RUNX1 is a promising prognostic biomarker and related to immune infiltrates of cancer-associated fibroblasts in human cancers

Stabilization of RUNX1 Induced by O-GlcNAcylation Promotes PDGF-BB-Mediated Resistance to CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Breast Cancer

Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are crucial in regulating cell-cycle progression and cancer development. Targeting CDK4/6 has shown considerable promise in treating various cancers, including breast cancer. Despite significant therapeutic efficacy, resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i), such as palbociclib, remains a substantial hurdle in clinical practice. Using a coculture system, cytokine array, and quantitative high-throughput combinatorial screening, we discovered a mechanism by which the Runt-related transcription factor (RUNX) 1-platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB axis regulates palbociclib resistance in breast cancer cells. Specifically, RUNX1 functioned as a transcription factor to drive expression of PDGFB, leading to resistance to palbociclib by enhancing the Akt pathway and suppressing senescence. Furthermore, in resistant cells, RUNX1 was O-GlcNAcylated at serine 252 by O-GlcNAc transferase, resulting in the stabilization of RUNX1 by preventing ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Inhibition of the RUNX1-PDGF-BB axis by specific inhibitors overcame palbociclib resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, the RUNX1-PDGF-BB axis was upregulated in resistant patient-derived xenograft lines and in patients with breast cancer following treatment with CDK4/6i. These findings not only unveil O-GlcNAcylation-mediated activation of a RUNX1-PDGF-BB pathway as a driver of palbociclib resistance but also provide clinical evidence supporting the repurposing of FDA-approved PDGFR inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy to treat patients with CDK4/6i-resistant breast cancer. Significance: RUNX1-PDGF-BB signaling drives resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition in breast cancer, providing the foundation to develop approaches to target the RUNX1-PDGF-BB axis to overcome CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in breast cancer patients.

Identification of cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes and prognostic model development in breast cancer: role of the RUNX1/SDC1 axis in promoting invasion and metastasis

In this study, we identified cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) molecular subtypes and developed a CAF-based prognostic model for breast cancer (BRCA). The heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and their significant involvement in the advancement of BRCA were discovered employing single-cell RNA sequencing. Notably, we discovered that the RUNX1/SDC1 axis enhances BRCA cell invasion and metastasis. RUNX1 transcriptionally upregulates SDC1, which facilitates extracellular matrix remodeling and promotes tumor cell migration. This finding highlights the vital contribution of CAFs to the tumor microenvironment and provides new potential targets for therapeutic intervention. The predictive model showcased remarkable precision in anticipating patient outcomes and could guide personalized treatment strategies.

Uncovering the ceRNA Network Related to the Prognosis of Stomach Adenocarcinoma Among 898 Patient Samples

Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) patients are often associated with significantly high mortality rates and poor prognoses worldwide. Among STAD patients, competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) play key roles in regulating one another at the post-transcriptional stage by competing for shared miRNAs. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the roles of lncRNAs in the ceRNA network of STAD, uncovering the molecular biomarkers for target therapy and prognosis. Specifically, a multitude of differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs (i.e., 898 samples in total) was collected and processed from TCGA. Cytoplasmic lncRNAs were kept for evaluating overall survival (OS) time and constructing the ceRNA network. Differentially expressed mRNAs in the ceRNA network were also investigated for functional and pathological insights. Interestingly, we identified one ceRNA network including 13 lncRNAs, 25 miRNAs, and 9 mRNAs. Among them, 13 RNAs were found related to the patient survival time; their individual risk score can be adopted for prognosis inference. Finally, we constructed a comprehensive ceRNA regulatory network for STAD and developed our own risk-scoring system that can predict the OS time of STAD patients by taking into account the above.

Pan-cancer analysis of STAT3 indicates its potential prognostic value and correlation with immune cell infiltration in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Targeting the STAT3 signaling pathway is a promising therapeutic approach for cancer patients. However, the association between STAT3 expression, the tumor immune microenvironment, and genetic variation remains unclear across human cancers, especially prostate cancer.

