HNRNPC, a predictor of prognosis and immunotherapy response based on bioinformatics analysis, is related to proliferation and invasion of NSCLC cells

Deciphering the role of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in shaping the lung cancer immune microenvironment: A comprehensive prognostic model

Cuproptosis plays an important role in cancer, but its role in lung cancer remains unknown. Transcriptional profiles, clinical details and mutation data were acquired from the Cancer Genome Atlas database through a variety of methods. The analysis of this publicly available data was comprehensively performed using R software along with its relevant packages, ensuring a thorough examination of the information. In this study, we conducted a detailed analysis of cuproptosis-related genes and lncRNA co-expression, identifying 129 relevant lncRNAs and establishing a prognostic model with four key lncRNAs (LINC00996, RPARP-AS1, SND1-IT1, TMPO-AS1). Utilizing data from TCGA and GEO databases, the model effectively categorized patients into high- and low-risk groups, showing significant survival differences. Correlation analysis highlighted specific relationships between individual lncRNAs and cuproptosis genes. Our survival analysis indicated a higher survival rate in the low-risk group across various cohorts. Additionally, the model's predictive accuracy was confirmed through independent prognostic analysis and ROC curve evaluations. Functional enrichment analysis revealed distinct biological pathways and immune functions between risk groups. Tumour mutation load analysis differentiated high- and low-risk groups by their mutation profiles. Drug sensitivity analysis and immune infiltration studies using the CIBERSORT algorithm further elucidated the potential treatment responses in different risk groups. This comprehensive evaluation underscores the significance of lncRNAs in cuproptosis and their potential as biomarkers for lung cancer prognosis and immune microenvironment.

RNA binding protein RALY facilitates colorectal cancer metastasis via enhancing exosome biogenesis in m6A dependent manner

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are RNA-binding proteins, involved in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms of hnRNPs in CRC metastasis remain unclear. This study aims to uncover the pivotal roles and molecular mechanisms of hnRNPs in CRC metastasis. Clinical database analysis suggested that the expression of hnRNP-Associated with Lethal Yellow (RALY, an important member of hnRNPs) was strongly correlated with the aggressiveness and survival of CRC patients. Gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that RALY promotes the production of exosomes by increasing the formation of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and enhancing the fusion of MVBs with the plasma membrane. Notably, RALY directly interacts with phospholipase D2 (PLD2) to enable exosome biogenesis, and cooperates with RBM15b to control PLD2 mRNA stability in an m6A-dependent manner. RALY-mediated exosome secretion activates pro-tumor macrophages and further facilitates CRC metastasis, while rescue experiments in vivo further confirmed that RALY-mediated exosome biogenesis facilitates CRC metastasis. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that RALY promotes exosome biogenesis and facilitates colorectal cancer metastasis by upregulating PLD2 and enhancing exosome production in an m6A-dependent manner, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for combating CRC metastasis.

Identification of RNA-binding protein hnRNP C targeting the 3'UTR of the TAP-associated glycoprotein tapasin in melanoma

Deregulation or loss of the human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) molecules on tumor cells leading to inhibition of CD8+ T cell recognition is an important tumor immune escape strategy, which could be caused by a posttranscriptional control of molecules in the HLA-I pathway mediated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). So far, there exists only limited information about the interaction of RBPs with HLA-I-associated molecules, but own work demonstrated a binding of the heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C) to the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the TAP-associated glycoprotein tapasin (tpn). In this study, in silico analysis of pan-cancer TCGA datasets revealed that hnRNP C is higher expressed in tumor specimens compared to corresponding normal tissues, which is negatively correlated to tpn expression, T cell infiltration and the overall survival of tumor patients. Functional analysis demonstrated an upregulation of tpn expression upon siRNA-mediated downregulation of hnRNP C, which is accompanied by an increased HLA-I surface expression. Thus, hnRNP C has been identified to target tpn and its inhibition could improve the HLA-I surface expression on melanoma cells suggesting its use as a possible biomarker for T-cell-based tumor immunotherapies.

