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Yan L, Shi J, Zhu J. Cellular and molecular events in colorectal cancer: biological mechanisms, cell death pathways, drug resistance and signalling network interactions. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:294. [PMID: 39031216 PMCID: PMC11265098 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, affecting millions each year. It emerges from the colon or rectum, parts of the digestive system, and is closely linked to both genetic and environmental factors. In CRC, genetic mutations such as APC, KRAS, and TP53, along with epigenetic changes like DNA methylation and histone modifications, play crucial roles in tumor development and treatment responses. This paper delves into the complex biological underpinnings of CRC, highlighting the pivotal roles of genetic alterations, cell death pathways, and the intricate network of signaling interactions that contribute to the disease's progression. It explores the dysregulation of apoptosis, autophagy, and other cell death mechanisms, underscoring the aberrant activation of these pathways in CRC. Additionally, the paper examines how mutations in key molecular pathways, including Wnt, EGFR/MAPK, and PI3K, fuel CRC development, and how these alterations can serve as both diagnostic and prognostic markers. The dual function of autophagy in CRC, acting as a tumor suppressor or promoter depending on the context, is also scrutinized. Through a comprehensive analysis of cellular and molecular events, this research aims to deepen our understanding of CRC and pave the way for more effective diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yan
- Medical Department, The Central Hospital of Shaoyang Affiliated to University of South China, Shaoyang, China
| | - Jia Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Central Hospital of Shaoyang Affiliated to University of South China, Shaoyang, China
| | - Jiazuo Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Xuancheng City Central Hospital, No. 117 Tong Road, Xuancheng, Anhui, China.
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Wu Q, Fu X, He X, Liu J, Li Y, Ou C. Experimental prognostic model integrating N6-methyladenosine-related programmed cell death genes in colorectal cancer. iScience 2024; 27:108720. [PMID: 38299031 PMCID: PMC10829884 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108720] [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: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) intricacies, involving dysregulated cellular processes and programmed cell death (PCD), are explored in the context of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification. Utilizing the TCGA-COADREAD/CRC cohort, 854 m6A-related PCD genes are identified, forming the basis for a robust 10-gene risk model (CDRS) established through LASSO Cox regression. qPCR experiments using CRC cell lines and fresh tissues was performed for validation. The CDRS served as an independent risk factor for CRC and showed significant associations with clinical features, molecular subtypes, and overall survival in multiple datasets. Moreover, CDRS surpasses other predictors, unveiling distinct genomic profiles, pathway activations, and associations with the tumor microenvironment. Notably, CDRS exhibits predictive potential for drug sensitivity, presenting a novel paradigm for CRC risk stratification and personalized treatment avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihui Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Xiaodan Fu
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Departments of Ultrasound Imaging, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
| | - Yimin Li
- Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Chunlin Ou
- Department of Pathology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha 410008, China
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Zang K, Wang M, Zhu X, Yao B, Huang Y. A novel necroptosis signature for predicting survival in lung adenocarcinoma. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:305. [PMID: 38017445 PMCID: PMC10685572 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01748-9] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To explore the necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) signature and its predictive values in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). METHODS The training cohort consisted of tumor samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and the validation set comprised data from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to identify the prognostic NRG signature as an independent molecular indicator. Correlation analysis was used for the association assessment between the NRG signature and immune checkpoint molecules. RESULTS NRGs involved in necroptosis and immune NOD-like receptor signaling. The NRG signature based on eight NRGs can divide tumors into high-risk and low-risk groups, which was significantly associated with worse survival. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that this NRG signature remained an independent prognostic indicator. Stratification analyses demonstrated that this NRG signature was still effective for predicting survival in each stratum of age, gender, and tumor stage. The ROC curve showed a good predictive ability using the NRG signature in the validation cohort (AUC = 0.81). The NRG signature was related to immune checkpoint molecules PD - 1, PD-L1, and PD-L2. CONCLUSIONS The NRG signature could be a novel predictor of the prognosis and may become a potential therapeutic target in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Zang
- Department of ICU, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, No.1, Huanghe West Road, Huaiyin District, 223300, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of ICU, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, No.1, Huanghe West Road, Huaiyin District, 223300, China
| | - Xingxing Zhu
- Department of ICU, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, No.1, Huanghe West Road, Huaiyin District, 223300, China
| | - Bin Yao
- Department of ICU, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, No.1, Huanghe West Road, Huaiyin District, 223300, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of ICU, the Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province, Huai'an, No.1, Huanghe West Road, Huaiyin District, 223300, China.
