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Thyroid cancer pathogenesis involves complex interactions between genetic predisposition and alterations in the tumor microenvironment. The causal relationships between inflammatory gene variants and thyroid cancer risk remain poorly understood, as does the cellular heterogeneity within the tumor ecosystem. This study aimed to investigate the causal associations between inflammatory protein genes and thyroid cancer risk, and to characterize the cellular composition and differentiation trajectories within the thyroid cancer microenvironment. We employed a two-pronged approach combining Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). MR analyses were conducted using genetic variants associated with the expression of inflammatory proteins (4EBP1_EIF4EBP1, ADA_ADA, ARTN_ARTN, AXIN1_AXIN1, and Beta-NGF_NGF) as instrumental variables to assess their causal effects on thyroid cancer risk. Multiple MR methods (MR Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted, simple mode, and weighted mode) were used to enhance robustness. For the cellular characterization, scRNA-seq was performed on thyroid cancer samples, followed by dimensionality reduction, clustering analysis, cell type annotation, and pseudotime trajectory inference. MR analyses revealed a significant positive causal association between AXIN1_AXIN1 expression and thyroid cancer risk (weighted median: OR = 1.396, p < 0.05; inverse variance weighted: OR = 1.291, p < 0.05), while ADA_ADA showed protective effects (simple mode: OR = 0.731, p < 0.05). The scRNA-seq analysis identified six major cell populations within the thyroid cancer microenvironment: epithelial cells, T cells, natural killer cells, fibroblasts, stromal cells, and macrophages. Pseudotime analysis revealed distinct differentiation trajectories with natural killer cells and macrophages appearing in early pseudotime, while epithelial cells and fibroblasts demonstrated multiple developmental states. Gene expression profiling identified four distinct cellular states with unique molecular signatures, including immune/inflammatory, stromal, and vascular components. Our findings suggest that inflammatory protein genes, particularly AXIN1, have causal effects on thyroid cancer risk, providing potential targets for risk prediction and intervention. Show less

Muscle wasting, characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength, severely impacts patient quality of life and is associated with numerous chronic diseases and aging. The molecular mechanisms are complex, involving protein synthesis/degradation imbalance. Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) and ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) have diverse cellular roles, but their coordinated function in skeletal muscle homeostasis remains poorly understood. DYRK1A overexpression in vivo induced muscle atrophy phenotypes, including reduced muscle mass, grip strength, fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), altered fiber type composition, and neuromuscular junction integrity, accompanied by elevated atrophy markers: muscle atrophy F-box protein (Atrogin-1), muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF-1), myostatin and suppressed myogenic markers: myoblast determination protein 1 (MyoD), myogenin (MyoG), myocyte enhancer factor 2C (Mef2c), myogenic factor 5 (Myf5). Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of DYRK1A with Harmine ameliorated these atrophy phenotypes in transgenic DYRK1A overexpressing (TgD) mice. In vivo, USP7 deficiency resulted in similar muscle wasting phenotypes. In vitro, DYRK1A overexpression or USP7 overexpression inhibited C2C12 myoblast proliferation and differentiation, effects rescued by Wnt3a treatment or USP7 knockdown, respectively. Mechanistically, DYRK1A activity suppressed active β-catenin levels. USP7 was found to interact with and deubiquitinate axis inhibition protein 1 (Axin1), leading to its stabilization. Knockdown of USP7 increased Axin1 ubiquitination and degradation, thereby promoting β-catenin signaling and myogenesis, counteracting the effects of DYRK1A. Our findings reveal a novel signaling axis where DYRK1A and USP7 cooperatively suppress Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote muscle wasting. DYRK1A likely acts upstream, potentially phosphorylating pathway components, whereas USP7 stabilizes the β-catenin destruction complex scaffold protein Axin1 through deubiquitination. This coordinated action inhibits myogenesis and activates atrophy pathways. Targeting DYRK1A or USP7 could represent promising therapeutic strategies for muscle wasting disorders. Show less

