RhoA inhibits apoptosis and increases proliferation of cultured SPCA1 lung cancer cells

Mechanism of RhoA regulating benign prostatic hyperplasia: RhoA-ROCK-β-catenin signaling axis and static & dynamic dual roles

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has not been fully elucidated. Ras homology family member A (RhoA) plays an important role in regulating cell cytoskeleton, growth and fibrosis. The role of RhoA in BPH remains unclear.

METHODS

This study aimed to clarify the expression, functional activity and mechanism of RhoA in BPH. Human prostate tissues, human prostate cell lines, BPH rat model were used. Cell models of RhoA knockdown and overexpression were generated. Immunofluorescence staining, quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, phalloidine staining, organ bath study, gel contraction assay, protein stability analysis, isolation and extraction of nuclear protein and cytoplasmic protein were performed.

RESULTS

In this study we found that RhoA was localized in prostate stroma and epithelial compartments and was up-regulated in both BPH patients and BPH rats. Functionally, RhoA knockdown induced cell apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation, fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and contraction. Consistently, overexpression of RhoA reversed all aforementioned processes. More importantly, we found that β-catenin and the downstream of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, including C-MYC, Survivin and Snail were up-regulated in BPH rats. Downregulation of RhoA significantly reduced the expression of these proteins. Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 also down-regulated β-catenin protein in a concentration-dependent manner. However, overexpression of β-catenin did not affect RhoA-ROCK levels, suggesting that β-catenin was the downstream of RhoA-ROCK regulation. Further data suggested that RhoA increased nuclear translocation of β-catenin and up-regulated β-catenin expression by inhibiting its proteasomal degradation, thereby activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Overexpression of β-catenin partially reversed the changes in cell growth, fibrosis and EMT except cell contraction caused by RhoA downregulation. Finally, Y-27632 partially reversed prostatic hyperplasia in vivo, further suggesting the potential of RhoA-ROCK signaling in BPH treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our novel data demonstrated that RhoA regulated both static and dynamic factors of BPH, RhoA-ROCK-β-catenin signaling axis played an important role in the development of BPH and might provide more possibilities for the formulation of subsequent clinical treatment strategies.

Khasianine Affects the Expression of Sugar-Sensitive Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Which Are Altered in Data from the Rat Model and Patients

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly malignancy with no effective treatment, particularly in the advanced stage. This study explored the antiproliferative activity of khasianine against pancreatic cancer cell lines of human (Suit2-007) and rat (ASML) origin. Khasianine was purified from Solanum incanum fruits by silica gel column chromatography and analyzed by LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Its effect in pancreatic cancer cells was evaluated by cell proliferation assay, chip array and mass spectrometry. Proteins showing sensitivity to sugars, i.e. sugar-sensitive lactosyl-Sepharose binding proteins (LSBPs), were isolated from Suit2-007 cells by competitive affinity chromatography. The eluted fractions included galactose-, glucose-, rhamnose- and lactose-sensitive LSBPs. The resulting data were analyzed by Chipster, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and GraphPad Prism. Khasianine inhibited proliferation of Suit2-007 and ASML cells with IC50 values of 50 and 54 μg/mL, respectively. By comparative analysis, khasianine downregulated lactose-sensitive LSBPs the most (126%) and glucose-sensitive LSBPs the least (85%). Rhamnose-sensitive LSBPs overlapped significantly with lactose-sensitive LSBPs and were the most upregulated in data from patients (23%) and a pancreatic cancer rat model (11.5%). From IPA, the Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) emerged as one of the most activated signaling pathways involving rhamnose-sensitive LSBPs. Khasianine altered the mRNA expression of sugar-sensitive LSBPs, some of which were modulated in data from patients and the rat model. The antiproliferative effect of khasianine in pancreatic cancer cells and the downregulation of rhamnose-sensitive proteins underscore the potential of khasianine in treating pancreatic cancer.

