KIF23 Promotes Gastric Cancer by Stimulating Cell Proliferation

Epithelial cell proliferation index in patients with atrophic gastritis depending on the presence of complete or incomplete intestinal metaplasia in the gastric antrum

Introduction. There is a debate about the significance of intestinal metaplasia (IM) subtypes for the development of gastric cancer. Therefore, determining the indicators of cellular renewal in individuals with complete and incomplete IM is certainly a topical issue.

Aim. To study the proliferative activity of epithelial cells of the gastric antrum in patients with Helicobacter pylori-positive antral atrophic gastritis depending on the subtype of IM.

Materials and methods. The study included 20 people with chronic antral non-atrophic gastritis (CNG; group A), 20 patients with chronic antral atrophic gastritis (CAG) without IM (group B), 20 patients with CAG with complete IM (group C) and 20 people with CAG with incomplete IM (group D). The stage of chronic gastritis was assessed by the morphological method in accordance with the modified Sydney classification. Typing of IM foci in the gastric mucosa was performed using the PAS reaction. Proliferation activity was studied by the expression of nuclear protein Ki67 using immunohistochemistry.

Results. The proliferation index in the foci of complete BM in group C was 5%, and in group D in the foci of incomplete BM the Ki67 expression index was significantly higher and was 39% (p < 0.001). Outside the foci of metaplasia, the proliferation index was 23.5% in group C and 19% in group D (p = 0.06).

Conclusion. We have registered significantly higher proliferation indicators of gastric epithelial cells in foci with incomplete IM compared to foci with complete IM. Determination of proliferation indicators in foci of incomplete intestinal metaplasia may be a marker of an increased risk of developing gastric cancer.

KIF23 promotes cervical cancer progression via inhibiting NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer (CC), closely linked to persistent human papillomavirus infection, represents a major health problem for women worldwide. The objective of this study is to elucidate KIF23's role in the development of CC and its regulatory mechanism.

METHODS

The bioinformatics methods were utilized to extract pyroptosis-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pivot genes from the GSE9750 and GSE63678 datasets, followed by immune infiltration analysis and quantification of these genes' expression. The effects of kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) were verified through functional experiments in vitro and a mouse xenograft model. The NLPR3 activator, nigericin, was applied for further analyzing the potential regulatory mechanism of KIF23 in CC.

RESULTS

A total of 8 pyroptosis-related DEGs were screened out, among which 4 candidate core genes were identified as candidate hub genes and confirmed upregulation in CC tissues and cells. These genes respectively showed a positive correlation with the infiltration of distinct immune cells or tumor purity. Downregulation of KIF23 could suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities in CC cells and tumorigenesis through enhancing pyroptosis. Conversely, KIF23 overexpression accelerated the malignant phenotypes of CC cells and inhibited pyroptosis activation, which was blocked by nigericin treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

KIF23 may play an oncogenic role in CC progression via inhibition of the NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis pathway.

Cucurbitacin B Inhibits the Malignancy of Esophageal Carcinoma through the KIF20A/JAK/STAT3 Signaling Pathway

This study intends to explore the effects of Cucurbitacin B (CuB) and KIF20A on esophageal carcinoma (ESCA). Data were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression properties of KIF20A have been confirmed by GEPIA and ualcan from TCGA. The expression of KIF20A was determined using western blotting in ECA109 and KYSE150 cells after transfection with KIF20A, KIF20A siRNA, or numerical control siRNA (si-NC). Then, different concentrations of CuB were used to treat ECA109 and KYSE150 cells. CCK-8 and colony formation assays were used to measure cell viability, and a Transwell assay was utilized to assess cell migration and invasion ability. N-cadherin, E-cadherin, snail, p-Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), JAK2, p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and STAT3 expression levels were evaluated using western blot. KIF20A was higher expressed in ESCA than in normal cells, and its overexpression was associated with squamous cell carcinoma, TNM stage, and lymph nodal metastasis of ESCA patients. In ECA109 and KYSE150 cells, increased KIF20A facilitated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas the knockdown of KIF20A can reverse these effects with N-cadherin. Snail expression diminished and E-cadherin increased. Similarly, CuB treatment could inhibit cell proliferation, migration, and invasion concentration dependently. Furthermore, KIF20A accelerated the expression of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, while the application of CuB inhibited KIF20A expression and attenuated the activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. These findings revealed that CuB could inhibit the growth, migration, and invasion of ESCA through downregulating the KIF20A/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway, and CuB could serve as an essential medicine for therapeutic intervention.

Unravelling hub genes as potential therapeutic targets in lung cancer using integrated transcriptomic meta-analysis and in silico approach

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Smoking has been identified as the main contributing cause of the disease's development. The study aimed to identify the key genes in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the two major types of LC. Meta-analysis was performed with two datasets GSE74706 and GSE149507 obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Both the datasets comprised samples from cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Initially, 633 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. To understand the underlying molecular mechanism of the identified genes, pathway enrichment, gene ontology (GO) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses were done. A total of 9 hub genes were identified which were subjected to mutation study analysis in LC patients using cBioPortal. These   9 genes (i.e. AURKA, AURKB, KIF23, RACGAP1, KIF2C, KIF20A, CENPE, TPX2 and PRC1) have shown overexpression in LC patients and can be explored as potential candidates for prognostic biomarkers. TPX2 reported a maximum mutation of 4 % . This was followed with high throughput screening and docking analysis to identify the potential drug candidates following competitive inhibition of the AURKA-TPX2 complex. Four compounds, CHEMBL431482, CHEMBL2263042, CHEMBL2385714, and CHEMBL1206617 were identified. The results signify that the selected 9 genes can be explored as biomarkers in disease prognosis and targeted therapy. Also, the identified 4 compounds can be further analyzed as promising therapeutic candidates.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

KIFC3 Regulates the progression and metastasis of gastric cancer via Notch1 pathway

INTRODUCTION

KIFC3 is a member of the kinesin family which has shown great promise in cancer therapy recently. In this study, we sought to elucidate the role of KIFC3 in the development of GC and its possible mechanisms.

