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Farazi MM, Jafarinejad-Farsangi S, Miri Karam Z, Gholizadeh M, Hadadi M, Yari A. Circular RNAs: Epigenetic regulators of PTEN expression and function in cancer. Gene 2024; 916:148442. [PMID: 38582262 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression, without altering the DNA sequence, is involved in many normal cellular growth and division events, as well as diseases such as cancer. Epigenetics is no longer limited to DNA methylation, and histone modification, but regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) also play an important role in epigenetics. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), single-stranded RNAs without 3' and 5' ends, have recently emerged as a class of ncRNAs that regulate gene expression. CircRNAs regulate phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression at various levels of transcription, post-transcription, translation, and post-translation under their own regulation. Given the importance of PTEN as a tumor suppressor in cancer that inhibits one of the most important cancer pathways PI3K/AKT involved in tumor cell proliferation and survival, significant studies have been conducted on the regulatory role of circRNAs in relation to PTEN. These studies will be reviewed in this paper to better understand the function of this protein in cancer and explore new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Zahra Miri Karam
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic & Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran
| | - Maryam Gholizadeh
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Medicine Greifswald, Greifwald, Germany
| | - Maryam Hadadi
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Yari
- Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic & Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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Bracken CP, Goodall GJ, Gregory PA. RNA regulatory mechanisms controlling TGF-β signaling and EMT in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2024:S1044-579X(24)00043-9. [PMID: 38917876 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2024.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a major contributor to metastatic progression and is prominently regulated by TGF-β signalling. Both EMT and TGF-β pathway components are tightly controlled by non-coding RNAs - including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) - that collectively have major impacts on gene expression and resulting cellular states. While miRNAs are the best characterised regulators of EMT and TGF-β signaling and the miR-200-ZEB1/2 feedback loop plays a central role, important functions for lncRNAs and circRNAs are also now emerging. This review will summarise our current understanding of the roles of non-coding RNAs in EMT and TGF-β signaling with a focus on their functions in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron P Bracken
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Adelaide.
| | - Gregory J Goodall
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Adelaide.
| | - Philip A Gregory
- Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
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3
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Lin J, Lyu Z, Feng H, Xie H, Peng J, Zhang W, Zheng J, Zheng J, Pan Z, Li Y. CircPDIA3/miR-449a/XBP1 feedback loop curbs pyroptosis by inhibiting palmitoylation of the GSDME-C domain to induce chemoresistance of colorectal cancer. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 76:101097. [PMID: 38861804 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Although oxaliplatin (OXA) is widely used in the frontline treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), CRC recurrence is commonly observed due to OXA resistance. OXA resistance is associated with a number of factors, including abnormal regulation of pyroptosis. It is therefore important to elucidate the abnormal regulatory mechanism underlying pyroptosis. Here, we identified that the circular RNA circPDIA3 played an important role in chemoresistance in CRC. CircPDIA3 could induce chemoresistance in CRC by inhibiting pyroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, RIP, RNA pull-down and co-IP assays revealed that circPDIA3 directly bonded to the GSDME-C domain, subsequently enhanced the autoinhibitory effect of the GSDME-C domain through blocking the GSDME-C domain palmitoylation by ZDHHC3 and ZDHHC17, thereby restraining pyroptosis. Additionally, it was found that the circPDIA3/miR-449a/XBP1 positive feedback loop increased the expression of circPDIA3 to induce chemoresistance. Furthermore, our clinical data and patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) models supported the positive association of circPDIA3 with development of chemoresistance in CRC patients. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that circPDIA3 could promote chemoresistance by amplifying the autoinhibitory effect of the GSDME-C domain through inhibition of the GSDME-C domain palmitoylation in CRC. This study provides novel insights into the mechanism of circRNA in regulating pyroptosis and providing a potential therapeutic target for reversing chemoresistance of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiatong Lin
- School of Medicine South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zejian Lyu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Huolun Feng
- School of Medicine South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Huajie Xie
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jingwen Peng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Weifu Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Jun Zheng
- Organ Transplantation Research Center of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou 510630, China; Department of Hepatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Transplantation Medicine, Guangzhou 510630, China.
| | - Jiabin Zheng
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Zihao Pan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
| | - Yong Li
- School of Medicine South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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Lin X, Zhi Y. CircPRELID2 functions as a promoter of renal cell carcinoma through the miR-22-3p/ETV1 cascade. BMC Urol 2024; 24:104. [PMID: 38730434 PMCID: PMC11088145 DOI: 10.1186/s12894-024-01490-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging evidence has indicated that a number of circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) carcinogenesis. Nevertheless, the activity and molecular process of circPRELID2 (hsa_circ_0006528) in RCC progression remain unknown. METHODS CircPRELID2, miR-22-3p and ETS variant 1 (ETV1) levels were gauged by qRT-PCR. Effect of the circPRELID2/miR-22-3p/ETV1 axis was evaluated by detecting cell growth, motility, and invasion. Immunoblotting assessed related protein levels. The relationships of circPRELID2/miR-22-3p and miR-22-3p/ETV1 were confirmed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), luciferase reporter or RNA pull-down assay. RESULTS CircPRELID2 was up-regulated in RCC. CircPRELID2 silencing suppressed RCC cell growth, motility and invasion. Moreover, circPRELID2 silencing weakened M2-type macrophage polarization in THP1-induced macrophage cells. CircPRELID2 sequestered miR-22-3p, and circPRELID2 increased ETV1 expression through miR-22-3p. Moreover, the inhibitory impact of circPRELID2 silencing on RCC cell malignant behaviors was mediated by the miR-22-3p/ETV1 axis. Furthermore, circPRELID2 knockdown in vivo hampered growth of xenograft tumors. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that circPRELID2 silencing can mitigate RCC malignant development through the circPRELID2/miR-22-3p/ETV1 axis, highlighting new therapeutic targets for RCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Lin
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Shuanghu Branch Road, Huixing Street, Yubei District, Chongqing City, 401120, PR, China
| | - Yi Zhi
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Shuanghu Branch Road, Huixing Street, Yubei District, Chongqing City, 401120, PR, China.
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Zhao S, Xiao M, Li L, Zhang H, Shan M, Cui S, Zhang L, Zhang G, Wu S, Jin C, Yang J, Lu X. A unique circ_0067716/EIF4A3 double-negative feedback loop impacts malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by benzo(a)pyrene. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171349. [PMID: 38438030 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Benzo(a)pyrene as a pervasive environmental contaminant is characterized by its substantial genotoxicity, and epidemiological investigations have established a correlation between benzo(a)pyrene exposure and the susceptibility to human lung cancer. Notably, much research has focused on the link between epigenetic alterations and lung cancer induced by chemicals, although circRNAs are also emerging as relevant contributors to the carcinogenic process of benzo(a)pyrene. In this study, we identified circ_0067716 as being significantly upregulated in response to stress injury and downregulated during malignant transformation induced by benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) in human bronchial epithelial cells. The observed differential expression of circ_0067716 in cells treated with BPDE for varying durations suggests a strong correlation between this circRNA and BPDE exposure. The tissue samples of lung cancer patients also suggest that a lower circ_0067716 expression is associated with BPDE-DNA adduct levels. Remarkably, we demonstrate that EIF4A3, located in the nucleus, interacts with the flanking sequences of circ_0067716 and inhibits its biogenesis. Conversely, circ_0067716 is capable of sequestering EIF4A3 in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing its translocation into the nucleus. EIF4A3 and circ_0067716 can form a double-negative feedback loop that could be affected by BPDE. During the initial phase of BPDE exposure, the expression of circ_0067716 was increased in response to stress injury, resulting in cell apoptosis through the involvement of miR-324-5p/DRAM1/BAX axis. Subsequently, as cellular adaptation progressed, long-term induction due to BPDE exposure led to an elevated EIF4A3 and a reduced circ_0067716 expression, which facilitated the proliferation of cells by stabilizing the PI3K/AKT pathway. Thus, our current study describes the effects of circ_0067716 on the genotoxicity and carcinogenesis induced by benzo(a)pyrene and puts forwards to the possible regulatory mechanism on the occurrence of smoking-related lung cancer, providing a unique insight based on epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingyang Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Liuli Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingming Shan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Su Cui
- Department of Thoracic Surgery Ward 2, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110005, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, People's Republic of China
| | - Guopei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengwen Wu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Cuihong Jin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinghua Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaobo Lu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Stress and Chronic Disease Control & Prevention, Ministry of Education (China Medical University), Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China.
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Ruan D, Xu J, Liu Y, Luo J, Zhao X, Li Y, Wang G, Feng J, Liang H, Yin Y, Luo J, Yin Y. CircPTEN-MT from PTEN regulates mitochondrial energy metabolism. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:531-542. [PMID: 38184105 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a multifunctional gene involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are generated from back-splicing events during mRNA processing and participate in cell biological processes through binding to RNAs or proteins. However, PTEN-related circRNAs are largely unknown. Here, we report that circPTEN- mitochondria (MT) (hsa_circ_0002934) is a circular RNA encoded by exons 3, 4, and 5 of PTEN and is a critical regulator of mitochondrial energy metabolism. CircPTEN-MT is localized to mitochondria and physically associated with leucine-rich pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein (LRPPRC), which regulates posttranscriptional gene expression in mitochondria. Knocking down circPTEN-MT reduces the interaction of LRPPRC and steroid receptor RNA activator (SRA) stem-loop interacting RNA binding protein (SLIRP) and inhibits the polyadenylation of mitochondrial mRNA, which decreases the mRNA level of the mitochondrial complex I subunit and reduces mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate production. Our data demonstrate that circPTEN-MT is an important regulator of cellular energy metabolism. This study expands our understanding of the role of PTEN, which produces both linear and circular RNAs with different and independent functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danhui Ruan
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jiancheng Xu
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Juan Luo
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, China
| | - Xuyang Zhao
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Guangxi Wang
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jiawen Feng
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Hui Liang
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yue Yin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jianyuan Luo
- Department of Medical Genetics, Center for Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yuxin Yin
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, Peking University International Cancer Institute, Peking-Tsinghua Center of Life Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China; Institute of Precision Medicine, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, China.
