Ephrin-A1 mRNA is associated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer

Ephrin A1 functions as a ligand of EGFR to promote EMT and metastasis in gastric cancer

Distant metastasis is the major cause of gastric cancer mortality, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation plays critical roles in gastric cancer dissemination. However, EGFR targeting therapies in gastric cancer show only marginal effects, and the molecular mechanisms of oncogenic EGFR signaling remain poorly defined. Here, we report Ephrin A1 as a novel ligand of EGFR in gastric cancer. Ephrin A1 facilitates colonization and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo via inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Ephrin A1 directly interacts with EGFR and induces EGFR dimerization, phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling. Ephrin A1-induced EMT can be rescued by EGFR signaling inhibitors or knockout of EGFR, but not depletion of its classical receptor EphA2. Moreover, Ephrin A1 protein level correlates with EGFR phosphorylation levels in gastric cancer patients. Collectively, our work uncovers Ephrin A1 as a functional ligand of EGFR and highlights the potential role of the Ephrin A1/EGFR/EMT regulatory axis in cancer metastasis.

Genetic Variants in RASSF1 (rs2073498), SERPINE1 (rs1799889), and EFNA1 (rs12904) Are Associated with Susceptibility in Mexican Patients with Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Associations and Their Analysis In Silico

Background/Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Variants in genes that regulate processes such as apoptosis and angiogenesis play a significant role in CRC. The objective of this study is to investigate the possible association between RASSF1 (rs2073498), SERPINE1 (rs1799889), EFNA1 (rs12904), and RAD51 (rs1801320) variants and clinicopathological characteristics of Mexican patients with CRC. Methods: DNA of peripheral blood samples was obtained from 631 individuals (349 patients and 282 control individuals). The RASSF1 (rs2073498), SERPINE1 (rs1799889), EFNA1 (rs12904), and RAD51 (rs1801320) variants were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The association was calculated using the odds ratio (OR) test. p-values were adjusted by the Bonferroni test (0.0125). In silico analysis programs, including Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion (CADD), Polymorphism Phenotyping-2 (PolyPhen-2), and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), were conducted to predict the functional impact of these variants. Results: Patients carrying the G/A genotype of the RASSF1 (rs2073498) variant showed an association with CRC characteristics, including TNM stages and tumor location (OR > 2.5, p = 0.001). Regarding the SERPINE1 (rs1799889) variant, patients carrying the 5G/4G genotype showed an association between TNM stages and tumor location in the rectum (OR > 1.5, p ≤ 0.05). Patients with the G/G genotype for the EFNA1 (rs12904) variant showed an association with TNM stages and rectal tumor location (OR > 2.0, p = 0.001). The RAD51 (rs1801320) variant had no association with colorectal cancer. Conclusions: RASSF1 (rs2073498), SERPINE1 (rs1799889), and EFNA1 (rs12904) variants significantly influence colorectal cancer risk.

The diagnostic value of serum Ephrin-A1 in patients with colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with a high incidence rate and mortality. The analysis of serum biomarkers for colorectal cancer diagnosis has attracted more and more attention because of its low cost, repeatability, and quantification. This study was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum Ephrin-A1 in patients with CRC. We retrospectively analyzed CRC cases in a test cohort (121 patients and 108 controls) and validated them in a validation cohort (119 patients and 118 controls). The concentration of Ephrin-A1 in serum was detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the diagnostic performance of serum Ephrin-A1 was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. In the test cohort, serum Ephrin-A1 levels in patients with all-stage CRC and early-stage CRC were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. The area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity of all-stage CRC and early-stage CRC were 0.709 (95% CI 0.644-0.775) and 0.660 (95% CI 0.530-0.790), 48.76% and 45.00%, 81.48% and 81.48%, respectively. Similar results were observed in the validation cohort. Serum Ephrin-A1 might be served as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of CRC.

Exploration of the shared pathways and common biomarkers in cervical and ovarian cancer using integrated bioinformatics analysis

OBJECTIVE

Searching for potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for early diagnosis of gynecological tumors to improve patient survival.

