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Abstract Data on prevalence of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and its correlation with tumor biomarkers in Chinese patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer (MIUBC) are scarce. We investigated the prevalence of PD-L1 expression, PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TC) and immune cells (IC), and its correlation with tumor biomarkers (CD8+ T cells and tumor mutation burden [TMB]) in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed MIUBC (NCT03433924). Of 248 patients enrolled, 229 with PD-L1 data available were analysed. High PD-L1 expression (≥ 25% of TC or IC with PD-L1 expression) was observed in 120 (52.4%) patients. 59 cases showed positive staining in ≥ 25% of TC, and 82 cases had positive staining in ≥ 25% of IC. High expression of CD8+ T cell and TMB (> 10 mutations/megabase) was observed in 44.5% and 54.1% patients, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between percentage of TC with membrane PD-L1 positivity and CD8+ T cells (0.34; P

Abstract Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men worldwide, and its incidence has risen substantially in recent years. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel biomarkers and precise therapeutic targets for managing PCa progression and recurrence. Methods We investigated the clinical significance of NCAPG2 in PCa by exploring public datasets and our tissue microarray. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and survival analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation between NCAPG2 and PCa progression. Cell proliferation, wound healing, transwell, flow cytometry, cell cycle, tumor sphere formation, immunofluorescence (IF), co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were conducted to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of NCAPG2 in PCa. Subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft models were applied to investigate the effects of NCAPG2 on PCa proliferation in vivo. Tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics was utilized to detect proteomic changes under NCAPG2 overexpression. Results NCAPG2 was significantly upregulated in PCa, and its overexpression was associated with PCa progression and unfavorable prognosis. Knockdown of NCAPG2 inhibited the malignant behavior of PCa cells, whereas its overexpression promoted PCa aggressiveness. NCAPG2 depletion attenuated the development and growth of PCa in vivo. TMT quantitative proteomics analyses indicated that c-MYC activity was strongly correlated with NCAPG2 expression. The malignancy-promoting effect of NCAPG2 in PCa was mediated via c-MYC. NCAPG2 could directly bind to STAT3 and induce STAT3 occupancy on the MYC promoter, thus to transcriptionally activate c-MYC expression. Finally, we identified that NCAPG2 was positively correlated with cancer stem cell (CSC) markers and enhanced self-renewal capacity of PCa cells. Conclusions NCAPG2 is highly expressed in PCa, and its level is significantly associated with PCa prognosis. NCAPG2 promotes PCa malignancy and drives cancer stemness via the STAT3/c-MYC signaling axis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for PCa.

Abstract Background Previous studies have demonstrated that Runt‐associated transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) serves as the main transcription factor for osteoblast differentiation and chondrocyte maturation. RUNX2 is related to a variety of tumors, particularly tumor invasion and metastasis, while the expression and molecular mechanisms of RUNX2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) keep to be determined. Stearyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), an endoplasmic reticulum fatty acid desaturase, transfers saturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids, is expressed highly in numerous malignancies. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datebase and Western blot was used to analyzed the mRNA and protein levels of the target gene in ccRCC tissues and adjacent tissues. The proliferation ability of ccRCC cells was tested by colony forming and EdU assay. The migration ability of cells was detected by transwell assay. Immunoprecipitation was utilized to detect protein–protein interaction. Cycloheximide chase assay was used to measure the half‐life of SCD1 protein. Results In this study, the expressions of RUNX2 and SCD1 are increased in ccRCC tissues as well as ccRCC cell lines. Both RUNX2 and SCD1 could promote proliferation and migration in ccRCC cells. Furthermore, RUNX2 could physically interact with SCD1. In addition, the functional degradation and the inactivation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway triggered by the downregulation of RUNX2 could be partly offset by the overexpression of SCD1. Conclusion The findings indicate that the RUNX2/SCD1 axis may act as a potential therapeutic target via the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway of ccRCC.

