miR-26b-5p helps in EpCAM+cancer stem cells maintenance via HSC71/HSPA8 and augments malignant features in HCC

Berbamine targets cancer stem cells and reverses cabazitaxel resistance via inhibiting IGF2BP1 and p-STAT3 in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subpopulation of tumor cells with the capability of self-renewal and drug resistance, leading to tumor progression and disease relapse. Our study aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of berbamine, extracted from berberis amurensis, on prostate CSCs.

METHODS

Sphere formation was used to collect prostate CSCs. The viability, proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis assays were used to evaluate the antitumor effect of berbamine on prostate CSCs. Prostate CSC markers were analyzed by flow cytometry and qRT-PCR. Small RNA sequencing analysis was conducted to analyse miRNAs. Exosomes were extracted using the ExoQuick-TC kit and verified by testing exosomal markers using western blot.

RESULTS

Berbamine targets prostate CSCs. Additionally, berbamine enhanced the antitumor effect of cabazitaxel, a second-line chemotherapeutic drug for advanced prostate cancer, and re-sensitized Cabazitaxel-resistant PCa cells (CabaR-DU145) to cabazitaxel by inhibiting ABCG2, CXCR4, IGF2BP1, and p-STAT3. Berbamine enhanced the expression of let-7 miRNA family and miR-26b and influenced the downstream targets IGF2BP1 and p-STAT3, respectively. Silencing CXCR4 and ABCG2 downregulated the expression of IGF2BP1 and p-STAT3, respectively. Importantly, berbamine enhanced also levels of exosomal let-7 family and miR-26b, suggesting that berbamine possibly influences the expression of let-7 family and miR-26b through exosome delivery. Exosomes derived from berbamine-treated CabaR-DU145 cells re-sensitized the cells to cabazitaxel.

CONCLUSION

Berbamine enhanced the toxic activity of cabazitaxel and reversed cabazitaxel resistance potentially through CXCR4/exosomal let-7/IGF2BP1 and ABCG2/exosomal miR-26b/p-STAT3 axes.

HSPA8 Activates Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling to Facilitate BRAF V600E Colorectal Cancer Progression by CMA-Mediated CAV1 Degradation

BRAF V600E attracts wide attention in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) as stratifying and predicting a refractory classification of CRC. Recent evidence indicates that Wnt/β-catenin signaling is broadly activated and participates in the refractoriness of BRAF V600E CRC, but the underlying molecular mechanism needs to be elucidated. Here, heat shock 70 kDa protein 8 (HSPA8), an essential regulator in chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), is identified as a potential therapeutic target for advanced BRAF V600E CRC. These results show that HSPA8 is transcriptionally upregulated in BRAF V600E CRC, which promotes CMA-dependent degradation of caveolin-1 (CAV1) to release β-catenin into the nucleus and thus activates the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, contributing to metastasis and progression of BRAF V600E CRC. Of note, HSPA8 directly interacts with the KIFSN motif on CAV1, the interaction can be enhanced by p38 MAPK-mediated CAV1 S168 phosphorylation. Furthermore, pharmacological targeting HSPA8 by VER155008 exhibits synergistic effects with BRAF inhibitors on CRC mouse models. In summary, these findings discover the important role of the HSPA8/CAV1/β-catenin axis in the development of refractory BRAF V600E CRC and highlight HSPA8 as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target in clinical practice.

Heat shock protein family A member 8 serving as a co-activator of transcriptional factor ETV4 up-regulates PHLDA2 to promote the growth of liver cancer

Heat shock protein family A member 8 (HSPA8) participates in the folding or degradation of misfolded proteins under stress and plays critical roles in cancer. In this study, we investigated the function of HSPA8 in the development of liver cancer. By analyzing the TCGA transcriptome dataset, we found that HSPA8 was upregulated in 134 clinical liver cancer tissue samples, and positively correlated with poor prognosis. IHC staining showed the nuclear and cytoplasmic localization of HSPA8 in liver cancer cells. Knockdown of HSPA8 resulted in a decrease in the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh-7 cells. ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analysis revealed that HSPA8 bound to the promoter of pleckstrin homology-like domain family A member 2 (PHLDA2) and regulated its expression. The transcription factor ETV4 in HepG2 cells activated PHLDA2 transcription. HSPA8 and ETV4 could interact with each other in the cells and colocalize in the nucleus. From a functional perspective, we demonstrated that HSPA8 upregulated PHDLA2 through the coactivating transcription factor ETV4 to enhance the growth of liver cancer in vitro and in vivo. From a therapeutic perspective, we identified both HSPA8 and PHDLA2 as novel targets in the treatment of HCC. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that HSPA8 serves as a coactivator of ETV4 and upregulates PHLDA2, leading to the growth of HCC, and is a potential therapeutic target in HCC treatment.

