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Su P, Lu Q, Wang Y, Mou Y, Jin W. Targeting MELK in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment: from function and mechanism to therapeutic application. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03664-5. [PMID: 39187643 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03664-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK), a member of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) protein family, has been reported to be involved in the regulation of many cellular events. The aberrant expression of MELK is associated with tumorigenesis and malignant progression of various tumors. Moreover, MELK plays an essential role in the regulation of tumor microenvironment (TME), which affects the function of immune cells and the responsiveness to immunotherapy. Currently, small molecule inhibitors targeting MELK have been developed and evaluated in clinical trials. A comprehensive understanding of MELK may provide clues and confidence for subsequent basic research and scientific transformation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structural features, molecular biological functions, and critical roles of MELK in tumors and TME, as well as the targeted agents under development for the treatment of tumors and discuss the perspective for MELK-targeted therapies for tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Su
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiliang Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyu Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiping Mou
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiwei Jin
- Department of General Surgery, Cancer Center, Division of Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, People's Republic of China.
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Luo G, Cheng H, Fan J, Sun T. Up-regulation of NCAPG mediated by E2F1 facilitates the progression of osteosarcoma through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Transl Cancer Res 2024; 13:2437-2450. [PMID: 38881929 PMCID: PMC11170535 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-2175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Background In recent years, there are few reports on non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG) in osteosarcoma. Our study aims to explore the biological role of NCAPG in osteosarcoma and its underlying molecular mechanism and to further clarify the reasons for the abnormal expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma. Methods Here, we mined The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Program public database through bioinformatics methods, analyzed the differential expression of NCAPG in sarcoma tissue and normal tissue, and explored the relationship between NCAPG expression level and sarcoma tissue differentiation, including tumor recurrence, metastasis, and patient survival. Next, the transcription factors responsible for the abnormal expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma tumors were predicted by multiple online website tools and verified via cellular experiments. Subsequently, loss of function and cell phenotype experiments were performed to confirm the effect of NCAPG on the malignant biological behavior of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanistically, by reviewing the literature, we found that NCAPG can affect the malignant progression of many solid tumors by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, we preliminarily investigated the potential effect of NCAPG on this pathway via western blot experiments in osteosarcoma. Results Increased expression of NCAPG was found in sarcoma compared to normal tissues, which was positively correlated with poor differentiation, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Combining the transcription factor prediction results, correlation analysis, and expression level in the TCGA public database with validation outcomes of in vitro cell assays, we found that E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) regulated the increased expression of NCAPG in osteosarcoma. The results of cell phenotype experiments showed that silencing NCAPG could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The preliminary mechanistic investigation suggested that NCAPG may affect osteosarcoma progression through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Conclusions Our data reveal that E2F1 facilitates NCAPG expression in osteosarcoma by regulating the transcription of the NCAPG gene. Up-regulation of NCAPG promotes osteosarcoma progression via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gan Luo
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Jigeng Fan
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Tianwei Sun
- Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
- Department of Spinal Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, China
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3
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Wang Q, Yu Q, Liu Y. E2F1-EP300 co-activator complex potentiates immune escape in nasopharyngeal carcinoma through the mediation of MELK. Histol Histopathol 2024; 39:511-523. [PMID: 37728155 DOI: 10.14670/hh-18-662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is characterized by a highly suppressive microenvironment that protects tumor cells against immune attack and facilitates tumor progression. MELK is upregulated in various tumors, whereas its function in the immune escape remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of MELK during immune escape in NPC. METHODS Differentially expressed genes were filtered using GEO datasets and PPI network analysis. NPC cell colony formation and motility were examined, and the impact of CD8⁺ T cells on NPC cells was evaluated. A xenograft model was constructed to detect the growth of tumor cells and the T-cell phenotype of tumor infiltration. ChIP-qPCR and dual-luciferase assays were used to verify the transcriptional regulation of MELK by EP300/E2F1. FINDINGS MELK was overexpressed in NPC, and sh-MELK suppressed the clonogenic ability, migration, and invasion of NPC cells and promoted the killing effects of CD8⁺ T cells. These in vitro findings were reproduced in vivo. EP300 synergized E2F1 to regulate the transcription of MELK in NPC cells. Loss of EP300 or E2F1 reverted the malignant phenotype of NPC cells and promoted the immune effect of CD8⁺ T cells. MELK further suppressed the immune effect of CD8⁺ T cells in the presence of sh-E2F1. INTERPRETATION EP300 coordinated with E2F1 to promote the transcription of MELK which promoted the growth of NPC cells and repressed the killing effect of CD8⁺ T cells. Blockage of MELK may be a potential way to suppress the immune escape of NPC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wang
- Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Qi Yu
- Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yueyang Liu
- Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Center, Cancer Center, Department of Otolaryngology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, PR China.
