IGF2BP2 Polymorphisms Are Associated with Clinical Characteristics and Development of Oral Cancer

Insights into the role of the N6-methyladenosine reader IGF2BP3 in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma and its connection to cell-cycle control

The genome of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been extensively characterized via bulk sequencing, revealing a multitude of genetic changes. The gene IGF2BP3, which encodes for the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3, has been observed to be highly expressed in several types of cancer. This finding suggests that IGF2BP3 may play a significant role in the initiation and advancement of cancer. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which IGF2BP3 contribute to OSCC are yet to be fully understood. In this study, we have observed that IGF2BP3 exhibits overexpression in OSCC. Based on our findings from bulk sequencing analysis, we have concluded that IGF2BP3 could potentially serve as a biomarker for predicting poor prognosis in OSCC. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that IGF2BP3 exhibits a significant association with the initiation and advancement of tumors both in vivo and in vitro. The evaluation of IGF2BP3 expression levels in relation to the cell cycle stage was conducted using single-cell RNA sequencing data. Tumor cells characterized by elevated IGF2BP3 expression demonstrated a higher percentage of cells in the G2/M transition phase. This study presents new findings indicating that the molecular target IGF2BP3 can serve as a prognostic indicator for tumors and has an impact on the development and progression of OSCC by influencing the regulation of the cell cycle.

The relationship between polymorphism of IGF2BP2 gene rs4402960 and risk of pan-cancer: a meta-analysis and a bioinformatics analysis

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a meta-analysis and a bioinformatics analysis to assess the relationship between IGF2BP2 gene polymorphism and pan-cancer risk.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were conducted to literature searches. The heterogeneity test was used in five genetic models. Odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and p-values were used to evaluate the combined effects of various genetic models. Subgroup analysis and Meta-regression analysis were used to analyze the characteristics of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were also performed. Transcriptomic information on IGF2BP2 was downloaded and analyzed from the TCGA and GTEx databases. GEPIA (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/) was performed to analyze the relationship between IGF2BP2 expression and cancer tissue.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis contained 7 case-control studies, with 5,908 cases and 7,890 controls. There were significant differences in the heterozygous genetic model of IGF2BP2 gene rs4402960 polymorphism (OR = 1.080, 95% CI = 1.003-1.163, p = 0.041). In subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, There was a statistical significant association in Chinese (heterozygous: OR = 1.110, 95% CI = 1.010-1.220, p = 0.030). Bioinformatics analysis found that IGF2BP2 was over-expressed in pan-cancer (p < 0.01). In addition, the Kaplan-Meier estimate showed that there is statistical significance of OS between the low and high IGF2BP2 TPM groups in Lung adenocarcinoma (p <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

To sum up, IGF2BP2 gene polymorphism may be related to cancer risk. IGF2BP2 has diagnostic value in the diagnosis and treatment of pan-cancer.

Lin28 affects the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells by directly inhibiting let-7b maturation

OBJECTIVE

Activation of Lin28 gene under certain conditions promotes tissue damage repair. However, it remains unknown whether conditional expression of Lin28 facilitates the recovery of damaged pulp tissue. In the study, we focus on exploring the effects and possible regulatory mechanisms of Lin28 on the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We adopted techniques such as the ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay, RNA-protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) analysis, and luciferase assays to study the regulation of hDPSCs by Lin28. Furthermore, gain-of-function and loss-of-function analyses were also used in explored factors regulating hDPSCs activation.

RESULTS

The results show that Lin28 inhibited osteogenic differentiation by directly targets pre-let-7b. Through bioinformatics sequencing and dual luciferase experiments we learned that let-7b directly targets the IGF2BP2 3'UTR. Silencing of IGF2BP2 showed a similar biological effect as overexpression of let-7b. Overexpression of IGF2BP2 counteracted the differentiation-promoting effects produced by let-7b overexpression.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the RNA-binding protein Lin28 regulates osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by inhibiting let-7 miRNA maturation. And mature let-7b directly regulated the expression of IGF2BP2 by targeting the 3'UTR region of IGF2BP2 mRNA thus further inhibiting the differentiation of hDPSCs.

IGF2BP2 and IGFBP3 Genotypes, Haplotypes, and Genetic Models Studies in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance has been correlated with the genetic diversity within the insulin-like binding proteins genes. Moreover, insulin resistance is one of the key characteristics of the widespread reproductive endocrine condition known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Hence, this study is aimed to determine the association between IGFBP3 and IGF2BP2 gene variants and PCOS risk.

