LINC01268 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and targeting MARCKS.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with differential expression characteristics have been found to be closely related to the tumorigenesis and development of gastric cancer (GC), but their specific mechanisms and roles still need to be further elucidated. AIM: To investigate the expression of LINC01268 in GC and its mechanism of affecting GC progression. METHODS: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of LINC01268 in GC tissues, cell lines and plasma. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the value of LINC01268 in the prognostication of GC patients. An receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to evaluate the value of LINC01268 in the diagnosis of GC. Transwell migration and invasion assays and wound healing assays were used to confirm the effect of LINC01268 on the invasion and migration of GC cells. The regulatory relationship between LINC01268 and myristoylated alanine rich protein kinase C substrate (MARCKS), the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in GC was demonstrated by western blot analysis. RESULTS: The expression of LINC01268 was increased in GC tissues and cell lines. The expression level of LINC01268 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and tumor differentiation in patients with GC. Over-expression of LINC01268 indicated a poor prognosis for patients with GC, and it had a certain auxiliary diagnostic value for GC. In vitro functional experiments proved that the abnormal expression of LINC01268 further activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and promoted EMT by targeting and regulating MARCKS and ultimately promoted the invasion and metastasis of GC. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates that LINC01268 in GC may be an oncogene that further activates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and EMT by targeting and regulating MARCKS, and ultimately promotes the invasion and metastasis of GC. LINC01268 may be a potential effective target for the treatment of GC.

Comparison of the prognosis of four different surgical strategies for proximal gastric cancer: a network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the long-term prognosis and short-term postoperative complications of different surgical strategies for proximal gastric cancer (PGC). METHODS: We searched for articles published in Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science between January 1, 1990, and February 1, 2021. We screened out the literature comparing different surgical strategies. We then evaluated the long-term and short-term outcome of different surgical strategies using a network meta-analysis, which summarizes the hazard ratio, odds ratio, mean difference, and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between different surgical strategies for 5-year overall survival (OS), anastomotic leakage, or weight loss after 1 year. Compared with total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (TG-RY) and proximal gastrectomy with double tract reconstruction (PG-DTR), the proximal gastrectomy with esophagogastrostomy (PG-EG) strategy significantly increased the incidence of reflux esophagitis; and the operation time and blood loss of the PG-EG strategy were significantly less than those of the other surgical strategies. The anastomotic stenosis rates of the PG-EG and proximal gastrectomy with jejunum interstitial (PG-JI) strategies were significantly higher than those of TG-RY and PG-DTR; the hemoglobin level after 1 year for the PG-DTR strategy was significantly higher than that of the TG-RY strategy. CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive literature research found that different surgical strategies had no significant difference in the long-term survival of PGC, but the incidence of reflux esophagitis and anastomotic stenosis after PG-DTR and TG-RY was significantly reduced.

Comparison of the prognosis of four different treatment strategies for acute left malignant colonic obstruction: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the efficacy of different treatment strategies for acute left malignant colonic obstruction. This study investigated the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of several treatment strategies for acute left malignant colonic obstruction. METHODS: We searched for articles published in PubMed, Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of Science, and Cochrane Library between January 1, 2000, and July 1, 2020. We screened out the literature comparing different treatment strategies. Evaluate the primary and secondary outcomes of different treatment strategies. The network meta-analysis summarizes the hazard ratio, odds ratio, mean difference, and its 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The network meta-analysis involved 48 articles, including 8 (randomized controlled trials) RCTs and 40 non-RCTs. Primary outcomes: the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of the CS-BTS strategy and the DS-BTS strategy were significantly better than those of the ES strategy, and the 5-year OS of the DS-BTS strategy was significantly better than that of CS-BTS. The long-term survival of TCT-BTS was not significantly different from those of CS-BTS and ES. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: compared with emergency resection (ER) strategies, colonic stent-bridge to surgery (CS-BTS) and transanal colorectal tube-bridge to surgery (TCT-BTS) strategies can significantly increase the primary anastomosis rate, CS-BTS and decompressing stoma-bridge to surgery (DS-BTS) strategies can significantly reduce mortality, and CS-BTS strategies can significantly reduce the permanent stoma rate. The hospital stay of DS-BTS is significantly longer than that of other strategies. There was no significant difference in the anastomotic leakage levels of several treatment strategies. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive literature research, we find that CS-BTS and DS-BTS strategies can bring better 5-year OS and DFS than ER. DS-BTS strategies have a better 5-year OS than CS-BTS strategies. Without considering the hospital stays, DS-BTS strategy is the best choice.

Decreased expression of the long non-coding RNA HOXD-AS2 promotes gastric cancer progression by targeting HOXD8 and activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be associated with many tumors. However, the specific mechanism of lncRNAs in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer (GC) has not been fully elucidated. AIM: To explore the expression level and molecular mechanism of HOXD-AS2 in GC tissues and cells, and analyze its significance in the prognosis of GC. METHODS: Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of HOXD-AS2 in 79 pairs of GC tissues and five cell lines. The pcHOXD-AS2 plasmid vector was constructed and transfected into SGC-7901 and SNU-1 GC cells. Matrigel Transwell and wound healing assays were used to confirm the effect of HOXD-AS2 on invasion and migration of GC cells. Cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to verify the effect of HOXD-AS2 on the proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of GC cells. The relevant regulatory mechanism between HOXD-AS2 and HOXD8 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was verified by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The low expression of lncRNA HOXD-AS2 was associated with lymph node metastasis and tumor-node-metastasis stage in GC. In vitro functional experiments demonstrated that overexpression of HOXD-AS2 inhibited GC cell progression. Mechanistic studies revealed that HOXD-AS2 regulated the expression of its nearby gene HOXD8 and inhibited the activity of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that downregulation of HOXD-AS2 significantly promotes the progression of GC cells by regulating HOXD8 expression and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. HOXD-AS2 may be a novel diagnostic biomarker and effective therapeutic target for GC.