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Li C, Mao X, Song L, Sheng J, Yang L, Huang X, Wang L. Unveiling HOXB7 as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker through pan-cancer computer screening. Comput Biol Med 2024; 176:108562. [PMID: 38728993 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108562] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
We attempted to investigate the role of HOXB7 in tumor progression and evolution by means of an extensive computer screening analysis of various cancer types. We performed univariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses to assess the impact of HOXB7 on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) in different types of cancer. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between HOXB7 and several clinical features: tumor microenvironment, immune regulatory genes, immune checkpoints, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). We performed gene set enrichment analysis to gain deeper insights into the potential molecular mechanisms of HOXB7, and validated our findings through functional assays in cells, including methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium cytotoxicity and Transwell invasion assays. HOXB7 expression was associated with different clinical characteristics in numerous malignancies. Higher HOXB7 expression was associated with worse OS, DSS, and PFI in some cancer types. In particular, HOXB7 expression was favorably associated with immune cell infiltration, immune regulatory genes, immunological checkpoints, TMB, and MSI in malignancies. Furthermore, we identified a strong link between copper death-associated gene expression and HOXB7 expression. According to the findings of this study, HOXB7 might serve as an appealing focus for tumor diagnosis and immunotherapy and a prospective indicator of prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Li
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Xulong Mao
- Department of Cardiology, First School of Clinical Medicine College, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434000, China
| | - Lanlan Song
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Jueqi Sheng
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China
| | - Lehe Yang
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China.
| | - Xiaoying Huang
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China.
| | - Liangxing Wang
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Interdiscipline and Translational Medicine, Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325000, China.
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Ma Q, Li X, Wang H, Xu S, Que Y, He P, Yang R, Wang Q, Hu Y. HOXB5 promotes the progression and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30445. [PMID: 38737261 PMCID: PMC11088325 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30445] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the involvement of the homeobox gene B5 (HOXB5) in the progression and metastasis of osteosarcoma. Methods The expression of HOXB5 in human osteosarcoma tissues and its correlation with clinical indicators were investigated using bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical labelling. Human osteosarcoma cells (HOS, MG63, U2OS, and Saos-2) and normal human osteoblasts (hFOB1.19) were cultivated. The expression of HOXB5 in these cells was detected using western blotting (WB) and RT‒PCR. Two cell lines exhibiting elevated HOXB5 expression were chosen and divided into three groups: the blank group (mock), control group (control) and transfection group (shHOXB5). The transfection group was infected with lentivirus expressing shRNAs targeting HOXB5. The transfection efficiency was detected by WB. Cell proliferation suppression was measured by CCK-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays; the percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by flow cytometry; and cell migration and invasion were detected via the Transwell chamber test. WB was utilized to determine the protein expression of genes linked to metastasis (MMP2, MMP9), apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2), and the JAK2/STAT3 pathway (JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3). Results In osteosarcoma tissues, HOXB5 expression was elevated and strongly correlated with distant metastasis. Silencing HOXB5 reduced the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells; prevented the progression and metastasis of tumours in tumour-bearing nude mice; and reduced the activation of key proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. Conclusion Through the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway, HOXB5 plays a crucial role in the malignant progression of osteosarcoma and is a promising target for osteosarcoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Xingxing Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Lu 'an Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Lu'an, 237008, Anhui, China
| | - Huming Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Shenglin Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Yukang Que
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Peng He
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
| | - Qiwei Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Lu 'an Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Lu'an, 237008, Anhui, China
| | - Yong Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
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Hong JY, Park SY, Park YL, You GR, Yoon JH, Joo YE, Choi SK, Cho SB. Impact of Prospero Homeobox-1 (PROX-1) οn the Oncogenic Phenotypes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2024; 21:295-304. [PMID: 38670585 PMCID: PMC11059600 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20448] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Transcriptional factor prospero homeobox-1 (PROX-1) is crucial for the embryonic development of various organs and cell fate specification. It exhibits either an oncogenic or tumor suppressive activity depending on cancer types. However, the relationship between PROX-1 and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains obscure. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of PROX-1 on the invasive and oncogenic phenotypes of human HCC cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS The effect of PROX-1 on tumor cell behavior was investigated by using a pcDNA-myc vector and a small interfering RNA in HepG2 and Huh7 human HCC cell lines. Flow cytometry, migration, invasion, proliferation, and tube formation assays were performed. PROX-1 expression in human HCC cells was explored by western blotting. RESULTS PROX-1 overexpression enhanced tumor cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by modulating the activities of caspase-3, PARP, and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, including p21, p27, and p57 in HCC cells. After PROX-1 overexpression, the number of migrating and invading HCC cells significantly increased, and the expression levels of N-cadherin and Snail increased in HCC cells. PROX-1 overexpression enhanced angiogenesis through increased VEGF-A and VEGF-C expression and decreased angiostatin expression. PROX-1 overexpression also increased the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) in HCC cells. After PROX-1 knockdown, their phosphorylation was reversed. CONCLUSION PROX-1 overexpression is associated with the invasive and oncogenic phenotypes of human HCC cells via GSK-3β and FOXO1 phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yun Hong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Young Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Lan Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga-Ram You
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Yoon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Eun Joo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Kyu Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Bum Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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4
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Kock KH, Kimes PK, Gisselbrecht SS, Inukai S, Phanor SK, Anderson JT, Ramakrishnan G, Lipper CH, Song D, Kurland JV, Rogers JM, Jeong R, Blacklow SC, Irizarry RA, Bulyk ML. DNA binding analysis of rare variants in homeodomains reveals homeodomain specificity-determining residues. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3110. [PMID: 38600112 PMCID: PMC11006913 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47396-0] [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: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Homeodomains (HDs) are the second largest class of DNA binding domains (DBDs) among eukaryotic sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) and are the TF structural class with the largest number of disease-associated mutations in the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD). Despite numerous structural studies and large-scale analyses of HD DNA binding specificity, HD-DNA recognition is still not fully understood. Here, we analyze 92 human HD mutants, including disease-associated variants and variants of uncertain significance (VUS), for their effects on DNA binding activity. Many of the variants alter DNA binding affinity and/or specificity. Detailed biochemical analysis and structural modeling identifies 14 previously unknown specificity-determining positions, 5 of which do not contact DNA. The same missense substitution at analogous positions within different HDs often exhibits different effects on DNA binding activity. Variant effect prediction tools perform moderately well in distinguishing variants with altered DNA binding affinity, but poorly in identifying those with altered binding specificity. Our results highlight the need for biochemical assays of TF coding variants and prioritize dozens of variants for further investigations into their pathogenicity and the development of clinical diagnostics and precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kian Hong Kock
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Patrick K Kimes
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen S Gisselbrecht
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Sachi Inukai
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Sabrina K Phanor
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - James T Anderson
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Gayatri Ramakrishnan
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Boston Bangalore Biosciences Beginnings Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Colin H Lipper
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dongyuan Song
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jesse V Kurland
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Julia M Rogers
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Raehoon Jeong
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics Graduate Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen C Blacklow
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rafael A Irizarry
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martha L Bulyk
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Committee on Higher Degrees in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics Graduate Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Liu J, Yuan Q, Guo H, Guan H, Hong Z, Shang D. Deciphering drug resistance in gastric cancer: Potential mechanisms and future perspectives. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116310. [PMID: 38394851 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116310] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor that originates from the epithelium of the gastric mucosa. The latest global cancer statistics show that GC ranks fifth in incidence and fourth in mortality among all cancers, posing a serious threat to public health. While early-stage GC is primarily treated through surgery, chemotherapy is the frontline option for advanced cases. Currently, commonly used chemotherapy regimens include FOLFOX (oxaliplatin + leucovorin + 5-fluorouracil) and XELOX (oxaliplatin + capecitabine). However, with the widespread use of chemotherapy, an increasing number of cases of drug resistance have emerged. This article primarily explores the potential mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance in GC patients from five perspectives: cell death, tumor microenvironment, non-coding RNA, epigenetics, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Additionally, it proposes feasibility strategies to overcome drug resistance from four angles: cancer stem cells, tumor microenvironment, natural products, and combined therapy. The hope is that this article will provide guidance for researchers in the field and bring hope to more GC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qihang Yuan
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hui Guo
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hewen Guan
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
| | - Zhijun Hong
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
| | - Dong Shang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
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Li J, Zhang Y, Jiao S, He L, Fan Y, Han X, Sun B, Zhao W, Mei Y, Wei N, Zeng H, Jin D. Bbhox2 is a key regulator for conidiation and virulence in Beauveria bassiana. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 203:108059. [PMID: 38199517 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108059] [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: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Beauveria bassiana, a well-known filamentous biocontrol fungus, is the main pathogen of numerous field and forest pests. To explore the potential factors involved in the fungal pathogenicity, Bbhox2, an important and conserved functional transcription factor containing homeodomain was carried out by functional analysis. Homologous recombination was used to disrupt the Bbhox2 gene in B.bassiana. The conidia yield of the deletant fungal strain was significantly reduced. The conidial germination was faster, and stress tolerance to Congo red and high osmotic agents were decreased compared with that in the wildtype. Additionally, ΔBbhox2 showed a dramatic reduction in virulence no matter in topical inoculations or in intra-hemolymph injections against Galleria mellonella larvae, which is likely due to the failure of appressorium formation and the defect in producing hyphal body. These results indicate that the Bbhox2 gene markedly contributes to conidiation and pathogenicity in B. bassiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjuan Li
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China; Hubei Province Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hubei Key Laboratory of Quality Control of Characteristic Fruits and Vegetables, College of Life Science and Technology, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China; School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shouhao Jiao
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Lian He
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanhua Fan
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemeng Han
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Binda Sun
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenqi Zhao
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Yanlin Mei
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China
| | - Ning Wei
- School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiyue Zeng
- School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan Jin
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, China.
