Bladder cancer (BC) is the tenth most common cancer, with urothelial carcinoma representing about 90% of all BC, including neoplasms and carcinomas of different grades of malignancy. Urinary cytology has a significant role in BC screening and surveillance, although it has a low detection rate and high dependence on the pathologist’s experience. The currently available biomarkers are not implemented into routine clinical practice due to high costs or low sensitivity. In recent years, the role of lncRNAs in BC has emerged, even though it is still poorly explored. We have previously shown that the lncRNAs Metallophosphoesterase Domain-Containing 2 Antisense RNA 1 (MPPED2-AS1), Rhabdomyosarcoma-2 Associated Transcript (RMST), Kelch-like protein 14 antisense (Klhl14AS) and Prader Willi/Angelman region RNA 5 (PAR5) are involved in the progression of different types of cancers. Here, we investigated the expression of these molecules in BC, first by interrogating the GEPIA database and observing a different distribution of expression levels between normal and cancer specimens. We then measured them in a cohort of neoplastic bladder lesions, either benign or malignant, from patients with suspicion of BC undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). The total RNA from biopsies was analyzed using qRT-PCR for the expression of the four lncRNA genes, showing differential expression of the investigated lncRNAs between normal tissue, benign lesions and cancers. In conclusion, the data reported here highlight the involvement of novel lncRNAs in BC development, whose altered expression could potentially affect the regulatory circuits in which these molecules are involved. Our study paves the way for testing lncRNA genes as markers for BC diagnosis and/or follow-up.

Organoid models have significantly enhanced our understanding of adult stem cell function, however, uncovering regulatory mechanisms governing rare and often quiescent stem cells in glandular organs remains challenging. Here, we employ an integrative multi-omics approach, combining single-cell RNA sequencing, bulk ATAC and RNA sequencing, to profile the cellular populations and signaling pathways characterizing a mouse salivary gland organoid model across different temporal stages and after radiation-induced damage. Our findings identify Sox9- and Itgb1/Cd44- expressing cells as primitive adult stem/progenitor populations with a critical migratory role in tissue repair. Notch signaling is a key driver of self-renewal and migration in response to irradiation. Additionally, scRNA-seq analysis of irradiated salivary gland tissue confirms these findings in an in vivo setting. Extending these findings to murine and patient-derived salivary, mammary and thyroid gland organoids, we reveal the conserved role of Notch signaling in coordinating stem/progenitor cell-mediated regeneration across glandular tissues. These insights position Notch signaling as a central regulator of glandular stem cell-like populations and as a promising therapeutic target for enhancing glandular tissue regeneration following cancer therapies.

KLHL14, a component of an E3-ubiquitin ligase complex, has emerged as a context-dependent oncogene or tumor suppressor, particularly important for thyroid development. Yet its role in thyroid biology remains largely unexplored. In this study, we uncover a central function for KLHL14 in maintaining thyroid epithelial identity and regulating tissue homeostasis. Using a thyroid organoid model, we show that KLHL14 is essential for the proper growth and maturation of thyroid cells. Reduction of KLHL14 expression disrupts organoid development and triggers a dual cellular response involving features of both senescence and an epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transition. These phenotypic changes are accompanied by increased cellular plasticity, loss of epithelial identity, and migratory capacity. Mechanistically, we identify TGF-β signaling as a key pathway activated upon KLHL14 depletion, contributing to the observed cellular reprogramming. Inhibiting TGF-β restores growth and reduces EMT-associated and senescence markers, positioning KLHL14 as an upstream modulator of this signaling axis. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for KLHL14, suggesting that its homeostasis is pivotal to thyrocyte fitness and epithelial identity. This work broadens our understanding of thyroid epithelial biology and reveals molecular insights applicable to other tissues, thereby defining the multifaceted role of this E3 Ubiquitin ligase within its intricate network.

Radiotherapy is a standard cancer treatment, but radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues may lead to adverse side effects that compromise patient quality of life. In patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy, thyroid damage is a frequent complication, resulting in hypothyroidism or secondary thyroid malignancies. Although clinically recognized, the molecular mechanisms underlying these side effects remain mostly unexplored. This study aims to characterize the radiation-induced molecular alterations in thyroid organoids. Bulk RNA sequencing was performed to investigate transcriptomic changes in tissue-derived thyroid organoids following gamma-irradiation. Observed changes were further validated and explored using qPCRs, western blotting, immunofluorescence, caspase 3/7 activity and organoid forming efficiency. Our findings identify interferon-β signaling as a key mediator of radiation-induced inflammation in the thyroid. Additionally, the intrinsic apoptotic pathway was found to be the predominant mechanism of radiation-induced thyroid cell death. Notably, while IFN-β exhibited a protective effect against apoptosis, it concurrently reduced thyroid stem progenitor cell potential. These results highlight the dual role of interferon-β signaling in modulating thyroid cell fate after irradiation, potentially promoting survival upon injury at the expense of regenerative potential.

KLHL14, a component of an E3-ubiquitin ligase complex, has emerged as a context-dependent oncogene or tumor suppressor, particularly important for thyroid development. Yet its role in thyroid biology remains largely unexplored. In this study, we uncover a central function for KLHL14 in maintaining thyroid epithelial identity and regulating tissue homeostasis. Using a thyroid organoid model, we show that KLHL14 is essential for the proper growth and maturation of thyroid cells. Reduction of KLHL14 expression disrupts organoid development and triggers a dual cellular response involving features of both senescence and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These phenotypic changes are accompanied by increased cellular plasticity and migratory capacity. Mechanistically, we identify TGF-β signaling as a key pathway activated upon KLHL14 depletion, contributing to the observed cellular reprogramming. Inhibiting TGF-β restores growth and reduces markers of senescence and EMT, positioning KLHL14 as an upstream modulator of this signaling axis. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for KLHL14, suggesting that its dysfunction may contribute to disease progression in aggressive thyroid cancers. This work broadens our understanding of thyroid epithelial biology and provides molecular insights extendable to other tissues, highlighting KLHL14 as a potential target for therapeutic interventions in malignancies displaying the herein explored features.

Background and Aim: Radiotherapy is a standard cancer treatment, but radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues may lead to adverse side effects that compromise patient quality of life. In patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy, thyroid damage is a frequent complication, resulting in hypothyroidism or secondary thyroid malignancies. Although clinically recognized, the molecular mechanisms underlying these side effects remain mostly unexplored. This study aims to characterize the radiation-induced molecular alterations in thyroid organoids. Methods: Bulk RNA sequencing was performed to investigate transcriptomic changes in tissue-derived thyroid organoids following gamma-irradiation. Observed changes were further validated and explored using qPCRs, western blotting, immunofluorescence, caspase 3/7 activity and organoid forming efficiency. Results: Our findings identify interferon-β (IFN-β) signaling as a key mediator of radiation-induced inflammation in the thyroid. Additionally, the intrinsic apoptotic pathway was found to be the predominant mechanism of radiation-induced thyroid cell death. Notably, while IFN-β exhibited a protective effect against apoptosis, it concurrently reduced thyroid stem progenitor cell potential. Conclusions: These results highlight the dual role of IFN-β signaling in modulating thyroid cell fate after irradiation, potentially promoting survival upon injury at the expense of regenerative potential.