A-kinase-interacting protein 1 facilitates growth and metastasis of gastric cancer cells via Slug-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition

AKIP1 accelerates glioblastoma progression through stabilizing EGFR expression

A Kinase Interacting Protein 1 (AKIP1) is found to be overexpressed in a variety of human cancers and associated with patients' worse prognosis. Several studies have established AKIP1's malignant functions in tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoradiotherapy resistance. However, the mechanism of AKIP1 involved in accelerating glioblastoma (GBM) progression remains unknown. Here, we showed that the expression of AKIP1 was positively correlated with the glioma pathological grades. Down-regulating AKIP1 greatly impaired the proliferation, colony formation, and tumorigenicity of GBM cells. In terms of the mechanism, AKIP1 cooperates with transcriptional factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1)-mediated Heat Shock Protein 90 Alpha Family Class A Member 1 (HSP90AA1) transcriptional activation, enhancing the stability of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). YY1 was identified as a potential transcriptional factor of HSP90AA1 and directly interacts with AKIP1. The overexpression of HSP90α significantly reversed AKIP1 depletion incurred EGFR instability and the blocked cell proliferation. Moreover, we further investigated the interacted pattern between EGFR and HSP90α. These findings established that AKIP1 acted as a critical oncogenic factor in GBM and uncovered a novel regulatory mechanism in EGFR aberrant expression.

The role of A-kinase interacting protein 1 in regulating progression and stemness as well as indicating the prognosis in glioblastoma

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AKIP1 was higher in GBM vs. LGG tissues, and in GBM cell lines vs. control cell line.

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AKIP1 promoted GBM cell invasion, CD133+ proportion, and sphere formation ability.

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PI3K/AKT, Notch, EGFR, Ras, ErbB, mTOR pathways linked with AKIP1’s function in GBM.

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AKIP1 correlated with poor prognosis in GBM patients.

Background

A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) is recently implicated in the pathogenesis of several solid tumors, while its role in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is largely unknown. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of AKIP1 on GBM cell malignant behaviors, stemness, and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

U-87 MG and A172 cells were transfected with control or AKIP1 overexpression plasmid; control or AKIP1 siRNA plasmid. Then cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, CD133⁺ cell proportion, and sphere formation assays were performed. Furthermore, RNA-Seq was performed in U-87 MG cells. Besides, AKIP1 expression was detected in 25 GBM and 25 low-grade glioma (LGG) tumor samples.

Results

AKIP1 was increased in several GBM cell lines compared to the control cell line. After transfections, it was found that AKIP1 overexpression increased cell invasion, CD133⁺ cell proportion, and sphere formation ability while less affecting cell proliferation or cell apoptosis in U-87 MG and A172 cells. Moreover, AKIP1 siRNA achieved the opposite effect in these cells, except that it inhibited cell proliferation but induced cell apoptosis to some extent. Subsequent RNA-Seq assay showed several critical carcinogenetic pathways, such as PI3K/AKT, Notch, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, Ras, ErbB, mTOR pathways, etc. were potentially related to the function of AKIP1 in U-87 MG cells. Clinically, AKIP1 expression was higher in GBM tissues than in LGG tissues, which was also correlated with the poor prognosis of GBM to some degree.

Conclusions

AKIP1 regulates the malignant behaviors and stemness of GBM via regulating multiple carcinogenetic pathways.

A-Kinase Interacting Protein 1 Knockdown Restores Chemosensitivity via Inactivating PI3K/AKT and β-Catenin Pathways in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Background

A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) promotes tumor progression and chemoresistance in several malignancies; meanwhile, it is related to higher tumor size and recurrence risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma, while the role of AKIP1 in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of AKIP1 knockdown on cell malignant behaviors and doxorubicin resistance in ATC.

Methods

AKIP1 knockdown was conducted in ATC cell lines (8505C and CAL-62 cells) by siRNA; then, cell viability, apoptosis, invasion, PI3K/AKT and β-catenin pathways, and doxorubicin sensitivity were detected. Subsequently, doxorubicin-resistant 8505C cells (8505C/Dox) were established. Additionally, AKIP1 was modified in 8505C and 8505C/Dox cells that underwent doxorubicin treatment by siRNA or overexpression plasmid, followed by cellular function and pathway detection.

