Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the main subtype of esophageal cancer in China, and the prognosis of patients remains poor mainly due to the occurrence of lymph node and distant metastasi Show more
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the main subtype of esophageal cancer in China, and the prognosis of patients remains poor mainly due to the occurrence of lymph node and distant metastasis. The long non‑coding RNA (lncRNA) maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) has been shown to have tumor‑suppressive properties and to play an important role in epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) in some solid tumors. However, whether MEG3 is involved in EMT in ESCC remains unclear. In the present study, the MEG3 expression level and its association with tumorigenesis were determined in 43 tumor tissues of patients with ESCC and in ESCC cells using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR analysis. Gene microarray analysis was performed to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Based on the functional annotation results, the effects of ectopic expression of MEG3 on cell growth, migration, invasion and EMT were assessed. MEG3 expression level was found to be markedly lower in tumor tissues and cells. Statistical analysis revealed that MEG3 expression was significantly negatively associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage in ESCC. Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay demonstrated that MEG3 was expressed mainly in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of MEG3 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle progression in EC109 cells. Gene microarray results demonstrated that 177 genes were differentially expressed ≥2.0 fold in MEG3‑overexpressing cells, including 23 upregulated and 154 downregulated genes. Functional annotation revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in amino acid biosynthetic process, mitogen‑activated protein kinase signaling, and serine and glycine metabolism. Further experiments indicated that the ectopic expression of MEG3 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT by downregulating phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1). In pathological tissues, PSAT1 and MEG3 were significantly negatively correlated, and high expression of PSAT1 predicted poor survival. Taken together, these results suggest that MEG3 may be a useful prognostic biomarker and may suppress EMT by inhibiting the PSAT1‑dependent glycogen synthase kinase‑3β/Snail signaling pathway in ESCC. Show less
10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), also known as royal jelly acid, has a variety of physiological functions, and recent studies have shown that it also has anticancer effects. However, its anticance Show more
10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), also known as royal jelly acid, has a variety of physiological functions, and recent studies have shown that it also has anticancer effects. However, its anticancer mechanisms have not been clearly defined. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of 10-HDA in A549 human lung cancer cells. We used Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, scratch wound healing assay, flow cytometry, and western blot analysis to investigate its apoptotic effects and underlying mechanism. Our results showed that 10-HDA inhibited the proliferation of three types of human lung cancer cells and had no significant toxic effects on normal cells. Accompanying reactive oxygen species (ROS), 10-HDA induced A549 cell apoptosis by regulating mitochondrial-associated apoptosis, and caused cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in a time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, 10-HDA also regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF- Show less
Overexpression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3H (EIF3H) predicts cancer progression and poor prognosis, but the mechanism underlying EIF3H as an oncogene remains unclear in esophageal sq Show more
Overexpression of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3H (EIF3H) predicts cancer progression and poor prognosis, but the mechanism underlying EIF3H as an oncogene remains unclear in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). TCGA database and the immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of ESCC samples were used and determined the upregulation of EIF3H in ESCC. CCK8 assay, colony formation assay and transwell assay were performed to examine the ability of cell proliferation and mobility in KYSE150 and KYSE510 cell lines with EIF3H overexpression or knockdown. Xenograft and tail-vein lung metastatic mouse models of KYSE150 cells with or without EIF3H knockdown were also used to confirm the function of EIF3H on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. A potential substrate of EIF3H was screened by co-immunoprecipitation assay (co-IP) combined with mass spectrometry in HEK293T cells. Their interaction and co-localization were confirmed using reciprocal co-IP and immunofluorescence staining assay. The function of EIF3H on Snail ubiquitination and stability was demonstrated by the cycloheximide (CHX) pulse-chase assay and ubiquitination assay. The correlation of EIF3H and Snail in clinical ESCC samples was verified by IHC. We found that EIF3H is significantly upregulated in esophageal cancer and ectopic expression of EIF3H in ESCC cell lines promotes cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion. Conversely, genetic inhibition of EIF3H represses ESCC tumor growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we identified EIF3H as a novel deubiquitinating enzyme of Snail. We demonstrated that EIF3H interacts with and stabilizes Snail through deubiquitination. Therefore, EIF3H could promote Snail-mediated EMT process in ESCC. In clinical ESCC samples, there is also a positive correlation between EIF3H and Snail expression. Our study reveals a critical EIF3H-Snail signaling axis in tumor aggressiveness in ESCC and provides EIF3H as a promising biomarker for ESCC treatment. Show less
