Beta 2-microglobulin regulates amyloid precursor-like protein 2 expression and the migration of pancreatic cancer cells

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals distinct transcriptomic profiles and evolutionary patterns in lung cancer brain metastasis

Background

Lung cancer metastasis to the brain presents significant clinical challenges. Therefore, elucidating its underlying mechanisms and characterizing its transcriptomic landscape is essential for developing therapeutic interventions.

Methods

We analyzed two distinct single-cell RNA sequencing datasets of lung cancer metastasis to analyze the evolutionary trajectory of brain metastatic tumors. In addition, a systematic comparison of cell-cell interaction between tumor cells and lymphocytes was conducted within primary and brain metastatic tumors.

Results

The brain metastatic tumors showed greater transcriptomic changes (reflected by a higher pseudotime) than tumors in the lymph nodes and primary tumors. Furthermore, our investigation has not only revealed specific shared ligand-receptor pairs in both mLN and mBrain, exemplified by the interaction between SPP1 and CD99 in T cells, but has also unveiled a diverse array of ligand-receptor pairs exclusive to the mBrain. Notably, this includes distinctive pairs such as APP and IL1 observed specifically in myeloid cells.

Conclusion

The distinct microenvironment in the brain may influence the observed transcriptomic changes in tumors, emphasizing the significance of the specific environment in determining tumor behavior and therapeutic response.

Implication of Amyloid Precursor-like Protein 2 Expression in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis

BACKGROUND/AIM

Regulatory functions of amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) expression in intracellular trafficking of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) and biological behavior of tumor cells have been reported in various types of malignancies but not in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). This study aimed to investigate the role of APLP2 expression in the pathogenesis of CSCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of APLP2 and a key modulator of cancer immune escape, MHC-I, were determined in CSCC tissue samples obtained from 141 patients using immunohistochemistry. The regulatory effects of APLP2 expression on the biological behavior and surface expression of MHC-I in CSCC cells were investigated by trypan blue assay, Matrigel invasion assay, and in vivo xenograft analysis.

RESULTS

APLP2 immunoreactivity was high in 73 (51.8%) tissue samples from patients with CSCC and was significantly related to subcutaneous fat invasion and poor prognosis in our cohort. Moreover, proliferation of and invasion by CSCC cells were significantly reduced after APLP2 knockdown in CSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. A significant association was found between APLP2 and membrane MHC-I expression in patients with CSCC. In vivo xenograft analysis showed that APLP2 knockdown increased membrane MHC-I expression in CSCC cells.

CONCLUSION

APLP2 not only acts as an oncogene in CSCC progression but also as a possible modulator of cancer immune escape by influencing MHC-I expression on the cell surface. APLP2 may serve as a novel molecular biomarker and therapeutic target for patients with CSCC.

Mycoplasma Bovis adhesins and their target proteins

Bovine mycoplasmosis is an important infectious disease of cattle caused by Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) which poses a serious threat to the breeding industry. Adhesin is involved in the initial process of M. bovis colonization, which is closely related to the infection, cell invasion, immune escape and virulence of this pathogenic microorganism. For the reason that M. bovis lacks a cell wall, its adhesin is predominantly located on the surface of the cell membrane. The adhesins of M. bovis are usually identified by adhesion and adhesion inhibition analysis, and more than 10 adhesins have been identified so far. These adhesins primarily bind to plasminogen, fibronectin, heparin and amyloid precursor-like protein-2 of host cells. This review aims to concisely summarize the current knowledge regarding the adhesins of M. bovis and their target proteins of the host cell. Additionally, the biological characteristics of the adhesin will be briefly analyzed.

circ3323 Motivates Host Gene to Promote the Aggressiveness of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common cancer in the urinary system with high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel subclass of noncoding-RNA which participate in progression of BCa. Here, we identified a novel circRNA-circ3323 and aimed to investigate the role of circ3323 in progression of BCa. Public data of RNA sequencing was used to identify significant circRNA related to BCa. The role of circRNAs in progression of BCa was assessed in cytotoxicity assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry. Biotin-coupled RNA pull-down and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed to evaluate the interaction between circRNAs and miRNAs. The expression of circ3323 was higher in BCa tissues and cells than in normal samples. Experiments in vitro showed that the knockdown of circ3323 inhibited cell proliferation and impeded the metastasis of BCa cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that circ3323 acts as a sponge for miR-186-5p and promotes host gene APP's expression. Clinically, circ3323 predicts worse overall survival of BCa patients, indicating its prognostic value. Our study identified that circ3323 modulates metastasis of BCa through miR-186-5p/APP axis and may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for BCa, which provides novel insights into treatment of BCa.

