HSCs-derived COMP drives hepatocellular carcinoma progression by activating MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways

Integrating bulk RNA-seq and scRNA-seq analyses revealed the function and clinical value of thrombospondins in colon cancer

Background

Acting as mediators in cell-matrix and cell-cell communication, matricellular proteins play a crucial role in cancer progression. Thrombospondins (TSPs), a type of matricellular glycoproteins, are key regulators in cancer biology with multifaceted roles. Although TSPs have been implicated in anti-tumor immunity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in several malignancies, their specific roles to colon cancer remain elusive. Addressing this knowledge gap is essential, as understanding the function of TSPs in colon cancer could identify new therapeutic targets and prognostic markers.

Methods

Analyzing 1981 samples from 10 high-throughput datasets, including six bulk RNA-seq, three scRNA-seq, and one spatial transcriptome dataset, our study investigated the prognostic relevance, risk stratification value, immune heterogeneity, and cellular origin of TSPs, as well as their influence on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Utilizing survival analysis, unsupervised clustering, and functional enrichment, along with multiple correlation analyses of the tumor-microenvironment (TME) via Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA), spatial localization, Monocle2, and CellPhoneDB, we provided insights into the clinical and cellular implications of TSPs.

Results

First, we observed significant upregulation of THBS2 and COMP in colon cancer, both of which displayed significant prognostic value. Additionally, we detected a significant positive correlation between TSPs and immune cells, as well as marker genes of EMT. Second, based on TSPs expression, patients were divided into two clusters with distinct prognoses: the high TSPs expression group (TSPs-H) was characterized by pronounced immune and stromal cell infiltration, and notably elevated T-cell exhaustion scores. Subsequently, we found that THBS2 and COMP may be associated with the differentiation of CAFs into pan-iCAFs and pan-dCAFs, which are known for their heightened matrix remodeling activities. Moreover, THBS2 enhanced CAFs communication with vascular endothelial cells and monocyte-macrophages. CAFs expressing THBS2 (THBS2+ CAFs) demonstrated higher scores across multiple signaling pathways, including angiogenic, EMT, Hedgehog, Notch, Wnt, and TGF-β, when compared to THBS2- CAFs. These observations suggest that THBS2 may be associated with stronger pro-carcinogenic activity in CAFs.

Conclusions

This study revealed the crucial role of TSPs and the significant correlation between THBS2 and CAFs interactions in colon cancer progression, providing valuable insights for targeting TSPs to mitigate cancer progression.

Proteomic profiling of prostate cancer reveals molecular signatures under antiandrogen treatment

BACKGROUND

Tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) are indispensably dependent on androgen receptor (AR). Antiandrogen treatment is the principal preference for patients with advanced PCa. However, the molecular characteristics of PCa with antiandrogen intervention have not yet been fully uncovered.

METHODS

We first performed proteome analysis with 32 PCa tumor samples and 10 adjacent tissues using data-independent acquisition (DIA)- parallel accumulation serial fragmentation (PASEF) proteomics. Then label-free quantification (LFQ) mass spectrometry was employed to analyze protein profiles in LNCaP and PC3 cells.

RESULTS

M-type creatine kinase CKM and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein COMP were demonstrated to have the potential to be diagnostic biomarkers for PCa at both mRNA and protein levels. Several E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) were significantly altered in PCa and PCa cells under enzalutamide treatment, and these proteins might reprogram proteostasis at protein levels in PCa. Finally, we discovered 127 significantly varied proteins in PCa samples with antiandrogen therapy and further uncovered 4 proteins in LNCaP cells upon enzalutamide treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research reveals new potential diagnostic biomarkers for prostate cancer and might help resensitize resistance to antiandrogen therapy.

The switch triggering the invasion process: Lipid metabolism in the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT

In humans, the liver is a central metabolic organ with a complex and unique histological microenvironment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, accounts for most cases of primary liver cancer. As an emerging hallmark of cancers, metabolic reprogramming acts as a runaway mechanism that disrupts homeostasis of the affected organs, including the liver. Specifically, rewiring of the liver metabolic microenvironment, including lipid metabolism, is driven by HCC cells, propelling the phenotypes of HCC cells, including dissemination, invasion, and even metastasis in return. The resulting formation of this vicious loop facilitates various malignant behaviors of HCC further. However, few articles have comprehensively summarized lipid reprogramming in HCC metastasis. Here, we have reviewed the general situation of the liver microenvironment and the physiological lipid metabolism in the liver, and highlighted the effects of different aspects of lipid metabolism on HCC metastasis to explore the underlying mechanisms. In addition, we have recapitulated promising therapeutic strategies targeting lipid metabolism and the effects of lipid metabolic reprogramming on the efficacy of HCC systematical therapy, aiming to offer new perspectives for targeted therapy.

COMP promotes pancreatic fibrosis by activating pancreatic stellate cells through CD36-ERK/AKT signaling pathways

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic fibrosis is one of the most important pathological features of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the key cells of fibrosis. As an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is critical for collagen assembly and ECM stability and recent studies showed that COMP exert promoting fibrosis effect in the skin, lungs and liver. However, the role of COMP in activation of PSCs and pancreatic fibrosis remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the role and specific mechanisms of COMP in regulating the profibrotic phenotype of PSCs and pancreatic fibrosis.

METHODS

ELISA method was used to determine serum COMP in patients with CP. Mice model of CP was established by repeated intraperitoneal injection of cerulein and pancreatic fibrosis was evaluated by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining (H&E) and Sirius red staining. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression changes of COMP and fibrosis marker such as α-SMA and Fibronectin in pancreatic tissue of mice. Cell Counting Kit-8, Wound Healing and Transwell assessed the proliferation and migration of human pancreatic stellate cells (HPSCs). Western blotting, qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining were performed to detect the expression of fibrosis marker, AKT and MAPK family proteins in HPSCs. RNA-seq omics analysis as well as small interfering RNA of COMP, recombinant human COMP (rCOMP), MEK inhibitors and PI3K inhibitors were used to study the effect and mechanism of COMP on activation of HPSCs.

RESULTS

ELISA showed that the expression of COMP significantly increased in the serum of CP patients. H&E and Sirius red staining analysis showed that there was a large amount of collagen deposition in the mice in the CP model group and high expression of COMP, α-SMA, Fibronectin and Vimentin were observed in fibrotic tissues. TGF-β1 stimulates the activation of HPSCs and increases the expression of COMP. Knockdown of COMP inhibited proliferation and migration of HPSCs. Further, RNA-seq omics analysis and validation experiments in vitro showed that rCOMP could significantly promote the proliferation and activation of HPSCs, which may be due to promoting the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT through membrane protein receptor CD36. rCOMP simultaneously increased the expression of α-SMA, Fibronectin and Collagen I in HPSCs.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this study showed that COMP was up-regulated in CP fibrotic tissues and COMP induced the activation, proliferation and migration of PSCs through the CD36-ERK/AKT signaling pathway. COMP may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of CP. Interfering with the expression of COMP or the communication between COMP and CD36 on PSCs may be the next direction for therapeutic research.

Effect of GLIS1 on the Lymph Node Metastasis of Cervical Squamous Carcinoma Based on Transcriptome Analysis

Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among female reproductive malignancies, and lymph node metastasis (LNM) represents the major reason for its poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to identify transcriptome differences in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who developed LNM or not and to outline the function of GLIS1 in determining metastatic fate in CSCC. In The Cancer Genome Atlas-endocervical adenocarcinoma project, patients with LNM had shorter overall survival than those without. Transcriptome data from CSCC patients with and without LNM were analyzed to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs were enriched in metastasis-related pathways, such as extracellular matrix organization, cell-cell adhesion, and regulation of tissue remodeling. GLIS1 was overexpressed in tumor tissues of patients with LNM. COMP and ITGA11 were screened as downstream targets of GLIS1. GLIS1 promoted their transcription by binding to the promoter regions of COMP and ITGA11. GLIS1 enhanced the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in CSCC cells, while the knockdown of COMP or ITGA11 reversed the promotion of GLIS1 on CSCC cell malignant phenotype. Together, our results demonstrate that GLIS1 might be related to the LNM of CSCC patients via COMP and ITGA11.

