NCAPG promotes the progression of lung adenocarcinoma via the TGF-β signaling pathway

Important role and underlying mechanism of non‑SMC condensin I complex subunit G in tumours (Review)

At present, the incidence of tumours is increasing on a yearly basis, and tumourigenesis is usually associated with chromosomal instability and cell cycle dysregulation. Moreover, abnormalities in the chromosomal structure often lead to DNA damage, further exacerbating gene mutations and chromosomal rearrangements. However, the non‑SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG) of the structural maintenance of chromosomes family is known to exert a key role in tumour development. It has been shown that high expression of NCAPG is closely associated with tumour development and progression. Overexpression of NCAPG variously affects chromosome condensation and segregation during cell mitosis, influences cell cycle regulation, promotes tumour cell proliferation and invasion, and inhibits apoptosis. In addition, NCAPG has been associated with tumour cell stemness, tumour resistance and recurrence. The aim of the present review was to explore the underlying mechanisms of NCAPG during tumour development, with a view towards providing novel targets and strategies for tumour therapy, and through the elucidation of the mechanisms involved, to lay the foundation for future developments in health.

Up-regulation of NCAPG mediated by E2F1 facilitates the progression of osteosarcoma through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Background

In recent years, there are few reports on non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG) in osteosarcoma. Our study aims to explore the biological role of NCAPG in osteosarcoma and its underlying molecular mechanism and to further clarify the reasons for the abnormal expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma.

Methods

Here, we mined The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Program public database through bioinformatics methods, analyzed the differential expression of NCAPG in sarcoma tissue and normal tissue, and explored the relationship between NCAPG expression level and sarcoma tissue differentiation, including tumor recurrence, metastasis, and patient survival. Next, the transcription factors responsible for the abnormal expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma tumors were predicted by multiple online website tools and verified via cellular experiments. Subsequently, loss of function and cell phenotype experiments were performed to confirm the effect of NCAPG on the malignant biological behavior of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanistically, by reviewing the literature, we found that NCAPG can affect the malignant progression of many solid tumors by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, we preliminarily investigated the potential effect of NCAPG on this pathway via western blot experiments in osteosarcoma.

Results

Increased expression of NCAPG was found in sarcoma compared to normal tissues, which was positively correlated with poor differentiation, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Combining the transcription factor prediction results, correlation analysis, and expression level in the TCGA public database with validation outcomes of in vitro cell assays, we found that E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) regulated the increased expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma. The results of cell phenotype experiments showed that silencing NCAPG could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The preliminary mechanistic investigation suggested that NCAPG may affect osteosarcoma progression through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Conclusions

Our data reveal that E2F1 facilitates NCAPG expression in osteosarcoma by regulating the transcription of the NCAPG gene. Up-regulation of NCAPG promotes osteosarcoma progression via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis.

Reduced miR-99a-3p levels in systemic lupus erythematosus may promote B cell proliferation via NCAPG and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an immunologically dysregulated disease characterized by the presence of multiple autoantibodies. In SLE, B lymphocytes contribute to the dysregulated production of autoantibodies and cytokines. Recently, we discovered that miR-99a-3p binds to both EIF4EBP1 and NCAPG mRNA and that lowering miR-99a-3p can promote B cell autophagy in SLE by increasing EIF4EBP1 expression. However, the functions of miR-99a-3p and NCAPG in SLE have not been extensively investigated.

OBJECTIVE

This work aims to evaluate the levels of miR-99a-3p and NCAPG expression in SLE B cells and to determine whether the aberrant expression of miR-99a-3p and NCAPG contributes to the pathological mechanisms in SLE.

METHODS

B lymphocytes were obtained through immunomagnetic negative selection. Using RT-qPCR, miR-99a-3p and NCAPG mRNA expressions in B lymphocytes and in the BALL-1 cell line were measured. To determine the relative abundance of NCAPG, PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT, we normalize them to the level of β-actin using Western blotting. Evaluation of miR-99a-3p and NCAPG's impact on cell proliferation was done utilizing CCK-8 assay. Using flow cytometry, the cell cycle and apoptosis were both measured.

