Special AT-rich Sequence-binding Protein Research Articles

Subcutaneous extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the foot: A case report

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (ESOS) is a rare variant of osteosarcoma which occurs exclusively in the soft tissue without any bone involvement. Subcutaneous ESOS, in particular, is very rare and is seen in <10% of cases. Here, we report a case of a subcutaneous tumor in the fourth web space of the left foot in a 73-year-old man. The diagnosis of ESOS was made on histology and by immunohistochemical reactivity to special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2), which is a sensitive, nuclear marker of osteoblastic differentiation. We present this case because of its rarity and the use of SATB2 immunohistochemistry to confirm the diagnosis.

Expression of SATB2 in Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Lung: Frequent Immunopositivity of Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with a Diagnostic Pitfall.

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) are both classified as lung neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). It has recently been reported that the special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (STAB2), known as a colorectal cancer marker, is also expressed in NECs occurring in various organs including the lung. However, few studies have examined any differences of SATB2 immunopositivity between SCLC and LCNEC. We investigated SATB2 expression in 45 SCLC and 14 LCNEC cases using immunohistochemistry as well as the expression of caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and keratin (KRT) 20. The LCNEC cases were more frequently positive for SATB2 (ten out of 14, 71%) than the SCLC ones (seventeen out of 45, 38%) with a statistically significance (P = 0.035). Furthermore, two LCNEC cases were positive for CDX2 while no positive findings were observed for any SCLC cases, the difference of which, however, was not statistically significant (P = 0.053). KRT20 was negative in all LCNEC and SCLC cases. These results require our attention when we use SATB2 and CDX2 as colorectal cancer markers because their expression in pulmonary NECs can lead to a misdiagnosis that the tumor is of metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma, especially when the patient has a past history of colorectal cancer. Analyzing the relationship between the demographic/clinical variables and the SATB2 expression in the SCLC cases, just high Brinkman index (≥ 600) was significantly related to the positivity of SATB2 (P = 0.017), which is interesting considering the strong relationship between SCLC and smoking.

Loss of SATB2 Occurs More Frequently Than CDX2 Loss in Colorectal Carcinoma and Identifies Particularly Aggressive Cancers in High-Risk Subgroups

Simple SummaryThe immunohistochemical analysis of Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) is increasingly being used to detect colorectal differentiation. Our study aimed to investigate SATB2 expression levels and the prognostic relevance of SATB2 loss in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), especially in comparison with CDX2, the standard marker of colorectal differentiation. We tested SATB2 expression in 1039 CRCs and identified SATB2 as a strong prognosticator in the overall cohort as well as in specific subcohorts, including high-risk subgroups. Compared to CDX2, SATB2 showed a higher prognostic power but was lost at a much higher frequency, generally rendering SATB2 as the less sensitive marker for colorectal differentiation compared to CDX2.Background: Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) has emerged as an alternative immunohistochemical marker to CDX2 for colorectal differentiation. However, the distribution and prognostic relevance of SATB2 expression in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) have to be further elucidated. Methods: SATB2 expression was analysed in 1039 CRCs and correlated with clinicopathological and morphological factors, CDX2 expression as well as survival parameters within the overall cohort and in clinicopathological subgroups. Results: SATB2 loss was a strong prognosticator in univariate analyses of the overall cohort (p < 0.001 for all survival comparisons) and in numerous subcohorts including high-risk scenarios (UICC stage III/high tumour budding). SATB2 retained its prognostic relevance in multivariate analyses of these high-risk scenarios (e.g., UICC stage III: DSS: p = 0.007, HR: 1.95), but not in the overall cohort (DSS: p = 0.1, HR: 1.25). SATB2 loss was more frequent than CDX2 loss (22.2% vs. 10.2%, p < 0.001) and of higher prognostic relevance with only moderate overlap between SATB2/CDX2 expression groups. Conclusions: SATB2 loss is able to identify especially aggressive CRCs in high-risk subgroups. While SATB2 is the prognostically superior immunohistochemical parameter compared to CDX2 in univariate analyses, it appears to be the less sensitive marker for colorectal differentiation as it is lost more frequently.