METHODS

We used R software and other tools to analyze pan-cancer and mutation data from publicly available databases statistically. A comprehensive investigation was performed to assess the genetic heterogeneity and clinical relevance of STAT3 in various malignancies, with a specific focus on its role in the immune landscape and prognostic significance in prostate cancer. The findings were validated through immunohistochemistry (IHC) and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF).

RESULTS

STAT3 expression is abnormal in the majority of cancer tissues, which is strongly correlated with these patients' prognosis. Eight measures of tumor heterogeneity and six measures of tumor stemness of multiple tumor types showed a strong correlation with STAT3 expression. Furthermore, in individuals with prostate cancer, STAT3 expression indicated the degree of immune cell infiltration and the advancement of the disease. IHC analysis revealed that STAT3 was down-regulated in prostate tumor tissues, while mIF analysis demonstrated that STAT3 signaling (p-STAT3) was extensively active in tumor tissues and positive lymph node tissues.

CONCLUSION

STAT3 may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target across various cancers, with particular relevance to prostate cancer.

Scar matrix drives Piezo1 mediated stromal inflammation leading to placenta accreta spectrum

Scar tissue formation is a hallmark of wound repair in adults and can chronically affect tissue architecture and function. To understand the general phenomena, we sought to explore scar-driven imbalance in tissue homeostasis caused by a common, and standardized surgical procedure, the uterine scar due to cesarean surgery. Deep uterine scar is associated with a rapidly increasing condition in pregnant women, placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), characterized by aggressive trophoblast invasion into the uterus, frequently necessitating hysterectomy at parturition. We created a model of uterine scar, recapitulating PAS-like invasive phenotype, showing that scar matrix activates mechanosensitive ion channel, Piezo1, through glycolysis-fueled cellular contraction. Piezo1 activation increases intracellular calcium activity and Protein kinase C activation, leading to NF-κB nuclear translocation, and MafG stabilization. This inflammatory transformation of decidua leads to production of IL-8 and G-CSF, chemotactically recruiting invading trophoblasts towards scar, initiating PAS. Our study demonstrates aberrant mechanics of scar disturbs stroma-epithelia homeostasis in placentation, with implications in cancer dissemination.

Development of an epigenetic clock resistant to changes in immune cell composition

Epigenetic clocks are age predictors that use machine-learning models trained on DNA CpG methylation values to predict chronological or biological age. Increases in predicted epigenetic age relative to chronological age (epigenetic age acceleration) are connected to aging-associated pathologies, and changes in epigenetic age are linked to canonical aging hallmarks. However, epigenetic clocks rely on training data from bulk tissues whose cellular composition changes with age. Here, we found that human naive CD8+ T cells, which decrease in frequency during aging, exhibit an epigenetic age 15-20 years younger than effector memory CD8+ T cells from the same individual. Importantly, homogenous naive T cells isolated from individuals of different ages show a progressive increase in epigenetic age, indicating that current epigenetic clocks measure two independent variables, aging and immune cell composition. To isolate the age-associated cell intrinsic changes, we created an epigenetic clock, the IntrinClock, that did not change among 10 immune cell types tested. IntrinClock shows a robust predicted epigenetic age increase in a model of replicative senescence in vitro and age reversal during OSKM-mediated reprogramming.

Exploring the crosstalk of immune cells: The impact of dysregulated RUNX family genes in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Abnormally expressed Runt-associated transcription factor (RUNX) family has been reported in multiple tumors. Nevertheless, the immunological role of RUNX family in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains unknown.

METHODS

We studied the RNA-seq data regarding tumor and healthy subjects from several public databases in detail for evaluating the prognostic and immunological functions owned by three RUNX genes in cancer patients. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining served for detecting their expressions in tumor and normal samples.

RESULTS

We observed that KIRC patients presented high expressions of RUNX1, RUNX2, and RUNX3. The expressions of three genes were validated by qRT-PCR, which was same as bioinformatical results. Prognostic analysis indicated that the overexpression of RUNX1 and RUNX2 negatively affects the outcomes in patients with KIRC. Related functional predictions indicated that the RUNXs and co-expression genes were significantly related to the immune response pathway. Moreover, three RUNX members were associated with immune infiltration cells and their related gene markers. The expression of RUNX family in several immune cells is positively or negatively correlated, and its dysregulation is obviously associated with the differential distribution of immune cells. RUNX family genes were abnormally expressed in KIRC patients, and were closely related to the crosstalk of immune cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings may help to understand the pathogenesis and immunologic roles of the RUNX family in KIRC patients from new perspectives.