RESULTS

Comparing SLE B cells to healthy controls, miR-99a-3p expression was significantly downregulated. Additionally, it was observed that SLE B cells had significantly higher NCAPG mRNA expression. Blocking miR-99a-3p expression in BALL-1 cells with an antagomir elevated NCAPG expression, facilitated PI3K/AKT pathway activation, improved cell proliferation, raised the fraction of S-phase cells, and prevented cell apoptosis. The opposite effects of upregulated miR-99a-3p levels on BALL-1 cells were observed by using an agomir. Furthermore, the effect of decreased miR-99a-3p expression on cell proliferation was partially mediated by elevating NCAPG levels and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our research indicates that lower miR-99a-3p expression in SLE B cells appears to boost B cell number via the NCAPG and PI3K/AKT pathways.

NCPAD2 is a favorable predictor of prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker for multiple cancer types including lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Non-SMC condensin I complex subunit D2 (NCAPD2) belongs to the chromosomal structural maintenance family. While the different contribution of NCAPD2 to chromosome in mitosis have been thoroughly investigated, much less is known about the expression of NCAPD2 in pan-cancer. Thus, we used a bioinformatics dataset to conduct a pan-cancer analysis of NCAPD2 to determine its regulatory role in tumors.

METHODS

Multiple online databases were analyzed NCAPD2 gene expression, protein level, patient survival and functional enrichment in pan-cancer. Genetic alteration and tumor stemness of NCAPD2 were analyzed using cBioPortal and SangerBox. The GSCA and CellMiner were used to explore the relationship between NCAPD2 and drug sensitivity. The diagnostic value of prognosis was evaluated by ROC curve. Subsequently, the immune infiltration level and immune subtype of NCAPD2 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) were analyzed using TIMER1 and TISIDB.

RESULTS

NCAPD2 gene expression was significantly higher in most cancers and associated with clinical stage and poor prognosis. Genomic heterogeneity of NCAPD2 promoted the occurrence and development of tumors. GO enrichment analysis suggested NCAPD2 might be involved in DNA repair and immune response. NCAPD2 was involved in immune infiltration of LUAD and LUSC. ROC curves showed that NCAPD2 has important prognosis diagnostic value in LUAD and LUSC. Moreover, NCAPD2 was drug sensitive to topotecan, which may be an optimize immunotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that NCAPD2 was overexpressed in pan-cancers, which was associated with poor outcomes. Importantly, NCAPD2 could be a diagnostic marker and an immune related biomarker for LUAD and LUSC.

Nonstructural maintenance of chromatin condensin I complex subunit G promotes the progression of glioblastoma by facilitating Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1-mediated E2F1 transactivation

BACKGROUND

Nonstructural maintenance of chromatin condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG), also known as non-structural maintenance of chromosomes condensin I complex subunit G, is mitosis-related protein that widely existed in eukaryotic cells. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that aberrant NCAPG expression was strongly associated with various tumors. However, little is known about the function and mechanism of NCAPG in glioblastoma (GBM).

METHODS

The expression and prognostic value of NCAPG were detected in the clinical databases and tumor samples. The function effects of NCAPG downregulation or overexpression were evaluated in GBM cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and self-renewal in vitro and in tumor growth in vivo. The molecular mechanism of NCAPG was researched.

RESULTS

We identified that NCAPG was upregulated in GBM and associated with poor prognosis. Loss of NCAPG suppressed the progression of GBM cells in vitro and prolonged survival in mouse models of GBM in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that NCAPG positively regulated E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) pathway activity. By directly interacting with Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, a co-activator of E2F1, and facilitating the PARP1-E2F1 interaction to activate E2F1 target gene expression. Intriguingly, we also discovered that NCAPG functioned as a downstream target of E2F1, which was proved by the ChIP and Dual-Luciferase results. Comprehensive data mining and immunocytochemistry analysis revealed that NCAPG expression was positively associated with the PARP1/E2F1 signaling axis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that NCAPG promotes GBM progression by facilitating PARP1-mediated E2F1 transactivation, suggesting that NCAPG is a potential target for anticancer therapy.

