Genome-wide scanning for CHD1L gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus

PURPOSE

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) represents the most common subtype of thyroid cancer (TC). This study was set out to explore the potential effect of CHD1L on PTC and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

We searched for T2DM susceptibility genes through the GWAS database and obtained T2DM-related differentially expressed gene from the GEO database. The expression and clinical data of TC and normal samples were collated from the TCGA database. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was subsequently applied to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the CHD1L for the diagnosis of PTC. The MCP-counter package in R language was then utilized to generate immune cell score to evaluate the relationship between CHD1L expression and immune cells. Then, we performed functional enrichment analysis of co-expressed genes and DEGs to determine significantly enriched GO terms and KEGG to predict the potential functions of CHD1L in PTC samples and T2DM adipose tissue.

RESULTS

From two genes (ABCB9, CHD1L) were identified to be DEGs (p < 1 * 10^-5) that exerted effects on survival (HR > 1, p < 0.05) in PTC and served as T2DM susceptibility genes. The gene expression matrix-based scoring of immunocytes suggested that PTC samples with high and low CHD1L expression presented with significant differences in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The enrichment analysis of CHD1L co-expressed genes and DEGs suggested that CHD1L was involved in multiple pathways to regulate the development of PTC. Among them, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, salmonella infection and TNF signaling pathways were highlighted as the three most relevant pathways. GSEA analysis, employed to analyze the genome dataset of PTC samples and T2DM adipose tissue presenting with high and low expression groups of CHD1L, suggests that these differential genes are related to chemokine signaling pathway, leukocyte transendothelial migration and TCELL receptor signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

CHD1L may potentially serve as an early diagnostic biomarker for PTC, and a target of immunotherapy for PTC and T2DM.

Levels of effectiveness of gene therapies targeting survivin and its splice variants in human breast cancer cells

In order to develop an effective strategy of breast cancer therapy targeting survivin and its splice variants survivin-ΔEx3 and survivin-2B, the present study constructed four expression vectors by fusing the survivin antisense gene, the survivin (T34A) gene, the survivin-ΔEx3 antisense gene, and the survivin-2B gene with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene. Each of these vectors was transiently transfected into the B-Cap-37 human breast cancer cell line. The effects of these four vectors with diverse genes on the proliferation and apoptosis of B-Cap-37 breast cancer cells were examined and compared in vitro using MTT and flow cytometry assays. Results of the MTT assay indicated that all four gene therapy plasmids were most effective at inhibiting the proliferation of B-Cap-37 cells 72 h after transfection. However, the four gene therapies had different rates of cell inhibition. pcDNA3.1(+)-egfp-anti-survivin and pcDNA3.1(+)-survivin (T34A)-egfp had almost equivalent or better effectiveness at suppressing cell growth. pcDNA3.1(+)-egfp-anti-survivin-ΔEx3 moderately inhibited the growth of B-Cap-37 cells. In contrast, pcDNA3.1(+)-survivin-2B-egfp had limited inhibition of cell growth. Similar profile of effectiveness of four gene therapies in soliciting cell apoptosis was also observed. These results suggest the relative importance of targeting survivin and its splice variant survivin-ΔEx3 in breast cancer treatment.

Pax6 in the sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes: evidence for a role in eye, sensory organ and brain development

The cloning of a Pax6 orthologue from the sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes and its developmental expression pattern are described. The data are consistent with the presence of a single gene encoding a protein with highly conserved DNA-binding paired and homeodomains. A detailed expression analysis by in situ hybridization and immunodetection revealed Pax6 mRNA and protein with predominantly nuclear localization in the developing eye, olfactory organ, brain lobes (optic lobe, olfactory lobe, peduncle lobe, superior frontal lobe and dorsal basal lobe), arms and mantle, suggestive of a role in eye, brain, and sensory organ development.

Activation of Na(+), K(+), Cl(-)-cotransport mediates intracellular Ca(2+) increase and apoptosis induced by Pinacidil in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells

The role of Na(+), K(+), Cl(-)-cotransport (NKCC) in apoptosis of HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells was investigated. Pinacidil (Pin), an activator of ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels, induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner in HepG2 cells. Pin increased intracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)](i)). Bumetanide and furosemide, NKCC inhibitors, significantly inhibited the Pin-induced increased [K(+)](i) and apoptosis, whereas K(ATP) inhibitors (glibenclamide and tolbutamide) had no effects. The Pin-induced [K(+)](i) increase was significantly prevented by reducing extracellular Cl(-) concentration, and Pin also increased intracellular Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](i)), further indicating that these effects of Pin may be due to NKCC activation. In addition, Pin induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), which was completely prevented by the NKCC inhibitors. Treatment with EGTA or BAPTA/AM markedly inhibited the Pin-induced apoptosis. Inhibitors of Na(+), Ca(2+)-exchanger, bepridil, and benzamil significantly prevented both [Ca(2+)](i) increase and apoptosis induced by Pin. Taken together, these results suggest that Pin increases [Na(+)](i) through NKCC activation, which leads to stimulation of reverse-mode of Na(+), Ca(2+) exchanger, resulting in [Ca(2+)](i) increase, and in turn, apoptosis. These results further suggest that NKCC may be a good target for induction of apoptosis in human hepatoma cells.

Drosophila Pax-6/eyeless is essential for normal adult brain structure and function

A role for the Pax-6 homologue eyeless in adult Drosophila brain development and function is described. eyeless expression is detected in neurons, but not glial cells, of the mushroom bodies, the medullar cortex, the lateral horn, and the pars intercerebralis. Furthermore, severe defects in adult brain structures essential for vision, olfaction, and for the coordination of locomotion are provoked by two newly isolated mutations of Pax-6/eyeless that result in truncated proteins. Consistent with the morphological lesions, we observe defective walking behavior for these eyeless mutants. The implications of these data for understanding postembryonic brain development and function in Drosophila are discussed.