Role of artemin in non-small cell lung cancer

A novel prognostic index based on the analysis of glycolysis-related genes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lung disease that is both chronic and progressive and is characterized by glycolysis. However, glycolysis's function and its clinical significance in IPF are still not well understood. We accessed the Gene Expression Omnibus database to retrieve mRNA expression information for lung tissue and other samples. We identified genes associated with glycolysis that had differential expression levels between IPF and controls. In this work, we conducted a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis to systematically examine the glycolysis-associated genes with differential expression and subsequently investigated the possible prognostic significance of these genes. Additionally, the expression profiles of the associated prognostic genes were further investigated via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in our cohort. In this investigation, we found that the expression of 16 genes involved in glycolysis was differentially expressed. Among them, 12 were upregulated and 4 were downregulated. We found that 3 glycolysis-related genes (stanniocalcin 2, transketolase like 1, artemin) might serve as hub genes for anticipating patient prognosis. The data from these genes were used to generate the prognostic models. The findings confirmed that high-risk IPF patients recorded a shorter overall survival relative to low-risk patients. This prognostic model yielded 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 0.666, 0.651, and 0.717, correspondingly, based on the area under the curve of the survival-dependent receiver operating characteristic. The GSE27957 and GSE70866 cohorts validated these findings, indicating the model has a good predictive performance. All 3 glycolysis-associated genes were validated to be expressed in our cohort. Finally, we used mRNA levels from 3 genes to produce a nomogram to quantitatively predict the prognosis of IPF individuals. As possible indicators for the prognosis of IPF, the glycolysis-related genes stanniocalcin 2, transketolase like 1, and artemin were shown to be promising candidate markers.

The role of erythrocytes and erythroid progenitor cells in tumors

In the current research context of precision treatment of malignant tumors, the advantages of immunotherapy are unmatched by conventional antitumor therapy, which can prolong progression-free survival and overall survival. The search for new targets and novel combination therapies can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy and reduce adverse effects. Since current research targets for immunotherapy mainly focus on lymphocytes, little research has been done on erythrocytes. Nucleated erythroid precursor stem cells have been discovered to play an essential role in tumor progression. Researchers are exploring new targets and therapeutic approaches for immunotherapy from the perspective of erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs). Recent studies have shown that different subtypes of EPCs have specific surface markers and distinct biological roles in tumor immunity. CD45⁺ EPCs are potent myeloid-derived suppressor cell-like immunosuppressants that reduce the patient's antitumor immune response. CD45^- EPCs promote tumor invasion and metastasis by secreting artemin. A specific type of EPC also promotes angiogenesis and provides radiation protection. Therefore, EPCs may be involved in tumor growth, infiltration, and metastasis. It may also be an important cause of anti-angiogenesis and immunotherapy resistance. This review summarizes recent research advances in erythropoiesis, EPC features, and their impacts and processes on tumors.

Artemin affects the survival and prognosis of endometrial cancer patients via regulating tumor cell proliferation

The main aim of the study is to analyze the impact of Artemin on survival and prognosis in endometrial cancer (EC) patients by bioinformatics methods. As a member of the glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family, Artemin is not only important in the repair process of nerve damage, but also involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we demonstrated that Artemin mRNA was overexpressed in EC tissues. Artemin expression was closely related to the FIGO stage, pathologic differentiation, deep myometrial infiltration, lymphatic metastasis, and survival status. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that ectopic overexpression of Artemin predicted poor survival prognosis. Artemin expression could be used as an independent risk factor for the prognosis of EC patients. The proliferation of EC cells was significantly downregulated by silencing of Artemin. Artemin promotes tumor progression by regulating the proliferation of EC cells, thereby affecting the prognosis of EC patients.

Radiotherapy and immunotherapy converge on elimination of tumor-promoting erythroid progenitor cells through adaptive immunity

