SOX9 drives WNT pathway activation in prostate cancer

Profibrotic role of the SOX9-MMP10-ECM biosynthesis axis in the tracheal fibrosis after injury and repair

Fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition play an important role in the tracheal abnormal repair process and fibrosis. As a transcription factor, SOX9 is involved in fibroblast activation and ECM deposition. However, the mechanism of how SOX9 regulates fibrosis after tracheal injury remains unclear. We investigated the role of SOX9 in TGF-β1-induced fibroblast activation and ECM deposition in rat tracheal fibroblast (RTF) cells. SOX9 overexpression adenovirus (Ad-SOX9) and siRNA were transfected into RTF cells. We found that SOX9 expression was up-regulated in RTF cells treated with TGF-β1. SOX9 overexpression activated fibroblasts and promoted ECM deposition. Silencing SOX9 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and ECM deposition, induced G2 arrest, and increased apoptosis in RTF cells. RNA-seq and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) assays identified MMP10, a matrix metalloproteinase involved in ECM deposition, as a direct target of SOX9, which promotes ECM degradation by increasing MMP10 expression through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vivo, SOX9 knockdown ameliorated granulation proliferation and tracheal fibrosis, as manifested by reduced tracheal stenosis. In conclusion, our findings indicate that SOX9 can drive fibroblast activation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis resistance in tracheal fibrosis via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The SOX9-MMP10-ECM biosynthesis axis plays an important role in tracheal injury and repair. Targeting SOX9 and its downstream target MMP10 may represent a promising therapeutic approach for tracheal fibrosis.

Diverse functions of SOX9 in liver development and homeostasis and hepatobiliary diseases

The liver is the central organ for digestion and detoxification and has unique metabolic and regenerative capacities. The hepatobiliary system originates from the foregut endoderm, in which cells undergo multiple events of cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation to form the liver parenchyma and ductal system under the hierarchical regulation of transcription factors. Studies on liver development and diseases have revealed that SRY-related high-mobility group box 9 (SOX9) plays an important role in liver embryogenesis and the progression of hepatobiliary diseases. SOX9 is not only a master regulator of cell fate determination and tissue morphogenesis, but also regulates various biological features of cancer, including cancer stemness, invasion, and drug resistance, making SOX9 a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis and progression. This review systematically summarizes the latest findings of SOX9 in hepatobiliary development, homeostasis, and disease. We also highlight the value of SOX9 as a novel biomarker and potential target for the clinical treatment of major liver diseases.

The emerging understanding of Frizzled receptors

The Wnt signaling pathway is a huge network governing development and homeostasis, dysregulation of which is associated with a myriad of human diseases. The Frizzled receptor (FZD) family comprises receptors for Wnt ligands, which indispensably mediate Wnt signaling jointly with a variety of co-receptors. Studies of FZDs have revealed that 10 FZD subtypes play diverse roles in physiological processes. At the same time, dysregulation of FZDs is also responsible for various diseases, in particular human cancers. Enormous attention has been paid to the molecular understanding and targeted therapy of FZDs in the past decade. In this review, we summarize the latest research on FZD structure, function, regulation and targeted therapy, providing a basis for guiding future research in this field.

Integration Analysis of Single-Cell Multi-Omics Reveals Prostate Cancer Heterogeneity

Prostate cancer (PCa) is an extensive heterogeneous disease with a complex cellular ecosystem in the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the manner in which heterogeneity is shaped by tumors and stromal cells, or vice versa, remains poorly understood. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and bulk ATAC-sequence are integrated from a series of patients with PCa and healthy controls. A stemness subset of club cells marked with SOX9highARlow expression is identified, which is markedly enriched after neoadjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). Furthermore, a subset of CD8+CXCR6+ T cells that function as effector T cells is markedly reduced in patients with malignant PCa. For spatial transcriptome analysis, machine learning and computational intelligence are comprehensively utilized to identify the cellular diversity of prostate cancer cells and cell-cell communication in situ. Macrophage and neutrophil state transitions along the trajectory of cancer progression are also examined. Finally, the immunosuppressive microenvironment in advanced PCa is found to be associated with the infiltration of regulatory T cells (Tregs), potentially induced by an FAP+ fibroblast subset. In summary, the cellular heterogeneity is delineated in the stage-specific PCa microenvironment at single-cell resolution, uncovering their reciprocal crosstalk with disease progression, which can be helpful in promoting PCa diagnosis and therapy.

Androgen receptor splice variants drive castration-resistant prostate cancer metastasis by activating distinct transcriptional programs

One critical mechanism through which prostate cancer (PCa) adapts to treatments targeting androgen receptor (AR) signaling is the emergence of ligand-binding domain-truncated and constitutively active AR splice variants, particularly AR-V7. While AR-V7 has been intensively studied, its ability to activate distinct biological functions compared with the full-length AR (AR-FL), and its role in regulating the metastatic progression of castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), remain unclear. Our study found that, under castrated conditions, AR-V7 strongly induced osteoblastic bone lesions, a response not observed with AR-FL overexpression. Through combined ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and RNA-seq analyses, we demonstrated that AR-V7 uniquely accesses the androgen-responsive elements in compact chromatin regions, activating a distinct transcription program. This program was highly enriched for genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis. Notably, we discovered that SOX9, a critical metastasis driver gene, was a direct target and downstream effector of AR-V7. Its protein expression was dramatically upregulated in AR-V7-induced bone lesions. Moreover, we found that Ser81 phosphorylation enhanced AR-V7's pro-metastasis function by selectively altering its specific transcription program. Blocking this phosphorylation with CDK9 inhibitors impaired the AR-V7-mediated metastasis program. Overall, our study has provided molecular insights into the role of AR splice variants in driving the metastatic progression of CRPC.

Evodiamine potentiates cisplatin-induced cell death and overcomes cisplatin resistance in non-small-cell lung cancer by targeting SOX9-β-catenin axis

BACKGROUND

In recent decades, phytotherapy has remained as a key therapeutic option for the treatment of various cancers. Evodiamine, an excellent phytocompound from Evodia fructus, exerts anticancer activity in several cancers by modulating drug resistance. However, the role of evodiamine in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells is not clear till now. Therefore, we have used evodiamine as a chemosensitizer to overcome cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.

METHODS

Here, we looked into SOX9 expression and how it affects the cisplatin sensitivity of cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells. MTT and clonogenic assays were performed to check the cell proliferation. AO/EtBr and DAPI staining, ROS measurement assay, transfection, Western blot analysis, RT-PCR, Scratch & invasion, and comet assay were done to check the role of evodiamine in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC cells.

RESULTS

SOX9 levels were observed to be higher in cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549CR) and NCI-H522 (NCI-H522CR) compared to parental A549 and NCI-H522. It was found that SOX9 promotes cisplatin resistance by regulating β-catenin. Depletion of SOX9 restores cisplatin sensitivity by decreasing cell proliferation and cell migration and inducing apoptosis in A549CR and NCI-H522CR. After evodiamine treatment, it was revealed that evodiamine increases cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in A549CR and NCI-H522CR cells through increasing intracellular ROS generation. The combination of both drugs also significantly inhibited cell migration by inhibiting epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mechanistic investigation revealed that evodiamine resensitizes cisplatin-resistant cells toward cisplatin by decreasing the expression of SOX9 and β-catenin.

CONCLUSION

The combination of evodiamine and cisplatin may be a novel strategy for combating cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.

Reactivation of embryonic genetic programs in tissue regeneration and disease

Embryonic genetic programs are reactivated in response to various types of tissue damage, providing cell plasticity for tissue regeneration or disease progression. In acute conditions, these programs remedy the damage and then halt to allow a return to homeostasis. In chronic situations, including inflammatory diseases, fibrosis and cancer, prolonged activation of embryonic programs leads to disease progression and tissue deterioration. Induction of progenitor identity and cell plasticity, for example, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity, are critical outcomes of reactivated embryonic programs. In this Review, we describe molecular players governing reactivated embryonic genetic programs, their role during disease progression, their similarities and differences and lineage reversion in pathology and discuss associated therapeutics and drug-resistance mechanisms across many organs. We also discuss the diversity of reactivated programs in different disease contexts. A comprehensive overview of commonalities between development and disease will provide better understanding of the biology and therapeutic strategies.

Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin pathway overcomes therapeutic resistance to abiraterone in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Abiraterone acetate has been clinically approved for the treatment of patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer. It reduces testosterone production by blocking the enzyme cytochrome P450 17 alpha-hydroxylase. Despite improved survival outcomes with abiraterone, almost all patients develop therapeutic resistance and disease recurrence, progressing to a more aggressive and lethal phenotype. Bioinformatics analyses predicted activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin and involvement of stem cell plasticity in abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer. Increased expression of androgen receptor (AR) and β-catenin and their crosstalk causes activation of AR target genes and regulatory networks for which overcoming acquired resistance remains a major challenge. Here we show that co-treatment with abiraterone and ICG001, a β-catenin inhibitor, overcomes therapeutic resistance and significantly inhibited markers of stem cell and cellular proliferation in abiraterone-resistant prostate cancer cells. Importantly, this combined treatment abrogated the association between AR and β-catenin; diminished SOX9 expression from the complex more prominently in abiraterone-resistant cells. In addition, combined treatment inhibited tumor growth in an in vivo abiraterone-resistant xenograft model, blocked stemness, migration, invasion, and colony formation ability of cancer cells. This study opens new therapeutic opportunity for advanced-stage castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Cross-regulation between SOX9 and the canonical Wnt signalling pathway in stem cells

SOX9, a member of the SRY-related HMG-box transcription factors, has been reported to critically regulate fetal development and stem cell homeostasis. Wnt signalling is a highly conserved signalling pathway that controls stem cell fate decision and stemness maintenance throughout embryonic development and adult life. Many studies have shown that the interactions between SOX9 and the canonical Wnt signalling pathway are involved in many of the physiological and pathological processes of stem cells, including organ development, the proliferation, differentiation and stemness maintenance of stem cells, and tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize the already-known molecular mechanism of cross-interactions between SOX9 and the canonical Wnt signalling pathway, outline its regulatory effects on the maintenance of homeostasis in different types of stem cells, and explore its potential in translational stem cell therapy.

SOX9/NFIA promotes human ovarian cancer metastasis through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

To our knowledge, Sex-determining Region Y box 9 (SOX9) has been in connection with a wide range of human cancers. Nevertheless, there remains uncertainty regarding SOX9's role in metastasizing ovarian cancer. In our study, SOX9 was investigated in relation to tumor metastasis in ovarian cancer as well as its potential molecular mechanisms. First, we exhibited an apparent higher expression of SOX9 in ovarian cancer tissues and cells than in normative ones, and the prognosis of patients whose SOX9 levels were high was markedly lower than that of patients whose SOX9 levels were low. Besides, highly expressed SOX9 was correlated with high grade serous carcinoma, poor tumor differentiation, high serum CA125 and lymph node metastasis. Second, SOX9 knockdown exhibited striking inhibition of the migration and invasive ability of ovarian cancer cells, whereas SOX9 overexpression had an inverse role. At the same time, SOX9 could promote ovarian cancer intraperitoneal metastasis in a nude mice in the vivo. In a similar way, SOX9 knockdown dramatically decreased the expression of nuclear factor I-A (NFIA), β-catenin as well as N-cadherin but had an increased in E-cadherin expression, as opposed to the results when SOX9 was overexpressed. Furthermore, NFIA silencing inhibited the expression of NFIA, β-catenin and N-cadherin, in the same way that E-cadherin expression was promoted. In conclusion, this study shows that SOX9 has a promotional effect on human ovarian cancer and that SOX9 promotes the metastasis of tumors by upregulating NFIA and activating on a Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. SOX9 could be a novel focus for earlier diagnosis, therapy and prospective evaluation in ovarian cancer.

Tumor-expressed factor VII is associated with survival and regulates tumor progression in breast cancer

Cancer enhances the risk of venous thromboembolism, but a hypercoagulant microenvironment also promotes cancer progression. Although anticoagulants have been suggested as a potential anticancer treatment, clinical studies on the effect of such modalities on cancer progression have not yet been successful for unknown reasons. In normal physiology, complex formation between the subendothelial-expressed tissue factor (TF) and the blood-borne liver-derived factor VII (FVII) results in induction of the extrinsic coagulation cascade and intracellular signaling via protease-activated receptors (PARs). In cancer, TF is overexpressed and linked to poor prognosis. Here, we report that increased levels of FVII are also observed in breast cancer specimens and are associated with tumor progression and metastasis to the liver. In breast cancer cell lines, tumor-expressed FVII drives changes reminiscent of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor cell invasion, and expression of the prometastatic genes, SNAI2 and SOX9. In vivo, tumor-expressed FVII enhanced tumor growth and liver metastasis. Surprisingly, liver-derived FVII appeared to inhibit metastasis. Finally, tumor-expressed FVII-induced prometastatic gene expression independent of TF but required a functional endothelial protein C receptor, whereas recombinant activated FVII acting via the canonical TF:PAR2 pathway inhibited prometastatic gene expression. Here, we propose that tumor-expressed FVII and liver-derived FVII have opposing effects on EMT and metastasis.

The Molecular Biology of Prostate Cancer Stem Cells: From the Past to the Future

Prostate cancer (PCa) continues to rank as the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in western countries, despite the golden treatment using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or anti-androgen therapy. With decades of research, scientists have gradually realized that the existence of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) successfully explains tumor recurrence, metastasis and therapeutic failure of PCa. Theoretically, eradication of this small population may improve the efficacy of current therapeutic approaches and prolong PCa survival. However, several characteristics of PCSCs make their diminishment extremely challenging: inherent resistance to anti-androgen and chemotherapy treatment, over-activation of the survival pathway, adaptation to tumor micro-environments, escape from immune attack and being easier to metastasize. For this end, a better understanding of PCSC biology at the molecular level will definitely inspire us to develop PCSC targeted approaches. In this review, we comprehensively summarize signaling pathways responsible for homeostatic regulation of PCSCs and discuss how to eliminate these fractional cells in clinical practice. Overall, this study deeply pinpoints PCSC biology at the molecular level and provides us some research perspectives.

WNT5a Signaling through ROR2 Activates the Hippo Pathway to Suppress YAP1 Activity and Tumor Growth

Noncanonical Wnt signaling by WNT5a has oncogenic and tumor suppressive activities, but downstream pathways mediating these specific effects remain to be fully established. In a subset of prostate cancer organoid culture and xenograft models, inhibition of Wnt synthesis stimulated growth, whereas WNT5a or a WNT5a mimetic peptide (Foxy5) markedly suppressed tumor growth. WNT5a caused a ROR2-dependent decrease in YAP1 activity, which was associated with increased phosphorylation of MST1/2, LATS1, MOB1, and YAP1, indicating Hippo pathway activation. Deletion of MST1/2 abrogated the WNT5a response. WNT5a similarly activated Hippo in ROR2-expressing melanoma cells, whereas WNT5a in ROR2-negative cells suppressed Hippo. This suppression was associated with increased inhibitory phosphorylation of NF2/Merlin that was not observed in ROR2-expressing cells. WNT5a also increased mRNA encoding Hippo pathway components including MST1 and MST2 and was positively correlated with these components in prostate cancer clinical datasets. Conversely, ROR2 and WNT5a expression was stimulated by YAP1, and correlated with increased YAP1 activity in clinical datasets, revealing a WNT5a/ROR2 negative feedback loop to modulate YAP1 activity. Together these findings identify Hippo pathway activation as a mechanism that mediates the tumor suppressive effects of WNT5a and indicate that expression of ROR2 may be a predictive biomarker for responsiveness to WNT5a-mimetic drugs.

