Functionality of the chromosomal passenger complex in cancer

Role of cell division cycle-associated proteins in regulating cell cycle and promoting tumor progression

The cell division cycle-associated protein (CDCA) family is important in regulating cell division. High CDCA expression is significantly linked to tumor development. This review summarizes clinical and basic studies on CDCAs conducted in recent decades. Furthermore, it systematically introduces the molecular expression and function, key mechanisms, cell cycle regulation, and roles of CDCAs in tumor development, cell proliferation, drug resistance, invasion, and metastasis. Additionally, it presents the latest research on tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment targeting CDCAs. These findings are pivotal for further in-depth studies on the role of CDCAs in promoting tumor development and provide theoretical support for their application as new anti-tumor targets.

Aurora kinase B disruption suppresses pathological retinal angiogenesis by affecting cell cycle progression

PURPOSE

The detrimental effects of pathological angiogenesis on the visual function are indisputable. Within a prominent role in chromosome segregation and tumor progression, aurora kinase B (AURKB) assumes a prominent role. However, its role in pathological retinal angiogenesis remains unclear. This study explores this latent mechanism.

METHODS

To inhibit AURKB expression, we designed specific small interfering RNAs targeting AURKB and transfected them into vascular endothelial cells. Barasertib was selected as the AURKB inhibitor. The anti-angiogenic effects of both AURKB siRNA and barasertib were assessed in vitro by cell proliferation, transwell migration, and tube formation. To evaluate the angiogentic effects of AURKB in vivo, neonatal mice were exposed to 75% oxygen followed by normoxic repositioning to establish an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model. Subsequently, phosphate-buffered saline and barasertib were administered into OIR mice via intravitreal injection. The effects of AURKB on cell cycle proteins were determined by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

We found that AURKB was overexpressed during pathological angiogenesis. AURKB siRNA and barasertib significantly inhibited endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. Furthermore, AURKB inhibition attenuated retinal angiogenesis in the OIR model. A possible mechanism is the disruption of cell cycle by AURKB inhibition.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, AURKB significantly influenced pathological retinal angiogenesis, thereby presenting a promising therapeutic target in ocular neovascular diseases.

Non-canonical MLL1 activity regulates centromeric phase separation and genome stability

Epigenetic dysregulation is a prominent feature in cancer, as exemplified by frequent mutations in chromatin regulators, including the MLL/KMT2 family of histone methyltransferases. Although MLL1/KMT2A activity on H3K4 methylation is well documented, their non-canonical activities remain mostly unexplored. Here we show that MLL1/KMT2A methylates Borealin K143 in the intrinsically disordered region essential for liquid-liquid phase separation of the chromosome passenger complex (CPC). The co-crystal structure highlights the distinct binding mode of the MLL1 SET domain with Borealin K143. Inhibiting MLL1 activity or mutating Borealin K143 to arginine perturbs CPC phase separation, reduces Aurora kinase B activity, and impairs the resolution of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments and sister-chromatid cohesion. They significantly increase chromosome instability and aneuploidy in a subset of hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting in growth inhibition. These results demonstrate a non-redundant function of MLL1 in regulating inner centromere liquid condensates and genome stability via a non-canonical enzymatic activity.

CDCA8 promotes bladder cancer survival by stabilizing HIF1α expression under hypoxia

Hypoxia is an essential hallmark of solid tumors and HIF1α is a central regulator of tumor cell adaptation and survival in the hypoxic environment. In this study, we explored the biological functions of cell cycle division-related gene 8 (CDCA8) in bladder cancer (BCa) cells in the hypoxic settings. Specifically, we found that CDCA8 was significantly upregulated in BCa cell lines and clinical samples and its expression was positively correlated with advanced BCa stage, grade, and poor overall survival (OS). The expression of CDCA8 proteins was required for BCa cells to survive in the hypoxic condition. Mechanistically, CDCA8 stabilizes HIF1α by competing with PTEN for AKT binding, consequently leading to PTEN displacement and activation of the AKT/GSK3β signaling cascade that stimulates HIF1α protein stability. Significantly, HIF1α proteins bind to CDCA8 promoter for transcriptional activation, forming a positive-feedback loop to sustain BCa tumor cells under oxygen-deficient environment. Together, we defined CDCA8 as a key regulator for BCa cells to sense and prevail oxygen deprivation and as a novel BCa therapeutic target.

TMED3 promotes the development of malignant melanoma by targeting CDCA8 and regulating PI3K/Akt pathway

BACKGROUND

Transmembrane emp24 domain containing (TMED) proteins are known to play pivotal roles in normal development, but have been reported to be implicated in pancreatic disease, immune system disorders, and cancers. As far as TMED3 is concerned, its roles in cancers are controversial. However, evidence describing TMED3 in the context of malignant melanoma (MM) is scarce.