Cervical cancer (CC) remains a major global health challenge, with radiotherapy resistance (RR) representing a critical impediment to treatment efficacy. This study investigated the underlying mechanisms of replication stress (RS) in RR and identified potential therapeutic targets for CC. A comprehensive bioinformatics workflow was applied to analyze the expression profiles and prognostic significance of RS-related differentially expressed genes (RSRDs) in patients with RR. The prognostic utility of an RS-based risk score model was subsequently evaluated in the context of the tumor microenvironment, somatic mutation landscape, etc. The clinical relevance of the identified hub RSRDs was validated through immunohistochemistry, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and a prognostic nomogram using data from a real-world patient cohort. Functional assays conducted both in vitro and in vivo further confirmed the role of the key RSRD. Thus, enrichment analysis of the 124 common differentially expressed genes showed RS-related biological processes were enriched. The RS risk score model, constructed using 2 hub RSRDs (AXIN1 and C-terminal binding protein 1) identified through Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, showed strong diagnostic and prognostic performance. Enrichment analysis showed the risk score model influenced CC prognosis by tumor microenvironment and mutation, etc. Immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue microarrays explored a significant downregulation of AXIN1 in RR samples. AXIN1 was also an independent prognosis biomarker for CC patients, particularly among patients receiving radiotherapy. Knockdown of AXIN1 significantly inhibited the radiosensitivity in CC cell lines, and in vivo experiments showed AXIN1 knockdown led to increased tumor volume following radiotherapy. Molecular docking analysis illustrated JQ1 may promote AXIN1 expression. This study is the first to identify AXIN1 as a replication stress-associated gene with prognostic value in CC, specifically in the context of radiotherapy. These findings may support personalized treatment strategies and provide a foundation for future investigations into RS-targeted therapies in CC. Show less

Neuroinflammation represents a central pathological mechanism in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent inducer of neuroinflammation and demonstrates elevated circulating levels in AD patients. This study aims to investigate the genetic association between serum LPS activity level, inflammatory proteins and AD. A two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to explore the causal effect of serum LPS activity level and 91 inflammatory proteins on AD, including 1, 260, 136 sporadic AD and 2, 838, 825 familial AD patients, respectively. Meta-analysis was conducted on multiple datasets to determine statistically significant results that was initially observed in one dataset. Serum LPS activity level is a risk factor for early onset sporadic AD with OR = 1.392, 95% CI: 1.038-1.869. In most other sporadic AD datasets, LPS shows a trend of increasing the risk of AD onset. After meta-analysis in 10 independent datasets, no association between LPS and sporadic AD was observed. In most familial AD datasets, LPS level demonstrated a trend of decreasing AD risk in MR analysis, however, meta-analysis of the combined 8 datasets showed no statistically significant difference. Two inflammatory proteins, AXIN1 and IL-1 alpha, were identified as significant risk factors for sporadic AD. This study suggested that serum LPS activity level may present a risk effect in early onset sporadic AD. Two inflammatory proteins AXIN1 and IL-1 alpha were associated with the risk of sporadic AD. These findings provide a new perspective for the early diagnosis and treatment of sporadic and familial AD. Show less

Clubfoot, medically termed congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), is a prevalent musculoskeletal birth defect, affecting approximately 0.3% of all live births. This serious congenital anomaly results from structural abnormalities in the foot and lower leg, leading to abnormal positioning of the ankle and foot joints. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the causative factors associated with CTEV and evaluates current therapeutic approaches. Although variations in genes encoding contractile proteins of skeletal myofibers have been proposed as contributors to the etiology of CTEV, no definitive candidate genes have been conclusively linked to increased risk. However, genes such as Show less

Molecular biomarkers are valuable tools to predict the disease and determine its course. Several markers have been associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, none is sufficiently reliable to enable accurate diagnosis. We characterized a broad panel of serum proteins to assess disease-specific biomarker profiles and associate these findings with faecal microbiota composition in newly diagnosed IBD and IBS patients and healthy individuals. The study cohort consisted of 49 newly diagnosed treatment-naïve adult patients (13 Crohn's disease (CD), 13 ulcerative colitis (UC), and 23 IBS) and 12 healthy individuals. Inflammatory and metabolism-related serum proteins were assessed using PEA multiplex panels, while gut microbiota composition was determined by 16 s rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Serum proteins AXIN1, TNFSF14, RNASE3, EN-RAGE, OSM, ST1A1, CA13 and NADK were identified as markers with the most promising specificity/sensitivity and predictivity between healthy and disease groups, while IL-17A and TNFRSF9 enabled differentiation between IBD and IBS patients. Increased abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was associated with protein markers significantly elevated in IBD/IBS. In contrast, depletion of beneficial taxa like Ruminococcaceae and Verucomicrobiaceae (i.e. Akkermansia muciniphila) was associated with decrease of a set of markers in diseased groups. Differences in the abundance of Turicibacteriaceae were more predictive to discern CD from UC than any of the serum proteins investigated. By using a broad panel of inflammation and metabolism-related proteins, we determined serum markers with significantly different levels in treatment-naïve IBD and IBS patients compared to healthy individuals, as well as between IBD and IBS. KEY MESSAGES : Significant changes in the levels of several serum proteins and abundances of faecal bacterial taxa between study groups were found. Increased levels of AXIN1, TNFSF14, RNASE3, EN-RAGE, OSM, ST1A1, CA13 and NADK characterize both IBD and IBS, while IL-17A and TNFRSF9 differentiate IBD from IBS. Increase of Enterobacteriaceae and depletion of beneficial taxa Ruminococcaceae and Verucomicrobiaceae (i.e. Akkermansia muciniphila) was found in IBD and IBS. Differences in Turicibacteriaceae were more predictive to discern CD from UC than any of the serum proteins investigated. Show less