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Hou C, Liu J, Liu J, Yao D, Liang F, Qin C, Ma Z. 5-methylcytosine-mediated upregulation of circular RNA 0102913 augments malignant properties of colorectal cancer cells through a microRNA-571/Rac family small GTPase 2 axis. Gene 2024; 901:148162. [PMID: 38224924 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of stable non-coding RNAs that have emerged as key regulators in human diseases including cancer. This study investigates the role of circRNA_0102913 (circ_0102913) in malignant behavior of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and the underpinning mechanisms. By analyzing CRC-related GSE197991, GSE159669, and GSE223001 datasets, we obtained circ_0102913 as an aberrantly upregulated circRNA in CRC. Increased circ_0102913 expression was detected in CRC tissues and cells. By querying multiple bioinformatics systems (circBank, Circular RNA Interactome, TargetScan, miRDIP, miRwalk, and miRDB), we identified microRNA-571 (miR-571) as a target of circ_0102913 and Rac family small GTPase 2 (RAC2) mRNA as a target of miR-571. Biotinylated-RNA pull-down and/or luciferase assays showed that circ_0102913 bound to miR-571 to restore the expression of RAC2 mRNA. Circ_0102913 silencing or miR-571 overexpression repressed proliferation, migration and invasion, and in vivo tumorigenesis abilities of CRC cells. However, the malignant properties of cells were restored by RAC2 overexpression. The increased circ_0102913 expression in CRC cells was attributed to increased 5-methylcytosine (m5C) modification levels. Silencing of NOP2/Sun RNA methyltransferase 5 reduced the m5C level and therefore reduced stability and expression of circ_0102913 expression in CRC cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that m5C-mediated upregulation of circ_0102913 augments malignant properties of CRC cells through a miR-571/RAC2 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofeng Hou
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China
| | - Jinbo Liu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, PR China
| | - Junwei Liu
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China
| | - Danjie Yao
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China
| | - Fang Liang
- Department of Oncology Rehabilitation, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China
| | - Congpeng Qin
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China
| | - Zhiyong Ma
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, Henan, PR China.
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Ren J, Yao X, Yang M, Cheng S, Wu D, Xu K, Li R, Zhang H, Zhang D. Kinesin Family Member-18A (KIF18A) Promotes Cell Proliferation and Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Dig Dis Sci 2024; 69:1274-1286. [PMID: 38446308 PMCID: PMC11026273 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-024-08321-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Kinesin family member 18A (KIF18A) is notable for its aberrant expression across various cancer types and its pivotal role is driving cancer progression. In this study, we aim to investigate the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of KIF18A on the progression of HCC. METHODS Western blotting assays, a quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to quantitatively assess KIF18A expression in HCC tissues. We then performed genetic manipulations within HCC cells by silencing endogenous KIF18A using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and introducing exogenous plasmids to overexpress KIF18A. We monitored cell progression, analyzed cell cycle and cell apoptosis and assessed cell migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we conducted RNA-sequencing to explore KIF18A-related signaling pathways utilizing Reactome and KEGG enrichment methods and validated these critical mediators in these pathways. RESULTS Analysis of the TCGA-LIHC database revealed pronounced overexpression of KIF18A in HCC tissues, the finding was subsequently confirmed through the analysis of clinical samples obtained from HCC patients. Notably, silencing KIF18A in cells led to an obvious inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, in subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft models, suppression of KIF18A sgnificantly redudce tumor weight and the number of lung metastatic nodules. Mechanistically, KIF18A appears to facilitate cell proliferation by upregulating MAD2 and CDK1/CyclinB1 expression levels, with the activation of SMAD2/3 signaling contributing to KIF18A-driven metastasis. CONCLUSION Our study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which KIF18A mediates proliferation and metastasis in HCC cells, offering new insights into potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihua Ren
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xinyan Yao
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Minli Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Shengtao Cheng
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Daiqing Wu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Kexin Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Ranran Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Han Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Dapeng Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases Designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
- , Room 706, Chongyi Building, 1 Yixue Yuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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Mao Y, Miao J, Xi L, Tong H, Shen X, Li Q, Yu C. circSKA3 promotes colorectal cancer metastases through miR-1238 and methylation. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:941-950. [PMID: 37256443 PMCID: PMC11015993 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04773-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is becoming one of the most common cancers overworld, which causes a high rate of death in patients. circRNAs are non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs), which have been reported to be involved in the development of many cancers, including CRC. However, the exact mechanism that how circRNAs function through in CRC remains unclear. In this study, we firstly used GEO database and bioinformatic methods to identify the significant changed circRNAs, with circSKA3 being the most significantly upregulated circRNAs in CRC tissues. PCR results further confirmed higher expression of circSKA3 in CRC patients. CCK-8, scratch, and transwell assays indicated that circSKA3 could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cell lines for cell detection. Dual-luciferase assays were carried out to detect the downstream targets of circSKA3, and a binding site between circSKA3 and miR-1238 was identified and miR-1238 could also combine with YTHDF2. Overexpression of YTHDF2 rescued the decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion caused by miR-1238 overexpression. RIP assay further indicated that YTHDF2 could decrease the methylation of STAT5A. In summary, our study found that circSKA3 was upregulated in CRC tissues comparing with normal tissues. circSKA3 could increase the expression ofYTHDF2 through sponging miR-1238 to decrease the methylation of STAT5A, which could provide a novel target for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghuan Mao
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210011, China
| | - Ji Miao
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Ling Xi
- Department of Gerontology, Jiangsu Province Official Hospital, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hanwen Tong
- Department of Emergency, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xiaofei Shen
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, China.
| | - Chunzhao Yu
- Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210011, China.
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211112, China.
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10
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Zhang Z, Liu S, Wang Z, Wang S, Jiang L, Wang X, Li J, Shen L. Influential upregulation of KCNE4: Propelling cancer associated fibroblasts-driven colorectal cancer progression. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:103. [PMID: 38462626 PMCID: PMC10926681 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03274-9] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignancy of remarkable heterogeneity and heightened morbidity. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in CRC tissues and are essential for CRC growth. Here, we aimed to develop a CAF-related classifier for predicting the prognosis of CRC and identify critical pro-tumorigenic genes in CAFs. METHOD The mRNA expression and clinical information of CRC samples were sourced from two comprehensive databases, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Using a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) approach, CAF-related genes were identified and a CAF risk signature was developed through the application of univariate analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model. EdU cell proliferation assay, and transwell assay were performed to detect the oncogenic role of KCNE4 in CAFs. RESULTS We constructed a prognostic CAF model consisting of two genes (SFRP2 and KCNE4). CRC patients were classified into low- and high-CAF-risk groups using the median CAF risk score, and patients in the high-CAF-risk group had worse prognosis. Meanwhile, a higher risk score for CAFs was associated with greater stromal and CAF infiltrations, as well as higher expression of CAF markers. Furthermore, TIDE analysis indicated that patients with a high CAF risk score are less responsive to immunotherapy. Our further experiments had confirmed the strong correlation between KCNE4 and the malignant phenotypes of CAFs. Moreover, we had shown that KCNE4 could actively promote tumor-promoting phenotypes in CAFs, indicating its critical role in cancer progression. CONCLUSION The two-gene prognostic CAF signature was constructed and could be reliable for predicting prognosis for CRC patients. Moreover, KCNE4 may be a promising strategy for the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics specifically directed against CAFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
| | - Shengde Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Zhenghang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Research, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Xicheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
| | - Lin Shen
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, 100142, China.
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11
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Liang Z, Luo B, Peng B, Li Y, Hu X, Zhong W, Li X, Wang P, Zhu X, Zhang R, Yang L. Bone-Differentiation-Associated Circ-Spen Regulates Death of Mouse Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Inhibiting Apoptosis and Promoting Autophagy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3034. [PMID: 38474279 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25053034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The role of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) in bone health is closely associated with its function in vivo, and ERβ-/- mice have been widely utilized to explore the related influences. In this study, ERβ-/- female mice were established to investigate the differential expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) by RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq). Among these circRNAs, mmu_circ_0011379 (named Circ-Spen) exhibited high expression in ERβ-/- female mice. However, the precise mechanism by which Circ-Spen regulates bone health remained unclear. This study identified Circ-Spen as a positive regulator of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (mBMSC) viability. The expression of Circ-Spen was markedly increased in ERβ-/- mice femurs tested by RT-qPCR. Moreover, Circ-Spen exhibited an enhanced expression during the bone formation process of mBMSCs. Qualitative experiments also demonstrated that Circ-Spen possessed a circular structure and was localized within the nucleus of mBMSCs. Functionally, it inhibited apoptosis via caspase-3, BCL-2, and BAX, while also promoting autophagy through BECN1 and P62 in mBMSCs tested by MTT assays, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Western blotting. These findings reveal the potential of targeting Circ-Spen as a promising therapeutic strategy for rejuvenating senescent mBMSCs and enhancing the efficiency of mBMSC transplantation, which lays the foundation for advancements in the field of bone therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Liang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bingjie Luo
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bojia Peng
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yunchuan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xueling Hu
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wenqiang Zhong
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Panpan Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ronghua Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Li Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Informatization, Guangzhou 510632, China
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12
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Wang X, Wu P, Fu Y, Yang R, Li C, Chen Y, He A, Chen X, Ma D, Ma J, Zhang T. The circular RNA expression profile of human auricle cartilage and the role of circCOL1A2 in isolated microtia. Cell Signal 2024; 115:111017. [PMID: 38123043 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.111017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Microtia is one of the most common craniofacial birth defects worldwide, and its primary clinical manifestation is auricle deformity. Epigenetic factors are known to contribute to the etiology of microtia, yet the involvement of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in human auricle development and their association with microtia remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to analyze differentially expressed circRNAs and explore their functional implications in isolated microtia. By employing circRNA microarray analysis and bioinformatics approaches, we identified 340 differentially expressed circRNAs in auricle cartilage of patients with isolated microtia, comprising 152 upregulated and 188 downregulated circRNAs. A circRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed, followed by gene ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, we selected four significantly upregulated circRNAs from the co-expression network based on their association with cartilage development and validated their expressions in 30 isolated microtia and 30 control clinical auricle cartilage samples. Among these circRNAs, circCOL1A2, the most significantly upregulated circRNA, was selected as a representative circRNA for investigating its role in isolated microtia. Overexpression of circCOL1A2 significantly inhibited chondrocyte proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Additionally, circCOL1A2 upregulated Dermatan Sulfate Epimerase Like (DSEL) expression by sponging miR-637 through the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism. Notably, the downregulation of DSEL attenuated the inhibitory effect of circCOL1A2 overexpression on cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation. Collectively, these findings highlight the involvement of circCOL1A2 in the pathogenesis of isolated microtia and emphasize the potential significance of dysregulated circRNAs in disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Peixuan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Yaoyao Fu
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Run Yang
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Chenlong Li
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ying Chen
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Aijuan He
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xin Chen
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Duan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Jing Ma
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Tianyu Zhang
- ENT Institute, Department of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai 200031, China.
