Novel Recurrent Altered Genes in Chinese Patients With Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Dynamics of The Γδtcr Repertoires During The Dedifferentiation Process and Pilot Implications for Immunotherapy of Thyroid Cancer

γδ T cells are evolutionarily conserved T lymphocytes that manifest unique antitumor efficacy independent of tumor mutation burden (TMB) and conventional human leukocyte antigen (HLA) recognition. However, the dynamic changes in their T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire during cancer progression and treatment courses remain unclear. Here, a comprehensive characterization of γδTCR repertoires are performed in thyroid cancers with divergent differentiation states through cross-sectional studies. The findings revealed a significant correlation between the differentiation states and TCR repertoire diversity. Notably, highly expanded clones are prominently enriched in γδ T cell compartment of dedifferentiated patients. Moreover, by longitudinal investigations of the γδ T cell response to various antitumor therapies, it is found that the emergence and expansion of the Vδ2neg subset may be potentially associated with favorable clinical outcomes after post-radiotherapeutic immunotherapy. These findings are further validated at single-cell resolution in both advanced thyroid cancer patients and a murine model, underlining the importance of further investigations into the role of γδTCR in cancer immunity and therapeutic strategies.

Genomic alterations in thyroid cancer: biological and clinical insights

Tumours can arise from thyroid follicular cells if they acquire driver mutations that constitutively activate the MAPK signalling pathway. In addition, a limited set of additional mutations in key genes drive tumour progression towards more aggressive and less differentiated disease. Unprecedented insights into thyroid tumour biology have come from the breadth of thyroid tumour sequencing data from patients and the wide range of mutation-specific mechanisms identified in experimental models, in combination with the genomic simplicity of thyroid cancers. This knowledge is gradually being translated into refined strategies to stratify, manage and treat patients with thyroid cancer. This Review summarizes the biological underpinnings of the genetic alterations involved in thyroid cancer initiation and progression. We also provide a rationale for and discuss specific examples of how to implement genomic information to inform both recommended and investigational approaches to improve thyroid cancer prognosis, redifferentiation strategies and targeted therapies.

Advances in the management of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: transforming a life-threatening condition into a potentially treatable disease

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an infrequent thyroid tumor that usually occurs in elderly patients. There is often a history of previous differentiated thyroid cancer suggesting a biological progression. It is clinically characterized by a locally invasive cervical mass of rapid onset. Metastases are found at diagnosis in 50% of patients. Due to its adverse prognosis, a prompt diagnosis is crucial. In patients with unresectable or metastatic disease, multimodal therapy (chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy) has yielded poor outcomes with 12-month overall survival of less than 20%. Recently, significant progress has been made in understanding the oncogenic pathways of ATC, leading to the identification of BRAF V600E mutations as the driver oncogene in nearly 40% of cases. The combination of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (D) and MEK inhibitor trametinib (T) showed outstanding response rates in BRAF-mutated ATC and is now considered the standard of care in this setting. Recently, it was shown that neoadjuvant use of DT followed by surgery achieved 24-month overall survival rates of 80%. Although these approaches have changed the management of ATC, effective therapies are still needed for patients with BRAF wild-type ATC, and high-quality evidence is lacking for most aspects of this neoplasia. Additionally, in real-world settings, timely access to multidisciplinary care, molecular testing, and targeted therapies continues to be a challenge. Health policies are warranted to ensure specialized treatment for ATC.The expanding knowledge of ATC´s molecular biology, in addition to the ongoing clinical trials provides hope for the development of further therapeutic options.

Pathogenesis of cancers derived from thyroid follicular cells

The genomic simplicity of differentiated cancers derived from thyroid follicular cells offers unique insights into how oncogenic drivers impact tumour phenotype. Essentially, the main oncoproteins in thyroid cancer activate nodes in the receptor tyrosine kinase-RAS-BRAF pathway, which constitutively induces MAPK signalling to varying degrees consistent with their specific biochemical mechanisms of action. The magnitude of the flux through the MAPK signalling pathway determines key elements of thyroid cancer biology, including differentiation state, invasive properties and the cellular composition of the tumour microenvironment. Progression of disease results from genomic lesions that drive immortalization, disrupt chromatin accessibility and cause cell cycle checkpoint dysfunction, in conjunction with a tumour microenvironment characterized by progressive immunosuppression. This Review charts the genomic trajectories of these common endocrine tumours, while connecting them to the biological states that they confer.