Long non-coding RNA GAS5 promotes cisplatin-chemosensitivity of osteosarcoma cells via microRNA-26b-5p/TP53INP1 axis

Osteosarcoma is a common malignant bone tumor. Cisplatin (DDP) achieves a high response rate in osteosarcoma. Here we aim to study the dysregulation of long non-coding RNA the growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5), and its roles in DDP-resistance of osteosarcoma. The expression of mRNA and microRNA in osteosarcoma tissues and osteosarcoma cell lines were detected by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and protein expression levels were measured by western blotting assay. Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine were used to measure cell proliferation. Flow cytometer assay was used to evaluate cell apoptosis. The interactions between miR-26b-5p and GAS5 or tumor protein p53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) were verified by dual luciferase reporter along with biotin RNA pull-down assays. GAS5 was identified to be significantly lowly expressed in osteosarcoma samples especially in cisplatin-resistant (DDP-resistant) tissues. GAS5 was also downregulated in DDP-resistant cells. Over-expressed GAS5 prominently increased the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to DDP in vitro. Furthermore, over-expression of GAS5 suppressed cell proliferation and facilitated apoptosis of DDP-resistant cells. Mechanistically, GAS5 sponged miR-26b-5p, over-expression of which reversed the effects of GAS5 on cell proliferation and apoptosis of DDP-resistant cells. In addition, miR-26b-5p targeted TP53INP1. TP53INP1 abrogated the functions of miR-26b-5p on cell proliferation and apoptosis in DDP-resistant cells. Taken together, GAS5 enhanced the sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells to DDP via GAS5/miR-26b-5p/TP53INP1 axis. Therefore, GAS5 may be a potential indicator for the management of osteosarcoma.

Systemic analysis of the prognostic significance and interaction network of miR-26b-3p in cholangiocarcinoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) reportedly play significant roles in the progression of various cancers and hold huge potential as both diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets. Given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the precise functions of several miRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), this research undertakes a comprehensive analysis of CCA data sourced from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. The present study identified a novel miRNA, specifically miR-26b-3p, which exhibited prognostic value for individuals with CCA. Notably, miR-26b-3p was upregulated within CCA samples, with an inverse correlation established with patient prognosis (Hazard Ratio = 8.19, p = 0.018). Through a combination of functional enrichment analysis, analysis of the LncRNA-miR-26b-3p-mRNA interaction network, and validation by qRT PCR and western blotting, this study uncovered the potential of miR-26b-3p in potentiating the malignant progression of CCA via regulation of essential genes (including PSMD14, XAB2, SLC4A4) implicated in processes such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and responses to misfolded proteins. Our findings introduce novel and valuable insights that position miR-26b-3p-associated genes as promising biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of CCA.

Short-term treatment with risperidone ameliorated 1,2-diacetylbenzene-induced liver dysfunction

1,2-Diacetylbenze (C10H10O2, DAB) is a potential inducer or activator of toxic mechanisms. DAB exerts high absorption by the gastrointestinal tract and high blood-brain barrier penetration. However, only the effects of DAB on the central nervous system were reported, with a dearth of evidence of DAB's effects on the liver, which is more susceptible to toxic substances. Risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic drug, has been shown to protect against DAB-induced cognitive impairment in an animal model. Risperidone was found to have little or no effect on the liver after short-term administration. The question of whether risperidone can protect against DAB-induced liver dysfunction, particularly after short-term administration, is unknown. Thus, this study aimed to assess the hepatoprotective effects of risperidone on DAB-induced liver dysfunction in male C57BL/6 mice treated with DAB 5 mg/kg for 1 week and risperidone 0.125-0.25 mg/kg for 2 weeks. After exposure to DAB 5 mg/kg for 1 week, we found that DAB induced liver damage by increasing liver function biomarkers (GGT, ALT, and AST), reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF- α), activating apoptosis (elevated Caspase-3 and Bax levels and reduced Bcl2 level), TLR4/JNK/NF-κB, Jak2/Stat5 pathways, and suppressing Jak2/Stat3 and IRS1/PI3K/AKT/MDM2 pathways. After a 2-week course of treatment, risperidone was able to lessen these effects; the higher dose (0.25 mg/kg) appeared to be more effective than the lower dose (0.125 mg/kg). To strengthen findings from in vivo analysis, in silico analysis also found three targets (Stat3, Caspase-3, AKT, IL-1β), two miRNAs (miR-26b-5p and miR-34a-5p), two transcription factors (NFKB1 and NFKB2), and numerous pathways ("AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications", "hepatitis B", "alcoholic liver disease", "apoptosis", and "liver cirrhosis") as the key molecular processes involved in the pathogenesis of DAB-induced liver damage and targeted by risperidone. The physicochemical characteristics and pharmacokinetics of DAB and risperidone also support the toxic effects of DAB and the beneficial properties of risperidone in the liver. In conclusion, these findings reflect the therapeutic effects of risperidone on DAB-induced liver dysfunction after 1 week and 2 weeks exposure to DAB and risperidone, respectively.

