes can drive invasiveness and uncovered an unanticipated suppressive role for KRT17 We also show that metastases disseminated via multidirectional tissue routes and complex seeding topologies. Overall, we demonstrate the power of tracing cancer progression at subclonal resolution and vast scale.

Long Non-Coding RNA and mRNA Profiling in Early-Stage Bovine Embryos Treated with Glutathione

We measured differential expression profiles of genes and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) using RNA sequencing in bovine embryos with or without glutathione (GSH) treatment. Bovine embryos fertilized in vitro were treated with GSH to blastocyst. Embryos at the 8-16-cell and morula stages were collected, with embryos without GSH treatment as the control. RNA was isolated, amplified, and sequenced. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were identified and bioinformatic analyses carried out. Transcript levels were confirmed using quantitative RT-PCR. A total of 4100 DEGs were identified, of which 3952 were in GSH-treated morulae and 884 in untreated morulae. More gene ontology (GO) terms were associated with GSH treatment than with control conditions. KEGG analysis showed that glutathione metabolism, citrate cycle, and metabolic pathways involving glycine, serine, and threonine were observed only in GSH-treated embryos. Among 4273 DElncRNAs identified, 59 were potentially important in GSH-treated embryo development, including 14 involved in glutathione metabolism. The 59 DElncRNAs co-expressed with protein-coding mRNAs involved similar GO terms and pathways as the DEGs. This appears to be the first comprehensive profiling of DEGs and DElncRNAs in bovine embryos fertilized in vitro with or without GSH, and the first systematic screen of potential lncRNAs in bovine embryos.

miR-212-5p exerts tumor promoter function by regulating the Id3/PI3K/Akt axis in lung adenocarcinoma cells

microRNAs may function as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes that play crucial roles in human carcinogenesis and cancer development. Growing evidence revealed that the tumor suppressor Id3 is involved in tumor progression, carcinogenesis, and the tumor microenvironment. We identified miR-212-5p as a negative posttranscriptional modulator of Id3. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify that Id3 is a direct target gene of miR-212-5p. Id3 was lowly expressed and miR-212-5p was highly expressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and cells. In addition, we found that NSCLC patients having a higher level of miR-212-5p expression had a shorter survival time. Besides this, miR-212-5p could directly target Id3 and reduce its expression. miR-212-5p overexpression significantly accelerated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by reversing the effects of Id3. Id3 overexpression by silencing miR-212-5p expression suppressed phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt activity and consequently promoted apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation in lung cancer cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, a xenograft mouse model was used to validate the fact that miR-212-5p could promote tumorigenesis by targeting Id3 and activate the PI3K/Akt pathway in vivo as well. Taken together, the present results indicated that miR-212-5p may be involved in progression of NSCLC through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by targeting Id3.

Characterization and bioactivity of self-assembled anti-angiogenic chondroitin sulfate-ES2-AF nanoparticle conjugate

BACKGROUND

In the past few years, significant progress has been made in inhibiting neovascularization at the tumor site, cutting off the nutrient supply of the tumor, and inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. However, many proteins/peptides have the disadvantage of poor stability, short half-life, and uncertain targeting ability. Chemical modification can be used to overcome these disadvantages; many polyethylene glycol-modified proteins/peptides have been approved by US FDA. The purpose of this study was to obtain a novel anti-angiogenic chondroitin sulfate (CS)-peptide nanoparticle conjugate with efficient anti-neovascularization and tumor targeting ability and an acceptable half-life.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The CS-ES2-AF nanoparticle conjugate was synthesized and characterized using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and particle size and zeta potential analyzer. The anti-angiogenic ability was studied using MTT, migration, tube formation, and chick chorioallantoic membrane assays. The targeting ability of CS-ES2-AF was studied by ELISA, surface plasmon resonance, and bioimaging. The pharmacokinetics was also studied.

RESULTS

The CS-ES2-AF could self-assemble into stable nanoparticles in aqueous solution, which significantly enhances its anti-neovascularization activity, tumor targeting more explicit, and prolongs its half-life.

CONCLUSION

CS is an effective protein/peptide modifier, and CS-ES2-AF displayed good potential in tumor targeting therapy.

Inhibitor of DNA binding 3 reverses cisplatin resistance in human lung adenocarcinoma cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway

Inhibitor of DNA-binding 3 (ID3) is a helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is associated with cell proliferation, differentiation and drug resistance in human cancer, and with anticancer effects in certain types of cancer cells. The present study investigated whether and how ID3 was involved in multidrug resistance (MDR) in human cisplatin (DDP)-resistant A549/DDP lung adenocarcinoma cells. The underlying mechanism of action was investigated in vitro. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry assays demonstrated that overexpression of ID3 enhanced chemosensitivity and decreased drug efflux in A549/DDP cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that the expression of anti-apoptotic gene B-cell lymphoma-2 was significantly downregulated in cells expressing exogenous ID3 (P<0.05). These results indicated that ID3 may synergize with DDP to increase apoptosis in A549/DDP cells. ID3 overexpression modulated the activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/RAC serine/threonine-protein kinase signaling and downregulated the expression of multi-drug resistance protein-1, indicating that ID3 expression can reverse multi-drug resistance in A549/DDP cells. Collectively, these results indicate that ID3 is a potential effective chemotherapeutic target for the treatment of human DDP-resistant A549 lung adenocarcinoma therapy.

Integrative Genomics Implicates EGFR as a Downstream Mediator in NKX2-1 Amplified Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

NKX2-1, encoding a homeobox transcription factor, is amplified in approximately 15% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), where it is thought to drive cancer cell proliferation and survival. However, its mechanism of action remains largely unknown. To identify relevant downstream transcriptional targets, here we carried out a combined NKX2-1 transcriptome (NKX2-1 knockdown followed by RNAseq) and cistrome (NKX2-1 binding sites by ChIPseq) analysis in four NKX2-1-amplified human NSCLC cell lines. While NKX2-1 regulated genes differed among the four cell lines assayed, cell proliferation emerged as a common theme. Moreover, in 3 of the 4 cell lines, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was among the top NKX2-1 upregulated targets, which we confirmed at the protein level by western blot. Interestingly, EGFR knockdown led to upregulation of NKX2-1, suggesting a negative feedback loop. Consistent with this finding, combined knockdown of NKX2-1 and EGFR in NCI-H1819 lung cancer cells reduced cell proliferation (as well as MAP-kinase and PI3-kinase signaling) more than knockdown of either alone. Likewise, NKX2-1 knockdown enhanced the growth-inhibitory effect of the EGFR-inhibitor erlotinib. Taken together, our findings implicate EGFR as a downstream effector of NKX2-1 in NKX2-1 amplified NSCLC, with possible clinical implications, and provide a rich dataset for investigating additional mediators of NKX2-1 driven oncogenesis.