Cardiovascular diseases represent a complex group of clinical syndromes caused by a variety of interacting pathological factors. They include the most extensive disease population and rank first in al Show more
Cardiovascular diseases represent a complex group of clinical syndromes caused by a variety of interacting pathological factors. They include the most extensive disease population and rank first in all-cause mortality worldwide. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that cytokines play critical roles in the presence and development of cardiovascular diseases. Interleukin-12 family members, including IL-12, IL-23, IL-27 and IL-35, are a class of cytokines that regulate a variety of biological effects; they are closely related to the progression of various cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, aortic dissection, cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, and acute cardiac injury. This paper mainly discusses the role of IL-12 family members in cardiovascular diseases, and the molecular and cellular mechanisms potentially involved in their action in order to identify possible intervention targets for the prevention and clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Show less
Fusobacterium nucleatum, an anaerobic oral opportunistic pathogen associated with periodontitis, has been considered to be associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Howev Show more
Fusobacterium nucleatum, an anaerobic oral opportunistic pathogen associated with periodontitis, has been considered to be associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the initial host molecular alterations induced by F. nucleatum infection which may promote predisposition to malignant transformation through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have not yet been clarified. In the present study, we monitored the ability of F. nucleatum to induce EMT-associated features, and our results showed that F. nucleatum infection promoted cell migration in either noncancerous human immortalized oral epithelial cells (HIOECs) or the two OSCC cell lines SCC-9 and HSC-4, but did not accelerate cell proliferation or cell cycle progression. Mesenchymal markers, including N-cadherin, Vimentin, and SNAI1, were upregulated, while E-cadherin was decreased and was observed to translocate to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, FadA adhesin and heat-inactivated F. nucleatum were found to cause a similar effect as the viable bacterial cells. The upregulated lncRNA MIR4435-2HG identified by the high-throughput sequencing was demonstrated to negatively regulate the expression of miR-296-5p, which was downregulated in F. nucleatum-infected HIOECs and SCC-9 cells. The binding of MIR4435-2HG and miR-296-5p was validated via a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Additionally, knockdown of MIR4435-2HG with siRNA leads to a decrease in SNAI1 expression, while miR-296-5p could further negatively and indirectly regulate SNAI1 expression via Akt2. Therefore, our study demonstrated that F. nucleatum infection could trigger EMT via lncRNA MIR4435-2HG/miR-296-5p/Akt2/SNAI1 signaling pathway, and EMT process may be a probable link between F. nucleatum infection and initiation of oral epithelial carcinomas. Show less
Little is known about the correlation between the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the risk of obesity. This research sought to test the MC4R rs17782313, Show more
Little is known about the correlation between the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the risk of obesity. This research sought to test the MC4R rs17782313, rs476828 and rs12970134 SNPs, their haplotypes and gene-environment interactions on the risk of obesity in the Maonan ethnic group, an isolated minority in China. A case-control study comprised of 1836 participants (obesity group, 858; and control group, 978) was conducted. Genotypes of the three SNPs were determined by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The genotypic frequencies of the three SNPs were different between the obesity and control groups (P < 0.05 for all). The minor allelic frequency of the MC4R rs17782313C, rs476828C and rs12970134A was higher in obesity than in control groups (13.8% vs. 8.3%, P < 0.001, 17.1% vs. 10.9%, P < 0.001; and 15.5% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001; respectively). Additionally, the dominant model of rs17782313 and rs476828 SNPs revealed an increased morbidity function on the risk of obesity (P < 0.05). A correlation between SNP-environment and the risk of obesity was also observed. The rs17782313C-rs476828C-rs12970134A haplotype was associated with high risk of obesity (OR = 1.796, 95% CI = 1.447-2.229), whereas the rs17782313T-rs476828T-rs12970134G and rs17782313T-rs476828T-rs12970134A haplotypes were associated with low risk of obesity (OR = 0.699, 95% CI = 0.586-0.834 and OR = 0.620, 95% CI = 0.416-0.925; respectively). The interactions between haplotype and waist circumference on the risk of obesity were also noted. We discovered that the MC4R rs17782313, rs476828 and rs12970134 SNPs and their haplotypes were associated with the risk of obesity in the Chinese Maonan population. Show less
"Lipotoxicity" induced by free fatty acids (FAs) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of many metabolic diseases, with few treatment options available today. Hydrogen sulfide (H
Major depressive disorder is associated with weight loss and decreased appetite; however, the signaling that connects these conditions is unclear. Here, we show that MC
Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) plays important roles in regulation of multiple physiological processes, and interaction of MC4R and melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) is suggested to pl Show more
Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) plays important roles in regulation of multiple physiological processes, and interaction of MC4R and melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) is suggested to play pivotal role in energy balance of vertebrates. Topmouth culter ( Show less
Tumour cells interfere with normal immune functions by affecting the expression of some immune-related genes, which play roles in the prognosis of cancer patients. In recent years, immunotherapy for t Show more
Tumour cells interfere with normal immune functions by affecting the expression of some immune-related genes, which play roles in the prognosis of cancer patients. In recent years, immunotherapy for tumours has been widely studied, but a practical prognostic model based on immune-related genes in lung adenocarcinoma comparable to existing model has not been established and reported. We first obtained publicly accessible lung adenocarcinoma RNA expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for differential gene expression analysis and then filtered immune-related genes based on the ImmPort database. By using the lasso algorithm and multivariate Cox Proportional-Hazards (CoxPH) regression analysis, we identified candidate genes for model development and validation. The robustness of the model was further examined by comparing the model with three established gene models. Gene expression data from a total of 524 lung adenocarcinoma patients from TCGA were used for model development. We identified four biomarkers (MAP3K8, CCL20, VEGFC, and ANGPTL4) that could predict overall survival in lung adenocarcinoma (HR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.64, P = 4.19e-06) and this model could be used as a classifier for the evaluation of low-risk and high-risk groups. This model was validated with independent microarray data and was highly comparable with previously reported gene expression signatures for lung adenocarcinoma prognosis. In this study, we identified a practical and robust four-gene prognostic model based on an immune gene dataset with cross-platform compatibility. This model has potential value in improving TNM staging for survival predictions in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The study provides a method of immune relevant gene prognosis model and the identification of immune gene classifier for the prediction of lung adenocarcinoma prognosis with RNA sequencing and microarray compatibility. Show less
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy occurring in the digestive system. Despite progress in surgery and therapy options, CRC is still a considerable cause of cancer mortality worldwide. In t Show more
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy occurring in the digestive system. Despite progress in surgery and therapy options, CRC is still a considerable cause of cancer mortality worldwide. In this study, a colon cancer patient-derived xenograft model was established to evaluate the antitumor activity of Shikonin. The protective effect underlying Shikonin was determined through assessing serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and kidney functions (BuN, Scr) in PDX mice. Proteomics and metabolomics profiles were integrated to provide a systematic perspective in dynamic changes of proteins and global endogenous metabolites as well as their perturbed pathways. A total of 456 differently expressed proteins (DEPs), 32 differently expressed metabolites (DEMs) in tumor tissue, and 20 DEMs in mice serum were identified. The perturbation of arginine biosynthesis, purine metabolism, and biosynthesis of amino acids may mainly account for therapeutic mechanism of Shikonin. Furthermore, the expression of mRNAs participating in arginine biosynthesis (CPS1, OTC, Arg1) and do novo purine synthesis (GART, PAICS, ATIC) were validated through RT-qPCR. Our study provides new insights into the drug therapeutic strategies and a better understanding of antitumor mechanisms that might be valuable for further studies on Shikonin in the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer. Show less
Benzo [a]pyrene (BaP) is a well-known endocrine disruptor. Exposure to BaP is known to impair embryo implantation. The corpus luteum (CL), the primary source of progesterone during early pregnancy, pl Show more
Benzo [a]pyrene (BaP) is a well-known endocrine disruptor. Exposure to BaP is known to impair embryo implantation. The corpus luteum (CL), the primary source of progesterone during early pregnancy, plays a pivotal role in embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance. The inappropriate luteal function may result in implantation failure and spontaneous abortions. However, the effect of BaP on CL remains unknown. This study investigated the deleterious effects of BaP on the structure and function of CL during early pregnancy. Pregnant rats were dosed with BaP at 0.2 mg.kg-1. d from day 1 (D1) to day 9 (D9) of gestation. We found that BaP reduced the number of CLs, disturbed the secretion of steroid and impacted the luteal vascular networks. BaP significantly decreased the angiogenesis factor (VEGFR, Ang-1 and Tie2) and increased the anti-angiogenic factor THBS1. Inhibited THBS1 function by LSKL partially rescued the angiogenesis defect caused by BaP. In vitro, BaP metabolite BPDE also interfered the expression levels of angiogenesis-related factors in HUVECs and impaired the angiogenesis, whereas supplemented with rAng-1 can alleviate the anti-angiogenic effect of BPDE. Furthermore, Notch signaling molecules, including Notch1, Dll4, Jag1 and Hey2, which are essential for the establishment and maturation of vascular networks, were affected by BaP exposure. Collectively, BaP broke the molecular regulatory balance between luteal angiogenesis and vascular maturation, impaired the construction of luteal vascular networks, and further affected luteal formation and endocrine function during early pregnancy. Our findings might provide new insight into the relationship between BaP and luteal insufficiency in early pregnancy. These data also give a new line of evidence for curtailing BaP emissions and protecting the women of childbearing age from occupational exposure. Show less