Association of NCAP family genes with prognosis and immune infiltration of human sarcoma

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to explore the correlation of NCAP family genes with expression, prognosis, and immune infiltration in human sarcoma.

RESULTS

Compared with normal human tissues, six NCAP family genes were highly expressed in sarcoma tissues, and high expression of the six genes were significantly associated with the poor prognosis of sarcoma patients. The expression of NCAPs in sarcoma was significantly related to the low infiltration level of macrophages and CD4+ T cells. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that NCAPs and their interacting genes were mainly enriched in organelle fission for biological processes (BP), spindle for cellular component (CC), tubulin binding for molecular function (MF), and 'Cell cycle' pathway.

METHODS

We explored the expression of NCAP family members by ONCOMINE, and GEPIA databases. Additionally, the prognostic value of NCAP family genes in sarcoma was detected by Kaplan-Meier Plotter and GEPIA databases. Moreover, we explored the relationship between NCAP family gene expression level and immune infiltration using the TIMER database. Finally, we performed GO and KEGG analysis for NCAPs-related genes by DAVID database.

CONCLUSION

The six members of NCAP gene family can be used as biomarkers to predict the prognosis of sarcoma. They were also correlated with the low immune infiltration in sarcoma.

NCAPG as a novel prognostic biomarker in numerous cancers: a meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

Identification of effective biomarkers for cancer prognosis is a primary research challenge. Recently, several studies have reported the relationship between NCAPG and the occurrence of various tumors. However, none have combined meta-analytical and bioinformatics approaches to systematically assess the role of NCAPG in cancer.

METHODS

We searched four databases, namely, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, for relevant articles published before April 30, 2022. The overall hazard ratio or odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the relationship between NCAPG expression and cancer survival prognosis or clinical characteristics. Furthermore, the aforementioned results were validated using the GEPIA2, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and PrognoScan databases.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included eight studies with 1096 samples. The results showed that upregulation of NCAPG was correlated with poorer overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.90, 95% confidence interval = 2.06-4.10, P < 0.001) in the cancers included in the study. Subgroup analysis showed that in some cancers, upregulation of NCAPG was correlated with age, distant metastasis, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, relapse, differentiation, clinical stage, and vascular invasion. These results were validated using the GEPIA2, UALCAN, and PrognoScan databases. We also explored the processes of NCAPG methylation and phosphorylation.

CONCLUSION

Dysregulated NCAPG expression is associated with the clinical prognostic and pathological features of various cancers. Therefore, NCAPG can serve as a human cancer therapeutic target and a new potential prognostic biomarker.

Knockdown of NCAPG promotes the apoptosis and inhibits the invasion and migration of triple‑negative breast cancer MDA‑MB‑231 cells via regulation of EGFR/JAK/STAT3 signaling

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer and the treatment options are extremely limited. Non-SMC condensing I complex subunit G (NCAPG) expression is upregulated in TNBC, but its specific regulatory mechanism in TNBC has not been previously reported. The expression levels of NCAPG in TNBC were analyzed using data obtained from the UALCAN database. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression of NCAPG in various breast cancer cell lines. The expression of NCAPG was knocked down, and cell viability was then detected using a CCK-8 assay, apoptosis was detected using a TUNEL assay, and the expression of the apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, Bax and Bad were detected by western blotting. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to assess migration and invasion. Western blotting was also used to determine the expression levels of migration and invasion-related proteins MMP2 and MMP9, as well as EGFR/JAK/STAT3 pathway-related proteins. Following exogenous treatment with EGF and the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway agonist colivelin, cell viability, apoptosis, invasion and migration were assessed. The expression of NCAPG in TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells was significantly increased. Inhibition of NCAPG inhibited the activity, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited the invasion and migration of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells, potentially via regulation of the EGFR/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. In conclusion, downregulation of NCAPG can promote apoptosis and inhibit invasion and migration of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells via EGFR/JAK/STAT3 signaling.

Developing mRNA signatures as a novel prognostic biomarker predicting high risk multiple myeloma

Background

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an essentially incurable disease. This study aimed to establish a predictive model for estimating prognosis in newly diagnosed MM based on gene expression profiles.

