IGFBP5 is Upregulated and Associated with Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer

FAM20C: A key protein kinase in multiple diseases

Family with sequence similarity 20 C (FAM20C) is a Golgi protein kinase that phosphorylates the serine residue in the S-x-E/pS motif of target proteins. FAM20C phosphorylates most secreted proteins, which play important roles in multiple biological processes, including cancer progression, biomineralization, and lipid homeostasis. Numerous studies have documented the potential contribution of FAM20C to the growth, invasion, and metastasis of glioma, breast cancer, and other cancers, as well as to the mineralization process of teeth and bone. In addition, FAM20C has been found to be associated with the occurrence and development of certain cardiovascular diseases and endocrine metabolism disorders. It raises hopes that understanding the disease-specific mechanisms of FAM20C may hold the key to developing new strategies for these diseases. This review comprehensively covers the existing literature to provide a summary of the structure and biological functions of FAM20C, with a particular focus on its roles in the disease context.

SPP1+ macrophages promote head and neck squamous cell carcinoma progression by secreting TNF-α and IL-1β

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a very aggressive disease characterized by a heterogeneous tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute the major innate immune population in the TIME where they facilitate crucial regulatory processes that participate in malignant tumor progression. SPP1 + macrophages (SPP1 + Macs) are found in many cancers, but their effects on HNSCC remain unknown. This study aimed to identify and validate the role and function of SPP1 + Macs in the malignant progression of HNSCC.

METHODS

In this study, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses of paired tumor and normal tissues from 5 HNSCC patients to identify tumor-specific SPP1 + Macs. RT-qPCR and multiplex immunohistochemical and multiplex immunofluorescence staining were used to verify the presence of SPP1 + Macs in the clinical samples. Gene set variation analysis suggested that SPP1 + Macs were actively involved in cytokine production. Thus, we constructed SPP1-OE macrophages and SPP1-KD macrophages (both differentiated from THP-1 cells), performed a Luminex liquid suspension chip detection assay to detect differential cytokines, and further assessed their biological functions and mechanisms in several HNSCC cell lines and adjacent macrophages. An in vivo experiment was used to verify the function of SPP1 + Macs in HNSCC progression.

RESULTS

The scRNA-seq results revealed that myeloid cells were heterogeneous and strongly correlated with tumor cells in the TIME in HNSCC and identified tumor-specific SPP1 + Macs, which were positively correlated with poor prognosis of HNSCC patients. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) suggested that SPP1 + Macs were actively involved in cytokine production. Luminex liquid suspension chip detection assay indicated that SPP1 + Mac-derived TNF-α and IL-1β played important roles. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments and the use of VGX-1027, an inhibitor of macrophage-derived TNF-α and IL-1β, confirmed that SPP1 + Mac-derived TNF-α and IL-1β promoted HNSCC progression by supporting tumor cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, we found that TNF-α and IL-1β were upregulated due to NF-kappa B signaling pathway activation in SPP1 + Macs. Moreover, SPP1 + Mac-derived TNF-α and IL-1β promoted the expression of OPN in both tumor cells and other adjacent macrophages through different signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

SPP1 + Macs increase the secretion of TNF-α and IL-1β via the NF-kappa B pathway to promote HNSCC cell proliferation, and TNF-α and IL-1β in turn upregulate the expression of OPN in tumor cells and macrophages; thus, SPP1 + Macs may be a candidate target through which antitumor efficacy can be enhanced.

Discovery of a novel Fam20C inhibitor for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

Sequence similarity 20 family member C (Fam20C), a Golgi casein kinase, has a gradually elucidated mechanism in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and is considered a possible target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we combined virtual screening and chemical synthesis methods to obtain a new small-molecule Fam20C inhibitor, compound 5k, which possesses desirable kinase inhibitory activity against Fam20C and significant anti-proliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells. Subsequently, cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that compound 5k binds to Fam20C. Moreover, compound 5k showed favorable antitumor efficacy in TNBC cells and xenograft models by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting migration. Mechanistically, compound 5k can inhibit the proliferation, promote apoptosis, and inhibit migration of TNBC cells by targeting Fam20C, thereby inhibiting the deterioration of TNBC and preventing its progression. Taken together, these results suggest that compound 5k can be utilized as a novel Fam20C inhibitor, laying a foundation for the discovery of more small-molecule drugs for the treatment of TNBC in the future.

Expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 in the vaginal wall tissues of older women with pelvic organ prolapse

This study aimed to investigate the expression and significance of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) and extracellular matrix (ECM) related proteins in anterior vaginal wall tissues among aged pelvic organ prolapse (POP) patients. Tissues from the anterior vaginal wall were collected from 28 patients with POP and 20 patients without POP. The expression of protein and mRNA levels of IGFBP5 and ECM related proteins were evaluated in the vaginal wall tissues using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and RT-qPCR techniques. The expression levels were then compared with clinical parameters. The expression levels of protein and mRNA of IGFBP5, collagen I, and collagen III were significantly lower in the POP group. Protein and mRNA expression levels of MMP2 were significantly higher in the POP group. IGFBP5 protein and mRNA expression levels were negatively correlated with age and significantly lower in older POP patients (≥ 65 years old) compared to younger POP patients (< 65 years old). IGFBP5 protein and mRNA expression levels were also significantly lower in POP-Q stage IV patients compared to POP-Q stage III patients. IGFBP5 expression level is negatively correlated with the age and severity of prolapse. The significant decrease in IGFBP5 expression may play a crucial part in the aging process and the occurrence of POP.