SIGNIFICANCE

WNT5a signaling through ROR2 activates the Hippo pathway to downregulate YAP1/TAZ activity and suppress tumor growth, identifying ROR2 as a potential biomarker to identify patients that could benefit from WNT5a-related agents.

SOX9 and HMGB3 co-operatively transactivate NANOG and promote prostate cancer progression

BACKGROUND

The homeodomain-containing transcription factor NANOG is overexpressed in prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) and predicts poor prognosis. The SOX family transcription factor SOX9, as well as the transcription co-activator HMGB3 of the HMGB family, are also overexpressed and may play pivotal roles in PCa. However, it is unknown whether SOX9 and HMGB3 interact with each other, or if they regulate NANOG gene transcription.

METHODS

We identified potential SOX9 responsive elements in NANOG promoter, and investigated if SOX9 regulated NANOG transcription in co-operation with HMGB3 by experimental analysis of potential SOX9 binding sites in NANOG promoter, reporter gene transcription assays with or without interference or artificial overexpression of SOX9 and/or HMGB3, and protein-binding assays of SOX9-HMGB3 interaction. Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of SOX9-HMGB3 overexpression in PCa was analyzed.

RESULTS

SOX9 activated NANOG gene transcription by preferentially binding to a highly conserved consensus cis-regulatory element (-573 to -568) in NANOG promoter, and promoted the expression of NANOG downstream oncogenic genes. Importantly, HMGB3 functioned as a partner of SOX9 to co-operatively enhance transactivation of NANOG by interacting with SOX9, predominantly via the HMG Box A domain of HMGB3. Overexpression of SOX9 and/or HMGB3 enhanced PCa cell survival and cell migration and were significantly associated with PCa progression. Notably, Cox proportional regression analysis showed that co-overexpression of both SOX9 and HMGB3 was an independent unfavorable prognosticator for both CRPC-free survival (relative risk [RR] = 3.779，95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.159-12.322, p = 0.028) and overall survival (RR = 3.615，95% CI: 1.101-11.876, p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings showed a novel SOX9/HMGB3/NANOG regulatory mechanism, deregulation of which played important roles in PCa progression.

European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (Pathology 2.0 Molecular Pathology Special Interest Group): Review of In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Drug Research and Development

In situ hybridization (ISH) is used for the localization of specific nucleic acid sequences in cells or tissues by complementary binding of a nucleotide probe to a specific target nucleic acid sequence. In the last years, the specificity and sensitivity of ISH assays were improved by innovative techniques like synthetic nucleic acids and tandem oligonucleotide probes combined with signal amplification methods like branched DNA, hybridization chain reaction and tyramide signal amplification. These improvements increased the application spectrum for ISH on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. ISH is a powerful tool to investigate DNA, mRNA transcripts, regulatory noncoding RNA, and therapeutic oligonucleotides. ISH can be used to obtain spatial information of a cell type, subcellular localization, or expression levels of targets. Since immunohistochemistry and ISH share similar workflows, their combination can address simultaneous transcriptomics and proteomics questions. The goal of this review paper is to revisit the current state of the scientific approaches in ISH and its application in drug research and development.

HOXB3 drives WNT-activation associated progression in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Enabled resistance or innate insensitiveness to antiandrogen are lethal for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Unfortunately, there seems to be little can be done to overcome the antiandrogen resistance because of the largely unknown mechanisms. In prospective cohort study, we found that HOXB3 protein level was an independent risk factor of PSA progression and death in patients with metastatic CRPC. In vivo, upregulated HOXB3 contributed to CRPC xenografts progression and abiraterone resistance. To uncover the mechanism of HOXB3 driving tumor progression, we performed RNA-sequencing in HOXB3 negative (HOXB3-) and HOXB3 high (HOXB3 + ) staining CRPC tumors and determined that HOXB3 activation was associated with the expression of WNT3A and enriched WNT pathway genes. Furthermore, extra WNT3A and APC deficiency led HOXB3 to be isolated from destruction-complex, translocated to nuclei, and then transcriptionally regulated multiple WNT pathway genes. What's more, we also observed that the suppression of HOXB3 could reduce cell proliferation in APC-downregulated CRPC cells and sensitize APC-deficient CRPC xenografts to abiraterone again. Together, our data indicated that HOXB3 served as a downstream transcription factor of WNT pathway and defined a subgroup of CRPC resistant to antiandrogen which would benefit from HOXB3-targeted therapy.

Anti-Cancer Stem-Cell-Targeted Therapies in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in men around the world. It is treated using a risk stratification approach in accordance with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) in the United States. The main treatment options for early PCa include external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), brachytherapy, radical prostatectomy, active surveillance, or a combination approach. In those with advanced disease, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is considered as a first-line therapy. However, the majority of cases eventually progress while receiving ADT, leading to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The near inevitable progression to CRPC has spurred the recent development of many novel medical treatments using targeted therapies. In this review, we outline the current landscape of stem-cell-targeted therapies for PCa, summarize their mechanisms of action, and discuss avenues of future development.

IL-27 deficiency inhibits proliferation and invasion of trophoblasts via the SFRP2/Wnt/β-catenin pathway in fetal growth restriction

Background: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is characterized by restricted fetal growth and dysregulated placental development. The etiology and pathogenesis still remain elusive. IL-27 shows multiple roles in regulating various biological processes, however, how IL-27 involves in placentation in FGR pregnancy hasn't been demonstrated. Methods: The levels of IL-27 and IL-27RA in FGR and normal placentae were determined by immunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR. HTR-8/SVneo cells and Il27ra^-/- murine models have been adopted to evaluate the effects of IL-27 on the bio-functions of trophoblast cells. GO enrichment and GSEA analysis were performed to explore the underlying mechanism. Findings: IL-27 and IL-27RA was lowly expressed in FGR placentae and administration of IL-27 on HTR-8/SVneo could promote its proliferation, migration and invasion. Comparing with wildtypes, Il27ra^-/- embryos were smaller and lighter, and the placentae from which were poorly developed. In mechanism, the molecules of canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway (CCND1, CMYC, SOX9) were downregulated in Il27ra^-/- placentae. In contrast, the expression of SFRP2 (negative regulator of Wnt) was increased. Overexpression of SFRP2 in vitro could impair trophoblast migration and invasion capacity. Interpretation: IL-27/IL-27RA negatively regulates SFRP2 to activate Wnt/β-catenin, and thus promotes migration and invasion of trophoblasts during pregnancy. However, IL-27 deficiency may contribute to the development of FGR by restricting the Wnt activity.

Inside the stemness engine: Mechanistic links between deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer

Cell identity is largely determined by its transcriptional profile. In tumour, deregulation of transcription factor expression and/or activity enables cancer cell to acquire a stem-like state characterised by capacity to self-renew, differentiate and form tumours in vivo. These stem-like cancer cells are highly metastatic and therapy resistant, thus warranting a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms downstream of the transcription factors that mediate the establishment of stemness state. Here, we review recent research findings that provide a mechanistic link between the commonly deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. In particular, we describe the role of master transcription factors (SOX, OCT4, NANOG, KLF, BRACHYURY, SALL, HOX, FOX and RUNX), signalling-regulated transcription factors (SMAD, β-catenin, YAP, TAZ, AP-1, NOTCH, STAT, GLI, ETS and NF-κB) and unclassified transcription factors (c-MYC, HIF, EMT transcription factors and P53) across diverse tumour types, thereby yielding a comprehensive overview identifying shared downstream targets, highlighting unique mechanisms and discussing complexities.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of SOX9 expression in gastric cancer patients: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

SOX9 is a potential prognostic marker in gastric cancer (GC) patients. This meta-analysis aimed to highlight the clinicopathological and prognostic implications of SOX9 expression in GC patients.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies by the electronic literature databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and Chinese databases). Review Manager version 5.4 was employed to evaluate the pooled odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Seventeen studies with a total of 2893 GC patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. The analysis with ten articles clarified that higher expression of SOX9 was observed in GC cancers than that of normal gastric samples (OR = 16.26; 95% CI: 8.16 to 32.42; P < .00001). Consequently, the results also showed that SOX9 expression was closely associated with age (OR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.04-1.72; P = .03), tumor size (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49-0.91; P = .01), histological differentiation (OR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.36-1.06; P = .002), tumor stage (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.20-1.12; P = .04), lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.19-0.67; P = .0010) and advanced TNM stage (OR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.30-0.70; P = .0003), but not significantly related to gender, distant metastasis and vascular invasion. Furthermore, high SOX9 expression could significantly indicate poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.14-1.72; P = .001).

