PARP1 UFMylation ensures the stability of stalled replication forks.

The S-phase checkpoint involving CHK1 is essential for fork stability in response to fork stalling. PARP1 acts as a sensor of replication stress and is required for CHK1 activation. However, it is unclear how the activity of PARP1 is regulated. Here, we found that UFMylation is required for the efficient activation of CHK1 by UFMylating PARP1 at K548 during replication stress. Inactivation of UFL1, the E3 enzyme essential for UFMylation, delayed CHK1 activation and inhibits nascent DNA degradation during replication blockage as seen in PARP1-deficient cells. An in vitro study indicated that PARP1 is UFMylated at K548, which enhances its catalytic activity. Correspondingly, a PARP1 UFMylation-deficient mutant (K548R) and pathogenic mutant (F553L) compromised CHK1 activation, the restart of stalled replication forks following replication blockage, and chromosome stability. Defective PARP1 UFMylation also resulted in excessive nascent DNA degradation at stalled replication forks. Finally, we observed that PARP1 UFMylation-deficient knock-in mice exhibited increased sensitivity to replication stress caused by anticancer treatments. Thus, we demonstrate that PARP1 UFMylation promotes CHK1 activation and replication fork stability during replication stress, thus safeguarding genome integrity.

Short-term and long-term efficacy of accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation (aTMS) has been developed, which has a shortened treatment period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and long-term maintenance effects of aTMS in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: We systematically searched online databases for aTMS studies in patients with MDD published before February 2023 and performed a meta-analysis on the extracted data. RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 10 before-and-after controlled studies were included. The findings showed that depression scores significantly decreased following the intervention (SMD = 1.80, 95% CI (1.31, 2.30), p < 0.00001). There was no significant difference in antidepressant effectiveness between aTMS and standard TMS (SMD = -0.67, 95% CI (-1.62, 0.27), p = 0.16). Depression scores at follow-up were lower than those directly after the intervention based on the depression rating scale (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI (0.06, 0.37), p = 0.006), suggesting a potential long-term maintenance effect of aTMS. Subgroup meta-analysis results indicated that different modes of aTMS may have diverse long-term effects. At the end of treatment with the accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (arTMS) mode, depressive symptoms may continue to improve (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI (0.10, 0.49), I2 = 22%, p = 0.003), while the accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (aiTBS) mode only maintains posttreatment effects (SMD = 0.01, 95% CI (-0.45, 0.47), I2 = 66%, p = 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with standard TMS, aTMS can rapidly improve depressive symptoms, but there is no significant difference in efficacy. aTMS may also have long-term maintenance effects, but longer follow-up periods are needed to assess this possibility. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This article is original and not under simultaneous consideration for publication. The study was registered on PROSPERO ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ ) (number: CRD42023406590).

PARP1 and CHK1 coordinate PLK1 enzymatic activity during the DNA damage response to promote homologous recombination-mediated repair.

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a master kinase that regulates cell cycle progression. How its enzymatic activity is regulated in response to DNA damage is not fully understood. We show that PLK1 is enriched at double strand breaks (DSBs) within seconds of UV laser irradiation in a PARP-1-dependent manner and then disperses within 10 min in a PARG-dependent manner. Poly(ADP-)ribose (PAR) chains directly bind to PLK1 in vitro and inhibit its enzymatic activity. CHK1-mediated PLK1 phosphorylation at S137 prevents its binding to PAR and recruitment to DSBs but ensures PLK1 phosphorylation at T210 and its enzymatic activity toward RAD51 at S14. This subsequent phosphorylation event at S14 primes RAD51 for CHK1-mediated phosphorylation at T309, which is essential for full RAD51 activation. This CHK1-PLK1-RAD51 axis ultimately promotes homologous recombination (HR)-mediated repair and ensures chromosome stability and cellular radiosensitivity. These findings provide biological insight for combined cancer therapy using inhibitors of PARG and CHK1.

Multi-Temporal Hyperspectral Classification of Grassland Using Transformer Network.

