Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yang Gu, Yanying Wang, Luyun He, Jiahang Zhang, Xiaoxiao Zhu, Nian Liu, Jianyi Wang, Tiankun Lu, Lei He, Yong Tian, Zusen Fan
Summary: This study identified circIPO11 as highly expressed in HCC tumor tissues and liver CSCs, playing a critical role in self-renewal maintenance of liver CSCs and HCC development. Mechanistically, circIPO11 activates the Hedgehog signaling pathway, promoting tumor cell propagation. Targeting circIPO11 and the Hedgehog pathway may provide new potential for HCC treatment.
Article
Cell Biology
Xuesong Feng, A. Hongjun Wang, Aster H. Juan, Kyung Dae Ko, Kan Jiang, Giulia Riparini, Veronica Ciuffoli, Aissah Kaba, Christopher Lopez, Faiza Naz, Michal Jarnik, Elizabeth Aliberti, Shenyuan Hu, Jessica Segales, Mamduh Khateb, Natalia Acevedo-Luna, Davide Randazzo, Tom H. Cheung, Pura Munoz-Canoves, Stefania Dell'Orso, Vittorio Sartorelli
Summary: Polycomb Ezh1 maintains quiescence of murine muscle stem cells (MuSCs) through a non-canonical function by regulating gene expression of the Notch signaling pathway. Loss of Ezh1 leads to premature exit from quiescence, depletion of MuSCs, and impaired muscle regeneration. Selective restoration of Notch signaling corrects stem cell number and restores quiescence in Ezh1-/- MuSCs.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Huawei Xu, Zhibin Hao, Yujie Wang, Deng Zhang, Jie Li, Ling Chen, Ninghua Yao, Binbin Qian, Xiaobo Peng, Xianbao Zhan
Summary: Gastric cancer, a prevalent tumor globally, is often fatal due to peritoneal metastasis. However, the underlying mechanism of peritoneal metastasis remains unclear. Our study using organoids derived from malignant ascites of gastric cancer patients revealed that the interaction between exfoliated cancer cells and the liquid tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in peritoneal metastasis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun Yu, Cong Shen, Meng Lin, Xia Chen, Xiuliang Dai, Zhiran Li, Yunhao Wu, Yangbo Fu, Jinxing Lv, Xiaoyan Huang, Bo Zheng, Fei Sun
Summary: In this study, we identified BMI1 as a key regulator of spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) maintenance. BMI1 represses target genes by increasing H2AK119ub and reducing H3K4me3 in SSCs. Additionally, BMI1 inhibition activates Wnt signaling and promotes nuclear translocation of beta-catenin in SSCs. Suppression of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling restores SSC maintenance in BMI1-deficient SSCs. Our findings not only reveal a novel mechanism for BMI1 in SSC maintenance, but also provide a potential strategy for treating male infertility.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Ting Sun, Keqiang Zhang, Rajendra P. Pangeni, Jun Wu, Wendong Li, Yong Du, Yuming Guo, Shyambabu Chaurasiya, Leonidas Arvanitis, Dan J. Raz
Summary: The study highlights the potential role of G9a in promoting invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer, through modulation of focal adhesion kinase pathway and NF-kappa B activity.
MOLECULAR CANCER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qian Feng, Nan Cui, Shan Li, Jing Cao, Qian Chen, Haiyan Wang
Summary: SOX9 is correlated with poor prognosis of cervical cancer and its overexpression enhances stem cell properties and promotes tumorigenicity. SOX9 regulates the self-renewal and tumorigenicity of cervical cancer through the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway by directly activating FZD10 and MYC and inhibiting DKK1.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Xue-Jing Li, Qing-Lan Li, Lin-Gao Ju, Chen Zhao, Lan-Shen Zhao, Jia-Wen Du, Yan Wang, Ling Zheng, Bao-Liang Song, Lian-Yun Li, Li Li, Min Wu
Summary: The study demonstrates that Setd2 deficiency can trigger spontaneous HCC by modulating DNA damage response and lipid metabolism in the liver. High-fat diet enhances lipid accumulation and promotes the development of HCC in Setd2-deficient mice.
