Small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) is an important member of the SNHG family. This family is composed of a group of host genes that can be processed into small nucleolar RNAs and play important biological functions. In an oncogenic role, the SNHG1 expression is increased in various cancers, which has immense application prospects in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of malignant tumors. In this review, we have summarized the role and molecular mechanism of SNHG1 in the development of various cancers. In addition, we have emphasized the clinical significance of SNHG1 in cancers in our article. This molecule is expected to be a new marker for potential usage in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is among the most aggressive malignancies, ranking as the seventh most prevalent malignant tumor worldwide. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) indicates localized spread of cancer and often correlates with a poorer prognosis, emphasizing the necessity for neoadjuvant systemic therapy before surgery. However, accurate identification of LNM in EC presents challenges due to the lack of satisfactory diagnostic techniques. Imaging techniques, including ultrasound and computerized tomography scans, have low sensitivity and accuracy in assessing LNM. Additionally, the existing serological detection lacks precise biomarkers. The intricate and not fully understood molecular processes involved in LNM of EC contribute to current detective limitations. Recent research has shown potential in using various molecules, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and changes in the microbiota to identify LNM in individuals with EC. Through summarizing potential biomarkers associated with LNM in EC and organizing the underlying mechanisms involved, this review aims to provide insights that facilitate biomarker development, enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, and ultimately address the diagnostic challenges of LNM in clinical practice.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors worldwide, and a larger number of ESCC patients have unsatisfactory overall survival (OS) rates. While pyroptosis participates in the development of a variety of malignancies, the function of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in ESCC is still obscure. The aim of this study was to construct the pyroptosis-related prognostic model for ESCC, which will be developed to stratify the risk hazards of ESCC patients and to provide theoretical evidence for individualized treatment. Methods: RNA-seq data of ESCC were download from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were used to explore the potential biological functions or pathways. OS was considered as the primary prognosis outcome in this study. The riskscore was constructed by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. The pyroptosis-related prognostic model was constructed based on all independent prognostic factors and verified by C-index, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and Calibration curves, and the role of the riskscore in ESCC immunotherapy was evaluated by the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm. Results: The current study found 31 differentially expressed PRGs (P<0.001), and functional enrichment analysis showed these PRGs were enriched in positive regulation of cytokine production, interleukin-1 beta production. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were applied to validate that the riskscore based on four prognostic PRGs (HMGB1, IL-18, NLRP7, and PLCG1) was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC, and the C-index of prognostic model related to the riskscore (C-index =0.705) was higher than that of tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage (0.620). The low-risk group showed a better efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Conclusions: The riskscore related to PRGs was one of the independent prognostic factors for ESCC. Moreover, the prognostic model related to the riskscore could be used to predict the OS of ESCC patients effectively. However, there still were several limitations in this study, such as no external validation sample. In summary, our data provides a novel perspective in exploring the potential prognostic biomarkers of ESCC.

Original Article MiR-107 inhibits the malignant biological behavior of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting TPM3 Peipei Zhang, Weiguang Zhang, Junfei Jiang, Zhimin Shen, Sui Chen, Shaobin Yu, Mingqiang Kang

The signal transduction of human programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), as an important checkpoint gene in the immune system, plays a key role in the internal function and survival of cancer cells. In this paper, PD-L1-siRNA and immunostimulatory IL-2 encoding plasmid DNA loaded by polyethylenimine (PEI) lipid nanoparticles (PEI-LNPs) were constructed. Its therapeutic effect on lung cancer was evaluated, and its physical parameters such as particle size and potential were measured. The binding capacity, cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell uptake capacity of PD-L1-siRNA/IL-2 DNA-PEI-LNPs were tested by in vitro experiments. The down-regulation effect of PD-L1 in A549 cancer cells and the cytokine level of co-cultured T cells were also examined. The study indicated that the PD-L1-siRNA/IL-2-PEI-LNP complexes can provide effective treatment for lung cancer cells; the significant increase in IFN-γ and TNF-α levels and the decrease in the IL-10 level confirmed the change in secreted cytokines. The lipid NPs combined with the tumor-targeting therapeutic gene siRNA/pDNA constructed in this study had the ability to target cells in vitro and down-regulate the expression of PD-L1, which realized the tumor-specific expression of immunostimulatory cytokines, and were considered to be highly effective and safe nanocarriers for targeted therapy.