Mechanistic Insights of Thyroid Cancer Progression

Differentiated thyroid cancers (DTCs) are primarily initiated by mutations that activate the MAPK signaling cascade, typically at BRAF or RAS oncoproteins. DTCs can evolve to more aggressive forms, specifically, poorly differentiated (PDTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATC), by acquiring additional genetic alterations which deregulate key pathways. In this review, we focused on bona fide mutations involved in thyroid cancer progression for which consistent mechanistic data exist. Here we summarized the relevant literature, spanning approximately 2 decades, highlighting genetic alterations that are unquestionably enriched in PDTC/ATC. We describe the relevant functional data obtained in multiple in vitro and in vivo thyroid cancer models employed to study genetic alterations in the following genes and functional groups: TP53, effectors of the PI3K/AKT pathway, TERT promoter, members of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, NF2, and EIF1AX. In addition, we briefly discuss other genetic alterations that are selected in aggressive thyroid tumors but for which mechanistic data is still either limited or nonexistent. Overall, we argue for the importance conveyed by preclinical studies for the clinical translation of genomic knowledge of thyroid cancers.

InTERTwined: how TERT promoter mutations impact BRAFV600E-driven thyroid cancers

Thyroid cancers are often initiated by the acquisition of a BRAFV600E mutation. BRAFV600E-driven thyroid tumors display a wide range of behaviors, from the slow-growing papillary carcinomas to the highly aggressive anaplastic. Mutations in the promoter of TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) gene were discovered a decade ago and identified as prevalent events in thyroid cancers. Multiple studies showed that TERT promoter mutations, particularly when co-occurring with BRAFV600E, are markers of poor prognosis across thyroid cancer subtypes, and can be implemented for routine clinical stratification. Mechanistically, TERT promoter mutations reactivate telomerase expression via the differential recruitment of transcriptional complexes. Re-expression of TERT impacts tumor biology, plausibly via both the well-known function of telomerase maintaining telomeres and by affecting other cancer-relevant processes.

A Local Strategy Toward Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Based on Fibrin Gel for Postsurgical Cancer Treatment

PURPOSE

Postoperative cancer recurrence and metastasis have always been huge challenges in cancer therapy. The concurrent cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemoradiotherapy regimen is a standard therapeutic strategy in some cancer treatments after surgical resection. However, severe side effects and unsatisfactory local tumor concentrations of CDDP have hampered the application of this concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Therefore, a superior option that can enhance CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy efficacy with milder concurrent therapy-related toxicity is highly desirable.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We developed a platform based on fibrin gel (Fgel) loaded with CDDP to be implanted into the tumor bed after surgery combined with concurrent radiation therapy for the prevention of postoperative local cancer recurrence and distant metastasis. The postoperative subcutaneous tumor mouse models established by incomplete resection of primary tumors were used to evaluate the therapeutic advantages of this chemoradiotherapy regimen for postsurgical treatment.

RESULTS

The local and sustained release of CDDP from Fgel could enhance the antitumor efficacy of radiation therapy in the residual tumor with lower systemic toxicity. The therapeutic benefits of this approach are demonstrated in breast cancer, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, and osteosarcoma mouse models.

CONCLUSIONS

Our work offers a general platform for concurrent chemoradiotherapy to prevent postoperative cancer recurrence and metastasis.

RBM15 Promates the Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

(1) Background: Pancreatic cancer is increasingly becoming the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In eukaryotic cells, m6A is the most abundant mRNA methylation modification. (2) Methods: We performed a bioinformatic multidimensional analysis using files containing the clinical data of patients and m6A-related gene expression differences downloaded from web-based databases, and performed a statistical analysis and image mapping mainly using R-package. Next, we studied the RBM15 expression in cancer and paracancerous tissues. We then validated these findings in two cell lines by western blot, PCR, Transwell, CCK-8, and EDU animal models. (3) Results: We discovered that RBM15 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer patients and that it is a significant cause of poor prognosis. Its association with lymphatic T cell family aggregation was established through immune infiltration analysis. A retrospective analysis of data from clinical patient specimens revealed that high expression of RBM15 in patients was closely and positively correlated with preoperative glucose values, gender, and lymphocyte counts. Results from cellular experiments and animal experiments indicated that when the RBM15 gene was silenced, cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis were inhibited. (4) Conclusions: We propose that RBM15 plays a key role in the progression of pancreatic cancer by promoting tumor proliferation, migration and metastasis.