RESULTS

In this study, we characterized the functional significance of TMED3 in MM and identified TMED3 as a tumor-promoting factor in MM development. Depletion of TMED3 arrested the development of MM in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that TMED3 could interact with Cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8). Knocking down CDCA8 suppressed cell events associated with MM development. On the contrary, elevating CDCA8 augmented cell viability and motility and even reversed the inhibitory effects of TMED3 knockdown on MM development. On the other hand, we found that the levels of P-Akt and P-PI3K were decreased in response to TMED3 downregulation, which was partially abolished following SC79 treatment. Thus, our suspicion was that TMED3 exacerbates MM progression via PI3K/Akt pathway. More notably, previously decreased P-Akt and P-PI3K in TMED3-depleted cells were rescued after overexpressing CDCA8. Also, previously impaired cell events due to CDCA8 depletion were ameliorated after SC79 addition, implying that TMED3 regulates PI3K-AKT pathway via CDCA8, thereby promoting MM development.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, this study established the link between TMED3 and MM, and provides a potential therapeutic intervention for patients with MM harboring abundant TMED3.

Cell division cycle-associated 8 is a prognostic biomarker related to immune invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Cell division cycle-associated 8 (CDCA8) is involved in numerous signaling networks, and it serves a crucial modulatory function in multiple malignant tumors. However, its significance in prognosis and immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Herein, we examined the CDCA8 levels in tumor tissues, as well as its associated signaling pathways and correlation with immune infiltration. Additionally, we further clarified the prognostic significance of CDCA8 among HCC patients. HCC patient information was recruited from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Using bioinformatics, the following parameters were analyzed among HCC patients: CDCA8 expression, enrichment analysis, immune infiltration, and prognosis analysis. Moreover, we employed in vitro investigations, such as, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and cell functional experiments to validate our results.

RESULTS

Elevated CDCA8 expression in HCC patients was markedly associated with T stage, pathological status (PS), tumor status (TS), histologic grade (HG), and AFP. Elevated CDCA8 expression HCC patients exhibited reduced overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001), disease-specific survival (DSS) (p < 0.001), and progress free interval (PFI) H(p < 0.001). According to the ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.997. Multivariate analysis revealed that CDCA8 was a stand-alone prognostic indicator of patient OS (p = 0.009) and DSS (p = 0.006). A nomogram was then generated based on the multivariate analysis, and the C-indexes and calibration chart revealed excellent predictive performance in determining HCC patient outcome. Based on the GSEA analysis, CDCA8 modulated the P53, Notch, PPAR, E2F networks. We observed a direct link between CDCA8 levels and Th2 and T helper cells, and a negative link between CDCA8 levels and dendritic cells (DC), neutrophils, cytotoxic cells, and CD8 T cells. Furthermore, CDCA8 deficiency inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, these findings indicate that CDCA8 is a new molecular bioindicator of HCC patient prognosis, and it is an excellent candidate for therapeutic target against HCC.

The Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Chromosomal Instability in Cancer

Chromosomal instability (CIN) is characterized by an increased frequency of changes in chromosome structure or number and is regarded as a hallmark of cancer. CIN plays a prevalent role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression by assisting the cancer cells' phenotypic adaptation to stress, which have been tightly linked to therapy resistance and metastasis. Both CIN-inducing and CIN-repressing agents are being clinically tested for the treatment of cancer to increase CIN levels to unsustainable levels leading to cell death or to decrease CIN levels to limit the development of drug resistance, respectively. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) including microRNAs and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) have been fundamentally implicated in CIN. The miR-22, miR-26a, miR-28, and miR-186 target important checkpoint proteins involved in mediating chromosomal stability and their expression modulation has been directly related to CIN occurrence. lncRNAs derived from telomeric, centrosomal, and enhancer regions play an important role in mediating genome stability, while specific lncRNA transcripts including genomic instability inducing RNA called Ginir, P53-responsive lncRNA termed as GUARDIN, colon cancer-associated transcript 2, PCAT2, and ncRNA activated by DNA damage called NORAD have been shown to act within CIN-associated pathways. In this review, we discuss how these ncRNAs either maintain or disrupt the stability of chromosomes and how these mechanisms could be exploited for novel therapeutic approaches targeting CIN in cancer patients. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Chromosomal instability increases tumor heterogeneity and thereby assists the phenotypic adaptation of cancer cells, causing therapy resistance and metastasis. Several microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs that have been causally linked to chromosomal instability could represent novel therapeutic targets. Understanding the role of non-coding RNAs in regulating different genes involved in driving chromosomal instability will give insights into how non-coding RNAs can be utilized toward modifying chemotherapeutic regimens in different cancers.