MAT2A inhibits the ferroptosis in osteosarcoma progression regulated by miR-26b-5p

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most frequent primary malignant bone tumor. Ferroptosis, a form of regulated cell death, is a key tumor suppression mechanism. Although methionine adenosyltransferase II alpha (MAT2A) has been reported to inhibit several tumor cells, it is unclear whether inhibition of MAT2A in OS cells can reduce ferroptosis. CCK-8, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays were performed to evaluate cell viability, cell apoptosis/cycle, and cell migration, respectively. The levels of ferrous iron and glutathione (GSH) levels in cells were measured to evaluate the degree of cell ferroptosis. Western blot analysis was performed to detect protein levels of MAT2A, p-STAT3 (Ser727)/STAT3, and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) in OS cells. MAT2A was significantly upregulated in OS specimens and high MAT2A expression was associated with a poorer prognosis in OS patients. shRNA targeting MAT2A significantly increased OS cell apoptosis, triggered cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase, and attenuated migration ability in vitro. MAT2A depletion dramatically inhibited tumor progression of OS in vivo. Overexpression of MAT2A rescued the tumor inhibition caused by miR-26b-5p. MAT2A knockdown promoted OS cell ferroptosis. miR-26b-5p/MAT2A regulates tumor malignant progression and OS cell ferroptosis by controlling p-STAT3 and SLC7A11 expressions. Taken together, our study displayed that miR-26b-5p/MAT2A triggers ferroptosis in OS cells by increasing intracellular ferrous iron levels and inhibiting the STAT3/SLC7A11 axis. Our results reveal a MAT2A-mediated ferroptosis defense mechanism used by OS cells and propose a potential ferroptosis-inducing strategy for the treatment of OS patients.

1,4,5,6,7,8‑Hexahydropyrido[4,3‑d]pyrimidine inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induces apoptosis through the upregulation of miR‑26b‑5p by targeting CDK8

1,4,5,6,7,8-Hexahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine (PPM) promotes apoptosis of HepG2 cells and serves a role in tumor suppression. However, the role of microRNA (miRNA) regulation in initiating apoptosis remains unclear. Therefore, the present study performed reverse transcription-quantitative PCR to investigate the association between PPM and miRNA, which demonstrated that PPM upregulated the expression of miR-26b-5p. Wound healing and Transwell assays showed that PPM inhibited the migration and invasion of HepG2 cells, and EdU staining experiments showed that PPM inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Transfection with miR-26b-5p inhibitor reversed the effects of PPM on HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry results showed that PPM promoted apoptosis of HepG2 cells by upregulating miRNA (miR)-26b-5p, and Western blotting results showed that PPM promoted the expression of apoptosis-associated protein Bax and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 by upregulating miR-26b-5p. Using a proteomic approach combined with bioinformatics analysis, CDK8 was identified as a potential target of miR-26b-5p and was downregulated by miR-26b-5p overexpression. However, PPM induced HepG2 cell cycle arrest without the involvement of miR-26b-5p. Western blotting results showed that PPM upregulation of miR-26b-5p suppresses NF-κB/p65 signaling pathway in HepG2 cells by targeting of CDK8. The present results suggested that miR-26b-5p may function as a target gene of PPM and may serve a role in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Role of 3-Mercaptopyruvate Sulfurtransferase (3-MST) in Physiology and Disease

3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MST) plays the important role of producing hydrogen sulfide. Conserved from bacteria to Mammalia, this enzyme is localized in mitochondria as well as the cytoplasm. 3-MST mediates the reaction of 3-mercaptopyruvate with dihydrolipoic acid and thioredoxin to produce hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is also produced through cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase, along with 3-MST, and is known to alleviate a variety of illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and neurological conditions. The importance of cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase in hydrogen sulfide biogenesis is well-described, but documentation of the 3-MST pathway is limited. This account compiles the current state of knowledge about the role of 3-MST in physiology and pathology. Attempts at targeting the 3-MST pathway for therapeutic benefit are discussed, highlighting the potential of 3-MST as a therapeutic target.

