THBS4/integrin α2 axis mediates BM-MSCs to promote angiogenesis in gastric cancer associated with chronic Helicobacter pylori infection

Mesenchymal stem cells and their potential therapeutic benefits and challenges in the treatment and pathogenesis of gastric cancer

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are acknowledged for their remarkable ability to undergo differentiation into various cell types. In addition, they exhibit anti-tumor characteristics, prompting endeavors to modify MSCs for employment in cancer therapies. On the contrary, it is imperative to recognize that MSCs have been extensively linked to pathways that facilitate the advancement of tumors. Numerous research studies have sought to modify MSCs for clinical application; however, the outcomes have been ambiguous, potentially due to the heterogeneity of MSC populations. Furthermore, the conflicting roles of MSCs in suppressing and promoting tumor growth present a challenge to the appropriateness of their use in anti-cancer therapies. Currently, there exists a lack of comprehensive comprehension concerning the anti-tumor and pro-tumor characteristics of MSCs for gastric cancer (GC). This article discusses the influence of MSCs on GC, the underlying mechanisms, the origins of MSCs, and their effects. This review article also elucidates how MSCs exhibit dual characteristics of promoting and inhibiting tumor growth. Hence, it is of utmost importance that clinical inquiries aimed at utilizing MSCs as a therapeutic intervention for cancer consider the potentiality of MSCs to accelerate the progression of GC. It is crucial to exercise caution throughout the process of developing MSC-based cellular therapies to enhance their anti-cancer attributes while simultaneously eliminating their tumor-promoting impacts.

Effect of RNA interference with HIF-1α on the growth of pulmonary artery endothelial cells in broiler chickens

Pulmonary artery remodeling is a characteristic feature of broiler ascites syndrome (BAS). Pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) regulated by HIF-1α play a critical role in pulmonary artery remodeling, but the underlying mechanisms of HIF-1α in BAS remain unclear. In this experiment, primary PAECs were cultured in vitro and were identified by coagulation factor VIII. After hypoxia and RNA interference, the mRNA and protein expression levels of HIF-1α and VEGF were determined by qPCR and Western blotting. The transcriptome profiles of PAECs were obtained by RNA sequencing. Our results showed that the positive rate of PAECs was more than 90%, hypoxia-induced promoted the proliferation and apoptosis of PAECs, and RNA interference significantly downregulated the expression of HIF-1α, inhibited the proliferation of PAECs, and promoted the apoptosis of PAECs. In addition, transcriptome sequencing analysis indicated that HIF-1α may regulate broiler ascites syndrome by mediating COL4A, vitronectin, vWF, ITGα8, and MKP-5 in the ECM, CAMs and MAPK pathways in PAECs. These studies lay the foundation for further exploration of the mechanisms of pulmonary artery remodeling, and HIF-1α may be a potentially effective gene for the prevention and treatment of BAS.

Glioma-associated mesenchymal stem cells

Recent studies have revealed that glioma-associated mesenchymal stem cells play instrumental roles in tumorigenesis and tumour progression and cannot be ignored as a cellular component of the glioma microenvironment. Nevertheless, the origin of these cells and their roles are poorly understood. The only relevant studies have shown that glioma-associated mesenchymal stem cells play a large role in promoting tumour proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis. This review provides a comprehensive summary of their discovery and definition, origin, differences from other tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, spatial distribution, functions and prognostic and therapeutic opportunities to deepen the understanding of these cells and provide new insight into the treatment of glioma.

Construction and testing of a risk prediction classifier for cardia carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

This research aimed to construct a prediction model for stages II and III cardia carcinoma (CC), and provide an effective preoperative evaluation tool for clinicians.

METHODS

CC mRNA expression matrix was obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. Non-negative matrix factorization was used to cluster data to obtain subgroup information, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to uncover key modules linked to different subgroups. Gene-set enrichment analysis analyzed biological pathways of different subgroups. The related pathways of multiple modules were scrutinized with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Key modules were manually annotated to screen CC-related genes. Subsequently, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assessed CC-related gene expression in fresh tissues and paraffin samples, and Pearson correlation analysis was performed. A classification model was constructed and the predictive ability was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

CC patients had four subgroups that were associated with brown, turquoise, red, and black modules, respectively. The CC-related modules were mainly associated with abnormal cell metabolism and inflammatory immune pathways. Then, 76 CC-elated genes were identified. Pearson correlation analysis presented that THBS4, COL14A1, DPYSL3, FGF7, and SVIL levels were relatively stable in fresh and paraffin tissues. The area under the curve of 5-gene combined prediction for staging was 0.8571, indicating good prediction ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The staging classifier for CC based on THBS4, COL14A1, DPYSL3, FGF7, and SVIL has a good predictive effect, which may provide effective guidance for whether CC patients need emergency surgery.

B4GALNT1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma stemness and progression via integrin α2β1-mediated FAK and AKT activation

Background & Aims

β-1,4-N-Acetyl-galactosaminyltransferase 1 (B4GALNT1) has been reported to contribute to the development of human malignancies. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains uncharacterised. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the role of B4GALNT1 in HCC stemness and progression.

Methods

Immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate B4GALNT1 expression in HCC tissues and adjacent normal liver tissues. Flow cytometry analysis and sphere formation analysis were performed to investigate the role of B4GALNT1 in HCC stemness. Colony formation, Incucyte, wound-healing, Transwell migration, and invasion assays, and an animal model were used to study the role of B4GALNT1 in HCC progression. RNA-sequencing and co-immunoprecipitation were used to investigate the downstream targets of B4GALNT1.

