Calcium-dependent FAK/CREB/TNNC1 signalling mediates the effect of stromal MFAP5 on ovarian cancer metastatic potential

Scientific and clinical relevance of non-cellular tumor microenvironment components in ovarian cancer chemotherapy resistance

The tumor microenvironment (TME) components play a crucial role in cancer cells' resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. This phenomenon is exceptionally fundamental in patients with ovarian cancer (OvCa), whose outcome depends mainly on their response to chemotherapy. Until now, most reports have focused on the role of cellular components of the TME, while less attention has been paid to the stroma and other non-cellular elements of the TME, which may play an essential role in the therapy resistance. Inhibiting these components could help define new therapeutic targets and potentially restore chemosensitivity. The aim of the present article is both to summarize the knowledge about non-cellular components of the TME in the development of OvCa chemoresistance and to suggest targeting of non-cellular elements of the TME as a valuable strategy to overcome chemoresistance and to develop new therapeutic strategies in OvCA patients.

MFAP5 variant-induced multiple giant thoracic aortic aneurysm

Heritable thoracic aortic aneurysms are complex conditions characterised by the dilation or rupture of the thoracic aorta, often occurring as an autosomal-dominant disorder associated with life-threatening complications. In this case report, we present a de novo variant, MFAP5 c.236_237insA (p.N79Kfs9), which is implicated in the development of inherited thoracic aortic aneurysm. The proband, a 15-year-old male, presented with recurrent cough, dull chest pain, chest distress, vomiting, and reduced activity tolerance, leading to the diagnosis of heritable thoracic aortic aneurysms. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel heterozygous variant in MFAP5 (NM_003480, c.236_237insA, and p.N79Kfs9). MutationTester and PolyPhen-s predicted this variant to be damaging and disease-causing (probability = 1), while the SFIT score indicated protein damage (0.001). Structural analysis using the AlphaFold Protein structure database revealed that this mutation disrupted the N-linked glycosylation site, resulting in a frameshift, amino acid sequence alteration, and truncation of an essential protein site. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing a young patient with heritable thoracic aortic aneurysm carrying the novel MFAP5 c.236_237insA (p.N79Kfs*9) variant. This variant represents the third identified mutation site associated with heritable thoracic aortic aneurysm. Given the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with thoracic aortic aneurysms, the prevention of severe and fatal complications is crucial in the clinical management of this condition. Our case highlights the importance of whole-exome sequencing and genetic screening in identifying potential pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants, particularly in early-onset patients with aortic dilation, to inform appropriate management strategies.

Androgen Receptor/AP-1 Activates UGT2B15 Transcription to Promote Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Invasion

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive epithelial malignancy with poor prognosis. Interestingly, ESCC is strongly characterized by a male-predominant propensity. Our previous study showed that androgen receptor (AR) orchestrated a transcriptional repression program to promote ESCC growth, but it remains unclear whether AR can also activate oncogenic signaling during ESCC progression. In this study, by analyzing our previous AR cistromes and androgen-regulated transcriptomes, we identified uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B15 (UGT2B15) as a bona fide target gene of AR. Mechanistically, AP-1 cofactors played important and collaborative roles in AR-mediated UGT2B15 upregulation. Functional studies have revealed that UGT2B15 promoted invasiveness in vitro and lymph node metastasis in vivo. UGT2B15 was partially responsible for the AR-induced invasive phenotype in ESCC cells. Importantly, simultaneous blocking of AP-1 and AR resulted in stronger inhibition of cell invasiveness compared to inhibiting AP-1 or AR alone. In conclusion, our study reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the AR-driven ESCC invasion and suggests that the AR/AP1/UGT2B15 transcriptional axis can be potentially targeted in suppressing metastasis in male ESCC patients.

Novel CAF-identifiers via transcriptomic and protein level analysis in HNSC patients

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a prominent component of the tumor microenvironment, play an important role in tumor development, invasion, and drug resistance. The expression of distinct "CAF-markers" which separates CAFs from normal fibroblasts and epithelial cells, have traditionally been used to identify them. These commonly used CAF-markers have been reported to differ greatly across different CAF subpopulations, even within a cancer type. Using an unbiased -omic approach from public data and in-house RNAseq data from patient derived novel CAF cells, TIMP-1, SPARC, COL1A2, COL3A1 and COL1A1 were identified as potential CAF-markers by differential gene expression analysis using publicly available single cell sequencing data and in-house RNAseq data to distinguish CAF populations from tumor epithelia and normal oral fibroblasts. Experimental validation using qPCR and immunofluorescence revealed CAF-specific higher expression of TIMP-1 and COL1A2 as compared to other markers in 5 novel CAF cells, derived from patients of diverse gender, habits and different locations of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). Upon immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of FFPE blocks however, COL1A2 showed better differential staining between tumor epithelia and tumor stroma. Similar data science driven approach utilizing single cell sequencing and RNAseq data from stabilized CAFs can be employed to identify CAF-markers in various cancers.

Suppression of Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Cells by Bepridil, a Calcium Channel Blocker

Although surgery followed by platinum-based therapy is effective as a standard treatment in the early stages of ovarian cancer, the majority of cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to poor prognosis. Thus, the identification of novel therapeutic drugs is needed. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of bepridil-a calcium channel blocker-in ovarian cancer cells using two cell lines: SKOV-3, and SKOV-3-13 (a highly metastatic clone of SKOV-3). Treatment of these cell lines with bepridil significantly reduced cell viability, migration, and invasion. Notably, SKOV-3-13 was more sensitive to bepridil than SKOV-3. The TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype was reversed by treatment with bepridil in both cell lines. Consistently, expression levels of EMT-related markers, including vimentin, β-catenin, and Snail, were also substantially decreased by the treatment with bepridil. An in vivo mouse xenograft model was used to confirm these findings. Tumor growth was significantly reduced by bepridil treatment in SKOV-3-13-inoculated mice, and immunohistochemistry showed consistently decreased expression of EMT-related markers. Our findings are the first to report anticancer effects of bepridil in ovarian cancer, and they suggest that bepridil holds significant promise as an effective therapeutic agent for targeting metastatic ovarian cancer.

Microfibril-associated protein 5 and the regulation of skin scar formation

Many factors regulate scar formation, which yields a modified extracellular matrix (ECM). Among ECM components, microfibril-associated proteins have been minimally explored in the context of skin wound repair. Microfibril-associated protein 5 (MFAP5), a small 25 kD serine and threonine rich microfibril-associated protein, influences microfibril function and modulates major extracellular signaling pathways. Though known to be associated with fibrosis and angiogenesis in certain pathologies, MFAP5's role in wound healing is unknown. Using a murine model of skin wound repair, we found that MFAP5 is significantly expressed during the proliferative and remodeling phases of healing. Analysis of existing single-cell RNA-sequencing data from mouse skin wounds identified two fibroblast subpopulations as the main expressors of MFAP5 during wound healing. Furthermore, neutralization of MFAP5 in healing mouse wounds decreased collagen deposition and refined angiogenesis without altering wound closure. In vitro, recombinant MFAP5 significantly enhanced dermal fibroblast migration, collagen contractility, and expression of pro-fibrotic genes. Additionally, TGF-ß1 increased MFAP5 expression and production in dermal fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that MFAP5 regulates fibroblast function and influences scar formation in healing wounds. Our work demonstrates a previously undescribed role for MFAP5 and suggests that microfibril-associated proteins may be significant modulators of wound healing outcomes and scarring.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts in the invasive tumour front promote the metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma through MFAP5 upregulation

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely involved in the development and progression of tumours. As a direct junction between tumour and normal host tissue, the tumour invasive front can remodel host tissue to generate a microenvironment more suitable for tumour invasion. However, whether CAFs derived from the invasive front (CAFs-F) have a greater ability to promote tumour invasion than CAFs derived from the superficial tumour (CAFs-S) is unclear. In this study, we characterized primary CAFs from different spatial locations of tumours. We demonstrated that CAFs-F had an increased ability to promote oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) proliferation and invasion in vitro and significantly enhanced tumour growth in vivo compared to CAFs-S. Mechanistically, transcriptome profiling analysis revealed that the expression of MFAP5, encoding microfibril associated protein 5, was dramatically increased in CAFs-F compared to CAFs-S, which further confirmed that the MFAP5 protein level was elevated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and that this increase was correlated with poor survival. Genetic ablation of MFAP5 impaired the preinvasive capabilities of CAFs-F. Together, our findings demonstrated that CAFs-F had a greater ability to promote tumour invasion than CAFs-S and that MFAP5 might be involved in this process.

