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Zhang L, Li S, Zhang D, Yin C, Wang Z, Chen R, Cheng N, Bai Y. Value of GPR, APPRI and FIB-4 in the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective cohort study. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2024; 54:129-136. [PMID: 37869774 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyad147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is an urgent need for novel biomarkers that are inexpensive, effective and easily accessible to complement the early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between serum gamma-glutamate-transpeptidase to platelet ratio, alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index, fibrosis index based on four factors and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, and to determine the optimal cut-offs for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Based on a prospective cohort study, 44 215 participants who were cancer-free at baseline (2011-13) were included in the study. Cox proportional hazard models and receiver operating characteristics curves were used to analyze the diagnostic value and optimal cut-off value of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio, alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index and fibrosis index based on four factors in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma patients. RESULTS Gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio, alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index and fibrosis index based on four factors can be used as early independent predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma risk. The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in the fourth quantile of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio and alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index was 4.04 times (hazard ratio = 4.04, 95% confidence interval: 2.09, 7.80) and 2.59 times (hazard ratio = 2.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.45, 4.61), respectively, compared with the first quantile. With fibrosis index based on four factors first quantile as a reference, fibrosis index based on four factors fourth quantile had the highest risk (hazard ratio = 18.58, 95% confidence interval: 7.55, 45.72). Receiver operating characteristic results showed that fibrosis index based on four factors had a stronger ability to predict the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (area under curve = 0.81, 95% confidence interval: 0.80, 0.81), and similar results were shown for gender stratification. In the total population, the optimal cut-off values of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio, alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index and fibrosis index based on four factors were 0.208, 0.629 and 1.942, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio, alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index and fibrosis index based on four factors were independent predictors of hepatocellular carcinoma risk. Amongst them, fibrosis index based on four factors shows a stronger predictive ability for hepatocellular carcinoma risk, and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase to platelet ratio and alkaline phosphatase-to-platelet ratio index can be used as complementary indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhen Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Siyu Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Desheng Zhang
- Jinchuan Group Co., LTD, Jinchuan Company Staff Hospital, Jinchang, China
| | - Chun Yin
- Jinchuan Group Co., LTD, Jinchuan Company Staff Hospital, Jinchang, China
| | - Zhongge Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ruirui Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ning Cheng
- College of Basic Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yana Bai
- Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Guo Y, Yan S, Zhang W. Translatomics to explore dynamic differences in immunocytes in the tumor microenvironment. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 34:102037. [PMID: 37808922 PMCID: PMC10551571 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Protein is an essential component of all living organisms and is primarily responsible for life activities; furthermore, its synthesis depends on a highly complex and accurate translation system. For proteins, the regulation at the translation level exceeds the sum of that during transcription, mRNA degradation, and protein degradation. Therefore, it is necessary to study regulation at the translation level. Imbalance in the translation process may change the cellular landscape, which not only leads to the occurrence, maintenance, progression, invasion, and metastasis of cancer but also affects the function of immune cells and changes the tumor microenvironment. Detailed analysis of transcriptional and protein atlases is needed to better understand how gene translation occurs. However, a more rigorous direct correlation between mRNA and protein levels is needed, which somewhat limits further studies. Translatomics is a technique for capturing and sequencing ribosome-related mRNAs that can effectively identify translation changes caused by ribosome stagnation and local translation abnormalities during cancer occurrence to further understand the changes in the translation landscape of cancer cells themselves and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, which can provide new strategies and directions for tumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Guo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
| | - Shiqi Yan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
| | - Wenling Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China
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Wu Z, Xu N, Li G, Yang W, Zhang C, Zhong H, Wu G, Chen F, Li D. Multi-omics analysis of the oncogenic role of optic atrophy 1 in human cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:12982-12997. [PMID: 37980164 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the prognostic significance of optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) in pan-cancer and analyze the relationship between OPA1 and immune infiltration in cancer. RESULTS OPA1 exhibited high expression levels or mutations in various types of tumor cells, and its expression levels were significantly correlated with the survival rate of tumor patients. In different tumor tissues, there was a notable positive correlation between OPA1 expression levels and the infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the immune microenvironment. Additionally, OPA1 and its related genes were found to be involved in several crucial biological processes, including protein phosphorylation, protein import into the nucleus, and protein binding. CONCLUSION OPA1 is highly expressed or mutated in numerous tumors and is strongly associated with protein phosphorylation, patient prognosis, and immune cell infiltration. OPA1 holds promise as a novel prognostic marker with potential clinical utility across various tumor types. METHODS We examined OPA1 expression in pan-cancer at both the gene and protein levels using various databases, including Tumor Immune Estimation Resource 2.0 (TIMER 2.0), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA2), UALCAN, and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). We utilized the Kaplan-Meier plotter and GEPIA datasets to analyze the relationship between OPA1 expression levels and patient prognosis. Through the cBioPortal database, we detected OPA1 mutations in tumors and examined their relationship with patient prognosis. We employed the TIMER 2.0 database to explore the correlation between OPA1 expression levels in tumor tissue and the infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the immune microenvironment. Furthermore, we conducted a gene search associated with OPA1 and performed enrichment analysis to identify the main signaling pathways and biological processes linked to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Nuo Xu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Guoqing Li
