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Herreros-Pomares A, Hervás D, Bagan-Debon L, Proaño A, Garcia D, Sandoval J, Bagan J. Oral cancers preceded by proliferative verrucous leukoplakia exhibit distinctive molecular features. Oral Dis 2024; 30:1072-1083. [PMID: 36892444 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) has high rates of malignant transformation into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the clinical and evolutionary pattern of OSCC from PVL (PVL-OSCC) is more favorable than that of OSCC not preceded by PVL (OSCC). Here, we aimed to explore the pathophysiologic differences between PVL-OSCC and OSCC through transcriptomic and DNA methylation analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this case-control study, oral biopsies from 8 PVL-OSCC and 10 OSCC patients were obtained for global sequencing using RNAseq and a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis via the Infinium EPIC Platform (graphical abstract). RESULTS One hundred and thirty-three differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected, 94 of them upregulated in OSCC. Most of these genes were previously described in cancer and associated with prognosis. The integrative analysis revealed 26 DEGs, corresponding to 37 CpGs, whose promoters were regulated by DNA methylation. Twenty-nine of the CpGs were found as hypermethylated in PVL-OSCC. Only 5 of the genes that were aberrantly methylated and differentially expressed were upregulated in PVL-OSCC patients, whereas 21 were underexpressed. CONCLUSIONS PVL-OSCC patients presented lower expression of cancer-related genes. Hypermethylation of the promoter region of many genes was also noticed, indicating that DNA methylation could be a regulatory mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Herreros-Pomares
- Department of Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Hervás
- Departamento de Estadística e Investigación Operativa Aplicadas y Calidad, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Leticia Bagan-Debon
- Medicina Oral Unit, Stomatology Department, Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alex Proaño
- Medicina Oral Unit, Stomatology Department, Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diana Garcia
- Epigenomics Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Sandoval
- Epigenomics Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
- Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jose Bagan
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain
- Medicina Oral Unit, Stomatology Department, Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Precancer and oral cancer research group of Valencia University, Valencia, Spain
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Chen D, Wu J, Qiu X, Luo S, Huang S, Wei E, Qin M, Huang J, Liu S. SPHK1 potentiates colorectal cancer progression and metastasis via regulating autophagy mediated by TRAF6-induced ULK1 ubiquitination. Cancer Gene Ther 2024; 31:410-419. [PMID: 38135696 PMCID: PMC10940154 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-023-00711-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
A sphingolipid metabolite regulator, sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1), plays a critical role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Studies have demonstrated that invasion and metastasis of CRC are promoted by SPHK1-driven autophagy. However, the exact mechanism of SPHK1 drives autophagy to promote tumor progression remains unclear. Here, immunohistochemical detection showed the expression of SPHK1 and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6 (TRAF6) in human CRC tissues was stronger than in adjacent normal tissues, they were both associated with distance metastasis. It was discovered that knockdown of SPHK1 reduced the expression of TRAF6, inhibited autophagy, and inhibited the growth and metastasis of CRC cells in vitro. Moreover, the effects of SPHK1-downregulating were reversed by overexpression of TRAF6 in CRC cells transfected by double-gene. Overexpression of SPHK1 and TRAF6 promoted the expression of autophagy protein LC3 and Vimentin, while downregulated the expression of autophagy protein P62 and E-cadherin. The expression of autophagy-related ubiquitination protein ULK1 and Ubiquitin protein were significantly upregulated in TRAF6-overexpressed CRC cells. In addition, autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3MA) significantly inhibited the metastasis-promoting effect of SPHK1 and TRAF6, suppressed the expression of LC3 and Vimentin, and promoted the expression of P62 and E-cadherin, in CRC cells. Immunofluorescence staining showed SPHK1 and TRAF6 were co-localized in HT29 CRC cell membrane and cytoplasm. Immunoprecipitation detection showed SPHK1 was efficiently combined with the endogenous TRAF6, and the interaction was also detected reciprocally. Additionally, proteasome inhibitor MG132 treatment upregulated the expression of TRAF6 and the level of Ubiquitin protein, in SPHK1-downregulating CRC cells. These results reveal that SPHK1 potentiates CRC progression and metastasis via regulating autophagy mediated by TRAF6-induced ULK1 ubiquitination. SPHK1-TRAF6-ULK1 signaling axis is critical to the progression of CRC and provides a new strategy for the therapeutic control of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Jiangni Wu
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Xinze Qiu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Shibo Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Shanpei Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Erdan Wei
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Mengbin Qin
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Jiean Huang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Shiquan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China.