Stromal cartilage oligomeric matrix protein as a tumorigenic driver in ovarian cancer via Notch3 signaling and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

BACKGROUND

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is vital in preserving cartilage integrity. Further, its overexpression is associated with the aggressiveness of several types of solid cancers. This study investigated COMP's role in ovarian cancer, exploring clinicopathological links and mechanistic insights.

METHODS

To study the association of COMP expression in cancer cells and stroma with clinicopathological features of ovarian tumor patients, we analyzed an epithelial ovarian tumor cohort by immunohistochemical analysis. Subsequently, to study the functional mechanisms played by COMP, an in vivo xenograft mouse model and several molecular biology techniques such as transwell migration and invasion assay, tumorsphere formation assay, proximity ligation assay, and RT-qPCR array were performed.

RESULTS

Based on immunohistochemical analysis of epithelial ovarian tumor tissues, COMP expression in the stroma, but not in cancer cells, was linked to worse overall survival (OS) of ovarian cancer patients. A xenograft mouse model showed that carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) expressing COMP stimulate the growth and metastasis of ovarian tumors through the secretion of COMP. The expression of COMP was upregulated in CAFs stimulated with TGF-β. Functionally, secreted COMP by CAFs enhanced the migratory capacity of ovarian cancer cells. Mechanistically, COMP activated the Notch3 receptor by enhancing the Notch3-Jagged1 interaction. The dependency of the COMP effect on Notch was confirmed when the migration and tumorsphere formation of COMP-treated ovarian cancer cells were inhibited upon incubation with Notch inhibitors. Moreover, COMP treatment induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and upregulation of active β-catenin in ovarian cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that COMP secretion by CAFs drives ovarian cancer progression through the induction of the Notch pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

The prognostic and potentially immunomodulatory role of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in patients with gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a novel regulator of the tumor microenvironment. Studies in colon cancer and pancreatobiliary adenocarcinoma have revealed COMP expression to be associated with decreased infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, the expression of COMP was investigated in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma with particular reference to its the relationship with the immune microenvironment.

METHODS

COMP expression was evaluated in tissue microarrays representing primary tumors from 159 patients with chemo- and radiotherapy naïve esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma and 67 matched samples of lymph node metastases using immunohistochemistry. Additionally, collagen fibers were stained with Sirius Red and evaluated with the FIJI macro TWOMBLI algorithm.

RESULTS

The expression of COMP in cancer cells in the entire cohort was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) (p = 0.013) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.029), while COMP expression in the stroma was correlated with shorter RFS (p = 0.042). Similar correlations were found for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, whereas COMP expression was not prognostic in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Further, in the entire cohort, the expression of COMP in the stroma was correlated with exclusion of different populations of immune cells (CD8+, CD3+, FoxP3+, CD20+) from the tumor microenvironment. Finally, higher density and alignment of collagen fibers were correlated with the expression of COMP in the stroma.

CONCLUSIONS

Expression of COMP in gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma was correlated with shorter OS and RFS. A reduced number of immune cells infiltrated the tumor microenvironment when COMP expression was detected. This phenomenon could be attributed to the denser collagen deposits, a hallmark of tumor fibrosis observed in COMP-expressing tumors.

Serum proteomic profiling of precancerous gastric lesions and early gastric cancer reveals signatures associated with systemic inflammatory response and metaplastic differentiation

The noninvasive detection technique using serum for large-scale screening is useful for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Herein, we employed liquid chromatography mass spectrometry to determine the serum proteome signatures and related pathways in individuals with gastric precancerous (pre-GC) lesions and GC and explore the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Differentially expressed proteins in GC and pre-GC compared with non-atrophic gastritis (NAG) group were identified. APOA4, a protein associated with metaplastic differentiation, and COMP, an extracellular matrix protein, were increased in the serum of patients with pre-GC lesions and GC. In addition, several inflammation-associated proteins, such as component C3, were decreased in the GC and pre-GC groups, which highlight a tendency for the inflammatory response to converge at the gastric lesion site during the GC cascade. Moreover, the abundance of proteins associated with oxidant detoxification was higher in the GC group compared with that in the NAG group, and these proteins were also increased in the serum of the H. pylori-positive GC group compared with that in the H. pylori-negative GC patients, reflecting the importance of oxidative stress pathways in H. pylori infection. Collectively, the findings of this study highlight pathways that play important roles in GC progression, and may provide potential diagnostic biomarkers for the detection of pre-GC lesions.

Cells in the liver microenvironment regulate the process of liver metastasis

The research of liver metastasis is a developing field. The ability of tumor cells to invade the liver depends on the complicated interactions between metastatic cells and local subpopulations in the liver (including Kupffer cells, hepatic stellate cells, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, and immune-related cells). These interactions are mainly mediated by intercellular adhesion and the release of cytokines. Cell populations in the liver microenvironment can play a dual role in the progression of liver metastasis through different mechanisms. At the same time, we can see the participation of liver parenchymal cells and nonparenchymal cells in the process of liver metastasis of different tumors. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to summarize the relationship between cellular components of liver microenvironment and metastasis and emphasize the importance of different cells in the occurrence or potential regression of liver metastasis.

Thrombospondins in the tumor microenvironment

Many cancers begin with the formation of a small nest of transformed cells that can remain dormant for years. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) initially promotes dormancy by suppressing angiogenesis, a key early step in tumor progression. Over time, increases in drivers of angiogenesis predominate, and vascular cells, immune cells, and fibroblasts are recruited to the tumor mass forming a complex tissue, designated the tumor microenvironment. Numerous factors, including growth factors, chemokine/cytokine, and extracellular matrix, participate in the desmoplastic response that in many ways mimics wound healing. Vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells, and cancer-associated pericytes, fibroblasts, macrophages and immune cells are recruited to the tumor microenvironment, where multiple members of the TSP gene family promote their proliferation, migration and invasion. The TSPs also affect the immune signature of tumor tissue and the phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages. Consistent with these observations, expression of some TSPs has been established to correlate with poor outcomes in specific types of cancer.

Inulin-like polysaccharide ABWW may impede CCl4 induced hepatic stellate cell activation through mediating the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in vitro & in vivo

Studies have shown that terrestrial acidic polysaccharides containing carboxyl groups and seaweed sulfated polysaccharides have strong potential in anti-liver fibrosis. However, there is no investigation on the anti-liver fibrosis of fructan, a ubiquitous natural polysaccharide. The present study aimed to understand the effect of fructan in ameliorating carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Here, an inulin-like fructan ABWW from Achyranthes bidentata Bl. was characterized by fructose enzymatic hydrolysis, methylation analysis, ESI-MS, and NMR. It was composed of →2)-β-d-Fruf-(1→ and →2)-β-d-Fruf-(1, 6→, terminated with →1)-α-d-Glcp and →2)-β-d-Fruf residues. The biological studies showed that ABWW could improve liver damage and liver fibrosis induced by CCl4in vivo and inhibit hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and migration in vitro. We further demonstrated that ABWW inhibited LX2 activation via suppressing the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Hence, ABWW might be a potential novel active compound for anti-fibrosis new drug development.

Ligand-dependent CD36 functions in cancer progression, metastasis, immune response, and drug resistance

CD36, a multifunctional glycoprotein, has been shown to play critical roles in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, immune response, and drug resistance. CD36 serves as a receptor for a wide range of ligands, including lipid-related ligands (e.g., long-chain fatty acid (LCFA), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), and oxidized phospholipids), as well as protein-related ligands (e.g., thrombospondins, amyloid proteins, collagens I and IV). CD36 is overexpressed in various cancers and may act as an independent prognostic marker. While it was initially identified as a mediator of anti-angiogenesis through its interaction with thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), recent research has highlighted its role in promoting tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and immune suppression. The varied impact of CD36 on cancer is likely ligand-dependent. Therefore, we focus specifically on the ligand-dependent role of CD36 in cancer to provide a critical review of recent advances, perspectives, and challenges.