Abstract Background Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) regulate protein biological activity by modulating arginine methylation in cancer and are increasingly recognized as potential drug targets. Inhibitors targeting PRMTs are currently in the early phases of clinical trials and more candidate drugs are needed. Flavokawain A (FKA), extracted from kava plant, has been recognized as a potential chemotherapy drug in bladder cancer (BC), but its action mechanism remains unclear. Methods We first determined the role of a type II PRMT, PRMT5, in BC tissue samples and performed cytological experiments. We then utilized bioinformatics tools, including computational simulation, virtual screening, molecular docking, and energy analysis, to identify the potential use of PRMT5 inhibitors for BC treatment. In vitro and in vivo co-IP and mutation assays were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of PRMT5 inhibitor. Pharmacology experiments like bio-layer interferometry, CETSA, and pull-down assays were further used to provide direct evidence of the complex binding process. Results Among PRMTs, PRMT5 was identified as a therapeutic target for BC. PRMT5 expression in BC was correlated with poor prognosis and manipulating its expression could affect cancer cell growth. Through screening and extensive experimental validation, we recognized that a natural product, FKA, was a small new inhibitor molecule for PRMT5. We noticed that the product could inhibit the action of BC, in vitro and in vivo, by inhibiting PRMT5. We further demonstrated that FKA blocks the symmetric arginine dimethylation of histone H2A and H4 by binding to Y304 and F580 of PRMT5. Conclusions In summary, our research strongly suggests that PRMT5 is a potential epigenetic therapeutic target in bladder cancer, and that FKA can be used as a targeted inhibitor of PRMT5 for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Abstract Background Integrin β4 (ITGB4) participates in tumorigenesis and progression of several malignancies, but its role and related mechanisms in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain unclear. Methods Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect mRNA and protein levels of relevant genes. Biological functions of ITGB4 and methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) were determined by in vitro and in vivo experiments. The levels of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in ccRCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were calculated via total RNA m6A quantification assay. The m6A modification of ITGB4 was demonstrated via m6A RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RIP and luciferase reporter assays. Results ITGB4 was significantly overexpressed in ccRCC tissues and high level of ITGB4 predicted poor prognosis as well as metastasis. Functionally, ITGB4 stimulated ccRCC cell migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) strengthened. Mechanically, the total levels of m6A were reduced in ccRCC tissues. METTL14, a favorable factor for ccRCC patients’ prognosis, facilitated m6A modification on ITGB4 3′UTR and subsequently accelerated ITGB4 mRNA degradation, leading to its declined expression. Furthermore, the METTL14-mediated inhibition of ITGB4 expression was dependent on the YTH domain family protein 2 (YTHDF2), which acted as an m6A reader to bind to ITGB4 mRNA and to promote its decay. In addition, we demonstrated that knockdown of METTL14 promoted ccRCC cell migration, invasiveness and metastasis as well as stimulating the EMT process and the PI3K/AKT signal by overexpressing ITGB4. Conclusion Our study reveals that METTL14 inhibits ITGB4 expression via m6A modification to attenuate metastasis and EMT of ccRCC cells, suggesting the METTL14/ITGB4 axis as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ccRCC. Video Abstract

Abstract Background Bladder cancer (BC) is the ninth most common malignant tumor. We constructed a risk signature using immune-related gene pairs (IRGPs) to predict the prognosis of BC patients. Methods The mRNA transcriptome, simple nucleotide variation and clinical data of BC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database (TCGA-BLCA). The mRNA transcriptome and clinical data were also extracted from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE31684). A risk signature was built based on the IRGPs. The ability of the signature to predict prognosis was analyzed with survival curves and Cox regression. The relationships between immunological parameters [immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor mutation burden (TMB)] and the risk score were investigated. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore molecular mechanisms underlying the risk score. Results The risk signature utilized 30 selected IRGPs. The prognosis of the high-risk group was significantly worse than that of the low-risk group. We used the GSE31684 dataset to validate the signature. Close relationships were found between the risk score and immunological parameters. Finally, GSEA showed that gene sets related to the extracellular matrix (ECM), stromal cells and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were enriched in the high-risk group. In the low-risk group, we found a number of immune-related pathways in the enriched pathways and biofunctions. Conclusions We used a new tool, IRGPs, to build a risk signature to predict the prognosis of BC. By evaluating immune parameters and molecular mechanisms, we gained a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the risk signature. This signature can also be used as a tool to predict the effect of immunotherapy in patients with BC.