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Fan X, Yang X, Guo N, Gao X, Zhao Y. Development of an endoplasmic reticulum stress-related signature with potential implications in prognosis and immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Diagn Pathol 2023; 18:51. [PMID: 37087456 PMCID: PMC10122290 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-023-01338-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a multisite malignancy that responds well to immunotherapy. Despite the initial enthusiasm, the clinical benefits of immunotherapy in HNSCC patients are overall limited. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has been indicated to play a key role in the process of anti-tumor immune response mediation. However, ERS-related biomarkers which can accurately predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in HNSCC are still lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we identify and validate an ERS-related signature comprises of six genes (ASNS, EXOSC6, BAK1, TPP1, EXOSC8, and TATDN2) that can predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients. GSEA analysis indicates that the ERS-related signature is significantly correlated with tumor immunity in HNSCC. Moreover, the infiltration of naive B cells and CD8 + T cells are significantly diminished in patients with high-risk scores compared to those with low-risk scores, while macrophages and activated mast cells are remarkably enhanced. Furthermore, the ERS-related signature also displays a tremendous potential for predicting immunotherapy response in HNSCC. CONCLUSIONS Our study identifies an ERS-related signature that can predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients and highlights its potential value as a predictive biomarker of immunotherapy response, potentially enabling more precise and personalized immunotherapy response and paving the way for further investigation of the prognostic and therapeutic potentials of ERS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlong Fan
- Second Ward of Head & Neck Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, No.44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, 110042, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, P R China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Second Ward of Head & Neck Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, No.44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, 110042, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, P R China
| | - Nan Guo
- Second Ward of Head & Neck Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, No.44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, 110042, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, P R China
| | - Xin Gao
- Second Ward of Head & Neck Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, No.44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, 110042, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, P R China
| | - Yuejiao Zhao
- Second Ward of Head & Neck Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, No.44 Xiaoheyan Road, Dadong District, 110042, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, P R China.
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Zhang J, Ma C, Qin H, Wang Z, Zhu C, Liu X, Hao X, Liu J, Li L, Cai Z. Construction and validation of a metabolic-related genes prognostic model for oral squamous cell carcinoma based on bioinformatics. BMC Med Genomics 2022; 15:269. [PMID: 36566175 PMCID: PMC9789624 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-022-01417-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for a frequently-occurring head and neck cancer, which is characterized by high rates of morbidity and mortality. Metabolism-related genes (MRGs) show close association with OSCC development, metastasis and progression, so we constructed an MRGs-based OSCC prognosis model for evaluating OSCC prognostic outcome. METHODS This work obtained gene expression profile as well as the relevant clinical information from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, determined the MRGs related to OSCC by difference analysis, screened the prognosis-related MRGs by performing univariate Cox analysis, and used such identified MRGs for constructing the OSCC prognosis prediction model through Lasso-Cox regression. Besides, we validated the model with the GSE41613 dataset based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. RESULTS The present work screened 317 differentially expressed MRGs from the database, identified 12 OSCC prognostic MRGs through univariate Cox regression, and then established a clinical prognostic model composed of 11 MRGs by Lasso-Cox analysis. Based on the optimal risk score threshold, cases were classified as low- or high-risk group. As suggested by Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis, survival rate was obviously different between the two groups in the TCGA training set (P < 0.001). According to subsequent univariate and multivariate Cox regression, risk score served as the factor to predict prognosis relative to additional clinical features (P < 0.001). Besides, area under ROC curve (AUC) values for patient survival at 1, 3 and 5 years were determined as 0.63, 0.70, and 0.76, separately, indicating that the prognostic model has good predictive accuracy. Then, we validated this clinical prognostic model using GSE41613. To enhance our model prediction accuracy, age, gender, risk score together with TNM stage were incorporated in a nomogram. As indicated by results of ROC curve and calibration curve analyses, the as-constructed nomogram had enhanced prediction accuracy compared with clinicopathological features alone, besides, combining clinicopathological characteristics with risk score contributed to predicting patient prognosis and guiding clinical decision-making. CONCLUSION In this study, 11 MRGs prognostic models based on TCGA database showed superior predictive performance and had a certain clinical application prospect in guiding individualized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingfei Zhang
