Midkine and syndecan‑1 levels correlate with the progression of malignant gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma

Syndecan-1 and E-Cadherin Expression in Canine Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in dogs is a locally invasive tumor that typically occurs in areas of poorly pigmented skin due to sun exposure. Identifying new biomarkers, such as syndecan-1 (CD138) and E-cadherin, is fundamental for tumor diagnosis and prognosis. Dysregulation of syndecan-1, expressed in epithelial tissue, fibroblasts, and plasma cells, is associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer. Similarly, E-cadherin, which plays a crucial role in cell adhesion and epithelial functionality, is also linked to adverse outcomes. This study evaluated the expression of syndecan-1 and E-cadherin in 47 cases of canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed that the intensity of syndecan-1 decreased with increasing tumor aggressiveness, and its presence in the stroma was significantly associated with tumor grade. E-cadherin also demonstrated a decrease in intensity with increasing malignancy. However, the association between syndecan-1 and E-cadherin was not statistically significant. E-cadherin reduction and stromal syndecan-1 positivity seem to be associated with tumor aggressiveness in canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Further studies are needed to explore their roles in tumor progression.

Immunogenic cell death-related cancer-associated fibroblast clusters and prognostic risk model in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a leading cause of female cancer mortality globally. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) influences the tumor microenvironment (TME) and adaptive immune responses. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) within the TME suppress anti-tumor immunity and contribute to CC progression. This study identified three ICD-related CAF clusters linked to patient survival, including IL6+CAF and ILR1+CAF, which were associated with clinical outcomes. Using a nine-gene risk model, patients were stratified into risk groups, with high-risk individuals showing worse survival and correlations with pathways such as hypoxia and TGFβ. The model also predicted immunotherapy responses, highlighting immune infiltration differences across risk groups. These findings provide insights into the role of CAF clusters in CC and present a risk model that supports prognosis prediction and personalized therapy.

Re-analysis of single cell and spatial transcriptomics data reveals B cell landscape in gastric cancer microenvironment and its potential crosstalk with tumor cells for clinical prognosis

BACKGROUND

At present, immunotherapy has become a powerful treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), but not all patients can benefit from it. According to the latest research, the impact of B cell subpopulations on the immune microenvironment of gastric cancer (GC) is unknown. Exploring whether the interaction between B cells and tumor cells in GC affects the effectiveness of immunotherapy has attracted our interest.

METHODS

This study involved the re-analysis of single-cell RNA (scRNA) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) data from publicly available datasets. The focus was on investigating the subpopulations and differentiation trajectories of B cells in the gastric cancer (GC) tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Spatial transcriptomics (ST) and multiple immunofluorescence (mIF) revealed a clear co-localization pattern between B cells and tumor cells. Multiple immunotherapy datasets were collected to identify unique immunotherapy biomarkers. The unique immunotherapeutic potential of targeting CCL28 was validated through a mouse gastric cancer model. In addition, flow cytometry revealed changes in the tumor immune microenvironment targeting CCL28.

RESULTS

The re-analysis of ST data from multiple cancer types revealed a co-localization pattern between B cells and tumor cells. A significant number of IgA plasma cells were identified in the GC TIME. Five different tumor-infiltrating B cell subpopulations and two unique B cell differentiation trajectories were characterized, along with seven GC-related states. By analyzing the communication between GC cells and B cells, it was further discovered that tumor cells can influence and recruit plasma cells through CCL28-CCR10 signaling. Additionally, there was a crosstalk between GC cells and B cells. Finally, we identified the LAMA/CD44 signaling axis as a potential prognostic marker for immunotherapy through a large amount of immunotherapy data. We also validated through various animal tumor models that targeting CCL28 can significantly promote CD8+T cell infiltration and function in the TME by regulating B cell and plasma cell functions, and has the ability to synergize immunotherapy.

CONCLUSION

The co-localization and crosstalk between GC cells and B cells significantly affect the efficacy of immunotherapy, and inhibiting the CCL28-CCR10 signal axis is a potential immunotherapy target for GC. Meanwhile, LAMA/CD44 pair may be a potential adverse indicator for immunotherapy and tumor prognosis.