Abstract Background Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common and aggressive type of renal malignancy. Methyltransferase like 13 (METTL13) functions as an oncogene in most of human cancers, but its function and mechanism in ccRCC remains unreported. Methods qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect METTL13’s expression in tissues. The effects of METTL13 on ccRCC cells’ growth and metastasis were determined by both functional experiments and animal experiments. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to annotate METTL13’s functions and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) was used to determine the interaction between METTL13 and c-Myc. Results METTL13 was underexpressed in ccRCC tissues compared to normal kidney tissues and its low expression predicted poor prognosis for ccRCC patients. The in vitro studies showed that knockdown and overexpression of METTL13 respectively led to increase and decrease in ccRCC cells’ proliferation, viability, migratory ability and invasiveness as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The in vivo experiment demonstrated the inhibitory effect that METTL13 had on ccRCC cells’ growth and metastasis. Bioinformatic analyses showed various biological functions and pathways METTL13 was involved in. In ccRCC cells, we observed that METTL13 could negatively regulate PI3K/AKT/mTOR/HIF-1α pathway and that it combined to c-Myc and inhibited c-Myc protein expression. Conclusions In general, our finding suggests that high expression of METTL13 is associated with favorable prognosis of ccRCC patients. Meanwhile, METTL13 can inhibit growth and metastasis of ccRCC cells with participation in multiple potential molecular mechanisms. Therefore, we suggest METTL13 can be a new diagnostic and therapeutic target for ccRCC in the future.

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lncRNA-SNHG15 in bladder carcinoma using cell lines experiments and the relationship between clinical characteristics and lncRNA-SNHG15 expression was analyzed. Methods Bladder cancer tissues and near-cancer tissues were collected. The real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 in tissues and cell lines. The expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 was downregulated by interference (siRNA), as detected by RT-PCR, that was used to determine the efficiency of the interference. CCK-8 and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the effect of lncRNA-SNHG15 on the proliferation and invasion capability of bladder cancer cells. The t-test was used for Statistical analyses, which were carried out using the Statistical Graph pad 8.0.1.224 software. Result The expression of lncRNA-SNHG15 was up regulated in 5637, UMUC3 and T24 cell lines compared with corresponding normal controls (P

BackgroundThe close relationship between histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) and immunity has attracted attention. We constructed an immune signature for HDAC9, a vital epigenetic modification, to predict the survival status and treatment benefits in bladder cancer (BC).MethodsAn exhaustive analysis of HDAC9 and immunology via the tumor and immune system interaction database (TISIDB) was performed, and an immune prognostic risk signature was developed based on genes enriched in the top five immune-related pathways under high HDAC9 status. Comprehensive analysis of survival curves and Cox regression were used to estimate the effectiveness of the risk signature. The relationship between immunological characteristics and the risk score was evaluated, and the mechanisms were also explored.ResultsIn the TISIDB, HDAC9 was closely related to various immunological characteristics. The risk signature was obtained based on genes related to prognosis enriched in the top five immune-related pathways under high HDAC9 status. The survival rate of the high-risk BC patients was poor. The risk score was closely related to multiple immunological characteristics, drug sensitivity, immunotherapy benefits and biofunctions.ConclusionAn immune-related prognostic signature established for HDAC9 expression status could independently predict the prognosis of BC patients. The use of this signature could help clinicians make personalized treatment decisions.

Objective: To investigate oncological outcomes in patients with bladder cancer who underwent minimally invasive radical cystectomy (MIRC) or open radical cystectomy (ORC). Methods: We identified patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) in 13 centers of the Chinese Bladder Cancer Consortium (CBCC). Perioperative outcomes were compared between MIRC and ORC. The influence of surgical approaches on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in the entire study group and subgroups classified according to pathologic stage or lymph node (LN) status was assessed with the log-rank test. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association among OS, CSS and risk factors of interest. Results: Of 2 098 patients who underwent RC, 1 243 patients underwent MIRC (1 087 laparoscopic RC and 156 robotic-assisted RC, respectively), while 855 patients underwent ORC. No significant differences were noted in positive surgical margin rate and 90-day postoperative mortality rate. MIRC was associated with less estimated blood loss, more LN yield, higher rate of neobladder diversion, longer operative time, and longer length of hospital stay. There was no significant difference in OS and CSS according to surgical approaches (p=0.653, and 0.816, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed that OS and CSS were not significantly different regardless of the status of extravesical involvement or LN involvement. Multivariable Cox regression analyses showed that the surgical approach was not a significant predictor of OS and CSS. Conclusions: Our study showed that MIRC was comparable to conventional ORC in terms of OS and CSS.

