Co-exposure of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper induces development toxicity and intestinal mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have raised concerns about the combined toxicity to living organisms due to their ability to adsorb heavy metals. There is still uncertainty, however, whether NPs combined with heavy metals exert adverse effects on intestinal microenvironment, especially the intestinal cells and microbiota. Herein, the combined effects of 500 nm spherical-shaped polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and copper ions (Cu2+) on intestinal cells and gut microbiota were assessed using HCT-116 cells and zebrafish models. The combined exposure of PSNPs (10 mg/L) and Cu2+ (0.5 mg/L) induced more severer hatching interference of zebrafish embryos, deformation, and mortality. In larval stage, PSNPs (10 mg/L) accumulated and carried more Cu2+ in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of zebrafish after co-exposure for 5 days. Excessive neutrophil recruitment and oxidative stress in GIT of zebrafish larvae were observed. The mechanism of the combined toxicity was revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showing the injuries of GIT, transcriptome and 16S rDNA gene sequencing showing the toxicity pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation and respiratory electron transport chain, as well as microbial community analysis showing the induced microbiota dysbiosis. In vitro tests using HCT-116 cells showed that PSNPs (10 mg/L) and Cu2+ (0.5 mg/L) increased cell death while decreasing ATP concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential after 48 h exposure. These findings may provide new insights into the combined toxicity of nanoplastics and heavy metals in the intestinal microenvironment.

Low-dose metronomic chemotherapy triggers oxidized mtDNA sensing inside tumor cells to potentiate CD8+T anti-tumor immunity.

Low-dose metronomic (LDM) chemotherapy, the frequent and continuous use of low doses of conventional chemotherapeutics, is emerging as a promising form of chemotherapy utilization. LDM chemotherapy exerts immunomodulatory effects. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Here we found that suppressing tumor growth by LDM chemotherapy was dependent on the activation of CD8+T cells. LDM chemotherapy potentiated the cytotoxic function of CD8+T cells by stimulating cancer-cell autonomous type I interferon (IFN) induction. Mechanistically, LDM chemotherapy evoked mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. ROS triggered the oxidation of cytosolic mtDNA, which was sensed by cGAS-STING, consequently inducing type I IFN production in the cancer cells. Moreover, the cGAS-STING-IFN axis increased PD-L1 expression and predicted favorable clinical responses to chemoimmunotherapy. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine inhibited oxidized mtDNA-induced type I IFN production and attenuated the efficacy of combination therapy with LDM chemotherapy and PD-L1 blockade. This study elucidates the critical role of intratumoral oxidized mtDNA sensing in LDM chemotherapy-mediated activation of CD8+T cell immune response. These findings may provide new insights for designing combinatorial immunotherapy for cancer patients.

An all-organic conditioning method to achieve deep dewatering of waste activated sludge and the underlying mechanism.

Among the common treatment/disposal routes of excessive activated sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant, dewatering process functions as an essential pre-/post-treatment for volume minimization and transportation facilitation. Since inorganic coagulants have long been criticized for their high dosage and solid residue in sludge cake, there is an urgent need for investigations regarding the potential of applying organic chemicals as the conditioner. In this study, combined use of poly dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (PDMD) and tannic acid (TA) were investigated as an all-organic co-conditioning method for sewage sludge pre-treatment. Results showed that this all-organic conditioning strategy can effectively improve the dewaterability of sewage sludge. The capillary suction time reduced from 128.8 s to 23.1 s, and the filtration resistance reduced from 1.24 × 1012 cm/g to 7.38 × 1010 cm/g. The moisture content of dewatered sludge cake decreased to as low as 55.83%, showing the highest dewatering efficiency reported so far. In addition, the combination of PDMD and TA maximized the treating efficiency with very limited consumption of conditioners (added up to 4% of total solid). Based on the physic-chemical and rheological property investigation, it was proposed that the intermediate molecular weight polymer-based flocculation process and the TA agent-based protein precipitation process, could remarkably strengthen the compactness and structure robustness of sludge. In all, this PDMD-TA-based conditioning method suggested practical significance in consideration of its cost-effectiveness and disposal convenience of sludge cake.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on prevalence of and risk factors associated with depression, anxiety and insomnia in infectious diseases, including COVID-19: a call to action.

