Effects of FSTL1 on the proliferation and motility of breast cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells

Differential expression of FSTL1 and its correlation with the pathological process of periodontitis

AIMS

This study aimed to elucidate the alterations in Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) and its association with the pathological process of periodontitis.

METHODS

This study included 48 patients with periodontitis and 42 healthy controls. The expression level of FSTL1 in the gingiva was determined by RT-qPCR, validated using the dataset GSE16134, and subsequently examined by western blotting. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a single-cell distribution of FSTL1, characteristic of angiogenesis and immune cell infiltration. The expression and distribution of FSTL1, vascular endothelial marker protein CD31 and myeloperoxidase (MPO), the indicator of neutrophil activity, were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). A series of correlation analyses was performed to determine the associations between FSTL1 and clinical parameters, including probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL), and their potential role in angiogenesis (CD31) and neutrophil infiltration (MPO).

RESULTS

FSTL1 was significantly upregulated in the gingiva of patients with periodontitis compared to their healthy counterparts. In addition, FSTL1 was positively correlated with the clinical parameters PD (r = .5971, p = .0005) and CAL (r = .6078, p = .0004). Bioinformatic analysis and IHC indicated that high FSTL1 expression was significantly correlated with angiogenesis and neutrophil infiltration in periodontitis. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that FSTL1 could serve as an independent indicator for evaluating the severity of periodontitis (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.9011, p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated FSTL1 upregulation in periodontitis and its potential contribution to the disease via angiogenesis and neutrophil infiltration.

Hypoxia Promotes Angiogenic Effect in Extracranial Arteriovenous Malformation Endothelial Cells

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is characterized by high-flow blood vessels connecting arteries and veins without capillaries. This disease shows increased angiogenesis and a pathophysiological hypoxic environment in proximal tissues. Here, we analyzed the effects of hypoxia on angiogenesis in the endothelial cells (ECs) of AVM and normal tissues. ECs from human normal and AVM tissues were evaluated using immunocytochemistry with CD31. In vitro tube formation under hypoxia was tested in both ECs using Matrigel. The relative expression of angiogenesis-related genes was measured using real-time PCR. Under normoxia, CD31 was significantly higher in AVM ECs (79.23 ± 0.65%) than in normal ECs (74.15 ± 0.70%). Similar results were observed under hypoxia in AVM ECs (63.85 ± 1.84%) and normal ECs (60.52 ± 0.51%). In the tube formation test under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, the junction count and total vessel length were significantly greater in AVM ECs than normal ECs. Under both normoxia and hypoxia, the angiogenesis-related gene FSTL1 showed a significantly higher expression in AVM ECs than in normal ECs. Under hypoxia, CSPG4 expression was significantly lower in AVM ECs than in normal ECs. Accordingly, the angiogenic effect was increased in AVM ECs compared with that in normal ECs. These results provide a basic knowledge for an AVM treatment strategy.

Circ 003390/Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 promoted cell migration and proliferation in endometrial cancer via vascular endothelial growth factor signaling by miR-195-5p

The differential expression of circRNA in different biological samples renders it as an ideal biomarker for disease diagnosis and identification of tissue development. In addition, the gradual clarification of the mode of action of circRNA in disease makes it as a potential therapeutic target. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role and regulating mechanism of circular RNA has circ 003390 (circWEE1) on Endometrial cancer (EC) genesis. To estimate clinical values of circWEE1 on cell migration and proliferation in EC, and its possible mechanisms. The expression of circWEE1 and EIF4A3in EC cells have been evaluated using qPCR and Western blot. The expression of circWEE1 and EIF4A3 levels were increased in patients with EC. Over-expression of circWEE1 or down-regulation of miR-195-5p promoted cell migration and proliferation in EC. Next, we verified that eIF4A3 binds to the circWEE1 mRNA transcript, circWEE1 served as a sponge that directly targeted miR-195-5p. Bioinformatics prediction forecast that miR-195-5p directly targeted VEGF at 3'-UTR, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Our findings indicate that Circular RNA hsa circWEE1/EIF4A3 promoted cell migration and proliferation in EC via VEGF signaling by miR-195-5p, which could provide pivotal potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of EC.

microRNA-10a-5p from gastric cancer cell-derived exosomes enhances viability and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by targeting zinc finger MYND-type containing 11