In recent years, grassland monitoring has shifted from traditional field surveys to remote-sensing-based methods, but the desired level of accuracy has not yet been obtained. Multi-temporal hyperspectral data contain valuable information about species and growth season differences, making it a promising tool for grassland classification. Transformer networks can directly extract long-sequence features, which is superior to other commonly used analysis methods. This study aims to explore the transformer network's potential in the field of multi-temporal hyperspectral data by fine-tuning it and introducing it into high-powered grassland detection tasks. Subsequently, the multi-temporal hyperspectral classification of grassland samples using the transformer network (MHCgT) is proposed. To begin, a total of 16,800 multi-temporal hyperspectral data were collected from grassland samples at different growth stages over several years using a hyperspectral imager in the wavelength range of 400-1000 nm. Second, the MHCgT network was established, with a hierarchical architecture, which generates a multi-resolution representation that is beneficial for grass hyperspectral time series' classification. The MHCgT employs a multi-head self-attention mechanism to extract features, avoiding information loss. Finally, an ablation study of MHCgT and comparative experiments with state-of-the-art methods were conducted. The results showed that the proposed framework achieved a high accuracy rate of 98.51% in identifying grassland multi-temporal hyperspectral which outperformed CNN, LSTM-RNN, SVM, RF, and DT by 6.42-26.23%. Moreover, the average classification accuracy of each species was above 95%, and the August mature period was easier to identify than the June growth stage. Overall, the proposed MHCgT framework shows great potential for precisely identifying multi-temporal hyperspectral species and has significant applications in sustainable grassland management and species diversity assessment.

MRE11 UFMylation promotes ATM activation.

A proper DNA damage response (DDR) is essential to maintain genome integrity and prevent tumorigenesis. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most toxic DNA lesion and their repair is orchestrated by the ATM kinase. ATM is activated via the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex along with its autophosphorylation at S1981 and acetylation at K3106. Activated ATM rapidly phosphorylates a vast number of substrates in local chromatin, providing a scaffold for the assembly of higher-order complexes that can repair damaged DNA. While reversible ubiquitination has an important role in the DSB response, modification of the newly identified ubiquitin-like protein ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 and the function of UFMylation in the DDR is largely unknown. Here, we found that MRE11 is UFMylated on K282 and this UFMylation is required for the MRN complex formation under unperturbed conditions and DSB-induced optimal ATM activation, homologous recombination-mediated repair and genome integrity. A pathogenic mutation MRE11(G285C) identified in uterine endometrioid carcinoma exhibited a similar cellular phenotype as the UFMylation-defective mutant MRE11(K282R). Taken together, MRE11 UFMylation promotes ATM activation, DSB repair and genome stability, and potentially serves as a therapeutic target.

EML4-ALK-mediated activation of the JAK2-STAT pathway is critical for non-small cell lung cancer transformation.

BACKGROUND: The echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like-4 anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EML4-ALK) fusion gene was identified in a subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. They responded positively to ALK inhibitors. This study aimed to characterize the mechanisms triggered by EML4-ALK to induce NSCLC transformation. METHODS: HEK293 and NIH3T3 cells were transfected with EML4-ALK variant 3 or pcDNA3.1-NC. H2228 cells were transfected with siRNA-EML4-ALK or siRNA-NC. Cell viability and proliferation were measured by the CCK-8 and EdU methods, respectively. Flow cytometry revealed apoptosis. Gene expression profiles were generated from a signaling pathway screen in EML4-ALK-regulated lung cancer cells and verified by qPCR and Western blotting. The co-immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry/ immunofluorescence determined the interaction and colocalization of JAK2-STAT pathway components with EML4-ALK. RESULTS: Microarray identified several genes involved in the JAK2-STAT pathway. JAK2 and STAT6 were constitutively phosphorylated in H2228 cells. EML4-ALK silencing downregulated phosphorylation of STAT6. Expression of EML4-ALK in HEK293 and NIH3T3 cells activated JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, STAT5, and STAT6. In EML4-ALK-transfected HEK293 cells and EML4-ALK-positive H2228 cells, activated STAT6 and JAK2 colocalized with ALK. STAT3 and STAT6 were phosphorylated and translocated to the nucleus of H2228 cells following IL4 or IL6 treatment. Apoptosis increased, while cell proliferation and DNA replication decreased in H2228 cells following EML4-ALK knockdown. In contrast, HEK293 cell viability increased following EML4-ALK overexpression, while H2228 cell viability significantly decreased after treatment with ALK or JAK-STAT pathway inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the aberrant expression of EML4-ALK leads to JAK2-STAT signaling pathway activation, which is essential for the development of non-small cell lung cancer.