Abnormalities in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway promote the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mutations in CTNNB1, which encodes β-catenin, are frequently found in clinical HCC samples, as are loss-of-function mutations in signaling pathway regulators such as axis inhibition protein 1 (Axin1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway synergizes with other oncogenic signal molecules such as c-Met or glypican-3, contributing to HCC development. Furthermore, Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in the tumour microenvironment (TME) leads to cold tumour and resistance to immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss two models of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation, role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in the development of HCC, the association between Wnt/β-catenin pathway and tumour angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune escape in the TME, and the targeting of this signaling pathway for HCC treatment. Show less

Early life air pollution exposure may play a role in development of respiratory infections, but underlying mechanisms are still not understood. We utilized data from two independent prospective birth cohorts to investigate the influence of prenatal and postnatal ambient air pollution exposure of PM Show less

Delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) is a common complication after carbon monoxide poisoning. This study focused on the role and mechanism of Axin-1 regulating ferroptosis in DEACMP. Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Prussian blue were used to evaluate the histopathology and iron distribution of DEACMP rats. The N6-methyladenosine (m The expression of Axin-1 in DEACMP rats was increased, and its up-regulation was related to IGF2BP2-mediated m IGF2BP2-mediated m Show less

Myasthenia gravis (MG) lacks disease-specific biomarkers that can support monitoring of disease activity or guide treatment decisions. This study aimed to validate serum inflammatory proteins as MG-specific biomarkers by comparing their specificity to controls and individuals with other autoimmune neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). In this multicentre cross-sectional study, serum from 200 acetylcholine receptor antibody seropositive (AChR+) MG patients, 192 matched controls, 93 MS patients, and 51 CIDP patients was analyzed using a 92-plex inflammation panel (Olink PEA). Logistic regression, principal component analysis, and Boruta machine learning algorithms identified differentially expressed proteins. MG subgroups were defined by age at onset, disease severity, and immunosuppressive treatment. Fourteen proteins significantly distinguished MG from controls, including AXIN1 (OR: 0.24), IL7 (OR: 9.38), ST1A1 (OR:0.42), IL10 (OR:3.62), CASP-8 (OR:1.61), and TNFSF14 (OR:0.50) (Bonferroni-corrected p < 0.00135). AXIN1, ST1A1, STAMBP, CDCP1, and SIRT2 were specific for MG, separating it from MS and CIDP. Shared markers across disorders included IL6, IL8, STAMBP, and TNFSF14. A 15-protein profile, including FGF-23 and CXCL9, correlated with MG severity. Subgroup analyses revealed distinct protein patterns by age and treatment. TRANCE and CD6 were reduced in immunosuppressed patients, whereas EN-RAGE, IL10, and TNFRSF9 varied in those receiving biologicals. This study validates the MG-specific serum proteomic biomarkers AXIN1, STAMBP, ST1A1, CDCP1, and SIRT2 and identifies signatures associated with severity, onset, and treatment. These findings support the use of blood-based biomarkers for monitoring and stratification in MG clinical trials and care. Show less

