Low expression of KIF7 indicates poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer

The role of kinesin family members in hepatobiliary carcinomas: from bench to bedside

As a major component of the digestive system malignancies, tumors originating from the hepatic and biliary ducts seriously endanger public health. The kinesins (KIFs) are molecular motors that enable the microtubule-dependent intracellular trafficking necessary for mitosis and meiosis. Normally, the stability of KIFs is essential to maintain cell proliferation and genetic homeostasis. However, aberrant KIFs activity may destroy this dynamic stability, leading to uncontrolled cell division and tumor initiation. In this work, we have made an integral summarization of the specific roles of KIFs in hepatocellular and biliary duct carcinogenesis, referring to aberrant signal transduction and the potential for prognostic evaluation. Additionally, current clinical applications of KIFs-targeted inhibitors have also been discussed, including their efficacy advantages, relationship with drug sensitivity or resistance, the feasibility of combination chemotherapy or other targeted agents, as well as the corresponding clinical trials. In conclusion, the abnormally activated KIFs participate in the regulation of tumor progression via a diverse range of mechanisms and are closely associated with tumor prognosis. Meanwhile, KIFs-aimed inhibitors also carry out a promising tumor-targeted therapeutic strategy that deserves to be further investigated in hepatobiliary carcinoma (HBC).

Disulfidptosis-related prognostic signature correlates with immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer

Disulfidptosis (DSP), a form of cell death caused by disulphide stress, plays an important role in tumour progression. However, the mechanisms by which DSP regulates the tumour microenvironment remain unclear. Thus, we analysed the transcriptome profiles and clinical data, which were obtained from the TCGA database, of 540 patients with colorectal cancer. Compared with the patients with low DSP expression, those with high DSP expression exhibited significantly better survival outcomes; lower stromal and ESTIMATE scores; significantly higher numbers of CD4+ T cells, M2 macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils; higher expression of immune checkpoint-related genes; and lower Tregs and HLA-DQB2 levels. A prognostic signature established based on DSP-related genes demonstrated an increase in risk score with a higher clinical stage. Risk scores negatively correlated with dendritic cells, eosinophils, and CD4+ T cells and significantly positively correlated with Treg cells. Patients with higher risk scores experienced significantly worse survival outcomes and immunotherapy non-response. Our nomogram model, combining clinicopathological features and risk scores, exhibited robust prognostic and predictive power. In conclusion, DSP-related genes actively participated in regulating the tumour microenvironment. Thus, they can serve as biomarkers to provide targeted treatment for colorectal cancer.

Patched and Costal-2 mutations lead to differences in tissue overgrowth autonomy

Genetic screens are used in Drosophila melanogaster to identify genes key in the regulation of organismal development and growth. These screens have defined signalling pathways necessary for tissue and organismal development, which are evolutionarily conserved across species, including Drosophila. Here, we have used an FLP/FRT mosaic system to screen for conditional regulators of cell growth and cell division in the Drosophila eye. The conditional nature of this screen utilizes a block in the apoptotic pathway to prohibit the mosaic mutant cells from dying via apoptosis. From this screen, we identified two different mutants that mapped to the Hedgehog signalling pathway. Previously, we described a novel Ptc mutation and here we add to the understanding of disrupting the Hh pathway with a novel allele of Cos2. Both of these Hh components are negative regulators of the pathway, yet they depict mutant differences in the type of overgrowth created. Ptc mutations lead to overgrowth consisting of almost entirely wild-type tissue (non-autonomous overgrowth), while the Cos2 mutation results in tissue that is overgrown in both the mutant and wild-type clones (both autonomous and non-autonomous). These differences in tissue overgrowth are consistent in the Drosophila eye and wing. The observed difference is correlated with different deregulation patterns of pMad, the downstream effector of DPP signalling. This finding provides insight into pathway-specific differences that help to better understand intricacies of developmental processes and human diseases that result from deregulated Hedgehog signalling, such as basal cell carcinoma.