Slow skeletal muscle troponin T acts as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma

Slow skeletal muscle troponin T (TNNT1) as a poor prognostic indicator is upregulated in colon and breast cancers. However, the role of TNNT1 in the disease prognosis and biological functions of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analyses were applied to evaluate the TNNT1 expression of human HCC. The impact of TNNT1 levels on disease progression and survival outcome was studied using TCGA analysis. Moreover, the bioinformatics analysis and HCC cell culture were used to investigate the biological functions of TNNT1. Besides, the immunoblot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the extracellular TNNT1 of HCC cells and circulating TNNT1 of HCC patients, respectively. The effect of TNNT1 neutralization on oncogenic behaviors and signaling was further validated in the cultured hepatoma cells. In this study, tumoral and blood TNNT1 was upregulated in HCC patients based on the analyses using bioinformatics, fresh tissues, paraffin sections, and serum. From the multiple bioinformatics tools, the TNNT1 overexpression was associated with advanced stage, high grade, metastasis, vascular invasion, recurrence, and poor survival outcome in HCC patients. By the cell culture and TCGA analyses, TNNT1 expression and release were positively correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes in HCC tissues and cells. Moreover, TNNT1 neutralization suppressed oncogenic behaviors and EMT in hepatoma cells. In conclusion, TNNT1 may serve as a non-invasive biomarker and drug target for HCC management. This research finding may provide a new insight for HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Targeting MFAP5 in cancer-associated fibroblasts sensitizes pancreatic cancer to PD-L1-based immunochemotherapy via remodeling the matrix

Highly desmoplastic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) contributes to tumor progression and resistance to current therapies. Clues targeting the notorious stromal environment have offered hope for improving therapeutic response whereas the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we find that prognostic microfibril associated protein 5 (MFAP5) is involved in activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Inhibition of MFAP5^highCAFs shows synergistic effect with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy and PD-L1-based immunotherapy. Mechanistically, MFAP5 deficiency in CAFs downregulates HAS2 and CXCL10 via MFAP5/RCN2/ERK/STAT1 axis, leading to angiogenesis, hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagens deposition reduction, cytotoxic T cells infiltration, and tumor cells apoptosis. Additionally, in vivo blockade of CXCL10 with AMG487 could partially reverse the pro-tumor effect from MFAP5 overexpression in CAFs and synergize with anti-PD-L1 antibody to enhance the immunotherapeutic effect. Therefore, targeting MFAP5^highCAFs might be a potential adjuvant therapy to enhance the immunochemotherapy effect in PDAC via remodeling the desmoplastic and immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Comparative Hypothalamic Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Crucial mRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs Affecting Litter Size in Goats

Litter size is an important indicator to measure the reproductive performance of goats, which is affected by the reproductive function of animals. The hypothalamus, as the regulatory center of the endocrine system, plays an important role in the reproduction of female animals. Here, we performed high-throughput RNA sequencing using hypothalamic tissue from high-fecundity and low-fecundity Leizhou goats to explore critical functional genes associated with litter size. Differentially expressed mRNA, lncRNA, and circRNAs were screened using DESeq and were enriched, and then analyzed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome. Results showed that some of these differentially expressed mRNAs could be enriched in reproductive processes, jak-STAT, prolactin signaling pathway, and other signaling pathways related to reproduction, such as SOCS3. Furthermore, the central proteins POSTN, MFAP5, and DCN from protein-protein interaction may regulate animal reproductive activity by affecting cell proliferation and apoptosis. lncRNA MSTRG.33887.2 as well as circRNAs chicirc_098002, chicirc_072583, and chicirc_053531 may be able to influence animal reproduction by participating in folate metabolism and energy metabolism homeostasis through their respective target genes. Our results expand the molecular mechanism of hypothalamic regulation on animal reproduction.

Single cell RNA sequencing research in maternal fetal interface

The maternal-fetal interface is an essential environment for embryonic growth and development, and a successful pregnancy depends on the dynamic balance of the microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface. Single-cell sequencing, which unlike bulk sequencing that provides averaged data, is a robust method for interpreting the cellular and molecular landscape at single-cell resolution. With the support of single-cell sequencing, the issue of maternal-fetal interface heterogeneity during pregnancy has been more deeply elaborated and understood, which is important for a deeper understanding of physiological and pathological pregnancy. In this paper, we analyze the recent studies of single-cell transcriptomics in the maternal-fetal interface, and provide new directions for understanding and treating various pathological pregnancies.

Proteomics of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Models Identifies Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Markers Associated with Clinical Outcomes

The tumor microenvironment has recently emerged as a critical component of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) disease progression. Specifically, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been recognized as key players in various pro-oncogenic processes. Here, we use mass-spectrometry (MS) to characterize the proteomes of HGSC patient-derived CAFs and compare them to those of the epithelial component of HGSC to gain a deeper understanding into their tumor-promoting phenotype. We integrate our data with primary tissue data to define a proteomic signature of HGSC CAFs and uncover multiple novel CAF proteins that are prognostic in an independent HGSC patient cohort. Our data represent the first MS-based global proteomic characterization of CAFs in HGSC and further highlights the clinical significance of HGSC CAFs.

Microfibril Associated Protein 5 (MFAP5) Is Related to Survival of Ovarian Cancer Patients but Not Useful as a Prognostic Biomarker

Ovarian cancer (OC) is usually diagnosed late due to its nonspecific symptoms and lack of reliable tools for early diagnostics and screening. OC studies concentrate on the search for new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. This study aimed to validate the MFAP5 gene, and its encoded protein, as a potential prognostic biomarker. In our previous study, we found that patients with high-grade serous OC who had higher MFAP5 mRNA levels had shorter survival, as compared with those with lower levels. Here, we used the Kaplan-Meier Plotter and CSIOVDB online tools to analyze possible associations of MFAP5 expression with survival and other clinico-pathological features. In these analyses, higher MFAP5 mRNA expression was observed in the more advanced FIGO stages and high-grade tumors, and was significantly associated with shorter overall and progression-free survival. Next, we analyzed the expression of the MFAP5 protein by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 108 OC samples and tissue arrays. Stronger MFAP5 expression was associated with stronger desmoplastic reaction and serous vs. non-serous histology. We found no significant correlation between IHC results and survival, although there was a trend toward shorter survival in patients with the highest IHC scores. We searched for co-expressed genes/proteins using cBioPortal and analyzed potential MFAP5 interaction networks with the STRING tool. MFAP5 was shown to interact with many extracellular matrix proteins, and was connected to the Notch signaling pathway. Therefore, although not suitable as a prognostic biomarker for evaluation with a simple diagnostic tool like IHC, MFAP5 is worth further studies as a possible therapeutic target.

Troponin C-1 Activated by E2F1 Accelerates Gastric Cancer Progression via Regulating TGF-β/Smad Signaling

BACKGROUND

Troponin C-1 (TNNC1) has been previously characterized as an oncogenic gene.

AIMS

This study aimed to reveal the roles of TNNC1 in gastric cancer and the potential underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

TNNC1 siRNAs and TNNC1 overexpression plasmid were used to alter its expression in AGS, MKN45, and HGC-27 cells. CCK-8 assay, colony formation, EdU assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and scratch test were conducted to measure the phenotype changes. In vivo effects of TNNC1 silence were confirmed by using a xenograft mouse model. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to screen out the transcription factor and downstream signaling of TNNC1.

RESULTS

TNNC1 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and its expression was associated with poor prognosis. TNNC1 silence suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of AGS and MKN45 cells. However, TNNC1 silence induced apoptosis by mediating the cleavage of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Overexpression of TNNC1 in HGC-27 cells led to the contrary effects. The anti-tumor effects of TNNC1 silence were also confirmed in a xenograft animal model. E2F1 was validated as an upstream transcription factor of TNNC1. Effects of TNNC1 silence on AGS cell migration and invasion were attenuated by E2F1 overexpression. Besides, TGF-β/Smad was a downstream signaling pathway of TNNC1. The anti-tumor impacts of TNNC1 silence were weaken by SB431542 (a specific inhibitor of TGF-β signaling) while accelerated by TGF-β.