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) are crucial kinase signalling hubs that regulate the balance between catabolism and anabolism in skeletal muscle. The scaffold protein AXIN1 has been proposed to regulate the switch between these pathways and be required for GLUT4 translocation in skeletal muscle and adipocyte cell lines. Muscle-specific AXIN1 knockout (KO) mice exhibit no discernable phenotype, possibly due to compensation by AXIN2 upon AXIN1 loss. Thus we generated and characterized muscle-specific inducible AXIN1 and AXIN2 double knockout (dKO) mice. Surprisingly AXIN1/2 dKO mice displayed normal AMPK and mTORC1 signalling and glucose uptake in response to 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), insulin and in situ muscle contraction. These findings suggest that AXIN proteins are not essential for the regulation of AMPK and mTORC1 signalling or glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. This study challenges the previously indicated critical roles of AXIN1 in exercise-stimulated AMPK activation and GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. KEY POINTS: Phenotyping of tamoxifen-inducible muscle-specific AXIN1/2 double knockout (dKO) mice. We find no evidence for AXIN-dependent AMPK or mTORC1 regulation in skeletal muscle by insulin, AMPK activation or contraction. Glucose uptake regulation by insulin and AMPK activation is normal in AXIN1/2 dKO mice. Show less

Innate immunity, the primary defence mechanism, encompasses a range of protective processes like anatomical barriers, cytokine secretion, and the action of various immune cells. Cattle breeds might differ in these processes because of their genetic differences such as copy number variations (CNVs). Therefore, the present investigation employed an array comparative genomic hybridisation (aCGH) approach on breed representative pooled DNA samples to evaluate CNVs across six cattle breeds: four indigenous Indian breeds, Kangayam (KNG), Tharparkar (TP), Sahiwal (SW), Gir (GIR), one crossbred Karan Fries (KF), and one exotic breed, Holstein Friesian (HF). In aCGH, HF DNA was used as control, while test DNA was from the other breeds. Each pooled test DNA sample was a representative of 18 animals belonging to three distinct geographical locations of India. The study using Aberration Detection Method 2 (ADM-2) of Agilent Genomic Workbench revealed the highest number of duplications in KNG (1189 genes), followed by TP (534 genes), and the greatest number of deletions in SW (774 genes). Among these genes, 183 and 76 innate immune genes with hub genes TGF-β1, CD79A, and IL4 showed duplications in KNG and TP, respectively. In SW, 113 innate immune genes with hub genes PSMC5, MAPK1, and AXIN1 showed deletions. In contrast, KF and HF showed no genes with deletions and fewer duplicated innate immunity genes, reflecting either lower genetic variability in their immune gene repertoire or a potential bias due to HF DNA as a control in aCGH. Functional enrichment of innate immune genes revealed duplications in KNG enriched in interleukin-1 receptor (IL1R) activity (p = 9.9 × 10 Show less

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a classical pathway that regulates bone metabolism. The G protein inhibitory α subunits 1 and 3 (Gαi1/3) can couple with multiple growth factor/cytokine receptors and act as universal adaptor proteins to mediate the activation of key downstream signaling pathways. However, it remains unclear whether and how Gαi1/3 proteins mediate Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction. In this study, we utilized single-cell sequencing analysis and employed viral transfection and gene editing techniques to alter the expression of Gαi1/3 in mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cells. We examined the relationship between Gαi1/3 expression and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Immunoprecipitation and confocal experiments were conducted to further explore the mechanisms by which Gαi1/3 exerts its functions. Osteogenic-related protein levels were detected by Western blotting, and the effects of Gαi1/3 proteins on osteogenic function were examined through alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red staining. Additionally, micro-CT was used to compare bone mass in mice with different levels of Gαi1/3 expression, showing the relationship between Gαi1/3 and bone formation. Our findings indicate that Gαi1/3 proteins are significantly inversely correlated with age. Gαi1/3, rather than Gαi2, mediates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promotes osteogenesis. Mechanistically, Gαi1/3 interacts with Axin1 and recruits it to the cell membrane, leading to inactivation of the β-catenin degradation complex. This results in β-catenin accumulation and nuclear translocation, where it activates the transcription of osteogenic genes. In vivo experiments further confirm that knockdown of Gαi1/3 significantly inhibits bone formation in mice. Our study identified Gαi1/3 as key regulatory proteins in Wnt/β-catenin signaling-mediated osteogenesis, and further elucidated its molecular mechanism in bone formation, which may provide a new therapeutic target for osteoporosis. Show less