METHODS

A total of 300 subjects (150 PCOS cases diagnosed based on Rotterdam ESHRE/ASRM consensus criteria and 150 healthy subjects) were recruited in this case-control cross-sectional study. Tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was used for genotyping rs11705701, whereas genotyping of rs1470579 and rs2854744 was done employing PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique.

RESULTS

The CC and AA+AC genotypes of rs1470579 conferred an increased risk of PCOS in our population. Regarding the rs2854744, an increased risk of PCOS was observed under the codominant homozygous (TT vs. GG) model by 2.54 fold. The C allele of rs1470579 and T allele of rs2854744 enhanced PCOS risk by 1.97 and 1.46 folds, respectively. Haplotype analysis showed that the Ars1470579Ars11705701 haplotype conferred a decreased risk of PCOS (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.34-0.83, p = 0.006). The AC/GG/GT, AA/GA/GT, AC/GA/GG, and AC/GA/GT genotype combinations of rs1470579/rs11705701/rs2854744 were associated with a decreased risk of the disease.

CONCLUSIONS

IGF2BP2 rs1470579 and IGFBP3 rs2854744 enhanced PCOS susceptibility in a Southeastern Iranian population. Further investigation involving larger cohorts representing diverse ethnic backgrounds is needed to confirm the current findings.

The impacts of MACC1 gene polymorphisms on urothelial cell carcinoma susceptibility and clinicopathologic characteristics in Taiwan

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is a common malignancy of the urinary tract in Taiwan. Metastasis-Associated in Colon Cancer 1 (MACC1), a newly identified oncogene and regulator of the HGF/Met signaling pathway, has been shown to play a critical role in the development and progression of several types of cancer. Our study aims to investigate the impact of MACC1 gene polymorphisms on the clinicopathological features of patients with UCC. In this study, we included a total of 719 patients with UCC and 719 healthy controls. The genotyping of five MACC1 gene polymorphisms (rs1990172, rs975263, rs3095007, rs4721888, and rs3735615) was performed using real-time PCR with TaqMan assays. Our findings indicate that urothelial cancer patients with MACC1 rs3095007 A allele had a decreased risk of >T2 stage [Odds ratio (OR)=0.619, 95% CI=0.394-0.971, p=0.036] and lymph node invasion (OR=0.448, 95% CI=0.201-0.998, p=0.044). Additionally, these individuals were associated with longer relapse-free survival (p=0.007) and overall survival (p=0.028). In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that urothelial cancer patients with MACC1 (rs3095007) CA and AA genotypes have a lower risk of advanced T stage and lymph node metastasis. Additionally, these genotypes were associated with longer relapse-free survival and overall survival, highlighting the potential of these biomarkers as predictors of UCC prognosis.

Association Between Polymorphism in Diabetes Susceptibility Gene Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2mRNA-Binding Protein 2 and Risk of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Background

Numerous studies have shown that polymorphisms in the diabetes susceptibility gene, insulin-like growth factor 2mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2), are associated with the occurrence and development of various malignant tumors; however, their correlation with the onset of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether IGF2BP2 polymorphisms increase the risk of developing DLBCL.

Methods

This study included 295 DLBCL patients and 331 healthy individuals. Peripheral blood was collected, and polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) was used to detect IGF2BP2 gene polymorphisms. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between IGF2BP2 polymorphism and the risk of DLBCL, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). P < .05 indicated statistical significance.

Results

The rs4402960 polymorphism in the IGF2BP2 gene was associated with the occurrence and development of DLBCL. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, GT (odd ratio [OR] = 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-2.19; P = .016), TT (OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.09-3.68; P = .026), and T genotype carrying (GT + TT) (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.17-2.25; P = .004) significantly increased the risk of DLBCL. This study also found that the polymorphism rs1470579 was related to the development of DLBCL. After adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, AC (OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.11-2.17; P = .010), CC (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.17-4.06; P = .014), and C genotype carrying (AC + CC) (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.19-2.26; P = .002) significantly increased the risk of DLBCL.

Conclusions

Our study found that polymorphism in the IGF2BP2 gene was associated with an increased risk of developing DLBCL.

Anatomical landscape of oral squamous cell carcinoma: A single cancer center study in UAE

Objectives

This study aimed to present demographic and clinicopathological aspects of OSCC identified in Pathology service in the UAE over a 13-year period and compare these findings to a cohort of 523 cases of Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using the Cancer Genome Atlas's cBioPortal database (http://cbioportal.org).

