ALDH1A1 Levels Research Articles

Therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma identified using proteomics and Mendelian randomization.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) emerges as a formidable malignancy marked by elevated morbidity and mortality rates, coupled with a dismal prognosis. The revelation of gene-protein associations has presented an avenue for the exploration of novel therapeutic targets. Pooling plasma proteomic data (seven published GWAS) and HCC data (DeCODE cohort), we applied MR to identify potential drug targets, which were further validated in the FinnGen cohort and UK Biobank. Subsequent colocalization and summary-data-based Mendelian randomization analyses were performed for potential associations of this set of proteins. In addition, enrichment information pathways were investigated in depth by KEGG pathway analysis, single-cell sequencing, PPI and DGIdb, ChEMBL, and DrugBank database analyses, specific cell types enriched for expression were identified, interacting proteins were identified, and finally, druggability was assessed. In summary, the levels of 10 proteins are linked to HCC risk. Elevated levels of TFPI2 as well as decreased levels of ALDH1A1, KRT18, ADAMTS13, TIMD4, SCLY, HRSP12, TNFAIP6, FTCD, and DDC are associated with increased HCC risk. Notably, HRSP12 show the strongest evidence. These genes are primarily expressed in specific cell types within the HCC TME. Moreover, intricate protein-protein interactions, involving key players like ALDH1A1 and RIDA, ALDH1A1 and DDC, and ALDH1A1 and KRT18, contribute significantly to the amino acid metabolism and dopaminergic neurogenesis pathway. Proteins such as ALDH1A1, KRT18, TFPI2, and DDC are promising targets for HCC therapy and broader cancer drug development. Targeting these proteins offers substantial potential in advancing HCC treatment strategies. This research delineates 10 protein biomarkers linked to HCC risk and offers novel perspectives on its etiology, as well as promising avenues for the screening of HCC protein markers and therapeutic agents.

Loss of Atg5 in Sertoli cells enhances the susceptibility of cadmium-impaired testicular spermatogenesis in mice.

Cadmium (Cd), one of the most common contaminants in diet and drinking water, impairs testicular germ cell development and spermatogenesis. Autophagy is essential for maintaining Sertoli cell function and Sertoli-germ cell communication. However, the role of Sertoli cell autophagy in Cd-caused spermatogenesis disorder remains unclear. Here, the mice of autophagy-related gene 5 (Atg5) knockouts in Sertoli cells were used to investigate the effect of autophagy deficiency on Cd-impaired spermatogenesis and its underlying mechanisms. Results showed that Sertoli cell-specific knockout of Atg5 exacerbated Cd-reduced sperm count and MVH (a specific marker for testicular germ cells) level in mice. Additionally, Sertoli cell Atg5 deficiency reduced the number of spermatocytes and decreased the level of meiosis-related proteins (SYCP3 and STRA8) in Cd-treated mouse testes. Loss of Atg5 in Sertoli cell exacerbated Cd-reduced the level of retinoic acid (RA) and retinal dehydrogenase (ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A) in mouse testes. Meanwhile, we found that the level of transcription factor WT1 was significantly downregulated in Atg5-/- plus Cd-treated testes. Further experiments showed that Wt1 overexpression restored Cd-decreased the levels of ALDH1A1 in Sertoli cells. Collectively, the above data suggest that knockout of Atg5 in Sertoli cell enhances the susceptibility of Cd-impaired testicular spermatogenesis. These findings provide new insights into autophagy of Sertoli cell preventing environmental toxicants-impaired testicular spermatogenesis.

