Endogenous tRNA-Derived Fragments Suppress Breast Cancer Progression via YBX1 Displacement.

Upon exposure to stress, tRNAs are enzymatically cleaved, yielding distinct classes of tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), yielding distinct classes of tRFs. We identify a novel class of tRFs derived from tRNA(Glu), tRNA(Asp), tRNA(Gly), and tRNA(Tyr) that, upon induction, suppress the stability of multiple oncogenic transcripts in breast cancer cells by displacing their 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) from the RNA-binding protein YBX1. This mode of post-transcriptional silencing is sequence specific, as these fragments all share a common motif that matches the YBX1 recognition sequence. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies, using anti-sense locked-nucleic acids (LNAs) and synthetic RNA mimetics, respectively, revealed that these fragments suppress growth under serum-starvation, cancer cell invasion, and metastasis by breast cancer cells. Highly metastatic cells evade this tumor-suppressive pathway by attenuating the induction of these tRFs. Our findings reveal a tumor-suppressive role for specific tRNA-derived fragments and describe a molecular mechanism for their action. This transcript displacement-based mechanism may generalize to other tRNA, ribosomal-RNA, and sno-RNA fragments.

Splicing factor YBX1 regulates bone marrow stromal cell fate during aging.

Senescence and altered differentiation potential of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) lead to age-related bone loss. As an important posttranscriptional regulatory pathway, alternative splicing (AS) regulates the diversity of gene expression and has been linked to induction of cellular senescence. However, the role of splicing factors in BMSCs during aging remains poorly defined. Herein, we found that the expression of the splicing factor Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) in BMSCs decreased with aging in mice and humans. YBX1 deficiency resulted in mis-splicing in genes linked to BMSC osteogenic differentiation and senescence, such as Fn1, Nrp2, Sirt2, Sp7, and Spp1, thus contributing to BMSC senescence and differentiation shift during aging. Deletion of Ybx1 in BMSCs accelerated bone loss in mice, while its overexpression stimulated bone formation. Finally, we identified a small compound, sciadopitysin, which attenuated the degradation of YBX1 and bone loss in old mice. Our study demonstrated that YBX1 governs cell fate of BMSCs via fine control of RNA splicing and provides a potential therapeutic target for age-related osteoporosis.

Splicing factor YBX1 mediates persistence of JAK2-mutated neoplasms.

Janus kinases (JAKs) mediate responses to cytokines, hormones and growth factors in haematopoietic cells1,2. The JAK gene JAK2 is frequently mutated in the ageing haematopoietic system3,4 and in haematopoietic cancers5. JAK2 mutations constitutively activate downstream signalling and are drivers of myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). In clinical use, JAK inhibitors have mixed effects on the overall disease burden of JAK2-mutated clones6,7, prompting us to investigate the mechanism underlying disease persistence. Here, by in-depth phosphoproteome profiling, we identify proteins involved in mRNA processing as targets of mutant JAK2. We found that inactivation of YBX1, a post-translationally modified target of JAK2, sensitizes cells that persist despite treatment with JAK inhibitors to apoptosis and results in RNA mis-splicing, enrichment for retained introns and disruption of the transcriptional control of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling. In combination with pharmacological JAK inhibition, YBX1 inactivation induces apoptosis in JAK2-dependent mouse and primary human cells, causing regression of the malignant clones in vivo, and inducing molecular remission. This identifies and validates a cell-intrinsic mechanism whereby differential protein phosphorylation causes splicing-dependent alterations of JAK2-ERK signalling and the maintenance of JAK2V617F malignant clones. Therapeutic targeting of YBX1-dependent ERK signalling in combination with JAK2 inhibition could thus eradicate cells harbouring mutations in JAK2.

circNEIL3 inhibits tumor metastasis through recruiting the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4L to degrade YBX1.

Distant metastasis is a major contributor to cancer-related mortality. However, the role of circRNAs in this process remains unclear. Herein, we profiled the circRNA expression in a cohort of 68 colorectal carcinoma (CRC) primary tumors and their paired liver metastatic lesions. By overlapping with the TGFß-responsive circRNAs, circNEIL3 (hsa_circ_0001460) was identified as a TGFß-repressive and metastasis-related circRNA. Functionally, circNEIL3 effectively inhibited tumor metastasis in both and in vivo and in vivo models of various cancer types. Mechanistically, circNEIL3 exerts its metastasis-repressive function through its direct interaction with oncogenic protein, Y-box-binding protein 1 (YBX1), which consequently promotes the Nedd4L-mediated proteasomal degradation of YBX1. Importantly, circNEIL3 expression was negatively correlated to YBX1 protein level and metastatic tendency in CRC patient samples. Collectively, our findings indicate the YBX1-dependent antimetastatic function of circNEIL3 and highlight the potential of circNEIL3 as a biomarker and therapeutic option in cancer treatment.

