TP53INP1 decreases pancreatic cancer cell migration by regulating SPARC expression

The anti-tumor effects of main component (benzethonium chloride) of butorphanol tartrate injection in non-small cell lung cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the global population. The effective management of cancer-associated pain and anesthesia are critical aspects of comprehensive cancer treatment. However, the role and mechanism of anesthesia and analgesia-related drugs in tumors remain controversial. In this study, the efficacy of 16 commonly used analgesics and anesthetics against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was evaluated. Among the 16 examined injections, butorphanol tartrate injection significantly inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells and increased the sensitivity of the EGFR-TKI-resistant H1975 cell line to gefitinib. Benzethonium chloride (BC) is the main active antitumor ingredient of butorphanol tartrate injection. BC may regulate the cell cycle, apoptosis and EMT signaling pathways by modulating the P53 signaling pathway. Our study reveals the therapeutic value of butorphanol tartrate injection and BC in the treatment of NSCLC and provides a theoretical basis for comprehensive therapies for NSCLC.

Identification and validation of miRNA-target genes network in pediatric brain tumors

Alterations in miRNA levels have been observed in various types of cancer, impacting numerous cellular processes and increasing their potential usefulness in combination therapies also in brain tumors. Recent advances in understanding the genetics and epigenetics of brain tumours point to new aberrations and associations, making it essential to continually update knowledge and classification. Here we conducted molecular analysis of 123 samples of childhood brain tumors (pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, ependymoma), focusing on identification of genes that could potentially be regulated by crucial representatives of OncomiR-1: miR-17-5p and miR-20a-5p. On the basis of microarray gene expression analysis and qRTPCR profiling, we selected six (WEE1, CCND1, VEGFA, PTPRO, TP53INP1, BCL2L11) the most promising target genes for further experiments. The WEE1, CCND1, PTPRO, TP53INP1 genes showed increased expression levels in all tested entities with the lowest increase in the pilocytic astrocytoma compared to the ependymoma and medulloblastoma. The obtained results indicate a correlation between gene expression and the WHO grade and subtype. Furthermore, our analysis showed that the integration between genomic and epigenetic pathways should now point the way to further molecular research.

HDAC10 inhibition represses melanoma cell growth and BRAF inhibitor resistance via upregulating SPARC expression

Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a conserved secreted glycoprotein, plays crucial roles in regulating various biological processes. SPARC is highly expressed and has profound implications in several cancer types, including melanoma. Understanding the mechanisms that govern SPARC expression in cancers has the potential to lead to improved cancer diagnosis, prognosis, treatment strategies, and patient outcomes. Here, we demonstrate that histone deacetylase 10 (HDAC10) is a key regulator of SPARC expression in melanoma cells. Depletion or inhibition of HDAC10 upregulates SPARC expression, whereas overexpression of HDAC10 downregulates it. Mechanistically, HDAC10 coordinates with histone acetyltransferase p300 to modulate the state of acetylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27ac) at SPARC regulatory elements and the recruitment of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) to these regions, thereby fine-tuning SPARC transcription. HDAC10 depletion and resultant SPARC upregulation repress melanoma cell growth primarily by activating AMPK signaling and inducing autophagy. Moreover, SPARC upregulation due to HDAC10 depletion partly accounts for the resensitization of resistant cells to a BRAF inhibitor. Our work reveals the role of HDAC10 in gene regulation through indirect histone modification and suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for melanoma or other cancers by targeting HDAC10 and SPARC.

miR-125 in Breast Cancer Etiopathogenesis: An Emerging Role as a Biomarker in Differential Diagnosis, Regenerative Medicine, and the Challenges of Personalized Medicine

Breast Cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide, and it is characterized by a complex etiopathogenesis, resulting in an equally complex classification of subtypes. MicroRNA (miRNA or miR) are small non-coding RNA molecules that have an essential role in gene expression and are significantly linked to tumor development and angiogenesis in different types of cancer. Recently, complex interactions among coding and non-coding RNA have been elucidated, further shedding light on the complexity of the roles these molecules fulfill in cancer formation. In this context, knowledge about the role of miR in BC has significantly improved, highlighting the deregulation of these molecules as additional factors influencing BC occurrence, development and classification. A considerable number of papers has been published over the past few years regarding the role of miR-125 in human pathology in general and in several types of cancer formation in particular. Interestingly, miR-125 family members have been recently linked to BC formation as well, and complex interactions (competing endogenous RNA networks, or ceRNET) between this molecule and target mRNA have been described. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art about research on this topic.

HDAC10 blockade upregulates SPARC expression thereby repressing melanoma cell growth and BRAF inhibitor resistance

Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC), a highly conserved secreted glycoprotein, is crucial for various bioprocesses. Here we demonstrate that histone deacetylase 10 (HDAC10) is a key regulator of SPARC expression. HDAC10 depletion or inhibition upregulates, while overexpression of HDAC10 downregulates, SPARC expression. Mechanistically, HDAC10 coordinates with histone acetyltransferase p300 to modulate the acetylation state of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac) at SPARC regulatory elements and the recruitment of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) to these regions, thereby tuning SPARC transcription. HDAC10 depletion and resultant SPARC upregulation repress melanoma cell growth, primarily by induction of autophagy via activation of AMPK signaling. Moreover, SPARC upregulation due to HDAC10 depletion partly accounts for the resensitivity of resistant cells to a BRAF inhibitor. Our work reveals the role of HDAC10 in gene regulation through epigenetic modification and suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for melanoma or other cancers by targeting HDAC10 and SPARC.

Highlights

HDAC10 is the primary HDAC member that tightly controls SPARC expression. HDAC10 coordinates with p300 in modulating the H3K27ac state at SPARC regulatory elements and the recruitment of BRD4 to these regions. HDAC10 depletion and resultant SPARC upregulation inhibit melanoma cell growth by inducing autophagy via activation of AMPK signaling.SPARC upregulation as a result of HDAC10 depletion resensitizes resistant cells to BRAF inhibitors.

Glycyrrhizic acid enhances the anticancer activity of cisplatin in the human ovarian cancer cell line

This study aimed to investigate the effects of glycyrrhizic acid (GL) on the anticancer activity of cisplatin in A2780 ovarian cancer cells. Cultured A2780 cells were treated with different concentrations of GL and cisplatin individually and in combination. The MTT assay, flow cytometry, wound-healing, and clonogenic assay, were used to determine cell viability, apoptosis, migration, and colony formation, respectively. The effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were also evaluated. QPCR was used to study the effects of individual and combined treatments with GL and cisplatin on the expression levels of migration genes (MMP2 and MMP9), and some apoptosis pathway genes (caspase-3, -8, -9, and BCL2). A synergistic effect was observed between GL and cisplatin (CI < 1). Combination therapy was significantly more effective in reducing cell viability, suppressing migration and colony formation, inducing apoptosis, and altering gene expression compared to single therapies. GL significantly increased SOD activity. The relative expression of caspase -3, -8, and - 9 increased significantly, and the expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9 decreased significantly in the treated cells. Our results indicate that GL enhances the anticancer activity of cisplatin in the A2780 cell line. Therefore, the combination of GL and cisplatin can be proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.

Naringenin in combination with quercetin/fisetin shows synergistic anti-proliferative and migration reduction effects in breast cancer cell lines

INTRODUCTION & AIM

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate among women worldwide. Quercetin/fisetin and naringenin, three well-known flavonoids, have been used to fight against various cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible synergism of quercetin/fisetin with naringenin on MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.