Integrative epigenome-transcriptome analysis unravels cancer-specific over-expressed genes potentially regulating immune microenvironment in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC) is the frequently diagnosed histological life-threatening tumor subtype in the urinary system. Integrating multi-omics data is emerging as a tool to provide a comprehensive view of biology and disease for better therapeutic interventions.

METHOD

We have integrated freely available ccRCC data sets of genome-wide DNA methylome, transcriptome, and active histone modification marks, H3K27ac, H3K4me1, and H3K4me3 specific ChIP-seq data to screen genes with higher expression. Further, these genes were filtered based on their effect on survival upon alteration in expression.

RESULTS

The six multi-omics-based identified genes, RUNX1, MSC, ADA, TREML1, TGFA, and VWF, showed higher expression with enrichment of active histone marks and hypomethylated CpG in ccRCC. In continuation, the identified genes were validated by an independent dataset and showed a correlation with nodal and metastatic status. Furthermore, gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed that immune-related pathways are activated in ccRCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The network analysis of six overexpressed genes suggests their potential role in an immunosuppressive environment, leading to tumor progression and poor prognosis. Our study shows that the multi-omics approach helps unravel complex biology for patient subtyping and proposes combination strategies with epi-drugs for more precise immunotherapy in ccRCC.

Identification of cell differentiation trajectory-related gene signature to reveal the prognostic significance and immune landscape in prostate cancer based on multiomics analysis

Background

In the context of prostate cancer (PCa), the occurrence of biochemical recurrence (BCR) stands out as a pivotal factor significantly impacting prognosis, potentially leading to metastasis and mortality. However, the early detection of BCR poses a substantial challenge for PCa patients. There is an urgent need to pinpoint hub genes that can serve as predictive indicators for BCR in PCa patients.

Methods

Our primary goal was to identify cell differentiation trajectory-related gene signature in PCa patients by pseudo-time trajectory analysis. We further explored the functional enrichment of overlapped marker genes and probed clinically relevant modules and BCR-related genes using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) in PCa patients. Key genes predicting recurrence-free survival were meticulously identified through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Subsequently, these genes were utilized to construct a prognostic gene signature, the expression, predictive efficacy, putative functions, and immunological landscape of which were thoroughly validated. Additionally, we employed immunohistochemistry (IHC) and a western blotting assay to quantify the expression of PYCR1 in clinical samples.

Results

Our single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing analysis unveiled three subgroups characterized by distinct differentiation trajectories, and the marker genes associated with these groups were extracted from PCa patients. These marker genes successfully classified the PCa sample into two molecular subtypes, demonstrating a robust correlation with clinical characteristics and recurrence-free survival. Through WGCNA and Lasso analysis, we identified four hub genes (KLK3, CD38, FASN, and PYCR1) to construct a risk profile of prognostic genes linked to BCR. Notably, the high-risk patient group exhibited elevated levels of B cell naive, Macrophage M0, and Macrophage M2 infiltration, while the low-risk group displayed higher levels of T cells CD4 memory activated and monocyte infiltration. Furthermore, IHC and western blotting assays confirmed the heightened expression of PYCR1 in PCa tissues.

Conclusion

This study leveraged the differentiation trajectory and genetic variability of the microenvironment to uncover crucial prognostic genes associated with BCR in PCa patients. These findings present novel perspectives for tailoring treatment strategies for PCa patients on an individualized basis.

Exploring CCL11 in breast cancer: unraveling its anticancer potential and immune modulatory effects involving the Akt-S6 signaling

BACKGROUND

CCL11, a chemokine known for recruiting immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME), has an unclear role in the context of its expression, patient prognosis, and the presence of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TILs) in breast cancer.

