Comprehensive Analysis of GLUT1 Immune Infiltrates and ceRNA Network in Human Esophageal Carcinoma

GLUT1 promotes cell proliferation via binds and stabilizes phosphorylated EGFR in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

While previous studies have primarily focused on Glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) related glucose metabolism signaling, we aim to discover if GLUT1 promotes tumor progression through a non-metabolic pathway.

METHODS

The RNA-seq and microarray data were comprehensively analyzed to evaluate the significance of GLUT1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration were used to test GLUT1 's oncogenic function. Co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrum (MS) were used to uncover potential GLUT1 interacting proteins. RNA-seq, DIA-MS, western blot, and qRT-PCR to probe the change of gene and cell signaling pathways.

RESULTS

We found that GLUT1 is highly expressed in LUAD, and higher expression is related to poor patient survival. GLUT1 knockdown caused a decrease in cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and induced apoptosis in LUAD cells. Mechanistically, GLUT1 directly interacted with phosphor-epidermal growth factor receptor (p-EGFR) and prevented EGFR protein degradation via ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. The GLUT1 inhibitor WZB117 can increase the sensitivity of LUAD cells to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) Gefitinib.

CONCLUSIONS

GLUT1 expression is higher in LUAD and plays an oncogenic role in lung cancer progression. Combining GLUT1 inhibitors and EGFR-TKIs could be a potential therapeutic option for LUAD treatment.

Reprogramming of glucose metabolism: Metabolic alterations in the progression of osteosarcoma

Metabolic reprogramming is an adaptive response of tumour cells under hypoxia and low nutrition conditions. There is increasing evidence that glucose metabolism reprogramming can regulate the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS). Reprogramming in the progress of OS can bring opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment of OS. Previous research mainly focused on the glycolytic pathway of glucose metabolism, often neglecting the tricarboxylic acid cycle and pentose phosphate pathway. However, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and pentose phosphate pathway of glucose metabolism are also involved in the progression of OS and are closely related to this disease. The research on glucose metabolism in OS has not yet been summarized. In this review, we discuss the abnormal expression of key molecules related to glucose metabolism in OS and summarize the glucose metabolism related signaling pathways involved in the occurrence and development of OS. In addition, we discuss some of the targeted drugs that regulate glucose metabolism pathways, which can lead to effective strategies for targeted treatment of OS.

lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 as a ceRNA inhibits skeletal muscle aging by regulating miR-520d-5p

Sarcopenia induced by muscle aging is associated with negative outcomes in a variety of diseases. Long non-coding RNAs are a class of RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides with lower protein coding potential. An increasing number of studies have shown that lncRNAs play a vital role in skeletal muscle development. According to our previous research, lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 is selected in the present study as the target gene to further study its effect on skeletal muscle aging in a dexamethasone-induced human muscle atrophy cell model. As a result, GPRC5D-AS1 functions as a ceRNA of miR-520d-5p to repress cell apoptosis and regulate the expression of muscle regulatory factors, including MyoD, MyoG, Mef2c and Myf5, thus accelerating myoblast proliferation and differentiation, facilitating development of skeletal muscle. In conclusion, lncRNA GPRC5D-AS1 could be a novel therapeutic target for treating sarcopenia.

Associations Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of Hypoxia-Related Genes and Capsule Formation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

Tumor capsule is an independent prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and used increasingly to guide clinical decision-making. Considering the genetic complexity for capsule formation and its potential association with hypoxia, the significance of the polymorphisms of hypoxia-related genes in capsule formation and HCC prognosis remains to be elucidated.

Patients and Methods

Peripheral blood samples from HCC patients were collected in this study. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was conducted by the iPLEX chemistry on a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Sequenom, Inc.). The demographic and clinical data for the patients were obtained through medical chart review and/or consultation with the treating physicians. SPSS 25.0, R 4.1.1, and PLINK toolset were used to perform statistical analysis.