Identification of novel characteristic biomarkers and immune infiltration profile for the anaplastic thyroid cancer via machine learning algorithms

PURPOSE

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare and lethal malignant cancer. In recent years, the application of molecular-driven targeted therapy and immunotherapy has markedly improved the prognosis of ATC. This study aimed to identify characteristic genes for ATC diagnosis and revealed the role of ATC characteristic genes in drug sensitivity and immune cell infiltration.

METHODS

We downloaded ATC RNA-sequencing data from the GEO database. Following the combination and normalization of the dataset, we first divided the combined datasets into the training cohort and the validation cohort. We identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ATC by differential expression analysis in the training cohort. We used two machine learning algorithms, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) to identify ATC characteristic genes. The CIBERSORT algorithm was performed to calculate the abundance of various immune cells in ATC. Finally, we validated the expression of ATC characteristic genes by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) in ATC cell lines and immunohistochemistry (IHC).

RESULTS

A total of 425 DEGs were identified in the training cohort, including 240 upregulated genes and 185 downregulated genes. Four ATC characteristic genes (ADM, PXDN, MMP1, and TFF3) were identified, and their diagnostic value was validated in the validation cohort (AUC in ROC analysis > 0.75). We established a practical gene expression-based nomogram to accurately predict the probability of ATC. We also found that ATC characteristic biomarkers are associated with the tumor immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

ADM, PXDN, MMP1, and TFF3 might serve as potential ATC diagnostic biomarkers and may be helpful for ATC molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Integrated analysis of novel macrophage related signature in anaplastic thyroid cancer

PURPOSE

Patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) have a very poor prognosis. Immunotherapy is a potential treatment, while the current outcome is limited which may be due to the complicated tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) is the most abundant cell in the TME of ATC. We aimed to clarify the novel indicators based on TAM in ATC.

METHODS

Transcriptome files were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis, cox regression, support vector machine, and random forest were utilized to identify TAM-related prognostic genes. Consensus clustering and principal component analysis were performed for integrated analysis. Moreover, external validation (Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center cohort) was conducted in 23 ATC samples via immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

ATC patients with an abundance of TAMs had a poorer prognosis. Four TAM related genes (FZD6, RBBP8, PREX1, HSD3B7) were identified and a TAM-related prognostic index (TAMRPI) was constructed with high area under the curve (AUC). Next, high TAMRPI was related to the higher level of TAM infiltration and upregulation of several pathways, such as E2F targets, IL6-JAK-STAT3, and G2M checkpoint. Immune checkpoint TIM-3 and CSF1R were positively associated with TAMRPI, and dysfunction of T cells was increased in high TAMRPI subset. Moreover, in the external validation of protein level, strong expression of TAM related genes was related to poorer prognosis, which was further supported by time-dependent AUC analysis.

CONCLUSION

TAM is negatively correlated to the prognosis of ATC. FZD6, RBBP8, PREX1, and HSD3B7 are potential biomarkers of ATC.

Recent developments in application of single-cell RNA sequencing in the tumour immune microenvironment and cancer therapy

The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has provided insight into the tumour immune microenvironment (TIME). This review focuses on the application of scRNA-seq in investigation of the TIME. Over time, scRNA-seq methods have evolved, and components of the TIME have been deciphered with high resolution. In this review, we first introduced the principle of scRNA-seq and compared different sequencing approaches. Novel cell types in the TIME, a continuous transitional state, and mutual intercommunication among TIME components present potential targets for prognosis prediction and treatment in cancer. Thus, we concluded novel cell clusters of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), T cells, tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) and dendritic cells (DCs) discovered after the application of scRNA-seq in TIME. We also proposed the development of TAMs and exhausted T cells, as well as the possible targets to interrupt the process. In addition, the therapeutic interventions based on cellular interactions in TIME were also summarized. For decades, quantification of the TIME components has been adopted in clinical practice to predict patient survival and response to therapy and is expected to play an important role in the precise treatment of cancer. Summarizing the current findings, we believe that advances in technology and wide application of single-cell analysis can lead to the discovery of novel perspectives on cancer therapy, which can subsequently be implemented in the clinic. Finally, we propose some future directions in the field of TIME studies that can be aided by scRNA-seq technology.

