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The Regulator of G Protein Signaling (RGS) gene family, known as critical negative regulators of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target in various malignancies. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the expression profiles of RGS genes in breast cancer, exploring their diagnostic, prognostic, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity-related roles. Pan-cancer RNA-seq data, immune phenotype data, stemness indices, and breast cancer data from the TCGA and GTEx databases (via UCSC Xena) were integrated to analyze the expression patterns of RGS genes across different cancers. Associations with immune microenvironment factors (e.g., stromal and immune scores), tumor stemness (mRNAsi/mDNAsi), and chemotherapy drug sensitivity (cyclophosphamide, neratinib, clobutin, etc.) were assessed. The relationship between RGS gene expression and overall survival (OS) as well as progression-free survival (PFS) in breast cancer patients was analyzed using the KM-Plotter database, leading to the identification of potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Pan-cancer analyses revealed significant positive correlations between the expression of RGS1, RGS13, RGS18, and RGS19 and both stromal and immune scores ( The RGS gene family plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression through modulation of the immune microenvironment and chemotherapy resistance. Their expression profiles hold promise as novel biomarkers for personalized prognostic stratification and targeted therapy, particularly for guiding chemotherapy drug selection. Show less

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex autoimmune disorder characterized by widespread pain and fatigue, with significant diagnostic challenges due to the absence of specific biomarkers. This study aims to identify and validate potential genetic markers for FM to facilitate earlier diagnosis and intervention. We analyzed gene expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with FM. Comprehensive enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO), the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome pathways, were performed to elucidate the biological functions and disease associations of the candidate genes. We used the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to develop a diagnostic model, which was validated using independent datasets. Three genes, namely, dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 3 The study successfully identifies three diagnostic biomarkers for FM, supported by both bioinformatics analysis and machine learning models. These findings could significantly improve diagnostic accuracy for FM, leading to better patient management and treatment outcomes. Show less

The article "MiRNA-199 inhibits malignant progression of lung cancer through mediating RGS17" by W.-Z. Su, L.-F. Ren published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (8): 3390-3400-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev₂₀₁₉₀₄₁₇₇₀₃₋PMID: 31081094 has been retracted in accordance with the Publisher and the Editor in Chief. Following some concerns raised on PubPeer (https://pubpeer.com/publications/2E8256B0FA92987A3510C854E633DA), the Journal has started an investigation to assess the validity of the results as well as possible figure manipulation. The journal's investigation identified multiple instances of figure duplication, specifically in panel E of Figure 2 and in the Western blots of Figure 4, which appear to overlap with images from previously published articles. In addition, a duplication was detected within panel C of Figure 5. The authors were contacted and informed of the ongoing investigation, and were requested to provide the original data supporting the manuscript. The authors responded that, due to their relocation and lack of access to the original computer files, the underlying data could not be retrieved. As a result, the Journal has decided to retract this article. This article has been retracted. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/17703. Show less

The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and its impact on the prognoses and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) represent a major focus of research in this field. The present study primarily elucidates the role of RGS17 in TIME of LUAD. A comprehensive array of analytical methods was employed to assess the gene expression levels, including RT-qPCR, Western blots assay and Immunohistochemistry. The assessment of cell apoptosis and viability was conducted through the utilization of Flow cytometry, Colony formation, or CCK-8 assays. To comprehensively evaluate glycolysis, the glucose consumption, lactate production and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) were detected. RGS17 was highly expressed in LUAD patients, which predicted adverse prognosis of LUAD patients. Functionally, RGS17 promoted LUAD tumor growth by hindering the anti-tumor immune response. Specifically, knockdown of RGS17 in tumor cells was observed to result in increased CD8 + T cell infiltration into the tumors, thereby impeding LUAD tumor growth. Furthermore, tumor-secreted RGS17 impeded CD8 + T cell function by reducing IFN-γ and Granzyme B secretion, thus impeding the anti-tumor immune response. Mechanically, RGS17 impeded glycolysis in CD8 + T cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway. Tumor-secreted RGS17 impairs CD8 + T cell cytotoxicity in LUAD through impeding glycolysis mediated by PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby promoting tumor growth. Show less

Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug used to treat different solid tumors, including ovarian, bladder, lung, and head and neck cancers. One of its significant side effects is ototoxicity, especially when high doses are required. Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is associated with increased cochlear cell death resulting from DNA damage, caspase activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and glutamate excitotoxicity. The regulator of G protein signaling 17 (RGS17), a member of the RGS-RZ subfamily, hastens the hydrolysis of GTP to GDP on the G Show less

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very aggressive and heterogeneous group of tumors. In order to develop effective therapeutic strategies, it is therefore essential to identify the subtype-specific molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression and resistance to chemotherapy. TNBC cells are highly dependent on exogenous cystine, provided by overexpression of the cystine/glutamate antiporter SLC7A11/xCT, to fuel glutathione synthesis and promote an oxidative stress response consistent with their high metabolic demands. Here we show that TNBC cells of the mesenchymal stem-like subtype (MSL) utilize forced cystine uptake to induce activation of the transcription factor NRF2 and promote a glutathione-independent mechanism to defend against oxidative stress. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that NRF2 activation is mediated by direct cysteinylation of the inhibitor KEAP1. Furthermore, we show that cystine-mediated NRF2 activation induces the expression of important genes involved in oxidative stress response, but also in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stem-like phenotype. Remarkably, in survival analysis, four upregulated genes (OSGIN1, RGS17, SRXN1, AKR1B10) are negative prognostic markers for TNBC. Finally, expression of exogenous OSGIN1, similarly to expression of exogenous NRF2, can prevent cystine depletion-dependent death of MSL TNBC cells. The results suggest that the cystine/NRF2/OSGIN1 axis is a potential target for effective treatment of MSL TNBCs. Show less

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for adiponectin, a complex trait linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity, identified >20 associated loci. However, most loci were identified in populations of European ancestry, and many of the target genes underlying the associations remain unknown. We conducted a cross-ancestry adiponectin GWAS meta-analysis in ≤46,434 individuals from the Metabolic Syndrome in Men (METSIM) cohort and the ADIPOGen and AGEN consortiums. We combined study-specific association summary statistics using a fixed-effects, inverse variance-weighted approach. We identified 22 loci associated with adiponectin (p < 5×10 Show less

GPCR-G protein signaling from endosomes plays a crucial role in various physiological and pathological processes. However, the mechanism by which endosomal G protein signaling is terminated remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanisms involved in terminating the signaling of Gα subunits from endosomes. Through structural analysis and cell-based assays, we have discovered that SNX25, a protein that targets endosomes via its PXA or PXC domain, interacts with regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins (including RGS2, RGS4, RGS8, and RGS17) in a redox-regulated manner. The interaction between SNX25 and these RGS proteins enhances their GTPase-accelerating activity towards Gα Show less

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) injury. Circ₀₀₀₀₂₈₅ has been declared to drive cancer development, but its role in AAA remains unclear. We thus intended to disclose circ₀₀₀₀₂₈₅'s role and molecular mechanism in AAA. VSMCs were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H The AAA samples and H Circ₀₀₀₀₂₈₅ governed the miR-599/RGS17 network to regulate H Show less

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy, and its mortality ranks first among malignancies. Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is the most common pathological subtype of lung cancer. It is reported that circular RNAs (circRNAs) feature prominently in the occurrence and metastasis of NSCLC. This study aims to decipher the biological functions of circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ in NSCLC and the underlying mechanism. The microarray data (GSE101586) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and differentially expressed circRNAs in NSCLC tissues were screened using the GEO2R tool. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for detecting the expression of circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀, miR-203-3p, and regulator of G-protein signaling 17 (RGS17) mRNA in NSCLC tissues and cells. The connection between circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ expression and clinicopathological indicators was analyzed through the chi-square test. EdU and cell counting kit-8 assays were carried out to detect cell growth. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assays. Bioinformatics was used to predict, and RNA immunoprecipitation assay and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were conducted for verifying, the targeted relationship among circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀, miR-203-3p, and RGS17. The expression of circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ was elevated in NSCLC cells and tissues, and high circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ expression was significantly associated with unfavorable clinicopathological indicators. In addition, it was revealed that circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ overexpression facilitated NSCLC cell growth, migration, and invasion, whereas knocking down circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ had contrary effects. Furthermore, miR-203-3p was identified as a downstream target of circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀, and circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ could sponge miR-203-3p; RGS17 was identified as a downstream target of miR-203-3p and was positively modulated by circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀. Circ₀₀₀₆₂₂₀ up-regulates RGS17 expression by adsorbing miR-203-3p to promote NSCLC development. Show less

