Article
Cell Biology
Yuqing Wang, Shanshan Lu, Yifei Chen, Liang Li, Xia Li, Zhongwei Qu, Junbo Huang, Liu Fan, Chao Yuan, Nan Song, Jun Zhang, Wendong Xu, Shenglian Yang, Yizheng Wang
Summary: The study demonstrated that the SHH-SMO-GLT-1 pathway can control extracellular glutamate and reduce ischemic brain damage by inhibiting SMO. It was found that under ischemic conditions, regulating the SHH-SMO-GLT-1 pathway can decrease the release of extracellular glutamate, thereby protecting neurons.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Developmental Biology
Nicole Roberto, Isabelle Becam, Anne Plessis, Robert A. Holmgren
Summary: Morphogen gradients require robustness and can be tailored for specific tissues through negative regulators and feedback loops. In the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, genes like Engrailed and Roadkill modulate Hh signaling and affect the formation of the Hh gradient.
Review
Cell Biology
Wanchen Wang, Ryo Shiraishi, Daisuke Kawauchi
Summary: The sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway plays a crucial role in regulating the development of the central nervous system in vertebrates, and aberrant regulation can lead to neurodevelopmental diseases and brain tumors. Research on the mechanisms of SHH in the cerebellum has shed light on structural abnormalities and medulloblastoma, with current clinical trials exploring novel therapeutic approaches.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Begona Caballero-Ruiz, Danai S. Gkotsi, Hattie Ollerton, Cintli C. Morales-Alcala, Rosa Bordone, Georgia M. L. Jenkins, Laura Di Magno, Gianluca Canettieri, Natalia A. Riobo-Del Galdo
Summary: We have discovered that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the tumor suppressor PTCH1 interacts with ATG101 and affects autophagy. We found that this interaction is absent in certain types of cancer. Truncation mutants lacking this interaction show increased proliferation and reduced sensitivity to autophagy inducers or glycolysis inhibitors.
Article
Biology
Justine M. Pinskey, Tyler M. Hoard, Xiao-Feng Zhao, Nicole E. Franks, Zoe C. Frank, Alexandra N. McMellen, Roman J. Giger, Benjamin L. Allen
Summary: Hedgehog signaling is crucial throughout the life of an organism, and this study reveals Plexin as a novel component of this pathway and investigates its functionality and mechanism of action.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alina Nicheperovich, Andrea Townsend-Nicholson
Summary: This review suggests that detection of Smo variants through tumor profiling could lead to increased precision and improved outcomes of anti-cancer treatments.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thomas D. Gilmore
Summary: NF-kappa B is extensively studied for its roles in cancer development and is often constitutively or aberrantly activated in human cancers. Activation can occur due to mutations in NF-kappa B factors, upstream regulators, or pathways impacting NF-kappa B. Despite being considered an anticancer strategy, inhibition of NF-kappa B has had limited success in cancer treatment.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xueni Niu, Yinuo Shi, Qiao Li, Hong Chen, Xiaoyu Fan, Yang Yu, Chongning Lv, Jincai Lu
Summary: This study systematically evaluated the reversal activity of Ginsenoside Rb1 on cisplatin-insensitivity of A549/DDP cells and revealed its prospective molecular mechanism. The results showed that Ginsenoside Rb1 effectively reversed cisplatin-resistance of A549/DDP cells, increased intracellular cisplatin concentration, and improved cisplatin-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression levels of related proteins. This research laid the groundwork for the development of a new reversal agent for cisplatin-insensitivity of NSCLC.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huanxian Wu, Lishun Zhang, Boyu Chen, Baofang Ou, Jiahuan Xu, Nannan Tian, Danni Yang, Yangcheng Ai, Qianqing Chen, Dongling Quan, Tingting Zhang, Lin Lv, Yuanxin Tian, Jiajie Zhang, Shaoyu Wu
Summary: B13 is an effective drug that inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. It has low toxicity and superior antitumor activity compared to Vismodegib. By binding to Smo protein, B13 inhibits the expression of downstream gene Gli1 and its localization in the nucleus, overcoming resistance caused by SmoD473H mutations.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Jianhang Jia, Jin Jiang
Summary: This review focuses on the essential role of Smoothened (Smo) protein in Hedgehog (Hh) signal transduction, as well as the regulatory mechanisms of Smo endocytosis and degradation in both insects and vertebrates. It discusses how Hh inhibits Smo ubiquitination and promotes Smo surface/ciliary accumulation through ubiquitin-specific protease 8 (USP8) in Drosophila, and also highlights the induction of sumoylation by Hh in regulating Smo trafficking and abundance in both Drosophila and mammalian cells.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lili Wang, Haiying Li, Zhang Li, Ming Li, Qi Tang, Chunxiao Wu, Zhiming Lu
Summary: The study revealed that SMO loss is a characteristic of NEPC and detecting SMO by IHC could aid pathologists in NEPC diagnosis. SMO loss may promote NEPC pathogenesis by modulating AR signaling.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Corvin D. Arveseth, John T. Happ, Danielle S. Hedeen, Ju-Fen Zhu, Jacob L. Capener, Dana Klatt Shaw, Ishan Deshpande, Jiahao Liang, Jiewei Xu, Sara L. Stubben, Isaac B. Nelson, Madison F. Walker, Kouki Kawakami, Asuka Inoue, Nevan J. Krogan, David J. Grunwald, Ruth Huttenhain, Aashish Manglik, Benjamin R. Myers