To be or not to be: The double-edged sword roles of liver progenitor cells

Given the liver's remarkable and unique regenerative capacity, researchers have long focused on liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). LPCs can differentiate into both hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. However, the mechanism underlying cell conversion and its distinct contribution to liver homeostasis and tumorigenesis remain unclear. In this review, we discuss the complicated conversions involving LPCs and LCSCs. As the critical intermediate state in malignant transformation, LPCs play double-edged sword roles. LPCs are not only involved in hepatic wound-healing responses by supplementing liver cells and bile duct cells in the damaged liver but may transform into LCSCs under dysregulation of key signaling pathways, resulting in refractory malignant liver tumors. Because LPC lineages are temporally and spatially dynamic, we discuss crucial LPC subgroups and summarize regulatory factors correlating with the trajectories of LPCs and LCSCs in the liver tumor microenvironment. This review elaborates on the double-edged sword roles of LPCs to help understand the liver's regenerative potential and tumor heterogeneity. Understanding the sources and transformations of LPCs is essential in determining how to exploit their regenerative capacity in the future.

The Effect of the Histone Chaperones HSPA8 and DEK on Tumor Immunity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Complex immune contexture leads to resistance to immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the need for new potential biomarkers of immunotherapy in HCC is urgent. Histone chaperones are vital determinants of gene expression and genome stability that regulate tumor development. This study aimed to investigate the effect of histone chaperones on tumor immunity in HCC. Bioinformatics analyses were initially performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and were validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database. Immune-related histone chaperones were screened with the Spearman rank coefficient. Consensus clustering was utilized to divide the HCC samples into two clusters. ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT and ssGSEA analyses were performed to assess immune infiltration. The expression of immunomodulatory genes, chemokines and chemokine receptors was analyzed to evaluate sensitivity to immunotherapy. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were included in weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify the hub genes. Enrichment analyses were used to investigate the functions of the hub genes. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were conducted to draw survival curves. A Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify independent risk factors affecting prognosis. HSPA8 and DEK were screened out from 36 known histone chaperones based on their strongest correlation with the ESTIMATE score. Cluster 2, with high HSPA8 expression and low DEK expression, tended to have stronger immune infiltration and better sensitivity to immunotherapy than Cluster 1, with low HSPA8 expression and high DEK expression. Furthermore, WGCNA identified 12 hub genes closely correlated with immune infiltration from the DEGs of the two clusters, of which FBLN2 was proven to be an independent protective factor of HCC patients. HSPA8 and DEK are expected to be biomarkers for precisely predicting the effect of immunotherapy, and FBLN2 is expected to be a therapeutic target of HCC.

Understanding the versatile roles and applications of EpCAM in cancers: from bench to bedside

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) functions not only in physiological processes but also participates in the development and progression of cancer. In recent decades, extensive efforts have been made to decipher the role of EpCAM in cancers. Great advances have been achieved in elucidating its structure, molecular functions, pathophysiological mechanisms, and clinical applications. Beyond its well-recognized role as a biomarker of cancer stem cells (CSCs) or circulating tumor cells (CTCs), EpCAM exhibits novel and promising value in targeted therapy. At the same time, the roles of EpCAM in cancer progression are found to be highly context-dependent and even contradictory in some cases. The versatile functional modules of EpCAM and its communication with other signaling pathways complicate the study of this molecule. In this review, we start from the structure of EpCAM and focus on communication with other signaling pathways. The impacts on the biology of cancers and the up-to-date clinical applications of EpCAM are also introduced and summarized, aiming to shed light on the translational prospects of EpCAM.

Proteomic analysis identifies potential markers in small white and small yellow follicle development in chickens

Extensive knowledge of follicular development is imperative for improving egg production in chickens. The functional role of follicles to produce oocytes (eggs) is well recognised; however, specific markers associated with follicle development have been poorly explored. Therefore, a tandem mass tag based proteomic technique was used to identify the status of the proteome of small white follicles (1-4mm) and small yellow follicles (6-8mm). Analysis of differentially expressed proteins (DEP, Fold Change>1.2, P -value<0.05) demonstrated a total of 92 proteins (n =92), of which 35 (n =35) were upregulated and 57 were downregulated. DEP were further used for gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The GO analysis found that DEP were mainly associated with the RNA metabolic process, cellular component organisation, peptide biosynthetic process and protein folding, thereby suggesting a key role in the follicle development process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment pathway analysis of the DEP substantiated the findings of GO analysis and described that DEP are involved in regulation of the cytoskeleton, carbon metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis. The validation of proteomic data through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction suggested HSPA8, HSPA2, SOD1 and FKPB3 as potential markers of small white and small yellow follicle development. This study demonstrates an understanding of proteome dynamics and represents the most comprehensive information on the entire Guangxi Ma chicken follicular proteome.

Significant correlation between HSPA4 and prognosis and immune regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-associated tumor involved in immune tolerance and evasion in the immune microenvironment. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are involved in the occurrence, progression, and immune regulation of tumors. Therefore, HSPs have been considered potential therapeutic targets. Here, we aimed to elucidate the value of HSP family A (Hsp70) member 4 (HSPA4) in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of HCC, and its relationship with immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoints. Gene mutation, DNA methylation, and the pathway involved in HCC were also analyzed.