CONCLUSION

TNNC1 activated by E2F1 functioned as an oncogenic gene through regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling. TNNC1 was suggested as a potential molecular drug target of gastric cancer.

Colocalized targeting of TGF-β and PD-L1 by bintrafusp alfa elicits distinct antitumor responses

Background

Bintrafusp alfa (BA) is a bifunctional fusion protein designed for colocalized, simultaneous inhibition of two immunosuppressive pathways, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), within the tumor microenvironment (TME). We hypothesized that targeting PD-L1 to the tumor by BA colocalizes the TGF-β trap (TGF-βRII) to the TME, enabling it to sequester TGF-β in the tumor more effectively than systemic TGF-β blockade, thereby enhancing antitumor activity.

Methods

Multiple technologies were used to characterize the TGF-β trap binding avidity. BA versus combinations of anti-PD-L1 and TGF-β trap or the pan-TGF-β antibody fresolimumab were compared in proliferation and two-way mixed lymphocyte reaction assays. Immunophenotyping of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis assessing stromal and immune landscape following BA or the combination therapy were performed in MC38 tumors. TGF-β and PD-L1 co-expression and their associated gene signatures in MC38 tumors and human lung carcinoma tissue were studied with single-cell RNAseq (scRNAseq) and immunostaining. BA-induced internalization, degradation, and depletion of TGF-β were investigated in vitro.

Results

BA and fresolimumab had comparable intrinsic binding to TGF-β1, but there was an ~80× avidity-based increase in binding affinity with BA. BA inhibited cell proliferation in TGF-β-dependent and PD-L1-expressing cells more potently than TGF-β trap or fresolimumab. Compared with the combination of anti-PD-L1 and TGF-β trap or fresolimumab, BA enhanced T cell activation in vitro and increased TILs in MC38 tumors, which correlated with efficacy. BA induced distinct gene expression in the TME compared with the combination therapy, including upregulation of immune-related gene signatures and reduced activities in TGF-β-regulated pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix deposition, and fibrosis. Regulatory T cells, macrophages, immune cells of myeloid lineage, and fibroblasts were key PD-L1/TGF-β1 co-expressing cells in the TME. scRNAseq analysis suggested BA modulation of the macrophage phenotype, which was confirmed by histological assessment. PD-L1/TGF-β1 co-expression was also seen in human tumors. Finally, BA induced TGF-β1 internalization and degradation in the lysosomes.

Conclusion

BA more effectively blocks TGF-β by targeting TGF-β trap to the tumor via PD-L1 binding. Such colocalized targeting elicits distinct and superior antitumor responses relative to single agent combination therapy.

Detection of infiltrating fibroblasts by single-cell transcriptomics in human kidney allografts

We tested the hypothesis that single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of human kidney allograft biopsies will reveal distinct cell types and states and yield insights to decipher the complex heterogeneity of alloimmune injury. We selected 3 biopsies of kidney cortex from 3 individuals for scRNA-seq and processed them fresh using an identical protocol on the 10x Chromium platform; (i) HK: native kidney biopsy from a living donor, (ii) AK1: allograft kidney with transplant glomerulopathy, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and worsening graft function, and (iii) AK2: allograft kidney after successful treatment of active antibody-mediated rejection. We did not study T-cell-mediated rejections. We generated 7217 high-quality single cell transcriptomes. Taking advantage of the recipient-donor sex mismatches revealed by X and Y chromosome autosomal gene expression, we determined that in AK1 with fibrosis, 42 months after transplantation, more than half of the kidney allograft fibroblasts were recipient-derived and therefore likely migratory and graft infiltrative, whereas in AK2 without fibrosis, 84 months after transplantation, most fibroblasts were donor-organ-derived. Furthermore, AK1 was enriched for tubular progenitor cells overexpressing profibrotic extracellular matrix genes. AK2, eight months after successful treatment of rejection, contained plasmablast cells with high expression of immunoglobulins, endothelial cell elaboration of T cell chemoattractant cytokines, and persistent presence of cytotoxic T cells. In addition to these key findings, our analysis revealed unique cell types and states in the kidney. Altogether, single-cell transcriptomics yielded novel mechanistic insights, which could pave the way for individualizing the care of transplant recipients.

Metastatic Transition of Pancreatic Ductal Cell Adenocarcinoma Is Accompanied by the Emergence of Pro-Invasive Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are now appreciated as key regulators of cancer metastasis, particularly in cancers with high stromal content, e.g., pancreatic ductal cell carcinoma (PDAC). However, it is not yet well understood if fibroblasts are always primed to be cooperative in PDAC transition to metastasis, if they undergo transformation which ensures their cooperativity, and if such transformations are cancer-driven or intrinsic to fibroblasts. We performed a fibroblast-centric analysis of PDAC cancer, as it transitioned from the primary site to trespass stromal compartment reaching the lymph node using published single-cell RNA sequencing data by Peng et al. We have characterized the change in fibroblast response to cancer from a normal wound healing response in the initial stages to the emergence of subclasses with myofibroblast and inflammatory fibroblasts such as signatures. We have previously posited "Evolved Levels of Invasibility (ELI)", a framework describing the evolution of stromal invasability as a selected phenotype, which explains the large and correlated reduction in stromal invasion by placental trophoblasts and cancer cells in certain mammals. Within PDAC samples, we found large changes in fibroblast subclasses at succeeding stages of PDAC progression, with the emergence of specific subclasses when cancer trespasses stroma to metastasize to proximal lymph nodes (stage IIA to IIB). Surprisingly, we found that the initial metastatic transition is accompanied by downregulation of ELI-predicted pro-resistive genes, and the emergence of a subclass of fibroblasts with ELI-predicted increased invasibility. Interestingly, this trend was also observed in stellate cells. Using a larger cohort of bulk RNAseq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas for PDAC cancers, we confirmed that genes describing this emergent fibroblast subclass are also correlated with lymph node metastasis of cancer cells. Experimental testing of selected genes characterizing pro-resistive and pro-invasive fibroblast clusters confirmed their contribution in regulating stromal invasability as a phenotype. Our data confirm that the complexity of stromal response to cancer is really a function of stage-wise emergence of distinct fibroblast clusters, characterized by distinct gene sets which confer initially a predominantly pro-resistive and then a pro-invasive property to the stroma. Stromal response therefore transitions from being tumor-limiting to a pro-metastatic state, facilitating stromal trespass and the onset of metastasis.

Transcriptomic Profiling of Gene Expression Associated with Granulosa Cell Tumor Development in a Mouse Model

Ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are rare sex cord-stromal tumors, accounting for ~5% ovarian tumors. The etiology of GCTs remains poorly defined. Genetically engineered mouse models are potentially valuable for understanding the pathogenesis of GCTs. Mice harboring constitutively active TGFβ signaling (TGFBR1-CA) develop ovarian GCTs that phenocopy several hormonal and molecular characteristics of human GCTs. To determine molecular alterations in the ovary upon TGFβ signaling activation, we performed transcriptomic profiling of gene expression associated with GCT development using ovaries from 1-month-old TGFBR1-CA mice and age-matched controls. RNA-sequencing and bioinformatics analysis coupled with the validation of select target genes revealed dysregulations of multiple cellular events and signaling molecules/pathways. The differentially expressed genes are enriched not only for known GCT-related pathways and tumorigenic events but also for signaling events potentially mediated by neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, relaxin signaling, insulin signaling, and complements in TGFBR1-CA ovaries. Additionally, a comparative analysis of our data in mice with genes dysregulated in human GCTs or granulosa cells overexpressing a mutant FOXL2, the genetic hallmark of adult GCTs, identified some common genes altered in both conditions. In summary, this study has revealed the molecular signature of ovarian GCTs in a mouse model that harbors the constitutive activation of TGFBR1. The findings may be further exploited to understand the pathogenesis of a class of poorly defined ovarian tumors.