Manipulating the tumour immune microenvironment by N6-methyladenosine RNA modification

N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism, is the most common epigenetic modification in mammalian mRNA. M6A modifications play a crucial role in the developmental network of immune cells. The expression of m6A-related regulators often affects carcinogenesis and tumour suppression networks. In the tumour microenvironment, m6A-modified enzymes can affect the occurrence and progression of tumours by regulating the activation and invasion of tumour-associated immune cells. Immunotherapy, which utilises immune cells, has been demonstrated to be a powerful weapon in tumour treatment and is increasingly being used in the clinic. Here, we provide an updated and comprehensive overview of how m6A modifications affect invasive immune cells and their potential role in immune regulation. In addition, we summarise the regulation of epigenetic regulators associated with m6A modifications in tumour cells on the antitumour response of immune cells in the tumour immune microenvironment. These findings provide new insights into the role of m6A modifications in the immune response and tumour development, leading to the development of novel immunotherapies for cancer treatment.

The N6-methyladenosine modification in pathologic angiogenesis

The vascular system is a vital circulatory network in the human body that plays a critical role in almost all physiological processes. The production of blood vessels in the body is a significant area of interest for researchers seeking to improve their understanding of vascular function and maintain normal vascular operation. However, an excessive or insufficient vascular regeneration process may lead to the development of various ailments such as cancer, eye diseases, and ischemic diseases. Recent preclinical and clinical studies have revealed new molecular targets and principles that may enhance the therapeutic effect of anti-angiogenic strategies. A thorough comprehension of the mechanism responsible for the abnormal vascular growth in disease processes can enable researchers to better target and effectively suppress or treat the disease. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a common RNA methylation modification method, has emerged as a crucial regulator of various diseases by modulating vascular development. In this review, we will cover how m6A regulates various vascular-related diseases, such as cancer, ocular diseases, neurological diseases, ischemic diseases, emphasizing the mechanism of m6A methylation regulators on angiogenesis during pathological process.

Regulation of protein synthesis and stability by mechanical cues and its implications in cancer

Elevated tissue stiffness is a common feature of many solid tumors and the downstream mechanical signaling affects many cellular processes and contributes to cancer progression. Significant progress has been made in understanding how the mechanical properties of the matrix affect cancer cell behavior as well as transcription. However, how the same mechanical cues impact protein synthesis and stability and how this may contribute to disease is less well understood. Here, we present emerging evidence that cancer progression is frequently supported by gene regulation acting beyond the mRNA level and highlight some of the known crosstalk between this type of regulation and mechanotransduction in cancer as well as in other contexts. We suggest that future systematic approaches to define mechanosensitive translatomes and proteomes and how these are controlled may provide novel targets for cancer therapy.

Role of Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins in the Cancer-Immune Landscape

Cancer remains the second leading cause of death, accounting for approximately 20% of all fatalities. Evolving cancer cells and a dysregulated immune system create complex tumor environments that fuel tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance. Over the past decades, significant progress in deciphering cancer cell behavior and recognizing the immune system as a hallmark of tumorigenesis has been achieved. However, the underlying mechanisms controlling the evolving cancer-immune landscape remain mostly unexplored. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonuclear proteins (hnRNP), a highly conserved family of RNA-binding proteins, have vital roles in critical cellular processes, including transcription, post-transcriptional modifications, and translation. Dysregulation of hnRNP is a critical contributor to cancer development and resistance. HnRNP contribute to the diversity of tumor and immune-associated aberrant proteomes by controlling alternative splicing and translation. They can also promote cancer-associated gene expression by regulating transcription factors, binding to DNA directly, or promoting chromatin remodeling. HnRNP are emerging as newly recognized mRNA readers. Here, we review the roles of hnRNP as regulators of the cancer-immune landscape. Dissecting the molecular functions of hnRNP will provide a better understanding of cancer-immune biology and will impact the development of new approaches to control and treat cancer.

Understanding the Epitranscriptome for Avant-Garde Brain Tumour Diagnostics

RNA modifications are diverse, dynamic, and reversible transcript alterations rapidly gaining attention due to their newly defined RNA regulatory roles in cellular pathways and pathogenic mechanisms. The exciting emerging field of 'epitranscriptomics' is predominantly centred on studying the most abundant mRNA modification, N6-methyladenine (m⁶A). The m⁶A mark, similar to many other RNA modifications, is strictly regulated by so-called 'writer', 'reader', and 'eraser' protein species. The abundance of genes coding for the expression of these regulator proteins and m⁶A levels shows great potential as diagnostic and predictive tools across several cancer fields. This review explores our current understanding of RNA modifications in glioma biology and the potential of epitranscriptomics to develop new diagnostic and predictive classification tools that can stratify these highly complex and heterogeneous brain tumours.