Methods

The gene expression omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were used to compare HSPA4 expression, and the results were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples. R package was used to analyze the correlation between HSPA4 and cancer stage, and to establish receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of diagnosis, time-dependent survival ROC curve, and a nomogram model. cBioPortal and MethSurv were used to identify genetic alterations and DNA methylation, and their effect on prognosis. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) was used to analyze immune cell infiltration, immune cell biomarkers, and immune checkpoints. The STRING database was used to analyze protein-protein interaction network information. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to investigate the functions of HSPA4 and its functional partner genes.

Results

Overexpression of HSPA4 was identified in 25 cancers. Overexpression of HSPA4 considerably correlated with cancer stage and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in HCC. Patients with higher HSPA4 expression showed poorer prognosis. HSPA4 expression can accurately identify tumor from normal tissue (AUC = 0.957). The area under 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival ROCs were above 0.6. The HSPA4 genetic alteration rate was 1.3%. Among the 14 DNA methylation CpG sites, seven were related to the prognosis of HCC. HSPA4 was positively related to immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints (PD-1 and CTLA-4) in HCC. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed HSPA4 enrichment in antigen processing and presentation together with HSPA8 and HSP90AA1. We verified the value of HSPA4 in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of HCC. HSPA4 may not only participate in the occurrence and progression but also the immune regulation of HCC. Therefore, HSPA4 can be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for HCC.

Constructing the ceRNA Regulatory Network and Combining Immune Cells to Evaluate Prognosis of Colon Cancer Patients

Objective: This study was conducted in order to construct a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network to screen RNA that plays an important role in colon cancer and to construct a model to predict the prognosis of patients.

Methods: The gene expression data of colon cancer were downloaded from the TCGA database. The difference was analyzed by the R software and the ceRNA network was constructed. The survival-related RNA was screened out by combining with clinical information, and the prognosis model was established by lasso regression. CIBERSORT was used to analyze the infiltration of immune cells in colon cancer, and the differential expression of immune cells related to survival was screened out by combining clinical information. The correlation between RNA and immune cells was analyzed by lasso regression. PCR was used to verify the expression of seven RNAs in colon cancer patients with different prognoses.

Results: Two hundred and fifteen lncRNAs, 357 miRNAs, and 2,955 mRNAs were differentially expressed in colon cancer. The constructed ceRNA network contains 18 lncRNAs, 42 miRNAs, and 168 mRNAs, of which 18 RNAs are significantly related to survival. Through lasso analysis, we selected seven optimal RNA construction models. The AUC value of the model was greater than 0.7, and there was a significant difference in the survival rate between the high- and low-risk groups. Two kinds of immune cells related to the prognosis of patients were screened out. The results showed that the expression of seven RNA markers in colon cancer patients with different prognoses was basically consistent with the model analysis.

Conclusion: We have established the regulatory network of ceRNA in colon cancer, screened out seven core RNAs and two kinds of immune cells, and constructed a comprehensive prognosis model of colon cancer patients.

MicroRNA-26b-5p suppresses the proliferation of tongue squamous cell carcinoma via targeting proline rich 11 (PRR11)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proved to be involved in many biological processes during tumorigenesis and progression, including cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. However, the potential role of miR-26b-5p in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR-26b-5p was decreased in TSCC tissues in both TCGA-TSCC subset and eight paired samples from TSCC patients, while Proline Rich 11 (PRR11) was obviously increased. Transfection of miR-26b-5p mimics inhibited CALL7 cell proliferation by arresting the cells at the S/G2 transition. Meanwhile, miR-26b-5p inhibitor had the opposite biological functions. The results of luciferase activity and RNA-pulldown assays indicated that miR-26b-5p directly targeted the PRR11 3' -untranslated region in CAL27 cells. Furthermore, the effects of miR-26b-5p on cell cycle regulation were reversed after treatment with siRNA against PRR11. In summary, our findings indicate that miR-26b-5p induce cell cycle arrest in TSCC by targeting PRR11. Hence, targeting miR-26b-5p could be a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of TSCC.

Pseudogene HSPA7 is a poor prognostic biomarker in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) and correlated with immune infiltrates

Background

Pseudogenes played important roles in tumorigenesis, while there are nearly no reports about the expression and roles of HSPA7 in the cancer.

Methods

Firstly, we used Logistic regression, the KS test, the GEPIA database, UALCAN database and qRT-PCR to analyze the expression level of HSPA7 in KIRC, then we used the Cox regression and the Kaplan–Meier curve to analyze the overall survival (OS) of KIRC patients with different Clinico-pathological parameters. Thirdly, we used the multivariate Cox analysis of influencing factors to compare the correlation between the HSPA7 expression level and the clinical parameters. Finally, we used multi-GSEA analysis and the Tumor Immunoassay Resource (TIMER) database to explore the functional role of HSPA7 in KIRC

Results

The HSPA7 is highly expressed in KIRC tumor tissues, and its expression is related to clinico-pathological features and survival in KIRC patients. GSEA analysis displayed the high expression of HSPA7 in KIRC were related to several tumor-related and immune-related pathways. With the TIMER database analysis we showed that HSPA7 levels were correlated with the CD4⁺ T cells, neutrophils and Dendritic Cell.