APC, the core scaffold of the Wnt destruction complex, targets the transcriptional co-activator β-catenin for proteolysis. There is no convincing evidence that APC directs degradation of other substrates. Using a reconstituted cytosolic extract-based system and complementary in vivo and cellular assays, we show that SREBP2, the master regulator of cholesterol biosynthesis, is a direct APC-AXIN1 substrate. APC-dependent SREBP2 degradation is conserved in Show less

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises from various etiologies, including viral hepatitis and non-viral liver diseases. Although comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) is increasingly applied in oncology, the influence of disease etiology on the genomic landscape of HCC and biomarker applicability remains insufficiently characterized. CGP data from 551 patients with HCC, registered in the National Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics (C-CAT) database, were analyzed after excluding cases with undefined etiology. We characterized the mutational landscape, compared mutation frequencies among HBV-, HCV-, and non-viral, non-cholestatic (nBnC)-related HCC, assessed the association between homologous recombination repair (HRR)-related gene alterations and tumor mutation burden (TMB), and evaluated the detection rates of actionable mutations in tissue- versus liquid-based CGP. Telomerase reverse transcriptase splice site mutations were the most common genomic alteration and were consistently observed across all etiologic groups. Although mutations in AXIN1 and DDR2 genes showed modest enrichment in HCV- and HBV-related HCC, respectively, the overall mutational profiles remained largely conserved across etiologies. TMB was significantly lower in nBnC-HCC compared to HCV-related HCC but showed no association with HRR-related mutations. The detection rates of targetable mutations were similar between tissue and liquid biopsies; however, only a small proportion of patients received matched therapies. Real-world data indicate a conserved genomic architecture in HCC regardless of etiology, supporting unified therapeutic approaches. The absence of a relationship between HRR alterations and TMB suggests distinct biological mechanisms. Liquid biopsy remains a reliable option when tissues are unavailable in managing patients with HCC. Show less

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a common gynecologic malignancy with limited treatment options. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of itraconazole (ITZ), a widely used antifungal drug, as an anti-tumor agent and an adjuvant to immunotherapy for EC. The effects of ITZ on Ishikawa cells were assessed using proliferation assays, apoptosis assays, and invasion assays. The combination of ITZ and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was evaluated to determine their synergistic effects on tumor invasion. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization and cytokine levels were analyzed by flow cytometry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blotting and Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to investigate the impact of ITZ on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Finally, ITZ inhibits Ishikawa cells proliferation and invasion through apoptosis induction. When combined with ICIs, ITZ significantly enhanced the inhibition of tumor invasion, an effect associated with TAMs polarization. ITZ increased IFN-γ secretion, reduced IL-10 levels, and promoted TAMs polarization from the M2 to the M1 phenotype. Mechanistically, ITZ downregulated Wnt-3a and β-catenin expression while upregulating Axin-1, thereby suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling in TAMs. ITZ demonstrated robust anti-tumor activity against EC by inhibiting Ishikawa cells proliferation, invasion, and enhancing the efficacy of ICIs. Through its dual role in directly targeting tumor cells and modulating the tumor microenvironment, ITZ shows promise as a multitargeted therapeutic agent and a valuable adjuvant to immunotherapy for EC. Show less

Previous observational studies have highlighted a significant link between dyslipidemia and kidney stones. However, whether plasma lipid composition directly influences kidney stone formation and the extent to which inflammatory proteins mediate this relationship remain uncertain. This study utilizes genetic variation data from the recent genome-wide association studies to analyze 179 plasma lipids and 91 inflammatory proteins in relation to kidney stones. By applying a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, we systematically investigated the potential causal effects of plasma lipids on kidney stones and assessed the mediating role of inflammatory proteins through a two-stage MR analysis. The findings revealed that specific phosphatidylcholines (PC) (including PC(14:0₁₈:1), PC(16:0₂₀:2), PC(16:1₁₈:0), and PC(18:0₁₈:3)) exhibited positive causal associations with kidney stone risk, while sterol esters (27:1/18:0) demonstrated stone risk-reducing effects. Among inflammatory proteins, monocyte chemoattractant protein 2 and tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 14 (TNFSF14) were associated with increased kidney stone risk, whereas Axin-1, macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1, C-X-C motif chemokine 10, interleukin-5, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) correlated with reduced risk. Further mediation analysis revealed that TNFSF14 and uPA may serve as mediators in the relationship between the plasma lipidome and kidney stone formation. This study provides insights into the mechanisms by which plasma lipid metabolism influences kidney stone development through inflammatory regulatory networks. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for lipidomics- and inflammation-based biomarker risk prediction, as well as targeted intervention strategies for kidney stone prevention. Show less