SATB2 expression in human tumors: A tissue microarray study on more than 15,000 tumors

Abstract Introduction/Objective Introduction: Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) binds to DNA in specific nuclear matrix attachment regions and facilitates chromatin remodeling. SATB2 immunostaining is commonly used as a marker for colorectal adenocarcinoma and osteosarcoma. Methods/Case Report Methods: To comprehensively evaluate SATB2 expression in normal and tumor tissues, a tissue microarray containing 15,012 samples from 120 different tumor types and subtypes and 608 samples of 76 different normal tissue types were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Result: SATB2 positivity was found in 89 different tumor types including 59 with at least one moderately positive and 38 tumor types with at least one strongly positive tumor. Most frequent and strongest expression were found in adenomas (94-96%), adenocarcinomas (86%) and various subtypes of neuroendocrine neoplasms (43-100%) of the colorectum and appendix, Merkel cell carcinoma (74%), osteosarcomas (60%), and papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (52%). In colorectal cancer, weak SATB2 expression was linked to high pT (p&amp;lt;0.0001), nodal metastasis (p&amp;lt;0.0001), right-sided tumor location (p&amp;lt;0.0001), microsatellite instability (p=0.0004), and BRAF mutations (p&amp;lt;0.0224). In papillary RCC, low SATB2 was associated with high pT (p=0.0197), distant metastasis (p=0.042), and reduced tumor specific survival (p=0.0395). In clear cell RCC, low SATB2 was linked to high pT (p&amp;lt;0.0001), high UICC stage (p&amp;lt;0.0001), high Thoenes grade (p=0.0178), and reduced recurrence free survival (p=0.0216). Conclusion SATB2 expression can occur in many different tumor entities. Strong SATB2 expression argues for a colorectal tumor origin within adenocarcinomas and neuroendocrine neoplasms. Weak SATB2 expression reflects cancer progression and poor prognosis in colorectal and kidney cancer.

SATB1-dependent mitochondrial ROS production controls TCR signaling in CD4 T cells.

Special AT-rich sequence binding protein-1 (SATB1) is localized to the nucleus and remodels chromatin structure in T cells. SATB1-deficient CD4 T cells cannot respond to TCR stimulation; however, the cause of this unresponsiveness is to be clarified. Here, we demonstrate that SATB1 is indispensable to proper mitochondrial functioning and necessary for the activation of signal cascades via the TCR in CD4 T cells. Naïve SATB1-deficient CD4 T cells contain fewer mitochondria than WT T cells, as the former do not express mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Impaired mitochondrial function in SATB1-deficient T cells subverts mitochondrial ROS production and SHP-1 inactivation by constitutive oxidization. Ectopic TFAM expression increases mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial ROS production and rescues defects in the antigen-specific response in the SATB1-deficient T cells. Thus, SATB1 is vital for maintaining mitochondrial mass and function by regulating TFAM expression, which is necessary for TCR signaling.

Generation, Maintenance, and Characterization of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Intestinal and Colonic Organoids.

Intestinal regional specification describes a process through which unique morphology and function are imparted to defined areas of the developing gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Regional specification in the intestine is driven by multiple developmental pathways, including the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway. Based on normal regional specification, a method to generate human colonic organoids (HCOs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which include human embryonic stem cells (hES) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), was developed. A three-day induction of BMP signaling sufficiently patterns mid/hindgut tube cultures into special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2)-expressing HCOs containing all of the main epithelial cell types present in human colon as well as co-developing mesenchymal cells. Omission of BMP (or addition of the BMP inhibitor NOGGIN) during this critical patterning period resulted in the formation of human intestinal organoids (HIOs). HIOs and HCOs morphologically and molecularly resemble human developing small intestine and colon, respectively. Despite the utility of HIOs and HCOs for studying human intestinal development, the generation of HIOs and HCOs is challenging. This paper presents methods for generating, maintaining, and characterizing HIOs and HCOs. In addition, the critical steps in the protocol and troubleshooting recommendations are provided.

