Kinesin superfamily: roles in breast cancer, patient prognosis and therapeutics. Oncogene. 2018;37:833-838. [PMID: 29059174 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.406]

KIF18B: an important role in signaling pathways and a potential resistant target in tumor development

KIF18B is a key member of the kinesin-8 family, involved in regulating various physiological processes such as microtubule length, spindle assembly, and chromosome alignment. This article briefly introduces the structure and physiological functions of KIF18B, examines its role in malignant tumors, and the associated carcinogenic signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, and mTOR pathways. Research indicates that the upregulation of KIF18B enhances tumor malignancy and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. KIF18B could become a new target for anticancer drugs, offering significant potential for the treatment of malignant tumors and reducing chemotherapy resistance.

Role of microRNAs in tumor progression by regulation of kinesin motor proteins

Aberrant cell proliferation is one of the main characteristics of tumor cells that can be affected by many cellular processes and signaling pathways. Kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) are motor proteins that are involved in cytoplasmic transportations and chromosomal segregation during cell proliferation. Therefore, regulation of the KIF functions as vital factors in chromosomal stability is necessary to maintain normal cellular homeostasis and proliferation. KIF deregulations have been reported in various cancers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and signaling pathways are important regulators of KIF proteins. MiRNAs have key roles in regulation of the cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. In the present review, we discussed the role of miRNAs in tumor biology through the regulation of KIF proteins. It has been shown that miRNAs have mainly a tumor suppressor function via the KIF targeting. This review can be an effective step to introduce the miRNAs/KIFs axis as a probable therapeutic target in tumor cells.

Kinesin 26B modulates M2 polarization of macrophage by activating cancer-associated fibroblasts to aggravate gastric cancer occurrence and metastasis

BACKGROUND

The regulatory effects of KIF26B on gastric cancer (GC) have been confirmed, but the specific mechanism still needs further exploration. Pan-cancer analysis shows that the KIF26B expression is highly related to immune infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and CAFs promote macrophage M2 polarization and affect cancers' progression.

AIM

To investigate the regulatory functions of KIF26B on immune and metastasis of GC.

METHODS

We analyzed genes' mRNA levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Expression levels of target proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and Western blotting. We injected AGS cells into nude mice for the establishment of a xenograft tumor model and observed the occurrence and metastasis of GC. The degree of inflammatory infiltration in pulmonary nodes was observed through hematoxylin-eosin staining. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed for the evaluation of cell invasion and migration ability. Tube formation assay was used for detecting angiogenesis. M2-polarized macrophages were estimated by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

KIF26B was significantly overexpressed in cells and tissues of GC, and the higher expression of KIF26B was related to GC metastasis and prognosis. According to in vivo experiments, KIF26B promoted tumor formation and metastasis of GC. KIF26B expression was positively associated with CAFs' degree of infiltration. Moreover, CAFs could regulate M2-type polarization of macrophages, affecting GC cells' migration, angiogenesis, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition process.

CONCLUSION

KIF26B regulated M2 polarization of macrophage through activating CAFs, regulating the occurrence and metastasis of GC.

KIF22 promotes multiple myeloma progression by regulating the CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway

PURPOSE

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of malignant plasma B cells in bone marrow, and its pathogenesis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the role of kinesin family member 22 (KIF22) in MM and elucidate its molecular mechanism.

METHODS

The expression of KIF22 was detected in MM patients based upon the public datasets and clinical samples. Then, in vitro assays were performed to investigate the biological function of KIF22 in MM cell lines, and subcutaneous xenograft models in nude mice were conducted in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assay were used to determine the mechanism of KIF22-mediated regulation.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that the expression of KIF22 in MM patients was associated with several clinical features, including gender (P = 0.016), LDH (P < 0.001), β2-MG (P = 0.003), percentage of tumor cells (BM) (P = 0.002) and poor prognosis (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, changing the expression of KIF22 mainly influenced the cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, and caused G2/M phase cell cycle dysfunction. Mechanically, KIF22 directly transcriptionally regulated cell division cycle 25C (CDC25C) by binding its promoter and indirectly influenced CDC25C expression by regulating the ERK pathway. KIF22 also regulated CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway.

CONCLUSION

KIF22 could promote cell proliferation and cell cycle progression by transcriptionally regulating CDC25C and its downstream CDC25C/CDK1/cyclinB1 pathway to facilitate MM progression, which might be a potential therapeutic target in MM.

RFC3 drives the proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of colorectal cancer cells by binding KIF14

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a deadly and aggressive type of cancer that has a high fatality rate. The expression levels of replication factor C subunit 3 (RFC3) and kinesin family member 14 (KIF14) have been reported to be increased in CRC. The current study aimed to explore the effects of RFC3 on the malignant behaviors of CRC cells and its possible underlying mechanism involving KIF14. RFC3 and KIF14 expression levels in CRC tissues were analyzed using TNMplot database and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database bioinformatics tools. RFC3 and KIF14 levels in CRC cells were examined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting. Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays were performed to assess cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis was determined using flow cytometric analysis. Wound healing and Transwell assays were adopted for the evaluation of cell migration and invasion. Tube formation assay in human umbilical vein endothelial cells was used to measure angiogenesis. Western blotting analysis was performed to determine the expression of apoptosis-, migration- and angiogenesis-associated proteins. Additionally, bioinformatics tools predicted the co-expression and interaction of RFC3 and KIF14, which was verified by a co-immunoprecipitation assay. RFC3 displayed elevated expression in CRC tissues and cells, and depletion of RFC3 halted the proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis, while increasing the apoptosis of CRC cells; this was accompanied by changes in the expression levels of related proteins. In addition, RFC3 bound to KIF14 and interference with RFC3 reduced KIF14 expression. Moreover, KIF14 upregulation reversed the effects of RFC3 depletion on the aggressive cellular behaviors in CRC. In conclusion, RFC3 might interact with KIF14 to function as a contributor to the malignant development of CRC.

Development of a breast cancer prognostic model based on vesicle-mediated transport-related genes to predict immune landscape and clinical drug therapy

BACKGROUND

Vesicle-mediated transport, vital for substance exchange and intercellular communication, is linked to tumor initiation and progression. This work was designed to study the role of vesicle-mediated transport-related genes (VMTRGs) in breast cancer (BC)prognosis.

METHODS

Univariate Cox analysis was utilized to screen prognosis-related VMTRGs. BC samples underwent unsupervised clustering based on VMTRGs to analyze survival, clinical factors, and immune cell abundance across different subtypes. We constructed a risk model using univariate Cox and LASSO regression analysis, with validation conducted using GEO datasets. Subsequently, we performed tumor mutational burden analysis, and immune landscape analysis on both groups. Ultimately, we conducted immunophenoscore (IPS) scoring to forecast immunotherapy and performed drug sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 102 VMTRGs associated with BC prognosis. Using these 102 VMTRGs, BC patients were classified into 3 subtypes, with Cluster3 patients showing significantly better survival rates. We constructed a prognostic model for BC based on 12 VMTRGs that effectively predicted patient survival. Riskscore was an independent prognostic factor for BC patients. According to median risk score, high-risk group (HRG) had higher TMB values. The immune landscape of the HRG exhibited characteristics of cold tumor, with higher immune checkpoint expression levels and lower IPS scores, whereas Gemcitabine, Nilotinib, and Oxaliplatin were more suitable for treating low-risk group.

CONCLUSION

We classified BC subtypes and built a prognostic model based on VMTRGs. The genes in the prognostic model may serve as potential targets for BC therapy.

Differential Expression of KIF18B in Gastric Cancer and Its Role in Chemotherapy Sensitivity

Gastric cancer (GC) is a main cause of cancer death in the world, and improving the chemotherapy sensitivity can enhance the chemotherapy efficacy of GC. The study objective is to explore the differential KIF18B expression in GC and its effect on GC chemotherapy sensitivity. The KIF18B expression in GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between differential KIF18B expression and different clinicopathological features was detected. It was found that KIF18B was highly expressed in GC tissues, and KIF18B expression was differential in patients with different clinicopathological features. The upregulation of KIF18B has a positive correlation with the poor therapeutic effect and high KIF18 was associated with lower 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival. The KIF18B-downregulated NCI-N87 cells were constructed and tested by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation. Cell migration and invasion were detected by Transwell assay. The xenograft tumor model was established to observe the effect of KIF18B on the efficacy of chemotherapy. The upregulation of KIF18B reduced the chemotherapy sensitivity of GC cells and enhanced their proliferation, migration, and invasion. Silencing KIF18B inhibited tumor growth and promoted chemotherapy efficacy in vivo. In summary, KIF18B inhibitor may have a potential function for improving the efficacy of chemotherapy in GC.

Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 reduces KIF20A expression and promotes CDC25A proteasomal degradation in epithelial ovarian cancer

Background

Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 shows promising tumor-suppressive effects in ovarian cancer via inhibiting NF-κB signaling. This study aimed to explore the downstream tumor suppressive mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg3 via this signaling pathway.

Materials and methods

A systematical screening was applied to examine the expression profile of 41 kinesin family member genes in ovarian cancer. The regulatory effect of ginsenoside Rg3 on KIF20A expression was studied. In addition, we explored interacting proteins of KIF20A and their molecular regulations in ovarian cancer. RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used for bioinformatic analysis. Epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV3 and A2780 were used as in vitro and in vivo cell models. Commercial human ovarian cancer tissue arrays were used for immunohistochemistry staining.

Results

KIF20A is a biomarker of poor prognosis among the kinesin genes. It promotes ovarian cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Ginsenoside Rg3 can suppress the transcription of KIF20A. GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation (IP) assays confirmed that KIF20A physically interacts with BTRC (β-TrCP1), a substrate recognition subunit for SCFβ-TrCP E3 ubiquitin ligase. In vitro ubiquitination and cycloheximide (CHX) chase assays showed that via interacting with BTRC, KIF20A reduces BTRC-mediated CDC25A poly-ubiquitination and enhances its stability. Ginsenoside Rg3 treatment partly abrogates KIF20A overexpression-induced CDC25A upregulation.

Conclusion

This study revealed a novel anti-tumor mechanism of ginsenoside Rg3. It can inhibit KIF20A transcription and promote CDC25A proteasomal degradation in epithelial ovarian cancer.

The Application of Kinesin Inhibitors in Medical Issues

Kinesins are a group of motor proteins in charge of several crucial functions in the cell. These proteins often bind to microtubules and perform their functions using the energy produced by ATP hydrolysis. One function of mitotic kinesin, a subclass of kinesin that is expressed during cell division at the mitotic phase, is to create the mitotic spindle. Uncontrolled cell growth is one trait of cancerous cells. Traditional anticancer medications still used in clinics include taxanes (paclitaxel) and vinca alkaloids (vincristine, vinblastine), which interfere with microtubule dynamics. However, because non-dividing cells like post-mitotic neurons contain microtubules, unwanted side effects like peripheral neuropathy are frequently found in patients taking these medications. More than ten members of the mitotic kinesin family play distinct or complementary roles during mitosis. The mitotic kinesin family's KSP, or Eg5, is regarded as its most dramatic target protein. The current work systematically reviews the use of kinesin inhibitors in the medical field. The challenges of KSP and the practical solutions are also examined, and the outcomes of the previous works are reported. The significant gaps and shortcomings of the related works are also highlighted, which can be an onset topic for future works.

Kinesin family member 18B activates mTORC1 signaling via actin gamma 1 to promote the recurrence of human hepatocellular carcinoma

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway is frequently reported to be hyperactivated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and contributes to HCC recurrence. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of mTORC1 signaling in HCC are not fully understood. In the present study, we found that the expression of kinesin family member 18B (KIF18B) was positively correlated with mTORC1 signaling in HCC, and the upregulation of KIF18B and p-mTOR was associated with a poor prognosis and HCC recurrence. Utilizing in vitro and in vivo assays, we showed that KIF18B promoted HCC cell proliferation and migration through activating mTORC1 signaling. Mechanistically, we identified Actin gamma 1 (γ-Actin) as a binding partner of KIF18B. KIF18B and γ-Actin synergistically modulated lysosome positioning, promoted mTORC1 translocation to lysosome membrane, and prohibited p70 S6K from entering lysosomes for degradation, which finally led to the enhancement of mTORC1 signaling transduction. Moreover, we found that KIF18B was a direct target of Forkhead box M1, which explains the potential mechanism of KIF18B overexpression in HCC. Our study highlights the potential of KIF18B as a therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

Development and validation of a vesicle-mediated transport-associated gene signature for predicting prognosis and immune therapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. The progression of numerous malignancies has been linked to abnormal vesicle-mediated transport-related gene (VMTRG) expression. The prognostic importance of VMTRGs in HCC is uncertain nonetheless.

METHODS

Utilizing HCC data from TCGA and ICGC, we employed univariate cox analysis, unsupervised clustering, and lasso analysis to construct molecular subtypes and prognostic signature of HCC based on the prognostic-associated VMTRGs expression levels. Subsequently, we validated the expression levels of the signature genes. We investigated the probable pathways using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Six methods were utilized to compare immune cell infiltration between two risk groups. Moreover, the "pRRophetic" algorithm was utilized to test the drug sensitivity of both groups.

RESULTS

We identified two distinct subtypes with divergent biological behaviors and immune functionality through unsupervised clustering. Subtype C1 demonstrated a poorer prognosis. A prognostic signature incorporating two VMTRGs (KIF2C and RAC1) was formulated. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR analyses unveiled a significant upregulation of these pivotal genes within HCC tissues. The prognosis was worse for the high-risk group, which also had a higher clinicopathological grade, higher levels of tumor mutation burden (TMB), a higher immunological infiltration of CD8 + T cells, a higher expression of immune checkpoints, and enhanced immunotherapy efficacy. These two risk groups also have varied chemotherapy drug sensitivities.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on VMTRGs, we have developed a signature that assists in accurate prognosis prediction and formulating personalized treatment strategies for HCC patients.

A Network of 17 Microtubule-Related Genes Highlights Functional Deregulations in Breast Cancer

A wide panel of microtubule-associated proteins and kinases is involved in coordinated regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton and may thus represent valuable molecular markers contributing to major cellular pathways deregulated in cancer. We previously identified a panel of 17 microtubule-related (MT-Rel) genes that are differentially expressed in breast tumors showing resistance to taxane-based chemotherapy. In the present study, we evaluated the expression, prognostic value and functional impact of these genes in breast cancer. We show that 14 MT-Rel genes (KIF4A, ASPM, KIF20A, KIF14, TPX2, KIF18B, KIFC1, AURKB, KIF2C, GTSE1, KIF15, KIF11, RACGAP1, STMN1) are up-regulated in breast tumors compared with adjacent normal tissue. Six of them (KIF4A, ASPM, KIF20A, KIF14, TPX2, KIF18B) are overexpressed by more than 10-fold in tumor samples and four of them (KIF11, AURKB, TPX2 and KIFC1) are essential for cell survival. Overexpression of all 14 genes, and underexpression of 3 other MT-Rel genes (MAST4, MAPT and MTUS1) are associated with poor breast cancer patient survival. A Systems Biology approach highlighted three major functional networks connecting the 17 MT-Rel genes and their partners, which are centered on spindle assembly, chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. Our studies identified mitotic Aurora kinases and their substrates as major targets for therapeutic approaches against breast cancer.

Bioinformatical analysis of the key differentially expressed genes for screening potential biomarkers in Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common pediatric renal malignant tumor in the world. Overall, the prognosis of Wilms tumor is very good. However, the prognosis of patients with anaplastic tumor histology or disease relapse is still poor, and their recurrence rate, metastasis rate and mortality are significantly increased compared with others. Currently, the combination of histopathological examination and molecular biology is essential to predict prognosis and guide the treatment. However, the molecular mechanism has not been well studied. Genetic profiling may be helpful in some way. Hence, we sought to identify novel promising biomarkers of WT by integrating bioinformatics analysis and to identify genes associated with the pathogenesis of WT. In the presented study, the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus was used to download two datasets of gene expression profiles related to WT patients for the purpose of detecting overlapped differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs were then uploaded to DAVID database for enrichment analysis. In addition, the functional interactions between proteins were evaluated by simulating the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs. The impact of selected hub genes on survival in WT patients was analyzed by using the online tool R2: Genomics Analysis and Visualization Platform. The correlation between gene expression and the degree of immune infiltration was assessed by the Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using the Expression (ESTIMATE) algorithm and the single sample GSEA. Top 12 genes were identified for further study after constructing a PPI network and screening hub gene modules. Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) was identified as the most significant gene predicting the overall survival of WT patients. The expression of KIF2C in WT was further verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we found that KIF2C was significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration in WT. Our present study demonstrated that altered expression of KIF2C may be involved in WT and serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for WT patients.