Cytoskeleton remodeling mediated by circRNA-YBX1 phase separation suppresses the metastasis of liver cancer.

Metastasis, especially intrahepatic, is a major challenge for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Cytoskeleton remodeling has been identified as a vital process mediating intrahepatic spreading. Previously, we reported that HCC tumor adhesion and invasion were modulated by circular RNA (circRNA), which has emerged as an important regulator of various cellular processes and has been implicated in cancer progression. Here, we uncovered a nuclear circRNA, circASH2, which is preferentially lost in HCC tissues and inhibits HCC metastasis by altering tumor cytoskeleton structure. Tropomyosin 4 (TPM4), a critical binding protein of actin, turned out to be the major target of circASH2 and was posttranscriptionally suppressed. Such regulation is based on messenger RNA (mRNA)/precursormRNA splicing and degradation process. Furthermore, liquid-liquid phase separation of nuclear Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) enhanced by circASH2 augments TPM4 transcripts decay. Together, our data have revealed a tumor-suppressive circRNA and, more importantly, uncovered a fine regulation mechanism for HCC progression.

Involvement of ribosomal protein L17 and Y-box binding protein 1 in the assembly of hepatitis C virus potentially via their interaction with the 3' untranslated region of the viral genome.

The 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome, which contains a highly conserved 3' region named the 3'X-tail, plays an essential role in RNA replication and promotes viral IRES-dependent translation. Although our previous work has found a cis-acting element for genome encapsidation within 3'X, there is limited information on the involvement of the 3'UTR in particle formation. In this study, proteomic analyses identified host cell proteins that bind to the 3'UTR containing the 3'X region but not to the sequence lacking the 3'X. Further characterization showed that RNA-binding proteins, ribosomal protein L17 (RPL17), and Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) facilitate the efficient production of infectious HCV particles in the virus infection cells. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing in four assays that distinguish between the various stages of the HCV life cycle, RPL17 and YBX1 were found to be most important for particle assembly in the trans-packaging assay with replication-defective subgenomic RNA. In vitro assays showed that RPL17 and YBX1 bind to the 3'UTR RNA and deletion of the 3'X region attenuates their interaction. Knockdown of RPL17 or YBX1 resulted in reducing the amount of HCV RNA co-precipitating with the viral Core protein by RNA immunoprecipitation and increasing the relative distance in space between Core and double-stranded RNA by confocal imaging, suggesting that RPL17 and YBX1 potentially affect HCV RNA-Core interaction, leading to efficient nucleocapsid assembly. These host factors provide new clues to understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate HCV particle formation. IMPORTANCE: Although basic research on the HCV life cycle has progressed significantly over the past two decades, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the process of particle formation, in particular encapsidation of the genome or nucleocapsid assembly, has been limited. We present here, for the first time, that two RNA-binding proteins, RPL17 and YBX1, bind to the 3'X in the 3'UTR of the HCV genome, which potentially acts as a packaging signal, and facilitates the viral particle assembly. Our study revealed that RPL17 and YBX1 exert a positive effect on the interaction between HCV RNA and Core protein, suggesting that the presence of both host factors modulate an RNA structure or conformation suitable for packaging the viral genome. These findings help us to elucidate not only the regulatory mechanism of the particle assembly of HCV but also the function of host RNA-binding proteins during viral infection.

FBL promotes cancer cell resistance to DNA damage and BRCA1 transcription via YBX1.

Fibrillarin (FBL) is a highly conserved nucleolar methyltransferase responsible for methylation of ribosomal RNA and proteins. Here, we reveal a role for FBL in DNA damage response and its impact on cancer proliferation and sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents. FBL is highly expressed in various cancers and correlates with poor survival outcomes in cancer patients. Knockdown of FBL sensitizes tumor cells and xenografts to DNA crosslinking agents, and leads to homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair defects. We identify Y-box-binding protein-1 (YBX1) as a key interacting partner of FBL, and FBL increases the nuclear accumulation of YBX1 in response to DNA damage. We show that FBL promotes the expression of BRCA1 by increasing the binding of YBX1 to the BRCA1 promoter. Our study sheds light on the regulatory mechanism of FBL in tumorigenesis and DNA damage response, providing potential therapeutic targets to overcome chemoresistance in cancer.