Conclusions

Our study showed that HSPA7 is very important in the tumor progression and may act as a poor prognostic biomarker for KIRC tumor by modulating immune infiltrating cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02141-1.

Emerging Regulatory Mechanisms Involved in Liver Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant form of primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. A growing body of evidence supports the hypothesis that HCC is driven by a population of cells called liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). LCSCs have been proposed to contribute to malignant HCC progression, including promoting tumor occurrence and growth, mediating tumor metastasis, and treatment resistance, but the regulatory mechanism of LCSCs in HCC remains unclear. Understanding the signaling pathways responsible for LCSC maintenance and survival may provide opportunities to improve patient outcomes. Here, we review the current literature about the origin of LCSCs and the niche composition, describe the current evidence of signaling pathways that mediate LCSC stemness, then highlight several mechanisms that modulate LCSC properties in HCC progression, and finally, summarize the new developments in therapeutic strategies targeting LCSCs markers and regulatory pathways.

The expression profiles and prognostic values of HSP70s in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

The HSP70 family of heat shock protein plays a critical role in protein synthesis and transport to maintain protein homeostasis. Several studies have indicated that HSP70s are related to the development and occurrence of various cancers.

Methods

The relationship between the overall survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and the expression of 14 HSP70s from multiple databases, such as TCGA, ONCOMINE, cBioPortal was investigated. Western Blot and PCR were used to evaluate HSPA4 and HSPA14 expressions in various HCC cells to identify suitable cell lines for further experiments .Wound-healing assays, Transwell assays and EdU assays were used to verify the effects of HSPA4 and HSPA14 on the function of hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and statistical analysis was performed.

Results

Hepatocellular carcinoma tissues significantly expressed the 14 HSP70s compared to the normal samples. Besides, the high HSPA1A, HSPA1B, HSPA4, HSPA5, HSPA8, HSPA13, and HSPA14 expressions were inversely associated with the overall survival rate of patients, tumor grade, and cancer stage. A PPI regulatory network was constructed using the 14 HSP70s proteins with HSPA5 and HSPA8 at the network center. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that HSPA4 and HSPA14 could be independent risk factors for the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Cell experiments have also confirmed that reducing HSPA4 and HSPA14 expressions can inhibit the invasion, metastasis, and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Conclusions

Therefore, the HSP70s significantly influence the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. For instance, HSPA4 and HSPA14 can be novel therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-01987-9.

Immunological Significance of Prognostic DNA Methylation Sites in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a tumor with high morbidity and high mortality worldwide. DNA methylation, one of the most common epigenetic changes, might serve a vital regulatory role in cancer.

Methods: To identify categories based on DNA methylation data, consensus clustering was employed. The risk signature was yielded by systematic bioinformatics analyses based on the remarkably methylated CpG sites of cluster 1. Kaplan–Meier analysis, variable regression analysis, and ROC curve analysis were further conducted to validate the prognosis predictive ability of risk signature. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed for functional annotation. To uncover the context of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of HCC, we employed the ssGSEA algorithm and CIBERSORT method and performed TIMER database exploration and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. Additionally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine the LRRC41 expression and preliminarily explore the latent role of LRRC41 in prognostic prediction. Finally, mutation data were analyzed by employing the “maftools” package to delineate the tumor mutation burden (TMB).

Results: HCC samples were assigned into seven subtypes with different overall survival and methylation levels based on 5′-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3′ (CpG) sites. The risk prognostic signature including two candidate genes (LRRC41 and KIAA1429) exhibited robust prognostic predictive accuracy, which was validated in the external testing cohort. Then, the risk score was significantly correlated with the TIME and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)–related genes. Besides, a prognostic nomogram based on the risk score and clinical stage presented powerful prognostic ability. Additionally, LRRC41 with prognostic value was corroborated to be closely associated with TIME characterization in both expression and methylation levels. Subsequently, the correlation regulatory network uncovered the potential targets of LRRC41 and KIAA1429. Finally, the methylation level of KIAA1429 was correlated with gene mutation status.

Conclusion: In summary, this is the first to identify HCC samples into distinct clusters according to DNA methylation and yield the CpG-based prognostic signature and quantitative nomogram to precisely predict prognosis. And the pivotal player of DNA methylation of genes in the TIME and TMB status was explored, contributing to clinical decision-making and personalized prognosis monitoring of HCC.