Results

A total of 183 patients were enrolled, including 88 patients assigned to the capsule group and 95 to the non-capsule group. SLC2A1 rs841858 T allele, SLC2A1 rs2297977 T allele, STAT1 rs1547550 C allele, and STAT1 rs34997637 G allele were associated with significantly increased risk of capsule formation. The genotypes of SLC2A1 rs841858, SLC2A1 rs2297977, STAT1 rs34997637, and STAT1 rs1914408 were significantly associated with the formation of HCC capsule. The polymorphisms of STAT1 rs2066802, STAT1 rs12693591, and HIF1A rs2057482 showed close relationship with the prognosis of HCC patients in the capsule group, while the genotype distributions of CTNNB1 rs4135385, IFNG rs1861494, and SERPINE1 rs2227631 were closely related to the survival of patients in the non-capsule group. Further haplotype analysis suggested that SLC2A1 block 1 and STAT1 block 2 were related to the susceptibility of HCC capsule.

Conclusion

The polymorphisms of the hypoxia-related genes (HIF1A, SERPINE1, IFNG, STAT1, CTNNB1, and SLC2A1) were correlated with the formation of HCC capsule. Several SNPs in these genes also showed association with HCC prognosis except SLC2A1. Further functional studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Adherence to diabetes risk reduction diet and the risk of head and neck cancer: a prospective study of 101,755 American adults

Background

Adherence to the diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD) may potentially reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancer (HNC) as the diet includes fruits and limits red and processed meats, known risk factors for HNC. However, there is currently no epidemiological research to investigate this potential association.

Methods

The present study utilized data on demographics, lifestyles, medications, and diets of participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial to explore the potential association between adherence to DRRD and the risk of HNC. We used a DRRD score to evaluate adherence to the dietary pattern and employed Cox regression analysis to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for HNC risk. Several subgroup analyses were carried out to identify potential effect modifiers, and multiple sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the stability of the correlation. The nine components of the DRRD was assessed separately for its association with the risk of HNC.

Results

During a mean follow up of 8.84 years, 279 cases of HNC were observed. DDRD score was found to be inversely associated with the risk of HNC (HR Q4 vs. Q1: 0.582; 95% CI: 0.396, 0.856; p = 0.005 for trend) in a linear dose-response manner (p = 0.211 for non-linearity). Subgroup analysis indicated this inverse correlation was more pronounced among participants who had never smoked (HRQ4 vs. Q1: 0.193; 95% CI: 0.073, 0.511; p < 0.001 for trend) compared to current or former smokers (p = 0.044 for interaction). The primary association of DDRD and HNC risk remained robust after several sensitivity analyses. Regarding the individual components of DRRD, an inverse association was also observed between the risk of HNC and increased intake of cereal fiber and whole fruit (all p < 0.05 for trend).

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence that following the DRRD pattern may reduce the risk of NHC, especially for non-smokers.

The Role of RNA m6A Modification in Cancer Glycolytic Reprogramming

As one of the main characteristics of neoplasia, metabolic reprogramming provides nutrition and energy to enhance cell proliferation and maintain environment homeostasis. Glycolysis is one of the most important components of cancer metabolism and the Warburg effect contributes to the competitive advantages of cancer cells in the threatened microenvironment. Studies show strong links between N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification and metabolic recombination of cancer cells. As the most abundant modification in eukaryotic RNA, m⁶A methylation plays important roles in regulating RNA processing, including splicing, stability, transportation, translation and degradation. The aberration of m⁶A modification can be observed in a variety of diseases such as diabetes, neurological diseases and cancers. This review describes the mechanisms of m⁶A on cancer glycolysis and their applications in cancer therapy and prognosis evaluation, aiming to emphasize the importance of targeting m⁶A in modulating cancer metabolism.

The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway in Epilepsy

Epilepsy is defined as spontaneous recurrent seizures in the brain. There is increasing evidence that inflammatory mediators and immune cells are involved in epileptic seizures. As more research is done on inflammatory factors and immune cells in epilepsy, new targets for the treatment of epilepsy will be revealed. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and transcriptional activator (JAKSTAT) signaling pathway is strongly associated with many immune and inflammatory diseases, At present, more and more studies have found that the JAK-STAT pathway is involved in the development and development of epilepsy, indicating the JAK-STAT pathway's potential promise as a target in epilepsy treatment. In this review, we discuss the composition, activation, and regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway and the relationship between the JAK-STAT pathway and epilepsy. In addition, we summarize the common clinical inhibitors of JAK and STAT that we would expect to be used in epilepsy treatment in the future.

