HPV16 infection promotes the malignant transformation of the esophagus and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) may be correlated with HPV infection, and the mechanism underlying the ESCC formation induced by HPV16 infection remains elusive. Here, we overexpressed HPV16 E6 and E7 and coordinated the overexpression of these two genes in EPC2 and ESCC cells. We found that E7 and coordinated expression of E6 and E7 promoted the proliferation of EPC2 cells, and upregulation of shh was responsible for cell proliferation since the use of vismodegib led to the failure of organoid formation. Meanwhile, overexpression of E6 and E7 in ESCC cells promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Importantly, E6 and E7 coordinately increased the capability of tumor growth in nude mice, while vismodegib slowed the growth of tumors in NCG mice. Moreover, a series of genes and proteins changed in cell lines after overexpression of the E6 and E7 genes, the potential biological processes and pathways were systematically analyzed using a bioinformatics assay. Together, these findings suggest that the activation of the hedgehog pathway induced by HPV16 infection may initially transform basal cells in the esophagus and promote following malignant processes in ESCC cells. The application of hedgehog inhibitors may represent a therapeutic avenue for ESCC treatment.

Identification and Molecular Characterization of a Pellino Protein in Kuruma Prawn (Marsupenaeus Japonicus) in Response to White Spot Syndrome Virus and Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Infection.

Kuruma prawn, Marsupenaeus japonicus, has the third largest annual yield among shrimp species with vital economic significance in China. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a great threat to the global shrimp farming industry and results in high mortality. Pellino, a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, has been found to be an important modulator of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways that participate in the innate immune response and ubiquitination. In the present study, the Pellino gene from Marsupenaeus japonicus was identified. A qRT-PCR assay showed the presence of MjPellino in all the tested tissues and revealed that the transcript level of this gene was significantly upregulated in both the gills and hemocytes after challenge with WSSV and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The function of MjPellino was further verified at the protein level. The results of the three-dimensional modeling and protein-protein docking analyses and a GST pull-down assay revealed that the MjPellino protein was able to bind to the WSSV envelope protein VP26. In addition, the knockdown of MjPellino in vivo significantly decreased the expression of MjAMPs. These results suggest that MjPellino might play an important role in the immune response of kuruma prawn.

Supershear triggering and cascading fault ruptures of the 2023 Kahramanmaras, Türkiye, earthquake doublet.

On 6 February 2023, two large earthquakes (moment magnitude 7.8 and 7.6) shocked a vast area of southeastern Türkiye and northern Syria, leading to heavy casualties and economic loss. To investigate the rupture process over multiple fault segments, we performed a comprehensive analysis of local seismic and geodetic data and determined supershear ruptures on the initial branch and the Pazarcik and Erkenek segments and subshear ruptures on the Amanos segment of event 1. The bilateral rupture of event 2 also presents distinct sub- and supershear velocities. The dynamic stress of the branch fault rupture triggered the Pazarcik segment initial rupture at a point 9 kilometers west of the junction of these two faults, boosting the supershear rupture of the Pazarcik segment of the main fault. The geometry and prestress level of multiple segments controlled the rupture behaviors and influenced the ground shaking intensity.

The roles of the SOX2 protein in the development of esophagus and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and pharmacological target for therapy.

SOX2 is a transcription factor belonging to the SOX gene family, whose activity has been associated with the maintenance of the stemness and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), as well as the induction of differentiated cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Moreover, accumulating studies have shown that SOX2 is amplified in various cancers, notably in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In addition, SOX2 expression is linked to multiple malignant processes, including proliferation, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. Taken together, targeting SOX2 might shed light on novel approaches for cancer therapy. In this review, we aim to summarize the current knowledge regarding SOX2 in the development of esophagus and ESCC. We also highlight several therapeutic strategies for targeting SOX2 in different cancer types, which can provide new tools to treat cancers possessing abnormal levels of SOX2 protein.