MiR-452-5p mediates the proliferation, migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via targeting COLEC10

Objective: This study explored the potential function of miR-452-5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and clarified the mechanism underlying HCC progression. Materials & methods: Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect miR-452-5p and COLEC10 mRNA expression in HCC, western blot was performed to test COLEC10 protein expression. The regulatory mechanism of miR-452-5p/COLEC10 in HCC cells was explored using CCK-8, wound healing assay, Transwell and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: MiR-452-5p was greatly upregulated in HCC cells, and it served as an oncogene playing an active role in HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. COLEC10 was identified as the target of miR-452-5p in HCC attenuating the promoting effect of miR-452-5p on HCC cells upon overexpression. Conclusion: MiR-452-5p can promote the progression of HCC via targeting COLEC10.

miR-26b regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis of CD117+CD44+ ovarian cancer stem cells by targeting PTEN

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the one of the most common cancer in women globally. However, it still represents the most dangerous gynecologic malignancy even with the advances in detection and therapeutics. Thus, there is an urgent need in finding more effective therapeutic options for OC patients including cancer stem cells (CSC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, and non-coding RNAs that play critical roles in the progression of various types of tumor. Our aim of this study was to find the regulatory function of microRNA-26 (miRNA-26b) on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian CSCs. Our studies show that miR-26b is under-regulated in human CD117+CD44+ ovarian CSCs. The miR-26b overexpression inhibits the cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis. Moreover, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is found to be a functional target of miR-26b. Moreover, PTEN overexpression reversed the effects of miR-26b on the cell proliferation and apoptosis. PTEN overexpression remarkably accelerated the cell proliferation, and inhibited cell apoptosis. These results indicate that miR-26b regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis of CD117+CD44+ ovarian CSCs by targeting PTEN.>.

Quantitative Acetylomics Revealed Acetylation-Mediated Molecular Pathway Network Changes in Human Nonfunctional Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Acetylation at lysine residue in a protein mediates multiple cellular biological processes, including tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the acetylated protein profile alterations and acetylation-mediated molecular pathway changes in human nonfunctional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PitNETs). The anti-acetyl antibody-based label-free quantitative proteomics was used to analyze the acetylomes between NF-PitNETs (n = 4) and control pituitaries (n = 4). A total of 296 acetylated proteins with 517 acetylation sites was identified, and the majority of which were significantly down-acetylated in NF-PitNETs (p<0.05 or only be quantified in NF-PitNETs/controls). These acetylated proteins widely functioned in cellular biological processes and signaling pathways, including metabolism, translation, cell adhesion, and oxidative stress. The randomly selected acetylated phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), which is involved in glycolysis and amino acid biosynthesis, was further confirmed with immunoprecipitation and western blot in NF-PitNETs and control pituitaries. Among these acetylated proteins, 15 lysine residues within 14 proteins were down-acetylated and simultaneously up-ubiquitinated in NF-PitNETs to demonstrate a direct competition relationship between acetylation and ubiquitination. Moreover, the potential effect of protein acetylation alterations on NF-PitNETs invasiveness was investigated. Overlapping analysis between acetylomics data in NF-PitNETs and transcriptomics data in invasive NF-PitNETs identified 26 overlapped molecules. These overlapped molecules were mainly involved in metabolism-associated pathways, which means that acetylation-mediated metabolic reprogramming might be the molecular mechanism to affect NF-PitNET invasiveness. This study provided the first acetylomic profiling and acetylation-mediated molecular pathways in human NF-PitNETs, and offered new clues to elucidate the biological functions of protein acetylation in NF-PitNETs and discover novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of NF-PitNETs.

Recent Advances in Liver Cancer Stem Cells: Non-coding RNAs, Oncogenes and Oncoproteins

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity, relapse, metastasis and mortality rates. Although liver surgical resection, transplantation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and some molecular targeted therapeutics may prolong the survival of HCC patients to a certain degree, the curative effect is still poor, primarily because of tumor recurrence and the drug resistance of HCC cells. Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs), also known as liver tumor-initiating cells, represent one small subset of cancer cells that are responsible for disease recurrence, drug resistance and death. Therefore, understanding the regulatory mechanism of LCSCs in HCC is of vital importance. Thus, new studies that present gene regulation strategies to control LCSC differentiation and replication are under development. In this review, we provide an update on the latest advances in experimental studies on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), oncogenes and oncoproteins. All the articles addressed the crosstalk between different ncRNAs, oncogenes and oncoproteins, as well as their upstream and downstream products targeting LCSCs. In this review, we summarize three pathways, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and interleukin 6/Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL6/JAK2/STAT3) signaling pathway, and their targeting gene, c-Myc. Furthermore, we conclude that octamer 4 (OCT4) and Nanog are two important functional genes that play a pivotal role in LCSC regulation and HCC prognosis.