CONCLUSION

SOX9 overexpression might be related to poor prognosis and could serve as a potential predictive marker of poor clinicopathological prognosis factor in GC patients.

Strategies for understanding the role of cellular heterogeneity in the pathogenesis of lung cancer: a cell model for chronic exposure to cigarette smoke extract

Background

Human tumors are highly heterogeneous at the cellular, molecular, genetic and functional levels. Tumor heterogeneity has tremendous impact on cancer progression and treatment responses. However, the mechanisms for tumor heterogeneity have been poorly understood due to the lack of experimental models.

Methods

This study provides a novel exploration and analysis of the impacts of cellular and molecular heterogeneity of human lung epithelial cells on their malignant transformation following chronic exposure to cigarette smoke extracts.

Results

The ability of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) to cause malignant transformation of the human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) is dependent on the sizes of the cells. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in this process. Mechanistically, CSE-induced malignant transformation of 16HBE cells was closely linked to the reduced relative telomere length of the larger 16HBE cells, thereby up-regulation of the expression of stemness genes.

Conclusions

These findings provide novel insights for understanding the impact of cellular heterogeneity in lung cancer development. The in vitro transformation model described in this study could be extrapolated to studying the pathogenesis of other malignancies, as well as for mechanistic studies that are not feasible in vivo.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-022-02116-6.

PRMT5 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling in murine gastric tumorigenesis

Previous studies have demonstrated the in vitro oncogenic role of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) in gastric cancer cell lines. The in vivo function of PRMT5 in gastric tumorigenesis, however, is still unexplored. Here, we showed that Prmt5 deletion in mouse gastric epithelium resulted in spontaneous tumorigenesis in gastric antrum. All Prmt5-deficient mice displayed intestinal-type gastric cancer within 4 months of age. Of note, 20% (2/10) of Prmt5 mutants finally developed into invasive gastric cancer by 8 months of age. Gastric cancer caused by PRMT5 loss exhibited the increase in Lgr5⁺ stem cells, which are proposed to contribute to both the gastric tumorigenesis and progression in mouse models. Consistent with the notion that Lgr5 is the target of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, whose activation is the most predominant driver for gastric tumorigenesis, Prmt5 mutant gastric cancer showed the activation of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling. Furthermore, in human gastric cancer samples, PRMT5 deletion and downregulation were frequently observed and associated with the poor prognosis. We propose that as opposed to the tumor-promoting role of PRMT5 well-established in the progression of various cancer types, PRMT5 functions as a tumor suppressor in vivo, at least during gastric tumor formation.

SOX9 Protein in Pancreatic Cancer Regulates Multiple Cellular Networks in a Cell-Specific Manner

SOX9 is upregulated in the majority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases. It is hypothesized that the increased expression of SOX9 is necessary for the formation and maintenance of tumor phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells. In our research, we studied six pancreatic cancer cell lines, which displayed varying levels of differentiation and a range of oncogenic mutations. We chose the method of downregulation of SOX9 expression via siRNA transfection as the main method for investigating the functional role of the SOX9 factor in pancreatic cancer cells. We discovered that the downregulation of SOX9 expression in the cell lines leads to cell-line-specific changes in the expression levels of epithelial and mesenchymal protein markers. Additionally, the downregulation of SOX9 expression had a specific effect on the expression of pancreatic developmental master genes. SOX9 downregulation had the greatest effect on the expression levels of the protein regulators of cell proliferation. In three of the four cell lines studied, the transfection of siSOX9 led to a significant decrease in proliferative activity and to the activation of proapoptotic caspases in transfected cells. The acquired results demonstrate that the SOX9 protein exerts its multiple functions as a pleiotropic regulator of differentiation and a potential promoter of tumor growth in a cell-specific manner in pancreatic cancer cells.

Dynamic nucleosome landscape elicits a noncanonical GATA2 pioneer model

Knowledge gaps remain on how nucleosome organization and dynamic reorganization are governed by specific pioneer factors in a genome-wide manner. In this study, we generate over three billons of multi-omics sequencing data to exploit dynamic nucleosome landscape governed by pioneer factors (PFs), FOXA1 and GATA2. We quantitatively define nine functional nucleosome states each with specific characteristic nucleosome footprints in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, we observe dynamic switches among nucleosome states upon androgen stimulation, accompanied by distinct differential (gained or lost) binding of FOXA1, GATA2, H1 as well as many other coregulators. Intriguingly, we reveal a noncanonical pioneer model of GATA2 that it initially functions as a PF binding at the edge of a nucleosome in an inaccessible crowding array. Upon androgen stimulation, GATA2 re-configures an inaccessible to accessible nucleosome state and subsequently acts as a master transcription factor either directly or recruits signaling specific transcription factors to enhance WNT signaling in an androgen receptor (AR)-independent manner. Our data elicit a pioneer and master dual role of GATA2 in mediating nucleosome dynamics and enhancing downstream signaling pathways. Our work offers structural and mechanistic insight into the dynamics of pioneer factors governing nucleosome reorganization.

Autocrine Canonical Wnt Signaling Primes Noncanonical Signaling through ROR1 in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Wnt signaling driven by genomic alterations in genes including APC and CTNNB, which encodes β-catenin, have been implicated in prostate cancer development and progression to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, nongenomic drivers and downstream effectors of Wnt signaling in prostate cancer and the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway in prostate cancer have not been fully established. Here we analyzed Wnt/β-catenin signaling in prostate cancer and identified effectors distinct from those found in other tissues, including aryl hydrocarbon receptor and RUNX1, which are linked to stem cell maintenance, and ROR1, a noncanonical Wnt5a coreceptor. Wnt/β-catenin signaling-mediated increases in ROR1 enhanced noncanonical responses to Wnt5a. Regarding upstream drivers, APC genomic loss, but not its epigenetic downregulation commonly observed in prostate cancer, was strongly associated with Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in clinical samples. Tumor cell upregulation of the Wnt transporter Wntless (WLS) was strongly associated with Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in primary prostate cancer but also associated with both canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling in mCRPC. IHC confirmed tumor cell WLS expression in primary prostate cancer and mCRPC, and patient-derived prostate cancer xenografts expressing WLS were responsive to treatment with Wnt synthesis inhibitor ETC-1922159. These findings reveal that Wnt/β-catenin signaling in prostate cancer drives stem cell maintenance and invasion and primes for noncanonical Wnt signaling through ROR1. They further show that autocrine Wnt production is a nongenomic driver of canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling in prostate cancer, which can be targeted with Wnt synthesis inhibitors to suppress tumor growth.

SIGNIFICANCE

This work provides fundamental insights into Wnt signaling and prostate cancer cell biology and indicates that a subset of prostate cancer driven by autocrine Wnt signaling is sensitive to Wnt synthesis inhibitors.