- grid.440653.00000 0000 9588 091XDepartment of Stomatology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264000 Shandong China
| | - Chenxi Ma
- grid.27255.370000 0004 1761 1174Department of Human Microbiome, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong University, Jinan, 250000 Shandong China
| | - Han Qin
- grid.440653.00000 0000 9588 091XDepartment of Stomatology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264000 Shandong China
| | - Zhi Wang
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Chao Zhu
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Xiujuan Liu
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Xiuyan Hao
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Jinghua Liu
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Minimally Invasive Institute of Digestive Surgery and Prof. Cai’s Laboratory, Linyi People’s Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 264000 Shandong China
| | - Ling Li
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Zhen Cai
- grid.415946.b0000 0004 7434 8069Department of Stomatology, Linyi People’s Hospital, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
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Zhang J, Zhao J, Wei S, Huang P, Tu X, Su G, Gan Y, Gong W, Xiang B. Developing and Validating an Autophagy Gene-Set-Based Prognostic Signature in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:8399-8415. [DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s388592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Gou Q, Zheng LL, Huang H. Unravelling the roles of Autophagy in OSCC: A renewed perspective from mechanisms to potential applications. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:994643. [PMID: 36263139 PMCID: PMC9574005 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.994643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with a low survival rate and a high disability rate, making it a serious health burden, particularly in Southeast Asian countries. Therefore, improvements in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis prediction of OSCC are highly warranted. Autophagy has a significant impact on cancer development. Studies on autophagy in various human cancers have made outstanding contributions; however, the relationship between autophagy and OSCC remains to be explored. This review highlights the roles of autophagy in OSCC and discusses the relationship between autophagy and Epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Considering the lack of OSCC biomarkers, we focus on the studies involving OSCC-related bioinformatics analysis and molecular targets. Based on some classical targets, we summarize several key autophagy-related biomarkers with a considerable potential for clinical application, which may become the hotspot of OSCC research. In conclusion, we elaborate on the interrelationship between autophagy and OSCC and highlight the shortcomings of current studies to provide insights into the potential clinical strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiutong Gou
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Ling-Li Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling-Li Zheng, ; Haixia Huang,
| | - Haixia Huang
- Luzhou Key Laboratory of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, The Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ling-Li Zheng, ; Haixia Huang,
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Fu H, Zhao D, Sun L, Huang Y, Ma X. Identification of autophagy-related biomarker and analysis of immune infiltrates in oral carcinoma. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24417. [PMID: 35421271 PMCID: PMC9102594 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autophagy plays a vital role in the progression of the tumor. We aimed to investigate the expression, prognostic value, and immune infiltration of autophagy‐related genes in oral carcinoma via bioinformatics analysis. Methods The microarray datasets (GSE146483 and GSE23558) of oral carcinoma were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and diseased groups were identified by the Limma package. The screened autophagy‐related gene was further validated by the human protein atlas (HPA) database, TCGA database, and GSE78060 dataset. Results A total of 18 upregulated (top 10: EGFR, TNF, FADD, AURKA, E2F1, CHEK1, BRCA1, BIRC5, EIF2AK2, and CSF2) and 31 downregulated (top 10: MAP1LC3A, PARK2, AGT, IGF1, TP53INP1, CXCL12, IKBKB, SESN1, ULK2, and RRAGD) autophagy‐related (DEGs) were identified, and FADD was found to be related to the prognosis of oral cancer patients. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that FADD‐associated genes were significantly enriched in immune‐related pathways. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that FADD expression was associated with immune infiltrates. Upregulation of FADD is associated with poor survival and immune infiltrates in oral cancer. Conclusion We speculated that FADD is involved in the immune regulation of oral cancer, as well as autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghai Fu