METHODS

Two databases and a tissue microarray were used to explore the expression of KIFC3 and its correlation with patients' clinicopathological characteristics. Cell proliferation was examined by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were performed to examine cell metastasis ability. EMT and Notch signaling related proteins were detected by western blot. Additionally, a xenograft tumor model was established to investigate the function of KIFC3 in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of KIFC3 was upregulated in GC, and was associated with higher T stage and poor prognosis in GC patients. The proliferation and metastasis ability of GC cells were promoted by KIFC3 overexpression while inhibited by KIFC3 knockdown in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, KIFC3 might activate the Notch1 pathway to facilitate the progression of GC, and DAPT, an inhibitor of Notch signaling, could reverse this effect.

CONCLUSION

Together, our data revealed that KIFC3 could enhance the progression and metastasis of GC by activating the Notch1 pathway.

Diagnostic biomarker KIF23 is associated with immune infiltration and immunotherapy response in gastric cancer

Kinesin family member 23 (KIF23), an index of tumor proliferation, can serve as a prognostic marker in numerous tumors. However, the relationship between KIF23 expression and diagnostic value, immune infiltration, and immunotherapy response remains unclear in gastric cancer(GC). We primarily demonstrated that GC tissue had higher levels of KIF23 expression than the adjacent normal tissue on mRNA and protein levels. The ROC analysis revealed KIF23 had an outstanding diagnostic value of GC in the training and validation set (AUC = 0.958, and AUC = 0.86793, respectively). We discovered that KIF23 was positively associated with age, histological type, and H. pylori infection of GC. Subsequently, the KIF23 expression level was correlated with the gene mutation, function enrichment, immune cell infiltration, and immune cell marker of GC based on multiple online websites and R software. KIF23 expression was related to the infiltration of CD8+ T cells, CD4+T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells in GC. Especially, KIF23 expression was positively significantly associated with the Th1 cell marker STAT1 (Signal transducer and activator of transcription 1). Patients with high KIF23 expression exhibited greater immune cell infiltrates, including T cell CD4+ memory helper, Treg, and M1 cells, which indicated that high KIF23 expression is more conducive to immunosuppression. Finally, KIF23 expression had a positive relationship with TMB and MSI, and affected the immune microenvironment in GC tissues by increased expression of ICPs such as CD274(PD-L1), CTLA4, HAVCR2, and LAG3. Our study uncovered that KIF23 can serve as an immune-related biomarker for diagnosis and immunotherapy response of GC.

Kinesin family member 23 knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in esophageal carcinoma by inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) serves as a tumor-promoting gene with prognostic values in various tumors. However, the role of KIF23 in esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) progression is largely unknown. The overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE12452, GSE17351, and GSE20347 datasets were identified via GEO2R tool and Venn diagram software. KIF23 expression was analyzed using GSE12452, GSE17351, and GSE20347 datasets, GEPIA database, and qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 and EdU incorporation assays. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis was performed to investigate the pathways associated with the regulatory mechanisms of KIF23 in ESCA. The expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, N-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and alternation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway were detected by western blot analysis. We identified two overlapping upregulated DEGs, among which KIF23 was selected for subsequent experiments. KIF23 was overexpressed in ESCA samples and cells, and knockdown of KIF23 retarded cell proliferation in ESCA cells. Besides, KIF23 knockdown suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in ESCA cells, as evidenced by the increase of E-cadherin expression and the reduction of vimentin, N-cadherin, and MMP-9 expression. GSEA analysis suggested that Wnt signaling pathway was the significant pathway related to KIF23. Moreover, we demonstrated that KIF23 silencing inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ESCA cells. Activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway by SKL2001 reversed the effects of KIF23 silencing on cell proliferation and EMT in ESCA cells. In conclusion, KIF23 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and EMT in ESCA cells through blockage of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

A Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Analysis Identifies CEP55 as a Potential Oncogene and Novel Therapeutic Target

Emerging research findings have shown that a centrosomal protein (CEP55) is a potential oncogene in numerous human malignancies. Nevertheless, no pan-cancer analysis has been conducted to investigate the various aspects and behavior of this oncogene in different human cancerous tissues. Numerous databases were investigated to conduct a detailed analysis of CEP55. Initially, we evaluated the expression of CEP55 in several types of cancers and attempted to find the correlation between that and the stage of the examined malignancies. Then, we conducted a survival analysis to determine the relationship between CEP55 overexpression in malignancies and the patient's survival. Furthermore, we examined the genetic alteration forms and the methylation status of this oncogene. Additionally, the interference of CEP55 expression with immune cell infiltration, the response to various chemotherapeutic agents, and the putative molecular mechanism of CEP55 in tumorigenesis were investigated. The current study found that CEP55 was upregulated in cancerous tissues versus normal controls where this upregulation was correlated with a poor prognosis in multiple forms of human cancers. Additionally, it influenced the level of different immune cell infiltration and several chemokines levels in the tumor microenvironment in addition to the response to several antitumor drugs. Herein, we provide an in-depth understanding of the oncogenic activities of CEP55, identifying it as a possible predictive marker as well as a specific target for developing anticancer therapies.