EZH2 inhibitors reverse resistance to gefitinib in primary EGFR wild-type lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. In traditional anti-cancer therapy, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been proven to be beneficial for patients with EGFR mutations. However, patients with EGFR wild-type NSCLC were usually not respond to EGFR-TKIs. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a key molecular in the PRC2 complex and plays an important role in epigenetic regulation and is overexpressed in variant tumors. EZH2 inhibitors have been reported to sensitize variant tumor cells to anticancer drugs. This study aimed to investigate whether the EZH2 inhibitors, GSK343 and DZNep when combined with gefitinib can reverse EGFR-TKIs resistance in EGFR wild-type NSCLC cells. METHODS: The RNA-sequencing data of patients with NSCLC [502 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma, including 49 paracancerous lung tissues and 513 patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), including 59 paracancerous lung tissues] from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), were analyzed for EZH2 expression. EZH2 expression was verified in 40 NSCLC tissue cancer samples and their corresponding paracancerous tissues from our institute (TJMUGH) via RT-PCR. A549 and H1299 cells treated with siRNA or EZH2 inhibitors were subjected to cell viability and apoptosis analyses as well to EGFR pathway proteins expression analyses via western blotting. RESULTS: EZH2 was upregulated in human NSCLC tissues and correlated with poor prognosis in patients with LUAD based on data from both TCGA and TJMUGH. Both GSK343 and DZNep sensitized EGFR wild-type LUAD cells (A549 and H1299) to gefitinib and suppressed cell viability and proliferation in vitro by downregulating the phosphorylation of EGFR and AKT and by inducing cell apoptosis. Co-administration of EZH2 inhibitors (GSK343 or DZNep) with gefitinib exerted a stronger inhibitory effect on tumor activity, cell proliferation and cell migration than single drug administration in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the combination of EZH2 inhibitors with EGFR-TKIs may be an effective method for treating NSCLC-patients with EGFR-wild type, who do not want to undergo traditional treatment with chemotherapy.

Protective effects of Clec11a in islets against lipotoxicity via modulation of proliferation and lipid metabolism in mice.

The lipotoxicity is considered as one of the risk for diabetes. Here we report C-type lectin domain family 11, member A (Clec11a) as a new regulator in islet playing a protective role in lipotoxicity induced dysfunction. Islet transcriptome sequencing was performed using the high-fat diet induced obesity (DIO) mice model. We found a significant decrease of Clec11a expression in islets of DIO mice compared to normal control mice, which was further confirmed by real-time PCR. Immunostaining demonstrated the localization of the Clec11a protein in mouse islets. Administration of recombinant human Clec11a (rClec11a) protein promoted the proliferation of islet cells and rescued the inhibition of fatty acid on cell proliferation, which involved the activation of Erk signaling pathway. We also found that the rClec11a altered the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of chalcone analogues containing a thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-yl group as the A-ring or B-ring.

Many natural or synthetic chalcones have potential anti-tumor activity. Here, we synthesized two series of chalcone analogues containing a thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-yl group and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity towards cultured human lung cancer A549 and colorectal HCT-116 cells. Among them, compound 8d was the most cytotoxic against HCT-116 cells, with an IC50 value of 2.65 µM. Analyses of the phenotypic changes induced by this compound found a dose-dependent accumulation of HCT-116 cells in sub-G1 phase, indicating that compound 8d might induce apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that 8d triggered mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, promoted reactive oxygen species formation in HCT-116 cells, and increased the percentage of early and late apoptotic cells. Finally, immunoblotting indicated that 8d increased PARP-1 and caspases 3, 7 and 9 cleavage. These data suggest that compound 8d induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial death pathway.