Association of anti-TNF-α treatment with gut microbiota of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVE

Gut dysbiosis contributes to multiple autoimmune diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis, which is commonly treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors (TNFis). Because host TNF-α levels are considered to interact with gut microbiota, we aimed to systematically investigate the microbiota profile of ankylosing spondylitis patients with anti-TNF-α-based treatment and identify potential key bacteria.

METHODS

Fecal samples were collected from 11 healthy controls and 24 ankylosing spondylitis patients before/after anti-TNF-α treatment, the microbiota profiles of which were evaluated by 16S ribosomal DNA amplicon sequencing and subsequent bioinformatic analysis.

RESULTS

Significantly different microbial compositions were observed in samples from ankylosing spondylitis patients compared with healthy controls, characterized by a lower abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. All patients exhibited a positive response after anti-TNF-α treatment, accompanied by a trend of restoration in the microbiota compositions and functional profile of ankylosing spondylitis patients to healthy controls. In particular, the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria (e.g. Megamonsa and Lachnoclostridium ) was not only significantly lower in ankylosing spondylitis patients than in healthy controls and restored after anti-TNF-α treatment but also negatively correlated with disease severity (e.g. cor  = -0.52, P  = 8 × 10 -5 for Megamonsa ). In contrast, Bacilli and Haemophilus may contribute to ankylosing spondylitis onset and severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Microbiota dysbiosis in ankylosing spondylitis patients can be restored after anti-TNF-α treatment, possibly by impacting SCFA-producing bacteria.

Case Report: Brachydactyly Type A1 Induced by a Novel Variant of in-Frame Insertion in the IHH Gene

Brachydactyly type A1 (BDA1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease characterized by the shortness/absence of the middle phalanges, which can be induced by mutations in the Indian hedgehog gene (IHH). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by joint destruction, synovitis, and the presence of autoantibodies. In this study, the proband was diagnosed with both BDA1 and RA. We performed whole-exome sequencing in a four-generation Chinese family to investigate their inherited causal mutation to BDA1. A novel in-frame insertion variant in IHH: NM_002,181.4: c.383_415dup/p.(R128_H138dup) was identified in the BDA1 pedigree. This insertion of 11 amino acids was located in the highly conserved amino-terminal signaling domain of IHH and co-segregated with the disease status. This adds one to the total number of different IHH mutations found to cause BDA1. Moreover, we found a potential causal germline variant in CRY1 for a molecular biomarker of RA (i.e., a high level of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide). Collectively, we identified novel variants in IHH for inherited BDA1, which highlights the important role of this gene in phalange development.

Circ-ZEB1 promotes PIK3CA expression by silencing miR-199a-3p and affects the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Although the prognostic outcomes of liver cancer (LC) cases have improved with the advancement in diagnostic technology and treatment methods, the transferability and recurrence of HCC and the 5-year and 10-year survival rates of patients have remained unsatisfactory. As a result, there is a need for more accurate diagnostic indicators that can detect liver cancer early, effectively improving the prognosis of patients. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) revealed that circ-ZEB1 and PIK3CA are highly expressed in HCC tissues, whereas miR-199a-3p is significantly downregulated in HCC. Multiple databases search and biological analysis revealed that elevated expression of circ-ZEB1 and PIK3CA was related to poor prognosis of HCC. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that upregulated levels of PIK3CA and circ-ZEB1 were closely associated with HCC proliferation and apoptosis. Based on these results, we believe that circ-ZEB1 and PIK3CA could be used as biomarkers to diagnose and treat patients with HCC. More importantly, circ-ZEB1 can promotes the expression of PIK3CA by silencing miR-199a-3p and affecting the progression of HCC.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Postoperative specimens from 56 patients with HCC who had not undergone chemotherapy from 2015 to 2018 were collected from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. WGS revealed differential expression of genes in HCC. Furthermore, RT-qPCR detected the expression of circ-ZEB1, miR-199a-3p, and PIK3CA in HCC tissues. MTT, EdU, and plate cloning experiments were conducted to detect cell proliferation, whereas flow cytometry analysis was used to detect apoptosis. FISH was used to co-localize circ-ZEB1 and miR-199a-3p, and biotin-coupled probe pull-down assay was used to detect the specific binding of circ-ZEB1 and miR-199a-3p. The dual-luciferase report assay detected the association of miR-199a-3p with PIK3CA. Western blotting was used to study the expression of PIK3CA protein. Circ-ZEB1 and PIK3CA were upregulated in HCC and predicted a poor prognosis. MiR-199a-3p showed low expression in HCC, whereas downregulation of circ-ZEB1 reduced HCC cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. MiR-199a-3p blocked the effect of circ-ZEB1 on HCC. Circ-ZEB1 served as a biomarker of HCC. Circ-ZEB1 promoted the expression of PIK3CA by silencing miR-199a-3p to affect the progress of HCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Circ-ZEB1 promoted the expression of PIK3CA by depleting miR-199a-3p, thereby affecting HCC proliferation and apoptosis.