METHODS

The expression of CCL11 in invasive breast cancer (BRCA) was analyzed using TCGA database. Survival curve and Cox regression analysis determined the potential of CCL11 as an independent prognostic indicator. GSEA performed functional analysis on genes related to CCL11. CIBERSORT algorithm quantified the infiltration level of immune cells with varying CCL11 expression. Lastly, the correlation between CCL11 expression and anticancer drug sensitivity was examined. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qRT-PCR confirmed CCL11 expression in clinical tissue samples. The anti-tumor efficacy of CCL11 was investigated using CCK-8, plate formation, transwell assay, and Western blot.

RESULTS

CCL11 expression was elevated in BRCA tumor tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was longer in patients with high expression of CCL11. Enrichment and co-expression analyses revealed CCL11's association with numerous immune-related signaling pathways and genes. Validation studies confirmed high CCL11 expression in breast cancer tissues. In vitro experiments substantiated CCL11's anticancer effects in BRCA.

CONCLUSION

CCL11 expression correlates with immune cell infiltration in breast cancer, indicating its potential as a prognostic biomarker for BRCA.

Dysregulated ANLN reveals immune cell landscape and promotes carcinogenesis by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background

Abnormal anillin (ANLN) expression has been observed in multiple tumours and is closely associated with patient prognosis and clinical features. In this study, we systematically elucidated the clinical significance and biological roles of ANLN in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

Methods

We obtained transcriptome and clinical data of patients with ccRCC from public databases. Multi-omics data and clinical samples were combined to analyse the correlation between ANLN expression and the clinical characteristics of patients with renal cancer. Additionally, the immune cell landscape of ANLN expression was evaluated using different immune algorithms in the tumour microenvironment. The tumour-promoting potential of ANLN was confirmed using in vitro assays, including CCK8 and Transwell assays.

Results

Bioinformatics analysis showed that ANLN is over-expressed in patients with ccRCC, as validated by clinical samples. Publicly available clinical data suggest that high ANLN expression may indicate poor outcomes in patients with ccRCC. Moreover, biological function analysis revealed a marked enrichment of the cell cycle and PI3K-Akt pathways. The distribution of immune cells, particularly M2 macrophages, differed in patients with ccRCC. Furthermore, ANLN silencing inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of renal cancer cells in vitro. After ANLN expression was knocked down in 786-O cells, the protein levels of important PI3K signalling pathway components, including PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, drastically decreased.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that ANLN is dysregulated in renal cancer tissues and promotes tumour progression by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway.

Hematopoietic Transcription Factor RUNX1 is Essential for Promoting Macrophage-Myofibroblast Transition in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma

Macrophage-myofibroblast transition (MMT) is a newly discovered pathway for mass production of pro-tumoral cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) in a TGF-β1/Smad3 dependent manner. Better understanding its regulatory signaling in tumor microenvironment (TME) may identify druggable target for the development of precision medicine. Here, by dissecting the transcriptome dynamics of tumor-associated macrophage at single-cell resolution, a crucial role of a hematopoietic transcription factor Runx1 in MMT formation is revealed. Surprisingly, integrative bioinformatic analysis uncovers Runx1 as a key regulator in the downstream of MMT-specific TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling. Stromal Runx1 level positively correlates with the MMT-derived CAF abundance and mortality in NSCLC patients. Mechanistically, macrophage-specific Runx1 promotes the transcription of genes related to CAF signatures in MMT cells at genomic level. Importantly, macrophage-specific genetic deletion and systemic pharmacological inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3/Runx1 signaling effectively prevent MMT-driven CAF and tumor formation in vitro and in vivo, representing a potential therapeutic target for clinical NSCLC.