Pan-cancer analysis of kinesin family members with potential implications in prognosis and immunological role in human cancer

Background

Kinesin is a molecular motor for transporting "goods" within cells and plays a key role in many types of tumors. The multi-angle study of kinesin at the pan-cancer level is conducive to understanding its role in tumorigenesis and development and clinical treatment potential.

Methods

We evaluated the expression of KIF genes, performed differential analysis by using the R package limma, and explored the pan-cancer prognosis of KIF genes by univariate Cox regression analysis. To evaluate the pan-cancer role of KIF genes as a whole, we defined the KIFscore with the help of gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and explored the KIFscores across normal tissues, tumor cell lines, and 33 tumor types in TCGA. Next, we used spearman correlation analysis to extensively study the correlation between the KIFscore and tumor prognosis and be-tween the KIFscore and clinical indicators. We also identified the relationship between the KIFscore and genomic variation and immune molecular signatures by multiplatform analysis. Finally, we identified the key genes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) through machine learning algorithms and verified the candidate genes by CCK8, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry.

Results

In most cancers, KIFscores are high and they act as a risk factor for cancer. The KIFscore was significantly associated with copy number variation (CNV), tumor mutation burden (TMB), immune subtypes, DNA repair deficiency, and tumor stemness indexes. Moreover, in almost all cancer species, the KIFscore was positively correlated with T cell CD4+ TH2, the common lymphoid pro-genitor, and the T cell follicular helper. In addition, it was negatively correlated with CXCL16, CCL14, TNFSF13, and TNFRSF14 and positively correlated with ULBP1, MICB, and CD276. Machine learning helped us to identify four hub-genes in ccRCC. The suitable gene, KIF14, is highly expressed in ccRCC and promotes tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusion

Our study shows that the KIF genes play an important pan-cancer role and may become a potential new target for a variety of tumor treatments in the future. Furthermore, KIF14, a key molecule in the KIF genes, can provide a new idea for the ccRCC treatment.

Kinesin family member 23 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal carcinoma by inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) serves as a tumor-promoting gene with prognostic values in various tumors. However, the role of KIF23 in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) progression is largely unknown. The overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE12452, GSE17351, and GSE20347 datasets were identified via GEO2R tool and Venn diagram software. KIF23 expression was analyzed using GSE12452, GSE17351, and GSE20347 datasets, GEPIA database, and qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 and EdU incorporation assays. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis was performed to investigate the pathways associated with the regulatory mechanisms of KIF23 in ESCA. The expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, N-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and alternation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway were detected by western blot analysis. We identified two overlapping upregulated DEGs, among which KIF23 was selected for subsequent experiments. KIF23 was overexpressed in ESCA samples and cells, and knockdown of KIF23 retarded cell proliferation in ESCA cells. Besides, KIF23 knockdown suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in ESCA cells, as evidenced by the increase of E-cadherin expression and the reduction of vimentin, N-cadherin, and MMP-9 expression. GSEA analysis suggested that Wnt signaling pathway was the significant pathway related to KIF23. Moreover, we demonstrated that KIF23 silencing inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ESCA cells. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway by SKL2001 reversed the effects of KIF23 silencing on cell proliferation and EMT in ESCA cells. In conclusion, KIF23 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and EMT in ESCA cells through blockage of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

KIF2C is a prognostic biomarker associated with immune cell infiltration in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The kinesin-13 family member 2C (KIF2C) is a versatile protein participating in many biological processes. KIF2C is frequently up-regulated in multiple types of cancer and is associated with cancer development. However, the role of KIF2C in immune cell infiltration of tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy in breast cancer remains unclear.

METHODS

The expression of KIF2C was analyzed using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database and further verified by immunohistochemical staining in human breast cancer tissues. The correlation between KIF2C expression and clinical parameters, the impact of KIF2C on clinical prognosis and independent prognostic factors were analyzed by using TCGA database, the Kaplan-Meier plotter, and Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, respectively. The nomograms were constructed according to independent prognostic factors and validated with C-index, calibration curves, ROC curves, and decision curve analysis. A gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of KIF2C. The degree of immune infiltration was assessed by the Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using the Expression (ESTIMATE) algorithm and the single sample GSEA (ssGSEA). The Tumor mutational burden and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Rejection (TIDE) were used to analyze immunotherapeutic efficiency. Finally, the KIF2C-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed to predict the putative regulatory mechanisms of KIF2C.

RESULTS

KIF2C was remarkably up-regulated in 18 different types of cancers, including breast cancer. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that high KIF2C expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS). KIF2C expression was associated with clinical parameters such as age, TMN stage, T status, and molecular subtypes. We identified age, stage, estrogen receptor (ER) and KIF2C expression as OS-related independent prognosis factors for breast cancer. An OS-related nomogram was developed based on these independent prognosis factors and displayed good predicting ability for OS of breast cancer patients. Finally, our results revealed that KIF2C was significantly related to immune cell infiltration, tumor mutational burden, and immunotherapy in patients with breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

KIF2C was overexpressed in breast cancer and was positively correlated with immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy response. Therefore, KIF2C can serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy in breast cancer.

KIF14 mediates cabazitaxel-docetaxel cross-resistance in advanced prostate cancer by promoting AKT phosphorylation

Docetaxel is a first-line chemotherapy drug for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC); yet, some CRPC patients develop docetaxel drug resistance. Cabazitaxel is approved in the post-docetaxel treatment setting. However, recent studies suggested cross-resistance between the development of drug resistance and current treatments. In this study, we used docetaxel-resistant cell lines DU145/DTX50 and PC-3/DTX30 to measure the responses to cabazitaxel. Our findings demonstrated that docetaxel resistance could lead to cross-resistance to cabazitaxel. After docetaxel-resistant cells were treated with cabazitaxel, transcriptome analysis was performed, and the results were analyzed in combination with survival analysis and correlation analysis with Gleason score to screen the cross-resistance genes. The continuously increased expression of kinesin family member 14 (KIF14) was identified as the main cause of cross-resistance to cabazitaxel in docetaxel-resistant cells. Silencing the expression of KIF14 could restore the sensitivity of resistant PCa cells to docetaxel and cabazitaxel, attenuate proliferation and promote apoptosis of the resistant PCa cells. Notably, the depressed expression of KIF14 inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt located downstream. In summary, KIF14 mediates the cross-resistance between docetaxel and cabazitaxel, and targeting KIF14 could be an effective measurement for reversing docetaxel or cabazitaxel chemotherapy failure or enhancing the anti-tumor effects of docetaxel or cabazitaxel.

KIF14 promotes proliferation, lymphatic metastasis and chemoresistance through G3BP1/YBX1 mediated NF-κB pathway in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a highly lethal and fetal cancer derived from the hepatobiliary system, is featured by aggressive growth and early lymphatic metastasis. Elucidating the underlying mechanism and identifying the effective therapy are critical for advanced CCA patients. In the study, we detected that KIF14 was upregulated in CCA samples, especially in patients with lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion. CCA patients with higher KIF14 were associated with worse overall survival and recurrence-free survival after surgery. Gain-of and loss-of function studies showed that KIF14 enhanced CCA cells proliferation, migration, invasion and lymphatic metastasis whereas its silencing abolished the effects in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistic investigation showed that KIF14 bound to the G3BP1/YBX1 complex and facilitated their interaction, causing increased activity of the NF-κB promoter and activation of NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, increased KIF14 level enhanced chemotherapy-resistance to gemcitabine-based regimen and induced immunosuppressive microenvironment. In addition, KIF14 was direct target of HNF4A and inversely regulated by HNF4A. Together, these findings suggested that KIF14 could be a potential oncogene and a good indicator in predicting prognosis and chemotherapy guidance for CCA patients.