Methods

RNA-seq data were downloaded from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) CoMMpass Study and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein-protein interaction network analysis were performed to identify hub genes. Enrichment analysis was also conducted. Patients were randomly split into training (70%) and validation (30%) datasets to build a prognostic scoring model based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). CIBERSORT was applied to estimate the proportion of 22 immune cells in the microenvironment. Drug sensitivity was analyzed using the OncoPredict algorithm.

Results

A total of 860 newly diagnosed MM samples and 444 normal counterparts were screened as the datasets. WGCNA was applied to analyze the RNA-seq data of 1589 intersecting genes between differentially expressed genes and prognostic genes. The blue module in the PPI networks was analyzed with Cytoscape, and 10 hub genes were identified using the MCODE plug-in. A three-gene (TTK, GINS1, and NCAPG) prognostic model was constructed. This risk model showed remarkable prognostic value. CIBERSORT assessment revealed the risk model to be correlated with activated memory CD4 T cells, M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, eosinophils, activated dendritic cells, and activated mast cells. Furthermore, based on OncoPredict, high-risk MM patients were sensitive to eight drugs.

Conclusions

We identified and constructed a three-gene-based prognostic model, which may provide new and in-depth insights into the treatment of MM patients.

Identification of the Key Genes Involved in the Tumorigenesis and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

Background. Prostate cancer (PCa) is a malignant tumor in males, with a majority of the cases advancing to metastatic castration resistance. Metastasis is the leading cause of mortality in PCa. The traditional early detection and prediction approaches cannot differentiate between the different stages of PCa. Therefore, new biomarkers are necessary for early detection and clear differentiation of PCa stages to provide precise therapeutic intervention. Methods. The objective of the study was to find significant differences in genes and combine the three GEO datasets with TCGA-PRAD datasets (DEG). Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) determined the gene set and PCa clinical feature correlation module utilizing the TGGA-PRAD clinical feature data. The correlation module genes were rescreened using the biological information analysis tools, with the three hub genes (TOP2A, NCAPG, and BUB1B) for proper verification. Finally, internal (TCGA) and external (GSE32571, GSE70770) validation datasets were used to validate and predict the value of last hub genes. Results. The hub gene was abnormally upregulated in PCa samples during verification. The expression of each gene was favorably connected with the Gleason score and TN tumor grade in clinical samples but negatively correlated with the overall survival rate. The expression of these genes was linked to CD8 naive cells and macrophages, among other cells. Antitumor immune cells like NK and NKT were favorably and adversely correlated with infiltrating cells, respectively. Simultaneously, the GSCV and GSEA indicated that the hub gene is connected with cell proliferation, death, and androgen receptor, among other signaling pathways. Therefore, these genes could influence the incidence and progression of PCa by participating in or modulating various signaling pathways. Furthermore, using the online tool of CMap, we examined the individual medications for Hughes and determined that tipifarnib could be useful for the clinical therapy of PCa. Conclusion. TOP2A, NCAPG, and BUB1B are important genes intimately linked to the clinical prognosis of PCa and can be employed as reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis. Moreover, these genes can provide a theoretical basis for precision differentiation and treatment of PCa.

ASPM, CDC20, DLGAP5, BUB1B, CDCA8, and NCAPG May Serve as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Endometrial Carcinoma

Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC), the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries, remains to be a major public health problem. Further studies are surely needed to elucidate the tumorigenesis of UCEC. Herein, intersecting 203 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with the GSE17025, GSE63678, and The Cancer Genome Atlas-UCEC datasets. The Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were performed on those 203 DEGs. Intriguingly, 6 of the top 10 nodes in the PPI network were related to unfavorable prognosis, that is, ASPM, CDC20, DLGAP5, BUB1B, CDCA8, and NCAPG. The mRNA and protein expression levels of the 6 hub genes were elevated in UCEC tissues compared to normal tissues. Higher expression of the 6 hub genes was associated with poor prognostic clinicopathological characteristics. The receiver operating characteristic curve suggested the significant diagnostic ability of the 6 hub genes for UCEC. Then, underlying pathogeneses of UCEC including promoter methylation level, TP53 mutation status, genomic genetic variation, and immune cells infiltration were analyzed. The mRNA expression level of the 6 hub genes was also higher in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma, uterine carcinosarcoma, and ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma tissues than in corresponding normal tissues. In conclusion, ASPM, CDC20, DLGAP5, BUB1B, CDCA8, and NCAPG may be considered diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in UCEC.