Small Interfering RNA-Mediated Knockdown of SATB1 Increases Cell Proliferation through NF-κb Activation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background: Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1(SATB1) is a chromatin-remodeling protein that has been shown to regulate gene expressions and aberrant cell growth in different types of cancer. Up-regulation of SATB1 is linked with progression and metastasis of tumors. It is also reported that SATB1 is involved in the differentiation of hematopoietic lineages. However, less is known about the association between SATB1 and hematology malignancy. We previously reported that SATB1 expressions were decreased in T cell leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL), and knockdown of SATB1 significantly enhanced invasiveness of Jurkat cell through the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in vitro. The contrary roles of SATB1 in solid organ tumors and hematology malignancy may provide hints to study the function of SATB1. Here, we investigated the role of SATB1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods: To characterize SATB1 mRNA and protein expression in AML, we performed qRT-PCR and Western blot on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 52 newly diagnosed AML patients, as well as AML cell lines NB4, HEL, THP-1 and HL-60. Stable HL-60 cell lines with knockdown of SATB1 by shRNAs sequences (HL-60 SATB1-shRNA1 and HL-60 SATB1-shRNA2) were established. CCK-8 cell proliferation assay and flow cytometric analysis were performed to evaluate the cell proliferation and cell cycle. The invasiveness of HL-60 SATB1-shRNAs and HL-60 CTR cells was analyzed and compared by transwell assay. In order to study the role of SATB1 in vivo, murine model was established using HL-60 SATB1-shRNAs treated nude mice and tumorigenicity was comopared by tumor size. After demonstrating the association between SATB1 knockdown and tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo, we next investigated NF-κB, AKT and MAPK signaling pathways by western blot.Results:l. SATB1 expression was significantly lower in AML patients than normal controls, which is similar to what we found in T-ALL patients. SATB1 expression was different before and after treatment, especially after complete remission (CR) of AML. Increased SATB1 expression was associated with better clinical outcome. We further investigated the roles of SATB1 on AML cells by shRNAs mediated knockdown of SATB1. Knockdown of SATB1 promoted the proliferation of HL-60 SATB1 shRNA1 cells and HL-60 SATB1 shRNA2 cells compared to the control. However, the transwell assay did not show increased invasiveness in SATB1 depleted HL-60 cells. The in vivo experiment showed that tumor size and weight in SATB1 knockdown mice were significantly increased compared to the control mice. In the mechanism study, we investigated NF-κB, AKT and MAPK signaling pathways by western blot. We found that the expression of NF-κB p65 in HL60 SATB1-shRNAs cells was increased, which suggested that SATB1 regulated AML cell growth via the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.Conclusions: Impairment of SATB1 is associated with AML. SATB1 expressions were decreased in AML. Knockdown of SATB1 promoted cell proliferation and tumorigenicity of AML via the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Expression of SATB2 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Its Prognostic Significance

Background: Human special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-2 (SATB2) is a novel DNA binding protein, which is involved in regulating gene expression. Recent studies conducted to evaluate the clinical significance of SATB2 in multiple malignant carcinomas, and have yielded controversial results. The purpose of this study is to investigate the expression status of SATB2 and its prognostic significance in AML patients.Methods: Total RNA was extracted from bone marrow or plasma of 87 patients with AML and 21 health volunteers. The expression of SATB2 was examined by Realtime quantitative PCR. The relationship of SATB2 expression and other clinicopathological charactors and its prognosis significance were statistically analyzed.Results: The relative expression of SATB2 was significantly up-regulated in AML patients (median value 0.061, range: 0.007-0.328) in comparison to those of healthy volunteers (median value 0.033, range: 0.008-0.077; P < 0.001) , and SATB2 expression level was much lower in patients who had achieved CR (median value 0.005, range: 0.001-0.006;P < 0.001) compared with newly diagnosed AML patients(median value 0.010, range: 0.002-0.027;P < 0.001).Furthermore, the expression of SATB2 was markedly associated with gender(P =0.043), WBC count(P =0.001), platelet count (P =0.025), BM blast count (P = 0.007) and Complete Remission (P < 0.001). Patients with higher SATB2 expression had a relatively poor overall survival(OS) (P = 0.009) and short disease-free survival(DFS) (P < 0.001). Moreover, SATB2 expression was an independent prognostic factors for both OS (P = 0.001) and DFS (P = 0.006).Conclusions: SATB2 was significantly up-regulated in AML patients in comparison to healthy donors. Patients who had achieved CR usually had a lower level of SATB 2 expression compared with newly diagnosed AML patients. The over-expression of SATB2 is associated with poor prognosis in AML patients, and was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

RUNX2/miR‑31/SATB2 pathway in nickel‑induced BEAS‑2B cell transformation.