METHODS

In this study, cultured MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with different concentrations of quercetin/fisetin individually and in combination with naringenin. MTT assay and scratch assay was employed to determine cell viability and migration respectively. Real-time PCR was used to study the expression level of apoptosis genes and miR-1275 (tumor suppressor miRNA) and mir-27a-3p (oncogenic miRNA).

RESULTS

A synergism effect of quercetin/fisetin and naringenin (CI < 1) was observed for both cell lines. Combination therapies were significantly more effective in cell growth reduction, migration suppression and apoptosis induction than single therapies. Gene expression analysis revealed the upregulation of miR-1275 and downregulation miR-27a-3p.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that quercetin/fisetin enhances the anti-proliferative and anti-migratory activities in combination with naringenin in MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the combination of Que/Fis and Nar can be proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy for further investigations.

miR-155-3p: processing by-product or rising star in immunity and cancer?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in gene regulation that target specific mRNAs for degradation or translational repression. Each miRNA is synthesized as a miRNA duplex comprising two strands (5p and 3p). However, only one of the two strands becomes active and is selectively incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex in a process known as miRNA strand selection. Recently, significant progress has been made in understanding the factors and processes involved in strand selection. Here, we explore the selection and functionality of the miRNA star strand (either 5p or 3p), which is generally present in the cell at low levels compared to its partner strand and, historically, has been thought to possess no biological activity. We also highlight the concepts of miRNA arm switching and miRNA isomerism. Finally, we offer insights into the impact of aberrant strand selection on immunity and cancer. Leading us through this journey is miR-155, a well-established regulator of immunity and cancer, and the increasing evidence that its 3p strand plays a role in these arenas. Interestingly, the miR-155-5p/-3p ratio appears to vary dependent on the timing of the immune response, and the 3p strand seems to play a regulatory role upon its partner 5p strand.

The crosstalk between reactive oxygen species and noncoding RNAs: from cancer code to drug role

Oxidative stress (OS), characterized by the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Tumorigenesis and development driven by ROS require an aberrant redox homeostasis, that activates onco-signaling and avoids ROS-induced programmed death by orchestrating antioxidant systems. These processes are revealed to closely associate with noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). On the basis of the available evidence, ncRNAs have been widely identified as multifarious modulators with the involvement of several key redox sensing pathways, such as NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling, therefore potentially becoming effective targets for cancer therapy. Furthermore, the vast majority of ncRNAs with property of easy detected in fluid samples (e.g., blood and urine) facilitate clinicians to monitor redox homeostasis, indicating a novel method for cancer diagnosis. Herein, focusing on carcinoma initiation, metastasis and chemoradiotherapy resistance, we aimed to discuss the ncRNAs-ROS network involved in cancer progression, and the potential clinical application as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Extracellular Vesicles Mediate Communication between Endothelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

The recruitment of pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) that enwrap endothelial cells (ECs) is a crucial process for vascular maturation and stabilization. Communication between these two cell types is crucial during vascular development and in maintaining vessel homeostasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a new communication tool involving the exchange of microRNAs between cells. In the present study, we searched for microRNAs that could be transferred via EVs from ECs to SMCs and vice versa. Thanks to a microRNA profiling experiment, we found that two microRNAs are more exported in each cell type in coculture experiments: while miR-539 is more secreted by ECs, miR-582 is more present in EVs from SMCs. Functional assays revealed that both microRNAs can modulate both cell-type phenotypes. We further identified miR-539 and miR-582 targets, in agreement with their respective cell functions. The results obtained in vivo in the neovascularization model suggest that miR-539 and miR-582 might cooperate to trigger the process of blood vessel coverage by smooth muscle cells in a mature plexus. Taken together, these results are the first to highlight the role of miR-539 and miR-582 in angiogenesis and communication between ECs and SMCs.

Analysis of Ferroptosis-Mediated Modification Patterns and Tumor Immune Microenvironment Characterization in Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is an intraocular malignancy in adults in which approximately 50% of patients develop metastatic disease and have a poor prognosis. The need for immunotherapies has rapidly emerged, and recent research has yielded impressive results. Emerging evidence has implicated ferroptosis as a novel type of cell death that may mediate tumor-infiltrating immune cells to influence anticancer immunity. In this study, we first selected 11 ferroptosis regulators in UVM samples from the training set (TCGA and GSE84976 databases) by Cox analysis. We then divided these molecules into modules A and B based on the STRING database and used consensus clustering analysis to classify genes in both modules. According to the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), the results revealed that the clusters in module A were remarkably related to immune-related pathways. Next, we applied the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms and found that these ferroptosis-related patterns may affect a proportion of TME infiltrating cells, thereby mediating the tumor immune environment. Additionally, to further develop the prognostic signatures based on the immune landscape, we established a six-gene-regulator prognostic model in the training set and successfully verified it in the validation set (GSE44295 and GSE27831). Subsequently, we identified the key molecules, including ABCC1, CHAC1, and GSS, which were associated with poor overall survival, progression-free survival, disease-specific survival, and progression-free interval. We constructed a competing endogenous RNA network to further elucidate the mechanisms, which consisted of 29 lncRNAs, 12 miRNAs, and 25 ferroptosis-related mRNAs. Our findings indicate that the ferroptosis-related genes may be suitable potential biomarkers to provide novel insights into UVM prognosis and decipher the underlying mechanisms in tumor microenvironment characterization.

Overcoming the Tumor Microenvironmental Barriers of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas for Achieving Better Treatment Outcomes

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive disease with the lowest survival rate among all solid tumors. The lethality of PDAC arises from late detection and propensity of the tumor to metastasize and develop resistance against chemo and radiation therapy. A highly complex tumor microenvironment composed of dense stroma, immune cells, fibroblast, and disorganized blood vessels, is the main obstacle to current PDAC therapy. Despite the tremendous success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancers, PDAC remains one of the poorest responders of ICIs therapy. The immunologically "cold" phenotype of PDAC is attributed to the low mutational burden, high infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and T-regs, contributing to a significant immunotherapy resistance mechanism. Thus, the development of innovative strategies for turning immunologically "cold" tumor into "hot" ones is an unmet need to improve the outcome of PDAC ICIs therapies. Other smart strategies, such as nanomedicines, sonic Hedgehog inhibitor, or smoothened inhibitor, are discussed to enhance chemotherapeutic agents' efficiency by disrupting the PDAC stroma. This review highlights the current challenges and various preclinical and clinical strategies to overcome current PDAC therapy difficulties, thus significantly advancing PDAC research knowledge.

A 9-kDa matricellular SPARC fragment released by cathepsin D exhibits pro-tumor activity in the triple-negative breast cancer microenvironment

Rationale: Alternative therapeutic strategies based on tumor-specific molecular targets are urgently needed for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The protease cathepsin D (cath-D) is a marker of poor prognosis in TNBC and a tumor-specific extracellular target for antibody-based therapy. The identification of cath-D substrates is crucial for the mechanistic understanding of its role in the TNBC microenvironment and future therapeutic developments.

