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Su P, Lu Q, Wang Y, Mou Y, Jin W. Targeting MELK in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment: from function and mechanism to therapeutic application. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03664-5. [PMID: 39187643 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03664-5] [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: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), a member of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein family, has been reported to be involved in the regulation of many cellular events. The aberrant expression of MELK is associated with tumorigenesis and malignant progression of various tumors. Moreover, MELK plays an essential role in the regulation of tumor microenvironment (TME), which affects the function of immune cells and the responsiveness to immunotherapy. Currently, small molecule inhibitors targeting MELK have been developed and evaluated in clinical trials. A comprehensive understanding of MELK may provide clues and confidence for subsequent basic research and scientific transformation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structural features, molecular biological functions, and critical roles of MELK in tumors and TME, as well as the targeted agents under development for the treatment of tumors and discuss the perspective for MELK-targeted therapies for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Su
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiliang Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiping Mou
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China.
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Balasundaram A, Mitra TS, Tayubi IA, Zayed H, Doss GPC. Deciphering the miRNA-mRNA Interaction Landscape between Breast Cancer and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: An Integrated Bioinformatics Approach. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:24379-24395. [PMID: 38882157 PMCID: PMC11170726 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is globally recognized as the second most prevalent form of cancer. It predominantly affects women and can be categorized into distinct types based on the overexpression of specific cancer receptors.The key receptors implicated in this context are the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2), estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR), alongside a particularly intricate subclass known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This subclassification is critical for the stratification of breast cancer and informs therapeutic decision-making processes. Due to a lack of therapeutic targets, such as growth factor receptors, TNBC is the most aggressive type. Hence, identifying targetable regulators such as miRNAs could pave the way for potential therapeutic interventions. To identify common differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) in BC, including TNBC, we leveraged two data sets from the GEO collection and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Significant DE-mRNAs were identified through PPI, MCODE, CytoNCA, and CytoHubba analyses. Following this, miRNAs were predicted using mirDIP. We utilized GSE42568, GSE185645, and TCGA and identified 159 common DE-mRNAs. Using Cytoscape plug-ins, we identified the 10 most significant DE-mRNAs in BC. Using mirDIP, target miRNAs for 10 DE-mRNAs were identified. We conducted an advanced analysis on the TNBC GEO data set (GSE45498) to corroborate the significance of shared DE-mRNAs and DE-miRNAs in TNBC. We identified four downregulated DE-miRNAs, including hsa-miR-802, hsa-miR-1258, hsa-miR-548a-3p, and hsa-miR-2053, significantly associated with TNBC. Our study revealed significant miRNA-mRNA interactions, specifically hsa-miR-802/MELK, hsa-miR-1258/NCAPG, miR-548a-3p/CCNA2, and hsa-miR-2053/NUSAP1, in both BC and TNBC. The observed downregulation of hsa-miR-548a-3p is associated with diminished survival rates in BC patients, emphasizing their potential utility as prognostic indicators. Furthermore, the differential expression of mRNAs, including CCNB2, UBE2C, MELK, and KIF2C, correlates with reduced survival outcomes, signifying their critical role as potential targets for therapeutic intervention in both BC and TNBC. These findings highlight specific regulatory mechanisms that are potentially crucial for understanding and treating these cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambritha Balasundaram
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Tanisha Saurav Mitra
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Iftikhar Aslam Tayubi
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Rabigh (FCITR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hatem Zayed
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - George Priya C Doss
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India
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Hashemi M, Taheriazam A, Daneii P, Hassanpour A, Kakavand A, Rezaei S, Hejazi ES, Aboutalebi M, Gholamrezaie H, Saebfar H, Salimimoghadam S, Mirzaei S, Entezari M, Samarghandian S. Targeting PI3K/Akt signaling in prostate cancer therapy. J Cell Commun Signal 2023; 17:423-443. [PMID: 36367667 PMCID: PMC10409967 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-022-00702-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urological cancers have obtained much attention in recent years due to their mortality and morbidity. The most common and malignant tumor of urological cancers is prostate cancer that imposes high socioeconomic costs on public life and androgen-deprivation therapy, surgery, and combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy are employed in its treatment. PI3K/Akt signaling is an oncogenic pathway responsible for migration, proliferation and drug resistance in various cancers. In the present review, the role of PI3K/Akt signaling in prostate cancer progression is highlighted. The activation of PI3K/Akt signaling occurs in prostate cancer, while PTEN as inhibitor of PI3K/Akt shows down-regulation. Stimulation of PI3K/Akt signaling promotes survival of prostate tumor cells and prevents apoptosis. The cell cycle progression and proliferation rate of prostate tumor cells increase by PI3K/Akt signaling induction. PI3K/Akt signaling stimulates EMT and enhances metastasis of prostate tumor cells. Silencing PI3K/Akt signaling impairs growth and metastasis of prostate tumor cells. Activation of PI3K/Akt signaling mediates drug resistance and reduces radio-sensitivity of prostate tumor cells. Anti-tumor compounds suppress PI3K/Akt signaling in impairing prostate tumor progression. Furthermore, upstream regulators such as miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs regulate PI3K/Akt signaling and it has clinical implications for prostate cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Hashemi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Afshin Taheriazam
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Orthopedics, Faculty of medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pouria Daneii
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aria Hassanpour
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirabbas Kakavand
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shamin Rezaei
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Sadat Hejazi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Aboutalebi
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Gholamrezaie
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Saebfar
- League of European Research Universities, European University Association, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Shokooh Salimimoghadam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Sepideh Mirzaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Maliheh Entezari
- Farhikhtegan Medical Convergence Sciences Research Center, Farhikhtegan Hospital Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Saeed Samarghandian
- Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.