RNA m6 A methylation in cancer

N⁶ -methyladenosine (m⁶ A) is one of the most abundant internal modifications in eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). It is a reversible and dynamic RNA modification that has been observed in both internal coding segments and untranslated regions. Studies indicate that m⁶ A modifications play important roles in translation, RNA splicing, export, degradation and ncRNA processing control. In this review, we focus on the profiles and biological functions of RNA m⁶ A methylation on both mRNAs and ncRNAs. The dynamic modification of m⁶ A and its potential roles in cancer development are discussed. Moreover, we discuss the possibility of m⁶ A modifications serving as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and targets for therapy.

The Role of m6A Modification and m6A Regulators in Esophageal Cancer

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, the most prevalent RNA modification, is involved in all aspects of RNA metabolism, including RNA processing, nuclear export, stability, translation and degradation. Therefore, m6A modification can participate in various physiological functions, such as tissue development, heat shock response, DNA damage response, circadian clock control and even in carcinogenesis through regulating the expression or structure of the gene. The deposition, removal and recognition of m6A are carried out by methyltransferases, demethylases and m6A RNA binding proteins, respectively. Aberrant m6A modification and the dysregulation of m6A regulators play critical roles in the occurrence and development of various cancers. The pathogenesis of esophageal cancer (ESCA) remains unclear and the five-year survival rate of advanced ESCA patients is still dismal. Here, we systematically reviewed the recent studies of m6A modification and m6A regulators in ESCA and comprehensively analyzed the role and possible mechanism of m6A modification and m6A regulators in the occurrence, progression, remedy and prognosis of ESCA. Defining the effect of m6A modification and m6A regulators in ESCA might be helpful for determining the pathogenesis of ESCA and providing some ideas for an early diagnosis, individualized treatment and improved prognosis of ESCA patients.

Nucleophosmin 1 is a prognostic marker of gastrointestinal cancer and is associated with m6A and cuproptosis

Background: NPM1 is highly expressed in a variety of solid tumors and promotes tumor development. However, there are few comprehensive studies on NPM1 analysis in gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods: We used bioinformatics tools to study the expression difference of NPM1 between gastrointestinal cancer and control group, and analyzed the relationship between its expression level and the diagnosis, prognosis, functional signaling pathway, immune infiltration, m6A and cuproptosis related genes of gastrointestinal cancer. At the same time, the expression difference of NPM1 between esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) samples and control samples was verified by in vitro experiments.

Results: NPM1 was overexpressed in gastrointestinal cancer. In vitro experiments confirmed that the expression of NPM1 in ESCA samples was higher than that in normal samples. The expression of NPM1 has high accuracy in predicting the outcome of gastrointestinal cancer. The expression of NPM1 is closely related to the prognosis of multiple gastrointestinal cancers. Go and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that NPM1 co-expressed genes involved in a variety of biological functions. NPM1 expression is potentially associated with a variety of immune cell infiltration, m6A and cuproptosis related genes in gastrointestinal cancers.

Conclusion: NPM1 can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of gastrointestinal cancer, which is related to the immune cell infiltration and the regulation of m6A and cuproptosis.

MPP7 as a Novel Biomarker of Esophageal Cancer: MPP7 Knockdown Inhibits Esophageal Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

MAGUK p55 scaffold protein 7 (MPP7) is a member of the stardust family of membrane-associated guanosine kinase protein P55 and plays a role in the establishment of epithelial cell polarity. However, its potential implication in human esophageal cancer is unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression profile of MPP7 and its functional impact on esophagus cancer. Expression analyses of immunohistochemical microarrays with survival and prognostic information of 103 patients with esophageal cancer demonstrated that MPP7 was overexpressed in 52 patients, who showed poor survival rates. The transcriptional expression of MPP7 in esophageal cancer in TCGA database increased successively from normal epithelial, to esophageal adenocarcinoma, to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Transcriptome sequencing after MPP7 knockdown in esophageal carcinoma cells showed that wound-healing-associated proteins were down-regulated, and the TGF-β pathway was one of the important signaling pathways. A loss-of-function study showed that the knockdown of MPP7 inhibited cell migration and invasion. These results could be verified in a model of tumor cells injected into the tail vein and subcutaneous tumor of nude mice. Herein, our results indicated that MPP7 could have an oncogenic role in human esophagus cancer, thus demonstrating its potential as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and/or treatment of esophagus cancer.