METHODS

Microarray datasets of cervical cancer (CC) and ovarian cancer (OC) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, then, differential gene expression between cancerous and normal tissues in the datasets was analyzed. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to screen for co-expression modules associated with CC and OC. The screened shared genes were then further analyzed for functional pathway enrichment. Next, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) with tenfold cross validation is used to further screened for common diagnostic biomarkers for the two diseases, and further validation is performed using two independent GEO datasets. Finally, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate the immune infiltration levels of CC and OC, and the correlation between immune cell infiltration and common biomarkers was explored.

RESULTS

After crossing the common DEGs detected by "Limma" R package with the common module genes identified by WGCNA, 44 shared genes were obtained. Functional enrichment indicates that these shared genes are mainly related to DNA synthesis pathways. Lasso regression analysis revealed that EFNA1, TYMS, and WISP2 were co-diagnostic markers for CC and OC, and then based on their expression levels and diagnostic efficacy, EFNA1 was selected as the best co-marker for CC and OC. Immune infiltration analysis shows that the immune environment has a significant impact on the occurrence and development of CC and OC, and the expression of EFNA1 is related to changes in immune cells. Gene-drug interaction analyses identified 27 common drug compounds that interact with candidate genes.

CONCLUSION

This study adopted bioinformatics methods to investigate the common pathways and identify diagnostic markers between CC and OC, suggesting that DNA synthesis and immune environment are closely related to the occurrence and development of CC and OC. EFNA1 may be a potential diagnostic indicator and therapeutic target for patients with CC and OC.

Potential role of the Eph/ephrin system in colorectal cancer: emerging druggable molecular targets

The Eph/ephrin system regulates many developmental processes and adult tissue homeostasis. In colorectal cancer (CRC), it is involved in different processes including tumorigenesis, tumor angiogenesis, metastasis development, and cancer stem cell regeneration. However, conflicting data regarding Eph receptors in CRC, especially in its putative role as an oncogene or a suppressor gene, make the precise role of Eph-ephrin interaction confusing in CRC development. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature and highlight evidence that collaborates with these ambiguous roles of the Eph/ephrin system in CRC, as well as the molecular findings that represent promising therapeutic targets.

Perineural invasion in colorectal cancer: mechanisms of action and clinical relevance

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the significance of the nervous system in the tumor microenvironment has gained increasing attention. The bidirectional communication between nerves and cancer cells plays a critical role in tumor initiation and progression. Perineural invasion (PNI) occurs when tumor cells invade the nerve sheath and/or encircle more than 33% of the nerve circumference. PNI is a common feature in various malignancies and is associated with tumor invasion, metastasis, cancer-related pain, and unfavorable clinical outcomes. The colon and rectum are highly innervated organs, and accumulating studies support PNI as a histopathologic feature of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is essential to investigate the role of nerves in CRC and comprehend the mechanisms of PNI to impede tumor progression and improve patient survival.

CONCLUSION

This review elucidates the clinical significance of PNI, summarizes the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, introduces various experimental models suitable for studying PNI, and discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting this phenomenon. By delving into the intricate interactions between nerves and tumor cells, we hope this review can provide valuable insights for the future development of CRC treatments.

Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: Mechanisms of Disease Progression and Current Therapies

Waldenström macroglobulinemia is an indolent, B-cell lymphoma without a known cure. The bone marrow microenvironment and cytokines both play key roles in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) tumor progression. Only one FDA-approved drug exists for the treatment of WM, Ibrutinib, but treatment plans involve a variety of drugs and inhibitors. This review explores avenues of tumor progression and targeted drug therapy that have been investigated in WM and related B-cell lymphomas.

EFNA1 in gastrointestinal cancer: Expression, regulation and clinical significance

Ephrin-A1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EFNA1 gene. The ephrins and EPH-related receptors comprise the largest subfamily of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases which play an indispensable role in normal growth and development or in the pathophysiology of various tumors. The role of EFNA1 in tumorigenesis and development is complex and depends on the cell type and microenvironment which in turn affect the expression of EFNA1. This article reviews the expression, prognostic value, regulation and clinical significance of EFNA1 in gastrointestinal tumors.