Summary: The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway plays a crucial role in organ development, homeostasis, and regeneration, with dysfunction leading to various cancers. Research suggests that SMO activates GLI by binding and sequestering PKA, contradicting traditional GPCR signaling paradigms. This mechanism could have broader implications for GPCR- and PKA-containing cascades in biology.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jian Yi Chai, Vaisnevee Sugumar, Mohammed Abdullah Alshawsh, Won Fen Wong, Aditya Arya, Pei Pei Chong, Chung Yeng Looi
Summary: The Hedgehog (Hh)-glioma-associated oncogene homolog (GLI) signaling pathway is highly conserved in mammals and plays crucial roles in cancer initiation and progression. GLI transcription factors are regulated by both SMO-dependent and SMO-independent mechanisms, with dysregulation leading to tumorigenesis in various cancers. Understanding the complex interplay between GLI and signaling elements could inspire new therapeutic breakthroughs for Hh-GLI-dependent cancers.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Li Xu, Caixia Ji, Tingting Yu, Jinyong Luo
Summary: Diseases such as bone nonunion and osteoporosis seriously impact people's quality of life, and bone tissue engineering using mesenchymal stem cells is an effective solution. Previous studies have shown the efficacy of BMP9 in promoting osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the role of Gli1 and Gli2 in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. The results demonstrated that inhibition of Gli1 and Gli2 weakened BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation and reduced the expression of key osteogenic markers, as well as the activation of p-Smad1/5/8 and p-p38 induced by BMP9. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of Gli1 and Gli2 in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saleh A. Almatroodi, Ahmad Almatroudi, Amjad Ali Khan, Arshad Husain Rahmani
Summary: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and natural compounds like formononetin have been shown to inhibit cancer growth through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Formononetin, a type of isoflavone, regulates inflammation, angiogenesis, cell cycle, and apoptosis, and has been proven effective against various cancer types. This review emphasizes the role of formononetin in different cancers and its influence on cell signaling pathways. Further clinical trials are needed to explore its potential in cancer prevention and treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Ke Mi, Lizhong Zeng, Yang Chen, Jingya Ning, Siyuan Zhang, Peilin Zhao, Shuanying Yang
Summary: In this study, the researchers explored the role of DHX38 in NSCLC and its underlying molecular mechanism. They found that DHX38 was overexpressed in NSCLC and patients with high DHX38 expression had poor prognosis. DHX38 promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in NSCLC and activated the MAPK pathway. The researchers also identified G3BP1 as a target protein that interacted with DHX38 and showed that DHX38 regulated the expression of G3BP1. Silencing G3BP1 reversed the effects of DHX38 overexpression on tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited the MAPK pathway activation.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Tiina A. Jokela, Mark A. Dane, Rebecca L. Smith, Kaylyn L. Devlin, Sundus Shalabi, Jennifer C. Lopez, Masaru Miyano, Martha R. Stampfer, James E. Korkola, Joe W. Gray, Laura M. Heiser, Mark A. Labarge
Summary: Microenvironment signals have a significant impact on cell fate and tissue homeostasis. Understanding how different microenvironment factors regulate cellular phenotype has been challenging. In this study, a high-throughput microenvironment microarray was used to identify factors that support the proliferation and maintenance of primary human mammary luminal epithelial cells. Multiple factors that modulate luminal cell number were identified and their effects were confirmed using RNA sequencing and cell-based functional studies. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was found to be robust to individual variation and played a role in expanding luminal cells. Our approach demonstrates the power of high-dimensional cell-based approaches in dissecting microenvironmental signals.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Chao He, Yongfeng Ding, Yan Yang, Gang Che, Fei Teng, Haohao Wang, Jing Zhang, Donghui Zhou, Yanyan Chen, Zhan Zhou, Haiyong Wang, Lisong Teng
Summary: This study categorized gastric cancer patients into three stemness subtypes, each demonstrating distinct prognoses, components of tumor microenvironment (TME) infiltration, and varying sensitivity or resistance to treatment. A stemness risk model was constructed to predict treatment response and prognosis.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Haile Zhao, Lijuan Feng, Rui Cheng, Man Wu, Xiaozhou Bai, Lifei Fan, Yaping Liu
Summary: miR-29c-3p is overexpressed in benign and malignant ovarian carcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis. Its overexpression modulates tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer cells, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, proliferation, migration, and invasion, through the regulation of DNMT3A, TET1, and HBP1. miR-29c-3p may serve as a potential biomarker for clinical diagnosis or co-diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Haiyan Zhao, Fangfang Bi, Mengyuan Li, Yuhan Diao, Chen Zhang
Summary: This study confirmed the tumor suppressor effect of RNF180 on ovarian cancer, elucidated the mechanism of the molecule network related to RNF180 and IPO4 in ovarian cancer, and identified a new therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Chu Chen, Guanhua Xu, Jiajia Chen, Chunshuai Wu, Jinlong Zhang, Jiawei Jiang, Hongxiang Hong, Zhiming Cui