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss, with glutamate excitotoxicity playing a central role in its pathology. The astrocytic glutamate transporter EAAT2, responsible for maintaining synaptic glutamate homeostasis, is significantly downregulated in AD. Restoration of EAAT2 expression presents a promising therapeutic strategy. This study explores the potential of modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to enhance EAAT2 levels by targeting the Axin-1/β-catenin interaction. Through virtual screening of 120,993 compounds from the Asinex-CNS database, five lead candidates were identified based on molecular docking, MMGBSA scores, and drug-likeness parameters. Advanced in-silico analyses-including Principal Component Analysis, Dynamic Cross-Correlation Mapping, molecular dynamics simulations, and MM/PBSA binding free energy calculations-highlighted BAS 04937103 as the most promising compound for disrupting β-catenin degradation. In vitro validation using C6 glioma cells and primary astrocytic cultures demonstrated that BAS 04937103 enhanced β-catenin stabilization and nuclear translocation, reduced Axin-1 expression, and significantly upregulated EAAT2 levels. These molecular effects corresponded with decreased extracellular glutamate concentrations, improved glutamate uptake, and reduced oxidative stress. Collectively, these findings establish BAS 04937103 as a novel modulator of the Axin/β-catenin interaction with therapeutic potential in mitigating glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. Show less

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a multifactorial disease with environmental and genetic components. AIS clinical management is complicated by the lack of reliable predictive markers of progression. Recent studies have highlighted a potential role for epigenetic mechanisms in disease progression. However, most findings derive from peripheral blood analyses, with little data available on musculoskeletal tissues directly affected by AIS. Given the tissue-specific nature of epigenetic regulation, validating blood-based biomarkers in disease-relevant tissues is essential. We performed a comparative multi-gene RT-qPCR analysis, arranged in a custom array format, to assess the local expression of candidate epigenetically regulated genes associated with AIS progression across bone, paravertebral muscle, spinal ligament, and peripheral blood, all collected from the same patients. Tissue- and gene-specific expression patterns were observed, supporting the presence of local regulatory mechanisms. Peripheral blood expression of Show less

Growing evidence have indicated the bidirectional relationships between various inflammatory cytokines and prostate cancer (PCa), but the causality between genetic susceptibility to inflammatory cytokines and PCa was still in initial exploratory phase. This bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) research was manipulated to draw causative inferences and the effect of direction between 91 inflammatory cytokines and PCa. Genetic data of PCa were originated from a publicly accessible genome-wide association study with 3269 individuals and 459,664 controls, and inflammatory cytokines summarized by a protein quantitative trait locus study were embodied 14,824 participants. We considered inverse variance weighted as a primarily statistical approach, and utilized MR-Egger regression, weighted median, MR-PRESSO, and simulation extrapolation method to enhance the accuracy of the ultimate outcome. In sensitivity analysis, MR-Egger method and Cochran Q statistic of inverse variance weighted were employed to access the heterogeneity. The results suggested a causal relationship between fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L), recombinant monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP) 2, MCP4, and the incidence of PCa (odds ratio [OR]: 1.0016, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0000-1.0032, P = .045; OR: 0.9979, 95% CI: 0.9958-1.0000, P = .045; OR: 1.0012, 95% CI: 1.0001-1.0023, P = .031). In addition, reverse analysis showed that PCa was correlated with the elevated level of adenosine deaminase, axin-1, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6, Flt3L, interleukin (IL)-24, and IL-33 (Beta: 1.7661, 95% CI: 0.2092-3.3229, P = .026; Beta: 1.9185, 95% CI: 0.1548-3.6822, P = .033; Beta: 1.9681, 95% CI: 0.4207-3.5155, P = .013; Beta: 1.6589, 95% CI: 0.0733-3.2446, P = .040; Beta: 2.2091, 95% CI: 0.4682-3.9500, P = .013; Beta: 1.8438, 95% CI: 0.0815-3.6061, P = 040). This study highlighted the causality between several inflammatory factors and the setting of PCa. Specifically, the results suggested that Flt3L and MCP4 may be risk factors for PCa, whereas MCP2 may be a favorable factor for PCa. Conversely, adenosine deaminase, axin-1, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 6, IL-24, IL-33, and Flt3L were involved in the downstream of PCa progression. Show less