Tumor-derived exosomes (exo) could modulate the biological behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Here, the role of microRNA (miR)-10a-5p-modified gastric cancer (GC) cells-derived exo for HUVECs was studied. GC tissue specimens were collected, and miR-10a-5p and zinc finger MYND-type containing 11 (ZMYND11) levels were determined. HUVECs interfered with ZMYND11 or miR-10a-5p-related oligonucleotides. Exo was extracted from GC cells (HGC-27 exo), and miR-10a-5p mimic-modified HGC-27 exo were co-cultured with HUVECs. HUVECs viability, migration and angiogenesis were evaluated, and miR-10a-5p/ZMYND11 crosstalk was explored. It was observed that GC patients had raised miR-10a-5p and reduced ZMYND11, and miR-10a-5p negatively mediated ZMYND11 expression. Suppression of miR-10a-5p or overexpression of ZMYND11 inhibited viability, migration and tube formation ability of HUVECs. Notably, miR-10a-5p mimic-modified HGC-27 exo enhanced the viability, migration and tube formation ability of HUVECs, but this effect was impaired after up-regulating ZMYND11. In summary, miR-10a-5p from GC cells-derived exo enhances viability and migration of HUVECs by suppressing ZMYND11.

Enkurin domain containing 1 (ENKD1) regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. NSCLC has an aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis, and is quite heterogeneous without effective and specific targeted therapies. Therefore, exploring new tumor markers and drug targets for NSCLC is crucial towards individualized treatment. Here, we demonstrate that enkurin domain containing 1 (ENKD1), a protein with unknown structure and function, is significantly downregulated in NSCLC tumor tissues compared with their non-tumor counterparts. We also show that ENKD1 expression is decreased in NSCLC cells compared to normal human lung epithelial cells. EdU incorporation, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays reveal that ENKD1 regulates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. Collectively, these results suggest that ENKD1 plays an important role in NSCLC progression and that ENKD1 is a tumor marker and a potential molecular drug target for the treatment of NSCLC patients.

Follistatin-like protein 1 functions as a potential target of gene therapy in proliferative diabetic retinopathy

The degree of retinal fibrosis increased in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients after administration of anti-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections. Previous studies showed that the balance between connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and VEGF plays an important role. Therefore, in a high-glucose state, an anti-VEGF and CTGFshRNA dual-target model was used to simulate clinical dual-target treatment in PDR patients, and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used for whole transcriptome sequencing. A hypoxia model was constructed to verify the sequencing results at the cellular level, and the vitreous humor and proliferative membranes were collected from patients for verification. All sequencing results included Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) and extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor pathway, indicated that anti-VEGF therapy may upregulate FSTL1 expression, while dual-target treatment downregulated FSTL1. Thus, we further studied the function of FSTL1 on the expression of VEGF and ECM factors by both overexpressing and silencing FSTL1. In conclusion, our results suggested that FSTL1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of PDR and is related to fibrosis caused by the anti-VEGF treatment, thus providing a potential target for gene therapy in PDR.

FSTL1 promotes growth and metastasis in gastric cancer by activating AKT related pathway and predicts poor survival

Accumulating evidence on the role of Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) in tumorigenesis and cancer progression is conflicting. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms by which FSTL1 contributes to gastric cancer (GC) remain unknown. This study shows that FSTL1 was frequently upregulated in primary GC tissues and significantly correlated with infiltrating depth, lymph node metastasis, unfavorable tumor stage and poor prognosis of GC. Down or up-regulation of FSTL1 inhibited or increased, respectively, the proliferation by reducing apoptosis, clonogenicity, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Moreover, the higher expression of FSTL1 promoted subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth and lung/liver tumor metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FSTL1 is involved in regulation of the AKT signaling through analyzing databases and experimental results. Mechanistic studies showed that FSTL1 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion in GC, at least partially, by activating AKT via regulating TLR4/CD14. In all, this study highlights the role of the FSTL1-TLR4/CD14-AKT axis, which provided novel insights into the mechanism of growth and metastasis in GC for the first time.

Application of electrochemical biosensors in tumor cell detection

Conventional methods for detecting tumors, such as immunological methods and histopathological diagnostic techniques, often request high analytical costs, complex operation, long turnaround time, experienced personnel and high false-positive rates. In addition, these assays are difficult to obtain an early diagnosis and prognosis quickly for malignant tumors. Compared with traditional technology, electrochemical technology has realized the study of interface charge transfer behavior at the atomic and molecular levels, which has become an important analytical and detection tool in contemporary analytical science. Electrochemical technique has the advantages of rapid detection, high sensitivity (single cell) and specificity in the detection of tumor cells, which has not only been successful in differentiating tumor cells from normal cells, but has also achieved targeted detection of localized tumor cells and circulating tumor cells. Electrochemical biosensors provide powerful tools for early diagnosis, staging and prognosis of tumors in clinical medicine. Therefore, this review mainly discusses the development and application of electrochemical biosensors in tumor cell detection in recent years.

