Annexin A2 silencing inhibits invasion, migration, and tumorigenic potential of hepatoma cells

RBM15-dependent m6A modification mediates progression of non-small cell lung cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the predominant form of lung cancer, contributing significantly to global health and economic challenges. This study elucidated the role of RBM15 in NSCLC progression through its involvement in m6A modifications.

METHODS

RBM15 levels in NSCLC tissues and cells were assessed via RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The impact of RBM15 knockdown on NSCLC proliferation, invasion, and migration was evaluated using CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays. Expression levels of KLF1, TRIM13, and ANXA8 were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot. m6A methylation levels were analyzed, while RIP and MeRIP assays were employed to explore the interaction between YTHDF1/YTHDF2/m6A and KLF1/TRIM13, as well as KLF1 binding to the ANXA8 promoter. The ubiquitination of ANXA8 was examined through ubiquitination assays. Xenograft and metastasis models were utilized to assess RBM15's role in vivo.

RESULTS

RBM15 was found to be overexpressed in NSCLC. Silencing RBM15 led to decreased cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells. RBM15 upregulated KLF1 and downregulated TRIM13 via YTHDF1/YTHDF2, resulting in the promotion of ANXA8 expression. KLF1 overexpression or TRIM13 downregulation partially reversed the suppressive effects of RBM15 knockdown on NSCLC cell proliferation. ANXA8, upregulated in NSCLC, mitigated the inhibitory effects of RBM15 silencing on malignant behaviors. In vivo, RBM15 downregulation hindered NSCLC cell proliferation and metastasis by modulating the KLF1-TRIM13/ANXA8 axis.

CONCLUSION

RBM15-mediated m6A methylation enhances KLF1 expression and suppresses TRIM13 via YTHDF1/YTHDF2, thereby promoting ANXA8 and facilitating NSCLC progression. These findings provide novel insights and potential therapeutic targets for NSCLC treatment.

Annexin A2: the feasibility of being a therapeutic target associated with cancer metastasis and drug resistance in cancer microenvironment

At present, there is still a lack of effective treatment strategies for cancer metastasis and drug resistance, so finding effective biomarkers is particularly important. AnnexinA2 (ANXA2), a vital membrane protein, critically influences cancer progression, tumor invasion, and tumor microenvironment modulation. To assess the possible application of ANXA2 as a therapeutic target against cancer cell metastasis and drug resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in the tumor microenvironment, we elucidated the functionality of ANXA2 in stromal cells, angiogenic vascular cells, and infiltrated immune cells that mediate metastasis and drug resistance, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target. ANXA2 shows a high expression level in many tissues, and its expression level is even higher in several tumors and their microenvironments. ANXA2 is a crucial regulator of many factors and may serve as a target against drug-resistant cancers.

Label-based comparative proteomics of oral mucosal tissue to understand progression of precancerous lesions to oral squamous cell carcinoma

Introduction

Oral squamous cell carcinomas typically arise from precancerous lesions such as leukoplakia and erythroplakia. These lesions exhibit a range of histological changes from hyperplasia to dysplasia and carcinoma in situ, during their transformation to malignancy. The molecular mechanisms driving this multistage transition remain incompletely understood. To bridge this knowledge gap, our current study utilizes label based comparative proteomics to compare protein expression profiles across different histopathological grades of leukoplakia, erythroplakia, and oral squamous cell carcinoma samples, aiming to elucidate the molecular changes underlying lesion evolution.

Methodology

An 8-plex iTRAQ proteomics of 4 biological replicates from 8 clinical phenotypes of leukoplakia and erythroplakia, with hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, moderate dysplasia; along with phenotypes of well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma was carried out using the Orbitrap Fusion Lumos mass spectrometer. Raw files were processed with Maxquant, and statistical analysis across groups was conducted using MetaboAnalyst. Statistical tools such as ANOVA, PLS-DA VIP scoring, and correlation analysis were employed to identify differentially expressed proteins that had a linear expression variation across phenotypes of hyperplasia to cancer. Validation was done using Bioinformatic tools such as ClueGO + Cluepedia plugin in Cytoscape to extract functional annotations from gene ontology and pathway databases.

Results and discussion

A total of 2685 protein groups and 12,397 unique peptides were identified, and 61 proteins consistently exhibited valid reporter ion corrected intensities across all samples. Of these, 6 proteins showed linear varying expression across the analysed sample phenotypes. Collagen type VI alpha 2 chain (COL6A2), Fibrinogen β chain (FGB), and Vimentin (VIM) were found to have increased linear expression across pre-cancer phenotypes of leukoplakia to cancer, while Annexin A7 (ANXA7) was seen to be having a linear decreasing expression. Collagen type VI alpha 2 chain (COL6A2) and Annexin A2 (ANXA2) had increased linear expression across precancer phenotypes of erythroplakia to cancer. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchanger Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the data set identifier PXD054190. These differentially expressed proteins mediate cancer progression mainly through extracellular exosome; collagen-containing extracellular matrix, hemostasis, platelet aggregation, and cell adhesion molecule binding.

Conclusion

Label-based proteomics is an ideal platform to study oral cancer progression. The differentially expressed proteins provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of oral premalignant lesions to malignant phenotypes. The study has translational value for early detection, risk stratification, and potential therapeutic targeting of oral premalignant lesions and in its prevention to malignant forms.

Annexin A2 in Tumors of the Gastrointestinal Tract, Liver, and Pancreas

Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is a protein that is involved in many physiological and pathological cellular processes. There is compelling evidence that its dysregulated expression, be it up- or downregulation, contributes to the oncogenesis of various neoplasms, including those of the digestive system. The present review summarizes the current knowledge on the role of ANXA2 in the main tumors of the digestive system. The clinical significance of ANXA2 is primordial, due to its potential use as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, and as a part of therapeutic protocols. Certain preclinical studies have shown that inhibiting ANXA2 or disrupting its interactions with key molecules can suppress tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis, as well as increase the cancer cells' sensitivity to treatment in various cancers. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex role of ANXA2 in the carcinogenesis of tumors of the digestive system, and to translate these findings into clinical applications for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Promoter Hypomethylation Upregulates ANXA2 Expression in Pancreatic Cancer and is Associated with Poor Prognosis

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the world's most aggressive and deadly cancers, owing to non-specific early clinical symptoms, late-stage diagnosis, and poor survival. Therefore, it is critical to identify specific biomarkers for its early diagnosis. Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is a calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein that has been reported to be upregulated in several cancer types, making it an emerging biomarker and potential cancer therapeutic target. However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of ANXA2 overexpression is still unclear. It is well established that genetic and epigenetic alterations may lead to widespread dysregulation of gene expression. Hence, in this study, we focused on exploring the regulatory mechanism of ANXA2 by investigating the transcriptional profile, methylation pattern, somatic mutation, and prognostic value of ANXA2 in PC using several bioinformatics databases. Our results revealed that the expression levels of ANXA2 were remarkably increased in PC tissues comparing to normal tissues. Furthermore, the high expression of ANXA2 was significantly related to the poor prognosis of PC patients. More importantly, we demonstrated for the first time that the ANXA2 promoter is hypomethylated in PC tissues compared to normal tissues which may result in ANXA2 overexpression in PC. However, more experimental research is required to corroborate our findings.