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, China
| | - Wen Yang
- The Department of Network Center, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Emergency, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Zigong, Zigong, Sichuan 643000, China
| | - Hua Zhong
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510900, China
| | - Gen Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510900, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Dianqing Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
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Hao L, Li S, Hu X. New insights into T-cell exhaustion in liver cancer: from mechanism to therapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:12543-12560. [PMID: 37423958 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05083-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies. T-cell exhaustion is associated with immunosuppression of tumor and chronic infection. Although immunotherapies that enhance the immune response by targeting programmed cell death-1(PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) have been applied to malignancies, these treatments have shown limited response rates. This suggested that additional inhibitory receptors (IRs) also contributed to T-cell exhaustion and tumor prognosis. Exhausted T-cells (Tex) in the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) are usually in a dysfunctional state of exhaustion, such as impaired activity and proliferative ability, increased apoptosis rate, and reduced production of effector cytokines. Tex cells participate in the negative regulation of tumor immunity mainly through IRs on the cell surface, changes in cytokines and immunomodulatory cell types, causing tumor immune escape. However, T-cell exhaustion is not irreversible and targeted immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can effectively reverse the exhaustion of T-cells and restore the anti-tumor immune response. Therefore, the research on the mechanism of T-cell exhaustion in liver cancer, aimed at maintaining or restoring the effector function of Tex cells, might provide a new method for the treatment of liver cancer. In this review, we summarized the basic characteristics of Tex cells (such as IRs and cytokines), discussed the mechanisms associated with T-cell exhaustion, and specifically discussed how these exhaustion characteristics were acquired and shaped by key factors within TME. Then new insights into the molecular mechanism of T-cell exhaustion suggested a potential way to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, namely to restore the effector function of Tex cells. In addition, we also reviewed the research progress of T-cell exhaustion in recent years and provided suggestions for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Hao
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 37 Shi-Er-Qiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-Er-Qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenghao Li
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 37 Shi-Er-Qiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-Er-Qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Hu
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-Er-Qiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China.
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Xu T, Zhu C, Chen J, Song F, Ren X, Wang S, Yi X, Zhang Y, Zhang W, Hu Q, Qin H, Liu Y, Zhang S, Tan Z, Pan Z, Huang P, Ge M. ISG15 and ISGylation modulates cancer stem cell-like characteristics in promoting tumor growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:182. [PMID: 37501099 PMCID: PMC10373324 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02751-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) was a rare and extremely malignant endocrine cancer with the distinct hallmark of high proportion of cancer stem cell-like characteristics. Therapies aiming to cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) were emerging as a new direction in cancer treatment, but targeting ATC CSCs remained challenging, mainly due to incomplete insights of the regulatory mechanism of CSCs. Here, we unveiled a novel role of ISG15 in the modulation of ATC CSCs. METHODS The expression of ubiquitin-like proteins were detected by bioinformatics and immunohistochemistry. The correlation between ISG15 expression and tumor stem cells and malignant progression of ATC was analyzed by single-cell RNA sequence from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Flow cytometry combined with immunofluorescence were used to verify the enrichment of ISG15 and ISGyaltion in cancer stem cells. The effect and mechanism of ISG15 and KPNA2 on cancer stem cell-like characteristics of ATC cells were determined by molecular biology experiments. Mass spectrometry combined with immunoprecipitation to screen the substrates of ISG15 and validate its ISGylation modification. Nude mice and zebrafish xenograft models were utilized to demonstrate that ISG15 regulates stem cell characteristics and promotes malignant progression of ATC. RESULTS We found that among several ubiquitin proteins, only ISG15 was aberrantly expressed in ATC and enriched in CSCs. Single-cell sequencing analysis revealed that abnormal expression of ISG15 were intensely associated with stemness and malignant cells in ATC. Inhibition of ISG15 expression dramatically attenuated clone and sphere formation of ATC cells, and facilitated its sensitivity to doxorubicin. Notably, overexpression of ISGylation, but not the non-ISGylation mutant, effectively reinforced cancer stem cell-like characteristics. Mechanistically, ISG15 mediated the ISGylation of KPNA2 and impeded its ubiquitination to promote stability, further maintaining cancer stem cell-like characteristics. Finally, depletion of ISG15 inhibited ATC growth and metastasis in xenografted mouse and zebrafish models. CONCLUSION Our studies not only provided new insights into potential intervention strategies targeting ATC CSCs, but also uncovered the novel biological functions and mechanisms of ISG15 and ISGylation for maintaining ATC cancer stem cell-like characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Xu
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chaozhuang Zhu
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinming Chen
- Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Feifeng Song
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xinxin Ren
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shanshan Wang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaofen Yi
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanli Zhang
- Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qing Hu
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hui Qin
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yujia Liu
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Song Zhang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhuo Tan
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zongfu Pan
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Ping Huang
- Center for Clinical Pharmacy, Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Minghua Ge
- Key Laboratory of Endocrine Gland Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China.