KIF11 As a Potential Pan-Cancer Immunological Biomarker Encompassing the Disease Staging, Prognoses, Tumor Microenvironment, and Therapeutic Responses

KIF11 is one of the 45 family members of kinesin superfamily proteins that functions as a motor protein in mitosis. Emerging evidence revealed that KIF11 plays pivotal roles in cancer initiation, development, and progression. However, the prognostic, oncological, and immunological values of KIF11 have not been comprehensively explored in pan-cancer. In present study, we comprehensively interrogated the role of KIF11 in tumor progression, tumor stemness, genomic heterogeneity, tumor immune infiltration, immune evasion, therapy response, and prognosis of cohorts from various cancer types. In general, KIF11 was significantly upregulated in tumors compared with paired normal tissues. KIF11 showed strong relationships with pathological stage, prognosis, tumor stemness, genomic heterogeneity, neoantigens, ESTIMATE, immune checkpoint, and drug sensitivity. The methylation level of KIF11 decreased in most cancers and was correlated with the survival probability in different human cancers. The expression of KIF11 was diverse in different molecular and immune subtypes and remarkably correlated with immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. Comparative study revealed that KIF11 was a powerful biomarker and associated with immune, targeted, and chemotherapeutic outcomes in various cancers. In addition, KIF11 interaction and coexpression networks mainly participated in the regulation of cell cycle, cell division, p53 signaling pathway, DNA repair and recombination, chromatin organization, antigen processing and presentation, and drug resistance. Our pan-cancer analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the functions of KIF11 in oncogenesis, progression, and therapy in different cancers. KIF11 may serve as a potential prognostic and immunological pan-cancer biomarker. Moreover, KIF11 could be a novel target for tumor immunotherapy.

Bioinformatic and Experimental Analyses Reveal That KIF4A Is a Biomarker of Therapeutic Sensitivity and Predicts Prognosis in Cervical Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the expression, prognostic value, and function of kinesin superfamily 4A (KIF4A) in cervical cancer.

METHODS

Cervical cancer cell lines (Hela and SiHa) and TCGA data were used for experimental and bioinformatic analyses. Overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were compared between patients with high or low KIF4A expression. Copy number variation (CNV) and somatic mutations of patients were visualized and GISTIC 2.0 was used to identify significantly altered sites. The function of KIF4A was also explored based on transcriptome analysis and validated by experimental methods. Chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic benefits were inferred using multiple reference databases and algorithms.

RESULTS

Patients with high KIF4A expression had better OS and PFS. KIF4A could inhibit proliferation and migration and induce G₁ arrest of cervical cancer cells. Higher CNV load was observed in patients with low KIF4A expression, while the group with low KIF4A expression displayed more significantly altered sites. A total of 13 genes were found to mutate more in the low KIF4A expression group, including NOTCH1 and PUM1. The analysis revealed that low KIF4A expression may indicate an immune escape phenotype, and patients in this group may benefit more from immunotherapy. With respect to chemotherapy, cisplatin and gemcitabine may respond better in patients with high KIF4A expression, while 5-fluorouracil etc. may be responded better in patients with low KIF4A expression CONCLUSION: KIF4A is a tumor suppressor gene in cervical cancer, and it can be used as a prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in cervical cancer.

Vesicle-mediated transport-related genes are prognostic predictors and are associated with tumor immunity in lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Globally, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is a progressive disorder that arises from multiple genetic and environmental factors. Dysregulated expression of vesicle-mediated transport-related genes (VMTRGs) have been reported in several cancers. However, the prognostic significance of VMTRGs in LUAD has yet to be established.

Methods

The VMTRG profiling data for 482 LUAD patients and 59 normal controls were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Altas (TCGA). Univariate Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses were performed to construct and optimize the risk model. Several GEO datasets were used to validate the risk model. The roles of these genes were investigated via the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses. Differences in immune cell infiltrations between risk groups were evaluated using five algorithms. "pRRophetic" was used to investigate anti-cancer drug sensitivities in two groups. Expression of these five genes in LUAD samples and adjacent normal tissues were evaluated by qRT-PCR. Colony formation and wound healing assays were performed to assess the significance of CNIH1 and AP3S1 in LUAD cells.

Results

We identified 85 prognosis-associated VMTRGs that could be constructed a risk model for LUAD patients, indicating their potential importance in LUAD development. The risk model including the five VMTRGs (CNIH1, KIF20A, GALNT2, GRIA1, and AP3S1) was associated with clinical outcomes. Tumor stage and risk score were found to be independent prognostic factors for LUAD patients. The five VMTRGs were also correlated with activation of the Notch and p53 signaling pathways. The risk model was significantly associated with immune responses and with high-level expression of immune checkpoints. High-risk group patients were more sensitive to several chemotherapeutic drugs and Lapatinib. Furthermore, CNIH1 and AP3S1 promoted LUAD cell growth and migration in vitro.

Conclusion

We constructed a VMTRG-based risk model for effective prediction of prognostic outcomes for LUAD patients. The risk model was associated with immune infiltration levels. These five hub genes are potential targets for immune therapy combined with chemotherapy in LUAD.

Cytoskeletal and Cytoskeleton-Associated Proteins: Key Regulators of Cancer Stem Cell Properties

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells possessing stemness characteristics that are closely associated with tumor proliferation, recurrence and resistance to therapy. Recent studies have shown that different cytoskeletal components and remodeling processes have a profound impact on the behavior of CSCs. In this review, we outline the different cytoskeletal components regulating the properties of CSCs and discuss current and ongoing therapeutic strategies targeting the cytoskeleton. Given the many challenges currently faced in targeted cancer therapy, a deeper comprehension of the molecular events involved in the interaction of the cytoskeleton and CSCs will help us identify more effective therapeutic strategies to eliminate CSCs and ultimately improve patient survival.

KIF17 maintains the epithelial phenotype of breast cancer cells and curbs tumour metastasis

Kinesin superfamily motor protein 17 (KIF17) was previously identified downregulated in breast cancer and correlated with patient prognosis. However, its pathophysiological role in tumours remains unknown. Here, we confirmed that KIF17 was significantly under-expressed in breast cancer tissues and low KIF17 expression correlated with poor outcomes in patients with breast cancer. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that KIF17 overexpression in breast cancer cell lines significantly inhibited breast cancer invasion and metastasis. By establishing the lung metastatic MDA-MB-231 cell lines, we found a transient silence of KIF17 during the initiation of breast cancer metastasis. Further experiments revealed that KIF17 might suppress metastasis by regulating the level of acetylated tubulin to maintain cytoskeleton stability. Eventually, we found that the low expression of KIF17 in breast cancer is regulated by DNMT1-mediated 5-mC DNA methylation and epigenetic silencing. Decitabine can effectively improve the expression level of KIF17 in breast cancer cells. Our study demonstrates that KIF17 mediates microtubule acetylation to maintain the stability of microtubules, thereby inhibiting tumour invasion and metastasis.

Identification and Validation in a Novel Classification of Helicase Patterns for the Prediction of Tumor Proliferation and Prognosis

Background

Helicases have been classified as a class of enzymes that determine the stability of the cellular genome. There is growing evidence that helicases can help tumor cells resist drug killing by repairing Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA) or stabilizing transcription, which may contribute to the understanding of drug resistance. Currently, identifying cancer biomarkers among helicases and stratifying patients according to helicase activity will be able to guide treatment well.

Methods

We clustered 371 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) by consensus clustering based on helicase expression profiles to identify potential molecular subtypes. The Multiscale Embedded Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (MEGENA) algorithm was used to find core differential gene modules between different molecular subtypes, and single-cell analysis was utlized to explore the potential function of hub gene. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was used to verify the diagnostic value of DDX56 and its ability to reflect the proliferation efficiency of cancer cells.

Results

We identified two subtypes associated with helicase. High helicase subtype was associated with poor clinical outcome, massive M0 macrophage infiltration, and highly active cell proliferation features. In addition, we identified a new biomarker, DDX56, which has not been reported in HCC, was highly expressed in HCC tissues, associated with poor prognosis, and was also shown to be associated with high cell proliferative activity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, based on helicase expression profiles, we have developed a new classification system for HCC, which is a proliferation-related system, and has clinical significance in evaluating prognosis and treating HCC patients, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition, we identified a new biomarker, DDX 56, which is overexpressed in HCC tissues, predicts a poor prognosis and is a validated index of tumor cell proliferation.

KIFC3 Promotes Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion in Colorectal Cancer via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Background: KIFC3, belongs to kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs), is well known for its role in intracellular cargo movement. KIFC3 has been identified as a docetaxel resistance gene in breast cancer cells, however, the role of KIFC3 and its potential mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains elusive.

Objectives: We aims to investigate the effects of KIFC3 in proliferation, migration, and invasion in CRC as well as the potential mechanism inside.

Methods: We investigated the expression of KIFC3 in the Oncomine, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis databases. The KIFC3 protein expression and mRNA level in CRC cells were evaluated by western blot and qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation ability was detected by CCK-8, EdU, colony formation assay and xenograft tumor in nude mice. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle. The effect of KIFC3 on the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was investigated by transwell and wound healing assay. The association of KIFC3 with EMT and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were measured by western blot and immunofluorescence staining.

