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Wu GH, He C, Che G, Zhou Z, Chen BY, Wu HM, Chen JF, Zhu WP, Yang Y, Zhou Z, Teng LS, Wang HY. The role of FERMT2 in the tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy in pan-cancer using comprehensive single-cell and bulk sequencing. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30505. [PMID: 38726194 PMCID: PMC11079299 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
FERMT2 has been identified as a participant in integrin-linked kinase signaling pathways, influencing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and thereby affecting tumor initiation, progression, and invasion. While the character of FERMT2 in the tumor microenvironment (TME) as well as its implications for immunotherapy remain unclear. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to assess the prognostic significance of FERMT2 using Kaplan-Meier analysis. In addition, we employed enrichment analysis to uncover potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Using "Immunedeconv" package, we evaluated the immune characteristics of FERMT2 within TME. Furthermore, we determined the expression levels of FERMT2 in various cell types within TME, based on single-cell sequencing data. To confirm the co-expression of FERMT2 and markers of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), we performed multiplex immunofluorescence staining on tissue paraffin sections across various cancer types. Our analysis disclosed a significant correlation between elevated FERMT2 expression and unfavorable prognosis in specific cancer types. Furthermore, we identified a strong correlation between FERMT2 expression and diverse immune-related factors, including immune checkpoint molecules, immune cell infiltration, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutational burden (TMB). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between FERMT2 expression and immune-related pathways, particularly those associated with activating, migrating, and promoting the growth of fibroblasts in diverse cancer types. Interestingly, we observed consistent co-expression of FERMT2 in both malignant tumor cells and stromal cells, particularly within CAFs. Notably, our findings also indicated that FERMT2, in particular, exhibited elevated expression levels within tumor tissues and co-expressed with α-SMA in CAFs based on the multiplex immunofluorescence staining results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-hao Wu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao He
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gang Che
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Zhou
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bi-ying Chen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-ming Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Yiwu Central Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Jian-feng Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Yiwu Central Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Wei-pu Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhan Zhou
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li-song Teng
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-yong Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Yin SY, Liu YJ, Li JP, Liu J. Overexpression of FERM Domain Containing Kindlin 2 (FERMT2) in Fibroblasts Correlates with EMT and Immunosuppression in Gastric Cancer. Int J Genomics 2024; 2024:4123737. [PMID: 38352691 PMCID: PMC10864055 DOI: 10.1155/2024/4123737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The mesenchymal feature, dominated by epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stromal cell activation, is one of the main reasons for the aggressive nature of tumors, yet it remains poorly understood. In gastric cancer (GC), the fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2) is involved in macrophage signaling, promoting migration and invasion. However, the function of FERMT2 in fibroblasts remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that downregulation of FERMT2 expression can block EMT in GC cells by inhibiting fibroblast activation in vitro. Furthermore, we found that, in addition to the known pathways, fibroblast-derived FERMT2 promotes M2-like macrophage growth and that in human GC samples, there is a strong positive correlation between FERMT2 and CD163 and CD206 levels. Notably, high FERMT2 expression was significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes and was upregulated in patients with advanced disease. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the fibroblast-FERMT2-EMT-M2 macrophage axis plays a critical role in the GC mesenchymal phenotype and may be a promising target for the treatment of advanced GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-yan Yin
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Second Chinese Medicine Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Yuan-jie Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Second Chinese Medicine Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Jie-pin Li
- Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
- No. 1 Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jian Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Second Chinese Medicine Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
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Nystuen KL, McNamee SM, Akula M, Holton KM, DeAngelis MM, Haider NB. Alzheimer's Disease: Models and Molecular Mechanisms Informing Disease and Treatments. Bioengineering (Basel) 2024; 11:45. [PMID: 38247923 PMCID: PMC10813760 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11010045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease resulting in progressive loss of memory, language and motor abilities caused by cortical and hippocampal degeneration. This review captures the landscape of understanding of AD pathology, diagnostics, and current therapies. Two major mechanisms direct AD pathology: (1) accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) plaque and (2) tau-derived neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). The most common variants in the Aβ pathway in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 are largely responsible for early-onset AD (EOAD), while MAPT, APOE, TREM2 and ABCA7 have a modifying effect on late-onset AD (LOAD). More recent studies implicate chaperone proteins and Aβ degrading proteins in AD. Several tests, such as cognitive function, brain imaging, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and blood tests, are used for AD diagnosis. Additionally, several biomarkers seem to have a unique AD specific combination of expression and could potentially be used in improved, less invasive diagnostics. In addition to genetic perturbations, environmental influences, such as altered gut microbiome signatures, affect AD. Effective AD treatments have been challenging to develop. Currently, there are several FDA approved drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors, Aß-targeting antibodies and an NMDA antagonist) that could mitigate AD rate of decline and symptoms of distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaden L. Nystuen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Shannon M. McNamee
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Monica Akula
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kristina M. Holton
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Margaret M. DeAngelis
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Neena B. Haider
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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