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Chamandi G, El-Hajjar L, El Kurdi A, Le Bras M, Nasr R, Lehmann-Che J. ER Negative Breast Cancer and miRNA: There Is More to Decipher Than What the Pathologist Can See! Biomedicines 2023; 11:2300. [PMID: 37626796 PMCID: PMC10452617 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC), the most prevalent cancer in women, is a heterogenous disease. Despite advancements in BC diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics, survival rates have drastically decreased in the metastatic setting. Therefore, BC still remains a medical challenge. The evolution of high-throughput technology has highlighted gaps in the classification system of BCs. Of particular interest is the notorious triple negative BC, which was recounted as being heterogenous itself and it overlaps with distinct subtypes, namely molecular apocrine (MA) and luminal androgen (LAR) BCs. These subtypes are, even today, still misdiagnosed and poorly treated. As such, researchers and clinicians have been looking for ways through which to refine BC classification in order to properly understand the initiation, development, progression, and the responses to the treatment of BCs. One tool is biomarkers and, specifically, microRNA (miRNA), which are highly reported as associated with BC carcinogenesis. In this review, the diverse roles of miRNA in estrogen receptor negative (ER-) and androgen receptor positive (AR+) BC are depicted. While highlighting their oncogenic and tumor suppressor functions in tumor progression, we will discuss their diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarker potentials, as well as their drug sensitivity/resistance activity. The association of several miRNAs in the KEGG-reported pathways that are related to ER-BC carcinogenesis is presented. The identification and verification of accurate miRNA panels is a cornerstone for tackling BC classification setbacks, as is also the deciphering of the carcinogenesis regulators of ER - AR + BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada Chamandi
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon; (G.C.); (L.E.-H.)
- Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer Team, INSERM U976, Immunologie Humaine, Pathophysiologie, Immunothérapie (HIPI), Université Paris Cité, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Layal El-Hajjar
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon; (G.C.); (L.E.-H.)
- Office of Basic/Translational Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Abdallah El Kurdi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon;
| | - Morgane Le Bras
- Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer Team, INSERM U976, Immunologie Humaine, Pathophysiologie, Immunothérapie (HIPI), Université Paris Cité, 75010 Paris, France;
| | - Rihab Nasr
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon; (G.C.); (L.E.-H.)