Nickel (Ni) compounds are classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and are known to be carcinogenic to the lungs. In our previous study, special AT‑rich sequence‑binding protein2 (SATB2) was required for Ni‑induced BEAS‑2B cell transformation. In the present study, a pathway that regulates the expression of SATB2 protein was investigated in Ni‑transformed BEAS‑2B cells using western blotting and RT‑qPCR for expression, and soft agar, migration and invasion assays for cell transformation. Runt‑related transcription factor2 (RUNX2), a master regulator of osteogenesis and an oncogene, was identified as an upstream regulator for SATB2. Ni induced RUNX2 expression and initiated BEAS‑2B transformation and metastatic potential. Previously, miRNA‑31 was identified as a negative regulator of SATB2 during arsenic‑induced cell transformation, and in the present study it was identified as a downstream target of RUNX2 during carcinogenesis. miR‑31 expression was reduced in Ni‑transformed BEAS‑2B cells, which was required to maintain cancer hallmarks. The expression level of miR‑31 was suppressed by RUNX2 in BEAS‑2B cells, and this increased the expression level of SATB2, initiating cell transformation. Ni caused the repression of miR‑31 by placing repressive marks at its promoter, which in turn increased the expression level of SATB2, leading to cell transformation.

Long non‑coding RNA HCG11 suppresses themalignant phenotype of non‑small cell lungcancercells by targeting a miR‑875/SATB2 axis.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development and progression of a variety of diseases. However, the role of the lncRNA HLA complex group 11 (HCG11) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. The present study showed that the expression levels of HCG11 were reduced in tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and similar results were obtained in experiments using lung cancer cell lines. Additionally, patients with high HCG11 expression had an increased survival rate compared with patients with low HCG11 expression. Further studies have shown that overexpression of HCG11 inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, it was observed that HCG11 expression was negatively associated with the expression levels of oncogenic microRNA-875 (miR-875) in patient specimens. Specifically, HCG11 served as a sponge of miR-875. Notably, it was determined that special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) was a direct target gene of miR-875, and overexpression of miR-875 largely abrogated the effects of HCG11 in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, HCG11 was shown to suppress the malignant properties of NSCLC cells by targeting a miR-875/SATB2 axis, and may therefore be a promising target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Hypoxic tumor-derived exosomal miR-31-5p promotes lung adenocarcinoma metastasis by negatively regulating SATB2-reversed EMT and activating MEK/ERK signaling

BackgroundExosomes have emerged as critical mediators of intercellular communication. Hypoxia is widely recognized as a key regulator of tumor aggressiveness, and significantly affects exosome release by tumor cells. However, the effects of exosomes derived from hypoxic lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells are poorly understood.MethodsSamples of miRNA isolated from hypoxic LUAD cell-derived exosomes (HExo) and normoxic LUAD cell-derived exosomes (NExo) were sequenced to identify miRNAs that might mediate tumor progression. Exosomal miRNA was co-cultured with LUAD cells to assess its biological effects on cell migration and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. The cellular target of exosomal miRNA was confirmed by dual-luciferase assays. Western blot studies showed that exosomal miRNA regulated the related pathway. The availability of circulating exosomal miRNA derived from plasma was also evaluated.ResultsWe found that HExo could significantly enhance the migration and invasion of normoxic LUAD cells. MiRNA sequencing results suggested that miR-31-5p was largely internalized within HExo and could be taken up by normoxic LUAD cells. Exosomal miR-31-5p was found to directly target Special AT-Rich Sequence-Binding Protein 2 (SATB2)-revered epithelial mesenchymal transition and significantly increase activation of MEK/ERK signaling, thereby contributing to tumor progression both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, higher levels of circulating exosomal miR-31-5p were detected in LUAD patients, especially in patients with metastatic disease.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that exosomal miR-31-5p exerts a crucial role in LUAD progression, and could serve as a diagnostic biomarker for LUAD.

Expansion of GARP-Expressing CD4+CD25-FoxP3+ T Cells and SATB1 Association with Activation and Coagulation in Immune Compromised HIV-1-Infected Individuals in South Africa.