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13
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Alharbi KS. The ncRNA-TGF-β axis: Unveiling new frontiers in colorectal cancer research. Pathol Res Pract 2024; 254:155138. [PMID: 38266458 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2024.155138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a substantial global challenge, necessitating a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings governing its onset and progression. The transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) network has been a well-recognized cornerstone in advancing CRC. Nevertheless, a recent study has highlighted the growing importance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in this context. This comprehensive review aims to present an extensive examination of the interaction between ncRNAs and TGF-signaling. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), encompassing circular RNAs (circRNAs), long-ncRNAs (lncRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs), have surfaced as pivotal modulators governing various aspects of TGF-β signaling. MiRNAs have been discovered to target elements within the TGF-β signaling, either enhancing or inhibiting signaling, depending on the context. LncRNAs have been associated with CRC progression, functioning as miRNA sponges or directly influencing TGF-β pathway elements. Even circRNAs, a relatively recent addition to the ncRNA family, have impacted CRC, affecting TGF-β signaling through diverse mechanisms. This review encompasses recent progress in comprehending specific ncRNAs involved in TGF-β signaling, their functional roles, and their clinical relevance in CRC. We investigate the possibility of ncRNAs as targets for detection, prognosis, and therapy. Additionally, we explore the interaction of TGF-β and other pathways in CRC and the role of ncRNAs within this intricate network. As we unveil the intricate regulatory function of ncRNAs in the TGF-β signaling in CRC, we gain valuable insights into the disease's pathogenesis. Incorporating these discoveries into clinical settings holds promise for more precise diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapeutic approaches, ultimately enhancing the care of CRC patients. This comprehensive review underscores the ever-evolving landscape of ncRNA research in CRC and the potential for novel interventions in the battle against this formidable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid Saad Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim 51452, Saudi Arabia.
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14
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Liu Y, Jiang B, Li Y, Zhang X, Wang L, Yao Y, Zhu B, Shi H, Chai X, Hu X, Zhang B, Li H. Effect of traditional Chinese medicine in osteosarcoma: Cross-interference of signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e36467. [PMID: 38241548 PMCID: PMC10798715 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) has a high recurrence rate, disability rate, mortality and metastasis, it brings great economic burden and psychological pressure to patients, and then seriously affects the quality of life of patients. At present, the treatment methods of OS mainly include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical therapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with limb salvage surgery. These treatment methods can relieve the clinical symptoms of patients to a certain extent, and also effectively reduce the disability rate, mortality and recurrence rate of OS patients. However, because metastasis of tumor cells leads to new complications, and OS cells become resistant with prolonged drug intervention, which reduces the sensitivity of OS cells to drugs, these treatments still have some limitations. More and more studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has the characteristics of "multiple targets and multiple pathways," and can play an important role in the development of OS through several key signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, tyrosine kinase/transcription factor 3 (JAK/STAT3), Notch, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad, nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Hippo/YAP, OPG/RANK/RANKL, Hedgehog and so on. In this paper, the signaling pathways of cross-interference between active ingredients of TCM and OS were reviewed, and the development status of novel OS treatment was analyzed. The active ingredients in TCM can provide therapeutic benefits to patients by targeting the activity of signaling pathways. In addition, potential strategies for targeted therapy of OS by using ferroptosis were discussed. We hope to provide a unique insight for the in-depth research and clinical application of TCM in the fields of OS growth, metastasis and chemotherapy resistance by understanding the signaling crosstalk between active ingredients in TCM and OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuezhen Liu
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bing Jiang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yanqiang Li
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoshou Zhang
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lijun Wang
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yasai Yao
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Baohong Zhu
- Clinical College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hengwei Shi
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiping Chai
- Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xingrong Hu
- Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Bangneng Zhang
- Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hongzhuan Li
- Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
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15
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Meng L, Wu H, Wu J, Ding P, He J, Sang M, Liu L. Mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitors: insights into the regulation of circular RNAS involved in cancer hallmarks. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:3. [PMID: 38177102 PMCID: PMC10766988 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06389-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Current treatment strategies for cancer, especially advanced cancer, are limited and unsatisfactory. One of the most substantial advances in cancer therapy, in the last decades, was the discovery of a new layer of immunotherapy approach, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), which can specifically activate immune cells by targeting immune checkpoints. Immune checkpoints are a type of immunosuppressive molecules expressed on immune cells, which can regulate the degree of immune activation and avoid autoimmune responses. ICIs, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drugs, has shown inspiring efficacy and broad applicability across various cancers. Unfortunately, not all cancer patients benefit remarkably from ICIs, and the overall response rates to ICIs remain relatively low for most cancer types. Moreover, the primary and acquired resistance to ICIs pose serious challenges to the clinical application of cancer immunotherapy. Thus, a deeper understanding of the molecular biological properties and regulatory mechanisms of immune checkpoints is urgently needed to improve clinical options for current therapies. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have attracted increasing attention, not only due to their involvement in various aspects of cancer hallmarks, but also for their impact on immune checkpoints in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment. In this review, we systematically summarize the current status of immune checkpoints in cancer and the existing regulatory roles of circRNAs on immune checkpoints. Meanwhile, we also aim to settle the issue in an evidence-oriented manner that circRNAs involved in cancer hallmarks regulate the effects and resistance of ICIs by targeting immune checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjiao Meng
- Department of Tumor Immunotherapy, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050035, China
- Research Center and Tumor Research Institute, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050017, China
| | - Haotian Wu
- The Third Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Comprehensive Treatment of Gastric Cancer, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Jiaxiang Wu
- The Third Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Comprehensive Treatment of Gastric Cancer, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Ping'an Ding
- The Third Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Comprehensive Treatment of Gastric Cancer, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Jinchen He
- The Third Department of Surgery, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050011, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Comprehensive Treatment of Gastric Cancer, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Meixiang Sang
- Research Center and Tumor Research Institute, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050017, China.
- Science and Education Department, Shanghai Electric Power Hospital, Shanghai, 20050, China.
| | - Lihua Liu
- Department of Tumor Immunotherapy, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050035, China.
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16
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Liu Y, Chen X, Xu Y, Yang T, Wang H, Wang Z, Hu Z, Chen L, Zhang Z, Wu Y. CTHRC1 promotes colorectal cancer progression by recruiting tumor-associated macrophages via up-regulation of CCL15. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:81-94. [PMID: 37987774 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-023-02399-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent a key factor in the tumor immune microenvironment (TME), exerting significant influence over tumor migration, invasion, immunosuppressive features, and drug resistance. Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1), a 30 KDa protein which was secreted during the tissue-repair process, is highly expressed in several malignant tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Previous studies demonstrated that CTHRC1 expression in TAMs was positively correlated to M2 macrophage polarization and liver metastasis, while our discovery suggesting a novel mechanism that CTHRC1 secreted from cancer cell could indirectly interplay with TAMs. In this study, the high expression level of CTHRC1 was evaluated in CRC based on GEO and TCGA databases. Further, CTHRC1 was detected high in all stages of CRC patients by ELISA and was correlated to poor prognosis. Multispectral imaging of IHC demonstrated that M2 macrophage infiltration was increased accompanied with CTHRC1 enrichment, suggesting that CTHRC1 may have chemotactic effect on macrophages. In vitro, CTHRC1 could have chemotactic ability of macrophage in the presence of HT-29 cell line. Cytokine microarray revealed that CTHRC1 could up-regulate the CCL15 level of HT-29, pathway analysis demonstrated that CTHRC1 could regulate CCL15 by controlling the TGFβ activation and Smad phosphorylation level. In vivo, knocking down of CTHRC1 from CT-26 also inhibits tumor formation. In conclusion, CTHRC1 could promote the chemotactic ability of macrophages by up-regulating CCL15 via TGFβ/Smad pathway; additionally, a high level of CTHRC1 could promote macrophage's M2 polarization. This discovery may be related to tumor immune tolerance and tumor immunotherapy resistance in CRC. KEY MESSAGES: CTHRC1 promotes CRC progression by up-regulating CCL15 via TGF-β/Smad pathways to further recruit tumor-associated macrophages. By the means of autocrine or paracrine, CTHRC1 can indeed promote macrophage chemotaxis and enhance the infiltration of macrophages in tumor tissues but in the presence of tumor cells. CAFs were another source of CTHRC1, indicating CTHRC1 can infiltrate tumor islet as well as the stomal and be secreted from both tumor cells and CAFs. This study validated CTHRC1 as a potential immune therapy target CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiangzheng Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Xu
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tinghan Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Haichuan Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhangyong Hu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Longqi Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Yangping Wu
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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17
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Yu W, Shen J, Wang X, Qin H, Xing C. CircFNTA promotes tumorigenesis and progression of gastric cancer via miR-604/miR-647/SCN8A axis. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2024; 38:e23546. [PMID: 37942847 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.23546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a major contributor to cancer-related deaths and is characterized by high heterogeneity in epidemiology and histopathology worldwide. Increasing evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play multifaceted roles in cellular processes in human cancers. Here, we demonstrated that circFNTA high expression increases the proliferation, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition process and tumorigenicity of GC cells. First, we found that circFNTA was upregulated in GC cells and tissues, and the high circFNTA levels were positively associated with the poor prognosis in GC patients. Using luciferase reporter and RNA-pull down assays, we elucidated that circFNTA sponged two microRNAs, miR-604 and miR-647. In addition, the proliferation and metastatic ability of GC cell reduction caused by silencing circFNTA was hindered by inhibitors of miR-604 and miR-647. Moreover, SCN8A was predicted by miRDB as a common target gene of miR-604 and miR-647, which was then verified by the luciferase reporter assay. Knockdown of circFNTA causes messenger RNA and protein levels in SCN8A to be downregulated in GC cells. However, this effect was overturned by cotransfection miR-604 and miR-647. Also, we identified that SCN8A was downregulated in GC tissues, which was positively correlated with circFNTA expression. In rescue experiments, the attenuated cell proliferation and metastatic ability caused by circFNTA knockdown was reversed by miR-604 and miR-647 inhibitors and SCN8A overexpression. Collectively, our findings suggest an oncogenic role of circFNTA in GC progression and elucidate that circFNTA exerts its function by modulating the miR-604/miR-647/SCN8A axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yu