RBM10 regulates the tumorigenic potential of human cancer cells by modulating PPM1B and YBX1 activities.

RNA binding protein RBM10 participates in various RNA metabolism, and its decreased expression or loss of function by mutation has been identified in many human cancers. However, how its dysregulation contributes to human cancer pathogenesis remains to be determined. Here, we found that RBM10 expression was decreased in breast tumors, and breast cancer patients with low RBM10 expression presented poorer survival rates. RBM10 depletion in breast cancer cells significantly promotes the cellular proliferation and migration. We further demonstrated that RBM10 forms a triple complex with YBX1 and phosphatase 1B (PPM1B), in which PPM1B serves as the phosphatase of YBX1. RBM10 knock-down markedly attenuated association between YBX1 and PPM1B, leading to elevated levels of YBX1 phosphorylation and its nuclear translocation. Furthermore, cancer cells with RBM10 depletion had a significantly accelerated tumor growth in nude mice. Importantly, these enhanced tumorigenic phenotypes can be reversed by overexpression of PPM1B. Our findings provide the mechanistic bases for functional loss of RBM10 in promoting tumorigenicity, and are potentially useful in the development of combined therapeutic strategies for cancer patients with defective RBM10.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APE1) promotes stress granule formation via YBX1 phosphorylation in ovarian cancer.

APE1 is an essential gene involved in DNA damage repair, the redox regulation of transcriptional factors (TFs) and RNA processing. APE1 overexpression is common in cancers and correlates with poor patient survival. Stress granules (SGs) are phase-separated cytoplasmic assemblies that cells form in response to environmental stresses. Precise regulation of SGs is pivotal to cell survival, whereas their dysregulation is increasingly linked to diseases. Whether APE1 engages in modulating SG dynamics is worthy of investigation. In this study, we demonstrate that APE1 colocalizes with SGs and promotes their formation. Through phosphoproteome profiling, we discover that APE1 significantly alters the phosphorylation landscape of ovarian cancer cells, particularly the phosphoprofile of SG proteins. Notably, APE1 promotes the phosphorylation of Y-Box binding protein 1 (YBX1) at S174 and S176, leading to enhanced SG formation and cell survival. Moreover, expression of the phosphomutant YBX1 S174/176E mimicking hyperphosphorylation in APE1-knockdown cells recovered the impaired SG formation. These findings shed light on the functional importance of APE1 in SG regulation and highlight the importance of YBX1 phosphorylation in SG dynamics.

PIN1P1 is activated by CREB1 and promotes gastric cancer progression via interacting with YBX1 and upregulating PIN1.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of cancers. However, the role and mechanism of the pseudogene lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric carcinoma remain unclear. The expression and effects of lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric cancer were investigated. The transcriptional regulation of CREB1 on PIN1P1 was determined by ChIP and luciferase assays. The mechanistic model of PIN1P1 in gastric cancer was further explored by RNA pull-down, RIP and western blot analysis. PIN1P1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, and upregulated PIN1P1 predicted poor prognosis in patients. CREB1 was directly combined with the promoter region of PIN1P1 to promote the transcription of PIN1P1. CREB1-mediated enhanced proliferation, migration and invasion could be partially reversed by downregulation of PIN1P1. Overexpressed PIN1P1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, whereas decreased PIN1P1 showed the opposite effects. PIN1P1 directly interacted with YBX1 and promoted YBX1 protein expression, leading to upregulation of PIN1, in which E2F1 may be involved. Silencing of YBX1 during PIN1P1 overexpression could partially rescue PIN1 upregulation. PIN1, the parental gene of PIN1P1, was elevated in gastric cancer tissues, and its upregulation was correlated with poor patient outcomes. PIN1 facilitated gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. To sum up, CREB1-activated PIN1P1 could promote gastric cancer progression through YBX1 and upregulating PIN1, suggesting that it is a potential target for gastric cancer.

NSUN2/YBX1 promotes the progression of breast cancer by enhancing HGH1 mRNA stability through m5C methylation.