Integration of Chemoinformatics and Multi-Omics Analysis Defines ECT2 as a Potential Target for Cancer Drug Therapy

Epithelial cell transforming 2 (ECT2) is a potential oncogene and a number of recent studies have correlated it with the progression of several human cancers. Despite this elevated attention for ECT2 in oncology-related reports, there is no collective study to combine and integrate the expression and oncogenic behavior of ECT2 in a panel of human cancers. The current study started with a differential expression analysis of ECT2 in cancerous versus normal tissue. Following that, the study asked for the correlation between ECT2 upregulation and tumor stage, grade, and metastasis, along with its effect on patient survival. Moreover, the methylation and phosphorylation status of ECT2 in tumor versus normal tissue was assessed, in addition to the investigation of the ECT2 effect on the immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. The current study revealed that ECT2 was upregulated as mRNA and protein levels in a list of human tumors, a feature that allowed for the increased filtration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and decreased the level of natural killer T (NKT) cells, which ultimately led to a poor prognosis survival. Lastly, we screened for several drugs that could inhibit ECT2 and act as antitumor agents. Collectively, this study nominated ECT2 as a prognostic and immunological biomarker, with reported inhibitors that represent potential antitumor drugs.

KIF23, under regulation by androgen receptor, contributes to nasopharyngeal carcinoma deterioration by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Our study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of KIF23 regulating function in the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and pinpoint novel therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Firstly, the mRNA and protein level of KIF23 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma was measured using quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Then, the influence of KIF23 on tumor metastasis and growth in nasopharyngeal carcinoma was determined through the in vivo and in vitro experiments. Lastly, the regulatory mechanisms of KIF23 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were illustrated in the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. KIF23 was first found to be overexpressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma samples, and its expression was associated with poor prognosis. Then, the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell's proliferation, migration, and invasion potential could be improved by inducing KIF23 expression both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, androgen receptor (AR) was found to bind to the KIF23 promoter region directly and enhance KIF23 transcription. At last, KIF23 could accelerate nasopharyngeal carcinoma deterioration via activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. AR/KIF23/Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma deterioration. Our findings could serve as a new therapeutic strategy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the clinical practice.

Combined Inhibition of KIF11 and KIF15 as an Effective Therapeutic Strategy for Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently required to improve clinical outcomes of gastric cancer (GC). KIF15 cooperates with KIF11 to promote bipolar spindle assembly and formation, which is essential for proper sister chromatid segregation. Therefore, we speculated that the combined inhibition of KIF11 and KIF15 might be an effective strategy for GC treatment. Hence, to test this hypothesis, we aimed to evaluate the combined therapeutic effect of KIF15 inhibitor KIF15- IN-1 and KIF11 inhibitor ispinesib in GC.

METHODS

We validated the expression of KIF11 and KIF15 in GC tissues using immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Next, we determined the effects of KIF11 or KIF15 knockout on the proliferation of GC cell lines. Finally, we investigated the combined effects of the KIF11 and KIF15 inhibitors both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

KIF11 and KIF15 were overexpressed in GC tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. Knockout of either KIF11 or KIF15 inhibited the proliferative and clonogenic abilities of GC cells. We found that the KIF15 knockout significantly increased ispinesib sensitivity in GC cells, while its overexpression showed the opposite effect. Further, using KIF15-IN-1 and ispinesib together had a synergistic effect on the antitumor proliferation of GC both in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that the combination therapy of inhibiting KIF11 and KIF15 might be an effective therapeutic strategy against gastric cancer.

Activation of Oncogenic and Immune-Response Pathways Is Linked to Disease-Specific Survival in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Simple Summary

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer. Developing targeted therapies for MCC requires increased understanding of the mechanisms driving tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to identify genes, signaling pathways, and processes that play crucial roles in determining disease-specific survival in MCC. We analyzed the gene expression of 102 MCC tumors and identified genes that were upregulated among survivors and in patients who died from MCC. We cross-referenced these genes with online databases to identify the pathways and processes in which they function. Genes upregulated among survivors were mostly immune response related and genes upregulated among patients who died from MCC function in various pathways that promote cancer progression. These results could guide future studies investigating whether these genes and pathways could be used as prognostic markers, as markers to guide therapy selection, or as targets of precision therapy in MCC.

Abstract

Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin with a poor prognosis. Improving the prognosis of MCC by means of targeted therapies requires further understanding of the mechanisms that drive tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to identify the genes, processes, and pathways that play the most crucial roles in determining MCC outcomes. Methods: We investigated transcriptomes generated by RNA sequencing of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 102 MCC patients and identified the genes that were upregulated among survivors and in patients who died from MCC. We subsequently cross-referenced these genes with online databases to investigate the functions and pathways they represent. We further investigated differential gene expression based on viral status in patients who died from MCC. Results: We found several novel genes associated with MCC-specific survival. Genes upregulated in patients who died from MCC were most notably associated with angiogenesis and the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways; their expression predominantly had no association with viral status in patients who died from MCC. Genes upregulated among survivors were largely associated with antigen presentation and immune response. Conclusion: This outcome-based discrepancy in gene expression suggests that these pathways and processes likely play crucial roles in determining MCC outcomes.

Knockdown of circ_0067934 inhibits gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion via the miR‑1301‑3p/KIF23 axis

In recent years, circular RNAs (circRNAs/circs) have attracted significant attention due to their potentially important functions in a variety of human cancer types. circ_0067934 is a newly identified circRNA, the role of which in gastric cancer (GC) has yet to be reported, to the best of our knowledge. In the present study, the expression levels of circ_0067934, microRNA (miR)‑1301‑3p and kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) in GC cells were detected via reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR. Cell proliferation was measured using Cell Counting Kit‑8 assays and EdU staining. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion, respectively. Western blotting was performed to measure the protein expression levels of Ki67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, MMP2, MMP9 and KIF23. The starBase database and luciferase reporter assays were used to predict and verify the binding between circ_0067934 and miR‑1301‑3p, as well as KIF23, in GC cells. The results demonstrated that circ_0067934 expression was upregulated in GC cells, and circ_0067934 silencing significantly inhibited GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, miR‑1301‑3p was regulated by circ_0067934, and miR‑1301‑3p overexpression suppressed GC cell migration, invasion and proliferation. miR‑1301‑3p was found to target KIF23, and KIF23 overexpression reversed the effects of circ_0067934 silencing and miR‑1301‑3p overexpression on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In conclusion, circ_0067934 may regulate the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells via the miR‑1301‑3p/KIF23 signaling axis, which may represent a novel therapeutic target for GC metastasis.

