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Pappalardo XG, Risiglione P, Zinghirino F, Ostuni A, Luciano D, Bisaccia F, De Pinto V, Guarino F, Messina A. Human VDAC pseudogenes: an emerging role for VDAC1P8 pseudogene in acute myeloid leukemia. Biol Res 2023; 56:33. [PMID: 37344914 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00446-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Voltage-dependent anion selective channels (VDACs) are the most abundant mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, encoded in mammals by three genes, VDAC1, 2 and 3, mostly ubiquitously expressed. As 'mitochondrial gatekeepers', VDACs control organelle and cell metabolism and are involved in many diseases. Despite the presence of numerous VDAC pseudogenes in the human genome, their significance and possible role in VDAC protein expression has not yet been considered. RESULTS We investigated the relevance of processed pseudogenes of human VDAC genes, both in physiological and in pathological contexts. Using high-throughput tools and querying many genomic and transcriptomic databases, we show that some VDAC pseudogenes are transcribed in specific tissues and pathological contexts. The obtained experimental data confirm an association of the VDAC1P8 pseudogene with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). CONCLUSIONS Our in-silico comparative analysis between the VDAC1 gene and its VDAC1P8 pseudogene, together with experimental data produced in AML cellular models, indicate a specific over-expression of the VDAC1P8 pseudogene in AML, correlated with a downregulation of the parental VDAC1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xena Giada Pappalardo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Risiglione
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Federica Zinghirino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Angela Ostuni
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - Daniela Luciano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Faustino Bisaccia
- Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - Vito De Pinto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
- we.MitoBiotech S.R.L, C.so Italia 172, 95125, Catania, Italy
- I.N.B.B, National Institute for Biostructures and Biosystems, Interuniversity Consortium, Catania, Italy
- Research Centre on Nutraceuticals and Health Products (CERNUT), University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Guarino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy
- we.MitoBiotech S.R.L, C.so Italia 172, 95125, Catania, Italy
- I.N.B.B, National Institute for Biostructures and Biosystems, Interuniversity Consortium, Catania, Italy
- Research Centre on Nutraceuticals and Health Products (CERNUT), University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Angela Messina
- we.MitoBiotech S.R.L, C.so Italia 172, 95125, Catania, Italy.
- I.N.B.B, National Institute for Biostructures and Biosystems, Interuniversity Consortium, Catania, Italy.
- Research Centre on Nutraceuticals and Health Products (CERNUT), University of Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy.
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A Novel Pseudogene Methylation Signature to Predict Temozolomide Outcome in Non-G-CIMP Glioblastomas. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:6345160. [PMID: 35712126 PMCID: PMC9194959 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6345160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Objective Alterations in the methylation state of pseudogenes may serve as clinically useful biomarkers of glioblastomas (GBMs) that do not have glioma-CpG island methylator phenotype (G-CIMP). Methods Non-G-CIMP GBM datasets were included for evaluation, and a RISK-score signature was determined from the methylation state of pseudogene loci. Both bioinformatic and experimental analyses were performed for biological validation. Results By integrating clinical information with DNA methylation microarray data, we screened a panel of eight CpGs from discovery cohorts of non-G-CIMP GBMs. Each CpG could accurately and independently predict the prognosis of patients under a treatment regime that combined radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). The 8-CpG signature appeared to show opposite prognostic correlations between patients treated with RT/TMZ and those treated with RT monotherapy. The analyses further indicated that this signature had predictive value for TMZ efficacy because different survival benefits between RT/TMZ and RT therapies were observed in each risk subgroup. The incorporation of other risk factors, such as age and O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status, with our pseudogene methylation signature could provide precise risk classification. In vitro experimental data revealed that two locus-specific pseudogenes (ZNF767P and CLEC4GP1) may modulate TMZ resistance via distinct mechanisms in GBM cells. Conclusion The biologically and clinically relevant RISK-score signature, based on pseudogene methylation loci, may offer information for predicting TMZ responses of non-G-CIMP GBMs, that is independent from, but complementary to, MGMT-based approaches.
