Expression of Nup93 is associated with the proliferation, migration and invasion capacity of cervical cancer cells

Transcription Factor yin-Yang 1 augments nucleoporin 93 oncogene activity and modulates bladder Cancer malignancy

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the functional interplay between transcription factor YY1 and nucleoporin 93 (NUP93) in regulating the malignancy of bladder cancer cells.

METHODS

NUP93 expressions in bladder cancer tissues and normal counterparts were analyzed using a public dataset and clinical samples. NUP93 and Yin Yang 1 (YY1) mRNA expression and protein levels in T24 and RT4 cells were determined by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. The effect of NUP93 knockdown on the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of cells was evaluated. Concurrently, transcriptional regulation of NUP93 by YY1 was confirmed using a dual luciferase assay. The effect of NUP93 knockdown on tumorigenesis was evaluate in a subcutaneous xenograft mouse model.

RESULTS

Elevated levels of NUP93 in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines were observed. Silencing NUP93 significantly suppressed glycolysis, impeded the growth, migration, invasion and tumor formation of bladder cancer cells. The transcription factor YY1 acted as a positive regulator to upregulate NUP93 expression. YY1 overexpression partially rescued the effects of NUP93 silencing on bladder cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Our results uncovered transcription factor YY1 as a positive regulator of NUP93 expression, and NUP93 serves as an oncogenic factor to sustain the malignancy of bladder cancer cells. These findings suggest that targeting the YY1-NUP93 axis could offer novel therapeutic strategies for bladder cancer treatment.

Advances in the understanding of nuclear pore complexes in human diseases

BACKGROUND

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are sophisticated and dynamic protein structures that straddle the nuclear envelope and act as gatekeepers for transporting molecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. NPCs comprise up to 30 different proteins known as nucleoporins (NUPs). However, a growing body of research has suggested that NPCs play important roles in gene regulation, viral infections, cancer, mitosis, genetic diseases, kidney diseases, immune system diseases, and degenerative neurological and muscular pathologies.

PURPOSE

In this review, we introduce the structure and function of NPCs. Then We described the physiological and pathological effects of each component of NPCs which provide a direction for future clinical applications.

METHODS

The literatures from PubMed have been reviewed for this article.

CONCLUSION

This review summarizes current studies on the implications of NPCs in human physiology and pathology, highlighting the mechanistic underpinnings of NPC-associated diseases.

A mechanistic insight into cancer progression mediated by Nucleoporins

The nuclear pore complexes are essential for cellular and molecular processes such as trafficking between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, chromatin, transcriptional outputs, and DNA damage repair. Nucleoporins, components of nuclear pore complexes, have been linked to cancer through nucleo-cytoplasmic cargo trafficking, cell division, signalling pathways, chromatin-related processes, and protein stability and degradation. This study aims to understand how nucleoporins specifically contribute to cancer proliferation and progression across various cancer types. Accordingly, angles such as nuclear trafficking, fusion proteins, tumour suppressors, signalling pathways, tumour microenvironment, nucleosomes, and chromatin processes were found to bridge the function of nucleoporins and cancer progression, and the underlying mechanisms have been analysed in this study. A deep understanding of the function of nucleoporins in cancer progression will pave the way for the effective targeting of these molecules for therapeutic gain. Improved treatment responses can enhance the quality of life of cancer patients.

Nucleoporin 93 Regulates Cancer Cell Growth and Stemness in Bladder Cancer via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a prevalent cancer type with an unmet need for new therapeutic strategies. Nucleoporin 93 (Nup93) is implicated in the pathophysiology of several cancers, but its relationship with bladder cancer remains unclear. Nup93 expression was analyzed in TCGA datasets and 88 BLCA patient samples. Survival analysis and Cox regression models evaluated the association between Nup93 levels and patient prognosis. BLCA cells were used to investigate the effects of Nup93 overexpression or knockdown on cell growth, invasion, stemness (sphere formation and ALDH2 + cancer stem cell marker), and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in vitro. The Wnt activator BML-284 was used to confirm the involvement of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. A xenograft mouse model validated the in vitro findings. Nup93 was highly expressed in BLCA tissues and cell lines, and high Nup93 expression correlated with poor prognosis in BLCA patients. Nup93 silencing inhibited BLCA cell proliferation, Wnt/β-catenin activation, and cancer cell stemness. Conversely, Nup93 overexpression promoted these effects. BML-284 partially rescued the reduction in cell growth and stemness markers caused by Nup93 knockdown. Nup93 knockdown also suppressed the tumor formation of BLCA cells in vivo. Nup93 regulates BLCA cell growth and stemness via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in BLCA.

Prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3: Opportunities and challenges in targeting HPV-mediated cervical carcinogenesis

Cervical cancer (CaCx) ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women globally. Persistent infection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) is major etiological factor associated with CaCx. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), a prominent member of the STAT family, has emerged as independent oncogenic driver. It is a target of many oncogenic viruses including HPV. How STAT3 influences HPV viral gene expression or gets affected by HPV is an area of active investigation. A better understanding of host-virus interaction will provide a prognostic and therapeutic window for CaCx control and management. In this comprehensive review, we delve into carcinogenic role of STAT3 in development of HPV-induced CaCx. With an emphasis on fascinating interplay between STAT3 and HPV genome, the review explores the diverse array of opportunities and challenges associated with this field to harness the prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3 in CaCx.

Mutations in the NUP93, NUP107 and NUP160 genes cause steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome in Chinese children

BACKGROUND

The variants of nucleoporins are extremely rare in hereditary steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). Most of the patients carrying such variants progress to end stage kidney disease (ESKD) in their childhood. More clinical and genetic data from these patients are needed to characterize their genotype-phenotype relationships and elucidate the role of nucleoporins in SRNS.

METHODS

Four patients of SRNS carrying biallelic variants in the NUP93, NUP107 and NUP160 genes were presented. The clinical and molecular genetic characteristics of these patients were summarized, and relevant literature was reviewed.

RESULTS

All four patients in this study were female and initially presented with SRNS. The median age at the onset of the disease was 5.08 years, ranging from 1 to 10.5 years. Among the four patients, three progressed to ESKD at a median age of 7 years, ranging from 1.5 to 10.5 years, while one patient reached stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD3). Kidney biopsies revealed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in three patients. Biallelic variants were detected in NUP93 in one patient, NUP107 in two patients, as well as NUP160 in one patient respectively. Among these variants, five yielded single amino acid substitutions, one led to nonsense mutation causing premature termination of NUP107 translation, one caused a single nucleotide deletion resulting in frameshift and truncation of NUP107. Furthermore, one splicing donor mutation was observed in NUP160. None of these variants had been reported previously.

CONCLUSION

This report indicates that biallelic variants in NUP93, NUP107 and NUP160 can cause severe early-onset SRNS, which rapidly progresses to ESKD. Moreover, these findings expand the spectrum of phenotypes and genotypes and highlight the importance of next-generation sequencing in elucidating the molecular basis of SRNS and allowing rational treatment for affected individuals.

Nucleoporin 93, a new substrate of the E3 ubiquitin protein ligase HECTD1, promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression

Nucleoporin 93 (NUP93) is an important component of the nuclear pore complex, exhibiting pro-tumorigenic properties in some cancers. However, its function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of NUP93 in ESCC and the underlying mechanisms involved. Through analysis of public human cancer datasets, we observed higher expression of NUP93 in esophageal cancer tissues than in normal tissues. Stable ESCC cell lines with NUP93 overexpression or knockdown were established by lentiviral vector transduction and puromycin selection. NUP93 knockdown suppressed the proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle transition, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells, while the overexpression of NUP93 displayed opposite effects. NUP93 positively regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and AKT signaling transduction in ESCC cells. In addition, NUP93 increased the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in ESCC cells and attenuated NK cell-mediated lysis of ESCC cells. In vivo experiments demonstrated that NUP93 promotes the growth of ESCC in nude mice, enhances Ki67 and PD-L1 expression, and promotes AKT signaling transduction in xenografts. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that the HECT domain E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (HECTD1) contributes to the ubiquitination and degradation of NUP93 and acts as a tumor suppressor in ESCC. To conclude, this study has shown that NUP93 has pro-tumor properties in ESCC and that HECTD1 functions as an upstream regulator of NUP93 in ESCC. These findings may contribute to the investigation of potential therapeutic targets in ESCC.

An introduction to dynamic nucleoporins in Leishmania species: Novel targets for tropical-therapeutics

