The human intermediate prolactin receptor is a mammary proto-oncogene

AbstractThe hormone prolactin (PRL) and its receptor (hPRLr) are significantly involved in breast cancer pathogenesis. The intermediate hPRLr (hPRLrI) is an alternatively-spliced isoform, capable of stimulating cellular viability and proliferation. An analogous truncated mouse PRLr (mPRLr) was recently found to be oncogenic when co-expressed with wild-type mPRLr. The goal of this study was to determine if a similar transforming event occurs with the hPRLr in human breast epithelial cells and to better understand the mechanism behind such transformation. hPRLrL+I co-expression in MCF10AT cells resulted in robust in vivo and in vitro transformation, while hPRLrI knock-down in MCF7 cells significantly decreased in vitro malignant potential. hPRLrL+I heterodimers displayed greater stability than hPRLrL homodimers, and while being capable of activating Jak2, Ras, and MAPK, they were unable to induce Stat5a tyrosine phosphorylation. Both immunohistochemical breast cancer tissue microarray data and RNA sequencing analyses using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) identified that higher hPRLrI expression associates with triple-negative breast cancer. These studies indicate the hPRLrI, when expressed alongside hPRLrL, participates in mammary transformation, and represents a novel oncogenic mechanism.

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Global identification and characterization of tRNA-derived RNA fragment landscapes across human cancers

NAR Cancer ◽

10.1093/narcan/zcaa031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Xiwei Sun ◽

Juze Yang ◽

Mengqian Yu ◽

Dongxia Yao ◽

Liyuan Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Cancer Driver ◽

Cancer Pathogenesis ◽

Genomic Landscape ◽

High Sequence Conservation ◽

Rna Fragments ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Cancer Types

Abstract Transfer RNA-derived RNA fragments (tRFs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are abundant in many organisms, but their role in cancer has not been fully explored. Here, we report a functional genomic landscape of tRFs in 8118 specimens across 15 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas. These tRFs exhibited characteristics of widespread expression, high sequence conservation, cytoplasmic localization, specific patterns of tRNA cleavage and conserved cleavage in tissues. A cross-tumor analysis revealed significant commonality among tRF expression subtypes from distinct tissues of origins, characterized by upregulation of a group of tRFs with similar size and activation of cancer-associated signaling. One of the largest superclusters was composed of 22 nt 3′-tRFs upregulated in 13 cancer types, all of which share the activation of Ras/MAPK, RTK and TSC/mTOR signaling. tRF-based subgrouping provided clinically relevant stratifications and significantly improved outcome prediction by incorporating clinical variables. Additionally, we discovered 11 cancer driver tRFs using an effective approach for accurately exploring cross-tumor and platform trends. As a proof of concept, we performed comprehensive functional assays on a non-microRNA driver tRF, 5′-IleAAT-8-1-L20, and validated its oncogenic roles in lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Our study also provides a valuable tRF resource for identifying diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, developing cancer therapy and studying cancer pathogenesis.

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LncRNA PCAT7 promotes the malignant progression of breast cancer by regulating ErbB/PI3K/Akt pathway

Future Oncology ◽

10.2217/fon-2020-0273 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jiaoqun Zhou ◽

Shiwei Zhang ◽

Mingyuan Luo

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Malignant Progression ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Akt Pathway ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Cancer Tissue ◽

Promote Tumor Cell ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas

Aim: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of lncRNA PCAT7 underlying the progression of breast cancer, which will provide a basis for accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment. Methods: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas data associated with breast cancer were used to identify the target lncRNA. In vitro experiments were conducted to detect gene expression and the effect of the lncRNA on cancer cell activities. Results: PCAT7 was found to be highly expressed in breast cancer tissue and cells, which activated the ErbB/PI3K/Akt pathway to potentiate cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion and suppress apoptosis. Conclusion: PCAT7 is likely to promote tumor cell activities by activating ErbB/PI3K/Akt pathway, in turn potentiating tumor malignant progression.

