The lncRNA LINC01605 promotes the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by activating the mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the molecular mechanism of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1605 (LINC01605) in the process of tumor growth and liver metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). METHODS: LINC01605 was filtered out with specificity through TCGA datasets (related to DFS) and our RNA-sequencing data of PDAC tissue samples from Renji Hospital. The expression level and clinical relevance of LINC01605 were then verified in clinical cohorts and samples by immunohistochemical staining assay and survival analysis. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments were performed to estimate the regulatory effects of LINC01605 in vitro. RNA-seq of LINC01605-knockdown PDAC cells and subsequent inhibitor-based cellular function, western blotting, immunofluorescence and rescue experiments were conducted to explore the mechanisms by which LINC01605 regulates the behaviors of PDAC tumor cells. Subcutaneous xenograft models and intrasplenic liver metastasis models were employed to study its role in PDAC tumor growth and liver metastasis in vivo. RESULTS: LINC01605 expression is upregulated in both PDAC primary tumor and liver metastasis tissues and correlates with poor clinical prognosis. Loss and gain of function experiments in cells demonstrated that LINC01605 promotes the proliferation and migration of PDAC cells in vitro. In subsequent verification experiments, we found that LINC01605 contributes to PDAC progression through cholesterol metabolism regulation in a LIN28B-interacting manner by activating the mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, the animal models showed that LINC01605 facilitates the proliferation and metastatic invasion of PDAC cells in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the upregulated lncRNA LINC01605 promotes PDAC tumor cell proliferation and migration by regulating cholesterol metabolism via activation of the mTOR signaling pathway in a LIN28B-interacting manner. These findings provide new insight into the role of LINC01605 in PDAC tumor growth and liver metastasis as well as its value for clinical approaches as a metabolic therapeutic target in PDAC.

Analysis of cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature for predicting prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant digestive tract tumor, with a dismal 5-year survival rate. Recently, cuproptosis was found to be copper-dependent cell death. This work aims to establish a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature which could predict the prognosis of PC patients and help clinical decision-making. Firstly, cuproptosis-related lncRNAs were identified in the TCGA-PAAD database. Next, a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature based on five lncRNAs was established. Besides, the ICGC cohort and our samples from 30 PC patients served as external validation groups to verify the predictive power of the risk signature. Then, the expression of CASC8 was verified in PC samples, scRNA-seq dataset CRA001160, and PC cell lines. The correlation between CASC8 and cuproptosis-related genes was validated by Real-Time PCR. Additionally, the roles of CASC8 in PC progression and immune microenvironment characterization were explored by loss-of-function assay. As showed in the results, the prognosis of patients with higher risk scores was prominently worse than that with lower risk scores. Real-Time PCR and single cell analysis suggested that CASC8 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer and related to cuproptosis. Additionally, gene inhibition of CASC8 impacted the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of PC cells. Furthermore, CASC8 was demonstrated to impact the expression of CD274 and several chemokines, and serve as a key indicator in tumor immune microenvironment characterization. In conclusion, the cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature could provide valuable indications for the prognosis of PC patients, and CASC8 was a candidate biomarker for not only predicting the progression of PC patients but also their antitumor immune responses.

OCIAD2 promotes pancreatic cancer progression through the AKT signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: OCIAD2（Ovarian carcinoma immunoreactive antigen-like protein 2） is a protein reported in various cancers. However, the role of OCIAD2 has not been explored in pan-cancer datasets. The purpose of this research lies in analyzing the expression level and prognostic-related value of OCIAD2 in different human cancers, as well as revealing the underlying mechanism in specific cancer type (pancreatic adenocarcinoma, PAAD). METHODS: The correlation between OCIAD2 expression level and clinical relevance in different human cancers was investigated from bioinformatical perspective (GTEx and TCGA). The OCIAD2 expression level and clinical significance in PAAD were explored in GEO datasets and tissue microarray. Functional experiments were used to determine the OCIAD2 cell functions in vitro and in vivo. GSEA, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to uncover the potential mechanism. RESULTS: OCIAD2 expression level was closely correlated with clinical relevance in many cancer types through pan-cancer analysis, and we found OCIAD2 was highly expressed in PAAD and associated with poorer prognosis. OCIAD2 acted as the promotor of Warburg effect and influenced PAAD cells proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Mechanistically, OCIAD2 upregulation may boost glycolysis in PAAD via activating the AKT signaling pathway in PAAD. CONCLUSIONS: In PAAD, OCIAD2 promotes Warburg effect via AKT signaling pathway and targeting cancer cells metabolic reprogramming could be a potential treatment.

A CLIC1 network coordinates matrix stiffness and the Warburg effect to promote tumor growth in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) features substantial matrix stiffening and reprogrammed glucose metabolism, particularly the Warburg effect. However, the complex interplay between these traits and their impact on tumor advancement remains inadequately explored. Here, we integrated clinical, cellular, and bioinformatics approaches to explore the connection between matrix stiffness and the Warburg effect in PDAC, identifying CLIC1 as a key mediator. Elevated CLIC1 expression, induced by matrix stiffness through Wnt/ß-catenin/TCF4 signaling, signifies poorer prognostic outcomes in PDAC. Functionally, CLIC1 serves as a catalyst for glycolytic metabolism, propelling tumor proliferation. Mechanistically, CLIC1 fortifies HIF1α stability by curbing hydroxylation via reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, PDAC cells elevate CLIC1 levels in a matrix-stiffness-responsive manner, bolstering the Warburg effect to drive tumor growth via ROS/HIF1α signaling. Our insights highlight opportunities for targeted therapies that concurrently address matrix properties and metabolic rewiring, with CLIC1 emerging as a promising intervention point.