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoguang Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongbo Qin
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chungen Xing
- Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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18
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Zheng B, Chen X, Ling Q, Cheng Q, Ye S. Role and therapeutic potential of DEAD-box RNA helicase family in colorectal cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1278282. [PMID: 38023215 PMCID: PMC10654640 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1278282] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed and the second cancer-related death worldwide, leading to more than 0.9 million deaths every year. Unfortunately, this disease is changing rapidly to a younger age, and in a more advanced stage when diagnosed. The DEAD-box RNA helicase proteins are the largest family of RNA helicases so far. They regulate almost every aspect of RNA physiological processes, including RNA transcription, editing, splicing and transport. Aberrant expression and critical roles of the DEAD-box RNA helicase proteins have been found in CRC. In this review, we first summarize the protein structure, cellular distribution, and diverse biological functions of DEAD-box RNA helicases. Then, we discuss the distinct roles of DEAD-box RNA helicase family in CRC and describe the cellular mechanism of actions based on recent studies, with an aim to provide future strategies for the treatment of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bichun Zheng
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, The Affiliated People’s Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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19
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Matsuoka T, Yashiro M. The Role of the Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling Pathway in Gastrointestinal Cancers. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1551. [PMID: 37892233 PMCID: PMC10605301 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) has attracted attention as a tumor suppressor because of its potent growth-suppressive effect on epithelial cells. Dysregulation of the TGF-β signaling pathway is considered to be one of the key factors in carcinogenesis, and genetic alterations affecting TGF-β signaling are extraordinarily common in cancers of the gastrointestinal system, such as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that TGF-β is produced from various types of cells in the tumor microenvironment and mediates extracellular matrix deposition, tumor angiogenesis, the formation of CAFs, and suppression of the anti-tumor immune reaction. It is also being considered as a factor that promotes the malignant transformation of cancer, particularly the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Therefore, elucidating the role of TGF-β signaling in carcinogenesis, cancer invasion, and metastasis will provide novel basic insight for diagnosis and prognosis and the development of new molecularly targeted therapies for gastrointestinal cancers. In this review, we outline an overview of the complex mechanisms and functions of TGF-β signaling. Furthermore, we discuss the therapeutic potentials of targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway for gastrointestinal cancer treatment and discuss the remaining challenges and future perspectives on targeting this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masakazu Yashiro
- Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 5458585, Japan;
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Chen F, Wang S, Zeng C, Tang S, Gu H, Wang Z, Li J, Feng P, Zhang Y, Wang P, Wu Y, Shen H. Silencing circSERPINE2 restrains mesenchymal stem cell senescence via the YBX3/PCNA/p21 axis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:325. [PMID: 37831180 PMCID: PMC10575817 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04975-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) accumulate in aging tissues and nonproliferating cells due to their high stability. However, whether upregulation of circRNA expression mediates stem cell senescence and whether circRNAs can be targeted to alleviate aging-related disorders remain unclear. Here, RNA sequencing analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs in long-term-cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) revealed that circSERPINE2 expression was significantly increased in late passages. CircSERPINE2 small interfering RNA delayed MSC senescence and rejuvenated MSCs, while circSERPINE2 overexpression had the opposite effect. RNA pulldown followed by mass spectrometry revealed an interaction between circSERPINE2 and YBX3. CircSERPINE2 increased the affinity of YBX3 for ZO-1 through the CCAUC motif, resulting in the sequestration of YBX3 in the cytoplasm, inhibiting the association of YBX3 with the PCNA promoter and eventually affecting p21 ubiquitin-mediated degradation. In addition, our results demonstrated that senescence-related downregulation of EIF4A3 gave rise to circSERPINE2. In vivo, intra-articular injection of si-circSerpine2 restrained native joint-resident MSC senescence and cartilage degeneration in mice with aging-related osteoarthritis. Taken together, our findings provide strong evidence for a regulatory role for the circSERPINE2/YBX3/PCNA/p21 axis in MSC senescence and the therapeutic potential of si-circSERPINE2 in alleviating aging-associated syndromes, such as osteoarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglei Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan Wang
- Center for Biotherapy, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenying Zeng
- Center for Biotherapy, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Su'an Tang
- Clinical Research Centre, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, People's Republic of China
| | - Huimin Gu
- Center for Biotherapy, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziming Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinteng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei Feng
- Center for Biotherapy, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhui Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanfeng Wu
- Center for Biotherapy, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China.
| | - Huiyong Shen
- Department of Orthopedics, Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518033, People's Republic of China.
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Singh S, Sinha T, Panda AC. Regulation of microRNA by circular RNA. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023:e1820. [PMID: 37783567 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Circular (circ)RNAs have emerged as novel regulators of gene expression through various mechanisms. However, most publications focus on functional circRNAs regulating target gene expression by interacting with micro (mi)RNAs and acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). Although the theory of miRNA sponging by ceRNAs suggests the inhibition of miRNA activity, many studies are biased toward the selection of miRNAs showing a reverse expression pattern compared with circRNA expression. Although several computational tools and molecular assays have been used to predict and validate the interaction of miRNAs with circRNAs, the actual validation of functional in vivo interactions needs careful consideration of molecular experiments with specific controls. As extensive research is being performed on circRNA, many questions arise on the functional significance of circRNA-miRNA interactions. We hope the critical discussion on the criteria for selecting circRNA-miRNA pairs for functional analysis and providing standard methods for validating circRNA-miRNA interactions will advance our understanding of circRNAs as novel gene regulators. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs Translation > Regulation RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in Cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Singh
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Tanvi Sinha
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Amaresh C Panda
- Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
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22
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Siapoush S, Rezaei R, Alavifard H, Hatami B, Zali MR, Vosough M, Lorzadeh S, Łos MJ, Baghaei K, Ghavami S. Therapeutic implications of targeting autophagy and TGF-β crosstalk for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Life Sci 2023; 329:121894. [PMID: 37380126 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is characterized by the excessive deposition and accumulation of extracellular matrix components, mainly collagens, and occurs in response to a broad spectrum of triggers with different etiologies. Under stress conditions, autophagy serves as a highly conserved homeostatic system for cell survival and is importantly involved in various biological processes. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has emerged as a central cytokine in hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and is the main mediator of liver fibrosis. A growing body of evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests that TGF-β1 regulates autophagy, a process that affects various essential (patho)physiological aspects related to liver fibrosis. This review comprehensively highlights recent advances in our understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of autophagy, its regulation by TGF-β, and the implication of autophagy in the pathogenesis of progressive liver disorders. Moreover, we evaluated crosstalk between autophagy and TGF-β1 signalling and discussed whether simultaneous inhibition of these pathways could represent a novel approach to improve the efficacy of anti-fibrotic therapy in the treatment of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Siapoush
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ramazan Rezaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Helia Alavifard
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behzad Hatami
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research center, Research institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research center, Research institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahrokh Lorzadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Marek J Łos
- Biotechnology Center, Silesian University of Technology, 8 Krzywousty St., 44-100 Gliwice, Poland; Autophagy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry; Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; LinkoCare Life Sciences AB, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Kaveh Baghaei
- Basic and Molecular Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research center, Research institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Faculty of Medicine in Zabrze, University of Technology in Katowice, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba-University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba College of Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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23
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Zhao Z, Yang W, Kong R, Zhang Y, Li L, Song Z, Chen H, Luo Y, Zhang T, Cheng C, Li G, Liu D, Geng X, Chen H, Wang Y, Pan S, Hu J, Sun B. circEIF3I facilitates the recruitment of SMAD3 to early endosomes to promote TGF-β signalling pathway-mediated activation of MMPs in pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:152. [PMID: 37689715 PMCID: PMC10492306 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01847-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among digestive tract tumours, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) shows the highest mortality trend. Moreover, although PDAC metastasis remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, the biological mechanism is poorly understood. Recent evidence demonstrates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in PDAC progression. METHODS Differentially expressed circRNAs in normal and PDAC tissues were screened via bioinformatics analysis. Sanger sequencing, RNase R and actinomycin D assays were performed to confirm the loop structure of circEIF3I. In vitro and in vivo functional experiments were conducted to assess the role of circEIF3I in PDAC. MS2-tagged RNA affinity purification, mass spectrometry, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down assay, fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence and RNA-protein interaction simulation and analysis were performed to identify circEIF3I-interacting proteins. The effects of circEIF3I on the interactions of SMAD3 with TGFβRI or AP2A1 were measured through co-immunoprecipitation and western blotting. RESULTS A microarray data analysis showed that circEIF3I was highly expressed in PDAC cells and correlated with TNM stage and poor prognosis. Functional experiments in vitro and in vivo revealed that circEIF3I accelerated PDAC cells migration, invasion and metastasis by increasing MMPs expression and activity. Mechanistic research indicated that circEIF3I binds to the MH2 domain of SMAD3 and increases SMAD3 phosphorylation by strengthening the interactions between SMAD3 and TGFβRI on early endosomes. Moreover, AP2A1 binds with circEIF3I directly and promotes circEIF3I-bound SMAD3 recruitment to TGFβRI on early endosomes. Finally, we found that circEif3i exerts biological functions in mice similar to those of circEIF3I in humans PDAC. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals that circEIF3I promotes pancreatic cancer progression. circEIF3I is a molecular scaffold that interacts with SMAD3 and AP2A1 to form a ternary complex, that facilitates the recruitment of SMAD3 to early endosomes and then activates the TGF-β signalling pathway. Hence, circEIF3I is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjie Zhao
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wenbo Yang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Rui Kong
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yangyang Zhang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Le Li
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zengfu Song