Results

AKIP1 was elevated in FRO, 8505C, CAL-62, and KHM-5M cells compared to control cells (all p < 0.05). Subsequently, AKIP1 knockdown elevated apoptosis, inhibited viability and invasion, and inactivated PI3K/AKT and β-catenin pathways in 8505C and CAL-62 cells (all p < 0.05). AKIP1 knockdown decreased relative cell viability in doxorubicin-treated 8505C and CAL-62 cells; then, AKIP1 was elevated in 8505C/Dox cells compared to 8505C cells (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, AKIP1 knockdown restored doxorubicin sensitivity (reflected by decreased cell viability and invasion, and increased apoptosis), but inactivated PI3K/AKT and β-catenin pathways in doxorubicin-treated 8505C/Dox cells. However, AKIP1 overexpression presented an opposite effect on these functions and pathways in doxorubicin-treated 8505C cells.

Conclusion

AKIP1 knockdown decreases cell survival and invasion while promoting sensitivity to doxorubicin via inactivating PI3K/AKT and β-catenin pathways in ATC.

Prognostic significance of A-kinase interacting protein 1 expression in various cancers: A meta-analysis based on the Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Cumulative evidence suggests that A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) plays an important role in tumor progression. However, the prognostic value of AKIP1 expression in various cancers remains unclear. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of AKIP1 expression in patients with cancer.

METHODS

The PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CNKI, and Wanfang databases were systematically searched to identify studies in which the effect of AKIP1 expression on prognosis (overall survival or disease-free survival) was investigated. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the effect of AKIP1 expression on patient survival. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were pooled to estimate the association between AKIP1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with cancer.

RESULTS

Nineteen eligible studies, encompassing 3979 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. AKIP1 expression was negatively associated with overall survival (HR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.58-2.18, P < .001) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.53-1.87, P < .001) in patients with cancer. Moreover, AKIP1 overexpression was positively correlated with adverse clinicopathological features, such as tumor size (OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.67-2.94, P < .001), clinical stage (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.45-2.90, P < .001), depth of tumor invasion (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 2.21-4.02, P < .001), and degree of lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.75-2.57, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

High AKIP1 expression is an unfavorable prognostic biomarker and may serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with cancer.

Elevated AKIP1 expression is associated with tumor invasion, shorter survival time and decreased chemosensitivity in endometrial carcinoma

A-kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1), as a recently discovered oncoprotein, promotes cell malignant behaviors in gynecological malignancies. To the best of our knowledge, no study reports its clinical value in patients with endometrial carcinoma. The present study aimed to explore the association between AKIP1 expression and clinical features and survival in patients with endometrial carcinoma, and to assess the effect of AKIP1 knockdown on the regulation of chemosensitivity in vitro. The tumor and adjacent tissue specimens from 101 patients with endometrial carcinoma were retrieved for AKIP1 protein expression analysis using an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. Meanwhile, specimens from 54 patients with endometrial carcinoma were analyzed for AKIP1 mRNA expression using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Furthermore, an in vitro experiment was conducted in the Ishikawa cell line to determine the effect of AKIP1 modification on the chemosensitivity of cisplatin and paclitaxel. AKIP1 IHC score (P<0.001) and mRNA expression levels (P<0.001) were increased in tumor tissues compared with those in adjacent tissues. Moreover, increased AKIP1 IHC score was associated with lymphovascular invasion (P=0.007), advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P=0.002) and shorter overall survival (OS) time (P=0.035) in the patients with endometrial carcinoma. Meanwhile, upregulated AKIP1 mRNA expression levels were associated with lymphovascular invasion (P=0.020) and advanced FIGO stage (P=0.027) in the patients with endometrial carcinoma. Multivariate Cox regression showed that tumor AKIP1 protein expression (high vs. low) independently predicted a shorter OS time (P=0.036). Silencing of AKIP1 decreased Ishikawa cell viability when treated with 5, 10, 20 and 40 µM cisplatin (all P<0.05) and decreased the half maximal inhibitory concentration value of cisplatin (P=0.003), whereas its effect on paclitaxel chemosensitivity was less obvious. Overall, elevated AKIP1 expression was associated with tumor invasion, shorter survival time and decreased chemosensitivity in endometrial carcinoma.