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7
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Malik A, Jayarathna DK, Fisher M, Barbhuiya TK, Gandhi NS, Batra J. Dynamics and recognition of homeodomain containing protein-DNA complex of IRX4. Proteins 2024; 92:282-301. [PMID: 37861198 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26604] [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: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Iroquois Homeobox 4 (IRX4) belongs to a family of homeobox TFs having roles in embryogenesis, cell specification, and organ development. Recently, large scale genome-wide association studies and epigenetic studies have highlighted the role of IRX4 and its associated variants in prostate cancer. No studies have investigated and characterized the structural aspect of the IRX4 homeodomain and its potential to bind to DNA. The current study uses sequence analysis, homology modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations to explore IRX4 homeodomain-DNA recognition mechanisms and the role of somatic mutations affecting these interactions. Using publicly available databases, gene expression of IRX4 was found in different tissues, including prostate, heart, skin, vagina, and the protein expression was found in cancer cell lines (HCT166, HEK293), B cells, ascitic fluid, and brain. Sequence conservation of the homeodomain shed light on the importance of N- and C-terminal residues involved in DNA binding. The specificity of IRX4 homodimer bound to consensus human DNA sequence was confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations, representing the role of conserved amino acids including R145, A194, N195, S190, R198, and R199 in binding to DNA. Additional N-terminal residues like T144 and G143 were also found to have specific interactions highlighting the importance of N-terminus of the homeodomain in DNA recognition. Additionally, the effects of somatic mutations, including the conserved Arginine (R145, R198, and R199) residues on DNA binding elucidated the importance of these residues in stabilizing the protein-DNA complex. Secondary structure and hydrogen bonding analysis showed the roles of specific residues (R145, T191, A194, N195, R198, and R199) in maintaining the homogeneity of the structure and its interaction with DNA. The differences in relative binding free energies of all the mutants shed light on the structural modularity of this protein and the dynamics behind protein-DNA interaction. We also have predicted that the C-terminal sequence of the IRX4 homeodomain could act as a potential cell-penetrating peptide, emphasizing the role these small peptides could play in targeting homeobox TFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adil Malik
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Dulari K Jayarathna
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark Fisher
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tabassum Khair Barbhuiya
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Neha S Gandhi
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Udupi, Karnataka, India
| | - Jyotsna Batra
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Malvi P, Chava S, Cai G, Hu K, Zhu LJ, Edwards YJK, Green MR, Gupta R, Wajapeyee N. HOXC6 drives a therapeutically targetable pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis pathway by regulating MSK1 and PPP2R2B. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101285. [PMID: 37951219 PMCID: PMC10694669 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101285] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, which lacks effective therapies. Here, we demonstrate that the transcription factor, homeobox C6 (HOXC6), is overexpressed in most PDACs, and its inhibition blocks PDAC tumor growth and metastasis. HOXC6 transcriptionally activates tumor-promoting kinase MSK1 and suppresses tumor-inhibitory protein PPP2R2B in PDAC. HOXC6-induced PPP2R2B suppression causes mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway activation, which facilitates PDAC growth. Also, MSK1 upregulation by HOXC6 is necessary for PDAC growth because of its ability to suppress apoptosis via its substrate DDX17. Combinatorial pharmacological inhibition of MSK1 and mTOR potently suppressed PDAC tumor growth and metastasis in PDAC mouse models. PDAC cells with acquired resistance to MSK1/mTOR-inhibitors displayed activated insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) signaling and were successfully eradicated by IGF1R inhibitor. Furthermore, MEK inhibitor trametinib enhanced the efficacy of dual MSK1 and mTOR inhibition. Collectively, these results identify therapeutic vulnerabilities of PDAC and an approach to overcome acquired drug resistance to prolong therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parmanand Malvi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Suresh Chava
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Guoping Cai
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Kai Hu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Lihua Julie Zhu
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Yvonne J K Edwards
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Michael R Green
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Romi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Narendra Wajapeyee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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9
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Kanayama M, Chen Y, Rabizadeh D, Vera L, Lu C, Nielsen SM, Russell EM, Esplin ED, Wang H, Isaacs WB, Antonarakis ES, Luo J. Clinical and Functional Analyses of an African-ancestry Gain-of-function HOXB13 Variant Implicated in Aggressive Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol Oncol 2023:S2588-9311(23)00202-X. [PMID: 37806842 DOI: 10.1016/j.euo.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent reports have uncovered a HOXB13 variant (X285K) predisposing to prostate cancer in men of West African ancestry. The clinical relevance and protein function associated with this inherited variant are unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical relevance of HOXB13 (X285K) in comparison with HOXB13 (G84E) and BRCA2 pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants, and to elucidate the oncogenic mechanisms of the X285K protein. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Real-world data were collected from 21,393 men with prostate cancer undergoing genetic testing from 2019 to 2022, and in vitro cell-line models were established for the evaluation of oncogenic functions associated with the X285K protein. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Genetic testing results were compared among patient groups according to self-reported race/ethnicity, Gleason scores, and American Joint Committee on Cancer stages using the exact test. Oncogenic functions of X285K were evaluated by RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, and Western blot analyses. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS HOXB13 (X285K) was significantly enriched in self-reported Black (1.01%) versus White (0.01%) patients. We observed a trend of more aggressive disease in the HOXB13 (X285K) and BRCA2 P/LP carriers than in the HOXB13 (G84E) carriers. Replacement of the wild-type HOXB13 protein with the X285K protein resulted in a gain of an E2F/MYC signature, validated by the elevated expression of cyclin B1 and c-Myc, without affecting the androgen response signature. Elevated expression of cyclin B1 and c-Myc was explained by enhanced binding of the X285K protein to the promoters and enhancers of these genes. The limitations of the study are the lack of complete clinical outcome data for all patients studied and the use of a single cell line in the functional analysis. CONCLUSIONS HOXB13 (X285K) is significantly enriched in self-reported Black patients, and X285K carriers detected in the real-world clinical setting have aggressive prostate cancer features similar to the BRCA2 carriers. Functional studies revealed a unique gain-of-function oncogenic mechanism of X285K protein in regulating E2F/MYC signatures. PATIENT SUMMARY The HOXB13 (X285K) variant is clinically and functionally linked to aggressive prostate cancer, supporting genetic testing for X285K in Black men and early disease screening of carriers of this variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayuko Kanayama
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yidong Chen
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, the University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Rabizadeh
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren Vera
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Changxue Lu
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - Hao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - William B Isaacs
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Emmanuel S Antonarakis
- Department of Medicine, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Jun Luo
- Department of Urology, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Zhang J, Zhang X, Su J, Zhang J, Liu S, Han L, Liu M, Sun D. Identification and validation of a novel HOX-related classifier signature for predicting prognosis and immune microenvironment in pediatric gliomas. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1203650. [PMID: 37547473 PMCID: PMC10401438 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1203650] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Pediatric gliomas (PGs) are highly aggressive and predominantly occur in young children. In pediatric gliomas, abnormal expression of Homeobox (HOX) family genes (HFGs) has been observed and is associated with the development and progression of the disease. Studies have found that overexpression or underexpression of certain HOX genes is linked to the occurrence and prognosis of gliomas. This aberrant expression may contribute to the dysregulation of important pathological processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis. This study aimed to propose a novel HOX-related signature to predict patients' prognosis and immune infiltrate characteristics in PGs. Methods: The data of PGs obtained from publicly available databases were utilized to reveal the relationship among abnormal expression of HOX family genes (HFGs), prognosis, tumor immune infiltration, clinical features, and genomic features in PGs. The HFGs were utilized to identify heterogeneous subtypes using consensus clustering. Then random forest-supervised classification algorithm and nearest shrunken centroid algorithm were performed to develop a prognostic signature in the training set. Finally, the signature was validated in an internal testing set and an external independent cohort. Results: Firstly, we identified HFGs significantly differentially expressed in PGs compared to normal tissues. The individuals with PGs were then divided into two heterogeneous subtypes (HOX-SI and HOX-SII) based on HFGs expression profiles. HOX-SII showed higher total mutation counts, lower immune infiltration, and worse prognosis than HOX-SI. Then, we constructed a HOX-related gene signature (including HOXA6, HOXC4, HOXC5, HOXC6, and HOXA-AS3) based on the cluster for subtype prediction utilizing random forest supervised classification and nearest shrunken centroid algorithm. The signature was revealed to be an independent prognostic factor for patients with PGs by multivariable Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: Our study provides a novel method for the prognosis classification of PGs. The findings also suggest that the HOX-related signature is a new biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with PGs, allowing for more accurate survival prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Capital Medical University Electric Power Teaching Hospital, State Grid Beijing Electric Power Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xueguang Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Capital Medical University Electric Power Teaching Hospital, State Grid Beijing Electric Power Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Junyan Su
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Jiali Zhang
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Siyao Liu
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Li Han
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Dawei Sun
- Beijing ChosenMed Clinical Laboratory Co Ltd., Beijing, China
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11