Inhibition of KIF23 Alleviates IPAH by Targeting Pyroptosis and Proliferation of PASMCs

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a progressive vascular disease with high mortality and heritability. Pyroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death, and it is closely associated with IPAH. However, the roles of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in IPAH are still largely unknown. In this study, we identified KIF23 as the most relevant gene for IPAH and pyroptosis, and its expression was significantly increased in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of IPAH. Besides, the pyroptosis level of PASMCs was also considerably upregulated in IPAH. Knockdown of KIF23 in PASMCs could significantly suppress the PASMCs’ pyroptosis and proliferation and then alleviate the increase in pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular resistance in IPAH. KIF23 regulated the expression of Caspase3, NLRP3, and HMGB1, and they were all involved in the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways, indicating that PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways might participate in regulating PASMCs pyroptosis by KIF23. In conclusion, our study suggests that KIF23 may be a new therapeutic target for IPAH, which can alleviate the symptoms of IPAH by inhibiting the pyroptosis and proliferation of PASMCs.

Targeting kinesin family member 21B by miR-132-3p represses cell proliferation, migration and invasion in gastric cancer

Recently, kinesin family member 21B (KIF21B) has been reported to be an oncogene in non-small cell lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the functional role of KIF21B and related molecular mechanisms in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely uncovered. In this study, online bioinformatics analysis showed that KIF21B was overexpression in GC and predicted poor prognosis. Consistently, we found that the protein expression of KIF21B was upregulated in GC tissues compared with adjacent tissues by immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of KIF21B significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GC cell lines (AGS and SNU-5) using Cell counting kit‑8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation and transwell assay. KIF21B was confirmed as the target of miR-132-3p in GC cells by luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, miR-132-3p was down-regulated and KIF21B expression was upregulated in GC tissues. Overexpression of KIF21B reversed the miR-132-3p-mediated suppressive effects on GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, miR-132-3p overexpression downregulated the protein levels of Wnt1, c-Myc, β-catenin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and N-cadherin, and upregulated E-cadherin expression in GC cells, which were all alleviated after KIF21B overexpression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that down-regulation of KIF21B by miR-132-3p suppresses cellular functions in GC, which might be linked to reduced Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Systematic Pan-Cancer Analysis of KIF23 and a Prediction Model Based on KIF23 in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC)

Purpose

This study aims to carry out a pan-cancer analysis of kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) and construct a predictive model for the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients.

Methods

We evaluated the differential expression of KIF23 in pan-cancer by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Oncomine database. Then, the correlation between KIF23 with prognosis, clinical grade, stage, immune subtype, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and immune microenvironment was explored by TCGA, an integrated repository portal for tumor-immune system interactions (TISIDB) and cBioPortal. Subsequently, we screened out ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) related to KIF23 and constructed a risk score model. Univariate Cox analysis was used to determine independent prognostic factors for ccRCC overall survival (OS), and a nomogram was established. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to study the biological functions and pathways of KIF23. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to evaluate the expression of KIF23.

Results

KIF23 was highly expressed in most tumors. Further, KIF23 was strongly correlated with prognosis, clinical grade, stage, immune subtype, TMB, MSI and immune microenvironment in different tumors. We found that KIF23 was significantly associated with all aspects of ccRCC. Then, 8 FRGs were identified to construct a risk score model together with KIF23. And a prognostic nomogram prediction model of OS was established. After GSEA analysis, cell cycle, condensed chromosome and other physiological processes were screened out. Finally, qRT-PCR verified the high expression of KIF23 in ccRCC cell lines than normal kidney cell line.

Conclusion

KIF23 may act as a pivotal part in occurrence and progression of different tumors. In ccRCC, KIF23 can be a great prognostic biomarker, and the nomogram based on KIF23 may contribute to better treatment plans for ccRCC patients.

Kinesin family member 23 exerts a protumor function in breast cancer via stimulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) has been described as one of the main genes that are associated with malignant transformation in numerous cancers. However, the exact significance of KIF23 in breast cancer has not been well-addressed. The present study was dedicated to the comprehensive investigation of KIF23 in breast cancer. Initial expression analysis through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) demonstrated high KIF23 levels in breast cancer compared with normal controls. These in silico data showing high levels of KIF23 in breast cancer were verified by assessing clinical specimens using real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblot assays. Moreover, a high KIF23 level was correlated with adverse clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients. Cellular functional experiments showed that the down-regulation of KIF23 affected the malignant behaviors of breast cancer cells in vitro, whereas the forced expression of KIF23 stimulated them. Mechanistic studies revealed that KIF23 restraint down-regulated the levels of phosphorylated glycogen synthetase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc in breast cancer cells, showing an inhibitory effect on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The suppression of GSK-3β was able to reverse KIF23-silencing-induced inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway abolished KIF23 overexpression-mediated protumor effects in breast cancer. A xenograft assay confirmed the in vivo antitumor function of KIF23 inhibition. In conclusion, these findings suggest that KIF23 may exert a protumor function in breast cancer by stimulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This work suggests that KIF23 has potential values for targeted therapy and prognosis in breast cancer.

Functional roles of the SHCBP1 and KIF23 interaction in modulating the cell-cycle and cisplatin resistance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the functional roles of Shc SH2-domain-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) and Kinesin Family Member 23 (KIF23) in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis was conducted using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE103322. HNSCC cell lines were used for in vitro and in vivo analysis.

