Far upstream element-binding protein 1 facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis

FUBP1 in human cancer: Characteristics, functions, and potential applications

Far upstream element-binding protein 1 (FUBP1) is a single-stranded nucleic acid-binding protein that binds to the Far Upstream Element (FUSE) sequence and is involved in important biological processes, including DNA transcription, RNA biogenesis, and translation. Recent studies have highlighted the significance of aberrant expression or mutations in FUBP1 in the development of various tumors, with FUBP1 overexpression often indicating oncogenic roles in different tumor types. However, it is worth noting that recent research has discovered its tumor-suppressive role in cancer, which is not yet fully understood and appears to be tissue- or context-dependent. This review summarizes the association between FUBP1 and diverse cancers and discusses the functions of FUBP1 in cancer. In addition, this review proposes potential clinical implications and outlines future research directions to pave the way for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies focusing on FUBP1.

TGF-β signaling in health, disease, and therapeutics

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a multifunctional cytokine expressed by almost every tissue and cell type. The signal transduction of TGF-β can stimulate diverse cellular responses and is particularly critical to embryonic development, wound healing, tissue homeostasis, and immune homeostasis in health. The dysfunction of TGF-β can play key roles in many diseases, and numerous targeted therapies have been developed to rectify its pathogenic activity. In the past decades, a large number of studies on TGF-β signaling have been carried out, covering a broad spectrum of topics in health, disease, and therapeutics. Thus, a comprehensive overview of TGF-β signaling is required for a general picture of the studies in this field. In this review, we retrace the research history of TGF-β and introduce the molecular mechanisms regarding its biosynthesis, activation, and signal transduction. We also provide deep insights into the functions of TGF-β signaling in physiological conditions as well as in pathological processes. TGF-β-targeting therapies which have brought fresh hope to the treatment of relevant diseases are highlighted. Through the summary of previous knowledge and recent updates, this review aims to provide a systematic understanding of TGF-β signaling and to attract more attention and interest to this research area.

Hsa_circ_0005397 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through EIF4A3

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the expression and potential mechanism of hsa_circ_0005397 in hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

METHODS

Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression level of hsa_circ_0005397 and EIF4A3 from paired HCC tissues and cell lines. Western Blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to verify the protein level of EIF4A3. The specificity of primers was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve was drawn to analyze diagnostic value. Actinomycin D and nuclear and cytoplasmic extraction assays were utilized to evaluate the characteristics of hsa_circ_0005397. Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays were performed to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis was used to detect the cell cycle. Transwell assay was performed to determine migration and invasion ability. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) of hsa_circ_0005397 in HCC were explored using bioinformatics websites. The relationship between hsa_circ_0005397 and Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4A3 (EIF4A3) was verified by RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays, correlation and rescue experiments.

RESULTS

In this study, hsa_circ_0005397 was found to be significantly upregulated in HCC, and the good diagnostic sensitivity and specificity shown a potential diagnostic capability. Upregulated expression of hsa_circ_0005397 was significantly related to tumor size and stage. Hsa_circ_0005397 was circular structure which more stable than liner mRNA, and mostly distributed in the cytoplasm. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0005397 generally resulted in stronger proliferative ability, clonality, and metastatic potency of HCC cells; its downregulation yielded the opposite results. EIF4A3 is an RNA-binding protein of hsa_circ_0005397, which overexpressed in paired HCC tissues and cell lines. In addition, expression of hsa_circ_0005397 decreased equally when EIF4A3 was depleted. RIP assays and correlation assay estimated that EIF4A3 could interacted with hsa_circ_0005397. Knockdown of EIF4A3 could reverse hsa_circ_0005397 function in HCC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Hsa_circ_0005397 promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through EIF4A3. These research findings may provide novel clinical value for hepatocellular carcinoma.

YY1: a key regulator inhibits gastric cancer ferroptosis and mediating apatinib-resistance

OBJECTIVE

Gastric cancer (GC) stands as a prevalent and deadly global malignancy. Despite its role as a preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, Apatinib's effectiveness is curtailed among GC patients exhibiting elevated YY1 expression. YY1's connection to adverse prognosis, drug resistance, and GC metastasis is established, yet the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study aims to unravel potential pathogenic pathways attributed to YY1.