- Department of Oral and Maxiillofacial Surgery, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, P.R. China
| | - Dianguo Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, P.R. China
| | - Legang Sun
- Department of Oral and Maxiillofacial Surgery, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yumei Huang
- Department of Prosthodontics, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xiangrui Ma
- Department of Oral and Maxiillofacial Surgery, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, P.R. China
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Lu L, Zhang P, Cao X, Guan M. Prognosis and Characterization of Immune Microenvironment in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma through a Pyroptosis-Related Signature. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:1539659. [PMID: 35432539 PMCID: PMC9007648 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1539659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Pyroptosis, as a novel identified programmed cell death, is closely correlated with tumor immunity and shows potential roles in cancer treatment. Discerning a pyroptosis-related gene signature and its correlations with tumor immune microenvironment is critical in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Transcriptome data and corresponding clinical data were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) data were obtained from TCGA database. Firstly, univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses were used to construct a six pyroptosis-related gene signature. Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and principal component analysis (PCA) results verified that the risk model has good performance in predicting the survival. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that the pyroptosis-related gene signature was immune related. Finally, the immune landscape and immunotherapy sensitivity prediction capabilities of the risk model were further explored. There were close correlations between the overall survival (OS) and various immune cells and immune functions. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) showed that high risk group had decreased expression of various immune cells and lower activities of immune functions. Meanwhile, tumor mutation burden (TMB) data combining risk score could well predict the OS of HNSCC patients. However, tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) analysis revealed that there was no significant difference in the sensitivity to immunotherapies between high and low risk groups. Finally, a nomogram based on risk score and clinicopathological parameters was constructed. And, the risk model demonstrated better sensitivity and specificity than TIDE scores and T-cell-inflamed signature (TIS). In conclusion, although the risk model could not well predict the immune escape and response to immunotherapies, the signature established by pyroptosis-related genes, with better sensitivity and specificity than TIDE scores and TIS signature, could be used for predicting prognosis and immune status of HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Lu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China
| | - Peiling Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China
| | - Xiaofei Cao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China
| | - Mingmei Guan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510180, China
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Zhang MY, Huo C, Liu JY, Shi ZE, Zhang WD, Qu JJ, Yue YL, Qu YQ. Identification of a Five Autophagy Subtype-Related Gene Expression Pattern for Improving the Prognosis of Lung Adenocarcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:756911. [PMID: 34869345 PMCID: PMC8636677 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.756911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Autophagy plays an important role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In this study, we aimed to explore the autophagy-related gene (ARG) expression pattern and to identify promising autophagy-related biomarkers to improve the prognosis of LUAD. Methods: The gene expression profiles and clinical information of LUAD patients were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and validation cohort information was extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The Human Autophagy Database (HADb) was used to extract ARGs. Gene expression data were analyzed using the limma package and visualized using the ggplot2 package as well as the pheatmap package in R software. Functional enrichment analysis was also performed for the differentially expressed ARGs (DEARGs). Then, consensus clustering revealed autophagy-related tumor subtypes, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened according to the subtypes. Next, the univariate Cox and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent prognostic ARGs. After overlapping DEGs and the independent prognostic ARGs, the predictive risk model was established and validated. Correlation analyses between ARGs and clinicopathological variables were also explored. Finally, the TIMER and TISIDB databases were used to further explore the correlation analysis between immune cell infiltration levels and the risk score as well as clinicopathological variables in the predictive risk model. Results: A total of 222 genes