RESULTS

SHCBP1 upregulation was associated with unfavorable survival. SHCBP1 knockdown reduced cell proliferation and increased the cisplatin sensitivity of SCC9/SCC25 cells. SHCBP1 interacted with KIF23 via its Nesd homology domain (NHD) domain, which was important for its nucleus localization. SHCBP1 positively modulated KIF23 expression and activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, nuclear factor kappa B (NF/κB)-p65, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. KIF23 knockdown abrogated cisplatin resistance induced by SHCBP1 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

SHCBP1 interacts with KIF23 and cooperatively regulates cell-cycle progression and cisplatin resistance of HNSCC tumor cells.

KIF23 promotes triple negative breast cancer through activating epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Background

KIF23 is a member of kinesin family, recent researches indicate KIF23 plays an important role in the proliferation and migration of malignant cancer cells. While the function and specific molecule mechanism of KIF23 in triple negative breast cancer remains unclear.

Methods

QRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were conducted to analyze expression of KIF23 in triple negative breast cancer tissues and paired paracancer tissues. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay were applied for exploring phenotype changing of triple negative breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and BT549 after siRNA-induced knockdown of KIF23. Several bioinformatic databases were used for predicting miRNAs that combing with KIF23 mRNA and verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. Western blot assay was performed to explore downstream signaling pathway of KIF23.

Results

KIF23 was overexpressed in triple negative breast cancer, knockdown of KIF23 by siRNA inhibited proliferation and migration of TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-231 and BT549. Mechanistically, knockdown of KIF23 resulted in the suppression of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Meanwhile, miR-195-5p was downregulated in TNBC, and dual luciferase reporter assay indicated miR-195-5p could combine with 3'UTR of KIF23 thus promoting degradation of KIF23.

Conclusions

KIF23 is a potential oncogene in triple negative breast cancer, miR-195-5p could combine with 3'UTR of KIF23. Our study reveals a new sight into triple negative breast cancer.

Mutation and Copy Number Alterations Analysis of KIF23 in Glioma

In glioma, kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) is up-regulated and plays a vital role in oncogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying KIF23 overexpression in malignant glioma remains to be elucidated. This study aims to find potential causes of KIF23 high expression at genome level. To clarify this issue, we obtained point mutation and copy number alterations (CNAs) of KIF23 in 319 gliomas using whole-exome sequencing. Only two glioma samples with missense mutations in KIF23 coding region were identified, while 7 patients were detected with amplification of KIF23. Additional analysis showed that KIF23 amplification was significantly associated with higher expression of KIF23. Gene ontology analysis indicated that higher copy number of KIF23 was associated TNF-α signaling pathway and mitotic cell circle checkpoint, which probably caused by subsequent upregulated expression of KIF23. Moreover, pan-cancer analysis showed that gaining of copy number was significantly associated with higher expression of KIF23, consolidating our findings in glioma. Thus, it was deduced that elevated KIF23 expression in glioma tended to be caused by DNA copy number amplification, instead of mutation.

Aberrant KIF23 expression is associated with adverse clinical outcome and promotes cellular malignant behavior through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in Colorectal Cancer

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to reveal the clinicopathological significance and prognostic role of kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and characterize its biological function and the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Bioinformatics analysis, immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qRT-PCR were utilized to investigate the expression of KIF23 in CRC tissues. The CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay and Matrigel assay were used to detect cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Western blot, immunofluorescence staining and cell function experiment were performed to explore the underlying mechanism.

Results: The overexpression of KIF23 was associated with T stage, N stage, M stage and TNM stage, and CRC patients with high KIF23 expression had a worse prognosis. KIF23 knockdown inhibits CRC cells proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. The mechanism study determined that KIF23 activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by promoting the nuclear translocation of β-catenin to regulate the malignant behavior of CRC cells.

Conclusion: These results suggest that KIF23 may act as a putative oncogene and a potential therapeutic target in CRC.

KIF14 and KIF23 Promote Cell Proliferation and Chemoresistance in HCC Cells, and Predict Worse Prognosis of Patients with HCC

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common human malignant tumors. The prognosis of HCC patients is still unsatisfying. In this study, we performed the integrated bioinformatics analysis to identify potential biomarkers and biological pathways in HCC.

Methods

Gene expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE55048, GSE55758, and GSE56545) for the screening of the common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC tissues and matched non-tumor tissues. DEGs were subjected to Gene Ontology, KEGG pathway, and Reactome pathway analysis. The hub genes were identified by using protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The hub genes in HCC were further subjected to overall survival analysis of HCC patients. The hub genes were further validated by in vitro functional assays.

Results

A total of 544 common differentially expressed genes were screened from three datasets. Gene Ontology, KEGG and Reactome analysis results showed that DEGs are significantly associated with the biological process of cell cycle, cell division, and DNA replication. PPI network analysis identified 20 hub genes from the DEGs. These hub genes except CENPE were all significantly up-regulated in the HCC tissues when compared to non-tumor tissues. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis results showed that the high expression of the 20 hub genes was associated with shorter survival of the HCC patients. Further validation studies showed that knockdown of KIF14 and KIF23 both suppressed the proliferative potential, increased the caspase-3/-7 activity, up-regulated Bax expression, and promoted the invasive and migratory abilities in the HCC cells. In addition, knockdown of KIF14 and KIF23 enhanced chemosensitivity to cisplatin and sorafenib in the HCC cells. Finally, the high expression of KIF14 and KIF23 was associated with shorter progression-free survival, recurrence-free survival, and disease-specific survival of patients with HCC.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the present study performed the integrated bioinformatics analysis and showed that KIF14 and KIF23 silence attenuated cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, and promoted chemosensitivity of HCC cells. KIF14 and KIF23 may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting the worse prognosis of patients with HCC.