Robust pyroptosis risk score guides the treatment options and predicts the prognosis of bladder carcinoma

Background

Bladder carcinoma (BLCA) is a heterogeneous disease that makes it difficult to achieve proper individual treatment and predict prognosis. This study aimed to develop a risk score from a new perspective of pyroptosis and guide accurate treatment and prognosis prediction for BLCA.

Methods

The TCGA-BLCA cohort data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Two external validation cohorts were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Another independent validation cohort (the Xiangya cohort) was recruited from our hospital. The least absolute shrinkage and selector operation (LASSO) algorithm and Cox regression models were used to establish the pyroptosis risk score. Thereafter, we correlated the pyroptosis risk score with prognosis, tumor microenvironment (TME) immune hallmarks, and multiple treatments, including anticancer immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Results

The pyroptosis risk score was an independent prognostic predictor of BLCA. We found that the activities of multiple steps of the anticancer immune response cycle, such as the release of cancer cell antigens, CD8 T cell recruitment, and NK cell recruitment, were significantly higher in the high-risk score group than in the low-risk score group. In addition, the infiltration levels of the corresponding tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs), such as CD8 T cells and NK cells, were positively correlated with the pyroptosis risk score. Thus, BLCA with a high-risk score may be associated with inflamed phenotypes. Simultaneously, the expression of multiple immune checkpoints (such as PD-L1, CTLA-4, and PD-1) and enrichment scores of gene signatures positively correlated with immunotherapy response were positively correlated with the pyroptosis risk score. Therefore, patients with a high pyroptosis risk score may be more sensitive to immunotherapy. In addition, patients with high pyroptosis risk scores may be more sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin, docetaxel, and paclitaxel. In addition, the pyroptosis risk score accurately predicted the molecular subtypes of BLCA, which were cross-validated in several independent systems.

Conclusions

This study developed and validated a robust pyroptosis risk score that can predict the clinical outcomes and TME immune phenotypes of BLCA. In summary, the pyroptosis risk score helps drive precision therapy in patients with BLCA.

Comprehensive Analysis of circRNA-Mediated ceRNA Regulatory Networks in relation to Recurrent Implantation Failure

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is attributed to endometrial receptivity dysfunction with many unanswered questions. Up to now, there is no explanation for RIF, and therapeutic strategies are usually limited to supportive care. In this study, we differentially analyzed the raw data deposited in three eligible microarray datasets, GSE111974, GSE121219, and GSE147442 to screen DE-mRNAs, DE-miRNAs, and DE-circRNAs, respectively. The value of log2-fold change |log2FC| ≥ 1 and the adjusted p value < 0.05 were considered differentially expressed between RIF and fertile control. We found 350 DE-mRNAs, 43 DE-miRNAs, and 1968 DE-circRNAs between RIF and fertile control. The PPI network identified 6 hub genes with degree ≥10, KDR, AGT, POSTN, TOP2A, RRM2, and PTGS2, in RIF. KDR, AGT, POSTN, TOP2A, and RRM2 were downregulated in endometrial tissue samples of RIF compared with those of fertile control, while PTGS2 was upregulated in endometrial tissue samples of RIF compared with those of fertile control. According to the ceRNA hypothesis, 15 groups of ceRNA network based on 10 circRNAs, hsa_circ_001572, hsa_circ_001884, hsa_circ_001375, hsa_circ_001449, hsa_circ_000029, hsa_circ_001168, hsa_circ_000210, hsa_circ_001484, hsa_circ_001698, and hsa_circ_000089 were constructed in RIF. In conclusion, the present study examined the possible role of circRNAs and their related ceRNA network involved in the pathogenesis of RIF.

Identification of pyroptosis-related subtypes and establishment of prognostic model and immune characteristics in asthma

Background

Although studies have shown that cell pyroptosis is involved in the progression of asthma, a systematic analysis of the clinical significance of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) cooperating with immune cells in asthma patients is still lacking.

Methods

Transcriptome sequencing datasets from patients with different disease courses were used to screen pyroptosis-related differentially expressed genes and perform biological function analysis. Clustering based on K-means unsupervised clustering method is performed to identify pyroptosis-related subtypes in asthma and explore biological functional characteristics of poorly controlled subtypes. Diagnostic markers between subtypes were screened and validated using an asthma mouse model. The infiltration of immune cells in airway epithelium was evaluated based on CIBERSORT, and the correlation between diagnostic markers and immune cells was analyzed. Finally, a risk prediction model was established and experimentally verified using differentially expressed genes between pyroptosis subtypes in combination with asthma control. The cMAP database and molecular docking were utilized to predict potential therapeutic drugs.