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4
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Wang D, Zou F, Li Y, Hu J, Gao L. Targeting MELK improves PD-1 blockade efficiency in cervical cancer via enhancing antitumor immunity. MOLECULAR THERAPY. ONCOLOGY 2024; 32:200759. [PMID: 38596298 PMCID: PMC10869760 DOI: 10.1016/j.omton.2024.200759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The balance between T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) has a critical function in determining intratumoral immune response and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The level of maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is reported to correlate with infiltration of immune cells in cancers, but the underlying molecular mechanism is not clarified. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the potential function of MELK in cervical cancer. We found that MELK was upregulated and played an oncogenic role in cervical cancer. MELK overexpression shifted Th1/Th2 balance toward Th2 predisposition in mouse cervical tumors in vivo and naive T cells from human PBMCs in vitro, whereas MELK knockdown exhibited opposite effects. MELK overexpression activated NF-κB signaling and promoted IL-6 secretion by cervical cancer cells. Depletion of IL-6 by neutralization antibodies abrogated the influence of MELK on Th1/Th2 balance. In addition, MELK modulated the antitumor activity of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in cervical tumors, but depletion of Th2 cells by IL-4 neutralization abrogated this effect. Finally, MELK overexpression conferred tolerance to PD-1 blockade in cervical tumors, whereas targeting MELK by OTSSP167 significantly enhanced PD-1 blockade efficiency. Our data elucidated a novel role of MELK in regulating Th1/Th2 balance and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongjiao Wang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Fei Zou
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Jinqiu Hu
- Pathology Teaching and Research Office, Changchun Medical College, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Ling Gao
- Department of Radiation Oncology & Therapy, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
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Daoud S, Alabed SJ, Bardaweel SK, Taha MO. Discovery of potent maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) inhibitors of novel chemotypes using structure-based pharmacophores. Med Chem Res 2023; 32:2574-2586. [DOI: 10.1007/s00044-023-03160-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
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Li Z, Zhou H, Zhai X, Gao L, Yang M, An B, Xia T, Du G, Li X, Wang W, Jin B. MELK promotes HCC carcinogenesis through modulating cuproptosis-related gene DLAT-mediated mitochondrial function. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:733. [PMID: 37949877 PMCID: PMC10638394 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06264-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Cuproptosis caused by copper overload is mediated by a novel regulatory mechanism that differs from previously documented mechanisms regulating cell death. Cells dependent on mitochondrial respiration showed increased sensitivity to a copper ionophore elesclomol that induced cuproptosis. Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase(MELK) promotes tumorigenesis and tumor progression through the PI3K/mTOR pathway, which exerts its effects partly by targeting the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex(PDHc) and reprogramming the morphology and function of mitochondria. However, the role of MELK in cuproptosis remains unclear. Here, we validated that elevated MELK expression enhanced the activity of PI3K/mTOR signaling and subsequently promoted Dihydrolipoamide S-Acetyltransferase (DLAT) expression and stabilized mitochondrial function. This regulatory effect helped to improve mitochondrial respiration, eliminate excessive intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduce intracellular oxidative stress/damage and the possibility of mitochondria-induced cell fate alternations, and ultimately promote the progression of HCC. Meanwhile, elesclomol reduced translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20(TOM 20) expression and increased DLAT oligomers. Moreover, the above changes of MELK to HCC were abolished by elesclomol. In conclusion, MELK enhanced the levels of the cuproptosis-related signature(CRS) gene DLAT (especially the proportion of DLAT monomer) by activating the PI3K/mTOR pathway, thereby promoting elesclomol drug resistance, altering mitochondrial function, and ultimately promoting HCC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Huaxin Zhou
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lin Gao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Mengfan Yang
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Baokun An
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tong Xia
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Gang Du
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of General Surgery, Shandong Second Provincial General Hospital, Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital, Jinan, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Medical integration and practice center of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