POC1A acts as a promising prognostic biomarker associated with high tumor immune cell infiltration in gastric cancer

The effect of POC1 centriolar protein A (POC1A) on gastric cancer (GC) has not been clearly defined. In this study, POC1A expression and clinical information in patients with GC were analyzed. Multiple databases were used to investigate the genes that were co-expressed with POC1A and genes whose changes co-occurred with genetic alternations of POC1A. Moreover, the TISIDB and TIMER databases were used to analyze immune infiltration. The GSE54129 GC dataset and LASSO regression model (tumor vs. normal) were employed, and 6 significant differentially expressed genes (LAMP5, CEBPB, ARMC9, PAOX, VMP1, POC1A) were identified. POC1A was selected for its high expression in adjacent tissues, which was confirmed with IHC. High POC1A expression was related to better overall and recurrence-free survival. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that POC1A may regulate the cell cycle, DNA replication and cell growth. Furthermore, POC1A was found to be correlated with immune infiltration levels in GC according to the TISIDB and TIMER databases. These findings indicate that POC1A acts as a tumor suppressor in GC by regulating the cell cycle and cell growth. In addition, POC1A preferentially regulates the immune infiltration of GC via several immune genes. However, the specific mechanism requires further study.

Identification of KIF23 as a prognostic signature for ovarian cancer based on large-scale sampling and clinical validation

The purpose of this study is to explore the expression and clinical significance of KIF23 in ovarian cancer (OV) and identify potential targets for clinical treatment. Oncomine, GEO, and TCGA databases were used to analysis the expression of KIF23 in OV. The prognostic value of KIF23 gene was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier plotter database. The molecular mechanism of KIF23 activity was analyzed from the perspective of immunology, gene mutation, copy number variation (CNV). Finally, immunohistochemistry was conducted to validate the expression of KIF23, univariable and multivariate cox analysis were used to determine its relationship with clinical characteristics and OV prognosis. It showed that highly expressed KIF23 is an adverse independent prognostic biomarker for OV patients. Genomics analysis showed that KIF23 expression was associated with mutations such as FLG2 and TTN, and was significantly enriched in DNA replication and the cell cycle tumor-related signaling pathways. Immunology analysis showed that KIF23 is closely related to the immune infiltration. KIF23 can not only performed as a prognosis signature in OV but also as a target of immune molecular therapeutics.

Identification of Metastasis-Associated Biomarkers in Synovial Sarcoma Using Bioinformatics Analysis

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a highly aggressive soft tissue tumor with high risk of local recurrence and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying SS metastasis are still largely unclear. The purpose of this study is to screen metastasis-associated biomarkers in SS by integrated bioinformatics analysis. Two mRNA datasets (GSE40018 and GSE40021) were selected to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed for DEGs. Then, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed via the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database. The module analysis of the PPI network and hub genes validation were performed using Cytoscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the hub genes were performed using WEB-based GEne SeT AnaLysis Toolkit (WebGestalt). The expression levels and survival analysis of hub genes were further assessed through Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and the Kaplan-Meier plotter database. In total, 213 overlapping DEGs were identified, of which 109 were upregulated and 104 were downregulated. GO analysis revealed that the DEGs were predominantly involved in mitosis and cell division. KEGG pathways analysis demonstrated that most DEGs were significantly enriched in cell cycle pathway. GSEA revealed that the DEGs were mainly enriched in oocyte meiosis, cell cycle and DNA replication pathways. A key module was identified and 10 hub genes (CENPF, KIF11, KIF23, TTK, MKI67, TOP2A, CDC45, MELK, AURKB, and BUB1) were screened out. The expression and survival analysis disclosed that the 10 hub genes were upregulated in SS patients and could result in significantly reduced survival. Our study identified a series of metastasis-associated biomarkers involved in the progression of SS, and may provide novel therapeutic targets for SS metastasis.

A Single Gene Expression Set Derived from Artificial Intelligence Predicted the Prognosis of Several Lymphoma Subtypes; and High Immunohistochemical Expression of TNFAIP8 Associated with Poor Prognosis in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Objective: We have recently identified using multilayer perceptron analysis (artificial intelligence) a set of 25 genes with prognostic relevance in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but the importance of this set in other hematological neoplasia remains unknown. Methods and Results: We tested this set of genes (i.e., ALDOB, ARHGAP19, ARMH3, ATF6B, CACNA1B, DIP2A, EMC9, ENO3, GGA3, KIF23, LPXN, MESD, METTL21A, POLR3H, RAB7A, RPS23, SERPINB8, SFTPC, SNN, SPACA9, SWSAP1, SZRD1, TNFAIP8, WDCP and ZSCAN12) in a large series of gene expression comprised of 2029 cases, selected from available databases, that included chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, n = 308), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL, n = 92), follicular lymphoma (FL, n = 180), DLBCL (n = 741), multiple myeloma (MM, n = 559) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML, n = 149). Using a risk-score formula we could predict the overall survival of the patients: the hazard-ratio of high-risk versus low-risk groups for all the cases was 3.2 and per disease subtype were as follows: CLL (4.3), MCL (5.2), FL (3.0), DLBCL not otherwise specified (NOS) (4.5), multiple myeloma (MM) (5.3) and AML (3.7) (all p values < 0.000001). All 25 genes contributed to the risk-score, but their weight and direction of the correlation was variable. Among them, the most relevant were ENO3, TNFAIP8, ATF6B, METTL21A, KIF23 and ARHGAP19. Next, we validated TNFAIP8 (a negative mediator of apoptosis) in an independent series of 97 cases of DLBCL NOS from Tokai University Hospital. The protein expression by immunohistochemistry of TNFAIP8 was quantified using an artificial intelligence-based segmentation method and confirmed with a conventional RGB-based digital quantification. We confirmed that high protein expression of TNFAIP8 by the neoplastic B-lymphocytes associated with a poor overall survival of the patients (hazard-risk 3.5; p = 0.018) as well as with other relevant clinicopathological variables including age >60 years, high serum levels of soluble IL2RA, a non-GCB phenotype (cell-of-origin Hans classifier), moderately higher MYC and Ki67 (proliferation index), and high infiltration of the immune microenvironment by CD163-positive tumor associated macrophages (CD163+TAMs). Conclusion: It is possible to predict the prognosis of several hematological neoplasia using a single gene-set derived from neural network analysis. High expression of TNFAIP8 is associated with poor prognosis of the patients in DLBCL.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 inhibits prostate cancer progression in vitro and in vivo by the suppression of KIF23 through stimulating miR-15a-5p

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) greatly threatens men's lives, with high incidence and mortality. Recently, the research of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has made breakthroughs in the development of human cancers. This study aimed to figure out the role and action mechanism of lncRNA PVT1 (PVT1) in PCa.