Co-Overexpression of GRK5/ACTC1 Correlates With the Clinical Parameters and Poor Prognosis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Background: The prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is poor, and the present prognostic predictors of EOC are neither sensitive nor specific.

Objective: The aim of this study was to search the prognostic biomarkers of EOC and to investigate the expression of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5) and actin alpha cardiac muscle 1 (ACTC1) in EOC tissues (both paraffin-embedded and fresh-frozen tissues) and to explore their association with clinicopathological parameters and prognostic value in patients with EOC.

Methods: A total of 172 paraffin-embedded cancer tissues of EOC patients diagnosed and operated at the memorial hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between December 2009 and March 2017 and 41 paratumor tissues were collected and the expression of GRK5 and ACTC1 was examined using immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, 16 fresh-frozen EOC tissues and their matched paratumor tissues were collected from the Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, between August 2013 and November 2019 and subjected to reverse-transcription quantitative PCR analysis to detect the mRNA expression of GRK5 and ACTC1.

Results: The expression of GRK5 and ACTC1 was both higher in cancer tissues than in paratumor tissues. GRK5 expression was positively correlated with ACTC1 expression. In addition, GRK5, ACTC1, and GRK5/ACTC1 expression was associated with the recurrence-free survival and overall survival of EOC patients. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that GRK5+/ACTC1+ co-expression, intestinal metastasis, postoperative chemotherapy, platinum resistance, and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors of EOC.

Conclusion: GRK5 and ACTC1 are both upregulated in EOC compared with those in paratumor tissues. The co-expression of GRK5+/ACTC1+ rather than GRK5 or ACTC1 is an independent prognostic biomarker of EOC.

Deciphering the Pyroptosis-Related Prognostic Signature and Immune Cell Infiltration Characteristics of Colon Cancer

Background: Colon cancer (CC) remains one of the most common malignancies with a poor prognosis. Pyroptosis, referred to as cellular inflammatory necrosis, is thought to influence tumor development. However, the potential effects of pyroptosis-related regulators (PRRs) on the CC immune microenvironment remain unknown.

Methods: In this study, 27 PRRs reported in the previous study were used to cluster the 1,334 CC samples into three pyroptosis-related molecular patterns. Through subtype pattern differential analysis and structure network mining using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), 854 signature genes associated with the PRRs were discovered. Further LASSO-penalized Cox regression of these genes established an eight-gene assessment model for predicting prognosis.

Results: The CC patients were subtyped based on three distinct pyroptosis-related molecular patterns. These pyroptosis-related patterns were correlated with different clinical outcomes and immune cell infiltration characteristics in the tumor microenvironment. The pyroptosis-related eight-signature model was established and used to assess the prognosis of CC patients with medium-to-high accuracy by employing the risk scores, which was named “PRM-scores.” Greater inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in tumors with low PRM-scores, indicating a potential benefit of immunotherapy in these patients.

Conclusions: This study suggests that PRRs have a significant effect on the tumor immune microenvironment and tumor development. Evaluating the pyroptosis-related patterns and related models will promote our understanding of immune cell infiltration characteristics in the tumor microenvironment and provide a theoretical basis for future research targeting pyroptosis in cancer.

High Expression of MYL9 Indicates Poor Clinical Prognosis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) is poor, but the prognostic biomarkers are neither sensitive nor specific. Therefore, it is very important to search novel prognostic biomarkers for EOC.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to investigate Myosin Light Chain 9(MYL9) expression in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) tissues (including paraffin-embedded and fresh tissue samples) and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics, as well as its potential prognostic value in patients with EOC.

METHODS

Between March 2009 and December 2018, all of 184 paraffin-embedded cancer tissues from patients with EOC and 41 paratumor tissues, pathologically confirmed at the Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, were collected for the present study and were assessed for MYL9 protein expression patterns using Immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, from August 2013 to November 2019, 16 fresh EOC tissues and their paired paratumor tissues, pathologically confirmed at the Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University were analyzed using Reverse-Transcription Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to detect MYL9 mRNA expression levels.