| | - Bin Jin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Organ Transplant Department, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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Yang Q, Al-Hendy A. The Functional Role and Regulatory Mechanism of FTO m 6A RNA Demethylase in Human Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7957. [PMID: 37175660 PMCID: PMC10178470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS) is the most frequent subtype of uterine sarcoma that presents a poor prognosis and high rates of recurrence and metastasis. The origin and molecular mechanism underlying and driving its clinical and biological behavior remain largely unknown. Recently, we and others have revealed the role of microRNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modifications in contributing to the pathogenesis of uLMS. However, the connection between reversible m6A RNA methylation and uLMS pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we assessed the role and mechanism of FTO m6A RNA demethylase in the pathogenesis of uLMS. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the levels of RNA demethylases FTO and ALKBH5 were aberrantly upregulated in uLMS tissues compared to adjacent myometrium with a significant change by histochemical scoring assessment (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the inhibition of FTO demethylase with its small, potent inhibitor (Dac51) significantly decreased the uLMS proliferation dose-dependently via cell cycle arrest. Notably, RNA-seq analysis revealed that the inhibition of FTO with Dac51 exhibited a significant decrease in cell-cycle-related genes, including several CDK members, and a significant increase in the expression of CDKN1A, which correlated with a Dac51-exerted inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Moreover, Dac51 treatment allowed the rewiring of several critical pathways, including TNFα signaling, KRAS signaling, inflammation response, G2M checkpoint, and C-Myc signaling, among others, leading to the suppression of the uLMS phenotype. Moreover, transcription factor (TF) analyses suggested that epitranscriptional alterations by Dac51 may alter the cell cycle-related gene expression via TF-driven pathways and epigenetic networks in uLMS cells. This intersection of RNA methylation and other epigenetic controls and pathways provides a framework to better understand uterine diseases, particularly uLMS pathogenesis with a dysregulation of RNA methylation machinery. Therefore, targeting the vulnerable epitranscriptome may provide an additional regulatory layer for a promising and novel strategy for treating patients with this aggressive uterine cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwei Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Ou ZY, Wang K, Shen WW, Deng G, Xu YY, Wang LF, Zai ZY, Ling YA, Zhang T, Peng XQ, Chen FH. Oncogenic FLT3 internal tandem duplication activates E2F1 to regulate purine metabolism in acute myeloid leukaemia. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115458. [PMID: 36803956 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Oncogene FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) mutation accounts for 30 % of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cases and induces transformation. Previously, we found that E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) was involved in AML cell differentiation. Here, we reported that E2F1 expression was aberrantly upregulated in AML patients, especially in AML patients carrying FLT3-ITD. E2F1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and increased cell sensitivity to chemotherapy in cultured FLT3-ITD-positive AML cells. E2F1-depleted FLT3-ITD+ AML cells lost their malignancy as shown by the reduced leukaemia burden and prolonged survival in NOD-PrkdcscidIl2rgem1/Smoc mice receiving xenografts. Additionally, FLT3-ITD-driven transformation of human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells was counteracted by E2F1 knockdown. Mechanistically, FLT3-ITD enhanced the expression and nuclear accumulation of E2F1 in AML cells. Further study using chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and metabolomics analyses revealed that ectopic FLT3-ITD promoted the recruitment of E2F1 on genes encoding key enzymatic regulators of purine metabolism and thus supported AML cell proliferation. Together, this study demonstrates that E2F1-activated purine metabolism is a critical downstream process of FLT3-ITD in AML and a potential target for FLT3-ITD+ AML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yao Ou
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Wen-Wen Shen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ge Deng
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ya-Yun Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Long-Fei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Zhuo-Yan Zai
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yi-An Ling
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Peng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Fei-Hu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Diseases, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Anhui Laboratory of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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Tang BF, Yan RC, Wang SW, Zeng ZC, Du SS. Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase in tumor cell and tumor microenvironment: Emerging player and promising therapeutic opportunities. Cancer Lett 2023; 560:216126. [PMID: 36933780 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is a member of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) protein family, which is widely and highly expressed in multiple cancer types. Through direct and indirect interactions with other proteins, it mediates various cascades of signal transduction processes and plays an important role in regulating tumor cell survival, growth, invasion and migration and other biological functions. Interestingly, MELK also plays an important role in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment, which can not only predict the responsiveness of immunotherapy, but also affect the function of immune cells to regulate tumor progression. In addition, more and more small molecule inhibitors have been developed for the target of MELK, which exert important anti-tumor effects and have achieved excellent results in a number of clinical trials. In this review, we outline the structural features, molecular biological functions, potential regulatory mechanisms and important roles of MELK in tumors and tumor microenvironment, as well as substances targeting MELK. Although many molecular mechanisms of MELK in the process of tumor regulation are still unknown, it is worth affirming that MELK is a potential tumor molecular therapeutic target, and its unique superiority and important role provide clues and confidence for subsequent basic research and scientific transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bu-Fu Tang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Fenglin Road 188, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruo-Chen Yan