Results

Nineteen differentially expressed PRGs and two subtypes were identified between patients with mild-to-moderate and severe asthma conditions. Significant differences were observed in asthma control and FEV1 reversibility between the two subtypes. Poor control subtypes were closely related to glucocorticoid resistance and airway remodeling. BNIP3 was identified as a diagnostic marker and associated with immune cell infiltration such as, M2 macrophages. The risk prediction model containing four genes has accurate classification efficiency and prediction value. Small molecules obtained from the cMAP database that may have therapeutic effects on asthma are mainly DPP4 inhibitors.

Conclusion

Pyroptosis and its mediated immune phenotype are crucial in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of asthma. The predictive models and drugs developed on the basis of PRGs may provide new solutions for the management of asthma.

Comprehensive Analysis of SLC17A9 and Its Prognostic Value in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Solute carrier family 17 member 9 (SLC17A9) encodes a member of a family of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the transport of small molecules. SLC17A9 is involved in the occurrence and development of various cancers, but its biological role in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is unclear.

Methods

The expression level of SLC17A9 was assessed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and immunohistochemistry of tumor tissues and adjacent normal liver tissues. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and R software package performed diagnosis and prognosis. Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment and co-expression of SLC17A9, gene–gene interaction (GGI), and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were performed using R, GeneMANIA, and STRING. Western blot, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), immunofluorescence, colony formation, wound scratch assay, ATP production assays, and high connotation were applied to determine the effect of SLC17A9 knockdown on HEPG2 (hepatocellular liver carcinoma) cells. TIMER, GEPIA, and TCGA analyzed the relationship between SLC17A9 expression and immune cells, m6A modification, and ferroptosis.

Results

SLC17A9 expression in LIHC tissues was higher than in normal liver tissues (p < 0.001), and SLC17A9 was related to sex, DSS (disease-specific survival), and PFI (progression-free interval) (p = 0.015, 0.006, and 0.023). SLC17A9 expression has diagnostic (AUC: 0.812; CI: 0.770–0.854) and prognostic potential (p = 0.015) in LIHC. Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (GO/KEGG) functional enrichment analysis showed that SLC17A9 was closely related to neuronal cell body, presynapse, axonogenesis, PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. GGI showed that SLC17A9 was closely related to MYO5A. PPI showed that SLC17A9 was closely related to SLC18A3. SLC17A9 silencing inhibited HepG2 cells proliferation, migration, colony formation, and reduced their ATP level. SLC17A9 expression level was related to immune cells: B cells (r = 0.094, P = 8.06E-02), CD4⁺ T cells (r = 0.184, P = 5.95E-04), and macrophages (r = 0.137, P = 1.15E-02); m6A modification: HNRNPC (r = 0.220, p < 0.001), METTL3 (r = 0.180, p < 0.001), and WTAP (r = 0.130, p = 0.009); and ferroptosis: HSPA5 (r = 0.240, p < 0.001), SLC7A11 (r = 0.180, p < 0.001), and FANCD2 (r = 0.280, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our data show that SLC17A9 may influence LIHC progression. SLC17A9 expression correlates with tumor immune infiltration, m6A modification, and ferroptosis in LIHC and may have diagnostic and prognostic value in LIHC.

A novel prognostic signature of metastasis-associated genes and personalized therapeutic strategy for lung adenocarcinoma patients

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a highly invasive and metastatic malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to construct a prognostic signature for LUAD patients based on metastasis-associated genes (MAGs). RNA expression profiles were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. RRA method was applied to identify differentially expressed MAGs. A total of 192 significantly robust MAGs were determined among seven GEO datasets. MAGs were initially selected through the Lasso Cox regression analysis and 6 MAGs were included to construct a prognostic signature model. Transcriptome profile, patient prognosis, correlation between the risk score and clinicopathological features, immune cell infiltration characteristics, immunotherapy sensitivity and chemotherapy sensitivity differed between low- and high-risk groups after grouping according to median risk score. The reliability and applicability of the signature were further validated in the GSE31210, GSE50081 and GSE68465 cohort. CMap predicted 62 small molecule drugs on the base of the prognostic MAGs. Targeted drug staurosporine had hydrogen bonding with Gln-172 of SLC2A1, which is one of MAGs. Staurosporine could inhibit cell migration in A549 and H1299. We further verified mRNA and protein expression of 6 MAGs in A549 and H1299. The signature can serve as a promising prognostic tool and may provide a novel personalized therapeutic strategy for LUAD patients.