Evidence is accumulating that links gut microbiota, a crucial component of the immune environment, to Sjogren's syndrome (SS). The mechanisms underlying the influence of gut microbiota on the onset and development of SS are still not completely understood. To this end, we applied a Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to investigate whether inflammatory cytokines mediate the association of gut microbiota with SS. Our MR analysis leveraged publicly available GWAS data, including information on 211 gut microbiota taxa sourced from the MiBioGen consortium (18,340 participants), summary statistics for 91 inflammatory cytokines obtained from a study of 14,824 individuals, and genetic data for SS derived from the UK Biobank (407,746 participants). To investigate causal associations between gut microbiota and SS, we primarily employed the inverse variance weighted method, supported by additional techniques such as MR-Egger, simple mode, weighted median, and weighted mode for validation. The potential mediating effect of inflammatory cytokines in the gut microbiota-SS relationship was investigated using both mediation MR and multivariable MR (MVMR) analyses. MR analysis identified five microbiota taxa causally associated with SS. Particularly, class Gammaproteobacteria (OR = 3.468, 95% CI = 1.139-10.557, The findings suggest that certain gut microbiota is sociated with an increased risk of SS, mediated by specific inflammatory cytokines. Show less

The WNT signaling pathway is a key driver of colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression, particularly in early-onset CRC (EOCRC) among underserved populations. However, interrogating WNT pathway dysregulation across clinical and genomic dimensions remains technically challenging, limiting both translational insight and personalized intervention strategies. To address this gap, we developed AI-HOPE-WNT, the first conversational artificial intelligence (AI) agent purpose-built to investigate WNT signaling in CRC using natural language-driven, integrative bioinformatics. AI-HOPE-WNT employs a modular architecture combining large language models (LLMs), a natural language-to-code engine, and a backend statistical workflow interfaced with harmonized data from cBioPortal. Unlike general-purpose platforms, AI-HOPE-WNT is uniquely optimized for WNT-specific precision oncology. The tool supports mutation frequency analysis, odds ratio testing, survival modeling, and subgroup stratification by genomic, clinical, and demographic variables. To validate the platform, we recapitulated findings from two previous studies examining WNT pathway alterations in high-risk CRC populations, including mutation prevalence in RNF43 and AXIN2 and survival outcomes associated with WNT pathway status across ethnic and age subgroups. Exploratory queries further assessed treatment response, co-mutation patterns, and population-specific trends. In recapitulation analyses, AI-HOPE-WNT reproduced key trends from prior work, including improved survival in WNT-altered EOCRC and higher RNF43 mutation rates in Hispanic/Latino (H/L) populations compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) people. Exploratory analyses revealed several novel findings. Among FOLFOX-treated EOCRC patients, APC mutations were associated with significantly different survival outcomes ( AI-HOPE-WNT is the first dedicated AI platform for WNT pathway analysis in CRC. By combining natural language interaction with automated, high-throughput bioinformatics, it democratizes access to pathway-specific precision oncology research. The platform is freely available at: https://github.com/Velazquez-Villarreal-Lab/AI-HOPE-WNT. Show less

The β-catenin destruction complex (BDC) is a central node in WNT/β-catenin signaling, governing embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. Although recognized as a prime therapeutic target in colorectal cancer (CRC) for three decades, its dynamic architecture and biochemical complexity have hindered mechanistic understanding. Here, we systematically mapped the sequence-function landscape of the BDC using tiled base editor screens across four endogenous components- Show less