Roles of lncRNAs Mediating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Due to the absence of early diagnostic markers and effective therapeutic approaches, distant metastasis and increasing recurrence rates are major difficulties in the clinical treatment of HCC. Further understanding of its pathogenesis has become an urgent goal in HCC research. Recently, abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) was identified as a vital regulator involved in the initiation and development of HCC. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been reported to obviously impact cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC. This article reviews specific interactions, significant mechanisms and molecules related to HCC initiation and progression to provide promising strategies for treatment.

miR-122 and the WNT/β-catenin pathway inhibit effects of both interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α in articular chondrocytes in vitro

Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and WNT/β-catenin signaling cause dysregulation of rat primary articular chondrocytes (rArCs), resulting in cartilage extracellular matrix destruction and osteoarthritis (OA) progression. microRNA (miR) miR-122 represses these effects whereas miR-451 exacerbates IL-1β-stimulated matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. The goals of this study were to evaluate crosstalk between these signaling pathways and determine if miR-122 and miR-451 exert their protective/destructive effects through these pathways in an in vitro model of OA. Primary rArCs were treated with IL-1β or TNF-α for 24 h and total DNA, MMP-13, and PGE2, as well as expression levels of miR-122 and miR-451 were measured. After 24-h transfection with miR-122, miR-451, miR-122-inhibitor, or miR-451-inhibitor, rArCs were treated with or without TNF-α for 24 h; total DNA, MMP-13, and PGE2 were measured. Similarly, cells were treated with WNT-agonist lithium chloride (LiCl), WNT-antagonist XAV-939 (XAV), or PKF-118-310 (PKF) with and without IL-1β or TNF-α stimulation. Both IL-1β and TNF-α-stimulation increased MMP-13 and PGE2 production. Transfection with miR-122 prevented TNF-α-stimulated increases in MMP-13 and PGE2 whereas transfection with miR-451 did not change these levels. No differences were found in MMP-13 or PGE2 production with miR-122 or miR-451 inhibitors. LiCl treatment decreased PGE2 production in cultures treated with TNF-α, but not MMP-13. XAV increased TNF-α-stimulated increases in PGE2 but not MMP-13. LiCl reduced IL-1β-stimulated increases in MMP-13 and PGE2. XAV and PKF increased IL-1β-stimulated increases in MMP-13 and PGE2. In this in vitro OA model, miR-122 protects against both IL-1β and TNF-α stimulated increases in MMP-13 and PGE2 production. miR-451 does not act through the TNF-α pathway. The WNT/β-catenin pathway regulates the effects of IL-1β and TNF-α stimulation. This study suggests that miR-122 can be used as a treatment or prevention for OA.

GIPC2 interacts with Fzd7 to promote prostate cancer metastasis by activating WNT signaling

Prostate cancer (PCa) causes significant mortality and morbidity, with advanced metastasis. WNT signaling is a promising therapeutic target for metastatic PCa. GIPC2 is a GIPC1 paralog involved in WNT signaling pathways associated with tumor progression, but its role in PCa metastasis remains unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that high GIPC2 expression in PCa tissues was significantly associated with distant metastasis and poor prognosis. Functional studies demonstrated that high GIPC2 expression due to CpG-island demethylation promoted increased metastatic capabilities of PCa cells. Conversely, silencing GIPC2 expression significantly inhibited PCa metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, GIPC2 directly bound the WNT co-receptor Fzd7 through its PDZ domain, which enabled activation of WNT-β-catenin cascades, thereby stimulating PCa metastasis. Interestingly, GIPC2 protein was also identified as a component of exosomes and that it robustly stimulated PCa adhesion, invasion, and migration. The presence of GIPC2 in tumor-derived exosomes and ability to impact the behavior of tumor cells suggest that GIPC2 is a novel epigenetic oncogene involved in PCa metastasis. Our findings identified GIPC2 as a novel exosomal molecule associated with WNT signaling and may represent a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for metastatic PCa.

LncRNA SNHG14 Sponges miR-206 to Affect Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating SOX9

OBJECTIVE

To explore how lncRNA SNHG14 modulates the biological features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by regulating SOX9 via mediating miR-206.

METHODS

HCC tissues were collected to perform the quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to determine the expressions of SNHG14, miR-206, and SOX9. HCC cell line SMCC7721 was selected for co-transfection by si-SNHG14/miR-206 inhibitor/si-SOX9, followed by the measurement of cell proliferation using Cell Count Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and clone formation assay. The migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing test and Transwell assay. The apoptotic rate was determined by flow cytometry. Levels of the apoptosis-related proteins were measured through Western blotting.

RESULTS

SNHG14 and SOX9 were up-regulated in HCC tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, with decreased miR-206 expression. Moreover, SNHG14 expression was significantly associated with the TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis, and histological differentiation of HCC patients. Besides, inverse correlations between SNHG14 and miR-206, as well as between miR-206 and SOX9, were noted. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay, RIP, and RNA pull-down experiments also revealed the targeting relationship between SNHG14 and miR-206 or between miR-206 and SOX9. Silencing SNHG14 and SOX9 inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC cells, with increased apoptosis, which was all abolished by silencing miR-206.

CONCLUSION

Inhibition of SNHG14 suppresses SOX9 by up-regulating miR-206, to further inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells with the promoted apoptosis, which is a novel target for the treatment of HCC.

Advance of SOX Transcription Factors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Role, Tumor Immune Relevance to Targeted Therapy

Simple Summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest human health burdens worldwide. However, the molecular mechanism of HCC development is still not fully understood. Sex determining region Y-related high-mobility group box (SOX) transcription factors not only play pivotal roles in cell fate decisions during development but also participate in the initiation and progression of cancer. Given the significance of SOX factors in cancer and their ‘undruggable’ properties, we summarize the role and molecular mechanism of SOX family members in HCC and the regulatory effect of SOX factors in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) of various cancers. For the first time, we analyze the association between the levels of SOX factors and that of immune components in HCC, providing clues to the pivotal role of SOX factors in the TIME of HCC. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges of targeting SOX factors for cancer.

Abstract

Sex determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) factors belong to an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors that play essential roles in cell fate decisions involving numerous developmental processes. In recent years, the significance of SOX factors in the initiation and progression of cancers has been gradually revealed, and they act as potential therapeutic targets for cancer. However, the research involving SOX factors is still preliminary, given that their effects in some leading-edge fields such as tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remain obscure. More importantly, as a class of ‘undruggable’ molecules, targeting SOX factors still face considerable challenges in achieving clinical translation. Here, we mainly focus on the roles and regulatory mechanisms of SOX family members in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the fatal human health burdens worldwide. We then detail the role of SOX members in remodeling TIME and analyze the association between SOX members and immune components in HCC for the first time. In addition, we emphasize several alternative strategies involved in the translational advances of SOX members in cancer. Finally, we discuss the alternative strategies of targeting SOX family for cancer and propose the opportunities and challenges they face based on the current accumulated studies and our understanding.

The molecular characteristics of low-grade and high-grade areas in desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma/ganglioglioma

AIMS

Desmoplastic infantile astrocytomas and gangliogliomas (DIA/DIGs) are rare brain tumours of infancy. A distinctive feature of their histopathology is a combination of low-grade and high-grade features. Most DIA/DIGs can be surgically resected and have a good prognosis. However, high-grade features often dominate recurrent tumours, some of which have a poor outcome. In this study, we test the hypothesis that low-grade and high-grade areas in DIA/DIGs have distinct molecular characteristics.

METHODS

Tissue samples from microdissected low-grade and high-grade areas in 12 DIA/DIGs were analysed by DNA methylation profiling, whole exome sequencing, RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry to search for potential differences at multiple molecular levels.

RESULTS

Copy number variants among tumours and between the two morphologically distinct areas were infrequent. No recurrent genetic alterations were identified across the tumour series, and high-grade areas did not have additional genetic alterations to explain their distinct morphology or biological behaviour. However, high-grade areas showed relative hypomethylation in genes downstream of the transcription factors SOX9 and LEF1 and evidence of a core SOX9 transcription network alongside activation of the BMP, WNT, and MAPK signalling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to our knowledge of molecular genetic alterations in DIA/DIGs, uncovers molecular differences between the two distinct cell populations in these tumours, and suggests potential therapeutic targets among the more proliferative cell population in DIA/DIGs.

