CNN1 regulates the DKK1/Wnt/β-catenin/c-myc signaling pathway by activating TIMP2 to inhibit the invasion, migration and EMT of lung squamous cell carcinoma cells

Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the development and therapeutic resistance of non-small cell lung cancer

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a critical pathway that influences development and therapeutic response of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, many Wnt regulators, including proteins, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have been found to promote or inhibit signaling by acting on Wnt proteins, receptors, signal transducers and transcriptional effectors. The identification of these regulators and their underlying molecular mechanisms provides important implications for how to target this pathway therapeutically. In this review, we summarize recent studies of Wnt regulators in the development and therapeutic response of NSCLC.

Mechanoregulation and function of calponin and transgelin

It is well known that chemical energy can be converted to mechanical force in biological systems by motor proteins such as myosin ATPase. It is also broadly observed that constant/static mechanical signals potently induce cellular responses. However, the mechanisms that cells sense and convert the mechanical force into biochemical signals are not well understood. Calponin and transgelin are a family of homologous proteins that participate in the regulation of actin-activated myosin motor activity. An isoform of calponin, calponin 2, has been shown to regulate cytoskeleton-based cell motility functions under mechanical signaling. The expression of the calponin 2 gene and the turnover of calponin 2 protein are both under mechanoregulation. The regulation and function of calponin 2 has physiological and pathological significance, as shown in platelet adhesion, inflammatory arthritis, arterial atherosclerosis, calcific aortic valve disease, post-surgical fibrotic peritoneal adhesion, chronic proteinuria, ovarian insufficiency, and tumor metastasis. The levels of calponin 2 vary in different cell types, reflecting adaptations to specific tissue environments and functional states. The present review focuses on the mechanoregulation of calponin and transgelin family proteins to explore how cells sense steady tension and convert the force signal to biochemical activities. Our objective is to present a current knowledge basis for further investigations to establish the function and mechanisms of calponin and transgelin in cellular mechanoregulation.

MicroRNA-299-3p inhibits cell proliferation, motility, invasion and angiogenesis via VEGFA in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare tumor with extraordinarily different features between Eastern and Western countries. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) was originally identified as a secreted signaling protein and regulator of vascular development and cancer progression. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of VEGFA by microRNA in UTUC.

METHODS

VEGFA expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 140 human UTUC tissue samples. Next, we assessed the regulatory relationship between VEGFA and miR-299-3p by real-time PCR, western blotting, ELISA and dual-luciferase reporter assays using two UTUC cell lines. The role of miR-299-3p/VEGFA in cell proliferation, motility, invasion, and tube formation was analyzed in vitro.

RESULTS

High VEGFA expression was significantly associated with tumor stage, grade, distant metastasis and cancer-related death and correlated with poor progression-free and cancer-specific survival. VEGFA knockdown repressed proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis in UTUC cell lines. miR-299-3p significantly reduced VEGFA protein expression and miR-299-3p overexpression inhibited VEGFA mRNA and protein expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR. Functional studies indicated that VEGFA overexpression reversed the miR-299-3p-mediated suppression of tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. In addition, miR-299-3p/VEGFA suppressed cellular functions in UTUC by modulating the expression of P18 and cyclin E2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that miR-299-3p possibly suppresses UTUC cell proliferation, motility, invasion and angiogenesis via VEGFA. VEGFA may act as a prognostic predictor, and both VEGFA and miR-299-3p could be potential therapeutic targets for UTUC.

The Promoting Role of HK II in Tumor Development and the Research Progress of Its Inhibitors

Increased glycolysis is a key characteristic of malignant cells that contributes to their high proliferation rates and ability to develop drug resistance. The glycolysis rate-limiting enzyme hexokinase II (HK II) is overexpressed in most tumor cells and significantly affects tumor development. This paper examines the structure of HK II and the specific biological factors that influence its role in tumor development, as well as the potential of HK II inhibitors in antitumor therapy. Furthermore, we identify and discuss the inhibitors of HK II that have been reported in the literature.