A-Kinase Interacting Protein 1 Promotes Cell Invasion and Stemness via Activating HIF-1α and β-Catenin Signaling Pathways in Gastric Cancer Under Hypoxia Condition

Background

A-Kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) relates to gastric cancer growth, metastasis, and prognosis, while its regulation on gastric cancer invasion and stemness under hypoxia microenvironment is not reported. Therefore, this study aimed to explore this topic to uncover AKIP1’s role in gastric cancer under hypoxia.

Methods

Gastric cancer cell lines AGS and MKN45 were cultured under hypoxia condition, then transfected with AKIP1 or negative control (NC) overexpression plasmid or AKIP1 or NC knockdown plasmid. Furthermore, rescue experiments were conducted by transfecting HIF-1α or β-catenin overexpression plasmid, combined with AKIP1 or NC knockdown plasmid. Afterward, cell invasion, CD133⁺ cell proportion, sphere number/1,000 cells, and HIF-1α and β-catenin pathways were measured.

Results

The invasive cell count, CD133⁺ cell proportion, and sphere number/1,000 cells were enhanced in both AGS cells and MKN45 cells under hypoxia, and AKIP1 expression was also elevated. AKIP1 knockdown inhibited cell invasion, CD133⁺ cell proportion, sphere number/1,000 cells, HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), β-catenin, and calcium-binding protein (CBP) expressions in AGS cells and MKN45 cells under hypoxia, while AKIP1 overexpression presented with the opposite effect. Then, in rescue experiments, HIF-1α overexpression and β-catenin overexpression both promoted cell invasion, CD133⁺ cell proportion, and sphere number/1,000 cells, which also attenuated the effect of AKIP1 knockdown on these functions in AGS cells and MKN45 cells.

Conclusion

AKIP1 promotes cell invasion and stemness via activating HIF-1α and β-catenin signaling pathways in gastric cancer under hypoxia condition.

Identification and Validation of Key Genes of Differential Correlations in Gastric Cancer

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Previously bulk transcriptome analysis was utilized to identify key genes correlated with the development, progression and prognosis of GC. However, due to the complexity of the genetic mutations, there is still an urgent need to recognize core genes in the regulatory network of GC.

Methods: Gene expression profiles (GSE66229) were retrieved from the GEO database. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to identify gene modules mostly correlated with GC carcinogenesis. R package ‘DiffCorr’ was applied to identify differentially correlated gene pairs in tumor and normal tissues. Cytoscape was adopted to construct and visualize the gene regulatory network.

Results: A total of 15 modules were detected in WGCNA analysis, among which three modules were significantly correlated with GC. Then genes in these modules were analyzed separately by “DiffCorr”. Multiple differentially correlated gene pairs were recognized and the network was visualized by the software Cytoscape. Moreover, GEMIN5 and PFDN2, which were rarely discussed in GC, were identified as key genes in the regulatory network and the differential expression was validated by real-time qPCR, WB and IHC in cell lines and GC patient tissues.

Conclusions: Our research has shed light on the carcinogenesis mechanism by revealing differentially correlated gene pairs during transition from normal to tumor. We believe the application of this network-based algorithm holds great potential in inferring relationships and detecting candidate biomarkers.

Silencing of AKIP1 Suppresses the Proliferation, Migration, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Process of Glioma Cells by Upregulating DLG2

Gliomas, the most prevalent brain tumors, account for nearly one-third of the all brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors diagnosed in the USA. The purpose of this study was to discuss the important role of A kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) in glioma and reveal the potential mechanism. After prediction by CCLE, the expression of AKIP1 was determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. The impacts of AKIP1 knockdown on the proliferation, migration, and invasion were then measured by MTT, colony formation assay, wound healing, and transwell assays. Western blot was used to assess the protein levels of migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) related factors. Subsequently, the expression of Disks Large Homolog 2 (DLG2) was predicted by bioinformatics analyses, and the interaction between AKIP1 and DLG2 was confirmed by IP assay, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Finally, DLG2 was further downregulated in glioma cells to detect the association between AKIP1 and DLG2 in the cellular functions of glioma. It was demonstrated that AKIP1 exhibited a high level in glioma cells, and interference of AKIP1 led to reductions in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of glioma cells. DLG2, which was lowly expressed in glioma cells, demonstrated a negative link to AKIP2. Inhibition of both AKIP2 and DLG2 counteracted the inhibited cellular behaviors on account of AKIP1 interference. To be concluded, this study presented evidence that AKIP1 silencing suppressed the progression of glioma via targeting DLG2, which could provide novel insights to impede the development of glioma.