Relationship between the expression of ARHGAP25 and RhoA in non-small cell lung cancer and vasculogenic mimicry

Background

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a recently identified pattern of blood supply to tumor tissue. It has long been considered a functional element in the metastasis and prognosis of malignant tumors. Both Rho GTPase-activating protein 25 (ARHGAP25) and Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) are effective predictors of tumor metastasis. In this study, we examined the expression levels of ARHGAP25 and RhoA and the structure of VM in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At the same time, we used cytology-related experiments to explore the effect of ARHGAP25 on the migration ability of tumor cells. Furthermore, we analyzed the interaction between the three factors and their association with clinicopathological characteristics and the five-year survival time in patients using statistical tools.

Methods

A total of 130 well-preserved NSCLC and associated paracancerous tumor-free tissues were obtained. Cell colony formation, wound healing, and cytoskeleton staining assays were used to analyze the effect of ARHGAP25 on the proliferation and migration ability of NSCLC cells. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the positivity rates of ARHGAP25, RhoA, and VM. Statistical software was used to examine the relationships between the three factors and clinical case characteristics, overall survival, and disease-free survival.

Results

Cell colony formation, wound healing, and cytoskeleton staining assays confirmed that ARHGAP25 expression affects the proliferation and migratory abilities of NSCLC cells. ARHGAP25 positivity rates in NSCLC and paracancerous tumor-free tissues were 48.5% and 63.1%, respectively, whereas RhoA positivity rates were 62.3% and 18.5%, respectively. ARHGAP25 had a negative relationship with RhoA and VM, whereas RhoA and VM had a positive relationship (P < 0.05). ARHGAP25, RhoA, and VM affected the prognosis of patients with NSCLC (P < 0.05) according to Kaplan–Meier of survival time and Cox regression analyses. Furthermore, lowering ARHGAP25 expression increased NSCLC cell proliferation and migration.

Conclusions

ARHGAP25 and RhoA expression is associated with VM and may be of potential value in predicting tumor metastasis, prognosis, and targeted therapy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-022-02179-5.

LINC00891 regulated by miR-128-3p/GATA2 axis impedes lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion and EMT by inhibiting RhoA pathway

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00891 knockdown is associated with poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma, but the underlying mechanism remains to be further explored. Here, we found that LINC00891 expression is downregulated in lung cancer tissues and cell lines compared with that in adjacent normal tissues and normal lung epithelial cells. LINC00891 overexpression impedes cell proliferation, invasion, migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in lung cancer cells. Mechanistic research showed that GATA2 directly binds to LINC00891 promoter and transcriptionally regulates LINC00891 expression. Meanwhile, GATA2 was identified as a target of miR-128-3p, and it is negatively regulated by miR-128-3p. Moreover, overexpression of GATA2 suppresses lung cancer cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT process. Furthermore, LINC00891 restrains the RhoA pathway activity, and treatment with CCG-1423 (a specific RhoA pathway inhibitor) antagonizes the promoting effect of LINC00891 knockdown on cell malignant behaviors. Additionally, silencing of LINC00891 promotes xenograft tumor growth, which can be reversed by administration with CCG-1423. In summary, LINC00891 regulated by the miR-128-3p/GATA2 axis restrains lung cancer cell malignant progression and hinders xenograft tumor growth by suppressing the RhoA pathway.

The Molecular Mechanism of Multiple Organ Dysfunction and Targeted Intervention of COVID-19 Based on Time-Order Transcriptomic Analysis