C1QA and COMP: plasma-based biomarkers for early diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) are challenging to diagnose and often detected at advanced stages due to a lack of specific and sensitive biomarkers. This study utilized proteomics as a valuable approach for cancer biomarker discovery; therefore, mass spectrometry-based proteomic profiling was conducted on plasma samples from 12 subjects (3 controls; 5 Grade I, 4 Grade II PanNET patients) to identify potential proteins capable of effectively distinguishing PanNET from healthy controls. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD045045. 13.2% of proteins were uniquely identified in PanNET, while 60% were commonly expressed in PanNET and controls. 17 proteins exhibiting significant differential expression between PanNET and controls were identified with downstream analysis. Further, 5 proteins (C1QA, COMP, HSP90B1, ITGA2B, and FN1) were selected by pathway analysis and were validated using Western blot analysis. Significant downregulation of C1QA (p = 0.001: within groups, 0.03: control vs. grade I, 0.0013: grade I vs. grade II) and COMP (p = 0.011: within groups, 0.019: control vs grade I) were observed in PanNET Grade I & II than in controls. Subsequently, ELISA on 38 samples revealed significant downregulation of C1QA and COMP with increasing disease severity. This study shows the potential of C1QA and COMP in the early detection of PanNET, highlighting their role in the search for early-stage (Grade-I and Grade-II) diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for PanNET.

DNA damage repair molecular subtype derived immune signature applicable for the prognosis and immunotherapy response prediction in colon cancer

Background

The DNA damage repair (DDR) pathway is one of the pathways of tumor pathogenesis, but its relationship with the immunophenotype has not been clarified in colon cancer (CC).

Methods

We identified the differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs) between two DDR molecular subtypes, namely, C1 and C2, and used univariate Cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized Cox regression analysis to construct the risk score in the training cohort [n=1,009, a combination of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE39582]. Regarding the median risk score as the unified cutoff to classify the patients into high- and low-risk groups. Two independent cohorts (GSE17538, n=232; GSE38832, n=122) were used for external validation of the prognostic value of the risk score. The IMvigor210 cohort (n=348) was used to test the predictive value of the risk score for immunotherapy response. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to discover the underlying mechanism. Immune cell infiltration was quantified by the single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithm.

Results

The high-risk group showed significantly reduced overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free survival (DFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and relapse-free survival (RFS) compared to the low-risk group, and the two groups differed significantly in lymphatic invasion, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM stage, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, etc. The enrichment levels of pathways related to colorectal cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, hypoxia, P53, TGF-β, KRAS signaling, etc., were upregulated in the high-risk group, but DDR-related pathways were defective in the high-risk group. The immunophenotypes of the high-risk group tended to be desert and excluded, and the risk score of patients who responded to immunotherapy was significantly lower than that of patients who did not respond to immunotherapy. The higher the infiltration levels of gamma delta T cells (γδ T cells), immature dendritic cells, and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, the more significant adverse impact on the prognosis of CC patients was exhibited and an obviously positive correlation with the risk score was showed.

Conclusions

An immune gene risk score associated with the DDR molecular subtype was built and verified herein; that is applicable to the prognosis and immunotherapy response prediction in CC.

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein overexpression is an independent poor prognostic indicator in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. Elevated COMP levels recently linked to worse overall survival in multiple cancer types. COMP's significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains uncertain. Here we report a retrospective study to explore COMP's impact on iCCA outcomes. We collected 182 patients' iCCA tumor tissues. COMP overexpression was associated with adverse factors like R1 resection (p = 0.008), advanced T stage (p < 0.001), large duct type (p = 0.004), and poorly differentiated histology (p = 0.002). COMP overexpression correlates with poorer DFS (HR, 3.651; p = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.827; p = 0.023), LRFS (HR, 4.077; p < 0.001), and MFS (HR, 3.718; p < 0.001). High COMP expression ties to worse overall survival (p = 0.0001), DSS (p < 0.0001), LRFS (p < 0.0001), and MFS (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, COMP overexpression links to poor prognosis and pathological features in iCCA, indicating its potential as a biomarker.

COMP Improves Ang-II-Induced Atrial Fibrillation via TGF-β Signaling Pathway

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) regulates transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway, which has been proved to be associated with skin fibrosis and pulmonary fibrosis. Atrial fibrosis is a major factor of atrial fibrillation (AF). Nevertheless, the interaction between COMP and TGF-β as well as their role in AF remains undefined. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of COMP in AF and explore its potential mechanism. The hub gene of AF was identified from two datasets using bioinformatics. Furthermore, it was verified by the downregulation of COMP in angiotensin-II (Ang-II)-induced AF in mice. Moreover, the effect on AF was examined using CCK8 assay, ELISA, and western blot. The involvement of TGF-β pathway was further discussed. The expression of COMP was the most significant among all these hub genes. Our experimental results revealed that the protein levels of TGF-β1, phosphorylated Smad2 (P-Smad2), and phosphorylated Smad3 (P-Smad3) were decreased after silencing COMP, which indicated that COMP knockdown could inhibit the activation of TGF-β pathway in AF cells. However, the phenomenon was reversed when the activator SRI was added. COMP acts as a major factor and can improve Ang-II-induced AF via TGF-β signaling pathway. Thus, our research enriches the understanding of the interaction between COMP and TGF-β in AF, and provides reference for the pathogenesis and diagnosis of AF.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis uncovers the origin and intratumoral heterogeneity of parotid pleomorphic adenoma

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign tumour in the salivary gland and has high morphological complexity. However, the origin and intratumoral heterogeneity of PA are largely unknown. Here, we constructed a comprehensive atlas of PA at single-cell resolution and showed that PA exhibited five tumour subpopulations, three recapitulating the epithelial states of the normal parotid gland, and two PA-specific epithelial cell (PASE) populations unique to tumours. Then, six subgroups of PASE cells were identified, which varied in epithelium, bone, immune, metabolism, stemness and cell cycle signatures. Moreover, we revealed that CD36+ myoepithelial cells were the tumour-initiating cells (TICs) in PA, and were dominated by the PI3K-AKT pathway. Targeting the PI3K-AKT pathway significantly inhibited CD36+ myoepithelial cell-derived tumour spheres and the growth of PA organoids. Our results provide new insights into the diversity and origin of PA, offering an important clinical implication for targeting the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway in PA treatment.

Noncellular components in the liver cancer stem cell niche: Biology and potential clinical implications

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are now recognized as one of the major root causes of therapy failure and tumor recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early studies in the field focused primarily on the intrinsic regulators of CSC maintenance, but in recent years, mounting evidence has demonstrated the presence and role of extrinsic regulators in the tumor microenvironment (TME) in the control of liver CSCs. In addition to direct interaction with cellular components, noncellular components, including the extracellular matrix, hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, and secreted molecules within the tumor stroma and hepatitis viruses, also play a critical role in shaping the CSC niche. In this review, we highlight how various noncellular components in the TME play a role in regulating CSCs and how CSCs secrete components to interact with the TME to generate their own niche, working hand in hand to drive tumor physiology in HCC. In addition, we describe the potential clinical applications of these findings and propose perspectives on future research of noncellular components in the liver CSC niche.

Elevated retinal fibrosis in experimental myopia is involved in the activation of the PI3K/AKT/ERK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of the PI3K/AKT/ERK signaling pathway in retinal fibrosis in -6.0 diopter (D) lens-induced myopic (LIM) guinea pigs.