[Mechanism Research of lncRNA miR143HG on Regulating the Biological Behavior of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma H520 Cells]

BACKGROUND

There is a high morbidity, mortality, and poor clinical prognosis of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). However, there is currently no effective targeted treatment plan for LUSC. As a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), lncRNA miR143HG has been proven to play an important role in the occurrence and development of various tumors. However, the biological role played by lncRNA miR143HG in LUSC cells is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mechanism of lncRNA miR143HG on regulating the biological behavior of LUSC H520 cells.

METHODS

Pan-cancer analysis and differential expression analysis of lncRNA miR143HG were performed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The predictive effect of lncRNA miR143HG on the diagnosis and prognosis of LUSC was evaluated by adopting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and timeROC curve. The enrichment degree of each pathway to lncRNA miR143HG was determined. The expression of lncRNA miR143HG and miR-155 in BEAS-2B cells and H520 cells was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). H520 cells were randomly divided into blank control group (without any treatment), negative control group (transfected with lncRNA-NC), lncRNA miR143HG group (transfected with lncRNA miR143HG), and lncRNA miR143HG+miR-155 group (co-transfected with lncRNA miR143HG and miR-155). The approaches of CCK-8, wound healing test, Transwell assay, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were respectively employed to detect the cell proliferation ability, cell migration ability, cell invasion ability, cell apoptosis rate, and expression level of related genes and proteins of the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway.

RESULTS

The results of pan-cancer analysis and differential analysis collectively showed that except for renal clear cell carcinoma, the expression of lncRNA miR143HG in other cancer tissues was higher than that in healthy tissues, and the differences were significant in LUSC. The evaluation results of the ROC curve and timeROC curve suggested that lncRNA miR143HG was of great significance in the prediction of diagnosis and prognosis of LUSC. The pathways enriched in high expression of lncRNA miR143HG mainly included focal adhesion, vascular smooth muscle contraction, calcium signaling pathways, and so on; the pathways enriched in the low expression of lncRNA miR143HG embraced oxidative phosphorylation, cell cycle, basic transcription factors, etc. The qRT-PCR results showed that lncRNA miR143HG was low expressed but miR-155 was highly expressed in H520 cells when compared to BEAS-2B cells (P<0.05). Compared with the negative control group, the expression levels of the gene of lncRNA miR143HG, the gene and protein of Wnt, as well as the gene and protein of β-Catenin were significantly increased, while the gene expression of miR-155, the ability of cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell invasion were significantly reduced, but the cell apoptosis rate was dominantly elevated in cells of lncRNA miR143HG group (P<0.05). In addition, compared with the lncRNA miR143HG group, overexpression of miR-155 could reverse the biological behavior mediated by lncRNA miR143HG, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA miR143HG was of great significance for the biological behavior of H520 cells. LncRNA miR143HG inhibited the ability of proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as enhanced the apoptosis of H520 cells by downregulating miR-155 expression, which may be related to the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway.
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Alteration of genome-wide DNA methylation in non-uranium miners induced by high level radon exposure

In China, according to statistics about underground non-uranium mine radon levels, 15% exceed the national standard intervention level of 1000 Bq/m3, and some mines may exceed 10,000 Bq/m3. The relationship between radon exposure in underground miners and lung cancer has already been established, but the mechanisms and biological processes underlying it are poorly understood. In order to identify the genome-wide DNA methylation profile associated with long-term radon exposure, we performed the Infinium Human Methylation 850 K BeadChip measurement in whole blood samples obtained from 15 underground non-uranium miners and 10 matched aboveground control workers. Radon concentrations in the air of workplaces and living environments were measured by CR-39 radon detectors, and annual effective doses were calculated using the detection data. Under the high radon concentration with an average value of 12,700 Bq·m-3, a total of 165 significant differentially methylated positions (127 hypermethylated sites and 38 hypomethylated sites) annotated to 71 genes were identified in underground miners (|Δβ| ≥ 0.10, p < 0.05), and the average DNA methylation level of 165 DMPs was significantly higher than that of the control workers. Most DMPs were found on chromosome 1, and approximately one-quarter of them were located in genomic promoter regions. Through bioinformatics analysis and pyrosequencing validation, five candidate genes differentially methylated by radon, including TIMP2, EMP2, CPT1B, AMD1 and SLC43A2 were identified. GO and KEGG analysis implicated that long term radon exposure could induce the lung cancer related biological processes such as cell adhesion and cellular polarity maintenance. Our study provides evidence for the alterations of genome-wide DNA methylation profiles induced by long-term high level radon exposure, and new insights into searching for carcinogenic biomarkers of high radon exposure in future studies.