Identifying Molecular Subtypes and 6-Gene Prognostic Signature Based on Hypoxia for Optimizing Targeted Therapies in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for a great number of all lung cancer cases. Hypoxia, one of the hallmarks in solid cancer, is closely involved in cancer cell progression and migration. This study aimed to develop a molecular subtyping system based on hypoxia-related genes and construct a prognostic model for NSCLC patients.

Methods

Unsupervised consensus clustering was used to classify molecular subtypes. Mutation and immune analyses were conducted to compare differences among the molecular subtypes. Univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis, and step Akaike information criterion (stepAIC) were performed to screen prognostic genes.

Results

Two molecular subtypes (C1 and C2) were identified based on hypoxia-related genes and showed significant differences in survival, enriched pathways, tumor microenvironment (TME), and sensitivity to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Interestingly, C1 subtype had better survival and response to targeted therapies. Oncogenic pathways, such as hypoxia, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), NOTCH signaling, and p53 signaling pathways were more enriched in C2 subtype. A 6-gene prognostic model with robust ability was developed to classify NSCLC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups.

Conclusion

The novel molecular subtypes could assist personalized therapies to select suitable patients. The six prognostic genes may be novel targets for further understanding mechanisms of NSCLC development associated with hypoxia and exploiting novel targeted therapies.

EFNA3 Is a Prognostic Biomarker Correlated With Immune Cell Infiltration and Immune Checkpoints in Gastric Cancer

Background: Ephrin A3 (EFNA3), like most genes in the ephrin family, plays a central role in embryonic development and can be dysregulated in a variety of tumors. However, the relationship between EFNA3 and gastric cancer (GC) prognosis and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes remains unclear.

Methods: Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) were used to analyze the expression of EFNA3. Kaplan-Meier plots and GEPIA2 were used to evaluate the relationship between EFNA3 expression and GC prognosis. Univariable survival and multivariate Cox analyses were used to compare various clinical characteristics with survival. LinkedOmics database was used for gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). TIMER database and CIBERSORT algorithm were used to examine the relationship between EFNA3 expression and immune infiltration in GC and to explore cumulative survival in GC. The relationship between EFNA3 and immune checkpoints was examined using cBioPortal genomics analysis. Finally, EFNA3 expression in GC cells and tissues was assayed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: EFNA3 expression differs in a variety of cancers, and EFNA3 expression was higher in GC tissue than normal gastric tissue. GC patients with high expression of EFNA3 had worse overall survival, disease-free survival, and first progression. Multivariate analysis identified EFNA3 as an independent prognostic factor for GC. GSEA identified ribosome, cell cycle, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathways as differentially enriched in patients with high EFNA3 expression. B cells, CD8⁺ T cells, CD4⁺ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells were significantly negatively correlated with a variety of immune markers. EFNA3 participates in changes in GC immune checkpoint markers in a collinear manner. EFNA3 expression in HGC-27, AGS, MKN45, and NCI-N87 was cell lines higher than that in GES-1, and patients with high expression of EFNA3 had a worse prognosis.

Conclusion: EFNA3 can be used as a prognostic and immune infiltration and checkpoint marker in GC patients.

Modulation of the Host Cell Transcriptome and Epigenome by Fusobacterium nucleatum