from the HADb were identified as ARGs, and 28 of the 222 genes were pooled as DEARGs. The most significant GO term was autophagy (p = 3.05E-07), and KEGG analysis results indicated that 28 DEARGs were significantly enriched in the ErbB signaling pathway (p < 0.001). Then, consensus clustering analysis divided the LUAD into two clusters, and a total of 168 DEGs were identified according to cluster subtypes. Then univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to identify 12 genes that could serve as independent prognostic indicators. After overlapping 168 DEGs and 12 genes, 10 genes (ATG4A, BAK1, CAPNS1, CCR2, CTSD, EIF2AK3, ITGB1, MBTPS2, SPHK1, ST13) were selected for the further exploration of the prognostic pattern. Survival analysis results indicated that this risk model identified the prognosis (p = 4.379E-10). Combined with the correlation analysis results between ARGs and clinicopathological variables, five ARGs were screened as prognostic genes. Among them, SPHK1 expression levels were positively correlated with CD4+ T cells and dendritic cell infiltration levels. Conclusions: In this study, we constructed a predictive risk model and identified a five autophagy subtype-related gene expression pattern to improve the prognosis of LUAD. Understanding the subtypes of LUAD is helpful to accurately characterize the LUAD and develop personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yu Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Chen Huo
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Jian-Yu Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Zhuang-E Shi
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Wen-Di Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Jia-Jia Qu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Yue-Liang Yue
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
| | - Yi-Qing Qu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Diseases, Jinan, China
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The two faces of autophagy in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Arch Oral Biol 2021; 134:105321. [PMID: 34923284 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To undertake a comprehensive review of the current knowledge and understanding of autophagy in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), focusing on putative roles in tumour suppression and survival along with the influence of this cell death pathway on the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic treatment. DESIGN Several well utilised databases (PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar) were searched for the relevant literature using terms and keywords including but not limited too; autophagy and cancer, autophagy and OSCC, tumour survival, autophagy and oral microbiome, autophagy immunogenicity, OSCC chemoresistance. RESULTS Up-regulation of autophagy has been shown to promote tumour cell survival in the tumour microenvironment while in healthy cells, autophagy induction acts to prevent severe DNA mutations that can lead to cancer. Cancers utilise the autophagy pathway to promote survival during the stress of chemotherapeutic treatment and can induce resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs CONCLUSION: The ambiguous role of autophagy within cancers is still problematic in clinical fields. Within OSCC understanding whether autophagy plays a preventive or causative role is essential and may be beneficial in determining how modulation of this pathway may impact on OSSC and oral cancer patients.
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Development and Validation of an Autophagy-Related Signature for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:1028158. [PMID: 34423028 PMCID: PMC8373491 DOI: 10.1155/2021/1028158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction HNSCC is the sixth most frequent type of malignant carcinoma with a low prognosis rate. In addition, autophagy is important in cancer development and progression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential significance of ARGs in the diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC. Materials and Methods Expression data and clinical information of HNSCC samples were collected from the TCGA database, and a list of ARGs was obtained from the MSigDB. Then, we used R software to perform differential expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis. Further analysis was also performed to find out the survival-related ARGs in HNSCC, and two prognosis-related ARGs, FADD and NKX2-3, were selected to construct a prognosis prediction model. Moreover, some methods were applied to validate the prognosis prediction model. Finally, we used cell lines and clinical tissue samples of HNSCC to analyze the importance of FADD and NKX2-3. Results We screened a total of 38 differentially expressed ARGs, and enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in autophagy. Then, we selected FADD and NKX2-3 to construct a prognosis model and the risk score calculated by the model was proved to be effective in predicting the survival of HNSCC patients. Additionally, significant differences of the clinicopathological parameters could also be observed in the risk scores and the expression of NKX2-3 and FADD. The expression of FADD and NKX2-3 in cell lines and HNSCC tissue samples also showed the same trends. Conclusions ARGs may be a potential biomarker for HNSCC prognosis, and targeted therapies for FADD and NKX2-3 are possible to be a new strategy of HNSCC treatment.