METHODS

Biological measurements of eye tissues were performed on guinea pigs to obtain their refraction, axial length, retinal thickness, physiological function, and fundus retinal status. In addition, Masson staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) assay were further done to explore the changes in retinal morphology after myopic induction. Meanwhile, hydroxyproline (HYP) content was measured to evaluate the degree of retinal fibrosis. Moreover, the levels of the PI3K/AKT/ERK signaling pathway and fibrosis-related molecules in retinal tissues including matrix metalloproteinase 2(MMP2), collagen type I (Collagen I), and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot.

RESULTS

The LIM guinea pigs showed a significant myopic shift in refractive error and an increase in axial length compared with those of the normal control (NC) group. Masson staining, hydroxyproline content determination, and IHC showed an increase in retinal fibrosis. After myopic induction, qPCR and western blot analyses showed that phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase catalytic subunit α (PIK3CA), protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), MMP2, Collagen I, and α-SMA were consistently elevated in the LIM group than those in the NC group.

CONCLUSION

The PI3K/AKT/ERK signaling pathway was activated in the retinal tissues of myopic guinea pigs, which exaggerated fibrotic lesions and reduced retinal thickness, ultimately leading to retinal physiological dysfunctions in myopic guinea pigs.

Lnc001209 Participates in aluminium-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells by regulating PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling pathway

Aluminium (Al) is a common environmental neurotoxin, but the molecular mechanism underlying its toxic effects remains unclear. Many studies have shown that aluminium exposure leads to increased neuronal apoptosis. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms and signalling pathways involved in aluminium exposure-induced neuronal apoptosis. The results showed a decrease in the number of PC12 cells and changes in cell morphology in the aluminium maltol exposure group. The viability of PC12 cells decreased gradually with increasing of exposure doses, and the apoptosis rate increased. The expression of Lnc001209 decreased gradually with an increase in the aluminium exposure dose. After transfection of Lnc001209 siRNA in aluminium-exposed PC12 cells, the protein expression levels of p-Akt Ser473, p-Akt Thr308, p-P85 Tyr467, p-mTOR Ser2448 and CD36 were increased. RNA pull-down MS showed that Lnc001209 interacts with the CD36 protein. Expression of the CD36 protein was increased in PC12 cells exposed to aluminium. The results of the CD36 intervention experiment showed that the protein expression levels of p-Akt Ser473, p-Akt Thr308, p-P85 Tyr467, and p-mTOR Ser2448 likely increased after CD36 overexpression. In addition, the phosphorylation level of AKT had the most significant increase. The enhancement of p-Akt activity promotes neuronal apoptosis.

The clinical and genetic features in patients coexisting primary breast and thyroid cancers

Background

We attempted to examine the clinical characteristics in patients with breast cancer (BC) and thyroid cancer (TC); explore the potential mechanisms of tumorigenesis and progression.

Methods

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result Program-9 (SEER-9) database, a retrospective study (1975-2017) was conducted on patients with BC and TC. We identified the common differentially expressed genes involved in BC and TC using the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) was performed to verify the expression of the hit gene in patients with co-occurrence of BC and TC. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, the relationship between gene expression and clinicopathological characters was determined. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to identify the pathways enriched in BC and TC.

Results

BC patients had a higher predisposition to develop TC (standardized incidence ratio, SIR: 1.29) and vice-versa (SIR: 1.12). Most of these patients were differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and hormone receptor (HR) - positive BC. The mRNA expression of COMP (Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) was significantly overexpressed in BC and TC by analyzing the GEO database. The protein expression of COMP was increased in both BC and TC tissues obtained from the same patients validated by IHC. COMP was correlated with worse OS in BC (stage II-IV) and TC; it was the independent factor for prognosis of BC. GSEA indicated that the estrogen response and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways were significantly enriched in both TC- and BC- COMP overexpressed groups.

Conclusion

The co-occurrence risk of BC and TC in the same individual is higher than in the general population. Overexpression of COMP could promote oncogenesis and progression in patients with BC and TC through estrogen signaling and EMT pathways.

ME2 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Migration through Pyruvate

Cancer metastasis is still a major challenge in clinical cancer treatment. The migration and invasion of cancer cells into surrounding tissues and blood vessels is the primary step in cancer metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism of regulating cell migration and invasion are not fully understood. Here, we show the role of malic enzyme 2 (ME2) in promoting human liver cancer cell lines SK-Hep1 and Huh7 cells migration and invasion. Depletion of ME2 reduces cell migration and invasion, whereas overexpression of ME2 increases cell migration and invasion. Mechanistically, ME2 promotes the production of pyruvate, which directly binds to β-catenin and increases β-catenin protein levels. Notably, pyruvate treatment restores cell migration and invasion of ME2-depleted cells. Our findings provide a mechanistic understanding of the link between ME2 and cell migration and invasion.

Proteomic characterization of aqueous humor in corneal endothelial decompensation after penetrating keratoplasty

Corneal endothelial decompensation (CED) is the major cause of the long-term graft failure, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize the proteomic profile in CED aqueous humor (AH) after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). We collected AH samples (n = 6/group) from CED patients underwent PKP and cataract patients, respectively. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis was performed to identify the differentially-expressed proteins (DEPs). The biological functions of DEPs were evaluated using Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) analysis. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction was employed to distinguish the hub proteins of DEPs, and the selected proteins were validated by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). The human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were adopted to investigate the effect of biglycan (BGN) on inflammatory response, and the subsequent outcomes of inflammation on human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs). A total of 174 DEPs were identified in CED AH of patients underwent PKP, including 102 up-regulated proteins and 72 down-regulated proteins. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the significant enrichment of cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization in the up-regulated proteins, as well as the alterations of cellular components, including the increase of collagen and complement component C1 complex, and reduction in extracellular exosomes. A hub protein cluster of 15 proteins was determined by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE), including FN1, BGN, COMP, COL11A1, COLA3A1, and COL1A1. Moreover, BGN promoted pro-inflammatory cytokine (such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) production in PBMCs through NF-κB signaling pathway, which subsequently resulted in HCECs death. These findings provided a systemic protein profile of AH in CED patients after corneal transplantation, with the alterations implicated in cytokine-mediated signaling, ECM, complement system, and exsomes. The identified proteins and signaling pathways probably paved the novel insight into understanding the pathogenesis of the disease.

Core genes in lung adenocarcinoma identified by integrated bioinformatic analysis

This study aims to identify potential core genes of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Three datasets (GSE32863, GSE43458, and GSE116959) were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LUAD and normal tissues were filtrated by GEO2R tool. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed via Metascape database. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and core genes were identified using STRING and Cytoscape. Core genes expressions and their relevant clinical characteristics were performed via Oncomine and UALCAN databases respectively. The correlation between core genes and immune infiltrates was investigated by TIMER database. Kaplan-Meier plotter was performed for survival analysis. The signal pathway network of core genes was mapped by KEGG Mapper analysis tool. In this study, ten core genes were significantly related to overall survival (OS) of LUAD patients, which can provide clues for prognosis of LUAD.

Formyl peptide receptor 2 is an emerging modulator of inflammation in the liver

Formyl peptide receptors (FPRs), which are seven-membrane G-protein coupled receptors, recognize chemotactic signals to protect hosts from pathogenic infections and mediate inflammatory responses in the body. There are three isoforms of FPRs in humans-FPR1, FPR2, and FPR3-and they bind to N-formyl peptides, except FPR3, and to various endogenous agonists. Among FPR family members, FPR2 has a lower affinity for N-formyl peptides than FPR1 and binds with a wide range of endogenous or exogenous agonists. Thus, FPR2 is considered the most ambiguous member. Accumulating evidence has shown that FPR2 is involved in the host's defense against bacterial infection and inflammation in liver diseases, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer, suggesting the pathophysiological relevance of FPR2 to the liver. However, FPR2 has been shown to promote or suppress inflammation, depending on the type of FPR2-expressing cell and FPR2-bound ligands in the liver. Therefore, it is important to understand FPR2's function per se and to elucidate the mechanism underlying immunomodulation initiated by ligand-activated FPR2 before suggesting FPR2 as a novel therapeutic agent for liver diseases. In this review, up-to-date knowledge of FPR2, with general information on the FPR family, is provided. We shed light on the dual action of FPR2 in the liver and discuss the hepatoprotective roles of FPR2 itself and FPR2 agonists in mediating anti-inflammatory responses.