An in situ spontaneously-forming micelle-hydrogel system with programable release for sequential therapy of anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a lethal malignancy with 1-year-survival less than 20%. Combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and paclitaxel is recommended as a critical therapy approach for ATC. However, intolerant...

Liquid Biopsy to Detect Minimal Residual Disease: Methodology and Impact

One reason why some patients experience recurrent disease after a curative-intent treatment might be the persistence of residual tumor cells, called minimal residual disease (MRD). MRD cannot be identified by standard radiological exams or clinical evaluation. Tumor-specific alterations found in the blood indirectly diagnose the presence of MRD. Liquid biopsies thus have the potential to detect MRD, allowing, among other things, the detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTC), or tumor-specific microRNA. Although liquid biopsy is increasingly studied, several technical issues still limit its clinical applicability: low sensitivity, poor standardization or reproducibility, and lack of randomized trials demonstrating its clinical benefit. Being able to detect MRD could give clinicians a more comprehensive view of the risk of relapse of their patients and could select patients requiring treatment escalation with the goal of improving cancer survival. In this review, we are discussing the different methodologies used and investigated to detect MRD in solid cancers, their respective potentials and issues, and the clinical impacts that MRD detection will have on the management of cancer patients.

Carbon Material Based Electrochemical Immunosensor for Gastric Cancer Markers Detection

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and early diagnosis will be of great significance to improve the survival quality and overall treatment outcome evaluation of patients. Nanoelectrochemical immunosensor is an emerging biosensor combining nanotechnology, electrochemical analysis method and immunological technology, which has simple operation, fast analysis speed, high sensitivity, and good selectivity. This mini-review summarized immunoassay techniques, nanotechnology and electrochemical sensing for the early detection of gastric cancer. In particular, we focus on the tension of carbon nanomaterials in this field, including the functionalized preparation of materials, signal enhancement and the construction of novel sensing interfaces. Currently, various tumor markers are being developed, but the more recognized gastric cancer tumor markers are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA), CD44V9, miRNAs, and programmed death ligand 1. Among them, the electrochemical immunosensor allows the detection of CEA, CA, and miRNAs. The mini-review focused on the development of using carbon based materials, especially carbon nanotubes and graphene for immunosensor fabrication and gastric cancer markers detection.

KIF15 upregulation promotes leiomyosarcoma cell growth via promoting USP15-mediated DEK deubiquitylation

Kinesin Family Member 15 (KIF15) is a plus end-directed microtubule motor, which exerts complex regulations in cancer biology. This study aimed to explore the functional role of KIF15 in leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Bioinformatic analysis was carried out using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-Sarcoma (SARC). LMS cell lines SK-UT-1 and SK-LMS-1 were used as in vitro cell models. Results showed that LMS patients with high KIF15 expression had significantly worse survival than the low KIF15 expression counterparts. KIF15 knockdown slowed, while KIF15 overexpression increased the proliferation of SK-UT-1 and SK-LMS-1 cells. Co-IP assay confirmed mutual interaction between endogenous KIF15 and DEK (encoded by DEK proto-oncogene). KIF15 knockdown facilitated DEK degradation, while KIF15 overexpression slowed DEK degradation. In ubiquitination assay, a significant increase in DEK polyubiquitylation was observed when KIF15 expression was suppressed. USP15 physically interacted with both DEK and KIF15 in the cells. USP15 knockdown decreased DEK protein stability and canceled KIF15-mediated DEK stabilization. USP15 overexpression enhanced DEK stability, the effect of which was impaired by KIF15 knockdown. USP15 overexpression reduced DEK polyubiquitination. USP15 knockdown increased DEK polyubiquitination and canceled the effect of KIF15 overexpression on reducing DEK polyubiquitination. DEK overexpression enhanced the proliferation of SK-UT-1 and SK-LMS-1 cells. DEK knockdown decreased cell proliferation and canceled the effect of KIF15 overexpression on cell proliferation. In conclusion, this study revealed a novel mechanism that KIF15 enhances LMS cell proliferation via preventing DEK protein from degradation by increasing USP15 mediated deubiquitylation.