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, HarbinHeilongjiang, 150001, China
| | - Hongze Chen
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan Luo
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreaticosplenic Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Chundong Cheng
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guanqun Li
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Danxi Liu
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinglong Geng
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hua Chen
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yongwei Wang
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shangha Pan
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jisheng Hu
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Bei Sun
- Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hepatosplenic Surgery, Ministry of Education, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
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Lin Z, Lv D, Liao X, Peng R, Liu H, Wu T, Wu K, Sun Y, Zhang Z. CircUBXN7 promotes macrophage infiltration and renal fibrosis associated with the IGF2BP2-dependent SP1 mRNA stability in diabetic kidney disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1226962. [PMID: 37744330 PMCID: PMC10516575 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1226962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Inflammatory cell infiltration is a novel hallmark of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), in part, by activated macrophages. Macrophage-to-tubular epithelial cell communication may play an important role in renal fibrosis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported in the pathogenesis of various human diseases involving macrophages activation, including DKD. However, the exact mechanism of circRNAs in macrophage infiltration and renal fibrosis of DKD remains obscure. Methods In our study, a novel circRNA circUBXN7 was identified in DKD patients using microarray. The function of circUBXN7 in vitro and in vivo was investigated by qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. Finally, a dual-luciferase reporter assay, ChIP, RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation and rescue experiments were performed to investigate the mechanism of circUBXN7. Results We demonstrated that the expression of circUBXN7 was significantly upregulated in the plasma of DKD patients and correlated with renal function, which might serve as an independent biomarker for DKD patients. According to investigations, ectopic expression of circUBXN7 promoted macrophage activation, EMT and fibrosis in vitro, and increased macrophage infiltration, EMT, fibrosis and proteinuria in vivo. Mechanistically, circUBXN7 was transcriptionally upregulated by transcription factor SP1 and could reciprocally promote SP1 mRNA stability and activation via directly binding to the m6A-reader IGF2BP2 in DKD. Conclusion CircUBXN7 is highly expressed in DKD patients may provide the potential biomarker and therapeutic target for DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyue Lin
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan Lv
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaohui Liao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rui Peng
- Department of Bioinformatics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Handeng Liu
- Center of Teaching and Learning, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tianhui Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Keqian Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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25
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Wang X, Xu W, Zhu C, Cheng Y, Qi J. PRMT7 Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Gastric Cancer Cells by Suppressing the PI3K/AKT Pathway via PTEN. J Cancer 2023; 14:2833-2844. [PMID: 37781082 PMCID: PMC10539571 DOI: 10.7150/jca.88102] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) plays a crucial role in tumor occurrence and development; however, its expression pattern, biological function, and specific mechanism in gastric cancer (GC) remain poorly defined. The present study aimed to investigate the role of PRMT7 during GC carcinogenesis and its underlying mechanism. We found that PRMT7 is expressed at low levels in GC tissues, and this low expression is associated with tumor size, differentiation degree, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. Functionally, PRMT7 inhibits GC cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, PRMT7 induces PTEN expression and suppresses the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling cascade. Finally, we confirmed that PRMT7 interacts with PTEN protein and promotes PTEN arginine methylation. Taken together, our findings suggest that PRMT7 can inhibit PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation by regulating PTEN, thereby inhibiting GC cell proliferation and migration. PRMT7 may be a promising therapeutic target for the prevention of GC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei 067000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiemin Qi
- Department of Pathology, Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei 067000, People's Republic of China
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26
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Yu M, Cao H, Yang J, Liu T, Gao J, Wang B. EIF4A3-regulated hsa_circ_0001445 can inhibit the progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma via hsa-miR-432-5p-dependent up-regulation of RGMA expression. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:2038-2056. [PMID: 37902305 PMCID: PMC10761152 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2274670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck, the 5-year relative survival rate of patients diagnosed with laryngeal cancer was estimated to be 61% from 2012 to 2018. An increasing number of studies have shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a key role in the occurrence and development of cancer and may function as cancer biomarkers and new therapeutic targets. At present, the research on the relationship between circRNAs and LSCC is still in its infancy and needs further exploration. In this study, we found a circRNA (hsa_circ_0001445) associated with LSCC based on bioinformatics analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay indicated that the expression of hsa_circ_0001445 was down-regulated in LSCC tissues and cell lines. Notably, the expression of hsa_circ_0001445 was negatively correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features and poor prognosis. Then, functional experiments found that overexpression of hsa_circ_0001445 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of LSCC cells and tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), biotin-labeled probe pull-down, luciferase reporter assay and western blot experiments were employed and found that EIF4A3 reduced the expression of hsa_circ_0001445, and the direct binding of hsa_circ_0001445 to hsa-miR-432-5p attenuated the inhibitory effect of hsa-miR-432-5p on RGMA. In summary, our research suggests that hsa_circ_0001445 may be used as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for LSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Yu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Huan Cao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jianwang Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jiaxue Gao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Baoshan Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Wang Q, Xiong F, Wu G, Wang D, Liu W, Chen J, Qi Y, Wang B, Chen Y. SMAD Proteins in TGF-β Signalling Pathway in Cancer: Regulatory Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:2769. [PMID: 37685308 PMCID: PMC10487229 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13172769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Suppressor of mother against decapentaplegic (SMAD) family proteins are central to one of the most versatile cytokine signalling pathways in metazoan biology, the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway. The TGF-β pathway is widely known for its dual role in cancer progression as both an inhibitor of tumour cell growth and an inducer of tumour metastasis. This is mainly mediated through SMAD proteins and their cofactors or regulators. SMAD proteins act as transcription factors, regulating the transcription of a wide range of genes, and their rich post-translational modifications are influenced by a variety of regulators and cofactors. The complex role, mechanisms, and important functions of SMAD proteins in tumours are the hot topics in current oncology research. In this paper, we summarize the recent progress on the effects and mechanisms of SMAD proteins on tumour development, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, and provide clues for subsequent research on SMAD proteins in tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Fei Xiong
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Guanhua Wu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Da Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Wenzheng Liu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Junsheng Chen
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Yongqiang Qi
- Key Laboratory of Laparoscopic Technology of Zhejiang Province, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run-Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310016, China;
| | - Bing Wang
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
| | - Yongjun Chen
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China; (Q.W.); (F.X.); (G.W.); (D.W.); (W.L.); (J.C.); (B.W.)
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Ju C, Zhou M, Du D, Wang C, Yao J, Li H, Luo Y, He F, He J. EIF4A3-mediated circ_0042881 activates the RAS pathway via miR-217/SOS1 axis to facilitate breast cancer progression. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:559. [PMID: 37626035 PMCID: PMC10457341 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06085-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most frequent cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Studies have shown the potential impact of circRNAs in multiple human tumorigeneses. Research on the vital signaling pathways and therapeutic targets of circRNAs is indispensable. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical implications and underlying mechanisms of circ_0042881 in BC. RT-qPCR validated circ_0042881 was notably elevated in BC tissues and plasma, and closely associated with BC clinicopathological features. Functionally, circ_0042881 significantly accelerated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells in vitro and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0042881 promoted BC progression by sponging miR-217 to relieve its inhibition effect in son of sevenless 1 (SOS1), which further activated RAS protein and initiated downstream signaling cascades, including MEK/ERK pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway. We also demonstrated that treatment of BAY-293, an inhibitor of SOS1 and RAS interaction, attenuated BC progression induced by circ_0042881 overexpression. Furthermore, Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A-III (EIF4A3) could facilitate circ_0042881 circularization. Altogether, we proposed a novel signaling network in which circ_0042881, induced by EIF4A3, influences the process of BC tumorigenesis and metastasis by miR-217/SOS1 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Ju
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Mingxia Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Dan Du
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Chang Wang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Jieqiong Yao
- Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450014, China
| | - Hongle Li
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450008, China
| | - Yang Luo
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
- Center of Smart Laboratory and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Fucheng He
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
| | - Jing He
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
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He T, Zhang Q, Xu P, Tao W, Lin F, Liu R, Li M, Duan X, Cai C, Gu D, Zeng G, Liu Y. Extracellular vesicle-circEHD2 promotes the progression of renal cell carcinoma by activating cancer-associated fibroblasts. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:117. [PMID: 37481520 PMCID: PMC10362694 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01824-9] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The encapsulation of circular RNAs (circRNAs) into extracellular vesicles (EVs) enables their involvement in intercellular communication and exerts an influence on the malignant advancement of various tumors. However, the regulatory role of EVs-circRNA in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains elusive. METHODS The in vitro and in vivo functional experiments were implemented to measure the effects of circEHD2 on the phenotype of RCC. The functional role of EVs-circEHD2 on the activation of fibroblasts was assessed by collagen contraction assay, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mechanism was investigated by RNA pull-down assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin isolation by RNA purification, luciferase assay, and co-immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS We demonstrated that circEHD2 was upregulated in RCC tissues and serum EVs of RCC patients with metastasis. Silencing circEHD2 inhibited tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies indicated that FUS RNA -binding protein (FUS) accelerated the cyclization of circEHD2, then circEHD2 interacts with tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein eta (YWHAH), which acts as a bridge to recruit circEHD2 and Yes1-associated transcriptional regulator (YAP) to the promoter of SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9); this results in the sustained activation of SOX9. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2B1) regulates the package of circEHD2 into EVs, then EVs-circEHD2 transmits to fibroblasts, converting fibroblasts to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Activated CAFs promote the metastasis of RCC by secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. Furthermore, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeting circEHD2 exhibited a strong inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSIONS The circEHD2/YWHAH/YAP/SOX9 signaling pathway accelerates the growth of RCC. EVs-circEHD2 facilitates the metastasis of RCC by converting fibroblasts to CAFs. Our results suggest that EVs-circEHD2 may be a useful biomarker and therapeutic target for RCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao He