Environmental pollutants damage airway epithelial cell cilia: Implications for the prevention of obstructive lung diseases

Mucociliary epithelium lining the upper and lower respiratory tract constitutes the first line of defense of the airway and lungs against inhaled pollutants and pathogens. The concerted beating of multiciliated cells drives mucociliary clearance. Abnormalities in both the structure and function of airway cilia have been implicated in obstructive lung diseases. Emerging evidence reveals a close correlation between lung diseases and environmental stimuli such as sulfur dioxide and tobacco particles. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be described. In this review, we emphasize the importance of airway cilia in mucociliary clearance and discuss how environmental pollutants affect the structure and function of airway cilia, thus shedding light on the function of airway cilia in preventing obstructive lung diseases and revealing the negative effects of environmental pollutants on human health.

Alteration of cell junctions during viral infection

Cell junctions serve as a protective barrier for cells and provide an important channel for information transmission between cells and the surrounding environment. Viruses are parasites that invade and commandeer components of host cells in order to survive and replicate, and they have evolved various mechanisms to alter cell junctions to facilitate viral infection. In this review, we examined the current state of knowledge on the action of viruses on host cell junctions. The existing evidence suggests that targeting the molecules involved in the virus-cell junction interaction can prevent the spread of viral diseases.

Environmental pollutants damage airway epithelial cell cilia: Implications for the prevention of obstructive lung diseases

Mucociliary epithelium lining the upper and lower respiratory tract constitutes the first line of defense of the airway and lungs against inhaled pollutants and pathogens. The concerted beating of multiciliated cells drives mucociliary clearance. Abnormalities in both the structure and function of airway cilia have been implicated in obstructive lung diseases. Emerging evidence reveals a close correlation between lung diseases and environmental stimuli such as sulfur dioxide and tobacco particles. However, the underlying mechanism remains to be described. In this review, we emphasize the importance of airway cilia in mucociliary clearance and discuss how environmental pollutants affect the structure and function of airway cilia, thus shedding light on the function of airway cilia in preventing obstructive lung diseases and revealing the negative effects of environmental pollutants on human health.

Structural and functional study of FK domain of Fstl1

Fstl1 is a TGF-β superfamily binding protein which involved in many pathological processes. The function of Fstl1 has been widely elucidated, but its structural characterization has not been explored. Here we solved the high-resolution crystal structure of FK domain of murine Fstl1, analyzed its unique characteristics, and investigated its contribution to the function of full-length Fstl1. We found that Fstl1-FK forms a stable dimer in both solution and crystal, which suggest that this protein may function as a dimer during its interaction with TGF-β, a molecule known to form dimer during activation process. We also found this FK domain is indispensable for the proper function of Fstl1 during the transduction of TGF-β signaling. These observations provide important insights into the understanding of Fstl1 and may facilitate the exploration of this molecule in clinical study.

FSTL1 enhances chemoresistance and maintains stemness in breast cancer cells via integrin β3/Wnt signaling under miR-137 regulation

FSTL1 is a protein coding gene associated with cell signaling pathway regulation and the progression of a variety of disorders. In this study, we hypothesized that FSTL1 increases oncogenesis in breast cancer by enhancing stemness and chemoresistance. RT-PCR and IHC revealed significantly higher FSTL1 mRNA and protein levels in TNBC than in non-TNBC specimens and in breast cancer cell lines. We then found that FSTL1 levels were significantly increased in chemoresistant cells. LIVE/DEAD, MTT cell viability and colony formation assays did in fact demonstrate that FSTL1 is required for CDDP and DOX chemoresistance in breast cancer cell lines. FSTL1 overexpression caused significant elevation of stem cell biomarkers, as well as breast cancer cell proliferation. To determine whether the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in the observed effects of FSTL1, we assessed levels of pathway target. TOP/FOP flash, colony formation, and tumor sphere formation assays indicated that FSTL1 activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling through integrin β3. We then sought to identify a microRNA (miRNA) that regulates FSTL1 activity. Luciferase assays demonstrated that miR-137 reduces FSTL1 mRNA and protein levels. Ultimately, our findings indicate that there is an miR-137/FSTL1/integrin β3/Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis in breast cancer cells that regulates stemness and chemoresistance.