Opposite roles of bradykinin B1 and B2 receptors during cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury in experimental diabetic rats.

Bradykinin receptors play important roles in cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of non-diabetics. Their functions in diabetics, however, have not been studied. In this study, we hypothesized that bradykinin 1 receptor (B1R) and bradykinin 2 receptor (B2R) would be upregulated and participate in the regulation of diabetic ischaemic stroke. To investigate this, we first evaluated B1R and B2R expression at different time points after I/R in non-diabetic and diabetic rats (Sprague-Dawley) by using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Then, pharmacological inhibitors were separately administered via the tail vein to analyse their effects on cerebral ischaemia in diabetics. Both receptors were significantly upregulated after cerebral I/R in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. B1R expression in diabetic rats increased in a sharper manner than in non-diabetic rats, whereas B2R expression increased to the same level during the early stage of reperfusion but later became lower. Interestingly, the upregulated B1R was expressed in astrocytes, whereas B2R was mainly located in neurons in the ischaemic penumbra. Functional studies showed that inhibition of B1R significantly reduced infarct volume, neurological deficits, cell apoptosis, and neuron degeneration, probably by attenuating blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and post-ischaemic inflammation, at 24 h after reperfusion. In contrast, B2R antagonist had opposite effects, and exacerbated BBB penetrability and tissue inflammation. These findings suggest that B1R and B2R have detrimental and beneficial effects, respectively in diabetic cerebral ischaemia, which might open new avenues for the treatment of ischaemic stroke in diabetic patients through selective pharmacological blockade or activation.

Hypertension unawareness among Chinese patients with first-ever stroke.

BACKGROUND: The low rates of hypertension treatment and control, partly due to its unawareness, are the main causes of the high stroke incidence in China. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hypertension unawareness amongst patients with first-ever stroke and to detect factors associated with its unawareness. METHODS: We selected those diagnosed with hypertension from patients with first-ever stroke registered in the Nanjing Stroke Registry Program between 2004 and 2014. These hypertensives were divided as being aware or unaware of their hypertension by using a brief questionnaire conducted shortly after the stroke. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify potential factors associated with hypertension unawareness. RESULTS: Of the 5309 patients with first-ever stroke, 3732 (70.3%) were diagnosed with hypertension. Among which, 593 (15.9%) were unaware of their hypertension at the time of stroke onset. Lower-level of education (primary school or illiteracy) and smoking were associated positively with hypertension unawareness; while advanced age, overweight, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases and family history of stroke were associated negatively with hypertension unawareness. Annual data analyzed indicated that the rate of hypertension awareness increased during the past 11 years (r = 0.613, P = 0.045 for trends). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion (15.9%) of Chinese patients with hypertension had not been aware of this covert risk until an overt stroke occurred. Hypertension unawareness was associated with lower educational levels and smoking, which address the importance of health education especially in these individuals.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Length of Stay and Acute Hospital Cost in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Although several risk factors for prolonged length of stay (LOS) and increased hospital cost have been identified, the association between LOS, hospital cost, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has not yet been investigated. We aimed to investigate the influence of NLR on LOS and hospital cost in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke diagnosed within 24 hours of symptom onset were included. Univariate analysis and stepwise multiple regression analysis were used to identify independent predictors of LOS and hospital cost. RESULTS: A total of 346 patients were included in the final analysis. The median LOS was 11 days (range 8-13 days). The median acute hospital cost per patient was 19,030.6 RMB (U.S. $ 3065.8) (range 14,450.8 RMB-25,218.2 RMB). Neutrophil count to lymphocyte count (NLR) (P < .001), diabetes mellitus (P = .034), stroke subtype (P = .005), and initial stroke severity (P < .001) were significantly associated with prolonged LOS in the univariate analysis. NLR (P < .001), smoking (P = .04), stroke subtype (P < .001), initial stroke severity (P < .001), and LOS (P < .001) were significantly associated with increased hospital cost in the univariate analysis. Multivariate regression analysis showed that NLR was an independent predictor of both LOS and acute hospital cost. In addition, high NLR was significantly correlated with poor outcome at discharge, prolonged LOS, and increased hospital cost. CONCLUSIONS: NLR is significantly associated with LOS and acute hospital cost in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke. It is a simple, inexpensive, and readily available biomarker and may serve as a clinically practical indicator for assessing the economic burden of stroke.