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Qiansheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Wen Tao
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Fuyang Lin
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Renfei Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Mingzhao Li
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Xiaolu Duan
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Chao Cai
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Di Gu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Guohua Zeng
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Yongda Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 151 West Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
- Urology Key Laboratory of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
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Wang Q, Zhu Y, Dong Q, Zhang L, Zhang W. A Novel Circ_Arf3/miR-452-5p/Mbnl1 Axis Regulates Proliferation and Expression of Fibrosis-Related Proteins of Mouse Mesangial Cells Under High Glucose. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2023; 16:2105-2116. [PMID: 37457110 PMCID: PMC10349572 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s400530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious microvascular complication of diabetes that may lead to chronic renal failure and end-stage renal disease. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in DN progression. However, the action of circRNA ADP ribosylation factor 3 (circ_Arf3) in high glucose (HG)-induced change is still unclear. Methods Mouse mesangial cells (MCs) were treated with 30 mM HG as a DN cell model in vitro. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to examine the expression levels of circ_Arf3, microRNA (miR)-452-5p and muscleblind like splicing regulator 1 (Mbnl1). The proliferation of HG-treated MCs was assessed using 5 Ethynyl 2' deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, and the levels of proliferation and fibrosis-related proteins and Mbnl1 were detected by Western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were utilized to determine the relationship between miR-452-5p and circ_Arf3 or Mbnl1. Results Our results discovered that circ_Arf3 and Mbnl1 were lowly expressed in HG-treated MCs, while miR-452-5p expression was up-regulated. Moreover, circ_Arf3 was mainly located in the cytoplasm and had a ring-like stable structure. Functional assays demonstrated that overexpression of circ_Arf3 prevented cell proliferation and fibrous formation in HG-treated MCs. Circ_Arf3 could sponge miR-452-5p, and the effect of circ_Arf3 overexpression was reversed by enhanced expression of miR-452-5p. Mbnl1 was a direct target of miR-452-5p. Knockdown of Mbnl1 abolished the suppressive effects of miR-452-5p inhibitor on proliferation and fibrosis-related protein expression in HG-treated MCs. Moreover, circ_Arf3 regulated Mbnl1 through miR-452-5p. Conclusion Overexpression of circ_Arf3 prevents cell proliferation and fibrous formation in HG-treated MCs by regulating the expression of Mbnl1 via miR-452-5p.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an City, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanting Zhu
- Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an City, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qianlan Dong
- Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an City, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Linping Zhang
- Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an City, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Kidney Disease and Dialysis Center, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an City, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China
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Song J, Ge Y, Dong M, Guan Q, Ju M, Song X, Han J, Zhao L. Molecular interplay between EIF4 family and circular RNAs in cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutics. Eur J Pharmacol 2023:175867. [PMID: 37369297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 (EIF4) family is a major contributor to the recruitment of mRNAs to ribosomes during the initial translation stage in eukaryotes, whose dysregulation either allows for cancer transformation or prevents disordered cancerous cell growth. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), which exhibit distinctive structures and are widely expressed in eukaryotes, are anticipated to be a clinical diagnostic biomarker for cancer therapy. There is considerable evidence that EIF4s can influence the biogenesis, transport, and function of circRNAs and, in turn, circRNAs can control the expressions of EIF4s through certain molecular pathways. Herein, we primarily review the emerging studies of the EIF4 family and pinpoint the roles of dysregulated EIF4s in cancer. We also evaluate the patterns of intricate interactions between circRNAs and EIF4s and discuss the potential utility of circRNA-based therapeutics targeting EIF4s in clinical cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Yuexin Ge
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Mingyan Dong
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Qiutong Guan
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Mingyi Ju
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Xueyi Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
| | - Jiali Han
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, PR China.
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China; Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, PR China.
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Zhang Y, Luo J, Yang W, Ye WC. CircRNAs in colorectal cancer: potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:353. [PMID: 37296107 PMCID: PMC10250185 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05881-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNA with covalently closed-loop structures and are highly stable, conserved, and abundantly expressed in various organs and tissues. Recent research found abnormal circRNA expression in CRC patients' blood/serum, cells, CRC tissues, and exosomes. Furthermore, mounting data demonstrated that circRNAs are crucial to the development of CRC. CircRNAs have been shown to exert biological functions by acting as microRNA sponges, RNA-binding protein sponges, regulators of gene splicing and transcription, and protein/peptide translators. These characteristics make circRNAs potential markers for CRC diagnosis and prognosis, potential therapeutic targets, and circRNA-based therapies. However, further studies are still necessary to improve the understanding of the roles and biological mechanisms of circRNAs in the development of CRC. In this review, up-to-date research on the role of circRNAs in CRC was examined, focusing on their potential application in CRC diagnosis and targeted therapy, which would advance the knowledge of the functions of circRNAs in the development and progression of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuying Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, 518109, China
| | - Jingyan Luo
- Forevergen Biosciences Centre, Guangzhou International Biotech Island, Guangzhou, 510300, China
| | - Weikang Yang
- Department of Prevention and Healthcare, Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, 518109, China
| | - Wen-Chu Ye
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
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Qadir J, Wen SY, Yuan H, Yang BB. CircRNAs regulate the crosstalk between inflammation and tumorigenesis: The bilateral association and molecular mechanisms. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1514-1532. [PMID: 36518080 PMCID: PMC10278049 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation, a hallmark of cancer, has been associated with tumor progression, transition into malignant phenotype and efficacy of the chemotherapeutic agents in cancer. Chronic inflammation provides a favorable environment for tumorigenesis by inducing immunosuppression, whereas acute inflammation prompts tumor suppression by generating anti-tumor immune responses. Inflammatory factors derived from interstitial cells or tumor cells can stimulate cell proliferation and survival by modulating oncogenes and/or tumor suppressors. Recently, a new class of RNAs, i.e., circular RNAs (circRNAs), has been implicated in inflammatory diseases. Although there are reports on circRNAs imparting functions in inflammatory insults, whether these circularized transcripts hold the potential to regulate inflammation-induced cancer or tumor-related inflammation, and modulate the interactions between tumor microenvironment (TME) and the inflammatory stromal/immune cells, awaits further elucidation. Contextually, the current review describes the molecular association between inflammation and cancer, and spotlights the regulatory mechanisms by which circRNAs can moderate TME in response to inflammatory signals/triggers. We also present comprehensive information about the immune cell(s)-specific expression and functions of the circRNAs in TME, modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways to drive tumorigenesis, and their plausible roles in inflammasomes and tumor development. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of these circRNAs in harnessing inflammatory responses in cancer is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javeria Qadir
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shuo-Yang Wen
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hui Yuan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Burton B Yang
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Wei L, Liu L, Bai M, Ning X, Sun S. CircRNAs: versatile players and new targets in organ fibrosis. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:90. [PMID: 37131173 PMCID: PMC10152639 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01051-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Organ fibrosis can occur in virtually all major organs with relentlessly progressive and irreversible progress, ultimately resulting in organ dysfunction and potentially death. Unfortunately, current clinical treatments cannot halt or reverse the progression of fibrosis to end-stage organ failure, and thus, advanced antifibrotic therapeutics are urgently needed. In recent years, a growing body of research has revealed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in the development and progression of organ fibrosis through highly diverse mechanisms of action. Thus, manipulating circRNAs has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate fibrosis across different organ types. In this review, we systemically summarize the current state of knowledge about circRNA biological properties and the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs. A comprehensive overview of major fibrotic signaling pathways and representative circRNAs that are known to modulate fibrotic signals are outlined. Then, we focus on the research progress of the versatile functional roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of circRNAs in various fibrotic diseases in different organs, including the heart, liver, lung, kidney and skin. Finally, we offer a glimpse into the prospects of circRNA-based interference and therapy, as well as their utilization as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of fibrotic diseases. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Limin Liu
- School of Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ming Bai
- Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Ning
- Department of Geriatrics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Road, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Shiren Sun
- Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
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Orozco-García E, van Meurs DJ, Calderón JC, Narvaez-Sanchez R, Harmsen MC. Endothelial plasticity across PTEN and Hippo pathways: A complex hormetic rheostat modulated by extracellular vesicles. Transl Oncol 2023; 31:101633. [PMID: 36905871 PMCID: PMC10020115 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascularization is a multifactorial and spatiotemporally regulated process, essential for cell and tissue survival. Vascular alterations have repercussions on the development and progression of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, which are the leading causes of death worldwide. Additionally, vascularization continues to be a challenge for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Hence, vascularization is the center of interest for physiology, pathophysiology, and therapeutic processes. Within vascularization, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and Hippo signaling have pivotal roles in the development and homeostasis of the vascular system. Their suppression is related to several pathologies, including developmental defects and cancer. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are among the regulators of PTEN and/or Hippo pathways during development and disease. The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the mechanisms by which exosome-derived ncRNAs modulate endothelial cell plasticity during physiological and pathological angiogenesis, through the regulation of PTEN and Hippo pathways, aiming to establish new perspectives on cellular communication during tumoral and regenerative vascularization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Orozco-García
- Physiology and biochemistry research group - PHYSIS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Colombia; Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), Groningen 9713 GZ, The Netherlands
| | - D J van Meurs
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), Groningen 9713 GZ, The Netherlands
| | - J C Calderón
- Physiology and biochemistry research group - PHYSIS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Raul Narvaez-Sanchez
- Physiology and biochemistry research group - PHYSIS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Colombia
| | - M C Harmsen
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1 (EA11), Groningen 9713 GZ, The Netherlands.