SUOX and GLUT1 are biomarkers for the prognosis in large duct type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most common hepatic malignant disease and has a poor prognosis, but few biomarkers have been found. SUOX is an important factor in energy metabolism and a poor prognostic factor in other malignancies. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationship between SUOX and GLUT expression in large duct type iCCA and the mechanism of mitochondrial energy metabolism in iCCA. We evaluated SUOX and GLUT1 expression in 96 large duct type iCCA cases and proportion score (PS) was used to evaluate the expression; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of both SUOX and GLUT1 expression were generated, and the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to estimate overall survival. Of the 96 iCCA cases, 73 (76.0%) showed low SUOX expression and 66 (68.8%) showed high GLUT1 expression. The 5-year survival rate of iCCA with low SUOX expression was significantly shorter than that of iCCA with high SUOX expression (p = 0.001). In contrast, the 5-year survival rate of iCCA with high GLUT1 expression was significantly shorter than that of iCCA with low GLUT1 expression (p = 0.005). According to Spearman's correlation, there was no correlation between SUOX and GLUT1. Conversely, the combination of low SUOX and high GLUT1 expression was the most common in 51 of 96 cases (53.1%), and the overall survival was significantly shorter than that of patients with other combinations. Furthermore, SUOX was shown to be an independent prognostic factor together with GLUT1, suggesting that SUOX in combination with GLUT1 can predict the prognosis of large duct type iCCA.

Autophagy-Related Genes Are Involved in the Progression and Prognosis of Asthma and Regulate the Immune Microenvironment

Background

Autophagy has been proven to play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma and the regulation of the airway epithelial immune microenvironment. However, a systematic analysis of the clinical importance of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) regulating the immune microenvironment in patients with asthma remains lacking.

Methods

Clustering based on the k-means unsupervised clustering method was performed to identify autophagy-related subtypes in asthma. ARG-related diagnostic markers in low-autophagy subtypes were screened, the infiltration of immune cells in the airway epithelium was evaluated by the CIBERSORT, and the correlation between diagnostic markers and infiltrating immune cells was analyzed. On the basis of the expression of ARGs and combined with asthma control, a risk prediction model was established and verified by experiments.

Results

A total of 66 differentially expressed ARGs and 2 subtypes were identified between mild to moderate and severe asthma. Significant differences were observed in asthma control and FEV1 reversibility between the two subtypes, and the low-autophagy subtype was closely associated with severe asthma, energy metabolism, and hormone metabolism. The autophagy gene SERPINB10 was identified as a diagnostic marker and was related to the infiltration of immune cells, such as activated mast cells and neutrophils. Combined with asthma control, a risk prediction model was constructed, the expression of five risk genes was supported by animal experiments, was established for ARGs related to the prediction model.

Conclusion

Autophagy plays a crucial role in the diversity and complexity of the asthma immune microenvironment and has clinical value in treatment response and prognosis.

SLC2A1 is a Diagnostic Biomarker Involved in Immune Infiltration of Colorectal Cancer and Associated With m6A Modification and ceRNA

Background: Overexpression of solute carrier family 2 member 1 (SLC2A1) promotes glycolysis and proliferation and migration of various tumors. However, there are few comprehensive studies on SLC2A1 in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Oncomine, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were used to analyze the expression of SLC2A1 in pan-cancer and CRC and analyzed the correlation between SLC2A1 expression and clinical characteristics of TCGA CRC samples. The expression level of SLC2A1 in CRC was certified by cell experiments and immunohistochemical staining analysis. The Genome Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analyses of SLC2A1 relative genes were completed by bioinformatics analysis. The correlation between SLC2A1 expression level and CRC immune infiltration cell was analyzed by Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER), Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), and TCGA database. The correlation between SLC2A1 expression level and ferroptosis and m6A modification of CRC was analyzed by utilizing TCGA and GEO cohort. Finally, the possible competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks involved in SLC2A1 in CRC are predicted and constructed through various databases.