Molecular Characteristics of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and Its Effects in Cancer

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type 1 transmembrane glycoprotein, and its homologs amyloid precursor-like protein 1 (APLP1) and amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) are highly conserved in mammals. APP and APLP are known to be intimately involved in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease and to play important roles in neuronal homeostasis and development and neural transmission. APP and APLP are also expressed in non-neuronal tissues and are overexpressed in cancer cells. Furthermore, research indicates they are involved in several cancers. In this review, we examine the biological characteristics of APP-related family members and their roles in cancer.

Amyloid Precursor-like Protein 2 Expression Increases during Pancreatic Cancer Development and Shortens the Survival of a Spontaneous Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer

Simple Summary

As pancreatic cancer is a disease with a high fatality rate, a better understanding of how it develops and the identification of new potential targets for its treatment are greatly needed. In this current study, we showed that the expression of amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) in pancreatic cancer epithelial cells is higher than in precursor lesion epithelial cells, thus indicating that APLP2 increases during human pancreatic cancer development. We also generated a new mouse model that demonstrated the deletion of APLP2 expression specifically within the pancreas prolongs survival and decreases metastasis for mice with pancreatic cancer. Taken together, these findings open a new avenue toward comprehending and treating pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

In the United States, pancreatic cancer is a major cause of cancer-related deaths. Although substantial efforts have been made to understand pancreatic cancer biology and improve therapeutic efficacy, patients still face a bleak chance of survival. A greater understanding of pancreatic cancer development and the identification of novel treatment targets are desperately needed. Our analysis of gene expression data from patient samples showed an increase in amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2) expression within primary tumor epithelium relative to pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) epithelial cells. Augmented expression of APLP2 in primary tumors compared to adjacent stroma was also observed. Genetically engineered mouse models of spontaneous pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were used to investigate APLP2′s role in cancer development. We found that APLP2 expression intensifies significantly during pancreatic cancer initiation and progression in the LSL-Kras^G12D/+; LSL-Trp53^R172H/+; Pdx-1-Cre (KPC) mouse model, as shown by immunohistochemistry analysis. In studies utilizing pancreas-specific heterozygous and homozygous knockout of APLP2 in the KPC mouse model background, we observed significantly prolonged survival and reduced metastatic progression of pancreatic cancer. These results demonstrate the importance of APLP2 in pancreatic cancer initiation and metastasis and indicate that APLP2 should be considered a potential therapeutic target for this disease.

Combined Diagnostic Significance of Preoperative Serum β2-Microglobulin and Routine Blood Test in Patients with High-grade Glioma and Solitary Brain Metastasis

Background

High-grade glioma (HGG) and solitary brain metastasis (sBM) patients show similar symptoms in clinical practice, and accurately differential diagnosis directly affects the management and prognosis of patients. The aim of this study was to distinguish two entities by preoperative serum β2-microglobulin (β2-m) and routine blood test-associated inflammatory indexes including, white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and platelets count, red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet distribution width (PDW), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR).

Patients and Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed in the Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences from January 2015 to December 2019, including 127 patients of newly pathologically diagnosed with HGG and 174 patients with sBM. Clinical information including age, gender, pathological diagnosis, preoperative serum β2-m and routine blood tests were collected, and NLR and MLR were calculated. The diagnostic significance of these markers for HGG and sBM was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Results

The patients with sBM had significantly higher values of preoperative age, β2-m, NLR and MLR as well as lower lymphocytes count than patients with HGG. Besides, the area under the curve (AUC) in differentiating HGG from sBM was 0.625 (95%CI: 0.561–0.689) for age, 0.655 (0.594–0.717) for β2-m, 0.634 (0.571–0.698) for NLR and 0.622 (0.559–0.686) for MLR, and the combination of Age+β2-m+NLR+MLR showed the best diagnostic performance with AUC of 0.731 (0.675–0.788) and 0.048*Age+0.001*β2-m+0.201*NLR+0.594*MLR>5.813 could indicate sBM rather than HGG.

Conclusion

The Age+β2-m+NLR+MLR combination was revealed as an inexpensive and noninvasive biomarker for differentiating between HGG and sBM before surgery.

Crosstalk Between Immunity System Cells and Pancreas. Transformation of Stem Cells Used in the 3D Bioprinting Process as a Personalized Treatment Method for Type 1 Diabetes

Interactions between the immune system and the pancreas are pivotal in understanding how and why β cells' damage causes problems with pancreas functioning. Pancreatic islets are crucial in maintaining glucose homeostasis in organs, tissue and cells. Autoimmune aggression towards pancreatic islets, mainly β cells, leads to type 1 diabetes-one of the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the world, being a worldwide risk to health of many people. In this review, we highlight the role of immune cells and its influence in the development of autoimmunity in Langerhans islets. Moreover, we discuss the impact of the immunological factors on future understanding possible recurrence of autoimmunity on 3D-bioprinted bionic pancreas.