Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 drives cervical cancer progression

Screening and identification of susceptibility genes for cervical cancer via bioinformatics analysis and the construction of an mitophagy-related genes diagnostic model

PURPOSE

This study aims to utilize bioinformatics methods to systematically screen and identify susceptibility genes for cervical cancer, as well as to construct and validate an mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) diagnostic model. The objective is to increase the understanding of the disease's pathogenesis and improve early diagnosis and treatment.

METHOD

We initially collected a large amount of genomic data, including gene expression profile and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, from the control group and Cervical cancer (CC) patients. Through bioinformatics analysis, which employs methods such as differential gene expression analysis and pathway enrichment analysis, we identified a set of candidate susceptibility genes associated with cervical cancer.

RESULTS

MRGs were extracted from single-cell RNA sequencing data, and a network graph was constructed on the basis of intercellular interaction data. Furthermore, using machine learning algorithms, we constructed a clinical prognostic model and validated and optimized it via extensive clinical data. Through bioinformatics analysis, we successfully identified a group of genes whose expression significantly differed during the development of CC and revealed the biological pathways in which these genes are involved. Moreover, our constructed clinical prognostic model demonstrated excellent performance in the validation phase, accurately predicting the clinical prognosis of patients.

CONCLUSION

This study delves into the susceptibility genes of cervical cancer through bioinformatics approaches and successfully builds a reliable clinical prognostic model. This study not only helps uncover potential pathogenic mechanisms of cervical cancer but also provides new directions for early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

The role of ESM1 in the lipids metabolic reprogramming and angiogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma cells

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is one of the respiratory diseases with high mortality and incidence. As an important angiogenic factor, (Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1) ESM1 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of LUAD. However, the role and molecular mechanism of ESM1 on LUAD metabolic reprogramming and angiogenesis remain unclear.

Methods

We used multiple databases to analyze the prognostic significance and potential function of ESM1 in patients with LUAD. The expression of ESM1 in LUAD cells was down-regulated/overexpressed by RNA interference, and the effects of ESM1 on the proliferation, migration, lipid metabolism and angiogenesis of LUAD cells in vitro and in vivo were analyzed using MTT, EdU, wound healing, oil red O, tubule formation, xenograft tumor model and chicken embryo allantoic model.

Results

ESM1 is closely associated with poor prognosis in LUAD patients. ESM1 promotes LUAD proliferation, migration, fatty acid synthesis and angiogenesis. It also accelerates the proliferation, migration, lipid synthesis and tubule formation of endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment in the form of secreted protein. Mechanically, ESM1 can promote the activation of AKT signaling pathway and up-regulate the expression of SCD1 and FASN.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that ESM1 promotes the proliferation, migration, lipid reprogramming, and angiogenesis of LUAD cells by activating the AKT signaling pathway, suggesting that ESM1 may be a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker in LUAD patients.

Methylation of KSHV vCyclin by PRMT5 contributes to cell cycle progression and cell proliferation

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a double-stranded DNA virus that encodes numerous cellular homologs, including cyclin D, G protein-coupled protein, interleukin-6, and macrophage inflammatory proteins 1 and 2. KSHV vCyclin encoded by ORF72, is the homolog of cellular cyclinD2. KSHV vCyclin can regulate virus replication and cell proliferation by constitutively activating cellular cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6). However, the regulatory mechanism of KSHV vCyclin has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we identified a host protein named protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) that interacts with KSHV vCyclin. We further demonstrated that PRMT5 is upregulated by latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) through transcriptional activation. Remarkably, knockdown or pharmaceutical inhibition (using EPZ015666) of PRMT5 inhibited the cell cycle progression and cell proliferation of KSHV latently infected tumor cells. Mechanistically, PRMT5 methylates vCyclin symmetrically at arginine 128 and stabilizes vCyclin in a methyltransferase activity-dependent manner. We also show that the methylation of vCyclin by PRMT5 positively regulates the phosphorylate retinoblastoma protein (pRB) pathway. Taken together, our findings reveal an important regulatory effect of PRMT5 on vCyclin that facilitates cell cycle progression and proliferation, which provides a potential therapeutic target for KSHV-associated malignancies.

Endothelial cell specific molecule 1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cervical cancer via the E-box binding homeobox 1

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism of endothelial cell specific molecule 1 (ESM1) promoting cervical cancer cell proliferation and EMT characteristics through zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1)/EMT pathway.

METHODS

The correlation between ESM1 expression and prognosis of cervical cancer patients was analyzed by bioinformatics. SiHa, HeLa cell lines and corresponding control cell lines with stable ESM1 expression were obtained. Cell proliferation ability was detected by CCK-8 assay. The invasion and migration ability of Hela and SiHa cells were detected by Transwell assay and scratch closure assay. Expressions of EMT-related markers E-cadherin and Vimentin were detected by real-time PCR. The ability of silenced ESM1 to tumor formation in vivo was detected by tumor formation in nude mice. The effects of aloe-emodin on inhibit ESM1 expression and its inhibitory effect on cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo were analyzed by the same method.