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Huang L, Yu X, Jiang Z, Zeng P. Novel Autophagy-Related Gene Signature Investigation for Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2021; 12:673319. [PMID: 34220946 PMCID: PMC8248343 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.673319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The correlation between autophagy defects and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been previously studied, but only based on a limited number of autophagy-related genes in cell lines or animal models. The aim of the present study was to analyze differentially expressed autophagy-related genes through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to explore enriched pathways and potential biological function. Based on TCGA database, a signature composed of four autophagy-related genes (CDKN2A, NKX2-3, NRG3, and FADD) was established by using multivariate Cox regression models and two Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were applied for external validation. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to study the function of autophagy-related genes and their pathways. The most significant GO and KEGG pathways were enriched in several key pathways that were related to the progression of autophagy and OSCC. Furthermore, a prognostic risk score was constructed based on the four genes; patients were then divided into two groups (i.e., high risk and low risk) in terms of the median of risk score. Prognosis of the two groups and results showed that patients at the low-risk group had a much better prognosis than those at the high-risk group, regardless of whether they were in the training datasets or validation datasets. Multivariate Cox regression results indicated that the risk score of the autophagy-related gene signatures could greatly predict the prognosis of patients after controlling for several clinical covariates. The findings of the present study revealed that autophagy-related gene signatures play an important role in OSCC and are potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Huang
- Department of Biostatistics, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinghao Yu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhou Jiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ping Zeng
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China.,Center for Medical Statistics and Data Analysis, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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Lv T, Liu H, Wu Y, Huang W. Knockdown of lncRNA DLEU1 inhibits the tumorigenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma via regulation of miR‑149‑5p/CDK6 axis. Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:447. [PMID: 33880596 PMCID: PMC8060799 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequent malignant tumor worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to play key roles in different types of cancer, including OSCC. It was previously reported that lncRNA deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 1 (DLEU1) is notably upregulated in OSCC; however, the role of DLEU1 in OSCC remains unclear. Gene and protein expression levels in OSCC cells were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively, in the present study. A Transwell assay was performed to measure cell migration and invasion. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to confirm the interaction between DLEU1, microRNA (miR)-149-5p and CDK6 in OSCC cells. DLEU1 expression was negatively associated with the survival rate of patients with OSCC. In addition, silencing of DLEU1 notably inhibited the proliferation of OSCC cells by inducing apoptosis. Meanwhile, DLEU1 directly bound to miR-149-5p, and CDK6 was found to be the direct target of miR-149-5p. Furthermore, DLEU1 knockdown-induced inhibition of OSCC cell proliferation was significantly reversed by the miR-149-5p antagomir. Knockdown of lncRNA DLEU1 reversed the proliferation of OSCC cells via regulation of the miR-149-5p/CDK6 axis. Thus, DLEU1 may serve as a novel target for treating OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianzhu Lv
- Department of Emergency General, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, P.R. China
| | - Hongjing Liu
- Department of Emergency General, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, P.R. China
| | - Yadong Wu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, P.R. China
| | - Wentao Huang
- Department of Basic Stomatology, School of Savaid Stomatology, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
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Chen W, Zhang W, Zhou T, Cai J, Yu Z, Wu Z. A Newly Defined Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature for the Prognosis of Bladder Cancer. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:8109-8120. [PMID: 34803395 PMCID: PMC8594790 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s337735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bladder cancer (BC), as the most common urinary system tumor type and the main cause of tumor-related death, has an unsatisfactory prognosis. In recent years, related literature has proposed that cell pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death. However, in BC, the relationship between the expression of pyroptosis-related genes and the prognosis has not been elucidated. METHODS We got the RNA sequencing data from TCGA and GEO datasets. Fifty-two pyroptosis-related genes were extracted for further explore. Then, we compared the gene expression levels between the normal bladder and BC tissues. After that, we develop and validate a pyroptosis-related gene prognostic model and made following functional enrichment analysis and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes between the high- and low-risk groups. RESULTS Twenty-nine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found between normal and tumor tissues. Based on the median score calculated by the risk score formula from 8 pyroptosis-related genes, 414 patients were equally divided into low- and high-risk subgroups. The survival probability of BC patients in the high-risk group was significantly lower than that in the low-risk group (P < 0.001). Through multivariate analysis, our risk score is an independent factor predicting OS in BC patients. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis show that high-risk populations are rich in immune-related genes and have a decreased immune status. All the above results have been externally verified from GEO cohort. CONCLUSION Pyroptosis-related genes are closely related to tumor immunity and are a potential prognostic tool for predicting BCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weikang Chen
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenhao Zhang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Urology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tao Zhou
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jian Cai
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhixian Yu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Zhixian Yu; Zhigang Wu Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 2, Fuxue Road Lucheng District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China Email ;
| | - Zhigang Wu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, People’s Republic of China
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