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Background: Among central nervous system tumors, glioblastoma (GBM) is considered to be the most destructive malignancy. Recurrence is one of the most fatal aspects of GBM. However, the driver molecules that trigger GBM recurrence are currently unclear.Methods: The mRNA expression data and clinical information of GBM and normal tissues were collected from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and REpository for Molecular BRAin Neoplasia DaTa (REMBRANDT) cohorts. The DESeq2 R package was used to identify the differentially expressed genes between primary and recurrent GBM. ClueGO, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Biological Process in Gene ontology (GO-BP), and the Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) pathway analyses were performed to explore the enriched signaling pathways in upregulated DEGs in recurrent GBM. A gene list that contained potential oncogenes that showed a significant negative correlation with patient survival from The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to further screen driver candidates for recurrent GBM. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to investigate the risk score for the mRNA expression of the candidates. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) analyses were used to determine the cell type-specific distribution of Fc gamma receptor II b (FcγRIIb) in GBM. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to confirm the FcγRIIb-positive cell populations in primary and paired recurrent GBM.Results: Through DEG analysis and overlap analysis, a total of 10 genes that are upregulated in recurrent GBM were screened. Using validation databases, FcγRIIb was identified from the 10 candidates that may serve as a driver for recurrent GBM. FCGR2B expression, not mutation, further showed a highly negative correlation with the poor prognosis of patients with recurrent GBM. Furthermore, scRNA-Seq analyses revealed that tumor-associated macrophage- and dendritic cell-specific FCGR2B was expressed. Moreover, FcγRIIb also showed a strong positive correlation coefficient with major immune-associated signaling pathways. In clinical specimens, FcγRIIb-positive cell populations were higher in recurrent GBM than in primary GBM.Conclusion: This study provides novel insights into the role of FcγRIIb in recurrent GBM and a promising strategy for treatment as an immune therapeutic target.

Shimao City is considered an important political and religious center during the Late Neolithic Longshan period of the Middle Yellow River basin. The genetic history and population dynamics among the Shimao and other ancient populations, especially the Taosi-related populations, remain unknown. Here, we sequenced 172 complete mitochondrial genomes, ranging from the Yangshao to Longshan period, from individuals related to the Shimao culture in northern Shaanxi Province and Taosi culture in southern Shanxi Province, Middle Yellow River basin. Our results show that the populations inhabiting Shimao City had close genetic connections with an earlier population in the Middle Neolithic Yangshao period of northern Shaanxi Province, revealing a mostly local origin for the Shimao Society. In addition, among the populations in other regions of the Yellow River basin, the Shimao-related populations had the closest maternal affinity with the contemporaneous Taosi populations from the Longshan period. The Shimao-related populations also shared more affinity with present-day northern Han populations than with the minorities and southern Han in China. Our study provides a new perspective on the genetic origins and structure of the Shimao people and the population dynamics in the Middle Yellow River basin during the Neolithic period.

As bioinformatic approaches have been developed, it has been demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the formation of muscles and play important roles in regulation of muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Previously, it has been demonstrated that miR-148a-3p is one of the most abundant miRNAs in chicken skeletal muscle. Here, we build on that work and demonstrate that miR-148a-3p is important in the control of differentiation of chicken skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs). Elevated expression of miR-148a-3p significantly promoted differentiation and inhibited apoptosis of SMSCs but did not affect proliferation. Furthermore, it was observed that the mesenchyme homeobox 2 (Meox2) is a target gene of miR-148a-3p and that miR-148a-3p can down-regulate expression of Meox2, which promote differentiation of SMSCs and suppress apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-148a-3p overexpression encouraged activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which could be recovered by overexpression of Meox2. Overall, these findings suggest that microRNA-148a-3p is a potent promoter of myogenesis via direct targeting of Meox2 and increase of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in chicken SMSCs.

Mounting evidence supports that the malignant phenotypes of cancers are defined not only by the intrinsic activity of tumor cells but also by immune cells that are recruited and activated in tumor-related microenvironment. Here, we developed a diagnostic and prognostic model for colon cancer, based on expression profiles of immune-related genes and immune cell component. As a result, we found that B cell infiltration ratio, CD4+ T cells, as well as immune-related genes of TRIB3, CHGA, CASP7, LGALS4, LEP, NOX4, IL17A, and HSPD1 may be highly relevant with clinical outcome of colon cancer.