Tuberculosis (TB) is usually caused by GSE54992, which included 39 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples, was extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. After the samples were cla Show more
Tuberculosis (TB) is usually caused by GSE54992, which included 39 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples, was extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. After the samples were classified into type and time groups by limma package, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using the Analysis of Variance. Using pheatmap package, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed for the DEGs. Then, the key modules correlated with TB were selected using the WGCNA package. Finally, functional and pathway enrichment analyses were carried out using clusterProfiler package. The DEGs in subclusters 3, 6, 7, and 8 were chosen for further analyses. Based on WGCNA analysis, blue and green modules in type group and pink module in time group were selected as key modules. From the key modules, 9 (including Show less
Tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) is a novel pathologic characteristic in lung adenocarcinomas that indicates invasive tumor behavior. We aimed to explore the relationship between Twist, Slug and Show more
Tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) is a novel pathologic characteristic in lung adenocarcinomas that indicates invasive tumor behavior. We aimed to explore the relationship between Twist, Slug and STAS in lung adenocarcinoma and to investigate the potential relationship between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and STAS. Our study retrospectively analyzed 115 patients with resected lung adenocarcinomas to evaluate the relationship between Twist, Slug and STAS. STAS was diagnosed using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression levels of Slug and Twist. In this study, 56 (48.7%) patients had STAS, 40 (34.8%) patients had Slug overexpression, and 28 (24.3%) patients had Twist overexpression. Patients with either STAS or Slug and Twist overexpression experienced poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). There were significant associations between Twist overexpression, Slug overexpression and the presence of STAS. The logistic model further revealed that pathological stage, Twist overexpression and Slug overexpression were independent risk factors for STAS. A multivariate analysis that contained Twist, Slug, pathologic stage and STAS, showed that pathologic stage and STAS were independent prognostic factors for poor RFS and OS. Another multivariate model that contained Twist, Slug and pathologic stage, showed that pathologic stage, Twist overexpression and Slug overexpression were independent risk factors for poor RFS and OS. In the cohort with STAS, the multivariate analysis showed that pathologic stage and Twist overexpression were independent risk factors for poor survival. The subgroup analysis showed that patients with both Slug overexpression and Twist overexpression with STAS received a poor prognosis. STAS, Slug and Twist were correlated with poor RFS and OS in resected lung adenocarcinomas. Additionally, STAS was correlated with the overexpression of Twist and Slug, which could potentially provide information on the mechanism of STAS. Show less
Increased deposition of silica dust in pulmonary interstitial tissues leads to silicosis, in which autophagy plays a defensive role in silica dust-associated stress response and cell death. Our previo Show more
Increased deposition of silica dust in pulmonary interstitial tissues leads to silicosis, in which autophagy plays a defensive role in silica dust-associated stress response and cell death. Our previous studies revealed that silica dust exposure contributed to autophagy in pulmonary macrophages in vivo, while the specific regulatory mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to figure out the regulatory mechanism as well as the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of experimental silicosis. We used 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and ABT-737 to suppress the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 3 (PIK3C3) and B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), two critical initiators of autophagy, and detected and evaluated the autophagy in NR8383 cells with or without silica dust exposure. We found that exposure of silica dust increased autophagy in NR8383 cells and elevated the expression of Beclin1 and PIK3C3, but it reduced the expression of Bcl-2. The relationship among Beclin1, PIK3C3, and Bcl-2 were then investigated using immunoprecipitation analysis, and we found that suppression of PIK3C3 and/or Bcl-2 using 3-MA and/or ABT-737 could alter the autophagy induced by silica dust in NR8383 cells, and the complexes of Beclin1/PIK3C3 and Beclin1/Bcl-2 were both downregulated, which may be that inhibition of PIK3C3 and Bcl-2 altered the affinity of Beclin1 with PIK3C3 and Bcl-2 and lead to the silence of PIK3C3 signaling. These findings indicate that silica dust exposure induces autophagy via changing the connectivity of Beclin1 from Bcl-2 to PIK3C3. Show less
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. Although the mortality rate of breast cancer has fallen over the past 10 years, effective treatments that reduce the occurrence of bre Show more