Reprogramming the tumor microenvironment by genome editing for precision cancer therapy

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential for immune escape by tumor cells. It plays essential roles in tumor development and metastasis. The clinical outcomes of tumors are often closely related to individual differences in the patient TME. Therefore, reprogramming TME cells and their intercellular communication is an attractive and promising strategy for cancer therapy. TME cells consist of immune and nonimmune cells. These cells need to be manipulated precisely and safely to improve cancer therapy. Furthermore, it is encouraging that this field has rapidly developed in recent years with the advent and development of gene editing technologies. In this review, we briefly introduce gene editing technologies and systematically summarize their applications in the TME for precision cancer therapy, including the reprogramming of TME cells and their intercellular communication. TME cell reprogramming can regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, and function. Moreover, reprogramming the intercellular communication of TME cells can optimize immune infiltration and the specific recognition of tumor cells by immune cells. Thus, gene editing will pave the way for further breakthroughs in precision cancer therapy.

Hormonal Therapy for Gynecological Cancers: How Far Has Science Progressed toward Clinical Applications?

Simple Summary

The most common therapies for severe and recurrent gynecological cancers are hormone therapy and chemotherapy, and responsiveness to therapy is a key component in prognosis and survivability. Hormone therapy has recently been demonstrated to be an excellent cancer treatment approach. Hormone treatment for gynecological cancers is taking drugs that decrease hormone levels or impede their biological activity, halting or slowing cancer progression. Hormone therapy works by suppressing the multiplication of cancer cells triggered by hormones. Hormonal therapy, such as progestogens or tamoxifen, is frequently recommended for patients with hormone-sensitive recurrent or metastatic gynecological cancers, but response rates and therapeutic effects are inconsistent. Therefore, we discuss the pathogenesis of gynecological malignancies from the hormonal landscape and the use of hormonal therapies toward clinical applications.

Abstract

In recent years, hormone therapy has been shown to be a remarkable treatment option for cancer. Hormone treatment for gynecological cancers involves the use of medications that reduce the level of hormones or inhibit their biological activity, thereby stopping or slowing cancer growth. Hormone treatment works by preventing hormones from causing cancer cells to multiply. Aromatase inhibitors, anti-estrogens, progestin, estrogen receptor (ER) antagonists, GnRH agonists, and progestogen are effectively used as therapeutics for vulvar cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer. Hormone replacement therapy has a high success rate. In particular, progestogen and estrogen replacement are associated with a decreased incidence of gynecological cancers in women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV). The activation of estrogen via the transcriptional functionality of ERα may either be promoted or decreased by gene products of HPV. Hormonal treatment is frequently administered to patients with hormone-sensitive recurring or metastatic gynecologic malignancies, although response rates and therapeutic outcomes are inconsistent. Therefore, this review outlines the use of hormonal therapy for gynecological cancers and identifies the current knowledge gaps.

CaMKII Mediates TGFβ1-Induced Fibroblasts Activation and Its Cross Talk with Colon Cancer Cells

INTRODUCTION

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as the activated fibroblasts in tumor stroma, are important modifiers of tumor progression. TGFβ1 has been the mostly accepted factor to fuel normal fibroblasts transformation into CAFs. Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is thought to play an important role in fibroblasts activation induced by TGFβ1. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of CaMKII in TGFβ1-induced fibroblasts activation and CAF-like differentiation. Cross talk between CaMKII-dependent fibroblasts and colon cancer in colon cancer progression also was addressed RESULTS: Immunostaining demonstrated that in colon cancer stroma, CaMKII overexpressed in stromal CAFs. In vitro, TGFβ1 increased CAF markers expression in human colon fibroblasts CCD-18Co, but not in CaMKII depletion fibroblasts. CaMKII knockdown by CaMKII shRNA significantly inhibited TGFβ1-induced fibroblasts activation and CAF-like differentiation. Smad3, AKT, and MAPK were targeted in TGFβ1-CaMKII-mediated pathway. Human colon cancer cell line HCT-116 activated fibroblasts directly, whereas CaMKII depletion dragged CCD-18Co fibroblasts undergoing CAF-associated trans-differentiation. Furthermore, increased proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells were stimulated when co-cultured with normal fibroblasts, but not with CaMKII depletion fibroblasts.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide evidence that CaMKII is a critical mediator in TGFβ1-induced fibroblasts activation and is involved in the cross talk with colon cancer cells. CaMKII is a potentially effective target for future treatment of colon cancer.

De novo assembly and transcriptome characterization: Novel insights into the mechanisms of primary ovarian cancer in Microtus fortis

The natural incidence of primary epithelial ovarian cancer (OVC) in adult female voles of some established strains of Microtus fortis is relatively high. M. fortis OVC has some pathological similarities to human epithelial OVC, therefore M. fortis represents the latest and most valuable animal model for studying human OVC. The lack of available genetic information for M. fortis limits the use of common immunological methods; thus, high-throughput sequencing technologies have been used to reveal the mechanisms of primary OVC in M. fortis. The individuals with cancer were diagnosed using histopathologic hematoxylin and eosin staining. The present study used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology to establish a de novo assembly of the M. fortis transcriptome produced 339,830 unigenes by the short reads assembly program Trinity. Comparisons were made between OVC and healthy ovarian tissue (OV) and between fallopian tube cancer (FTC) and healthy fallopian tube (FT) tissues using RNA-seq analysis. A total of 3,434 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in OVC tissue compared with OV tissue using RNA-Seq by Expectation-Maximization software, including 1,950 significantly upregulated and 1,484 significantly downregulated genes. There were 2,817 DEGs identified in the FTC tissues compared with the FT tissue, including 1,762 significantly upregulated and 1,055 significantly downregulated genes. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that upregulated transcripts in the OVC vs. OV groups were involved in cell growth and proliferation-associated pathways, whereas the downregulated DEGS in the OVC vs. OV groups were enriched in steroid biosynthesis-related pathways. Furthermore, the tumor suppressor gene, p53, was downregulated in the FTC and OVC compared with the FT and OV groups, respectively; whereas, genes that promoted cell migration, such as Ras-related protein Rap-1b, Ras homolog family member A and RAC1, were upregulated. In summary, to the best of our knowledge, the present study characterized the M. fortis de novo transcriptome of OV and FT tissues and to perform RNA-seq quantification to analyze the differences in healthy and cancerous OV and FT tissues. These results identified pathways that differed between cancerous and healthy M. fortis tissues. Analysis of these pathways may help to reveal the pathogenesis of primary OVC in M. fortis in future work.

Advances in the study of cancer metastasis and calcium signaling as potential therapeutic targets

Metastasis is still the primary cause of cancer-related mortality. However, the underlying mechanisms of cancer metastasis are not yet fully understood. Currently, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metabolic remodeling, cancer cell intercommunication and the tumor microenvironment including diverse stromal cells, are reported to affect the metastatic process of cancer cells. Calcium ions (Ca²⁺) are ubiquitous second messengers that manipulate cancer metastasis by affecting signaling pathways. Diverse transporter/pump/channel-mediated Ca²⁺ currents form Ca²⁺ oscillations that can be decoded by Ca²⁺-binding proteins, which are promising prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of cancer metastasis. This paper presents a review of the advances in research on the mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis and the roles of Ca²⁺-related signals in these events.

Distinct fibroblast functional states drive clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer and are regulated by TCF21

Recent studies indicate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous. However, little is known about CAF subtypes, the roles they play in cancer progression, and molecular mediators of the CAF “state.” Here, we identify a novel cell surface pan-CAF marker, CD49e, and demonstrate that two distinct CAF states, distinguished by expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP), coexist within the CD49e⁺ CAF compartment in high-grade serous ovarian cancers. We show for the first time that CAF state influences patient outcomes and that this is mediated by the ability of FAP-high, but not FAP-low, CAFs to aggressively promote proliferation, invasion and therapy resistance of cancer cells. Overexpression of the FAP-low–specific transcription factor TCF21 in FAP-high CAFs decreases their ability to promote invasion, chemoresistance, and in vivo tumor growth, indicating that it acts as a master regulator of the CAF state. Understanding CAF states in more detail could lead to better patient stratification and novel therapeutic strategies.