DESIGN

Utilizing bioinformatics analysis, we conducted differentially expressed genes, functional annotation, and pathway enrichment analyses, and further validation through cellular and animal experiments.

RESULTS

Higher YY1 expression correlated with diminished postoperative progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates in TCGA analysis, identifying YY1 as an independent DSS indicator in gastric cancer (GC) patients. Notably, YY1 exhibited significantly elevated expression in tumor tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed noteworthy differentially expressed genes (DEGs), transcriptional targets, factors, and co-expressed genes associated with YY1. LASSO Cox analysis unveiled Transferrin as a prospective pivotal protein regulated by YY1, with heightened expression linked to adverse DSS and PFS outcomes. YY1's role in governing the p53 signaling pathway and ferroptosis in GC cells was further elucidated. Moreover, YY1 overexpression dampened immune cell infiltration within GC tumors. Additionally, YY1 overexpression hindered GC cell ferroptosis and mediated Apatinib resistance via the p53 pathway. Remarkably, IFN-a demonstrated efficacy in reversing Apatinib resistance and immune suppression in GC tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the pivotal role of YY1 in driving GC progression and influencing prognosis, thus pinpointing it as a promising therapeutic target to enhance patient outcomes.

Irradiation induces DJ-1 secretion from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells to accelerate metastasis of bystander cells via a TGF-β1 positive feedback loop

Background

Radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE) can promote tumor metastasis contributing to the failure of radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Aberrant expression of DJ-1 has been identified in ESCC; however, the relationship between DJ-1 and RIBE in ESCC remains unknown.

Methods

We detected DJ-1 in the serum and cell supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and evaluated tumor metastasis by phenotypic experiments in vivo and in vitro. RNA-seq, mass spectrometry, western blot (WB), immunoprecipitation (IP), and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Results

DJ-1 was highly expressed in the serum of patients with ESCC receiving radiotherapy and was significantly overexpressed in the medium of ESCC cells receiving irradiation. DJ-1 promoted tumor metastasis via the TGF-β1 pathway. Mechanistic studies revealed that DJ-1 bound to HSC70 to promote Smad3 phosphorylation and nuclear aggregation in a protein-interaction manner, which activated the transcription of Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1). Subsequently, the activation of TGF-β1 by TSP1 re-promoted Smad3 phosphorylation and nuclear aggregation, constituting a positive feedback loop to strengthen the metastasis of ESCC cells, which was effectively blocked by LY2109761 and LSKL. Moreover, higher levels of serum DJ-1 in patients with ESCC were related to a poorer prognosis of radiotherapy.

Conclusions

Irradiation can induce ESCC cells secreting DJ-1. Secreted DJ-1 enters bystander cells to initiate activation of the TGF-β1 pathway via the DJ-1/HSC70/Smad3 signaling axis. The TSP1/TGF-β1/Smad3 positive feedback pathway constitutes the core pathway that promotes ESCC metastasis. DJ-1 is a useful biomarker for predicting the efficacy of radiotherapy and a potential therapeutic target for reversing RIBE in ESCC.

Graphical Abstract

Schematic diagram showing the underlying mechanism that irradiation-induced secretion of DJ-1 accelerates the metastasis of bystander ESCC cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02471-6.

Transcriptional and DNA Methylation Signatures of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Adipose-Derived Stem Cells in PCOS Women

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often associated with metabolic syndrome features, including central obesity, suggesting that adipose tissue (AT) is a key organ in PCOS pathobiology. In this study, we compared both abdominal (ABD) and gluteofemoral (GF) subcutaneous AT in women with and without PCOS. ABD and GF subcutaneous ATs from PCOS and BMI/WHR-matched control women were analyzed by RT-qPCR, FACS and histology. ABD and GF adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) transcriptome and methylome were analyzed by RNA-seq and DNA methylation array. Similar to the control group with abdominal obesity, the GF AT of PCOS women showed lower expression of genes involved in lipid accumulation and angiogenesis compared to ABD depot. FACS analysis revealed an increase in preadipocytes number in both AT depots from PCOS. Further pathway analysis of RNA-seq comparisons demonstrated that the ASCs derived from PCOS are pro-inflammatory and exhibit a hypoxic signature in the ABD depot and have lower expression of adipogenic genes in GF depot. We also found a higher CpG methylation level in PCOS compared to control exclusively in GF-ASCs. Our data suggest that ASCs play an important role in the etiology of PCOS, potentially by limiting expansion of the healthy lower-body AT.