Abstract Background Chemo-resistance of bladder cancer has been considered to be one of the serious issues to be solved. In this study, we revealed pivotal role of miR-424 in the regulation of CDDP sensitivity of bladder cancer cells. Methods The cytotoxicity of cisplatin and effect of miR-424 were assessed by flow cytometry and TUNEL. Transcriptional regulation of miR-424 by HIF-1α was assessed by Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Effect of miR-424 on expression of UNC5B, SIRT4 (Sirtuin4) and apoptotic markers was measured by QRT-PCR and/or Western blot. The regulation of miR-424 for UNC5B and SIRT4 were tested by luciferase reporter assay. The 5637-inoculated nude mice xenograft model was used for the in vivo study. The clinical significance of miR-424 was demonstrated mainly through data mining and statistical analysis of TCGA. Results In this study, we have found for the first time that cisplatin (CDDP) induces the expression of miR-424 in a HIF-1α-dependent manner under normoxia, and miR-424 plays a vital role in the regulation of CDDP resistance of bladder cancer cells in vitro. Mechanistically, we have found that UNC5B and SIRT4 are the direct downstream target genes of miR-424. CDDP-mediated suppression of xenograft bladder tumor growth was prohibited by the addition of miR-424, whereas ectopic expression of UNC5B or SIRT4 partially restored miR-424-dependent decrease in CDDP sensitivity of bladder cancer 5637 and T24 cells. Moreover, knockdown of UNC5B or SIRT4 prohibited CDDP-mediated proteolytic cleavage of PARP and also decreased CDDP sensitivity of these cells. Consistently, the higher expression levels of miR-424 were closely associated with the poor clinical outcome of the bladder cancer patients. There existed a clear inverse relationship between the expression levels of miR-424 and pro-apoptotic UNC5B or SIRT4 in bladder cancer tissues. Conclusions Collectively, our current results strongly suggest that miR-424 tightly participates in the acquisition/maintenance of CDDP-resistant phenotype of bladder cancer cells through down-regulation of its targets UNC5B and SIRT4, and thus combination chemotherapy of CDDP plus HIF-1α/miR-424 inhibition might have a significant impact on hypoxic as well as normoxic bladder cancer cells.

Abstract Mitogen‐activated protein kinase 14 (MAPK14), which plays an important role in DNA damage and repair, is activated by various environmental stress and proinflammatory cytokines. It is highly active in a variety of tumors, acting as a tumor promoter or suppressor, but its role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been elucidated. Cell division cycle 25B (CDC25B) is involved in cell cycle regulation and is highly expressed in many malignant tumors. The transcription levels of MAPK14 and CDC25B in 72 pairs of ccRCC and adjacent healthy tissues from the cancer genome atlas database and the protein expression levels in 66 pairs of clinical samples were analyzed in this study. After MAPK14 was knocked down by small interfering RNA (siRNA), P‐MAPK14 and CDC25B protein levels decreased. Subsequently, Western blot and co‐immunoprecipitation demonstrated that P‐MAPK14 could bind to CDC25B, potentially maintaining its stability. The proliferation and migration of ccRCC cell lines were suppressed by siRNA knockdown of MAPK14, however, that could be partially reversed by the overexpression of CDC25B. These results suggest that downregulation of MAPK14 and P‐MAPK14 could inhibit the proliferation and migration of ccRCC by downregulating CDC25B.

CARD-containing MAGUK protein 3 (CARMA3) is associated with tumor occurrence and progression. However, the signaling pathways involved in CARMA3 function remain unclear. We aimed to analyze the association between CARMA3 and stathmin (STMN1) through the NF-κB pathway, which is associated with cell proliferation and invasion, in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We evaluated the effects of CARMA3 and STMN1 expression on cell migration, proliferation, and invasion in various cell lines, and their expression in tissue samples from patients with ccRCC. CARMA3 was highly expressed in ccRCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, CARMA3 promoted the proliferation and invasion of RCC cells by activating the NF-κB pathway to transcribe STMN1. Stathmin exhibited a consistent profile with CARMA3 in ccRCC tissue, and could be an effector for CARMA3-activated cell proliferation and invasion of ccRCC cells. In summary, CARMA3 may serve as a promising target for ccRCC treatment.