| | - Jacqueline Lehmann-Che
- Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer Team, INSERM U976, Immunologie Humaine, Pathophysiologie, Immunothérapie (HIPI), Université Paris Cité, 75010 Paris, France;
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Zhang H, Liu G, Mao X, Yang L, Wang B, Yuan X. LncRNA MEG3 induces endothelial differentiation of mouse derived adipose-derived stem cells by targeting MiR-145-5p/KLF4. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:8495-8505. [PMID: 35802277 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07671-z] [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: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms through which long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) maternally expressed 3 (MEG3) affected the endothelial differentiation of mouse derived adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS ADSCs were isolated and identified by specific surface marker detection. The effects of lncRNA MEG3 on endothelial differentiation of ADSCs were also detected via quantitative PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence and Matrigel angiogenesis assays. In addition, using target gene prediction tools and luciferase reporter assays, the downstream target gene was demonstrated. RESULTS LncRNA MEG3 targeted and reduced the expression levels of microRNA-145-5p (miR-145-5p), which upregulated the expression levels of Krüppel like factor 4 (KLF4), promoting endothelial differentiation of ADSCs. CONCLUSION LncRNA MEG3 induced endothelial differentiation of ADSCs by targeting miR-145-5p/KLF4, which may provide novel insights to illustrate the mechanism of endothelial differentiation of ADSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150006, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150006, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Mao
- Department of Health Center, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Medicine, Heilongjiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 33 of West Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingyu Wang
- Department of Medicine, Heilongjiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 33 of West Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xingxing Yuan
- Department of Medicine, Heilongjiang Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 33 of West Dazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
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Qian W, Yang L, Ni Y, Yin F, Qin L, Yang Y. LncRNA LINC01857 reduces metastasis and angiogenesis in breast cancer cells via regulating miR-2052/CENPQ axis. Open Med (Wars) 2022; 17:1357-1367. [PMID: 36046633 PMCID: PMC9372711 DOI: 10.1515/med-2022-0525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs have been confirmed closely related to the metastasis and angiogenesis of breast cancer (BC). LINC01857 can promote the growth and metastasis of BC cells. The present work focused on exploring the role of LINC01857 in BC metastasis and angiogenesis and investigating the possible mechanisms. The results showed that LINC01857 and CENPQ were highly expressed in BC tissues and cells, while miR-2052 was contrarily expressed. In vitro study showed that low expression of linc01857 could inhibit the migration ability and vascularization of BC cells, and mir-2052 inhibitor partially restored the effect of si-LINC01857 on the migration ability and vascularization of BC cells. Likewise, inhibition of CENPQ can partially rescue the effects of miR-2052 inhibitor on the migration ability and vascularization of BC cells. In vivo studies showed that down-regulation of LINC01857 notably suppressed tumor growth and angiogenesis in nude mice. The miR-2052 inhibitor partially restored the effects of si-LINC01857. CENPQ suppression partially rescued the effects of the miR-2052 inhibitor. To conclude, LINC01857/miR-2052/CENPQ is the potential novel target for BC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Qian
- Department of Breast Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University , Nantong , Jiangsu Province , China
| | - Linlin Yang
- Department of Oncology, Sheyang People’s Hospital , Yancheng City , Jiangsu Province 224300 , China
| | - Yi Ni
- Department of Breast Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University , Nantong , Jiangsu Province , China
| | - Fei Yin
- Department of Breast Surgery, Nantong Third People’s Hospital, Nantong University , Nantong , Jiangsu Province , China
| | - Lili Qin
- Department of Endoscopic Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong City , Jiangsu Province 226001 , China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Trauma Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , No. 20 Xisi Road, Chongchuan District , Nantong City , Jiangsu Province 226001 , China
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A Novel Pseudogene Methylation Signature to Predict Temozolomide Outcome in Non-G-CIMP Glioblastomas. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:6345160. [PMID: 35712126 PMCID: PMC9194959 DOI: 10.1155/2022/6345160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Objective Alterations in the methylation state of pseudogenes may serve as clinically useful biomarkers of glioblastomas (GBMs) that do not have glioma-CpG island methylator phenotype (G-CIMP). Methods Non-G-CIMP GBM datasets were included for evaluation, and a RISK-score signature was determined from the methylation state of pseudogene loci. Both bioinformatic and experimental analyses were performed for biological validation. Results By integrating clinical information with DNA methylation microarray data, we screened a panel of eight CpGs from discovery cohorts of non-G-CIMP GBMs. Each CpG could accurately and independently predict the prognosis of patients under a treatment regime that combined radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). The 8-CpG signature appeared to show opposite prognostic correlations between patients treated with RT/TMZ and those treated with RT monotherapy. The analyses further indicated that this signature had predictive value for TMZ efficacy because different survival benefits between RT/TMZ and RT therapies were observed in each risk subgroup. The incorporation of other risk factors, such as age and O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status, with our pseudogene methylation signature could provide precise risk classification. In vitro experimental data revealed that two locus-specific pseudogenes (ZNF767P and CLEC4GP1) may modulate TMZ resistance via distinct mechanisms in GBM cells. Conclusion The biologically and clinically relevant RISK-score signature, based on pseudogene methylation loci, may offer information for predicting TMZ responses of non-G-CIMP GBMs, that is independent from, but complementary to, MGMT-based approaches.
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