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Levacher C, Viennot M, Drouet A, Beaussire L, Coutant S, Théry JC, Baert-Desurmont S, Laé M, Ruminy P, Houdayer C. Disequilibrium between BRCA1 and BRCA2 Circular and Messenger RNAs Plays a Role in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072176. [PMID: 37046838 PMCID: PMC10093293 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a frequent disease for which the discovery of markers that enable early detection or prognostic assessment remains challenging. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded structures in closed loops that are produced by backsplicing. CircRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) are generated co-transcriptionally, and backsplicing and linear splicing compete against each other. As mRNAs are key players in tumorigenesis, we hypothesize that a disruption of the balance between circRNAs and mRNAs could promote breast cancer. Hence, we developed an assay for a simultaneous study of circRNAs and mRNAs, which we have called splice and expression analyses by exon ligation and high-throughput sequencing (SEALigHTS). Following SEALigHTS validation for BRCA1 and BRCA2, our hypothesis was tested using an independent research set of 95 pairs from tumor and adjacent normal breast tissues. In this research set, ratios of BRCA1 and BRCA2 circRNAs/mRNAs were significantly lower in the tumor breast tissue compared to normal tissue (p = 1.6 × 10-9 and p = 4.4 × 10-5 for BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively). Overall, we developed an innovative method to study linear splicing and backsplicing, described the repertoire of BRCA1 and BRCA2 circRNAs, including 15 novel ones, and showed for the first time that a disequilibrium between BRCA1 and BRCA2 circRNAs and mRNAs plays a role in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Levacher
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Mathieu Viennot
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Centre Henri Becquerel, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Aurélie Drouet
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Ludivine Beaussire
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique, 76000 Rouen, France
- Department of Pathology, Centre Henri Becquerel, 1 Rue d'Amiens, 76038 Rouen, France
| | - Sophie Coutant
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Théry
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique, 76000 Rouen, France
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Henri Becquerel, 1 Rue d'Amiens, 76038 Rouen, France
| | - Stéphanie Baert-Desurmont
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique and CHU Rouen, Department of Genetics, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Marick Laé
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Centre Henri Becquerel, 76000 Rouen, France
- Department of Pathology, Centre Henri Becquerel, 1 Rue d'Amiens, 76038 Rouen, France
| | - Philippe Ruminy
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, Centre Henri Becquerel, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - Claude Houdayer
- Univ Rouen Normandie, INSERM U1245, FHU-G4 Génomique and CHU Rouen, Department of Genetics, 76000 Rouen, France
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Hu F, Peng Y, Fan X, Zhang X, Jin Z. Circular RNAs: implications of signaling pathways and bioinformatics in human cancer. Cancer Biol Med 2023; 20:j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0466. [PMID: 36861443 PMCID: PMC9978890 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) form a class of endogenous single-stranded RNA transcripts that are widely expressed in eukaryotic cells. These RNAs mediate post-transcriptional control of gene expression and have multiple functions in biological processes, such as transcriptional regulation and splicing. They serve predominantly as microRNA sponges, RNA-binding proteins, and templates for translation. More importantly, circRNAs are involved in cancer progression, and may serve as promising biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and therapy. Although traditional experimental methods are usually time-consuming and laborious, substantial progress has been made in exploring potential circRNA-disease associations by using computational models, summarized signaling pathway data, and other databases. Here, we review the biological characteristics and functions of circRNAs, including their roles in cancer. Specifically, we focus on the signaling pathways associated with carcinogenesis, and the status of circRNA-associated bioinformatics databases. Finally, we explore the potential roles of circRNAs as prognostic biomarkers in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Disease Prevention and Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yin Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Disease Prevention and Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xinmin Fan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Disease Prevention and Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Xiaojing Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Disease Prevention and Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Correspondence to: Zhe Jin and Xiaojing Zhang, E-mail: and
| | - Zhe Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Disease Prevention and Regional Immunity and Diseases, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Correspondence to: Zhe Jin and Xiaojing Zhang, E-mail: and
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Patient-derived spheroids and patient-derived organoids simulate evolutions of lung cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13829. [PMID: 36895411 PMCID: PMC9988482 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells harbor many genetic mutations and gene expression profiles different from normal cells. Patient-derived cancer cells (PDCC) are preferred materials in cancer study. We established patient-derived spheroids (PDSs) and patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from PDCCs isolated from the malignant pleural effusion in 8 patients. The morphologies suggested that PDSs may be a model of local cancer extensions, while PDOs may be a model of distant cancer metastases. The gene expression profiles differed between PDSs and PDOs: Gene sets related to inflammatory responses and EMT were antithetically regulated in PDSs or in PDOs. PDSs demonstrated an attenuation of the pathways that contribute to the enhancement of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), while PDOs demonstrated an attenuation of it. Taken together, PDSs and PDOs have differences in both the interaction to the immune systems and to the stroma. PDSs and PDOs will provide a model system that enable intimate investigation of the behavior of cancer cells in the body.
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Zhao B, Huang C, Pan J, Hu H, Liu X, Zhang K, Zhou F, Shi X, Wu J, Yu B, Chen X, Zhang W. circPLIN2 promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression by binding IGF2BP proteins and miR-199a-3p. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:1030. [PMID: 36494341 PMCID: PMC9734136 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05488-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence has indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel type of regulatory RNA, play important roles in the development and progression of various cancers. However, the potential regulatory roles and molecular mechanisms of circRNAs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain largely unclear. Here, we explored circRNA expression profiles in 10 paired samples of RCC (including cancer tissues and surrounding tissues) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets GSE124453 and GSE108735. We initially identified hsa_circ_0086457, designated circPLIN2, derived from exons 4 to 5 of the PLIN2 gene. We observed that circPLIN2 was preferentially located in the cytoplasm and was more stable than its linear counterpart PLIN2. circPLIN2 was significantly upregulated in ccRCC cells and tissues, and its overexpression was correlated with higher clinical stage and worse prognosis for ccRCC patients. Moreover, gain- and loss-of-function assays indicated that circPLIN2 promoted ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and ccRCC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, circPLIN2 not only increased the stability of the c-Myc and MARCKSL1 mRNAs by binding to the KH domains of IGF2BP proteins but also competitively sponged miR-199a-3p to abolish the repressive effect of miR-199a-3p on ZEB1 expression, which ultimately resulted in ccRCC tumorigenesis and progression. Collectively, our results suggest that circPLIN2 may represent a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for ccRCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhao
- grid.24515.370000 0004 1937 1450Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Cong Huang
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Jie Pan
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA USA
| | - Hao Hu
- grid.24515.370000 0004 1937 1450Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Xiaojuan Liu
- grid.24515.370000 0004 1937 1450Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Kaoyuan Zhang
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Fenli Zhou
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Xin Shi
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Jun Wu
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Bo Yu
- grid.440601.70000 0004 1798 0578Department of Dermatology, Skin Research Institute of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Xiaofan Chen
- grid.24515.370000 0004 1937 1450Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
| | - Wei Zhang
- grid.24515.370000 0004 1937 1450Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China ,grid.510951.90000 0004 7775 6738Greater Bay Biomedical Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province China
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Yu S, E C, Yang J. STAM binding protein regulated by hsa_circ_0007334 exerts oncogenic potential in pancreatic cancer. Pancreatology 2022; 22:1003-1012. [PMID: 36089485 DOI: 10.1016/j.pan.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly aggressive and metastatic malignancy. The molecular events related to PC have not yet been fully elucidated. The STAM binding protein (STAMBP), a deubiquitinase, contributes to carcinogenesis in several types of cancer. Our study aims to investigate the function of STAMBP in the progression of PC. METHODS Fifteen pairs of tumor and tumor-adjacent tissues were obtained from PC patients. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines, SW 1990 and BxPC-3, were transfected with short hairpin RNA targeting STAMBP or/and vectors overexpressing wild-type STAMBP or STAMBP D348A mutants (inactive mutants of STAMBP). SW 1990 cells were co-transfected with vectors overexpressing STAMBP and small interfering RNA targeting hsa_circ_0007334. RESULTS STAMBP was overexpressed in the tumor tissues as compared with the tumor-adjacent tissues from PC patients. Higher STAMBP expression in the tumor tissues showed worse prognosis. Loss/gain-of-function experiments revealed that STAMBP promoted the malignant behaviors of PC cells in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Activation of NF-κB in PC cells was triggered by STAMBP. However, inactive mutants of STAMBP lost these biological functions in PC. hsa_circ_0007334, an oncogene in PC progression, was found to up-regulate STAMBP expression in PC cells. STAMBP up-regulation reversed the effects of hsa_circ_0007334 silencing on cell mobility. CONCLUSIONS These results indicated that STAMBP depended on its deubiquitinase activities to induce the malignant behaviors of PC cells and was involved in the regulatory mechanism of hsa_circ_0007334 on PC cell mobility. Our findings provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism of PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Yu
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China
| | - Changyong E
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China
| | - Jinghui Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, PR China.
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[CircPCSK5 is highly expressed in gastric cancer and promotes cancer cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition]. NAN FANG YI KE DA XUE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 2022; 42:1440-1451. [PMID: 36329577 PMCID: PMC9637502 DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2022.10.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of circPCSK5 in gastric cancer (GC) and its role in regulation of the proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of GC cells. METHODS High-throughput sequencing was performed in 3 pairs of GC and adjacent gastric mucosa tissues to obtain the differential expression profile of circRNA. The expression of circPCSK5 was detected in 62 patients undergoing radical surgery for GC using RT-qPCR, and the correlation between circPCSK5 expression level and clinicopathological data of the patients was analyzed. The overall survival and disease-free survival of the patients were assessed with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and the independent risk factors affecting the patients' prognosis were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression model. The stability and subcellular localization of circPCSK5 were assessed using RNase R and actinomycin D assays, fluorescence in situ hybridization and nucleocytoplasmic separation assay. CCK-8 assay, EdU assay and Transwell assay were employed to examine the changes in proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells with circPCSK5 knockdown or overexpression; Western blotting and RT-qPCR assays were used to detect the expression levels of EMT markers in the transfected cells. RESULTS The expression of circPCSK5 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues and cells (P < 0.001, P < 0.01). The expression level of circPCSK5 was positively correlated with tumor size, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis and AJCC stage of GC (P < 0.05). The overall survival and disease-free survival were significantly lower in GC patients with high circPCSK5 expression than in those with low circPCSK5 expression (P < 0.001). High circPCSK5 expression was an independent risk factor for a poor prognosis of GC patients (P < 0.05). Knockdown of circPCSK5 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HGC27 cells (P < 0.01), increased the expressions of E-cadherin, and decreased the expression of N-cadherin and vimentin (P < 0.01). CircPCSK5 overexpression promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of MKN45 cells (P < 0.01), reduced E-cadherin expression and increased N-cadherin and vimentin expressions (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION CircPCSK5 is highly expressed in GC and promotes the proliferation, invasion and EMT of GC cells, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.