Material and methods

Histological examination of all hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides and assessment of all demographic and clinical information from laboratory records were performed on all OSCC diagnosed between 2005 and 2018.

Results

Males made up 71.4% of the sample of 231 OSCCs that were evaluated. The patients' average age was 55.38 years. The two most prevalent afflicted sites were the anterior two-thirds of the tongue (57.6%) and the cheek (28.1%). The most prevalent site among smokers were the floor of mouth, cheek, and jaw bones. There was a link between tumor size and numerous anatomical subsites that was shown to be highly significant. OSCC in the FOM was associated with a 25% mortality rate. Patients with OSCC of the anterior tongue and cheek had the best prognosis, with only 15.7% and 15.3% of patients dying during follow-up.

Conclusion

The present investigation found a correlation between the diverse clinicopathological characteristics of the various anatomical subsites in OSCC. Different anatomical subsites also displayed varying degrees of gene mutation.

Novel Association of IGF2BP2 Gene Variants With Altered Risk of Breast Cancer and as Potential Molecular Biomarker of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Several studies documented that insulin-like growth factor-2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) contributes to carcinogenesis, and 1 report documented the association of IGF2BP2 rs4402960 with increased risk of breast cancer (BC). This study investigated the association of rs4402960 and rs1470579 IGF2BP2 variants with BC and triple negative BC (TNBC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This case-control study included 488 BC patients comprising 130 TNBC and 358 non-TNBC patients, and 476 cancer-free controls. Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral venous blood, and genotyping was done by allelic exclusion method on real-time PCR.

RESULTS

The rs440960, but not rs1470579, minor allele was significantly associated with BC, and significantly higher rs4402960 T/T genotype frequency was noted in BC patients than controls; the distribution of rs1470579 genotypes were comparable between BC patients and controls. In contrast, significantly lower rs1470579 minor allele frequency, and reduced rs1470579 A/C and C/C, and rs4402960 T/T genotype frequencies were seen in TNBC cases. Among TNBC cases, rs4402960 and rs1470579 correlated with menses pattern, histological type, breastfeeding, oral contraceptive use and hormonotherapy. Among non-TNBC patients, and rs1470579 correlated significantly with breast feeding, oral contraceptive use, hormonotherapy, and nodal status; rs4402960 also correlated with menses pattern. Two-locus (rs440960-rs1470579) haplotype analysis confirmed the positive association of TC, and negative association of GC and TA haplotypes with BC, while TC and GC haplotypes were negatively associated with TNBC.

CONCLUSION

Whereas rs440960 was positively associated with BC, both rs4402960 and rs1470579 were negatively associated with TNBC, suggesting potential diagnostic/prognostic role in BC and its complications.

Potential impact of ADAM-10 genetic variants with the clinical features of oral squamous cell carcinoma

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10 (ADAM-10) involves in the tumour progression, but the impacts of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of ADAM-10 on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of SNP of ADAM-10 on the clinical features of OSCC in male Taiwanese. Five loci of ADAM-10 SNPs including rs653765 (C/T), rs2305421 (A/G), rs514049 (A/C), rs383902 (T/C) and rs2054096 (A/T) were genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination in 1138 OSCC patients and 1199 non-OSCC individuals. The ADAM-10 SNP rs2305421 GG (AOR: 1.399, 95% CI: 1.045-1.874, p = 0.024) and G allele (AOR: 1.170, 95% CI: 1.012-1.351, p = 0.034) illustrated a significantly higher genotypic frequencies in the OSCC group compared to the distribution of the ADAM-10 SNP rs2305421 AA wild type. In the subgroup analysis, the ADAM-10 SNP rs383902 TC+CC was significantly correlated to tumour size larger than T2 in betel quid chewer (AOR: 1.375, 95% CI: 1.010-1.872, p = 0.043), while the ADAM-10 SNP rs653765 CT+TT was significantly associated with tumour size larger than T2 in cigarette smoker (AOR: 1.346, 95% CI: 1.023-1.772, p = 0.034). The results from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed highest ADAM-10 mRNA level in T2 stage of current smokers with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In conclusions, the ADAM-10 SNP rs2305421 G allele is associated with the presence of OSCC, and the ADAM-10 SNP rs383902 TC+CC and ADAM-10 SNP rs653765 CT+TT correlates to large tumour size in specific conditions.