Abstract Background USP13 has been reported to be involved in the tumorigenesis of human cancers, however, its functional role and regulatory mechanisms in bladder cancer (BC) remain unclear. Methods q-RT-PCR was performed to examine the expression of miR-130b-3p, miR-301b-3p and USP13 in BC tissue samples. Western blot, q-RT-PCR, bioinformatic analysis and dual-luciferase reporter assay were conducted to identify the regulatory function of miR-130b-3p/301b-3p for USP13. Co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to assess the interaction between USP13 and PTEN protein. Cell-counting-kit 8, colony formation assay and transwell assay were performed to value the proliferative, migrative and invasive capacities of BC cells in vitro. Mouse xenograft model of BC cells was established to verify the function of USP13 in vivo. Immunohistochemistry was performed to identify the protein expression of USP13, NF-kB p65 or PTEN in clinical/xenograft tumor tissues. Results Our present study reveals that USP13 functions as a tumor suppressor by interacting with PTEN protein and increasing its expression in bladder cancer. We found that loss of USP13 led to the downregulation of PTEN and promoted proliferative, invasive and migrative capacities of bladder cancer cells. Furthermore, we discovered that USP13 was a common target of miR-130b-3p and miR-301b-3p, and the miR-130b/301b cluster, which could be transcriptionally upregulated by NF-kB. Our data demonstrated that NF-kB activation decreased expression level of USP13 and PTEN, and promoted the tumorigenesis phenotypes of BC cells. In addition, reintroduction of USP13 partially rescued PTEN expression as well as the oncogenesis trend caused by NF-kB. Conclusion We reported a potential regulatory loop that the NF-kB-induced miR-130b/301b overexpression decreased USP13 expression and subsequently resulted in the downregulation of PTEN protein and promoted tumorigenesis of bladder cancer. Moreover, NF-kB-mediated PTEN downregulation is very likely to facilitate the full activation of NF-kB.

Abstract Background The effect of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) can regulate gene expression by competitively binding microRNAs. Fascin-1 (FSCN1) plays an important role in the regulation of cellular migration and invasion during tumor progression, but how its regulatory mechanism works through the ceRNA effect is still unclear in bladder cancer (BLCA). Methods The role of fascin-1, miR-200b, and ZEB1-AS1 in BLCA was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The interaction between fascin-1, miR-200b, and ZEB1-AS1 was identified using bioinformatics analysis, luciferase activity assays, RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), quantitative PCR, and western blotting. Loss (or gain)-of-function experiments were performed to investigate the biological roles of miR-200b and ZEB1-AS1 on migration, invasion, proliferation, cell apoptosis, and cell cycle. Results ZEB1-AS1 functions as a competing endogenous RNA in BLCA to regulate the expression of fascin-1 through miR-200b. Moreover, the oncogenic long non-coding RNA ZEB1-AS1 was highly expressed in BLCA and positively correlated with high tumor grade, high TNM stage, and reduced survival of patients with BLCA. Moreover, ZEB1-AS1 downregulated the expression of miR-200b, promoted migration, invasion, and proliferation, and inhibited apoptosis in BLCA. Furthermore, we found TGF-β1 induced migration and invasion in BLCA by regulating the ZEB1-AS1/miR-200b/FSCN1 axis. Conclusion The observations in this study identify an important regulatory mechanism of fascin-1 in BLCA, and the TGF-β1/ZEB1-AS1/miR-200b/FSCN1 axis may serve as a potential target for cancer therapeutic purposes.