Cancer Stem Cell Markers-Clinical Relevance and Prognostic Value in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Analysis.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) may contribute to an increased risk of recurrence in ovarian cancer (OC). Further research is needed to identify associations between CSC markers and OC patients' clinical outcomes with greater certainty. If they prove to be correct, in the future, the CSC markers can be used to help predict survival and indicate new therapeutic targets. This study aimed to determine the CSC markers at mRNA and protein levels and their association with clinical presentation, outcome, and risk of recurrence in HGSOC (High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer). TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database with 558 ovarian cancer tumor samples was used for the evaluation of 13 CSC markers (ALDH1A1, CD44, EPCAM, KIT, LGR5, NES, NOTCH3, POU5F1, PROM1, PTTG1, ROR1, SOX9, and THY1). Data on mRNA and protein levels assessed by microarray and mass spectrometry were retrieved from TCGA. Models to predict chemotherapy response and survival were built using multiple variables, including epidemiological data, expression levels, and machine learning methodology. ALDH1A1 and LGR5 mRNA expressions indicated a higher platinum sensitivity (p = 3.50 × 10-3; p = 0.01, respectively). POU5F1 mRNA expression marked platinum-resistant tumors (p = 9.43 × 10-3). CD44 and EPCAM mRNA expression correlated with longer overall survival (OS) (p = 0.043; p = 0.039, respectively). THY1 mRNA and protein levels were associated with worse OS (p = 0.019; p = 0.015, respectively). Disease-free survival (DFS) was positively affected by EPCAM (p = 0.004), LGR5 (p = 0.018), and CD44 (p = 0.012). In the multivariate model based on CSC marker expression, the high-risk group had 9.1 months longer median overall survival than the low-risk group (p < 0.001). ALDH1A1, CD44, EPCAM, LGR5, POU5F1, and THY1 levels in OC may be used as prognostic factors for the primary outcome and help predict the treatment response.

Rab11-FIP4 interacts with ARF5 to promote cancer stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Recent studies suggest that Rab11-family interacting proteins (Rab11-FIPs) play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression. Among the Rab11-FIPs, Rab11-FIP4 has been reported to be significantly upregulated in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the possible effect on HCC stemness and the underlying mechanism has never been characterized. Here, we found that Rab11-FIP4 was dramatically increased in HCC cell lines and tissues, and had a positive correlation with cancer stemness. Functional studies revealed that elevated expression of Rab11-FIP4 in HCC cells significantly promoted sphere formation, and enhanced the mRNA and protein levels of stemness-associated markers, ALDH1A1, CD133, NANOG, and OCT4. Conversely, the knockdown of Rab11-FIP4 suppressed the cancer stem cell (CSC)-like characteristics of HCC cells. Moreover, silencing of Rab11-FIP4 obviously increased the sensitivity of HCC cells to sorafenib. Mechanistically, Rab11-FIP4 was shown to interact with ADP-ribosylation factor 5 (ARF5) to influence cell cycle-related proteins, CDK1/cyclin B, thereby promoting HCC stemness. Taken together, our results uncovered an essential role for Rab11-FIP4 in regulating CSC-like features of HCC cells and identified Rab11-FIP4 as a potential target for HCC therapy.

Construction of a fatty acid metabolism-related gene signature for predicting prognosis and immune response in breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer has the highest incidence among malignant tumors in women, and its prevalence ranks first in global cancer morbidity. Aim: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a prognostic model for patients with breast cancer based on the differential expression of genes related to fatty acid metabolism. Methods: The mRNA expression matrix of breast cancer and paracancer tissues was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The differentially expressed genes related to fatty acid metabolism were screened in R language. The TRRUST database was used to predict transcriptional regulators related to hub genes and construct an mRNA-transcription factor interaction network. A consensus clustering approach was used to identify different fatty acid regulatory patterns. In combination with patient survival data, Lasso and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression models were used to establish polygenic prognostic models based on fatty acid metabolism. The median risk score was used to categorize patients into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze the survival differences between both groups. The Cox regression analysis included risk score and clinicopathological factors to determine whether risk score was an independent risk factor. Models based on genes associated with fatty acid metabolism were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. A comparison was made between risk score levels and the fatty acid metabolism-associated genes in different subtypes of breast cancer. The differential gene sets of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes for screening high- and low-risk populations were compared using a gene set enrichment analysis. Furthermore, we utilized CIBERSORT to examine the abundance of immune cells in breast cancer in different clustering models. Results: High expression levels of ALDH1A1 and UBE2L6 prevented breast cancer, whereas high RDH16 expression levels increased its risk. Our comprehensive assessment of the association between prognostic risk scoring models and tumor microenvironment characteristics showed significant differences in the abundance of various immune cells between high- and low-risk breast cancer patients. Conclusions: By assessing fatty acid metabolism patterns, we gained a better understanding of the infiltration characteristics of the tumor microenvironment. Our findings are valuable for prognosis prediction and treatment of patients with breast cancer based on their clinicopathological characteristics.