HNF4G stimulates the development of pancreatic cancer by promoting IGF2BP2 transcription

OBJECTIVE

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating and lethal malignancy. Our study investigated the effective mechanism of HNF4G on pancreatic cancer cell functions through the IGF2BP2 transcription.

METHODS

HNF4G and IGF2BP2 expressions in pancreatic cancer were examined. The relationship between HNF4G expression and pancreatic cancer patients' clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated. After interfering with HNF4G expression in pancreatic cancer cells, the cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities were evaluated. Also, the expression of proliferation-related gene PCNA and migration and invasion-related gene MMP2 was determined. The binding relation between HNF4G and HNF4G promoter was forecasted and testified. A tumorigenesis assay in nude mice was performed to detect the HNF4G interference's effect on the subcutaneous tumorigenic capacity of pancreatic cancer cells.

RESULTS

HNF4G and IGF2BP2 expressions were up-regulated in pancreatic cancer. Specifically, interfering with HNF4G inhibited PANC-1 cell proliferative, invasive and migratory behaviors, and decreased PCNA and MMP2 expression. Mechanistically, HNF4G as a transcription factor could specifically bind to IGF2BP2 and promote its expression. Rescue assay findings showed that IGF2BP2 overexpression could reverse the inhibiting effect of HNF4G interference on pancreatic cancer cells. For the in vivo finding, interfering HNF4G expression retarded the subcutaneous tumorigenic ability of pancreatic cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

We summarize that HNF4G as a transcription factor regulates IGF2BP2 expression to promote pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and migration capacities.

Potential involvement of circulating extracellular vesicles and particles on exercise effects in malignancies

Physical activity and exercise have been widely related to prevention, treatment, and control for several non-communicable diseases. In this context, there are innumerous pre-clinical and clinical evidence indicating the potential role of exercise, beyond cancer prevention and survival, improved quality of life, including on psychological components, bone health and cachexia, from cancer survivors is described as well. This mini-review raises the potential role of circulating extracellular and particles vesicles (EVPs) cargo, as exerkines, conducting several positive effects on adjacent and/or distant tissues such as tumor, immune, bone and muscle cells. We highlighted new perspectives about microRNAs into EVPs changes induced by exercise and its benefits on malignancies, since microRNAs can be implicated with intricated physiopathological processes. Potential microRNAs into EVPs were pointed out here as players spreading beneficial effects of exercise, such as miR-150-5p, miR-124, miR-486, and miRNA-320a, which have previous findings on involvement with clinical outcomes and as well as tumor microenvironment, regulating intercellular communication and tumor growth. For example, high-intensity interval aerobic exercise program seems to increase miR-150 contents in circulating EVPs obtained from women with normal weight or overweight. In accordance circulating EVPs miR-150-5p content is correlated with prognosis colorectal cancer, and ectopic expression of miR-150 may reduce cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Beyond the involvement of bioactive miRNAs into circulating EVPs and their pathways related to clinical and preclinical findings, this mini review intends to support further studies on EVPs cargo and exercise effects in oncology.

IGF2BP2 serves as a core m6A regulator in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Methylation of N6 adenosine (m6A) plays a crucial role in the development and progression of cancers. Its modification is regulated by three types of m6A-related regulators (methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers), and RNA-binding proteins (readers)). Till now, the functions and roles of these regulators in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) remain largely unexplored. Therefore, we utilized the open HNSC dataset in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), four different cell lines, and our HNSC patient samples (n=40) to explore the clinical significance of 19 m6A regulators, and selected the most significant prognosis-related regulator. Authentic analyses based on online websites were also used in the study (Oncomine, UALCAN, Kaplan-Meier plotter, Human Protein Atlas (HPA), cBioPortal, LinkedOmics, String, etc.). From the results, general overexpression of m6A regulators was observed in pan-cancer, especially in HNSC. IGF2BP2 was recognized as the hub m6A regulator, which was an independent, unfavorable prognostic factor in HNSC. Its mRNA and protein expression in HNSC were significantly up-regulated. Gene mutation types of IGF2BP2 in HNSC (32%) were mainly mRNA High or Amplification, which represented the high expression of IGF2BP2. And these mutations were associated with a poor prognosis. In functional analysis, IGF2BP2 was negatively correlated to tumor immune infiltration in HNSC. Finally, HMGA2 might interact with the IGF2BP2 in HNSC. In conclusion, IGF2BP2 serves as a core m6A regulator among all regulators in HNSC, which has a high expression and predicts the poor prognosis of HNSC patients independently. IGF2BP2 might bring a new direction for HNSC treatment in the future.

