scholarly journals piRNAs in Gastric Cancer: A New Approach Towards Translational Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gleyce Fonseca Cabral ◽  
Jhully Azevedo dos Santos Pinheiro ◽  
Amanda Ferreira Vidal ◽  
Sidney Santos ◽  
Ândrea Ribeiro-dos-Santos

Background: Gastric cancer is currently the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, usually diagnosed at late stages. The development of new biomarkers to improve its prevention and patient management is critical for disease control. piRNAs are small regulatory RNAs important for gene silencing mechanisms, mainly associated with the silencing of transposable elements. piRNA pathways may also be involved in gene regulation and the deregulation of piRNAs may be an important factor in carcinogenic processes. Thus, several studies suggest piRNAs as potential cancer biomarkers. Translational studies suggest that piRNAs may regulate key genes and pathways associated with gastric cancer progression, though there is no functional annotation in piRNA databases. The impacts of genetic variants in piRNA genes and their influence in gastric cancer development remains elusive, highlighting the gap in piRNA regulatory mechanisms knowledge. Here, we discuss the current state of understanding of piRNA-mediated regulation and piRNA functions and suggest that genetic alterations in piRNA genes may affect their functionality, thus, it may be associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Conclusions: In the era of precision medicine, investigations about genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are essential to further comprehend gastric carcinogenesis and the role of piRNAs as potential biomarkers for translational research.

Author(s):  
Yang Yang ◽  
Xiaohong Wang ◽  
Yiqiang Liu ◽  
Ying Hu ◽  
Zhongwu Li ◽  
...  

SALL4, a transcriptional factor involved in embryonic stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency, is overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC). However, the association of SALL4 with the survival of GC patients is not well-understood, and the role of SALL4 in cancer progression is still unknown. In the present study, a total of 1,815 GC patients who underwent radical resection at Peking Cancer Hospital were included consecutively from 2015 to 2018, confirming the prognostic value of SALL4 and validating by data from TCGA and GEO. The protein and mRNA expression levels of SALL4 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and qPCR, respectively. Besides, GSEA and WGCNA were applied to explore the SALL4-related cancer-promoting signaling pathways and gene modules. Our results showed that overexpression of SALL4 was observed in 16.7% of GC patients. SALL4 positivity was associated with male, older age, mixed-type histology, late stages, lymphatic metastasis, vascular invasion, non-cardia location, high AFP level, and no EBV infection background. SALL4 could be served as a marker for prognostic prediction in GC, and SALL4-positive GC was significantly associated with shortened survival. Further, the bioinformatic analysis indicated that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was activated in SALL4-high cases compared with SALL4-low cases. Expression of SALL4 was also positively correlated with the expression of multiple co-expressed genes, such as TRIB3, which plays an important role in activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our findings indicate that SALL4 is associated with clinicopathological features related to cancer progression in GC and its function in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3465
Author(s):  
Aya Saleh ◽  
Ruth Perets

Mutations in tumor suppressor gene TP53, encoding for the p53 protein, are the most ubiquitous genetic variation in human ovarian HGSC, the most prevalent and lethal histologic subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The majority of TP53 mutations are missense mutations, leading to loss of tumor suppressive function of p53 and gain of new oncogenic functions. This review presents the clinical relevance of TP53 mutations in HGSC, elaborating on several recently identified upstream regulators of mutant p53 that control its expression and downstream target genes that mediate its roles in the disease. TP53 mutations are the earliest genetic alterations during HGSC pathogenesis, and we summarize current information related to p53 function in the pathogenesis of HGSC. The role of p53 is cell autonomous, and in the interaction between cancer cells and its microenvironment. We discuss the reduction in p53 expression levels in tumor associated fibroblasts that promotes cancer progression, and the role of mutated p53 in the interaction between the tumor and its microenvironment. Lastly, we discuss the potential of TP53 mutations to serve as diagnostic biomarkers and detail some more advanced efforts to use mutated p53 as a therapeutic target in HGSC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feifei Zhang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Jiang Yu ◽  
Xueqing Yao ◽  
Shibin Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractDe novo and acquired resistance, which are mainly mediated by genetic alterations, are barriers to effective routine chemotherapy. However, the mechanisms underlying gastric cancer (GC) resistance to chemotherapy are still unclear. We showed that the long noncoding RNA CRNDE was related to the chemosensitivity of GC in clinical samples and a PDX model. CRNDE was decreased and inhibited autophagy flux in chemoresistant GC cells. CRNDE directly bound to splicing protein SRSF6 to reduce its protein stability and thus regulate alternative splicing (AS) events. We determined that SRSF6 regulated the PICALM exon 14 skip splice variant and triggered a significant S-to-L isoform switch, which contributed to the expression of the long isoform of PICALM (encoding PICALML). Collectively, our findings reveal the key role of CRNDE in autophagy regulation, highlighting the significance of CRNDE as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target against chemoresistance in GC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 313 (6) ◽  
pp. R646-R653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Assi