The circACTN4 interacts with FUBP1 to promote tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer by regulating the expression of proto-oncogene MYC

Background

Recent studies have revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play significant roles in the occurrence and development of many kinds of cancers including breast cancer (BC). However, the potential functions of most circRNAs and the molecular mechanisms underlying progression of BC remain elusive.

Method

Here, Circular RNA microarray was executed in 4 pairs of breast cancer tissues and para-cancer tissues. The expression and prognostic significance of circACTN4 in BC cells and tissues were determined by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Gain-and loss-of-function experiments were implemented to observe the impacts of circACTN4 on the growth, invasion, and metastasis of BC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase reporter, RNA pulldown, mass spectrum, RNA immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization and co-immunoprecipitation assays were executed.

Results

CircACTN4 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and cells, its expression was correlated with clinical stage and poor prognosis of patients with BC. Ectopic expression of circACTN4 strikingly facilitated the growth, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Whereas knockdown of circACTN4 revealed opposite roles. CircACTN4 was mainly distributed in the nucleus. Further mechanistic research proved that circACTN4 could competitively bind to far upstream element binding protein 1 (FUBP1) to prevent the combination between FUBP1 and FIR, thereby activating MYC transcription and facilitating tumor progression of breast cancer. Furthermore, we found that upstream transcription factor 2 (USF2) might promote the biogenesis of circACTN4.

Conclusion

Our findings uncover a pivotal mechanism that circACTN4 mediated by USF2 might interact with FUBP1 to promote the occurrence and development of breast cancer via enhancing the expression of MYC. CircACTN4 could be a novel potential target for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-021-01383-x.

MNS1 promotes hepatocarcinogenesis and metastasis via activating PI3K/AKT by translocating β-catenin and predicts poor prognosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease characterized by vast molecular heterogeneity. Although major advances in tumour genetics has led to the identification of new biomarkers, the prognosis of patients with HCC remains dismal.

METHODS

Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) were used to evaluate meiosis-specific nuclear structural 1 (MNS1) expression in HCC cells. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to evaluate MNS1 expression in HCC tissues. Clinical significance of MNS1 was evaluated by Cox regression analysis. Transwell assays were conducted to assess cells migration ability. Cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays were performed to detect cells proliferation ability. NOD/SCID/γc(null) (NOG) mice model was adopted to investigate functions of MNS1 in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of MNS1, which is elevated in most HCC tissues, correlated with poor survival in HCC patients. Functional experiments revealed the oncogenic role of MNS1, which promotes HCC growth and metastasis through AKT-dependent modulation of β-catenin. β-Catenin expression was crucial for MNS1's oncogenic effects. MNS1 indirectly translocated β-catenin from the cytoplasm to the nucleus via the MNS1-GSK3β axis.

CONCLUSIONS

MNS1 promotes HCC growth and metastasis via activating PI3K/AKT signalling and may serve as an important prognostic biomarker as well as potential novel therapeutic target for HCC.