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Holubekova V, Loderer D, Grendar M, Mikolajcik P, Kolkova Z, Turyova E, Kudelova E, Kalman M, Marcinek J, Miklusica J, Laca L, Lasabova Z. Differential gene expression of immunity and inflammation genes in colorectal cancer using targeted RNA sequencing. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1206482. [PMID: 37869102 PMCID: PMC10586664 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1206482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease caused by molecular changes, as driver mutations, gene methylations, etc., and influenced by tumor microenvironment (TME) pervaded with immune cells with both pro- and anti-tumor effects. The studying of interactions between the immune system (IS) and the TME is important for developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies for CRC. In our study, we focused on the analysis of expression profiles of inflammatory and immune-relevant genes to identify aberrant signaling pathways included in carcinogenesis, metastatic potential of tumors, and association of Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) gene mutation. Methods A total of 91 patients were enrolled in the study. Using NGS, differential gene expression analysis of 11 tumor samples and 11 matching non-tumor controls was carried out by applying a targeted RNA panel for inflammation and immunity genes containing 475 target genes. The obtained data were evaluated by the CLC Genomics Workbench and R library. The significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed in Reactome GSA software, and some selected DEGs were used for real-time PCR validation. Results After prioritization, the most significant differences in gene expression were shown by the genes TNFRSF4, IRF7, IL6R, NR3CI, EIF2AK2, MIF, CCL5, TNFSF10, CCL20, CXCL11, RIPK2, and BLNK. Validation analyses on 91 samples showed a correlation between RNA-seq data and qPCR for TNFSF10, RIPK2, and BLNK gene expression. The top differently regulated signaling pathways between the studied groups (cancer vs. control, metastatic vs. primary CRC and KRAS positive and negative CRC) belong to immune system, signal transduction, disease, gene expression, DNA repair, and programmed cell death. Conclusion Analyzed data suggest the changes at more levels of CRC carcinogenesis, including surface receptors of epithelial or immune cells, its signal transduction pathways, programmed cell death modifications, alterations in DNA repair machinery, and cell cycle control leading to uncontrolled proliferation. This study indicates only basic molecular pathways that enabled the formation of metastatic cancer stem cells and may contribute to clarifying the function of the IS in the TME of CRC. A precise identification of signaling pathways responsible for CRC may help in the selection of personalized pharmacological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Holubekova
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Dusan Loderer
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Marian Grendar
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Peter Mikolajcik
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Kolkova
- Laboratory of Genomics and Prenatal Diagnostics, Biomedical Center in Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Eva Turyova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Eva Kudelova
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Michal Kalman
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Marcinek
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Miklusica
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Ludovit Laca
- Clinic of Surgery and Transplant Center, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin University Hospital, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Zora Lasabova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia
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Identification and Validation a Necroptosis-Related Prognostic Signature in Cervical Cancer. Reprod Sci 2022; 30:2003-2015. [PMID: 36576713 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01155-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Necroptosis is a promising novel target for cervical cancer therapy. Nevertheless, differentially expressed necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in cervical cancer and their associations with prognosis are far from fully clarified. In this study, differentially expressed NRGs (DE-NRGs) were screened out and their bio-function was elucidated. Subsequently, a prognostic scoring model based on the regression coefficients of the screened out NRGs and their corresponding mRNA expressions were constructed and validated. Finally, the survival probability of cervical cancer patients based on the constructed prognostic scoring model in 3 and 5 years was predicted and assessed. We found 17 DE-NRGs in cervical cancer tissues which were closely related to cancer progression, and most of them were significantly highly expressed. Furthermore, 3 NRG were confirmed as the prognostic signature genes from 17 DE-NRGs by regression analysis. Overall survival predicted through our prognostic scoring model was lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group (p < 0.05) in both the TCGA cohort and the external GEO44001 validation cohort. What's more, the prediction performance of our prognostic scoring models well verified by the ROC curve, and the risk score calculated could act as an independent prognostic factor for cervical cancer patients. The calibration curve and C-index (0.776) of the nomogram analysis suggested that the predictive performance of the nomogram was satisfactory. Our study identified and validated a necroptosis-related prognostic signature in cervical cancer, which could well predict the prognosis for cervical cancer patients.
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Sun M, Ji X, Xie M, Chen X, Zhang B, Luo X, Feng Y, Liu D, Wang Y, Li Y, Liu B, Xia L, Huang W. Identification of necroptosis-related subtypes, development of a novel signature, and characterization of immune infiltration in colorectal cancer. Front Immunol 2022; 13:999084. [PMID: 36544770 PMCID: PMC9762424 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.999084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Necroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, has recently been extensively studied as an important pathway regulating tumor development, metastasis, and immunity. However, the expression patterns of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their potential roles in the tumor microenvironment (TME) have not been elucidated. Methods We explored the expression patterns of NRGs in 1247 colorectal cancer samples from genetics and transcriptional perspective. Based on a consensus clustering algorithm, we identified NRG molecular subtypes and gene subtypes, respectively. Furthermore, we constructed a necroptosis-related signature for predicting overall survival time and verified the predictive ability of the model. Using the ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and ssGSEA algorithms, we assessed the association between the above subtypes, scores and immune infiltration. Results Most NRGs were differentially expressed between CRC tissues and normal tissues. We found that distinct subtypes exhibited different NRGs expression, patients' prognosis, immune checkpoint gene expression, and immune infiltration characteristics. The scores calculated from the necroptosis-related signature can be used to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk groups, with the high-risk group corresponding to reduced immune cell infiltration and immune function, and a greater risk of immune dysfunction and immune escape. Discussion Our comprehensive analysis of NRGs in CRC demonstrated their potential role in clinicopathological features, prognosis, and immune infiltration in the TME. These findings help us deepen our understanding of NRGs and the tumor microenvironment landscape, and lay a foundation for effectively assessing patient outcomes and promoting more effective immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Meng Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaoping Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bixiang Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiangyuan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yangyang Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Danfei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yiwei Li
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bifeng Liu
- The Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics of MOE at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Hubei Bioinformatics and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Systems Biology Theme, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Clinical Medicine Research Center for Hepatic Surgery of Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Public Health, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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