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Yang W, Yao Y, Yang S, Ke Y. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0008003 promotes the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer by sponging miR-548I and regulating KPNA4 expression. Thorac Cancer 2022; 14:544-554. [PMID: 36573325 PMCID: PMC9968600 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.14777] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study aimed to explore the effect of circ_0008003 on the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its underlying regulation mechanism. METHODS Expression of hsa_circ_0008003, miRNA (miR)-548I and karyopherin subunit α 4 (KPNA4) was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability and proliferation ability were detected by cell counting kit-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, respectively. Flow cytometry was performed to monitor cell apoptosis. Western blot assay was used to evaluate the protein levels of KPNA4, Bax, and Bcl-2. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assays. The targeted relationship between miR-548I and hsa_circ_0008003 or KPNA4 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Furthermore, the role of hsa_circ_0008003 in vivo was investigated by xenograft assay. RESULTS Circ_0008003 expression was increased in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0008003 knockdown reduced cell viability, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and caused apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Moreover, miR-548I was targeted by circ_0008003, and miR-548I knockdown reversed the influence of circ_0008003 silence on NSCLC progression. KPNA4 was targeted by miR-548I, and miR-548I overexpression suppressed cell viability, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and promoted cell apoptosis via decreasing KPNA4. In addition, circ_0008003 regulated KPNA4 expression via miR-548I. Circ_0008003 knockdown decreased NSCLC cell growth in the xenograft model. CONCLUSION Circular RNA hsa_circ_0008003 promoted progression in NSCLC by sponging miR-548I and regulating KPNA4 expression, hinting that circ_0008003 participates in NSCLC pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshu Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xiang Yang Central HospitalAffiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and ScienceXiangyangChina
| | - Yingying Yao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xiang Yang Central HospitalAffiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and ScienceXiangyangChina
| | - Shuai Yang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xiang Yang Central HospitalAffiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and ScienceXiangyangChina
| | - Yaoqi Ke
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xiang Yang Central HospitalAffiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and ScienceXiangyangChina
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Lan X, Zhao L, Zhang J, Shao Y, Qv Y, Huang J, Cai L. Comprehensive analysis of karyopherin alpha family expression in lung adenocarcinoma: Association with prognostic value and immune homeostasis. Front Genet 2022; 13:956314. [PMID: 35991543 PMCID: PMC9382304 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.956314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Karyopherin alpha (KPNA), a nuclear transporter, has been implicated in the development as well as the progression of many types of malignancies. Immune homeostasis is a multilevel system which regulated by multiple factors. However, the functional significance of the KPNA family in the pathogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the impact of immune homeostasis are not well characterized. Methods: In this study, by integrating the TCGA-LUAD database and Masked Somatic Mutation, we first conducted an investigation on the expression levels and mutation status of the KPNA family in patients with LUAD. Then, we constructed a prognostic model based on clinical features and the expression of the KPNA family. We performed functional enrichment analysis and constructed a regulatory network utilizing the differential genes in high-and low-risk groups. Lastly, we performed immune infiltration analysis using CIBERSORT. Results: Analysis of TCGA datasets revealed differential expression of the KPNA family in LUAD. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses indicated that the high expression of KPNA2 and KPNA4 were predictive of inferior overall survival (OS). In addition, we constructed a prognostic model incorporating clinical factors and the expression level of KPNA4 and KPNA5, which accurately predicted 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years survival outcomes. Patients in the high-risk group showed a poor prognosis. Functional enrichment analysis exhibited remarkable enrichment of transcriptional dysregulation in the high-risk group. On the other hand, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) displayed enrichment of cell cycle checkpoints as well as cell cycle mitotic in the high-risk group. Finally, analysis of immune infiltration revealed significant differences between the high-and low-risk groups. Further, the high-risk group was more prone to immune evasion while the inflammatory response was strongly associated with the low-risk group. Conclusions: the KPNA family-based prognostic model reflects many biological aspects of LUAD and provides potential targets for precision therapy in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuwen Lan