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. Although the mortality rate of breast cancer has fallen over the past 10 years, effective treatments that reduce the occurrence of breast cancer metastasis remain lacking. In this study, we explored the role of receptor for hyaluronan mediated motility (RHAMM) and the associated signaling pathway in cell migration in luminal A breast cancer. We first examined RHAMM expression levels using human breast tissue microarray and patient breast tissues. We then studied the role of RHAMM in migration in luminal A breast cancer using loss-of-function and gain-of-function strategies in in vitro models and confirmed these findings in an in vivo model. Finally, we investigated signaling molecules that play a role in cell migration using western blot. Our results demonstrated the following: (a) RHAMM shows high expression levels in malignant breast tissue, (b) RHAMM shows low expression levels in luminal A breast cancer compared to other subtypes of breast cancer, (c) RHAMM inhibits cell migration in luminal A breast cancer, and (d) RHAMM inhibits cell migration via the AKT/GSK3β/Snail axis in luminal A breast cancer. This study demonstrates a novel role of RHAMM in cell migration in luminal A breast cancer and suggests that therapeutic strategies involving RHAMM should be considered for various subtypes of breast cancer. Show less
Alcohol intake influences plasma lipid levels, and such effects may be moderated by genetic variants. We aimed to characterize the role of aggregated rare and low-frequency protein-coding variants in Show more
Alcohol intake influences plasma lipid levels, and such effects may be moderated by genetic variants. We aimed to characterize the role of aggregated rare and low-frequency protein-coding variants in gene by alcohol consumption interactions associated with fasting plasma lipid levels. In the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology consortium, fasting plasma triglycerides and high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured in 34 153 individuals with European ancestry from 5 discovery studies and 32 277 individuals from 6 replication studies. Rare and low-frequency functional protein-coding variants (minor allele frequency, ≤5%) measured by an exome array were aggregated by genes and evaluated by a gene-environment interaction test and a joint test of genetic main and gene-environment interaction effects. Two dichotomous self-reported alcohol consumption variables, current drinker, defined as any recurrent drinking behavior, and regular drinker, defined as the subset of current drinkers who consume at least 2 drinks per week, were considered. We discovered and replicated 21 gene-lipid associations at 13 known lipid loci through the joint test. Eight loci ( In conclusion, this study applied new gene-based statistical approaches and suggested that rare and low-frequency genetic variants interacted with alcohol consumption on lipid levels. Show less
In dairy cows, fatty liver is one of the most common metabolic diseases that occurs during the periparturient period. Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) is a well-known downstream target of peroxis Show more
In dairy cows, fatty liver is one of the most common metabolic diseases that occurs during the periparturient period. Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) is a well-known downstream target of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), which regulate the glucose and fatty acid metabolisms. The inhibition of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity interferes with the storage of triglycerides (TG) in adipocytes, which plays an essential role in lipid metabolism in rodents. However, it remains unclear whether ANGPTL4 is involved in the pathological process of fatty liver in dairy cows as a result of the regulation of the hepatocellular lipid transport system. This study intended to investigate the effect of ANGPTL4 on the very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly and secretion in bovine hepatocytes. Bovine hepatocytes were isolated using a modified two-step perfusion and collagenase digestion process, and treated with different concentrations of ANGPTL4 (0, 4, 12, and 24 ng/ml) for 24 hr. The results showed that a high concentration of ANGPTL4 could significantly increase the extracellular concentration of VLDL while reducing the intracellular content of TG. Thus, it was confirmed that ANGPTL4 could promote the transport of TG in the form of VLDL by partially regulating the expression of related proteins in hepatocytes, thereby contributing to the partial adaptive regulation of lipid transport in dairy cows. Show less
The DEAH/RHA helicase DHX36 has been linked to cellular RNA and DNA quadruplex structures and to AU-rich RNA elements. In vitro, DHX36 remodels DNA and RNA quadruplex structures and unwinds DNA duplex Show more
The DEAH/RHA helicase DHX36 has been linked to cellular RNA and DNA quadruplex structures and to AU-rich RNA elements. In vitro, DHX36 remodels DNA and RNA quadruplex structures and unwinds DNA duplexes in an ATP-dependent manner. DHX36 contains the superfamily 2 helicase core and several auxiliary domains that are conserved in orthologs of the enzyme. The role of these auxiliary domains for the enzymatic function of DHX36 is not well understood. Here, we combine structural and biochemical studies to define the function of three auxiliary domains that contact nucleic acid. We first report the crystal structure of mouse DHX36 bound to ADP. The structure reveals an overall architecture of mouse DHX36 that is similar to previously reported architectures of fly and bovine DHX36. In addition, our structure shows conformational changes that accompany stages of the ATP-binding and hydrolysis cycle. We then examine the roles of the DHX36-specific motif (DSM), the OB-fold, and a conserved β-hairpin (β-HP) in mouse DHX36 in the remodeling of RNA structures. We demonstrate and characterize RNA duplex unwinding for DHX36 and examine the remodeling of inter- and intramolecular RNA quadruplex structures. We find that the DSM not only functions as a quadruplex binding adaptor but also promotes the remodeling of RNA duplex and quadruplex structures. The OB-fold and the β-HP contribute to RNA binding. Both domains are also essential for remodeling RNA quadruplex and duplex structures. Our data reveal roles of auxiliary domains for multiple steps of the nucleic acid remodeling reactions. Show less