Results: The expression of KIFC3 was higher in CRC tissues than normal colorectal tissue, and was negatively correlated with the overall survival of patients with CRC. KIFC3 silencing inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells. Meanwhile, it could decrease the number of cells in S phase. KIFC3 silencing inhibited the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Cyclin A2, Cyclin E1, and CDK2 and increased the expression of p21 and p53. KIFC3 overexpression promoted the G1/S phase transition. KIFC3 silencing inhibited the EMT process, which decreased the level of N-cadherin, Vimentin, SNAIL 1, TWIST, MMP-2, MMP-9 and increased E-cadherin, while KIFC3 overexpression show the opposite results. Furthermore, the knockdown of KIFC3 suppressed the EMT process by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. KIFC3 silencing decreased the expression of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, mTOR, but total PI3K, AKT, mTOR have no change. Inversely, the upregulation of KIFC3 increased the expression of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT and mTOR, total PI3K, AKT, mTOR have no change. In a xenograft mouse model, the depletion of KIFC3 suppressed tumor growth. the increased expression levels of KIFC3 could enhance the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells, and enhance the EMT process through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Conclusion: Our study substantiates that KIFC3 can participate in the regulation of CRC progression by which regulates EMT via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis.

KIF2C is a Biomarker Correlated With Prognosis and Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in Human Tumors

Kinesin superfamily member 2C (KIF2C) is an essential regulator of the cell cycle and its aberrant expression can promote tumor progression. However, the mechanism of KIF2C in pan-cancer is unclear.Data were obtained from public databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), UALCAN, TIMER and CellMiner. The data came from public databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), UALCAN, TIMER, and CellMiner. We analyzed the correlation of KIF2C with expression, prognosis, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repairs (MMR), immune infiltration and anticancer drug sensitivity by R language.KIF2C was highly expressed in several tumors and correlated with poor prognosis. KIF2C expression was significantly correlated with TMB, MSI, MMRs, and immune checkpoint genes, and with the level of immune cell infiltration such as tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and Tregs. The GO and KEGG results suggest that KIF2C is involved in immune regulation in addition to cell cycle regulation.In addition, KIF2C is associated with DNA methylation, m6A modifications and m7G modifications. Our data suggest that KIF2C is a prognostic biomarker linked to immunosuppression, targeting KIF2C may improve the outcome of immunotherapy. Our findings indicate that KIF2C is a prognostic biomarker associated with immunosuppression, and that targeting KIF2C may improve the outcome of immunotherapy.

KIF22 Promotes Development of Pancreatic Cancer by Regulating the MEK/ERK/P21 Signaling Axis

The study is aimed at exploring the potential biological process and molecular mechanism of KIF22 involved in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. First, we used the GEPIA database and tissue qRT-PCR to examine the expression of KIF22 mRNA in pancreatic cancer. Meanwhile, immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of KIF22 in 71 pancreatic cancer tissues versus 30 paracarcinoma tissues. Then, we also explored the relationship between KIF22 expression level and clinical prognosis. Furthermore, in pancreatic cancer cells, we silenced KIF22 by transfecting KIF22 SiRNA, and we investigated the effect of KIF22 on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells with MTT and colony formation assays. Finally, we used Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to look at the effect of KIF22 on the cell cycle regulation of pancreatic cancer cells, and we used Western blot to look at the relationship between KIF22 and the phosphorylated MEK1/2, ERK1/2 (p-MEK1/2, p-ERK1/2), and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (P21). In this study, we found that KIF22 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissues, and patients with high expression of KIF22 demonstrated significantly worse clinical prognosis outcomes (P < 0.05). When the KIF22 gene was silenced in pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2), the cells' ability to proliferate was significantly reduced. Furthermore, GSEA confirmed that KIF22 is involved in cell cycle regulation in pancreatic cancer patients (FDR = 0.00158, P < 0.0001). Besides, the level of KIF22 expression was positively correlated with Ki67 (r = 0.8043, P < 0.0001), and KIF22 can promote the transmutation of G1/S. The expression of p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 was significantly downregulated, while P21 expression was significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). According to our findings, KIF22 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer and demonstrates a poor clinical prognosis. It regulates the cell cycle via the MEK/ERK/P21 signaling axis and promotes the development of pancreatic cancer.

Targeting kinesin family member 21B by miR-132-3p represses cell proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric cancer

Recently, kinesin family member 21B (KIF21B) has been reported to be an oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the functional role of KIF21B and related molecular mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely uncovered. In this study, online bioinformatics analysis showed that KIF21B was overexpression in GC and predicted poor prognosis. Consistently, we found that the protein expression of KIF21B was upregulated in GC tissues compared with adjacent tissues by immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of KIF21B significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GC cell lines (AGS and SNU-5) using Cell counting kit‑8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation and transwell assay. KIF21B was confirmed as the target of miR-132-3p in GC cells by luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, miR-132-3p was down-regulated and KIF21B expression was upregulated in GC tissues. Overexpression of KIF21B reversed the miR-132-3p-mediated suppressive effects on GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, miR-132-3p overexpression downregulated the protein levels of Wnt1, c-Myc, β-catenin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and N-cadherin, and upregulated E-cadherin expression in GC cells, which were all alleviated after KIF21B overexpression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that down-regulation of KIF21B by miR-132-3p suppresses cellular functions in GC, which might be linked to reduced Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Identifying Mitotic Kinesins as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer Using Bioinformatic Analyses

Ovarian cancer (OC) is characterized by late-stage presentation, chemoresistance, and poor survival. Evaluating the prognosis of OC patients via effective biomarkers is essential to manage OC progression and to improve survival; however, it has been barely established. Here, we intend to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as potential prognostic biomarkers of OC via bioinformatic analyses. Initially, a total of thirteen DEGs were extracted from different public databases as candidates. The expression of KIF20A, one of the DEGs, was correlated with a worse outcome of OC patients. The functional correlation of the DEGs with mitosis and the prognostic value of KIF20A imply a high correlation between mitotic kinesins (KIFs) and OC development. Finally, we found that KIF20A, together with the other nine mitotic KIFs (4A, 11, 14, 15, 18A, 18B, 23, C1, and2C) were upregulated and activated in OC tissues. Among the ten, seven overexpressed mitotic KIFs (11, 14, 18B, 20A, 23, and C1) were correlated with unfavorable clinical prognosis. Moreover, KIF20A and KIF23 overexpression was associated with worse prognosis in OC patients treated with platinum/taxol chemotherapy, while OCs overexpressing mitotic KIFs (11, 15, 18B, and C1) were resistant to MAPK pathway inhibitors. In conclusion, worse outcomes of OC patients were correlated with overexpression of several mitotic KIFs, which may serve both as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC.

The Induced Expression of BPV E4 Gene in Equine Adult Dermal Fibroblast Cells as a Potential Model of Skin Sarcoid-like Neoplasia

The equine sarcoid is one of the most common neoplasias in the Equidae family. Despite the association of this tumor with the presence of bovine papillomavirus (BPV), the molecular mechanism of this lesion has not been fully understood. The transgenization of equine adult cutaneous fibroblast cells (ACFCs) was accomplished by nucleofection, followed by detection of molecular modifications using high-throughput NGS transcriptome sequencing. The results of the present study confirm that BPV-E4- and BPV-E1^E4-mediated nucleofection strategy significantly affected the transcriptomic alterations, leading to sarcoid-like neoplastic transformation of equine ACFCs. Furthermore, the results of the current investigation might contribute to the creation of in vitro biomedical models suitable for estimating the fates of molecular dedifferentiability and the epigenomic reprogrammability of BPV-E4 and BPV-E4^E1 transgenic equine ACFC-derived sarcoid-like cell nuclei in equine somatic cell-cloned embryos. Additionally, these in vitro models seem to be reliable for thoroughly recognizing molecular mechanisms that underlie not only oncogenic alterations in transcriptomic signatures, but also the etiopathogenesis of epidermal and dermal sarcoid-dependent neoplastic transformations in horses and other equids. For those reasons, the aforementioned transgenic models might be useful for devising clinical treatments in horses afflicted with sarcoid-related neoplasia of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues.