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen with an emerging role as an oncomicrobe in colorectal cancer and other cancer settings. F. nucleatum can adhere to and invade host cells in a manner that varies across F. nucleatum strains and host cell phenotypes. Here, we performed pairwise cocultures between three F. nucleatum strains and two immortalized primary host cell types (human colonic epithelial [HCE] cells and human carotid artery endothelial [HCAE] cells) followed by transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) to investigate transcriptional and epigenetic host cell responses. We observed that F. nucleatum-induced host cell transcriptional modulation involves strong upregulation of genes related to immune migration and inflammatory processes, such as TNF, CXCL8, CXCL1, and CCL20. Furthermore, we identified genes strongly upregulated in a cell line-specific manner. In HCE cells, overexpressed genes included UBD and DUOX2/DUOXA2, associated with p53 degradation-mediated proliferation and intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, respectively. In HCAE cells, overexpressed genes included EFNA1 and LIF, two genes commonly upregulated in colorectal cancer and associated with poor patient outcomes, and PTGS2 (COX2), a gene associated with the protective effect of aspirin in the colorectal cancer setting. Interestingly, we also observed downregulation of numerous histone modification genes upon F. nucleatum exposure. We used the ChIP-seq data to annotate chromatin states genome wide and found significant chromatin remodeling following F. nucleatum exposure in HCAE cells, with increased frequencies of active enhancer and low-signal/quiescent states. Thus, our results highlight increased inflammation and chemokine gene expression as conserved host cell responses to F. nucleatum exposure and extensive host cell epigenomic changes specific to host cell type. IMPORTANCE Fusobacterium nucleatum is a bacterium normally found in the healthy oral cavity but also has an emerging role in colorectal cancer and other cancer settings. The host-microbe interactions of F. nucleatum and its involvement in tumor initiation, progression, and treatment resistance are not fully understood. We explored host cell changes that occur in response to F. nucleatum. We identified key genes differentially expressed in response to various conditions of F. nucleatum exposure and determined that the conserved host cell response to F. nucleatum was dominated by increased inflammation and chemokine gene expression. Additionally, we found extensive host cell epigenomic changes as a novel aspect of host modulation associated with F. nucleatum exposure. These results extend our understanding of F. nucleatum as an emerging pathogen and highlight the importance of considering strain heterogeneity and host cell phenotypic variation when exploring pathogenic mechanisms of F. nucleatum.

Effects of EFNA1 on cell phenotype and prognosis of esophageal carcinoma

Background

To investigate the expression and clinical significance of EFNA1 in broad-spectrum tumors, and to evaluate its relationship with prognosis and biological functions of esophageal carcinoma (ESCA).

Methods

EFNA1 expression in various cancers was analyzed according to the data in the TCGA database. The clinical data were integrated, to analyze the relationship with ESCA clinical parameters and prognosis, and EFNA1 expression in ESCA tissue samples was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on bioinformatics, the functional background of EFNA1 overexpression was analyzed. EFNA1 knockout cell model was established by EFNA1-shRNA transfecting ESCA cells, and the effect of knocking down EFNA1 on the proliferation of ESCA cells was detected by MTT.

Results

Among 7563 samples from TCGA, the EFNA1 gene highly expressed in 15 samples with common cancers and endangered the prognosis of patients with tumors. Its overexpression in ESCA and its influence on the prognosis were most significant. EFNA1 expression in 80 samples with ESCA and their paired samples was tested by IHC to verify its high expression (paired t test, P < 0.001) in ESCA tissues. It was found that EFNA1 expression was related to clinical factors (TNM staging, P = 0.031; lymph node metastasis, P = 0.043; infiltration, P = 0.016). Meanwhile, EFNA1 was found to be an independent risk factor based on the COX multi-factor analysis. And to further explore the importance of EFNA1 in tumors, EC-9706 and ECA109 cells were screened from 8 ESCA-related cell lines to build EFNA1 knockdown cell models. The results showed that EFNA1 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells (P < 0.05). In terms of molecular mechanism, EFNA1 related genes were significantly enriched in the proliferative pathway according to the pathway enrichment analysis. It was found that knocking down EFNA1 did inhibit cell proliferation based on cell experiments.

Conclusions

EFNA1 overexpression in ESCA tissue is related to the prognosis of patients. Knocking down EFNA1 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of ESCA cells.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12957-021-02362-8.

Analysis of ADAM12-Mediated Ephrin-A1 Cleavage and Its Biological Functions

Accumulating evidence indicates that an elevated ephrin-A1 expression is positively correlated with a worse prognosis in some cancers such as colon and liver cancer. The detailed mechanism of an elevated ephrin-A1 expression in a worse prognosis still remains to be fully elucidated. We previously reported that ADAM12-cleaved ephrin-A1 enhanced lung vascular permeability and thereby induced lung metastasis. However, it is still unclear whether or not cleaved forms of ephrin-A1 are derived from primary tumors and have biological activities. We identified the ADAM12-mediated cleavage site of ephrin-A1 by a Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry and checked levels of ephrin-A1 in the serum and the urine derived from the primary tumors by using a mouse model. We found elevated levels of tumor-derived ephrin-A1 in the serum and the urine in the tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, inhibition of ADAM-mediated cleavage of ephrin-A1 or antagonization of the EphA receptors resulted in a significant reduction of lung metastasis. The results suggest that tumor-derived ephrin-A1 is not only a potential biomarker to predict lung metastasis from the primary tumor highly expressing ephrin-A1 but also a therapeutic target of lung metastasis.