Elevated expression of NFE2L3 promotes the development of gastric cancer through epithelial-mesenchymal transformation

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor with high mortality, but research on its molecular mechanisms remain limited. This study is the first to explore the biological role of nuclear factor NFE2L3 (nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 3) in GC. We used Western blot and RT–qPCR to detect gene expression at the protein or mRNA level. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transfection was used to inhibit NFE2L3 expression. CCK-8 and colony formation assays were used to detect cell proliferation. Cell migration, invasion, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by Transwell assays and flow cytometry. The results showed that NFE2L3 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues and promoted gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis. Inhibiting NFE2L3 expression blocks the cell cycle and increases the proportion of apoptotic cells, whereas NFE2L3 expression promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) process. In summary, NFE2L3 is highly expressed in gastric cancer and promotes gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis and the EMT process.

AKIP1 promotes tumor progression by cancer-related pathways and predicts prognosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

The current study was designed to explore the effect of A-kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) on tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) viability and mobility and to investigate its molecular mechanism. Control overexpression (OE-NC group) and AKIP1 overexpression (OE-AKIP1 group) plasmids were transfected into CAL-27 cells; control knockdown (KD-NC group) and AKIP1 knockdown (KD-AKIP1 group) plasmids were transfected into SCC-9 cells. Cellular viability and mobility were determined, and mRNA sequencing was performed followed by RT-qPCR validation. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect AKIP1 expression in tumor and adjacent tissues from 90 TSCC patients. AKIP1 was more highly expressed in human TSCC cell lines compared to human normal lingual epithelial cells. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were increased in the OE-AKIP1 group compared to the OE-NC group but decreased in the KD-AKIP1 group compared to the KD-NC group. mRNA sequencing revealed 436 differentially expressed genes; most of the genes were mainly enriched in the mTOR, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, Hippo, and Wnt signaling pathways. These findings were subsequently confirmed by RT-qPCR quantification. In TSCC patients, AKIP1 expression was increased in tumor tissues and related to increased tumor size, lymph node metastasis and poor overall survival. AKIP1 is a therapeutic target that regulates multiple tumor-related pathways in TSCC.

Upregulation of a kinase interacting protein 1 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma correlates with lymph node metastasis and poor overall survival

A kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) is upregulated in cancer cells/tissues and associated with deteriorative tumor features, while it has not been investigated in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). The goal of this study was to measure AKIP1 expression and analyze its correlation with clinical feature and prognosis in TSCC patients.We retrospectively reviewed 194 TSCC patients, whose formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue specimens and paired adjacent tissue specimens were accessible for AKIP1 detection by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Whereas only 107 patients whose fresh-frozen tumor tissue and paired fresh-frozen adjacent tissue that were still available in storage were included for AKIP1 mRNA detection by real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).AKIP1 expression (both the protein detected by IHC and mRNA detected by RT-qPCR) was higher in TSCC tissue than that in adjacent tissue. In addition, both tumor AKIP1 mRNA and protein expressions were correlated with advanced N stage and TNM stage, while they were not correlated with other clinical features in TSCC patients. As for survival, there was a correlation of AKIP1 mRNA with poor overall survival (OS), while the correlation of AKIP1 protein expression with OS was of limited statistical significance.There is an upregulation of AKIP1 in TSCC and it correlates with lymph node metastasis as well as unfavorable prognosis in TSCC patients.

A-kinase interacting protein 1 is sufficiently expressed and positively associates with WHO grade, meanwhile predicts unfavorable overall survival independently in glioma patients

The present study aimed to investigate the association of A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) with clinical characteristics, and further explore the prognostic value of AKIP1 in glioma patients.Totally 168 glioma patients who underwent tumor resection were analyzed, and their tumor tissue specimens were acquired for the detection of AKIP1 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC), which was scored by a semi-quantitative method considering staining intensity and staining density.According to AKIP1 expression in tumor tissues of glioma patients, there were 65 (38.7%) patients with AKIP1 low expression (IHC score 0-3), 48 (28.6%) patients with AKIP1 high + expression (IHC score 4-6), 42 (25.0%) patients with AKIP1 high++ expression (IHC score 7-9) and 13 (7.7%) patients with AKIP1 high+++ expression (IHC score 10-12), respectively. AKIP1 expression was positively associated with World Health Organization grade. Overall survival (OS) was the lowest in the patients with AKIP1 high+++ expression, followed by those with AKIP1 high++ expression and those with AKIP1 high+ expression, and highest in those with AKIP1 low expression. Further subgroup analysis exhibited that AKIP1 expression was negatively associated with OS especially in high-grade glioma patients. In addition, AKIP1 expression was negatively associated with OS in all subgroups of patients with/without adjuvant radiotherapy, with/without adjuvant chemotherapy. Further multivariate Cox's regression exhibited that AKIP1 high expression was an independent predictive factor for worse OS.AKIP1 presents with the potential to be a novel biomarker for tumor management and prognosis surveillance in glioma patients.

