Role of Endothelin 1 on Proliferation and Migration of Human MCF-7 Cells

Multi-omics integration analysis of GPCRs in pan-cancer to uncover inter-omics relationships and potential driver genes

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest drug target family. Unfortunately, applications of GPCRs in cancer therapy are scarce due to very limited knowledge regarding their correlations with cancers. Multi-omics data enables systematic investigations of GPCRs, yet their effective integration remains a challenge due to the complexity of the data. Here, we adopt two types of integration strategies, multi-staged and meta-dimensional approaches, to fully characterize somatic mutations, somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), DNA methylations, and mRNA expressions of GPCRs in 33 cancers. Results from the multi-staged integration reveal that GPCR mutations cannot well predict expression dysregulation. The correlations between expressions and SCNAs are primarily positive, while correlations of the methylations with expressions and SCNAs are bimodal with negative correlations predominating. Based on these correlations, 32 and 144 potential cancer-related GPCRs driven by aberrant SCNA and methylation are identified, respectively. In addition, the meta-dimensional integration analysis is carried out by using deep learning models, which predict more than one hundred GPCRs as potential oncogenes. When comparing results between the two integration strategies, 165 cancer-related GPCRs are common in both, suggesting that they should be prioritized in future studies. However, 172 GPCRs emerge in only one, indicating that the two integration strategies should be considered concurrently to complement the information missed by the other such that obtain a more comprehensive understanding. Finally, correlation analysis further reveals that GPCRs, in particular for the class A and adhesion receptors, are generally immune-related. In a whole, the work is for the first time to reveal the associations between different omics layers and highlight the necessity of combing the two strategies in identifying cancer-related GPCRs.

Restoration of miR-648 overcomes 5-FU-resistance through targeting ET-1 in gastric cancer cells in-vitro

BACKGROUND

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a peptide overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC) and linked to carcinogenesis and resistance to chemotherapy. Applying microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) to downregulate ET-1 and reverse resistance to commonly used chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is practical.

METHODS

The current study sought to evaluate the miR-648 expression in GC and any plausibility of its replacement, either with or without the combination of chemo agents to downregulate ET-1 expression through interaction with its target gene. To this end, miR-648 and ET-1 expression levels were assessed in GC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues driven from 65 patients who had already undergone surgery, fifteen of which had received 5-FU before surgery. The impact of miR-648 and chemo agents on ET-1 expression was measured using qPCR and Western blotting. Further, an MTT assay was conducted to assess its association with cell viability. Ultimately, the association of miR-648 and ET-1 with clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated.

RESULTS

The current study revealed that miR-648 was considerably down-regulated, while ET-1 was substantially up-regulated in patients with GC. The 5-FU caused a significant increase in miR-648 and reduced ET-1 expression. It was also determined that overexpression of miR-648 suppressed ET-1 production, notably when combined with 5-FU, leading to survival reduction. These results further showed that miR-648 replacement could sensitize chemoresistant GC cells. Besides, a significant association between ET-1 and miR-648 with clinicopathological features was discovered CONCLUSIONS: miR-648 replacement may serve as a potential oncosuppressive therapeutic approach that warrants further investigation to translate into an effective GC treatment.

Transcriptome study of oleanolic acid in the inhibition of breast tumor growth based on high-throughput sequencing

The function of oleanolic acid (OA) in various types of cancer has been reported frequently, especially for breast cancer. However, the regulation of breast tumor growth in response to OA treatment has not been studied in depth. Here, we first explored the effect of OA treatment on breast tumors in vitro and in vivo and then used RNA-seq technology to study the effect and molecular mechanism of OA treatment of MCF-7 cells, particularly at the level of functional genomics. The results showed that 40 μM OA treatment could significantly inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Through analysis of RNA sequencing data quality and differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 67 significantly downregulated genes and 260 significantly upregulated genes were identified to be involved in OA treatment of MCF-7 cells. Among these genes, 43 unique DEGs were enriched in several signaling pathways and Gene Ontology terms, such as p53 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway and mTOR signaling pathway. Six downregulated genes, including THBS1, EDN1, CACNG4, CCN2, AXIN2 and BMP4, as well as six upregulated genes, including ATF4, SERPINE1, SESN2, PPARGC1A, EGR1 and JAG1, were selected as target genes in response to OA treatment. The inhibitory effect of OA on breast cancer was also found in the following mouse experiments. Our study provides evidence and molecular support for the treatment of breast cancer with OA.