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TRIM27 interacts with Iκbα to promote the growth of human renal cancer cells through regulating the NF-κB pathway

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-021-08562-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chengwu Xiao ◽

Wei Zhang ◽

Meimian Hua ◽

Huan Chen ◽

Bin Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Lines ◽

Prognostic Indicator ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas

Abstract Background The tripartite motif (TRIM) family proteins exhibit oncogenic roles in various cancers. The roles of TRIM27, a member of the TRIM super family, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remained unexplored. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the clinical impact and roles of TRIM27 in the development of RCC. Methods The mRNA levels of TRIM27 and Kaplan–Meier survival of RCC were analyzed from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to measure the mRNA and protein levels of TRIM27 both in vivo and in vitro. siRNA and TRIM27 were exogenously overexpressed in RCC cell lines to manipulate TRIM27 expression. Results We discovered that TRIM27 was elevated in RCC patients, and the expression of TRIM27 was closely correlated with poor prognosis. The loss of function and gain of function results illustrated that TRIM27 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in RCC cell lines. Furthermore, TRIM27 expression was positively associated with NF-κB expression in patients with RCC. Blocking the activity of NF-κB attenuated the TRIM27-mediated enhancement of proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. TRIM27 directly interacted with Iκbα, an inhibitor of NF-κB, to promote its ubiquitination, and the inhibitory effects of TRIM27 on Iκbα led to NF-κB activation. Conclusions Our results suggest that TRIM27 exhibits an oncogenic role in RCC by regulating NF-κB signaling. TRIM27 serves as a specific prognostic indicator for RCC, and strategies targeting the suppression of TRIM27 function may shed light on future therapeutic approaches.

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A prospective study revealing the role of an immune-related eRNA, WAKMAR2, in breast cancer

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94784-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Linbang Wang ◽

Jingkun Liu ◽

Jiaojiao Tai ◽

Nian Zhou ◽

Tianji Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Target Genes ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Tumour Microenvironment ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Mcf7 Cells ◽

Tumour Immunity ◽

Immune Genes ◽

Normal Tissues

AbstractEnhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are a subclass of non-coding RNAs that are generated during the transcription of enhancer regions and play an important role in tumourigenesis. In this study, we focused on the crucial eRNAs that participate in immune responses in invasive breast cancer (IBC). We first used The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human enhancer RNA Atlas to screen for tissue-specific eRNAs and their target genes. Through Pearson correlation analysis with immune genes, the eRNA WAKMAR2 was identified as a key candidate involved in IBC. Our further research suggested that WAKMAR2 is crucial in regulating the tumour microenvironment and may function by regulating immune-related genes, including IL27RA, RAC2, FABP7, IGLV1-51, IGHA1, and IGHD. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of WAKMAR2 in IBC and normal tissues, and the effect of WAKMAR2 on the regulation of downstream genes in MB-231 and MCF7 cells was studied in vitro. WAKMAR2 was found to be highly involved in tumour immunity and was downregulated in IBC tissues. Furthermore, the expression of WAKMAR2 and its target genes was observed at the pan-cancer level. This study provides evidence to suggest new potential targets for the treatment of breast cancer.

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HNRNPH1-stabilized LINC00662 promotes ovarian cancer progression by activating the GRP78/p38 pathway

Oncogene ◽

10.1038/s41388-021-01884-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yong Wu ◽

Qinhao Guo ◽

Xingzhu Ju ◽

Zhixiang Hu ◽

Lingfang Xia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Prognostic Indicator ◽

Mapk Signaling ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Proliferation And Metastasis ◽

Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

AbstractNumerous studies suggest an important role for copy number alterations (CNAs) in cancer progression. However, CNAs of long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) in ovarian cancer (OC) and their potential functions have not been fully investigated. Here, based on analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we identified in this study an oncogenic lincRNA termed LINC00662 that exhibited a significant correlation between its CNA and its increased expression. LINC00662 overexpression is highly associated with malignant features in OC patients and is a prognostic indicator. LINC00662 significantly promotes OC cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC00662 is stabilized by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (HNRNPH1). Moreover, LINC00662 exerts oncogenic effects by interacting with glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and preventing its ubiquitination in OC cells, leading to activation of the oncogenic p38 MAPK signaling pathway. Taken together, our results define an oncogenic role for LINC00662 in OC progression mediated via GRP78/p38 signaling, with potential implications regarding therapeutic targets for OC.