Exploring the Wnt Pathway as a Therapeutic Target for Prostate Cancer

Aberrant activation of the Wnt pathway is emerging as a frequent event during prostate cancer that can facilitate tumor formation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Recent discoveries indicate that targeting the Wnt pathway to treat prostate cancer may be efficacious. However, the functional consequence of activating the Wnt pathway during the different stages of prostate cancer progression remains unclear. Preclinical work investigating the efficacy of targeting Wnt signaling for the treatment of prostate cancer, both in primary and metastatic lesions, and improving our molecular understanding of treatment responses is crucial to identifying effective treatment strategies and biomarkers that help guide treatment decisions and improve patient care. In this review, we outline the type of genetic alterations that lead to activated Wnt signaling in prostate cancer, highlight the range of laboratory models used to study the role of Wnt genetic drivers in prostate cancer, and discuss new mechanistic insights into how the Wnt cascade facilitates prostate cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance.

SOX9/MKLN1-AS Axis Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma Proliferation and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

SOX9, as a transcript factor, has been confirmed to boost proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the underlying mechanism remains incompletely elucidated. A bioinformatics analysis web, Jaspar, manifested that SOX9 can transcriptionally regulate an lncRNA, MKLN1-AS. To determine the role of MKLN1-AS in HCC, this study measured MKLN1-AS expression in HCC and the paracancerous tissues and conducted a series of assays, including MTT, colony formation, and transwell assays, in vitro. EMT of HCC was evaluated by E-cadherin and vimentin protein levels. The regulatory effect of SOX9 on MKLN1-AS was determined using dual luciferase reporter and ChIP assays. Both MKLN1-AS and SOX9 were up-regulated in HCC tissues compared to paracancerous tissues. SOX9 promoted cell viability, proliferation, invasion, and EMT of HCCs, but these promoting effects of SOX9 were attenuated after the knockdown of MKLN1-AS. Overexpression of SOX9 increased MKLN1-AS in HCCs, whereas silencing SOX9 decreased MKLN1-AS expression. According to dual luciferase reporter and ChIP assays, SOX9 can bind to the promoter of MKLN1-AS gene to stimulate the expression. MKLN1-AS is transcriptionally regulated by SOX9 and mediates the effects of SOX9 on the proliferation and EMT of HCCs.

Circ_0075825 promotes gastric cancer progression via adsorbing miR-432-5p to modulate SOX9

METHODS

Circ_0075825 expression in adjacent tissues and GC tissues was evaluated by bioinformatics method and quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). How circ_0075825 regulated GC cell growth, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were investigated by cell counting kit-8 assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry. The targeted interplays among circ_0075825, and miR-432-5p and Sex-Determining Region Y-related high-mobility group box 9 (SOX9) were explored by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay. The regulatory effects of circ_0075825 and miR-432-5p on SOX9 protein expression were probed by western blot.

RESULTS

Circ_0075825 expression was raised in GC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0075825 overexpression promoted the proliferative, migrative and invasive abilities of GC cells, while inhibiting apoptosis, while depletion of circ_0075825 suppressed the malignant biological behaviors of GC cells. SOX9 was identified as one of the direct target genes of miR-432-5p, and circ_0075825 repressed the expression of miR-432-5p, to induce the expression of SOX9. Furthermore, miR-432-5p overexpression counteracted the promoting effect of circ_0075825 on the malignancy of GC cells.

CONCLUSION

Circ_0075825 promotes GC progression via sponging miR-432-5p to regulate SOX9 expression level, and it may be a novel therapeutic target for treating GC.

SOX9: Advances in Gynecological Malignancies

Transcription factors of the SOX family were first discovered in mammals in 1990. The sex-determining region Y box 9 belongs to the SOX transcription factor family. It plays an important role in inducing tissue and cell morphogenesis, survival, and many developmental processes. Furthermore, it has been shown to be an oncogene in many tumors. Gynecological malignancies are tumors that occur in the female reproductive system and seriously threaten the lives of patients. Common gynecological malignancies include ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and endometrial cancer. So far, the molecular mechanisms related to the incidence and development of gynecological malignancies remain unclear. This makes it particularly important to discover their common causative molecule and thus provide an effective therapeutic target. In recent years, studies have found that multiple mechanisms are involved in regulating the expression of the sex-determining region Y box 9, leading to the occurrence and development of gynecological malignancies. In this review, we discuss the prognostic value of SOX9 expression and the potential of targeting SOX9 for gynecological malignancy treatment. We also discuss progress regarding the role of SOX9 in gynecological malignancy pathogenesis through its mediation of important mechanisms, including tumor initiation and proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, chemoresistance, and stem cell maintenance.

Chemoprevention by aspirin against inflammation-related colorectal cancer in mice

Inflammation is a primary risk factor for cancer. Epidemiological studies previously demonstrated that aspirin decreased the incidence of cancer and specifically reduced the risk of colorectal cancer. However, the number of animal studies that have confirmed the efficacy of aspirin remains limited. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms by which aspirin prevents colorectal cancer in mice. ICR mice were treated with azoxymethane and the ulcerative colitis inducer, dextran sodium sulfate, to induce colorectal tumors. Aspirin was orally administered three times per week for 12 weeks. Aspirin significantly reduced the number and size of colorectal tumors. Aspirin also significantly decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the plasma. Immunohistochemical analyses and western blots showed that cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and the active form of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), and cytosolic high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were strongly expressed at colorectal tumor sites and clearly suppressed by aspirin. An indicator of inflammation-related DNA damage, 8-nitroguanine, also accumulated in the colorectal tissues and was suppressed by aspirin. The present results suggest that the ingestion of aspirin suppressed carcinogenesis caused by inflammation through decreases in COX2 and ROS levels, resulting in reductions in DNA damage and oncogenic YAP1.

Mechanistic insights into genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer in men and is a highly heritable disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Genome-wide association studies have to date discovered nearly 270 genetic loci harboring hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with PCa susceptibility. In contrast, the functional characterization of the mechanisms underlying PCa risk association is still growing. Given that PCa risk-associated SNPs are highly enriched in noncoding cis-regulatory genomic regions, accumulating evidence suggests a widespread modulation of transcription factor chromatin binding and allelic enhancer activity by these noncoding SNPs, thereby dysregulating gene expression. Emerging studies have shown that a proportion of noncoding variants can modulate the formation of transcription factor complexes at enhancers and CTCF-mediated 3D genome architecture. Interestingly, DNA methylation-regulated CTCF binding could orchestrate a long-range chromatin interaction between PCa risk enhancer and causative genes. Additionally, one-causal-variant-two-risk genes or multiple-risk-variant-multiple-genes are prevalent in some PCa risk-associated loci. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of the general principles of SNP-mediated gene regulation, experimental advances, and functional evidence supporting the mechanistic roles of several PCa genetic loci with potential clinical impact on disease prevention and treatment.

Inhibition of GATA2 in prostate cancer by a clinically available small molecule

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains highly lethal and in need of novel, actionable therapeutic targets. The pioneer factor GATA2 is a significant prostate cancer (PC) driver and is linked to poor prognosis. GATA2 directly promotes androgen receptor (AR) gene expression (both full-length and splice-variant) and facilitates AR binding to chromatin, recruitment of coregulators, and target gene transcription. Unfortunately, there is no clinically applicable GATA2 inhibitor available at the moment. Using a bioinformatics algorithm, we screened in silico 2650 clinically relevant drugs for a potential GATA2 inhibitor. Validation studies used cytotoxicity and proliferation assays, global gene expression analysis, RT-qPCR, reporter assay, reverse phase protein array analysis (RPPA), and immunoblotting. We examined target engagement via cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), ChIP-qPCR, and GATA2 DNA-binding assay. We identified the vasodilator dilazep as a potential GATA2 inhibitor and confirmed on-target activity via CETSA. Dilazep exerted anticancer activity across a broad panel of GATA2-dependent PC cell lines in vitro and in a PDX model in vivo. Dilazep inhibited GATA2 recruitment to chromatin and suppressed the cell-cycle program, transcriptional programs driven by GATA2, AR, and c-MYC, and the expression of several oncogenic drivers, including AR, c-MYC, FOXM1, CENPF, EZH2, UBE2C, and RRM2, as well as of several mediators of metastasis, DNA damage repair, and stemness. In conclusion, we provide, via an extensive compendium of methodologies, proof-of-principle that a small molecule can inhibit GATA2 function and suppress its downstream AR, c-MYC, and other PC-driving effectors. We propose GATA2 as a therapeutic target in CRPC.