Results: SLC2A1 is highly expressed not only in CRC but also in many other tumors. ROC curve indicated that SLC2A1 had high predictive accuracy for the outcomes of tumor. The SLC2A1 expression in CRC was closely correlated with tumor stage and progression free interval (PFI). GO, KEGG, and GSEA analysis indicated that SLC2A1 relative genes were involved in multiple biological functions. The analysis of TIMER, GEPIA, and TCGA database indicated that the SLC2A1 mRNA expression was mainly positively associated with neutrophils. By the analysis of the TCGA and GEO cohort, we identified that the expression of SLC2A1 is closely associated to an m6A modification relative gene Insulin Like Growth Factor 2 MRNA Binding Protein 3 (IGF2BP3) and a ferroptosis relative gene Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4).

Conclusion: SLC2A1 can be used as a biomarker of CRC, which is associated to immune infiltration, m6A modification, ferroptosis, and ceRNA regulatory network of CRC.

RAD6 Positively Affects Tumorigenesis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Regulating Histone Ubiquitination of CCNB1

Objective Esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) is deadly cancer worldwide with unknown etiology. This study aimed to investigate the impact and mechanism of RAD6 on the development of Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Expressions of RAD6A and RAD6B in ESCA were investigated from TCGA dataset and their expressions in tissue sample of ESCA patients and cells were determined. Functional experiments were conducted to explore the impact of RAD6A and RAD6B on malignant characteristics of several kinds of ESCC cells. Animal experiment was established and injected with RAD6A and RAD6B shRNA to evaluate the effect on tumor growth.

RAD6A and RAD6B were up-regulated in ESCC cells and tissues. Overexpressed RAD6A and RAD6B similarly increased ESCC cell proliferation, invasion and migration and silencing of RAD6 exerted opposite effects. Knockdown of RAD6A suppressed tumor growth and decreased the level of H2B, as data demonstrated positive correlation between RAD6A and CCNB1 in ESCC tissues.

Collectively, this study elucidates that RAD6 is up-regulated in ESCC and promotes the progression of ESCC through up-regulation of CCNB1 to enhance H2B ubiquitination. These evidence provide a novel insight into the pathogenesis of ESCC and might contribute to the development of targeted therapy.

Comprehensive Analysis of YTHDF1 Immune Infiltrates and ceRNA in Human Esophageal Carcinoma

Background: YTHDF1 is highly expressed in multiple tumors and affects tumor progression. However, there are only a few comprehensive studies on the analysis of YTHDF1 in esophageal cancer.

Methods: We analyzed YTHDF1 expression in pan-cancer by comparing both the GEPIA and TCGA cohorts, and further verified the differences in YTHDF1 expression between the ESCA and normal groups by the GEO ESCA cohort and in vitro experiments. The correlation of YTHDF1 expression and the clinical characteristics of ESCA patients was analyzed using the TCGA ESCA clinical data. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of the YTHDF1 coexpressed genes were completed by bioinformatics analysis, and the GGI and PPI were constructed for the YTHDF1, respectively. The relationship between YTHDF1 expression and the infiltration of ESCA immune cells was analyzed by using the TIMER database and the TCGA ESCA cohort. The relationships between YTHDF1 expression levels and glycolysis and ferroptosis-related genes were analyzed using the TCGA and GEPIA ESCA cohorts. Finally, the ceRNA network that may be involved in YTHDF1 in ESCA was predicted and constructed through a variety of databases.

Results: YTHDF1 was overexpressed in various cancers, and in vitro experiments confirmed that YTHDF1 expression was higher in ESCA samples than in normal samples. The expression of YTHDF1 has some accuracy in predicting the tumor outcome. Expression of YTHDF1 was significantly associated with multiple clinical features in ESCA patients. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that YTHDF1 coexpressed genes involved multiple biological functions. There is a potential association between YTHDF1 expression and multiple immune cell infiltration, glycolysis, and ferroptosis-related genes in ESCA. YTHDF1 may be involved in multiple ceRNA regulatory networks in ESCA, including PAXIP1-AS1/hsa-miR-376c-3p/YTHDF1 axis, THUMPD3-AS1/hsa-miR-655-3p/YTHDF1 axis, and SNHG20/hsa-miR-655-3p/YTHDF1 axis, respectively.

Conclusion: YTHDF1 can serve as a biomarker of ESCA, related to the immune cell infiltration of ESCA, regulation of glycolysis and ferroptosis, and the ceRNA regulatory network.