Methods: The cath-D substrate repertoire was investigated by N-Terminal Amine Isotopic Labeling of Substrates (TAILS)-based degradome analysis in a co-culture assay of TNBC cells and breast fibroblasts. Substrates were validated by amino-terminal oriented mass spectrometry of substrates (ATOMS). Cath-D and SPARC expression in TNBC was examined using an online transcriptomic survival analysis, tissue micro-arrays, TNBC cell lines, patient-derived xenografts (PDX), human TNBC samples, and mammary tumors from MMTV-PyMT Ctsd^-/-knock-out mice. The biological role of SPARC and its fragments in TNBC were studied using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis, gene expression knockdown, co-culture assays, western blot analysis, RT-quantitative PCR, adhesion assays, Transwell motility, trans-endothelial migration and invasion assays.

Results: TAILS analysis showed that the matricellular protein SPARC is a substrate of extracellular cath-D. In vitro, cath-D induced limited proteolysis of SPARC C-terminal extracellular Ca²⁺ binding domain at acidic pH, leading to the production of SPARC fragments (34-, 27-, 16-, 9-, and 6-kDa). Similarly, cath-D secreted by TNBC cells cleaved fibroblast- and cancer cell-derived SPARC at the tumor pericellular acidic pH. SPARC cleavage also occurred in TNBC tumors. Among these fragments, only the 9-kDa SPARC fragment inhibited TNBC cell adhesion and spreading on fibronectin, and stimulated their migration, endothelial transmigration, and invasion.

Conclusions: Our study establishes a novel crosstalk between proteases and matricellular proteins in the tumor microenvironment through limited SPARC proteolysis, revealing a novel targetable 9-kDa bioactive SPARC fragment for new TNBC treatments. Our study will pave the way for the development of strategies for targeting bioactive fragments from matricellular proteins in TNBC.

Genetic Variability in Molecular Pathways Implicated in Alzheimer's Disease: A Comprehensive Review

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease, affecting a significant part of the population. The majority of AD cases occur in the elderly with a typical age of onset of the disease above 65 years. AD presents a major burden for the healthcare system and since population is rapidly aging, the burden of the disease will increase in the future. However, no effective drug treatment for a full-blown disease has been developed to date. The genetic background of AD is extensively studied; numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified significant genes associated with increased risk of AD development. This review summarizes more than 100 risk loci. Many of them may serve as biomarkers of AD progression, even in the preclinical stage of the disease. Furthermore, we used GWAS data to identify key pathways of AD pathogenesis: cellular processes, metabolic processes, biological regulation, localization, transport, regulation of cellular processes, and neurological system processes. Gene clustering into molecular pathways can provide background for identification of novel molecular targets and may support the development of tailored and personalized treatment of AD.

Hypoxia-Mediated Complement 1q Binding Protein Regulates Metastasis and Chemoresistance in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Modulates the PKC-NF-κB-VCAM-1 Signaling Pathway

Objectives

Complement 1q binding protein (C1QBP/HABP1/p32/gC1qR) has been found to be overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the underlying mechanisms of high C1QBP expression and its role in TNBC remain largely unclear. Hypoxia is a tumor-associated microenvironment that promotes metastasis and paclitaxel (PTX) chemoresistance in tumor cells. In this study, we aimed to assess C1QBP expression and explore its role in hypoxia-related metastasis and chemoresistance in TNBC.

Materials and Methods

RNA-sequencing of TNBC cells under hypoxia was performed to identify C1QBP. The effect of hypoxia inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF-1α) on C1QBP expression was investigated using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The role of C1QBP in mediating metastasis, chemoresistance to PTX, and regulation of metastasis-linked vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) expression were studied using in vitro and in vivo experiments. Clinical tissue microarrays were used to verify the correlation of C1QBP with the expression of HIF-1α, VCAM-1, and RELA proto-oncogene nuclear factor-kappa B subunit (P65).

Results

We found that hypoxia-induced HIF-1α upregulated C1QBP. The inhibition of C1QBP notably blocked metastasis of TNBC cells and increased their sensitivity to PTX under hypoxic conditions. Depletion of C1QBP decreased VCAM-1 expression by reducing the amount of P65 in the nucleus and suppressed the activation of hypoxia-induced protein kinase C-nuclear factor-kappa B (PKC-NF-κB) signaling.immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of the tissue microarray showed positive correlations between the C1QBP level and those of HIF-1α, P65, and VCAM-1.

Conclusion

Targeting C1QBP along with PTX treatment might be a potential treatment for TNBC patients.

An Emerging Role for the Unfolded Protein Response in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of pancreatic cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-associated deaths in the world. It is characterised by dismal response rates to conventional therapies. A major challenge in treatment strategies for PDAC is the presence of a dense stroma that surrounds the tumour cells, shielding them from treatment. This unique tumour microenvironment is fuelled by paracrine signalling between pancreatic cancer cells and supporting stromal cell types including the pancreatic stellate cells (PSC). While our molecular understanding of PDAC is improving, there remains a vital need to develop effective, targeted treatments. The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an elaborate signalling network that governs the cellular response to perturbed protein homeostasis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. There is growing evidence that the UPR is constitutively active in PDAC and may contribute to the disease progression and the acquisition of resistance to therapy. Given the importance of the tumour microenvironment and cytokine signalling in PDAC, and an emerging role for the UPR in shaping the tumour microenvironment and in the regulation of cytokines in other cancer types, this review explores the importance of the UPR in PDAC biology and its potential as a therapeutic target in this disease.

Construction of a Five-Super-Enhancer-Associated-Genes Prognostic Model for Osteosarcoma Patients

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor most commonly arising in children and adolescents and associated with poor prognosis. In recent years, some prognostic models have been constructed to assist clinicians in the treatment of osteosarcoma. However, the prognosis and treatment of patients with osteosarcoma remain unsatisfactory. Notably, super-enhancer (SE)-associated genes strongly promote the progression of osteosarcoma. In the present study, we constructed a novel effective prognostic model using SE-associated genes from osteosarcoma. Five SE-associated genes were initially screened through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) penalized Cox regression, as well as univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Meanwhile, a risk score model was constructed using the expression of these five genes. The excellent performance of the five-SE-associated-gene-based prognostic model was determined via time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Kaplan-Meier curves. Inferior outcome of overall survival (OS) was predicted in the high-risk group. A nomogram based on the polygenic risk score model was further established to validate the performance of the prognostic model. It showed that our prognostic model performed outstandingly in predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of patients with osteosarcoma. Meanwhile, these five genes also belonged to the hub genes associated with survival and necrosis of osteosarcoma according to the result of weighted gene co-expression network analysis based on the dataset of GSE39058. Therefore, we believe that the five-SE-associated-gene-based prognostic model established in this study can accurately predict the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma and effectively assist clinicians in treating osteosarcoma in the future.

Revisiting cancer hallmarks: insights from the interplay between oxidative stress and non-coding RNAs

Cancer is one of the most common disease worldwide, with complex changes and certain traits which have been described as “The Hallmarks of Cancer.” Despite increasing studies on in-depth investigation of these hallmarks, the molecular mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis have still not yet been fully defined. Recently, accumulating evidence supports the observation that microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), two main classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), regulate most cancer hallmarks through their binding with DNA, RNA or proteins, or encoding small peptides. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), the byproducts generated during metabolic processes, are known to regulate every step of tumorigenesis by acting as second messengers in cancer cells. The disturbance in ROS homeostasis leads to a specific pathological state termed “oxidative stress”, which plays essential roles in regulation of cancer progression. In addition, the interplay between oxidative stress and ncRNAs is found to regulate the expression of multiple genes and the activation of several signaling pathways involved in cancer hallmarks, revealing a potential mechanistic relationship involving ncRNAs, oxidative stress and cancer. In this review, we provide evidence that shows the essential role of ncRNAs and the interplay between oxidative stress and ncRNAs in regulating cancer hallmarks, which may expand our understanding of ncRNAs in the cancer development from the new perspective.