TNNC1 knockout reverses metastatic potential of ovarian cancer cells by inactivating epithelial-mesenchymal transition and suppressing F-actin polymerization

Troponin C type 1 (TNNC1) is commonly overexpressed in ovarian cancer. However, the biological implications of TNNC1 overexpression on ovarian cancer malignization and its related mechanism remain unknown. To elucidate these implications, we knocked out the TNNC1 gene in TNNC1-overexpressing SKOV-3-13 ovarian cancer cells using CRISPR/Cas-9 technology and observed the changes in metastatic phenotypes and related molecular pathways. TNNC1-knockout (KO) cells showed significantly reduced proliferation and colony formation when compared with TNNC1 wild-type cells (P < 0.01). In TNNC1-KO cells, wound healing, migration, and invasive phenotypes decreased. Upon observation of upstream regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), levels of phosphorylated AKT (Ser-473 and Thr-308) and GSK-3β (inactive form) were found to be decreased in TNNC1-KO cells. Accordingly, SNAIL and SLUG expression decreased and were almost completely localized in the cytoplasm following TNNC1 silencing. Regarding downstream EMT markers, N-cadherin and vimentin expression decreased, but E-cadherin expression increased. Related matrix metalloproteinase and chemokine expression generally decreased. TNNC1 deficiency also suppressed F-actin polymerization. In conclusion, TNNC1 overexpression contributes to the metastatic behavior of ovarian cancer by perturbation of EMT and actin microfilaments. Our results provide a better understanding of the detailed molecular mechanism of ovarian cancer metastasis associated with TNNC1 overexpression.

Sinomenine Inhibits the Growth of Ovarian Cancer Cells Through the Suppression of Mitosis by Down-Regulating the Expression and the Activity of CDK1

Introduction

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers worldwide. While, therapies against ovarian cancer have not been completely effective, sinomenine has been proved to have anti-tumor activity in various cancer cells. However, study of its anti-ovarian cancer effect is still rare, and the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Therefore, we aim to explore the mechanism of sinomenine anti-ovarian cancer.

Materials and Methods

The effect of anti-ovarian cancer HeyA8 cells was analyzed by CCK8 and colony formation assay. The mechanism of sinomenine anti-ovarian cancer was explored via high throughput RNA-seq, and then the target mRNA and protein expression were verified by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.

Results

We found that the proliferation and clone formation ability of ovarian cancer HeyA8 cells were markedly reduced by 1.56 mM sinomenine. The transcriptome analysis showed that 2679 genes were differentially expressed after sinomenine treatment in HeyA8 cells, including 1323 down-regulated genes and 1356 up-regulated genes. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that differential expression genes (DEGs) between the groups of sinomenine and DMSO-treated HeyA8 cells were mainly involved in the process of the cell cycle, such as kinetochore organization, chromosome segregation, and DNA replication. Strikingly, the top 18 ranked degree genes in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were mainly involved in the process of mitosis, such as sister chromatid segregation, condensed chromosome, and microtubule cytoskeleton organization. Moreover, real-time PCR results showed consistent expression trends of DEGs with transcriptome analysis. The results of Western blot showed the expression level of CDK1, which was the highest degree gene in PPI and the main regulator controlling the process of mitosis, and the levels of phosphorylated P-CDK (Thr161) and P-Histone H3 (Ser10) were decreased after being treated with sinomenine.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that sinomenine inhibited the proliferation of HeyA8 cells through suppressing mitosis by down-regulating the expression and the activity of CDK1. The study may provide a preliminary research basis for the application of sinomenine in anti-ovarian cancer.

LukS-PV Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Migration via the TNNC1/PI3K/AKT Axis

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. LukS-PV is the S component of Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL), a toxin secreted by Staphylococcus aureus. We aimed to investigate the role of LukS-PV in HCC cell migration and the specific molecular mechanism involved.

Methods

We used scratch assays to detect the mobility of liver cancer cells treated with LukS-PV. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression levels of related genes. RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomics sequencing were used to assess the transcriptional and proteomic alterations of target genes. RNA sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) pathway analyses revealed the downstream signaling pathway targets of LukS-PV.

Results

Our results demonstrated that LukS-PV could inhibit HCC cell migration in a concentration-dependent manner. LukS-PV could also downregulate the expression of TNNC1, which was highly expressed in HCC cells. Additionally, the study showed that LukS-PV inhibited HCC cell migration by downregulating TNNC1. Further studies showed that LukS-PV inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT pathway by targeting TNNC1, thereby inhibiting HCC cell migration.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that LukS-PV has an inhibitory role in the migration of liver cancer cells through the TNNC1/PI3K/AKT axis.

TNNC1 Reduced Gemcitabine Sensitivity of Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer by Increasing Autophagy

Background

As we know, chemotherapy resistance is a critical factor leading to recurrence and metastasis of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To clarify the key target and potential mechanism of resistance to gemcitabine (GEM) in NSCLC, we selected Gene Expression Omnibus Data Set and statistically analyzed a parent cell group and a GEM-resistant cell group. Results showed that the expression of troponin C1, slow skeletal and cardiac type (TNNC1) in GEM-resistant cells was higher than in parent cells, which implies that TNNC1 was associated with GEM resistance in lung cancer cells.

Material/Methods

TNNC1 expression level was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction or western blot in GEM-resistant patient serum and cell lines. It could reduce or increase autophagy response and GEM resistance accordingly by inhibition of the short interfering ribonucleic acid or by forced overexpression of TNNC1 viruses in A549 cell line and GEM-resistant cell line (A549/GemR) respectively. Blocking autophagy with 3-methyladenine increased the sensitivity of chemotherapy confirmed by flow cytometry and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B – light chain 3 punctate assay. What’s more, in a loss-of-function model, silencing of forkhead box 03 (FOXO3) in A549/GemR cells could rescue the autophagy weakened by TNNC1.

Results

TNNC1 promoted GEM chemoresistance of NSCLC by activating cytoprotective autophagy, regulated negatively by FOXO3. This research may provide a completely new strategy for NSCLC treatment.

Conclusions

Targeting the TNNC1/FOXO3 signaling pathway in NSCLC may be a novel strategy to combat GEM resistance.

Reduced MFAP5 expression in stroma of gallbladder adenocarcinoma and its potential diagnostic utility

The diagnosis of invasive adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder can sometimes be challenging. The presence of true desmoplastic reaction facilitates the diagnosis of invasion. However, desmoplasia-like changes can be observed in benign gallbladder conditions, and recognition of desmoplasia may be challenging based on morphology. In this study, we tested the expression pattern of microfibril-associated protein 5 (MFAP5), a promising immunohistochemical marker for desmoplasia, in benign gallbladders with desmoplasia-like reaction and gallbladders with invasive adenocarcinoma. We also evaluated the diagnostic utility of MFAP5 in challenging cases with an interobserver agreement study. The results showed that all benign cases retained intact/positive MFAP5 staining pattern in periglandular connective tissue, whereas 79.3% (23 out of 29) of cases of adenocarcinomas demonstrated diffuse and complete loss of MFAP5 staining in the tumor stroma. Interobserver agreement was improved by 2.66 times when images of MFAP5 immunohistochemistry were provided. In conclusion, MFAP5 expression is downregulated in the desmoplastic stroma of gallbladder adenocarcinoma and may provide a useful diagnostic marker in difficult cases.

The influence of secreted factors and extracellular vesicles in ovarian cancer metastasis

Ovarian cancer cells mainly metastasise within the peritoneal cavity, the lethal consequence of tumour progression in this cancer type. Classically, changes in tumour cells, such as epithelial to mesenchymal transition, involve the down-regulatinon of E-cadherin, activation of extracellular proteases and integrin-mediated adhesion. However, our current understanding of ovarian tumour progression suggests the implication of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. It has been proposed that ovarian cancer metastases are a consequence of the crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment by soluble factors and extracellular vesicles. Characterisation of the alterations in both the tumour cells and the surrounding microenvironment has emerged as a new research field to understand ovarian cancer metastasis. In this mini review, we will summarise the most recent findings, focusing our attention on the role of secreted factors and extracellular vesicles in ovarian cancer metastasis.

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During ovarian cancer metastasis, tumour cells metastasise in the mesothelium as primarily ‘soil’ for ovarian cancer ‘seeds’.

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Soluble factors and extracellular vesicles secreted by tumor cells are involved in the generation of the pre-metastatic niche.

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Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the majority of stromal cells in various types of human carcinoma, including ovarian cancer.

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Analysis of early metastasis to the omentum indicates that ovarian cancer cells rely on the interaction with immune cells such as macrophages.

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Liquid biopsy analyses in ovarian cancer may help to define novel biomarkers improving patient survival and reduce lethality.