As an ailment, leishmaniasis is still an incessant challenge in neglected tropical diseases and neglected infections of poverty worldwide. At present, the diagnosis and treatment to combat Leishmania tropical infections are not substantial remedies and require advanced & specific research. Therefore, there is a need for a potential novel target to overcome established medicament modalities' limitations in pathogenicity. In this review, we proposed a few ab initio findings in nucleoporins of nuclear pore complex in Leishmania sp. concerning other infectious protists. So, through structural analysis and dynamics studies, we hypothesize the nuclear pore molecular machinery & functionality. The gatekeepers Nups, export of mRNA, mitotic spindle formation are salient features in cellular mechanics and this is regulated by dynamic nucleoporins. Here, diverse studies suggest that Nup93/NIC96, Nup155/Nup144, Mlp1/Mlp2/Tpr of Leishmania Species can be a picked out marker for diagnostic, immune-modulation, and novel drug targets. In silico prediction of nucleoporin-functional interactors such as NUP54/57, RNA helicase, Ubiquitin-protein ligase, Exportin 1, putative T-lymphocyte triggering factor, and 9 uncharacterized proteins suggest few more noble targets. The novel drug targeting to importins/exportins of Leishmania sp. and defining mechanism of Leptomycin-B, SINE compounds, Curcumins, Selinexor can be an arc-light in therapeutics. The essence of the review in Leishmania's nucleoporins is to refocus our research on noble molecular targets for tropical therapeutics.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12639-022-01515-0.

Identification of UBE2I as a Novel Biomarker in ccRCC Based on a Large-Scale CRISPR-Cas9 Screening Database and Immunohistochemistry

Background: The genome-wide CRISPR-cas9 dropout screening has emerged as an outstanding approach for characterization of driver genes of tumor growth. The present study aims to investigate core genes related to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cell viability by analyzing the CRISPR-cas9 screening database DepMap, which may provide a novel target in ccRCC therapy.

Methods: Candidate genes related to ccRCC cell viability by CRISPR-cas9 screening from DepMap and genes differentially expressed between ccRCC tissues and normal tissues from TCGA were overlapped. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis, pathway enrichment analysis, and protein–protein interaction network analysis were applied for the overlapped genes. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to construct a signature to predict the overall survival (OS) of ccRCC patients and validated in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and E-MTAB-1980 database. Core protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry in 40 cases of ccRCC patients.

Results: A total of 485 essential genes in the DepMap database were identified and overlapped with differentially expressed genes in the TCGA database, which were enriched in the cell cycle pathway. A total of four genes, including UBE2I, NCAPG, NUP93, and TOP2A, were included in the gene signature based on LASSO regression. The high-risk score of ccRCC patients showed worse OS compared with these low-risk patients in the ICGC and E-MTAB-1980 validation cohort. UBE2I was screened out as a key gene. The immunohistochemistry indicated UBE2I protein was highly expressed in ccRCC tissues, and a high-level nuclear translocation of UBE2I occurs in ccRCC. Based on the area under the curve (AUC) values, nuclear UBE2I had the best diagnostic power (AUC = 1). Meanwhile, the knockdown of UBE2I can inhibit the proliferation of ccRCC cells.

Conclusion: UBE2I, identified by CRISPR-cas9 screening, was a core gene-regulating ccRCC cell viability, which accumulated in the nucleus and acted as a potential novel promising diagnostic biomarker for ccRCC patients. Blocking the nuclear translocation of UBE2I may have potential therapeutic value with ccRCC patients.

Integrative multi-omics identifies high risk multiple myeloma subgroup associated with significant DNA loss and dysregulated DNA repair and cell cycle pathways

Background

Despite significant therapeutic advances in improving lives of multiple myeloma (MM) patients, it remains mostly incurable, with patients ultimately becoming refractory to therapies. MM is a genetically heterogeneous disease and therapeutic resistance is driven by a complex interplay of disease pathobiology and mechanisms of drug resistance. We applied a multi-omics strategy using tumor-derived gene expression, single nucleotide variant, copy number variant, and structural variant profiles to investigate molecular subgroups in 514 newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) samples and identified 12 molecularly defined MM subgroups (MDMS1-12) with distinct genomic and transcriptomic features.

Results

Our integrative approach let us identify NDMM subgroups with transversal profiles to previously described ones, based on single data types, which shows the impact of this approach for disease stratification. One key novel subgroup is our MDMS8, associated with poor clinical outcome [median overall survival, 38 months (global log-rank p-value < 1 × 10⁻⁶)], which uniquely presents a broad genomic loss (> 9% of entire genome, t-test p value < 1e−5) driving dysregulation of various transcriptional programs affecting DNA repair and cell cycle/mitotic processes. This subgroup was validated on multiple independent datasets, and a master regulator analyses identified transcription factors controlling MDMS8 transcriptomic profile, including CKS1B and PRKDC among others, which are regulators of the DNA repair and cell cycle pathways.

Conclusion

Using multi-omics unsupervised clustering we were able to discover a new high-risk multiple myeloma patient segment. This high-risk group presents diverse previously known genetic markers, but also a new characteristic defined by accumulation of genomic loss which seems to drive transcriptional dysregulation of cell cycle, DNA repair and DNA damage. Finally, our work identified various master regulators, including E2F2 and CKS1B as the genes controlling these key biological pathways.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12920-021-01140-5.