Infectious disease epidemics have become more frequent and more complex during the 21st century, posing a health threat to the general public and leading to psychological symptoms. The current study was designed to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors associated with depression, anxiety and insomnia symptoms during epidemic outbreaks, including COVID-19. We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, OVID, Medline, Cochrane databases, bioRxiv and medRxiv to identify studies that reported the prevalence of depression, anxiety or insomnia during infectious disease epidemics, up to August 14th, 2020. Prevalence of mental symptoms among different populations including the general public, health workers, university students, older adults, infected patients, survivors of infection, and pregnant women across all types of epidemics was pooled. In addition, prevalence of mental symptoms during COVID-19 was estimated by time using meta-regression analysis. A total of 17,506 papers were initially retrieved, and a final of 283 studies met the inclusion criteria, representing a total of 948,882 individuals. The pooled prevalence of depression ranged from 23.1%, 95% confidential intervals (95% CI: [13.9-32.2]) in survivors to 43.3% (95% CI: [27.1-59.6]) in university students, the pooled prevalence of anxiety ranged from 25.0% (95% CI: [12.0-38.0]) in older adults to 43.3% (95% CI: [23.3-63.3]) in pregnant women, and insomnia symptoms ranged from 29.7% (95% CI: [24.4-34.9]) in the general public to 58.4% (95% CI: [28.1-88.6]) in university students. Prevalence of moderate-to-severe mental symptoms was lower but had substantial variation across different populations. The prevalence of mental problems increased over time during the COVID-19 pandemic among the general public, health workers and university students, and decreased among infected patients. Factors associated with increased prevalence for all three mental health symptoms included female sex, and having physical disorders, psychiatric disorders, COVID infection, colleagues or family members infected, experience of frontline work, close contact with infected patients, high exposure risk, quarantine experience and high concern about epidemics. Frequent exercise and good social support were associated with lower risk for these three mental symptoms. In conclusion, mental symptoms are common during epidemics with substantial variation across populations. The population-specific psychological crisis management are needed to decrease the burden of psychological problem and improve the mental wellbeing during epidemic.

Predictive and prognostic impact of ferroptosis-related genes ACSL4 and GPX4 on breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence shows that inducing ferroptosis may improve efficacy of tumor therapy. However, ferroptosis-related genes have been little studied in patients with breast cancer especially in the neoadjuvant setting. ACSL4 and GPX4 have been well established as the positive and negative regulator of ferroptosis, respectively. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of ACSL4 and GPX4 for patients with breast cancer administered neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: This study included patients treated with paclitaxel-cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Immunohistochemistry staining of ACSL4 and GPX4 was carried out on the core needle biopsy specimens. Logistic regression was performed to explore the predictive biomarkers of pathological complete response (pCR). Survival analyses were examined by log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression. FINDINGS: A total of 199 patients were included for the analyses. Both ACSL4 expression and ACSL4/GPX4 combination status could serve as independent predictive factors for pCR. The interaction for pCR was observed between ACSL4 and clinical tumor stage. Besides, ACSL4 expression, GPX4 expression, and their combination status were independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival. Analyses of the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database suggested that higher ACSL4 expression is related to better overall survival, and higher GPX4 expression is related to better distant metastasis-free survival. Pathway analyses revealed that ACSL4 and GPX4 might function in crucial pathways including apoptosis, autophagy, cell adhesion, lipid metabolism, etc. INTERPRETATION: This study revealed the critical value of ACSL4 and GPX4 serving as novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers for patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It might be a novel strategy to induce ferroptosis to promote chemosensitivity. Future studies are required to elucidate the potential mechanisms. FUNDING: This work was supported by Shanghai Natural Science Foundation [grant number 19ZR1431100], Clinical Research Plan of Shanghai Hospital Development Center [grant numbers SHDC2020CR3003A, 16CR3065B, and 12016231], Shanghai "Rising Stars of Medical Talent" Youth Development Program for Youth Medical Talents - Specialist Program [grant number 2018-15], Shanghai "Rising Stars of Medical Talent" Youth Development Program for Outstanding Youth Medical Talents [grant number 2018-16], Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Translational Medicine [grant number TM201908], Multidisciplinary Cross Research Foundation of Shanghai Jiao Tong University [grant numbers YG2017QN49, ZH2018QNA42, and YG2019QNA28], Nurturing Fund of Renji Hospital [grant numbers PYMDT-002, PY2018-IIC-01, PY2018-III-15, and PYIII20-09], Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality [grant numbers 20DZ2201600 and 15JC1402700], and Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty.