KIF18B promotes breast cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting TRIP13 and activating the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Kinesin superfamily member 18B (KIF18B) has previously been reported to be upregulated in breast cancer (BC) and is involved in BC tumorigenesis. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of KIF18B in BC. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed, using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. KIF18B knockdown and thyroid hormone receptor-interacting protein 13 (TRIP13) overexpression in BC cells were induced via transfection, by using the short hairpin RNA-KIF18B and overexpression-TRIP13 vectors, respectively. Cellular processes, including proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed using colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. mRNA and protein expression levels were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Protein-protein interactions were determined using co-immunoprecipitation. The results demonstrated that the KIF18B expression levels were upregulated in BC, particularly in triple-negative BC (TNBC) tissues and cell lines. KIF18B knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC-1937 TNBC cells. Furthermore, MMP12 and MMP9 protein expression levels were decreased by KIF18B knockdown. TRIP13 expression was also demonstrated to be upregulated in BC, particularly in TNBC tissues and cell lines. TRIP13 expression levels positively correlated with those of KIF18B in BC tissues and cells, and further analysis verified that TRIP13 and KIF14B were able to directly bind to each other. However, TRIP13 overexpression abolished the effects of KIF18B knockdown on HCC-1937 cells. Furthermore, KIF18B knockdown decreased β-catenin, c-Myc and cyclin D1 protein expression levels; however, TRIP13 overexpression resulted in the recovery of all respective protein expression levels. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that KIF18B promotes BC malignant events, including the proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells. These results indicate that KIF18B may play an oncogenic role in BC by upregulating TRIP13 expression, thereby activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Computational characterization of domain-segregated 3D chromatin structure and segmented DNA methylation status in carcinogenesis

The high-order chromatin structure, together with DNA methylation and other epigenetic marks, plays a vital role in gene regulation and displays abnormal status in cancer cells. Theoretical analyses are expected to provide a more unified understanding of the multi-omics data on the large variety of samples, and hopefully a common picture of carcinogenesis. In particular, we are interested in the question of whether an underlying origin DNA sequence exists for these epigenetic alterations. The human genome consists of two types of megabase-sized domain based on the distribution of CpG islands (CGIs) that show distinct structural, epigenetic, and transcriptional properties: CGI-rich and CGI-poor domains. Through an integrated analysis of chromatin structure, DNA methylation, and RNA sequencing data, we found that, in carcinogenesis, the two different types of domain display different structural changes and have an increased number of DNA methylation differences and transcriptional-level differences, compared with in noncancer cells. We also compared the structural features among carcinogenesis, senescence, and mitosis, showing the possible connection between chromatin structure and cell state, which could affect vital cancer-related properties. In summary, chromatin structure, DNA methylation, and gene expression, as well as their changes observed in several types of cancers, show a dependence on multiscale DNA sequence heterogeneity.

Negative Modulation of the Angiogenic Cascade Induced by Allosteric Kinesin Eg5 Inhibitors in a Gastric Adenocarcinoma In Vitro Model

Eg5 is a kinesin essential in bipolar spindle formation, overexpressed in tumours, thus representing a new target in cancer therapy. We aimed at evaluating the anti-cancer activity of Eg5 thiadiazoline inhibitors 2 and 41 on gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS), focusing on the modulation of angiogenic signalling. Docking studies confirmed a similar interaction with Eg5 to that of the parent compound K858. Thiadiazolines were also tested in combination with Hesperidin (HSD). Cell cycle analysis reveals a reduction of G1 and S phase percentages when 41 is administered as well as HSD in combination with K858. Western blot reveals Eg5 inhibitors capability to reduce PI3K, p-AKT/Akt and p-Erk/Erk expressions; p-Akt/Akt ratio is even more decreased in HSD+2 sample than the p-Erk/Erk ratio in HSD+41 or K858. VEGF expression is reduced when HSD+2 and HSD+41 are administered with respect to compounds alone, after 72 h. ANGPT2 gene expression increases in cells treated with 41 and HSD+2 compared to K858. The wound-healing assay highlights a reduction in the cut in HSD+2 sample compared to 2 and HSD. Thus, Eg5 inhibitors appear to modulate angiogenic signalling by controlling VEGF activity even better if combined with HSD. Overall, Eg5 inhibitors can represent a promising starting point to develop innovative anti-cancer strategies.

A Systematic Review and Integrated Bioinformatic Analysis of Candidate Genes and Pathways in the Endometrium of Patients With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome During the Implantation Window

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder with wide-ranging clinical heterogeneity that causes infertility. However, the comprehensive molecular mechanisms of PCOS in causing infertility is remaining unclear. Hence, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Science Direct. Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms like PCOS, gene expression, implantation window and endometrium were used as the keywords. From 138 studies retrieved, original articles with RNA profiling on human endometrial tissues in PCOS women during the implantation window were included. Study design, sample size, sample type, method, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from all publications. The DEGs were analyzed using the software packages DAVID, STRING, and Cytoscape. Three studies that met inclusion criteria were included, and 368 DEGs were identified. Twelve significant clusters from the protein-protein interaction network (PPI) complex were found, and cluster 1 showed very high intermolecular interactions. Five candidate genes (AURKA, CDC25C, KIF23, KIF2C, and NDC80) were identified from the systematic review and integrated bioinformatics analysis. It is concluded that cell cycle is the fundamental biological processes that were dysregulated in the endometrium of PCOS women, affecting decidualization progression in the endometrium during the implantation window.

KIF4A Regulates the Progression of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma through Proliferation and Invasion

Background

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract, which is difficult to diagnose and treat due to bad early diagnosis. We aimed to explore the role of kinesin superfamily 4A (KIF4A) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Methods

We first used the bioinformatic website to screen the data of pancreatic cancer in TCGA, and KIF4A protein was detected among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital combined with clinic-pathological characteristics and survival analysis. KIF4A loss-expression cell lines were established by RNA interference (RNAi). In addition, we performed in vitro cell assays to detect the changes in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The proteins involved in the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells were also detected by western blot. The above results could be proved in vivo. Further, the correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L was analyzed by TCGA and IHC data.

Results

We first found a high expression of KIF4A in pancreatic cancer, suggesting a role of KIF4A in the development of pancreatic cancer. KIF4A was found to be differentially expressed (P < 0.05) among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital and was significantly associated with PDAC TNM stages and tumor size. High KIF4A expression also significantly worsened overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rate (DFS) (P < 0.05, respectively). In addition, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were inhibited by the KIF4A-shRNA group compared with the control (P < 0.05, respectively). In the end, knockdown of KIF4A could inhibit tumor development and metastasis in vivo. Further, the positive correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L existed, and KIF4A might promote pancreatic cancer proliferation by affecting CDC5L expression.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the high expression level of KIF4A in PDAC was closely related to poor clinical and pathological status, lymphatic metastasis, and vascular invasion. KIF4A might be involved in promoting the development of PDAC in vitro and in vivo, which might be a new therapeutic target of PDAC.

Personalized medicine of non-gene-specific chemotherapies for non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer is recognized as the deadliest cancer across the globe. In some areas, it is more common in women than even breast and cervical cancer. Its rise, vaulted by smoking habits and increasing air pollution, has garnered much attention and resource in the medical field. The first lung cancer treatments were developed more than half a century ago. Unfortunately, many of the earlier chemotherapies often did more harm than good, especially when they were used to treat genetically unsuitable patients. With the introduction of personalized medicine, physicians are increasingly aware of when, how, and in whom, to use certain anti-cancer agents. Drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies possess limited utility because they target specific oncogenic mutations, but other drugs that target mechanisms universal to all cancers do not. In this review, we discuss many of these non-oncogene-targeting anti-cancer agents including DNA replication inhibitors (i.e., alkylating agents and topoisomerase inhibitors) and cytoskeletal function inhibitors to highlight their application in the setting of personalized medicine as well as their limitations and resistance factors.

KIF21A regulates breast cancer aggressiveness and is prognostic of patient survival and tumor recurrence

PURPOSE

Invasion of carcinoma cells into surrounding tissue affects breast cancer staging, influences choice of treatment, and impacts on patient outcome. KIF21A is a member of the kinesin superfamily that has been well-studied in congenital extraocular muscle fibrosis. However, its biological relevance in breast cancer is unknown. This study investigated the functional roles of KIF21A in this malignancy and examined its expression pattern in breast cancer tissue.