Although antiretroviral treatment lowers the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related disease, it does not always result in immunological recovery. This manifests as persistent chronic inflammation, immune activation or exhaustion that can promote the onset of co-morbidities. As the exact function of regulatory T (Treg) cells in HIV remains unclear, this cross-sectional study investigated three expression markers (Forkhead box protein P3 [FOXP3], glycoprotein A repetitions predominant [GARP], special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 [SATB1]) and compared their expansion between CD4+CD25- and CD4+CD25++ T cells. Age-matched study subjects were recruited (Western Cape, South Africa) and sub-divided: HIV-negative subjects (n = 12), HIV-positive naïve treated (n = 22), HIV-positive treated based on CD4 count cells/µL (CD4 > 500 and CD4 < 500) (n = 34) and HIV-treated based on viral load (VL) copies/mL (VL < 1000 and VL > 1000) (n = 34). Markers of immune activation (CD38) and coagulation (CD142) on T cells (CD8) were assessed by flow cytometry together with FOXP3, GARP and SATB1 expression on CD4+CD25- and CD4+CD25++ T cells. Plasma levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10; anti-inflammatory marker), IL-6 (inflammatory marker) and D-dimer (coagulation marker) were assessed. This study revealed three major findings in immuno-compromised patients with virological failure (CD4 < 500; VL > 1000): (1) the expansion of the unconventional Treg cell subset (CD4+CD25-FOXP3+) is linked with disease progression markers; (2) increased GARP expression in the CD4+CD25- and CD4+CD25++ subsets; and (3) the identification of a strong link between CD4+CD25-SATB1+ cells and markers of immune activation (CD8+CD38+) and coagulation (CD8+CD142+ and D-dimer).

Colitis-associated colorectal adenocarcinomas frequently express claudin 18 isoform 2: implications for claudin 18.2 monoclonal antibody therapy.

Claudin 18 (CLDN18) is a member of the claudin family of cell surface proteins, which are widely expressed in epithelial cells and play a role in cell-cell adhesion. CLDN18 isoform 2 (CLDN18.2) is specifically expressed in gastric epithelial cells, and is frequently expressed at high levels in gastric adenocarcinoma. On the basis of this, zolbetuximab, a targeted monoclonal antibody, has been developed for patients with CLDN18.2-positive gastro-oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Colitis-associated colorectal adenocarcinomas (CACs) tend to lose intestinal markers and show aberrant gastric mucin expression. Furthermore, clinical trials of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) inhibitor therapy for colorectal carcinoma are ongoing. However, the expression profile of CLDN18.2 and HER2 has not been described in a series of human CACs. We performed immunohistochemistry for CLDN18 and HER2 on 56 consecutive CACs from 55 inflammatory bowel disease patients, and compared the expression profile with that of a control group of 56 sporadic colorectal adenocarcinomas (CRCs). CLDN18.1 expression and CLDN18.2 expression were validated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in paraffin-embedded CRC tissues. CLDN18 was positive in 27% (15/56) of CACs and in 5% (3/56) of sporadic CRCs (P=0.004), and CLDN18-positive CACs were more likely to have lymph node metastasis than CLDN18-negative CACs (67% versus 36%; P=0.017). CLDN18 expression was significantly associated with MUC5AC expression (P<0.001) and loss of special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 expression (P=0.005) in CACs. CLDN18.2 was expressed in CRCs that were immunoreactive for CLDN18. Only 4% of CACs were immunoreactive for HER2, and no differences were identified in sporadic CRCs. These findings suggest that certain CAC cases may be candidates for targeted zolbetuximab therapy.