RNA-binding protein MSI2 isoforms expression and regulation in progression of triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The RNA-binding protein Musashi-2 (MSI2) has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and tumor progression of some human cancers. MSI2 has also been reported to suppress tumor epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression in breast cancer, and low MSI2 expression is associated with poor outcomes for breast cancer patients; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully investigated. This study investigated the expression and phenotypic functions of two major alternatively spliced MSI2 isoforms (MSI2a and MSI2b) and the potential molecular mechanisms involved in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression.

METHODS

The Illumina sequencing platform was used to analyze the mRNA transcriptomes of TNBC and normal tissues, while quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry validated MSI2 isoform expression in breast cancer tissues. The effects of MSI2a and MSI2b on TNBC cells were assayed in vitro and in vivo. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA sequencing were performed to identify the potential mRNA targets of MSI2a, and RIP and luciferase analyses were used to confirm the mRNA targets of MSI2.

RESULTS

MSI2 expression in TNBC tissues was significantly downregulated compared to that in normal tissues. In TNBC, MSI2a expression was associated with poor overall survival of patients. MSI2a overexpression in vitro and in vivo inhibited TNBC cell invasion as well as extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activity. However, MSI2b overexpression had no significant effects on TNBC cell migration. Mechanistically, MSI2a expression promoted TP53INP1 mRNA stability by its interaction with the 3'-untranslated region of TP53INP1 mRNA. Furthermore, TP53INP1 knockdown reversed MSI2a-induced suppression of TNBC cell invasion, whereas ectopic expression of TP53INP1 and inhibition of ERK1/2 activity blocked MSI2 knockdown-induced TNBC cell invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study demonstrated that MSI2a is the predominant functional isoform of MSI2 proteins in TNBC, that its downregulation is associated with TNBC progression and poor prognosis and that MSI2a expression inhibited TNBC invasion by stabilizing TP53INP1 mRNA and inhibiting ERK1/2 activity. Overall, our study provides new insights into the isoform-specific roles of MSI2a and MSI2b in the tumor progression of TNBC, allowing for novel therapeutic strategies to be developed for TNBC.

MFAP2 is overexpressed in gastric cancer and promotes motility via the MFAP2/integrin α5β1/FAK/ERK pathway

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies and its prognosis is extremely poor. This study identifies a novel oncogene, microfibrillar-associated protein 2 (MFAP2) in GC. With integrative reanalysis of transcriptomic data, we found MFAP2 as a GC prognosis-related gene. And the aberrant expression of MFAP2 was explored in GC samples. Subsequent experiments indicated that silencing and exogenous MFAP2 could affect motility of cancer cells. The inhibition of silencing MFAP2 could be rescued by another FAK activator, fibronectin. This process is probably through affecting the activation of focal adhesion process via modulating ITGB1 and ITGA5. MFAP2 regulated integrin expression through ERK1/2 activation. Silencing MFAP2 by shRNA inhibited tumorigenicity and metastasis in nude mice. We also revealed that MFAP2 is a novel target of microRNA-29, and miR-29/MFAP2/integrin α5β1/FAK/ERK1/2 could be an important oncogenic pathway in GC progression. In conclusion, our data identified MFAP2 as a novel oncogene in GC and revealed that miR-29/MFAP2/integrin α5β1/FAK/ERK1/2 could be an important oncogenic pathway in GC progression.

TNF-α/miR-155 axis induces the transformation of osteosarcoma cancer stem cells independent of TP53INP1

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) has been identified to be overexpressed in various human cancers including osteosarcoma. However, whether the up-regulation of miR-155 is associated with osteosarcoma cancer stem cells (CSCs) is not well understood. In the present study, we showed that miR-155 induced the acquisition of stem-like features in U2OS osteosarcoma cells by increasing the expression of both CSCs surface markers (CD24, CD90, CD133) and CSC-related transcriptional factors (Nanog, SOX2, Oct4, Bim-1). Inflammatory factor TNF-α upregulated the miR-155 expression in U2OS cells and formed a feedback regulatory loop with miR-155. Furthermore, TNF-α/miR-155 axis promoted the cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in a TP53INP1 independent manner. We also revealed that TNF-α/miR-155 axis induced osteosarcoma CSCs transformation via ERK signaling pathway. These results indicate a crucial role of miR-155 in the acquisition of osteosarcoma CSC phenotype and miR-155 may serve as a potential target in future osteosarcoma therapy.

Downregulation of microRNA-3934-5p induces apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation of neuroblastoma cells by targeting TP53INP1

Neuroblastoma is the most common pediatric extracranial solid tumour in the world. miRNAs are a group of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that act on target genes to serve critical roles in many biological processes. Presently, the expression and role of miR-3934-5p in neuroblastoma remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of miR-3934-5p in neuroblastoma tissues and cell lines and to assess the role of miR-3934-5p in neuroblastoma. In the current study, the results revealed that miR-3934-5p was significantly upregulated in neuroblastoma tissues and cell lines. The data also identified TP53INP1 as a direct target gene of miR-3934-5p, which was negatively regulated by miR-3934-5p. The present study further demonstrated that TP53INP1 was downregulated in both neuroblastoma tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, the results of the current study indicate that miR-3934-5p downregulation may induce apoptosis and inhibit neuroblastoma cell viability. However, these effects were reversed via TP53INP1-siRNA. Data from the current study indicates that the miR-3934-5p/TP53INP1 axis may be a novel therapeutic target for neuroblastoma treatment.

YAP1-mediated pancreatic stellate cell activation inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation

Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are activated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and are responsible for dense desmoplastic stroma. Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) can induce cancer-associated fibroblast activation in liver and breast tumors, but its effect on PSCs is unknown. In the present study, we determined that YAP1 was highly expressed in the nuclei of PDAC-derived activated PSCs. RNAi-mediated or pharmacological inhibition of YAP1 led to PSC deactivation. In addition, YAP1 stimulated the expression of secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC) in PSCs, which was inhibited by RUNX1. SPARC secreted from PSCs inhibited pancreatic cancer cell (PCC) proliferation. High expression of nuclear YAP1 in tumor stroma was significantly correlated with SPARC expression and fibrosis degree in human PDAC tissues. Our study revealed a critical role for YAP1 in the regulation of PSC activation and paracrine signaling. Our findings provide insights into a novel rationale for targeting YAP1 to reprogram the PDAC microenvironment.

Prognostic impact of TP53INP1 gene expression in estrogen receptor α-positive breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Tumor protein 53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) is a key stress protein with tumor suppressor function. Several studies have demonstrated TP53INP1 downregulation in many cancers. In this study, we investigated the correlations of TP53INP1 mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues with prognosis and the correlations of microRNAs that regulate TP53INP1 expression in breast cancer patients with long follow-up.