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ATG9A Is Overexpressed in Triple Negative Breast Cancer and Its In Vitro Extinction Leads to the Inhibition of Pro-Cancer Phenotypes

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells7120248 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 248 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aurore Claude-Taupin ◽

Leïla Fonderflick ◽

Thierry Gauthier ◽

Laura Mansi ◽

Jean-René Pallandre ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽

Triple Negative ◽

Cancer Cell Line ◽

Cancer Tissue ◽

The Future ◽

Cancer Phenotypes

Early detection and targeted treatments have led to a significant decrease in mortality linked to breast cancer (BC), however, important issues need to be addressed in the future. One of them will be to find new triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapeutic strategies, since none are currently efficiently targeting this subtype of BC. Since numerous studies have reported the possibility of targeting the autophagy pathway to treat or limit cancer progression, we analyzed the expression of six autophagy genes (ATG9A, ATG9B, BECLIN1, LC3B, NIX and P62/SQSTM1) in breast cancer tissue, and compared their expression with healthy adjacent tissue. In our study, we observed an increase in ATG9A mRNA expression in TNBC samples from our breast cancer cohort. We also showed that this increase of the transcript was confirmed at the protein level on paraffin-embedded tissues. To corroborate these in vivo data, we designed shRNA- and CRISPR/Cas9-driven inhibition of ATG9A expression in the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-436, in order to determine its role in the regulation of cancer phenotypes. We found that ATG9A inhibition led to an inhibition of in vitro cancer features, suggesting that ATG9A can be considered as a new marker of TNBC and might be considered in the future as a target to develop new specific TNBC therapies.

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Upregulation of SGOL2 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Facilitates Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via Dysregulating the Cell Cycle by Directly Activating MAD2

10.21203/rs.3.rs-560609/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qingqing Hu ◽

Xiaochu Hu ◽

Yalei Zhao ◽

Lingjian Zhang ◽

Ya Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cell Cycle ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Centromeric Protein ◽

Hcc Cells

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Shugoshin-like protein 2 (SGOL2) is a centromeric protein that ensures the correct and orderly process of mitosis by protecting and maintaining centripetal adhesions during meiosis and mitosis. However, the role of SGOL2 in cancer is not well understood. Methods: The mRNA and protein levels of SGOL2 and survival analysis were conducted in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and further validated in 2 independent cohorts. Differential genes correlated with SGOL2 and mitotic arrest deficient 2 like 1 (MAD2) were obtained using LinkedOmics. Subsequently, loss-of-function and rescue assays were carried out in vitro and in vivo to assess the functions of SGOL2 in hepatic tumorigenisis. Findings: We found that SGOL2 was significantly overexpressed in HCC and predicted unfavorable overall survival in HCC patients. Next, we identified 47 differentially expressed genes positively correlated with both SGOL2 and MAD2 to be mainly involved in the cell cycle. In addition, SGOL2 downregulation suppressed the migration, invasion, proliferation, stemness and EMT of HCC cells and inhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. Furthermore, SGOL2 promoted tumor proliferation by activating MAD2-induced cell cycle dysregulation, which could be reversed by the MAD2 inhibitor M2I-1. We also proved that SGOL2 activated MAD2 by directly binding with MAD2. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that SGOL2 acts as an oncogene in HCC cells by directly activating MAD2 and then dysregulating the cell cycle, thereby providing a potential target for HCC patients in the future.