SATB2-AS1 acts as miR-299-3p sponge to facilitate tumorigenesis in human non-small cell lung cancer

IntroductionNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common pathological type of lung cancer, is partly responsible for an increasing number of tumor-related deaths worldwide. This study aimed to explore the biological role of the anti-sense transcript of special AT-rich sequence binding protein 2 (SATB2-AS1), a novel cancer-related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and illustrate the potential molecular mechanisms.Material and methodsThe expression patterns of SATB2-AS1 were determined via qPCR analysis in clinical samples and tumor cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between SATB2-AS1 expression and survival time of NSCLC patients. NSCLC tumors were transfected with SATB2-AS1 expression vectors or specific short hairpin RNAs (sh-SATB2-AS1). Tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis was detected by MTT assays and flow cytometric method, respectively. Nude mouse transplantation models were applied to investigate the effects of SATB2-AS1 on tumor cell growth in vivo. Bio-informatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays and rescue assays were performed to elucidate possible molecular mechanisms.ResultsSATB2-AS1 up-regulation was observed in tumorous tissues and cell lines. Up-regulated SATB2-AS1 expression was associated with shorter overall survival time of patients. SATB2-AS1 over-expression facilitated tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and survival, while its knockdown inhibited tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and survival. SATB2-AS1 depletion suppressed tumor growth in vivo. SATB2-AS1 was revealed to act as a miR-299-3p sponge to exert carcinogenic role.ConclusionsOur data indicate that SATB2-AS1 acts as a miR-299-3p sponge to facilitate NSCLC development, providing a novel candidate therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Cover Image

The cover image is based on the Original Article Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (Satb2) synergizes with Bmp9 and is essential for osteo/odontogenic differentiation of mouse incisor mesenchymal stem cells by Qiuman Chen et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.13016.

SATB2 Expression in Uterine Sarcoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Uterine sarcomas represent a clinical challenge because of their difficult diagnosis and the poor prognosis of certain subtypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of the special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) in endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) and other types of uterine sarcoma by immunohistochemistry. We studied the expression of SATB2 on 71 full tissue sections of endometrial stromal nodule, low-grade ESS, uterine leiomyomas and leiomyosarcoma, undifferentiated uterine sarcoma, adenosarcoma, and carcinosarcoma samples. Nuclear SATB2 expression was then evaluated in an extended sample set using a tissue microarray, including 78 additional uterine tumor samples. Overall, with a cut-off of ≥10% of tumor cell staining as positive, the nuclear SATB2 score was negative in all endometrial stromal nodule samples (n=10) and positive in 83% of low-grade ESS samples (n=29/35), 40% of undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (n=4/10), 13% of leiomyosarcoma (n=2/16), 14% of adenosarcoma (n=3/22), and 8% carcinosarcoma (n=2/25) samples. Furthermore, in ESS patients, direct comparison of nuclear SATB2 scores with clinicopathologic parameters and other reported biomarkers such as progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor showed that nuclear SATB2 was associated with PR expression and a decreased risk of disease-specific death (odds ratio=0.06, 95% confidence interval=0.04-0.81, P=0.04). Our data suggest that SATB2 could be a marker with relative sensitivity (83%) for distinguishing between endometrial stromal nodule and ESS with potential prognostic value.

Regulation of Osteoblast Differentiation by Cytokine Networks.

Osteoblasts, which are bone-forming cells, play pivotal roles in bone modeling and remodeling. Osteoblast differentiation, also known as osteoblastogenesis, is orchestrated by transcription factors, such as runt-related transcription factor 1/2, osterix, activating transcription factor 4, special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 and activator protein-1. Osteoblastogenesis is regulated by a network of cytokines under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Osteoblastogenic cytokines, such as interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-11, IL-18, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), cardiotrophin-1 and oncostatin M, promote osteoblastogenesis, whereas anti-osteoblastogenic cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), TNF-β, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-7, IL-12, IL-13, IL-23, IFN-α, IFN-β, leukemia inhibitory factor, cardiotrophin-like cytokine, and ciliary neurotrophic factor, downregulate osteoblastogenesis. Although there are gaps in the body of knowledge regarding the interplay of cytokine networks in osteoblastogenesis, cytokines appear to be potential therapeutic targets in bone-related diseases. Thus, in this study, we review and discuss our osteoblast, osteoblast differentiation, osteoblastogenesis, cytokines, signaling pathway of cytokine networks in osteoblastogenesis.

Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (Satb2) synergizes with Bmp9 and is essential for osteo/odontogenic differentiation of mouse incisor mesenchymal stem cells.