METHODS

The expression of PVT1, microRNA-15a-5p (miR-15a-5p) and kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry and transwell assays, respectively. The protein levels of KIF23 and proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were quantified by western blot. The relationship between miR-15a-5p and PVT1 or KIF23 was predicted by starBase v2.0 and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Xenograft assay was conducted to determine the role of PVT1 in vivo.

RESULTS

The expression of PVT1 and KIF23 was enhanced, while miR-15a-5p expression was reduced in PCa tissues and cells. PVT1 interference inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis of PCa cells. MiR-15a-5p was a target of PVT1, and KIF23 was a target of miR-15a-5p. The inhibition of miR-15a-5p reversed the effects of PVT1 interference and suppressed the roles of KIF23 knockdown. KIF23 expression was regulated by PVT1 through miR-15a-5p. PVT1 interference blocked PCa progression in vivo.

CONCLUSION

PVT1 knockdown had effects on the progression of PCa by inhibiting the expression of KIF23 via enriching miR-15a-5p in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that PVT1 might be a novel biomarker for the treatment of PCa.

Construction of a Competitive Endogenous RNA Network for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Based on Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis and a Prognosis Model

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a pancreatic disease with considerable mortality worldwide. Because of a lack of obvious symptoms at the early stage, most PAAD patients are diagnosed at the terminal stage and prognosis is usually poor. In this study, we firstly obtained RNA sequencing data of 181 patients with PAAD from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to identify early diagnostic biomarkers for PAAD. Survival-related mRNAs were identified using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and then a linear prognostic model of seven long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) was established using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, which is verified using a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Finally, according to the survival analysis, we constructed a survival-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Our results showed that: (1) The upregulated genes related to cell cycle-related pathway (including homologous recombination, DNA replication and mismatch repair) in PAAD can increase the proliferation ability of cancer cells; (2) The 7-lncRNA signature can predict the overall survival (OS) of PAAD patients; and (3) The key mRNAs and lncRNAs are involved in mutual regulation in the ceRNA network.

GSG2 (Haspin) promotes development and progression of bladder cancer through targeting KIF15 (Kinase-12)

Bladder cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumor in urological system worldwide. The relationship between GSG2 and bladder cancer has not been demonstrated and remains unclear. In this study, it was demonstrated that GSG2 was up-regulated in bladder cancer tissues compared with the normal tissues and its high expression was correlated with more advanced malignant grade and lower survival rate. Further investigations indicated that the overexpression/knockdown of GSG2 could promote/inhibit proliferation, colony formation and migration of bladder cancer cells, while inhibiting/promoting cell apoptosis. Moreover, knockdown of GSG2 could also suppress tumorigenicity of bladder cancer cells in vivo. RNA-sequencing followed by Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was performed for exploring downstream of GSG2 and identified KIF15 as the potential target. Furthermore, our study revealed that knockdown of KIF15 could inhibit development of bladder cancer in vitro, and alleviate the GSG2 overexpression induced promotion of bladder cancer. In conclusion, our study showed, as the first time, GSG2 as a prognostic indicator and tumor promotor for bladder cancer, whose function was carried out probably through the regulation of KIF15.

ZNF367-induced transcriptional activation of KIF15 accelerates the progression of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common female cancers, and its incidence has been increasing in recent years. Although treatments are continuously improving, the prognosis of patients in the advanced stage is still unsatisfactory. Thus, an in-depth understanding of its molecular mechanisms is necessary for curing breast cancer. KIF15 is a tetrameric spindle motor which can regulate mitosis in cellular process and exert the crucial functions in several cancers. The purpose of our research was to investigate the functions of KIF15 in breast cancer. We tested the expression of KIF15 in breast cancer tissues and the survival rate of breast cancer patients with high or low level of KIF15 through TCGA data. What's more, western blot and immunohistochemistry assay were utilized to evaluate the protein level and mRNA level of KIF15 in breast cancer tissues. Then CCK-8, wound healing, transwell and flow cytometry experiments were adopted separately to test cell viability, migration, invasion and cell cycle distribution. We discovered that KIF15 was highly expressed in breast cancer tissues and high level KIF15 was associated with a low survival rate of breast cancer patients. Moreover, silence of KIF15 suppressed cell viability, migration, invasion and cell cycle distribution. Following, we discovered that ZNF367 was the upstream transcription factor of KIF15. In addition, silenced ZNF367 could also repress the growth of breast cancer cells. And rescue experiments indicated that overexpressed KIF15 could counteract the inhibition effect of silencing ZNF367 on the progression of breast cancer. Importantly, we discovered that KIF15 and ZNF367 were associated with the regulation of cell cycle. In short, ZNF367-activated KIF15 accelerated the progression of breast cancer by regulating cell cycle progress.