Summary: This study investigated the role of transcription factor FoxO1 in facet joint osteoarthritis (FJOA) and found that FoxO1 deletion led to severe osteoarthritic changes. Transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and potential key contributors to FJOA. Additionally, over-expression of certain genes and inhibition of others were shown to counteract the impairments caused by FoxO1 deletion in chondrocyte migration and extracellular matrix synthesis. These findings help unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying FJOA and open up promising therapeutic avenues for its treatment.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Wen Deng, Ru Chen, Situ Xiong, Jianqiang Nie, Hailang Yang, Ming Jiang, Bing Hu, Xiaoqiang Liu, Bin Fu
Summary: This study demonstrates that circFSCN1 is upregulated in bladder cancer and associated with cancer-specific survival. CircFSCN1 promotes tumor progression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in bladder cancer through enhancing MDM2-mediated silencing of p53 by sponging miR-145-5p.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Jun Wu, Weibin Hu, Wenhui Yang, Yihao Long, Kaizhao Chen, Fugui Li, Xiaodong Ma, Xun Li
Summary: Cholesterol biosynthesis and metabolism play critical roles in tumor development and microenvironmental conditions. Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE), the second rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis, is found to be uniquely expressed in various cancers, and its expression level is closely associated with tumor mutation burden and microsatellite instability. SQLE expression is negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration. Inhibition of SQLE alters the immune response in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, protein metabolism and translation are identified as main binding factors with SQLE.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhihong Zhang, Mingyue Li, Yi Tai, Yue Xing, Hongxiang Zuo, Xuejun Jin, Juan Ma
Summary: ZNF70 plays an important role in colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) by regulating macrophages IL-1 beta secretion to promote HCT116 proliferation. It may serve as a promising target for treating CAC.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Zenghong Wu, Gangping Li, Weijun Wang, Kun Zhang, Mengke Fan, Yu Jin, Rong Lin
Summary: This study comprehensively explored the role of immune checkpoints and tumor microenvironment in gastric cancer patients based on genomic data. It constructed an ICIs signature and ICI score to evaluate patient prognosis and heterogeneity.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Yantong Wan, Jieshu Zhou, Panpan Zhang, Xuemei Lin, Hao Li
Summary: This study found that Rac1 plays a role in astrocyte activation and attenuates chronic inflammatory pain by blocking the phosphorylation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-kappa B.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Zhen Wang, Diankun She, Lei Liu, Xianming Hua, Hao Zhu, Lingfeng Yu, Han Wang, Yan Zhu, Gentao Fan, Yicun Wang, Meng Xu, Guangxin Zhou
Summary: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that play a role in the regulation of various cancers, including osteosarcoma (OS). This study identified circSATB2 as a highly expressed circRNA in OS tissues and cell lines, and demonstrated its involvement in promoting OS proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, circSATB2 was found to regulate the progression of OS by sponging miR-661 and FUS to regulate ZNFX1 mRNA. These findings suggest that circSATB2 could serve as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for osteosarcoma.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Kenichi Ogata, Masafumi Moriyama, Tatsuya Kawado, Hiroki Yoshioka, Aiko Yano, Mayu Matsumura-Kawashima, Seiji Nakamura, Shintaro Kawano
Summary: This study found that extracellular vesicles released by induced pluripotent stem cells can reduce inflammatory cell infiltration, increase saliva volume, and decrease the production of antibodies associated with Sjogren's syndrome in a mouse model. The let-7 family in these vesicles may suppress the expression of TLR4 and NF-kappa B, which leads to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production through the MAPK pathway.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Mikayla R. Erdelsky, Sarah A. Groves, Charmi Shah, Samantha B. Delios, M. Bibiana Umana, Donald H. Maurice
Summary: Recent evidence suggests that cAMP signaling within the primary cilium plays a crucial role in promoting adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In this study, the researchers identified the specific cAMP phosphodiesterases expressed by these cells and found that inhibition of PDE4 promotes FFAR4-mediated adipogenesis. This work could potentially lead to the discovery of more targeted therapeutic approaches for controlling adipogenesis and differentiation of other stem cells.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)
Article
Cell Biology
Chun-Hui Liu, Jun-Jie Zhang, Qian-Jin Zhang, Yang Dong, Zhen-Duo Shi, Si-Hao Hong, Hou-Guang He, Wei Wu, Cong-Hui Han, Lin Hao
Summary: Bladder cancer, the most common malignant tumor in the urinary system, is associated with significantly up-regulated expression of P3H4, which is regulated by METTL3 and plays a crucial role in the proliferation, metastasis, and EMT progression of bladder cancer. Targeting this METTL3-P3H4 pathway may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer.
CELLULAR SIGNALLING
(2024)