FAXC interacts with ANXA2 and SRC in mitochondria and promotes tumorigenesis in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most difficult malignancies to treat as the therapeutic options are limited. Although several driver genes have been identified, most remain unknown. In this study, we identified a failed axon connection homolog (FAXC), whose function is unknown in mammals, by analyzing serially passaged CCA xenograft models. Knockdown of FAXC reduced subcutaneous tumorigenicity in mice. FAXC was bound to annexin A2 (ANXA2) and c-SRC, which are tumor-promoting genes. The FAXC/ANXA2/c-SRC complex forms in the mitochondria. FAXC enhances SRC-dependent ANXA2 phosphorylation at tyrosine-24, and the C-terminal amino acid residues (351-375) of FAXC are required for ANXA2 phosphorylation. Transcriptome data from a xenografted CCA cell line revealed that FAXC correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, and KRAS signaling genes. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of CCA tumorigenesis and provide candidate therapeutic targets.

Grouper annexin A2 affects RGNNV by regulating the host immune response

Annexin A2 (AnxA2) is ubiquitous in vertebrates and has been identified as a multifunctional protein participating in a series of biological processes, such as endocytosis, exocytosis, signal transduction, transcription regulation, and immune responses. However, the function of AnxA2 in fish during virus infection still remains unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized AnxA2 (EcAnxA2) in Epinephelus coioides. EcAnxA2 encoded a 338 amino acids protein with four identical annexin superfamily conserved domains, which shared high identity with other AnxA2 of different species. EcAnxA2 was widely expressed in different tissues of healthy groupers, and its expression was significantly increased in grouper spleen cells infected with red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV). Subcellular locatio n analyses showed that EcAnxA2 diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm. After RGNNV infection, the spatial distribution of EcAnxA2 was unaltered, and a few EcAnxA2 co-localized with RGNNV during the late stage of infection. Furthermore, overexpression of EcAnxA2 significantly increased RGNNV infection, and knockdown of EcAnxA2 reduced RGNNV infection. In addition, overexpressed EcAnxA2 reduced the transcription of interferon (IFN)-related and inflammatory factors, including IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), IFN stimulating gene 15 (ISG15), melanoma differentiation related gene 5 (MDA5), MAX interactor 1 (Mxi1) laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2), IFN induced 35 kDa protein (IFP35), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The transcription of these genes was up-regulated when EcAnxA2 was inhibited by siRNA. Taken together, our results showed that EcAnxA2 affected RGNNV infection by down-regulating the host immune response in groupers, which provided new insights into the roles of AnxA2 in fish during virus infection.

Annexin A protein family: Focusing on the occurrence, progression and treatment of cancer

The annexin A (ANXA) protein family is a well-known tissue-specific multigene family that encodes Ca²⁺ phospholipid-binding proteins. A considerable amount of literature is available on the abnormal expression of ANXA proteins in various malignant diseases, including cancer, atherosclerosis and diabetes. As critical regulatory molecules in cancer, ANXA proteins play an essential role in cancer progression, proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Recent studies about their structure, biological properties and functions in different types of cancers are briefly summarised in this review. We further discuss the use of ANXA as new class of targets in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The cooperative folding of annexin A2 relies on a transient nonnative intermediate

Annexins (Anxs) are a family of highly homologous proteins that bind and aggregate lipid vesicles in the presence of calcium. All members of the family contain a variable N-terminus determining specific functions, followed by a conserved core region responsible for the general calcium-dependent lipid-binding property. The core structure consists of four homologous domains (DI-DIV), each consisting of a right-handed super-helix of five α-helices. We present data from a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, NMR, and circular dichroism showing that the G25-D34 region of the N-terminus as well as the contacts between residues D38A, R63A, and Q67A of AnxA2-DI are crucial for the autonomous folding and stability of DI of AnxA2. However, we also show that the folding of the full-length protein is very robust in that mutations and truncations that disrupted the folding of AnxA2-DI did not abolish the folding of full-length AnxA2, only lowering its thermal stability. This robustness of the folding of full-length AnxA2 is likely to be mediated by the existence of at least one transient nonnative intermediate as suggested by our kinetic data using stopped-flow fluorescence experiments. We also show that hydrophobic amino acids in AnxA2-DI involved in interfacial contacts with AnxA2-DIV are important for the cooperative folding and stability of the full-length protein. Mutating all of the V57E-V98R-G101Y residues in AnxA2-DI did not affect the folding of the domain, only its stability, but prevented the cooperative folding of the full-length protein. Our collective results favor a highly cooperative and robust folding process mediated by alternative intermediate steps. Since AnxA2 is a multifunctional protein involved in several steps of the progression of cell transformation, these data on structure and folding pathways are therefore crucial to designing anticancer drugs targeting AnxA2.

Pathobiological functions and clinical implications of annexin dysregulation in human cancers

Annexins are an extensive superfamily of structurally related calcium- and phospholipid-binding proteins, largely conserved and widely distributed among species. Twelve human annexins have been identified, referred to as Annexin A1-13 (A12 remains as of yet unassigned), whose genes are spread throughout the genome on eight different chromosomes. According to their distinct tissue distribution and subcellular localization, annexins have been functionally implicated in a variety of biological processes relevant to both physiological and pathological conditions. Dysregulation of annexin expression patterns and functions has been revealed as a common feature in multiple cancers, thereby emerging as potential biomarkers and molecular targets for clinical application. Nevertheless, translation of this knowledge to the clinic requires in-depth functional and mechanistic characterization of dysregulated annexins for each individual cancer type, since each protein exhibits varying expression levels and phenotypic specificity depending on the tumor types. This review specifically and thoroughly examines the current knowledge on annexin dysfunctions in carcinogenesis. Hence, available data on expression levels, mechanism of action and pathophysiological effects of Annexin A1-13 among different cancers will be dissected, also further discussing future perspectives for potential applications as biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis and molecular-targeted therapies. Special attention is devoted to head and neck cancers (HNC), a complex and heterogeneous group of aggressive malignancies, often lately diagnosed, with high mortality, and scarce therapeutic options.

Prognostic Role of Molecular and Imaging Biomarkers for Predicting Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment Efficacy

Simple Summary

Molecular biomarkers play a marginal role in clinical practice for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis, surveillance and treatment monitoring. Radiological biomarker: alpha-fetoprotein is still a lone protagonist in this field. The potential role of molecular biomarkers in the assessment of prognosis and treatment results could reduce the health costs faced by standard radiology. The majority of efforts are oriented towards early HCC detection, but the field faces an important challenge to find adequate biomarkers for advanced HCC management.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and the fourth cause of tumor-related death. Imaging biomarkers are based on computed tomography, magnetic resonance, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and are widely applied in HCC diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Unfortunately, in the field of molecular biomarkers, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is still the only recognized tool for HCC surveillance in both diagnostic and follow-up purposes. Other molecular biomarkers have little roles in clinical practice regarding HCC, mainly for the detection of early-stage HCC, monitoring the response to treatments and analyzing tumor prognosis. In the last decades no important improvements have been achieved in this field and imaging biomarkers maintain the primacy in HCC diagnosis and follow-up. Despite the still inconsistent role of molecular biomarkers in surveillance and early HCC detection, they could play an outstanding role in prognosis estimation and treatment monitoring with a potential reduction in health costs faced by standard radiology. An important challenge resides in identifying sufficiently sensitive and specific biomarkers for advanced HCC for prognostic evaluation and detection of tumor progression, overcoming imaging biomarker sensitivity. The aim of this review is to analyze the current molecular and imaging biomarkers in advanced HCC.