METHODS

The function of KIF21A in breast carcinoma was studied in vitro by silencing its expression in breast cancer cells and examining the changes in cellular activities. Immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer tissue microarrays was performed to determine the expression patterns of KIF21A.

RESULTS

Knocking down the expression of KIF21A using siRNA in MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 human breast cancer cells resulted in significant decreases in tumor cell migration and invasiveness. This was associated with reduced Patched 1 expression and F-actin microfilaments. Additionally, the number of focal adhesion kinase- and paxillin-associated focal adhesions was increased. Immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer tissue microarrays showed that KIF21A was expressed in both the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of carcinoma cells. Predominance of cytoplasmic KIF21A was significantly associated with larger tumors and high grade cancer, and prognostic of cause-specific overall patient survival and breast cancer recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The data demonstrates that KIF21A is an important regulator of breast cancer aggressiveness and may be useful in refining prognostication of this malignant disease.

Exploratory comparisons between different anti-mitotics in clinically-used drug combination in triple negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) constitutes a very aggressive type of breast cancer with few options of cytotoxic chemotherapy available for them. A chemotherapy regimen comprising of doxorubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide, followed by paclitaxel, known as AC-T, is approved for usage as an adjuvant treatment for this type of breast cancer. In this study we aimed to elucidate the role of KIF11 in TNBC progression throughout its inhibition by two synthetic small molecules containing the DHPM core (dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones or -thiones), with the hypothesis that these inhibitors could be an interesting option of antimitotic drug used alone or as adjuvant therapy in association with AC. For this purpose, we evaluated the efficacy of DHPMs used as monotherapy or in combination with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, in Balbc-nude mice bearing breast cancer induced by MDA-MB-231, having AC-T as positive control. Our data provide extensive evidence to demonstrate that KIF11 inhibitors showed pronounced antitumor activity, acting in key points of tumorigenesis and cancer progression in in vivo xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer, like down-regulation of KIF11 and ALDH1-A1. Moreover, they didn’t show the classic peripheral neuropathy characterized by impaired mobility, as it is common with paclitaxel use. These results suggest that the use of a MAP inhibitor in breast cancer regimen treatment could be a promising strategy to keep antitumoral activity reducing the side effects.

MiR-17-5p downregulation alleviates apoptosis and fibrosis in high glucose-induced human mesangial cells through inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by targeting KIF23

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains the major cause of end-stage renal disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to perform biological functions in many diseases. This investigation elucidated the biological role of miR-17-5p in DN. In this study, high glucose-cultured human mesangial cells (HMCs) were used as a cell model of DN. The miR-17-5p and KIF23 expression was measured by RT-qPCR. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The protein levels of apoptosis markers, fibrosis markers, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling-related genes were assessed using western blotting. The interaction of miR-17-5p with KIF23 was tested by a luciferase reporter assay. We found that miR-17-5p was upregulated in both DN patients and high glucose-treated HMCs. Silencing miR-17-5p attenuated the apoptosis and fibrosis in high glucose-treated HMCs. MiR-17-5p binds to KIF23 3'UTR and negatively regulates KIF23 expression. KIF23 knockdown could suppress the role of miR-17-5p inhibition in high glucose-treated HMCs. Additionally, inhibition of miR-17-5p activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HMCs through upregulating KIF23 expression. Suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling antagonized the effect of miR-17-5p in HMCs. In conclusion, miR-17-5p inhibition alleviates the apoptosis and fibrosis in high glucose-treated HMCs by targeting KIF23 activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Identification of genes and pathways related to breast cancer metastasis in an integrated cohort

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in women. Metastasis is the most common cause of death from this cancer. Screening genes related to breast cancer metastasis may help elucidate the mechanisms governing metastasis and identify molecular targets for antimetastatic therapy. The development of advanced algorithms enables us to perform cross-study analysis to improve the robustness of the results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten data sets meeting our criteria for differential expression analyses were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Among these data sets, five based on the same platform were formed into a large cohort using the XPN algorithm. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with breast cancer metastasis were identified using the differential expression via distance synthesis (DEDS) algorithm. A cross-platform method was employed to verify these DEGs in all ten selected data sets. The top 50 validated DEGs are represented with heat maps. Based on the validated DEGs, Gene Ontology (GO) functional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed to further illustrate the direct and indirect associations among the DEGs. Survival analysis was performed to explore whether these genes can affect breast cancer patient prognosis.

RESULTS

A total of 817 DEGs were identified using the DEDS algorithm. Of these DEGs, 450 genes were validated by the second algorithm. Enriched KEGG pathway terms demonstrated that these 450 DEGs may be involved in the cell cycle and oocyte meiosis in addition to their functions in ECM-receptor interaction and protein digestion and absorption. PPI network analysis for the proteins encoded by the DEGs indicated that these genes may be primarily involved in the cell cycle and extracellular matrix. In particular, several genes played roles in multiple signalling pathways and were related to patient survival. These genes were also observed to be targetable in the CTD2 database.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study analysed multiple cross-platform data sets using two different algorithms, helping elucidate the molecular mechanisms and identify several potential therapeutic targets of metastatic breast cancer. In addition, several genes exhibited promise for applications in targeted therapy against metastasis in future research.

Structural basis of mechano-chemical coupling by the mitotic kinesin KIF14

KIF14 is a mitotic kinesin whose malfunction is associated with cerebral and renal developmental defects and several cancers. Like other kinesins, KIF14 couples ATP hydrolysis and microtubule binding to the generation of mechanical work, but the coupling mechanism between these processes is still not fully clear. Here we report 20 high-resolution (2.7-3.9 Å) cryo-electron microscopy KIF14-microtubule structures with complementary functional assays. Analysis procedures were implemented to separate coexisting conformations of microtubule-bound monomeric and dimeric KIF14 constructs. The data provide a comprehensive view of the microtubule and nucleotide induced KIF14 conformational changes. It shows that: 1) microtubule binding, the nucleotide species, and the neck-linker domain govern the transition between three major conformations of the motor domain; 2) an undocked neck-linker prevents the nucleotide-binding pocket to fully close and dampens ATP hydrolysis; 3) 13 neck-linker residues are required to assume a stable docked conformation; 4) the neck-linker position controls the hydrolysis rather than the nucleotide binding step; 5) the two motor domains of KIF14 dimers adopt distinct conformations when bound to the microtubule; and 6) the formation of the two-heads-bound-state introduces structural changes in both motor domains of KIF14 dimers. These observations provide the structural basis for a coordinated chemo-mechanical kinesin translocation model.

Upregulating KTN1 promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma progression

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a common malignant tumor worldwide. Although kinectin 1 (KTN1) is the most frequently identified antigen in HCC tissues, the detailed roles of KTN1 in HCC remain unknown. This study seeks to clarify the expression status and clinical value of KTN1 in HCC and to explore the complicated biological functions of KTN1 and its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: In-house reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of KTN1 in HCC tissues. External gene microarrays and RNA-sequencing datasets were downloaded to confirm the expression patterns of KTN1. The prognostic ability of KTN1 in HCC was assessed by a Kaplan-Meier curve and a hazard ratio forest plot. The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system was used to knock out KTN1 in Huh7 cells, which was verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing and western blotting. Assays of cell migration, invasion, viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis were conducted to explore the biological functions. RNA sequencing was performed to quantitatively analyze the functional deregulation in KTN1-knockout cells compared to Huh7-wild-type cells. Upregulated genes that co-expressed with KTN1 were identified from HCC tissues and were functionally annotated.

Results: KTN1 expression was increased in HCC tissues (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.20 [0.04, 0.37]). High KTN1 expression was significantly correlated with poorer prognosis of HCC patients, and KTN1 may be an independent risk factor for HCC (pooled HRs = 1.31 [1.05, 1.64]). After KTN1-knockout, the viability, migration, and invasion ability of HCC cells were inhibited. The proportion of HCC cells in the G0-G1 phases increased after KTN1 knockout, which also elevated the apoptosis rates in HCC cells. Several cascades, including innate immune response, chemical carcinogenesis, and positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II, were dramatically changed after KTN1 knockout. KTN1 primarily participated in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and microRNAs in cancer pathways in HCC tissues.

Conclusion: Upregulation of KTN1 served as a promising prognosticator in HCC patients. KTN1 promotes the occurrence and deterioration of HCC by mediating cell survival, migration, invasion, cell cycle activation, and apoptotic inhibition. KTN1 may be a therapeutic target in HCC patients.