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Kolisnik T, Sulit AK, Schmeier S, Frizelle F, Purcell R, Smith A, Silander O. Identifying important microbial and genomic biomarkers for differentiating right- versus left-sided colorectal cancer using random forest models. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:647. [PMID: 37434131 PMCID: PMC10337110 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10848-9] [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: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, with subtypes that have different clinical behaviours and subsequent prognoses. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that right-sided colorectal cancer (RCC) and left-sided colorectal cancer (LCC) also differ in treatment success and patient outcomes. Biomarkers that differentiate between RCC and LCC are not well-established. Here, we apply random forest (RF) machine learning methods to identify genomic or microbial biomarkers that differentiate RCC and LCC. METHODS RNA-seq expression data for 58,677 coding and non-coding human genes and count data for 28,557 human unmapped reads were obtained from 308 patient CRC tumour samples. We created three RF models for datasets of human genes-only, microbes-only, and genes-and-microbes combined. We used a permutation test to identify features of significant importance. Finally, we used differential expression (DE) and paired Wilcoxon-rank sum tests to associate features with a particular side. RESULTS RF model accuracy scores were 90%, 70%, and 87% with area under curve (AUC) of 0.9, 0.76, and 0.89 for the human genomic, microbial, and combined feature sets, respectively. 15 features were identified as significant in the model of genes-only, 54 microbes in the model of microbes-only, and 28 genes and 18 microbes in the model with genes-and-microbes combined. PRAC1 expression was the most important feature for differentiating RCC and LCC in the genes-only model, with HOXB13, SPAG16, HOXC4, and RNLS also playing a role. Ruminococcus gnavus and Clostridium acetireducens were the most important in the microbial-only model. MYOM3, HOXC4, Coprococcus eutactus, PRAC1, lncRNA AC012531.25, Ruminococcus gnavus, RNLS, HOXC6, SPAG16 and Fusobacterium nucleatum were most important in the combined model. CONCLUSIONS Many of the identified genes and microbes among all models have previously established associations with CRC. However, the ability of RF models to account for inter-feature relationships within the underlying decision trees may yield a more sensitive and biologically interconnected set of genomic and microbial biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Kolisnik
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Arielle Kae Sulit
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Surgery, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | | | - Frank Frizelle
- Department of Surgery, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Rachel Purcell
- Department of Surgery, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Adam Smith
- School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Olin Silander
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
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12
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Azuma K, Sakamoto M, Katayama S, Matsui A, Nakamichi K, Goshima N, Watanabe S, Nakayama J, Semba K. HOXB7 induces STAT3-mediated transformation and lung metastasis in immortalized mammary gland NMuMG cells. Genes Cells 2023; 28:277-287. [PMID: 36659836 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The homeobox family genes are often dysregulated in various cancer types. Particularly HOXB7 amplification and overexpression correlate with poor prognosis in various cancer such as gastric, pancreatic, and lung cancers. Moreover, HOXB7 is known to contribute to cancer progression by promoting epithelial to mesenchymal transition, anticancer drug resistance, and angiogenesis. In this study, we show that HOXB7 is coamplified with ERBB2 in a subset of breast cancer patients and HOXB7 expression correlates with poor prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. This clinical observation is supported by the following results-HOXB7 overexpression in an immortalized murine mammary gland epithelial cell line NMuMG induces cellular transformation in vitro, tumorigenesis, and lung metastasis through the activation of JAK-STAT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazushi Azuma
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mai Sakamoto
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Computational Bio-Big Data Open Innovation Lab (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shota Katayama
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsuka Matsui
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuya Nakamichi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Goshima
- Division of Transcriptome Analysis, Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.,Functional Proteomics Team, Molecular Profiling Research Center for Drug Discovery (molprof), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Human Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Watanabe
- Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Jun Nakayama
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Computational Bio-Big Data Open Innovation Lab (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory of Integrative Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Semba
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Translational Research Center, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan
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13
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Lesko P, Chovanec M, Mego M. Biomarkers of disease recurrence in stage I testicular germ cell tumours. Nat Rev Urol 2022; 19:637-658. [PMID: 36028719 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-022-00624-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Stage I testicular cancer is a disease restricted to the testicle. After orchiectomy, patients are considered to be without disease; however, the tumour is prone to relapse in ~4-50% of patients. Current predictive markers of relapse, which are tumour size and invasion to rete testis (in seminoma) or lymphovascular invasion (in non-seminoma), have limited clinical utility and are unable to correctly predict relapse in a substantial proportion of patients. Adjuvant therapeutic strategies based on available biomarkers can lead to overtreatment of 50-85% of patients. Discovery and implementation of novel biomarkers into treatment decision making will help to reduce the burden of adjuvant treatments and improve patient selection for adjuvant therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lesko
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Chovanec
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Michal Mego
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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14
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Mishra A, Ganguli N, Majumdar SS, Modi D. Loss of HOXA10 causes endometrial hyperplasia progressing to endometrial cancer. J Mol Endocrinol 2022; 69:431-444. [PMID: 35917434 DOI: 10.1530/jme-22-0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Endometrial cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women and the precursor lesion is endometrial hyperplasia. HOXA10 is a transcription factor that plays key roles in endometrial functions such as the endowment of receptivity, embryo implantation, and trophoblast invasion. Herein, using testicular transgenesis, we developed transgenic mice that expressed a shRNA against HOXA10 and there was a nearly 70% reduction in the expression of HOXA10 in these animals. We observed that downregulation of HOXA10 led to the development of endometrial hyperplasia in the young animals (3 months), and as they aged (>1 year), most animals developed well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma. In the endometrium of animals with reduced HOXA10, there was increased proliferation and elevated levels of ERα and ERβ. In parallel, there was increased expression of Wnt4 and β-Catenin, SOX9, and YAP1. We propose that chronic reduction in HOXA10 expression disrupts multiple pathways in the uterus that aids in the development of endometrial hyperplasia which progresses to endometrial cancer with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Mishra
- National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, ICMR, Parel, Mumbai, India
| | - Nirmalya Ganguli
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Subeer S Majumdar
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Deepak Modi
- National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, ICMR, Parel, Mumbai, India
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15
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Chen S, Shu G, Wang G, Ye J, Xu J, Huang C, Yang S. HOXA1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of bladder cancer by enhancing SMAD3 transcription. Pathol Res Pract 2022; 239:154141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Matuszyk J. MALAT1-miRNAs network regulate thymidylate synthase and affect 5FU-based chemotherapy. Mol Med 2022; 28:89. [PMID: 35922756 PMCID: PMC9351108 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The active metabolite of 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), used in the treatment of several types of cancer, acts by inhibiting the thymidylate synthase encoded by the TYMS gene, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in DNA replication. The major failure of 5FU-based cancer therapy is the development of drug resistance. High levels of TYMS-encoded protein in cancerous tissues are predictive of poor response to 5FU treatment. Expression of TYMS is regulated by various mechanisms, including involving non-coding RNAs, both miRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Aim To delineate the miRNAs and lncRNAs network regulating the level of TYMS-encoded protein. Main body Several miRNAs targeting TYMS mRNA have been identified in colon cancers, the levels of which can be regulated to varying degrees by lncRNAs. Due to their regulation by the MALAT1 lncRNA, these miRNAs can be divided into three groups: (1) miR-197-3p, miR-203a-3p, miR-375-3p which are downregulated by MALAT1 as confirmed experimentally and the levels of these miRNAs are actually reduced in colon and gastric cancers; (2) miR-140-3p, miR-330-3p that could potentially interact with MALAT1, but not yet supported by experimental results; (3) miR-192-5p, miR-215-5p whose seed sequences do not recognize complementary response elements within MALAT1. Considering the putative MALAT1-miRNAs interaction network, attention is drawn to the potential positive feedback loop causing increased expression of MALAT1 in colon cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, where YAP1 acts as a transcriptional co-factor which, by binding to the TCF4 transcription factor/ β-catenin complex, may increase the activation of the MALAT1 gene whereas the MALAT1 lncRNA can inhibit miR-375-3p which in turn targets YAP1 mRNA. Conclusion The network of non-coding RNAs may reduce the sensitivity of cancer cells to 5FU treatment by upregulating the level of thymidylate synthase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz Matuszyk
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 R. Weigla Street, 53-114, Wroclaw, Poland.
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17
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Zhong Q, Wang Z, Kang H, Wu R. Molecular mechanism of FBXW7-mediated ubiquitination modification in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Pathol Res Pract 2022; 244:154056. [PMID: 36989847 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2022.154056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a type of keratinizing squamous cell malignancy. Ubiquitination, a common protein posttranslational modification, participates in cancer development. This study sought to investigate the mechanism of F-box and WD repeat domain containing 7 (FBXW7) in NPC cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro. METHODS FBXW7, Homeobox A10 (HOXA10), and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) expression levels in NPC tissues and cells were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation was assessed by cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays. The binding of FBXW7 to HOXA10 and HOXA10 ubiquitination level were detected via co-immunoprecipitation and ubiquitination assay. Cells were treated with MG132 (the proteasome inhibitor), followed by the determination of HOXA10 ubiquitination and protein levels. The binding of HOXA10 to BMP2 was testified via dual-luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Collaborative experiments were performed to confirm the role of HOXA10 or BMP2 in FBXW7-mediated NPC cell proliferation. Xenograft tumor assay was performed to confirm the role of FBXW7/HOXA10/BMP2 in vivo. RESULTS FBXW7 was under-expressed, while HOXA10 and BMP2 were up-expressed in NPC tissues and cells. FBXW7 overexpression restricted NPC cell proliferation. Mechanically, FBXW7 bound to HOXA10 to promote ubiquitination-based degradation of HOXA10 and further reduced the binding of HOXA10 to the BMP2 promoter and inhibited BMP2 transcription. Overexpression of HOXA10 or BMP2 attenuated the role of FBXW7 overexpression in inhibiting NPC cell proliferation. FBXW7 overexpression reduced Ki67 positive rate and repressed tumor growth. CONCLUSION FBXW7 overexpression promoted HOXA10 ubiquitination-based degradation and further inhibited BMP2 transcription, consequently restricting NPC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo.