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is associated with liver inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, how ER stress links inflammation and HCC remains obscure. Mesencephalic astrocyte-d Show more
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is associated with liver inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, how ER stress links inflammation and HCC remains obscure. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is an ER stress-inducible secretion protein that inhibits inflammation by interacting with the key subunit of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) p65. We hypothesized that MANF may play a key role in linking ER stress and inflammation in HCC. Here, we found that MANF mRNA and protein levels were lower in HCC tissues versus adjacent noncancer tissues. Patients with high levels of MANF had better relapse-free survival and overall survival rates than those with low levels. MANF levels were also associated with the status of liver cirrhosis, advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and tumor size. In vitro experiments revealed that MANF suppressed the migration and invasion of hepatoma cells. Hepatocyte-specific deletion of MANF accelerated N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN)-induced HCC by up-regulating Snail1+2 levels and promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). MANF appeared in the nuclei and was colocalized with p65 in HCC tissues and in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-treated hepatoma cells. The interaction of p65 and MANF was also confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Consistently, knockdown of MANF up-regulated NF-κB downstream target genes TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1α expression in vitro and in vivo. Finally, small ubiquitin-related modifier 1 (SUMO1) promoted MANF nuclear translocation and enhanced the interaction of MANF and p65. Mutation of p65 motifs for SUMOylation abolished the interaction of p65 and MANF. MANF plays an important role in linking ER stress and liver inflammation by inhibiting the NF-κB/Snail signal pathway in EMT and HCC progression. Therefore, MANF may be a cancer suppressor and a potential therapeutic target for HCC. Show less
This study aimed to investigate the role of circ0106714-miR-942-5p-discs large homolog 2 (DLG2), a novel interactome, in colorectal cancer (CRC). Circ0106714 was found to be the most significantly dow Show more
This study aimed to investigate the role of circ0106714-miR-942-5p-discs large homolog 2 (DLG2), a novel interactome, in colorectal cancer (CRC). Circ0106714 was found to be the most significantly downregulated circular RNA in CRC using a bioinformatics method, and we researched whether the ability of circ0106714 to sponge miR-942-5p and release DLG2 could affect CRC development via Hippo-YES-associated protein (YAP) signaling. We first employed qRT-PCR and immunoblotting to detect messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression, respectively. Live imaging of mice tumor xenografts was then conducted to study the effect of circ0106714 on tumor progression in vivo. Reporter gene assays were subsequently conducted to verify the predicted targeting relationship between circ0106714, miR-942-5p, and DLG2 mRNA in SW480 and HCT116 cell lines. As well as using flow cytometry for both apoptosis and cell cycle profile analyses, CCK-8 and clone foci formation assays were performed to assess cell survival. Wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were later carried out to evaluate the migration and invasion of the cell lines. Findings revealed that circ0106714 and DLG2 were significantly downregulated, while miR-942-5p was significantly upregulated in human CRC tissues and cell lines. However, circ0106714 upregulation significantly suppressed tumor progression in vivo and inhibited the malignancy phenotypes of tumor cells in vitro by targeting miR-942-5p. Also discovered in this research was that miR-942-5p could directly target DLG2 mRNA, thus enhancing the malignancy phenotypes of CRC cells. We even found that DLG2 overexpression resulted in enhanced phosphorylation of YAP, a critical downstream effector of DLG2. This downstream effector was demonstrated to have a tumor-suppressive capacity in CRC cell lines. In sum, circ0106714 could suppress CRC by sponging miR-942-5p and releasing DLG2, thus promoting YAP phosphorylation. Show less
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in cancer progression and is primarily regulated by several EMT-inducing transcription factors (EMT-TFs), including TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1, Show more
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in cancer progression and is primarily regulated by several EMT-inducing transcription factors (EMT-TFs), including TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1, SNAI2, ZEB1, and ZEB2. However, the prognostic value of EMT-TFs remains controversial in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Studies on the prognostic role of EMT-TFs in HNSCC were searched for in the Web of Science, Science Direct, Proquest, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. Meta-analysis was performed by using Revman 5.2 software. The pooled analysis showed that overexpression of EMT-TFs indicated a poor overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.67-2.23) of HNSCC. Subgroup analysis for individual EMT-TFs revealed that overexpression of TWIST1 (HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.29-2.02), SNAI1 (HR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.63-2.88), SNAI2 (HR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.38-2.62), and ZEB1 (HR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.61-4.53) were significantly associated with poor OS of HNSCC. These findings support the hypothesis that overexpression of EMT-TFs indicates a poor prognosis for HNSCC patients. Show less