Predictive value of lncRNA LOC100505851 in breast cancer in the neoadjuvant setting.

BACKGROUND: The expression and function of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) LOC100505851 in breast cancer are still unknown. We aimed to examine the expression of lncRNA LOC100505851 in breast cancer and adjacent tissues and preliminarily explore its predictive value and function in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). METHODS: The expression of lncRNA LOC100505851 was tested by qRT-PCR. The correlation between LOC100505851 expression and clinicopathological factors as well as pathological complete response (pCR) was analyzed by chi-squared test and logistic regression, respectively. The online database Kaplan-Meier plotter (KM plotter) was used to compare relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between groups with different LOC100505851 expression levels. Subcellular localization of LOC100505851 was determined by nuclear and cytoplasmic extraction. A bioinformatics tool was used to predict RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and interaction among these proteins. RESULTS: LncRNA LOC100505851 was significantly expressed at lower levels in cancer tissues than in adjacent tissues (P<0.001). Its expression was related to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression (P=0.003) and molecular subtype based on immunohistochemistry (P=0.001). Patients with high LOC100505851 expression were prone to pCR (OR =3.077, 95% CI: 1.042-9.086, P=0.042) and better RFS (HR =0.68, 95% CI: 0.59-0.79, P<0.001) and OS (HR =0.60, 95% CI: 0.43-0.84, P=0.0026) according to the online database KM plotter. The subcellular localization of LOC100505851 was in the nucleus, and its binding proteins were predicted by bioinformatics tools. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA LOC100505851 was located mainly in the nucleus and was significantly downregulated in breast cancers. Its expression was related to a higher pCR rate and better RFS and OS, indicating its potential value as a novel predictive and prognostic biomarker in breast cancer.

Predictive and prognostic value of EPIC1 in patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: EPIC1 is an oncogenic long non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) that promotes cell growth and cell-cycle progression and inhibits apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. However, clinical studies on EPIC1 in breast cancer, specifically in the neoadjuvant setting, are relatively few. METHODS: Patients treated with weekly paclitaxel-cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy after core-needle biopsy were included in the study. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to detect EPIC1 expression. RESULTS: Among all patients included in this study (n = 111), higher EPIC1 expression was associated with estrogen receptor negativity, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity, higher Ki67 index, and higher histologic grade. Multivariate analysis suggested that EPIC1 expression was an independent predictive factor for pathological complete response, with a significant interaction between EPIC1 expression and age. The Kaplan-Meier Plotter dataset suggested that the EPIC1 high-expression group showed a worse 10-year distant metastasis-free survival and post-progression survival when compared with the EPIC1 low-expression group. The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset suggested that the overall survival in the EPIC1 high-expression group was inferior to that in the EPIC1 low-expression group, specifically in hormone receptor (HorR)-positive patients and patients aged <50 years. Pathway analysis revealed the top pathways that indicated the potential mechanisms of EPIC1 in chemoresistance, including the daunorubicin and doxorubicin metabolic processes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that EPIC1 may be a promising biomarker for both neoadjuvant chemosensitivity and long-term clinical outcomes in breast cancer, specifically in the HorR-positive premenopausal subgroup. It may also help identify candidate responders and determine treatment strategies.

SHP-2-Mediated Upregulation of ZEB1 Is Important for PDGF-B-Induced Cell Proliferation and Metastatic Phenotype in Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a fatal malignant tumor, is characterized by a lack of estrogen and progesterone hormone receptors and overexpression of HER2. Due to its characteristics, there are no effective targeted therapies for TNBC. Therefore, it is critical to identify the crucial factors that participate in modulating TNBC progression and explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods: CCK-8, bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, western blotting, qPCR, and transwell assays were utilized to evaluate breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Results: Activation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-B/PDGF receptor (PDGFR) promoted the proliferation and metastatic phenotype of TNBC cells; however, these effects were attenuated by SHP-2 knockdown. Moreover, PDGF-B promoted the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) by downregulating the expression of miR-200. Furthermore, knockdown of ZEB1 mitigated the promoting effects of PDGF-B on cell proliferation and migration. In addition, the regulatory effects of PDGF-B on miR-200 and ZEB1 were mediated through the SHP-2/Akt pathway. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the important roles of PDGF-B/PDGFR and their downstream signaling pathways in regulating cell proliferation and metastatic phenotype in TNBC. Hence, these molecules may serve as novel therapeutic targets for TNBC in the future.