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the novel coronavirus that has spread rapidly around the world, leading to high mortality because of multiple organ dysfunction; however, its underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. To determine the molecular mechanism of multiple organ dysfunction, a bioinformatics analysis method based on a time-order gene co-expression network (TO-GCN) was performed. First, gene expression profiles were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus database (GSE161200), and a TO-GCN was constructed using the breadth-first search (BFS) algorithm to infer the pattern of changes in the different organs over time. Second, Gene Ontology enrichment analysis was used to analyze the main biological processes related to COVID-19. The initial gene modules for the immune response of different organs were defined as the research object. The STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network of immune genes in different organs. The PageRank algorithm was used to identify five hub genes in each organ. Finally, the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database played an important role in exploring the potential compounds that target the hub genes. The results showed that there were two types of biological processes: the body's stress response and cell-mediated immune response involving the lung, trachea, and olfactory bulb (olf) after being infected by COVID-19. However, a unique biological process related to the stress response is the regulation of neuronal signals in the brain. The stress response was heterogeneous among different organs. In the lung, the regulation of DNA morphology, angiogenesis, and mitochondrial-related energy metabolism are specific biological processes related to the stress response. In particular, an effect on tracheal stress response was made by the regulation of protein metabolism and rRNA metabolism-related biological processes, as biological processes. In the olf, the distinctive stress responses consist of neural signal transmission and brain behavior. In addition, myeloid leukocyte activation and myeloid leukocyte-mediated immunity in response to COVID-19 can lead to a cytokine storm. Immune genes such as SRC, RHOA, CD40LG, CSF1, TNFRSF1A, FCER1G, ICAM1, LAT, LCN2, PLAU, CXCL10, ICAM1, CD40, IRF7, and B2M were predicted to be the hub genes in the cytokine storm. Furthermore, we inferred that resveratrol, acetaminophen, dexamethasone, estradiol, statins, curcumin, and other compounds are potential target drugs in the treatment of COVID-19.

MicroRNA-27a promotes tumorigenesis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma by enhancing proliferation, migration and suppressing apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a major subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which is an intractable cancer with a poor prognosis. Studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in TSCC biology. However, the expression and functions of miRNAs in TSCC remain unclear.

METHODS

The non-coding RNA profiles of TSCC were downloaded from the GEO database. WGCNA (Weighted gene co-expression network analysis) and differential expression miRNA (DE-miRNA) analyses were employed to identify key candidate miRNAs. miRNA expression was detected using RT-qPCR analysis. The target genes of key miRNAs were predicted. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed to explore the potential functions and pathways of key miRNA. miRNA inhibitor was transfected to detect the function of miRNA. The effect of miRNA deregulation on TSCC cell proliferation and apoptosis was investigated using MTS, Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, and flow cytometry assays.

RESULTS

miR-27a was a key miRNA in TSCC, which was significantly up-regulated in both Cal-27 cells and malignant tissues from the TSCC patients. In addition, functional analysis showed that miR-27a was involved in the regulation of the MAPK, ERBB, and Jak-STAT signaling pathways. Moreover, RHOA and PRKACA were potential target genes of miR-27a, suggesting them as possible mediators of the tumor-promoting effect of miR-27a. Moreover, downregulation of miR-27a inhibited cell proliferation and facilitated cell apoptosis in Cal-27 cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings strongly suggest that miR-27a could promote the tumorigenesis and development of TSCC, which makes it a potential new diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for TSCC.

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate-mediated protein geranylgeranylation regulates endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis during vasculogenesis in mouse embryo

Vascular development is essential for the establishment of the circulatory system during embryonic development and requires the proliferation of endothelial cells. However, the underpinning regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we report that geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), a metabolite involved in protein geranylgeranylation, plays an indispensable role in embryonic vascular development. GGPP is synthesized by geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS) in the mevalonate pathway. The selective knockout of Ggpps in endothelial cells led to aberrant vascular development and embryonic lethality, resulting from the decreased proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of endothelial cells during vasculogenesis. The defect in protein geranylgeranylation induced by GGPP depletion inhibited the membrane localization of RhoA and enhanced yes-associated protein (YAP) phosphorylation, thereby prohibiting the entry of YAP into the nucleus and the expression of YAP target genes related to cell proliferation and the antiapoptosis process. Moreover, inhibition of the mevalonate pathway by simvastatin induced endothelial cell proliferation defects and apoptosis, which were ameliorated by GGPP. Geranylgeraniol (GGOH), a precursor of GGPP, ameliorated the harmful effects of simvastatin on vascular development of developing fetuses in pregnant mice. These results indicate that GGPP-mediated protein geranylgeranylation is essential for endothelial cell proliferation and the antiapoptosis process during embryonic vascular development.