Identification of key genes associated with cervical cancer based on bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer has extremely high morbidity and mortality, and its pathogenesis is still in the exploratory stage. This study aimed to screen and identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to cervical cancer through bioinformatics analysis.

METHODS

GSE63514 and GSE67522 were selected from the GEO database to screen DEGs. Then GO and KEGG analysis were performed on DEGs. PPI network of DEGs was constructed through STRING website, and the hub genes were found through 12 algorithms of Cytoscape software. Meanwhile, GSE30656 was selected from the GEO database to screen DEMs. Target genes of DEMs were screened through TagetScan, miRTarBase and miRDB. Next, the hub genes screened from DEGs were merged with the target genes screened from DEMs. Finally, ROC curve and nomogram analysis were performed to assess the predictive capabilities of the hub genes. The expression of these hub genes were verified through TCGA, GEPIA, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Six hub genes, TOP2A, AURKA, CCNA2, IVL, KRT1, and IGFBP5, were mined through the protein-protein interaction network. The expression of these hub genes were verified through TCGA, GEPIA, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry, and it was found that TOP2A, AURKA as well as CCNA2 were overexpressed and IGFBP5 was low expression in cervical cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that TOP2A, AURKA, CCNA2 and IGFBP5 screened through bioinformatics analysis were significantly differentially expressed in cervical cancer samples compared with normal samples, which might be biomarkers of cervical cancer.

Comprehensive Analyses and Experiments Confirmed IGFBP5 as a Prognostic Predictor Based on an Aging-genomic Landscape Analysis of Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the malignant diseases of the reproductive system in elderly women. Aging-related genes (ARGs) were involved in tumor malignancy and cellular senescence, but the specifics of these mechanisms in OC remain unknown.

METHODS

ARGs expression and survival data of OC patients were collected from TCGA and CPTAC databases. Subtype classification was used to identify the roles of hub ARGs in OC progression, including function enrichment, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity. LASSO regression was utilized to confirm the prognosis significance for these hub ARGs. MTT, EdU, Transwell, and wounding healing analysis confirmed the effect of IGFBP5 on the proliferation and migration ability of OC cells.

RESULTS

ARGs were ectopically expressed in OC tissues compared to normal ovary tissues. Three molecular subtypes were divided by ARGs for OC patients. There were significant differences in ferroptosis, m6A methylation, prognosis, immune infiltration, angiogenesis, differentiation level, and drug sensitivity among the three groups. LASSO regression indicated that 4 signatures, FOXO4, IGFBP5, OGG1 and TYMS, had important prognosis significance. Moreover, IGFBP5 was significantly correlated with immune infiltration. The hub ARG, IGFBP5, expression was significantly decreased in OC patients compared to normal women. IGFBP5 could also reduce the migration and proliferation ability of OC cells compared to vector and NC groups.

CONCLUSION

IGFBP5 was correlated with OC prognosis and associated with OC migration and proliferation. This gene may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC patients.

Secreted insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 functions as a tumor suppressor and chemosensitizer through inhibiting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor/protein kinase B pathway in acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

In addition to being secreted into the intercellular spaces by exocytosis, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) may also remain in the cytosol or be transported to the nucleus. Depending on the different cellular context and subcellular distribution, IGFBP5 can act as a tumor suppressor or promoter through insulin-like growth factor -dependent or -independent mechanisms. Yet, little is known about the impacts of IGFBP5 on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Here we investigated the roles of IGFBP5 in human AML by using recombinant human IGFBP5 (rhIGFBP5) protein and U937 and THP1 cell lines which stably and ectopically expressed IGFBP5 or mutant IGFBP5 (mtIGFBP5) with the lack of secretory signal peptide. Cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry assay were conducted to assess the cell viability, cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. Cytotoxicity assay was used to detect the chemosensitivity. Leukemia xenograft model and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to evaluate AML progression and extramedullary infiltration in vivo.

RESULTS

In silico analysis demonstrated a positive association between IGFBP5 expression and overall survival of the AML patients. Both IGFBP5 overexpression and extrinsic rhIGFBP5 suppressed the growth of THP1 and U937 cells by inducing cell apoptosis and arresting G1/S transition and promoted the chemosensitivity of U937 and THP1 cells to daunorubicin and cytarabine. However, overexpression of mtIGFBP5 failed to demonstrate these properties. An in vivo xenograft mouse model of U937 cells also indicated that overexpression of IGFBP5 rather than mtIGFBP5 alleviated AML progression and extramedullary infiltration. Mechanistically, these biological consequences depended on the inactivation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor -mediated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings revealed secreted rather than intracellular IGFBP5 as a tumor-suppressor and chemosensitizer in AML. Upregulation of serum IGFBP5 by overexpression or addition of extrinsic rhIGFBP5 may serve as a suitable therapeutic approach for AML.