Non-canonical functions of the mitotic kinesin Eg5

Kinesins are widely expressed, microtubule-dependent motors that play vital roles in microtubule-associated cellular activities, such as cell division and intracellular transport. Eg5, also known as kinesin-5 or kinesin spindle protein, is a member of the kinesin family that contributes to the formation and maintenance of the bipolar mitotic spindle during cell division. Small-molecule compounds that inhibit Eg5 activity have been shown to impair spindle assembly, block mitotic progression, and possess anti-cancer activity. Recent studies focusing on the localization and functions of Eg5 in plants have demonstrated that in addition to spindle organization, this motor protein has non-canonical functions, such as chromosome segregation and cytokinesis, that have not been observed in animals. In this review, we discuss the structure, function, and localization of Eg5 in various organisms, highlighting the specific role of this protein in plants. We also propose directions for the future studies of novel Eg5 functions based on the lessons learned from plants.

Follistatin-like 1 in development and human diseases

Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1) is a secreted glycoprotein displaying expression changes during development and disease, among which cardiovascular disease, cancer, and arthritis. The cardioprotective role of FSTL1 has been intensively studied over the last years, though its mechanism of action remains elusive. FSTL1 is involved in multiple signaling pathways and biological processes, including vascularization and regulation of the immune response, a feature that complicates its study. Binding to the DIP2A, TLR4 and BMP receptors have been shown, but other molecular partners probably exist. During cancer progression and rheumatoid arthritis, controversial data have been reported with respect to the proliferative, apoptotic, migratory, and inflammatory effects of FSTL1. This controversy might reside in the extensive post-transcriptional regulation of FSTL1. The FSTL1 primary transcript also encodes for a microRNA (miR-198) in primates and multiple microRNA-binding sites are present in the 3'UTR. The switch between expression of the FSTL1 protein and miR-198 is an important regulator of tumour metastasis and wound healing. The glycosylation state of FSTL1 is a determinant of biological activity, in cardiomyocytes the glycosylated form promoting proliferation and the non-glycosylated working anti-apoptotic. Moreover, the glycosylation state shows differences between species and tissues which might underlie the differences observed in in vitro studies. Finally, regulation at the level of protein secretion has been described.

Exopolysaccharides from a Codonopsis pilosula endophyte activate macrophages and inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration

BACKGROUND

Exopolysaccharides with structural diversity have shown wide applications in biomaterial, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Herein, we isolated an endophytic strain, 14-DS-1, from the traditional medicinal plant Codonopsis pilosula to elucidate the characteristics and anti-cancer activities of purified exopolysaccharides.

METHODS

HPLC and GC-MS were conducted to purify and characterize the exopolysaccharides isolated from 14-DS-1. Quantitative RT-PCR, cell migration assays, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry analysis were conducted to investighate the biological activity of DSPS.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that exopolysaccharides isolated from 14-DS-1 (DSPS), which were predominately composed of six monosaccharides, showed anti-cancer activities. Biological activity analysis revealed that exposure to DSPS induced macrophage activation and polarization by promoting the production of TNF-α and nitric oxide. Further analysis revealed that DSPS treatment promoted macrophage infiltration, whereas cancer cell migration was suppressed. In addition, DSPS exposure led to S-phase arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that treatment with DSPS resulted in defects in spindle orientation and positioning.

CONCLUSION

These findings thus suggest that DSPS may have promising potential in cancer therapy.

Molecular mechanisms underlying stress response and adaptation

Environmental stresses are ubiquitous and unavoidable to all living things. Organisms respond and adapt to stresses through defined regulatory mechanisms that drive changes in gene expression, organismal morphology, or physiology. Immune responses illustrate adaptation to bacterial and viral biotic stresses in animals. Dysregulation of the genotoxic stress response system is frequently associated with various types of human cancer. With respect to plants, especially halophytes, complicated systems have been developed to allow for plant growth in high salt environments. In addition, drought, waterlogging, and low temperatures represent other common plant stresses. In this review, we summarize representative examples of organismal response and adaptation to various stresses. We also discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the above phenomena with a focus on the improvement of organismal tolerance to unfavorable environments.