Estrogen Receptor Beta Influences the Inflammatory p65 Cistrome in Colon Cancer Cells

Inflammation is a primary component of both initiation and promotion of colorectal cancer (CRC). Cytokines secreted by macrophages, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), activates the pro-survival transcription factor complex NFκB. The precise mechanism of NFκB in CRC is not well studied, but we recently reported the genome-wide transcriptional impact of TNFα in two CRC cell lines. Further, estrogen signaling influences inflammation in a complex manner and suppresses CRC development. CRC protective effects of estrogen have been shown to be mediated by estrogen receptor beta (ERβ, ESR2), which also impacts inflammatory signaling of the colon. However, whether ERβ impacts the chromatin interaction (cistrome) of the main NFκB subunit p65 (RELA) is not known. We used p65 chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) in two different CRC cell lines, HT29 and SW480, with and without expression of ERβ. We here present the p65 colon cistrome of these two CRC cell lines. We identify that RELA and AP1 motifs are predominant in both cell lines, and additionally describe both common and cell line-specific p65 binding sites and correlate these to transcriptional changes related to inflammation, migration, apoptosis and circadian rhythm. Further, we determine that ERβ opposes a major fraction of p65 chromatin binding in HT29 cells, but enhances p65 binding in SW480 cells, thereby impacting the p65 cistrome differently in the two cell lines. However, the biological functions of the regulated genes appear to have similar roles in both cell lines. To our knowledge, this is the first time the p65 CRC cistrome is compared between different cell lines and the first time an influence by ERβ on the p65 cistrome is investigated. Our work provides a mechanistic foundation for a better understanding of how estrogen influences inflammatory signaling through NFκB in CRC cells.

Role of EFNA1 in tumorigenesis and prospects for cancer therapy

Cancer is one of the major threats to human health. It is of vital importance to reveal the mechanisms of tumorigenesis, identify effective biomarkers and develop novel treatments to improve patient outcome. EFNA1 (ephrinA1) is a member of the EFN family, and it has been studied extensively since its discovery in 1990. Increasing evidence indicates that EFNA1 plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of tumors. We provide a detailed overview of the expression and prognostic value of EFNA1 in different types of human malignancies. We briefly discuss the mechanisms of EFNA1 induction in hypoxic environments and its pro-angiogenic function in different cancer cells. We describe the effects of EFNA1 on tumor growth, invasiveness and metastasis. We summarize recent advances in EFNA1-associated cancer therapeutics with emphasis on the prospect of novel anti-tumor methods based on EFNA1.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Proteins in Malignant Tumors: Progress and Prospects

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is the first cytokine used in tumor biotherapy, but TNF-related drugs are limited by the lack of specific targets. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced proteins (TNFAIPs), derived from TNF, is a protein family and participates in proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. In order to better understand biological functions and potential roles of TNFAIPs in malignant tumors, this paper in the form of “Gene–Protein–Tumor correlation” summarizes the biological characteristics, physiological functions and mechanisms of TNFAIPs by searching National Center of Biotechnology Information, GeneCards, UniProt and STRING databases. The relationship between TNFAIPs and malignant tumors is analyzed, and protein–protein interaction diagram in members of TNFAIPs is drawn based on TNF for the first time. We find that TNF as a key factor is related to TNFAIP1, TNFAIP3, TNFAIP5, TNFAIP6, TNFAIP8 and TNFAIP9, which can be directly involved in activating TNFAIP1, TNFAIP5, TNFAIP8 and TNFAIP9. We confirm that the mechanism of TNFAIP1, TNFAIP2 and TNFAIP3 inducing tumors may be related to NF-κB signaling pathway, but the mechanism of tumor induction by other members of TNFAIPs is not clear. In the future, translational studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of TNF-TNFAIPs-tumors.

