Analysis using publicly available algorithms has found that high mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2), a key transcriptional regulatory factor, is a potential target of microRNA-204 (miR-204). Some studies have shown that both miR-204 and HMGA2 are associated with cancer development. We examined the possible relationship between miR-204 and HMGA2 in the development of thyroid cancer. We assessed miR-204 expression in thyroid cancer specimens and cell lines using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the target associations. The effect of miR-204 on cell proliferation was confirmed with tetrazolium and colony formation assays. Gene and protein expression were examined using real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. MiR-204 was downregulated in the thyroid cancer specimens and cell lines, and targeted the 3^\prime untranslated region of HMGA2 directly. MiR-204 overexpression decreased cyclin D1 and Ki67 expression and increased P21 expression, which subsequently inhibited thyroid cancer cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that miR-204 plays a protective role by inhibiting thyroid cancer cell proliferation, and may identify new targets for anti-cancer treatment.

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a malignant tumor of the digestive system. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important cellular elements in the tumor microenvironment of CRC, which contribute to CRC progression and immune escape. To predict the survival outcome and therapeutic responses of CRC patients, we identified genes connected with stromal CAF and generated a risk model. In this study, we used multiple algorithms to reveal CAF-related genes in the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets and construct a risk model composed by prognostic CAF-associated genes. Then, we evaluated whether the risk score could predict CAF infiltrations and immunotherapy in CRC and confirmed the expression of the risk model in CAFs. Our results showed that CRC patients with high CAF infiltrations and stromal score had worse prognosis than those with low-CAF infiltrations and stromal score. We obtained 88 stromal CAF-associated hub-genes and generated a CAF risk model consisting of ZNF532 and COLEC12. Compared with low-risk group, the overall survival in high-risk group was shorter. The relationship between risk score, ZNF532 and COLEC12, and stromal CAF infiltrations and CAF markers was positive. In addition, the effect of immunotherapy in the high-risk group was not as good as that in the low-risk group. Patients with the high-risk group were enriched in chemokine signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and focal adhesion. Finally, we confirmed that the expressions of ZNF532 and COLEC12 in risk model were widely distributed in fibroblasts of CRC, and the expression levels were higher in fibroblasts than CRC cells. In conclusion, the prognostic CAF signature of ZNF532 and COLEC12 can be applied not only to predict the prognosis of CRC patients but also to evaluate the immunotherapy response in CRC patients, and these findings provide the possibility for further development of individualized treatment for CRC.

Enhanced glycolysis contributes to the chemotherapy resistance of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, whether tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) regulate CRC oxaliplatin sensitivity through glycolysis-mediated histone lactylation remains unclear. By analyzing RNA-seq data from CRC samples in the TCGA database, we identified a glucose metabolism-related tsRNA. Overexpression of tsRNA-08614 was investigated to explore its impact on CRC sensitivity to oxaliplatin. The targeting gene of tsRNA-08614 was validated through a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The specific molecular mechanism of tsRNA-08614 regulating CRC oxaliplatin sensitivity was further revealed by ChIP-seq and RNA-seq. We found a down-regulated tsRNA-08614 targeted glycolysis-related gene, which was associated with chemotherapy resistance. Overexpression of tsRNA-08614 promoted oxaliplatin sensitivity of CRC cells. tsRNA-08614 inhibited the expression of the target gene ALDH1A3 and reduced glycolysis, whereas the glycolytic inducer reversed the enhanced sensitivity caused by tsRNA-08614. Interference of tsRNA-08614 increased H3K18la and pan-Kla levels, while the lactate inhibitor partially suppressed these effects. Furthermore, overexpression of tsRNA-08614 reprogrammed the transcription of genes mediated by histone lactylation modification, with EFHD2 showing the most significant differential expression. EFHD2 inhibited the sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin by upregulating CMPK2 and enhancing mitochondrial function. Finally, we demonstrated that tsRNA-08614 enhanced sensitivity to oxaliplatin in CRC by reducing histone lactylation levels in vivo. tsRNA-08614 regulates ALDH1A3 to inhibit glycolysis and histone lactylation modification, thereby suppressing the transcriptional activity of EFHD2 and ultimately promoting the sensitivity of CRC to oxaliplatin. These findings suggest that tsRNA-08614 may represent a novel molecular target to combat oxaliplatin resistance in CRC chemotherapy.

Background and Aims: Folate metabolites have been identified as prognostic markers in cardiovascular, oncologic, and congenital diseases. However, few studies have explored the association between serum folic acid levels and aortic rupture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of serum folic acid level for pre-operative adverse events in patients with symptomatic aortic aneurysm/aortic dissection. Methods and Results: Patients with symptomatic aortic aneurysm/aortic dissection, presenting to the emergency department (ED), were enrolled in the study. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of pre-operative aortic rupture. The optimal cut-off value for folic acid was determined, and a prognostic nomogram was subsequently developed for potential clinical application. Among 639 symptomatic aortic aneurysm/aortic dissection patients, 8.61% experienced rupture prior to surgery/intervention, with a significantly higher incidence observed in patients with higher serum folic acid levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that folic acid levels ≥ 9ng/mL were an independent risk factor for pre-operative aortic rupture (OR=2.41). A nomogram was developed based on the combination of Stanford type A aortic dissection, folic acid level, white blood cell count, serum potassium, and random blood glucose, demonstrating excellent discrimination ability with the area under the curve of 0.801. Conclusion: This large-sample, prospective study suggested that the serum folic acid level was an independent predictor of pre-operative aortic rupture in patients with symptomatic aortic aneurysm/aortic dissection. The developed nomogram highlighted the prognostic value of folic acid and other objective clinical markers, offering a practical tool for early risk stratification, particularly in the ED setting.