Enhanced oxidative stress is associated with tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

To analyze the oxidative stress status and its association with tissue neutrophilia and oral steroid response in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients. The levels of total oxidant status (TOS) were detected in the sinonasal tissues by using specific assay kits. Tissue neutrophil was examined by immunohistochemical staining, and oxidant status index (OSI) was evaluated in polyps tissues, and the messenger RNA(mRNA) levels of superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1(ALDH1A1), and microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (MGST1) were examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactionin the sinonasal tissues. The receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) curve of ALDH1A1, MGST1, and SOD2 mRNA levels were evaluated to determine the steroid response of CRSwNP patients. The levels of TOS and OSI were significantly higher in CRSwNP and CRSsNP than in normal controls, and OSI in polyps tissues was positively associated with tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response. The ALDH1A1, MGST1, and SOD2 mRNA levels showed comparable accuracy as predictors of poor steroid response indicated by thearea under the curve. These findings provided evidence that the increased level of oxidative stress contributes to enhanced tissue neutrophilia and poor steroid response in CRSwNP patients.

Exploring Prognostic Biomarkers of Acute Myeloid Leukemia to Determine Its Most Effective Drugs from the FDA-Approved List through Molecular Docking and Dynamic Simulation.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer caused by the abnormal proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. The actual genetic markers and molecular mechanisms of AML prognosis are unclear till today. This study used bioinformatics approaches for identifying hub genes and pathways associated with AML development to uncover potential molecular mechanisms. The expression profiles of RNA-Seq datasets, GSE68925 and GSE183817, were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. These two datasets were analyzed by GREIN to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were used for performing the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, protein-protein interaction (PPI), and survival analysis. The molecular docking and dynamic simulation were performed to identify the most effective drug/s for AML from the drug list approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). By integrating the two datasets, 238 DEGs were identified as likely to be affected by AML progression. GO enrichment analyses exhibited that the upregulated genes were mainly associated with inflammatory response (BP) and extracellular region (CC). The downregulated DEGs were involved in the T-cell receptor signalling pathway (BP), an integral component of the lumenal side of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane (CC) and peptide antigen binding (MF). The pathway enrichment analysis showed that the upregulated DEGs were mainly associated with the T-cell receptor signalling pathway. Among the top 15 hub genes, the expression levels of ALDH1A1 and CFD were associated with the prognosis of AML. Four FDA-approved drugs were selected, and a top-ranked drug was identified for each biomarker through molecular docking studies. The top-ranked drugs were further confirmed by molecular dynamic simulation that revealed their binding stability and confirmed their stable performance. Therefore, the drug compounds, enasidenib and gilteritinib, can be recommended as the most effective drugs against the ALDH1A1 and CFD proteins, respectively.

Ionizing Radiation Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotype and Stem Cell Marker in The Lung adenocarcinoma: In Vitro and Bioinformatic Studiesc.

Objective Ionizing radiation (IR) is one of the major therapeutic approaches in the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, it can paradoxically result in cancer progression likely through promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the cancer stem cell phenotype. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether IR promote EMT/CSC and to investigate the clinical relevance of EMT/CSC hallmark genes. Materials and Methods In this experimental and bioinformatic study, A549 cell line was irradiated with a high dosage (6 Gy) or a fractionated regimen (2 Gy/day for 15 fractions). The EMT-related features, including cellular morphology, migratory and invasive capacities were evaluated using scratch assay and transwell migration/invasion assays. The mRNA levels of EMT-related genes (CDH1, CDH2, SNAI1 and TWIST1), stemness-related markers (CD44, PROM1, and ALDH1A1) and the CDH2/CDH1 ratio were evaluated via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The clinical significance of these genes was assessed in the lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) samples using online databases. Results Irradiation resulted in a dramatic elongation of cell shape and enhanced invasion and migration capabilities. These EMT-like alterations were accompanied with enhanced levels of SNAI1, CDH2, TWIST1, CD44, PROM1, and ALDH1A1 as well as an enhanced CDH2/CDH1 ratio. TCGA analysis revealed that, TWIST1, CDH1, PROM1 and CDH2 were upregulated; whereas, CD44, SNAI1 and ALDH1A1 were downregulated. Additionally, correlations between SNAI1-TWIST1, CDH2- TWIST1, CDH2-SNAI1, and ALDH1A1-PROM1 was positive. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis identified lower expression of CDH1, PROM1 and ALDH1A1 and increased expression of CDH2, SNAI1, and TWIST1 as well as CDH2/CDH1 ratio predict overall survival. Additionally, downregulation of ALDH1A1 and upregulation of CDH2, SNAI1 and TWIST1 could predict a shorter first progression. ConclusionAltogether, these findings demonstrated that IR promotes EMT phenotype and stem cell markers in A549 cell line and these genes could function as diagnostic or prognostic indicators in LUAD samples.

