Bijun Zhu

The role of EGF-EGFR signalling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma inflammatory microenvironment

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and their receptor (EGFR) play an important role in the development of cancer proliferation, and metastasis, although the mechanism remains unclear. The present study aimed at investigating the role of EGF‐EGFR signalling pathway in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) inflammatory environment. Gene profiles of inflammatory cytokines from HCC were measured. Cell bio‐behaviours of HCC with low or high metastasis were detected by the live cell monitoring system. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK8. The protein level of CXCL5 and CXCL8 was measured by ELISA. The phosphorylation of PI3K, ERK, MAPK was measured by western blot. EGF significantly induced cell proliferation in HepG2 cells, but not in HCCLM3 cells. EGF prompted the cell movement in both HepG2 and HCCLM3 and regulated the production of CXCL5 and CXCL8 from HCC, which were inhibited by EGFR inhibitor, Erk inhibitor (U0126), or PI3K inhibitors (BEZ‐235 and SHBM1009). HCC proliferation, metastasis and production of inflammatory cytokines were regulated via EGF‐EGFR signal pathways. CXCL5 could interact with CXCL8, possibly by CXCR2 or the cross‐talk between CXCR2 and EGFR. EGF‐EGFR signaling pathway can be the potential target of therapies for HCC.

Selection of AECOPD-specific immunomodulatory biomarkers by integrating genomics and proteomics with clinical informatics

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) as a serious event has high mortality and medical costs. Systemic inflammation and immune response are the major factors influencing the outcome and quality of patient with AECOPD. On basis of identification and validation of AECOPD-specific inflammatory biomarkers, the present study aimed to identify AECOPD-specific immunomodulatory mediators by evaluating dynamic genomic and proteomic profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma in patients with AECOPD on day 1, 3, and 10 after the hospital admission, to compare with healthy controls or patients with stable COPD. We found that genes and proteins of C1QC and C1RL were co-differentially up-expressed in patients with COPD or AECOPD, while haptoglobin (HP), ORM1, SERPING1, and C3 were identified as a panel of AECOPD-specific immunomodulatory mediators. We also found that inflammatory stimuli could up-regulate osteopontin (OPN)-associated HP expression through the PI3K signal pathway in A549 cells. Block of autocrine production of OPN by gene inhibition could reduce HP production from inflammation-induced lung epithelial cells. The complex network of AECOPD- or COPD-specific immunomodulatory mediators will benefit the development of precision or personalized medicine strategies for prevention and treatment of AECOPD.

Targeting roles of inflammatory microenvironment in lung cancer and metastasis.

Inflammatory cells and mediators are essential components in tumor microenvironment and play decisive roles in the initiation, proliferation, survival, promotion, invasion, or metastasis of lung cancer. Clinical and epidemiologic studies suggested a strong association between inflammation and lung cancer and an influence of immune surveillances and tumor responses to chemotherapeutic drugs, although roles of inflammation in lung cancer remain unclear. The present review outlined roles of inflammation in lung cancer, with particular focus on inflammatory components, types, biomarkers, or principal mechanisms by which the inflammation contributes to the development of lung cancer. The cancer-associated inflammatory cells (CICs) should be furthermore defined and include cancer-specific and interacted cells with inflammatory or inflammation-like characteristics, e.g., innate or adaptive immune cells and cancer tissue cells. We also discuss targeting potentials of inflammation in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. The diversity of cancer-related inflammatory microenvironment is instrumental to design novel therapeutic approaches for lung cancer.

Genome analyses identify the genetic modification of lung cancer subtypes.

Lung cancer is a highly intricate and heterogeneous disease with genomic diversity in each subtype. Global analyses of gene expression and sequencing provided us new understanding of the genetic variation between small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), including adenocarcinoma (ADC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The genetic variations of lung cancer subtypes in genomic studies were integrated and further analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The lung cancer subtypes share some genetic variations such as the dysfunction of tumor suppressor gene TP53, and also harbor specific variations of their own such as MET in ADC, FGFR1 and FGFR3 in SCC and MYC in SCLC. The activated pathway in lung ADC and SCC mainly focuses on MAPK and PI3K with different key genes of each, respectively, and the activated pathway of SCLC mainly focuses on JAK-STAT pathway. The diagnosis of lung cancer subtypes based on these genetic variations such as SNP was also evaluated. These results provide further insights into the different pathogenesis of lung cancer subtypes.