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Si-Wei Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Fenglin Road 188, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao-Chong Zeng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Fenglin Road 188, 200030, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Suo Du
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Fenglin Road 188, 200030, Shanghai, China.
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Baumgartner C, Yadav AK, Chefetz I. AMPK-like proteins and their function in female reproduction and gynecologic cancer. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2023; 134:245-270. [PMID: 36858738 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Serine-threonine kinase (STK11), also known as liver kinase B1 (LKB1), is a regulator of cellular homeostasis through regulating the cellular ATP-to-ADP ratio. LKB1 is classified as a tumor suppressor and functions as the key activator of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and a family of serine-threonine kinases called AMPK-like proteins. These proteins include novel (nua) kinase family 1 (NUAK1 and 2), salt inducible kinase (SIK1), QIK (known as SIK2), QSK (known as SIK3 kinase), and maternal embryonic leuzine zipper kinase (MELK) on tightly controlled and specific residual sites. LKB1 also regulates brain selective kinases 1 and 2 (BRSK1 and 2), additional members of AMPK-like protein family, which functions are probably less studied. AMPK-like proteins play a role in variety of reproductive physiology functions such as follicular maturation, menopause, embryogenesis, oocyte maturation, and preimplantation development. In addition, dysfunctional activity of AMPK-like proteins contributes to apoptosis blockade in cancer cells and induction of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition required for metastasis. Dysregulation of these proteins occurs in ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers. AMPK-like proteins are still undergoing further classification and may represent novel targets for targeted gynecologic cancer therapies. In this chapter, we describe the AMPK-like family of proteins and their roles in reproductive physiology and gynecologic cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anil Kumar Yadav
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, United States
| | - Ilana Chefetz
- The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN, United States; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
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Fang Z, Lin M, Chen S, Liu H, Zhu M, Hu Y, Han S, Wang Y, Sun L, Zhu F, Xu C, Gong C. E2F1 promotes cell cycle progression by stabilizing spindle fiber in colorectal cancer cells. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2022; 27:90. [PMID: 36221072 PMCID: PMC9552509 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-022-00392-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND E2F1 is a transcription factor that regulates cell cycle progression. It is highly expressed in most cancer cells and activates transcription of cell cycle-related kinases. Stathmin1 and transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) are factors that enhance the stability of spindle fiber. METHODS The E2F1-mediated transcription of transforming acidic coiled-coil-containing protein 3 (TACC3) and stathmin1 was examined using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), immunoblotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and luciferase reporter. Protein-protein interaction was studied using co-IP. The spindle structure was shown by immunofluorescence. Phenotype experiments were performed through MTS assay, flow cytometry, and tumor xenografts. Clinical colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens were analyzed based on immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The present study showed that E2F1 expression correlates positively with the expression levels of stathmin1 and TACC3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues, and that E2F1 transactivates stathmin1 and TACC3 in CRC cells. Furthermore, protein kinase A (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation of stathmin1 at Ser16 is essential to the phosphorylation of TACC3 at Ser558, facilitating the assembly of TACC3/clathrin/α-tubulin complexes during spindle formation. Overexpression of Ser16-mutated stathmin1, as well as knockdown of stathmin1 or TACC3, lead to ectopic spindle poles including disorganized and multipolar spindles. Overexpression of wild-type but not Ser16-mutated stathmin1 promotes cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Consistently, a high level of E2F1, stathmin1, or TACC3 not only associates with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and distant metastasis, but predicts poor survival in CRC patients. CONCLUSIONS E2F1 drives the cell cycle of CRC by promoting spindle assembly, in which E2F1-induced stathmin1 and TACC3 enhance the stability of spindle fiber.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejun Fang
- Central Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Sanmen, 317100, China.,Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China
| | - Min Lin
- Central Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Shenghui Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China.,Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310000, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Inflammation, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19140, USA
| | - Minjing Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Yanyan Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Shanshan Han
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Yizhang Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Long Sun
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Sanmen, 317100, China
| | - Fengjiao Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sanmen People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province, No. 15 Taihe Road, Hairun Street, Sanmen, 317100, China.