A kinase-interacting protein 1 may serve as a potential biomarker for deteriorative tumor features and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the association of A kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

METHODS

Data of 260 gastric cancer patients were retrospectively reviewed. AKIP1 expression in tumor tissue and non-cancerous tissue specimens was detected by immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitatively scored according to the staining intensity and density. Moreover, the clinicopathological features were retrieved, and disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated.

RESULTS

A kinase-interacting protein 1 expression was increased in tumor tissues compared with non-cancerous tissues (P < .001). In terms of tumor features, tumor AKIP1 high expression correlated with elevated T stage (P < .001) and raised TNM stage (P = .042), while did not correlate with pathological grade (P > .999), tumor size (P = .060), N stage (P = .180), or tumor location (P > .999). Meanwhile, tumor AKIP1 was not associated with the non-tumor features either. Kaplan-Meier curves disclosed that AKIP1 high expression patients had shorter DFS (P = .004) and OS (P = .043) compared with AKIP1 low expression patients. Univariate Cox's regression showed that AKIP1 high expression correlated with shorter DFS (P = .005, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.635) and OS (P = .046, HR = 1.519), whereas multivariate Cox's regression displayed that AKIP1 did not independently predict worse DFS (P = .172, HR = 1.276) or shorter OS (P = .433, HR = 1.183).

CONCLUSION

A kinase-interacting protein 1 may serve as a potential biomarker for deteriorative tumor features and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.

A-kinase interacting protein 1 as a potential biomarker of advanced tumor features and increased recurrence risk in papillary thyroid carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to detect the expression of A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) and explore its correlation with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients.

METHODS

A total of 245 PTC patients treated by lobectomy or thyroidectomy were analyzed in this retrospective study. AKIP1 expression in tumor and adjacent tissue (from Specimen Room of our hospital) was detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) assay and then categorized as four grades: AKIP1 low (IHC score ≤3), high+ (IHC score 4-6), high++ (IHC score 7-9), and high+++ (IHC score 10-12).

RESULTS

A-kinase interacting protein 1 low, high+, high++, and high+++ expression was 101 (41.2%), 101 (41.2%), 32 (13.1%), and 11 (4.5%) in tumor tissues, while was 173 (70.6%), 61 (24.9%), 9 (3.7%), and 2 (0.8%) in adjacent tissues. Further comparison analysis showed increased grade of AKIP1 expression in tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissue. Meanwhile, increased grade of tumor AKIP1 expression was correlated with larger tumor size, extrathyroidal invasion, increased pT stage, and higher pTNM stage. For prognosis, increased grade of tumor AKIP1 expression was correlated with shorter disease-free survival (DFS), while was not correlated with overall survival (OS). Forward stepwise multivariate Cox's regression revealed that higher tumor AKIP1 was an independent factor predicting worse DFS, but not OS.

CONCLUSION

AKIP1 is upregulated in tumor tissue, and increased tumor AKIP1 expression correlates with advanced tumor features and increased recurrence risk in PTC patients, which suggest that AKIP1 severs as a potential marker for effective supervision of PTC progression.