Contribution of Stemness-linked Transcription Regulators to the Progression of Breast Cancer

Although there are currently several factors that allow measuring the risk of having breast cancer or predicting its progression, the underlying causes of this malignancy have remained unknown. Several molecular studies have described some mechanisms involved in the progress of breast cancer. These have helped in identifying new targets with therapeutic potential. However, despite the therapeutic strategies implemented from the advances achieved in breast cancer research, a large percentage of patients with breast cancer die due to the spread of malignant cells to other tissues or organs, such as bones and lungs. Therefore, determining the processes that promote the migration of malignant cells remains one of the greatest challenges for oncological research. Several research groups have reported evidence on how the dedifferentiation of tumor cells leads to the acquisition of stemness characteristics, such as invasion, metastasis, the capability to evade the immunological response, and resistance to several cytotoxic drugs. These phenotypic changes have been associated with a complex reprogramming of gene expression in tumor cells during the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Considering the determining role that the transcriptional regulation plays in the expression of the specific characteristics and attributes of breast cancer during ETM, in the present work, we reviewed and analyzed several transcriptional mechanisms that support the mesenchymal phenotype. In the same way, we established the importance of transcription factors with a therapeutic perspective in the progress of breast cancer.

Exosome circCMTM3 promotes angiogenesis and tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma through miR-3619-5p/SOX9

AIM

As one of the most common and lethal carcinomas, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a global health concern and affects millions of people worldwide. Current treatments for HCC are very limited due to its unclear pathogenesis. Here, we aim to further investigate the role of circCMTM3/microRNA (miR)-3619-5p in HCC.

METHODS

Human blood samples were collected from HCC patients and healthy people. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were undertaken to measure levels of circCMTM3, miR-3619-5p, SOX9, and exosome markers. The MTT, colony formation, and Transwell assays were used to examine the viability, migration, and invasion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), respectively. Tube formation assay was used to assess angiogenesis. Dual luciferase assay was used to validate circCMTM3/miR-3619-5p and miR-3619-5p/SOX9 interactions. A nude mouse xenograft model was used to test the role of circCMTM3 in HCC in vivo.

RESULTS

Levels of circCMTM3 in exosomes from HCC patients and cells were elevated. Knockdown of circCMTM3 greatly decreased viability, migration, and invasion of HUVECs, as well as angiogenesis. CircCMTM3 acted as a miR-3619-5p sponge and miR-3619-5p inhibitor reversed the effects of si-circCMTM3 on angiogenesis. MiR-3619-5p directly targeted SOX9 and modulated angiogenesis through SOX9. Furthermore, knockdown of circCMTM3 suppressed angiogenesis and HCC tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

The exosome circCMTM3/miR-3619-5p/SOX9 axis from HCC cells promotes angiogenesis and thus contributes to HCC tumorigenesis.

The transcription co-factor JAB1/COPS5, serves as a potential oncogenic hub of human chondrosarcoma cells in vitro

Chondrosarcoma (CS) is the second most common skeletal malignancy in humans. High-grade CS is aggressive and extremely resistant to chemo- and radio-therapies. The lack of effective treatment options warrants the development of novel therapies. The evolutionarily conserved transcriptional co-factor JAB1 (also known as COPS5/CSN5) has emerged as a novel regulator of tumorigenesis. JAB1 overexpression occurs in many common cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. However, the role of JAB1 in CS pathogenesis was completely unknown. To study JAB1's function in CS, we performed shRNA knockdown (KD) of JAB1 in two high-grade human CS cell lines, SW1353 and Hs819.T, and observed significantly decreased proliferation and colony formations, and increased apoptosis in both CS cell lines upon JAB1-KD. Interestingly, we found that endogenous JAB1 interacted with endogenous SOX9, a potent oncogene and a master regulator of skeletogenesis, in chondrosarcoma cells, but not in primary chondrocytes. JAB1 also binds to the same SOX9-mediated chondrocyte-specific enhancer elements in CS cells. Furthermore, we found that a recently developed, novel, potent, and JAB1-specific small molecule inhibitor, CSN5i-3, can significantly increase apoptosis, drastically alter the activities of several signaling pathways, and modulates the expression of specific Cullin-ring-ligases (CRLs) in CS cells. Finally, our RNA-sequencing analysis in JAB1-KD CS cells identified a total of 2945 differentially expressed genes. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that JAB1 regulates several essential pathways such as DNA damage response and cell cycle regulation. In conclusion, our study showed that JAB1 might regulate a distinct pro-tumorigenic regulatory network to promote chondrosarcoma pathogenesis.

Oncogenic role of SOX9-DHCR24-cholesterol biosynthesis axis in IGH-BCL2 positive diffuse large B-cell lymphomas

SOX9 plays an oncogenic role in germinal center B-cell type, IGH-BCL2⁺ DLBCL, by promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis.

SOX9 drives lymphomagenesis through upregulation of DHCR24, the key final enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway.

Although oncogenicity of the stem cell regulator SOX9 has been implicated in many solid tumors, its role in lymphomagenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, SOX9 was overexpressed preferentially in a subset of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) that harbor IGH-BCL2 translocations. SOX9 positivity in DLBCL correlated with an advanced stage of disease. Silencing of SOX9 decreased cell proliferation, induced G₁/S arrest, and increased apoptosis of DLBCL cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Whole-transcriptome analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation–sequencing assays identified DHCR24, a terminal enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, as a direct target of SOX9, which promotes cholesterol synthesis by increasing DHCR24 expression. Enforced expression of DHCR24 was capable of rescuing the phenotypes associated with SOX9 knockdown in DLBCL cells. In models of DLBCL cell line xenografts, SOX9 knockdown resulted in a lower DHCR24 level, reduced cholesterol content, and decreased tumor load. Pharmacological inhibition of cholesterol synthesis also inhibited DLBCL xenograft tumorigenesis, the reduction of which is more pronounced in DLBCL cell lines with higher SOX9 expression, suggesting that it may be addicted to cholesterol. In summary, our study demonstrated that SOX9 can drive lymphomagenesis through DHCR24 and the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. This SOX9-DHCR24-cholesterol biosynthesis axis may serve as a novel treatment target for DLBCLs.

REX-1 Represses RASSF1a and Activates the MEK/ERK Pathway to Promote Tumorigenesis in Prostate Cancer

Epigenetics play an important role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer; it is urgent to investigate vital transcription factors in methylation regulation with the aim to develop novel treatment strategies targeting prostate cancer. As a member of the zinc finger protein family, REX-1 (reduced expression-1) is a transcription factor that has been reported to be closely linked to the development of several cancers. So far, the expression level and precise function of REX-1 in prostate cancer remain largely unknown. Here, we show that REX-1 was overexpressed in prostate cancer clinical tissues, and its expression level was closely correlated with patient prognosis. REX-1 affected prostate tumor growth in vivo by MEK/ERK phosphorylation. Mechanistic studies indicated that REX-1 recruited DNMT3b (DNA methyltransferase 3b), inhibited the transcription of RASSF1a (RAS association domain family 1a), and further modulated methylation of RASSF1a promoter. Intervention of the REX-1/DNMT3b/RASSF1a axis may shed light on the development of novel therapeutic approaches for prostate cancer treatment. IMPLICATIONS: REX1 overexpression recruits DNMT3b and downregulates RASSF1a by promoter methylation, suggesting that epigenetic intervention may contribute to prostate cancer treatment.