Hypoxia-Induced Cleavage Of Soluble ephrinA1 From Cancer Cells Is Mediated By MMP-2 And Associates With Angiogenesis In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

ephrinA1 plays important roles in tumor angiogenesis. Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) can cleave ephrinA1 from the cell membrane into extracellular environment. However, how soluble ephrinA1 is modulated by hypoxia and whether MMPs participate in this hypoxic process remains to be investigated in detail.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were included in the present study for HIF-1α, MMP-2, MMP-9 and ephrinA1 detection by immunohistochemistry. Serum samples from 35 patients were collected both preoperatively and postoperatively to confirm the existence of soluble ephrinA1 by ELISA. Block assay and Western blot analysis were further carried out to elucidate the proteolysis mechanism of ephrinA1 under hypoxic condition in vitro.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrated that HIF-1α, MMP-2, MMP-9 and ephrinA1 expressed positively, and correlated with microvessel density in OSCCs, except for MMP-9. The serum expression level of ephrinA1 in OSCC patients decreased significantly after surgical removal of the solid tumors. In vitro experiments indicated that GM6001, a MMP-specific inhibitor, could reduce hypoxia-induced soluble ephrinA1 secretion from SCC cells. Further Western blot analysis confirmed that both HIF-1α and MMP-2 were up-regulated by hypoxia in a similar time-dependent manner, with the MMP-9 expression unchanged during this course.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested a possible novel mechanism that ephrinA1 secretion is mediated by HIF-1α/MMP-2 signaling cascade which may play pivotal roles in OSCC neovascularization in a paracrine manner.

Integrative genomics analysis of hub genes and their relationship with prognosis and signaling pathways in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The main purpose of the present study was to recognize the integrative genomics analysis of hub genes and their relationship with prognosis and signaling pathways in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The mRNA gene expression profile data of GSE38129 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which included 30 ESCC and 30 normal tissue samples. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between ESCC and normal samples were identified using the GEO2R tool. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to identify the functions and related pathways of the genes. The protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network of these DEGs was constructed with the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes and visualized with a molecular complex detection plug‑in via Cytoscape. The top five important modules were selected from the PPI network. A total of 928 DEGs, including ephrin‑A1 (EFNA1), collagen type IV α1 (COL4A1),  C‑X‑C chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), adrenoreceptor β2 (ADRB2), P2RY14, BUB1B, cyclin A2 (CCNA2), checkpoint kinase 1 (CHEK1), TTK, pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) and COL5A1, including 498 upregulated genes, were mainly enriched in the 'cell cycle', 'DNA replication' and 'mitotic nuclear division', whereas 430 downregulated genes were enriched in 'oxidation‑reduction process', 'xenobiotic metabolic process' and 'cell‑cell adhesion'. The KEGG analysis revealed that 'ECM‑receptor interaction', 'cell cycle' and 'p53 signaling pathway' were the most relevant pathways. According to the degree of connectivity and adjusted P‑value, eight core genes were selected, among which those with the highest correlation were CHEK1, BUB1B, PTTG1, COL4A1 and CXCR2. Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis in The Cancer Genome Atlas database for overall survival (OS) was applied among these genes and revealed that EFNA1 and COL4A1 were significantly associated with a short OS in 182 patients. Immunohistochemical results revealed that the expression of PTTG1 in esophageal carcinoma tissues was higher than that in normal tissues. Therefore, these genes may serve as crucial predictors for the prognosis of ESCC.

Roles of EphA1/A2 and ephrin-A1 in cancer

The biological functions of the Eph/ephrin system have been intensively investigated and well documented so far since its discovery in 1987. Although the Eph/ephrin system has been implicated in pathological settings such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer, the molecular mechanism of the Eph/ephrin system in those diseases is not well understood. Especially in cancer, recent studies have demonstrated that most of Eph and ephrin are up‐ or down‐regulated in various types of cancer, and have been implicated in tumor progression, tumor malignancy, and prognosis. However, they lack consistency and are in controversy. The localization patterns of EphA1 and EphA2 in mouse lungs are very similar, and both knockout mice showed similar phenotypes in the lungs. Ephrin‐A1 that is a membrane‐anchored ligand for EphAs was co‐localized with EphA1 and EphA2 in lung vascular endothelial cells. We recently uncovered the molecular mechanism of ephrin‐A1‐induced lung metastasis by understanding the physiological function of ephrin‐A1 in lungs. This review focuses on the function of EphA1, EphA2, and ephrin‐A1 in tumors and an establishment of pre‐metastatic microenvironment in the lungs.

Fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A is a key regulator of hypoxic adaptation in colorectal cancer cells and involved in treatment resistance and poor prognosis

Hypoxia is an essential feature of cancer malignancy, but there are no methods for the routine detection of hypoxia-inducible prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets. We reported previously that the hypoxic tumor cells of metastatic liver tissue from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) could be used as an 'in vivo' hypoxia culture model. Several potential hypoxia-inducible genes were identified using this model. Among them, one glycolytic enzyme was of special interest. There is currently increasing attention on glycolytic enzymes as potential therapeutic targets due to their association with cancer-specific metabolism. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of cancer malignancy, we investigated the expression of fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A (ALDOA) and its relationship with cancer metabolism. We found that ALDOA was induced by hypoxia in CRC-derived cell lines, and univariate and multivariate analyses of microarray data from the resected CRC samples of 222 patients revealed that ALDOA was an independent prognostic factor for CRC. We also analyzed the malignant potential of ALDOA in vitro using overexpression and knockdown assays. We found that ALDOA was negatively related to chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity and positively associated with proliferation, sphere formation and invasion in both normoxia and hypoxia. These associations were due to the roles of ALDOA in regulating glycolysis, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the cell cycle. These findings demonstrate that ALDOA is a hypoxia-inducible prognostic factor that is closely related to CRC malignancy, and also provide new insights into the importance of ALDOA and glycolysis in cancer and suggest new targets for anticancer therapies.

Resveratrol inhibits IL-6-induced ovarian cancer cell migration through epigenetic up-regulation of autophagy

Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine released by cancer-associated fibroblasts, has been linked to the invasive and metastatic behavior of ovarian cancer cells. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol with the potential to inhibit cancer cell migration. Here we show that Resveratrol and IL-6 affect in an opposite manner the expression of RNA messengers and of microRNAs involved in cell locomotion and extracellular matrix remodeling associated with the invasive properties of ovarian cancer cells. Among the several potential candidates responsible for the anti-invasive effect promoted by Resveratrol, here we focused our attention on ARH-I (DIRAS3), that encodes a Ras homolog GTPase of 26-kDa. This protein is known to inhibit cell motility, and it has been shown to regulate autophagy by interacting with BECLIN 1. IL-6 down-regulated the expression of ARH-I and inhibited the formation of LC3-positive autophagic vacuoles, while promoting cell migration. On opposite, Resveratrol could counteract the IL-6 induction of cell migration in ovarian cancer cells through induction of autophagy in the cells at the migration front, which was paralleled by up-regulation of ARH-I and down-regulation of STAT3 expression. Spautin 1-mediated disruption of BECLIN 1-dependent autophagy abrogated the effects of Resveratrol, while promoting cell migration. The present data indicate that Resveratrol elicits its anti-tumor effect through epigenetic mechanisms and support its inclusion in the chemotherapy regimen for highly aggressive ovarian cancers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Eph receptor and ephrin function in breast, gut, and skin epithelia

Epithelial cells are tightly coupled together through specialized intercellular junctions, including adherens junctions, desmosomes, tight junctions, and gap junctions. A growing body of evidence suggests epithelial cells also directly exchange information at cell-cell contacts via the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-associated ephrin ligands. Ligand-dependent and -independent signaling via Eph receptors as well as reverse signaling through ephrins impact epithelial tissue homeostasis by organizing stem cell compartments and regulating cell proliferation, migration, adhesion, differentiation, and survival. This review focuses on breast, gut, and skin epithelia as representative examples for how Eph receptors and ephrins modulate diverse epithelial cell responses in a context-dependent manner. Abnormal Eph receptor and ephrin signaling is implicated in a variety of epithelial diseases raising the intriguing possibility that this cell-cell communication pathway can be therapeutically harnessed to normalize epithelial function in pathological settings like cancer or chronic inflammation.