CDCA8/SNAI2 Complex Activates CD44 to Promote Proliferation and Invasion of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Simple Summary

There is an urgent need to find an effective therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer owing to late diagnosis, tumor metastasis, and current ineffective targeted drugs. We aimed to identified potential targets for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In this study, the specific mechanism by which the CDCA8 contributes to pancreatic cancer progression via the activation of CD44 was clarified, and CDCA8 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. This finding may provide a promising target for future targeted therapies of pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

(1) Background: Recently, cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) was found to be overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we aimed to explore the specific mechanism of action of CDCA8 in PDAC progression. (2) Methods: All human PDAC samples and clinical data were collected from Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. All experimental studies were carried out using many in vitro and in vivo assays, including lentiviral transfection, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), chromatin IP (ChIP)-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter, and in vivo imaging assays. (3) Results: Clinical data analysis of human PDAC samples revealed that CDCA8 overexpression were positively and negatively associated with tumor grade (p = 0.007) and overall survival (p = 0.045), respectively. CDCA8 knockdown inhibited PDAC proliferation and invasion in in vitro and in vivo assays. CD44 was also up-regulated by CDCA8 during PDAC progression. CDCA8 could be combined with SNAI2 to form a CDCA8/SNAI2 complex to integrate with the CD44 promoter as indicated through ChIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase reporter assays. (4) Conclusion: We showed that CDCA8-CD44 axis plays a key role in the proliferation and invasion of PDAC, which provides a potential target for treatment.

CDCA8 Contributes to the Development and Progression of Thyroid Cancer through Regulating CDK1

Background: This study aims to reveal regulatory role of cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) in thyroid cancer progression and metastasis.

Methods: A series of experiments in vivo and in vitro were performed to explore the function of CDCA8 in thyroid cancer.

Results: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that CDCA8 expression levels were upregulated in thyroid cancer tissues compared with normal tissues, and were statistically correlated with tumor stage. Results of in vitro loss-of-function assay showed that downregulation of endogenous expression of CDCA8 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration, and promote apoptosis. Thyroid cancer cells lacking CDCA8 expression also had reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Further, results of preliminary mechanistic exploration showed that CDK1 may be a potential downstream molecule of CDCA8 in regulating thyroid cancer progression. We subsequently confirmed that CDK1 itself exerted a significant regulatory function in thyroid cancer by loss- and gain-of-function experiments. Moreover, overexpression of CDK1 could weaken the tumor suppressive effect caused by CDCA8 knockdown.

Conclusions: CDCA8 functions as an oncogene in thyroid cancer, and CDCA8 knockdown suppresses cancer development in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, CDK1 was further identified as a potential target of CDCA8 in thyroid cancer.

Overexpression of CDCA8 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Promotes Tumor Cell Growth in Prostate Cancer

Human cell division cycle-related protein 8 (CDCA8) is an essential component of the vertebrate chromosomal passenger complex (CPC). CDCA8 was confirmed to play a role in promoting malignant tumor progression. However, the exact function of CDCA8 in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. In this study, the database GSE69223 was downloaded by the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database, as well as CDCA8 expression differences in multiple tumor tissues and normal tissues were detected by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TIMER, Oncomine, and Ualcan databases. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods were used to analyze the correlation between CDCA8 expression and prognosis in PCa. We confirmed the expression of CDCA8 in PCa tissues by HPA. We also analyzed the association of CDCA8 expression with PCa clinical characteristics in the TCGA database. To further understand the role of CDCA8 in PCa, we assessed the effects of CDCA8 on PCa cell growth, proliferation, and migration in vitro studies. As a result, CDCA8 was significantly overexpressed in PCa cells compared with normal prostate cells. High CDCA8 expression predicts poor prognosis in PCa patients, and CDCA8 expression was higher in high-grade PCa. In addition, silencing of CDCA8 significantly inhibited PCa cell proliferation and migration. In summary, CDCA8 promoted the proliferation and migration of PCa cells.

Cell Division Cycle-Associated Genes Are Potential Immune Regulators in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Background

Cell division cycle-associated (CDCA) gene family is essential to cell cycle regulation. Numerous studies have illuminated that dysfunction of CDCA genes may not only lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation resulting in tumorigenesis but also influence immune cell infiltration in tumors. However, the role of the CDCA gene family on the prognosis and immune infiltration in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains to be unclear.

Methods

SBC human ceRNA array V1.0 was used to measure mRNA expression in three pairs of NPC tissues and nasopharyngitis tissues. The expression of CDCA8 was confirmed in an IHC microarray containing 130 NPC patients. Two external GEO cohorts were enrolled for further analysis. Prognosis analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to explore the potential mechanism of CDCA genes in NPC. The relationship between CDCA gene family and immune infiltration in NPC was evaluated using the Xcell tool.

Results

CDCA genes were broadly upregulated in NPC tissues compared to nasopharyngitis tissues, and high expression of CDCA3/5/8 indicated worse prognosis in NPC. Besides cell cycle pathways, we found that CDCA3/5/8 were involved in multiple immune-related pathways. Overexpression of CDCA8 was strongly associated with less infiltration of CD8+ T cells and more infiltration of CD4+ Th1 cells and was negatively correlated with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-related genes.