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LncRNA DCST1-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate FAIM2 expression by sponging miR-1254 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20180814 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 133 (2) ◽

pp. 367-379 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jing Chen ◽

Di Wu ◽

Yue Zhang ◽

Yong Yang ◽

Yunfei Duan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Clinical Significance ◽

Biological Function ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Cycle Arrest ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

Apoptosis Inhibitor ◽

Hcc Cells

Abstract Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in a variety of tumours; however, their biological function and clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear. In the present study, the clinical significance, biological function and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA DCST1-AS1 in HCC were investigated. Differential lncRNAs in HCC were identified based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The biological function and mechanism of DCST1-AS1 were studied in vitro and in vivo. LncRNA DCST1-AS1 was highly expressed in HCC tissues, and the high expression of DCST1-AS1 was significantly correlated with larger tumours and shorter survival time. Moreover, DCST1-AS1 knockout significantly inhibited proliferation, promoted apoptosis and cycle arrest of HCC cells, and inhibited tumour growth in vivo. According to functional analysis, DCST1-AS1 competitively bound miR-1254, thus blocking the silencing effect of miR-1254 on the target gene Fas apoptosis inhibitor 2 (FAIM2). A novel lncRNA DCST1-AS1 that functions as an oncogene in HCC was discovered. DCST1-AS1 up-regulates the expression of FAIM2 by up-regulating the expression of miR-1254, ultimately promoting the proliferation of HCC cells. This research provides new therapeutic targets for HCC.

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FBXW7γ is a tumor-suppressive and prognosis-related FBXW7 transcript isoform in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma

Future Oncology ◽

10.2217/fon-2020-0371 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (25) ◽

pp. 1921-1930

Author(s):

Zhou Xu ◽

Lin Zhuang ◽

Xiaoyin Wang ◽

Qianrong Li ◽

Yan Sang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Progression Free Survival ◽

Tissue Expression ◽

The Cancer Genome Atlas ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Protein Coding ◽

Serous Cystadenocarcinoma ◽

Skov3 Cells ◽

Cancer Genome Atlas

Aim: To explore FBXW7 protein-coding transcript isoform (α, β and γ) expression, their functions and prognostic value in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OSC). Materials & methods: FBXW7 transcript data were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype-Tissue Expression project. IOSE, A2780 and SKOV3 cells were used for in vitro and in vivo studies. Results: FBXW7α and FBXW7γ are dominant protein-coding transcripts that were downregulated in OSC. FBXW7γ overexpression reduced the protein expression of c-Myc, Notch1 and Yap1 and suppressed OSC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. FBXW7γ expression was an independent indicator of longer disease-specific survival (HR: 0.588; 95% CI: 0.449–0.770) and progression-free survival (HR: 0.708; 95% CI: 0.562–0.892). Conclusion: FBXW7γ is a tumor-suppressive and might be the only prognosis-related FBXW7 transcript in OSC.

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In Vivo and In Vitro Evaluation of the Protective Effects of Hesperidin in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Cytotoxicity of Cell

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25030478 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 478 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Rasha Al-Rikabi ◽

Hanady Al-Shmgani ◽

Yaser Hassan Dewir ◽

Salah El-Hendawy

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Chromatin Condensation ◽

Control Group ◽

Potential Candidate ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Mcf7 Cells ◽

Tnf Α

(1) Background: Plant flavonoids are efficient in preventing and treating various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of hesperidin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, in inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation, which induced lethal toxicity in vivo, and to evaluate its importance as an antitumor agent in breast cancer. The in vivo experiments revealed the protective effects of hesperidin against the negative LPS effects on the liver and spleen of male mice. (2) Methods: In the liver, the antioxidant activity was measured by estimating the concentration of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT), whereas in spleen, the concentration of cytokines including IL-33 and TNF-α was measured. The in vitro experiments including MTT assay, clonogenity test, and sulforhodamine 101 stain with DAPI (4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) were used to assess the morphological apoptosis in breast cancer cells. (3) Results: The results of this study revealed a significant increase in the IL-33 and TNF-α cytokine levels in LPS challenged mice along with a considerable elevation in glutathione (GSH); moreover, the catalase (CAT) level was higher compared to that of the control group. Cytotoxicity of the MCF-7 cell line revealed significant differences among the groups treated with different concentrations when compared to the control groups, in a concentration-dependent manner. Hesperidin significantly inhibited the colony formation of MCF7 cells when compared to that of control. Clear changes were observed in the cell shape, including cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation, which were associated with a later apoptotic stage. (4) Conclusion: The results indicate that hesperidin might be a potential candidate in preventing diseases.

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