Wangjun Yan

MiR-126-5p regulates osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in giant cell tumor through inhibition of MMP-13

Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is an aggressive skeletal tumor characterized by localized bone resorption. Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) is the principal proteinase expressed by the stromal cells of GCT (GCTSCs) and also considered to play a crucial role in formation of the osteolytic lesion in GCT. However, the exact mechanism of the regulation of MMP-13 expression in GCTSCs was unknown. In this study, we identified miR-126-5p was significantly downregulated in GCTSCs and affect osteoclast (OC) differentiation and bone resorption by repressing MMP-13 expression at the post-transcriptional level. Thus, our studies show that miR-126-5p plays an important physiological role in multinucleated giant cell formation and osteolytic lesion in GCT.

Trifolium-like Platinum Nanoparticle-Mediated Photothermal Therapy Inhibits Tumor Growth and Osteolysis in a Bone Metastasis Model

Bone metastasis is a frequent and fatal complication of cancer that lacks effective clinical treatment. Photothermal therapy represents a new strategy for the destruction of multiple cancers. In this study, trifolium-like platinum nanoparticles (TPNs) with small size and excellent photothermal conversion property are prepared via a facile and green method. TPNs show minimal cytotoxicity on normal cell lines and kill cancer cells upon exposure to a near-infrared light. These nanoparticles effectively inhibit tumor growth and prevent osteolysis in a bone metastasis model. This study offers a promising strategy in the treatment of bone metastasis.

MiR-126-5p regulates osteolysis formation and stromal cell proliferation in giant cell tumor through inhibition of PTHrP

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) has been identified to play a crucial role in osteolysis formation and stromal cell (GCTSC) proliferation in giant cell tumor (GCT). MiR-126-5p is an intronic miRNA identified as tumor suppressor in many tumors, but its role in GCT is poorly understood. We found that miR-126-5p was decreased in GCT and could directly regulate PTHrP expression. Furthermore, miR-126-5p could control osteoclast (OC) differentiation, GCTSC proliferation and osteolysis formation in GCT through negative regulation of PTHrP. Thus, these results suggest that miR-126-5p could directly target PTHrP and have a tumor suppressor function in GCT.

REGg is critical for skin carcinogenesis by modulating the Wnt/b-catenin pathway

Here we report that mice deficient for the proteasome activator, REGγ, exhibit a marked resistance to TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate)-induced keratinocyte proliferation, epidermal hyperplasia and onset of papillomas compared with wild-type counterparts. Interestingly, a massive increase of REGγ in skin tissues or cells resulting from TPA induces activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/p38). Blocking p38 MAPK activation prevents REGγ elevation in HaCaT cells with TPA treatment. AP-1, the downstream effector of MAPK/p38, directly binds to the REGγ promoter and activates its transcription in response to TPA stimulation. Furthermore, we find that REGγ activates Wnt/β-catenin signalling by degrading GSK-3β in vitro and in cells, increasing levels of CyclinD1 and c-Myc, the downstream targets of β-catenin. Conversely, MAPK/p38 inactivation or REGγ deletion prevents the increase of cyclinD1 and c-Myc by TPA. This study demonstrates that REGγ acts in skin tumorigenesis mediating MAPK/p38 activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Hypoxia activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling by regulating the expression of BCL9 in human hepatocellular carcinoma

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is abnormally activated in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). BCL9 is an essential co-activator in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Importantly, BCL9 is absent from tumors originating from normal cellular counterparts and overexpressed in many cancers including HCC. But the mechanism for BCL9 overexpression remains unknown. Ample evidence indicates that hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) play a role in the development of HCC. It was found in our study that BCL9 was overexpressed in both primary HCC and bone metastasis specimens; loss of BCL9 inhibited the proliferation, migration and angiogenesis of HCC; and that that hypoxia mechanically induced the expression of BCL9. BCL9 induction under the hypoxic condition was predominantly mediated by HIF-1α but not HIF2α. In vitro evidence from xenograft models indicated that BCL9 promoter/gene knockout inhibited HCC tumor growth and angiogenesis. Notably, we found that BCL9 and HIF-1α were coordinately regulated in human HCC specimen. The above findings suggest that hypoxia may promote the expression of BCL9 and associate with the development of HCC. Specific regulation of BCL9 expression by HIF-1α may prove to be an underlying crosstalk between Wnt/β-catenin signaling and hypoxia signaling pathways.