Identification and verification of hub genes associated with the progression of non-small cell lung cancer by integrated analysis

Objectives: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and it is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Despite the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) have improved, the molecular mechanisms of NSCLC are still to be further explored.

Materials and Methods: Microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were selected to identify the candidate genes associated with tumorigenesis and progression of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by GEO2R. Protein-protein interaction network (PPI) were used to screen out hub genes. The expression levels of hub genes were verified by GEPIA, Oncomine and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases. Survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to value the importance of hub genes in NSCLC diagnosis and prognosis. ENCODE and cBioPortal were used to explore the upstream regulatory mechanisms of hub genes. Analysis on CancerSEA Tool, CCK8 assay and colony formation assay revealed the functions of hub genes in NSCLC.

Results: A total of 426 DEGs were identified, including 93 up-regulated genes and 333 down-regulated genes. And nine hub genes (CDC6, KIAA0101, CDC20, BUB1B, CCNA2, NCAPG, KIF11, BUB1 and CDK1) were found to increase with the tumorigenesis, progression and cisplatin resistance of NSCLC, especially EGFR- or KRAS-mutation driven NSCLC. Hub genes were valuable biomarkers for NSCLC, and the overexpression of hub genes led to poor survival of NSCLC patients. Function analysis showed that hub genes played roles in cell cycle and proliferation, and knockdown of hub genes significantly inhibited A549 and SPCA1 cell growth. Further exploration demonstrated that copy number alterations (CNAs) and transcription activation may account for the up-regulation of hub genes.

Conclusion: Hub genes identified in this study provided better understanding of molecular mechanisms within tumorigenesis and progression of NSCLC, and provided potential targets for NSCLC treatment as well.

The role of NCAPG in various of tumors

Non-SMC Condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG), a mitosis-associated chromosomal condensation protein, is related to sister chromatid appropriate separation during the condensation and fusion of chromosomes and responsible for the condensation and stabilization of chromosomes during meiosis and mitosis. Studies have shown that NCAPG is highly adjusted in a variety of cancers, and its related molecular mechanism affects tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and apoptosis including hepatocellular carcinoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, gliomas, lung adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer. Clinically, the expression of NCAPG is strongly correlated with N-classification, M-classification, and clinical stage, and NCAPG is valuable for the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, NCAPG can also reduce the sensitivity of tumor cells such as breast cancer to reduce the reaction of the original chemotherapy, so that tumor cells are drug-resistance. In summary, NCAPG can serve as a new diagnosis and treatment target for a variety of cancers, and is also a very promising prognostic marker. Therefore, this review summarizes the critical role of NCAPG in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for various cancers, and the mechanism by which NCAPG plays its pivotal roles.

Establishing and validating an ADCP-related prognostic signature in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

With the progress of precision medicine treatment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), individualized cancer-related examination and prediction is of great importance in this high malignant tumor, and antibody-dependent cell phagocytosis (ADCP) with changed pathways highly enrolled in the carcinogenesis of PDAC. High-throughput data of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were downloaded and 160 differentially expressed ADCP-related genes (ARGs) were obtained. Secondly, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses show that ADCP is a pivotal biologic process in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Next, CALB2, NLGN2, NCAPG and SERTAD2 are identified through multivariate Cox regression. These 4 genes are confirmed with significant prognostic value in PDAC. Then, a risk score formula is constructed and tested in PDAC samples. Finally, the correlation between these 4 genes and M2 macrophage polarization was screened. Some pivotal differentially expressed ADCP-related genes and biologic processes, four pivotal subgroup was among identified in the protein-protein network, and hub genes was found in these sub group. Then, an ADCP-related formula was set: CALB2* 0.355526 + NLGN2* -0.86862 + NCAPG* 0.932348 + SERTAD2* 1.153568. Additionally, the significant correlation between M2 macrophage-infiltration and the expression of each genes in PDAC samples was identified. Finally, the somatic mutation landscape and sensitive chemotherapy drug between high risk group and low risk group was explored. This study provides a potential prognostic signature for predicting prognosis of PDAC patients and molecular insights of ADCP in PDAC, and the formula focusing on the prognosis of PDAC can be effective. These findings will contribute to the precision medicine of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treatment.