Kinesin family members KIF2C/4A/10/11/14/18B/20A/23 predict poor prognosis and promote cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) comprise a family of molecular motors that transport membranous organelles and protein complexes in a microtubule- and ATP-dependent manner, with multiple roles in cancers. Little is known about the function of KIFs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, we investigate the roles of KIFs in the prognosis and progression of HCC. Upregulation of eight KIFs (KIF2C, KIF4A, KIF10, KIF11, KIF14, KIF18B, KIF20A, and KIF23) was found to be significantly associated with the tumor stage and pathological tumor grade of HCC patients. Additionally, a high expression of these eight KIFs was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with HCC. Cox regression analysis showed the mRNA expression levels of these eight KIF members to be independent prognostic factors for worse outcomes in HCC. Moreover, a risk score model based on the mRNA levels of the eight KIF members effectively predicted the OS rate of patients with HCC. Additional experiments revealed that downregulation of each of the eight KIFs effectively decreased the proliferation and increased the G1 arrest of liver cancer cells in vitro. Taken together, these results indicate that KIF2C/4A/10/11/14/18B/20A/23 may serve as prognostic biomarkers for survival and potential therapeutic targets in HCC patients.

KIF23 activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway through direct interaction with Amer1 in gastric cancer

Increased expression of the kinesin family member 23 (KIF23) has been verified in gastric cancer (GC) and its upregulation contributes to cell proliferation. Even though, the role of KIF23 has not been fully elucidated in GC, and the mechanisms of KIF23 as an oncogene remain unknown. To further identify its potential role in GC, we analyzed gene expression data from GC patients in GEO and TCGA datasets. KIF23 was upregulated in GC, and increased expression of KIF23 correlated with poor prognosis. Importantly, KIF23 inhibition not only suppressed GC cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, but also migration and invasion, and arrested the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. Mechanistic investigations confirmed that KIF23 activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by directly interacting with APC membrane recruitment 1 (Amer1). Furthermore, KIF23 exhibited competitive binding with Amer1 to block the association of Amer1 with adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), thus relocating Amer1 from the membrane and cytoplasm to the nucleus and attenuating the ability of Amer1 to negatively regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling, resulting in activation of this signaling pathway. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that KIF23 promoted GC cell proliferation by directly interacting with Amer1 and activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

MCM2 and NUSAP1 Are Potential Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most malignant tumors. Despite considerable progress in the treatment of PC, the prognosis of patients with PC is poor. The aim of this study was to identify potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of PC. First, the original data of three independent mRNA expression datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases and screened for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the R software. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen for hub genes. The hub genes were analyzed for genetic variations, as well as for survival, prognostic, and diagnostic value, using the cBioPortal and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) databases and the pROC package. After screening for potential biomarkers, the mRNA and protein levels of the biomarkers were verified at the tissue and cellular levels using the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, GEPIA, and the Human Protein Atlas. As a result, a total of 248 DEGs were identified. The GO terms enriched in DEGs were related to the separation of mitotic sister chromatids and the binding of the spindle to the extracellular matrix. The enriched pathways were associated with focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling. The top 20 genes were selected from the PPI network as hub genes, and based on the analysis of multiple databases, MCM2 and NUSAP1 were identified as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of PC. In conclusion, our results show that MCM2 and NUSAP1 can be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of PC. The study also provides new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of PC.

KIF11 and KIF15 mitotic kinesins are potential therapeutic vulnerabilities for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

Background

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) constitutes the leading cause of neurofibromatosis type 1–related mortality. MPNSTs contain highly rearranged hyperploid genomes and exhibit a high division rate and aggressiveness. We have studied in vitro whether the mitotic kinesins KIF11, KIF15, and KIF23 have a functional role in maintaining MPNST cell survival and can represent potential therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Methods

We studied the expression of kinesin mRNAs and proteins in tumors and cell lines and used several in vitro functional assays to analyze the impact of kinesin genetic suppression (KIF15, KIF23) and drug inhibition (KIF11) in MPNST cells. We also performed in vitro combined treatments targeting KIF11 together with other described MPNST targets.

Results

The studied kinesins were overexpressed in MPNST samples. KIF15 and KIF23 were required for the survival of MPNST cell lines, which were also more sensitive than benign control fibroblasts to the KIF11 inhibitors ispinesib and ARRY-520. Co-targeting KIF11 and BRD4 with ARRY-520 and JQ1 reduced MPNST cell viability, synergistically killing a much higher proportion of MPNST cells than control fibroblasts. In addition, genetic suppression of KIF15 conferred an increased sensitivity to KIF11 inhibitors alone or in combination with JQ1.

Conclusions

The mitotic spindle kinesins KIF11 and KIF15 and the cytokinetic kinesin KIF23 play a clear role in maintaining MPNST cell survival and may represent potential therapeutic vulnerabilities. Although further in vivo evidences are still mandatory, we propose a simultaneous suppression of KIF11, KIF15, and BRD4 as a potential therapy for MPNSTs.

Identification of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in gastric cancer by analysis of microarray data

Background

Evidence is increasingly indicating that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely involved in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, the function of circRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) are still unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the regulatory mechanism of circRNAs in GC.

Methods

Expression profiles of circRNAs were downloaded from four Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray datasets. Expression profiles of miRNAs and mRNAs were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We used the robust rank aggregation method to identify differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) and a ceRNA network was constructed based on circRNA–miRNA pairs and miRNA–mRNA pairs. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed and interactions between proteins were predicted using Cytoscape. Aa subnetwork regulatory module was built using the MCODE plugin.

Results

A total of eight DEcircRNAs, 240 DEmiRNAs, and 4578 DEmRNAs were identified. The circRNA–miRNA–mRNA network was constructed based on seven circRNAs, 33 miRNAs, 69 mRNAs in GC. GO and KEGG pathway analysis indicated DEmRNAs might be associated with GC onset and progression. A PPI network was established and four hub genes (MCM4, KIF23, MCM8, and NCAPD2) were determined from the network. Then a circRNA–miRNA-hub gene subnetwork was constructed based on the four DEcircRNAs, three DEmiRNAs, and four DEmRNAs.

Conclusions

Our findings provide a deeper understanding the circRNA-related competing endogenous RNA regulatory mechanism in GC pathogenesis.