Article
Cell Biology
Huijuan Lin, Keren Cheng, Hiroshi Kubota, Yemin Lan, Simone S. Riedel, Kazue Kakiuchi, Kotaro Sasaki, Kathrin M. Bernt, Marisa S. Bartolomei, Mengcheng Luo, P. Jeremy Wang
Summary: This study identifies the critical role of DOT1L in the self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells, mediated by promoting the expression of fate-determining transcription factors HoxC and accumulation of H3K79me2 at specific genes.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meihui Li, Younghoon Kim, Tae-Shin Kim, Nam-Yun Cho, Jeong Mo Bae, Woo Ho Kim, Gyeong Hoon Kang
Summary: The study found that gastric cancer patients with multiple protooncogene copy number gains exhibited more frequent venous invasion, lower density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and lower methylation levels. These patients also had the worst clinical outcomes in terms of both overall survival and recurrence-free survival.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Akihiko Yokoyama
Summary: Homeostasis in the blood system is maintained by the balance between self-renewing stem cells and nonstem cells, with transcriptional regulators like MOZ and MLL playing a key role in promoting self-renewal. Mutations in these regulators can lead to abnormal self-renewal and leukemia, suggesting the importance of proper transcriptional regulation in hematopoietic cell differentiation and homeostasis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Serena Filiberti, Mariapia Russo, Silvia Lonardi, Mattia Bugatti, William Vermi, Cathy Tournier, Emanuele Giurisato
Summary: Macrophages are abundant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, with crucial functions in cancer progression. Their plasticity and self-renewal ability are key factors in tumor development and therapy resistance. Additionally, macrophage metabolism and TAM proliferation are influenced by microenvironmental factors.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jingjing Hu, Ke Chen, Fangfang Hong, Guosheng Gao, Xiaoyu Dai, Hua Yin
Summary: METTL3 modifies SOCS3 mRNA with m6A to promote the stemness and tumorigenicity of LCSCs.
CANCER GENE THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Virginia Lopez, Juan Ramon Tejedor, Antonella Carella, Maria G. Garcia, Pablo Santamarina-Ojeda, Raul F. Perez, Cristina Mangas, Rocio G. Urdinguio, Aitziber Aranburu, Daniel de la Nava, Maria D. Corte-Torres, Aurora Astudillo, Manuela Mollejo, Barbara Melendez, Agustin F. Fernandez, Mario F. Fraga
Summary: Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly involving the histone methyltransferase KMT5B and its mark H4K20me2, play a key role in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Downregulation of KMT5B is associated with DNA hypermethylation and loss of DNA hydroxymethylation in GBM samples. Ectopic overexpression of KMT5B induces tumor suppressor-like features and changes in gene expression, suggesting a possible role in GBM through epigenetic modulation of key target cancer genes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Zhenzhen Chen, Lan Huang, Kaili Wang, Lulu Zhang, Xiang Zhong, Zhongyi Yan, Benyu Liu, Pingping Zhu
Summary: Liver cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease with various cell types present in tumor tissue. Liver tumor initiating cells (TICs) play significant roles in tumor heterogeneity, initiation, and metastasis. A recently discovered functional circular RNA called rtcisE2F is found to be highly expressed in liver cancer and liver TICs. rtcisE2F is involved in the self-renewal and activities of liver TICs by targeting E2F6 and E2F3 mRNA and regulating their expression. Mechanistically, rtcisE2F acts as a scaffold for the interaction between N-methyladenosine (m(6)A) reader IGF2BP2 and E2F6/E2F3 mRNA, affecting their stability and decay. Additionally, E2F6 and E2F3 are found to be essential for liver TIC self-renewal and Wnt/beta-catenin activation.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Shuhua Zhang, Jianqun Xu, Huan Cao, Mi Jiang, Jun Xiong
Summary: This study identified KB-68A7.1 as a lowly expressed and prognosis-related lncRNA in HCC. KB-68A7.1 suppressed HCC progression by binding to NSD1 and repressing Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Quan Yao, Lian Zou, Haitao Lan, Shuchun Luo, Shun Lu, Jinyi Lang, Chuan Xu
Summary: Telemedicine is considered an important method for improving medical education in rural areas. A tele-radiotherapy system has been developed in Sichuan Province, China to train radiation oncologists and address the shortage of doctors in rural areas. This system allows rural medical professionals to receive training and learn about the radiation therapy process remotely, while also providing access to the expertise of specialists in urban hospitals.
JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hong Wu, Hongyan Li, Yiqiang Liu, Jingchen Liang, Qianshi Liu, Zhigang Xu, Zhongzhu Chen, Xia Zhang, Kun Zhang, Chuan Xu
Summary: Nanobiotechnology-engineered autologous tumor vaccines (ATVs) camouflaged by tumor cell membrane (TCM) were designed to activate and facilitate the infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) for killing lung tumor cells. PDE5 and PD-L1 dual-target co-inhibition was proposed to unfreeze the immuno-suppressive microenvironment of NSCLC. Studies showed that ATVs with PDE5 inhibitor and NO donor exerted robust anti-tumor effects by increasing iNOS expression, blocking PDE5 pathway, and activating immune responses, resulting in eradication of lung cancers in various models.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bo Tang, Lanlin Hu, Tao Jiang, Yunchang Li, Huasheng Xu, Hang Zhou, Mei Lan, Ke Xu, Jun Yin, Chunxia Su, Caicun Zhou, Chuan Xu
Summary: A prognostic model based on metabolism-related gene (MRG) was constructed using WGCNA, NMF, and Cox regression analysis, which can predict the survival and response to ICIs in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Mingxin Liu, Hong Wu, Chuan Xu
Summary: This review summarizes the characteristics and regulating pathways of lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) from essential to preclinical research and provides an update on the clinical development of therapeutics targeting CSC-associated developmental signaling pathways. It also discusses the opportunities to target CSC-immune interactions in lung cancer treatment.
CURRENT OPINION IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Qiang Zou, Meng Liu, Kewei Liu, Yi Zhang, Brian J. J. North, Bin Wang
Summary: This review focuses on the roles and mechanisms of E3 ubiquitin ligases in regulating essential hallmarks of cancer stem cells (CSCs), such as self-renewal, invasion and metastasis, metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance. It discusses emerging therapeutic approaches to eliminate CSCs through targeting E3 ubiquitin ligases using chemical inhibitors and proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTACs). However, further studies are needed to understand the roles of E3 ubiquitin ligases in the heterogeneity and phenotypical/functional evolution of CSCs under pathologically and clinically relevant conditions.
Review
Cell Biology
Li-Ting Shen, Lin-Rong Che, Zongsheng He, Qian Lu, Dong-Feng Chen, Zhong-yi Qin, Bin Wang
Summary: Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a common malignancy with poor treatment outcomes due to the lack of molecular targeted therapies. Recent research has linked RNA N6-Methyladenosine (m(6)A) modification, an important layer of epigenetic regulation, to various biological hallmarks of cancer. This modification controls gene expression dynamically and reversibly and may have oncogenic, tumor suppressive, or context-dependent roles in GI tumorigenesis. Research findings on m(6)A modification in GI cancers are comprehensively summarized in this review, along with the development of m(6)A targeting compounds. These compounds hold promise for clinical translation in treating GI cancers.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Shijie Qin, Xiaohong Yao, Weiwei Li, Canbiao Wang, Weijun Xu, Zhenhua Gan, Yang Yang, Aifang Zhong, Bin Wang, Zhicheng He, Jian Wu, Qiuyue Wu, Weijun Jiang, Ying Han, Fan Wang, Zhihua Wang, Yuehua Ke, Jun Zhao, Junyin Gao, Liang Qu, Ping Jin, Miao Guan, Xinyi Xia, Xiuwu Bian