The Role of H2-Calponin Antigen in Cancer Metastasis: Presence of Autoantibodies in Liver Cancer Patients

To investigate the potential of H2-calponin (CNN2) as a serum biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), this study employed the serological analysis of recombinantly expressed cDNA clone (SEREX) technique to identify the presence of CNN2 antibody in the serum of patients with HCC and other tumors. The CNN2 protein was produced through genetic engineering and used as an antigen to determine the positive rate of serum CNN2 autoantibodies via indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, the mRNA and protein expressions of CNN2 in cells and tissues were evaluated using RT-PCR, in situ RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry methods. The HCC group exhibited a significantly higher positive rate of anti-CNN2 antibody (54.8%) compared to gastric cancer (6.5%), lung cancer (3.2%), rectal cancer (9.7%), hepatitis (3.2%), liver cirrhosis (3.2%), and normal tissues (3.1%). The positive rates of CNN2 mRNA in HCC with metastasis, non-metastatic HCC, lung cancer, gastric cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, liver cirrhosis, and hepatitis were 56.67%, 41.67%, 17.5%, 10.0%, 20.0%, 53.13%, and 41.67%, respectively. Meanwhile, the positive rates of CNN2 protein were 63.33%, 37.5%, 17.5%, 27.5%, 45%, 31.25%, and 20.83%, respectively. The down-regulation of CNN2 could inhibit the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells. CNN2 is a newly identified HCC-associated antigen that is implicated in the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells, making it a promising target for liver cancer therapy.

MiR-146b-5p/SEMA3G regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The primary purpose was to unveil how the miR-146b-5p/SEMA3G axis works in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

METHODS

ccRCC dataset was acquired from TCGA database, and target miRNA to be studied was further analyzed using survival analysis. We performed miRNA target gene prediction through the database, and those predicted miRNAs were intersected with differential mRNAs. After calculating the correlation between miRNAs and mRNAs, we completed the GSEA pathway enrichment analysis on mRNAs. MiRNA and mRNA expression was examined by qRT-PCR. Western blot was introduced to detect SEMA3G, MMP2, MMP9 expression, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker proteins, and Notch/TGF-β signaling pathway-related proteins. Targeted relationship between miRNA and mRNA was validated using a dual-luciferase test. Transwell assay was employed to assess cell migration and invasion. Wound healing assay was adopted for evaluation of migration ability. The effect of different treatments on cell morphology was observed by a microscope.

RESULTS

In ccRCC cells, miR-146b-5p was remarkably overexpressed, yet SEMA3G was markedly less expressed. MiR-146b-5p was capable of stimulating ccRCC cell invasion, migration and EMT, and promoting the transformation of ccRCC cell morphology to mesenchymal state. SEMA3G was targeted and inhibited via miR-146b-5p. MiR-146b-5p facilitated ccRCC cell migration, invasion, morphology transforming to mesenchymal state and EMT process by targeting SEMA3G and regulating Notch and TGF-β signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

MiR-146b-5p regulated Notch and TGF-β signaling pathway by suppressing SEMA3G expression, thus promoting the growth of ccRCC cells, which provides a possible target for ccRCC therapy and prognosis prediction.

Potential prognostic and immunotherapeutic value of calponin 1: A pan-cancer analysis