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18
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Zamora-Fuentes JM, Hernández-Lemus E, Espinal-Enríquez J. Oncogenic Role of miR-217 During Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Progression. Front Oncol 2022; 12:934711. [PMID: 35936681 PMCID: PMC9354686 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.934711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRC) comprises a set of heterogeneous, fast-progressing pathologies with poor prognosis. Analyzing ccRC progression in terms of modifications at the molecular level may provide us with a broader understanding of the disease, paving the way for improved diagnostics and therapeutics. The role of micro-RNAs (miRs) in cancer by targeting both oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes is widely known. Despite this knowledge, the role of specific miRs and their targets in the progression of ccRC is still unknown. To evaluate the action of miRs and their target genes during ccRC progression, here we implemented a three-step method for constructing miR–gene co-expression networks for each progression stage of ccRC as well as for adjacent-normal renal tissue (NT). In the first step, we inferred all miR–gene co-expression interactions for each progression stage of ccRC and for NT. Afterwards, we filtered the whole miR–gene networks by differential gene and miR expression between successive stages: stage I with non-tumor, stage II with stage I, and so on. Finally, all miR–gene interactions whose relationships were inversely proportional (overexpressed miR and underexpressed genes and vice versa) were kept and removed otherwise. We found that miR-217 is differentially expressed in all contrasts; however, its targets were different depending on the ccRC stage. Furthermore, the target genes of miR-217 have a known role in cancer progression—for instance, in stage II network, GALNTL6 is overexpressed, and it is related to cell signaling, survival, and proliferation. In the stage III network, WNK2, a widely known tumor suppressor, is underexpressed. For the stage IV network, IGF2BP2, a post-transcriptional regulator of MYC and PTEN, is overexpressed. This data-driven network approach has allowed us to discover miRs that have different targets through ccRC progression, thus providing a method for searching possible stage-dependent therapeutic targets in this and other types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enrique Hernández-Lemus
- Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autόnoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús Espinal-Enríquez
- Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Mexico City, Mexico
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autόnoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Jesús Espinal-Enríquez,
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19
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Xie H, Li W, Hu Y, Yang C, Lu J, Guo Y, Wen L, Tang F. De novo assembly of human genome at single-cell levels. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7479-7492. [PMID: 35819189 PMCID: PMC9303314 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome assembly has been benefited from long-read sequencing technologies with higher accuracy and higher continuity. However, most human genome assembly require large amount of DNAs from homogeneous cell lines without keeping cell heterogeneities, since cell heterogeneity could profoundly affect haplotype assembly results. Herein, using single-cell genome long-read sequencing technology (SMOOTH-seq), we have sequenced K562 and HG002 cells on PacBio HiFi and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) platforms and conducted de novo genome assembly. For the first time, we have completed the human genome assembly with high continuity (with NG50 of ∼2 Mb using 95 individual K562 cells) at single-cell levels, and explored the impact of different assemblers and sequencing strategies on genome assembly. With sequencing data from 30 diploid individual HG002 cells of relatively high genome coverage (average coverage ∼41.7%) on ONT platform, the NG50 can reach over 1.3 Mb. Furthermore, with the assembled genome from K562 single-cell dataset, more complete and accurate set of insertion events and complex structural variations could be identified. This study opened a new chapter on the practice of single-cell genome de novo assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoling Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program (PTN), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wen Li
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuqiong Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiansen Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuqing Guo
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lu Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking University-Tsinghua University-National Institute of Biological Sciences Joint Graduate Program (PTN), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
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Lee MY. Embryonic Programs in Cancer and Metastasis—Insights From the Mammary Gland. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:938625. [PMID: 35846378 PMCID: PMC9277484 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.938625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is characterized as a reversion of a differentiated cell to a primitive cell state that recapitulates, in many aspects, features of embryonic cells. This review explores the current knowledge of developmental mechanisms that are essential for embryonic mouse mammary gland development, with a particular focus on genes and signaling pathway components that are essential for the induction, morphogenesis, and lineage specification of the mammary gland. The roles of these same genes and signaling pathways in mammary gland or breast tumorigenesis and metastasis are then summarized. Strikingly, key embryonic developmental pathways are often reactivated or dysregulated during tumorigenesis and metastasis in processes such as aberrant proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stem cell potency which affects cellular lineage hierarchy. These observations are in line with findings from recent studies using lineage tracing as well as bulk- and single-cell transcriptomics that have uncovered features of embryonic cells in cancer and metastasis through the identification of cell types, cell states and characterisation of their dynamic changes. Given the many overlapping features and similarities of the molecular signatures of normal development and cancer, embryonic molecular signatures could be useful prognostic markers for cancer. In this way, the study of embryonic development will continue to complement the understanding of the mechanisms of cancer and aid in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and strategies.
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Sheng J, Zhou M, Wang C, Jia J, Chu J, Ju C, Wan J, He J, He F. Long non-coding RNA BBOX1-AS1 exacerbates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma development by regulating HOXB7/β-catenin axis. Exp Cell Res 2022; 415:113117. [PMID: 35351402 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2022.113117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs play a critical role in the occurrence and development of human malignancies. Nonetheless, it remains unknown whether Gamma-Butyrobetaine Hydroxylase 1-Antisense RNA 1 (BBOX1-AS1) participates in the regulation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) carcinogenesis. Herein, we validated that BBOX1-AS1 was notably overexpressed in ESCC tissues compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissues and significantly correlated with tumor sizes. BBOX1-AS1 enhanced the malignant behavior of ESCC cells in vitro, such as cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, knockdown of BBOX1-AS1 augmented the proportion of apoptotic cells in ESCC cells. Mechanistically, BBOX1-AS1 regulated HOXB7 expression, and rescue experiments indicated that silencing of HOXB7 could abolish the malignant phenotypes mediated by BBOX1-AS1 to a certain extent. Moreover, HOXB7 participated in the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In summary, our findings substantiated that BBOX1-AS1 could activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by upregulating HOXB7 expression to promote ESCC progression, providing a rationale to develop novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiu Sheng
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Mingxia Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Chang Wang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Jinlin Jia
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Jie Chu
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Chenxi Ju
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China
| | - Junhu Wan
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Jing He
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
| | - Fucheng He
- Department of Medical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China; Key Clinical Laboratory of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
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Rearrangement in the Hypervariable Region of JC Polyomavirus Genomes Isolated from Patient Samples and Impact on Transcription Factor-Binding Sites and Disease Outcomes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105699. [PMID: 35628509 PMCID: PMC9144386 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is the causative agent of the fatal, incurable, neurological disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The virus is present in most of the adult population as a persistent, asymptotic infection in the kidneys. During immunosuppression, JCPyV reactivates and invades the central nervous system. A main predictor of disease outcome is determined by mutations within the hypervariable region of the viral genome. In patients with PML, JCPyV undergoes genetic rearrangements in the noncoding control region (NCCR). The outcome of these rearrangements influences transcription factor binding to the NCCR, orchestrating viral gene transcription. This study examines 989 NCCR sequences from patient isolates deposited in GenBank to determine the frequency of mutations based on patient isolation site and disease status. The transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) were also analyzed to understand how these rearrangements could influence viral transcription. It was determined that the number of TFBS was significantly higher in PML samples compared to non-PML samples. Additionally, TFBS that could promote JCPyV infection were more prevalent in samples isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid compared to other locations. Collectively, this research describes the extent of mutations in the NCCR that alter TFBS and how they correlate with disease outcome.
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Integrated computational analysis reveals HOX genes cluster as oncogenic drivers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7952. [PMID: 35562533 PMCID: PMC9106698 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11590-1] [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: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in homeobox (HOX) gene expression are involved in the progression of several cancer types including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, regulation of the entire HOX cluster in the pathophysiology of HNSCC is still elusive. By using different comprehensive databases, we have identified the significance of differentially expressed HOX genes (DEHGs) in stage stratification and HPV status in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA)-HNSCC datasets. The genetic and epigenetic alterations, druggable genes, their associated functional pathways and their possible association with cancer hallmarks were identified. We have performed extensive analysis to identify the target genes of DEHGs driving HNSCC. The differentially expressed HOX cluster-embedded microRNAs (DEHMs) in HNSCC and their association with HOX-target genes were evaluated to construct a regulatory network of the HOX cluster in HNSCC. Our analysis identified sixteen DEHGs in HNSCC and determined their importance in stage stratification and HPV infection. We found a total of 55 HNSCC driver genes that were identified as targets of DEHGs. The involvement of DEHGs and their targets in cancer-associated signaling mechanisms have confirmed their role in pathophysiology. Further, we found that their oncogenic nature could be targeted by using the novel and approved anti-neoplastic drugs in HNSCC. Construction of the regulatory network depicted the interaction between DEHGs, DEHMs and their targets genes in HNSCC. Hence, aberrantly expressed HOX cluster genes function in a coordinated manner to drive HNSCC. It could provide a broad perspective to carry out the experimental investigation, to understand the underlying oncogenic mechanism and allow the discovery of new clinical biomarkers for HNSCC.
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Xu C, Huang J, Yang Y, Li L, Li G. Increased Expression of Homeobox 5 Predicts Poor Prognosis: A Potential Prognostic Biomarker for Glioma. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:4399-4407. [PMID: 35502183 PMCID: PMC9056058 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s350454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The homeobox gene 5 (HOXB5) encodes a transcription factor that regulates the embryonic development of the central nervous system. Notably, its expression pattern and prognostic role in glioma remain unelucidated. Methods This study identified the relationship between HOXB5 and glioma by investigating HOXB5 expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype Tissue Expression databases and validating the obtained data using the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas database. Western blots were used to identify HOXB5 expression levels in glioma cells and clinical samples. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the prognostic value of HOXB5. The key functions and signaling pathways related to HOXB5 were analyzed using GO, KEGG, and GSEA. Immune infiltration was calculated using the microenvironment cell populations-counter, estimate the proportion of immune and cancer, and ESTIMATE algorithms. Results The expression of HOXB5 was upregulated in glioma and generally increased with malignancy. HOXB5 was an independent prognostic factor for glioma patients. A nomogram was further built that integrated HOXB5, and it showed stratifying prediction accuracy and efficiency. HOXB5 was associated with the regulation of cell growth, endothelial cell growth, and the IL-6/JAK-STAT3 pathway, and was determined to possibly promote stomatal specimen enrichment and angiogenesis. Conclusion HOXB5 protein is overexpressed in glioma and might serve as a good predictive factor of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengran Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinhai Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lun Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Anshan Hospital of the First Hospital of China Medical University, Anshan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangyu Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China
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Goïta AA, Guenot D. Colorectal Cancer: The Contribution of CXCL12 and Its Receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071810. [PMID: 35406582 PMCID: PMC8997717 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Many signaling pathways are involved in cancer progression, and among these pathways, the CXCL12 axis and its two receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7 are well described for many cancers. This review presents the current knowledge on the role played by each of the actors of this axis in colorectal cancer and on its consideration in the development of new therapeutic strategies. Abstract Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers, and diagnosis at late metastatic stages is the main cause of death related to this cancer. This progression to metastasis is complex and involves different molecules such as the chemokine CXCL12 and its two receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7. The high expression of receptors in CRC is often associated with a poor prognosis and aggressiveness of the tumor. The interaction of CXCL12 and its receptors activates signaling pathways that induce chemotaxis, proliferation, migration, and cell invasion. To this end, receptor inhibitors were developed, and their use in preclinical and clinical studies is ongoing. This review provides an overview of studies involving CXCR4 and CXCR7 in CRC with an update on their targeting in anti-cancer therapies.