Conclusion

CDCA gene family was upregulated in NPC, and their expressions were associated with adverse prognosis. High expression of CDCA8 was associated not only with poor prognosis, but also with less immune infiltration and downregulation of ICB-related genes in NPC.

Identification of biomarkers related to glycolysis with weighted gene co-expression network analysis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common tumor in the oral cavity and maxillofacial region. Increasing evidence suggests that aerobic glycolysis plays an important role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of OSCC. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers related to glycolysis in OSCC represents considerable potential for improving its treatment.

METHODS

In the present study, a single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm with weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to quantify the degree of glycolysis and identify key modules with the greatest correlation with glycolysis.

RESULTS

Glycolytic scores significantly correlated with prognosis. In the key module 5 HUB genes were finally selected, which displayed a robust predictive effect. The expressions of key genes were associated with glycolysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The research comprehensively analyzed the glycolysis of OSCC and identified several biomarkers related to glycolysis. These biomarkers may represent potential therapeutic targets for future OSCC therapy.

RNA-binding protein RNPC1 acts as an oncogene in gastric cancer by stabilizing aurora kinase B mRNA

BACKGROUND

RNPC1 is reported to act as a tumor suppressor by binding and regulating the expression of target genes in various cancers. However, the role of RNPC1 in gastric cancer and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear.

METHODS

Gastric cancer cells were stably transfected with lentivirus. Proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo were used to assess the role of RNPC1. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the relationship between RNPC1 and aurora kinase B (AURKB). RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays (REMSAs), and dual-luciferase reporter assays were used to identify the direct binding sites of RNPC1 with AURKB mRNA. A CCK-8 assay was conducted to confirm the function of AURKB in RNPC1-induced growth promotion.

RESULTS

High RNPC1 expression was found in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines and was associated with high TNM stage. RNPC1 overexpression significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. Knockdown of RNPC1 could impede gastric cancer tumorigenesis in nude mice. AURKB expression was positively related to RNPC1. RNPC1 directly binds to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of AURKB and enhances AURKB mRNA stability. AURKB reversed the proliferation induced by RNPC1 in gastric cancer cells. RNPC1 resulted in mitotic defects, aneuploidy and chromosomal instability in gastric cancer cells, similar to AURKB.

CONCLUSION

RNPC1 acts as an oncogene in gastric cancer by influencing cell mitosis by increasing AURKB mRNA stability, which may provide a potential biomarker and a therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

miR-133b inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma by targeting CDCA8

OBJECTIVE

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common type of lung cancer. This study aims to explore the mechanism by which CDCA8 regulates cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD, and to generate novel insights into targeted therapy of LUAD.

METHODS

Expression profiles of mature microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs, along with clinical data of LUAD were downloaded from TCGA database for differential analysis and survival analysis to mine differentially expressed mRNAs. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of CDCA8 and miR-133b in LUAD cell lines, and western blot was used to detect protein expression. The effects of CDCA8 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells were detected by CCK-8 assay, scratch healing assay, and Transwell assay. Bioinformatics predicted the target miRNA of CDCA8, and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the binding relationship between miR-133b and CDCA8.

RESULTS

Data from TCGA-LUAD showed that CDCA8 was significantly overexpressed in LUAD tissue, while its upstream miRNA (miR-133b) was significantly lowly expressed. The result of dual-luciferase test showed that miR-133b targeted CDCA8. The results of in vitro functional experiments showed that overexpression of CDCA8 could promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD cells, and miR-133b could reverse this promotion by targeting CDCA8.

CONCLUSION

This study found that CDCA8 was a carcinogenic factor in LUAD cells and it was regulated by upstream miR-133b. miR-133b could inhibit proliferation, invasion, and migration of LUAD cells by targeting CDCA8.

Cytokinesis regulators as potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for human hepatocellular carcinoma

Cytokinesis, the final step of mitosis, is critical for maintaining the ploidy level of cells. Cytokinesis is a complex, highly regulated process and its failure can lead to genetic instability and apoptosis, contributing to the development of cancer. Human hepatocellular carcinoma is often accompanied by a high frequency of aneuploidy and the DNA ploidy pattern observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma results mostly from impairments in cytokinesis. Many key regulators of cytokinesis are abnormally expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma, and their expression levels are often correlated with patient prognosis. Moreover, preclinical studies have demonstrated that the inhibition of key cytokinesis regulators can suppress the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the signaling networks regulating cytokinesis, the key cytokinesis regulators involved in the initiation and development of human hepatocellular carcinoma, and their applications as potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers.