Downregulation of Calreticulin and Annexin A2 Expression in Acquired Middle Ear Cholesteatoma by 2-DE Analysis

BACKGROUND

Many factors are thought to be associated with the development of cholesteatoma, while the mechanisms of its formation remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the potential mechanisms of the proliferation and growth of cholesteatoma by analysis of the differential expressions of proteins in cholesteatoma and retroauricular skin tissue collected from the same patients.

METHODS

The present study is a retrospective study performed in an academic medical center. Comparative proteomics analyses using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), in addition to immunohistochemical analysis, were conducted to identify differentially-expressed proteins in cholesteatoma tissue as compared with retroauricular skin tissue. Western blotting was also employed to verify the expression patterns of the specific proteins identified by 2-DE and to measure the changes in potential modulators related to cholesteatoma proliferation and growth.

RESULTS

Calreticulin (CRT) and annexin A2 (AnxA2) were identified as being differentially-expressed in cholesteatoma by 2-DE and LC-MS/MS, the results of which were in agreement with the results of immunohistochemical analysis and western blotting. Downregulation of CRT and AnxA2 were observed in cholesteatoma.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggests that CRT and AnxA2 downregulation are seen in cholesteatoma compared to retroauricular skin. We speculate that the reduced expression of CRT and the persistent inflammatory response play important roles in the epithelial proliferation of cholesteatoma.

Annexin A2: The Diversity of Pathological Effects in Tumorigenesis and Immune Response

Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is widely used as a marker in a variety of tumors. By regulating multiple signal pathways, ANXA2 promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which can cause tumorigenesis and accelerate thymus degeneration. The elevated ANXA2 heterotetramer facilitates the production of plasmin, which participates in pathophysiologic processes such as tumor cell invasion and metastasis, bleeding diseases, angiogenesis, inducing the expression of inflammatory factors. In addition, the ANXA2 on the cell membrane mediates immune response via its interaction with surface proteins of pathogens, C1q, toll-like receptor 2, anti-dsDNA antibodies and immunoglobulins. Nuclear ANXA2 plays a role as part of a primer recognition protein complex that enhances DNA synthesis and cells proliferation by acting on the G1-S phase of the cell. ANXA2 reduction leads to the inhibition of invasion and metastasis in multiple tumor cells, bleeding complications in acute promyelocytic leukemia, retinal angiogenesis, autoimmunity response and tumor drug resistance. In this review, we provide an update on the pathological effects of ANXA2 in both tumorigenesis and the immune response. We highlight ANXA2 as a critical protein in numerous malignancies and the immune host response.

Construction of novel hypoxia-related gene model for prognosis and tumor microenvironment in endometrial carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial cancer is currently one of the three most common female reproductive cancers, which seriously threatens women's lives and health. Hypoxia disrupts the tumor microenvironment, thereby affecting tumor progression and drug resistance.

METHODS

We established hypoxia-related gene model to predict patient prognosis and 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates. Then, the expression level of hypoxia-related genes and survival data were extracted for comprehensive analysis by Cox regression analysis, and the model was established.

RESULTS

We analyzed the survival and prognosis of patients in the high and low-risk groups. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the low-risk group is associated with a better survival rate. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year AUC values of the model were 0.680, 0.698, and 0.687, respectively. Finally, we found that LAG3 may be a potential immune checkpoint for endometrial cancer.

CONCLUSION

We found four hypoxia-related genes (ANXA2, AKAP12, NR3C1, and GPI) associated with prognosis. The hypoxia-related gene model can also predict prognosis and tumor microenvironment in endometrial cancer.

A novel regulatory loop miR-101/ANXA2/EGR1 mediates malignant characteristics of liver cancer stem cells

Increasing evidence suggests that liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are the cellular determinants that promote tumor recurrence and metastases. Aberrantly expressed miRNAs were identified in LCSCs and found to play a significant role in modulating biological characteristics of LCSCs. In this study, we implemented miRNA microarrays in CD133+ LCSCs and found miR-101 expression was downregulated. Increasing miR-101 expression repressed the metastasis and tumorigenic potential in LCSCs. Further investigations showed that ANXA2 was a novel target of miR-101. And we revealed that ANXA2 plays a critical role in acceleration of cell cycle and enhancing the migration and invasion abilities of LCSCs. Elevated ANXA2 increased activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) which regulated SOX2 and cell cycle-related kinases. Moreover, ERK phosphorylation inhibited the expression of early growth response 1 (EGR1) which in turn restrained the transcription of miR-101. In vivo experiments, overexpression of miR-101 produced potent inhibitory effects on the growth of LCSCs xenograft tumors as well as ANXA2 knockdown. Taken together, our findings suggest a novel regulatory loop miR-101/ANXA2/EGR1 in LCSCs and may serve as potential therapeutic targets in liver cancer.

Multi-Omics Integrative Analysis Uncovers Molecular Subtypes and mRNAs as Therapeutic Targets for Liver Cancer

Objective: This study aimed to systematically analyze molecular subtypes and therapeutic targets of liver cancer using integrated multi-omics analysis.

Methods: DNA copy number variations (CNVs), simple nucleotide variations (SNVs), methylation, transcriptome as well as corresponding clinical information for liver carcinoma were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Multi-omics analysis was performed to identify molecular subtypes of liver cancer via integrating CNV, methylation as well as transcriptome data. Immune scores of two molecular subtypes were estimated using tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) tool. Key mRNAs were screened and prognosis analysis was performed, which were validated using RT-qPCR. Furthermore, mutation spectra were analyzed in the different subtypes.

Results: Two molecular subtypes (iC1 and iC2) were conducted for liver cancer. Compared with the iC2 subtype, the iC1 subtype had a worse prognosis and a higher immune score. Two key mRNAs (ANXA2 and CHAF1B) were significantly related to liver cancer patients' prognosis, which were both up-regulated in liver cancer tissues in comparison to normal tissues. Seventeen genes with p < 0.01 differed significantly for SNV loci between iC1 and iC2 subtypes.

Conclusion: Our integrated multi-omics analyses provided new insights into the molecular subtypes of liver cancer, helping to identify novel mRNAs as therapeutic targets and uncover the mechanisms of liver cancer.

Advances in cancer treatment: a new therapeutic target, Annexin A2

Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is a calcium regulated phospholipid-binding protein. It is expressed in some tumor cells, endothelial cells, macrophages, and mononuclear cells, affecting cell survival and mediating interactions between intercellular and extracellular microenvironment. Aberrant expression of ANXA2 can be used as a potential predictive factor, diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer therapy. Investigators used various technologies to target ANXA2 in a preclinical model of human cancers and demonstrated encouraging results. In this review article, we discuss the diagnosis and prognosis latent capacity of ANXA2 in progressive cancers, focus on the exploration of restorative interventions targeting ANXA2 in cancer treatment. Further, we comment on a promising candidate therapy that is conceivable for clinical translation.