Nucleoporin 93 mediates β-catenin nuclear import to promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression and metastasis

Nuclear pore complex (NPC) embedded in the nuclear envelope, is the only channel for macromolecule nucleocytoplasmic transportation and has important biological functions. However, the deregulation of specific nucleoporins (Nups) and NPC-Nup-based mechanisms and their function in tumour progression remain poorly understood. Here, we aimed to identify the Nups that contribute to HCC progression and metastasis in 729 primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases using molecular, cytological, and biochemical techniques. Our results revealed elevated Nup93 expression in HCC tissues, especially in cases with metastasis, and was linked to worse prognosis. Furthermore, Nup93 knockdown suppressed HCC cell metastasis and proliferation, while Nup93 overexpression promoted these activities. We observed that Nup93 promotes HCC metastasis and proliferation by regulating β-catenin translocation. In addition, we found that Nup93 interacted with β-catenin directly, independent of importin. Furthermore, LEF1 and β-catenin facilitated the Nup93-mediated metastasis and proliferation in HCC via a positive feedback loop. Thus, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying the Nup93-induced promotion of HCC metastasis and suggest potential therapeutic targets in the LEF1-Nup93-β-catenin pathway for HCC therapeutics.

Development of an Interferon Gamma Response-Related Signature for Prediction of Survival in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background

Interferon plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of tumors. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents a prevalent malignant urinary system tumor. An effective predictive model is required to evaluate the prognosis of patients to optimize treatment.

Materials and Methods

RNA-sequencing data and clinicopathological data from TCGA were involved in this retrospective study. The IFN-γ response genes with significantly different gene expression were screened out. Univariate Cox regression, LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression were used to establish a new prognostic scoring model for the training group. Survival curves and ROC curves were drawn, and nomogram was constructed. At the same time, we conducted subgroup analysis and experimental verification using our own samples. Finally, we evaluated the relatedness between the prognostic signature and immune infiltration landscapes. In addition, the sensitivity of different risk groups to six drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors was calculated.

Results

The IFN-γ response-related signature included 7 genes: C1S, IFI44, ST3GAL5, NUP93, TDRD7, DDX60, and ST8SIA4. The survival curves of the training and testing groups showed the model's effectiveness (P = 4.372e-11 and P = 1.08e-08, respectively), the ROC curves showed that the signature was stable, and subgroup analyses showed the wide applicability of the model (P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the risk model was an independent prognostic factor of ccRCC. A high-risk score may represent an immunosuppressive microenvironment, while the high-risk group exhibited poor sensitivity to drugs.

Conclusion

Our findings strongly indicate that the IFN-γ response-related signature can be used as an effective prognostic indicator of ccRCC.

Silencing of ITGB6 inhibits the progression of cervical carcinoma via regulating JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway

Background

Integrin β6 (ITGB6), a key submonomer of integrin αvβ6, plays an important role in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), wound healing, epithelial-derived tumor growth, fibrosis, and epithelial repair. However, the role of ITGB6 in cervical carcinoma (CC) remains elusive.

Methods

The expression levels of ITGB6 in CC tissues and cell lines were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony-forming, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay, respectively. The expression of related proteins, including EMT markers and the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT3) signaling markers, were detected using western blotting.

Results

The ITGB6 expression in CC tissues and cells (C-33A, Hela, SiHa, and Caski) was remarkably higher than that in paracarcinoma tissues and ECT1/E6E7 cells. The data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set suggested that patients with CC with high ITGB6 expression showed poorer overall survival (OS). Compared with the empty transfection group (si-NC), si-ITGB6 restrained the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SiHa and Hela cells, while promoting cell apoptosis. si-ITGB6 suppression decreased the expression of Snail, vimentin, and N-cadherin, while increasing E-cadherin expression. Further research showed that si-ITGB6 reduced p-JAK1/JAK1, p-JAK2/JAK2, and p-STAT3/STAT3 expression in the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. Interestingly, proliferation, migration, invasion, and the expressions of the molecular markers of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway and EMT pathway induced by ITGB6 were altered by RO8191 (JAK/STAT3 pathway activator). Furthermore, the protein expression levels of Snail, vimentin, N-cadherin, p-STAT3/STAT3, p-JAK1/JAK1, and p-JAK2/JAK2 in tumor tissues were higher than those in adjacent normal tissue, while the expression level of E-cadherin was downregulated in tumor tissues.

Conclusions

Silencing of ITGB6 restrains cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and promotes apoptosis in CC by inhibiting JAK/STAT signaling pathways. Thus, ITGB6 may perhaps be a new and useful candidate target for treating CC.