Midkine (MDK) in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: More than a Biomarker

Midkine (MDK) is a multifunctional secreted protein that can act as a cytokine or growth factor regulating multiple signaling pathways and being implicated in fundamental cellular processes, such as survival, proliferation, and migration. Although its expression in normal adult tissues is barely detectable, MDK serum levels are found to be elevated in several types of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this review, we summarize the findings of recent studies on the role of MDK in HCC diagnosis and progression. Overall, studies show that MDK is a powerful biomarker for HCC early diagnosis, as it can differentiate not only between HCC patients and normal individuals but also between HCC patients and patients with other liver pathologies. It is correlated with high recurrence rates and was shown to be valuable for the diagnosis of early-stage HCC, even in patients negative for α-fetoprotein (AFP), the most commonly used biomarker for HCC diagnosis. A comparison with AFP reveals that MDK is inferior to AFP with regard to specificity but significantly superior with regard to sensitivity, which further indicates the need for using both biomarkers for more effective HCC diagnosis.

Differential Expression of E2F Transcription Factors and Their Functional and Prognostic Roles in Human Prostate Cancer

Given the tumor heterogeneity, most of the current prognostic indicators cannot accurately evaluate the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer, and thus, the best opportunity to intervene in the progression of this disease is missed. E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) have been reported to be involved in the growth of various cancers. Accumulating studies indicate that prostate cancer (PCa) carcinogenesis is attributed to aberrant E2F expression or E2F alteration. However, the expression patterns and prognostic value of the eight E2Fs in prostate cancer have yet to be explored. In this study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Kaplan–Meier Plotter, Metascape, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), CIBERSORT, and cBioPortal and bioinformatic analysis were used to investigate E2Fs in patients with PCa. Our results showed that the expression of E2F1–3, E2F5, and E2F6 was higher in prostate cancer tissues than in benign tissues. Furthermore, elevated E2F1–3 and E2F5 expression levels were associated with a higher Gleason score (GS), advanced tumor stage, and metastasis. Survival analysis suggested that high transcription levels of E2F1–3, E2F5, E2F6, and E2F8 were associated with a higher risk of biochemical recurrence. In addition, we developed a prognostic model combining E2F1, E2F6, Gleason score, and the clinical stage that may accurately predict a biochemical recurrence-free survival. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the E2F family members and their neighboring genes were mainly enriched in cell cycle-related pathways. Somatic mutations in different subgroups were also investigated, and immune components were predicted. Further experiments are warranted to clarify the biological associations between Pca-related E2F family genes, which may influence prognosis via the cell cycle pathway.

Role of ATF3 as a prognostic biomarker and correlation of ATF3 expression with macrophage infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The abnormal expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), a member of the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of transcription factors, is associated with carcinogenesis. However, the expression pattern and exact role of ATF3 in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear.

METHODS

We used UALCAN, ONCOMINE, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and cBioPortal databases to investigate the prognostic value of ATF3 expression in HCC.

RESULTS

ATF3 was found to be expressed at low levels in multiple HCC tumor tissues. Moreover, low ATF3 expression was significantly associated with clinical cancer stage and pathological tumor grade in patients with HCC. Therefore, low expression of ATF3 was significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with HCC. Functional network analysis showed that ATF3 regulates cytokine receptors and signaling pathways via various cancer-related kinases, miRNAs, and transcription factors. ATF3 expression was found to be correlated with macrophage infiltration levels and with macrophage immune marker sets in HCC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Using data mining methods, we clarified the role of ATF3 expression and related regulatory networks in HCC, laying a foundation for further functional research. Future research will validate our findings and establish clinical applications of ATF3 in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Understanding the molecular association between hyperkalemia and lung squamous cell carcinomas

Background

Previous studies indicated a strong association between hyperkalemia and lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC). However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood so far.

Methods

Literature-based data mining was conducted to identify genes, molecule, and cell processes linked to both hyperkalemia and LSCC. Pathway analysis was performed to explore the interactive network, common-target network, and common-regulator network for both disorders. Then, a mega-analysis using 11 independent LSCC RNA expression datasets (358 LSCCs and 278 healthy controls) was performed to test the hypothesis that genes influencing hyperkalemia may also play roles in LSCC.

Results

There was a significant overlap between the genes implicated with both diseases (20 genes, p-value = 4.98e-15), which counts for 16% of all hyperkalemia genes (125 genes). Network analysis identified 12 molecules as common targets for hyperkalemia and LSCC, and 19 molecules as common regulators. Moreover, 19 molecules were identified within an interactive network, through which hyperkalemia and LSCC could exert influence on each other. In addition, meta-analysis identified one hyperkalemia promoter, SPP1, as a novel contributor for LSCC (LFC = 2.64; p-value = 2.81e-6). MLR analysis suggests geographical region as an influential factor for the expression levels of SPP1 in LSCC patients (p value = 0.036, 0.054).