FUBP1 mediates the growth and metastasis through TGFβ/Smad signaling in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Recent studies have reported that the expression levels of far upstream element‑binding protein 1 (FUBP1) were upregulated and served a crucial role in several types of cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and clinical significance of FUBP1 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) remain unclear. The present study aimed to determine the expression levels of FUBP1 in patients with PAAD and subsequently investigated the biological functions and mechanisms of FUBP1 using in vitro assays. FUBP1 expression levels and survival outcomes in patients with PAAD were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas and starBase databases. Reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR was used to analyze the mRNA expression levels of FUBP1 in PAAD and adjacent normal tissues. In addition, the expression of FUBP1 was knocked down with small interfering RNA and overexpressed using FUBP1‑overexpressed plasmids, and the effects on biological functions, including cell proliferation, migration and invasion, were investigated. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays were used to determine the role of FUBP1 in epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT). The results of the present study revealed that the expression levels of FUBP1 were upregulated in PAAD tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues and the upregulated expression was significantly associated with poor survival. The knockdown of FUBP1 expression significantly inhibited the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities of the PAAD PaTu8988 cell line, while the overexpression of FUBP1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in the PAAD SW1990 cell line. Furthermore, the knockdown of FUBP1 downregulated the expression levels of EMT‑related markers, including N‑cadherin, β‑catenin and vimentin, while the expression levels of E‑cadherin were upregulated. The knockdown of FUBP1 was also revealed to regulate the TGFβ/Smad signaling cascade by downregulating phosphorylated‑Smad2/3 and TGFβ1 expression levels. Conversely, the overexpression of FUBP1 reversed these effects. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that FUBP1 may be a potential oncogene that mediates the EMT of PAAD via TGFβ/Smad signaling. These data suggested that FUBP1 may represent a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of PAAD or a target for the treatment of patients with PAAD.

Overexpression of FUBP1 is associated with human cervical carcinoma development and prognosis

AIMS

Far upstream element-binding protein 1 (FUBP1) has been shown to involve in the tumorigenesis and tumor progression of various cancers. However, the expression and function of FUBP1 in cervical carcinoma remains unknown.

MAIN METHODS

Transcriptional expression of FUBP1 was initially evaluated using the Oncomine database, followed by evaluation of FUBP1 protein levels using immunohistochemistry in 119 cervical carcinoma patient tissues. In vitro experiments were performed to assess the tumorigenic role of FUBP1. Besides, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, EnrichmentMap analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were used to evaluate the potential mechanisms of FUBP1 in promoting cervical cancer progression.

KEY FUNDINGS

In this research, we found both FUBP1 mRNA transcription and protein expression levels increased significantly in cervical carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent normal cervical tissues. Furthermore, elevated FUBP1 expression was positively correlated with age, T classification, N classification, tumor recurrence, Ki67 expression, and poor prognosis in cervical carcinoma patients. Besides, elevated FUBP1 expression acted as an independent unfavorable predictor for overall survival and disease-free survival in cervical carcinoma. Overexpression of FUBP1 significantly promoted cervical carcinoma cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis in vitro, while knockdown of FUBP1 showed the opposite effect. Mechanistically, bioinformatics analysis revealed that FUBP1 promoted the biological function of cervical carcinoma cells via enhancing DNA repair signal pathways. Our results demonstrate for the first time that FUBP1 is a novel prognostic factor and therapeutic target for cervical carcinoma.

Identification and Validation of Novel Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide due to poor survival outcome. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify effective biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction.

Methods: A total of 389 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC samples and normal were selected based on the Robust Rank Aggregation (RRA) method. We combined DEGs expression and clinical traits to construct a gene co-expression network through WGCNA. Forty hub genes were selected from the key module. Among them, YWHAB, PPAT, NOL10 were eventually identified as prognostic biomarkers using multivariate Cox regression model. Biomarkers expression pattern was investigated by informatic analysis and verified by RNA-seq of 32 patients with HCC. DiseaseMeth 2.0, MEXPRESS, and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) were used to assess the methylation and immune status of biomarkers. GSVA, CCK8, colony formation assay, Edu imaging kit, wound-healing assay, and xenograft tumor model were utilized to investigate the effects of biomarkers on proliferation, metastasis of HCC cells in vitro, and in vivo. The Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter and ROC curves were used to validate the prognostic and diagnostic value of biomarker expression.

Results: All the selected biomarkers were upregulated in HCC samples and higher expression levels were associated with advanced tumor stages and T grades. The regulation of YWHAB, PPAT, NOL10 promoter methylation varied in tumors, and precancerous normal tissues. Immune infiltration analysis suggested that the abnormal regulations of these biomarkers were likely attributed to B cells and dendritic cells. GSVA for these biomarkers showed their great contributions to proliferation of HCC. Specific inhibition of their expression had strong effects on tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. ROC and KM curves confirmed their usefulness of diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

Conclusions: These findings identified YWHAB, PPAT, and NOL10 as novel biomarkers and validated their diagnostic and prognostic value for HCC.