Double-targeting CDCA8 and E2F1 inhibits the growth and migration of malignant glioma

High-grade glioma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults with poor therapeutic efficiency and survival prognosis. Cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) has been well known as a cell cycle regulator and tumor promotor in various malignant tumors. However, its biological role in glioma still remains unclear. Our results showed that high level of CDCA8 was significantly correlated with advanced WHO grade and poor overall survival and disease-free survival prognosis. In vitro and in vivo investigations demonstrated that CDCA8 promoted the glioma malignancy by promoting cell proliferation, cell migration, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. Moreover, we found its synergetic biological protein-E2F1 by the gene microarray chip. In this study, we revealed that CDCA8 synergized with E2F1 facilitated the proliferation and migration of glioma. In conclusion, our study provides a novel promising therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers for malignant glioma treatment.

From Synthetic Simplified Marine Metabolite Analogues to New Selective Allosteric Inhibitor of Aurora B Kinase

Significant inhibition of Aurora B was achieved by the synthesis of simplified fragments of benzosceptrins and oroidin belonging to the marine pyrrole-2-aminoimidazoles metabolites isolated from sponges. Evaluation of kinase inhibition enabled the discovery of a synthetically accessible rigid acetylenic structural analogue EL-228 (1), whose structure could be optimized into the potent CJ2-150 (37). Here we present the synthesis of new inhibitors of Aurora B kinase, which is an important target for cancer therapy through mitosis regulation. The biologically oriented synthesis yielded several nanomolar inhibitors. The optimized compound CJ2-150 (37) showed a non-ATP competitive allosteric mode of action in a mixed-type inhibition for Aurora B kinase. Molecular docking identified a probable binding mode in the allosteric site "F" and highlighted the key interactions with the protein. We describe the improvement of the inhibitory potency and specificity of the novel scaffold as well as the characterization of the mechanism of action.

Identification of Core Genes Involved in the Metastasis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Introduction

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common malignancies globally, among which clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) accounts for 85–90% of all pathological types. This study aims to screen out potential genes in metastatic ccRCC so as to provide novel insights for ccRCC treatment.

Methods

GSE53757 and GSE84546 datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were profiled to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from ccRCC samples with or without metastasis. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and the gene ontology (GO) analysis were performed to analyze pathway enrichment and functional annotation of DEGs. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical values of the identified hub genes. In vitro loss-of-function assays were performed to explore the biological roles of these genes.

Results

The bioinformatic analysis indicated that 312 DEGs were identified, including 148 upregulated genes and 164 downregulated ones. Using PPI and Cytoscape, 10 hub genes were selected (C3, CXCR4, CCl4, ACKR3, KIF20A, CCNB2, CDCA8, CCL28, S1PR5, and CCL20) from DEGs which might be closely related with ccRCC metastasis. In Kaplan–Meier analysis, three potential prognostic biomarkers (KIF20A, CCNB2 and CDCA8) were identified. Finally, cell proliferative and invasive assays further verified that KIF20A, CCNB2 and CDCA8 were associated with the proliferation and invasion of ccRCC cells.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated that metastatic ccRCC was partially attributed to the aberrant expression of KIF20A, CCNB2 and CDCA8, and more personalized therapeutic approaches should be explored targeting these hub genes.

Development of a macrophages-related 4-gene signature and nomogram for the overall survival prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma based on WGCNA and LASSO algorithm

BACKGROUND

Immune system instability and poor prognosis are the two major clinical performance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Abnormal expression of MiR-424-5p has been reported to accelerate the progression of liver cancer, but it mediated immune cell infiltration imbalance is still unknown. We aim to mine the immune-related genes (IRGs) targeted by miR-424-5p and construct a multi-gene signature to improve the prognostic prediction of HCC.

METHODS

The HCC-related data of the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database and the GSE14520 dataset of the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database were downloaded as the discovery dataset and the validation dataset, respectively. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), the deconvolution algorithm of CIBERSORT and LASSO algorithm participated in the identification of IRGs and the development of prognostic signature and nomogram.

RESULTS

Our study found that the abundance of macrophages M0, M1 and M2 are all drastically changed during the cancerous process. A total of 920 macrophages infiltration-related LRGs were identified and a novel 4-gene signature (CDCA8, CBX2, UCK2 and SOCS2) with superior prognostic independence was established. The prognostic signature based risk score has superior capability to identify high-risk patients and predict overall survival (p < 0.001; AUC = 0.798 for 1 year; AUC = 0.748 for 3 years; AUC = 0.721 for 5 years). And it (C-index = 0.726) has a better prognostic potential than the TNM stage (C-index = 0.619), which is widely adopted in clinical practice. Additionally, the nomogram formed by combining the risk score and TNM stage further improved the accuracy of survival prediction (C-index = 0.733).

CONCLUSION

In summary, the immune landscape with abnormal infiltration of macrophages may be one of the prelude to the cancerous process. The novel macrophages-related 4-gene signature is expected to become a potential prognostic marker in liver cancer.