rs12904 polymorphism in the 3'UTR of EFNA1 is associated with colorectal cancer susceptibility in a Chinese population

Accumulated evidence has indicated that Ephrin A1 (EFNA1) is associated with angiogenesis and tumorigenesis in various types of malignancies, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In the current study, we performed an online search using the public microarray database to investigate whether EFNA1 expression might be altered in CRC tissues. We then conducted a case-control study including 306 subjects (102 cases and 204 well-matched controls) in Xiaoshan County to assess any association between genetic polymorphisms in EFNA1 and CRC susceptibility. Searches in the Oncomine expression profiling database revealed EFNA1 to be overexpressed in CRC tissue compared with adjacent normal tissue. The rs12904 G-A variant located in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of EFNA1 was observed to be associated with CRC susceptibility. Compared with the AA homozygous genotype, those carrying GA genotype had a decreased risk of developing CRC (odds ratio (OR) =0.469, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.225-0.977, and P =0.043). The association was stronger among smokers and tea drinkers, however, no statistical evidence of interaction between rs12904 polymorphism and smoking or tea drinking on CRC risk was found. Our results suggest that EFNA1 is involved in colorectal tumorigenesis, and rs12904 A>G polymorphism in the 3' UTR of EFNA1 is associated with CRC susceptibility. Larger studies and further mechanistic investigations are warranted to confirm our findings.

Association between ephrin-A1 mRNA expression and poor prognosis after hepatectomy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma

Hypoxia regulates the expression of genes that promote tumor growth, angiogenesis and invasion. We previously studied hypoxic tumor cells in vitro and from hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer and determined several potential prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we evaluated the prognostic impact of the expression of ephrin-A1 (EFNA1) and its receptor, EPHA2, in patients with HCC after curative resection. Samples from a total of 139 HCC patients were analyzed by either microarray alone (n=86) or by microarray and quantitative PCR (n=53). There was no correlation between EFNA1 expression and clinicopathological factors. EPHA2 expression was not significantly correlated with any clinicopathological factors, except for microscopic portal invasion. EFNA1 was an independent prognostic factor for HCC (p=0.0277). These findings suggest that EFNA1 expression may be a useful marker for predicting high risk of recurrence in patients who have undergone curative resection for HCC.

SCGB2A1 is a novel prognostic marker for colorectal cancer associated with chemoresistance and radioresistance

We recently showed that liver metastatic tissue from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) was a useful model for identifying novel, hypoxia-inducible genes and prognostic markers. We showed that the expression of secretoglobin, family 2A, member 1 (SCGB2A1) was a potential prognostic factor for CRC. Here, we further evaluated the prognostic impact and function of SCGB2A1 in 222 patients with CRC. The impact of SCGB2A1 expression on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed with mRNA expression profiling. The function of SCGB2A1 was analyzed by evaluating mRNA expression profiles in cells derived from patients with CRC and by testing the effects of transfecting SCGB2A1 into different CRC-derived cell lines. We evaluated the effects of SCGB2A1 on proliferation, chemosensitivity, radiation sensitivity and sphere formation. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that the expression of SCGB2A1 was an independent prognostic factor for CRC (p<0.05), together with lymph node metastasis (p<0.05). Enforced expression of SCGB2A1 in CRC-derived cell lines promoted proliferation (DLD1, SW480 and LoVo cells; p<0.05), decreased chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin (DLD1 and SW480 cell lines; p<0.05), and significantly increased the viability of irradiated cells (DLD1, SW480 and LoVo cell lines; p<0.05). SCGB2A1 expression was also correlated to cancer stemness-related genes (Wnt, Zeb1 and Twist). Consistent with this correlation, SCGB2A1 expressing cells (SW480) showed increased sphere formation (p<0.05). These results indicated that SCGB2A1 represented a novel, prognostic factor for CRC, and that expression of SCGB2A1 correlated with chemoresistance, radioresistance and cancer cell stemness.