A-kinase interacting protein 1 high expression correlates with advanced tumor stage and poor overall survival in surgical patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma

The present study aimed to detect the A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumor tissues and adjacent tissues, and further investigate the correlation of tumor AKIP1 expression with clinicopathological features and survival profile in ccRCC patients.Totally 210 ccRCC patients who underwent resection were retrospectively reviewed, and their tumor and adjacent tissue specimens were acquired for immunohistochemical detection of AKIP1 expression. The survival data of patients were collected for overall survival (OS) assessment.AKIP1 was upregulated in ccRCC tumor tissues compared with adjacent tissues (P < .001). Tumor AKIP1 expression was positively associated with T stage (P = .019), N stage (P = .032), and TNM stage (P = .005) in ccRCC patients. According to AKIP1 expression in tumor tissues, all patients were grouped as AKIP1 low and high expression (AKIP1 high expression were further divided into AKIP1 high+, high++, and high+++ expression). OS was the lowest in the patients with AKIP1 high+++ expression, followed by those with AKIP1 high++ expression and AKIP1 high+ expression, and then patients with AKIP1 low expression (P < .001). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression exhibited tumor AKIP1 high expression (P = .017), age (>60 years) (P = .030), pathological grade (G2/G3 vs G1) (P = .037), and TNM stage (II/III vs I) (P < .001) were independent predictive factors for decreased OS in ccRCC patients.AKIP1 presents potency to be a novel biomarker for tumor progression and prognosis surveillance in ccRCC.

A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) associates with advanced overall disease condition, tumor properties, and unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE

The presented study aimed to investigate the association of A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) expression with tumor properties, liver functions, cancer markers, and overall survival (OS) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS

A total of 432 HCC patients receiving surgery were retrospectively reviewed in our study. Clinical characteristics of patients were obtained. Tumor tissue specimens of all patients were collected, and AKIP1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. OS was assessed, and the median follow-up duration was 35.0 months. AKIP1 high expression was defined as total IHC score more than 3 and was further graded as AKIP1 high+ (IHC 4-6), AKIP1 high++ (IHC 7-9), and AKIP1 high+++ (IHC 10-12).

RESULTS

About 265 (61.3%) patients presented with AKIP1 low expression and 167 (38.7%) patients had AKIP1 high expression. AKIP1 high expression correlated with higher performance status score (P = .006), largest tumor size ≥5.0 cm (P < .001), Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage B (vs stage A; P = .024), increased alpha-fetoprotein level (P = .036), and higher carbohydrate antigen 199 level (P < .001). AKIP1 high expression (P < .001) and increased AKIP1 expression grade (P < .001) both correlated with worse OS, and Cox's regression analyses revealed that AKIP1 high expression (P < .001) was an independent predictive factor for shorter OS. In subgroup analysis, AKIP1 high expression and more advanced AKIP1 expression grade associated with worse OS in both BCLC stage A subgroup patients (both P < .001) and BCLC stage B subgroup patients (both P < .001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

AKIP1 is a novel and promising biomarker for disease monitoring and prognosis in HCC patients.

Identification of A-kinase interacting protein 1 as a potential biomarker for risk and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia

Background

This study aimed to investigate the correlation of A‐kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) expression with disease risk, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods

291 de novo AML patients and 97 controls were consecutively recruited, and bone marrow samples were collected to detect AKIP1 expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction prior to initial treatment. Treatment response, event‐free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in AML patients were evaluated.

Results

A‐kinase interacting protein 1 expression was higher in AML patients than that in controls; meanwhile, receiver operating characteristic curve displayed that AKIP1 was able to distinguish AML patients from controls (area under the curve:0.772, 95%CI: 0.720‐0.823). Among AML patients, AKIP1 high expression was correlated with −7 or 7q−, monosomal karyotype, and worse risk stratification. Moreover, AKIP1 expression was negatively correlated with complete remission achievement, while no correlation of AKIP1 expression with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation achievement was observed. AKIP1 high expression was associated with shorter EFS and OS in total patients, and further subgroup analysis exhibited that AKIP1 high expression correlated with worse EFS and OS in intermediate‐risk and poor‐risk patients but not in better‐risk patients. Besides, subsequent analysis revealed that AKIP1 high expression was an independent factor predicting unfavorable EFS and OS.

Conclusion

A‐kinase interacting protein 1 has the potential to be a novel marker for assisting AML management.

A-kinase interacting protein 1, a potential biomarker associated with advanced tumor features and CXCL1/2 in prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the correlation of A-kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) with chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) and CXCL2, as well as their associations with clinical characteristics and prognosis in prostate cancer patients.