Upregulation of microRNA­1 inhibits proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer.

Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRs) play a key role in the regulation of cancer development. In the present study, reverse transcription­quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of miR­1 in breast cancer and adjacent tissues, and survival analysis was performed to compare the low­expression groups with the Kaplan-Meier method. Overexpression of miR­1 was used to observe the effects on the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Bcl­2 expression was measured by western blotting and luciferase assays after the overexpression of miR­1. The present study reported that miR­1 is expressed at low levels in breast cancer and that cell proliferation, migration and invasion are inhibited in miR­1­overexpressing cells. Enhanced miR­1 expression can also increase cell apoptosis. The present study also demonstrated that Bcl­2 is a potential target of miR­1. In vivo studies indicate that overexpression of miR­1 decreases tumor volume and weight in nude mice. The data from the present study demonstrated for the first time that overexpression of miR­1 increases the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel and cisplatin. The present study provided new evidence for the important role of miR­1 in the tumorigenesis and drug sensitivity of breast cancer.

Serum miR-222-3p as a Double-Edged Sword in Predicting Efficacy and Trastuzumab-Induced Cardiotoxicity for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Target Therapy.

Background: We aimed to explore whether the expression of serum miR-222-3p might contribute to early prediction of therapeutic response, clinical outcomes, and adverse events for HER2-positive breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Methods: A total of 65 HER2-positive breast cancer patients receiving NAT were analyzed. The concentration of serum miR-222-3p was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association of serum miR-222-3p with pathological complete response (pCR). The relationship of serum miR-222-3p with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was examined via log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards analysis. The ordered logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between serum miR-222-3p and adverse events. Results: The miR-222-3p low group was more likely to achieve pCR [odds ratio (OR) = 0.258, P = 0.043]. The interaction between miR-222-3p and presenting Ki67 level was also detected for pCR (OR = 49.230, P interaction = 0.025). The miR-222-3p low group was correlated with superior DFS (P = 0.029) and OS (P = 0.0037). The expression of serum miR-222-3p was the independent protective factor for trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity (P < 0.05) and anemia (P = 0.013). Conclusions: Serum miR-222-3p is the potential factor to predict pCR, survival benefit and trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity for HER2-positive breast cancer patients receiving NAT.

Identification and integrated analysis of key differentially expressed circular RNAs in ER-positive subtype breast cancer.

AIM: To systematically profile and characterize the circular RNA (circRNA) expression pattern in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer (BC). MATERIALS & METHODS: CircRNA expression profile was performed in ER-positive BC and adjacent nontumor tissues. The differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) was analyzed by bioinformatics. The analysis findings were validated by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: In total, 3653 DECs were detected in our ER-positive BC compared with the control. Bioinformatics analysis showed that some pathways related to cancer, especially BC, were significantly enriched. Additionally, hsa_circ_0087378 was validated to be downregulated in ER-positive BC and the hsa_circ_0087378-miR-1260b-SFRP1 axis was proposed to be a key regulatory pathway. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the general expression characteristics of specific DECs in ER-positive BC and hsa_circ_0087378 might be a promising candidate target.

DEPDC1, negatively regulated by miR-26b, facilitates cell proliferation via the up-regulation of FOXM1 expression in TNBC.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), characterized by lack of estrogen receptors, progesterone hormone receptors, and HER2 overexpression, is a more aggressive high grade tumor and not sensitive to current targeted drugs. The clinical prognosis of TNBC is poorer than other types of breast cancer, and there is no effective therapy strategy until now. Thus, it is necessary to determine important factors involved in regulating the progression of TNBC. In this study, we found DEPDC1 was up-regulated in the tissues of TNBC compared with their paired peritumoral tissues. DEPDC1 over-expression facilitated cell proliferation and tumor growth through increasing the expression of FOXM1 in TNBC cells. Conversely, knockdown of DEPDC1 had the opposite effects. Moreover, miR-26b, acting as a tumor suppressor in TNBC, directly repressed the expression of DEPDC1 and mitigated its promotive effects on cell growth and colony formation. These results indicate that DEPDC1, negatively regulated by miR-26b, promotes cell proliferation and tumor growth via up-regulating FOXM1 expression, implying an important underlying mechanism of regulating the progression of TNBC.