Circular RNA circ_0021093 regulates miR-432/Annexin A2 pathway to promote hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major histological subtype of liver cancer cases. Previous studies showed that circular RNA (circRNA) circ_0021093 was upregulated in HCC, but the regulatory mechanism of circ_0021093 is still rare. The expression levels of circ_0021093, miR-432 and Annexin A2 (ANXA2) were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR. The relationship between the overall survival time of HCC patients and circ_0021093 level was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined with cell counting kit-8 and transwell assays. Western blot was used to assess the protein expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers and ANXA2. In addition, loss- or gain-of-function experiments and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to probe the relationship between miR-432 and circ_0021093 or ANXA2. The influences of circ_0021093 silencing in vivo were measured by using xenograft models. Circ_0021093 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cells, and its level was associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Functional experiments showed that knockdown of circ_0021093 repressed proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo by regulating miR-432, while upregulation of circ_0021093 reversed these results. Moreover, miR-432 negatively regulated ANXA2 expression in HCC, and introduction of ANXA2 could abolish overexpression of miR-432-induced effects on HCC cells. Collectively, circ_0021093 boosted HCC progression via regulating proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by acting as competing endogenous RNA to sponge miR-432.

Clinical significance of Annexin A2 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its influence on cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm of the head and neck, with poorer prognosis. There is lack of specific targets for diagnosis and treatment of OSCC at present. Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is involved in cell angiogenesis, invasion, proliferation and metastasis. In this study, the significance and effect of ANXA2 on OSCC and OSCC cells were explored from the clinical and basic study. First, ANXA2 expression in OSCC tissues and adjacent non-cancer tissues of 124 patients were detected, and the correlation between ANXA2 expression and clinical parameters were analyzed. The results found that ANXA2 was highly expressed in OSCC tissues, and was associated with the TNM stage, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis and poor survival of OSCC patients. The expression of ANXA2 in OSCC cells were higher than the normal oral cells. And knockdown of ANXA2 by transfecting ANXA2-siRNA could suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of OSCC cells. Overall, ANXA2 expression is correlated with poor survival of OSCC patients, and silencing of ANXA2 suppress the proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells.

Annexin A2 promotion of hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis via the immune microenvironment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer with a dismal prognosis, especially when diagnosed at advanced stages. Annexin A2 (ANXA2), is found to promote cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. However, the underlining mechanisms of ANXA2 in immune escape of HCC remain poorly understood up to now. Herein, we summarized the molecular function of ANXA2 in HCC and its relationship with prognosis. Furthermore, we tentatively elucidated the underlying mechanism of ANXA2 immune escape of HCC by upregulating the proportion of regulatory T cells and the expression of several inhibitory molecules, and by downregulating the proportion of natural killer cells and dendritic cells and the expression of several inhibitory molecules or effector molecules. We expect a lot of in-depth studies to further reveal the underlying mechanism of ANXA2 in immune escape of HCC in the future.

Clinicopathological value and underlying molecular mechanism of annexin A2 in 992 cases of thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is one of the most frequent endocrine cancers and has increasing morbidity. Annexin A2 (ANXA2) has been found to be highly expressed in various cancers; however, its expression level and potential mechanism in THCA remain unknown. This study investigated the clinicopathological value and primary molecular machinery of ANXA2 in THCA.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Public RNA-sequencing and microarray data were obtained and analyzed with ANXA2 expression in THCA and corresponding non-cancerous thyroid tissue. A Pearson correlation coefficient calculation was used for the acquisition of ANXA2 coexpressed genes, while edgR, limma, and Robust Rank Aggregation were employed for differentially expressed gene (DEG) in THCA. The probable mechanism of ANXA2 in THCA was predicted by gene ontology and pathway enrichment. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to confirm the targeting relationships between ANXA2 and its predicted microRNA (miRNA).

RESULTS

Expression of ANXA2 was significantly upregulated in THCA tissues with a summarized standardized mean difference of 1.09 (P < 0.0001) based on 992 THCA cases and 589 cases of normal thyroid tissue. Expression of ANXA2 was related to pathologic stage. Subsequently, 1442 genes were obtained when overlapping 4542 ANXA2 coexpressed genes with 2248 DEGs in THCA; these genes were mostly enriched in pathways of extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, and complement and coagulation cascades. MiR-23b-3p was confirmed to target ANXA2 by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

CONCLUSIONS

Upregulated expression of ANXA2 may promote the malignant biological behavior of THCA by affecting the involving pathways or being targeted by miR-23b-3p.

Proteins inform survival-based differences in patients with glioblastoma

BACKGROUND

Improving the care of patients with glioblastoma (GB) requires accurate and reliable predictors of patient prognosis. Unfortunately, while protein markers are an effective readout of cellular function, proteomics has been underutilized in GB prognostic marker discovery.

METHODS

For this study, GB patients were prospectively recruited and proteomics discovery using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS/MS) was performed for 27 patients including 13 short-term survivors (STS) (≤10 months) and 14 long-term survivors (LTS) (≥18 months).

RESULTS

Proteomics discovery identified 11 941 peptides in 2495 unique proteins, with 469 proteins exhibiting significant dysregulation when comparing STS to LTS. We verified the differential abundance of 67 out of these 469 proteins in a small previously published independent dataset. Proteins involved in axon guidance were upregulated in STS compared to LTS, while those involved in p53 signaling were upregulated in LTS. We also assessed the correlation between LS MS/MS data with RNAseq data from the same discovery patients and found a low correlation between protein abundance and mRNA expression. Finally, using LC-MS/MS on a set of 18 samples from 6 patients, we quantified the intratumoral heterogeneity of more than 2256 proteins in the multisample dataset.

CONCLUSIONS

These proteomic datasets and noted protein variations present a beneficial resource for better predicting patient outcome and investigating potential therapeutic targets.

Recombinant porcine NK-lysin inhibits the invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro

The therapeutics having ability to target cancer cells specifically and exhibit nominal cytopathic effect on normal healthy cells are highly significant for cancer therapeutic applications. Recombinant porcine natural killer lysin (rpNK-lysin) has proven cationic anti-bacterial and anti-tumor peptide. Herein, we report its anti-invasion and anti-metastasis effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro. We first investigate the maximum non-toxic concentration (MNTC) of rpNK-lysin for the normal hepato cells (L-02). Using MNTC rpNK-lysin, we explore anti-proliferative, anti-adhesive, anti-invasive and anti-metastatic effect of rpNK-lysin on three different HCC cells lines (SMMC-7721, 97-H and HepG2) through MTT, wound-healing, adhesion and invasion assay along with mRNA and protein expression. The results reveal that rpNK-lysin has potential to specifically inhibit HCC cells growth in a dose and time-dependent manner with a little cytopathic effect on the L-02 cells, effectively reduce migration, adhesion and invasion ability of HCC cells. rpNK-lysin significantly reduce Fascin1 expression, which subsequently decrease β-catenin expression and metaloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP9). This study suggest that MNTC rpNK-lysin has an anti-invasion and anti-metastasis effect on HCC cells in vitro through inhibition of Fascin 1 expression which regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by inducing β-catenin degradation and subsequently results in suppression of MMP-2 and MMP9 expression.

