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Sandeep P, Sharma P, Luhach K, Dhiman N, Kharkwal H, Sharma B. Neuron navigators: A novel frontier with physiological and pathological implications. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 127:103905. [PMID: 37972804 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuron navigators are microtubule plus-end tracking proteins containing basic and serine rich regions which are encoded by neuron navigator genes (NAVs). Neuron navigator proteins are essential for neurite outgrowth, neuronal migration, and overall neurodevelopment along with some other functions as well. The navigator proteins are substantially expressed in the developing brain and have been reported to be differentially expressed in various tissues at different ages. Over the years, the research has found neuron navigators to be implicated in a spectrum of pathological conditions such as developmental anomalies, neurodegenerative disorders, neuropathic pain, anxiety, cancers, and certain inflammatory conditions. The existing knowledge about neuron navigators remains sparse owing to their differential functions, undiscovered modulators, and unknown molecular mechanisms. Investigating the possible role of neuron navigators in various physiological processes and pathological conditions pose as a novel field that requires extensive research and might provide novel mechanistic insights and understanding of these aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parth Sandeep
- Department of Pharmacology, Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Poonam Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Kanishk Luhach
- Department of Pharmacology, Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Neerupma Dhiman
- Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India
| | - Harsha Kharkwal
- Amity Natural and Herbal Product Research, Amity Institute of Phytochemistry and Phytomedicine, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bhupesh Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, Noida, India.
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Wang W, Li W, Pan L, Li L, Xu Y, Wang Y, Zhang X, Zhang S. Dynamic Regulation Genes at Microtubule Plus Ends: A Novel Class of Glioma Biomarkers. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030488. [PMID: 36979179 PMCID: PMC10045452 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Microtubule plus-end-related genes (MPERGs) encode a group of proteins that specifically aggregate at the microtubule plus ends to play critical biological roles in the cell cycle, cell movement, ciliogenesis, and neuronal development by coordinating microtubule assembly and dynamics; however, the MPERG correlations and their clinical significance in glioma are not fully understood. This study is the first to systematically analyze and define a seven-gene signature (CTTNBP2, KIF18A, NAV1, SLAIN2, SRCIN1, TRIO, and TTBK2) and nomogram model closely associated with clinical factors and the tumor microenvironment as a reliable and independent prognostic biomarker to guide personalized choices of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for glioma patients. Abstract Glioma is the most prevalent and aggressive primary nervous system tumor with an unfavorable prognosis. Microtubule plus-end-related genes (MPERGs) play critical biological roles in the cell cycle, cell movement, ciliogenesis, and neuronal development by coordinating microtubule assembly and dynamics. This research seeks to systematically explore the oncological characteristics of these genes in microtubule-enriched glioma, focusing on developing a novel MPERG-based prognostic signature to improve the prognosis and provide more treatment options for glioma patients. First, we thoroughly analyzed and identified 45 differentially expressed MPERGs in glioma. Based on these genes, glioma patients were well distinguished into two subgroups with survival and tumor microenvironment infiltration differences. Next, we further screened the independent prognostic genes (CTTNBP2, KIF18A, NAV1, SLAIN2, SRCIN1, TRIO, and TTBK2) using 36 prognostic-related differentially expressed MPERGs to construct a signature with risk stratification and prognostic prediction ability. An increased risk score was related to the malignant progression of glioma. Therefore, we also designed a nomogram model containing clinical factors to facilitate the clinical use of the risk signature. The prediction accuracy of the signature and nomogram model was verified using The Cancer Genome Atlas and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas datasets. Finally, we examined the connection between the signature and tumor microenvironment. The signature positively correlated with tumor microenvironment infiltration, especially immunoinhibitors and the tumor mutation load, and negatively correlated with microsatellite instability and cancer stemness. More importantly, immune checkpoint blockade treatment and drug sensitivity analyses confirmed that this prognostic signature was helpful in anticipating the effect of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In conclusion, this research is the first study to define and validate an MPERG-based signature closely associated with the tumor microenvironment as a reliable and independent prognostic biomarker to guide personalized choices of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Weilong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Lifang Pan
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Lingjie Li
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yasi Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yuqing Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiaochen Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (S.Z.); Tel./Fax: +86-571-5600-7650 (S.Z.)
| | - Shirong Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310053, China
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
- Correspondence: (X.Z.); (S.Z.); Tel./Fax: +86-571-5600-7650 (S.Z.)
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Powers RM, Hevner RF, Halpain S. The Neuron Navigators: Structure, function, and evolutionary history. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1099554. [PMID: 36710926 PMCID: PMC9877351 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1099554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuron navigators (Navigators) are cytoskeletal-associated proteins important for neuron migration, neurite growth, and axon guidance, but they also function more widely in other tissues. Recent studies have revealed novel cellular functions of Navigators such as macropinocytosis, and have implicated Navigators in human disorders of axon growth. Navigators are present in most or all bilaterian animals: vertebrates have three Navigators (NAV1-3), Drosophila has one (Sickie), and Caenorhabditis elegans has one (Unc-53). Structurally, Navigators have conserved N- and C-terminal regions each containing specific domains. The N-terminal region contains a calponin homology (CH) domain and one or more SxIP motifs, thought to interact with the actin cytoskeleton and mediate localization to microtubule plus-end binding proteins, respectively. The C-terminal region contains two coiled-coil domains, followed by a AAA+ family nucleoside triphosphatase domain of unknown activity. The Navigators appear to have evolved by fusion of N- and C-terminal region homologs present in simpler organisms. Overall, Navigators participate in the cytoskeletal response to extracellular cues via microtubules and actin filaments, in conjunction with membrane trafficking. We propose that uptake of fluid-phase cues and nutrients and/or downregulation of cell surface receptors could represent general mechanisms that explain Navigator functions. Future studies developing new models, such as conditional knockout mice or human cerebral organoids may reveal new insights into Navigator function. Importantly, further biochemical studies are needed to define the activities of the Navigator AAA+ domain, and to study potential interactions among different Navigators and their binding partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina M. Powers
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Robert F. Hevner
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States,Department of Pathology, UC San Diego School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Shelley Halpain
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Shelley Halpain, ✉
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