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- The Fourth Department of Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Yingchun Shao
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yunmeng Qv
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | | | - Li Cai
- *Correspondence: Jian Huang, ; Li Cai,
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Human Enzyme PADI4 Binds to the Nuclear Carrier Importin α3. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142166. [PMID: 35883608 PMCID: PMC9319256 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PADI4 is a peptidyl-arginine deiminase (PADI) involved in the conversion of arginine to citrulline. PADI4 is present in macrophages, monocytes, granulocytes, and several cancer cells. It is the only PADI family member observed within both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. PADI4 has a predicted nuclear localization sequence (NLS) comprising residues Pro56 to Ser83, to allow for nuclear translocation. Recent predictors also suggest that the region Arg495 to Ile526 is a possible NLS. To understand how PADI4 is involved in cancer, we studied the ability of intact PADI4 to bind importin α3 (Impα3), a nuclear transport factor that plays tumor-promoting roles in several cancers, and its truncated species (ΔImpα3) without the importin-binding domain (IBB), by using fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Furthermore, the binding of two peptides, encompassing the first and the second NLS regions, was also studied using the same methods and molecular docking simulations. PADI4 interacted with both importin species, with affinity constants of ~1–5 µM. The isolated peptides also interacted with both importins. The molecular simulations predict that the anchoring of both peptides takes place in the major binding site of Impα3 for the NLS of cargo proteins. These findings suggest that both NLS regions were essentially responsible for the binding of PADI4 to the two importin species. Our data are discussed within the framework of a cell mechanism of nuclear transport that is crucial in cancer.
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Bao J, Xu C, Li B, Wu Z, Shen J, Song P, Peng Q, Hu G. Systematic Characterization of the Clinical Relevance of KPNA4 in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:834728. [PMID: 35425701 PMCID: PMC9002131 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.834728] [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: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with poor prognosis. Karyopherin subunit alpha 4 (KPNA4) is a nuclear transport factor and plays tumor-promoting roles in multiple cancers. However, the roles of KPNA4 in PDAC still remain unknown. This study investigated the prognostic value of KPNA4 and its potential functions in PDAC and tumor microenvironment. Methods LinkedOmics was utilized to screen genes with survival significance in PDAC. KPNA4 expression was analyzed using multiple datasets and verified in PDAC cells and clinical samples by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Clinical correlation and survival analyses were conducted to identify the clinical significance and prognostic value of KPNA4 in PDAC patients. Subsequently, KPNA4 was knocked down in PDAC cell lines, and CCK-8, colony formation and wound healing assays were performed to test the functions of KPNA4 in vitro. Immune infiltration analysis was performed to explore the potential roles of KPNA4 in the tumor microenvironment of PDAC. Moreover, functional analyses were conducted to explore the underlying mechanism of KPNA4 in the progression of PDAC. Results We found KPNA4 was significantly upregulated in PDAC cells and tissues. KPNA4 expression was associated with tumor progression in PDAC patients. Survival analyses further revealed that KPNA4 could act as an independent predictor of unfavorable survival for PDAC patients. KPNA4 knockdown suppressed the viability, colony formation and migration of PDAC cells. Moreover, KPNA4 was correlated with immunosuppressive cells infiltration and T cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment of PDAC. Finally, functional analyses indicated the association of KPNA4 with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling, and KPNA4 silencing significantly decreased the expression of FAK and PD-L1. Conclusions This study revealed that KPNA4 is an independent prognostic biomarker for PDAC and plays a tumor-promoting role by facilitating proliferation and migration of cancer cells and participating in immune infiltration, which may be mediated by FAK signaling and PD-L1 expression. These results provide a novel and potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingpiao Bao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoliang Xu
- Laboratory of Cancer Genomics and Biology, Department of Urology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zengkai Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengli Song
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoyong Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Institute of Pancreatic Disease, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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