BACKGROUND: RNA m5C methylation has been extensively implicated in the occurrence and development of tumors. As the main methyltransferase, NSUN2 plays a crucial regulatory role across diverse tumor types. However, the precise impact of NSUN2-mediated m5C modification on breast cancer (BC) remains unclear. Our study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying how NSUN2 regulates the target gene HGH1 (also known as FAM203) through m5C modification, thereby promoting BC progression. Additionally, this study targets at preliminarily clarifying the biological roles of NSUN2 and HGH1 in BC. METHODS: Tumor and adjacent tissues from 5 BC patients were collected, and the m5C modification target HGH1 in BC was screened through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-base resolution m5C methylation sequencing (RNA-BisSeq). Methylation RNA immunoprecipitation-qPCR (MeRIP-qPCR) and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation-qPCR (RIP-qPCR) confirmed that the methylation molecules NSUN2 and YBX1 specifically recognized and bound to HGH1 through m5C modification. In addition, proteomics, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and Ribosome sequencing (Ribo-Seq) were used to explore the biological role of HGH1 in BC. RESULTS: As the main m5C methylation molecule, NSUN2 is abnormally overexpressed in BC and increases the overall level of RNA m5C. Knocking down NSUN2 can inhibit BC progression in vitro or in vivo. Combined RNA-seq and RNA-BisSeq analysis identified HGH1 as a potential target of abnormal m5C modifications. We clarified the mechanism by which NSUN2 regulates HGH1 expression through m5C modification, a process that involves interactions with the YBX1 protein, which collectively impacts mRNA stability and protein synthesis. Furthermore, this study is the first to reveal the binding interaction between HGH1 and the translation elongation factor EEF2, providing a comprehensive understanding of its ability to regulate transcript translation efficiency and protein synthesis in BC cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study preliminarily clarifies the regulatory role of the NSUN2-YBX1-m5C-HGH1 axis from post-transcriptional modification to protein translation, revealing the key role of abnormal RNA m5C modification in BC and suggesting that HGH1 may be a new epigenetic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for BC.

YB-1: the Jekyll and Hyde of kidney disease?

Y-box-binding protein 1 is a well-described and important regulator of gene transcription, which is linked to various pathologic conditions, including inflammation and fibrosis of the kidney. The identification of a novel and protective crosstalk pathway between podocytes and tubular cells in the kidney with Y-box-binding protein 1 acting as a paracrine messenger sheds new light and provides novel opportunities for renoprotection.

Exploration of YBX1 role in the prognostic value and immune characteristics by single-cell and bulk sequencing analysis for liver hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) plays a variety of roles in progression of multiple tumors. However, the role of YBX1 in prognostic value and immune regulation for liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remains unclear. The present study aimed to examine the effect of YBX1 on the regulation of tumor immunity and survival prediction in LIHC patients. METHODS: YBX1-related expression profiles and single-cell and bulk sequencing analysis were performed using online databases. YBX1 expression was validated by a quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of overall survival (OS). The ESTIMATE (i.e., Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression data) algorithm and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) analysis were used to assess the relationships between YBX1 and LIHC immunity. RESULTS: YBX1 was over-expressed in LIHC tissues and cell lines. High YBX1 expression was significantly associated with poor OS. Univariate/multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that YBX1 was an independent prognostic factor for LIHC. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that YBX1 was associated with multiple signaling pathways correlated to LIHC. Additionally, YBX1 was expressed in multiple immune cells and was significantly correlated with immune cells, immune checkpoint markers and tumor immune microenvironment. The TIDE analysis demonstrated that LIHC patients with high YBX1 expression showed a higher T-cell dysfunction score and a higher exclusion score, as well as poorer immunotherapy response. CONCLUSIONS: YBX1 plays crucial oncogenic roles in LIHC and is closely associated with the immune defense system. YBX1 inhibition may serve as a potential treatment for LIHC.