Tumor-induced CD45^-Ter119⁺CD71⁺ erythroid progenitor cells, termed "Ter cells," promote tumor progression by secreting artemin (ARTN), a neurotrophic peptide that activates REarranged during Transfection (RET) signaling. We demonstrate that both local tumor ionizing radiation (IR) and anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) treatment decreased tumor-induced Ter cell abundance in the mouse spleen and ARTN secretion outside the irradiation field in an interferon- and CD8⁺ T cell-dependent manner. Recombinant erythropoietin promoted resistance to radiotherapy or anti-PD-L1 therapies by restoring Ter cell numbers and serum ARTN concentration. Blockade of ARTN or potential ARTN signaling partners, or depletion of Ter cells augmented the antitumor effects of both IR and anti-PD-L1 therapies in mice. Analysis of samples from patients who received radioimmunotherapy demonstrated that IR-mediated reduction of Ter cells, ARTN, and GFRα3, an ARTN signaling partner, were each associated with tumor regression. Patients with melanoma who received immunotherapy exhibited favorable outcomes associated with decreased expression of GFRα3. These findings demonstrate an out-of-field, or "abscopal," effect mediated by adaptive immunity, which is induced during local tumor irradiation. This effect, in turn, governs the therapeutic effects of radiation and immunotherapy. Therefore, our results identify multiple targets to potentially improve outcomes after radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Tumor Immune Evasion Induced by Dysregulation of Erythroid Progenitor Cells Development

Cancer cells harness normal cells to facilitate tumor growth and metastasis. Within this complex network of interactions, the establishment and maintenance of immune evasion mechanisms are crucial for cancer progression. The escape from the immune surveillance results from multiple independent mechanisms. Recent studies revealed that besides well-described myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) or regulatory T-cells (Tregs), erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in the regulation of immune response and tumor progression. EPCs are immature erythroid cells that differentiate into oxygen-transporting red blood cells. They expand in the extramedullary sites, including the spleen, as well as infiltrate tumors. EPCs in cancer produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and express programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and potently suppress T-cells. Thus, EPCs regulate antitumor, antiviral, and antimicrobial immunity, leading to immune suppression. Moreover, EPCs promote tumor growth by the secretion of growth factors, including artemin. The expansion of EPCs in cancer is an effect of the dysregulation of erythropoiesis, leading to the differentiation arrest and enrichment of early-stage EPCs. Therefore, anemia treatment, targeting ineffective erythropoiesis, and the promotion of EPC differentiation are promising strategies to reduce cancer-induced immunosuppression and the tumor-promoting effects of EPCs.

The role of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family member artemin in neurological disorders and cancers

Artemin (ARTN) is a member of the glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs), which encompasses family members, GDNF, neurturin (NRTN) and persephin (PSPN). ARTN is also referred to as Enovin or Neublastin, and bears structural characteristics of the TGF‐β superfamily. ARTN contains a dibasic cleavage site (RXXR) that is predicted to be cleaved by furin to yield a carboxy‐terminal 113 amino acid mature form. ARTN binds preferentially to receptor GFRα3, coupled to a receptor tyrosine kinase RET, forming a signalling complex for the regulation of intracellular pathways that affect diverse outcomes of nervous system development and homoeostasis. Standard signalling cascades activated by GFLs via RET include the phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase or MAPK (p‐ERK, p‐p38 and p‐JNK), PI3K‐AKT and Src. Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is an alternative signalling receptor for ARTN in the presence of GFRα1, leading to activation of Fyn and FAK. Further, ARTN also interacts with heparan sulphate proteoglycan syndecan‐3 and mediates non‐RET signalling via activation of Src kinases. This review discusses the role of ARTN in spinal cord injury, neuropathic pain and other neurological disorders. Additionally, ARTN plays a role in non‐neuron tissues, such as the formation of Peyer's patch‐like structures in the lymphoid tissue of the gut. The emerging role of ARTN in cancers and therapeutic resistance to cancers is also explored. Further research is necessary to determine the function of ARTN in a tissue‐specific manner, including its signalling mechanisms, in order to improve the therapeutic potential of ARTN in human diseases.

Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Identified Cancer Cell Proliferation as a Common Phenomenon During Perineural Invasion

Purpose

Perineural invasion (PNI) is the neoplastic invasion of nerves by cancer cells, a process that may prove to be another metastatic route besides direct invasion, lymphatic spread, and vascular dissemination. Given the increasing incidence and association with poor prognosis, revealing the pathogenesis of perineural invasion is of great importance.

Materials and methods

Four datasets related to PNI were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and used to construct weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The intersection of potential pathways obtained from further correlation and enrichment analyses of different datasets was validated by the coculture model of Schwann cells (SCs), flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

GSE7055 and GSE86544 datasets were brought into the analysis for there were some significant modules related to PNI, while GSE103479 and GSE102238 datasets were excluded for insignificant differences. In total, 13,841 genes from GSE86544 and 10,809 genes from GSE7055 were used for WGCNA. As a consequence, 19 and 26 modules were generated, respectively. The purple module of GSE86544 and the dark gray module of GSE7055 were positively correlated with perineural invasion. Further correlation and enrichment analyses of genes from the two modules suggested that these genes were mainly enriched in cell cycle processes; especially, the terms S/G2/M phase were enriched. Three kinds of cells grew vigorously after coculture with SCs ex vivo. The Ki67 staining of the cervical cancer samples revealed that the Ki67 index of cancer cells surrounding nerves was higher than of those distant ones.