Chromatin Separation Regulators Predict the Prognosis and Immune Microenvironment Estimation in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background: Abnormal chromosome segregation is identified to be a common hallmark of cancer. However, the specific predictive value of it in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is unclear.

Method: The RNA sequencing and the clinical data of LUAD were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TACG) database, and the prognosis-related genes were identified. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) were carried out for functional enrichment analysis of the prognosis genes. The independent prognosis signature was determined to construct the nomogram Cox model. Unsupervised clustering analysis was performed to identify the distinguishing clusters in LUAD-samples based on the expression of chromosome segregation regulators (CSRs). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and the enriched biological processes and pathways between different clusters were identified. The immune environment estimation, including immune cell infiltration, HLA family genes, immune checkpoint genes, and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE), was assessed between the clusters. The potential small-molecular chemotherapeutics for the individual treatments were predicted via the connectivity map (CMap) database.

Results: A total of 2,416 genes were determined as the prognosis-related genes in LUAD. Chromosome segregation is found to be the main bioprocess enriched by the prognostic genes. A total of 48 CSRs were found to be differentially expressed in LUAD samples and were correlated with the poor outcome in LUAD. Nine CSRs were identified as the independent prognostic signatures to construct the nomogram Cox model. The LUAD-samples were divided into two distinct clusters according to the expression of the 48 CSRs. Cell cycle and chromosome segregation regulated genes were enriched in cluster 1, while metabolism regulated genes were enriched in cluster 2. Patients in cluster 2 had a higher score of immune, stroma, and HLA family components, while those in cluster 1 had higher scores of TIDES and immune checkpoint genes. According to the hub genes highly expressed in cluster 1, 74 small-molecular chemotherapeutics were predicted to be effective for the patients at high risk.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that the CSRs were correlated with the poor prognosis and the possible immunotherapy resistance in LUAD.

NCAPG facilitates colorectal cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

The condensation complex gene non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G(NCAPG), a cell cycle-associated condensin, is over-expressed in various cancers. However, its biological function in colorectal cancer (CRC) has yet to be deciphered. In this study, we investigated the role of NCAPG in CRC progression.

METHODS

Tissues and cells were used to measure NCAPG expression levels and their association with clinicopathological characteristics. NCAPG silencing and overexpression in CRC cells were used to measure its effect on proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression. In addition, mRNA, and protein expression levels of key EMT biomarkers were measured. The underlying mechanism of NCAPG modulating CRC progression was further explored using western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP), and immunofluorescence (IF) assays.

RESULTS

NCAPG was over-expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. High expression levels were associated with differentiation levels, lymph metastasis, and vascular invasion in patients. NCAPG silencing suppressed, while NCAPG overexpression promoted the proliferative, migration, and invasive capacity of HCT116 and SW480 cells. Mechanistically, we discovered that NCAPG participated in regulating the EMT process and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to facilitate CRC invasion and metastasis. Additional experiments demonstrated that NCAPG activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by binding to β-catenin in CRC cells.

CONCLUSION

NCAPG acts as an oncogene involved in the development and progression of CRC by binding to β-catenin to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

NCAPG as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker in Glioma

Background

Non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG) is expressed in various human cancers, including gliomas. However, its biological function in glioma remains unclear. The present study was designed to determine the biological functions of NCAPG in glioma and to evaluate the association of NCAPG expression with glioma progression.