Deciphering the possible reciprocal loop between hepatic stellate cells and cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment of the liver

Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs)/myofibroblasts are the important sources of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the liver tumor microenvironment (TME). The crosstalk between activated HSCs and tumor cells mediates HCC progression, metastasis, tumor cell survival, angiogenesis and chemoresistance. In TME, HCC cells secrete various soluble factors responsible for the phenotypic activation of quiescent HSCs. Tumor cells use activated HSC-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) for migration and invasion. Further, in liver TME, activated HSCs and sinusoidal endothelial cells engage in a crosstalk that causes the secretion of angiogenesis and metastasis-related growth factors and cytokines. Activated HSCs and immune cells crosstalk to decrease immune surveillance in the liver TME by increasing the population of T regulatory cells and M2 macrophages or myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Thus, HSCs play a vital role in liver TME cell interactions. Therefore, a deep understanding of HSCs activation and their crosstalk with cancer and immune cells in TME may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target HCC.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts: The chief architect in the tumor microenvironment

Stromal heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role in malignancy and therapeutic resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the major players in tumor stroma. The heterogeneous sources of origin and subsequent impacts of crosstalk with breast cancer cells flaunt serious challenges before current therapies to cure triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other cancers. The positive and reciprocal feedback of CAFs to induce cancer cells dictates their mutual synergy in establishing malignancy. Their substantial role in creating a tumor-promoting niche has reduced the efficacy of several anti-cancer treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Over the years, there has been an emphasis on understanding CAF-induced therapeutic resistance in order to enhance cancer therapy results. CAFs, in the majority of cases, employ crosstalk, stromal management, and other strategies to generate resilience in surrounding tumor cells. This emphasizes the significance of developing novel strategies that target particular tumor-promoting CAF subpopulations, which will improve treatment sensitivity and impede tumor growth. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the origin and heterogeneity of CAFs, their role in tumor progression, and altering the tumor response to therapeutic agents in breast cancer. In addition, we also discuss the potential and possible approaches for CAF-mediated therapies.

Biological impact and therapeutic perspective of targeting PI3K/Akt signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma: Promises and Challenges

Cancer progression results from activation of various signaling networks. Among these, PI3K/Akt signaling contributes to proliferation, invasion, and inhibition of apoptosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver cancer with high incidence rate, especially in regions with high prevalence of viral hepatitis infection. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes mellitus, obesity, alcohol consumption, and inflammation can also lead to initiation and development of HCC. The treatment of HCC depends on the identification of oncogenic factors that lead tumor cells to develop resistance to therapy. The present review article focuses on the role of PI3K/Akt signaling in HCC progression. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling promotes glucose uptake, favors glycolysis and increases tumor cell proliferation. It inhibits both apoptosis and autophagy while promoting HCC cell survival. PI3K/Akt stimulates epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and increases matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) expression during HCC metastasis. In addition to increasing colony formation capacity and facilitating the spread of tumor cells, PI3K/Akt signaling stimulates angiogenesis. Therefore, silencing PI3K/Akt signaling prevents aggressive HCC cell behavior. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling can confer drug resistance, particularly to sorafenib, and decreases the radio-sensitivity of HCC cells. Anti-cancer agents, like phytochemicals and small molecules can suppress PI3K/Akt signaling by limiting HCC progression. Being upregulated in tumor tissues and clinical samples, PI3K/Akt can also be used as a biomarker to predict patients' response to therapy.

Expression of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in colorectal cancer is an adverse prognostic factor and correlates negatively with infiltrating immune cells and PD-L1 expression

Introduction

Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) is an oncogenic protein that has been associated with a decrease in infiltrating T-cells in periampullary adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to investigate whether this is also the case for colorectal cancer (CRC) and to evaluate the relationship between COMP expression and clinopathological features.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression levels of COMP in tumor cells and stroma in primary tumors from a cohort of 537 CRC patients. The expression of immune cell markers, including CD3+, CD8+, FoxP3+, CD68+, CD56+, CD163+, and PD-L1, was evaluated previously. Tumor fibrosis was assessed by Sirius Red staining and evaluation of collagen fiber organization.

Results

COMP expression correlated positively with TNM-stage and grade of differentiation. Patients with CRC expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS than those with low COMP expression (p<0.0001), and fewer infiltrating T-cells were detected in tumors with high COMP expression. Additionally, a negative correlation was identified between the expression of COMP and PD-L1 on both tumor cells and immune cells. Cox regression analysis showed that tumors expressing high levels of COMP had significantly shorter OS, independent of all evaluated immune cell markers. Tumor fibrosis was correlated with high expression of COMP in the stroma (p<0.0001), and tumors with high levels of COMP expression and denser fibrosis displayed more sparse immune cell infiltration.

Discussion

The results suggest that COMP expression in CRC may exert an immune regulatory effect by increasing dense fibrosis and decreasing immune cell infiltration. These findings support the notion that COMP is an important factor in the development and progression of CRC.

Small-interfering RNA targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 might promote fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma through upregulation of CD36

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) binds to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and fatty acid translocase CD36, inducing lysosomal degradation of these two receptors in the liver cells. Both monoclonal antibody (mAb) and small-interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PCSK9 have been designed for treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia recently, with elevating LDL receptors on the liver cell surface and increasing LDL uptake as the main beneficial mechanism. However, given that the binding domains of PCSK9 for LDL receptor and CD36 are different, and PCSK9 mAb only attacks the domain for LDL receptor, CD36 expression remains partially controlled under PCSK9 mAb treatment. In contrast, PCSK9 siRNA brings on complete loss of PCSK9, resulting in overexpression of CD36. Based on the fact that CD36 is a key factor in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and subsequent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the risk of developing NAFLD and HCC on long-term use of PCSK9 siRNA is thus raised as a hypothesis. Additionally, because CD36 is also involved in the promotion of malignant diseases other than HCC, such as acute myeloid leukemia, gastric cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer, the speculative danger of flourishing these malignancies by PCSK9 siRNA is discussed as well.

Exploration of an Prognostic Signature Related to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma and Their Response Targeting Immunotherapy

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a pro-apoptotic role in colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD). This study aimed to develop a novel ER-stress-related prognostic risk model for COAD and provide support for COAD cohorts with different risk score responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Methods: TCGA-COAD and GSE39582 were included in this prospective study. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to identify prognostic ER stress-related genes (ERSGs). Accordingly, the immune infiltration landscape and immunotherapy response in different risk groups were assessed. Finally, the expression of prognostic genes in 10 normal and 10 COAD tissue samples was verified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Eight prognostic genes were selected to establish an ERSG-based signature in the training set of the TCGA-COAD cohort. The accuracy of this was confirmed using a testing set of TCGA-COAD and GSE39582 cohorts. Gene set variation analysis indicated that differential functionality in high-low-risk groups was related to immune-related pathways. Corresponding to this, CD36, TIMP1, and PTGIS were significantly associated with 19 immune cells with distinct proportions between the different risk groups, such as central memory CD4T cells and central memory CD8T cells. Moreover, the risk score was considered effective for predicting the clinical response to immunotherapy, and the immunotherapy response was significantly and negatively correlated with the risk score of individuals with COAD. Furthermore, the immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment was less effective in the high-risk group, where the expression levels of PD-L1 and tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion scores in the high-risk group were significantly increased. Finally, the experimental results demonstrated that the expression trends of prognostic genes in clinical samples were consistent with the results from public databases. Conclusion: Our study established a novel risk signature to predict the COAD prognosis of patients and provide theoretical support for the clinical treatment of COAD.

Expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein in periampullary adenocarcinoma is associated with pancreatobiliary-type morphology, higher levels of fibrosis and immune cell exclusion

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an emerging regulator of tumor progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of COMP in periampullary adenocarcinoma with respect to prognostic value for survival and relapse, levels of fibrosis and infiltrating immune cells. COMP expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry in primary tumors and subsets of paired lymph node metastases in tissue microarrays including 175 patients with periampullary adenocarcinoma. Collagen content was assessed with Sirius Red-Fast Green staining. High COMP levels were detected in cancer cells and in stroma, in 46% and 57% of the patients, respectively. High COMP expression was strongly associated with more aggressive pancreatobiliary-type (PB-type) compared to intestinal-type tumors (p < .0001). Importantly, high expression of COMP correlated with the exclusion of cytotoxic T-cells from the cancer cell compartment of the tumors, particularly in PB-type tumors. Higher levels of fibrosis measured by the density of collagen fibers correlated with high COMP levels in both cancer cells and stroma. This in turn could lead to exclusion of cytotoxic T-cells from accessing the cancer cells, a recognized immunotherapy resistance mechanism. Targeting COMP could therefore be considered as a novel therapeutic strategy in PB-type periampullary adenocarcinoma.

The Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts-Related Gene COMP Is a Novel Predictor for Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy and Is Correlated with M2 Macrophage Infiltration in Colon Cancer

BACKGROUND

Colon cancer is characterized by a sophisticated tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which make up the majority of the stromal cells in TME, participate in tumor development and immune regulation. Further investigations of CAFs would facilitate an in-depth understanding of its role in colon cancer TME.

METHODS

In this study, we estimated CAF abundance based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases using the Microenvironment Cell Populations-counter (MCP-counter) algorithm. CAF-related genes were identified by differential gene expression analysis combined with weighted gene coexpression network analysis. For further selection, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression was used, and the prognostic value of the selected gene was confirmed in numerous external cohorts. The function enrichment, immunological characteristics, tumor mutation signature, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity of the selected gene were subsequently explored. The bioinformatics analysis results were validated using immunohistochemistry on clinical samples from our institution.

RESULTS

According to our findings, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) was uncovered as a candidate CAFs-driven biomarker in colon cancer and plays an important role in predicting prognosis in colon cancer. COMP upregulation was associated with enhanced stromal and immune activation, and immune cell infiltration, especially M2 macrophages. Genes that mutated differently between the high- and low-COMP expression subgroups may be correlated with TME change. Following verification, COMP reliably predicted the immunotherapy response and drug response. In addition, our experimental validation demonstrated that COMP overexpression is associated with colon cancer carcinogenesis and is strongly associated with CAFs and M2 macrophage infiltration.

CONCLUSION

Our study uncovered that COMP was a key CAFs-driven gene associated with M2 macrophage infiltration and acted as a convincing predictor for prognosis and immunotherapy response in colon cancer patients.

TGF-β Pathways Stratify Colorectal Cancer into Two Subtypes with Distinct Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) Expression-Related Characteristics

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancers (CRCs) continue to be the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The exact landscape of the molecular features of TGF-β pathway-inducing CRCs remains uncharacterized.

METHODS

Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed to stratify samples into two clusters based on the differences in TGF-β pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify the key gene modules mediating the different characteristics between two subtypes. An algorithm integrating the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), XGBoost, and random forest regression was performed to narrow down the candidate genes. Further bioinformatic analyses were performed focusing on COMP-related immune infiltration and functions.

RESULTS

The integrated machine learning algorithm identified COMP as the hub gene, which exhibited a significant predictive value for two subtypes with an area under the curve (AUC) value equaling 0.91. Further bioinformatic analysis revealed that COMP was significantly upregulated in various cancers, especially in advanced CRCs, and regulated the immune infiltration, especially M2 macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts in CRCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprehensive immune analysis and experimental validation demonstrate that COMP is a reliable signature for subtype prediction. Our results could provide a new point for TGFβ-targeted anticancer drugs and contribute to guiding clinical decision making for CRC patients.

Prognostic significance and immune landscape of a fatty acid metabolism-related gene signature in colon adenocarcinoma

Background: Fatty acid metabolism (FAM), as a hallmark of caner, plays important roles in tumor initiation and carcinogenesis. However, the significance of fatty acid metabolism-related genes in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) are largely unknown. Methods: RNA sequencing data and clinical information were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were utilized to construct a fatty acid metabolism-related gene signature. Kaplan-Meier survival and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to verify the performance of this signature. GEO datasets were applied to validate the signature. Maftools package was utilized to analyze the mutation profiles of this signature. Correlation between the risk signature and stemness scores was compared by RNA stemness score (RNAss). Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) were performed to explore the potential functions and signaling pathways. Immune landscape of the signature was explored by analyzing different immune cells infiltration, immune functions and microsatellite instability. A nomogram was constructed by combining the risk signature and multiple clinical factors. Expression levels and prognostic values of the risk genes were revealed in the cancer genome atlas and GEO databases. Moreover, the expression the risk genes were measured in cell lines using real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Eight fatty acid metabolism-related genes (CD36, ENO3, MORC2, PTGR1, SUCLG2, ELOVL3, ELOVL6 and CPT2) were used to construct a risk signature. This signature demonstrated better prognostic value than other clinicopathological parameters, with AUC value was 0.734 according to the cancer genome atlas database. There was negative correlation between the riskscore and RNA stemness score. The patients in the high-risk group demonstrated higher infiltration of M0 macrophages, and less infiltration of activated CD4 memory T cells and Eosinophils. There were more MSI patients in the high-risk group than those in the low-risk group (38% vs. 30%). The risk scores of patients in the MSI group were slightly higher than those in the microsatellite stability group. Gene ontology, kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes and gene set variation analysis enrichment analyses showed that several metabolism-related functions and signaling pathways were enriched. A nomogram showed good predictive capability of the signature. Moreover, qRT-PCR revealed upregulated expression of ENO3, MORC2, SUCLG2 and ELOVL6, and downregulated expression of CPT2 in all examined colon adenocarcinoma cell lines. Conclusion: This study provided novel insights into a fatty acid metabolism-related signature in the prognosis an immune landscape of colon adenocarcinoma patients.

Entecavir plus Biejia-Ruangan compound reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and liver fibrosis are associated with a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. We assessed whether entecavir (ETV) plus Biejia-Ruangan compound (BRC), an anti-fibrotic traditional Chinese medicine, can further reduce the risk of HCC in treatment-naïve Chinese patients with CHB and an Ishak fibrosis score of ≥3 points derived from our parent double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

METHODS

After a 72-week comparison between ETV+BRC and ETV+placebo treatment, participants were eligible to enter an open-label treatment phase and were followed up every 6 months. The primary [secondary] endpoints were the incidence of HCC [liver-related deaths, non-HCC events, and non-liver-related deaths]. Modified intention-to-treat (mITT), intention-to-treat (ITT), and per-protocol (PP) populations were defined for the time-to-event analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1,000 patients were recruited; the median age was 42.0 years; 69.9% were male and 58.3% were HBeAg positive. In the mITT population, the 7-year cumulative incidence of HCC [liver-related deaths] was 4.7% [0.2%] for ETV+BRC, which was significantly lower than 9.3% [2.2%] for ETV monotherapy (p = 0.008 [p = 0.030]). Notably, ETV+BRC treatment yielded a lower incidence of HCC in those who did not achieve regression of fibrosis at week 72 than ETV monotherapy (p = 0.018). There were no differences in the other 2 secondary endpoints or safety profiles between the groups. Multivariable Cox proportional regression analysis, including the treatment allocation as a parameter, also demonstrated that ETV+BRC treatment was associated with a reduced incidence of HCC. The ITT and PP analyses showed consistent results.