ObjectivesMouse incisor mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have self‐renewal ability and osteo/odontogenic differentiation potential. However, the mechanism controlling the continuous self‐renewal and osteo/odontogenic differentiation of mouse incisor MSCs remains unclear. Special AT‐rich sequence‐binding protein 2 (SATB2) positively regulates craniofacial patterning, bone development and regeneration, whereas SATB2 deletion or mutation leads to craniomaxillofacial dysplasia and delayed tooth and root development, similar to bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) loss‐of‐function phenotypes. However, the detailed mechanism underlying the SATB2 role in odontogenic MSCs is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SATB2 can regulate self‐renewal and osteo/odontogenic differentiation of odontogenic MSCs.Materials and methods Satb2 expression was detected in the rapidly renewing mouse incisor mesenchyme by immunofluorescence staining, quantitative RT‐PCR and Western blot analysis. Ad‐Satb2 and Ad‐siSatb2 were constructed to evaluate the effect of Satb2 on odontogenic MSCs self‐renewal and osteo/odontogenic differentiation properties and the potential role of Satb2 with the osteogenic factor bone morphogenetic protein 9 (Bmp 9) in vitro and in vivo.Results Satb2 was found to be expressed in mesenchymal cells and pre‐odontoblasts/odontoblasts. We further discovered that Satb2 effectively enhances mouse incisor MSCs self‐renewal. Satb2 acted synergistically with the potent osteogenic factor Bmp9 in inducing osteo/odontogenic differentiation of mouse incisor MSCs in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions Satb2 promotes self‐renewal and osteo/odontogenic differentiation of mouse incisor MSCs. Thus, Satb2 can cooperate with Bmp9 as a new efficacious bio‐factor for osteogenic regeneration and tooth engineering.

SATB2 overexpression promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma progression by up-regulating NOX4

While atypical expression of special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2) has been approved associated with tumor progression, metastasis and unfavourable prognosis in various carcinomas. However, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), both the expressive state and associated functions of SATB2's are still undefined. Here we show that, in clinical samples from a retrospective cohort of 58 OSCC patients, high expression of SATB2 is associated with poor prognosis of OSCC patients. In this study, we investigated SATB2 is highly expressed in OSCC tissues and cell lines, which can promote OSCC cells' proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor growth. According to sequencing results based on previous literature, we identified NOX4 is a bona fide downstream target of SATB2, when it was knockdown, OSCC's proliferation can be partially suppressed. Furthermore, NOX4 knockdown inhibits tumorigenicity, which can be rescued partially by ectopic expression of SATB2 in HNSCC cell line, and vice versa. Collectively, our findings not only indicate overexpression of SATB2 triggers the proliferative, migratory and invasive mechanisms which are important in the malignant phenotype of OSCC, but also identify NOX4 as the downstream gene for SATB2. These findings indicate that SATB2 may play a key role in OSCC tumorigenicity and may be a future target for the development of new therapeutic regimens.

Long Non-Coding RNA ELFN1-AS1 Promoted Colon Cancer Cell Growth and Migration via the miR-191-5p/Special AT-Rich Sequence-Binding Protein 1 Axis.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are reported to participate in tumor development. It has been manifested in previous researches that lncRNA ELFN1-AS1 is involved in early-stage colon adenocarcinoma with potential diagnostic value. However, no studies have revealed the specific mechanism of ELFN1-AS1 in colon cancer, and there are no other studies on whether ELFN1-AS1 is associated with tumorigenesis. In our study, ELFN1-AS1 with high expression in colon cancer was selected by TCGA analysis, and the survival analysis was carried out to verify it. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was adopted for validating the results in tissues and cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU), cell colon, cell apoptosis, cell cycle, cell migration, and invasion assays were utilized to assess the role of ELFN1-AS1 in colon cancer. Results uncovered that ELFN1-AS1 expression was prominently raised in colon cancer cells and tissues. ELFN1-AS1 decrement restrained cells to grow through interfering with distribution of cell cycle and promoting apoptosis. Meanwhile, ELFN1-AS1 decrement weakened the capacity of cells to migrate and invade. What’s more, ELFN1-AS1 was uncovered to act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to decrease miR-191-5p expression, thus raising special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1), a downstream target of ceRNA. To sum up, ELFN1-AS1 drives colon cancer cells to proliferate and invade through adjusting the miR-191-5p/SATB1 axis. The above results disclose that lncRNA ELFN1-AS1 is possibly a novel treatment target for colon cancer cases.