ANXA2 Silencing Inhibits Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration in Gastric Cancer Cells

Annexin A2 (ANXA2) has been well known to associate with the progress of malignant tumor. However, the biological behavior of ANXA2 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. We made a hypothesis in transcriptome level from TCGA datasets. Then, we used immunohistochemical staining to quantify the expression level of ANXA2 protein in GC tissues compared with adjacent tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot were used for analyzing ANXA2 expression in human GC (SGC-7901, MKN-45, BGC-823, and AGS) cell lines. We investigated the effect of a lentivirus-mediated knock-down of ANXA2 on the proliferation, invasion and migration of gastric cancer AGS cells. Cell proliferation was examined by MTT and colony formation tests. Cell apoptosis and cycle were measured by flow cytometry. Migration and invasion were detected by transwell assay. We found that high expression of ANXA2 can increase the mobility of cancer cells from TCGA datasets. ANXA2 was upregulated in GC tissues compared with adjacent tissues. AGS cell line displayed significantly higher expression of ANXA2 among the four GC cell lines. In addition, ANXA2 silencing led to a weakened ability of proliferation, invasion, and migration in GC cells; targeting of ANXA2 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for GC patients.

Annexin A2 interacting with ELMO1 regulates HCC chemotaxis and metastasis

AIMS

SDF-1α induced chemotaxis plays an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis. CXCR4 stimulated by SDF-1α/CXCL12 triggers heterotrimeric G proteins activation, which regulate migration and chemotaxis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The pathways linking the chemokine GPCR/Gi signaling to actin polymerization for migration of cancer cells are not known.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Through would healing assay, chemotaxis assay, F-actin polymerization assay, confocal assay, immunohistochemical assay, protein identification and coimmunoprecipitation assay, we detected the role and mechanisms of Annexin A2 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

KEY FINDINGS

In the present study, we firstly investigated the role of Annexin A2 in HepG2 cell chemotaxis and metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that Annexin A2 was highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. Its expression was closely associated with lymph node and distant metastasis. Knockdown Annexin A2 impaired cancer cell chemotaxis. Co-immunoprecipitation results showed an interaction between Annexin A2 and ELMO1. CXCL12 triggers an ELMO1-dependent membrane translocation of Annexin A2.

SIGNIFICANCE

Taken together, our results indicated an important role of Annexin A2 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues metastasis and revealed a novel molecular mechanism of its activation.

High expression of Anxa2 and Stat3 promote progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and predict poor prognosis

AIM

To elucidate whether the interaction between Anxa2 and Stat3 could promote the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and that high co-expression of Anxa2 and Stat3 could predict poor prognosis in HCC patients.

METHODS

We investigated Anxa2 and Stat3 expression using Western blot analysis in 4 HCC and adjacent nontumor tissues and using immunohistochemistry in 100 patients' paraffin sections. Then we assessed the expression of Stat3, Anxa2 and co-expression of Stat3 and Anxa2 with relevant clinical pathological parameters and their prognostic value in HCC patients. The recurrence and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. The prognostic analysis was carried out with univariate and multivariate Cox regressions models.

RESULTS

The incidence of high Stat3 expression in HCC tissues (35%) was significantly higher than that in non-HCC tissues (8%) (P < 0.001). The same result was observed in Anxa2 (P < 0.001). Also, the overexpression of Stat3 or Anxa2 showed a significant relationship with the recurrence of the 100 HCC patients (P = 0.012; P = 0.003). Additionally, tumor size >3 cm in diameter, multiple tumor number, and the presence of microvascular tumor thrombus were also significantly associated with recurrence in 100 patients. Then, all enrolled patients were divided into four groups according to IHC score of Stat3 and Anxa2, and the results indicated a significant difference in recurrence time between the subgroups (P < 0.001). What's more, co-highexpression of Stat3 and Anxa2 was related to the presence of microvascular tumor thrombus (P = 0.003) and poor tumor differentiation (P < 0.001), but not relevant with other clinical features (All P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The expression of Stat3, Anxa2, or co-high-expression of the two proteins was associated with HCC recurrence and survival.

Role of Annexin A2 isoform 2 on the aggregative growth of dermal papillae cells

The dermal papilla is a major component of hair, which signals the follicular epithelial cells to prolong the hair growth process. Human Annexin A2 was preliminarily identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), MALDI-TOF-MS and database searching. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of Annexin A2 in the aggregative growth of dermal papillae cells (DPC). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were adopted to detect the expression of Annexin A2. And siRNA technique was used to suppress the expression of Annexin A2. Construction of over-expression vector was used to up-regulate the expression of Annexin A2. Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were taken to detect the proliferation of DPC. The expression of Annexin A2 mRNA was up-regulated in passage 3 DPC compared with passage 10 DPC by RT-PCR. In line with the results at the mRNA level, Western blot analysis revealed that Annexin A2 isoform 2 was up-regulated significantly in passage 3 DPC compared with passage 10 DPC. The Annexin A2 isoform 2 siRNA was synthesized and transfected into passage 3 DPC. RT-PCR data showed the mRNA expression of Annexin A2 isoform 2 was suppressed in passage 3 DPC. Western blot results showed the expression level of Annexin A2 isoform 2 and PCNA were suppressed in passage 3 DPC. CCK-8 results showed that the proliferation of passage 3 DPC was suppressed (P < 0.05). Recombinant plasmid PLJM-Annexin A2 isoform 2-expression vector were constructed and were transfected into passage 10 DPC. RT-PCR data showed the mRNA expression of Annexin A2 isoform 2 was up-regulated in passage 10 DPC. Western blot results showed the expression level of annexin A2 isoform 2 and PCNA were up-regulated in passage 10 DPC. CCK-8 assay showed the proliferation of DPC was stimulated compared with control group (*P < 0.05). Our study proved that Annexin A2 isoform 2 may participate in regulating the proliferation of DPC and may be related to aggregative growth of dermal papilla cells. Therefore, our study suggests that Annexin A2 may be linked to hair follicle growth cycle.

ANXA2 promotes esophageal cancer progression by activating MYC-HIF1A-VEGF axis

BACKGROUND

ANXA2 (Annexin A2) is a pleiotropic calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein that is abnormally expressed in various cancers. We previously found that ANXA2 is upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study was designed to investigate the functional significance of ANXA2 dysregulation and underlying mechanism in ESCC.

METHODS

Proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis assay were performed to examine the functional roles of ANXA2 in ESCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Real-time RT-PCR, immunoblotting, ChIP, reporter assay, confocal-immunofluorescence staining, co-immunoprecipitation and ubiquitination assay were used to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the actions of deregulated ANXA2 in ESCC cells.