Hypoxia-Induced FAM13A Regulates the Proliferation and Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Hypoxia in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) affects cancer progression, metastasis and metabolism. We previously showed that FAM13A was induced by hypoxia in NSCLC but the biological function of this gene has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of hypoxia-induced FAM13A in NSCLC progression and metastasis. Lentiviral shRNAs were used for FAM13A gene silencing in NSCLC cell lines (A549, CORL-105). MTS assay, cell tracking VPD540 dye, wound healing assay, invasion assay, BrdU assay and APC Annexin V staining assays were performed to examine cell proliferation ability, migration, invasion and apoptosis rate in NSCLC cells. The results of VPD540 dye and MTS assays showed a significant reduction in cell proliferation after FAM13A knockdown in A549 cells cultured under normal and hypoxia (1% O₂) conditions (p < 0.05), while the effect of FAM13A downregulation on CORL-105 cells was observed after 96 h exposition to hypoxia. Moreover, FAM13A inhibition induced S phase cell cycle arrest in A549 cells under hypoxia conditions. Silencing of FAM13A significantly suppressed migration of A549 and CORL-105 cells in both oxygen conditions, especially after 72 and 96 h (p < 0.001 in normoxia, p < 0.01 after hypoxia). It was showed that FAM13A reduction resulted in disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton altering A549 cell migration. Cell invasion rates were significantly decreased in A549 FAM13A depleted cells compared to controls (p < 0.05), mostly under hypoxia. FAM13A silencing had no effect on apoptosis induction in NSCLC cells. In the present study, we found that FAM13A silencing has a negative effect on proliferation, migration and invasion activity in NSCLC cells in normal and hypoxic conditions. Our data demonstrated that FAM13A depleted post-hypoxic cells have a decreased cell proliferation ability and metastatic potential, which indicates FAM13A as a potential therapeutic target in lung cancer.

Strain-specific behavior of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in A549 lung cancer cell line

BACKGROUND

A growing body of evidence has shown the association between tuberculosis (TB) infection and lung cancer. However, the possible effect of strain-specific behavior of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) population, the etiological agent of TB infection in this association has been neglected. In this context, this study was conducted to investigate this association with consideration of the genetic background of strains in the M.tb population.

RESULTS

We employed the elastic net penalized logistic regression model, as a statistical-learning algorithm for gene selection, to evaluate this association in 129 genes involved in TLRs and NF-κB signaling pathways in response to two different M.tb sub-lineage strains (L3-CAS1and L 4.5). Of the 129 genes, 21 were found to be associated with the two studied M.tb sub-lineages. In addition, MAPK8IP3 gene was identified as a novel gene, which has not been reported in previous lung cancer studies and may have the potential to be recognized as a novel biomarker in lung cancer investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

This preliminary study provides new insights into the mechanistic association between TB infection and lung cancer. Further mechanistic investigations of this association with a large number of M.tb strains, encompassing the other main M.tb lineages and using the whole transcriptome of the host cell are inevitable.

miR-152/TNS1 axis inhibits non-small cell lung cancer progression through Akt/mTOR/RhoA pathway

AIM

The purpose of the present study was to explore the function and mechanism of tensin 1 (TNS1) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression.

METHODS

The expression of TNS1 in NSCLC cells and tissues was assessed by RT-PCR and Western blot. Besides, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was recruited to explore the association between TNS1 and NSCLC. Cell growth was analyzed by MTT and flow cytometry assay, while cell metastasis was determined by wound healing and transwell assays. The targeting relationship between TNS1 and miR-152 was assessed by luciferase activity assays. And Western blot was employed to determine the expression of related proteins of Akt/mTOR/RhoA pathway.

RESULTS

TNS1 level was boosted in NSCLC cells and tissues, related to the prognosis of NSCLC patients. Furthermore, it was proved that TNS1 promoted the growth and metastasis of NSCLC cells via Akt/mTOR/RhoA pathway. And miR-152 targeted TNS1 to affect the progression of NSCLC.

CONCLUSION

miR-152/TNS1 axis inhibits the progression of NSCLC by Akt/mTOR/RhoA pathway.

