Kim HS, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2015 Oct;30(10):1375-1380. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2015.30.10.1375

With recent advancements in biological research, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) with lengths exceeding 200 nucleotides have emerged as pivotal regulators of gene expression and cellular phenotypic modulation. Despite initial skepticism due to their low sequence conservation and expression levels, their significance in various biological processes has become increasingly apparent. We provided an overview of lncRNAs and discussed their defining features and modes of operation. We then explored their crucial function in the hepatocarcinogenesis process, elucidating their complex involvement in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The influential role of lncRNAs within the HCC tumor microenvironment is emphasized, illustrating their potential as key modulators of disease dynamics. We also investigated the significant influence of N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification on lncRNA function in HCC, enhancing our understanding of both their roles and their upstream regulators. Additionally, the potential of lncRNAs as promising biomarkers was discussed in liver cancer diagnosis, suggesting a novel avenue for future research and clinical application. Finally, our work underscored the dual potential of lncRNAs as both contributors to HCC pathogenesis and innovative tools for its diagnosis. Existing challenges and prospective trajectories in lncRNA research are also discussed, emphasizing their potential in advancing liver cancer research.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in the development and progression of lung cancer by promoting its invasiveness and metastasis. Using integrative analyses of the public lung cancer database, we found that the expression levels of the tight junction proteins, zonula occluden (ZO)-1 and ZO-2, were lower in lung cancer tissues, including both lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma than in normal lung tissues analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Although the ectopic expression or knockdown of ZO-1 and ZO-2 did not affect the growth of lung cancer cells, they significantly regulated cell migration and invasion. When M0 macrophages were co-cultured with ZO-1 or ZO-2 knockdown Calu-1 cells, M2-like polarization was efficiently induced. Conversely, co-culture of M0 THP-1 cells with A549 cells stably expressing ZO-1 or ZO-2 significantly reduced M2 differentiation. We also identified G protein subunit alpha q (GNAQ) as a potential ZO-1- and ZO-2-specific activator through analysis of correlated genes with the TCGA lung cancer database. Our results suggest that the GNAQ-ZO-1/2 axis may play a tumor-suppressive role in lung cancer development and progression and highlight ZO-1 and ZO-2 as key EMT- and tumor microenvironment-suppressive proteins. These findings provide new insights for the development of targeted therapies for lung cancer.

HCC remains a lethal cancer type, with early detection being critical for improved patient outcomes. This study introduces a comprehensive methodological approach to identify the ITGA6 gene as a potential blood marker for early HCC (eHCC) detection. We initially analyzed the GSE114564 dataset encompassing various stages of liver disease, identifying 972 differentially expressed genes in HCC. A refined analysis yielded 59 genes specifically differentially expressed in early HCC, including ITGA6. Subsequent validation in multiple datasets confirmed the consistent upregulation of ITGA6 in HCC. In addition, when analyzing progression-free survival (PFS) within the entire patient cohort and overall survival (OS) specifically among patients classified as tumor grade G1, the group of patients characterized by high expression levels of ITGA6 displayed an elevated risk ratio in relation to prognosis. Further analyses demonstrated the predominant expression of ITGA6 in TECs and its enrichment in angiogenesis-related pathways. Additionally, positive correlations were found between ITGA6 expression and pro-tumorigenic immune cells, but not with anti-tumorigenic immune cells. Our study elucidates the potential of ITGA6 as a blood-based marker for HCC early detection and diagnosis and its complex interplay with the tumor microenvironment. Further research may lead to novel strategies for HCC management and patient care.

We investigated the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of HR-19011, a novel eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit α (eIF2α) phosphorylation inducer, with a focus on its effects on the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway and cell-cycle regulation in K562 cells. Our findings revealed that HR-19011 exerts its anticancer effects primarily through the activation of heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI), leading to the phosphorylation of eIF2α, the induction of ISR signaling, and subsequent G1/S cell-cycle arrest. RNA sequencing analysis further highlighted significant changes in gene expression associated with the ISR pathway, particularly those involving the key components, activating transcription factor 4 and CHOP, underscoring the specific targeting of HRI by HR-19011. Additionally, HR-19011 suppressed the mTORC1 pathway, a critical regulator of cell growth and metabolism, through the downregulation of components such as phosphorylated S6K and phosphorylated 4EBP1, mediated by activating transcription factor 4 and CHOP. In vivo studies demonstrated that HR-19011 effectively inhibited tumor growth in a K562 xenograft model, without significant toxicity, and its broad efficacy across various hematologic malignancies further suggests its potential as a versatile anticancer agent. Our findings position HR-19011 as a promising candidate for targeting the HRI–eIF2α axis in cancer treatment, warranting further investigation and optimization for clinical application.