Role of TNFSF15 variants in oral cancer development and clinicopathologic characteristics

Tumour necrosis family superfamily (TNFSF) member 15 (TNFSF15), encoded by TNFSF15, regulates immune responses and inflammation. However, the roles of TNFSF15 single‐nucleotide variants (SNVs; formerly SNPs) in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) remain unclear. This case–control study included 2523 participants (1324 patients with OCSCC [52.5%] and 1199 healthy controls [47.5%]). The effects of TNFSF15 rs3810936, rs6478108 and rs6478109 on cancer development and prognosis were analysed by real‐time PCR genotype assay. The Genotype‐Tissue Expression (GTEx) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases were used to validate our findings. The results demonstrated that the patients with altered TNFSF15 SNVs had poorer histological differentiation than did those with wild‐type alleles. TNFSF15 SNVs were significantly associated with moderate‐to‐poor histological differentiation in univariate logistic regression. In the GTEx database, the expression of altered TNFSF15 SNVs in whole blood was lower than that of wild‐type alleles. However, the expression of altered SNVs in the upper aerodigestive mucosa was higher than that of wild‐type alleles. In the TCGA database, the patients with higher TNFSF15 expression had shorter overall survival than did those with lower TNFSF15 expression, especially for human papillomavirus‐negative and advanced staging groups. In conclusion, although TNFSF15 SNVs did not affect OCSCC development, the patients with altered TNFSF15 SNVs exhibited poorer histological differentiation. The patients with higher TNFSF15 expression had poorer prognosis than did those with lower TNFSF15 expression.

Prognostic signature related to the immune environment of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) prognosis remains poor. Here we aimed to identify an effective prognostic signature for predicting the survival of patients with OSCC. Gene-expression and clinical data were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. Immune microenvironment-associated genes were identified using bioinformatics. Subtype and risk-score analyses were performed for these genes. Kaplan–Meier analysis and immune cell infiltration level were explored in different subtypes and risk-score groups. The prognostic ability, independent prognosis, and clinical features of the risk score were assessed. Furthermore, immunotherapy response based on the risk score was explored. Finally, a conjoint analysis of the subtype and risk-score groups was performed to determine the best prognostic combination. We found 11 potential prognostic genes and constructed a risk-score model. The subtype cluster 2 and a high-risk group showed the worst overall survival; differences in survival status might be due to the different immune cell infiltration levels. The risk score showed good performance, independent prognostic value, and valuable clinical application. Higher risk scores showed higher Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion scores, indicating that patients with a high-risk score were less likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Finally, conjoint analysis for the subgroups and risk groups showed the best predictive ability.

The impact of ALDH7A1 variants in oral cancer development and prognosis

The gene encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase 7 family member A1 (ALDH7A1) has been associated with the development and prognosis in multiple cancers; however, the role of ALDH7A1 polymorphisms in oral cancer remains unknown. For this purpose, the influences of ALDH7A1 rs13182402 and rs12659017 on oral cancer development and prognosis were analyzed. Our resulted showed that ALDH7A1 rs13182402 genotype had less pathologic nodal metastasis among betel quid chewer. ALDH7A1 rs13182402 also corresponded to higher expressions in upper aerodigestive mucosa, whole blood, the musculoskeletal system and oral cancer tissues than did the ALDH7A1 wild type. Furthermore, ALDH7A1 overexpression in oral cancer cells increased in vitro migration, whereas its silencing reduced cell migration. Conversely, ALDH7A1 expression in tumor tissues and in patients with advanced disease was lower than that in normal tissues and in patients with early-stage disease. When the patients were classified into ALDH7A1-high and -low-expression groups, the high-ALDH7A1 group had superior outcomes in progression-free survival than the low-ALDH7A1 group (5-year survival of 58.7% vs. 48.0%, P = 0.048) did. In conclusion, patients with high ALDH7A1 expression might, however, have more favorable prognoses than those with low ALDH7A1 expression have.

The Prognostic Signature of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Constructed by Immune-Related RNA-Binding Proteins

Purpose

This study aimed to construct a prognostic signature consisting of immune-related RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to predict the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) effectively.

