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Huang Y, Lin Z, Huang T, Zhou H. Fibrosis to carcinogenesis: unveiling the causal dynamics between pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1452559. [PMID: 39220640 PMCID: PMC11361962 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1452559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Previous clinical evidence has shown a correlation between pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and lung cancer (LC), but their causal relationship remains unknown. Methods This study utilized a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to explore the causal relationship between PF and LC, including its subtypes. Genetic data were obtained from the IEU and FinnGen Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). SNPs with genome-wide significance were selected, and analyses were conducted using Inverse-Variance Weighted (IVW), MR Egger, and Weighted Median methods. The IVW results for various subtypes of lung cancer and PF were used in a meta-analysis to investigate the overall causal effect between PF and lung cancer. Sensitivity analysis was used for both MR and meta-analysis to investigate the robustness of the results. Results The bidirectional MR analysis showed no significant causal relationship between PF and overall, LC or its subtypes, except for SCLC, which had a significant positive association (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.07-1.57, p = 0.009). The meta-analysis results indicated no overall causal effect (OR = 1.067, 95% CI: 0.952-1.195, P = 0.265, I² = 57.3%). In the reverse MR analysis, NSCLC and LUSC showed significant associations with PF (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.01-1.23, p = 0.028 and OR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.08, p = 0.012, respectively), while the meta-analysis results indicated no significant causal effect (OR = 1.006, 95% CI: 0.973-1.040, P = 0.734, I² = 55.9%). Sensitivity analyses indicated no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or significant heterogeneity. Conclusion This study suggests a potential causal relationship between PF and SCLC, as well as between NSCLC and LUSC with PF. However, the overall causal relationship between PF and LC was not statistically significant, possibly due to individual variability and other influencing factors. Further research using data from diverse populations is needed to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Huang
- Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou TCM Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhi Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Huang
- Department of Oncology, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Heran Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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López-Martínez A, Santos-Álvarez JC, Velázquez-Enríquez JM, Ramírez-Hernández AA, Vásquez-Garzón VR, Baltierrez-Hoyos R. lncRNA-mRNA Co-Expression and Regulation Analysis in Lung Fibroblasts from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Noncoding RNA 2024; 10:26. [PMID: 38668384 PMCID: PMC11054336 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna10020026] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease marked by abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) due to dysregulated expression of various RNAs in pulmonary fibroblasts. This study utilized RNA-seq data meta-analysis to explore the regulatory network of hub long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in IPF fibroblasts. The meta-analysis unveiled 584 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNA) and 75 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNA) in lung fibroblasts from IPF. Among these, BCL6, EFNB1, EPHB2, FOXO1, FOXO3, GNAI1, IRF4, PIK3R1, and RXRA were identified as hub mRNAs, while AC008708.1, AC091806.1, AL442071.1, FAM111A-DT, and LINC01989 were designated as hub lncRNAs. Functional characterization revealed involvement in TGF-β, PI3K, FOXO, and MAPK signaling pathways. Additionally, this study identified regulatory interactions between sequences of hub mRNAs and lncRNAs. In summary, the findings suggest that AC008708.1, AC091806.1, FAM111A-DT, LINC01989, and AL442071.1 lncRNAs can regulate BCL6, EFNB1, EPHB2, FOXO1, FOXO3, GNAI1, IRF4, PIK3R1, and RXRA mRNAs in fibroblasts bearing IPF and contribute to fibrosis by modulating crucial signaling pathways such as FoxO signaling, chemical carcinogenesis, longevity regulatory pathways, non-small cell lung cancer, and AMPK signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando López-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
| | - Jovito Cesar Santos-Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
| | - Juan Manuel Velázquez-Enríquez
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
| | - Alma Aurora Ramírez-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
| | - Verónica Rocío Vásquez-Garzón
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
- CONACYT-Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico
| | - Rafael Baltierrez-Hoyos
- Laboratorio de Fibrosis y Cáncer, Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico; (A.L.-M.); (J.C.S.-Á.); (J.M.V.-E.); (A.A.R.-H.); (V.R.V.-G.)