CLEC11A improves insulin secretion and promotes cell proliferation in human beta-cells.

Beta-cell dysfunction is a hallmark of disease progression in patients with diabetes. Research has been focused on maintaining and restoring beta-cell function during diabetes development. The aims of this study were to explore the expression of C-type lectin domain containing 11A (CLEC11A), a secreted sulphated glycoprotein, in human islets and to evaluate the effects of CLEC11A on beta-cell function and proliferation in vitro. To test these hypotheses, human islets and human EndoC-ßH1 cell line were used in this study. We identified that CLEC11A was expressed in beta-cells and alpha-cells in human islets but not in EndoC-ßH1 cells, whereas the receptor of CLEC11A called integrin subunit alpha 11 was found in both human islets and EndoC-ßH1 cells. Long-term treatment with exogenous recombinant human CLEC11A (rhCLEC11A) accentuated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, insulin content, and proliferation from human islets and EndoC-ßH1 cells, which was partially due to the accentuated expression levels of transcription factors MAFA and PDX1. However, the impaired beta-cell function and reduced mRNA expression of INS and MAFA in EndoC-ßH1 cells that were caused by chronic palmitate exposure could only be partially improved by the introduction of rhCLEC11A. Based on these results, we conclude that rhCLEC11A promotes insulin secretion, insulin content, and proliferation in human beta-cells, which are associated with the accentuated expression levels of transcription factors MAFA and PDX1. CLEC11A, therefore, may provide a novel therapeutic target for maintaining beta-cell function in patients with diabetes.

LINC01798/miR-17-5p axis regulates ITGA8 and causes changes in tumor microenvironment and stemness in lung adenocarcinoma.

Integrins are closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. ITGA8 encodes the alpha 8 subunit of the heterodimeric integrin alpha8beta1. Studies on the role of this gene in the occurrence and development of lung cancer are scarce. The examination of public databases revealed that ITGA8 expression was significantly lower in tumor tissue than that in normal tissue, especially in lung cancer, renal carcinoma, and prostate cancer. Survival analysis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma revealed that higher ITGA8 expression had better prognosis. ITGA8 was positively related to immune checkpoints and immunomodulators, whereas B cell, CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, neutrophil, macrophage, and dendritic cell infiltration had the same correlation. Moreover, ITGA8 was negatively related to cancer stemness. We used an online database to predict the miRNAs and lncRNAs that regulate ITGA8 and obtained the regulatory network of ITGA8 through correlation analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analyses showed that LINC01798 regulates ITGA8 expression through miR-17-5p. Therefore, the regulatory network of ITGA8 may serve as a new therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of patients with lung cancer.

Case Report: ALK rearranged locally advanced lung adenocarcinoma showing inconsistent radiographic findings and pathological responses during neoadjuvant alectinib therapy.