Abstract Background Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in male worldwide. Oxidative stress has been recognized as one of the driving signals pathologically linked to PCa progression. Nevertheless, the association of oxidative stress with PCa progression remains unclear. Methods Western blot, q-RT-PCR and bioinformatics analyses were used to examine PAGE4 expression. Comet assay and Annexin V/ PI dual staining assay were performed to investigate DNA damage and cell death under oxidative stress. Mouse xenograft model of PCa cells was established to verify the role of PAGE4 in vivo. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to investigate the underlying mechanism for the function of PAGE4 under oxidative stress. Western blot assay was conducted to determine the status of MAPK pathway. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify protein expression of PAGE4 in tumor tissues. Results In this study, we found that PAGE4 expression was increased in PCa cells under oxidative stress condition. PAGE4 overexpression protected PCa cells from oxidative stress-inducing cell death by reducing DNA damage. PAGE4 overexpression promoted PCa cells growth in vivo. Mechanistically, PAGE4 promoted the survival of prostate cancer cells through regulating MAPK pathway which reflected in decreasing the phosphorylation of MAP2K4, JNK and c-JUN but increasing phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Conclusion Our findings indicate that PAGE4 protects PCa cells from DNA damage and apoptosis under oxidative stress by modulating MAPK signalling pathway. PAGE4 expression may serve as a prognostic biomarker for clinical applications.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in bladder cancer. Methods: We enrolled healthy volunteers and patients who were clinically suspected to have bladder cancer and conducted FISH tests and cytology examinations from August 2007 to December 2008. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed and the area under curve (AUC) values were calculated for both the FISH and urine cytology tests. Results: A cohort of 988 healthy volunteers was enrolled to establish a reference range for the normal population. A total of 4807 patients with hematuria were prospectively, randomly enrolled for the simultaneous analysis of urine cytology, FISH testing, and a final diagnosis as determined by the pathologic findings of a biopsy or a surgically-excised specimen. Overall, the sensitivity of FISH in detecting transitional-cell carcinoma was 82.7%, while that of cytology was 33.4% (p

BackgroundAlternative splicing (AS) is an indispensable post-transcriptional modification applied during the maturation of mRNA, and AS defects have been associated with many cancers. This study was designed to thoroughly analyze AS events in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) at the genome-wide level.MethodsWe adopted a gap analysis to screen for significant differential AS events (DASEs) associated with BLCA. DASEs with prognostic value for OS and the disease-free interval (DFI) were identified by Cox analysis. In addition, a differential AS network and AS clusters were identified using unsupervised cluster analysis. We examined differences in the sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy between BLCA patients with high and low overall survival (OS) risk.ResultsAn extensive number of DASEs (296) were found to be clinically relevant in BLCA. A prognosis model was established based prognostic value of OS and DFI. CUGBP elav-like family member 2 (CELF2) was identified as a hub splicing factor for AS networks. We also identified AS clusters associated with OS using unsupervised cluster analysis, and we predicted that the effects of cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy would be different between high- and low-risk groups based on OS prognosis.ConclusionWe completed a comprehensive analysis of AS events in BLCA at the genome-wide level. The present findings revealed that DASEs and splicing factors tended to impact BLCA patient survival and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs, which may provide novel prospects for BLCA therapies.

Background: Accumulating research reports have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in many types of cancers. However, few lncRNA signatures for predicting cancer prognosis have been established. Our goal is to establish a lncRNA signature for predicting the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods: We downloaded KIRC lncRNA FPKM (Fragments Per Kilobase of transcript per Million Fragments) standardized expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) by using the TANRIC tool. We established an 11-lncRNA signature that was clearly linked to the overall survival (OS) rates in the training and test sets. Results: The training set was divided into the high-risk and low-risk subgroups, between which the OS was disparate (HR = 1.51, 95%CI = 1.39–1.64, P

Background Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) was previously reported to play a dual role in promoting or suppressing tumorigenesis in various malignancies. A public dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to evaluate the role of RUNX1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the expression of RUNX1 in ccRCC tissues and normal tissues. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and logistic regression were utilized to investigate the relationship between clinicopathological factors and RUNX1 expression. Additionally, we analysed the differences in prognosis between patients with high and low expression of RUNX1 via the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to explore the mechanisms of RUNX1 in ccRCC. Results The expression of RUNX1 in ccRCC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. High expression of RUNX1 was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.003), clinical stage (p