METHODS

A total of 248 eligible prostate cancer patients who underwent surgery were consecutively recruited, and tumor tissues were collected during the surgery. AKIP1, CXCL1, and CXCL2 expression in tumor tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Disease-free survival and overall survival were recorded, and the median follow-up time was 27 months.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients with AKIP1, CXCL1, and CXCL2 high expression was 56.5%, 63.7%, and 56.9%, respectively. Additionally, AKIP1 expression positively correlated with CXCL1 expression (P<0.001) and CXCL2 expression (P<0.001), and CXCL1 expression was positively associated with CXCL2 expression (P<0.001). Furthermore, AKIP1 expression positively correlated with pathological T stage (P<0.001) and pathological N stage (P=0.003). CXCL1 expression was positively associated with pathological T stage (P<0.001) and pathological N stage (P<0.001) as well. However, the CXCL2 expression only positively correlated with pathological T stage (P=0.002). Also, AKIP1 high expression correlated with worse disease-free survival (P=0.049) and OS (P=0.013), and CXCL1 high expression was associated with unfavorable disease-free survival (P=0.023) but not overall survival (P=0.052). CXCL2 expression was not correlated with disease-free survival (P=0.083) or overall survival (P=0.065). Multivariate Cox's regression disclosed that AKIP1 high expression independently predicted worse overall survival (P=0.009).

CONCLUSION

AKIP1 positively associates with CXCL1/2 and is a potential biomarker for disease monitoring as well as prognosis in prostate cancer.

TYRO3 facilitates cell growth and metastasis via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human gastric cancer cells

It has become increasingly important to identify valuable therapeutic targets to improve the prognosis of cancer patients. Although emerging evidence has suggested TYRO3 as a potential therapeutic target in various types of cancers, less is known about its role in gastric cancer (GC) development. Herein, we investigated the functional and molecular mechanisms by which TYRO3 influenced GC. TYRO3 mRNA and protein were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Other methods including stable transfection of TYRO3 into GC cells, wound healing, Transwell assays, CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, immunocytochemistry in vitro, and tumorigenesis in vivo were also conducted. Our results indicated that high levels of TYRO3 significantly correlated with clinical metastasis and poor prognoses in patients with GC. In addition, TYRO3 silencing distinctively suppressed GC cell growth, invasion, and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, TYRO3 overexpression led to the opposite effects. Mechanistic analyses revealed that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway might be involved in TYRO3-facilitated GC cell behavior. Collectively, we demonstrated that elevated TYRO3 expression contributed to GC cell growth and metastasis via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, suggesting a novel therapeutic target for GC.

Correlations of AKIP1, CXCL1 and CXCL2 expressions with clinicopathological features and survival profiles in cervical cancer patients

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of A-kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) with C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 1 and CXCL2, and their associations with clinical characteristics and prognosis in cervical cancer patients.

Methods

One hundred and fifty early-stage cervical cancer patients treated with surgical resection were reviewed and tumor tissue samples were obtained. Expression of AKIP1, CXCL1 and CXCL2 was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Data of tumor features were retrieved, and disease-free survival (DFS) as well as overall survival (OS) were calculated.

Results

AKIP1 expression was positively correlated with CXCL1 and CXCL2 expression in cervical cancer tissue (both P<0.001). AKIP1 expression was positively correlated with tumor size (P=0.040), lymph node (LYN) metastasis (P=0.034) and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P=0.021); CXCL1 expression was positively associated with tumor size (P=0.048); and CXCL2 expression was positively correlated with LYN metastasis (P=0.026). As for DFS and OS, AKIP1 high expression was correlated with worse DFS (P=0.016) and OS (P=0.007), CXCL1 high expression was associated with poor DFS (P=0.029) but not OS (P=0.118). No correlation of CXCL2 expression with DFS (P=0.141) or OS (P=0.125) was found.

Conclusions

AKIP1 positively correlates with CXCL1/CXCL2, and associates with advanced tumor features as well as unfavorable survival profiles in cervical cancer patients.

Hyperglycemia promotes Snail-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition of gastric cancer via activating ENO1 expression

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that hyperglycemia promotes tumor progression, especially the processes of migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the underlying mechanisms of GC remain unclear.