Alectinib has been approved as first-line treatment for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung carcinoma. Oncologists are also exploring the possibility of applying alectinib in the perioperative period. Here, we present a patient with locally advanced lung adenocarcinoma associated with EML4-ALK fusion mutation, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and alectinib treatment, and then underwent thoracoscopic left lower lung lobectomy. The patient initially received eight chemotherapy cycles and achieved partial remission. After eight cycles of chemotherapy, the lymph nodes in the hilar region again enlarged. The patient was then switched to 4 months of alectinib therapy, but no significant lesion changes were detected on imaging during this period. This raised the question of whether the patient developed alectinib resistance. The pathological findings of the postoperative lung lobe specimens indicated extensive necrosis in the tumor area with no residual tumor cells and massive chronic inflammatory cell infiltration around the tumor area, confirming inconsistency between the imaging findings and pathological results. Multi-point tumor specimen sampling was postoperatively performed. Tumor immune-related gene expression was detected in the sample with the help of the PanCancer IO360™ panel based on the nCounter platform. This is a rare case of a patient who was treated with neoadjuvant alectinib and had paradoxical radiographic findings and pathological responses. The possibility that intratumoral immune heterogeneity was responsible for this phenomenon has been discussed. Based on the findings, it is argued that the pathological response should be an important basis for assessing the effectiveness of neoadjuvant alectinib therapy.

Exploring the Association Between PRC2 Genes Variants and Lung Cancer Risk in Chinese Han Population.

Background: Genetic susceptibilities play a large role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer (LC). The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a conserved chromatin-associated complex that represses gene expression and is crucial for proper organismal development and gene expression patterns. Despite PRC2 dysregulation has been observed in various human cancers, the relationship between PRC2 genes variants and lung cancer risk remains largely unexplored. Methods: To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PRC2 genes and the risk of developing LC, we genotyped blood genomic DNA from 270 LC patients and 452 healthy individuals of Chinese Han ethnicity using the TaqMan™ genotyping technique. Results: We found that rs17171119T>G(adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.662, 95% CI: 0.467-0.938, P < 0.05), rs10898459 T>C(adjusted OR = 0.615, 95% CI: 0.4-0.947, P < 0.05), and rs1136258 C>T(adjusted OR = 0.273, 95% CI: 0.186-0.401, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with a reduced risk of LC. Stratified analysis revealed a protective effect of rs17171119 in both male and female patients, specifically those with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Additionally, rs1391221 showed a protective effect in both the LUAD and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) groups, while rs1136258 exhibited a protective effect in both females and males, as well as in both LUAD and LUSC groups. Furthermore, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset revealed expression levels of EED and RBBP4 in both LUAD and LUSC. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that allelic variants in EZH2, EED, and RBBP4 may act as protective factors against LC development and could serve as genetic markers associated with susceptibility to LC.

[Association of CDH1, FANCB and APC Gene Polymorphisms 
with Lung Cancer Susceptibility in Chinese Population].

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer-related death globally. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is one of the important factors leading to the occurrence of lung cancer, but its mechanism has not been elucidated. This study intends to investigate the relationship between SNPs of CDH1, FANCB, APC genes and lung cancer genetic susceptibility. METHODS: The case-control study design was used. We collected blood samples from 270 lung cancer cases in the Department of Lung Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, as well as blood samples from 445 healthy volunteers as controls, and extracted genomic DNA for genotyping using the Taqman® SNP genotyping kit. The distribution of three SNP loci of CDH1 gene rs201141645, FANCB gene rs754552650 and APC gene rs149353082 in Chinese population was analyzed. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between different genotypes and the risk of lung cancer. RESULTS: The distribution frequencies of AA, A/G and GG genotypes at rs754552650 of FANCB gene in the control group were 27.2%, 52.6% and 20.2%, respectively. The distribution frequencies of AA and A/G genotypes were 93.7% and 6.3% in the case group, respectively, and no GG genotype was detected. The A/G genotype of the rs754552650 locus of the FANCB gene was significantly different between the case group and the control group. Compared with the carriers of AA genotype, the individuals with FANCB rs754552650 A/G genotype had a lower risk of lung cancer (OR=0.035, 95%CI: 0.020-0.062, P<0.001). CDH1 gene rs201141645 A/C and CC genotypes only existed in the control group. In addition, only 1 sample was found to have APC rs149353082 genotype in the case group. CONCLUSIONS: In the Chinese population, the lung cancer risk of the individuals with FANCB rs754552650 A/G genotype was significantly decreased.

