NBPF4 mitigates progression in colorectal cancer through the regulation of EZH2-associated ETFA

HSK3486 Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Growth by Promoting Oxidative Stress and ATPase Inhibitory Factor 1 Activation

BACKGROUND

HSK3486 (ciprofol), a new candidate drug similar to propofol, exerts sedative and hypnotic effects through gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors; however, its potential role in colorectal cancer is currently unknown.

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HSK3486 on colorectal cancer cell proliferation.

METHODS

Imaging was performed to detect reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of target signals. The HSK3486 molecular mechanism was investigated through ATPase inhibitory factor 1 knockdown and xenograft model experiments to assess mitochondrial function in colorectal cancer cells.

RESULTS

Cell Counting Kit-8 and Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining assays showed that HSK3486 inhibited colorectal cancer cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, HSK3486 treatment increased the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X, cleaved caspase 3, and cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, whereas myeloid cell leukemia-1 and B-cell lymphoma 2 expression decreased. HSK3486 promoted mitochondrial dysfunction by inducing ATPase inhibitor factor 1 expression. Furthermore, HSK3486 promoted oxidative stress, as shown by the increase in reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase levels, along with a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels. ATPase inhibitor factor 1 small interfering RNA pretreatment dramatically increased the mitochondrial membrane potential and tumor size in a xenograft model following exposure to HSK3486.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our findings revealed that HSK3486 induces oxidative stress, resulting in colorectal cancer cell apoptosis, making it a potential candidate therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.

MiR-934 Exacerbates Malignancy of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting ZFP36

Background

In order to explore new targets for the treatment of gastric cancer (GC), we investigated the regulatory mechanism of miR-934 in the malignant phenotype of gastric cancer.

Methods

The miRNA and mRNA expressions were determined by RT-qPCR, and protein levels were quantified by western blotting assay. Malignancy of AGS cell line was evaluated by MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays. The putative binding site between miR-934 and ZFP36 was validated using luciferase reporter assay. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was used to visualize the ZFP36-positive cells in the xenograft sections. All experiments were conducted in General Surgery Laboratory of Nanjing Red Cross Hospital Jiangsu Province, China from June 2019 to June 2021.

Results

GC tissues and cell lines showed notably higher levels of miR-934. Overexpression of miR-934 promoted cell viability, migration and invasion, while inhibited cell apoptosis of GC cells. ZFP36 was predicted and verified to be the target of miR-934 and low protein levels of ZFP36 were observed in GC tissues. The ZFP36 protein expressions were suppressed by miR-934 overexpression, while were facilitated by miR-934 inhibition. Furthermore, the carcinogenic functions of miR-934 were partially reversed after ZFP36 overexpression. The results of in vivo experiments further demonstrated that miR-934 promoted tumor growth and repressed the protein expression of ZFP36.

Conclusion

miR-934 served as a tumor promoter in GC via targeting ZFP36, and ZFP36 overexpression could efficiently relieve malignant phenotypes caused by miR-934, which prompted an exploitable molecular target for GC treatment.

Circ_0036412 affects the proliferation and cell cycle of hepatocellular carcinoma via hedgehog signaling pathway

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as the most common type of liver cancer, is characterized by high recurrence and metastasis. Circular RNA (circRNA) circ_0036412 was selected for studying the underlying mechanisms of HCC.

Methods

Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot analyzed gene and protein expression. Functional experiments evaluated HCC cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle in vitro. In vivo experiments detected HCC carcinogenesis in vivo. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays evaluated the subcellular distribution. Luciferase reporter, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), DNA pulldown, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pulldown assays detected the underlying mechanisms.

Results

Circ_0036412 is overexpressed in HCC cells and features circular structure. PRDM1 activates circ_0036412 transcription to regulate the proliferation and cell cycle of HCC cells in vitro. Circ_0036412 modulates Hedgehog pathway. GLI2 propels HCC growth in vivo. Circ_0036412 up-regulates GLI2 expression by competitively binding to miR-579-3p, thus promoting the proliferation and inhibiting cell cycle arrest of HCC cells. Circ_0036412 stabilizes GLI2 expression by recruiting ELAVL1. Circ_0036412 propels the proliferation and inhibits cell cycle arrest of HCC cells in vitro through Hedgehog pathway.

Conclusions

Circ_0036412 affects the proliferation and cell cycle of HCC via Hedgehog signaling pathway. It offers an insight into the targeted therapies of HCC.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03305-x.

NBPF4 mitigates progression in colorectal cancer through the regulation of EZH2-associated ETFA

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and hence, there is a need to elucidate the molecular mechanisms contributing to the progression of CRC. In this study, we aimed at assessing the role of long non‐coding RNA NBPF4 on the tumorigenesis of CRC. Silencing or overexpression experiments were performed on HCT116 and SW260 in vitro models. BALB/c athymic female nude mice aged 5–6 weeks were used as in vivo models. To assess the relationship between NBPF4 and its regulatory RNA pull‐down assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, luciferase activity, Western blotting and qRT‐PCR were employed. Initially, we identified that NBPF4 was downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, we observed that NBPF4 decreased tumorigenesis in both in vitro and in vivo models. Additionally, we identified that ETFA was highly expressed in CRCs and was negatively associated with NBPF4. Subsequently, we identified that EZH2, a transcriptional factor, activated ETFA by enhancing the methylation of its promoter, and EZH2 was also highly regulated in CRCs. Using COAD and READ databases, we confirmed that EZH2 and ETFA were positively correlated. Furthermore, we identified NBPF4 and EZH2 were targets for ZFP36, which bound and positively regulated NBPF4. This prevented NBPF4 from binding to its negative regulator miR‐17‐3p. Our results demonstrated that NBPF4 downregulated EZH2 and stabilized itself by binding to ZFP36, thus escaping from inhibition by miR‐17‐3p, which allowed mitigation of CRC through inhibition of ETFA.