Bioinformatic analysis of the potential molecular mechanism of PAK7 expression in glioblastoma

Genome-wide RNA-sequencing dataset reveals AC096751.1 sever as a novel prognostic long non-coding RNA and its potential molecular mechanisms in patients with colon adenocarcinoma

Objective: Through data analysis, we observed that AC096751.1 is markedly imbalance between colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) cancer and paracancerous tissues. However, the prognostic value and potential molecular mechanism of AC096751.1 in COAD are still unclear. Methods: Whole genome RNA-sequencing datasets of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) COAD cohort were collected into current study, comprehensive survival analysis and bioinformatics function enrichment analysis approaches were apply to explore the clinical outcome and molecular mechanisms of AC096751.1 in COAD. Results: In current study, we found that AC096751.1 is markedly down-regulated in COAD cancer tissues (log2 fold change =2.303, P<0.0001, false discovery rate <0.0001), and can be serve as a biomarker to distinguish COAD cancer and paracancerous tissues [area under curve=0.9518, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.9261-0.9776]. Survival analysis suggests that low expression of AC096751.1 is connected with poor clinical outcome of COAD, and can serve as a novel prognostic indicator (log-rank P=0.016, adjusted P=0.005, hazard ratio=0.548, 95% CI=0.360-0.836). Bioinformatics function enrichment analysis suggests that the molecular mechanism of AC096751.1 in COAD may include participation in cell adhesion, cell proliferation, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK), MAPK, janus-activated kinase-singal transducers and activators of transcriprion cascade, Erk1 and Erk 2 cascade, and nuclear factor-kappa B pathway. Tumor microenvironment and immune infiltration analysis indicates that COAD patients with different AC096751.1 expression have significant variation in tumor immune background. Conclusion: The present study found that AC096751.1 is significantly differentially expressed in COAD and can be serve as a novel prognostic biomarker.

Antibody Profiling and In Silico Functional Analysis of Differentially Reactive Antibody Signatures of Glioblastomas and Meningiomas

Studies on tumor-associated antigens in brain tumors are sparse. There is scope for enhancing our understanding of molecular pathology, in order to improve on existing forms, and discover new forms, of treatment, which could be particularly relevant to immuno-oncological strategies. To elucidate immunological differences, and to provide another level of biological information, we performed antibody profiling, based on a high-density protein array (containing 8173 human transcripts), using IgG isolated from the sera of n = 12 preoperative and n = 16 postoperative glioblastomas, n = 26 preoperative and n = 29 postoperative meningiomas, and n = 27 healthy, cancer-free controls. Differentially reactive antigens were compared to gene expression data from an alternate public GBM data set from OncoDB, and were analyzed using the Reactome pathway browser. Protein array analysis identified approximately 350-800 differentially reactive antigens, and revealed different antigen profiles in the glioblastomas and meningiomas, with approximately 20-30%-similar and 10-15%-similar antigens in preoperative and postoperative sera, respectively. Seroreactivity did not correlate with OncoDB-derived gene expression. Antigens in the preoperative glioblastoma sera were enriched for signaling pathways, such as signaling by Rho-GTPases, COPI-mediated anterograde transport and vesicle-mediated transport, while the infectious disease, SRP-dependent membrane targeting cotranslational proteins were enriched in the meningiomas. The pre-vs. postoperative seroreactivity in the glioblastomas was enriched for antigens, e.g., platelet degranulation and metabolism of lipid pathways; in the meningiomas, the antigens were enriched in infectious diseases, metabolism of amino acids and derivatives, and cell cycle. Antibody profiling in both tumor entities elucidated several hundred antigens and characteristic signaling pathways that may provide new insights into molecular pathology and may be of interest for the development of new treatment strategies.

Targeting immune cell types of tumor microenvironment to overcome resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the common malignant tumor with the highest mortality rate. Lung cancer patients have achieved benefits from immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy. Unfortunately, cancer patients acquire adaptive immune resistance, leading to poor prognosis. Tumor microenvironment (TME) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in participating in acquired adaptive immune resistance. TME is associated with molecular heterogeneity of immunotherapy efficacy in lung cancer. In this article, we discuss how immune cell types of TME are correlated with immunotherapy in lung cancer. Moreover, we describe the efficacy of immunotherapy in driven gene mutations in lung cancer, including KRAS, TP53, EGFR, ALK, ROS1, KEAP1, ZFHX3, PTCH1, PAK7, UBE3A, TNF-α, NOTCH, LRP1B, FBXW7, and STK11. We also emphasize that modulation of immune cell types of TME could be a promising strategy for improving adaptive immune resistance in lung cancer.

PNMA5 accelerated cellular proliferation, invasion and migration in colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVES

Paraneoplastic antigen Ma family (PNMA) is dysregulated in the pathological development of various cancers. However, the actions of PNMA member 5 (PNMA5) in cancers are still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the biological actions of PNMA5 and its implication in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining, western blot and qPCR were used to explore PNMA5 expression in colorectal cancer tissues and cells. In addition, western blot, MTT assays, Colony formation assay, wound-healing, and transwell cell invasion assays were used to investigate the effects of PNMA5 on EMT in colorectal cancer. The lung metastasis models and xenografts in nude mice were established to explore the roles of PNMA5 in vivo.

RESULTS

It was found that the expression level of PNMA5 in colorectal cancer tissues was significantly up regulated compared to that in the adjacent tissues. The overall survival rates of patients with a higher PNMA5 expression were markedly decreased. In addition, knockdown of PNMA5 expression decreased the proliferation, invasion and migration of both HCT-15 and HCT-116 cells. PNMA5 expression was found to be positively associated with the expression of C-myc, CyclinD1, Ki67, N-cadherin, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 and vimentin, and negatively associated with E-cadherin. It was also found that PNMA5 knockdown attenuated TGF-β-induced EMT in colorectal cancer cells. Finally, it was demonstrated that PNMA5 accelerated colorectal cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vivo.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that PNMA5 increased cellular proliferation, invasion and migration in colorectal cancer. PNMA5 plays a key role in promoting CRC carcinogenesis and progression for patients with CRC.

CircRNA circPTK2 Might Suppress Cancer Cell Invasion and Migration of Glioblastoma by Inhibiting miR-23a Maturation

BACKGROUND

CircRNA circPTK2 plays opposite roles in different cancers, while its role in glioblastoma is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the involvement of circPTK2 in glioblastoma.

METHODS

Expression of circPTK2, mature miR-23a, and premature miR-23a in paired cancer and non-cancer tissues from glioblastoma patients (n = 60) was analyzed by RT-qPCR. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlations between gene expressions. The effects of circPTK2 overexpression on miR-23a maturation were analyzed by transfecting circPTK2 expression vector into glioblastoma cells, followed by determining the expression of mature miR-23a and premature miR-23a by RT-qPCR. Transwell assays were carried out to explore the role of circPTK2 and miR-23a in regulating glioblastoma cell invasion and migration.

RESULTS

We found that circPTK2 was downregulated in GBM and was inversely correlated with mature miR-23a, but not premature miR-23a. GBM cells transfected with circPTK2 expression vector showed significantly downregulated mature miR-23a, but not premature miR-23a. Transwell assay analysis showed that circPTK2 overexpression decreased cell invasion and migration, while miR-23a increased cell invasion and migration. Moreover, miR-23a overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of circPTK2 overexpression on cell behaviors.

CONCLUSION

CircPTK2 might suppress cancer cell invasion and migration by inhibiting the maturation of miR-23a.