Development and Validation of a Combined Hypoxia and Immune Prognostic Classifier for Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Hypoxia is a crucial microenvironmental factor in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, the prognostic value based on hypoxia and immune in LUAD remains to be further clarified. The hypoxia-related genes (HRGs) and immune-related genes (IRGs) were downloaded from the public database. The RNA-seq expression and matched complete clinical data for LUAD were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis was applied to model construction. Hypoxia expression profiles, immune cell infiltration, functional enrichment analysis, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score and the somatic mutation status were analyzed and compared based on the model. Moreover, immunofluorescence (IF) staining in human LUAD cases to explore the expression of hypoxia marker and immune checkpoint. A prognostic model of 9 genes was established, which can divide patients into two subgroups. There were obvious differences in hypoxia and immune characteristics in the two groups, the group with high-risk score value showed significantly high expression of hypoxia genes and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), and maybe more sensitive to immunotherapy. Patients in the high-risk group had shorter overall survival (OS). This model has a good predictive value for the prognosis of LUAD. We constructed a new HRGs and IRGs model for prognostic prediction of LUAD. This model may benefit future immunotherapy for LUAD.

Combining EGFR-TKI With SAHA Overcomes EGFR-TKI-Acquired Resistance by Reducing the Protective Autophagy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Nowadays, lung cancer has the highest mortality worldwide. The emergence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has greatly improved the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) having EGFR-TKI-sensitive mutations. Unfortunately, acquired resistance happens for most patients. In the present research, we found that EGFR-TKIs (such as gefitinib and osimertinib) can induce autophagy in NSCLC cell lines. Compared with parental sensitive cells, drug-resistant cells have higher autophagy activity. The use of an autophagy inhibitor could enhance the toxicity of gefitinib and osimertinib, which indicates that the enhancement of protective autophagy might be one of the mechanisms of EGFR-TKI resistance in NSCLC. In addition, increased autophagy activity is associated with decreased enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expression. Knockdown of EZH2 or EZH2 inhibitor treatment could lead to increased autophagy in NSCLC cells, indicating that EZH2 is a negative regulator of autophagy. We revealed that the increase in autophagy caused by the reduction of EZH2 was reversed in vitro and in vivo when combining gefitinib or osimertinib with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a broad-spectrum histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi). In conclusion, our results indicated that the combination of EGFR-TKIs and SAHA may be a new strategy to overcome EGFR-TKIs acquired resistance.

Construction of a circular RNA-microRNA-messenger RNA regulatory network of hsa_circ_0043256 in lung cancer by integrated analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed in advanced stages and with a poor 5-year survival rate. There is a critical need to identify novel biomarkers to improve the therapy and overall prognosis of this disease. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from three profiles of GSE101586, GSE101684 and GSE112214 using Venn diagrams. hsa_circ_0043256 were validated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The circular RNA-microRNA-messenger RNA (circRNA-miRNA-mRNA) regulatory network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.7.0. Hub genes were identified with protein interaction (PPI) and validated with the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), Human Protein Atlas (HPA) databases, and immunohistochemistry. Survival analyses were also performed using a Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter. The effects of hsa_circ_0043256 on cell proliferation and cell cycles were evaluated by EdU staining and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: hsa_circ_0043256, hsa_circ_0029426 and hsa_circ_0049271 were obtained. Following RT-qPCR validation, hsa_circ_0043256 was selected for further analysis. In addition, functional experiment results indicated that hsa_circ_0043256 could inhibit cell proliferation and cell-cycle progression of NSCLC cells in vitro. Prediction by three online databases and combining with DEGs identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), a network containing one circRNAs, three miRNAs, and 209 mRNAs was developed. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated DEGs might be associated with lung cancer onset and progression. A PPI network based on the 209 genes was established, and five hub genes (BIRC5, SHCBP1, CCNA2, SKA3, and GINS1) were determined. Following verification of five hub genes using GEPIA database, HPA database, and immunohistochemistry. High expression of all five hub genes led to poor overall survival. CONCLUSION: Our study constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network of hsa_circ_0043256. hsa_circ_0043256 may be a potential therapeutic target for lung cancer.