| | - Chengfu Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310003, China.
| | - Chaoju Gong
- Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Xuzhou Municipal Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No. 19 Zhongshan Bei Road, Xuzhou, 221100, China.
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12
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Xu J, Huang Z, Wang Y, Xiang Z, Xiong B. Identification of Novel Tumor Microenvironment Regulating Factor That Facilitates Tumor Immune Infiltration in Cervical Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:846786. [PMID: 35847936 PMCID: PMC9277773 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.846786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. There are more than 30 categories of human papillomavirus infections in the genital tract. The recently discovered immune checkpoint suppression is a potential approach to improve clinical outcomes in these patients by altering immune cell function. However, many questions remain unanswered in terms of this method. For example, the proportion of responders is limited and the exact mechanism of action is uncertain. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has long been regarded as having nonnegligible influence on effectiveness of immunotherapy. The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway has received much attention due to its involvement in activating T-cell immune checkpoint responses. Since tumor cells may evade immune detection and become highly resistant to conventional treatments, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies are preferred as a kind of cancer treatment and many have just been licensed. To provide a theoretical basis for the development of new therapies, investigating the effect of tumor microenvironment on the prognosis of cervical cancer is necessary. In this work, immunological scores obtained from the ESTIMATE algorithm were used to differentiate between patients with high and low immune cell infiltration. We identified 11 immunologically significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs). For example, CXCR3 was found to be an important factor in CD8+ T cell recruitment and tumor immunological infiltration in cervical cancer. These results may lead to novel directions of understanding complex interactions between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment, as well as new treatment options for cervical cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Xu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery & Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhe Huang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Yishu Wang
- Department of Legal English and TOEIC, Adelaide University, North Terrace, SA, Australia
| | - Zhenxian Xiang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery & Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Xiong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery & Department of Gastric and Colorectal Surgical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan, China
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13
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Makki Almansour N. Computational exploration of maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) as a cancer drug target. Saudi J Biol Sci 2022; 29:103335. [PMID: 35769060 PMCID: PMC9235044 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is of vital importance due to its significant role in cancer development and its association with poor prognosis in different cancers. Here, we employed several computer aided drug design approaches to shortlist potential binding molecules of MELK. For virtual screening, asinex oncology library (containing 6334 drugs) and comprehensive marine natural products database (containing approximately 32,000 drugs) were used. The study identified two drug molecules: Top-2 and Top-3 as high affinity binding MELK molecules compared to the control co-crystalized Top-1 inhibitor. Both the shortlisted compounds and the control showed high stable binding free energy and high GOLD score. The compounds and control also reported stable dynamics with root mean square deviations (RMSD) value ∼ 2 Å in 500 ns. Similarly, the MELK active site residues were observed in good stability with the compounds. Further, it was noticed the compounds/control formed multiple hydrogen bonds with the MELK active pocket residues which is the main reason of high intermolecular stability. Atomic level binding free energies determined van der Waals and electrostatic energies to play vital role in stable complex formation. From drug likeness and pharmacokinetics perspective, the compounds are ideal molecules for further investigation. Overall, the results are promising and might be tested in in vivo and in vitro studies against MELK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahlah Makki Almansour
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 31991, Saudi Arabia
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14