Claudin-7 deficiency promotes stemness properties in colorectal cancer through Sox9-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signalling

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumour of the digestive tract that is characterized by high patient morbidity and mortality rates. Claudin-7 (Cldn7), a tight junction protein, was recently reported to function as a candidate tumour suppressor gene in CRC. Our previous study demonstrated that the large intestine of C57/BL6 mice showed intestinal adenomas and abnormal Ki67 expression and distribution in the intestinal crypt when Cldn7 was knocked out. The aim of this study was to further investigate whether Cldn7 deficiency has non-tight junction functions, affects intestinal stemness properties, promotes CRC and to determine the specific mechanism.

Methods

Cell proliferation assays, migration assays, apoptosis assays, tumour sphere formation assays in vitro, and subcutaneous xenograft models in vivo were used to determine the effects of Cldn7 knockdown on the biological characteristics of CRC stem cells. Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence staining were performed to identify the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CRC stem cells. Cldn7 inducible conditional gene knockout mice and immunohistochemical staining further verified this hypothesis in vivo. The mechanism and target of Cldn7 were determined by performing a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) assay.

Results

Cldn7 knock down in CRC stem cells promoted cell proliferation, migration, and globular growth in serum-free medium and the ability to form xenograft tumours; cell apoptosis was inhibited, while the cellular epithelial-mesenchymal transition was also observed. These changes in cell characteristics were achieved by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and promoting the expression of downstream target genes after β-catenin entry into the nucleus, as observed in CRC cell lines and Cldn7 gene knockout mouse experiments. Using ChIP and CoIP experiments, we initially found that Cldn7 and Sox9 interacted at the protein level to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Conclusions

Based on our research, Cldn7 deficiency confers stemness properties in CRC through Sox9-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signalling. This result clarifies that Cldn7 plays an inhibitory role in CRC and reveals a possible molecular mechanism, which is conducive to further research on Cldn7 and cancer stem cells.

Transcriptomic analysis of castration, chemo-resistant and metastatic prostate cancer elucidates complex genetic crosstalk leading to disease progression

Prostate adenocarcinoma, with its rising numbers and high fatality rate, is a daunting healthcare challenge to clinicians and researchers alike. The mainstay of our meta-analysis was to decipher differentially expressed genes (DEGs), their corresponding transcription factors (TFs), miRNAs (microRNA) and interacting pathways underlying the progression of prostate cancer (PCa). We have chosen multiple datasets from primary, castration-resistant, chemo-resistant and metastatic prostate cancer stages for investigation. From our tissue-specific and disease-specific co-expression networks, fifteen hub genes such as ACTB, ACTN1, CDH1, CDKN1A, DDX21, ELF3, FLNA, FLNC, IKZF1, ILK, KRT13, KRT18, KRT19, SVIL and TRIM29 were identified and validated by molecular complex detection analysis as well as survival analysis. In our attempt to highlight hub gene-associated mutations and drug interactions, FLNC was found to be most commonly mutated and CDKN1A gene was found to have highest druggability. Moreover, from DAVID and gene set enrichment analysis, the focal adhesion and oestrogen signalling pathways were found enriched which indicates the involvement of hub genes in tumour invasiveness and metastasis. Finally by Enrichr tool and miRNet, we identified transcriptional factors SNAI2, TP63, CEBPB and KLF11 and microRNAs, namely hsa-mir-1-3p, hsa-mir-145-5p, hsa-mir-124-3p and hsa-mir-218-5p significantly controlling the hub gene expressions. In a nutshell, our report will help to gain a deeper insight into complex molecular intricacies and thereby unveil the probable biomarkers and therapeutic targets involved with PCa progression.

SOX14 hypermethylation as a tumour biomarker in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

The association between SOX14 and cancer has been reported. The aim of this study was to identify and validate the potential value of SOX14 methylation in the early detection of cervical cancer.

METHODS

First, we extracted the data for SOX14 methylation and expression within cervical cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and analysed them via UALCAN, Wanderer, MEXPRESS and LinkedOmics. Subsequently, according to the bioinformatics findings, primers and probes were designed for the most significantly differentiated methylation CpG site and synthesized for methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMSP) to verify SOX14 methylation in both cervical tissuses and liquid-based cell samples. Eventually, the clinical diagnostic efficacy of SOX14 methylation in the normal, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and cancer groups was analysed by ROCAUC.

RESULTS

Pooled analysis demonstrated that SOX14 methylation levels were significantly increased in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) compared to normal tissues (P < 0.001). Both the verification and validation cohorts indicated that the methylation level and the positive rate of SOX14 gradually increased with increasing severity from normal to cancer samples (P < 0.01). When the cut-off value was set as 128.45, the sensitivity and specificity of SOX14 hypermethylation in the diagnosis of cervical cancer were 94.12 and 86.46%, respectively. When taken as a screening biomarker (>CINII), the sensitivity was 74.42% and the specificity was 81.48%, with a cut-off value of 10.37.

CONCLUSION

SOX14 hypermethylation is associated with cervical cancer and has the potential to be a molecular biomarker for the screening and early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

LncRNA EWSAT1 Regulates the Tumorigenesis of NSCLC as a ceRNA by Modulating miR-330-5p/ITGA5 Axis

The aim of the study is to investigate how lncRNA EWSAT1 regulates the tumorigenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a ceRNA by modulating miR-330-5p/ITGA5 axis. qRT-PCR was conducted to evaluate the expression of EWSAT1 in NSCLC tissue. Then, A549 cells were selected and divided into Blank shScramble, shEWSAT1, miR-330-5p inhibitor, shEWSAT1 + miR-330-5p inhibitor, and siITGA5 and miR-330-5p inhibitor + siITGA5 groups. Besides, a series of in-vitro experiments were carried out to determine the changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration in each group. In addition, xenograft models were also constructed on nude mice to detect the tumor volume and weight, and the expression of Ki67 and apoptosis in xenograft tumor were evaluated. In NSCLC tissue and cell, EWSAT1 was upregulated significantly, demonstrating a correlation with tumor diameter, differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed targeting relationships among miR-330-5p, EWSAT1, and ITGA5. In comparison with the Blank group, the number of cell clones in the shEWSAT1 group and siITGA5 decreased, with declined invasion and migration but increased apoptotic rate. Meanwhile, ITGA5, MMP-2, and MMP-9 were downregulated with upregulated cleaved caspase-3. However, the changes above were totally reversed in the miR-330-5p inhibitor group, and miR-330-5p inhibitor transfection abolished the effect of shEWSAT1. In addition, subcutaneous xenotransplantation showed that the tumor growth in shEWSAT1 group retarded significantly, with downregulation of Ki67 and increase apoptotic rate. Silencing EWSAT1 could inhibit the expression of ITGA5 via upregulating miR-330-5p, thus, resulting in the inhibition of NSCLC cell growth.

An NKX2-1/ERK/WNT feedback loop modulates gastric identity and response to targeted therapy in lung adenocarcinoma

Cancer cells undergo lineage switching during natural progression and in response to therapy. NKX2-1 loss in human and murine lung adenocarcinoma leads to invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA), a lung cancer subtype that exhibits gastric differentiation and harbors a distinct spectrum of driver oncogenes. In murine BRAFV600E-driven lung adenocarcinoma, NKX2-1 is required for early tumorigenesis, but dispensable for established tumor growth. NKX2-1-deficient, BRAFV600E-driven tumors resemble human IMA and exhibit a distinct response to BRAF/MEK inhibitors. Whereas BRAF/MEK inhibitors drive NKX2-1-positive tumor cells into quiescence, NKX2-1-negative cells fail to exit the cell cycle after the same therapy. BRAF/MEK inhibitors induce cell identity switching in NKX2-1-negative lung tumors within the gastric lineage, which is driven in part by WNT signaling and FoxA1/2. These data elucidate a complex, reciprocal relationship between lineage specifiers and oncogenic signaling pathways in the regulation of lung adenocarcinoma identity that is likely to impact lineage-specific therapeutic strategies.