Recent Development of Graphene Based Electrochemical Sensor for Detecting Hematological Malignancies-Associated Biomarkers: A Mini-Review

Hematologic malignancies are a group of malignant diseases of the hematologic system that seriously endanger human health, mainly involving bone marrow, blood and lymphatic tissues. However, among the available treatments for malignant hematologic diseases, low detection rates and high recurrence rates are major problems in the treatment process. The quantitative detection of hematologic malignancies-related biomarkers is the key to refine the pathological typing of the disease to implement targeted therapy and thus improve the prognosis. In recent years, bioelectrochemical methods for tumor cell and blood detection have attracted the attention of an increasing number of scientists. The development of biosensor technology, nanotechnology, probe technology, and lab-on-a-chip technology has greatly facilitated the development of bioelectrochemical studies of cells, especially for blood and cell-based assays and drug resistance differentiation. To improve the sensitivity of detection, graphene is often used in the design of electrochemical sensors. This mini-review provides an overview of the types of hematological malignancies-associated biomarkers and their detection based on graphene assisted electrochemical sensors.

Voltammetric Electrochemical Sensor for Phylogenetic Study in Acer Linn

Acer Linn. is a highly divergent species morphology in the maple family (Aceraceae). It is one of the genera facing a very difficult taxonomic situation. The phylogeny of the genus and the taxonomic system under the genus remain unclear. The use of electrochemical fingerprints for plant phylogenetic study is an emerging application in biosensors. In this work, leaves of 18 species of Acer Linn. with an exo-taxa were selected for electrochemical fingerprint recording. Two different conditions were used for improving the data abundance. The fingerprint of all species showed a series of oxidation peaks. These peaks can be ascribed to the oxidation of flavonols, phenolic acids, procyanidins, alkaloids, and pigments in plant tissue. These electrochemical fingerprints can be used for the identification of plant species. We also performed a phylogenetic study with data from electrochemical fingerprinting. The phylogenetic tree of Acer is divided into three main clades. The result is in full agreement with A. shangszeense var. anfuense, A. pictum subsp. mono, A. amplum, A. truncatum, and A. miaotaiense, belonging to the subsection Platanoidea. A. nikoense and A. griseum were clustered together in the dendrogram. Another group that fits the traditional classification results is in the subsection Integrifolia.

EPS8 supports pancreatic cancer growth by inhibiting BMI1 mediated proteasomal degradation of ALDH7A1

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 7 family member A1 (ALDH7A1) is an enzyme catalyzing lipid peroxidation of fatty aldehydes. It plays a critical role in sustaining high oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and ATP production in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PADC). However, why PADC cells maintain a relatively high level of ALDH7A1 concentration is still not well understood. In the current study, we explored the interplay between epidermal growth factor receptor kinase substrate 8 (EPS8) and ALDH7A1 in PADC cells. PADC cell lines MIA PaCa-2 and AsPANC-1 were used for in vitro and in vivo studies. The co-IP assay showed mutual interactions between Flag-EPS8 and Myc-ALDH7A1 in both MIA PaCa-2 and AsPANC-1 cells. EPS8 knockdown resulted in decreased ALDH7A1 protein levels and increased poly-ubiquitination. An interaction was observed between ALDH7A1 and BMI1 but not between BMI1 and EPS8. BMI1 knockdown reduced ALDH7A1 poly-ubiquitination and degradation caused by EPS8 knockdown. Dual EPS8 and ALDH7A1 knockdown had a synergistic effect on suppressing PADC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, this study revealed that EPS8 supports PADC growth by interacting with ALDH7A1 and inhibiting BMI1 mediated proteasomal degradation of ALDH7A1.

Systematic screening identifies a TEAD4-S100A13 axis modulating cisplatin sensitivity of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to screen prognosis-related S100 protein family members in human paxpillomaviruses (HPV)-negative oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their molecular regulations.