YBX1 promotes stemness and cisplatin insensitivity in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma via the AKT/ß-catenin axis.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by a poor prognosis and closely linked to tumor stemness. However, the key molecules that regulate ICC stemness remain elusive. Although Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1) negatively affects prognosis in various cancers by enhancing stemness and chemoresistance, its effect on stemness and cisplatin sensitivity in ICC remains unclear. METHODS: Three bulk and single-cell RNA-seq datasets were analyzed to investigate YBX1 expression in ICC and its association with stemness. Clinical samples and colony/sphere formation assays validated the role of YBX1 in stemness and sensitivity to cisplatin. AZD5363 and KYA1979K explored the interaction of YBX1 with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) and WNT/ß-catenin pathways. RESULTS: YBX1 was significantly upregulated in ICC, correlated with worse overall survival and shorter postoperative recurrence time, and was higher in chemotherapy-non-responsive ICC tissues. The YBX1-high group exhibited significantly elevated stemness scores, and genes linked to YBX1 upregulation were enriched in multiple stemness-related pathways. Moreover, YBX1 expression is significantly correlated with several stemness-related genes (SOX9, OCT4, CD133, CD44 and EPCAM). Additionally, YBX1 overexpression significantly enhanced the colony- and spheroid-forming abilities of ICC cells, accelerated tumor growth in vivo and reduced their sensitivity to cisplatin. Conversely, the downregulation of YBX1 exerted the opposite effect. The transcriptomic analysis highlighted the link between YBX1 and the PI3K/AKT and WNT/ß-catenin pathways. Further, AZD5363 and KYA1979K were used to clarify that YBX1 promoted ICC stemness through the regulation of the AKT/ß-catenin axis. CONCLUSIONS: YBX1 is upregulated in ICC and promotes stemness and cisplatin insensitivity via the AKT/ß-catenin axis. Our study describes a novel potential therapeutic target for improving ICC prognosis.

Microglia-derived exosomes selective sorted by YB-1 alleviate nerve damage and cognitive outcome in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation is a characteristic pathological change of Alzheimer's Diseases (AD). Microglia have been reported to participate in inflammatory responses within the central nervous system. However, the mechanism of microglia released exosome (EXO) contribute to communication within AD microenvironment remains obscure. METHODS: The interaction between microglia and AD was investigated in vitro and in vivo. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) was used to investigate the mechanisms of miR-223 and YB-1. The association between microglia derived exosomal YB-1/miR-223 axis and nerve cell damage were assessed using Western blot, immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, ELISA and wound healing assay. RESULTS: Here, we reported AD model was responsible for the M1-like (pro-inflammatory) polarization of microglia which in turn induced nerve cell damage. While M2-like (anti-inflammatory) microglia could release miR-223-enriched EXO which reduced neuroinflammation and ameliorated nerve damage in AD model in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, YB-1 directly interacted with miR-223 both in cell and EXO, and participated in microglia exosomal miR-223 loading. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that anti-inflammatory microglia-mediated neuroprotection form inflammatory damage involves exporting miR-223 via EXO sorted by YB-1. Consequently, YB-1-mediated microglia exosomal sorting of miR-223 improved the nerve cell damage repair, representing a promising therapeutic target for AD.

LNCHC directly binds and regulates YBX1 stability to ameliorate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease progression.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents the foremost cause of chronic liver disease, yet its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Our group previously discovered a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in rats, termed lncHC and its human counterpart, LNCHC. This study aimed to explore the role of LNCHC in the progression of MASLD. METHODS: RNA-binding proteins bound to LNCHC were searched by mass spectrometry. The target genes of LNCHC and Y-Box binding protein 1 (YBX1) were identified by RNA-seq. MASLD animal models were utilised to examine the roles of LNCHC, YBX1 and patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) in MASLD progression. RESULTS: Here, we identified LNCHC as a native restrainer during MASLD development. Notably, LNCHC directly binds YBX1 and prevents protein ubiquitination. Up-regulation of YBX1 then stabilises PNPLA3 mRNA to alleviate lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. Furthermore, both cell and animal studies demonstrate that LNCHC, YBX1 and PNPLA3 function to improve hepatocyte lipid accumulation and exacerbate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis development. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings unveil a novel LNCHC functionality in regulating YBX1 and PNPLA3 mRNA stability during MASLD development, providing new avenues in MASLD treatment.

Exosomal YB-1 facilitates ovarian restoration by MALAT1/miR-211-5p/FOXO3 axis.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) affects many adult women less than 40 years of age and leads to infertility. Mesenchymal stem cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSCs-sEVs) are attractive candidates for ovarian function restoration and folliculogenesis for POF due to their safety and efficacy, however, the key mediator in MSCs-sEVs that modulates this response and underlying mechanisms remains elusive. Herein, we reported that YB-1 protein was markedly downregulated in vitro and in vivo models of POF induced with H2O2 and CTX respectively, accompanied by granulosa cells (GCs) senescence phenotype. Notably, BMSCs-sEVs transplantation upregulated YB-1, attenuated oxidative damage-induced cellular senescence in GCs, and significantly improved the ovarian function of POF rats, but that was reversed by YB-1 depletion. Moreover, YB-1 showed an obvious decline in serum and GCs in POF patients. Mechanistically, YB-1 as an RNA-binding protein (RBP) physically interacted with a long non-coding RNA, MALAT1, and increased its stability, further, MALAT1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to elevate FOXO3 levels by sequestering miR-211-5p to prevent its degradation, leading to repair of ovarian function. In summary, we demonstrated that BMSCs-sEVs improve ovarian function by releasing YB-1, which mediates MALAT1/miR-211-5p/FOXO3 axis regulation, providing a possible therapeutic target for patients with POF.

