Identification of Notch signaling pathway gene mutations as a prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer.

Purpose: The authors aimed to identify Notch signaling pathway gene mutations as a prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer. Methods: First, critical Notch signaling pathway genes were screened using The Cancer Genome Atlas and validation sets. Second, immune infiltration, protein-protein interaction network, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis analyses were performed. Finally, potential immunotherapy drug targets were screened using T-cell receptors, B-cell receptors and CERES scores for bladder cancer. Results: The NOTCH7 gene was identified, with a significant difference in immune infiltration level between mutant and wild type in bladder cancer, mainly related to T cells. NOTCH7 was an immunotherapy prognostic factor, and IRF1 and B2M were the potential drug targets for NOTCH7 mutation in bladder cancer. Conclusion: NOTCH7 gene mutation can be used as an immunotherapy biomarker for bladder cancer.

Lay abstract Studies have shown that 43% of bladder cancer patients harbor somatic mutations in genes associated with the Notch signaling pathway. However, it is not clear whether these mutations impact the efficacy of immunotherapy in bladder cancer patients. In the present study, the authors aimed to elucidate whether Notch signaling pathway gene mutations are effective biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response and prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. Results of the present study suggested that seven genes ­ CNTN6, CREBBP, EP300, NCOR1, NCOR2, NOTCH2 and SPEN ­ involved in the Notch signaling pathway can be used to predict the response of patients to immunotherapy. In addition, IRF1 and B2M can act as combination drug targets with these seven genes.

[Expression of integrin-linked kinase in prostate cancer and its significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) in primary prostate cancer and its clinical significance. METHODS: The expression of ILK was analysed in 50 prostate cancer and 16 benign prostatic hyperplasia samples by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The positive percentage of ILK was 46.0% (23/50) in primary prostate cancer. The higher the grade and the clinical stage of the tumor, the lower the expression of ILK. The positive percentages of ILK were 9.1% (1/11) in the well differentiated type, 56.4% (22/39) in the moderately and poorly differentiated type (chi2 = 12.28, P < 0.01), 24.0% (6/25) in the well and moderately differentiated type, 68.0% (17/25) in the poorly differentiated type (chi2 = 9.74, P < 0.01), 22.6% (7/31) at the A + B stage and 84.0% (16/19) at the C + D stage (chi2 = 11.8, P < 0.01). But in benign prostatic hyperplasia, it was only 6.2% (1/16), significantly lower than in primary prostate cancer (46.0%) (chi2 = 8.27, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The abnormal expression of ILK plays an important role in the development of primary prostate cancer, and the detection of ILK may be useful for the judgement of tumor development and prognosis.