Expression profile analysis of long noncoding RNA in ER-positive subtype breast cancer using microarray technique and bioinformatics.

BACKGROUND: The estrogen receptor (ER)-positive subtype of breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of BC. A number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in cancer biology, including BC. Previous lncRNA profiling studies have focused only on triple-negative BC and HER 2-positive BC, and no studies have specifically focused on lncRNAs in ER-positive BC. In this study, we analyzed the expression profile of the lncRNAs and mRNAs found in this particular subtype of BC for the first time. METHODS: We evaluated lncRNA microarray data from four pairs of primary BC and adjuvant nontumor breast tissues. Then, we screened out the differently expressed genes and measured the correlation of the expression levels of lncRNAs and ERalpha by Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. We also performed classification and length distribution of the dysregulated lncRNAs. KEGG pathway analysis was used to understand the biological roles of these differently expressed genes. lncRNA-mRNA coexpression networks were constructed. Finally, RT-PCR was employed to validate the microarray analysis findings. RESULTS: We screened out 2,178 differently expressed lncRNAs, and 13 lncRNAs were found to be associated with the ER expression level. Classification analysis showed that most lncRNAs belonged to intergenic lncRNA and were from 400 to 800 nt in length. Chromosome distribution showed that many of the lncRNAs were mapped to chromosome 1. In the pathway analysis, most of the genes were related to cancer-associated behaviors, such as p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle, focal adhesion, and ECM-receptor interaction. lncRNA-mRNA coexpression networks were constructed, and the lncRNAs related to ESR1, BRCA1, and BRCA2 in the two groups were significantly different. The RT-PCR results were consistent with the data obtained from the microarrays. CONCLUSION: These results provide useful information for exploring potential novel biomarkers as diagnosis and therapy targets for the clinical treatment of ER-positive BC.

The chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1 promotes colon cancer progression via positive regulation of WNT3A.

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of BRG1 in colon cancer. In the clinical analysis, overexpression of BRG1 correlates with colon cancer progression in two cohorts (n = 191 and n = 75). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that BRG1 is a prognosis predictor for overall survival (P < 0.001) and disease-free survival (P = 0.001). Knocking down BRG1 expression significantly suppressed the proliferation and invasion in colon cancer cells. The expression pattern of WNT3A is consistent with BRG1 in colon cancer tissues and WNT3A expression was inhibited in BRG1 knockdown cells. In addition, restoring WNT3A expression rescues the inhibition of cell proliferation and invasion induced by BRG1. In this study, we demonstrate that BRG1 may contribute to colon cancer progression through upregulating WNT3A expression.

Clinical and therapeutic significance of sirtuin-4 expression in colorectal cancer.

Several members of the sirtuin family (SIRT1-7), which are a highly conserved family of NAD+-dependent enzymes, play an important role in tumor formation. Recent studies indicate that SIRT4 acts as a tumor suppressor by regulating glutamine metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the expression and activity of SIRT4 in colorectal cancer. Using a tissue microarray of 89 colorectal cancer cases, we found that SIRT4 was significantly downregulated in colorectal cancer tissues compared with that noted in the corresponding normal tissue (P<0.001). Lower SIRT4 levels were associated with worse pathological differentiation (P=0.031) and poorer post-operative overall survival rate (P=0.041). We found that SIRT4 overexpression inhibited the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. SIRT4 inhibited the glutamine metabolism of colorectal cancer cells and synergistically with glycolysis inhibitors induced cell death. SIRT4 also increased the sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil by inhibiting the cell cycle. Together, these results highlight the prognostic value of SIRT4 in colorectal cancer and the potential application of SIRT4 in colorectal cancer treatment.

Elevated HOXA1 expression correlates with accelerated tumor cell proliferation and poor prognosis in gastric cancer partly via cyclin D1.