Immunosuppression, immune escape, and immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer: focused on the tumor microenvironment.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is characterized by poor treatment response and low survival time. The current clinical treatment for advanced PDAC is still not effective. In recent years, the research and application of immunotherapy have developed rapidly and achieved substantial results in many malignant tumors. However, the translational application in PDAC is still far from satisfactory and needs to be developed urgently. To carry out the study of immunotherapy, it is necessary to fully decipher the immune characteristics of PDAC. This review summarizes the recent progress of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC and highlights its link with immunotherapy. We describe the molecular cues and corresponding intervention methods, collate several promising targets and progress worthy of further study, and put forward the importance of integrated immunotherapy to provide ideas for future research of TME and immunotherapy of PDAC.

Exploitation and Verification of a Stroma- and Metastasis-Associated Risk Prognostic Signature in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), one of the most malignant tumors, not only has abundant mesenchymal components, but is also characterized by an extremely high metastatic risk. The purpose of this study was to construct a model of stroma- and metastasis-associated prognostic signature, aiming to benefit the existing clinical staging system and predict the prognosis of patients. First, stroma-associated genes were screened from the TCGA database with the ESTIMATE algorithm. Subsequently, transcriptomic data from clinical tissues in the RenJi cohort were screened for metastasis-associated genes. Integrating the two sets of genes, we constructed a risk prognostic signature by Cox and LASSO regression analysis. We then obtained a risk score by a quantitative formula and divided all samples into high- and low-risk groups based on the scores. The results demonstrated that patients with high-risk scores have a worse prognosis than those with low-risk scores, both in the TCGA database and in the RenJi cohort. In addition, tumor mutation burden, chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity and immune infiltration analysis also exhibited significant differences between the two groups. In exploring the potential mechanisms of how stromal components affect tumor metastasis, we simulated different matrix stiffness in vitro to explore its effect on EMT key genes in PAAD cells. We found that cancer cells stimulated by high matrix stiffness may trigger EMT and promote PAAD metastasis.

Dynamic change of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in rat retina during critical period plasticity / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background Retinal development continues during the early postnatal period in mammals.Correct arrangement of layers and precise location of various cells in the retina are vital for forming normal visual function during critical period plasticity.Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)provides highquality in vivo retinal imaging and the possibility to measure retinal thickness longitudinally. Objective The present study was to investigate the changes of retinal thickness during critical period plasticity in rats. Methods In vivo consecutive scanning of retinal image was performed in 10 SPF Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal day 14(P14),P18,P21,P24 and P42 with SD-OCT,and retinal histopathological examination was used to detect retinal morphologic changes at the same postnatal ages in 20 matched rats.The whole retinal thickness,the thickness from inner limiting membrane(ILM)to inner plexiform layer(IPL),the thickness of inner nuclear layer(INL)and the thickness from outer nuclear layer(ONL)to retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)were measured using Cirrus HD-OCT system and HMIAS-2000 Imaging System in retinal sections.The measurement parameters by Cirrus HD-OCT and those by hematoxylin-eosin staining were compared.The use of animals followed the Statement of National Institute of Health (USA). Results In vivo high-resolution images of rat retinas with SD-OCT compared well with histology,which enabled quantitative comparison of the SD-OCT and histological data during critical period plasticity in rats.From P14 to P42,the retinal thickness gradually decreased with the increase of rat ages(F=15.425,P=0.000),and so were the thickness from ILM to IPL,the thickness of INL and the thickness from ONL to RPE(F=3.973,P=0.007;F=17.529,P=0.000;F=7.038,P=0.000).The retinal thickness,thickness of INL.thickness from ONL to RPE measured by Cirrus HD-OCT were significantly correlated with those measured by retinal sections among P14,P18,P21,P24 and P42 rats(r=0.794,P=0.000;r=0.784,P=0.000;r=0.681,P=0.000). Conclusion SD-OCT is a demonstratably valuable technology to study the structure of retinas in rats.The retinal thickness is shown to reduce in thickness throughout the development of the retina during critical period plasticity due to the decrease in thickness of INL and the distance from the ONL to RPE,as illustrated by OCT scanning.

Cloning and expression of immunotoxin DT389- hbFGF / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To express the DT389-hbFGF (389 amino acid residues of the N-terminus of diphtheria toxin (human basic fibroblast growth factor) fusion protein for potential targeting therapy towards posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery.METHODS: The DNA of inactivated diphtheria bacillus and RNA of 12-week fetal brain cortex were extracted, respectively. The fragments of truncated diphtheria toxin (containing 389 amino acids of N-terminus, DT389) )and full-length human basic fibroblast growth factor(hbFGF) sequence (encoding 18kDa protein) were amplified by PCR. The two fragments were inserted into pGEX-4T-1 prokaryotic expression vector to obtain pGEX-DT389-hbFGF prokaryotic expression plasmid. After sequence analysis, the expressing plasmid was transformed into Escherichia Coli BL21 strain and expression was induced under IPTG. The expressed fusion protein was purified and identified.RESULTS: The gene fragments encoding DT389 and hbFGF were amplified and their gene sequences were confirmed. Hybrid gene expression plasmid pGEX-DT389 (hbFGF was constructed. The fusion protein DT389-hbFGF was expressed and purified.CONCLUSIONS: The successful cloning and expression of DT389-hbFGF immunotoxin provides a foundation for targeting therapy towards posterior capsule opacification.