Conclusion

Our results showed that there was a common molecular basis for the pathology of both hyperkalemia and LSCC, and that genes promoting hyperkalemia might also play roles in the development of LSCC. However, this study did not suggest hypercalcemia as a casual factor for LSCC.

Prevalence of Syndecan-1 (CD138) Expression in Different Kinds of Human Tumors and Normal Tissues

Syndecan-1 (CD138) is a transmembrane proteoglycan known to be expressed in various normal and malignant tissues. It is of interest because of a possible prognostic role of differential expression in tumors and its role as a target for indatuximab, a monoclonal antibody coupled with a cytotoxic agent. To comprehensively analyze CD138 in normal and neoplastic tissues, we used tissue microarrays (TMAs) for analyzing immunohistochemically detectable CD138 expression in 2,518 tissue samples from 85 different tumor entities and 76 different normal tissue types. The data showed that CD138 expression is abundant in tumors. At least an occasional weak CD138 immunostaining could be detected in 71 of 82 (87%) different tumor types, and 58 entities (71%) had at least one tumor with a strong positivity. In normal tissues, a particularly strong expression was found in normal squamous epithelium of various organs, goblet and columnar cells of the gastrointestinal tract, and in hepatocytes. The highly standardized analysis of most human cancer types resulted in a ranking order of tumors according to the frequency and levels of CD138 expression. CD138 immunostaining was highest in squamous cell carcinomas such as from the esophagus (100%), cervix uteri (79.5%), lung (85.7%), vagina (89.7%) or vulva (73.3%), and in invasive urothelial cancer (76.2%). In adenocarcinomas, CD138 was also high in lung (82.9%) and colorectal cancer (85.3%) but often lower in pancreas (73.3%), stomach (54.2% in intestinal type), or prostate carcinomas (16.3%). CD138 expression was usually low or absent in germ cell tumors, sarcomas, endocrine tumors including thyroid cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors. In summary, the preferential expression in squamous cell carcinomas of various sites makes these cancers prime targets for anti-CD138 treatments once these might become available. Abundant expression in many different normal tissues might pose obstacles to exploiting CD138 as a therapeutic target, however.

E2F2/5/8 Serve as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers and Targets for Human Ovarian Cancer

E2Fs are a family of pivotal transcription factors. Accumulative evidence indicates that aberrant expression or activation of E2Fs is a common phenomenon in malignances, and significant associations have been noted between E2Fs and tumorigenesis or progression in a wide range of cancers. However, the expression patterns and exact roles of each E2F contributing to tumorigenesis and progression of ovarian cancer (OC) have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the distinct expression and prognostic value of E2Fs in patients with OC by analyzing a series of databases, including ONCOMINE, GEPIA, cBioPortal, Metascape, and Kaplan–Meier plotter. The mRNA expression levels of E2F1/3/5/8 were found to be significantly upregulated in patients with OC and were obviously associated with tumor stage for OC. Aberrant expression of E2F2/5/7/8 was found to be associated with the clinical outcomes of patients with OC. These results suggest that E2F2/5/8 might serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and targets for OC. However, future studies are required to validate our findings and promote the clinical utility of E2Fs in OC.

Comparison of Syndecan-1 Immunohistochemical Expression in Lobular and Ductal Breast Carcinoma with Nodal Metastases

Syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is a transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan, an extracellular matrix receptor involved in intercellular communication, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This study determined and compared Sdc1 expression in the tumor cells and stroma of 30 invasive lobular and 30 invasive ductal breast carcinomas (ILCs/IDCs), also in the axillary node metastases of ductal type, and correlated it with clinical and tumor parameters. Sdc1 was expressed in the epithelium of 90% carcinoma of both histological types. Also, it was most frequently expressed in their tumor stroma, but in ILC, stromal expression was negative in 40%. Sdc1 was expressed in 86.7% of the metastatic epithelium of IDC nodal metastases (in even 50% as high expression), while the nodal stroma was negative in 46.7%. Primary IDC showed a negative correlation between epithelial Sdc1 and progesterone receptors (PRs), whereas ILC showed a positive correlation between stromal Sdc1 and histological gradus. In the metastatic epithelium, Sdc1 was negatively correlated with a patient's age, estrogen receptors (ERs), and PRs in the primary tumors, while the stroma of metastases demonstrated a positive correlation with the focus number in primary tumors and a negative correlation with PRs in primary tumors. This research revealed identical overall epithelial Sdc1 expression in both breast carcinomas with no statistically significant difference in its stromal expression and confirmed the role of Sdc1 in the progression of both tumor types and in the development of ductal carcinoma's metastatic potential.