Influence of ARHGAP29 on the Invasion of Mesenchymal-Transformed Breast Cancer Cells

Aggressive and mesenchymal-transformed breast cancer cells show high expression levels of Rho GTPase activating protein 29 (ARHGAP29), a negative regulator of RhoA. ARHGAP29 was the only one of 32 GTPase-activating enzymes whose expression significantly increased after the induction of mesenchymal transformation in breast cancer cells. Therefore, we investigated the influence of ARHGAP29 on the invasiveness of aggressive and mesenchymal-transformed breast cancer cells. After knock-down of ARHGAP29 using siRNA, invasion of HCC1806, MCF-7-EMT, and T-47D-EMT breast cancer cells was significantly reduced. This could be explained by reduced inhibition of RhoA and a consequent increase in stress fiber formation. Proliferation of the breast cancer cell line T-47D-EMT was slightly increased by reduced expression of ARHGAP29, whereas that of HCC1806 and MCF-7-EMT significantly increased. Using interaction analyses we found that AKT1 is a possible interaction partner of ARHGAP29. Therefore, the expression of AKT1 after siRNA knock-down of ARHGAP29 was tested. Reduced ARHGAP29 expression was accompanied by significantly reduced AKT1 expression. However, the ratio of active pAKT1 to total AKT1 remained unchanged or was significantly increased after ARHGAP29 knock-down. Our results show that ARHGAP29 could be an important factor in the invasion of aggressive and mesenchymal-transformed breast cancer cells. Further research is required to fully understand the underlying mechanisms.

The Association Between Heat-Shock Protein Polymorphisms and Prognosis in Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

Objective

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. Platinum-based chemotherapy plays an important role in lung cancer treatment, but the therapeutic effect varies from person to person. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) have been reported to be associated with the survival time of lung cancer patients, which may be a potential biomarker in lung cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between genetic polymorphisms and the prognosis in lung cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Methods

We performed genotyping in 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of HSP genes and Rho family genes of 346 lung cancer patients by SequenomMassARRAY. We used Cox proportional hazard models, state and plink to analyze the associations between SNPs and the prognosis of lung cancer patients.

Results

We found that the polymorphisms of HSPB1 rs2070804 and HSPA4 rs3088225 were significantly associated with lung cancer survival (p=0.015, p=0.049*, respectively). We also discovered the statistically significant differences between rs2070804 with age, gender, histology and stage, rs3088225 with gender and stage, which can affect lung cancer prognosis.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest that HSPB1 rs2070804 (G>T) and HSPA4 rs3088225 (A>G) may be useful biomarkers for predicting the prognosis of lung cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Experimental validation and computational modeling of anti-influenza effects of quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside from indigenous south African medicinal plant Rapanea melanophloeos

BACKGROUND

Influenza A virus (IAV) is still a major health threat. The clinical manifestations of this infection are related to immune dysregulation, which causes morbidity and mortality. The usage of traditional medication with immunomodulatory properties against influenza infection has been increased recently. Our previous study showed antiviral activity of quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (Q3R) isolated from Rapanea melanophloeos (RM) (L.) Mez (family Myrsinaceae) against H1N1 (A/PR/8/34) infection. This study aimed to confirm the wider range of immunomodulatory effect of Q3R on selective pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines against IAV in vitro, to evaluate the effect of Q3R on apoptosis pathway in combination with H1N1, also to assess the physical interaction of Q3R with virus glycoproteins and RhoA protein using computational docking.

METHODS

MDCK cells were exposed to Q3R and 100CCID50/100 μl of H1N1 in combined treatments (co-, pre- and post-penetration treatments). The treatments were tested for the cytokines evaluation at RNA and protein levels by qPCR and ELISA, respectively. In another set of treatment, apoptosis was examined by detecting RhoA GTPase protein and caspase-3 activity. Molecular docking was used as a tool for evaluation of the potential anti-influenza activity of Q3R.