METHODS

A total of 453 invasive breast cancer tissues were analyzed for TP53INP1 mRNA expression. We examined correlations of clinicopathological factors and expression levels of TP53INP1 mRNA in these samples. The expressions of miR-155, miR-569 and markers associated with tumor-initiating capacity were also analyzed. The median follow-up period was 9.0 years.

RESULTS

We found positive correlations between low expression of TP53INP1 mRNA and shorter disease-free survival and overall survival in breast cancer patients (P = 0.0002 and P < 0.0001, respectively), as well as in estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy (P = 0.01 and P = 0.0008, respectively). No correlations were found in ERα-negative patients. Low TP53INP1 mRNA levels positively correlated with higher grade and ERα-negativity. Multivariate analysis indicated that TP53INP1 mRNA level was an independent risk factor for overall survival both in overall breast cancer patients (hazard ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-3.92) and ERα-positive patients (hazard ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-4.64).

CONCLUSIONS

We show that low expression of TP53INP1 is an independent factor of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients, especially ERα-positive patients. TP53INP1 might be a promising candidate biomarker and therapeutic target in ERα-positive breast cancer patients.

SUMOylation Evoked by Oxidative Stress Reduced Lens Epithelial Cell Antioxidant Functions by Increasing the Stability and Transcription of TP53INP1 in Age-Related Cataracts

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cataracts. Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins have great effects on cell stress response. Previous studies have shown that TP53INP1 can arrest cell growth and induce apoptosis by modulating p53 transcriptional activity and that both TP53INP1 and p53 are substrates of SUMOylation. However, no previous research has studied the effect of SUMOylation on the oxidative stress response in cataracts. This is the first study to investigate the effect of SUMOylation of TP53INP1 in oxidative stress-induced lens epithelial cell injury and age-related cataract formation. We found that the oxidative stress-induced endogenous SUMOylation of TP53INP1 promoted human lens epithelial cell (holed) apoptosis and regulated hLEC antioxidant effects by increasing the stability and transcription of TP53INP1 in age-related cataracts. SUMO-1, SUMOylation, and TP53INP1 were upregulated in lens tissues affected by age-related cataracts. A SUMO-1-specific protease, SENP1, acted as an oxidative stress-sensitive target gene in hLECs. This study identified for the first time that TP53INP1 can be SUMOylated in vivo, that the SUMOylation of TP53INP1 is induced by oxidative stress, and that SUMOylation/deSUMOylation can affect the stability and transcription of TP53INP1 in hLECs.

High Levels of Prebiotic Resistant Starch in Diet Modulate Gene Expression and Metabolomic Profile in Pancreatic Cancer Xenograft Mice

Cancer initiation and protection mainly derives from a systemic metabolic environment regulated by dietary patterns. Less is known about the impact of nutritional interventions in people with a diagnosis of cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a diet rich in resistant starch (RS) on cell pathways modulation and metabolomic phenotype in pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. RNA-Seq experiments on tumor tissue showed that 25 genes resulted in dysregulated pancreatic cancer in mice fed with an RS diet, as compared to those fed with control diet. Moreover, in these two different mice groups, six serum metabolites were deregulated as detected by LC–MS analysis. A bioinformatic prediction analysis showed the involvement of the differentially expressed genes on insulin receptor signaling, circadian rhythm signaling, and cancer drug resistance among the three top canonical pathways, whilst cell death and survival, gene expression, and neurological disease were among the three top disease and biological functions. These findings shed light on the genomic and metabolic phenotype, contributing to the knowledge of the mechanisms through which RS may act as a potential supportive approach for enhancing the efficacy of existing cancer treatments.

Exosomes of pasteurized milk: potential pathogens of Western diseases

Milk consumption is a hallmark of western diet. According to common believes, milk consumption has beneficial effects for human health. Pasteurization of cow's milk protects thermolabile vitamins and other organic compounds including bioactive and bioavailable exosomes and extracellular vesicles in the range of 40-120 nm, which are pivotal mediators of cell communication via systemic transfer of specific micro-ribonucleic acids, mRNAs and regulatory proteins such as transforming growth factor-β. There is compelling evidence that human and bovine milk exosomes play a crucial role for adequate metabolic and immunological programming of the newborn infant at the beginning of extrauterine life. Milk exosomes assist in executing an anabolic, growth-promoting and immunological program confined to the postnatal period in all mammals. However, epidemiological and translational evidence presented in this review indicates that continuous exposure of humans to exosomes of pasteurized milk may confer a substantial risk for the development of chronic diseases of civilization including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, common cancers (prostate, breast, liver, B-cells) as well as Parkinson's disease. Exosomes of pasteurized milk may represent new pathogens that should not reach the human food chain.

Ping-Pong-Tumor and Host in Pancreatic Cancer Progression

Metastasis is the main cause of high pancreatic cancer (PaCa) mortality and trials dampening PaCa mortality rates are not satisfying. Tumor progression is driven by the crosstalk between tumor cells, predominantly cancer-initiating cells (CIC), and surrounding cells and tissues as well as distant organs, where tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (TEX) are of major importance. A strong stroma reaction, recruitment of immunosuppressive leukocytes, perineural invasion, and early spread toward the peritoneal cavity, liver, and lung are shared with several epithelial cell-derived cancer, but are most prominent in PaCa. Here, we report on the state of knowledge on the PaCIC markers Tspan8, alpha6beta4, CD44v6, CXCR4, LRP5/6, LRG5, claudin7, EpCAM, and CD133, which all, but at different steps, are engaged in the metastatic cascade, frequently via PaCIC-TEX. This includes the contribution of PaCIC markers to TEX biogenesis, targeting, and uptake. We then discuss PaCa-selective features, where feedback loops between stromal elements and tumor cells, including distorted transcription, signal transduction, and metabolic shifts, establish vicious circles. For the latter particularly pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) are responsible, furnishing PaCa to cope with poor angiogenesis-promoted hypoxia by metabolic shifts and direct nutrient transfer via vesicles. Furthermore, nerves including Schwann cells deliver a large range of tumor cell attracting factors and Schwann cells additionally support PaCa cell survival by signaling receptor binding. PSC, tumor-associated macrophages, and components of the dysplastic stroma contribute to perineural invasion with signaling pathway activation including the cholinergic system. Last, PaCa aggressiveness is strongly assisted by the immune system. Although rich in immune cells, only immunosuppressive cells and factors are recovered in proximity to tumor cells and hamper effector immune cells entering the tumor stroma. Besides a paucity of immunostimulatory factors and receptors, immunosuppressive cytokines, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, regulatory T-cells, and M2 macrophages as well as PSC actively inhibit effector cell activation. This accounts for NK cells of the non-adaptive and cytotoxic T-cells of the adaptive immune system. We anticipate further deciphering the molecular background of these recently unraveled intermingled phenomena may turn most lethal PaCa into a curatively treatable disease.

Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) cross talk and language in ceRNA regulatory networks: A new look at hallmarks of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring malignancy in women worldwide. Despite the substantial advancement in understanding the molecular mechanisms and management of BC, it remains the leading cause of cancer death in women. One of the main reasons for this obstacle is that we have not been able to find the Achilles heel for the BC as a highly heterogeneous disease. Accumulating evidence has revealed that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), play key roles in the development of BC; however, the involving of complex regulatory interactions between the different varieties of ncRNAs in the development of this cancer has been poorly understood. In the recent years, the newly discovered mechanism in the RNA world is "competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)" which proposes regulatory dialogues between different RNAs, including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), transcribed pseudogenes, and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In the latest BC research, various studies have revealed that dysregulation of several ceRNA networks (ceRNETs) between these ncRNAs has fundamental roles in establishing the hallmarks of BC development. And it is thought that such a discovery could open a new window for a better understanding of the hidden aspects of breast tumors. Besides, it probably can provide new biomarkers and potential efficient therapeutic targets for BC. This review will discuss the existing body of knowledge regarding the key functions of ceRNETs and then highlights the emerging roles of some recently discovered ceRNETs in several hallmarks of BC. Moreover, we propose for the first time the "ceRnome" as a new term in the present article for RNA research.

TP53INP1 inhibits hypoxia-induced vasculogenic mimicry formation via the ROS/snail signalling axis in breast cancer

Tumour protein p53‐inducible nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) is a tumour suppressor associated with malignant tumour metastasis. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a new tumour vascular supply pattern that significantly influences tumour metastasis and contributes to a poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of the relationship between TP53INP1 and breast cancer VM formation is unknown. Here, we explored the underlying mechanism by which TP53INP1 regulates VM formation in vitro and in vivo. High TP53INP1 expression was not only negatively correlated with a poor prognosis but also had a negative relationship with VE‐cadherin, HIF‐1α and Snail expression. TP53INP1 overexpression inhibited breast cancer invasion, migration, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and VM formation; conversely, TP53INP1 down‐regulation promoted these processes in vitro by functional experiments and Western blot analysis. We established a hypoxia model induced by CoCl₂ and assessed the effects of TP53INP1 on hypoxia‐induced EMT and VM formation. In addition, we confirmed that a reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐mediated signalling pathway participated in TP53INP1‐mediated VM formation. Together, our results show that TP53INP1 inhibits hypoxia‐induced EMT and VM formation via the ROS/GSK‐3β/Snail pathway in breast cancer, which offers new insights into breast cancer clinical therapy.

StarD13 3'-untranslated region functions as a ceRNA for TP53INP1 in prohibiting migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by regulating miR-125b activity

Competitive endogenous messenger RNA (ceRNA) affects transcription of other RNA molecules by competitively binding common microRNAs. Previous studies have shown that TP53INP1 functions as a suppressor in tumor metastasis. Our study elucidated StarD13 messenger RNA as a ceRNA in regulating migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. MicroRNA-125b was identified to induce metastasis of MCF-7 cells and bind with both StarD13 3'UTR and TP53INP1 3'UTR. Therefore, a ceRNA interaction between StarD13 and TP53INP1 mediated by competitively binding to miR-125b was indicated. Importantly, a microRNA-125b binding site at 4546-4560 nt on StarD13 was verified more vital for this ceRNA interaction. Indirectly regulation of SPARC in inducing metastasis of breast cancer cells by StarD13 via competitively binding with TP53INP1 was further confirmed. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a ceRNA regulatory network which could give a better understanding of metastatic mechanisms of breast cancer.

miR-504 promotes tumour growth and metastasis in human osteosarcoma by targeting TP53INP1

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that microRNAs participate in the development of osteosarcoma by acting as tumour suppressor or tumour-promoting genes. We investigated the role of miR-504 in the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma. The expression of miR-504 in clinical osteosarcoma samples was higher than that in the adjacent normal tissue and correlated with tumour size and clinical stage. Tumour protein p53-inducible nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) was downregulated in the clinical osteosarcoma samples compared with the adjacent normal tissues and was consistently correlated with the clinical stage. The results of dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis demonstrated that the TP53INP1 gene is a direct target of miR-504. Altogether, the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), the colony formation, the flow cytometry and the Transwell assay results demonstrated that miR-504 promoted osteosarcoma cell growth and metastasis in vitro. P73, P21, Bax, cleaved-caspase-3 and secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) were associated with the suppressive role of miR-504/TP53INP1. The overexpression of miR-504 in osteosarcoma xenografts enhanced the tumour growth and increased the metastatic burden. Collectively, these results revealed that TP53INP1 is a target gene of miR-504 and that miR-504 enhances osteosarcoma growth and promotes distant metastases by targeting TP53INP1. Thus, miR-504/TP53INP1 may be associated with osteosarcoma size and clinical stage.

Non-coding RNA in hepatocellular carcinoma: Mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic targets

The majority of the human genome is not translated into proteins but can be transcribed into RNA. Even though the resulting non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) do not encode for proteins, they contribute to diseases such as cancer. Here, we review examples of the functions of ncRNAs in liver cancer and their potential use for the detection and treatment of liver cancer.

Linking Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes: Novel shared susceptibility genes detected by cFDR approach

BACKGROUND

Both type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) occur commonly in the aging populations and T2D has been considered as an important risk factor for AD. The heritability of both diseases is estimated to be over 50%. However, common pleiotropic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)/loci have not been well-defined. The aim of this study is to analyze two large public accessible GWAS datasets to identify novel common genetic loci for T2D and/or AD.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The recently developed novel conditional false discovery rate (cFDR) approach was used to analyze the summary GWAS datasets from International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP) and Diabetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) to identify novel susceptibility genes for AD and T2D.

RESULTS

We identified 78 SNPs (including 58 novel SNPs) that were associated with AD in Europeans conditional on T2D (cFDR<0.05). 66 T2D SNPs (including 40 novel SNPs) were identified by conditioning on SNPs association with AD (cFDR<0.05). A conjunction-cFDR (ccFDR) analysis detected 8 pleiotropic SNPs with a significance threshold of ccFDR<0.05 for both AD and T2D, of which 5 SNPs (rs6982393, rs4734295, rs7812465, rs10510109, rs2421016) were novel findings. Furthermore, among the 8 SNPs annotated at 6 different genes, 3 corresponding genes TP53INP1, TOMM40 and C8orf38 were related to mitochondrial dysfunction, critically involved in oxidative stress, which potentially contribute to the etiology of both AD and T2D.

CONCLUSION

Our study provided evidence for shared genetic loci between T2D and AD in European subjects by using cFDR and ccFDR analyses. These results may provide novel insight into the etiology and potential therapeutic targets of T2D and/or AD.

TP53INP1 Downregulation Activates a p73-Dependent DUSP10/ERK Signaling Pathway to Promote Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Identifying critical factors involved in the metastatic progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may offer important therapeutic opportunities. Here, we report that the proapoptotic stress response factor TP53INP1 is often selectively downregulated in advanced stage IV and metastatic human HCC tumors. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TP53INP1 downregulation in early-stage HCC cells promoted metastasis via DUSP10 phosphatase-mediated activation of the ERK pathway. The DUSP10 promoter included putative binding sites for p73 directly implicated in modulation by TP53INP1. Overall, our findings show how TP53INP1 plays a critical role in limiting the progression of early-stage HCC, with implications for developing new therapeutic strategies to attack metastatic HCC. Cancer Res; 77(17); 4602-12. ©2017 AACR.