BACKGROUND: HOXA1 is a member of the Homeobox gene family, which encodes a group of highly conserved transcription factors that are important in embryonic development. However, it has been reported that HOXA1 exhibits oncogenic properties in many malignancies. This study focused on the expression and clinical significance of HOXA1 in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: To assess the mRNA and protein expression of HOXA1 and cyclin D1 in GC tissues, we utilized qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The effects of HOXA1 on GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as xenograft tumor formation and the cell cycle were investigated in our established stable HOXA1 knockdown GC cell lines. The protein expression of HOXA1 and cyclin D1 was examined by immunohistochemistry using GC tissue microarrays (TMA) to analyze their relationship on a histological level. The Kaplan-Meier method and cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze the relationship of HOXA1 and cyclin D1 expression with GC clinical outcomes. RESULTS: HOXA1 mRNA and protein expression were upregulated in GC tissues. Knockdown of HOXA1 in GC cells not only inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro but also suppressed xenograft tumor formation in vivo. Moreover, HOXA1 knockdown induced changes in the cell cycle, and HOXA1 knockdown cells were arrested at the G1 phase, the number of cells in S phase was reduced, and the expression of cyclin D1 was decreased. In GC tissues, high cyclin D1 mRNA and protein expression were detected, and a significant correlation was found between the expression of HOXA1 and cyclin D1. Survival analysis indicated that HOXA1 and cyclin D1 expression were significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Interestingly, patients with tumors that were positive for HOXA1 and cyclin D1 expression showed worse prognosis. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the combination of HOXA1 and cyclin D1 was an independent prognostic indicator for OS and DFS. CONCLUSION: Our data show that HOXA1 plays a crucial role in GC development and clinical prognosis. HOXA1, alone or combination with cyclin D1, may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker for GC.

Elevated expression of Thoc1 is associated with aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.

The THO complex 1 (Thoc1) is a nuclear matrix protein playing vital roles in transcription elongation and mRNA export. Recently, aberrant expression of Thoc1 has been reported in an increasing array of tumor types. However, the clinical significance of Thoc1 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still unknown. The present study aimed to characterize the expression of Thoc1 in human CRC and evaluate its clinical significance. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting analyses showed that the mRNA and protein expression of Thoc1 in CRC specimens was significantly higher than that in adjacent normal colon mucosae. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was conducted to characterize the expression pattern of Thoc1 in 185 archived paraffin-embedded CRC specimens. Statistical analyses revealed that high levels of Thoc1 expression were associated with the clinical stages and tumor differentiation. CRC patients with high levels of Thoc1 expression had poorer overall-survival and disease-free survival, whereas those with lower levels of Thoc1 expression survived longer. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that Thoc1 expression remained an independent prognostic factor for increased disease recurrence and decreased survival. Our results suggest for the first time that Thoc1 is involved in the development and progression of CRC, and elevated expression of Thoc1 is associated with aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis in CRC. These findings may prove to be clinically useful for developing a new therapeutic target of CRC treatment.

Overexpression of Reg4, alone or combined with MMP-7 overexpression, is predictive of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer.

Regenerating islet-derived family, member 4 (Reg4) is a secreted protein that plays a critical role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, we examined the relationship between Reg4 and matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) expression in CRC, particularly with regard to metastasis. RT-qPCR, western blotting, tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemical staining were performed to detect Reg4 and MMP-7 expression in CRC tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues. As compared with normal tissues, most paired colon cancers showed a ≥2-fold increase in the Reg4 and MMP-7 mRNA levels, which was subsequently validated by the post-transcriptional levels. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that Reg4 was associated with lymph node and distant metastasis, advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, and histologic grade. Further studies showed the correlation between Reg4 and MMP-7 expression was significant in CRC with distant metastasis (r=0.555, P=0.021) and in the lymph­node metastasis samples (r=0.557, P<0.001). Patients with tumor positivity for the two molecules showed a worse prognosis even after radical surgery (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with Reg4- and MMP-7-positive tumors had extremely poor OS (HR 4.63; 95% CI 2.43-8.81; P<0.001) and DFS (HR 3.88; 95% CI 2.08-7.22; P<0.001). Reg4 expression may be useful in the prediction of colon cancer prognosis when combined with MMP-7.