Prognostic value of Midkine expression in patients with solid tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Accumulated studies have shown the important role of Midkine (MDK) protein in various solid tumors and indicated its correlation with patients' survival. This meta-analysis was performed to further explore the prognostic value of MDK expression in solid tumors.

Materials and Methods

We collected the literatures through searching PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library (last up to April 10, 2017) to assess the effect of MDK on survival in solid tumor patients. The STATA 12.0 software was used for the meta-analysis. Fixed-effects models or random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 2097 patients from 17 observational studies were summarized. High expression of MDK was notably associated with worse OS in solid tumor patients. (pooled HR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.67-2.31). The subgroup analysis of tumor type demonstrated negative impact of elevated MDK on OS in most solid tumor patients (P < 0.05), while MDK had no relevance with OS in the patients with OSCC (pooled HR = 1.68; 95% CI = 0.84-3.36; P = 0.145) or HNSCC (pooled HR = 1.56; 95% CI = 0.96-2.51; P = 0.075).

Conclusions

The present meta-analysis clarifies that MDK is a potential prognostic biomarker in solid tumor patients. Future large-scale prospective clinical trials are needed to determine the prognostic value of MDK in solid tumor patients.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of SDC1 overexpression in breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among global women, and its early diagnosis and treatment are very urgent. Syndecan-1 (SDC1) is a heparin sulfate proteoglycan, which has been linked with the prognosis and treatment response in a various tumor type. To investigate whether SDC1 can serve as a prognostic indictor in breast cancer, bioinformatic analyses were performed in the present study.

Methods

SDC1 expression was assessed using Oncomine analysis. Kaplan-Meier Plotter and bc-GenExMiner were performed to identify the prognostic roles of SDC1 in breast cancer. COSMIC analysis and cBioPortal database were performed to analysis the mutations of SDC1. The heat map and methylation status of SDC1 were identified by performing the UCSC.

Results

We found that SDC1 was more frequently overexpressed in breast cancer than their normal tissues and its expression might be negatively related with some CpG sites. Meanwhile, pooled data suggested that SDC1 mRNA expression is associated worse prognosis of breast cancer. Following data mining in multiple big databases confirmed a positive correlation between SDC1 mRNA expression and PLAU mRNA expression in breast cancer tissues. In addition, high SDC1 expression is associated with increased risked of age, nodal, HER2 and higher SBR grade status.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that overexpressed SDC1 was identified in breast cancer than in matched normal tissues and is associated with methylation status of SDC1 promoter. Additionally, SDC1 is positively associated with PLAU and might act as a potential prognostic indicator for breast cancer.

Quantitative comparison of immunohistochemical and PCR analysis of midkine expression in breast cancer types and serum midkine level

BACKGROUND/AIM

Midkine (MK), a heparin-binding growth factor, has an important role in cancer progression. The aim of this study was to determine MK expression in breast tissue and the preoperative and postoperative serum levels of patients with breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-one patients with breast cancer participated in our study. The MK serum levels were measured pre- and postoperatively for these patients. We also analyzed breast tissues of the 61 patients immunohistochemically. We examined serum midkine levels in 49 healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

MK expression was observed in 44 (72.1%) of 61 breast cancer patients. In breast cancer patients the serum MK levels (3.68 ± 2.13 ng/mL (mean ± SD)) were significantly higher than in the control group (1.77 ± 0.38 ng/mL) before tumor removal (P = 0.000). After tumor removal, serum MK levels (2.47 ± 1.00 ng/mL) were significantly (P = 0.000) decreased according to preoperative levels. Increased serum levels of MK were related with tumor stages when clinical parameters were analyzed.

CONCLUSION

We found that increased serum MK levels and protein expressions were associated with the carcinogenesis of breast cancer. MK levels decreased after tumor removal. According to our findings, MK might be a useful tumor marker for patients with breast cancer.

Syndecan-1 in Cancer: Implications for Cell Signaling, Differentiation, and Prognostication

Syndecan-1, a cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, is critically involved in the differentiation and prognosis of various tumors. In this review, we highlight the synthesis, cellular interactions, and the signalling pathways regulated by syndecan-1. The basal syndecan-1 level is also crucial for understanding the sequential changes involving malignant transformation, tumor progression, and advanced or disseminated cancer stages. Moreover, we focus on the cellular localization of this proteoglycan as cell membrane anchored and/or shed, soluble syndecan-1 with stromal or nuclear accumulation and how this may carry different, highly tissue specific prognostic information for individual tumor types.