RUNX2 as a Prognostic Factor in Human Cancers

The RUNX2 transcription factor was discovered as an essential transcriptional regulator for commitment to osteoblast lineage cells and bone formation. Expression of RUNX2 in other tissues, such as breast, prostate, and lung, has been linked to oncogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. In this study, we sought to determine the extent of RUNX2 involvement in other tumors using a pan-cancer analysis strategy. We correlated RUNX2 expression and clinical-pathological parameters in human cancers by interrogating publicly available multiparameter clinical data. Our analysis demonstrated that altered RUNX2 expression or function is associated with several cancer types from different tissues. We identified three tumor types associated with increased RUNX2 expression and four other tumor types associated with decreased RUNX2 expression. Our pan-cancer analysis for RUNX2 revealed numerous other discoveries for RUNX2 regulation of different cancers identified in each of the pan-cancer databases. Both up and down regulation of RUNX2 was observed during progression of specific types of cancers in promoting the distinct types of cancers.

Cellular Components of the Tumor Environment in Gliomas-What Do We Know Today?

A generation ago, the molecular properties of tumor cells were the focus of scientific interest in oncology research. Since then, it has become increasingly apparent that the tumor environment (TEM), whose major components are non-neoplastic cell types, is also of utmost importance for our understanding of tumor growth, maintenance and resistance. In this review, we present the current knowledge concerning all cellular components within the TEM in gliomas, focusing on their molecular properties, expression patterns and influence on the biological behavior of gliomas. Insight into the TEM of gliomas has expanded considerably in recent years, including many aspects that previously received only marginal attention, such as the phenomenon of phagocytosis of glioma cells by macrophages and the role of the thyroid-stimulating hormone on glioma growth. We also discuss other topics such as the migration of lymphocytes into the tumor, phenotypic similarities between chemoresistant glioma cells and stem cells, and new clinical approaches with immunotherapies involving the cells of TEM.

PKM2 is a potential prognostic biomarker and related to immune infiltration in lung cancer

Pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), a subtype of pyruvate kinase, plays a crucial role as a key enzyme in the final step of glycolysis. It is involved in regulating the tumor microenvironment and accelerating tumor progression. However, the relationship between PKM2 expression and the prognosis and immune infiltration remains unclear in lung cancer. In this study, we analyzed PKM2 expression in pan-cancer, and investigated its association with prognosis and immune cell infiltration of lung cancer by using multiple online databases, including Gent2, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), PrognoScan, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). The results showed that PKM2 expression is elevated in tumor tissues compared with the adjacent normal tissues of most cancers, including lung cancer. Prognostic analysis indicated that high expression of PKM2 was associated with poorer prognosis in overall lung cancer patients, especially in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Notably, PKM2 exhibited a strong correlation with B cells and CD4+ T cells in LUAD; and with B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ cells, and macrophages in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Furthermore, PKM2 expression displayed a significant negative correlation with the expression of immune cell markers in both LUAD and LUSC. These findings suggested that PKM2 could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for lung cancer and provided insights into its essential role in modulating the immune cell infiltration.

Multiple Roles of the RUNX Gene Family in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Their Potential Clinical Implications

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers in humans, characterised by a high resistance to conventional chemotherapy, late diagnosis, and a high mortality rate. It is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in hepatocarcinogenesis to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes. The Runt-related (RUNX) family of transcription factors (RUNX1, RUNX2, and RUNX3) participates in cardinal biological processes and plays paramount roles in the pathogenesis of numerous human malignancies. Their role is often controversial as they can act as oncogenes or tumour suppressors and depends on cellular context. Evidence shows that deregulated RUNX genes may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis from the earliest to the latest stages. In this review, we summarise the topical evidence on the roles of RUNX gene family members in HCC. We discuss their possible application as non-invasive molecular markers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel treatment strategies in HCC patients.

A super-enhancer-regulated RNA-binding protein cascade drives pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy in need of new therapeutic options. Using unbiased analyses of super-enhancers (SEs) as sentinels of core genes involved in cell-specific function, here we uncover a druggable SE-mediated RNA-binding protein (RBP) cascade that supports PDAC growth through enhanced mRNA translation. This cascade is driven by a SE associated with the RBP heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F, which stabilizes protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) to, in turn, control the translational mediator ubiquitin-associated protein 2-like. All three of these genes and the regulatory SE are essential for PDAC growth and coordinately regulated by the Myc oncogene. In line with this, modulation of the RBP network by PRMT1 inhibition reveals a unique vulnerability in Myc-high PDAC patient organoids and markedly reduces tumor growth in male mice. Our study highlights a functional link between epigenetic regulation and mRNA translation and identifies components that comprise unexpected therapeutic targets for PDAC.