CONCLUSIONS

ETV plus BRC combination treatment could further reduce the risk of HCC and liver-related deaths in patients with CHB and advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis, which may have important clinical implications for HCC prevention.

LAY SUMMARY

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection are at an increased risk of developing liver cancer (specifically hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]). While there are effective antiviral treatments that can suppress the virus in chronically infected patients, the risk of HCC remains. Herein, we show that adding a traditional Chinese medicine called Biejia-Ruangan compound to an antiviral reduced the risk of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Circulating soluble CD36 as a novel biomarker for progression and prognosis of HBV-related liver diseases

BACKGROUND

Our previous study suggested CD36 may be a positive regulator of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in vitro. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether circulating soluble CD36 (sCD36) could serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HBV-related liver diseases based on the clinic collected data.

METHODS

A total of 282 subjects were divided into healthy controls (HC, n = 47), chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n = 68), HBV-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC, n = 167). Soluble CD36 in plasma was measured by ELISA, and monocyte or platelet CD36 expression was determined by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

There was a step-wise increase of sCD36 with the progression of chronic HBV infection, and it was the highest in the HBV- LC group with liver failure (1.50, IQR:1.04-2.00) as compared with HC (0.38, IQR:0.27-0.38), CHB (0.75, IQR:0.40-1.13), and HBV-LC without liver failure (1.02, IQR,0.61-1.35) group. Circulating sCD36 was not correlated with serum HBV DNA levels, but correlated with liver function parameters. Additionally, ROC analysis confirmed sCD36 could be used to predict liver failure for HBV-LC patients, which yielded an AUC of 0.775 with 71.0% sensitivity and 72.2% specificity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed sCD36 is an independent risk factor in predicting liver failure. Moreover, plasma sCD36 in HBV-LC patients was significantly correlated with prognostic indices, including MELD, MELD-Na and CHILD-PUGH scores. On the other hand, CD36 expression on monocytes or platelets was positively correlated with plasma sCD36 levels, whereas they were not strongly associated with the disease severity.

CONCLUSION

Circulating sCD36 could be used as a novel noninvasive biomarker for predicting liver failure and prognosis in chronic HBV infected patients.

Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Intrinsic and Extrinsic Molecular Mechanisms in Stemness Regulation

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the most predominant type of liver cancer with an extremely poor prognosis due to its late diagnosis and high recurrence rate. One of the culprits for HCC recurrence and metastasis is the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are a small subset of cancer cells possessing robust stem cell properties within tumors. CSCs play crucial roles in tumor heterogeneity constitution, tumorigenesis, tumor relapse, metastasis, and resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Elucidation of how these CSCs maintain their stemness features is essential for the development of CSCs-based therapy. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge of intrinsic molecules and signaling pathways involved in hepatic CSCs, especially the CSC surface markers and associated signaling in regulating the stemness characteristics and the heterogeneous subpopulations within the CSC pool. In addition, we recapitulate the effects of crucial extrinsic cellular components in the tumor microenvironment, including stromal cells and immune cells, on the modulation of hepatic CSCs. Finally, we synopsize the currently valuable CSCs-targeted therapy strategies based on intervention in these intrinsic and extrinsic molecular mechanisms, in the hope of shedding light on better clinical management of HCC patients.

3-Deoxysappanchalcone isolated from Caesalpinia sinensis shows anticancer effects on HeLa and PC3 cell lines: invasion, migration, cell cycle arrest, and signaling pathway

To study the antitumor activity of compound 3-desoxysulforaphane (3-DSC) isolated from Caesalpinia sinensis, SRB assay, clone formation assay, flow cytometric cell cycle assay, scratch assay, transwell assay, and molecular docking were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of 3-DSC on HeLa and PC3 cells. The results showed that 3-DSC inhibited the cell migration and invasion by down-regulating expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in HeLa and PC3 cells; It also inhibits cell proliferation by promoting the expression of CDK1 (cyclin-dependent kinases 1) and CDK2 (cyclin-dependent kinases 2), which arrests the tumor cell cycle at G2 phase. 3-DSC inhibits phosphorylation of AKT and ERK and upregulates the expression of the tumor suppressor gene p53. Molecular docking results confirmed that 3-DSC could bind firmly to AKT. In conclusion, 3-DSC inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HeLa and PC3 cells.

Differences in stromal component of chordoma are associated with contrast enhancement in MRI and differential gene expression in RNA sequencing

Chordoma is a malignant bone neoplasm demonstrating notochordal differentiation and it frequently involves axial skeleton. Most of chordomas are conventional type with varying amount of myxoid stroma. Previously known prognostic factors for conventional chordoma are not specific for chordoma: old age, metastasis, tumor extent, and respectability. Here, we aimed to investigate the histologic, radiologic, and transcriptomic differences in conventional chordoma based on the stromal component. A total of 45 patients diagnosed with conventional chordoma were selected between May 2011 and March 2020 from a single institution. Electronic medical records, pathology slides, and pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were reviewed. Of the 45 patients, ten cases (4 stroma-rich and 6 stroma-poor tumor) were selected for RNA sequencing, and available cases in the remainder were used for measuring target gene mRNA expression with qPCR for validation. Differential gene expression and gene set analysis were performed. Based on histologic evaluation, there were 25 (55.6%) stroma-rich and 20 (44.4%) stroma-poor cases. No clinical differences were found between the two groups. Radiologically, stroma-rich chordomas showed significant signal enhancement on MRI (72.4% vs 27.6%, p = 0.002). Upregulated genes in stroma-rich chordomas were cartilage-, collagen/extracellular matrix-, and tumor metastasis/progression-associated genes. Contrarily, tumor suppressor genes were downregulated in stroma-rich chordomas. On survival analysis, Kaplan–Meier plot was separated that showed inferior outcome of stroma-rich group, although statistically insignificant. In conclusion, the abundant stromal component of conventional chordoma enhanced well on MRI and possibly contributed to the biological aggressiveness that supported by transcriptomic characteristics. Further extensive investigation regarding radiologic-pathologic-transcriptomic correlation in conventional chordoma in a larger cohort could verify additional clinical significance.

CD36 accelerates the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by promoting FAs absorption

CD36 is emerging as a potential strategy for cancer treatment because of its function of regulating fatty acid intake. The purpose of this study was to clarify the molecular mechanism of CD36 in the progression of HCC. TCGA database was used to analyze the relationship of CD36 with HCC. The expression of CD36 in HCC clinical samples and cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. Huh7 cells and HCCLM3 cells were transfected and treated into different group. CCK-8 and clone formation assay were used to detect the cell proliferation ability. Wound healing and transwell experiment were used to detect the metastatic ability. HCC xenografts were constructed in nude mice by subcutaneous injection of stably transfected Huh7 cells. The expression of CD36 in HCC was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The contents of phospholipids and triglycerides in HCC cells were detected by ELISA. And the content of neutral lipids in HCC cells was detected by staining with BODIPY 493/503 and DAPI dye. Then transcriptional sequencing was used to determine the downstream mechanism of CD36 in HCC, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed. CD36 was upregulated in HCC. Knockdown of CD36 could suppress the proliferation and metastasis of HCC in vitro and in vivo by regulating FAs intake in HCC. In addition, the expression of AKR1C2 was suppressed by sh-CD36, and which was also involved in the regulation of FAs intake. The molecular mechanism by which CD36 accelerated the progression of HCC was to promote the expression of AKR1C2 and thus enhance fatty acids (FAs) intake.

Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein, Diseases, and Therapeutic Opportunities

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein that is critical for collagen assembly and ECM stability. Mutations of COMP cause endoplasmic reticulum stress and chondrocyte apoptosis, resulting in rare skeleton diseases. The bouquet-like structure of COMP allows it to act as a bridging molecule that regulates cellular phenotype and function. COMP is able to interact with many other ECM components and binds directly to a variety of cellular receptors and growth factors. The roles of COMP in other skeleton diseases, such as osteoarthritis, have been implied. As a well-established biochemical marker, COMP indicates cartilage turnover associated with destruction. Recent exciting achievements indicate its involvement in other diseases, such as malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, and tissue fibrosis. Here, we review the basic concepts of COMP and summarize its novel functions in the regulation of signaling events. These findings renew our understanding that COMP has a notable function in cell behavior and disease progression as a signaling regulator. Interestingly, COMP shows distinct functions in different diseases. Targeting COMP in malignancy may withdraw its beneficial effects on the vascular system and induce or aggravate cardiovascular diseases. COMP supplementation is a promising treatment for OA and aortic aneurysms while it may induce tissue fibrosis or cancer metastasis.

ASIC1α up-regulates MMP-2/9 expression to enhance mobility and proliferation of liver cancer cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

A major challenge in the treatment of liver cancer is that a large proportion of patients fail to achieve long-term disease control, with death from liver cancer cell migration and invasion. Acid-sensitive ion channel 1α (ASIC1α) is involved in the migration, invasion, and proliferation of liver cancer cells. Therefore, we explored the mechanism of ASIC1α-mediated liver cancer cell migration and invasion. We determined the levels of ASIC1α by western blotting and immunofluorescence in HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells cultured in various acidic conditions. In addition, wound healing assay, transwell invasion assay, and MTT assay were conducted to assess the migration, invasion, and proliferation abilities of liver cancer cells. Western blotting was conducted to determine the levels of MMP2, MMP9, ASIC1α, p-PI3Kp85, t-PI3Kp85, p-AKT(Ser473), t-AKT, p-mTOR (Ser2448), t-mTOR. We first found that the levels of ASIC1α in the HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells in acidic conditions (pH 6.5) were significantly increased. Inhibition and knockdown of ASIC1α down-regulated MMP-2/9 expression and inhibited the migration, invasion, and proliferation of HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells; overexpression of ASIC1α had the opposite effect. We further demonstrated that ASIC1α up-regulates MMP-2/9 via activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, thereby promoting migration, invasion, and proliferation of liver cancer cells. Overexpression of MMP-2/9 and activation of AKT reversed these effects on liver cancer cells caused by inhibition of ASIC1α. We conclude that ASIC1α can regulate migration, invasion, and proliferation of liver cancer cells through the MMP-2/9/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These observations may provide a new reference for liver cancer chemotherapy.

Upregulation of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein Predicts Poor Prognosis in Urothelial Carcinoma

Purpose

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is known as a large pentameric glycoprotein, which interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. COMP has been reported to play a role in multiple connective tissue disorders. Recently, elevated COMP levels have been found to be associated with increased tumor size, metastases, faster recurrence of cancer, and overall poorer survival in several cancers. However, the clinical importance of COMP in urothelial carcinoma remains unclear. We investigated the association between COMP expression and clinical outcomes in urothelial carcinoma.

Patients and Methods

In this retrospective study, we collected urothelial carcinoma (UC) tissue from 340 upper urinary tract UC (UTUC) patients and 295 urinary bladder UC (UBUC) patients. Pearson’s chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier analysis, and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the relationship between COMP expression and patient characteristics, pathological findings, and patient survival, such as metastasis-free survival (MFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).

Results

A total of 295 UBUC patients and 340 UTUC patients were recruited. The COMP mRNA level was significantly higher among invasive tumors (pT2–pT4) than in noninvasive tumors (pTa-T1) in UBUC groups (P < 0.01). COMP overexpression was associated with advanced T stage, nodal metastases, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, high histological grade, and high mitotic rate in both UBUC and UTUC cohorts. COMP overexpression was predictive of shorter DSS (hazard ratio [HR] in UBUC, 3.986, P < 0.001; in UTUC, 2.283, P = 0.027] and MFS (HR in UBUC, 6.813, P < 0.001; in UTUC, 4.070, P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated high COMP expression associated with poor DSS and MFS in UTUC and UBUC groups (all P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

COMP overexpression was linked to poor clinical prognosis and poor pathological features in UC. These results suggest COMP as a biomarker for UC.

The Mechanism and Role of ADAMTS Protein Family in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a principal cause of aches and disability worldwide. It is characterized by the inflammation of the bone leading to degeneration and loss of cartilage function. Factors, including diet, age, and obesity, impact and/or lead to osteoarthritis. In the past few years, OA has received considerable scholarly attention owing to its increasing prevalence, resulting in a cumbersome burden. At present, most of the interventions only relieve short-term symptoms, and some treatments and drugs can aggravate the disease in the long run. There is a pressing need to address the safety problems due to osteoarthritis. A disintegrin-like and metalloprotease domain with thrombospondin type 1 repeats (ADAMTS) metalloproteinase is a kind of secretory zinc endopeptidase, comprising 19 kinds of zinc endopeptidases. ADAMTS has been implicated in several human diseases, including OA. For example, aggrecanases, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5, participate in the cleavage of aggrecan in the extracellular matrix (ECM); ADAMTS-7 and ADAMTS-12 participate in the fission of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) into COMP lyase, and ADAMTS-2, ADAMTS-3, and ADAMTS-14 promote the formation of collagen fibers. In this article, we principally review the role of ADAMTS metalloproteinases in osteoarthritis. From three different dimensions, we explain how ADAMTS participates in all the following aspects of osteoarthritis: ECM, cartilage degeneration, and synovial inflammation. Thus, ADAMTS may be a potential therapeutic target in osteoarthritis, and this article may render a theoretical basis for the study of new therapeutic methods for osteoarthritis.

The role of Resolvin D1 in liver diseases

The liver is a parenchymatous organ closely related to immunity, detoxification and metabolism of the three major nutrients. The inflammatory response is a protective mechanism of the body to eliminate harmful stimuli. However, continuous inflammatory stimulation leads to occurrence of many liver diseases and brings great social burden. Resolvin D1, a member of the specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators family, exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant stress, anti-fibrosis, anti-apoptotic, and anti-tumor effects by binding to ALX/FPR2 or GPR32. RvD1 plays an important role and has great therapeutic potential in liver diseases, which has been validated in multiple models of preclinical disease. This review will provide a detailed summary of the role of RvD1 in different liver diseases, including acute liver injury, liver ischemia/reperfusion injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer, so as to help people have a more comprehensive understanding of RvD1 and promote its further research.

Hepatic stellate cell mediates transcription of TNFSF14 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via H2S/CSE-JNK/JunB signaling pathway

Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) both play important roles in the development of hepatocellar carcinoma (HCC). Whereas, in the microenvironment of HCC, whether HSC participate in regulating the biological process of HCC cells by releasing H₂S remains elusive. In vitro, Flow cytometry (FCM), CCK-8, RNA-sequencing, Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence and ChIP assays were carried out in the HCC cells to investigate the effect of H₂S on biological functions and JNK/JunB-TNFSF14 signaling pathway. Specimens from HCC patients were analyzed by RT-qPCR and Western blotting assays for evaluating the expression of TNFSF14 and CSE. Statistical analysis was used to analyze the correlation between TNFSF14 expression and clinical data of HCC patients. Based on the FCM and CCK-8 results, we found the LX-2 cells were able to induce HCC cells apoptosis through releasing H₂S. RNA-sequencing, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting results showed that TNFSF14 gene was upregulated in both LX-2 and NaHS group. NaHS treated in HCC cells led to JNK/JunB signaling pathway activating and greater binding of p-JunB to its responsive elements on TNFSF14 promoter. Impairment of TNFSF14 induction alleviated LX-2 and NaHS induced apoptosis of HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Furthermore, TNFSF14 expression in HCC tissues was lower than the adjacent tissue. HCC patients with low expression of TNFSF14 had higher malignant degree and poor prognosis. In summary, demonstration of the involvement of HSC-derived H₂S in JNK/JunB mediated expression of TNFSF14 gene strongly indicates H₂S palys an important role in the regulation of HCC apoptosis.