Znhit1 and HIF-2α are correlated with cancer stem cell markers in breast cancer patients

Epigenetic alterations have emerged as fundamental players in development and progression of breast cancer (BC). A hypoxic tumour microenvironment regulates the stemness phenotype in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs). The aim of this study was to investigate Znhit1 and HIF-2α gene expression in breast cancer tissues as well as their relation to CSCs markers LGR5, ALDH1A1 and β-catenin in tissue and serum of BC patients. The present study included 160 females divided into two groups, group I: 80 healthy females served as control group and group II: 80 breast cancer patients. Gene expression of tissue Znhit1 and HIF-2α was determined by qRT-PCR. Tissue and serum ALDH1A1, LGR5 and β-catenin levels were determined by ELISA. We found that gene expression of Znhit1 was significantly downregulated in BC tissues. Moreover, it was significantly negatively correlated with clinical stage and β-catenin levels in BC patients. Regarding HIF-2α, gene expression of HIF-2α was significantly upregulated in BC tissues. Moreover, it was significantly positively correlated with Her-2/neu expression and β-catenin levels in BC patients. Based upon our results, Znhit1 and HIF-2α may serve as novel therapeutic targets for BC therapy. Additionally, each of serum ALDH1A1, LGR5 and β-catenin may play a crucial role in non-invasive detection of BC with a high specificity and sensitivity.

ALDH1A1 overexpression in melanoma cells promotes tumor angiogenesis by activating the IL‑8/Notch signaling cascade.

ALDH1A1 is a cytosolic enzyme upregulated in tumor cells, involved in detoxifying cells from reactive aldehydes and in acquiring resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Its expression correlates with poor clinical outcomes in a number of cancers, including melanoma. The present study hypothesized that the increased ALDH1A1 expression and activity upregulated the release of proangiogenic factors from melanoma cells, which regulate angiogenic features in endothelial cells (ECs) through a rearrangement of the Notch pathway. In vivo, when subcutaneously implanted in immunodeficient mice, ALDH1A1 overexpressing melanoma cells displayed a higher microvessel density. In a 3D multicellular system, obtained co-culturing melanoma cancer cells with stromal cells, including ECs, melanoma ALDH1A1 overexpression induced the recruitment of ECs into the core of the tumorspheres. By using a genes array, overexpression of ALDH1A1 in tumor cells also promoted modulation of Notch cascade gene expression in ECs, suggesting an interaction between tumor cells and ECs mediated by enrichment of angiogenic factors in the tumor microenvironment. To confirm this hypothesis, inactivation of ALDH1A1 by the pharmacological inhibitor CM037 significantly affected the release of angiogenic factors, including IL-8, from melanoma cells. High levels of ALDH1A1, through the retinoic acid pathway, regulated the activation of NF-κB-p65 and IL-8. Further, in a 2D co-culture system, the addition of an IL-8 neutralizing antibody to ECs co-cultured with melanoma cells forced to express ALDH1A1 dampened endothelial angiogenic features, both at the molecular (in terms of gene and protein expression of mediators of the Notch pathway) and at the functional level (proliferation, scratch assay, tube formation and permeability). In conclusion, these findings demonstrated the existence of a link between melanoma ALDH1A1 expression and EC Notch signaling modification that results in a pro-angiogenic phenotype. Based on the crucial role of ALDH1A1 in melanoma control of the tumor microenvironment, the enzyme seems a promising target for the development of novel drugs able to interrupt the cross-talk between cancer (stem) cells and endothelial cells.

