Although beta 2 adrenergic receptors (β2ADR) are present in the keratinocytes, their role in cutaneous squamous cell tumorigenesis needs to be ascertained. For the first time, we report here that selective β2ADR antagonists by inhibiting β2ADR actions significantly retarded the progression of ultraviolet B (UVB) induced premalignant cutaneous squamous cell lesions. These antagonists acted by inhibiting

The evolving concept that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the driving element in cancer development, evolution and heterogeneity, has overridden the previous model of a tumor consisting of cells all with similar sequentially acquired mutations and a similar potential for renewal, invasion and metastasis. This paradigm shift has focused attention on therapeutically targeting CSCs directly as a means of

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a unique disease entity in acute myeloid leukemia, characterized by PML‐RARA fusion gene, which is generated by chromosomal translocation t(15;17)(q24;q21). We identified TNRC18‐RARA as novel RARA fusion in resembling APL. Our study highlights the importance of combining multiple molecular techniques to characterize and optimally manage APL lacking classic t(1

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous bone marrow cancer characterized by proliferation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. One of its major symptoms are hypercalcaemia and bone lesions, which may result in pathologic bone fractures. Receptor activator for nuclear factor κB (RANK) and its ligand, RANKL, are part of an activation pathway for osteoclasts and are thus responsible for bone

The clinical therapeutic efficacy toward esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is undesirable, due to the lack of targeted agents. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase involved in multiple fields of tumorigenesis, recently has been indicated as a promising therapeutic target in ESCC treatment. Here, we revealed that defactinib, a specific FAK inhibitor, effectively suppressed

MicroRNA (miR)−141‐3p, which functions as an oncogene in multiple malignancies, has been shown to be highly overexpressed in esophageal cancer cells in our previous work. miR‐141‐3p is predicted to bind the messenger RNA (mRNA) of tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (TSC1), a tumor suppressor, with high affinity. In this study, we investigated the expression and functional interaction between miR‐141‐3p and

Prognosis for patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains poor. Development of more effective and less toxic targeted therapies is necessary for HNSCC patients. Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) plays a vital role in cell cycle regulation and is a promising therapeutic target in HNSCC. Prexasertib, a CHK1 inhibitor, induces DNA damage and cell death, however

Regorafenib is approved for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following sorafenib. However, the effect of regorafenib on HCC metastasis and its mechanism are poorly understood. Here, our data showed that regorafenib significantly restrained the migration, invasion and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) of HCC cells, and downregulated the expression of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition

Germline variants of the melanocortin‐1‐receptor (MC1R) gene are the most common genetic trait predisposing to cutaneous melanoma (CM). Here, we performed a literature review and meta‐analysis of the association between MC1R gene variants and the frequency of somatic mutations of the BRAF, NRAS, and TERT genes in CM patients. We included studies published until January 2020 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is recognized as one of the malignant tumors with poor prognosis. UAP1L1 (UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine‐1‐like‐1) affects numerous biological processes, which is a key regulator of the development of malignant tumors. The biological function and molecular mechanism of UAP1L1 in ESCC were explored in this study. The relationship between UAP1L1 and ESCC was analyzed

Withaferin A (WA) exhibits cancer chemopreventive efficacy in preclinical models representative of two different subtypes of breast cancer. However, the mechanism(s) underlying breast cancer chemoprevention by WA is not fully elucidated. We performed RNA‐seq analyses using a non‐tumorigenic mammary epithelial cell line (MCF‐10A) and human breast cancer cells (BCC) belonging to the luminal‐type (MCF‐7)

Tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes in colorectal cancer (CRC) predict better survival. However, associations between T‐lymphocyte count in histologically normal tissues from patients with CRC and survival remain uncertain. We examined associations of CD3+ T‐cells in colorectal tumor and histologically normal tissues with CRC‐specific and all‐cause mortality in the prospective Iowa Women's Health Study

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) has been a global issue for its rapid increasing incidence worldwide. Although most TC was not so aggressive with a good prognosis, treatment against anaplastic TC was relatively limited and the mechanisms are not well elucidated yet.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract in humans. Several studies have indicated that PAK4 is associated with the risk of ESCC and may be a potential druggable kinase for ESCC treatment. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The aim of our study is to identify the functional role of PAK4 in ESCC. To determine