Background: Emerging evidence has suggested a pro-oncogenic role of calponin 1 (CNN1) in the initiation of a variety of cancers. Despite this, CNN1 remains unknown in terms of its effects and mechanisms on angiogenesis, prognosis, and immunology in cancer. Materials and Methods: The expression of CNN1 was extracted and analyzed using the TIMER, UALCAN, and GEPIA databases. Meanwhile, we analyzed the diagnostic value of CNN1 by using PrognoScan and Kaplan-Meier plots. To elucidate the value of CNN1 in immunotherapy, we used the TIMER 2.0 database, TISIDB database, and Sangerbox database. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to analyze the expression pattern and bio-progression of CNN1 and the vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) in cancer. The expressions of CNN1 and VEGF in gastric cancer were confirmed using immunohistochemistry. We used Cox regression analysis to investigate the association between pathological characteristics, clinical prognosis, and CNN1 and VEGF expressions in patients with gastric cancer. Results: CNN1 expression was higher in normal tissues than it was in tumor tissues of most types of cancers. However, the expression level rebounds during the development of tumors. High levels of CNN1 indicate a poor prognosis for 11 tumors, which include stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). There is a relationship between CNN1 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and the marker genes NRP1 and TNFRSF14 of TILs are significantly related to CNN1 expression in gastric cancers. The GSEA results confirmed the lower expression of CNN1 in tumors when compared to normal tissues. However, CNN1 again showed an increasing trend during tumor development. In addition, the results also suggest that CNN1 is involved in angiogenesis. The immunohistochemistry results validated the GSEA result (take gastric cancer as an example). Cox analysis suggested that high CNN1 expression and high VEGF expression are closely associated with poor clinical prognosis. Conclusion: Our study has shown that CNN1 expression is aberrantly elevated in various cancers and positively correlates with angiogenesis and the immune checkpoint, contributing to cancer progression and poor prognosis. These results suggest that CNN1 could serve as a promising candidate for pan-cancer immunotherapy.

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Long Non-Coding RNA-Growth Arrest Specific 5 (LncRNA-GAS5) Modification Impede the Migration and Invasion Activities of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cells

The impact of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the behaviors of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells and LncRNAs remains poorly understood. This study mainly explores the mechanism of LncRNA-GAS5-modified BMSCs on the behaviors of PTC cells, aiming to further elucidate PTC carcinogenesis and provide evidence for drug development. PTC cell lines were assigned into blank group, BMSCs group (co-culture with BMSCs), GAS5 group (co-culture with LncRNA-GAS5-modified BMSCs) and positive control group (cultured in the presence of 60 μg/mL β-elemene) followed by analysis of LncRNA-GAS5 expression, the number of migrating and invading PTC cells, the quantity of EMT-related markers, MMP-9 and MMP-2. LncRNA-GAS5 level was lowest in the blank group, while highest in the GAS5 group (P <0.05), followed by positive control group and BMSCs group. Moreover, the number of migrated and invaded cells was highest in the blank group, while lowest in GAS5 group (P < 0.05), followed by positive control group and BMSCs group. PTC cells exhibited the highest expression of EMT-related markers (N-cadherin and Vimentin) and MMPs but lowest E-cadherin level in blank group and positive control group. These proteins showed an opposite trend in GAS5 group and BMSCs group. Additionally, a more remarkable difference was recorded in the GAS5 group (P <0.05). LncRNA-GAS5-modified BMSCs can down-regulate Vimentin and N-cadherin while up-regulate E-cadherin, thereby restraining the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2. In this way, the EMT process can be manipulated, leading to inhibition of PTC cells behaviors by LncRNA-GAS5-modified BMSCs, indicating that LncRNA-GAS5 might be applied as a therapeutic target for PTC.

Genome-wide identification of alternative splicing associated with histone deacetylase inhibitor in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that originates from skin, which is difficult to treat with traditional drugs. Human histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) targeted therapy has become a promising treatment strategy in recent years, but some patients can develop resistance to the drug, leading to treatment failure. There are no public reports on whether alternative splicing (AS) and RNA binding proteins (RBP) affect the efficacy of targeted therapy. Using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, we established a co-change network of AS events and RBP in CTCLs for the first time, and analyzed the potential regulatory effects of RBP on HDACi-related AS events. The dataset GSE132053, which contained the RNA sequence data for 17 HDACi samples, was downloaded and clean reads were aligned to the human GRCh38 genome by hierarchical indexing for spliced alignment of the transcripts, allowing four mismatches. Gene expression levels were evaluated using exons per million fragments mapped for each gene. Student’s t-tests were performed to evaluate the significance of changes in ratios for AS events, and regulated alternative splicing events (RASEs) were defined as events with p values less than 0.05. To sort the differentially expressed genes functional categories, Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were identified using the KOBAS 2.0 server. The regulatory mechanisms of the RASEs and RBPs were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Seven indirect events of HDACi resistance or sensitivity were identified: NIR_5151_RP11-977G19.10, NIR_4557_IRAG2, NIR_11870_SUMO1, NIR_5347_ING4, NIR_17935_DNAJC2, NIR_17974_CBLL1, and NIR_422_SLC50A1. The potential regulatory relationships between RBPs and HDACi-sensitive RASEs were also analyzed. LEPR and HNRNPAO significantly affected NIR_11870_SUMO1, suggesting a potential regulatory relationship. Additionally, CNN1 may regulate NIR_5347_ING4, CNOT3 may regulate NIR_17935_DNAJC2, and DQX1 and LENG9 may regulate NIR_422_SLC5A1. Overall, our findings establish a theoretical foundation for the precise targeted treatment of CTCLs with HDACi.