Effect of different types of muscle activity on the gene and protein expression of ALDH family members in C57BL/6J mouse skeletal muscle.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is an enzyme that detoxifies aldehydes and is primarily involved in alcohol metabolism. Recently, we have shown that ALDH also plays an important role in skeletal muscle homeostasis. To better understand the role of ALDH in skeletal muscle, it is necessary to clarify the adaptability of ALDH. In this study, we examined the effects of endurance training, compensatory hypertrophy by synergist ablation (SA), and denervation-induced atrophy on gene expression and protein levels of selected ALDH isoforms in skeletal muscle. Ten-week-old C57BL/6J mice were subjected to each intervention, and the plantaris muscle was collected. Gene expression levels of Aldh1a1 were decreased by SA and denervation, but ALDH1A1 protein levels were not affected. Protein levels of ALDH1B1 increased after chronic endurance training, SA, and denervation interventions. However, the increase in Aldh1b1 gene expression was observed only after SA. The gene expression of Aldh2 was decreased after SA, but ALDH2 protein levels remained unchanged. Denervation increased both the Aldh2 gene and ALDH2 protein levels. Taken together, each isoform of ALDH undergoes unique quantitative adaptations in skeletal muscle under different conditions.

Aldehyde Dehydrogenases Expression in Corneal Epithelial Cells with Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) in rabbit corneas with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) and corneas treated with cultured autologous oral mucosa epithelial cell sheet CAOMECS designed to reconstruct the ocular surface with LSCD. Methods: New Zealand white rabbit autologous oral mucosal epithelial cells were isolated from a buccal biopsy and cultured to be grafted back onto corneas of rabbit model of LSCD. Immunofluorescent staining and Western blot analysis were used to compare the expression of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 in healthy, LSCD-diseased, CAOMECS treated corneas. Human oral mucosal and corneal epithelial cells (OMECS and CECs) were cultured and treated with retinoic acid (RA) to further investigate the expression of ALDHs. Results: In healthy corneas, ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 were markedly expressed in basal cells of corneal epithelium. In LSCD diseased corneas, ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 were markedly expressed in the conjunctivalized apical epithelial cells, the goblet cells, and the stroma. CAOMECS grafted corneas showed a decreased expression of ALDHs as compared to LSCD diseased corneas. Western blot analysis confirmed the up regulation of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 expression in LSCD-diseased corneal epithelial cells. CAOMECS expressed low levels of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3, as compared to diseased CECs (D-CEC). When ALDH1A3 was up regulated by retinoic acid treatment in OMECS, Pax-6 expression was down regulated, suggesting a decrease in regenerative capacity when ALDH enzymes are up regulated. Conclusions: These findings report for the first time the up regulation of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 in rabbit corneas with LSCD and document that CAOMECS grafting used to reconstruct corneal epithelium may reduce the expression levels of ALDH enzymes.

Prognostic and predictive roles of cancer stem cell markers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving chemoradiotherapy with or without nimotuzumab.

Anti-EGFR-based therapies have limited success in HNSCC patients. Predictive biomarkers are needed to identify the patients most likely to benefit from these therapies. Here, we present predictive and prognostic associations of different cancer stem cell markers in HPV-negative locally advanced (LA) HNSCC patients. Pretreatment tumour tissues of 404 HPV-negative LA-HNSCCs patients, a subset of-phase 3-randomised study comparing cisplatin-radiation(CRT) and nimotuzumab plus cisplatin-radiation(NCRT) were examined. The expression levels of CD44, CD44v6, CD98hc, ALDH1A1, SOX2 and OCT4A were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Progression-free survival(PFS), loco-regional control(LRC),- and overall survival(OS) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models. NCRT showed significantly improved OS with low membrane expression of CD44 compared to CRT [HR (95% CI) = 0.63 (0.46-0.88)]. Patients with low CD44v6 also showed better outcomes with NCRT [LRC: HR (95% CI) = 0.25 (0.10-0.62); OS: HR (95% CI) = 0.38 (0.19-0.74)]. No similar benefit with NCRT observed in patients with high CD44 or CD44v6 expression. Bootstrap resampling confirmed the predictive effect of CD44 (Interaction P = 0.015) and CD44v6 (Interaction P = 0.041) for OS. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed an independent negative prognostic role of CD98hc membrane expression for LRC [HR (95% CI) = 0.63(0.39-1.0)] and OS[HR (95% CI) = 0.62 (0.40-0.95)]. CD44 and CD44v6 are potential predictive biomarkers for NCRT response. CD98hc emerged as an independent negative prognostic biomarker. Registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India (Trial registration identifier-CTRI/2014/09/004980).