Method

Data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were used to detect the expression of glycolysis-related enzymes and EMT-related transcription factors. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection was performed to decrease ENO1 expression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot and qRT-PCR analyses were used to measure gene expression at the protein or mRNA level. CCK-8, wound-healing and Transwell assays were used to assess cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Results

Among the glycolysis-related genes, ENO1 was the most significantly upregulated in GC, and its overexpression was correlated with poor prognosis. Hyperglycemia enhanced GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. ENO1 expression was also upregulated with increasing glucose concentrations. Moreover, decreased ENO1 expression partially reversed the effect of high glucose on the GC malignant phenotype. Snail-induced EMT was promoted by hyperglycemia, and suppressed by ENO1 silencing. Moreover, ENO1 knockdown inhibited the activation of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway in GC.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that hyperglycemia induced ENO1 expression to trigger Snail-induced EMT via the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in GC.

LncRNA SNHG15: A new budding star in human cancers

OBJECTIVES

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent an important group of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with more than 200 nucleotides in length that are transcribed from the so-called genomic "dark matter." Mounting evidence has shown that lncRNAs have manifested a paramount function in the pathophysiology of human diseases, especially in the pathogenesis and progression of cancers. Despite the exponential growth in lncRNA publications, our understanding of regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs is still limited, and a lot of controversies remain in the current lncRNA knowledge.The purpose of this article is to explore the clinical significance and molecular mechanism of SNHG15 in tumors.

MATERIALS & METHODS

We have systematically searched the Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane databases. We provide an overview of current evidence concerning the functional role, mechanistic models and clinical utilities of SNHG15 in human cancers in this review.

RESULTS

Small nucleolar RNA host gene 15 (SNHG15), a novel lncRNA, is identified as a key regulator in tumorigenesis and progression of various human cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC), gastric cancer (GC), pancreatic cancer (PC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Dysregulation of SNHG15 has been revealed to be dramatically correlated with advanced clinicopathological factors and predicts poor prognosis, suggesting its potential clinical value as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA SNHG15 may serve as a prospective and novel biomarker for molecular diagnosis and therapeutics in patients with cancer.

A-kinase interacting protein 1 might serve as a novel biomarker for worse prognosis through the interaction of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1/chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 in acute myeloid leukemia

Background

This study aimed to explore the association of A‐kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) with chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand (CXCL) 1/CXCL2, and further investigate their correlation with clinical features and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.

Methods

Totally 160 de novo AML patients were recruited, and their bone marrow samples were collected before treatment for detecting the expressions of AKIP1, CXCL1, and CXCL2 by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Complete remission (CR) was assessed after induction treatment, and event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated.

Results

AKIP1 expression was positively associated with CXCL1 (P < .001) and CXCL2 expression (P < .001). AKIP1 high expression was correlated with FAB classification (P = .022), monosomal karyotype (P = .001), and poor risk stratification (P = .013), while CXCL2 high expression was associated with monosomal karyotype (P = .001). As for treatment response, AKIP1 high expression exhibited a trend to be increased in non‐CR patients compared with CR patients, while without statistical significance (P = .105). However, no correlation of CXCL1 (P = .418) or CXCL2 (P = .685) with CR achievement was observed. Most importantly, AKIP1 and CXCL1 were negatively correlated with accumulating EFS and OS (all P < .05), while CXCL2 only showed a trend to be negatively associated with accumulating EFS (P = .069) and OS (P = .055; but without statistical significance).

Conclusion

AKIP1 might serve as a novel biomarker for worse AML prognosis through the interaction of CXCL1/CXCL2.

A-kinase-interacting protein 1 facilitates growth and metastasis of gastric cancer cells via Slug-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition

A‐kinase‐interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) has previously been reported to act as a potential oncogenic protein in various cancers. The clinical significance and biological role of AKIP1 in gastric cancer (GC) is, however, still elusive. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the functional and molecular mechanism by which AKIP1 influences GC. AKIP1 mRNA and protein expressions in GC tissues were examined by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR), Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Other methods including stably transfected against AKIP1 into gastric cancer cells, wound healing, transwell assays, CCK‐8, colony formation, qRT‐PCR and Western blot in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo were also performed. The up‐regulated expression of AKIP1 in GC specimens significantly correlated with clinical metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with GC. AKIP1 knockdown markedly suppressed GC cells proliferation, invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast, AKIP1 overexpression resulted in the opposite effects. Moreover, mechanistic analyses indicated that Slug‐induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) might be responsible for AKIP1‐influenced GC cells behaviour. Our findings demonstrated that high AKIP1 expression significantly correlated with clinical metastasis and unfavourable prognosis in patients with GC. Additionally, AKIP1 promoted GC cells proliferation, migration and invasion by activating Slug‐induced EMT.