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Wang J, Chen Y, Wang Q, Xu H, Wu C, Jiang Q, Wu G, Zhou H, Xiao Z, Chen Y, Zhang T, Lan Q. MEOX2-mediated regulation of Cathepsin S promotes cell proliferation and motility in glioma. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:360. [PMID: 35436995 PMCID: PMC9016080 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04845-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear transcription factor Mesenchyme Homeobox 2 (MEOX2) is a homeobox gene that is originally discovered to suppress the growth of vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells. However, whether or not it is connected to cancer is yet unknown. Here, we report that MEOX2 functions as a tumor-initiating element in glioma. Bioinformatic analyses of public databases and investigation of MEOX2 expression in patients with glioma demonstrated that MEOX2 was abundant at both mRNA and protein levels in glioma. MEOX2 expression was shown to be inversely linked with the prognosis of glioma patients. MEOX2 inhibition changed the morphology of glioma cells, inhibited cell proliferation and motility, whereas had no effect on cell apoptosis. Besides, silencing MEOX2 also hampered the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), focal adhesion formation, and F-actin assembly. Overexpression of MEOX2 exhibited opposite effects. Importantly, RNA-sequencing, ChIP-qPCR assay, and luciferase reporter assay revealed Cathepsin S (CTSS) as a novel transcriptional target of MEOX2 in glioma cells. Consistently, MEOX2 causes glioma tumor development in mice and greatly lowers the survival period of tumor-bearing mice. Our findings indicate that MEOX2 promotes tumorigenesis and progression of glioma partially through the regulation of CTSS. Targeting MEOX2-CTSS axis might be a promising alternative for the treatment of glioma.
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Ardalan Khales S, Abbaszadegan MR, Hosseini SE, Forghanifard MM. Contribution of TWIST1-EVX1 Axis in Invasiveness of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; a Functional Study. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 20:e2733. [PMID: 36337061 PMCID: PMC9583822 DOI: 10.30498/ijb.2022.224786.2733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a biological process in embryonic development and cancer progression, and different gene families, such as HOX genes, are closely related to this process. OBJECTIVES Our aim in this study was to investigate the correlation between TWIST1 and EVX1 mRNA expression in ESCC patients and also examine the probable regulatory function of TWIST1 on EVX1 expression in human ESCC cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS TWIST1 and EVX1 gene expression patterns were assessed in ESCC patients by relative comparative Real-time PCR then correlated with their clinical characteristics. In silico analysis of the EVX1 gene was conducted. KYSE-30 cells were transduced by a retroviral system to ectopically express TWIST1, followed by qRT-PCR to reveal the correlation between TWIST1 and EVX1 gene expression. RESULTS The expression of TWIST1 and EVX1 was correlated to each other significantly (p=0.005) in ESCC. Of 28 patients with under/normal expression of TWIST1, 22 samples (78.57%) had over/normal expression of EVX1. TWIST1 overexpression was correlated with advanced stages of the tumor (III, IV) (P = 0.019) and lymph node metastasis. However, EVX1 under expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.027) and invasiveness of the disease (P = 0.037) in ESCC. Furthermore, retroviral transduction enforced significant overexpression of TWIST1 in GFP-hTWIST-1 approximately 9-fold compared to GFP control cells, causing a - 8.83- fold reduction in EVX1 mRNA expression significantly. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated the repressive role of TWIST1 on EVX1 gene expression in ESCC. Therefore, our findings can help dissect the molecular mechanism of ESCC tumorigenesis and discover novel therapeutic targets for ESCC invasion and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Seyed Ebrahim Hosseini
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Zand Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz, Iran
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Mulley JF. Regulation of posterior Hox genes by sex steroids explains vertebral variation in inbred mouse strains. J Anat 2022; 240:735-745. [PMID: 34747015 PMCID: PMC8930804 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13580] [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: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of elegant embryo transfer experiments in the 1950s demonstrated that the uterine environment could alter vertebral patterning in inbred mouse strains. In the intervening decades, attention has tended to focus on the technical achievements involved and neglected the underlying biological question: how can genetically homogenous individuals have a heterogenous number of vertebrae? Here I revisit these experiments and, with the benefit of knowledge of the molecular-level processes of vertebral patterning gained over the intervening decades, suggest a novel hypothesis for homeotic transformation of the last lumbar vertebra to the adjacent sacral type through regulation of Hox genes by sex steroids. Hox genes are involved in both axial patterning and development of male and female reproductive systems and have been shown to be sensitive to sex steroids in vitro and in vivo. Regulation of these genes by sex steroids and resulting alterations to vertebral patterning may hint at a deep evolutionary link between the ribless lumbar region of mammals and the switch from egg-laying to embryo implantation. An appreciation of the impact of sex steroids on Hox genes may explain some puzzling aspects of human disease, and highlights the spine as a neglected target for in utero exposure to endocrine disruptors.
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Zhang H, Ding Y, Zeng Q, Wang D, Liu G, Hussain Z, Xiao B, Liu W, Deng T. Characteristics of mesenteric adipose tissue attached to different intestinal segments and their roles in immune regulation. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2022; 322:G310-G326. [PMID: 34984923 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00256.2021] [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] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) plays a critical role in the intestinal physiological ecosystems. Small and large intestines have evidently intrinsic and distinct characteristics. However, whether there exist any mesenteric differences adjacent to the small and large intestines (SMAT and LMAT) has not been properly characterized. We studied the important facets of these differences, such as morphology, gene expression, cell components, and immune regulation of MATs, to characterize the mesenteric differences. The SMAT and LMAT of mice were used for comparison of tissue morphology. Paired mesenteric samples were analyzed by RNA-seq to clarify gene expression profiles. MAT partial excision models were constructed to illustrate the immune regulation roles of MATs, and 16S-seq was applied to detect the subsequent effect on microbiota. Our data show that different segments of mesenteries have different morphological structures. SMAT not only has smaller adipocytes but also contains more fat-associated lymphoid clusters than LMAT. The gene expression profile is also discrepant between these two MATs in mice. B-cell markers were abundantly expressed in SMAT, whereas development-related genes were highly expressed in LMAT. Adipose-derived stem cells of LMAT exhibited higher adipogenic potential and lower proliferation rates than those of SMAT. In addition, SMAT and LMAT play different roles in immune regulation and subsequently affect microbiota components. Finally, our data clarified the described differences between SMAT and LMAT in humans. There were significant differences in cell morphology, gene expression profiles, cell components, biological characteristics, and immune and microbiota regulation roles between regional MATs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our results change the paradigm of how we regard MAT as a contiguous and homogeneous tissue to an intensely heterogeneous tissue. Appreciation of the differences between regional MATs will guide future research to investigate the specialized roles of different MATs in intestinal health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Yujin Ding
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qin Zeng
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ganglei Liu
- Department of Geriatric Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zain Hussain
- Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas
| | - Boen Xiao
- Department of Biliopancreatic Surgery and Bariatric Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Biliopancreatic Surgery and Bariatric Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tuo Deng
- National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Clinical Immunology Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
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Qin Z, Zhou C. HOXA13 promotes gastric cancer progression partially via the FN1-mediated FAK/Src axis. Exp Hematol Oncol 2022; 11:7. [PMID: 35197128 PMCID: PMC8864865 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-022-00260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers causing a poor prognosis worldwide. HOXA13, as a member of the homeobox (HOX) family, is involved in the regulation of cancer progression and has attracted increasing attention, as a potential novel target for anticancer strategies. However, the significance of HOXA13 in GC remains unclear. This article aims to explore the potential mechanism of HOXA13 in GC progression. Methods Quantitative real-time PCR was carried out to detect the expression of HOXA13 and FN1 and the correlation between HOXA13 and FN1 in GC tissues. In vitro assays were conducted to investigate the role of HOXA13 and FN1 in the malignant phenotypes of GC cells and the function of HOXA13 in the activation of the FAK/Src axis in GC cells. Coimmunoprecipitation was performed to reveal the relationship between ITGA5, ITGB1 and FN1 in GC cells. A dual luciferase assay was performed to assess miR-449a-targeted regulation of HOXA13 expression. Results Quantitative real-time PCR verified that HOXA13 was elevated and positively correlated with FN1 in GC. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that high expression of HOXA13 promoted GC progression, especially metastasis. Mechanistically, rescue experiments, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase assays revealed that HOXA13 directly bound to the FN1 promoter region to enhance the activation of the FAK/Src axis, leading to GC cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, the result of a dual luciferase assay suggested that HOXA13 was directly targeted by miR-449a. Conclusions Our results show that HOXA13 is a positive regulator of the FAK/Src axis mediated by FN1 in GC and promotes GC progression. Thus, targeting HOXA13, together with FN1, may provide a novel prospective anticancer strategy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40164-022-00260-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 85 Wujin Road, Shanghai, China
| | - Chongzhi Zhou
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 85 Wujin Road, Shanghai, China.