The large doses of vitamins C and E and β-carotene used to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative damages in cancerous tissue have produced disappointing and contradictory results. This therapeutic conundrum was attributed to the double-faced role of ROS, notably, their ability to induce either proliferation or apoptosis of cancer cells. However, for a ROS-inhibitory approach to be effective, it must target ROS when they induce proliferation rather than apoptosis. On the basis of recent advances in redox biology, this review underlined a differential regulation of prooxidant and antioxidant system, respective to the stage of cancer. At early precancerous and neoplastic stages, antioxidant activity decreases and ROS appear to promote cancer initiation via inducing oxidative damage and base pair substitution mutations in prooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, such as RAS and TP53, respectively. Whereas in late stages of cancer progression, tumor cells escape apoptosis by producing high levels of intracellular antioxidants, like NADPH and GSH, via the pentose phosphate pathway to buffer the excessive production of ROS and related intratumor oxidative injuries. Therefore, antioxidants should be prohibited in patients with advanced stages of cancer and/or undergoing anticancer therapies. Interestingly, the biochemical and biophysical properties of some polyphenols allow them to selectively recognize tumor cells. This characteristic was exploited to design and deliver nanoparticles coated with low doses of polyphenols and containing chemotherapeutic drugs into tumor-bearing animals. First results are encouraging, which may revolutionize the conventional use of antioxidants in cancer.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (28) ◽  
pp. 3297-3302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilong Ma ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
Xiaohu Yang ◽  
Bin Xu ◽  
Zhenshun Song ◽  
...  

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are an important cell type present in solid tumor microenvironments, including that of gastric cancer. They play a vital role in the promotion of tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and cancer progression through paracrine signaling and modulation of the extracellular matrix. However, the exact molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between gastric cancer cells and stromal fibroblasts remains poorly understood. Recent studies have demonstrated that various factors, such as gene and microRNA variations, are involved in this process. This review discusses recent advances in understanding how these factors are regulated in CAFs and how they affect tumor biology, which may improve our understanding of their role in gastric cancer tumorigenesis and progression and provide new promising targets for therapeutic strategies.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Guo ◽  
Jianping Zou ◽  
Ling Zhou ◽  
Yan He ◽  
Miao Feng ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:Nucleolar and spindle associated protein (NUSAP1) is involved in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. However, there are limited studies regarding the role of NUSAP1 in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: The expression profile and clinical significance of NUSAP1 in GC were analysed in online database using GEPIA, Oncomine and KM plotter, which was further confirmed in clinical specimens.The functional role of NUSAP1 were detected utilizing in vitro and in vivo assays. Western blotting, qRT-PCR, the cycloheximide-chase, immunofluorescence staining and Co-immunoprecipitaion (Co-IP) assays were performed to explore the possible molecular mechanism by which NUSAP1 stabilizes YAP protein. Results:In this study, we found that the expression of NUSAP1 was upregulated in GC tissues and correlates closely with progression and prognosis. Additionally, abnormal NUSAP1 expression promoted malignant behaviors of GC cells in vitro and in a xenograft model. Mechanistically, we discovered that NUSAP1 physically interacts with YAP and furthermore stabilizes YAP protein expression, which induces the transcription of Hippo pathway downstream target genes. Furthermore, the effects of NUSAP1 on GC cell growth, migration and invasion were mainly mediated by YAP. Conclusions:Our data demonstrates that the novel NUSAP1-YAP axis exerts an critical role in GC tumorigenesis and progression, and therefore could provide a novel therapeutic target for GC treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 6009
Author(s):  
Malgorzata Anna Krawczyk ◽  
Agata Pospieszynska ◽  
Małgorzata Styczewska ◽  
Ewa Bien ◽  
Sambor Sawicki ◽  
...  