Altered Organelle Calcium Transport in Ovarian Physiology and Cancer

Calcium levels have a huge impact on the physiology of the female reproductive system, in particular, of the ovaries. Cytosolic calcium levels are influenced by regulatory proteins (i.e., ion channels and pumps) localized in the plasmalemma and/or in the endomembranes of membrane-bound organelles. Imbalances between plasma membrane and organelle-based mechanisms for calcium regulation in different ovarian cell subtypes are contributing to ovarian pathologies, including ovarian cancer. In this review, we focused our attention on altered calcium transport and its role as a contributor to tumor progression in ovarian cancer. The most important proteins described as contributing to ovarian cancer progression are inositol trisphosphate receptors, ryanodine receptors, transient receptor potential channels, calcium ATPases, hormone receptors, G-protein-coupled receptors, and/or mitochondrial calcium uniporters. The involvement of mitochondrial and/or endoplasmic reticulum calcium imbalance in the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in ovarian cancer is also discussed, since Ca²⁺ channels and/or pumps are nowadays regarded as potential therapeutic targets and are even correlated with prognosis.

Peptidome characterization of ovarian cancer serum and the identification of tumor suppressive peptide ZYX36-58

Background

Several serum biomarkers, including miRNA, mRNA, protein and peptides in cancer patients are also important mediators of cancer progression.

Methods

The differentially expressed peptides between the serum of ovarian cancer patients and healthy controls were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The function of the peptides was analyzed by CCK8, transwell, wound healing, and flow cytometry analysis. And the mechanism of the peptides was analyzed by peptide pull down, and high-throughput RNA-sequencing.

Results

A total of 7 and 46 peptides were significantly up-regulated and down-regulated in the serum of ovarian cancer patients, respectively. The precursor proteins of the differentially expressed peptides mainly involved in the complement and coagulation cascades, platelet activation, phagosome and focal adhesion pathways. Interestingly, focal adhesion, platelet activation, platelet-cancer cell interaction, complement activation, coagulation cascades and phagosome formation are all critical factors for cancer initiation or progression, which indicated that the peptides may play a crucial role in cancer development. And we identified one peptide, ZYX_36-58, which was down-regulated in the serum of ovarian cancer patients, significantly inhibited invasion and migration and promoted the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistic study indicated that ZYX_36-58 interacted with and increased the protein level of the antiangiogenic protein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), which has a tumor suppressive effect on ovarian cancer.

Conclusions

ZYX_36-58, which was significantly down-regulated in the serum of ovarian cancer patients can significantly inhibit cell invasion, migration and promote apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells by binding and up-regulating TSP1 protein expression.

Characterization of TNNC1 as a Novel Tumor Suppressor of Lung Adenocarcinoma

In this study, we describe a novel function of TNNC1 (Troponin C1, Slow Skeletal and Cardiac Type), a component of actin-bound troponin, as a tumor suppressor of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). First, the expression of TNNC1 was strongly down-regulated in cancer tissues compared to matched normal lung tissues, and down-regulation of TNNC1 was shown to be strongly correlated with increased mortality among LUAD patients. Interestingly, TNNC1 expression was enhanced by suppression of KRAS, and ectopic expression of TNNC1 in turn inhibited KRASG12D-mediated anchorage independent growth of NIH3T3 cells. Consistently, activation of KRAS pathway in LUAD patients was shown to be strongly correlated with down-regulation of TNNC1. In addition, ectopic expression of TNNC1 inhibited colony formation of multiple LUAD cell lines and induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and ultimately apoptosis. We further examined potential correlations between expression levels of TNNC1 and various clinical parameters and found that low-level expression is significantly associated with invasiveness of the tumor. Indeed, RNA interference-mediated down-regulation of TNNC1 led to significant enhancement of invasiveness in vitro. Collectively, our data indicate that TNNC1 has a novel function as a tumor suppressor and is targeted for down-regulation by KRAS pathway during the carcinogenesis of LUAD.

Prognostic and clinicopathological values of tissue expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A in triple-negative breast cancer: an immunohistochemical study

Introduction

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a markedly aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer; there is an urgent need to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression and metastases of BLBC, in order to find a novel targeted therapy. Microfibrillar-associated protein 5 (MFAP5) plays an essential role in the regulation of cell behaviour and survival. Integral membrane protein 2A (ITM2A) is a type II transmembrane protein, which is a member of a family of autophagy related proteins.

The aim of this study was to assess the expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A proteins in tissues of BLBC using immunohistochemistry, in order to correlate the expression with clinicopathological and prognostic parameters of such aggressive cancer.

Material and methods

The present study included sections from archived paraffin blocks retrieved from 120 patients with TNBC. We collected cases from three years, i.e. from 2016 to 2019. We assessed expression of MFAP5 and ITM2A using immunohistochemistry.

Results

High expression of MFAP5 and low expression of ITM2A was associated with advanced stage (p = 0.007), higher grade of tumour (p = 0.005 and p = 0.004, respectively), the presence of lymph nodes metastases (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively), lower three-year RFS rate (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively), and lower three-year OS rate (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

MFAP5 and ITM2A are novel prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer and might be considered as promising therapeutic targets for patients with breast cancer, particularly TNBC molecular subtype, in the future.

Molecular structure and function of microfibrillar-associated proteins in skeletal and metabolic disorders and cancers

Microfibrillar-associated proteins (MFAPs) are extracellular matrix glycoproteins, which play a role in microfibril assembly, elastinogenesis, and tissue homeostasis. MFAPs consist of five subfamily members, including MFAP1, MFAP2, MFAP3, MFAP4, and MFAP5. Among these, MFAP2 and MFAP5 are most closely related, and exhibit very limited amino acid sequence homology with MFAP1, MFAP3, and MFAP4. Gene expression profiling analysis reveals that MFAP2, MFAP5, and MFAP4 are specifically expressed in osteoblastic like cells, whereas MFAP1 and MFAP3 are more ubiquitously expressed, indicative of their diverse role in the tropism of tissues. Molecular structural analysis shows that each MFAP family member has distinct features, and functional evidence reveals discrete purposes of individual MFAPs. Animal studies indicate that MFAP2-deficient mice exhibit progressive osteopenia with elevated receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) expression, whereas MFAP5-deficient mice are neutropenic, and MFAP4-deficient mice displayed emphysema-like pathology and the impaired formation of neointimal hyperplasia. Emerging data also suggest that MFAPs are involved in cancer progression and fat metabolism. Further understanding of tissue-specific pathophysiology of MFAPs might offer potential novel therapeutic targets for related diseases, such as skeletal and metabolic disorders, and cancers.

Construction and Analysis of a ceRNA Network Reveals Potential Prognostic Markers in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and is derived from an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes. This study explored potential prognostic markers in CRC via the construction and in-depth analysis of a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network, which was generated through a three-step process. First, we screened candidate hub genes in CRC as the primary gene markers to survey their related regulatory non-coding RNAs, miRNAs. Second, the interacting miRNAs were used to search for associated lncRNAs. Thus, candidate RNAs were first constructed into ceRNA networks based on close associations with miRNAs. Further analysis at the isomiR level was also performed for each miRNA locus to understand the detailed expression patterns of the multiple variants. Finally, RNAs were performed an in-depth analysis of expression correlations, which contributed to further screening and validation of potential RNAs with close correlations to each other. Using this approach, nine hub genes, 13 related miRNAs, and 29 candidate lncRNAs were collected and used to construct the ceRNA network. Further in-depth analysis identified the MFAP5-miR-200b-3p-AC005154.6 axis as a potential prognostic marker in CRC. MFAP5 and miR-200b-3p have previously been reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis. These RNAs showed potential prognostic values, and the combination of them may have more sensitivity than using them alone. In conclusion, MFAP5, miR-200b-3p, and AC005154.6 may have potential prognostic value in CRC and may provide a prognostic reference for this patient population.

Emerging Therapeutic RNAs for the Targeting of Cancer Associated Fibroblasts

Tumor mass consists of a complex ensemble of malignant cancer cells and a wide variety of resident and infiltrating cells, secreted factors, and extracellular matrix proteins that are referred as tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are key TME components that support tumor growth, generating a physical barrier against drugs and immune infiltration, and contributing to regulate malignant progression. Thus, it is largely accepted that therapeutic approaches aimed at hampering the interactions between tumor cells and CAFs can enhance the effectiveness of anti-cancer treatments. In this view, nucleic acid therapeutics have emerged as promising molecules. Here, we summarize recent knowledge about their role in the regulation of CAF transformation and tumor-promoting functions, highlighting their therapeutic utility and challenges.

