1
|
Wang Y, Wu Q, Wei X, Huang G, Feng G, Xu H, Gou X. Increased Immune Infiltration and Improved Prognosis of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated with Reduced Ancient Ubiquitous Protein 1 Gene Expression. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01161-2. [PMID: 38862860 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01161-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the prognostic role of ancient ubiquitous protein 1 (AUP1) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and its relationship with the tumor immune microenvironment. Various web resources were used to analyze the differential expression of AUP1 and its role in the HNSCC pathogenesis. A nomogram aimed at predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates was developed based on the patient's clinicopathological characteristics and AUP1 expression pattern. Several algorithms and analytical tools were used to explore the correlation between AUP1 expression and sensitivity to immune checkpoint gene therapy by evaluating infiltrating immune cells in patients with HNSCC. Higher AUP1 mRNA and protein expression levels were observed in most tumors and HNSCC than in the normal tissues. High AUP1 expression was an independent predictive risk factor for the overall survival of patients as it was closely associated with the patients' T, M, clinical, and pathological stages and lymphovascular invasion in HNSCC. In conclusion, AUP1 is involved in the occurrence and progression of HNSCC, may be used as an independent prognostic factor in patients with HNSCC, and could serve as a potential intervention target to improve immunotherapy sensitivity in HNSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiao Wei
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Gang Huang
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Guangyong Feng
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Xiaoxia Gou
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xiao H, Huang X, Chen H, Zheng Y, Liu W, Chen J, Wei R, Lin M, Wang Q, Zhuang W. Establishment of a SUMO pathway related gene signature for predicting prognosis, chemotherapy response and investigating the role of EGR2 in bladder cancer. J Cancer 2024; 15:3841-3856. [PMID: 38911380 PMCID: PMC11190772 DOI: 10.7150/jca.96481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Bladder cancer is a prevalent malignancy with significant clinical implications. Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) pathway related genes (SPRG) have been implicated in the development and progression of cancer. Methods: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of SPRG in bladder cancer. We analyzed gene expression and prognostic value of SPRG and developed a SPRG signature (SPRGS) prognostic model based on four genes (HDAC4, TRIM27, EGR2, and UBE2I) in bladder cancer. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between SPRGS and genomic alterations, tumor microenvironment, chemotherapy response, and immunotherapy. Additionally, we identified EGR2 as a key SPRG in bladder cancer. The expression of EGR2 in bladder cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the cell function experiment clarified the effect of knocking down EGR2 on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of bladder cancer cells. Results: Our findings suggest that SPRGS hold promise as prognostic markers and predictive biomarkers for chemotherapy response and immunotherapy efficacy in bladder cancer. The SPRGS prognostic model exhibited high predictive accuracy for bladder cancer patient survival. We also observed correlations between SPRG and genomic alterations, tumor microenvironment, and response to chemotherapy. Immunohistochemical results showed that EGR2 was highly expressed in bladder cancer tissues, and its overexpression was associated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of EGR2 inhibited bladder cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the landscape of SPRGS in bladder cancer and their potential implications for personalized treatment strategies. The identification of EGR2 as a key SPRG and its functional impact on bladder cancer cells further highlights its significance in bladder cancer development and progression. Overall, SPRGS may serve as important prognostic markers and predictive biomarkers for bladder cancer patients, guiding treatment decisions and improving patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Han Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaoan Huang
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Heyi Chen
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics, Fuzhou Second Hospital, Fuzhou 350000, Fujian, China
| | - Weihui Liu
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Jiabi Chen
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Ran Wei
- School of Medical and Health Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming Lin
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| | - Qingshui Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medical University Medicine, Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, China
| | - Wei Zhuang
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sannigrahi MK, Cao AC, Rajagopalan P, Sun L, Brody RM, Raghav L, Gimotty PA, Basu D. A novel pipeline for prioritizing cancer type-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities using DepMap identifies PAK2 as a target in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:336-349. [PMID: 37997254 PMCID: PMC10850805 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