Some patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who were under mesalamine treatment develop adverse reactions called "mesalamine allergy," which includes high fever and worsening diarrhea. Currently, there is no method to predict mesalamine allergy. Pharmacogenomic approaches may help identify these patients. Here we analyzed the genetic background of mesalamine intolerance in the first genome-wide association study of Japanese patients with IBD. Two independent pharmacogenetic IBD cohorts were analyzed: the MENDEL (n = 1523; as a discovery set) and the Tohoku (n = 788; as a replication set) cohorts. Genome-wide association studies were performed in each population, followed by a meta-analysis. In addition, we constructed a polygenic risk score model and combined genetic and clinical factors to model mesalamine intolerance. In the combined cohort, mesalamine-induced fever and/or diarrhea was significantly more frequent in ulcerative colitis vs Crohn's disease. The genome-wide association studies and meta-analysis identified one significant association between rs144384547 (upstream of RGS17) and mesalamine-induced fever and diarrhea (P = 7.21e-09; odds ratio = 11.2). The estimated heritability of mesalamine allergy was 25.4%, suggesting a significant correlation with the genetic background. Furthermore, a polygenic risk score model was built to predict mesalamine allergy (P = 2.95e-2). The combined genetic/clinical prediction model yielded a higher area under the curve than did the polygenic risk score or clinical model alone (area under the curve, 0.89; sensitivity, 71.4%; specificity, 90.8%). Mesalamine allergy was more common in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's disease. We identified a novel genetic association with and developed a combined clinical/genetic model for this adverse event. Show less

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of neurodegenerative dementia and affects nearly 50 million people worldwide. Early stage diagnosis of AD is challenging, and there is presently no effective treatment for AD. The specific genetic alterations and pathological mechanisms of the development and progression of dementia remain poorly understood. Therefore, identifying essential genes and molecular pathways that are associated with this disease's pathogenesis will help uncover potential treatments. In an attempt to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of AD, we integrated the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from six microarray datasets of AD patients and controls. We identified ATPase H+ transporting V1 subunit A ( Show less

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with widespread inflammation, immune dysregulation, and is associated with the generation of destructive anti-DNA autoantibodies. We have shown previously the immune modulatory properties of pCons peptide in the induction of both CD4 Show less

Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) accelerate the GTPase activity of G proteins to enable rapid termination of the signals triggered by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Activation of several GPCRs, including cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R) and adenosine A Show less

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins have attracted attention as a result of their primary role in directing the specificity as well as the temporal and spatial aspects of G protein-coupled receptor signaling. In addition, alterations in RGS protein expression have been observed in a number of disease states, including certain cancers. In this area, RGS17 is of particular interest. It has been demonstrated that, while RGS17 is expressed primarily in the central nervous system, it has been found to be inappropriately expressed in lung, prostate, breast, cervical, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Overexpression of RGS17 leads to dysfunction in inhibitory G protein signaling and an overproduction of the intracellular second messenger cAMP, which in turn alters the transcription patterns of proteins known to promote various cancer types. Suppressing RGS17 expression with RNA interference (RNAi) has been found to decrease tumorigenesis and sufficiently prevents cancer cell migration, leading to the hypothesis that pharmacological blocking of RGS17 function could be useful in anticancer therapies. We have identified small-molecule fragments capable of binding the RGS homology (RH) domain of RGS17 by using a nuclear magnetic resonance fragment-based screening approach. By chemical shift mapping of the two-dimensional Show less