Identification of candidate biomarkers correlated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer via integrated bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

This study was carried out to identify potential key genes associated with the pathogenesis and prognosis of breast cancer (BC).

METHODS

Seven GEO datasets (GSE24124, GSE32641, GSE36295, GSE42568, GSE53752, GSE70947, GSE109169) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between BC and normal breast tissue samples were screened by an integrated analysis of multiple gene expression profile datasets. Hub genes related to the pathogenesis and prognosis of BC were verified by employing protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.

RESULTS

Ten hub genes with high degree were identified, including CDK1, CDC20, CCNA2, CCNB1, CCNB2, BUB1, BUB1B, CDCA8, KIF11, and TOP2A. Lastly, the Kaplan-Meier plotter (KM plotter) online database demonstrated that higher expression levels of these genes were related to lower overall survival. Experimental validation showed that all 10 hub genes had the same expression trend as predicted.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this research would provide some directive significance for further investigating the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to facilitate the molecular targeting therapy of BC, which could be used as a new biomarker for diagnosis and to guide the combination medicine of BC.

Genetics of teratozoospermia: Back to the head

Spermatozoa are polarized cells with a head and a flagellum joined by the connecting piece. Head integrity is critical for normal sperm function, and head defects consistently lead to male infertility. Abnormalities of the sperm head are among the most severe and characteristic sperm defects. Patients presenting with a monomorphic head sperm defects such as globozoospermia or marcrozoospermia were analyzed permitting to identify several key genes for spermatogenesis such as AURKC and DPY19L2. The study of patients with other specific sperm head defects such as acephalic spermatozoa have also enabled the identification of new infertility genes such as SUN5. Here, we review the genetic causes leading to morphological defects of sperm head. Advances in the genetics of male infertility are necessary to improve the management of infertility and will pave the road towards future strategies of treatments, especially for patients with the most severe phenotype as sperm head defects.

Aurora kinases and DNA damage response

It is well established that Aurora kinases perform critical functions during mitosis. It has become increasingly clear that the Aurora kinases also perform a myriad of non-mitotic functions including DNA damage response. The available evidence indicates that inhibition Aurora kinase A (AURKA) may contribute to the G₂ DNA damage checkpoint through AURKA's functions in PLK1 and CDC25B activation. Both AURKA and Aurora kinase B (AURKB) are also essential in mitotic DNA damage response that guard against DNA damage-induced chromosome segregation errors, including the control of abscission checkpoint and prevention of micronuclei formation. Dysregulation of Aurora kinases can trigger DNA damage in mitosis that is sensed in the subsequent G₁ by a p53-dependent postmitotic checkpoint. Aurora kinases are themselves linked to the G₁ DNA damage checkpoint through p53 and p73 pathways. Finally, several lines of evidence provide a connection between Aurora kinases and DNA repair and apoptotic pathways. Although more studies are required to provide a comprehensive picture of how cells respond to DNA damage, these findings indicate that both AURKA and AURKB are inextricably linked to pathways guarding against DNA damage. They also provide a rationale to support more detailed studies on the synergism between small-molecule inhibitors against Aurora kinases and DNA-damaging agents in cancer therapies.

Identification of key genes associated with the progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma using weighted gene co-expression network analysis

The present study aimed to identify the key genes that are associated with the progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). A total of three gene datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, including GSE107943, GSE119336 and GSE26566. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tissues and adjacent liver tissues were identified using GSE107943, while tissue specific genes between bile duct and liver tissues were identified using GSE26566. Following the removal of tissue-specific genes, real DEGs were used to construct the WGCNA to investigate the association between gene modules and clinical traits. Following functional analysis, pathway enrichment analysis and the construction of a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were performed, hub genes were selected and their diagnostic value was verified in GSE119336 using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Finally, the protein levels of the hub genes were also verified in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tissues. A total of 1,643 real DEGs were identified and used to construct the WGCNA. Additionally, a total of seven co-expressed gene modules were identified following WGCNA, while genes in brown and yellow modules were identified to be associated with multiple clinical traits (the number of clinical traits >3) and used as key modules. A total of 63 core key module genes were subsequently identified, and it was indicated that these genes were most enriched in the nucleus (Gene Ontology term) and the cell cycle pathway (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes term). Finally, a total of eight genes, including cyclin B1, cell division cycle 20, cell division cycle associated 8, cyclin dependent kinase 1, centrosomal protein 55, kinesin family member 2C, DNA topoisomerase IIα and TPX2 microtubule nucleation factor, exhibited the highest score in PPI analysis and had a high diagnostic value for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In addition, the protein levels of these genes were also revealed to be increased in most intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma tissues. These eight genes may be used as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Development and validation of hub genes for lymph node metastasis in patients with prostate cancer