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Comprehensive Analysis of HOX Family Members as Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:5758601. [PMID: 35251173 PMCID: PMC8890896 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5758601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background. The homeobox (HOX) gene family has been found to be involved in human cancers. However, its involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been well documented. Here, we comprehensively evaluated the role of HOXs in HCC. Methods. RNA sequencing profile of TCGA-LIHC and LIRI-JP were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), respectively. Data of TCGA-LIHC methylation were downloaded from UCSC Xena. Genetic alteration data for the TCGA samples was obtained from cBioPortal and GSCA. The diagnostic efficiency was assessed using ROC curves. The prognostic significance was evaluated by the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Subsequent functional analysis was performed through the clusterProfiler package. ssGSEA, ESTIMATE, and TIDE algorithms were employed to explore the relationship between HOXs and the HCC microenvironment. Finally, pRRophetic package and NCI-60 cancerous cell lines were applied to estimate anticancer drug sensitivity. Results. The mRNA levels of HOXs in HCC tissues were higher than those of noncancerous tissues and were correlated with poor overall survival (OS). HOXA6, C6, D9, D10, and D13 could serve as independent risk factors for OS. Further functional analysis revealed that these five HOXs regulate the cell proliferation, cell cycle, immune response, and microenvironment composition of HCC. In addition, the aberrant expression and methylation of HOXs is of great value in the diagnosis of HCC. Conclusion. HOXs play crucial roles in HCC and could serve as potential markers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.
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HOXB9 Overexpression Promotes Colorectal Cancer Progression and Is Associated with Worse Survival in Liver Resection Patients for Colorectal Liver Metastases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042281. [PMID: 35216396 PMCID: PMC8879839 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As is known, HOXB9 is an important factor affecting disease progression and overall survival (OS) in cancer. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. We aimed to explore the role of HOXB9 in CRC progression and its association with OS in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). We analysed differential HOXB9 expression in CRC using the Tissue Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA). We modulated HOXB9 expression in vitro to assess its impact on cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Lastly, we explored the association of HOXB9 protein expression with OS, using an institutional patient cohort (n = 110) who underwent liver resection for CRLM. Furthermore, HOXB9 was upregulated in TCGA-CRC (n = 644) vs. normal tissue (n = 51) and its expression levels were elevated in KRAS mutations (p < 0.0001). In vitro, HOXB9 overexpression increased cell proliferation (p < 0.001) and upregulated the mRNA expression of EMT markers (VIM, CDH2, ZEB1, ZEB2, SNAI1 and SNAI2) while downregulated CDH1, (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Conversely, HOXB9 silencing disrupted cell growth (p < 0.0001). High HOXB9 expression (HR = 3.82, 95% CI: 1.59-9.2, p = 0.003) was independently associated with worse OS in CRLM-HOXB9-expressing patients after liver resection. In conclusion, HOXB9 may be associated with worse OS in CRLM and may promote CRC progression, whereas HOXB9 silencing may inhibit CRC growth.
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Imada EL, Strianese D, Edward DP, alThaqib R, Price A, Arnold A, Al‐Hussain H, Marchionni L, Rodriguez FJ. RNA-sequencing highlights differential regulated pathways involved in cell cycle and inflammation in orbitofacial neurofibromas. Brain Pathol 2022; 32:e13007. [PMID: 34297428 PMCID: PMC8713532 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most commonly benign, neurofibromas (NFs) can have devastating functional and cosmetic effects in addition to the possibility of malignant transformation. Orbitofacial NFs, in particular, may cause progressive, disfiguring tumors of the lid, brow, temple, face, and orbit, and clinical evidence suggests that they may have increased local aggressiveness compared to NFs developing at other sites. The purpose of this study was to identify biological differences between orbitofacial NFs and those occurring at other anatomic sites. We performed RNA-sequencing in orbitofacial (n = 10) and non-orbitofacial (n = 9) NFs. Differential gene expression analysis demonstrated that a variety of gene sets including genes involved in cell proliferation, interferon, and immune-related pathways were enriched in orbitofacial NF. Comparisons with publicly available databases of various Schwann cell tumors and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) revealed a significant overlap of differentially expressed genes between orbitofacial versus non-orbitofacial NF and plexiform NF versus MPNST. In summary, we identified gene expression differences between orbitofacial NF and NFs occurring at other locations. Further investigation may be warranted, given that orbitofacial NF are notoriously difficult to treat and associated with disproportionate morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddie Luidy Imada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Diego Strianese
- King Khaled Eye Specialist HospitalRiyadhSaudi Arabia
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological SciencesUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Deepak P. Edward
- King Khaled Eye Specialist HospitalRiyadhSaudi Arabia
- Department of OphthalmologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual SciencesUniversity of Illinois College of MedicineChicagoILUSA
| | | | - Antionette Price
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Antje Arnold
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | | | - Luigi Marchionni
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Fausto J. Rodriguez
- Department of OphthalmologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Department of PathologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer CenterJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
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Jeong DS, Kim YC, Oh JH, Kim MH. Akt1 Decreases Gcn5 Protein Stability through Regulating The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts. CELL JOURNAL 2022; 24:51-54. [PMID: 35182065 PMCID: PMC8876264 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2022.7961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
General control non-derepressible 5 (Gcn5) is a member of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that plays key roles during embryogenesis as well as in the development of various human cancers. Gcn5, an epigenetic regulator of Hoxc11, has been reported to be negatively regulated by Akt1 in the mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). However, the exact mechanism by which Akt1 regulates Gcn5 is not well understood. Using protein stability chase assay, we observed that Gcn5 is negatively regulated by Akt1 at the post-translational level in MEFs. The stability of Gcn5 protein is determined by the competitive binding with the protein partner that interacts with Gcn5. The interaction of Gcn5 and Cul4a-Ddb1 complex predominates and promotes ubiquitination of Gcn5 in the wild-type MEFs. On the other hand, in the Akt1-null MEFs, the interaction of Gcn5 and And-1 inhibits binding of Gcn5 and Cul4a-Dbd1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, thereby increasing the stability of the Gcn5 protein. Taken together, our study indicates that Akt1 negatively controls Gcn5 via the proteasomal degradation pathway, suggesting a potential mechanism that regulates the expression of Hox genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Som Jeong
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yu Cheon Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Oh
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea,Department of AnatomyEmbryology LaboratoryYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulKorea
Emails:,
| | - Myoung Hee Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology Laboratory, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea,Department of AnatomyEmbryology LaboratoryYonsei University College of MedicineSeoulKorea
Emails:,
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35
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A Systematic Review on HOX Genes as Potential Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer: An Emerging Role of HOXB9. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413429. [PMID: 34948228 PMCID: PMC8707253 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence shows that Homeobox (HOX) genes are important in carcinogenesis, and their dysregulation has been linked with metastatic potential and poor prognosis. This review (PROSPERO-CRD42020190953) aims to systematically investigate the role of HOX genes as biomarkers in CRC and the impact of their modulation on tumour growth and progression. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched for eligible studies exploring two research questions: (a) the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of HOX dysregulation in patients with CRC and (b) the functional role of HOX genes in CRC progression. Twenty-five studies enrolling 3003 CRC patients, showed that aberrant expression of HOX proteins was significantly related to tumour depth, nodal invasion, distant metastases, advanced stage and poor prognosis. A post-hoc meta-analysis on HOXB9 showed that its overexpression was significantly associated with the presence of distant metastases (pooled OR 4.14, 95% CI 1.64–10.43, I2 = 0%, p = 0.003). Twenty-two preclinical studies showed that HOX proteins are crucially related to tumour growth and metastatic potential by affecting cell proliferation and altering the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition modulators. In conclusion, HOX proteins may play vital roles in CRC progression and are associated with overall survival. HOXB9 may be a critical transcription factor in CRC.
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Najafi S, Tan SC, Raee P, Rahmati Y, Asemani Y, Lee EHC, Hushmandi K, Zarrabi A, Aref AR, Ashrafizadeh M, Kumar AP, Ertas YN, Ghani S, Aghamiri S. Gene regulation by antisense transcription: A focus on neurological and cancer diseases. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 145:112265. [PMID: 34749054 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in high-throughput sequencing over the past decades have led to the identification of thousands of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which play a major role in regulating gene expression. One emerging class of ncRNAs is the natural antisense transcripts (NATs), the RNA molecules transcribed from the opposite strand of a protein-coding gene locus. NATs are known to concordantly and discordantly regulate gene expression in both cis and trans manners at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and epigenetic levels. Aberrant expression of NATs can therefore cause dysregulation in many biological pathways and has been observed in many genetic diseases. This review outlines the involvements and mechanisms of NATs in the pathogenesis of various diseases, with a special emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. We also summarize recent findings on NAT knockdown and/or overexpression experiments and discuss the potential of NATs as promising targets for future gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad Najafi
- Student research committee, Department of medical biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shing Cheng Tan
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Pourya Raee
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yazdan Rahmati
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yahya Asemani
- Department of Immunology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - E Hui Clarissa Lee
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore and Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore; NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of epidemiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Sariyer 34396, Turkey
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Vice President at Translational Sciences, Xsphera Biosciences Inc, 6 Tide Street, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey; Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Orta Mahalle, Üniversite Caddesi No. 27, Orhanlı, Tuzla, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alan Prem Kumar
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore and Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore; NUS Centre for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Yavuz Nuri Ertas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey; ERNAM-Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey
| | - Sepideh Ghani
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahin Aghamiri
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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37
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Feng Y, Zhang T, Wang Y, Xie M, Ji X, Luo X, Huang W, Xia L. Homeobox Genes in Cancers: From Carcinogenesis to Recent Therapeutic Intervention. Front Oncol 2021; 11:770428. [PMID: 34722321 PMCID: PMC8551923 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.770428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeobox (HOX) genes encoding an evolutionarily highly conserved family of homeodomain-containing transcriptional factors are essential for embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. HOX genes are involved in cell identity determination during early embryonic development and postnatal processes. The deregulation of HOX genes is closely associated with numerous human malignancies, highlighting the indispensable involvement in mortal cancer development. Since most HOX genes behave as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in human cancer, a better comprehension of their upstream regulators and downstream targets contributes to elucidating the function of HOX genes in cancer development. In addition, targeting HOX genes may imply therapeutic potential. Recently, novel therapies such as monoclonal antibodies targeting tyrosine receptor kinases, small molecular chemical inhibitors, and small interfering RNA strategies, are difficult to implement for targeting transcriptional factors on account of the dual function and pleiotropic nature of HOX genes-related molecular networks. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the roles of HOX genes in human cancer and emphasizes the emerging importance of HOX genes as potential therapeutic targets to overcome the limitations of present cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tongyue Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meng Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ji
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangyuan Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenjie Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hepatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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38
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Ren N, Li Y, Xiong Y, Li P, Ren Y, Huang Q. Functional Screenings Identify Regulatory Variants Associated with Breast Cancer Susceptibility. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2021; 43:1756-1777. [PMID: 34889888 PMCID: PMC8928974 DOI: 10.3390/cimb43030124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 2000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with breast cancer susceptibility, most of which are located in the non-coding region. However, the causal SNPs functioning as gene regulatory elements still remain largely undisclosed. Here, we applied a Dinucleotide Parallel Reporter sequencing (DiR-seq) assay to evaluate 288 breast cancer risk SNPs in nine different breast cancer cell lines. Further multi-omics analysis with the ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing), DNase-seq (DNase I hypersensitive sites sequencing) and histone modification ChIP-seq (Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing) nominated seven functional SNPs in breast cancer cells. Functional investigations show that rs4808611 affects breast cancer progression by altering the gene expression of NR2F6. For the other site, rs2236007, the alteration promotes the binding of the suppressive transcription factor EGR1 and results in the downregulation of PAX9 expression. The downregulated expression of PAX9 causes cancer malignancies and is associated with the poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. Our findings contribute to defining the functional risk SNPs and the related genes for breast cancer risk prediction.