Results

B4GALNT1 was upregulated in HCC and associated with poor clinical outcome of patients with the disease. Moreover, B4GALNT1 promoted HCC stemness, migration, invasion, and growth. Mechanistically, B4GALNT1 not only promoted the expression of the integrin α2β1 ligand THBS4, but also directly interacted with the β subunit of integrin α2β1 ITGB1 to inhibit its ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation, resulting in activation of FAK and AKT. Ophiopogonin D inhibited HCC stemness and progression by reducing ITGB1 and THBS4 expression and inhibiting FAK and AKT activation.

Conclusions

Our study suggests the B4GALNT1/integrin α2β1/FAK/PI3K/AKT axis as a therapeutic target for the inhibition of HCC stemness and tumour progression.

Impact and implications

The role and regulatory mechanism of B4GALNT1 in HCC have not been studied previously. Here, we reveal that B4GALNT1 has a crucial role in HCC stemness and progression by activating the integrin α2β1/FAK/PI3K/AKT axis, providing a potential target for HCC therapy. In addition, we find Ophiopogonin D as a potential therapeutic drug for patients with HCC.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Modulate Angiogenesis in Gastric Cancer

Individualized gastric cancer (GC) treatment aims at providing targeted therapies that translate the latest research into improved management strategies. Extracellular vesicle microRNAs have been proposed as biomarkers for GC prognosis. Helicobacter pylori infection influences the therapeutic response to and the drivers of malignant changes in chronic gastritis. The successful use of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for gastric ulcer healing has raised interest in studying their effects on tumor neovascularization and in potential antiangiogenic therapies that could use mesenchymal stem cell secretion into extracellular vesicles—such as exosomes—in GC cells. The use of MSCs isolated from bone marrow in order to achieve angiogenic modulation in the tumor microenvironment could exploit the inherent migration of MSCs into GC tissues. Bone marrow-derived MSCs naturally present in the stomach have been reported to carry a malignancy risk, but their effect in GC is still being researched. The pro- and antiangiogenic effects of MSCs derived from various sources complement their role in immune regulation and tissue regeneration and provide further understanding into the heterogeneous biology of GC, the aberrant morphology of tumor vasculature and the mechanisms of resistance to antiangiogenic drugs.

Gastric immune homeostasis imbalance: An important factor in the development of gastric mucosal diseases

The gastric mucosal immune system is a unique immune organ independent of systemic immunity that not only maintains nutrient absorption but also plays a role in resisting the external environment. Gastric mucosal immune disorder leads to a series of gastric mucosal diseases, including autoimmune gastritis (AIG)-related diseases, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced diseases, and various types of gastric cancer (GC). Therefore, understanding the role of gastric mucosal immune homeostasis in gastric mucosal protection and the relationship between mucosal immunity and gastric mucosal diseases is very important. This review focuses on the protective effect of gastric mucosal immune homeostasis on the gastric mucosa, as well as multiple gastric mucosal diseases caused by gastric immune disorders. We hope to offer new prospects for the prevention and treatment of gastric mucosal diseases.

The origin of gastric cancer stem cells and their effects on gastric cancer: Novel therapeutic targets for gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies and the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Furthermore, the prognosis of advanced GC remains poor even after surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy. As a small group of cells with unlimited differentiation and self-renewal ability in GC, accumulating evidence shows that GC stem cells (GCSCs) are closely associated with the refractory characteristics of GC, such as drug resistance, recurrence, and metastasis. With the extensive development of research on GCSCs, GCSCs seem to be promising therapeutic targets for GC. However, the relationship between GCSCs and GC is profound and intricate, and its mechanism of action is still under exploration. In this review, we elaborate on the source and key concepts of GCSCs, systematically summarize the role of GCSCs in GC and their underlying mechanisms. Finally, we review the latest information available on the treatment of GC by targeting GCSCs. Thus, this article may provide a theoretical basis for the future development of the novel targets based on GCSCs for the treatment of GC.

Effects of helicobacter pylori on tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy responses

Helicobacter pylori is closely associated with gastric cancer. During persistent infection, Helicobacter pylori can form a microenvironment in gastric mucosa which facilitates the survival and colony formation of Helicobacter pylori. Tumor stromal cells are involved in this process, including tumor-associated macrophages, mesenchymal stem cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and so on. The immune checkpoints are also regulated by Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori virulence factors can also act as immunogens or adjuvants to elicit or enhance immune responses, indicating their potential applications in vaccine development and tumor immunotherapy. This review highlights the effects of Helicobacter pylori on the immune microenvironment and its potential roles in tumor immunotherapy responses.

LRG1 mediated by ATF3 promotes growth and angiogenesis of gastric cancer by regulating the SRC/STAT3/VEGFA pathway

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence indicates that leucine-rich-alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) is associated with multiple malignancies, but whether it participates in gastric cancer (GC) angiogenesis remains unclear.

METHODS

The expression levels of LRG1 were assessed in GC samples. Endothelial tube formation analysis, HUVEC migration assay, chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM), and xenograft tumor model were used to investigate the effect of LRG1 on angiogenesis in gastric cancer. The involvement of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to measure the SRC/STAT3/VEGFA pathway.

RESULTS

LRG1 was overexpressed in GC tissues and associated with cancer angiogenesis. In addition, LRG1 markedly promoted GC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of LRG1 could stimulate GC angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Then, we identified ATF3 promotes the transcription of LRG1 and is a positive regulator of angiogenesis. Additionally, LRG1 could activate VEGFA expression via the SRC/STAT3/ VEGFA pathway in GC cells, thus contributing to the angiogenesis of GC.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests LRG1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of angiogenesis in GC and could be a potential therapeutic target for GC.