Summary: Through single-cell transcriptome sequencing of the lung, blood, and bone marrow of two deceased COVID-19 patients, we discovered that SARS-CoV-2 infection increases cellular communication between alveolar type I cells (AT1) or alveolar type II cells (AT2) and myeloid cells, leading to immune activation, inflammation microenvironment, and subsequent disorders in fibroblasts, club, and ciliated cells. This disruption may contribute to increased pulmonary fibrosis and mucus accumulation. Additionally, our study revealed the recruitment of lung T cells by myeloid cells through ligands/receptors and the dysregulation of certain ligands/receptors across multiple tissues in COVID-19 patients, suggesting their involvement in immune cell activation, migration, and the inflammatory storm.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Meng Liu, Qin Liu, Qiang Zou, Jinyang Li, Zhaole Chu, Junyu Xiang, Wei-Qing Chen, Zhi-Feng Miao, Bin Wang
Summary: The turnover of the stomach epithelial lining is driven by long-lived stem cells, which undergo rapid division and maintain the structural and functional integrity of the stomach. The phenotypic and functional diversity of gastric stem cells is determined by their specific locations in the stomach and their interactions with the microenvironment. This review highlights the importance of understanding the biology and role of gastric stem cells in epithelial regeneration and cancer development, and emphasizes the need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chuan Xu, Hong Wu, Yiqiang Liu, Feifei Li, Rajesh Kumar Manne, Hui-Kuan Lin
Summary: In this study, optimized methods for assessing the efficiency of cancer cell phagocytosis by macrophages in vitro and in vivo were presented. The preparation and co-culture of macrophages and cancer cells were described, followed by the evaluation of phagocytosis efficiency using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy for in vitro assays, and flow cytometry and qRT-PCR for in vivo detection in a xenograft tumor mouse model. This protocol provides a convenient way to assess macrophage-mediated phagocytosis of cancer cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Li-Hong Wang, Sen Wei, Ye Yuan, Ming-Jun Zhong, Jiao Wang, Ze-Xuan Yan, Kai Zhou, Tao Luo, Li Liang, Xiu-Wu Bian
Summary: PARP inhibitors have limited efficacy when used alone in glioblastoma (GBM) patients, leading researchers to explore combination therapies. This study found that concurrent treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib and XPO1 inhibitor KPT330 showed synergistic anticancer effects on GBM cells. Mechanistically, KPT330 induced the nuclear retention of SQSTM1 and inhibited the ubiquitination of the DNA repair signal H2AX mediated by olaparib in the nucleus, inhibiting DNA damage response and repair in GBM. In the cytoplasm, KPT330 blocked autophagic flux and induced dysfunction of lysosomes, ultimately promoting cell death.
Article
Oncology
Hong Wu, Xuefeng Leng, Qianshi Liu, Tianqin Mao, Tao Jiang, Yiqiang Liu, Feifei Li, Chenhui Cao, Jun Fan, Liang Chen, Yaqi Chen, Quan Yao, Shun Lu, Renchuan Liang, Lanlin Hu, Mingxin Liu, Yejian Wan, Zhaoshen Li, Jun Peng, Qiyu Luo, Hang Zhou, Jun Yin, Ke Xu, Mei Lan, Xinhao Peng, Haitao Lan, Gang Li, Yongtao Han, Xia Zhang, Zhi-Xiong Jim Xiao, Jinyi Lang, Guihua Wang, Chuan Xu
Summary: Analysis of intratumoral microbiota in patients with esophageal cancer reveals a microbiota signature that is associated with chemoimmunotherapy response, showing that Streptococcus stimulates CD8+ T-cell infiltration and induces a favorable response. These findings suggest the potential clinical utility of intratumoral microbiota for cancer immunotherapy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Junyu Xiang, Ni Zhang, Aibei Du, Jinyang Li, Mengyun Luo, Yuzhu Wang, Meng Liu, Luming Yang, Xianfeng Li, Lin Wang, Qin Liu, Dongfeng Chen, Tao Wang, Xiu-wu Bian, Zhong-yi Qin, Li Su, Liangzhi Wen, Bin Wang
Summary: Effective treatment for metastasis is lacking. This study identifies MEF2D as a critical sensor for niche signals in liver, regulating the adhesion and colonization of disseminated cancer cells. Blocking this feedback loop could be a potential approach to prevent intrahepatic metastasis.