KIF23 promotes triple negative breast cancer through activating epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Background

KIF23 is a member of kinesin family, recent researches indicate KIF23 plays an important role in the proliferation and migration of malignant cancer cells. While the function and specific molecule mechanism of KIF23 in triple negative breast cancer remains unclear.

Methods

QRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were conducted to analyze expression of KIF23 in triple negative breast cancer tissues and paired paracancer tissues. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay were applied for exploring phenotype changing of triple negative breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and BT549 after siRNA-induced knockdown of KIF23. Several bioinformatic databases were used for predicting miRNAs that combing with KIF23 mRNA and verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. Western blot assay was performed to explore downstream signaling pathway of KIF23.

Results

KIF23 was overexpressed in triple negative breast cancer, knockdown of KIF23 by siRNA inhibited proliferation and migration of TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and BT549. Mechanistically, knockdown of KIF23 resulted in the suppression of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Meanwhile, miR-195-5p was downregulated in TNBC, and dual luciferase reporter assay indicated miR-195-5p could combine with 3'UTR of KIF23 thus promoting degradation of KIF23.

Conclusions

KIF23 is a potential oncogene in triple negative breast cancer, miR-195-5p could combine with 3'UTR of KIF23. Our study reveals a new sight into triple negative breast cancer.

KIF11 is upregulated in colorectal cancer and silencing of it impairs tumor growth and sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to oxaliplatin via p53/GSK3β signaling

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer of the digestive tract. Chemotherapy drugs such as oxaliplatin are frequently administered to CRC patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic disease. A deep understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying CRC tumorigenesis and identification of optimal biomarkers for estimating chemotherapy sensitivity are essential for the treatment of CRC. Numerous members of the kinesin family are dysregulated in cancers, contributing to tumorigenesis, metastasis and drug resistance. KIF11 is a key component of the bipolar spindle and is highly expressed in several cancer types. We analyzed KIF11 expression in clinical samples by Western blotting and qRT-PCR and explored its role and mechanism in CRC growth and sensitivity to oxaliplatin via detection of the phosphorylation profile of kinases and gain-and-loss-of-function assays. We found that KIF11 was upregulated in CRC tissues and was associated with advanced clinical stage and vessel invasion and that knockdown of KIF11 led to tumor growth arrest and increased sensitivity to oxaliplatin via enhanced DNA damage and apoptosis. Mechanistically, aberrantly activated p53 signaling or possibly deactivated GSK3β signaling was responsible for KIF11 knockdown-mediated effects in CRC cells. Thus, our data firmly demonstrated that KIF11 could serve as a potential oncogene and proper biomarker for assessing oxaliplatin sensitivity in CRC.

A narrative review of the roles of muscle segment homeobox transcription factor family in cancer

Deregulation of many homeobox genes has been observed in various cancers and has caused functional implications in the tumor progression. In this review, we will focus on the roles of the human muscle segment homeobox (MSX) transcription factor family in the process of tumorigenesis. The MSX transcription factors, through complex downstream regulation mechanisms, are promoters or inhibitors of diverse cancers by participating in cell proliferation, cell invasion, cell metastasis, cell apoptosis, cell differentiation, drug resistance of tumors, maintenance of tumor stemness, and tumor angiogenesis. Moreover, their upstream regulatory mechanisms in cancers may include: gene mutation and chromosome aberration; DNA methylation and chromatin modification; regulation by non-coding RNAs; regulation by other transcription factors and post-translational modification. These mechanisms may provide a better understanding of why MSX transcription factors are abnormally expressed in tumors. Notably, intermolecular interactions and post-translational modification can regulate the transcriptional activity of MSX transcription factors. It is also crucial to know what affects the transcriptional activity of MSX transcription factors in tumors for possible interventions in them in the future. This systematic summary of the regulatory patterns of the MSX transcription factor family may help to further understand the mechanisms involved in transcriptional regulation and also provide new therapeutic approaches for tumor progression.

Integrative analysis of transcriptional profile reveals LINC00052 as a suppressor of breast cancer cell migration

BACKGROUND

Long-non-coding RNAs, a class of transcripts with lengths > 200 nt, play key roles in tumour progression. Previous reports revealed that LINC00052 (long intergenic non-coding RNA 00052) was strongly downregulated during breast cancer multicellular spheroids formation and suggested a role in cell migration and oxidative metabolism.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the function of LINC00052 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

METHODS

Loss-of-function studies were performed to evaluate LINC00052 role on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Microarray expression assays were performed to determine genes and cellular functions modified after LINC00052 knockdown. Next, the impact of LINC00052 depletion on MCF-7 cell respiration and migration was evaluated.

RESULTS

1,081 genes were differentially expressed upon LINC00052 inhibition. Gene set enrichment analysis, Gene Ontology and Key Pathway Advisor analysis showed that signalling networks related to cell migration and oxidative phosphorylation were enriched. However, whereas LINC00052 knockdown in MCF-7 cells revealed marginal difference in oxygen consumption rates when compared with control cells, LINC00052 inhibition enhanced cell migration in vitro and in vivo, as observed using a Zebrafish embryo xenotransplant model.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that LINC00052 modulates MCF-7 cell migration. Genome-wide microarray experiments suggest that cancer cell migration is affected by LINC00052 through cytoskeleton modulation and Notch/β-catenin/NF-κB signalling pathways.

Prognostic significance of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in breast cancer

PURPOSE

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting women worldwide. Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) is an oxidoreductase in the serine biosynthesis pathway. Although it has been reported to affect growth of various tumors, its role in breast cancer is largely unknown. This study aimed to analyze the expression of PHGDH in breast cancer tissue samples and to determine if PHGDH regulates breast cancer cell proliferation.

METHODS

Tissue microarrays consisting of 305 cases of breast invasive ductal carcinoma were used for immunohistochemical evaluation of PHGDH expression. The role of PHGDH in breast cancer was investigated in vitro by knocking down its expression and determining the effect on cell proliferation and cell cycling, and in ovo by using a chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical examination showed that PHGDH is mainly localized in the cytoplasm of breast cancer cells and significantly associated with higher cancer grade, larger tumor size, increased PCNA expression, and lymph node positivity. Analysis of the GOBO dataset of 737 patients demonstrated that increased PHGDH expression was associated with poorer overall survival. Knockdown of PHGDH expression in breast cancer cells in vitro resulted in a decrease in cell proliferation, reduction in cells entering the S phase of the cell cycle, and downregulation of various cell cycle regulatory genes. The volume of breast tumor in an in ovo CAM assay was found to be smaller when PHGDH was silenced.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that PHGDH has a regulatory role in breast cancer cell proliferation and may be a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in breast cancer.

Microtubule motors in centrosome homeostasis: A target for cancer therapy?

Cancer is a grievous concern to human health, owing to a massive heterogeneity in its cause and impact. Dysregulation (numerical, positional and/or structural) of centrosomes is one of the notable factors among those that promote onset and progression of cancers. In a normal dividing cell, a pair of centrosomes forms two poles, thereby governing the formation of a bipolar spindle assembly. A large number of cancer cells, however, harbor supernumerary centrosomes, which mimic the bipolar arrangement in normal cells by centrosome clustering (CC) into two opposite poles, thus developing a pseudo-bipolar spindle assembly. Manipulation of centrosome homeostasis is the paramount pre-requisite for the evasive strategy of CC in cancers. Out of the varied factors that uphold centrosome integrity, microtubule motors (MiMos) play a critical role. Categorized as dyneins and kinesins, MiMos are involved in cohesion of centrosomes, and also facilitate the maintenance of the numerical, positional and structural integrity of centrosomes. Herein, we elucidate the decisive mechanisms undertaken by MiMos to mediate centrosome homeostasis, and how dysregulation of the same might lead to CC in cancer cells. Understanding the impact of MiMos on CC might open up avenues toward a credible therapeutic target against diverse cancers.

KIF20B Promotes Cell Proliferation and May Be a Potential Therapeutic Target in Pancreatic Cancer

KIFs have been reported to play a critical role in a variety of tumors, and KIF20B is a protein in KFIs. In this research, KIF20B was highly expressed in the GEO database and our hospital's data, and high expression of KIF20B suggested poor prognosis. We detect the expression of KIF20B in pancreatic cancer and adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of KIF20B in pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells, inhibited cell proliferation which are detected by colony formation assays, CCK8, and western bolt of Ki-67 and PCNA. Xenograft assay showed a similar result in vivo. KIF20B is a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.