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39
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Molecular implications of HOX genes targeting multiple signaling pathways in cancer. Cell Biol Toxicol 2021; 38:1-30. [PMID: 34617205 PMCID: PMC8789642 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-021-09657-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Homeobox (HOX) genes encode highly conserved homeotic transcription factors that play a crucial role in organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Their deregulation impacts the function of several regulatory molecules contributing to tumor initiation and progression. A functional bridge exists between altered gene expression of individual HOX genes and tumorigenesis. This review focuses on how deregulation in the HOX-associated signaling pathways contributes to the metastatic progression in cancer. We discuss their functional significance, clinical implications and ascertain their role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in the various cancer types. Besides, the mechanism of understanding the theoretical underpinning that affects HOX-mediated therapy resistance in cancers has been outlined. The knowledge gained shall pave the way for newer insights into the treatment of cancer.
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40
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Fei X, Fan L, Chen W, Chen W, Gong Y, Du X, Wang Y, Zhu Y, Pan J, Wang F, Zhao W, Liu T, Yang Y, Dong B, Xue W. The prevalence and clinical implication of rare germline deleterious alterations in Chinese patients with prostate cancer: A real-world multicenter study. Clin Transl Med 2021; 11:e527. [PMID: 34709755 PMCID: PMC8506635 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Fei
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Liancheng Fan
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of UrologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityZhejiangChina
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of UrologyZhongshan HospitalShanghai Medical CollegeFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yiming Gong
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xinxing Du
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yanqing Wang
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yinjie Zhu
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jiahua Pan
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | | | | | | | | | - Baijun Dong
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Wei Xue
- Department of UrologyRenji HospitalSchool of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
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41
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Yang C, Wang K, Liang Q, Tian TT, Zhong Z. Role of NSD1 as potential therapeutic target in tumor. Pharmacol Res 2021; 173:105888. [PMID: 34536546 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor binding SET Domain Protein 1 (NSD1) is a bifunctional transcriptional regulatory protein that encodes histone methyltransferase. Mono- and di-methylation of H3K36 by NSD1 is mainly primarily involved in the regulation of gene expression, DNA repair, alternative splicing, and other important biological processes. Many types of cancers, including acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), liver cancer, lung cancer, endometrial carcinoma, colorectal cancer, and pancreatic cancer, are associated with NSD1 fusion, missense mutation, nonsense mutation, silent mutation, deletion, and insertion of frameshift, and deletion in a frame. Therefore, targeting NSD1 may be a potential strategy for tumor therapy. An in-depth study of the structure and biological activities of NSD1 sets the groundwork for improving tumor therapy and creating NSD1 inhibitors. This article emphasizes the role of NSD1 in tumorigenesis and the development of NSD1 targeted small-molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- National Engineering Research Center for Marine Aquaculture, Institute of Innovation & Application, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province 316022, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, The Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province 646000, China
| | - Qilian Liang
- Oncology Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province 524001, China
| | - Tian-Tian Tian
- Center for Biological Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province 519087, China.
| | - Zhangfeng Zhong
- Macau Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR 999078, China.
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42
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Ding F, Chen P, Bie P, Piao W, Cheng Q. HOXA5 Is Recognized as a Prognostic-Related Biomarker and Promotes Glioma Progression Through Affecting Cell Cycle. Front Oncol 2021; 11:633430. [PMID: 34485110 PMCID: PMC8416157 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.633430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioma is malignant tumor derives from glial cells in the central nervous system. High-grade glioma shows aggressive growth pattern, and conventional treatments, such as surgical removal and chemo-radiotherapy, archive limitation in the interference of this process. In this work, HOXA5, from the HOX family, was identified as a glioma cell proliferation-associated factor by investigating its feature in the TCGA and CGGA data set. High HOXA5 expression samples contain unfavorable clinical features of glioma, including IDH wild type, un-methylated MGMT status, non-codeletion 1p19q status, malignant molecular subtype. Survival analysis indicates that high HOXA5 expression samples are associated with worse clinical outcome. The CNVs and SNPs profile difference further confirmed the enrichment of glioma aggressive related biomarkers. In the meantime, the activation of DNA damage repair-related pathways and TP53-related pathways is also related to HOXA5 expression. In cell lines, U87MG and U251, by interfering HOXA5 expression significantly inhibit glioma progression and apoptosis, and cell cycle is arrested at the G2/M phase. Collectively, increased HOXA5 expression can promote glioma progression via affecting glioma cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengqin Ding
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, First Affiliated Hospital of Northwest Minzu University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Medical Experiment Center, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Pengfei Bie
- Department of Neurosurgery, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, First Affiliated Hospital of Northwest Minzu University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Wenhua Piao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, First Affiliated Hospital of Northwest Minzu University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Clinical Diagnosis and Therapy Center for Glioma of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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43
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Ren N, Liu Q, Yan L, Huang Q. Parallel Reporter Assays Identify Altered Regulatory Role of rs684232 in Leading to Prostate Cancer Predisposition. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8792. [PMID: 34445492 PMCID: PMC8395720 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional characterization of cancer risk-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has become a big challenge. To identify the regulatory risk SNPs that can lead to transcriptional misregulation, we performed parallel reporter gene assays with both alleles of 213 prostate cancer risk-associated GWAS SNPs in 22Rv1 cells. We disclosed 32 regulatory SNPs that exhibited different regulatory activities with two alleles. For one of the regulatory SNPs, rs684232, we found that the variation altered chromatin binding of transcription factor FOXA1 on the DNA region and led to aberrant gene expression of VPS53, FAM57A, and GEMIN4, which play vital roles in prostate cancer malignancy. Our findings reveal the roles and underlying mechanism of rs684232 in prostate cancer progression and hold great promise in benefiting prostate cancer patients with prognostic prediction and target therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qilai Huang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Cell and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China; (N.R.); (Q.L.); (L.Y.)
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44
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Modhukur V, Sharma S, Mondal M, Lawarde A, Kask K, Sharma R, Salumets A. Machine Learning Approaches to Classify Primary and Metastatic Cancers Using Tissue of Origin-Based DNA Methylation Profiles. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3768. [PMID: 34359669 PMCID: PMC8345047 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic cancers account for up to 90% of cancer-related deaths. The clear differentiation of metastatic cancers from primary cancers is crucial for cancer type identification and developing targeted treatment for each cancer type. DNA methylation patterns are suggested to be an intriguing target for cancer prediction and are also considered to be an important mediator for the transition to metastatic cancer. In the present study, we used 24 cancer types and 9303 methylome samples downloaded from publicly available data repositories, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). We constructed machine learning classifiers to discriminate metastatic, primary, and non-cancerous methylome samples. We applied support vector machines (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and random forest (RF) machine learning models to classify the cancer types based on their tissue of origin. RF outperformed the other classifiers, with an average accuracy of 99%. Moreover, we applied local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) to explain important methylation biomarkers to classify cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijayachitra Modhukur
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (V.M.); (M.M.); (A.L.); (K.K.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Shakshi Sharma
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Mainak Mondal
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (V.M.); (M.M.); (A.L.); (K.K.)
| | - Ankita Lawarde
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (V.M.); (M.M.); (A.L.); (K.K.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Keiu Kask
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (V.M.); (M.M.); (A.L.); (K.K.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Rajesh Sharma
- Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, 51009 Tartu, Estonia; (S.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Andres Salumets
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; (V.M.); (M.M.); (A.L.); (K.K.)