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key players in the progression of human cancers. While several miRNAs have been reported to regulate the development of tumors, the molecular mechanisms and roles of miR-149-5p in prostate carcinoma (PCa) remain unclear. Our aim was to investigate the interaction and functions of miR-149-5p and RGS17 in PCa. Microarray analysis was performed to identify the key miRNA and gene involved in PCa progression. The expression levels of miRNA and mRNA in PCa tissues and cells were verified by qRT-PCR. MTT assay, BrdU proliferation assay and wound-healing assay were applied to assess the effect of miR-149-5p and RGS17 on PCa cells' viability, proliferation, and migration ability. The association between RGS17 and miR-149-5p was identify using dual-luciferase reporter assay and Western blot assay. Data analysis indicated the reduction of miR-149-5p expression in PCa tissues and cells. Experimental investigations also showed that this miRNA suppressed the viability, proliferation and migration ability of PCa cells. RGS17 was found to be the target of miR-149-5p, and the low expression of miR-149-5p upregulated RGS17 in PCa tissues and cells. The results of the cell-function assays showed that RGS17 acted as an oncogene in PCa even though its promotive effect could be reversed by miR-149-5p. This research confirmed that by targeting and inhibiting RGS17, miR-149-5p could suppress PCa development. Show less

The RGS (regulator of G protein signaling) gene family, which includes negative regulators of G protein-coupled receptors, comprises important drug targets for malignant tumors. It is thus of great significance to explore the value of RGS family genes for diagnostic and prognostic prediction in ovarian cancer. The RNA-seq, immunophenotype, and stem cell index data of pan-cancer, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, and GTEx data of ovarian cancer were downloaded from the UCSC Xena database. In the pan-cancer database, the expression level of RGS1, RGS18, RGS19, and RGS13 was positively correlated with stromal and immune cell scores. Cancer patients with high RGS18 expression were more sensitive to cyclophosphamide and nelarabine, whereas those with high RGS19 expression were more sensitive to cladribine and nelarabine. The relationship between RGS family gene expression and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of ovarian cancer patients was analyzed using the KM-plotter database, RGS17, RGS16, RGS1, and RGS8 could be used as diagnostic biomarkers of the immune subtype of ovarian cancer, and RGS10 and RGS16 could be used as biomarkers to predict the clinical stage of this disease. Further, Lasso cox analysis identified a five-gene risk score (RGS11, RGS10, RGS13, RGS4, and RGS3). Multivariate COX analysis showed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for patients with ovarian cancer. Immunohistochemistry and the HPA protein database confirmed that the five-gene signature is overexpressed in ovarian cancer. GSEA showed that it is mainly involved in the ECM-receptor interaction, TGF-beta signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, and chemokine signaling pathway, which promote the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer. The prediction model of ovarian cancer constructed using RGS family genes is of great significance for clinical decision making and the personalized treatment of patients with ovarian cancer. Show less

Cisplatin is a first-line chemotherapeutic for many cancers, but causes neurotoxicity including hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral sensory neuropathy. However, no study has comprehensively characterized risk factors for developing multiple (>1) severe neurotoxicities. The relationship between multiple severe neurotoxicities and age, cumulative cisplatin dose, medical history, and lifestyle/behavioral factors was evaluated in 300 cisplatin-treated testicular cancer survivors using logistic regression. Case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS; cases, Age at clinical examination ( Certain survivors are more susceptible to cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity, markedly increasing likelihood of developing numerous neuro-otological symptoms that affect quality of life. Genome-wide analysis identified genetic variation in Show less

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are negative regulators of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling through their ability to act as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for activated Gα subunits. Members of the RZ subfamily of RGS proteins bind to activated Gα Show less

