Metastasis leads to the vast majority of breast cancer mortality. Increasing evidence has shown that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and its associated regulators play a pivotal role in breast cancer metastasis. Here, we showed that overexpression of the m6A reader IGF2BP1 was clinically correlated with metastasis in breast cancer patients. Moreover, IGF2BP1 promoted distant metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we first identified USP10 as the IGF2BP1 deubiquitinase. USP10 can bind to, deubiquitinate, and stabilize IGF2BP1, resulting in its higher expression level in breast cancer. Furthermore, by MeRIP-seq and experimental verification, we found that IGF2BP1 directly recognized and bound to the m6A sites on CPT1A mRNA and enhanced its stability, which ultimately mediated IGF2BP1-induced breast cancer metastasis. In clinical samples, USP10 levels correlated with IGF2BP1 and CPT1A levels, and breast cancer patients with high levels of USP10, IGF2BP1, and CPT1A had the worst outcome. Therefore, these findings suggest that the USP10/IGF2BP1/CPT1A axis facilitates breast cancer metastasis, and this axis may be a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.
Emerging evidences demonstrate that metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of malignancies, including gastric cancer (GC). Abnormal expression of metabolic rate-limiting enzymes, as the executive medium of energy metabolism, drives the occurrence and development of cancer. However, a comprehensive model of metabolic rate-limiting enzymes associated with the development and progression of GC remains unclear. In this research, we identified a rate-limiting enzyme, sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (SOAT1), was highly expressed in cancerous tissues, which was associated with advanced tumor stage and lymph node metastasis, leading to the poor prognosis of GC. It was shown that knockdown of SOAT1 or pharmacological inhibition of SOAT1 by avasimibe could suppress GC cell proliferation, cholesterol ester synthesis, and lymphangiogenesis. However, overexpression of SOAT1 promoted these biological processes. Mechanistically, SOAT1 regulated the expression of cholesterol metabolism genes SREBP1 and SREBP2, which could induce lymphangiogenesis via increasing the expression of VEGF-C. In conclusion, our results indicated that SOAT1 promotes gastric cancer lymph node metastasis through lipid synthesis, which suggested that it may be a promising prognostic biomarker for guiding clinical management and treatment decisions.
3 June 2022 in Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Conjugated lithocholic acid (LCA) plays a critical role in the development of metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In this process, hepatocyte inflammation‐caused upregulation of its receptor, Takeda G protein‐coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) is a crucial factor. Serum bile acid profiling shows an increase in conjugated LCA, which correlates with disease severity. Depletion of Gpbar1 in hepatocytes significantly protects against the progression from MASLD to metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH) that is related to conjugated LCA. In vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that TGR5 activation in hepatocytes promotes lipotoxicity‐induced cell death and inflammation by suppressing de novo carnitine biosynthesis. Mechanistically, TGR5 binding to CD36 facilitates E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM21 recruitment, leading to the degradation of BBOX1, a crucial enzyme in de novo carnitine biosynthesis. Targeting TGR5 therapeutically can restore carnitine biosynthesis, which may offer a potent strategy to prevent or reverse the transition from MASLD to MASH.
Background: Early gastric carcinoma (EGC) with pure signet ring cell carcinoma (pSRCC) has been reported to have favourable prognosis and low risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). However, risk factors of LNM and clinicopathological features for early gastric mixed signet ring cell carcinoma (mSRCC) remain poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors of LNM and compare clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of early gastric pSRCC with mSRCC.
Diffuse gastric cancer (DGC) is characterized by high malignancy and metastasis rate, and poorly understood etiology, culminating in dismal patient outcomes. Here, through comprehensive analysis, we identified that glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) plays a pivotal role in the progression of DGC by regulating lipid metabolism. This study demonstrates that GPX2 is markedly upregulated in DGC tissues, establishing its potential as an independent prognostic indicator. Functionally, GPX2 suppression disrupts lipid droplet formation and lipid homeostasis, leading to increased acylcarnitine levels that impair mitochondrial function. This disruption synergizes with endoplasmic reticulum stress to trigger apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. Notably, inhibiting GPX2 enhances the efficacy of cisplatin by sensitizing cancer cells to apoptosis. These insights identify GPX2 not only as a vital prognostic biomarker but also as a promising therapeutic target for overcoming cisplatin resistance in DGC, offering new avenues for treatment strategies.