Methods

The transcriptome and clinical data of HNSCC were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. First, we ascertained the immunological differences in HNSCC, through single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, stromal and immune cells in malignant tumor tissues using expression data (ESTIMATE), and cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) deconvolution algorithm. Then we used univariate proportional hazards (Cox) regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to screen immune-related RBPs and acquire the risk score of each sample. Subsequently, we further investigated the difference in prognosis, immune status, and tumor mutation burden in high- and low-risk groups. Finally, the efficacy of immunotherapy was measured by the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score.

Results

We derived 15 immune-related RBPs, including FRMD4A, ASNS, RAB11FIP1, FAM120C, CFLAR, CTTN, PLEKHO1, SELENBP1, CHCHD2, NPM3, ATP2A3, CFDP1, IGF2BP2, NQO1, and DENND2D. There were significant differences in the prognoses of patients in the high- and low-risk groups in the training set (p < 0.001) and the validation set (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there were statistical differences between the high-risk group and low-risk group in immune cell infiltration and pathway and tumor mutation load (p < 0.001). In the end, we found that patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to immunotherapy (p < 0.001), and then we screened 14 small-molecule chemotherapeutics with higher sensitivity to the high-risk group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The study constructed a prognostic signature of HNSCC, which might guide clinical immunotherapy in the future.

Upregulation of IGF2BP2 Promotes Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression That Is Related to Cell Proliferation, Metastasis and Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells

The strong invasive and metastatic abilities of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells in the early stage are the main reason for its poor prognosis. The early diagnosis and treatment of OSCC may reduce the metastasis rate and improve the survival rate. The aim of this study was to explore candidate biomarkers related to the prognosis and progression of OSCC. We performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis to identify key modules and genes associated with OSCC and intersected the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-OSCC and GSE30784 datasets. Next, we performed survival analysis and immunohistochemistry to screen and validate the hub gene insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) mRNA binding protein 2 IGF2BP2. We also used TCGA pan-cancer data to verify that IGF2BP2 was expressed at high levels in a variety of cancers and was related to a poor prognosis in patients. Furthermore, we divided patients with OSCC into high and low expression groups based on the median expression level of IGF2BP2. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that IGF2BP2 led to a poor prognosis in OSCC by affecting cancer-related (epithelial-mesenchymal transition, glycolysis, cell cycle, etc.) and immune-related biological functions and pathways. Single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA), CIBERSORT, and xCell algorithms helped reveal that high IGF2BP2 expression was accompanied by a significant reduction in the immune score, stromal score, and microenvironment score and a decrease in the number of infiltrating CD8+ T cells in OSCC. In addition, silencing IGF2BP2 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. In general, IGF2BP2 is a potential biomarker for the progression, immunotherapy response, and prognosis of OSCC.

IGF2BP2 maybe a novel prognostic biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Aim: The main of the present study was to investigate the role of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with the overarching of providing new biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.

Methods: We combined datasets downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and samples collected from the clinic to evaluate the expression of IGF2BP2 in OSCC. IGF2BP2 survival analysis was respectively performed based on TCGA, GEO, and clinical samples. Correlations between IGF2BP2 expression and clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed, and signaling pathways associated with IGF2BP2 expression were identified using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA 4.1.0). Moreover, an IGF2BP2 co-expressed gene network was constructed, followed by gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis on IGF2BP2 co-expressed genes. Finally, TIMER and CIBERSORT were used to analyze the correlations among IGF2BP2, IGF2BP2-coexpressed genes, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs).

Results: IGF2BP2 was highly expressed in OSCC and significantly correlated with overall survival of OSCC patients (P<0.01). High IGF2BP2 expression correlated with poor overall survival. The GSEA results showed that cell apoptosis-, tumor-, and immune-related pathways were significantly enriched in samples with high IGF2BP2 expression. Furthermore, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses results of IGF2BP2 co-expressed genes indicated that these genes are mainly associated with immunity/inflammation and tumorigenesis. In addition, IGF2BP2 and its co-expressed genes are associated with TICs (P<0.01).

Conclusion: IGF2BP2 may be a potential prognostic biomarker in OSCC and correlates with immune infiltrates.