We aimed to identify potential differentially expressed proteins that play roles in the spinal cord injury. The mouse model of spinal cord injury was firstly built, followed by grip strength evaluatio Show more
We aimed to identify potential differentially expressed proteins that play roles in the spinal cord injury. The mouse model of spinal cord injury was firstly built, followed by grip strength evaluation. Then, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantization (iTRAQ) analysis was used to identify differentially expressed proteins at 1, 2, 3 and 8 weeks after spinal cord injury. Finally, analysis of spinal cord injury repair related differentially expressed proteins in the early and middle-late stage of injury was performed followed by the functional analysis. The result of grip strength evaluation showed that the motor function of the forelimbs of the mouse was significantly impaired after spinal cord injury. In the iTRAQ analysis, a total of 29 common differentially expressed proteins (such as Hbb-bs, Hba, S100a6, Ca1, Apoa4, Hspb1, Hist1h1c, Hist1h1e, Hbb-b1, Apoa1 and S100a10) were obtained at 1, 2, 3 and 8 weeks after spinal cord injury. A total of 70 and 180 common differentially expressed proteins were identified in the early and middle-late stage of injury, respectively. PPAR signaling pathway (involved Apoa1) and VEGF signaling pathway (involved Hspb1) were identified in the middle-late stage of spinal cord injury repair. Identified differentially expressed proteins and related signaling pathways may be associated with spinal cord injury. Show less
Recently, long noncoding RNA SNHG12 has been reported to be dysregulated in various types of cancer. This study investigated its biological function and the underlying molecular mechanism in cervical Show more
Recently, long noncoding RNA SNHG12 has been reported to be dysregulated in various types of cancer. This study investigated its biological function and the underlying molecular mechanism in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). We found that SNHG12 was significantly overexpressed in CSCC tissues. Further evidence showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E6 and E7 might regulate the expression level of SNHG12 by modulating transcription factor c-Myc. Functional experiments suggested that SNHG12 knockdown dramatically repressed CSCC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion while induced apoptosis in vitro as well as suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In addition, SNHG12 could facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transition through ERK/Slug/E-cadherin pathway at least in part. Our findings highlight SNHG12 functions as an oncogenic long noncoding RNA in malignant phenotype and tumorigenesis of CSCC, which implicate it may be a potential target for CSCC treatment. Show less
Gram-negative bacterial infection causes an excessive inflammatory response and acute organ damage or dysfunction due to its outer membrane component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Protectin conjugates in Show more
Gram-negative bacterial infection causes an excessive inflammatory response and acute organ damage or dysfunction due to its outer membrane component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Protectin conjugates in tissue regeneration 1 (PCTR1), an endogenous lipid mediator, exerts fundamental anti-inflammation and pro-resolution during infection. In the present study, we examined the properties of PCTR1 on the systemic inflammatory response, organic morphological damage and dysfunction, and serum metabolic biomarkers in an LPS-induced acute inflammatory mouse model. The results show that PCTR1 reduced serum inflammatory factors and ameliorated morphological damage and dysfunction of the lung, liver, kidney, and ultimately improved the survival rate of LPS-induced acute inflammation in mice. In addition, metabolomics analysis and high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that LPS-stimulated serum linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels were significantly altered by PCTR1. Moreover, PCTR1 upregulated LPS-inhibited fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1), fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2), and elongase of very long chain fatty acids 2 (ELOVL2) expression, and downregulated LPS-stimulated phospholipase A2 (PLA2) expression to increase the intrahepatic content of AA. However, these effects of PCTR1 were partially abrogated by a lipoxin A4 receptor (ALX) antagonist (BOC-2). In summary, via the activation of ALX, PCTR1 promotes the conversion of LA to AA through upregulation of FADS1, FADS2, and ELOVL2 expression, and inhibits the conversion of bound AA into free AA through downregulation of PLA2 expression to decrease the serum AA and PGE2 levels. Show less
Lung cancer always ranks first in the number of cancer deaths every year, accounting for 18.4% of total cancer deaths in 2018. Metastasis is the main cause of death in lung cancer patients. The identi Show more