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Huang Q, Niu Y, Song L, Huang J, Wang C, Ma T. Does LIN28B gene dysregulation make women more likely to abort? REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY 2022; 2:211-220. [PMID: 35118391 PMCID: PMC8801024 DOI: 10.1530/raf-21-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background LIN28B plays an important role in early embryonic development, but its role in villous trophoblast implantation and differentiation remains unknown. This study aims to verify the role of LIN28B in trophoblastic villous tissue and cells from women with URSA (unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion) and artificial termination of pregnancy (negative control, NC). Methods The LIN28B gene and its protein expression level were detected with real-time quantitative PCR, Western immunoblotting analysis, and immunocytochemistry. The gene was also overexpressed in chorionic villous cell lines (HTR-8/SVneo and BeWo) to examine its effect on trophoblast function. Results The expression of LIN28B mRNA and protein of URSA villi was lower than that in the NC group. At the cellular level, overexpression of LIN28B enhanced cellular migration, and invasion, and inhibited apoptosis. LIN28B may inhibit apoptosis by promoting Akt phosphorylation and by inhibiting Bad phosphorylation and Bcl-2 expression. In addition, LIN28B inhibited cell fusion and reduced cellular syncytia. Conclusions LIN28B can inhibit cell invasion and migration in vitro and promote apoptosis and fusion. The low expression of LIN28B in URSA villous trophoblast cells may be one of the causes of abortion. The role of LIN28B in villous trophoblasts needs further study. Lay summary Propagation of offspring is of great significance to the continuation of the human race. However, continuous pregnancy is more difficult for some women, especially women who have multiple miscarriages. One important contributor is the cessation of development caused by genetic factors of the embryo, but there are still many unknown reasons. We investigated the LIN28B gene which is a possible pathogenic factor in the placenta. We collected 25 cases of abortion in the experimental group (unexplained recurrent abortion group) and 25 in the control group (artificial termination of pregnancy group): on average at 7–8 weeks of pregnancy. We tested the function of lin28b in these samples and verified its function in cell lines. LIN28B plays an important role in maintaining early pregnancy by promoting the invasion of villous cells, inhibiting apoptosis and fusion, and the reduction of LIN28B expression may lead to the occurrence of early miscarriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- QiaoYao Huang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - YanRu Niu
- Laboratory of Minimally Invasive Orthopaedics. Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - LiJun Song
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - JinZhi Huang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - Chenxi Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
| | - TianZhong Ma
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
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An Y, Furber KL, Ji S. Pseudogenes regulate parental gene expression via ceRNA network. J Cell Mol Med 2017; 21:185-192. [PMID: 27561207 PMCID: PMC5192809 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.12952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) was first proposed by Salmena and colleagues. Evidence suggests that pseudogene RNAs can act as a 'sponge' through competitive binding of common miRNA, releasing or attenuating repression through sequestering miRNAs away from parental mRNA. In theory, ceRNAs refer to all transcripts such as mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, long non-coding RNA, pseudogene RNA and circular RNA, because all of them may become the targets of miRNA depending on spatiotemporal situation. As binding of miRNA to the target RNA is not 100% complementary, it is possible that one miRNA can bind to multiple target RNAs and vice versa. All RNAs crosstalk through competitively binding to miRNAvia miRNA response elements (MREs) contained within the RNA sequences, thus forming a complex regulatory network. The ratio of a subset of miRNAs to the corresponding number of MREs determines repression strength on a given mRNA translation or stability. An increase in pseudogene RNA level can sequester miRNA and release repression on the parental gene, leading to an increase in parental gene expression. A massive number of transcripts constitute a complicated network that regulates each other through this proposed mechanism, though some regulatory significance may be mild or even undetectable. It is possible that the regulation of gene and pseudogene expression occurring in this manor involves all RNAs bearing common MREs. In this review, we will primarily discuss how pseudogene transcripts regulate expression of parental genes via ceRNA network and biological significance of regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang An
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMedical SchoolHenan UniversityHenan ProvinceChina
| | - Kendra L. Furber
- College of Pharmacy and NutritionUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatchewanSKCanada
| | - Shaoping Ji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMedical SchoolHenan UniversityHenan ProvinceChina
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