Unique cellular interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and the omentum

Pancreatic cancer is a common cause of cancer-related mortality. Omental spread is frequent and usually represents an ominous event, leading to patient death. Omental metastasis has been studied in ovarian cancer, but data on its role in pancreatic cancer are relatively scarce and the molecular biology of this process has yet to be explored. We prepared tissue explants from human omental fat, and used conditioned medium from the explants for various in vitro and in vivo experiments designed to evaluate pancreatic cancer development, growth, and survival. Mass spectrometry identified the fat secretome, and mRNA array identified specific fat-induced molecular alternations in tumor cells. Omental fat increased pancreatic cancer cellular growth, migration, invasion, and chemoresistance. We identified diverse potential molecules secreted by the omentum, which are associated with various pro-tumorigenic biological processes. Our mRNA array identified specific omental-induced molecular alternations that are associated with cancer progression and metastasis. Omental fat increased the expression of transcription factors, mRNA of extracellular matrix proteins, and adhesion molecules. In support with our in vitro data, in vivo experiments demonstrated an increased pancreatic cancer tumor growth rate of PANC-1 cells co-cultured for 24 hours with human omental fat conditioned medium. Our results provide novel data on the role of omental tissue in omental metastases of pancreatic cancer. They imply that omental fat secreted factors induce cellular reprogramming of pancreatic cancer cells, resulting in increased tumor aggressiveness. Understanding the mechanisms of omental metastases may enable us to discover new potential targets for therapy.

DNA Methylation Targets Influenced by Bisphenol A and/or Genistein Are Associated with Survival Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients

Early postnatal exposures to Bisphenol A (BPA) and genistein (GEN) have been reported to predispose for and against mammary cancer, respectively, in adult rats. Since the changes in cancer susceptibility occurs in the absence of the original chemical exposure, we have investigated the potential of epigenetics to account for these changes. DNA methylation studies reveal that prepubertal BPA exposure alters signaling pathways that contribute to carcinogenesis. Prepubertal exposure to GEN and BPA + GEN revealed pathways involved in maintenance of cellular function, indicating that the presence of GEN either reduces or counters some of the alterations caused by the carcinogenic properties of BPA. We subsequently evaluated the potential of epigenetic changes in the rat mammary tissues to predict survival in breast cancer patients via the Cancer Genomic Atlas (TCGA). We identified 12 genes that showed strong predictive values for long-term survival in estrogen receptor positive patients. Importantly, two genes associated with improved long term survival, HPSE and RPS9, were identified to be hypomethylated in mammary glands of rats exposed prepuberally to GEN or to GEN + BPA respectively, reinforcing the suggested cancer suppressive properties of GEN.

The relationship between SPARC expression in primary tumor and metastatic lymph node of resected pancreatic cancer patients and patients' survival

BACKGROUND

Previous researches in pancreatic cancer demonstrated a negative correlation between secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) expression in primary tumor and survival, but not for SPARC expression in lymph node. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the SPARC expression in various types of tissues and its impact on patients' prognosis.

METHODS

The expression of SPARC was examined by immunohistochemistry in resected pancreatic cancer specimens. Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression were applied to assess the mortality risk.

RESULTS

A total of 222 tissue samples from 73 patients were collected to evaluate the SPARC expression, which included 73 paired primary tumor and adjacent normal tissues, 38 paired metastatic and normal lymph nodes. The proportion of positive SPARC expression in metastatic lymph node was high (32/38), whereas in normal lymph node it was negative (0/38). Positive SPARC expression in primary tumor cells was associated with a significantly decreased overall survival (P=0.007) and disease-free survival (P=0.003), whereas in other types of tissues it did not show a predictive role for prognosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses both confirmed this significance.

CONCLUSION

SPARC can serve a dual function role as both predictor for prognosis and potentially biomarker for lymph node metastasis in resected pancreatic cancer patients.

Downregulation of tumor protein 53-inducible nuclear protein 1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with poor prognosis

The expression of tumor protein 53-inducible nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) is upregulated in certain cancers and downregulated in others. However, its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the expression and prognostic value of TP53INP1 and its association with clinicopathological parameters in HCC. TP53INP1 expression in HCC tissue samples was examined via immunohistochemistry, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Expression was categorized as high or low. The correlations of TP53INP1 expression with clinical characteristics and patients' prognoses were determined. TP53INP1 was frequently decreased in HCC tissues compared with adjacent non-tumorous liver tissues. This decreased expression was significantly associated with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage (P=0.014) and vascular invasion (P=0.024). Kaplan-Meier analysis further revealed that recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P=0.001) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.002) were significantly worse among patients with low TP53INP1 expression than among those with high TP53INP1 expression. In addition, multivariate analyses revealed that TP53INP1 was an independent predictor of OS [hazard ratio (HR)=2.680, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.087–6.608, P=0.032) and RFS (HR=2.284, 95% CI=1.157–4.511, P=0.017). In conclusion, the expression of TP53INP1 was decreased in HCC, and TP53INP1 downregulation was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with HCC.

Impact of SPARC expression on outcome in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer not receiving nab-paclitaxel: a pooled analysis from prospective clinical and translational trials

BACKGROUND

Conflicting results on the role of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteins (SPARC) expression have been reported in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and its prognostic and/or predictive role in advanced PDAC (aPDAC) has not been extensively investigated yet. This study was designed to evaluate SPARC expression as a biomarker in aPDAC patients (pts) not receiving nab-paclitaxel.

METHODS

Using immunohistochemistry, we examined the stromal as well as the tumoral (i.e., cytoplasmic) SPARC expression in tumour tissue (primary tumours and metastases) of 134 aPDAC pts participating in completed prospective clinical and biomarker trials. The SPARC expression levels were correlated to the pts' clinicopathological parameters and survival times.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven per cent of the analysed tumours showed high stromal SPARC expression, which was not associated with overall survival (OS, median 9.1 vs 7.6 months, P=0.316). A positive cytoplasmic SPARC expression was detected in 55% of the tumours and correlated significantly with inferior progression-free survival (PFS, 6.2 vs 8.6 months, P=0.004) and OS (7.8 vs 8.4 months, P=0.032). This association was strongest for pts, where primary tumour tissue was examined (PFS: 6.7 vs 10.8 months, P=0.004; OS: 7.9 vs 11.9 months, P=0.030), whereas no significant correlation was detected for pts, where only metastatic tissue was available (PFS: 5.8 vs 6.6 months, P=0.502; OS: 7.0 vs 7.8 months, P=0.452). In pts receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy cytoplasmic SPARC expression was significantly associated with an inferior PFS and OS (PFS: 6.2 vs 9.2 months, P=0.002; OS 7.3 vs 9.9 months, P=0.012), whereas no such association was detected for stromal SPARC expression or for pts receiving fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

We identified cytoplasmic SPARC expression in the primary tumour as a biomarker associated with inferior PFS and OS in aPDAC. Cytoplasmic SPARC expression may furthermore act as a negative predictive biomarker in pts treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

The miRacle in Pancreatic Cancer by miRNAs: Tiny Angels or Devils in Disease Progression

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with increasing incidence and high mortality. Surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment of patients with PDAC. Because of the late presentation of the disease, about 20 percent of patients are candidates for this treatment. The average survival of resected patients is between 12 and 20 months, with a high probability of relapse. Standard chemo and radiation therapies do not offer significant improvement of the survival of these patients. Furthermore, novel treatment options aimed at targeting oncogenes or growth factors in pancreatic cancer have proved unsuccessful. Thereby, identifying new biomarkers that can detect early stages of this disease is of critical importance. Among these biomarkers, microRNAs (miRNAs) have supplied a profitable recourse and become an attractive focus of research in PDAC. MiRNAs regulate many genes involved in the development of PDAC through mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. The possibility of intervention in the molecular mechanisms of miRNAs regulation could begin a new generation of PDAC therapies. This review summarizes the reports describing miRNAs involvement in cellular processes involving pancreatic carcinogenesis and their utility in diagnosis, survival and therapeutic potential in pancreatic cancer.