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Maslankova J, Vecurkovska I, Rabajdova M, Katuchova J, Kicka M, Gayova M, Katuch V. Regulation of transforming growth factor-β signaling as a therapeutic approach to treating colorectal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2022. [PMID: 36156927 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i33.4744.pmid:36156927;pmcid:pmc9476856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
According to data from 2020, Slovakia has long been among the top five countries with the highest incidence rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) worldwide, and the rate is continuing to rise every year. In approximately 80% of CRC cases, allelic loss (loss of heterozygosity, LOH) occurs in the long arm of chromosome 18q. The most important genes that can be silenced by 18q LOH or mutations are small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD) 2 and SMAD4, which are intracellular mediators of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily signals. TGF-β plays an important role in the pro-oncogenic processes, including such properties as invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (commonly known as EMT), promotion of angiogenesis, and immunomodulatory effects. Several recent studies have reported that activation of TGF-β signaling is related to drug resistance in CRC. Because the mechanisms of drug resistance are different between patients in different stages of CRC, personalized treatment is more effective. Therefore, knowledge of the activation and inhibition of factors that affect the TGF-β signaling pathway is very important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Maslankova
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Ivana Vecurkovska
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Miroslava Rabajdova
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Jana Katuchova
- First Department of Surgery, Medical Faculty of Safarik University, Kosice 04011, Kosicky kraj, Slovakia.
| | - Milos Kicka
- First Department of Surgery, Medical Faculty of Safarik University, Kosice 04011, Kosicky kraj, Slovakia
| | - Michala Gayova
- Department of Burns and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical Faculty at Safarik University and University Hospital, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Vladimir Katuch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty at Safarik University and University Hospital, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
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Maslankova J, Vecurkovska I, Rabajdova M, Katuchova J, Kicka M, Gayova M, Katuch V. Regulation of transforming growth factor-β signaling as a therapeutic approach to treating colorectal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:4744-4761. [PMID: 36156927 PMCID: PMC9476856 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i33.4744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
According to data from 2020, Slovakia has long been among the top five countries with the highest incidence rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) worldwide, and the rate is continuing to rise every year. In approximately 80% of CRC cases, allelic loss (loss of heterozygosity, LOH) occurs in the long arm of chromosome 18q. The most important genes that can be silenced by 18q LOH or mutations are small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD) 2 and SMAD4, which are intracellular mediators of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily signals. TGF-β plays an important role in the pro-oncogenic processes, including such properties as invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (commonly known as EMT), promotion of angiogenesis, and immunomodulatory effects. Several recent studies have reported that activation of TGF-β signaling is related to drug resistance in CRC. Because the mechanisms of drug resistance are different between patients in different stages of CRC, personalized treatment is more effective. Therefore, knowledge of the activation and inhibition of factors that affect the TGF-β signaling pathway is very important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Maslankova
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Ivana Vecurkovska
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Miroslava Rabajdova
- Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Jana Katuchova
- First Department of Surgery, Medical Faculty of Safarik University, Kosice 04011, Kosicky kraj, Slovakia
| | - Milos Kicka
- First Department of Surgery, Medical Faculty of Safarik University, Kosice 04011, Kosicky kraj, Slovakia
| | - Michala Gayova
- Department of Burns and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical Faculty at Safarik University and University Hospital, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
| | - Vladimir Katuch
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty at Safarik University and University Hospital, Kosice 04011, Slovakia
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Zhou S, Wang H, Huang Y, Wu Y, Lin Z. The global change of gene expression pattern caused by PTEN mutation affects the prognosis of glioblastoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:952521. [PMID: 36016609 PMCID: PMC9396408 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.952521] [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: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive primary tumor, is common in humans, accounting for 12–15% of all intracranial tumors, and has median survival of fewer than 15 months. Since a growing body of evidence suggests that conventional drugs are ineffective against GBM, our goal is to find emerging therapies that play a role in its treatment. This research constructs a risk model to predict the prognosis of GBM patients. A set of genes associated with GBM was taken from a GBM gene data bank, and clinical information on patients with GBM was retrieved from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data bank. One-way Cox and Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed to identify genes in relation to prognosis. Groups were classified into high and low expression level of PTEN expression. Prognosis-related genes were further identified, and multi-factor Cox regression analysis was used to build risk score equations for the prognostic model to construct a survival prognostic model. The area under the ROC curve suggested that the pattern had high accuracy. When combined with nomogram analysis, GJB2 was considered an independent predictor of GBM prognosis. This study provides a potential prognostic predictive biological marker for GBM patients and confirms that GJB2 is a key gene for GBM progression.
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Li X, Wang J, Lin W, Yuan Q, Lu Y, Wang H, Chen Y, Chen L, Dai P, Long H, Li X. circEXOC6B interacting with RRAGB, an mTORC1 activator, inhibits the progression of colorectal cancer by antagonizing the HIF1A-RRAGB-mTORC1 positive feedback loop. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:135. [PMID: 35739524 PMCID: PMC9219196 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01600-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, an increasing number of studies have indicated that circular RNA plays crucial roles in regulating tumor development and chemoresistance. Using two high-throughput RNA sequence datasets, we previously found that circEXOC6B was downregulated in colon cancer. However, its role and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) remained unknown. Methods Real-time quantitative PCR was used to examine the expression of circEXOC6B in CRC tissues. In vivo and in vitro functional experiments were performed to determine the suppressor role of circEXOC6B in CRC progression. RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence were applied to investigate the possible mechanisms connecting circEXOC6B to CRC growth and 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase assay, western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to explore the mechanisms underlying the HIF1A regulation of RRAGB transcription. Results circEXOC6B was downregulated in CRC tissues, and its lower expression was associated with poor prognosis of patients. Functional experiments showed that circEXOC6B inhibited growth and increased the 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circEXOC6B inhibited the heterodimer formation of RRAGB by binding to it, thereby suppressing the mTORC1 pathway and HIF1A level. In addition, HIF1A upregulated the transcription of RRAGB by binding to its promoter region. Altogether, the results demonstrated that a HIF1A-RRAGB-mTORC1 positive feedback loop drives tumor progression in CRC, which could be interrupted by circEXOC6B. Conclusions circEXOC6B inhibits the progression of CRC and enhances the chemosensitivity of CRC cells to 5-fluorouracil by antagonizing the HIF1A-RRAGB-mTORC1 positive feedback loop. circEXOC6B is a possible therapeutic target for CRC treatment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12943-022-01600-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, 241002, Anhui Province, China
| | - Weihao Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Qinzi Yuan
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yanxia Lu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Haowei Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yujia Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lixia Chen
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Peiling Dai
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huaicheng Long
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xuenong Li
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Tumor Pathology, Department of Pathology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China. .,Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong Province, China.
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46
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Identification of Three Genes Associated with Metastasis in Melanoma and Construction of a Predictive Model: A Multiracial Identification. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:4567063. [PMID: 35637857 PMCID: PMC9148232 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4567063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify hub genes associated with metastasis and prognosis in melanoma. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen and identify hub genes. ROC and K-M analyses were used to verify the hub genes in the internal and external data sets. The risk score model and nomogram model were constructed based on the IHC result. Through WGCNA, the three hub genes, SNRPD2, SNRPD3, and EIF4A3, were identified. In the external data set, the hub genes identified were associated with the worse prognosis (TCGA, SNRPD2,
; SNRPD3,
; EIF4A3,
; GSE65904, SNRPD2,
; SNRPD3,
; EIF4A3,
; GSE19234, SNRPD2,
; SNRPD3,
; EIF4A3,
). In the GSE8401, we found that the hub genes were highly expressed in the metastasis compared with the nonmetastasis group (SNRPD2,
vs.
,
; SNRPD3,
vs.
,
; EIF4A3,
vs.
,
). Moreover, the hub genes were identified by the IHC in our data set. The result was similar with the external data set. The hub genes could predict the metastasis and prognosis in the Chinese MM patients. Finally, the GSEA and Pearson analysis demonstrated that the SNRPD2 was associated with the immunotherapy. The three hub genes were identified and validated in MM patients in external and internal data sets. The risk factor model was constructed and verified as a powerful model to predict metastasis and prognosis in MM patients.
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47
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Li Y, Yang X, Lu D. Knockdown of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2T (UBE2T) suppresses lung adenocarcinoma progression via targeting fibulin-5 (FBLN5). Bioengineered 2022; 13:11867-11880. [PMID: 35543375 PMCID: PMC9275889 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2060162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main histological type of lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Accumulating evidence has displayed that UBE2T is related to tumor progression. However, its role in LUAD has not been fully elucidated. The expression of UBE2T was detected in LUAD tissues by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. UBE2T shRNAs were transfected into LUAD cells to analyze the consequent alteration in function through CCK-8 assay, Edu assay, transwell assay, and TUNEL staining. The potential mechanism of UBE2T was analyzed through GEPIA and verified using ChIP, EMSA, and GST pull-down assays. Furthermore, a xenograft mouse model was used to assess UBE2T function in vivo. Results showed that UBE2T level was significantly elevated in LUAD tissues and high UBE2T expression was associated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival. Results from the loss-of-function experiments in vitro showed that UBE2T modulated LUAD cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The mechanism analysis demonstrated that silence of UBE2T increased FBLN5 expression and inhibited the activation of p-ERK, p-GSK3β, and β-catenin. Moreover, following knockdown of UBE2T, the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were decreased, and sh-FBLN5 partially reverse the decrease. In in vivo experiments, it was found that UBE2T knockdown inhibits the tumor growth in LUAD. Immunohistochemically, there was a reduction in Ki67 and an increase in FBLN5 in UBE2T shRNA-treated tumor tissues. In conclusion, UBE2T might be a potential biomarker of LUAD, and targeting the UBE2T/FBLN5 axis might be a novel treatment strategy for LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Department of Respiration Medicine, People's Hospital of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan City, PR China
| | - Xiaojuan Yang
- Department of Respiration Medicine, People's Hospital of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan City, PR China
| | - Dan Lu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan City, PR China
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48
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Zhang Y, Zhang X, Xu Y, Fang S, Ji Y, Lu L, Xu W, Qian H, Liang ZF. Circular RNA and Its Roles in the Occurrence, Development, Diagnosis of Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:845703. [PMID: 35463362 PMCID: PMC9021756 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.845703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding single-stranded covalently closed circular RNA, mainly produced by reverse splicing of exons of precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs). The characteristics of high abundance, strong specificity, and good stability of circRNAs have been discovered. A large number of studies have reported its various functions and mechanisms in biological events, such as the occurrence and development of cancer. In this review, we focus on the classification, characterization, biogenesis, functions of circRNAs, and the latest advances in cancer research. The development of circRNAs as biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and treatment also provides new ideas for studying circRNAs research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yumeng Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shikun Fang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ying Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ling Lu
- Child Healthcare Department, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wenrong Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hui Qian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhao Feng Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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