RESULTS

Overexpression of ANXA2 promoted ESCC cells migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo through activation of the MYC-HIF1A-VEGF cascade. Notably, ANXA2 phosphorylation at Tyr23 by SRC led to its translocation into the nucleus and enhanced the metastatic potential of ESCC cells. Phosphorylated ANXA2 (Tyr23) interacted with MYC and inhibited ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation of MYC protein. Accumulated MYC directly potentiated HIF1A transcription and then activated VEGF expression. Correlation between these molecules were also found in ESCC tissues. Moreover, dasatinib in combination with bevacizumab or ANXA2-siRNA produced potent inhibitory effects on the growth of ESCC xenograft tumors in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that highly expressed p-ANXA2 (Tyr23) contributes to ESCC progression by promoting migration, invasion and metastasis, and suggests that targeting the SRC-ANXA2-MYC-HIF1A-MYC axis may be an efficient strategy for ESCC treatment.

MicroRNA-206 regulates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inhibits the invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer cells by targeting Annexin A2

The present study investigated the molecular mechanism by which microRNA-206 (miR-206) targets Annexin A2 (ANXA2) expression and inhibits the invasion and metastasis of prostatic cancer cells through regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Using bioinformatics analysis, miR-206 was identified as the most promising candidate miRNA that targeted ANXA2. Prostate tissue specimens from 60 patients with prostate cancer, 30 patients with metastatic prostate cancer and 20 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were examined for ANXA2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry and western blotting and for miR-206 expression by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, human prostate cancer PC-3 cells were transfected with miR-206 mimics, miR-206 inhibitors or a negative control sequence, and expression of ANXA2, E-cadherin and N-cadherin was detected by western blotting. Transwell assays were performed to determine the effect of altered miR-206 expression on the invasive behavior of PC-3 cells. Bioinformatics analysis predicted complementary binding between miR-206 and ANXA2 mRNA. ANXA2 protein expression was detected in a significantly higher proportion of BPH tissues (95%, 19/20) when compared with prostate cancer tissues (51.7%, 31/60; P<0.05). Similarly, ANXA2 was expressed in a significantly higher proportion of metastatic prostate cancer samples than that of prostate cancer samples (P<0.05). Expression of miR-206 was higher than that of ANXA2 in prostate cancer samples, but lower in BPH samples. Inhibition of miR-206 expression in PC-3 cells upregulated ANXA2 and E-cadherin protein expression levels, downregulated N-cadherin and vimentin, and promoted cell invasion in vitro. These data suggested that binding between miRNA-206 and ANXA2 mRNA may regulate EMT signaling, thereby suppressing the invasion and metastasis of prostatic cancer cells.

Annexin A2-mediated cancer progression and therapeutic resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a head and neck cancer with poor clinical outcomes and insufficient treatments in Southeast Asian populations. Although concurrent chemoradiotherapy has improved recovery rates of patients, poor overall survival and low efficacy are still critical problems. To improve the therapeutic efficacy, we focused on a tumor-associated protein called Annexin A2 (ANXA2). This review summarizes the mechanisms by which ANXA2 promotes cancer progression (e.g., proliferation, migration, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and cancer stem cell formation) and therapeutic resistance (e.g., radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy). These mechanisms gave us a deeper understanding of the molecular aspects of cancer progression, and further provided us with a great opportunity to overcome therapeutic resistance of NPC and other cancers with high ANXA2 expression by developing this prospective ANXA2-targeted therapy.

High TMPRSS11D protein expression predicts poor overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer

TMPRSS11D (HAT) belongs to the large type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) family, participating in various biological and physiological processes. TMPRSS11D expression has been reported during squamous cell carcinogenesis, however, its expression during non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development has not been studied. In this study, we determined the mRNA and protein expression of TMPRSS11D in NSCLC tumorous and matched adjacent normal tissues by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry analysis (TMA-IHC) respectively. TMPRSS11D protein expression in tumorous tissues were correlated with NSCLC patients’ clinical characteristics and overall survival. Both TMPRSS11D mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly higher in NSCLC tumorous tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. High TMPRSS11D protein expression was associated with high TNM stages, and high TMPRSS11D protein expression is an independent prognostic marker in NSCLC. Based on our results, we conclude that TMPRSS11D could play a role in NSCLC development and progression. Because of its role in proteolysis of extracellular matrix, targeting TMPRSS11D may prevent the development of metastasis in NSCLC.

An integrative analysis of chemically-induced cirrhosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis: Histological, biochemical and molecular features

This study aimed the integrative characterization of morphological, biochemical and molecular features of chemically-induced cirrhosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. Thus, male Wistar rats were submitted to a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/thioacetamide (TAA)-induced model. Liver tissue was processed for global gene expression, histopathological and collagen evaluations; as well as immunohistochemical and oxidative stress analysis. Gene Ontology and functional analysis showed the upregulation of extracellular matrix deposition genes, such as collagen type I alpha 1 and 2 (Col1α1 and Col1α2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 and 2 genes (Timp1 and Timp2). In agreement these findings, animals presented extensive liver cirrhosis with increased collagen deposition (Sirius red). Besides, the animals developed many glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-P)-positive preneoplastic lesions showing high cell proliferation (Ki-67), in keeping with the Gstp1 and Gstp2 increased gene expression. DEN/TAA-treated rats also showed the upregulation of tumorigenesis-related annexin A2 gene (Anxa2) and few neoplastic lesions (hepatocellular adenomas, carcinomas, and cholangiocarcinoma). In contrast, gene expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes were decreased (glutathione peroxidase, total glutathione-S-transferase, and catalase). The model featured remarkable similarities to human hepatocarcinogenesis. Our findings could bring up new molecular insights into cirrhosis-associated hepatocarcinogenesis, and provide a suitable animal model for the establishment of further diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic approaches.

CACNA1B (Cav2.2) Overexpression and Its Association with Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Unfavorable Prognosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) encodes an N-type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) ubiquitously expressed in brain and peripheral nervous system that is important for regulating neuropathic pain. Because intracellular calcium concentration is a key player in cell proliferation and apoptosis, VGCCs are implicated in tumorigenesis. Recent studies have identified CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) being overexpressed in prostate and breast cancer tissues when compared to adjacent normal tissues; however, its role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been investigated. In this study, we determined the mRNA and protein expression of CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) in NSCLC tumorous and adjacent nontumorous tissues by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and tissue microarray immunohistochemistry analysis (TMA-IHC), respectively. CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) protein expressions in tumorous tissues were correlated with NSCLC patients' clinical characteristics and overall survival. CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) mRNA and protein expression levels were higher in NSCLC tumorous tissues than in nontumorous tissues. High CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) protein expression was associated with higher TNM stages, and CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) protein expression is an independent prognostic marker in NSCLC. Based on our results, we conclude that CACNA1B (Ca_v2.2) plays a role in NSCLC development and progression. Elucidating the underlying mechanism may help design novel treatment by specifically targeting the calcium regulation pathway for NSCLC, a devastating disease with increasing incidence and mortality in China.

Y-27632 Increases Sensitivity of PANC-1 Cells to EGCG in Regulating Cell Proliferation and Migration

Background

The study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of (1R,4r)-4-((R)-1-aminoethyl)-N-(pyridin-4-yl) cyclohexanecarboxamide (Y-27632) and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells. EGCG, found in green tea, has been previously shown to be one of the most abundant and powerful catechins in cancer prevention and treatment. Y-27632, a selective inhibitor of rho-associated protein kinase 1, is widely used in treating cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and cancer.