RESULTS

The expressions of cytokines in both genome and protein levels were significantly affected by Q3R treatment. It was shown that Q3R was much more effective against influenza when it was applied in co-penetration treatment. Q3R in combination with H1N1 increased caspase-3 activity while decreasing RhoA activation. The molecular docking results showed strong binding ability of Q3R with M2 transmembrane, Neuraminidase of 2009 pandemic H1N1, N1 and H1 of PR/8/1934 and Human RhoA proteins, with docking energy of - 10.81, - 10.47, - 9.52, - 9.24 and - 8.78 Kcal/mol, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside from RM was significantly effective against influenza infection by immunomodulatory properties, affecting the apoptosis pathway and binding ability to viral receptors M2 transmembrane and Neuraminidase of 2009 pandemic H1N1 and human RhoA cellular protein. Further research will focus on detecting the detailed specific mechanism of Q3R in virus-host interactions.

Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals the Differentially Expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs Involved in Cryoinjuries in Frozen-Thawed Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Sperm

Sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination are important methods for giant panda breeding and preservation of extant genetic diversity. Lower conception rates limit the use of artificial insemination with frozen-thawed giant panda sperm, due to the lack of understanding of the cryodamaging or cryoinjuring mechanisms in cryopreservation. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in regulating spermatogenesis. However, their roles during cryopreservation remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs associated with cryodamage or freeze tolerance in frozen-thawed sperm through high throughput sequencing. A total of 61.05 Gb clean reads and 22,774 lncRNA transcripts were obtained. From the sequencing results, 1477 significantly up-regulated and 1,396 significantly down-regulated lncRNA transcripts from fresh and frozen-thawed sperm of giant panda were identified. GO and KEGG showed that the significantly dysregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs were mainly involved in regulating responses to cold stress and apoptosis, such as the integral component of membrane, calcium transport, and various signaling pathways including PI3K-Akt, p53 and cAMP. Our work is the first systematic profiling of lncRNA and mRNA in fresh and frozen-thawed giant panda sperm, and provides valuableinsights into the potential mechanism of cryodamage in sperm.

Effect of long non-coding RNA Gas5 on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of colorectal cancer HT-29 cell line

Objective

This study aims to investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) Gas5 on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) HT-29 cell line.

Methods

CRC and normal tissues were collected and prepared from a total of 126 CRC patients, and normal intestinal epithelial cell line FHC and CRC cell lines (HCT-8, HT-29, HCT-116 and SW-480) were prepared. Gas5 expression was detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. HT-29 cell line exhibiting the lowest Gas5 expression was selected for further experimentation and divided into blank, negative control and pcNDA-Gas5 groups. The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to test cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was applied to examine cell apoptosis. Transwell assay was performed to detect the migration and invasion of HT-29 cells. The mRNA and protein expression of factors in the classical proliferation (Akt/Erk) and apoptosis (caspase-9/caspase-3) pathways were detected.

Results

Gas5 expression was lower in CRC tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissues, and is also lower in CRC cell lines than FHC cell line. Gas5 expression was associated with tumor size and TNM staging. Gas5 expression, distant metastasis, tumor differentiation and TNM staging were independent CRC prognostic factors. The results showed that elevated Gas5 expression inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, but promoted apoptosis of CRC cells. Meanwhile, elevated Gas5 expression inhibited mRNA expression of Akt and Erk and protein expression of p-Akt and p-Erk, which promoted Casp9 mRNA and pho-Casp9 protein expression but inhibited Casp3 mRNA and pho-Casp3 protein expression.

Conclusion

The findings indicated that overexpression of lncRNA Gas5 can inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion but promote apoptosis of CRC cells.

Frizzled 8 promotes the cell proliferation and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma

Recent reports have shown a rapid rise in the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and Wnt (Wingless-related integration site) signaling pathway is important in RCC. Frizzled 8 (FZD8) is a member of Frizzled (FZD) receptor family which could activate canonical or non-canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Nevertheless, the role of FZD8 in RCC is poorly investigated. The immunohistochemical analysis showed high expression of FZD8 in RCC tissues compared with peri-tumor tissues. FZD8 knockdown decreased the ability of proliferation and metastasis of RCC cells. Research revealed that the FZD8 regulated the transcription of Cyclin D1, c-Myc, and could promote the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) by mediating Vimentin and Snail through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, the results of our experiment revealed that FZD8 is involved in the regulation of non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway. These data suggested that the expression of FZD8 may play an important role in the proliferation and metastasis of RCC, and serve as a putative promising drug target for human RCC therapy.