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, non-coding small RNAs, which play an important part in regulating organismal and pathological processes. Previous studies have shown that miRNA-199 acts as a tumor suppressor gene. However, we aimed to explore the characteristics and function of miRNA-199 in lung cancer (LCa), so as to further study its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis. Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect miRNA-199 expression in 75 pairs of LCa tissues and normal adjacent tissues. In addition, the relationship between miRNA-199 expression and pathological features along with the prognosis of LCa patients were investigated. Besides, the expression level of miRNA-199 in LCa cells was further validated by qRT-PCR. In addition, miRNA-199 overexpression expression model was constructed in LCa cell lines H1299 and SPCA1. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), cell cloning experiments, transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to analyze the effect of miRNA-199 on the biological function of LCa cells. Finally, the potential mechanism was explored using Western blot. qRT-PCR results displayed that the expression level of miRNA-199 in LCa tissues was significantly lower than that of the normal tissues. Compared with patients with high miRNA-199 expression, patients with lowly-expressed miRNA-199 had higher rates of lymph node metastases and distant metastases, and their overall survival rates were lower. In addition, the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of the miRNA-199 overexpression group were significantly increased than that in the negative control group. Western Blot results showed that the expression of key proteins in the EMT pathway, such as N-cadherin, Vimentin, β-catenin and MMP9 significantly increased in miRNA-199 overexpression group. Moreover, we also found that miRNA-199 and RGS17 have mutual regulation, which inhibited the malignant progression of LCa. miRNA-199 expression was down-regulated in LCa and was significantly associated with LCa stage, distant metastasis, and poor prognosis. Besides, miRNA-199 may inhibit the malignant progression of LCa by interacting with RGS17. Show less

The aim of this study was to explore the role of microRNA-203 (miR-203) in Prostate Cancer (PCa), and to further verify its influence in PCa cell function. The expression level of miR-203 in 55 clinical PCa cases and cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR. Then, the target gene of miR-203 in PCa cells was predicted and verified by online prediction software and Luciferase reporter gene assay, respectively. Furthermore, the role of miR-203 in PCa cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle and metastasis capacities was detected through a series of in vitro experiments. The expression of miR-203 in PCa tissues and cells was significantly reduced when compared with that of normal tissues and cells. In searching for potential downstream targets of miR-203, a regulator of G-protein signaling 17 (RGS17) entered our sight due to its active role in a variety of malignant tumors. More importantly, the negative regulation of RGS17 by miR-203 was verified by Luciferase reporter gene assay. Functional experiments demonstrated that low expression of RGS17 in PCa cells induced by up-regulation of miR-203 could significantly restrain the proliferation, invasion and migration capacities of PCa cells. MiR-203 served as a tumor suppressor gene in PCa. Through targeting RGS17, miR-203 significantly controlled the malignant behavior of PCa cells. Our findings revealed that miR-203/RGS17 axis might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PCa. Show less

The aim of this study was to uncover the underlying mechanisms of cervical cancer progression and provide potential therapeutic targets for its treatment in clinic. Real-Time qPCR was used to determine the expression levels of Linc00483, miR-508-3p and RGS17 mRNA in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay was conducted to determine cell apoptosis. Western Blot was performed to detect protein expression levels. Wound healing and Transwell assay were employed to determine cell migration and invasion respectively. Online software (TargetScan, miRDB and miR TarBase) were used to predict the regulating mechanisms of Linc00483, miR-508-3p and RGS17, which were validated by dual-luciferase reporter gene system. In vivo tumor-bearing mice models were established to validate the cellular results. Linc00483 aberrantly overexpressed in both cervical cancer tissues and cell lines comparing to the Control groups. Knock-down of Linc00483 inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation, invasion as well as migration, and promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, miR-508-3p was identified as the downstream target of Linc00483, and miR-508-3p inhibitor abrogated the inhibiting effects of downregulated Linc00483 on cervical cancer cell viability. Furthermore, the expression levels of Linc00483 was positively correlated with RGS17 in the clinical samples and overexpressed Linc00483 increased RGS17 expression levels in cervical cancer cells by sponging miR-508-3p. The in vivo experiments showed that knock-down of Linc00483 inhibited cervical cancer cell tumorigenesis and lung metastasis in mice models. Knock-down of Linc00483 inhibited the development of cervical cancer by regulating miR-508-3p/RGS17 axis. Show less