Cyclophosphamide (CTX), a cornerstone in breast cancer combination chemotherapy, frequently induces adverse effects including myelosuppression, gastrointestinal disturbances, hepatic impairment, and alopecia. Chemotherapy-induced alopecia severely impacts patients' quality of life and psychological well-being. Modified Huanjingjian (MHJJ), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, demonstrates clinical efficacy in alleviating chemotherapy-related side effects, yet its mechanisms against CTX-induced alopecia remain uncharacterized. And our main aim was to explore the efficacy and the mechanism of MHJJ in mice. UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS characterized MHJJ's chemical composition. A CTX-induced alopecia murine model was established. Systemic toxicity was evaluated through body weight monitoring, automated biochemical analysis (ALT/AST levels), and hematological profiling (WBC/PLT counts). Hair follicle histopathology was assessed via H&E staining. IHC and IF staining quantified proliferation markers and hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) biomarkers. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) was used to map DNA methylation patterns. Wnt pathway dynamics were analyzed through qRT-PCR and IF staining. We identified 110 bioactive compounds in MHJJ. MHJJ intervention attenuated alopecia severity, restored follicular architecture, and increased follicular density compared to CTX monotherapy (p<0.05). HFSC proliferation markers (Ki67/CD34) showed significant upregulation, while apoptosis markers (Caspase-3) were suppressed. RRBS revealed MHJJ-mediated hypomethylation in differentially methylated regions, with gene body methylation constituting 60% of total methylation changes. Methylation-modulated genes predominantly localized to Wnt signaling pathways: MHJJ enhanced Wnt3/Wnt10a expression while suppressing Cer1/Axin1. Corresponding methylation reductions at promoter and gene body regions were confirmed at mRNA and protein levels. MHJJ mitigates CTX-induced alopecia through epigenetic regulation of HFSCs, specifically via DNA hypomethylation-mediated activation of Wnt3/Wnt10a and suppression of Cer1/Axin1. This mechanism promotes follicular regeneration by restoring Wnt signaling homeostasis, positioning MHJJ as a promising adjuvant for chemotherapy-induced alopecia management. Show less

The scaffold protein IQGAP3 is highly upregulated in most epithelial cancers. While recent studies have highlighted its pivotal roles in cancer cell proliferation and metastasis, a deeper mechanistic understanding of IQGAP3 is currently lacking. We have here used TurboID to map IQGAP3 proximity partners and identified the Wnt signaling members Axin1 and CK1α as IQGAP3-interacting proteins. Our functional studies demonstrated that overexpression of IQGAP3 increases β-catenin levels, while IQGAP3 depletion reduces β-catenin levels in gastric cancer cells. Mechanistically, IQGAP3 disrupts Axin1-CK1α interaction, thereby inhibiting β-catenin phosphorylation and ultimately leading to its accumulation. Importantly, we discovered that IQGAP3 itself is regulated by Wnt signaling, suggesting its involvement in a positive feedback loop in Wnt/β-catenin signaling through interactions with Axin1 and CK1α. These findings identify IQGAP3 as a novel mediator of β-catenin stabilization and underscore its potential as a target for cancer therapy. Show less

First-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combinations show responses in subsets of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Nearly half of HCCs are Wnt-active with mutations in CTNNB1 (encoding for β-catenin), AXIN1/2, or APC, and demonstrate heterogeneous and limited benefit to ICI due to an immune excluded tumor microenvironment. We show significant tumor responses in multiple β-catenin-mutated immunocompetent HCC models to a novel siRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticle targeting CTNNB1 (LNP-CTNNB1). Both single-cell and spatial transcriptomics reveal cellular and zonal reprogramming, along with activation of immune regulatory transcription factors IRF2 and POU2F1, re-engaged type I/II interferon signaling, and alterations in both innate and adaptive immunity upon β-catenin suppression with LNP-CTNNB1 at early- and advanced-stage disease. Moreover, ICI enhances response to LNP-CTNNB1 in advanced-stage disease by preventing T cell exhaustion and through formation of lymphoid aggregates (LA). In fact, expression of an LA-like gene signature prognosticates survival for patients receiving atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in the IMbrave150 phase III trial and inversely correlates with CTNNB1-mutatational status in this patient cohort. In conclusion, LNP-CTNNB1 is efficacious as monotherapy and in combination with ICI in CTNNB1-mutated HCCs through impacting tumor cell-intrinsic signaling and remodeling global immune surveillance, providing rationale for clinical investigations. Show less

Smoking is the leading cause of accelerated aging and death worldwide. Therefore, identifying and intervening at smoke-responsive DNA methylation markers may be a primary way to reduce mortality risk in the population. Many studies have investigated the association between smoking and DNA methylation in blood samples. Only a few studies have examined saliva and buccal cells in this regard. Here, we determined DNA methylation profiles in buccal cells from a total of 280 individuals. Epigenome-wide association analysis (N = 200) uncovered 61 CpG markers, including novel ones, that were significantly associated with smoke exposure in this tissue type. Functional analysis showed that they were overrepresented in the Wnt signaling pathway and fatty acid metabolism. We confirmed that AHRR, a known smoking marker in blood, is also a top locus in buccal cells. However, cg06036945 (p = 1.76 × 10 Show less