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of the disease with lack of recognized molecular targets for therapy. TNBC cells are known to secrete high levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and IL‐8, which promote angiogenesis and favor the growth and spread of the disease. In the present study, we have shown that the humanized anti‐IL‐6 receptor tocilizumab

Ultraviolet (UV) B irradiation of the skin induces acute inflammation, as characterized by erythema, edema, and immunosuppression, and is subsequently linked to the progression of skin cancer. Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), a component of innate immunity, has been shown to play an important role in cancer. To elucidate the role of TLR4 in UVB‐induced tumor development, TLR4‐proficient (C3H/HeN) and TLR4‐deficient

This study aimed to investigate the role of circ0106714‐miR‐942‐5p‐discs large homolog 2 (DLG2), a novel interactome, in colorectal cancer (CRC). Circ0106714 was found to be the most significantly downregulated circular RNA in CRC using a bioinformatics method, and we researched whether the ability of circ0106714 to sponge miR‐942‐5p and release DLG2 could affect CRC development via Hippo‐YES‐associated

The year 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the first publications reporting the discovery of the gene silencing mechanism, RNA interference (RNAi) in mammalian cells. Along with the many studies that delineated the proteins and substrates that form the RNAi pathway, this finding changed our understanding of the posttranscriptional regulation of mammalian gene expression. Furthermore, the development

Circulating cell‐free nuclear DNA (nDNA) has been implicated in individual cancer types with a diagnostic value; however, the role of cell‐free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in cancers is controversial. We aimed to investigate and compare the diagnostic potential of both nDNA and mtDNA for multiple cancers and to investigate their ability to distinguish multiple cancers from healthy controls and from nonmalignant

The incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) continues to increase worldwide, however its molecular pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Recent studies have implicated microRNAs in iCCA progression. In this study, we demonstrated that miR‐885‐5p was significantly decreased in iCCA tissues. Downregulation of miR‐885‐5p was correlated with vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, unfavorable

Emerging hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been sequentially reported in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treated with direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs). Homeobox transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR), an oncogene, has been reported to be associated with cancer. We investigated the predictive value of lnc‐HOTAIR for HCC surveillance in chronic HCV patients following DAAs therapy. The expression levels of

Countless evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in human malignant cancers, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), although their exact function remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the roles and molecular mechanisms of the lncRNA LOC440173 in ESCC progression. Microarray analysis and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction

Glioblastomas (GBM) contain numerous hypoxic foci associated with a rare fraction of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Left‐right determination factor (LEFTY) and Nodal, members of the transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) superfamily, have glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‐3β) phosphorylation motifs and are linked with stemness in human malignancies. Herein, we investigated the roles of LEFTY and Nodal in GBM

CD46 (also known as membrane cofactor protein), which is a member of the membrane‐bound complement regulatory protein family, has been reported to cause cancer cells to escape complement‐dependent cytotoxicity. However, the association between CD46 polymorphisms and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated. This two‐stage association study was conducted to assess the relationship

TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis selectively in cancer cells. For melanoma, the targeting of TRAIL signaling appears highly attractive, due to pronounced TRAIL receptor expression in tumor tissue. However, mechanisms of TRAIL resistance observed in melanoma cells may limit its clinical use. The Bcl‐2 family members are critical regulators of cell‐intrinsic apoptotic pathways

Despite considerable knowledge of viral pathogenesis, the pathophysiological changes related to the multifactorial, multistep process of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development remains unclear. Longitudinal metabolomics study can reveal biological process for disease progression. We performed metabolite profiling with longitudinal prediagnostic plasma samples from

Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) is one of seven mammalian homologs of silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) and an NAD+‐dependent deacetylase; however, its critical role in lymphangiogenesis remains to be explored. We investigate SIRT2 mediated regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGFD) expression and lymphangiogenesis by deacetylating endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) in head and neck cancer

Ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure is a core factor that leads to skin disease or carcinogenesis through the insufficient repair of DNA lesions. UVB‐induced DNA lesions are mainly removed by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) mechanism. The expression of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) is altered in the skin upon UVB exposure, indicating its possible implication in UVB‐induced DNA lesions repair. Here, we

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its development and progression is yet unclear. Genes that are differentially expressed, that is, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), between normal and diseased tissues are believed to be involved in disease development and progression. To identify the DEGs in OSCC and