RUNX1 promotes liver fibrosis progression through regulating TGF-β signalling

Liver fibrosis is caused by chronic liver injury. There are limited treatments for it, and the pathogenesis is unclear. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, and to try to identify new potential therapeutic targets. For this study we used the carbon tetrachloride abdominal injection induced liver fibrosis animal model in mice. Primary hepatic stellate cell isolation was performed by a density-gradient separation method, and this was followed by immunofluorescence stain analyses. Signal pathway analysis was performed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. Our results showed that RUNX1 was upregulated in cirrhotic liver tissues compared with normal liver tissues. Besides, overexpression of RUNX1 caused more severe liver fibrosis lesions than control group under CCl4 -induced conditions. Moreover, α-SMA expression in the RUNX1 overexpression group was significantly higher than in the control group. Interestingly, we found that RUNX1 could promote the activation of TGF-β/Smads in a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Thus we demonstrated that RUNX1 could be considered as a new regulator of hepatic fibrosis by activating TGF-β/Smads signalling. Based on this, we concluded that RUNX1 may be developed as a new therapeutic target in the treatment of liver fibrosis in the future. In addition, this study also provides a new insight about the aetiology of liver fibrosis.

Genomic landscape of locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma: Comparison between before and after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and effects of genetic biomarkers on clinical outcomes and tumor response

PURPOSE

To explore genomic biomarkers in rectal cancer by performing whole-exome sequencing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Pre-chemoradiation (CRT) biopsy and post-CRT surgical specimens were obtained from 27 patients undergoing neoadjuvant CRT followed by definitive resection. Exomes were sequenced to a mean coverage of 30×. Somatic single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and insertions/deletions (indels) were identified. Tumor mutational burden was defined as the number of SNVs or indels. Mutational signatures were extracted and fitted to COSMIC reference signatures. Tumor heterogeneity was quantified with a mutant-allele tumor heterogeneity (MATH) score. Genetic biomarkers and frequently occurred copy number alterations (CNAs) were compared between pre- and post-CRT specimens. Their associations with tumor regression grade (TRG) and clinical outcomes were explored.

RESULTS

Top five mutated genes were APC, TP53, NF1, KRAS, and NOTCH1 for pre-CRT samples and APC, TP53, NF1, CREBBP, and ATM for post-CRT samples. Several gene mutations including RUNX1, EGFR, and TP53 in pre-CRT samples showed significant association with clinical outcomes, but not with TRG. However, no such association was found in post-CRT samples. Discordance of driver mutation status was found between pre- and post-CRT samples. In tumor mutational burden analysis, higher number of SNVs or indels was associated with worse treatment outcomes. Six single-base substitution (SBS) signatures identified were SBS1, SBS30, SBS29, SBS49, SBS3, and SBS44. The MATH score decreased after CRT on paired analysis. Less than half of CNAs frequent in post-CRT samples were present in pre-CRT samples.

CONCLUSION

Pre- and post-CRT samples showed different genomic landscape. Potential genetic biomarkers of pre-CRT samples found in the current analysis call for external validation.

Recent Advances in Transcription Factors Biomarkers and Targeted Therapies Focusing on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Transcription factors involve many proteins in the process of transactivating or transcribing (none-) encoded DNA to initiate and regulate downstream signals, such as RNA polymerase. Their unique characteristic is that they possess specific domains that bind to specific DNA element sequences called enhancer or promoter sequences. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in cancer progression. Many dysregulated transcription factors-such as Myc, SNAIs, Twists, and ZEBs-are key drivers of tumor metastasis through EMT regulation. This review summarizes currently available evidence related to the oncogenic role of classified transcription factors in EMT editing and epigenetic regulation, clarifying the roles of the classified conserved transcription factor family involved in the EMT and how these factors could be used as therapeutic targets in future investigations.