CNN1 Represses Bladder Cancer Progression and Metabolic Reprogramming by Modulating HIF-1α Signaling Pathway

Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most common urinary system malignant tumor around the whole world. It has been reported that CNN1 was lowly expressed in BC tissues. However, the mechanisms of CNN1 on BC cells were unclear. Herein, we aimed to probe the specific influences of CNN1 on BC pathogenesis. First, the expression level and prognostic ability of CNN1 in BC patients were surveyed. Then, CNN1 overexpression was executed to exhibit the influences of CNN1 on BC cells. The real-time PCR and Western blotting were employed to detect by the mRNA and protein expression levels. CCK8 assay was utilized to examine cell proliferation, and transwell assay was executed to test cell invasion and migration. The corresponding kits were utilized to detect glucose absorption, lactate secretion, and ATP level. BC cells overexpressing CNN1 were utilized to establish a nude mouse xenograft tumor model, and the tumor volume and tumor weight were detected. Nude mouse tumor tissues were used for immunohistochemical experiments to test the expression levels of Ki-67 and CNN1. The outcomes indicated that CNN1 was significantly lowly expressed in BC tissues and cells. Besides, low expression of CNN1 might be concerned with poor prognosis. Moreover, overexpression of CNN1 repressed the proliferation, invasion, and migration of BC cells. Furthermore, CNN1 overexpression decreased the protein levels of glycolysis-related protein GLUT1 (glucose transporter 1), pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), and LDHA (lactate dehydrogenase A). Then, the decreased mRNA and protein levels of HIF-1α and PDK1 were identified after CNN1 overexpression. The in vivo assays verified the effects of aberrant expression of CNN1 in mice with BC. In conclusion, these findings suggested that CNN1 might modulate BC progression through activating HIF-1α pathway and CNN1 might be a promising marker for BC diagnosis.

Transgelin Inhibits the Malignant Progression of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas by Regulating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Objective

This article investigates the role of Transgelin (TAGLN) in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) and its possible mechanism of inhibiting the invasion of these cancers.

Methods

Tissue specimens and clinical information of patients with ESCC were collected to analyze the relationship between Transgelin expression level and prognosis of patients with ESCC. Transgelin siRNA was used to knock down Transgelin expression. The expression of Transgelin in Eca-109 and KYSE-150 cells was overexpressed by Transgelin-overexpressing plasmid. The effects of Transgelin overexpression and knockdown on the proliferation of Eca-109 and KYSE-150 cells were examined by Transwell chamber, scratch assay, and CCK-8 cell activity assay. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the effect of Transgelin overexpression or knockdown on the mRNA and protein expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin. TCGA data were used to analyze Transgelin co-expressed genes and further study the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis results under the influence of Transgelin.

Results

The expression of Transgelin was low in ESCC, and its expression level was positively correlated with the prognosis of patients with ESCC. The targeted Transgelin siRNA and Transgelin-overexpressing plasmid can effectively regulate the expression of Transgelin mRNA and protein in Eca-109 and KYSE-150 cells. After overexpression of Transgelin, the invasion and proliferation abilities of Eca-109 and KYSE-150 cells were significantly decreased compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). However, Transgelin knockdown could promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells. The overexpression of Transgelin inhibits EMT in ESCC. With the increase of Transgelin expression in Eca-109 and KYSE-150 cells, the expression of E-cadherin increased, while the expression of Vimentin decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Transgelin can inhibit the malignant progression of ESCC by inhibiting the occurrence of EMT.