RESULTS

ESM1 was highly expressed in cervical cancer, and the high expression of ESM1 was associated with poor prognosis of cervical cancer patients. CCK-8 results showed that the proliferation, invasion and migration of Hela and SiHa cells were significantly reduced after siRNA interfered with ESM1 expression. Overexpression of ESM1 promoted the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells. Mechanism studies have shown that the oncogenic effect of ESM1 is realized through the ZEB1/PI3K/AKT pathway. High throughput drug screening found that aloe-emodin can target ESM1. Inhibitory effect of aloe emodin on ESM1/ZEB1/EMT signaling pathway and cervical cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

The silencing of ESM1 expression may inhibit the proliferation, invasion, metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of cervical cancer cells by inhibiting ZEB1/PI3K/AKT. Aloe-emodin is a potential treatment for cervical cancer, which can play an anti-tumor role by inhibiting ESM1/ZEB1.

Oncogenic HPV-induced high expression of ESM1 predicts poor prognosis and regulates aerobic glycolysis in cervical cancer

The impact of endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) on the initiation and progression of diverse cancers has been extensively studied, yet its regulatory mechanisms in relation to cervical cancer remain insufficiently understood. Through bioinformatics analysis, we revealed that ESM1 was highly expressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) and correlated with dismal clinicopathological features. The activation of ESM1 is facilitated by the presence of oncogenic HPV E6 and E7. HPV E6 and E7 enhance the expression of ESM1 by diminishing the levels of miR-205-5p, which specifically targets the 3' untranslated region of ESM1 mRNA. In addition, we demonstrated that ESM1 facilitates aerobic glycolysis of cervical cancer cells via the Akt/mTOR pathway. Suppression of ESM1 led to a reduction in the expression of HIF-1α and multiple glycolytic enzymes. Taken together, our findings provide insights into the mechanisms by which HPV infections regulate oncogenes, thereby contributing to cervical carcinogenesis.

Ferroptosis-related lncRNAs: Distinguishing heterogeneity of the tumour microenvironment and predicting immunotherapy response in bladder cancer

Ferroptosis, a cell death pathway dependent on iron, has been shown in research to play a role in the development, advancement, and outlook of tumours through ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (FRLRs). However, the value of the FRLRs in bladder cancer (BLCA) has not been thoroughly investigated. This research project involved developing a predictive model using ten specific FRLRs (AC099850.4, AL731567.1, AL133415.1, AC021321.1, SPAG5-AS1, HMGA2-AS1, RBMS3-AS3, AC006160.1, AL583785.1, and AL662844.4) through univariate COX and LASSO regression techniques. The validation of this signature as a standalone predictor was confirmed in a group of 65 patients from the urology bladder tumour database at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, China. Patients were categorized based on their median risk score into either a low-risk group or a high-risk group. Enrichment analysis identified possible molecular mechanisms that could explain the variations in clinical outcomes observed in high-risk and low-risk groups. Moreover, we explored the correlation between FLPS and immunotherapy-related indicators. The ability of FLPS to forecast the effectiveness of immunotherapy was validated by the elevated levels of immune checkpoint genes (PD-L1, CTLA4, and PD-1) in the group at high risk. We also screened the crucial FRLR (HMGA2-AS1) through congruent expression and prognostic conditions and established a ceRNA network, indicating that HMGA2-AS1 may affect epithelial-mesenchymal transition by modulating the Wnt signalling pathway through the ceRNA mechanism. We identified the top five mRNAs (NFIB, NEGR1, JAZF1, JCAD, and ESM1) based on random forest algorithm and analysed the relationship between HMGA2-AS1, the top five mRNAs, and immunotherapy, and their interactions with drug sensitivities. Our results suggest that patients with BLCA have a greater sensitivity to four drugs (dasatinib, pazopanib, erismodegib and olaparib). Our study provides new insights into the TME, key signalling pathways, genome, and potential therapeutic targets of BLCA, with future guidance for immunotherapy and targeted precision drugs.

Study on the Characteristics of Coarse Feeding Tolerance of Ding'an Pigs: Phenotypic and Candidate Genes Identification

Ding'an (DA) pig, a prominent local breed in Hainan Province, exhibits notable advantages in coarse feeding tolerance and high-quality meat. To explore the potential genetic mechanism of coarse feeding tolerance in DA pigs, 60-day-old full sibling pairs of DA and DLY (Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire) pigs were subjected to fed normal (5%) and high (10%) crude fiber diets for 56 days, respectively. The findings showed that increasing the crude fiber level had no impact on the apparent digestibility of crude fiber, intramuscular fat, and marbling scores in DA pigs, whereas these factors were significantly reduced in DLY pigs (p < 0.05). Through differential expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) of the colonic mucosal transcriptome data, 65 and 482 candidate genes with coarse feeding tolerance in DA pigs were identified, respectively. Joint analysis screened four key candidate genes, including LDHB, MLC1, LSG1, and ESM1, potentially serving as key regulated genes for coarse feeding tolerance. Functional analysis revealed that the most significant pathway enriched in differential genes associated with coarse feeding tolerance in Ding'an pigs was the signaling receptor binding. The results hold substantial significance for advancing our understanding of the genetic mechanisms governing coarse feeding tolerance in Ding'an pigs.