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), 14186 Stockholm, Sweden
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Wu X, Li J, Yan T, Ke X, Li X, Zhu Y, Yang J, Li Z. HOXB7 acts as an oncogenic biomarker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:393. [PMID: 34303375 PMCID: PMC8306226 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-02093-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The homeobox gene Homeobox B7 (HOXB7) is overexpressed across a range of cancers and promotes tumorigenesis through varying effects on proliferation, survival, migration and invasion. However, its expression pattern and oncogenic role of HOXB7 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain largely unexplored. Here, we aimed to explore the expression pattern of HOXB7, its clinical significance as well as functional roles in HNSCC. Methods HOXB7 mRNA expression in HNSCC was determined by data mining and analyses from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) datasets. The protein abundance of HOXB7 was measured by immunohistochemistry in 119 primary HNSCC samples and associations between its expression and clinicopathological parameters and patient survival were evaluated. The pro-tumorigenic roles of HOXB7 in HNSCC were further delineated in vitro by loss-of-function assay. And a xenograft tumor model was established in nude mice to assess the role of HOXB7 in tumor growth. Connectivity Map (CMap) analysis was performed to identify bioactive small molecules which might be potential inhibitors for HOXB7. Results Bioinformatics analyses showed that HOXB7 mRNA was significantly overexpressed in 8 independent HNSCC datasets from TCGA and GEO databases. HOXB7 protein was markedly upregulated in HNSCC samples as compared to normal counterparts and its overexpression significantly associated with high pathological grade, advanced clinical stage, cervical node metastasis (P = 0.0195, 0.0152, 0.0300) and reduced overall and disease-free survival (P = 0.0014, 0.0007). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses further revealed HOXB7 as an independent prognostic factor for patients’ overall survival. Moreover, HOXB7 knockdown significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced cell apoptosis in HNSCC cells, and resulted in compromised tumour growth in vivo. Furthermore, CMap (Connectivity map) analysis has identified three potential bioactive small molecule inhibitors (NU-1025, thiamine, vinburnine) for HOXB7 targeted therapy in HNSCC. Conclusions Our findings revealed that overexpression of HOXB7 was associates with tumour aggressiveness and unfavourable prognosis by serving a novel prognostic biomarker in HNSCC. Moreover, HOXB7 might be involved in the development and progression of HNSCC as an oncogene, and thereby might be a potential therapeutic target for HNSCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02093-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingyuan Yan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueping Ke
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yumin Zhu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jianrong Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhongwu Li
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China. .,Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu, China.
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Wang D, Feng M, Ma X, Tao K, Wang G. Transcription factor SP1-induced microRNA-146b-3p facilitates the progression and metastasis of colorectal cancer via regulating FAM107A. Life Sci 2021; 277:119398. [PMID: 33831429 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies have provided compelling evidence regarding the association of microRNAs (miRNAs) with the progression and development of tumors. Among the miRNAs, the dysregulation of miR-146b-3p expression has been reported in several cancers, however, its effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unexplored. Many studies have suggested a close correlation between the transcription factor (TF)-miRNA signal and cancer. The present study explored the effects of TF-miR-146b-3p axis on CRC and elucidated its downstream regulatory molecule. MATERIALS AND METHODS The expression levels of miR-146b-3p in CRC tissues and cell lines were assessed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The impact of miR-146b-3p on CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were analyzed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell proliferation assay and transwell migration and invasion assay. Additionally, the impact of miR-146b-3p on CRC cell cycle and apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry. The targets of miR-146b-3p, predicted by miRWalk database, were verified using a dual-luciferase reporter system. The expression levels of TFs were detected using qRT-PCR. The effects of miR-146b-3p and SP1 on FAM107A expression were assessed by performing qRT-PCR and western blotting. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) Assay was performed and JASPAR database was utilized to explore the regulatory relationship between the SP1 and miR-146b-3p. RESULTS Increased expression of miR-146b-3p in CRC tissues and cell lines correlated with poor overall survival (OS). Upregulation of miR-146b-3p expression remarkably promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells and suppressed their apoptosis. Furthermore, SP1 overexpression significantly elevated the miR-146b-3p expression, decreased the FAM107A expression, and promoted the G1/S transition. The miR-146b-3p overexpression also enhanced the effects of SP1 overexpression on CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas miR-146b-3p knockdown led to the opposite results. CONCLUSION Mechanistically, miR-146b-3p functions as an oncogene by directly targeting FAM107A. Our results highlight the critical regulatory role played by SP1-induced miR-146b-3p expression in CRC development. Our results suggest that SP1/miR-146b-3p/FAM107A axis may be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Meina Feng
- Department of Neurology, Wuhan Brain Hospital, General Hospital of the YANGTZE River Shipping, Wuhan 430015, China
| | - Xianxiong Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaixiong Tao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guobin Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
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Zhang K, Xiao M, Jin X, Jiang H. NR5A2 Is One of 12 Transcription Factors Predicting Prognosis in HNSCC and Regulates Cancer Cell Proliferation in a p53-Dependent Manner. Front Oncol 2021; 11:691318. [PMID: 34277436 PMCID: PMC8280457 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.691318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) rank seventh among the most common type of malignant tumor worldwide. Various evidences suggest that transcriptional factors (TFs) play a critical role in modulating cancer progression. However, the prognostic value of TFs in HNSCC remains unclear. Here, we identified a risk model based on a 12-TF signature to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HNSCC. We further analyzed the ability of the 12-TF to predict the disease-free survival time and overall survival time in HNSCC, and found that only NR5A2 down-regulation was strongly associated with shortened overall survival and disease-free survival time in HNSCC. Moreover, we systemically studied the role of NR5A2 in HNSCC and found that NR5A2 regulated HNSCC cell growth in a TP53 status-dependent manner. In p53 proficient cells, NR5A2 knockdown increased the expression of TP53 and activated the p53 pathway to enhance cancer cells proliferation. In contrast, NR5A2 silencing suppressed the growth of HNSCC cells with p53 loss/deletion by inhibiting the glycolysis process. Therefore, our results suggested that NR5A2 may serve as a promising therapeutic target in HNSCC harboring loss-of-function TP53 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Xiao
- Department of Urology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Jin
- Department of Urology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hongyan Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Rodrigues MFSD, Xavier FCA, Esteves CD, Nascimento RB, Nobile JS, Severino P, de Cicco R, Toporcov TN, Tajara EH, Nunes FD. Homeobox gene amplification and methylation in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Arch Oral Biol 2021; 129:105195. [PMID: 34126417 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Investigate the DNA copy number and the methylation profile of the homeobox genes HOXA5, HOXA7, HOXA9, HOXB5, HOXB13, HOXC12, HOXC13, HOXD10, HOXD11, IRX4 and ZHX1, and correlate them with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS DNA from OSCC samples and surgical margins were submitted to DNA amplification by qPCR and to DNA methylation analysis using a DNA Methylation PCR Array System. RESULTS HOXA5, HOXB5 and HOXD10 were amplified in surgical margins while HOXA9, HOXB13 and IRX4 were amplified in OSCC. HOXD10 demonstrated hypermethylation in half of the tumor while ZHX1 did not show hypermethylation. No correlation of DNA copy number or methylation with clinicopathological parameters or survival was observed. CONCLUSION HOXA9, HOXB13 and IRX4 genes appears to be regulated by amplification and HOXD10 by methylation in OSCC. Further studies are needed to determine the role of these events in OSCC development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flávia Caló Aquino Xavier
- Laboratory of Oral Surgical Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Carina Duarte Esteves
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rebeca Barros Nascimento
- Laboratory of Oral Surgical Pathology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Juliana Stephan Nobile
- Postgraduate Program in Biophotonics Applied to Health Sciences, Nove De Julho University (UNINOVE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Severino
- Center for Experimental Research, Albert Einstein Research and Education Institute, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Eloiza Helena Tajara
- Department of Molecular Biology, School of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto/FAMERP, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Fábio Daumas Nunes
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Pandey P, Khan F, Maurya P. Targeting Jab1 using hesperidin (dietary phytocompound) for inducing apoptosis in HeLa cervical cancer cells. J Food Biochem 2021; 45:e13800. [PMID: 34047379 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Plant flavonoids have been emerged as a potent anticancerous agent by exhibiting significant growth inhibitory potential and apoptotic induction in several carcinomas via targeting several oncoproteins. However, inverse association of hesperidin with Jab1 oncoprotein in cervical cancer has rarely been reported. Thus, we have intended our research study towards establishing this unexplored inverse correlation of hesperidin with Jab1 which could further prevent cervical cancer progression. Our research findings clearly demonstrated that hesperidin treatment resulted in Jab1 gene down-regulation and p27 up-regulation in a dose-dependent manner in HeLa cancer cells. These gene modulations might occur via excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and caspase-3 activation which further resulted in apoptotic induction. Increase in apoptotic cells was confirmed through Hoechst staining and cell cycle analysis. Thus, these results strongly suggested that Jab1 is a potent therapeutic target of hesperidin to suppress cell growth and trigger apoptosis in HeLa cells. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Dietary flavonoids play a crucial role in the management of numerous malignancies via targeting several mutated oncogenes. Our study strongly exhibited that hesperidin treatment suppressed the HeLa cancer cell proliferation via increased ROS generation and reduced Jab1 mRNA expression. Thus, the inference of Jab1-mediated intracellular signals by hesperidin might be a novel approach to control cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratibha Pandey
- Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, India
| | - Fahad Khan
- Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, India
| | - Pooja Maurya
- Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida, India
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Abstract
The HOXC10 gene, a member of the HOX genes family, plays crucial roles in mammalian physiological processes, such as limb morphological development, limb regeneration, and lumbar motor neuron differentiation. HOXC10 is also associated with angiogenesis, fat metabolism, and sex regulation. Additional evidence suggests that HOXC10 dysregulation is closely associated with various tumors. HOXC10 is an important transcription factor that can activate several oncogenic pathways by regulating various target molecules such as ERK, AKT, p65, and epithelial mesenchymal transition-related genes. HOXC10 also induces drug resistance in cancers by promoting the DNA repair pathway. In this review, we summarize HOXC10 gene structure and expression as well as the role of HOXC10 in different human cancer processes. This review will provide insight into the status of HOXC10 research and help identify novel targets for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyong Fang
- Department of Science and Education, Jinhua Guangfu Oncology Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Jianjun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Jinhua Guangfu Oncology Hospital, Jinhua, China
| | - Liangliang Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenxia Xu
- Central Laboratory, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, China
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