Exosomal heat shock proteins (Hsps) are involved in intercellular communication both in physiological and pathological conditions. They play a role in key processes of carcinogenesis including immune system regulation, cell differentiation, vascular homeostasis and metastasis formation. Thus, exosomal Hsps are emerging biomarkers of malignancies and possible therapeutic targets. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are patients aged 15–39 years. This age group, placed between pediatric and adult oncology, pose a particular challenge for cancer management. New biomarkers of cancer growth and progression as well as prognostic factors are desperately needed in AYAs. In this review, we attempted to summarize the current knowledge on the role of exosomal Hsps in selected solid tumors characteristic for the AYA population and/or associated with poor prognosis in this age group. These included malignant melanoma, brain tumors, and breast, colorectal, thyroid, hepatocellular, lung and gynecological tract carcinomas. The studies on exosomal Hsps in these tumors are limited; however; some have provided promising results. Although further research is needed, there is potential for future clinical applications of exosomal Hsps in AYA cancers, both as novel biomarkers of disease presence, progression or relapse, or as therapeutic targets or tools for drug delivery.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 175628481989406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Schulz ◽  
Kerstin Schütte ◽  
Julia Mayerle ◽  
Peter Malfertheiner

A link between chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis has been depicted in many organ systems. Helicobacter pylori is the most prevalent bacterial pathogen, induces chronic gastritis and is associated with more than 90% of cases of gastric cancer (GC). However, the introduction of nucleotide sequencing techniques and the development of biocomputional tools have surpassed traditional culturing techniques and opened a wide field for studying the mucosal and luminal composition of the bacterial gastric microbiota beyond H. pylori. In studies applying animal models, a potential role in gastric carcinogenesis for additional bacteria besides H. pylori has been demonstrated. At different steps of gastric carcinogenesis, changes in bacterial communities occur. Whether these microbial changes are a driver of malignant disease or a consequence of the histologic progression along the precancerous cascade, is not clear at present. It is hypothesized that atrophy, as a consequence of chronic gastric inflammation, alters the gastric niche for commensals that might further urge the development of H. pylori-induced GC. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on gastric bacteria other than H. pylori and on their synergism with H. pylori in gastric carcinogenesis.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaoji Pan ◽  
Yiqing Tian ◽  
Guoping Niu ◽  
Chengsong Cao

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been declared to not only participate in wound repair but also affect tumor progression. Tumor-associated MSCs, directly existing in the tumor microenvironment, play a critical role in tumor initiation, progression, and development. And different tumor-derived MSCs have their own unique characteristics. In this review, we mainly describe and discuss recent advances in our understanding of the emerging role of gastric cancer-derived MSC-like cells (GC-MSCs) in regulating gastric cancer progression and development, as well as the bidirectional influence between GC-MSCs and immune cells of the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, we also discuss the potential biomarker and therapeutic role of GC-MSCs. It is anticipated that new and deep insights into the functionality of GC-MSCs and the underlying mechanisms will promote the novel and promising therapeutic strategies against gastric cancer.


2019 ◽  
Vol 217 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Liu ◽  
Jianxin Fu ◽  
Kirk Bergstrom ◽  
Xindi Shan ◽  
J. Michael McDaniel ◽  
...  

Core 1–derived mucin-type O-glycans (O-glycans) are a major component of gastric mucus with an unclear role. To address this, we generated mice lacking gastric epithelial O-glycans (GEC C1galt1−/−). GEC C1galt1−/− mice exhibited spontaneous gastritis that progressed to adenocarcinoma with ∼80% penetrance by 1 yr. GEC C1galt1−/− gastric epithelium exhibited defective expression of a major mucus forming O-glycoprotein Muc5AC relative to WT controls, which was associated with impaired gastric acid homeostasis. Inflammation and tumorigenesis in GEC C1galt1−/− stomach were concurrent with activation of caspases 1 and 11 (Casp1/11)–dependent inflammasome. GEC C1galt1−/− mice genetically lacking Casp1/11 had reduced gastritis and gastric cancer progression. Notably, expression of Tn antigen, a truncated form of O-glycan, and CASP1 activation was associated with tumor progression in gastric cancer patients. These results reveal a critical role of O-glycosylation in gastric homeostasis and the protection of the gastric mucosa from Casp1-mediated gastric inflammation and cancer.


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