Identification of disulfidptosis-related subtypes, characterization of tumor microenvironment infiltration, and development of a prognosis model in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, which imposes a significant societal burden. Regular screening and emerging molecular tumor markers have important implications for detecting the progression and development of colorectal cancer. Disulfidptosis is a newly defined type of programmed cell death triggered by abnormal accumulation of disulfide compounds in cells that stimulate disulfide stress. Currently, there is no relevant discussion on this mechanism and colorectal cancer.

METHODS

We classified the disulfidptosis-related subtypes of colorectal cancer using bioinformatics methods. Through secondary clustering of differentially expressed genes between subtypes, we identified characteristic genes of the disulfidptosis subtype, constructed a prognostic model, and searched for potential biomarkers through clinical validation.

RESULTS

Using disulfidptosis-related genes collected from the literature, we classified colorectal cancer patients from public databases into three subtypes. The differentially expressed genes between subtypes were clustered into three gene subtypes, and eight characteristic genes were screened to construct a prognostic model.

CONCLUSION

The disulfidptosis mechanism has important value in the classification of colorectal cancer patients, and characteristic genes selected based on this mechanism can serve as a new potential biological marker for colorectal cancer.

Comprehensive analysis of transcriptome data and experimental identification show that solute carrier 35 member A2 (SLC35A2) is a prognostic marker of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a solid tumor with high morbidity and mortality rates. Accumulating evidence shows that the soluble carrier family 35 member A2 (SLC35A2), a nucleotide sugar transporter, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of various tumors. However, its expression and function in CRC has not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

The prognosis-related gene SLC35A2 was obtained using differential analysis, prognosis correlation analysis, and LASSO regression screening. Its expression levels in CRC tissues were analyzed, and so was the relationship of this expression with clinical characteristics of patients. Subsequently, the expression levels were correlated with clinicopathological parameters using immunohistochemical analysis. Analysis based on GO/KEGG databases was used to reveal the potential mechanisms of SLC35A2. Next, we explored the relationship between SLC35A2 and immune cells in CRC tissues. A nomogram was created to help understand the prognosis of CRC patients. Finally, western blotting and qRT-PCR reaction were used to verify the expression of SLC35A2 in CRC cell lines.

RESULTS

SLC35A2 expression was upregulated and related to tumor pathological stage and lymph node metastasis, indicating that SLC35A2 is an independent prognostic factor and a potential diagnostic marker for CRC. We verified by IHC, WB and PCR that the expression of SLC35A2 was up-regulated in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines, and its high expression was related to the tumor pathological stage of CRC clinical samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study found that SLC35A2 can be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC, providing motivation for further study.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5b of Trachinotus ovatus and its heparin-binding motif play a critical role in host antibacterial immune responses via NF-κB pathway

Introduction

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) exerts an essential biological role in many processes, including apoptosis, cellular differentiation, growth, and immune responses. However, compared to mammalians, our knowledge of IGFBP5 in teleosts remains limited.

Methods

In this study, TroIGFBP5b, an IGFBP5 homologue from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) was identified. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to check its mRNA expression level in healthy condition and after stimulation. In vivo overexpression and RNAi knockdown method were performed to evaluate the antibacterial profile. We constructed a mutant in which HBM was deleted to better understand the mechanism of its role in antibacterial immunity. Subcellular localization and nuclear translocation were verified by immunoblotting. Further, proliferation of head kidney lymphocytes (HKLs) and phagocytic activity of head kidney macrophages (HKMs) were detected through CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence microscopy assay (IFA) and dual luciferase reporter (DLR) assay were used to evaluate the activity in nuclear factor-κB (NF-κβ) pathway.

Results

The TroIGFBP5b mRNA expression level was upregulated after bacterial stimulation. In vivo, TroIGFBP5b overexpression significantly improved the antibacterial immunity of fish. In contrast, TroIGFBP5b knockdown significantly decreased this ability. Subcellular localization results showed that TroIGFBP5b and TroIGFBP5b-δHBM were both present in the cytoplasm of GPS cells. After stimulation, TroIGFBP5b-δHBM lost the ability to transfer from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, rTroIGFBP5b promoted the proliferation of HKLs and phagocytosis of HKMs, whereas rTroIGFBP5b-δHBM, suppressed these facilitation effects. Moreover, the in vivo antibacterial ability of TroIGFBP5b was suppressed and the effects of promoting expression of proinflammatory cytokines in immune tissues were nearly lost after HBM deletion. Furthermore, TroIGFBP5b induced NF-κβ promoter activity and promoted nuclear translocation of p65, while these effects were inhibited when the HBM was deleted.

Discussion

Taken together, our results suggest that TroIGFBP5b plays an important role in golden pompano antibacterial immunity and activation of the NF-κβ signalling pathway, providing the first evidence that the HBM of TroIGFBP5b plays a critical role in these processes in teleosts.