Functional analysis of ESM1 by shRNA-mediated knockdown of its expression in papillary thyroid cancer cells

OBJECTIVE

Endothelial specific molecule-1 (ESM1) is implicated as an oncogene in multiple human cancers. However, the function of ESM1 in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is not well understood. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of ESM1 on the growth, migration, and invasion of PTC to provide a novel perspective for PTC treatment.

METHODS

The expression levels of ESM1 in PTC tissues form 53 tumor tissue samples and 59 matching adjacent normal tissue samples were detected by immunohistochemical analysis. Knockdown of ESM1 expression in TPC-1 and SW579 cell lines was established to investigate its role in PTC. Moreover, cell proliferation, apoptosis, wound healing, and transwell assays were conducted in vitro to assess cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that ESM1 expression was significantly higher in PTC tissues than that found in paraneoplastic tissues (P<0.0001). Knockdown of ESM1 expression inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TPC-1 and SW579 cells in vitro. Compared with the control group, the mRNA and protein levels of ESM1 in PTC cells were significantly reduced following knockdown of its expression (P<0.01). In addition, ESM1-knockdown cells indicated decreased proliferation and decreased migratory and invasive activities (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

ESM1 was identified as a major gene in the occurrence and progression of PTC, which could increase the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC cells. It may be a promising diagnostic and therapeutic target gene.

Roles of endothelial cell specific molecule‑1 in tumor angiogenesis (Review)

Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in tumor growth and metastasis, and is heavily influenced by the tumor microenvironment (TME). Endothelial cell dysfunction is a key factor in tumor angiogenesis and is characterized by the aberrant expression of pro-angiogenic factors. Endothelial cell specific molecule-1 (ESM1), also known as endocan, is a marker of endothelial cell dysfunction. Although ESM1 is primarily expressed in normal endothelial cells, dysregulated ESM1 expression has been observed in human tumors and animal tumor models, and implicated in tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenesis. The precise role of ESM1 in tumor angiogenesis and its potential regulatory mechanisms are not yet conclusively defined. However, the aim of the present review was to explore the involvement of ESM1 in the process of tumor angiogenesis in the TME and the characteristics of neovascularization. In addition, the present review discusses the interaction between ESM1 and angiogenic factors, as well as the mechanisms through which ESM1 contributes to tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, the reciprocal regulation between ESM1 and the TME is explored. Finally, the potential of targeting ESM1 as a therapeutic strategy for tumor angiogenesis is presented.

Elevated expression of endocan in the development of cervical squamous neoplasia of the uterus

Accumulated evidence has shown that endocan, which was originally called endothelial cell-specific molecule-1, is an attractive prognostic factor in a variety of cancers. However, the relevance of endocan expression in human malignancies remains to be clarified. In the present study, the expression of endocan in cervical squamous neoplasia of the uterus, including low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL and HSIL, respectively), as well as in invasive squamous cell carcinoma was examined by immunohistochemistry. Endocan was not sufficiently expressed in the normal cervical epithelium. Endocan expression was present in LSIL cases but was limited to basal and parabasal areas of the cells. HSIL cases exhibited strong expression of endocan with widely distributed expression toward the epithelial surface. In contrast, further strong expression of endocan was not observed in patients with invasive carcinoma. This study is the first study showing increased expression of endocan in precancerous dysplastic lesions and malignancy of the cervix. The data suggest that a high expression level of endocan potentially contributes to the development of cervical squamous neoplasia of the uterus.

Targeting ESM1/ VEGFα signaling axis: a promising therapeutic avenue for angiogenesis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Endothelial-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) dysregulation is widespread in various malignancies. However, the exact significance of ESM1 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is not yet well understood. Methods: The expression of ESM1 in CSCC was probed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay using human specimens and validated and explored ESM1 in CSCC based on TNMplot and TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas Program) data repository. Further, the GSEA analysis and in vitro experiments of human CSCC cell lines, including SiHa and ME-180, were performed to investigate the masked molecular mechanisms of ESM1 in CSCC. Results: ESM1 was overexpressed in clinical CSCC tissues compared with paracancer controls, was an independent prognostic factor and was associated with poor prognosis in CSCC patients. These findings were further confirmed in the TNMplot and TCGA datasets. Furthermore, GSEA analysis revealed that the ESM1 high expression group was significantly enriched in carcinoma angiogenesis and the VEGFα signaling pathway. In addition, in vitro assays with human CSCC cell lines, including SiHa and ME-180, demonstrated that knockdown of ESM1 expression inhibited tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion, resulting in attenuated VEGFα expression and blocked phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and ERK-1/2. Conclusion: In CSCC patients, ESM1 was considerably overexpressed. Upregulation of ESM1 is predictive of poor clinical outcomes in CSCC. Furthermore, ESM1 overexpression promoted carcinoma angiogenesis and CSCC progression through the VEGF/ERK signaling pathway. Hence, ESM1 and associated genes might be useful prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for CSCC individuals.