P50-associated COX-2 extragenic RNA (PACER) overexpression promotes proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by activating COX-2 gene

P50-associated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) extragenic RNA (PACER) is a novel long noncoding RNA that has been found to activate the COX-2 gene, which may function as an oncogene in osteosarcoma. However, the role of PACER and the relationship between PACER and COX-2 in osteosarcoma progression have been unknown until now. Here, we examined the expression levels of PACER in clinical tumor samples and human osteosarcoma cell lines, assessed the functions of PACER in osteosarcoma cell proliferation and invasion, and then explored the mechanism of PACER dysregulation in osteosarcoma. The results showed that PACER was overexpressed in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines compared with normal tissues and osteoblasts, respectively. PACER knockdown inhibited the proliferation and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells. Downregulation of PACER significantly suppressed the expression of COX-2, and the effects of PACER on cell proliferation and invasion were rescued by COX-2 overexpression. Furthermore, COX-2 activation by PACER was NF-κB-dependent. The regulation of PACER by CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) was associated with DNA methylation status. Taken together, these findings suggest that PACER promotes proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by activating the COX-2 gene and its own expression was influenced by DNA methylation.

TGF-β1-induced miR-202 mediates drug resistance by inhibiting apoptosis in human osteosarcoma

PurposeA number of studies have demonstrated that microRNAs play a critical role in osteosarcoma progression, therapy and drug resistance. MicroRNA-202 has proven to be dysregulated in many human cancer studies. This study aimed to explore miR-202 contributions to drug resistance in osteosarcoma.MethodsmiR-202 expression was measured by real-time PCR in patient tissues, cell lines or cells treated with TGF-β1, using siRNA to knock down the expression of Smad2, Smad3 and Smad4. miR-202 mimics, inhibitor and scramble siRNA were transfected into osteosarcoma cells to observe effects on cell apoptosis and drug resistance. Moreover, relationships of miR-202 level with PDCD4 were investigated by luciferase reporter assay, real-time PCR and Western blotting.ResultsWe found that miR-202 is overexpressed in osteosarcoma tissues when compared with normal human osteoblasts and TGF-β1 can induce the expression of miR-202. Transfection of miR-202 mimics into osteosarcoma cell lines significantly promotes chemotherapy resistance by targeting PDCD4, a tumor suppressor which is involved in apoptosis. In contrast, transfection of miR-202 inhibitor enhances the drug sensitivity and apoptosis.ConclusionsThis study provides new insights into miRNA-202 in osteosarcoma as a potential molecular target for chemotherapy.

En Bloc Resection of Primary Malignant Bone Tumor in the Cervical Spine Based on 3-Dimensional Printing Technology.

To investigate the feasibility and safety of en bloc resection of cervical primary malignant bone tumors by a combined anterior and posterior approach based on a three‐dimensional (3‐D) printing model.

HIF1/2α mediates hypoxia-induced LDHA expression in human pancreatic cancer cells

Glycolysis is a typical conduit for energy metabolism in pancreatic cancer (PC) due to the hypoxic microenviroment. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate and is considered to be a key checkpoint of anaerobic glycolysis. The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism of interactions between hypoxia, HIF-1/2α and LDHA, and the function of LDHA on PC cells by analyzing 244 PC and paratumor specimens. It was found that LDHA was over-expressed and related to tumor stages. The result of in vitro study demonstrated that hypoxia induced LDHA expression. To explore the relationship between HIF and LDHA, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase assay were performed. The result showed that HIF-1/2α bound to LDHA at 89bp under the hypoxic condition. Furthermore, knockdown of endogenous HIF-1α and HIF-2α decreased the LDHA expression even in the hypoxic condition, which was accompanied with a significant decrease in lactate production and glucose utilization (p < 0.01). Immunofluorescence in the 244 specimens showed that HIF-1/2α was over-expressed and associated with LDHA over-expression (p < 0.0001). Forced expression of LDHA promoted the growth and migration of PC cells, while knocking down the expression of LDHA inhibited the cell growth and migration markedly. In summary, the present study proved that HIF1/2α could activate LDHA expression in human PC cells, and high expression of LDHA promoted the growth and migration of PC cells.

HIF-1α activates hypoxia-induced BCL-9 expression in human colorectal cancer cells

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9 protein (BCL-9), a multi-functional co-factor in Wnt signaling, induced carcinogenesis as well as promoting tumor progression, metastasis and chemo-resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the mechanisms for increased BCL-9 expression in CRC were not well understood. Here, we report that hypoxia, a hallmark of solid tumors, induced BCL-9 mRNA expression in human CRC cells. Analysis of BCL-9 promoter revealed two functional hypoxia-responsive elements (HRE-B and HRE-C) that can be specifically bound with and be transactivated by hypoxia inducible factors (HIF) -1α but not HIF-2α. Consistently, ectopic expression of HIF-1α but not HIF-2α transcriptionally induced BCL-9 expression levels in cells. Knockdown of endogenous HIF-1α but not HIF-2α by siRNA largely abolished the induction of HIF by hypoxia. Furthermore, there was a strong association of HIF-1α expression with BCL-9 expression in human CRC specimens. In summary, results from this study demonstrated that hypoxia induced BCL-9 expression in human CRC cells mainly through HIF-1α, which could be an important underlying mechanism for increased BCL-9 expression in CRC.