There is limited guidance on exploiting the genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR screens in cancer Dependency Map (DepMap) to identify new targets for individual cancer types. This study integrated multiple tools to filter these data in order to seek new therapeutic targets specific to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The resulting pipeline prioritized 143 targetable dependencies that represented both well-studied targets and emerging target classes like mitochondrial carriers and RNA-binding proteins. In total, 14 targets had clinical inhibitors used for other cancers or nonmalignant diseases that hold near-term potential to repurpose for HNSCC therapy. Comparing inhibitor response data that were publicly available for 13 prioritized targets between the cell lines with high vs. low dependency on each target uncovered novel therapeutic potential for the PAK2 serine/threonine kinase. PAK2 gene dependency was found to be associated with wild-type p53, low PAK2 mRNA, and diploid status of the 3q amplicon containing PAK2. These findings establish a generalizable pipeline to prioritize clinically relevant targets for individual cancer types using DepMap. Its application to HNSCC highlights novel relevance for PAK2 inhibition and identifies biomarkers of PAK2 inhibitor response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malay K. Sannigrahi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Austin C. Cao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Pavithra Rajagopalan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Lova Sun
- Department of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Robert M. Brody
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Lovely Raghav
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Phyllis A. Gimotty
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and InformaticsUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Devraj Basu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology‐Head and Neck SurgeryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
- Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer CenterThe Wistar InstitutePhiladelphiaPAUSA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sun Y, Chen Y, Zhuang W, Fang S, Chen Q, Lian M, Lv C, Weng J, Wei R, Lin Y, Cai L, Wang Q. Gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis related signature predicts prognosis and sensitivity to immunotherapy in gastric cancer. J Cell Mol Med 2023; 27:3578-3590. [PMID: 37605453 PMCID: PMC10660625 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer peritoneal metastases (GCPM) is a leading cause of GC-related death. Early detection of GCPM is critical for improving the prognosis of advanced GC. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the GSE62254 database to distinguish between GCPM and non-GCPM. The gastric cancer peritoneal metastases signature (GCPMs) was developed using DEGs. We analysed the effectiveness of GCPMs as indicators for prognosis, chemotherapy, and immune therapy response in GC patients. Subsequently, we analysed the correlation between GCPMs and immune microenvironment as well as immune escape in GC patients. Random forest model and immunohistochemistry was utilized to identify the crucial genes that can aid in the diagnosis of GCPM. We identified five DEGs and utilized their expression to construct GCPMs. Patients with high GCPMs had a higher likelihood of a poor prognosis, while those with low GCPMs appeared to potentially benefit more from chemotherapy. GCPMs were a dependable marker for predicting the response to immunotherapy. Additionally, GCPMs was found to be significantly linked to stromal score and cancer-associated fibroblasts. SYNPO2 has been identified as the gene with the highest significance in the diagnosis of GCPM. Immunohistochemistry suggests that SYNPO2-positive expression in tumour cells, fibroblasts, inflammatory cell may be associated with promoting peritoneal metastasis in GC. GCPMs have shown to be a promising biomarker for predicting the prognosis and response of GC patients to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The use of GCPMs for individual tumour evaluation may pave the way for personalized treatment for GC patients in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- YuQin Sun
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - YueQing Chen
- Department of PathologyZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - Wei Zhuang
- Department of UrologyThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityQuanzhouChina
| | - ShunYong Fang
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - QiuXian Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - MingQiao Lian
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - ChenBin Lv
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - JianMing Weng
- Department of PathologyZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - Ran Wei
- Changzhou Key Laboratory of Respiratory Medical Engineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, School of Medical and Health EngineeringChangzhou UniversityChangzhouChina
| | - Yao Lin
- Central Laboratory at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medical UniversityMedicine, Fujian‐Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine‐Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese MedicineFuzhouChina
| | - LiSheng Cai
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryZhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical UniversityZhangzhouChina
| | - QingShui Wang
- Central Laboratory at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medical UniversityMedicine, Fujian‐Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine‐Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese MedicineFuzhouChina
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal UniversityFuzhouChina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Deliktas O, Gedik ME, Koc I, Gunaydin G, Kiratli H. Modulation of AMPK Significantly Alters Uveal Melanoma Tumor Cell Viability. Ophthalmic Res 2023; 66:1230-1244. [PMID: 37647867 PMCID: PMC10614466 DOI: 10.1159/000533806] [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: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Uveal melanoma (UM) responds poorly to targeted therapies or immune checkpoint inhibitors. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a pivotal serine/threonine protein kinase that coordinates vital processes such as cell growth. Targeting AMPK pathway, which represents a critical mechanism mediating the survival of UM cells, may prove to be a novel treatment strategy for UM. We aimed to demonstrate the effects of AMPK modulation on UM cells. METHODS In silico analyses were performed to compare UM and normal melanocyte cells via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The effects of AMPK modulation on cell viability and proliferation in UM cell lines with different molecular profiles (i.e., 92-1, MP46, OMM2.5, and Mel270) were investigated via XTT cell viability and proliferation assays after treating the cells with varying concentrations of A-769662 (AMPK activator) or dorsomorphin (AMPK inhibitor). RESULTS KEGG/GSEA studies demonstrated that genes implicated in the AMPK signaling pathway were differentially regulated in UM. Gene sets comprising genes involved in AMPK signaling and genes involved in energy-dependent regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin by liver kinase B1-AMPK were downregulated in UM. We observed gradual decreases in the numbers of viable UM cells as the concentration of A-769662 treatment increased. All UM cells demonstrated statistically significant decreases in cell viability when treated with 200 µm A-769662. Moreover, the effects of AMPK inhibition on UM cells were potent, since low doses of dorsomorphin treatment resulted in significant decreases in viabilities of UM cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values confirmed the potency of dorsomorphin treatment against UM in vitro. CONCLUSION AMPK may act like a friend or a foe in cancer depending on the context. As such, the current study contributes to the literature in determining the effects of therapeutic strategies targeting AMPK in several UM cells. We propose a new perspective in the treatment of UM. Targeting AMPK pathway may open up new avenues in developing novel therapeutic approaches to improve overall survival in UM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ozge Deliktas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bursa City Hospital, Nilufer, Turkey
| | - M. Emre Gedik
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Irem Koc
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gurcan Gunaydin
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hayyam Kiratli
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhong W, Liu H, Li F, lin Y, Ye Y, Xu L, Li S, Chen H, Li C, Lin Y, Zhuang W, Lin Y, Wang Q. Elevated expression of LIF predicts a poor prognosis and promotes cell migration and invasion of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:934128. [PMID: 35992780 PMCID: PMC9382297 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.934128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the seventh most common cancer in humans, of which clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) accounts for the majority. Recently, although there have been significant breakthroughs in the treatment of ccRCC, the prognosis of targeted therapy is still poor. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic protein, which is overexpressed in many cancers and plays a carcinogenic role. In this study, we explored the expression and potential role of LIF in ccRCC. Methods The expression levels and prognostic effects of the LIF gene in ccRCC were detected using TCGA, GEO, ICGC, and ArrayExpress databases. The function of LIF in ccRCC was investigated using a series of cell function approaches. LIF-related genes were identified by weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). GO and KEGG analyses were performed subsequently. Cox univariate and LASSO analyses were used to develop risk signatures based on LIF-related genes, and the prognostic model was validated in the ICGC and E-MTAB-1980 databases. Then, a nomogram model was constructed for survival prediction and validation of ccRCC patients. To further explore the drug sensitivity between LIF-related genes, we also conducted a drug sensitivity analysis based on the GDSC database. Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of LIF were significantly increased in ccRCC patients. In addition, a high expression of LIF has a poor prognostic effect in ccRCC patients. LIF knockdown can inhibit the migration and invasion of ccRCC cells. By using WGCNA, 97 LIF-related genes in ccRCC were identified. Next, a prognostic risk prediction model including eight LIF-related genes (TOB2, MEPCE, LIF, RGS2, RND3, KLF6, RRP12, and SOCS3) was developed and validated. Survival analysis and ROC curve analysis indicated that the eight LIF-related-gene predictive model had good performance in evaluating patients’ prognosis in different subgroups of ccRCC. Conclusion Our study revealed that LIF plays a carcinogenic role in ccRCC. In addition, we firstly integrated multiple LIF-related genes to set up a risk-predictive model. The model could accurately predict the prognosis of ccRCC, which offers clinical implications for risk stratification, drug screening, and therapeutic decision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Zhong
- Central Laboratory at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Traditional Chinese Medical University, Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hongxia Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Pathology, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Youyu lin
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan Ye
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Luyun Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - ShengZhao Li
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hui Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chengcheng Li
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuxuan Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wei Zhuang
- Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qingshui Wang, ; Yao Lin, ; ; Wei Zhuang,
| | - Yao Lin
- Central Laboratory at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Traditional Chinese Medical University, Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qingshui Wang, ; Yao Lin, ; ; Wei Zhuang,
| | - Qingshui Wang
- Central Laboratory at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Traditional Chinese Medical University, Fujian-Macao Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Oriented Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment, Innovation and Transformation Center, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qingshui Wang, ; Yao Lin, ; ; Wei Zhuang,
| |
Collapse
|