Early severe pachyonychia congenita subtype PC-K6a with a novel mutation in the KRT6A gene

Distinctions in the Management, Patient Impact, and Clinical Profiles of Pachyonychia Congenita Subtypes

Introduction

Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare dermatosis that confers lifelong physical and emotional morbidities in affected patients. However, the clinical findings, treatments, and psychosocial impact of this disease have not been adequately described. The International PC Research Registry (IPCRR), a multinational initiative to collect data on PC patients, has allowed an opportunity to distinguish the salient features of this disease. We aimed to characterize the breadth and extent of nail disease, treatments, and quality of life in PC patients, and to describe any significant differences in clinical presentation or treatment of PC subtypes.

Methods

The most recent IPCRR patient survey data consisting of an 857-response questionnaire and a 102-response addendum were analyzed in a retrospective analysis. The survey data were collected as part of a multinational, multicenter initiative and comprise the largest representative population of PC to date. Participants (survey respondents) were included in the study based on questionnaire responses and a genetic confirmation of having a PC subtype.

Results

A total of 857 survey responses were collected. Genetic variations among PC subtypes influence nail disease onset and severity of symptoms. Nail disease negatively impacts patients' emotional health, especially during the adolescent and young adult years. Nail treatment tools vary little in terms of effectiveness and acquired infection rates.

Conclusion and Discussion

Patients with different PC subtypes have distinct clinical nail presentations and psychosocial impact. Genetic testing should be used to confirm PC diagnoses. Further characterization of PC, especially the rarer subtypes, may allow for more individualized patient education.

Anti-tumour effects of Keratin 6A in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

To examine the effects of Keratin 6A (KRT6A) protein on the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of lung adenocarcinoma cells, and to analyse the relationship between the expression level of KRT6A protein and the survival prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients.

METHODS

Western Blot was used to detect the expression of KRT6A protein in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. CCK-8 experiment and colony formation assays were performed to detect the proliferation ability. Wound healing assay and transwell migration assay were conducted to detect the migration ability. Transwell invasion assay was conducted to detect the invasion ability. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of KRT6A protein in lung adenocarcinoma tissues.

RESULTS

We first found that the expression of KRT6A protein in lung adenocarcinoma cell lines was low. After overexpressed KRT6A protein in lung adenocarcinoma cells, we then found that KRT6A protein could not only inhibit the proliferation ability of lung adenocarcinoma cells but also inhibit them migration and invasion abilities. In addition, we also found that there had obvious difference in the expression of KRT6A protein in between patients. And through further analysis, we finally discovered that high expression of KRT6A protein was related to favourable prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

CONCLUSIONS

KRT6A protein inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of lung adenocarcinoma cells, and high expression of KRT6A protein is a predictor of good prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Keratin 6A gene silencing suppresses cell invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via the β‑catenin cascade

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a type of head and neck cancer. This study aimed to study the mechanisms of ectopic keratin 6A (KRT6A) in NPC. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting were performed to detect KRT6A levels in NPC cell lines (C666-1, 5-8F and SUNE-1) and a nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line (NP69, as a control). After SUNE-1 NPC cells had been silenced by KRT6A, cell viability, metastasis and invasion were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. KRT6A levels, metastasis-associated factors and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were measured using RT-qPCR and western blotting. It was demonstrated that KRT6A was upregulated in all detected NPC cells, among which KRT6A was the highest in SUNE-1 cells. In SUNE-1 cells, cell viability was inhibited at 24 and 48 h, and that cell metastasis and invasion were demonstrated to be suppressed by KRT6A silencing. Both the mRNA and protein levels of KRT6A, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, β-catenin, lymphoid enhancer binding factor 1 and T-cell specific factor 4 were reduced in the small interfering (si)KRT6A group. However, the results demonstrated that the levels of epithelial-cadherin and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were promoted in the siKRT6A group. The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by lithium chloride reversed the effect of si-KRT6A by modulating the expression of MMP-2/9 and TIMP2. It was observed that KRT6A silencing suppressed cell invasion and metastasis of NPC via the β-catenin cascade. Together these results provide important insights into a novel approach for the diagnosis and treatment of NPC.