Binding between ROCK1 and DCTN2 triggers diabetes‑associated centrosome amplification in colon cancer cells

ROCK1 regulates glycolysis in pancreatic cancer via the c-MYC/PFKFB3 pathway

BACKGROUND

Dysregulation of Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinases (ROCKs) is involved in the metastasis and progression of various malignant tumors. However, how one of the isomers, ROCK1, regulates glycolysis in tumor cells is incompletely understood. Here, we attempted to elucidate how ROCK1 influences pancreatic cancer (PC) progression by regulating glycolytic activity.

METHODS

The biological function of ROCK1 was analyzed in vitro by establishing a silenced cell model. Coimmunoprecipitation confirmed the direct binding between ROCK1 and c-MYC, and a luciferase reporter assay revealed the binding of c-MYC to the promoter of the PFKFB3 gene. These results were verified in animal experiments.

RESULTS

ROCK1 was highly expressed in PC tissues and enriched in the cytoplasm, and its high expression was associated with a poor prognosis. Silencing ROCK1 inhibited the proliferation and migration of PC cells and promoted their apoptosis. Mechanistically, ROCK1 directly interacted with c-MYC, promoted its phosphorylation (Ser 62) and suppressed its degradation, thereby increasing the transcription of the key glycolysis regulatory factor PFKFB3, enhancing glycolytic activity and promoting PC growth. Silencing ROCK1 increased gemcitabine (GEM) sensitivity in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

ROCK1 promotes glycolytic activity in PC cells and promotes PC tumor growth through the c-MYC/PFKFB3 signaling pathway. ROCK1 knockdown can inhibit PC tumor growth in vivo and increase the GEM sensitivity of PC tumors, providing a crucial clinical therapeutic strategy for PC.

Pan-cancer analysis of DCTN2 and its tumour-promoting role in HCC by modulating the AKT pathway

Dynactin subunit 2 (DCTN2) has been reported to play a role in progression of several tumours; however, the involvement of DCTN2 in potential mechanism or the tumour immune microenvironment among various cancers still remains largely unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate the expression status and potential function of DCTN2 in various malignancies through different database, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas, the Genotype-Tissue Expression and Gene Expression Omnimus databases. We discovered that DCTN2 expression was high in many type of tumours tissues compared to adjacent non-tumour ones. High DCTN2 signified poor prognosis for patients with tumours. Additionally, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analysis revealed that DCTN2 was positively correlated with oncogenic pathways, including cell cycle, tumour metastasis-related pathway, while it was negatively with anti-tumour immune signalling pathway, such as INF-γ response. More importantly, we elucidated the functional impact of DCTN2 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and its underlying mechanisms. DCTN2 expression was much higher in HCC tissues than in adjacent non-tumour tissues. Silencing DCTN2 dramatically suppressed the proliferative and metastasis capacities of tumour cell in vitro. Mechanistically, DCTN2 exerted tumour-promoting effects by modulating the AKT signalling pathway. DCTN2 knockdown in HCC cells inhibited AKT phosphorylation and its downstream targets as well. Rescue experiments revealed that the anti-tumour effects of DCTN2 knockdown were partially reversed upon AKT pathway activation. Overall, DCTN2 may be a potent biomarker signifying tumour prognosis and a promising therapeutic target for tumour treatment, particularly in HCC.

Colon Cancer and Obesity: A Narrative Review

Obesity has played a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Obesity has shown to increase the blood levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), leptin, resistin, inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) which in turn acts via various signaling pathways to induce colonic cell proliferation and in turn CRC development. It has been shown that estrogen can prevent and cause CRC based on which receptor it acts. Obese patients have relatively low levels of ghrelin and adiponectin that inhibit cell proliferation which further adds to their risk of developing CRC. Obesity can alter the microbial flora of the gut in such a way as to favor carcinogenesis. Weight loss and good physical activity have been related to a reduced incidence of CRC; obese individuals should be screened for CRC and counseled about the importance of weight reduction, diet, and exercise. The best way of screening is using BMI and waist circumference (WC) to calculate the CRC risk in obese people. This study has reviewed the association between obesity and its pathophysiological association with CRC development.