Expression of long noncoding RNAs in cancer-associated fibroblasts linked to patient survival in ovarian cancer

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the most abundant cell type in the tumor microenvironment and are responsible for producing the desmoplastic reaction that is a poor prognostic factor in ovarian cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in cancer. However, very little is known about the role of lncRNAs in the tumor microenvironment. We aimed to identify lncRNAs expressed in ovarian CAFs that were associated with patient survival and used computational approaches to predict their function. Increased expression of 9 lncRNAs and decreased expression of 1 lncRNA in ovarian CAFs were found to be associated with poorer overall survival. A "guilt-by-association" approach was used to predict the function of these lncRNAs. In particular, MIR155HG was predicted to play a role in immune response. Further investigation revealed high MIR155HG expression to be associated with higher infiltrates of immune cell subsets. In conclusion, these data indicate expression on several lncRNAs in CAFs are associated with patient survival and are likely to play an important role in regulating CAF function.

CAFs-derived MFAP5 promotes bladder cancer malignant behavior through NOTCH2/HEY1 signaling

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment and contribute to tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. Microfibrillar-associated protein 5 (MFAP5), a component of elastic microfibers and an oncogenic protein in several types of tumors, is secreted by CAFs. However, the role of MFAP5 in the bladder cancer remains unclear. Here, we report that MFAP5 is upregulated in bladder cancer and is associated with poor patient survival. Downregulation of MFAP5 in CAFs led to an impairment in proliferation and invasion of bladder cancer cells. Luciferase reporter assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) showed QKI directly downregulates MFAP5 in CAFs. In addition, CAFs-derived MFAP5 led to an activation of the NOTCH2/HEY1 signaling pathway through direct interaction with the NOTCH2 receptor, thereby stimulating the N2ICD release. RNA-sequencing revealed that MFAP5-mediated PI3K-AKT signaling activated the DLL4/NOTCH2 pathway axis in bladder cancer. Moreover, downregulation of NOTCH2 by short hairpin RNA or the inactivating anti-body NRR2Mab was able to reverse the adverse effects of MFAP5 stimulation in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results demonstrate CAFs-derived MFAP5 promotes the bladder cancer proliferation and metastasis and provides new insight for targeting CAFs as novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.

Comprehensive analysis of mRNAs and miRNAs in the ovarian follicles of uniparous and multiple goats at estrus phase

Background

Fertility is an important economic trait in the production of meat goat, and follicular development plays an important role in fertility. Although many mRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to play critical roles in ovarian biological processes, the interaction between mRNAs and miRNAs in follicular development is not yet completely understood. In addition, less attention has been given to the study of single follicle (dominant or atretic follicle) in goats. This study aimed to identify mRNAs, miRNAs, and signaling pathways as well as their interaction networks in the ovarian follicles (large follicles and small follicles) of uniparous and multiple Chuanzhong black goats at estrus phase using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technique.

Results

The results showed that there was a significant difference in the number of large follicles between uniparous and multiple goats (P < 0.05), but no difference in the number of small follicles was observed (P > 0.05). For the small follicles of uniparous and multiple goats at estrus phase, 289 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and 16 DEmiRNAs were identified; and for the large follicles, 195 DEmRNAs and 7 DEmiRNAs were identified. The functional enrichment analysis showed that DE genes in small follicles were significantly enriched in ovarian steroidogenesis and steroid hormone biosynthesis, while in large follicles were significantly enriched in ABC transporters and steroid hormone biosynthesis. The results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were consistent with those of RNA-seq. Analysis of the mRNA-miRNA interaction network suggested that CD36 (miR-122, miR-200a, miR-141), TNFAIP6 (miR-141, miR-200a, miR-182), CYP11A1 (miR-122), SERPINA5 (miR-1, miR-206, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b), and PTGFR (miR-182, miR-122) might be related to fertility, but requires further research on follicular somatic cells.

Conclusions

This study was used for the first time to reveal the DEmRNAs and DEmiRNAs as well as their interaction in the follicles of uniparous and multiple goats at estrus phase using RNA-seq technology. Our findings provide new clues to uncover the molecular mechanisms and signaling networks of goat reproduction that could be potentially used to increase ovulation rate and kidding rate in goat.

Systematic Identification of Druggable Epithelial-Stromal Crosstalk Signaling Networks in Ovarian Cancer

Background

Bulk tumor tissue samples are used for generating gene expression profiles in most research studies, making it difficult to decipher the stroma–cancer crosstalk networks. In the present study, we describe the use of microdissected transcriptome profiles for the identification of cancer–stroma crosstalk networks with prognostic value, which presents a unique opportunity for developing new treatment strategies for ovarian cancer.

Methods

Transcriptome profiles from microdissected ovarian cancer–associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and ovarian cancer cells from patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (n = 70) were used as input data for the computational systems biology program CCCExplorer to uncover crosstalk networks between various cell types within the tumor microenvironment. The crosstalk analysis results were subsequently used for discovery of new indications for old drugs in ovarian cancer by computational ranking of candidate agents. Survival analysis was performed on ovarian tumor–bearing Dicer/Pten double-knockout mice treated with calcitriol, a US Food and Drug Administration–approved agent that suppresses the Smad signaling cascade, or vehicle control (9–11 mice per group). All statistical tests were two-sided.

Results

Activation of TGF-β-dependent and TGF-β-independent Smad signaling was identified in a particular subtype of CAFs and was associated with poor patient survival (patients with higher levels of Smad-regulated gene expression by CAFs: median overall survival = 15 months, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 12.7 to 17.3 months; vs patients with lower levels of Smad-regulated gene expression: median overall survival = 26 months, 95% CI = 15.9 to 36.1 months, P = .02). In addition, the activated Smad signaling identified in CAFs was found to be targeted by repositioning calcitriol. Calcitriol suppressed Smad signaling in CAFs, inhibited tumor progression in mice, and prolonged the median survival duration of ovarian cancer–bearing mice from 36 to 48 weeks (P = .04).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest the feasibility of using novel multicellular systems biology modeling to identify and repurpose known drugs targeting cancer–stroma crosstalk networks, potentially leading to faster and more effective cures for cancers.

SRGN crosstalks with YAP to maintain chemoresistance and stemness in breast cancer cells by modulating HDAC2 expression

Background: Chemoresistance is a significant obstacle to the effective treatment of breast cancer (BC), resulting in more aggressive behavior and worse clinical outcome. The molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer chemoresistance remain unclear. Our microarray analysis had identified the overexpression of a small molecular glycoprotein serglycin (SRGN) in multidrug-resistant BC cells. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of SRGN in chemoresistance of breast cancer and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: SRNG overexpression was identified using microarray analysis and its clinical relevance was analyzed. To investigate the role of SRGN, we performed various in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as characterization of serum and tissue samples from BC patients. Chemosensitivity measurement, gene expression interference, immunofluorescence staining, mammosphere assay, flow cytometry analysis, luciferase reporter assay, ChIP-qPCR, coimmunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemistry were performed to explore the potential functions and mechanisms of SRGN. Results: We confirmed overexpression of SRGN in chemoresistant BC cells and in serum and tissue samples from BC patients with poor response to chemotherapy. SRGN specifically predicted poor prognosis in BC patients receiving chemotherapy. Mechanistically, SRGN promoted chemoresistance both in vitro and in vivo by cross-talking with the transcriptional coactivator YES-associated protein (YAP) to maintain stemness in BC cells. Ectopic YAP expression restored the effects of SRGN knockdown. Inversely, YAP knockdown rescued the effects of SRGN overexpression. The secreted SRGN triggered ITGA5/FAK/CREB signaling to enhance YAP transcription. Reciprocally, YAP promoted SRGN transcription in a TEAD1-dependent manner to form a feed-forward circuit. Moreover, the YAP/RUNX1 complex promoted HDAC2 transcription to induce chemoresistance and stemness in BC cells. Importantly, the SRGN levels were positively correlated with the YAP and HDAC2 levels in chemoresistant BC tissues. YAP and HDAC2 acted downstream of SRNG and correlated with poor outcomes of BC patients receiving chemotherapy. Conclusions: Our findings clarify the roles and mechanisms of SRGN in mediating chemoresistance in breast cancer and suggest its use a potential biomarker for chemotherapeutic response. We believe that novel therapeutic strategies for breast cancer can be designed by targeting the signaling mediated by the crosstalk between SRGN and YAP.