YBX-1 alleviates sepsis-stimulated lung epithelial cell injury.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX-1) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammation and oxidative stress of BEAS-2B cell line and clarify the underlying mechanism. METHODS: LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells were used as a cell model of sepsis-stimulated acute lung injury (ALI). Immunoblot and quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to detect the expression of YBX-1 in LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling, and immunoblot assays were conducted to determine the effects of YBX-1 on cell survival. JC-1 staining and adenosine triphosphate production were used to detect the effects of YBX-1 on mitochondrial function. Immunostaining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent serologic assay were performed to examine the effects of YBX-1 on the inflammation and oxidative stress of cells. Immunoblot assay was conducted to confirm the mechanism. RESULTS: YBX-1 was lowly expressed in LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells and enhanced the survival of LPS-stimulated lung epithelial cells. In addition, YBX-1 improved mitochondrial function of LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. YBX-1 inhibited the inflammation and oxidative stress of LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. Mechanically, YBX-1 inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) axis, thereby alleviating sepsis-stimulated ALI. CONCLUSION: YBX-1 alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress of LPS-stimulated BEAS-2B cells via MAPK axis.

Yifei Sanjie formula alleviates lung cancer progression via regulating PRMT6-YBX1-CDC25A axis.

Lung cancer (LC) is the most prevalent cancer type, with a high mortality rate worldwide. The current treatment options for LC have not been particularly successful in improving patient outcomes. Yifei Sanjie (YFSJ), a well-applicated traditional Chinese medicine formula, is widely used to treat pulmonary diseases, especially LC, yet little is known about its molecular mechanisms. This study was conducted to explore the molecular mechanism by which YFSJ ameliorated LC progression. The A549, NCI-H1975, and Calu-3 cells were treated with the YFSJ formula and observed for colony number, apoptosis, migration, and invasion properties recorded via corresponding assays. The PRMT6-YBX1-CDC25A axis was tested and verified through luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and rescue experiments. Our results demonstrated that YFSJ ameliorated LC cell malignant behaviors by increasing apoptosis and suppressing proliferation, migration, and invasion processes. We also noticed that the xenograft mouse model treated with YFSJ significantly reduced tumor growth compared with the control untreated group in vivo. Mechanistically, it was found that YFSJ suppressed the expression of PRMT6, YBX1, and CDC25A, while the knockdown of these proteins significantly inhibited colony growth, migration, and invasion, and boosted apoptosis in LC cells. In summary, our results suggest that YFSJ alleviates LC progression via the PRMT6-YBX1-CDC25A axis, confirming its efficacy in clinical use. The findings of our study provide a new regulatory network for LC growth and metastasis, which could shed new insights into pulmonary medical research.

Identification and molecular characterization of cellular factors required for glucocorticoid receptor-mediated mRNA decay.

Glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR) has been shown recently to bind a subset of mRNAs and elicit rapid mRNA degradation. However, the molecular details of GR-mediated mRNA decay (GMD) remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that GMD triggers rapid degradation of target mRNAs in a translation-independent and exon junction complex-independent manner, confirming that GMD is mechanistically distinct from nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Efficient GMD requires PNRC2 (proline-rich nuclear receptor coregulatory protein 2) binding, helicase ability, and ATM-mediated phosphorylation of UPF1 (upstream frameshift 1). We also identify two GMD-specific factors: an RNA-binding protein, YBX1 (Y-box-binding protein 1), and an endoribonuclease, HRSP12 (heat-responsive protein 12). In particular, using HRSP12 variants, which are known to disrupt trimerization of HRSP12, we show that HRSP12 plays an essential role in the formation of a functionally active GMD complex. Moreover, we determine the hierarchical recruitment of GMD factors to target mRNAs. Finally, our genome-wide analysis shows that GMD targets a variety of transcripts, implicating roles in a wide range of cellular processes, including immune responses.