Targeting the SOX2/CDP protein complex with a peptide suppresses the malignant progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Emerging evidence indicates that SOX2 is an oncogene for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, direct targeting of SOX2 is not feasible given that this transcription factor plays important roles in the maintenance of tissues such as the brain. Here, we identified CDP (Homeobox protein cut-like 1 or CASP) as a unique SOX2 binding partner enriched in ESCC with Duolink proximity ligation assay, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFc) and immunoprecipitation. We then screened a peptide aptamer library using BiFc and immunoprecipitation and identified several peptide aptamers, including P58, that blocked the CDP/SOX2 interaction, leading to the inhibition of ESCC progress in vitro and in vivo. Upon administration, synthetic peptide P58, containing the YGRKKRRQRRR cell-penetrating peptide and the fluorophore TAMRA, also blocked the growth and metastasis of ESCC in both mice and zebrafish. Therefore, targeting the SOX2 binding partner CDP with peptide P58 offers an alternative avenue to treat ESCC with increased SOX2 levels.

Targeting the SOX2/PARP1 complex to intervene in the growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Elevated SOX2 protein levels are closely correlated with the increased incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, establishing effective target measures for ESCC treatments continue to be researched. It has been previously proposed that SOX2 represents a potential therapeutic target for ESCC. Here, we found that the enzyme Poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) enriched in ESCCs interact with SOX2. Inhibition of PARP1 with 3-aminobenzamide (3-ABA) or shRNA knockdown reduced the proliferation of ESCCs, accompanied by decreased protein levels of SOX2. RNA sequencing demonstrated that PARP1 inhibition affected multiple signaling pathways involved in cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, 3-ABA synergistically suppressed the growth of ESCC cells when combined with cisplatin, and metformin potentiated the suppressive effect of 3-ABA on ESCC cell growth. Together these findings suggest that targeting SOX2 binding partner PARP1 provides a possible avenue to treat patients with high levels of SOX2.

SOX2 inhibits LLGL2 polarity protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via miRNA-142-3p.

ABBREVIATIONS: CCK-8, Cell Counting Kit 8; Chip, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; EC, Esophageal cancer; EMT, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; ESCC, Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas; LLGL2, lethal (2) giant larvae protein homolog 2; LLGL2ov, LLGL2 overexpression; MET, mesenchymal-epithelial transition; miRNAs, MicroRNAs; PRM-MS, Parallel reaction monitoring-Mass spectrometry; SD, Standard deviation; SOX, sex determining region Y (SRY)-like box; SOX2-Kd, SOX2-knockdwon; TUNEL, TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling.

Mutations in BRAF and KRAS differentially distinguish serrated versus non-serrated hyperplastic aberrant crypt foci in humans.

We previously reported that colon carcinomas, adenomas, and hyperplastic polyps exhibiting a serrated histology were very likely to possess BRAF mutations, whereas when these same advanced colonic lesions exhibited non-serrated histology, they were wild type for BRAF; among hyperplastic polyps, KRAS mutations were found mainly in a non-serrated variant. On this basis, we predicted that hyperplastic aberrant crypt foci (ACF), a putative precancerous lesion found in the colon, exhibiting a serrated phenotype would also harbor BRAF mutations and that non-serrated ACF would not. In contrast, KRAS mutations would be found more often in the non-serrated ACF. We examined 55 ACF collected during screening colonoscopy from a total of 28 patients. Following laser capture microdissection, DNA was isolated, and mutations in BRAF and KRAS were determined by direct PCR sequencing. When hyperplastic lesions were further classified into serrated and non-serrated histologies, there was a strong inverse relationship between BRAF and KRAS mutations: a BRAF(V600E) mutation was identified in 10 of 16 serrated compared with 1 of 33 non-serrated lesions (P = 0.001); conversely, KRAS mutations were present in 3 of 16 serrated compared with 14 of 33 non-serrated lesions. Our finding of a strong association between BRAF mutations and serrated histology in hyperplastic ACF supports the idea that these lesions are an early, sentinel, or a potentially initiating step on the serrated pathway to colorectal carcinoma.