Conclusion

Our work has identified cancer cell proliferation as a common response to neural cancerous microenvironments, proving a foundation for cancer cell colonization and metastasis.

[Role of erythroblast-like Ter cells in the pathogenesis of collagen-induced arthritis]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of Ter cells in the development of the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), we detected their quantity changes in the spleen of different stages of CIA mice and analyzed the correlation between Ter cells and the joint scores, and we also analyzed the correlation between Ter cells and the frequencies of T and B cell subsets, so as to further understand the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODS

The six to eight weeks DBA/1 mice were used to prepare CIA model. After the second immunization, we began to evaluate the joint score. According to the time of CIA onset and the joint score, the CIA mice were divided into three stages: early, peak and late stages. According to the final joint score, the CIA mice at the peak stage were subdivided into the high score group (score>8) and the low score group (score≤8). The frequencies of Ter cells in the spleen of the naïve mice and the CIA mice at various stages and the frequencies of T and B cell subsets in the spleen of the CIA mice at the peak stage were detected by flow cytometry, then we carried on the correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The frequencies of Ter cells in the spleen of the CIA mice was significantly higher than those of the naïve mice (8.522%±2.645% vs. 1.937%±0.725%, P<0.01), the frequencies of Ter cells in the spleen of the high score group mice was significantly lower than those of the low score group (6.217%±0.841% vs. 10.827%±0.917%, P<0.01). The frequencies of Th1 cells in the spleen of the high score group mice was significantly higher than those of the low score group mice (1.337%±0.110% vs. 0.727%±0.223%, P<0.05). The frequencies of Th17 cells in the spleen of the high score group mice was higher than those of the low score group mice (0.750%±0.171% vs. 0.477%±0.051%, P=0.099). The frequencies of germinal center B cells in the spleen of the high score group mice was significantly higher than those of the low score group mice (1.243%±0.057% vs. 1.097%±0.015%, P<0.05). Correlation analysis results showed that the frequencies of Ter cells in the spleen of the CIA mice at the peak stage was strongly negatively correlated with the frequencies of CD4+ T, Th1, Th17, and germinal center B cells, and was strongly positively correlated with the frequencies of B10 cells, indicating that these cells might have a protective effect in CIA. Studies on dynamic changes showed that the frequencies of Ter cells in the spleen of the CIA mice at the late stage was significantly lower than those at the peak stage (0.917%±0.588% vs. 8.522%±2.645%, P<0.001), suggesting the protective effect of these cells in arthritis.

CONCLUSION

Ter cells were significantly increased in the spleen of the CIA mice at peak stage, and were negatively correlated with joint scores and pathogenic immune cells, and positively correlated with protective immune cells. Ter cells were significantly decreased in the spleen of the CIA mice at the late stage. What we mentioned above suggests that Ter cells might be involved in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis as an immunomodulatory cell,but further in vivo and in vitro experiments are needed to verify its specific effects and mechanism.

Wound-Healing Markers Revealed by Proximity Extension Assay in Tears of Patients following Glaucoma Surgery

Tears are a constantly available and highly valuable body fluid collectable by non-invasive techniques. Although it can give information on ocular status and be used for follow-ups, tear analysis is challenging due to the low amount of sample that is available. Proximity extension assay (PEA) allows for a sensitive and scalable analysis of multiple proteins in a single run from a one-µL sample, so we applied this technique and examined the amount of 184 proteins in tears collected at different time points after trabeculectomy. The success rate of this surgical intervention highly depends on proper wound healing; therefore, information on the process is indispensable. We observed significantly higher levels of IL-6 and MMP1 at the early time points (day one, two, and four) following trabeculectomy, and the protein amounts went back to the level observed before the surgery three months after the intervention. Patients with or without complications were tested, and proteins that have roles in the immune response and wound healing could be observed with altered frequency and amounts in the cases of patients with complications. Our results highlight the importance of inflammation in wound-healing complications, and at the same time, indicate the utility of PEA in tear analysis.