Defects in mitophagy promote redox-driven metabolic syndrome in the absence of TP53INP1

The metabolic syndrome covers metabolic abnormalities including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is characterized by insulin resistance resulting from both environmental and genetic factors. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) published in 2010 identified TP53INP1 as a new T2D susceptibility locus, but a pathological mechanism was not identified. In this work, we show that mice lacking TP53INP1 are prone to redox-driven obesity and insulin resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reactive oxygen species increase in TP53INP1-deficient cells results from accumulation of defective mitochondria associated with impaired PINK/PARKIN mitophagy. This chronic oxidative stress also favors accumulation of lipid droplets. Taken together, our data provide evidence that the GWAS-identified TP53INP1 gene prevents metabolic syndrome, through a mechanism involving prevention of oxidative stress by mitochondrial homeostasis regulation. In conclusion, this study highlights TP53INP1 as a molecular regulator of redox-driven metabolic syndrome and provides a new preclinical mouse model for metabolic syndrome clinical research.

The stress protein TP53INP1 plays a tumor suppressive role by regulating metabolic homeostasis

In the recent years, we have provided evidence that Tumor Protein 53-Induced Nuclear Protein 1 (TP53INP1) is a key stress protein with antioxidant-associated tumor suppressive function. The TP53INP1 gene, which is highly conserved in mammals, is over-expressed during stress responses including inflammation. This gene encodes two protein isoforms with nuclear or cytoplasmic subcellular localization depending on the context. TP53INP1 contributes to stress responses, thus preventing stress-induced dysfunctions leading to pathologies such as cancer. Two major mechanisms by which TP53INP1 functions have been unveiled. First, in the nucleus, TP53INP1 was shown to regulate the transcriptional activity of p53 and p73 by direct interaction, and to mediate the antioxidant activity of p53. Second, independently of p53, TP53INP1 contributes to autophagy and more particularly mitophagy through direct interaction with molecular actors of autophagy. TP53INP1 is thus required for the homeostasis of the mitochondrial compartment, and is therefore involved in the regulation of energetic metabolism. Finally, the antioxidant function of TP53INP1 stems from the control of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. In conclusion, TP53INP1 is a multifaceted protein endowed with multiple functions, including metabolic regulation, as is its main functional partner p53.

The Emerging Role of miRNAs in HTLV-1 Infection and ATLL Pathogenesis

Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-1 is a human retrovirus and the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), a fatal malignancy of CD4/CD25+ T lymphocytes. In recent years, cellular as well as virus-encoded microRNA (miRNA) have been shown to deregulate signaling pathways to favor virus life cycle. HTLV-1 does not encode miRNA, but several studies have demonstrated that cellular miRNA expression is affected in infected cells. Distinct mechanisms such as transcriptional, epigenetic or interference with miRNA processing machinery have been involved. This article reviews the current knowledge of the role of cellular microRNAs in virus infection, replication, immune escape and pathogenesis of HTLV-1.

Genomic profiling guides the choice of molecular targeted therapy of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer has the worst five-year survival rate of all malignancies due to its aggressive progression and resistance to therapy. Current therapies are limited to gemcitabine-based chemotherapeutics, surgery, and radiation. The current trend toward "personalized genomic medicine" has the potential to improve the treatment options for pancreatic cancer. Gene identification and genetic alterations like single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations will allow physicians to predict the efficacy and toxicity of drugs, which could help diagnose pancreatic cancer, guide neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment, and evaluate patients' prognosis. This article reviews the multifaceted roles of genomics and pharmacogenomics in pancreatic cancer.

TGF-β1 acts through miR-155 to down-regulate TP53INP1 in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell phenotypes

It has been shown that acquisition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and induction of cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties contribute to metastasis of cancers in many studies; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying EMT and CSC phenotypes in liver cancer cells remain to be elucidated. MiR-155 is an important microRNA associated with tumour progression. Here, we report that miR-155 regulates not only the epithelial-mesenchymal transition but also the stem-like transition in liver cancer cells. Utilizing quantitative RT-PCR, we found that the expression of miR-155 is positively related to the levels of CD90, CD133 and Oct4 in enriched spheres. Up-regulated miR-155 significantly increases the population of stem-like CSCs among liver cancer cells and the ability to form tumour spheres. Additionally, miR-155 overexpression in cells significantly increases cell motility and invasion, as well as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. Conversely, suppression of miR-155 in cells had an opposite effect, which was partially rescued by the down-regulation of TP53INP1. Collectively, miR-155 promotes liver cancer cell EMT and CSCs, in part, via silencing TP53INP1. In addition, we found that TGF-β1 indirectly regulates TP53INP1 expression via miR-155 in liver cancer cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-155 regulates TP53INP1 expression, to induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and acquisition of a stem cell phenotype.

MiR-155 targets TP53INP1 to regulate liver cancer stem cell acquisition and self-renewal

In liver cancer, miR-155 up-regulation can regulate cancer-cell invasion. However, whether miR-155 expression is associated with liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains unknown. Here, we show that miR-155 expression is up-regulated in tumor spheres. Knock-down of miR-155 resulted in suppression of tumor sphere formation, through a decrease in the proportion of CD90(+) and CD133(+) CSCs and in the expression of Oct4, whereas miR-155 overexpression had the opposite effect. TP53INP1 was determined to be involved in the CSCs-like properties that were regulated by miR-155. Thus, miR-155 may play an important role in promoting the generation of stem cell-like cells and their self-renewal by targeting the gene TP53INP1.

Personalising pancreas cancer treatment: When tissue is the issue

The treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer has not moved much beyond single agent gemcitabine until recently when protocols such as FOLFIRINOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin) and nab-paclitaxel-gemcitabine have demonstrated some improved outcomes. Advances in technology especially in massively parallel genome sequencing has progressed our understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer especially the candidate signalling pathways that are involved in tumourogenesis and disease course. This has allowed identification of potentially actionable mutations that may be targeted by new biological agents. The heterogeneity of pancreatic cancer makes tumour tissue collection important with the aim of being able to personalise therapies for the individual as opposed to a one size fits all approach to treatment of the condition. This paper reviews the developments in this area of translational research and the ongoing clinical studies that will attempt to move this into the everyday oncology practice.

Gene-wide analysis detects two new susceptibility genes for Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease is a common debilitating dementia with known heritability, for which 20 late onset susceptibility loci have been identified, but more remain to be discovered. This study sought to identify new susceptibility genes, using an alternative gene-wide analytical approach which tests for patterns of association within genes, in the powerful genome-wide association dataset of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project Consortium, comprising over 7 m genotypes from 25,580 Alzheimer's cases and 48,466 controls.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In addition to earlier reported genes, we detected genome-wide significant loci on chromosomes 8 (TP53INP1, p = 1.4×10-6) and 14 (IGHV1-67 p = 7.9×10-8) which indexed novel susceptibility loci.

SIGNIFICANCE

The additional genes identified in this study, have an array of functions previously implicated in Alzheimer's disease, including aspects of energy metabolism, protein degradation and the immune system and add further weight to these pathways as potential therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's disease.