Septin11 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell motility by activating RhoA to regulate cytoskeleton and cell adhesion

Molecular mechanisms and clinicopathological characteristics of inhibin βA in thyroid cancer metastasis

The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of inhibin βA (INHBA) in thyroid cancer (TC), and to determine its potential impact on the aggressive behavior of TC cells. The present study employed a comprehensive approach, using public databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas, to identify and analyze the expression of INHBA in TC. Cell transfection, reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR, western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and in vivo assays were conducted to investigate the functional effects of INHBA on TC. In addition, the present study explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of INHBA, focusing on the potential impact on the RhoA signaling pathway and associated molecular cascades. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a significant association between INHBA expression and TC, and INHBA expression was markedly upregulated in TC tissues compared with in healthy control tissues. The results of functional studies demonstrated that INHBA overexpression increased the migration and invasion of TC cells, and the opposite result was observed following INHBA knockdown. Mechanistic investigations indicated that INHBA modulated the RhoA pathway, leading to alterations in the phosphorylation status of LIM kinase 1 (LIMK) and cofilin, key regulators of cytoskeletal dynamics and cell motility. Following the introduction of transfected TC cells into zebrafish and nude mouse models, the results of the present study demonstrated that INHBA knockdown attenuated the metastatic potential of TC cells. In conclusion, INHBA may serve a pivotal role in promoting the aggressive phenotype of TC cells through modulating the RhoA/LIMK/cofilin signaling axis. These findings highlight INHBA as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for the management of aggressive TC.

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) participate in porcine early embryonic development by regulating cell autophagy and apoptosis through the mTOR signaling pathway

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) stands as the pioneering histone demethylase uncovered, proficient in demethylating H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2, thereby governing transcription and participating in cell apoptosis, proliferation, or differentiation. Nevertheless, the complete understanding of LSD1 during porcine early embryonic development and the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the mechanism by which LSD1 plays a regulatory role in porcine early embryos. This study revealed that LSD1 inhibition resulted in parthenogenetic activation (PA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo arrested the development, and decreased blastocyst quality. Meanwhile, H3K4me1/2 and H3K9me1/2 methylase activity was increased at the 4-cell embryo stage. RNA-seq results revealed that autophagy related biological processes were highly enriched through GO and KEGG pathway analyses when LSD1 inhibition. Further studies showed that LSD1 depletion in porcine early embryos resulted in low mTOR and p-mTOR levels and high autophagy and apoptosis levels. The LSD1 deletion-induced increases in autophagy and apoptosis could be reversed by addition of mTOR activators. We further demonstrated that LSD1 inhibition induced mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy. In summary, our research results indicate that LSD1 may regulate autophagy and apoptosis through the mTOR pathway and affect early embryonic development of pigs.

CRISPR in Targeted Therapy and Adoptive T Cell Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Despite recent therapeutic advancements, outcomes for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unsatisfactory, highlighting the need for novel treatments. The CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) gene-editing technology offers innovative treatment approaches, involving genetic manipulation of either cancer cells or adoptive T cells to combat HCC. This review comprehensively assesses the applications of CRISPR systems in HCC treatment, focusing on in vivo targeting of cancer cells and the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells. We explore potential synergies between CRISPR-based cancer therapeutics and existing treatment options, discussing ongoing clinical trials and the role of CRISPR technology in improving HCC treatment outcomes with advanced safety measures. In summary, this review provides insights into the promising prospects and current challenges of using CRISPR technology in HCC treatment, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes and revolutionizing the landscape of HCC therapeutics.

CTNNAL1 promotes the structural integrity of bronchial epithelial cells through the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway

Adhesion molecules play critical roles in maintaining the structural integrity of the airway epithelium in airways under stress. Previously, we reported that catenin alpha-like 1 (CTNNAL1) is downregulated in an asthma animal model and upregulated at the edge of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) after ozone stress. In this work, we explore the potential role of CTNNAL1 in the structural adhesion of HBECs and its possible mechanism. We construct a CTNNAL1 ‒/‒ mouse model with CTNNAL1-RNAi recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) in the lung and a CTNNAL1-silencing cell line stably transfected with CTNNAL1-siRNA recombinant plasmids. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining reveals that CTNNAL1 ‒/‒ mice have denuded epithelial cells and structural damage to the airway. Silencing of CTNNAL1 in HBECs inhibits cell proliferation and weakens extracellular matrix adhesion and intercellular adhesion, possibly through the action of the cytoskeleton. We also find that the expressions of the structural adhesion-related molecules E-cadherin, integrin β1, and integrin β4 are significantly decreased in ozone-treated cells than in vector control cells. In addition, our results show that the expression levels of RhoA/ROCK1 are decreased after CTNNAL1 silencing. Treatment with Y27632, a ROCK inhibitor, abolished the expressions of adhesion molecules induced by ozone in CTNNAL1-overexpressing HBECs. Overall, the findings of the present study suggest that CTNNAL1 plays a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the airway epithelium under ozone challenge, and is associated with epithelial cytoskeleton dynamics and the expressions of adhesion-related molecules via the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway.