- CONACYT-Facultad de Medicina y Cirugía, Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, Ex Hacienda de Aguilera S/N, Sur, San Felipe del Agua, Oaxaca C.P. 68020, Mexico
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Chen L, Lin H, Qin L, Zhang G, Huang D, Chen P, Zhang X. Identification and validation of mutual hub genes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis-associated usual interstitial pneumonia. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28088. [PMID: 38571583 PMCID: PMC10987927 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28088] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The study aims at exploring common hub genes and pathways in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and rheumatoid arthritis-associated usual interstitial pneumonia (RA-UIP) through integrated bioinformatics analyses. Methods The GSE199152 dataset containing lung tissue samples from IPF and RA-UIP patients was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The identification of overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in IPF and RA-UIP was carried out through R language. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and module analysis were applied to filter mutual hub genes in the two diseases. Enrichment analyses were also conducted to analyze the possible biological functions and pathways of the overlapped DEGs and hub genes. The diagnostic value of key genes was assessed with R language, and the expressions of these genes in pulmonary cells of IPF and rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) patients were analyzed with single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets. The expression levels of hub genes were validated in blood samples from patients, specimens of human lung fibroblasts, lung tissue samples from mice, as well as external GEO datasets. Results Four common hub genes (THBS2, TIMP1, POSTN, and CD19) were screened. Enrichment analyses showed that the abnormal expressions of DEGs and hub genes may be connected with the onset of IPF and RA-UIP by regulating the progression of fibrosis. ScRNA-seq analyses illustrated that for both IPF and RA-ILD patients, THBS2, TIMP1, and POSTN were mainly expressed in lung fibroblasts, while CD19 was uniquely high-expressed in B cells. The qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) results verified that the expression levels of hub genes were mostly in accordance with the findings obtained from the bioinformatics analyses. Conclusion Though IPF and RA-UIP are distinct diseases, they may to some extent have mutual pathogenesis in the development of fibrosis. THBS2, TIMP1, POSTN, and CD19 may be the potential biomarkers of IPF and RA-UIP, and intervention on related pathways of these genes could offer new strategies for the precision treatment of IPF and RA-UIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangyu Chen
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhuhai, China
| | - Haobo Lin
- Department of Rheumatology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linmang Qin
- Department of Rheumatology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangfeng Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Donghui Huang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhuhai, China
| | - Peisheng Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Zhuhai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- Department of Rheumatology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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Fu W, Wu G. Targeting mTOR for Anti-Aging and Anti-Cancer Therapy. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28073157. [PMID: 37049920 PMCID: PMC10095787 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance between anabolism and catabolism is disrupted with aging, with the rate of anabolism being faster than that of catabolism. Therefore, mTOR, whose major function is to enhance anabolism and inhibit catabolism, has become a potential target of inhibition for anti-aging therapy. Interestingly, it was found that the downregulation of the mTOR signaling pathway had a lifespan-extending effect resembling calorie restriction. In addition, the mTOR signaling pathway promotes cell proliferation and has been regarded as a potential anti-cancer target. Rapamycin and rapalogs, such as everolimus, have proven to be effective in preventing certain tumor growth. Here, we reviewed the basic knowledge of mTOR signaling, including both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Then, for anti-aging, we cited a lot of evidence to discuss the role of targeting mTOR and its anti-aging mechanism. For cancer therapy, we also discussed the role of mTOR signaling in different types of cancers, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, tumor immunity, etc. In short, we discussed the research progress and both the advantages and disadvantages of targeting mTOR in anti-aging and anti-cancer therapy. Hopefully, this review may promote more ideas to be generated for developing inhibitors of mTOR signaling to fight cancer and extend lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wencheng Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, the Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences MOE, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Geng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, the Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences MOE, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Course of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis—Case Report and Literature Review. Curr Oncol 2022; 29:5077-5083. [PMID: 35877261 PMCID: PMC9318736 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol29070401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a poorly prognosed form of progressive interstitial pneumonia. Patients with IPF have a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer, which further worsens the course of the disease. The most common histological types of LC among patients with IPF are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, all LC treatment modalities can lead to developing an acute IPF exacerbation. In this report, we present a rare case of coexistence of IPF and small cell lung cancer in a 76-year-old patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a former smoker. For over 2 years, the patient was treated with an anti-fibrotic drug-pirfenidone, which slowed down the progression of IPF. Unfortunately, after being diagnosed with an active SCLC, the patient was excluded from further participation in the pirfenidone drug program. SCLC is characterized by high aggressiveness, rapid growth and high metastatic potential; therefore, it is necessary to apply antitumor treatment as soon as possible. The described patient was treated with carboplatin–etoposide chemotherapy. Early treatment tolerance was good and after two cycles of cytotoxic treatment, a partial response was present in CT. The presented case emphasizes the need for further research to determine the treatment regimens in patients with coexisting IPF and LC and the appropriateness of antifibrotic treatment in them. In addition, it can help to choose the treatment method for similar patients, indicating a combination of carboplatin and etoposide as an effective and, at the same time, relatively safes method in terms of the risk of IPF’s exacerbation.
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