ZNF552, a novel human KRAB/C2H2 zinc finger protein, inhibits AP-1- and SRE-mediated transcriptional activity

Multi-omics comprehensive analysis reveals the predictive value of N6-methyladenosine- related genes in prognosis and immune escape of bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent RNA modification in mammals, and its role in bladder cancer (BC) remains rarely revealed.

OBJECTIVE

To predict the value of m6A-related genes in prognosis and immunity in BC.

METHODS

We performed multiple omics analysis of 618 TCGA and GEO patients and used principal component analysis (PCA) to calculate the m6A score for BC patients.

RESULTS

We described the multiple omics status of 23 m6A methylation-related genes (MRGs), and four m6A clusters were identified, which showed significant differences in immune infiltration and biological pathways. Next, we intersected the differential genes among m6A clusters, and 11 survival-related genes were identified, which were used to calculate the m6A score for the patients. We found that the high-score (HS) group showed lower tumor mutation burden (TMB) and TP53 mutations and better prognosis than the low-score (LS) group. Lower immune infiltration, higher expression of PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA4, and higher immune dysfunction and immune exclusion scores were identified in the LS group, suggesting a higher possibility of immune escape. Finally, the experimental verification shows that the m6A related genes, such as IGFBP1, plays an important role in the growth and metastasis of bladder cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings revealed the important roles of m6A MRGs in predicting prognosis, TMB status, TP53 mutation, immune functions and immunotherapeutic response in BC.

Sildenafil prevents HDACi-induced Epstein-Barr virus reactivation through the PKG pathway in NK/T cell lymphoma; potential implications for HDACi-mediated fatal complications

Romidepsin, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. However the use of romidepsin reportedly causes potent EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) reactivation leading to severe adverse events in patients with natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL). As inhibition of EBV lytic cycle reactivation may help prevent romidepsin-induced adverse events in NKTL, we herein set out to identify a safe and effective drug for inhibiting EBV reactivation and examine its mechanism of inhibition. EBV reactivation was evaluated by qRT-PCR of BZLF1 and BRLF1 mRNA expression, qPCR of EBV DNA, and immunoblotting of viral EA-D protein. High-throughput screening of FDA-approved drugs was performed to identify safe and effective molecules and test their effect on romidepsin-induced EBV reactivation in the EBV-positive NKTL cell lines, SNK6 and NK92MI. We found that phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, including sildenafil (Viagra; Pfizer), appeared to be nontoxic and effective inhibitors of romidepsin-induced EBV reactivation. Clinical relevance was investigated by qPCR of EBV in two primary effusion samples of NKTL patients. We also investigated the molecular consequences downstream of sildenafil-induced PDE5 inhibition in NKTL cells. A negative correlation was established between the cGMP/PKG pathway and EBV reactivation in NKTL cells. On a molecular level, PDE5 inhibition downregulates BZLF1 and BRLF1 through cGMP/PKG signaling-induced ZNF overexpression. Co-treatment with romidepsin and sildenafil (inhibiting HDAC and PDE5, respectively) showed a synergistic inhibitory effect on NKTL cells, highlighting PDE5 as an attractive target for future therapy in NKTL.

Expression of ZNF695 Transcript Variants in Childhood B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most commonly diagnosed childhood malignancy worldwide; more than 50% of these cases are diagnosed in Mexico. Although the five-year survival rate is >80%, 30% of patients experience relapse with poor prognosis. Cancer-associated gene expression profiles have been identified in several malignancies, and some transcripts have been used to predict disease prognosis. The human transcriptome is incompletely elucidated; moreover, more than 80% of transcripts can be processed via alternative splicing (AS), which increases transcript and protein diversity. The human transcriptome is divided; coding RNA accounts for 2%, and the remaining 98% is noncoding RNA. Noncoding RNA can undergo AS, promoting the diversity of noncoding transcripts. We designed specific primers to amplify previously reported alternative transcript variants of ZNF695 and showed that six ZNF695 transcript variants are co-expressed in cancer cell lines. The amplicons were sequenced and identified. Additionally, we analyzed the expression of these six transcript variants in bone marrow from B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients and observed that ZNF695 transcript variants one and three were the predominant variants expressed in leukemia. Moreover, our results showed the co-expression of coding and long noncoding RNA. Finally, we observed that long noncoding RNA ZNF695 expression predicted survival rates.

Molecular Mechanisms of Zinc as a Pro-Antioxidant Mediator: Clinical Therapeutic Implications

The essentiality of zinc as a trace mineral in human health has been recognized for over five decades. Zinc deficiency, caused by diet, genetic defects, or diseases, can cause growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, depressed immune response, and abnormal cognitive functions in humans. Zinc supplementation in zinc-deficient individuals can overcome or attenuate these abnormalities, suggesting zinc is an essential micro-nutrient in the body. A large number of in vitro and in vivo experimental studies indicate that zinc deficiency also causes apoptosis, cellular dysfunction, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage, and depressed immune response. Oxidative stress, due to the imbalance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and detoxification in the anti-oxidant defense system of the body, along with subsequent chronic inflammation, is believed to be associated with many chronic degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancers, alcohol-related disease, macular degenerative disease, and neuro-pathogenesis. A large number of experimental studies including cell culture, animal, and human clinical studies have provided supportive evidence showing that zinc acts as an anti-oxidative stress agent by inhibition of oxidation of macro-molecules such as (DNA)/ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins as well as inhibition of inflammatory response, eventually resulting in the down-regulation of (ROS) production and the improvement of human health. In this article, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms of zinc as an anti-oxidative stress agent or mediator in the body. We will also discuss the applications of zinc supplementation as an anti-oxidative stress agent or mediator in human health and disease.

Inhaled corticosteroid treatment modulates ZNF432 gene variant's effect on bronchodilator response in asthmatics

BACKGROUND

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influence a patient's response to inhaled corticosteroids and β2-agonists, and the effect of treatment with inhaled corticosteroids is synergistic with the effect of β2-agonists. We hypothesized that use of inhaled corticosteroids could influence the effect of SNPs associated with a bronchodilator response.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether, among subjects with asthma, the association of SNPs with bronchodilator response is different between those treated with inhaled corticosteroids versus those on placebo.

METHODS

A genome-wide association analysis was conducted by using 581 white subjects from the Childhood Asthma Management Program. By using data for 449,540 SNPs, we conducted a gene by environment analysis in PLINK with inhaled corticosteroid treatment as the environmental exposure and bronchodilator response as the outcome measure. We attempted to replicate the top 12 SNPs in the Leukotriene Modifier or Corticosteroid or Corticosteroid-Salmeterol Trial.

RESULTS

The combined P value for the Childhood Asthma Management Program and Leukotriene Modifier or Corticosteroid or Corticosteroid-Salmeterol Trial populations was 4.8 × 10(-8) for rs3752120, which is located in the zinc finger protein gene ZNF432 and has an unknown function.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled corticosteroids appear to modulate the association of bronchodilator response with variant(s) in the ZNF432 gene among adults and children with asthma.