Genotypic and phenotypic consequences of domestication in dogs

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are genomic regions that arise when two copies of an identical ancestral haplotype are inherited from parents with a recent common ancestor. In this study, we performed a novel comprehensive analysis to infer genetic diversity among dogs and quantified the association between ROH and non-disease phenotypes. We found distinct patterns of genetic diversity across clades of breed dogs and elevated levels of long ROH, compared to non- domesticated dogs. These high levels of F ROH (inbreeding coefficient) are a consequence of recent inbreeding among domesticated dogs during breed establishment. We identified statistically significant associations between F ROH and height, weight, lifespan, muscled, white head, white chest, furnish, and length of fur. After correcting for population structure, we identified more than 45 genes across the three examined quantitative traits that exceeded the threshold for suggestive significance, indicating significant polygenic inheritance for the complex quantitative phenotypes in dogs.

Development of a Cell Culture Model for Inducible SARS-CoV-2 Replication

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces direct cytopathic effects, complicating the establishment of low-cytotoxicity cell culture models for studying its replication. We initially developed a DNA vector-based replicon system utilizing the CMV promoter to generate a recombinant viral genome bearing reporter genes. However, this system frequently resulted in drug resistance and cytotoxicity, impeding model establishment. Herein, we present a novel cell culture model with SARS-CoV-2 replication induced by Cre/LoxP-mediated DNA recombination. An engineered SARS-CoV-2 transcription unit was subcloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector. To enhance biosafety, the viral spike protein gene was deleted, and the nucleocapsid gene was replaced with a reporter gene. An exogenous sequence was inserted within NSP1 as a modulatory cassette that is removable after Cre/LoxP-mediated DNA recombination and subsequent RNA splicing. Using the PiggyBac transposon strategy, the transcription unit was integrated into host cell chromatin, yielding a stable cell line capable of inducing recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication. The model exhibited sensitivity to the potential antivirals forsythoside A and verteporfin. An innovative inducible SARS-CoV-2 replicon cell model was introduced to further explore the replication and pathogenesis of the virus and facilitate screening and assessment of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics.

Phillygenin prevents osteoclast differentiation and bone loss by targeting RhoA

Forsythia suspensa tea is a popular traditional Chinese medicine decoction for its healthy and therapeutic benefits. However, its effects in bone metabolism were not clear. In recent study, we uncovered anti-osteoclastogenesis property of Phillygenin (Phi), a compound abundant in Forsythia suspensa leaves, and aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Phi on bone metabolism in vivo and in vitro. Lipopolysaccharides-induced murine calvaria osteolysis and ovariectomy-induced bone loss animal models were used to identify the bone-protective effect of Phi in vivo and micro-CT, pQCT, and TRAP staining were applied. We used CCK8, TUNEL, BrdU, and TRAP staining to evaluate the efficacy of Phi on the proliferation and formation of OCs in primary mBMMs. RNA sequence, activity-based protein profiling, molecular docking, G-LISA, and WB were used to inspect the target and underlying mechanism of Phi's actions in mBMMs. We found Phi significantly inhibited bone resorption in vivo and inhibited mBMMs osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) was identified as the direct target of Phi. It counteracted the effects of RhoA activator and acted as a RhoA inhibitor. By targeting RhoA, Phi modulated Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) activity and regulated its downstream NF-κB/NFATc1/c-fos pathway. Furthermore, Phi depressed the disassembling of F-actin ring through cofilin and myosin1a. Our findings provided Phi as a potential option for treating bone loss diseases by targeting RhoA and highlighted the importance of F. suspensa as a preventive approach in bone disorders.

SEPTIN10-mediated crosstalk between cytoskeletal networks controls mechanotransduction and oncogenic YAP/TAZ signaling

The transcriptional co-activators of the Hippo pathway, YAP and TAZ, are regulated by mechanotransduction, which depends on dynamic actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Here, we identified SEPTIN10 as a novel cytoskeletal protein, which is transcriptionally regulated by YAP/TAZ and whose overexpression correlates with poor survival and vascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Functional characterization demonstrated that SEPTIN10 promotes YAP/TAZ-dependent cell viability, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells. Mechanistically, SEPTIN10 interacts with actin and microtubule filaments supporting actin stress fiber formation and intracellular tension through binding to CAPZA2 while concurrently inhibiting microtubule polymerization through the blockage of MAP4 function. This functional antagonism is important for cytoskeleton-dependent feedback activation of YAP/TAZ, as microtubule depolymerization induces actin stress fiber formation and subsequently YAP/TAZ activity. Importantly, the crosstalk between microfilaments and microtubules is mediated by SEPTIN10 as its loss abrogates actin stress fiber formation after microtubule disruption. Together, the YAP/TAZ target gene SEPTIN10 controls the dynamic interplay between actin and microtubule filaments, which feeds back on Hippo pathway activity in HCC cells and thus acts as molecular switch with impact on oncogenic signaling and cancer cell biology.