Lymph node metastasis is one of the most important independent risk factors that can negatively affect the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa); however, the exact mechanisms have not been well studied. This study aims to better understand the underlying mechanism of lymph node metastasis in PCa by bioinformatics analysis. We analysed a total of 367 PCa cases from the cancer genome atlas database and performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis to explore some modules related to lymph node metastasis. Gene Ontology analysis and pathway enrichment analysis were conducted for functional annotation, and a protein-protein interaction network was built. Samples from the International Cancer Genomics Consortium database were used as a validation set. The turquoise module showed the most relevance with lymph node metastasis. Functional annotation showed that biological processes and pathways were mainly related to activation of the processes of cell cycle and mitosis. Four hub genes were selected: CKAP2L, CDCA8, ERCC6L and ARPC1A. Further validation showed that the four hub genes well-distinguished tumour and normal tissues, and they were good biomarkers for lymph node metastasis of PCa. In conclusion, the identified hub genes facilitate our knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanism for lymph node metastasis of PCa.

Common and distinct features of potentially predictive biomarkers in small cell lung carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung by systematic and integrated analysis

BACKGROUND

Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) are neuroendocrine neoplasms. However, the underlying mechanisms of common and distinct genetic characteristics between LCNEC and SCLC are currently unclear. Herein, protein expression profiles and possible interactions with miRNAs were provided by integrated bioinformatics analysis, in order to explore core genes associated with tumorigenesis and prognosis in SCLC and LCNEC.

METHODS

GSE1037 gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LCNEC and SCLC, as compared with normal lung tissues, were selected using the GEO2R online analyzer and Venn diagram software. Gene ontology (GO) analysis was performed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. The biological pathway analysis was performed using the FunRich database. Subsequently, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was generated using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and displayed via Cytoscape software. The PPI network was analyzed by the Molecular Complex Detection app from Cytoscape, and 16 upregulated hub genes were selected. The Oncomine database was used to detect expression patterns of hub genes for validation. Furthermore, the biological pathways of these 16 hub genes were re-analyzed, and potential interactions between these genes and miRNAs were explored via FunRich.

RESULTS

A total of 384 DEGs were identified. A Venn diagram determined 88 common DEGs. The PPI network was constructed with 48 nodes and 221 protein pairs. Among them, 16 hub genes were extracted, 14 of which were upregulated in SCLC samples, as compared with normal lung specimens, and 10 were correlated with the cell cycle pathway. Furthermore, 57 target miRNAs for 8 hub genes were identified, among which 31 miRNAs were correlated with the progression of carcinoma, drug-resistance, radio-sensitivity, or autophagy in lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study provided effective biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for diagnosis and prognosis of SCLC and LCNEC.

CDCA8 expression and its clinical relevance in patients with bladder cancer

Cell division cycle associated 8 (CDCA8) overexpression is detected in various malignant tumors and closely associated with tumor growth. However, the correlations of CDCA8 expression with clinicopathological factors and prognosis of bladder cancer (BC) remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the expression of CDCA8 and its clinical relevance in BC patients.GEO datasets were employed to obtain CDCA8 expression data and its clinical information in BC samples. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of CDCA8 in BC and the adjacent normal tissues. Nonpaired t test was used to statistically analyze the difference between the 2 groups. Cox univariable and multivariable analyses of overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) among BC patients were performed. Biological processes or signaling pathways that might mediate the activity of CDCA8 in BC were analyzed.CDCA8 levels were significantly higher in BC (8.870 ± 0.08281 vs 7.472 ± 0.07035, P < .0001). CDCA8 expression was significantly associated with tumor progression (P = .001), T stage (P < .0001), N stage (P = .013), and grade (P < .0001). Higher expression of CDCA8 predicted poor cancer-specific survival (P < .0001, HR = 0.2752, 95% CI:0.1364-0.5554) and overall survival (P < .0001, HR = 0.4270, 95% CI: 0.2630-0.6930) in patients with BC. Cox univariable and multivariable analyses showed that intravesical therapy, N stage and progression were the independent influence factors of overall survival among bladder cancer patients, CDCA8 expression, tumor grade and progression were the independent influence factors of cancer specific survival among bladder cancer patients. The results of GSEA indicated that CDCA8-regulated gene sets associated with spermatogenesis, G2M checkpoint, E2F targets, Myc targets, mTORC1 signaling, mitotic spindle angiogenesis, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, cholesterol homeostasis and glycolysis. Finally, RT-PCR results confirmed that CDCA8 expression was upregulated in BC (P = .0039).CDCA8 is overexpressed in BC and its high levels are correlated with poor clinicopathological features of BC patients. Therefore, CDCA8 may act as a novel prognostic marker and therapeutical target in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with BC.