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Liu Y, Li R, Wang X, Xue Z, Yang X, Tang B. Comprehensive Analyses of MELK-Associated ceRNA Networks Reveal a Potential Biomarker for Predicting Poor Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:824938. [PMID: 35693941 PMCID: PMC9184526 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.824938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world with high morbidity and mortality. Identifying specific molecular markers that can predict HCC prognosis is extremely important. MELK has been reported to play key roles in several types of human cancers and predict poor prognosis. This study was aimed to explore the impact of MELK on HCC.Methods: A pan-cancer analysis of MELK was conducted by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) data. The prognosis of MELK in various cancers was analyzed in GEPIA. Then, a ceRNA network of MELK was constructed based on the comprehensive consideration of the expression analysis, the correlation analysis, and the survival analysis by R software. The correlation of MELK and immune cell infiltration was analyzed by TIMER and CIBERSORT. Then, the overall survival of differentially expressed immune cells was conducted. The correlation of MELK and immune checkpoints expression was analyzed by GEPIA.Results: MELK was overexpressed in 14 types of human cancers, and its expression was significantly higher than that in both unmatched and paired normal samples in HCC. Higher MELK expression was correlated with poorer survival and advanced clinical stage, topography (T) stage, and histological grade. The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that MELK was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in HCC. Then, we constructed a ceRNA network consisting of MELK, miR-101-3p, and two lncRNAs (SNHG1 and SNHG6) after evaluating the expression and impact on prognosis in HCC of these RNAs. TIMER and CIBERSORT databases indicated that MELK was correlated with various immune cells including B cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cells in HCC. Of them, B cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophage, and neutrophil were related to the prognosis of HCC. In addition, MELK was significantly positively correlated with the immune checkpoint genes.Conclusions: MELK may be a novel potential biomarker for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy in patients with HCC. Our study may provide new molecular and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Rongkuan Li
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zuguang Xue
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaozhou Yang
- Department of Infectious Disease, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Bo Tang
- Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- *Correspondence: Bo Tang,
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15
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Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs derived from serum exosomes associated with gastric cancer by microarray analysis. Clin Chim Acta 2022; 531:25-35. [PMID: 35300960 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2022.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To explore the differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) in serum exosomes between gastric cancer (GC) patients and healthy people to provide new targets for GC diagnosis and treatment. METHODS DEMs in serum exosomes were screened by microarray analysis and verified by RT-qPCR. The target genes of DEMs were predicted using Targetscan and miRTarBase databases and then overlapped with the DEGs of STAD in TCGA database to obtain the common target genes. Biological function and pathway enrichment were analyzed using enrichr database, and a PPI network was constructed using STRING database. The potential target genes of DEMs were identified using the MCODE and cytoHubba plug-ins of Cytoscape software. Survival analysis were conducted using KMP and TCGA databases. The DEMs -target genes-pathways network was established using Cytoscape software. A Cox proportional hazards regression model formed by optimal target genes was used to access the reliability of this prediction process. RESULTS Three serum exosomal microRNAs (exo-miRNAs, has-miR-1273 g-3p, has-miR-4793-3p, has-miR-619-5p) were identified to be highly expressed in GC patients and performed excellent diagnostic ability. A total of 179 common target genes related to GC were predicted. They were mainly involved in 79 GO functional annotations and 6 KEGG pathways. The prognostic model formed by eight optimal target genes (TIMELESS, DNA2, MELK, CHAF1B, DBF4, PAICS, CHEK1 and NCAPG2), which were low-risk genes of GC, also performed perfect prognostic ability. CONCLUSIONS Serum exosomal has-miR-1273 g-3p, has-miR-4793-3p and has-miR-619-5p can be used as new diagnostic biomarkers for GC. Among them, serum exosomal hsa-miR-1273 g-3p / hsa-miR-4793-3p targets MELK and hsa-miR-619-5p targets NCAPG2 were identified as novel mechanisms involved in the development of GC. It provides new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of GC by exo-miRNAs.
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