Lung cancer always ranks first in the number of cancer deaths every year, accounting for 18.4% of total cancer deaths in 2018. Metastasis is the main cause of death in lung cancer patients. The identification of bioactive components of traditional Chinese medicine is very important for the development of novel reagents against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Rosthorin A has originated from Rabdosia rosthornii (Diels) Hara which excerpts from 'Chinese materia medica', and is known to have 'clear heat phlegm' properties in the folk. Little is known about the biological functions and mechanisms of Rosthorin A in cancer cells at present. The role of EMT in metastasis of a tumor cell is self-evident. Slug is an important EMT inducer, which is related to the development of lung cancer. Cell growth, clone assay, cell migration, cell invasion, and protein expression, and NSCLC transplanted tumor growth were performed in A549, H1299, and H1975 cells. Rosthorin A significantly inhibited the growth of NSCLC cells, it could prolong the survival of nude mice. Rosthorin A inhibited the migration and invasion of A549, H1299, and H1975 cells. Rosthorin A up-regulated E-cadherin expression level and down-regulated the expression of β-catenin, N-cadherin, vimentin, Slug, and Twist. Rosthorin A could promote the expression of E-cadherin and inhibit the development of EMT by downregulating Slug, to inhibit the development and metastasis of NSCLC cells. In summary, Rosthorin A could be used as a promising candidate for the treatment of NSCLC patients with recurrence and metastasis. Show less
To identify genes involving in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this study, the comprehensive analysis of GSE8157 was downloaded. Overlapping genes of differentially expressed Show more
To identify genes involving in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this study, the comprehensive analysis of GSE8157 was downloaded. Overlapping genes of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and enrichment analysis for these genes was performed. A modular network of differentially expressed genes was constructed by weighted gene co-expression network analyses (WGCNA), and a total of 322 differentially expressed genes in 5 stable modules were screened. The correlations of genes of the stable modules in BioGRID 3.4, STRING 10.5, HPRD9 databases were screened, and the interaction network of 104 DEGs was constructed. In addition, some genes and the key words were searched in CTD. A total of 596 differentially expressed genes were screened, including 379 genes that were up-regulated in case group and down-regulated in control group and treat group, and 217 genes that were down-regulated in case group and up-regulated in control group and treat group. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in PPAR signaling pathway, Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cAMP signaling pathway, of which pathways were involved in the cancer development. Finally, 7 important target genes were identified, such as APOC3 was interacted with pioglitazone, ADCY2 involved in cAMP signaling pathway, and the genes (C3AR1, HRH2, GRIA1, MLNR and TAAR2) involved in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. In addition, the important target genes were significantly differential expression. These results implied that the 7 important target genes were played an important role in the development and progression of PCOS. Our study implied that genes had played a key role in the development and progression of PCOS, the results showed that microarray can be use as a method for the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PCOS. Show less
Vitamin D has a potential anticarcinogenic role, possibly through regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, stimulation of apoptosis, immune modulation and regulation of estrogen receptor Show more
Vitamin D has a potential anticarcinogenic role, possibly through regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, stimulation of apoptosis, immune modulation and regulation of estrogen receptor levels. Because breast cancer (BC) risk varies among individuals exposed to similar risk factors, we hypothesize that genetic variants in the vitamin D pathway genes are associated with BC risk. To test this hypothesis, we performed a larger meta-analysis using 14 published GWAS datasets in the Discovery, Biology, and Risk of Inherited Variants in Breast Cancer (DRIVE) Study. We assessed associations between 2,994 (237 genotyped in the DRIVE study and 2,757 imputed from the 1000 Genomes Project) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 33 vitamin D pathway genes and BC risk. In unconditional logistic regression analysis, we found 11 noteworthy SNPs to be associated with BC risk after multiple comparison correction by the Bayesian false-discovery probability method (<0.80). In stepwise logistic regression analysis, with adjustment for age, principal components and previously published SNPs in the same study populations, we identified three independent SNPs ( Show less
Previous studies have indicated that chronic inflammation linked to To identify the key molecules and TFs involved in GO and KEGG analysis revealed that the DEGs of Hp The current study identified key Show more
Previous studies have indicated that chronic inflammation linked to To identify the key molecules and TFs involved in GO and KEGG analysis revealed that the DEGs of Hp The current study identified key DEGs and their transcriptional regulatory networks involved in Show less
Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPLT4) regulates lipid metabolism by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase. Abnormal ANGTPL4 levels are associated with metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, inflammation, and cancer. We Show more
Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPLT4) regulates lipid metabolism by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase. Abnormal ANGTPL4 levels are associated with metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, inflammation, and cancer. We show here that ANGPTL4-deficient mice have abnormally large numbers of macrophages in the spleen, and that these macrophages produce large amounts of TNF-α, CD86, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. However, recombinant ANGPTL4 protein did not inhibit macrophage function Show less