METHODS

Bioinformatic screening was conducted based on single-cell RNA-seq data from Puram 2017 dataset and bulk-seq data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). HPV-negative OSCC cell lines CAL-27 and SCC-4 were used as in vitro cell models.

RESULTS

Among 21 S100 protein family member genes, S100A13 upregulation was associated with unfavorable progression-free survival and disease-specific survival of OSCC patients. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis showed that the higher S100A13 expression group had elevated genes enriched in DNA repair and oxidative phosphorylation. S100A13 knockdown increased cisplatin sensitivity, while its overexpression decreased the sensitivity of CAL-27 and SCC-4 cells. S100A13 gene had complex alternative transcription patterns. ENST00000440685 is one of the major protein-coding transcripts and was the only transcript elevated in the tumor group. TEAD4 could bind to the promoter of ENST00000440685 and increase its transcription. TEAD4 overexpression alleviated the tumor-suppressive effect of cisplatin in terms of colony formation, the expression of apoptotic proteins, and DNA damage. However, S100A13 knockdown partly abrogated the protective effects of TEAD4 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed a novel TEAD4-S100A13 axis that might modulate cisplatin sensitivity of OSCC tumor cells.

The Impact of Recent Developments in Electrochemical POC Sensor for Blood Sugar Care

Rapid glucose testing is very important in the care of diabetes. Monitoring of blood glucose is the most critical indicator of disease control in diabetic patients. The invention and popularity of electrochemical sensors have made glucose detection fast and inexpensive. The first generation of glucose sensors had limitations in terms of sensitivity and selectivity. In order to overcome these problems, scientists have used a range of new materials to produce new glucose electrochemical sensors with higher sensitivity, selectivity and lower cost. A variety of different electrochemical sensors including enzymatic electrochemical sensors and enzyme-free electrochemical sensors have been extensively investigated. We discussed the development process of electrochemical glucose sensors in this review. We focused on describing the benefits of carbon materials in nanomaterials, specially graphene for sensors. In addition, we discussed the limitations of the sensors and challenges in future research.

Characterizing dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer by integrated analysis

Understanding of dedifferentiation, an indicator of poo prognosis for patients with thyroid cancer, has been hampered by imprecise and incomplete characterization of its heterogeneity and its attributes. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we explored the landscape of thyroid cancer at single-cell resolution with 46,205 cells and delineated its dedifferentiation process and suppressive immune microenvironment. The developmental trajectory indicated that anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cells were derived from a small subset of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) cells. Moreover, a potential functional role of CREB3L1 on ATC development was revealed by integrated analyses of copy number alteration and transcriptional regulatory network. Multiple genes in differentiation-related pathways (e.g., EMT) were involved as the downstream targets of CREB3L1, increased expression of which can thus predict higher relapse risk of PTC. Collectively, our study provided insights into the heterogeneity and molecular evolution of thyroid cancer and highlighted the potential driver role of CREB3L1 in its dedifferentiation process.

Longitudinal Genomic Evolution of Conventional Papillary Thyroid Cancer With Brain Metastasis

BACKGROUND

Brain metastasis is extremely rare but predicts dismal prognosis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Dynamic evaluation of stepwise metastatic lesions was barely conducted to identify the longitudinal genomic evolution of brain metastasis in PTC.

METHOD

Chronologically resected specimen was analyzed by whole exome sequencing, including four metastatic lymph nodes (lyn 1-4) and brain metastasis lesion (BM). Phylogenetic tree was reconstructed to infer the metastatic pattern and the potential functional mutations.

RESULTS

Contrasting with lyn1, ipsilateral metastatic lesions (lyn2-4 and BM) with shared biallelic mutations of TSC2 indicated different genetic originations from multifocal tumors. Lyn 3/4, particularly lyn4 exhibited high genetic similarity with BM. Besides the similar mutational compositions and signatures, shared functional mutations (CDK4 R24C , TP53R342*) were observed in lyn3/4 and BM. Frequencies of these mutations gradually increase along with the metastasis progression. Consistently, TP53 knockout and CDK4 R24C introduction in PTC cells significantly decreased radioiodine uptake and increased metastatic ability.

CONCLUSION

Genomic mutations in CDK4 and TP53 during the tumor evolution may contribute to the lymph node and brain metastasis of PTC.