An Atlas of the Quantitative Protein Expression of Anti-Epileptic-Drug Transporters, Metabolizing Enzymes and Tight Junctions at the Blood-Brain Barrier in Epileptic Patients.

The purpose of the present study was to quantitatively elucidate the levels of protein expression of anti-epileptic-drug (AED) transporters, metabolizing enzymes and tight junction molecules at the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in the focal site of epilepsy patients using accurate SWATH (sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra) proteomics. Brain capillaries were isolated from focal sites in six epilepsy patients and five normal brains; tryptic digests were produced and subjected to SWATH analysis. MDR1 and BCRP were significantly downregulated in the epilepsy group compared to the normal group. Out of 16 AED-metabolizing enzymes detected, the protein expression levels of GSTP1, GSTO1, CYP2E1, ALDH1A1, ALDH6A1, ALDH7A1, ALDH9A1 and ADH5 were significantly 2.13-, 6.23-, 2.16-, 2.80-, 1.73-, 1.67-, 2.47- and 2.23-fold greater in the brain capillaries of epileptic patients than those of normal brains, respectively. The protein expression levels of Claudin-5, ZO-1, Catenin alpha-1, beta-1 and delta-1 were significantly lower, 1.97-, 2.51-, 2.44-, 1.90- and 1.63-fold, in the brain capillaries of epileptic patients compared to those of normal brains, respectively. Consistent with these observations, leakage of blood proteins was also observed. These results provide for a better understanding of the therapeutic effect of AEDs and molecular mechanisms of AED resistance in epileptic patients.

The Mangrove-Derived Diterpenoid Diaporthe B Inhibits the Stemness and Increases the Efficacy of Docetaxel in Prostate Cancer PC-3 Cells

The absolute configuration of diaporthe B, a pimarane diterpene isolated from the mangrove derived endophytic fungus Eutypella sp #3E, was determined by a single-crystal x-ray diffraction study. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of diaporthe B on docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Results of our studies showed that docetaxel-resistant PC-3 cells had higher sphere-forming efficiency and an increase in adherence to collagen-coated culture plates. The protein levels of cancer stem cell (CSC)-related markers CD44, CD133, and ALDH1A1 were higher in the docetaxel-resistant PC-3 cells than in the parental cells. Treatment with diaporthe B dose-dependently inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis in the resistant cells. Moreover, diaporthe B treatment decreased the sphere-forming efficiency and the adherence to collagen-coated plates in docetaxel-resistant PC-3 cells. Diaporthe B also decreased the protein levels of CSC-related markers CD44, CD133, and ALDH1A1 in the resistant cells. In addition, a combination of diaporthe B and docetaxel had a more potent effect on growth inhibition and apoptosis in the resistant cells than either agent alone. Our studies suggest that diaporthe B inhibits the stemness of prostate cancer cells and may have therapeutic potential for enhancing the efficacy of docetaxel in docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells.