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Induces Cancer Cell Apoptosis via Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway and Down-Regulating Cellular Bcl-2 Protein Expression

Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) has been reported as a promising agent that might contribute to tumor cell apoptosis and death, yet little is known on its mechanisms. In current study, the effect of PQQ on cell proliferation and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis were examined in 3 solid tumor cell lines (A549, Neuro-2A and HCC-LM3). PQQ treatment at low to medium dosage exhibited potent anti-tumor activity on A549 and Neuro-2A cells, while had comparably minimal impact on the viabilities of 2 human normal cell lines (HRPTEpiC and HUVEC). The apoptosis of the 3 tumor cell lines induced by PQQ were increased in a concentration-dependent manner, which might be attributed to the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), decline in ATP levels and dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), in conjunction with down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein expression, up-regulation of activated caspase-3, and disturbed phosphorylated MAPK protein levels. PQQ induced tumor cells apoptosis was significantly alleviated by pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. The present work highlights the potential capability of PQQ as an anti-tumor agent with low toxicity towards normal cells through activating mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis pathways, and warrants its development for cancer therapy.

Regulatory roles of epigenetic modulators, modifiers and mediators in lung cancer

Lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths can be initiated and progressed by the interaction between dynamically genetic and epigenetic elements, although mechanisms mediating lung cancer development and progression remain unclear. Tumor progenitor genes may contribute to lung carcinogenesis and cancer progression, are epigenetically disrupted at the early stages of malignancies even before mutations, and alter cell differentiation throughout tumor evolution. The present review explores potential roles and mechanisms of epigenetic modulators, modifiers and mediators in the development of lung cancer. We also overviewed potential mechanisms by which epigenetic modulators, modifiers and mediators control and regulate 3D nuclear architectures, and discussed translational efforts to epigenetic modifications for treatment of lung cancer. Deep understanding of epigenetic modulators, modifiers and mediators will benefit the discovery and development of new diagnostics and therapies for lung cancer.

Drug resistance in ALK-positiveNon-small cell lungcancer patients

Patients are diagnosed as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive, i.e. exhibiting the ALK rearrangement, and comprise 3-7% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. Three generations of ALK inhibitors have been developed and used in targeted therapy, although there are still improving spaces of drug resistance at the initiation of each treatment. The current review discusses the pathophysiology of ALK-positive NSCLC and the role of three generations of ALK target inhibitors including crizotinib, ceritinib, alectinib and lorlatinib, as well as the mechanisms of the secondary resistance. We mainly focused on the point mutations that are the most important resistance-producing mechanism and most common form caused by each inhibitor. In addition, we examine the three-dimensional structure of ALK to understand the functional impact of these mutations and analyse the underlying molecular mechanisms of the resistance to each generation of ALK inhibitor to benefit the selection decision of the most rational therapy and improve therapeutic effects to the disease.

The role of nuclear matrix protein HNRNPU in maintaining the architecture of 3D genome

The complexity of higher eukaryote genomes is far from being explained by linear information. There is a need to understand roles of genome regulation at the organism level through defining a comprehensive profile of chromosomal organization. Chromosome conformation capture (3C)-based studies reveal that higher-order of chromatin include not only long-range chromatin loops, but also compartments and topologically associating domains as the basis of genome structure and functions. However, the molecular machinery how the genome is spatially organized is still inadequate. Exciting progress has been made with the development of todays technology, we find that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U, initially identified as a structural nuclear protein, plays important role in three-dimensional (3D) genome organization by high-throughput assays. The disruption of this protein not only results in compartment switching on of the genome, it also reduces of TAD boundary strengths at borders between two types of compartments, and regulates chromatin loop by decrease its intensities. In addition, HNRNPU mainly binds to active chromatin. Most of HNRNPU peaks is consistent with CTCF or RAD21.It also plays an irreplaceable role in the processes of mitosis. This review aims to discuss the role of HNRNPU in maintaining the 3D chromatin architecture, as well as the recent development and human diseases involved in this nuclear matrix (NM)-associated protein.

Two main stream methods analysis and visual 3D genome architecture

Multi-dimensions dynamics of the genome play important roles in the maintenance of cell function, regulation of transcriptional signals and occurrence of diseases. With rapid development of methodologies, the genome organization and structure are found as three-dimensional (3D) or with dynamic changes (4D), and regulated by a large number of factors. The present article aims to overview the 3C derivation method Hi-C and ChIA-PET assay technologies coupled with newdata analysis methods, capture the spatial interactions between different loci across the entire genome, reveal the regularity of the genome spatial structure. Its relationship with gene regulation is for better understanding of the spatial structure of the genome. From two mainstream methods of ChIA-PET and Hi-C, we obtain some special proteins mediated chromatin interaction and whole genome chromatin interaction, transform frequency relation to distance relation for further coordinates, and predict 3D architecture. ChIA-PET method more focuses on one protein binding effect of chromatin activities, while Hi-C method more comprehensive with challenges in data process. Data of chromatin interaction, thermogram, and chromatin spatial structure from integrated analyses of two methods indicates the further need of deep mining and exploration.