Cytoplasmic IGF2BP2 Protein Expression in Human Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Prognostic and Clinical Implications

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is particularly prevalent in Taiwan. The goal of this study was to determine the clinicopathological role of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) proteins as an indicator of clinical outcomes in OSCC patients. In this study, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was used to examine IGF2BP2 protein expression in 244 OSCC patients. We investigated the relationships among IGF2BP2 expression, clinicopathological variables, and patient survival. Our results showed that IGF2BP2 cytoplasmic protein expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, cancer stage, and patient survival. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that elevated cytoplasmic IGF2BP2 expression levels in OSCC patients were associated with poor overall survival. Moreover, multivariate cox proportional hazard models revealed that cytoplasmic IGF2BP2 expression, T status, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for survival. In conclusion, IGF2BP2 protein was found to be a helpful predictive marker for OSCC patients, as well as a possible therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.

SUMOylation of IGF2BP2 promotes vasculogenic mimicry of glioma via regulating OIP5-AS1/miR-495-3p axis

Rationale: Glioma is the most common primary malignant tumor of human central nervous system, and its rich vascular characteristics make anti-angiogenic therapy become a therapeutic hotspot. However, the existence of glioma VM makes the anti-angiogenic therapy ineffective. SUMOylation is a post-translational modification that affects cell tumorigenicity by regulating the expression and activity of substrate proteins.

Methods: The binding and modification of IGF2BP2 and SUMO1 were identified using Ni²⁺-NTA agarose bead pull-down assays, CO-IP and western blot; and in vitro SUMOylation assays combined with immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining were performed to explore the detail affects and regulations of the SUMOylation on IGF2BP2. RT-PCR and western blot were used to detect the expression levels of IGF2BP2, OIP5-AS1, and miR-495-3p in glioma tissues and cell lines. CCK-8 assays, cell transwell assays, and three-dimensional cell culture methods were used for evaluating the function of IGF2BP2, OIP5-AS1, miR-495-3p, HIF1A and MMP14 in biological behaviors of glioma cells. Meantime, RIP and luciferase reporter assays were used for inquiring into the interactions among IGF2BP2, OIP5-AS1, miR-495-3p, HIF1A and MMP14. Eventually, the tumor xenografts in nude mice further as certained the effects of IGF2BP2 SUMOylation on glioma cells.

Results: This study proved that IGF2BP2 mainly binds to SUMO1 and was SUMOylated at the lysine residues K497, K505 and K509 sites, which can be reduced by SENP1. SUMOylation increased IGF2BP2 protein expression and blocked its degradation through ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, thereby increasing its stability. The expressions of IGF2BP2 and OIP5-AS1 were up-regulated and the expression of miR-495-3p was down-regulated in both glioma tissues and cells. IGF2BP2 enhances the stability of OIP5-AS1, thereby increasing the binding of OIP5-AS1 to miR-495-3p, weakening the binding of miR-495-3p to the 3'UTR of HIF1A and MMP14 mRNA, and ultimately promoting the formation of VM in glioma.

Conclusions: This study first revealed that SUMOylation of IGF2BP2 regulated OIP5-AS1/miR-495-3p axis to promote VM formation in glioma cells and xenografts growth in nude mice, providing a new idea for molecular targeted therapy of glioma.

Genetic Variants of lncRNA GAS5 Are Associated with the Clinicopathologic Development of Oral Cancer

The long noncoding RNA, Growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) plays a crucial role in the development of oral cancer. However, potential genetic variants in GAS5 that affect the susceptibility and progression of oral cancer have rarely been explored. In this study, two loci of GAS5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs145204276 and rs55829688) were genotyped by using the TaqMan allelic discrimination in 1125 oral cancer patients and 1195 non-oral-cancer individuals. After statistical analyses, the distribution of both the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 and GAS5 SNP rs55829688 frequencies were similar between the study and control groups. However, the patients with GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variants (Ins/Del or Del/Del) showed a higher tendency of moderate to poor cell differentiation of oral cancer (OR: 1.454, 95% CI: 1.041–2.031, p = 0.028). Moreover, the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variants (Ins/Del or Del/Del) in the non-alcohol-drinking population were associated with significantly advanced tumor stage (OR: 1.500, 95% CI: 1.081–2.081, p = 0.015) and larger tumor size (OR: 1.494, 95% CI: 1.076–2.074, p = 0.016). Furthermore, individuals with the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant were associated with a higher expression of GAS5 in the GTEx database (p = 0.002), and the higher GAS5 level was associated with poor cell differentiation, advanced tumor stage and larger tumor size in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from the TCGA database (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant is related to poor-differentiation cell status in oral cancer. Besides, the presence of the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant is associated with a worse tumor stage and tumor size in oral cancer patients without alcohol drinking.