The essential role of transcription factor Pitx3 in preventing mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurodegeneration and maintaining neuronal subtype identities during aging

Pituitary homeobox 3 (Pitx3) is required for the terminal differentiation of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons during neuronal development. However, whether Pitx3 contributes to the normal physiological function and cell-type identity of adult neurons remains unknown. To explore the role of Pitx3 in maintaining mature neurons, we selectively deleted Pitx3 in the mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons of Pitx3fl/fl/DATCreERT2 bigenic mice using a tamoxifen inducible CreERT2/loxp gene-targeting system. Pitx3fl/fl/DATCreERT2 mice developed age-dependent progressive motor deficits, concomitant with a rapid reduction of striatal dopamine (DA) content and a profound loss of mdDA neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) but not in the adjacent ventral tegmental area (VTA), recapitulating the canonical neuropathological features of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mechanistic studies showed that Pitx3-deficiency significantly increased the number of cleaved caspase-3+ cells in SNc, which likely underwent neurodegeneration. Meanwhile, the vulnerability of SNc mdDA neurons was increased in Pitx3fl/fl/DATCreERT2 mice, as indicated by an early decline in glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1a1 (Aldh1a1) levels. Noticeably, somatic accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) was also significantly increased in the Pitx3-deficient neurons. Together, our data demonstrate that the loss of Pitx3 in fully differentiated mdDA neurons results in progressive neurodegeneration, indicating the importance of the Pitx3 gene in adult neuronal survival. Our findings also suggest that distinct Pitx3-dependent pathways exist in SNc and VTA mdDA neurons, correlating with the differential vulnerability of SNc and VTA mdDA neurons in the absence of Pitx3.

A retinoic acid receptor β2 agonist protects against alcohol liver disease and modulates hepatic expression of canonical retinoid metabolism genes.

Alcohol abuse reduces hepatic vitamin A (retinoids), reductions that are associated with progression of alcohol liver disease (ALD). Restoring hepatic retinoids through diet is contraindicated in ALD due to the negative effects of alcohol on retinoid metabolism. There are currently no drugs that can both mitigate alcohol-driven hepatic retinoid losses and progression of ALD. Using a mouse model of alcohol intake, we examined if an agonist for the retinoic acid (RA) receptor β2 (RARβ2), AC261066 (AC261) could prevent alcohol-driven hepatic retinoid losses and protect against ALD. Our results show that mice co-treated with AC261 and alcohol displayed mitigation of ALD, including reduced macro, and microvesicular steatosis, and liver damage. Alcohol intake led to increases in hepatic centrilobular levels of ALDH1A1, a rate-limiting enzyme in RA synthesis, and co-localization of ALDH1A1 with the alcohol-metabolizing enzyme CYP2E1, and 4-HNE, a marker of oxidative stress; expression of these targets was abrogated in mice co-treated with AC261 and alcohol. By RNA sequencing technology, we found that AC261 treatments opposed alcohol modulation of 68 transcripts involved in canonical retinoid metabolism. Alcohol modulation of these transcripts, including CES1D, CES1G, RBP1, RDH10, and CYP26A1, collectively favor hepatic retinoid hydrolysis and catabolism. However, despite this, co-administration of AC261 with alcohol did not mitigate alcohol-mediated depletions of hepatic retinoids, but did reduce alcohol-driven increases in serum retinol. Our data show that AC261 protected mice against ALD, even though AC261 did not prevent alcohol-mediated reductions in hepatic retinoids. These data warrant further studies of the anti-ALD properties of AC261.

ALDH1A1 Genetic Variations May Modulate Risk of Parkinson's Disease in Han Chinese Population.

Background: Studies in animal models have suggested that aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (encoded by ALDH1A1) protects against Parkinson’s disease (PD) by reducing toxic metabolites of dopamine. Herein we aimed to investigate whether ALDH1A1 was genetically associated with PD susceptibility in humans.Methods: A Han Chinese population of 1,039 subjects was recruited to analyze six tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), followed by haplotype analyses and variants interaction analyses. Real-time PCR was used to analyze mRNA levels of ALDH1A1 in peripheral blood of 42 subjects.Results: The tag-SNP rs7043217 of ALDH1A1 was significantly associated with PD susceptibility with the T serving as a risk allele (genotype frequency, P = 0.030; allele frequency, P = 0.013, OR = 1.258, 95% CI = 1.050–1.508). Multiple haplotypes were linked to abnormalities of PD risk, topped by a 4-SNP GGTA module in the order of rs4646547, rs1888202, rs7043217, and rs647880 (P = 9.610 × 10–8, OR = 6.420, 95% CI = 2.944–13.998). Interaction analyses showed that a simultaneous presence of the CC genotype of rs7043217 and the TT genotype of ALDH2 variant rs4767944 conferred an elevated protection against PD (P = 4.68 × 10–4, OR = 0.378, 95% CI = 0.219–0.652). The mRNA expression of ALDH1A1 showed a trend of reduction (P = 0.084) in PD patients compared to the controls.Conclusion: Our results provide novel genetic insights into the role of ALDH1 in PD pathogenesis.