Methods

Clinical data on patients with glioma were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the Rembrandt and Gravendeel databases. The correlations among NCAPG expression, pathological characteristics, and clinical outcome were evaluated. In addition, the correlations of NCAPG expression with immune cell infiltration and glioma progression were analyzed.

Results

NCAPG expression was higher in gliomas than in adjacent normal tissues. Higher expression of NCAPG in gliomas correlated with poorer prognosis, unfavorable histological features, absence of mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH), absence of chromosome 1p and 19q deletions, and responses to chemoradiotherapy. Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated, in addition to patient age, tumor grade, absence of IDH mutations, and absence of chromosome 1p and 19q deletions, NCAPG expression was independently prognostic of overall survival, disease-free survival, and progression-free survival in patients with glioma. In addition, high expression of NCAPG correlated with tumor infiltration of B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated that high NCAPG expression was associated with cell proliferation and immune response-related signaling pathways. NCAPG knockdown in glioma cell lines significantly reduced cell survival, proliferation, and migration.

Conclusion

NCAPG expression correlates with glioma progression and immune cell infiltration, suggesting that NCAPG expression may be a useful prognostic biomarker for glioma.

NCAPG is a prognostic biomarker of immune infiltration in non-small-cell lung cancer

Purpose: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The protein NCAPG plays a significant role in tumor development. Patients & methods: We set up a tissue microarray (containing 140 NSCLC and ten normal lung tissues) and performed immunohistochemistry to assess NCAPG expression in the tissues of 140 patients. The prognostic value of NCAPG in NSCLC was assessed using the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier plots. We analyzed the association between NCAPG and immune infiltration in NSCLC. Results: Multifactorial analysis and Kaplan-Meier plots revealed that upregulation of NCAPG expression was an independent factor in the prognosis of NSCLC. Data from CIBERSORT showed a negative correlation between NCAPG and the expression of memory CD4⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, mast cells and natural killer cells (p < 0.001). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that cell cycle, adhesion and proliferation were significantly enriched in samples with a high NCAPG expression. Conclusion: NCAPG is a novel biomarker of prognosis and is associated with immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment. Thus it may be a potential target in NSCLC treatment.

Identification of UBE2I as a Novel Biomarker in ccRCC Based on a Large-Scale CRISPR-Cas9 Screening Database and Immunohistochemistry

Background: The genome-wide CRISPR-cas9 dropout screening has emerged as an outstanding approach for characterization of driver genes of tumor growth. The present study aims to investigate core genes related to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cell viability by analyzing the CRISPR-cas9 screening database DepMap, which may provide a novel target in ccRCC therapy.

Methods: Candidate genes related to ccRCC cell viability by CRISPR-cas9 screening from DepMap and genes differentially expressed between ccRCC tissues and normal tissues from TCGA were overlapped. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis, pathway enrichment analysis, and protein–protein interaction network analysis were applied for the overlapped genes. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to construct a signature to predict the overall survival (OS) of ccRCC patients and validated in the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and E-MTAB-1980 database. Core protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry in 40 cases of ccRCC patients.

Results: A total of 485 essential genes in the DepMap database were identified and overlapped with differentially expressed genes in the TCGA database, which were enriched in the cell cycle pathway. A total of four genes, including UBE2I, NCAPG, NUP93, and TOP2A, were included in the gene signature based on LASSO regression. The high-risk score of ccRCC patients showed worse OS compared with these low-risk patients in the ICGC and E-MTAB-1980 validation cohort. UBE2I was screened out as a key gene. The immunohistochemistry indicated UBE2I protein was highly expressed in ccRCC tissues, and a high-level nuclear translocation of UBE2I occurs in ccRCC. Based on the area under the curve (AUC) values, nuclear UBE2I had the best diagnostic power (AUC = 1). Meanwhile, the knockdown of UBE2I can inhibit the proliferation of ccRCC cells.

Conclusion: UBE2I, identified by CRISPR-cas9 screening, was a core gene-regulating ccRCC cell viability, which accumulated in the nucleus and acted as a potential novel promising diagnostic biomarker for ccRCC patients. Blocking the nuclear translocation of UBE2I may have potential therapeutic value with ccRCC patients.