In Shi et al.,1 the following error was published on page 1084 in Figure 6A. Figure 6A Open in figure viewerPowerPoint   Following publication, the authors discovered that they inadvertently placed a wrong tumor image of “JQ1.” In the corrected Figure 6A, the tumor image of “JQ1” has been replaced by the correct image, and “TPL” group has been moved above “JQ1” group for better understanding the article

Withaferin A (WA) is a naturally occurring steroidal lactone with proven cancer chemopreventive activity in preclinical models of different cancers including prostate adenocarcinoma. Previously we compared the RNA‐seq data from control and WA‐treated 22Rv1 human prostate cancer cells to identify mechanistic targets of this phytochemical. The Gene Ontology pathway analysis of the RNA‐seq data revealed

The transcription factor forkhead box Q1 (FoxQ1) is overexpressed in different solid tumors including breast cancer, but the mechanism underlying its oncogenic function is still not fully understood. In this study, we compared RNA‐seq data from FoxQ1 overexpressing SUM159 cells with that of empty vector‐transfected control cells to identify novel mechanistic targets of this transcription factor. Analysis

For solid tumors, extravasation of cancer cells and their survival in circulation represents a critical stage of the metastatic process that lacks complete understanding. Gaining insight into interactions between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and other peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may provide valuable prognostic information. The purpose of this study was to use single‐cell RNA‐sequencing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of IL‐1RN polymorphisms on thyroid cancer (TC) risk in Han population. Genotypes of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs17042888, rs928940, rs3181052, and rs452204) were analyzed by Agena MassARRAY. Meanwhile, we used the logistic regression to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and significant differences

Acquired resistance is a barrier to cetuximab efficacy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) is involved in various biological processes, including immune responses, cancer progression, and prognosis in many cancers, while little is known in HNSCC. Bioinformatics methods were used to identify candidate genes and further in vivo and in vitro

Sex‐determining region Y box (SOXs) are expressed in various cells and control cell fate and differentiation in a multitude of physiologic processes. SOX6, a main representative of SOXs, is involved in the regulation of carcinogenesis in various human malignancies. However, the role of SOX6 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. In this study, SOX6 expression in ccRCC and its clinical

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) have emerged as important players in cancer biology. Increasing evidence suggests that LncRNAs are frequently dysregulated in cancer and may function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. Urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1), a LncRNA, firstly identified in bladder transitional cell carcinoma, seems to act as an oncogene in many different types of human cancers by promoting

AKT‐mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1) signaling pathway plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and can be targeted by rapamycin. However, the underlying mechanism of how long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs) regulate the AKT‐mTORC1 pathway remains unclear. EPIC1 (epigenetically‐induced lncRNA 1) is a Myc‐binding lncRNA, which has been previously demonstrated to be overexpressed in multiple cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can act as oncogene and tumor suppressor genes in many types of cancers including breast cancer (BC). Our previous study has indicated microRNA (miR)‐125a‐5p was downregulated and function as a tumor suppressor in BC. However, its upstream regulation mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we used bioinformatics algorithms, RNA pulldown assay, and dual‐luciferase reports

Sal‐like protein 4 (SALL4) is overexpressed in breast cancer and might contribute to breast cancer progression, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Here, we found that within a group of 371 ethnic Chinese breast cancer patients, SALL4 was associated with lower grade (P = .002) and progesterone receptor positivity (P = .004) for overall cases; lower Ki67 (P = .045) and high vimentin (P = .007)

Chemoresistance to gemcitabine (GEM)—a frontline chemotherapeutic, resulting from its dysfunctional uptake and metabolism in cancer cells, is a major contributing factor for failed therapy in pancreatic cancer (PanC) patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for agents that could reverse GEM resistance and allow continued chemosensitivity to the drug. We employed natural nontoxic agent (with anti‐PanC

Bladder cancer (BCa) is an exophytic tumor that presents as either noninvasive confined to the mucosa (NMIBC) or invading the detrusor muscle (MIBC), and was recently further subgrouped into molecular subtypes. Arylamines, major BCa environmental and occupational risk factors, are mainly metabolized by the genetically polymorphic N‐acetyltransferases 1, NAT1  and NAT2 . In this study, we investigated

Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute a major compartment of the tumor microenvironment. In the present study, we investigated the role for CAFs in breast cancer progression and underlying molecular mechanisms. Human breast cancer MDA‐MB‐231 cells treated with the CAF‐conditioned media manifested a more proliferative phenotype, as evidenced by enhanced messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of Cyclin

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a very aggressive subtype with high recurrence rate and no molecular targets for therapies. This subtype is characterized by high expression/secretion of the proinvasive/metastatic interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) cytokine. In the present study, we have shown that tocilizumab inhibits the IL‐6/STAT3 signaling and suppresses the cancer/inflammatory epigenetic IL‐6/STAT3/NF‐κB

Melanoma is an aggressive, deadly skin cancer derived from melanocytes, a neural crest cell derivative. Melanoma cells mirror the developmental program of neural crest cells in that they exhibit the same gene expression patterns and utilize similar cellular mechanisms, including increased cell proliferation, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition, and migration. Here we studied the role of neural crest

The aggressive nature of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) may be attributed to the dysregulation of pathways driving both proliferation and invasion. EphrinB2, a membrane‐bound ligand for some of the Eph receptors, has emerged as a critical target regulating these pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of ephrinB2 in regulating proliferation and invasion in GBM using intracranial and subcutaneous

The bromodomain and extra‐terminal (BET) domain inhibitor JQ1 exerts potent anticancer activity in various cancer cells. However, the resistance to BET inhibitors in leukemia stem cells limits its implication in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). High concentration of triptolide (TPL) presents anticancer activities but with adverse effects. Here, we investigated whether the combination of low‐dose TPL with

Manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD‐2), an important primary antioxidant enzyme located in mitochondria, plays a critical role in tumor progression. Reportedly, the proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, can increase SOD‐2 expression in a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line in vitro, indicating that TNF‐α‐mediated inflammation may regulate SOD‐2 expression, which may be related to

Kinesin family member 11 (KIF11) is a plus end‐directed kinesin indispensable for the formation of the bipolar spindle in metaphase, where it objects to the action of minus end‐directed molecular motors. Here, we hypothesize that KIF11 might be a therapeutic target of breast cancer and regulated by miR‐30a . Cell Counting Kit 8 assays were used to investigate cell proliferation. Invasion assays were

Emerging evidence has shown that aberrant alternative splicing (AS) events are involved in the carcinogenesis. The association between genetic variants in AS and bladder cancer susceptibility remains to be fully elucidated. We searched for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which are located in splicing quantitative trait loci (sQTLs) in bladder cancer through CancerSplicingQTL database and the

Because the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway is involved in development and progression of pancreatic cancer, we investigated associations between genetic variants of the PPAR pathway genes and pancreatic cancer risk by using three published genome‐wide association study datasets including 8477 cases and 6946 controls of European ancestry. Expression quantitative

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common malignant tumor with poor prognosis. And different individuals respond to the same drug differently. Increasing evidence has confirmed that metabolism reprogramming was involved in the drug sensitivity of tumor cells. However, the potential molecular mechanism of 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) sensitivity remains to be elucidated in ESCC cells. In this study

Maspin repression is frequently observed in prostate cancer; however, the molecular mechanism(s) causing the loss is not completely understood. Here, we demonstrate that inhibition of class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) mediates re‐expression of maspin which plays an essential role in suppressing proliferation and migration capability in prostate cancer cells. Human prostate cancer LNCaP and DU145

Drug resistance is the leading cause for rapid progression and relapse in small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Thus overcoming drug resistance still remains to be urgently resolved during SCLC treatment. Here, we found p62/SQSTM1 was enriched in SCLC spheroids, a subpopulation possessing cancer stem‐like properties, which is responsible for cancer relapse and metastasis. Subsequent functional assays

Nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (NRPTPs) are reported to be associated with several human cancers, but their roles in hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Here, we integrated bioinformatics tools, population association analyses, and biological assays to systematically screen for potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within

The effects of hepatocyte nuclear factors (HNFs) have been established in various tumors; however, the roles of HNF‐1β in colorectal cancer progression are never been found. In the present study, HNF‐1β expression was initially detected in clinical tissue samples and online datasets and HNF‐1β was found to be highly expressed in colorectal cancer tissues. In addition, a positive correlation existed

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