Overexpressed MAGP1 Is Associated With a Poor Prognosis and Promotes Cell Migration and Invasion in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a frequently occurring malignancy with high mortality rates. However, the underlying mechanism of GC progression is not very clear. The aim of this study is to reveal the inherent molecular mechanism and develop potential therapeutic targets for advanced GC. The microfibril-associated glycoprotein 1 (MAGP1), identified as a potential oncogene, was found upregulated in GC tissues and high MAGP1 expression was associated with aggressive clinicopathological features. Furthermore, the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high MAGP1 expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis (HR = 2.37, 1.07-5.24; P = 0.033). Mechanistically, MAGP1 promoted the migration and invasiveness of GC cells. In addition, the genes co-expressed with MAGP1 were primarily enriched in focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt pathways. MAGP1 overexpression enhanced the phosphorylation of FAK, AKT, and mTOR, whereas its knockdown also inactivated these factors. Furthermore, the AKT inhibitor suppressed the phosphorylation of AKT, FAK, and mTOR in recMAGP1-treated AGS cells, as well as their migration and invasion capacities. Finally, correlation analysis indicated that MAGP1 is involved in AKT signaling in GC, and is clinically relevant. Taken together, MAGP1 is a promising prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for advanced GC.

Hypoxia-induced MFAP5 Promotes Tumor Migration and Invasion via AKT Pathway in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: Microfibrillar-associated protein 5 (MFAP5) is highly expressed in many types of cancers. Our previous study has observed that overexpression of MFAP5 was correlated with lymph nodes metastasis and poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood.

Materials and methods: The MFAP5 expression is detected under hypoxia condition. HNSCC cell lines are transfected with MFAP5-expressing lentivirus vector to establish stable overexpression model. Wound-healing, migration and invasion assay are used to determine the effect of MFAP5 on HNSCC and metastasis-related proteins are examined by Western blot. In vivo lung metastasis assays are conducted by the tail vein injection. In addition, immunohistochemistry is applied to analyze the correlation of MFAP5, hypoxia-induced factor-1 α (HIF-1α), and vimentin in 84 HNSCC patients' tissue samples.

Results: Firstly, MFAP5 expression can be markedly induced under hypoxia condition in HNSCC cell lines. Cell lines with MFAP5 overexpression has a significant higher ability of migration and invasion. In addition, in vivo assay observes that overexpression of MFAP5 can promote tumor lung metastasis. Furthermore, MFAP5 facilitates this process by activating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program via AKT pathway in HNSCC cell lines. The pro-metastatic effect of MFAP5 can be reversed by MK2206, an AKT phosphorylation inhibitor. Lastly, the positive correlation among HIF-1α, MFAP5 and vimentin from tissue samples and TCGA dataset are also observed in HNSCC.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates MFAP5 plays a critical role in hypoxia-induced EMT program via AKT pathway in HNSCC, which would be a very promising therapeutic target.

Chitosan is a potential inhibitor of ovarian cancer: Molecular aspects

Although ovarian cancer has a lower prevalence than breast cancer, its mortality rate is three times higher, which is reported to increase in the coming years. As the early stages of ovarian cancer do not have any obvious symptoms, in most of the cases, this cancer is diagnosed at advanced stages with a poor prognosis. Moreover, in many patients who are diagnosed with advanced stage, relapse of the disease and drug resistance are observed. Over the past years, these women have been treated with chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgeries. However, the chemotherapy could affect the healthy tissues in addition to the malignancies. Therefore, discovering new diagnostic and therapeutic options seems to be a crucial need. Unlike the common invasive and/or nonspecific treatments, nanomedicine is trying to find a new way for cancer imaging, diagnosis, and drug delivery method. Nanoparticles (NPs), which has recently drawn attention, can be used in order to reduce the toxicity and frequent dosing of drugs, tumor-specific delivery, and early diagnosis for malignancies. Chitosan as an NP and product of chitin deacetylation has multiple characteristics, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and safety. In this review, we cover the studies concerned with the role of chitosan in finding solutions to overcome the problems faced in ovarian cancer treatments. Furthermore, we highlight how chitosan is being used in delivering chemotherapy drugs, gene therapy, and imaging methods for both detection and image-guided therapies.

The Impact of Stroma Admixture on Molecular Subtypes and Prognostic Gene Signatures in Serous Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

Recent efforts to improve outcomes for high-grade serous ovarian cancer, a leading cause of cancer death in women, have focused on identifying molecular subtypes and prognostic gene signatures, but existing subtypes have poor cross-study robustness. We tested the contribution of cell admixture in published ovarian cancer molecular subtypes and prognostic gene signatures.

METHODS

Gene signatures of tumor and stroma were developed using paired microdissected tissue from two independent studies. Stromal genes were investigated in two molecular subtype classifications and 61 published gene signatures. Prognostic performance of gene signatures of stromal admixture was evaluated in 2,527 ovarian tumors (16 studies). Computational simulations of increasing stromal cell proportion were performed by mixing gene-expression profiles of paired microdissected ovarian tumor and stroma.

RESULTS

Recently described ovarian cancer molecular subtypes are strongly associated with the cell admixture. Tumors were classified as different molecular subtypes in simulations where the percentage of stromal cells increased. Stromal gene expression in bulk tumors was associated with overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.23), and in one data set, increased stroma was associated with anatomic sampling location. Five published prognostic gene signatures were no longer prognostic in a multivariate model that adjusted for stromal content.

CONCLUSIONS

Cell admixture affects the interpretation and reproduction of ovarian cancer molecular subtypes and gene signatures derived from bulk tissue. Elucidating the role of stroma in the tumor microenvironment and in prognosis is important.

IMPACT

Single-cell analyses may be required to refine the molecular subtypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

MFAP5 facilitates the aggressiveness of intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by activating the Notch1 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary liver cancer. The dismal outcome of ICC patients is due to lack of early diagnosis, the aggressive biological behavior of ICC and the lack of effective therapeutic options. Early diagnosis and prognosis of ICC by non-invasive methods would be helpful in providing valuable information and developing effective treatment strategies.

METHODS

Expression of microfibrillar-associated protein 5 (MFAP5) in the serum of ICC patients was detected by ELISA. Human ICC specimens were immunostained by MFAP5 antibodies. The growth rate of human ICC cell lines treated with MFAP5 or MFAP5 shRNAs was examined by CCK8 and colony formation assays. Cell cycle analysis was performed with PI staining. The effect of MFAP5 inhibition was assessed by xenograft models in nude mice. RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses were used to dissect the molecular mechanism by which MFAP5 promoted ICC aggressiveness.

RESULTS

We identified MFAP5 as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of ICC. Upregulated MFAP5 is a common feature in aggressive ICC patients' tissues. Importantly, MFAP5 level in the serum of ICC patients and healthy individuals showed significant differential expression profiles. Furthermore, we showed that MFAP5 promoted ICC cell growth and G1 to S-phase transition. Using RNA-seq expression and ATAC-seq chromatin accessibility profiling of ICC cells with suppressed MFAP5 secretion, we showed that MFAP5 regulated the expression of genes involved in the Notch1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, FLI-06, a Notch signaling inhibitor, completely abolished the MFAP5-dependent transcriptional programs.

CONCLUSIONS

Raised MFAP5 serum level is useful for differentiating ICC patients from healthy individuals, and could be helpful in ICC diagnosis, prognosis and therapies.

Switching of cardiac troponin I between nuclear and cytoplasmic localization during muscle differentiation

The nuclear accumulation of proteins may depend on the presence of short targeting sequences, which are known as nuclear localization signals (NLSs). Here, we found that NLSs are predicted in some cytosolic proteins and examined the hypothesis that these NLSs may be functional under certain conditions. As a model, human cardiac troponin I (hcTnI) was used. After expression in cultured non-muscle or undifferentiated muscle cells, hcTnI accumulated inside nuclei. Several NLSs were predicted and confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis in hcTnI. Nuclear import occurred via the classical karyopherin-α/β nuclear import pathway. However, hcTnI expressed in cultured myoblasts redistributed from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where it was integrated into forming myofibrils after the induction of muscle differentiation. It appears that the dynamic retention of proteins inside cytoplasmic structures can lead to switching between nuclear and cytoplasmic localization.