Fatal heart disease in patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma

Targeting IL-11R/EZH2 signaling axis as a therapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma lung metastases

Lung metastases are the primary cause of death for osteosarcoma (OS) patients. We recently validated interleukin-11 receptor α (IL-11Rα) as a molecular target for the inhibition of OS lung metastases. Since there is no clinically approved antibody against this receptor, we sought to identify downstream targets that mediate the effects of IL-11Rα signaling. We used shRNA to deplete IL-11Rα from OS cells; as a complementary approach, we added IL-11 exogenously to OS cells. The resulting changes in gene expression identified EZH2 as a downstream candidate. This was confirmed by knockdown of IL-11Rα in OS cells, which led to increased expression of genes repressed by histone methyltransferase EZH2, including members of the WNT pathway, a known target pathway of EZH2. Exogenous IL-11 increased the global levels of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation, evidence of EZH2 activation. Treatment with the EZH2 inhibitor GSK126 significantly reduced in vitro proliferation and increased cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, which were partially mediated through the WNT pathway. In vivo, treatment of an orthotopic nude mouse model of OS with GSK126 inhibited lung metastatic growth and prolonged survival. In addition, significantly shorter recurrence-free survival was seen in OS patients with high levels of EZH2 in their primary tumors (P < .05). This suggests that IL-11Rα promotes OS lung metastasis via activation of EZH2. Thus, blocking EZH2 activity may be an effective strategy for inhibiting OS lung metastasis and improving prognosis.

LncRNA SNHG25 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Promotes Progression in Osteosarcoma via the miR-497-5p/SOX4 Axis

BACKGROUND

Osteosarcoma is a disease that primarily affects adolescents with skeletal immaturity. LncRNAs are abnormally expressed and correlated with osteosarcoma patients' prognosis. We identified aberrant expression of LncRNA SNHG25 (small nucleolar RNA host gene 25) in osteosarcoma and analyzed the molecular mechanisms by which it regulates osteosarcoma progression.

METHODS

The expression levels of SNHG25 in tumour specimens and cells were measured by RTqPCR. Loss-of-function assays were conducted to investigate the functional role of SNHG25 in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatic predictions, dual-luciferase reporter assays, and western blotting were performed to explore the possible underlying mechanisms.

RESULTS

SNHG25 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma cells and tissues. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the survival rate of patients with high SNHG25 expression was significantly lower than those with low SNHG25 expression. Functional studies have indicated that inhibition of SNHG25 suppresses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while promoting apoptosis. SNHG25 knockdown suppresses osteosarcoma tumour growth in vivo. SNHG25 functions as a sponge for miR-497-5p in osteosarcoma cells. The level of SNHG25 was negatively correlated with that of miR-497-5p. The proliferation, invasion, and migration of osteosarcoma cells were restored by transfection of the miR-497-5p inhibitor in the SNHG25 knockdown group.

CONCLUSION

SNHG25 was determined to function as an oncogene by promoting osteosarcoma cell proliferation, invasion, and migration through the miR-497-5p/SOX4 axis. Upregulation of SNHG25 expression indicated poor prognosis in patients with osteosarcoma, which showed that SNHG25 may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in osteosarcoma.

Analysis of competing risks of cardiovascular death in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A population-based study

Clinical data has shown that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have emerged as a prominent cause of mortality in individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This research aimed to reveal the comorbid effects of CVDs in patients with HCC. The cardiovascular mortality of patients diagnosed with HCC between 2000 and 2014 was compared to that of the general US population. Standardized mortality ratios were calculated to quantify the relative risk of cardiovascular mortality in HCC patients. The cumulative incidence of cardiovascular death (CVD) was estimated using Fine-Gray testing, and independent risk factors for CVD were determined using competing risk models. The results were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. The overall SMR for CVD in HCC patients was 11.15 (95% CI: 10.99-11.32). The risk of CVD was significantly higher in patients aged < 55 years (SMR: 56.19 [95% CI: 54.97-57.44]) compared to those aged ≥ 75 years (SMR: 1.86 [95% CI: 1.75-1.97]). This study suggests that patients with HCC are at significant risk of developing CVD. Competing risk analyses indicated that age, grade, tumor size, surveillance, epidemiology, and end results stage, and surgical status were independent risk factors for CVD in patients with HCC. Therefore, patients with HCC require enhanced preventive screening and management of CVDs during and after treatment to improve patient survival.