Knockdown of membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins suppresses colon cancer growth in mice through inducing tumor cell apoptosis

CD46, CD55 and CD59 are membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins (mCRPs) and highly expressed in many tumor tissues. Our analysis by RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR revealed that the expression of mCRPs was significantly elevated in cancer tissues of 15 patients with colon cancer. To further investigate the role of mCRPs in the development of colon cancer, we suppressed the expression of mCRPs by CD46-shRNA, CD55-shRNA and CD59-shRNA in colon cancer cell lines, SW620 and HT-29 cells. The results indicated that CD46-shRNA, CD55-shRNA and CD59-shRNA effectively reduced the expression of mCRPs, accompanied with the increased LDH release and the percentage of Annexin V + 7-AAD- early phase of apoptotic cells. The similar cytotoxic effects were also observed in the cells treated with CD46 neutralizing antibody (aCD46), associated with the increased C5b-9 deposition, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax expression in the treated cells. The cytotoxic effects by mCRPs knock-down were potentiated in the cells co-treated with doxorubicin (Dox). In addition, STAT3, STAT6, and p38 MAPK inhibitors, including C188-9, AS1517499 and SB203580 effectively reduced the expression of CD46 in the treated colon cells, associated with increased cell apoptosis and LDH release. Further study with mouse model revealed that mCRPs knockdown by mCRPs-shRNA significantly reduced colon cancer growth, associated with increased expression of Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and C5b-9 deposition, but reduced expression of Bcl-2, IL-6 and IL-1beta in tumor tissues of nude mice transplanted with SW620 cells. Thereby, mCRPs expression in human colon cancer cells were upregulated by STAT3/STAT6/p38 MAPK signaling and mCRPs knockdown reduced colon cancer growth in mice through inducing tumor cell apoptosis.

The molecular mechanisms underlying neutrophil infiltration in vessel co-opting colorectal cancer liver metastases

Colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLMs) have two major histopathological growth patterns (HGPs): desmoplastic (DHGP) and replacement (RHGP). The DHGP tumours derive their vasculature by angiogenesis, while the RHGP tumours use vessel co-option. Various studies have associated RHGP tumours with an unfavourable prognosis, as well as high levels of resistance to anti-angiogenic agents and chemotherapy. Recently, we reported higher numbers of neutrophils in the tumour microenvironment (TME) of vessel co-opting tumours compared to their angiogenic counterparts. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype are unclear. Herein, we suggested a positive correlation between the expression of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) in the hepatocytes and the presence of neutrophils in vessel co-opting tumours. Importantly, upregulation of Ang1 in the hepatocytes is associated with the presence of runt-related transcription factor-1 (RUNX1) in the neighboring cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Altogether, our data suggest the molecular mechanisms by which neutrophils are infiltrated in vessel co-opting CRCLM lesions. This finding may yield novel therapeutic strategies for CRCLM patients in future.

Peripheral Inflammatory Indexes Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) as Prognostic Biomarkers in Advanced Solitary Fibrous Tumour (SFT) Treated with Pazopanib

Pazopanib was assessed prospectively in the GEIS-32 phase II study (NCT02066285) on advanced solitary fibrous tumour (SFT), resulting in a longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with historical controls treated with chemotherapy. A retrospective analysis of peripheral inflammatory indexes in patients enrolled into GEIS-32 was performed to evaluate their prognostic and predictive value. Patients received pazopanib 800 mg/day as the first antiangiogenic line. The impacts of baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and red cell distribution width (RDW) on PFS, OS, and Choi response were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Metastasis-free interval (MFI), mitotic count, and ECOG were also included as potential prognostic factors. Sixty-seven SFT patients, enrolled in this study, showed a median age of 63 years and a female/male distribution of 57/43. The median follow-up from treatment initiation was 16.8 months. High baseline NLR, PLR, and standardised RDW were significantly associated with worse PFS and OS. NLR, RDW, MFI, and mitotic count were independent variables for PFS, while RDW and ECOG were independent for OS. Further, NLR and mitotic count were independent factors for Choi response. High baseline NLR and RDW values were independent prognostic biomarkers for worse outcome in advanced SFT patients treated with pazopanib.