A fine balancing act: A delicate kinase-phosphatase equilibrium that protects against chromosomal instability and cancer

Cancer cells rewire signalling networks to acquire specific hallmarks needed for their proliferation, survival, and dissemination throughout the body. Although this is often associated with the constitutive activation or inactivation of protein phosphorylation networks, there are other contexts when the dysregulation must be much milder. For example, chromosomal instability is a widespread cancer hallmark that relies on subtle defects in chromosome replication and/or division, such that these processes remain functional, but nevertheless error-prone. In this article, we will discuss how perturbations to the delicate kinase-phosphatase balance could lie at the heart of this type of dysregulation. In particular, we will explain how the two principle mechanisms that safeguard the chromosome segregation process rely on an equilibrium between at least two kinases and two phosphatases to function correctly. This balance is set during mitosis by a central complex that has also been implicated in chromosomal instability - the BUB1/BUBR1/BUB3 complex - and we will put forward a hypothesis that could link these two findings. This could be relevant for cancer treatment because most tumours have evolved by pushing the boundaries of chromosomal instability to the limit. If this involves subtle changes to the kinase-phosphatase equilibrium, then it may be possible to exacerbate these defects and tip tumour cells over the edge, whilst still maintaining the viability of healthy cells.

Inhibition of Aurora kinases induces apoptosis and autophagy via AURKB/p70S6K/RPL15 axis in human leukemia cells

Leukemia is a common malignancy of blood cells with poor prognosis in many patients. Aurora kinases, a family of serine/threonine kinases, play a key role in regulating cell division and mitosis and are linked to tumorigenesis, metastasis, and poor prognosis in many human cancers including leukemia and lymphoma. Danusertib (Danu) is a pan-inhibitor of Aurora kinases with few data available in leukemia therapy. This study aimed to identify new molecular targets for Aurora kinase inhibition in human leukemia cells using quantitative proteomic analysis followed by verification experiments. There were at least 2932 proteins responding to Danu treatment, including AURKB, p70S6K, and RPL15, and 603 functional proteins and 245 canonical signaling pathways were involved in regulating cell proliferation, metabolism, apoptosis, and autophagy. The proteomic data suggested that Danu-regulated RPL15 signaling might contribute to the cancer cell killing effect. Our verification experiments confirmed that Danu negatively regulated AURKB/p70S6K/RPL15 axis with the involvement of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, AMPK, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, leading to the induction of apoptosis and autophagy in human leukemia cells. Further studies are warranted to verify the feasibility via targeting AURKB/p70S6K/RPL15 axis for leukemia therapy.

Loss of Ewing sarcoma EWS allele promotes tumorigenesis by inducing chromosomal instability in zebrafish

The Ewing sarcoma family of tumors expresses aberrant EWSR1- (EWS) fusion genes that are derived from chromosomal translocation. Although these fusion genes are well characterized as transcription factors, their formation leaves a single EWS allele in the sarcoma cells, and the contribution that the loss of EWS makes towards disease pathogenesis is unknown. To address this question, we utilized zebrafish mutants for ewsa and tp53. The zebrafish tp53(M214K)^w/m line and the ewsa^w/m, zygotic ewsa^m/m, and Maternal-Zygotic (MZ) ewsa^m/m lines all displayed zero to low incidence of tumorigenesis. However, when the ewsa and tp53 mutant lines were crossed with each other, the incidence of tumorigenesis drastically increased. Furthermore, 27 hour post fertilization (hpf) MZ ewsa^m/m mutant embryos displayed a higher incidence of aberrant chromosome numbers and mitotic dysfunction compared to wildtype zebrafish embryos. Consistent with this finding, tumor samples obtained from ewsa^m/m;tp53^w/m zebrafish displayed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for the wildtype tp53 locus. These results suggest that wildtype Ewsa inhibits LOH induction, possibly by maintaining chromosomal stability. We propose that the loss of ewsa promotes tumorigenesis, and EWS deficiency may contribute to the pathogenesis of EWS-fusion-expressing sarcomas.

HP1-Assisted Aurora B Kinase Activity Prevents Chromosome Segregation Errors

Incorrect attachment of kinetochore microtubules is the leading cause of chromosome missegregation in cancers. The highly conserved chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), containing mitotic kinase Aurora B as a catalytic subunit, ensures faithful chromosome segregation through destabilizing incorrect microtubule attachments and promoting biorientation of chromosomes on the mitotic spindle. It is unknown whether CPC dysfunction affects chromosome segregation fidelity in cancers and, if so, how. Here, we show that heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is an essential CPC component required for full Aurora B activity. HP1 binding to the CPC becomes particularly important when Aurora B phosphorylates kinetochore targets to eliminate erroneous microtubule attachments. Remarkably, a reduced proportion of HP1 bound to CPC is widespread in cancers, which causes an impairment in Aurora B activity. These results indicate that HP1 is an essential modulator for CPC function and identify a molecular basis for chromosome segregation errors in cancer cells.