Material/Methods

PANC-1 cells, maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium, were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (control) as well as different concentrations (20, 40, 60, and 80 μg/mL) of EGCG for 48 h. In addition, PANC-1 cells were treated separately with 60 μg/mL EGCG, 20 μM Y-27632, and EGCG combined with Y-27632 (60 μg/mL EGCG + 20 μM Y-27632) for 48 h. The effect of EGCG and Y-27632 on the proliferation and migration of PANC-1 cells was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 and transwell migration assays. The expression of peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and Caspase-3 mRNA was determined by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results

EGCG (20–80 μg/mL) inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Y-27632 enhanced the sensitivity of PANC-1 cells to EGCG (by increasing the expression of PPARα and Caspase-3 mRNA) and suppressed cell proliferation. PANC-1 cell migration was inhibited by treatment with a combination of EGCG and Y-27632.

Conclusions

Y-27632 increases the sensitivity of PANC-1 cells to EGCG in regulating cell proliferation and migration, which is likely to be related to the expression of PPARα mRNA and Caspase-3 mRNA.

Comprehensive profiling of novel microRNA-9 targets and a tumor suppressor role of microRNA-9 via targeting IGF2BP1 in hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNA-9 (miR-9) dysregulation is implicated in a variety of human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its role remains contradictory. In this study, we explored the expression and methylation status of miR-9 in HCC samples, as well as the tumor-related functions of miR-9 in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis, array-based RNA expression profile, and literature retrieval were used to identify miR-9 targets in HCC. The potential downstream candidates were then validated by luciferase reporter assay, real-time quantitative PCR, and western blot or enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression status and clinicopathologic significances of miR-9 target genes in clinical samples were further explored. The results showed that miR-9 was frequently downregulated in primary HCC. Its silencing was largely contributed by a high frequency (42.5%) of mir-9-1 hypermethylation, which was correlated with bigger tumor size (P = 0.0234). In vitro functional studies revealed that miR-9 restoration retarded HCC cell proliferation and migration. IL-6, AP3B1, TC10, ONECUT2, IGF2BP1, MYO1D, and ANXA2 were confirmed to be miR-9 targets in HCC. Among them, ONECUT2, IGF2BP1, and ANXA2 were confirmed to be aberrantly upregulated in HCC. Moreover, upregulation of ONECUT2, IGF2BP1, and IL-6 were significantly associated with poor post-surgery prognosis (P = 0.0458, P = 0.0037 and P = 0.0461, respectively). Mechanically, miR-9 plays a tumor suppressive role partially through a functional miR-9/IGF2BP1/AKT&ERK axis. Our study suggests that miR-9 functions as a tumor suppressor in HCC progression by inhibiting a series of target genes, including the newly validated miR-9/IGF2BP1/AKT&ERK axis, thus providing potential therapeutic targets and novel prognostic biomarkers for HCC patients.

Targeting annexin A2 reduces tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The expression of annexin A2 (ANXA2) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells induces the immunosuppressive response in dendritic cells; however, the oncogenic effect and clinical significance of ANXA2 have not been fully investigated in NPC cells. Immunohistochemical staining for ANXA2 was performed in 61 patients and the association with clinicopathological status was determined. Short hairpin (sh)RNA knockdown of ANXA2 was used to examine cellular effects of ANXA2, by investigating alterations in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, adhesion, tube-formation assay, and chemo- and radiosensitivity assays were performed. RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence were applied to determine molecular expression levels. Clinical association studies showed that the expression of ANXA2 was significantly correlated with metastasis (p = 0.0326) and poor survival (p = 0.0256). Silencing of ANXA2 suppressed the abilities of cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, invasion, and vascular formation in NPC cell. ANXA2 up-regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition associated signal proteins. Moreover, ANXA2 reduced sensitivities to irradiation and chemotherapeutic drugs. These results define ANXA2 as a novel prognostic factor for malignant processes, and it can serve as a molecular target of therapeutic interventions for NPC.

Up-regulation of annexin A2 expression predicates advanced clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatic annexin A2 (ANXA2) orchestrates multiple biologic processes and clinical symptoms and plays a key role in development, metastasis, and drug resistance of lethal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the prognostic significance of ANXA2 for HCC has not been elucidated up to now. In this study, ANXA2 was frequently found to be up-regulated in HCC tissues compared with benign liver disease (BLD) tissues, which was consistent with the results in serum samples and tissue specimens of patients with HCC. Furthermore, ANXA2 expression was significantly correlated with differentiated degree, intrahepatic metastasis, portal vein thrombus, and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging. More importantly, increased ANXA2 level was first confirmed to be closely associated with shortened overall survival of HCC (χ (2) = 12.872, P = 0.005) and identified as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 1.338, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.013 ~ 1.766, P = 0.040), suggesting that ANXA2 up-regulation might represent an acquired metastasis phenotype of HCC, help to screen out high-risk population for HCC, or more effectively treat a subset of postsurgical HCC patients positive for ANXA2.

The native structure of annexin A2 peptides in hydrophilic environment determines their anti-angiogenic effects

The progression of aggressive cancer occurs via angiogenesis and metastasis makes these processes important targets for the development of anti-cancer agents. However, recent studies have raised the concern that selective inhibition of angiogenesis results in a switch towards increased tumour growth and metastasis. Since Annexin A2 (AnxA2) is involved in both angiogenesis and metastasis, it may serve as an ideal target for the simultaneous inhibition of both processes. Based on the discovery that domains I (D(I)) and IV (D(IV)) of AnxA2 are potent inhibitors of angiogenesis, we designed seven peptides derived from these domains based on AnxA2 crystal structures. The peptides were expressed as fusion peptides to increase their folding and solubility. Light scattering, far-UV circular dichroism and thermal transition analyses were employed to investigate their aggregation tendencies, α-helical propensity and stability, respectively. 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (50%) increased the α-helical propensities of all peptides, indicating that they may favour a hydrophobic environment, but did not enhance their thermal stability. D(I)-P2 appears to be the most stable and folded peptide in a hydrophilic environment. The secondary structure of D(I)-P2 was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. The effect of the seven AnxA2 peptides on the formation and integrity of capillary-like networks was studied in a co-culture system mimicking many of the angiogenesis-related processes. Notably, D(I)-P2 inhibited significantly network formation in this system, indicating that the folded D(I)-P2 peptide interferes with vascular endothelial growth factor-dependent pro-angiogenic processes. Thus, this peptide has the potential of being developed further as an anti-angiogenic drug.

Association of annexin A2 with cancer development (Review)

Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is a well-known calcium-dependent phospholipid binding protein widely distributed in the nucleus, cytoplasm and extracellular surface of various eukaryotic cells. It has been recognized as a pleiotropic protein affecting a wide range of molecular and cellular processes. Dysregulation and abnormal expression of ANXA2 are linked to a large number of prevalent diseases, including autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, inflammation, diabetes mellitus and a series of cancers. Accumulating data suggest that ANXA2 is aberrantly expressed in a wide spectrum of cancers, and exerts profound effects on tumor cell adhesion, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis as well as tumor neovascularization via different modes of action. However, despite significant research, our knowledge of the mechanism by which ANXA2 participates in cancer development remains fragmented. The present review systematically summarizes the effects of ANXA2 on tumor progression, in an attempt to gain an improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms and to provide a potential effective target for cancer therapy.