Carboxypeptidase A4 negatively correlates with p53 expression and regulates the stemness of breast cancer cells.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive cancer subtype lacking effective treatment options, and p53 is the most frequently mutated or deleted gene. Carboxypeptidase A4 (CPA4) is an extracellular metallocarboxypeptidase, which was closely associated with aggressiveness. Although a recent study indicated that CPA4 could induce epithelial‑mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells, no studies investigated its stemness-related function and the correlation between CPA4 and p53 in TNBC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the CPA4 levels in breast cancer tissues and analyze its association with p53, and study its roles in cancer stemness maintenance.Methods: CPA4 mRNA level and its prognostic value were analyzed by using online database UALCAN (http://ualcan.path.uab.edu) and Kaplan-Meier plotter (www.kmplot.com), respectively. The expression of CPA4, p53 and ALDH1A1 in breast cancer and adjacent normal tissues were evaluated by IHC using the corresponding primary antibodies on a commercial tissue array (Shanghai Biochip Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China). siRNA knockdown was used to study the function of proliferation, colony formation assay and sphere formation in serum-free medium.Results: Analysis of the UALCAN datasets identified that CPA4 mRNA levels were elevated in TNBC, especially in the TP53-mutant subgroup. Furthermore, high levels of CPA4 mRNA were significantly associated with unfavourable overall survival OS in breast cancer patients. Immunohistochemistical analysis demonstrated that CPA4 levels were elevated in 32.1% of breast cancer samples (45/140), and the positive rates of ALDH1A1 and p53 in the breast cancer tissues were 25% (35/140) and 50% (70/140), respectively. Statistical analysis revealed high levels of CPA4 was significantly associated with TNBC phenotype. Correlation analysis indicated that CPA4 over-expression was positively associated with ALDH1A1 (P<0.01) and negatively correlated with p53 (P<0.05). In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, either high CPA4 or ALDH1A1 levels was significantly correlated with poor survival in breast cancer patients. Functional studies demonstrated that down-regulation of CPA4 significantly inhibited TNBC cell proliferation, colony-formation assays in soft agar and sphere formation in serum-free medium.Conclusion: This study demonstrated for the first time that CPA4 was negatively correlates with p53 expression and inhibition of CPA4 could reduce the number of breast cancer cells with stemness property. It might be a potential target for the TNBC treatment.

Bioinformatic analysis of potential hub genes in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is the most common histologic type of gastric cancer; however, the pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. To improve mechanistic understanding and identify new treatment targets or diagnostic biomarkers, we used bioinformatic tools to predict the hub genes related to the process of gastric adenocarcinoma development from public datasets, and explored their prognostic significance. We screened differentially expressed genes between gastric adenocarcinoma and normal gastric tissues in Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GSE79973, GSE118916, and GSE29998) using the GEO2R tool, and their functions were annotated with Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway enrichment analyses in the DAVID database. Hub genes were identified based on the protein-protein network constructed in the STRING database with Cytoscape software. A total of 10 hub genes were selected for further analysis, and their expression patterns in gastric adenocarcinoma patients were investigated using the Oncomine GEPIA database. The expression levels of ATP4A, CA9, FGA, ALDH1A1, and GHRL were reduced, whereas those of TIMP1, SPP1, CXCL8, THY1, and COL1A1 were increased in gastric adenocarcinoma. The Kaplan-Meier online plotter tool showed associations of all hub genes except for CA9 with prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma patients; CXCL8 and ALDH1A1 were positively correlated with survival, and the other genes were negatively correlated with survival. These 10 hub genes may be involved in important processes in gastric adenocarcinoma development, providing new directions for research to clarify the role of these genes and offer insight for improved treatment.