Functional characterization of disease-causing variants at risk loci has been a significant challenge. Here we report a high-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphisms sequencing (SNPs-seq) technology to simultaneously screen hundreds to thousands of SNPs for their allele-dependent protein-binding differences. This technology takes advantage of higher retention rate of protein-bound DNA oligos in protein purification column to quantitatively sequence these SNP-containing oligos. We apply this technology to test prostate cancer-risk loci and observe differential allelic protein binding in a significant number of selected SNPs. We also test a unique application of self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing (STARR-seq) in characterizing allele-dependent transcriptional regulation and provide detailed functional analysis at two risk loci (RGS17 and ASCL2). Together, we introduce a powerful high-throughput pipeline for large-scale screening of functional SNPs at disease risk loci. Show less

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary tumor of the liver, has a poor prognosis and shows rapid progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) are critical for defining G-protein-dependent signal fidelity. RGS17 plays an important role in the regulation of cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Here, we showed that miR-199 was downregulated in a hepatocarcinoma cell line. Overexpression of miR-199 significantly suppressed HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. RGS17 overexpression promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and reversed the miR-199 mediated inhibition of proliferation, migration, and invasion. Dual-fluorescence reporter experiments confirmed that miR-199 downregulated RGS17 by direct interaction with the 3'-UTR of RGS17 mRNA. In vivo studies showed that miR-199 overexpression significantly inhibited the growth of tumors. Taken together, the results suggested that miR-199 inhibited tumor growth and metastasis by targeting RGS17. Show less

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a poorly differentiated malignant tumor, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic drugs used for the treatment of NPC. Abnormal expression of RGS17 had been shown to improve the sensitivity of many cancers to chemotherapy; however, the effects of RGS17 on NPC remain unclear. We cultured NPC cell lines and altered the RGS17 expression with vector. Subsequently colony formation assays and CCK8 cell viability assay was used to test the proliferation of NPC cells, flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of apoptotic cells, MMP kit and flow cytometry was used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential, and a xenograft tumour model was attached to investigate the effects of RGS17 on the growth of NPC cells in vivo. Additionally, RT-PCR and western blot was induced to examine the expression of RGS17 and the mechanism. Here, we report for the first time that RGS17 is downregulated in NPC cell lines and that RGS17 overexpression significantly reduces cell proliferation, decreases the mitochondrial membrane potential, and induces cell apoptosis in NPC cells. In vivo, RGS17 also inhibits the tumorigenicity of NPC. In addition, RGS17 could significantly improve the sensitivity of NPC cells to 5-FU. Furthermore, investigation into the underlying mechanisms showed that RGS17 upregulated the levels of IRE1α, p53, and active caspase-3 and cleaved PARP. These results indicate that RGS17 could play important roles in the proliferation, apoptosis, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of NPC cells. Show less

Regulators of G-protein Signaling (RGS) proteins inactivate heterotrimeric G proteins, thereby setting the duration of active signaling. In particular, the RGS RZ subfamily, which consists of RGS17, RGS19, and RGS20, mediates numerous physiological functions and human pathologies - mostly by functioning as GTPase Activating Proteins (GAPs) towards the Gα Show less

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins temporally regulate heterotrimeric G protein signaling cascades elicited by G protein-coupled receptor activation and thus are essential for cell homeostasis. The dysregulation of RGS protein expression has been linked to several pathologies, spurring discovery efforts to identify small-molecule inhibitors of these proteins. Presented here are the results of a high-throughput screening (HTS) campaign targeting RGS17, an RGS protein reported to be inappropriately upregulated in several cancers. A screen of over 60,000 small molecules led to the identification of five hit compounds that inhibit the RGS17-Gα Show less

Colorectal carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths and has a high tendency for metastasis, which makes it a priority to find novel methods to diagnose and treat colorectal carcinoma at a very early stage. We studied the role of the regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) family of proteins RGS17 in colorectal carcinoma growth and metastasis. We found that RGS17 was upregulated in both clinical colorectal carcinoma tissues and cultured colorectal carcinoma cells. Knockdown of RGS17 by specific siRNA decreased the cell proliferation rate, whereas overexpression of RGS17 with expression plasmid increased the rate in cultured cells. Consistently, a mouse model for colorectal carcinoma also showed that depletion of RGS17 significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, a Transwell assay showed that RGS17 promoted the ability of colorectal carcinoma cells to migrate and invade. These data suggest that RGS17 is overexpressed in colorectal carcinoma and promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Show less