RESULTS

The results showed that MYL9 expression was higher in cancer tissues compared with that in paratumor tissues, and MYL9 overexpression was associated with shorter Recurrence Free Survival (RFS) and Overall Survival (OS) of EOC patients. Furthermore, multivariate Cox model analysis indicated that MYL9 overexpression was an independent poor survival prediction in patients with EOC.

CONCLUSION

MYL9 is upregulated in EOC and may serve as a useful patent of prognostic biomarker in EOC, and it may demonstrate an important value for the clinical treatment and supervision of patients with EOC.

Expression and Clinical Significance of Microtubule-Actin Cross-Linking Factor 1 in Serous Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

Ovarian Cancer (OC) remains the first leading cause of gynecologic malignancy. The survival rate from Serous Ovarian Cancer (SOC) is very low, and the present prognostic predictors of SOC are not very sensitive or specific.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate Microtubule-Actin Cross-Linking Factor 1 (MACF1) expression in SOC tissues (including paraffin-embedded and fresh tissues) and to assess its expression and significant value in patients with SOC.

METHODS

A total of 18 fresh SOC tissues and their paired paratumor tissues were performed with reverse-transcription quantitative PCR analysis to detect MACF1 mRNA expression. Moreover, 175 paraffin-embedded SOC tissues and 41 paratumor tissues were assessed for MACF1 expression using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The mRNA and protein expression of MACF1, both were higher in cancer tissues than that in paratumor tissues, and the high expression of MACF1 was associated with shorter Recurrence Free Survival (RFS) and Overall Survival (OS) in patients with SOC. Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis showed that high MACF1 expression was an independent poor survival predictor of patients with SOC.

CONCLUSION

MACF1 is upregulated in SOC, and it may be used as a useful prognostic biomarker in SOC.

Human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) E6 but not E7 inhibits the antitumor activity of LKB1 in lung cancer cells by downregulating the expression of KIF7

BACKGROUND

The E6 and E7 proteins in human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) are the main oncogenes in the occurrence of lung cancer. In recent studies, we found that E6 and E7 downregulated the expression of LKB1 in lung cancer cells. However, it is still unclear how E6 and E7 regulate LKB1 in lung cancer cells.

METHODS

Double directional genetic manipulation and nuclear plasma separation technology were performed to explore the molecular mechanism of E6 and E7 inhibiting the antitumor activity of LKB1 in well-established lung cancer cell lines.

RESULTS

E6 but not E7 significantly downregulated the expression of tumor suppressor KIF7 at protein level, and the inhibition of KIF7 further reduced the expression of LKB1 both in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm, whereas reduced the expression of p-LKB1 in the cytoplasm only. This suggested that HPV 16 E6 but not E7 downregulates the antitumor activity of LKB1 by downregulating the expression of p-LKB1 in the cytoplasm only.

CONCLUSIONS

Here, we demonstrated for the first time that E6 but not E7 inhibits the antitumor activity of LKB1 in lung cancer cells by downregulating the expression of KIF7. Our findings provide new evidence to support the important role of KIF7 in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and suggests new therapeutic targets.

FOXO1 overexpression is correlated with poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate FOXO1 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and to explore its correlation with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis of EOC.

METHODS

Two hundred and sixteen cases of paraffin-embedded EOC and 41 paratumor tissues from 2009 to 2017 that had been pathologically confirmed at the memorial hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were included in this study, and the expression of FOXO1 was performed by immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody specific for FOXO1.

RESULTS

FOXO1 protein expression is associated with Recurrence free and overall survival in EOC patients; In addition, FOXO1 expression is associated with age, FIGO stage, intraperitoneal metastasis, intestinal metastasis, vital status, intraperitoneal recurrence and differentiation grade; Moreover, in a multivariate model FOXO1 overexpression was an independent predictor of poor survival in EOC.

CONCLUSION

FOXO1 may play a candidate oncogenic role in EOC, and FOXO1 is a useful independent prognostic marker in EOC, and it may provide a candidate target therapy in future.