Role of long noncoding RNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA regulatory network in hepatocellular carcinoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that occupy over 90% of the human genome, and their main function is to directly or indirectly regulate messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and participate in the tumorigenesis and progression of malignances. In particular, some lncRNAs can interact with miRNAs as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to modulate mRNA expression. Accordingly, these RNA molecules are interrelated and coordinate to form a dynamic lncRNA-mediated ceRNA regulatory network. Mounting evidence has revealed that lncRNAs that act as ceRNAs are closely related to tumorigenesis. To date, numerous studies have established many different regulatory networks in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and perturbations in these ceRNA interactions may result in the initiation and progression of HCC. Herein, we emphasize recent advances concerning the biological function of lncRNAs as ceRNAs in HCC, with the aim of elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying these HCC-related RNA molecules and providing novel insights into the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Identification of differentially expressed genes and biological pathways in para-carcinoma tissues of HCC with different metastatic potentials

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with extensive metastasis. Changes in the tumor microenvironment provide favorable conditions for tumor metastasis. However, the role of changes to the tumor microenvironment in HCC metastasis is yet to be elucidated. The Gene Expression Omnibus expression profile GSE5093 consists of 20 noncancerous tissues surrounding HCC tissues, including 9 metastasis-inclined microenvironment samples with detectable metastases and 11 metastasis-averse microenvironment samples without detectable metastases. The present study assessed 35 HCC samples to verify the results of chip analysis. In total, 712 upregulated and 459 downregulated genes were identified, with 1,033 nodes, 7,589 edges and 10 hub genes. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in ‘cell-cell adhesion’, ‘cell proliferation’ and ‘protein binding’. The top 10 hub genes were identified via a protein-protein interaction analysis. The 3 most significant modules were identified from the protein-protein network. Moreover, an association between hub genes and patient prognosis was identified. In conclusion, these candidate genes and pathways may help elucidate the mechanisms underlying HCC metastasis and identify more options for targeted therapy.

Inhibition of NOTCH signaling pathway chemosensitizes HCC CD133+ cells to vincristine and 5-fluorouracil through upregulation of BBC3

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the poor response to the chemotherapeutic agents is partially attributed to the chemoresistance property of cancer stem cells (CSCs). NOTCH signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the chemoresistance through the maintenance of the CSCs. We observed that the NOTCH pathway was activated in HCC CD133⁺ cells treated with vincristine (VIN)¹ and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)². Therefore, we examined whether inhibition of the NOTCH can improve sensitization of HCC CD133⁺ cells to VIN and 5-FU. The Huh7 cell line was pre-incubated γ-secretase DAPT, as a NOTCH inhibitor, and then treated with IC₅₀ dose of VIN or 5-FU. The CD133⁺ cells were then isolated and analyzed for the cell viability, apoptosis, migration and spheroid formation capacities, and gene and protein expression. It was observed that pre-incubation with DAPT significantly downregulated the expression of NOTCH-related genes and led to a significant reduction in VIN- and 5-FU-CD133⁺ population. In addition, DAPT pre-incubated VIN- and 5-FU-treated-CD133⁺ cells formed fewer spheroids in 3D culture and had a lesser migration capacity in 2D culture. Importantly, DAPT enhanced the apoptosis rate of VIN- and 5-FU-treated CD133⁺ cells for 3- and 2-fold, which was correlated with the enhanced expression of pro-apoptotic BBC3 (BCL-2-binding component 3) and decreased expression of HES1 that was reported to regulate BBC3 negatively. Collectively, it was observed that NOTCH inhibition sensitized the HCC CD133⁺ cells to VIN and 5-FU through enhancing BBC3-mediated apoptosis. The results highlighted the role of NOTCH/HES1/BBC3 axis in resistance of CD133⁺ cells to VIN and 5-FU. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance in HCC CD133⁺ cells may help in designing the novel targeted therapies to chemosensitize them.

miR-26b-5p Inhibits the Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Human Papillary Thyroid Cancer in a β-Catenin-Dependent Manner

Background

miR-26b-5p is reported to be involved in the progression of multiple cancers, but its function and mechanism in human papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remain unknown. We aimed to uncover the function and mechanism of miR-26b-5p in PTC.

Methods

We performed qRT-PCR to detect the differences in miR-26b-5p expression between normal tissue and PTC. In vitro, we established cell lines stably overexpressing miR-26b-5p and investigated the function and underlying mechanism of miR-26b-5p in PTC.

Results

miR-26b-5p was downregulated in PTC compared with normal tissue. miR-26b-5p was correlated with the clinical stage. miR-26b-5p inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of PTC cell lines. We next detected EMT and proliferation markers. miR-26b-5p was shown to exert its function in a β-catenin-dependent manner.

Conclusion

Taken together, our results showed that miR-26b-5p inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT by degrading β-catenin.