Article
Oncology
Juan Feng, Yang Lan, Feng Liu, Ye Yuan, Jia Ge, Sen Wei, Hu Luo, Jianjun Li, Tao Luo, Xiuwu Bian
Summary: The genomic instability/homologous recombination deficiency (GI/HRD) score has prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma, particularly when combined with TP53 status, but is not applicable for all types of lung cancer.
NPJ PRECISION ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Zhe Zhao, Pei-Ying Zou, Na-Yun Su, Yan Guo, Xing-Wei Wang, Jing-Tao Zhao, Hao Mei, Qing Shi, Bin Wang, Dong-Feng Chen, Chun-Hui Lan
Summary: This study compared the efficacy, safety, patient compliance, and cost of high-dose dual therapy (HDDT) and culture-based susceptibility-guided therapy (CB-SGT) as rescue regimens for Helicobacter pylori infection. The results showed that HDDT can effectively eradicate H. pylori infection with lower side effects and costs.
THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qu-Jing Gai, Zhen Fu, Jiang He, Min Mao, Xiao-Xue Yao, Yan Qin, Xi Lan, Lin Zhang, Jing-Ya Miao, Yan-Xia Wang, Jiang Zhu, Fei-Cheng Yang, Hui-Min Lu, Ze-Xuan Yan, Fang-Lin Chen, Yu Shi, Yi-Fang Ping, You-Hong Cui, Xia Zhang, Xindong Liu, Xiao-Hong Yao, Sheng-Qing Lv, Xiu-Wu Bian, Yan Wang
Summary: PDGFRA may not be necessary for PDGFA function. The study revealed EPHA2 as a potential receptor of PDGFA and identified that co-upregulation of PDGFA and EPHA2 led to worse patient prognosis and poorer therapeutic effects. Combination inhibitors targeting PDGFRA and EHA2 represent a promising therapeutic strategy for GBM treatment.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Xinru Zhou, Yin Jia, Chuanbin Mao, Shanrong Liu
Summary: Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), such as exosomes, have emerged as crucial targets for liquid biopsy and promising drug delivery vehicles in tumor progression. They can serve as biomarkers for tumor diagnosis and as drug carriers for cancer treatment.
Article
Oncology
Ruochan Chen, Ju Zhu, Xiao Zhong, Jie Li, Rui Kang, Daolin Tang
Summary: The interplay between autophagy and apoptosis plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy, with HMGB1 serving as a key regulator in these processes.
Article
Oncology
Zongfu Pan, Xixuan Lu, Tong Xu, Jinming Chen, Lisha Bao, Ying Li, Yingying Gong, Yulu Che, Xiaozhou Zou, Zhuo Tan, Ping Huang, Minghua Ge
Summary: This study uncovered the emerging role of HN1 in promoting dedifferentiation of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cells. HN1 negatively regulated the thyroid differentiation markers and had an inhibitory effect on the transcriptional activation of CTCF, thereby influencing the chromatin accessibility of thyroid differentiation genes.
Article
Oncology
Yi Qin, Shengjun Xiong, Jun Ren, Gautam Sethi
Summary: Autophagy plays an important regulatory role in glioblastoma, and its dysregulation can lead to drug resistance and radioresistance. It also affects stem cell characteristics, overall growth, and metastasis. Therefore, autophagy is a promising target for glioblastoma therapy.
Article
Oncology
Katsuya Nagaoka, Xuewei Bai, Dan Liu, Kevin Cao, Joud Mulla, Chengcheng Ji, Hongze Chen, Muhammad Azhar Nisar, Amalia Bay, William Mueller, Grace Hildebrand, Jin-Song Gao, Shaolei Lu, Hiroko Setoyama, Yasuhito Tanaka, Jack R. Wands, Chiung-Kuei Huang
Summary: This study found that serum 2-OG levels in cholangiocarcinoma patients are associated with the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Patients with progressive disease showed significantly higher levels of serum 2-OG compared to stable disease and partial response patients. The study also revealed that overexpression of ASPH mimics the effects of 2-OG, and knockdown of ASPH improves chemotherapy. Targeting ASPH enhances the effects of chemotherapy by modulating ATM and ATR, two key regulators of DDRs.