A pseudogene-signature in glioma predicts survival

Pseudogene was recognized as a potential tumor suppressor or oncogene in varies of diseases, however its roles in glioma have not been investigated. Our study was to identify the pseudogene-signature that predicted glioma survival. Using a pseudogene-mining approach, we performed pseudogene expression profiling in 183 glioma samples from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) and set it as the training set. We found a six-pseudogene signature correlated with patients' clinical outcome via bioinformatics analyses (P ≤ 0.01), and validated it in the Repository of Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data (REMBRANDT) containing 350 cases. A formula calculating the risk score based on the six-pseudogene signature was introduced and the patients of CGGA set were classified into high-risk group and low-risk group with remarkably different survival (P < 0.001) based on their scores. The prognostic value of the signature was confirmed in the REMBRANDT set. Though the function of these pseudogenes is not clear, the identification of the prognostic pseudogenes indicated the potential roles of pseudogenes in glioma pathogenesis and they may have clinical implications in treating glioma.

Musashi-2 promotes hepatitis Bvirus related hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Our recent study observed that the expression of Musashi-2 (MSI2), a member of the Musashi family, was up-regulated in hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma parenchymal cells. Using quantitative PCR, tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemical staining, we evaluated MSI2 mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues from patients with different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma with paired adjacent noncancerous sample sets. The following techniques were used to further investigate MSI2 function and its potential molecular mechanism: RNAi, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical detection of MSI2 on a TMA containing 106 paired specimens showed that increased cytoplasmic and nuclear MSI2 staining was significantly associated with tumor size, tumor differentiation, recurrence, TNM stage, vessel invasion and Ki-67 proliferative index. Patients with MSI2-positive tumors had a significantly higher disease recurrence rate and poorer survival than patients with MSI2-negative tumors after radical surgery. Based on univariate analysis, MSI2 expression showed an unfavorable influence on both disease-free survival and overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher MSI2 expression, together with tumor size, tumor differentiation, tumor thrombus, and Ki-67 expression were independent predictors of overall survival. With MSI2 knockdown, hepatoma cell migration and invasion were inhibited and the expression of β-catenin, T cell factor (TCF) and lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF) were dysregulated. Thus, we propose that MSI2 may predict unfavorable outcomes in hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma and promote cancer progression via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Overexpression of annexin A2 in hepatic tissue and serum of patients with HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the expression of annexin A2 (ANXA2) in hepatic tissue and serum of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: ANXA2 expression in HCC, tumor-adjacent precancerous and distal normal tissues was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot. The cellular localization of ANXA2 in these specimens was detected by immunohistochemistry, and hepatic HBV DNA was detected by in situ hybridization technique. Levels of serum ANXA2 in patients with HCC or benign liver diseases were quantitatively detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: Hepatic ANXA2 expression was localized in the cytoplasm and membrane of cells in cancerous tissues, and cytoplasm of cells in tumor adjacent cancerous tissues, but was undetectable in distal normal tissues (F = 498.221, P < 0.001). Overexpression of ANXA2 mRNA in cancerous tissues was significantly higher than that in tumor adjacent cancerous or distal normal tissues. ANXA expression was moderate to strong in cancerous tissues with HBV replication, but low in cancerous tissues without HBV replication (Z = 4.933, P < 0.001). Circulating ANXA2 levels in HCC patients were significantly higher than those in any group of other liver diseases (P < 0.01) except the metastatic liver cancer group. Serum levels of ANXA2 in patients with HCC were associated with HBV infection (t = 6.820, P < 0.001), extrahepatic metastasis (t = 3.191, P = 0.002), presence of portal vein thrombus (t = 2.859, P = 0.005), lower differentiation degree and TNM stage (P < 0.01), but not with patient sex, age, size or AFP level. Combined detection of serum ANXA2 and AFP substantially improved the diagnostic efficiency (96.5%).

CONCLUSION: Abnormal expression of ANXA2 in HBV-related HCC is useful for diagnosing HCC and understanding its pathogenesis.

Glypican-3 as an emerging molecular target for hepatocellular carcinoma gene therapy

Glypican-3 (GPC-3), a membrane-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan, plays a crucial role in cell proliferation and metastasis, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, and perhaps is a valuable target for its gene therapy. However, its mechanism remains to be explored. In the present study, the biological behaviors of HCC cells were investigated by interfering GPC-3 gene transcription. After the cells were transfected with specific GPC-3 short hairpin RNA (shRNA), the inhibition of GPC-3 expression was 75.6 % in MHCC-97H or 73.8 % in Huh7 cells at mRNA level; the rates of proliferation and apoptosis were 53.6 and 60.5 % in MHCC-97H or 54.9 and 54.4 % in Huh7 cells, with the cell cycles arrested in the G1 phase; the incidences of cell migration, metastasis, and invasion inhibition were 80.1, 56.4, and 69.1 % in MHCC-97H or 80.9, 59.6, and 58.3 % in Huh7 cells, respectively. The cell biological behaviors were altered by silencing GPC-3 with down-regulation of β-catenin, insulin-like growth factor-II and vascular endothelial growth factor, and Gli1 up-regulation. The cell proliferation was significantly inhibited (up to 95.11 %) by shRNA plus anti-cancer drugs, suggesting that GPC-3 gene should be a potential target for promoting hepatoma cell apoptosis and inhibiting metastasis through the Wnt/β-catenin and Hh singling pathways.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and nuclear factor kappa B contribute to melatonin prevention of motility and invasiveness in HepG2 liver cancer cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal human cancers worldwide because of its high incidence and its metastatic potential. Extracellular matrix degradation by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been connected with cancer cell invasion, and it has been suggested that inhibition of MMPs by synthetic and natural inhibitors may be of great importance in the HCC therapies. Melatonin, the main product of the pineal gland, exerts antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and antiangiogenic properties in HepG2 human hepatocellular cells, and exhibits anti-invasive and antimetastatic activities by suppressing the enzymatic activity of MMP-9 in different tumor types. However, the underlying mechanism of anti-invasive activity in HCC models has not been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that 1 mm melatonin dosage reduced in IL-1β-induced HepG2 cells MMP-9 gelatinase activity and inhibited cell invasion and motility through downregulation of MMP-9 gene expression and upregulation of the MMP-9-specific inhibitor tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1. No significant changes were observed in the expression and activity of MMP-2, the other proteinase implicated in matrix collagen degradation, and its tissue inhibitor, TIMP-2. Also, melatonin significantly suppressed IL-1β-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) translocation and transcriptional activity. In summary, we demonstrate that melatonin modulates motility and invasiveness of HepG2 cell in vitro through a molecular mechanism that involves TIMP-1 upregulation and attenuation of MMP-9 expression and activity via NF-κB signal pathway inhibition.