Abstract Background The significance of PLK1 (polo-like kinase 1) has become increasingly essential as both a biomarker and a target for cancer treatment. Here, we aimed to determine the downstream genes of PLK1 and their effects on the carcinogenesis and progression of bladder cancer. Methods Specific siRNA was utilized to silence the target gene expression. The cell proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells by MTT assay, BrdU assay and transwell assay. The differential expression genes were identified using Affymetrix HTA2.0 Array. The KEGG, GO and STRING analysis were used to analyze the signaling pathway and protein-protein interaction. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between protein and protein, between protein and clincopathologic characteristics. Results PLK1 siRNA hindered the proliferation, invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, as determined by the MTT, BrdU and transwell assays. A total of 561 differentially expressed genes were identified using an Affymetrix HTA2.0 Array in PLK1 knockdown T24 cells. According to KEGG, GO and STRING analysis, five key genes (BUB1B, CCNB1, CDC25A, FBXO5, NDC80) were determined to be involved in cell proliferation, invasion and migration. PLK1 knockdown decreased BUB1B, CCNB1, CDC25A and NDC80 expressions but increased FBXO5 expression. BUB1B, CCNB1, CDC25A and NDC80 were positively correlated with cell proliferation, invasion, migration and PLK1 expression in tissues, but FBXO5 was negatively correlated with each of those factors. The results showed that the five genes expressions were significantly correlation with the PLK1 expression in normal bladder tissues and bladder cancer tissues. Four of them (BUB1B, CCNB1, CDC25A, NDC80) were obviously positive correlations with pT stage and metastasis. But FBXO5 was negative correlated with pT stage and metastasis. Furthermore, significant correlations were found between CCNB1 or CDC25A or NDC80 and histological grade; between BUB1B or NDC80 and recurrence. Conclusion Five downstream genes of PLK1 were associated with the regulation of cell proliferation, invasion and migration in bladder cancer. Furthermore, these genes may play important roles in bladder cancer and become important biomarkers and targets for cancer treatment.

Abstract Background The protein kinase C (PKC) family comprises central regulators of multiple signal transduction processes and is involved in the progression of many cancers. Nuclear factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) is constitutively expressed in cancer tissues and stimulates the transcription of various tumor-related genes. The present study aims to investigate the clinical significance of PKCα and NF-κB p65 in bladder cancer tissues and the mechanism underlying PKCα induction of bladder cancer cell apoptotic resistance through stimulation of p65 nuclear translocation. Methods Expression of PKCα and NF-κB subunit p65 was detected in seven bladder cancer cell lines by western blot and in 30 bladder cancer tissue specimens by immunostaining. Immunofluorescence was performed to evaluate p65 nuclear translocation induced by Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). PKCα/β selective inhibitor Gö6976, PKC pan-inhibitor sotrastaurin, and the PKC siRNA were employed to conduct PKC inhibition/knockdown in bladder cancer cells. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to measure the activity of NF-κB. Flow cytometry and TUNEL analysis were used to assess cell apoptosis. Results Expression of PKCα and NF-κB was found to positively correlate with tumor progression in 30 tumor tissue specimens. Furthermore, a Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis revealed a positive correlation between PKCα and NF-κB expression. Among the PKC inhibitors, the PKCα/β selective inhibitor Gö6976 yielded the most significant block of PKCα and NF-κB activation by PMA. Knockdown of NF-κB p65 remarkably induced cell apoptosis, but PMA restored p65 expression and significantly suppressed cell apoptosis that was otherwise induced by the p65 knockdown alone. Conclusion Our study showed that PKCα modulated cell resistance to apoptosis by stimulating NF-κB activation and thus promoted the tumorigenesis of bladder cancer.

Abstract The incidence of bladder cancer has increased in the last few decades, thus novel markers for early diagnosis and more efficacious treatment are urgently needed. It found that METTTL13 protein is aberrant expression in variety of human cancers and METTL13 was involved in oncogenic pathways. However, the role of METTL13 has been unexplored in bladder cancer to date. Here, expression of METTL13 was lower in bladder cancer tissue samples and cancer cell lines than in normal bladder tissue and cell lines. METTL13 was downregulated in the late stages of the disease and was maintained at low level throughout the tumor progression process based on tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging. Further research suggested that METTL13 negatively regulates cell proliferation in bladder cancer and reinstates G1/S checkpoint via the coordinated downregulation of CDK6, CDK4 and CCND1, decreased phosphorylation of Rb and subsequent delayed cell cycle progression. Moreover, METTL13-dependent inhibition of bladder cancer cell migration and invasion is mediated by downregulation of FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) phosphorylation, AKT (v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene) phosphorylation, β-catenin expression and MMP-9 expression. These integrated efforts have identified METTL13 as a tumor suppressor and might provide promising approaches for bladder cancer treatment and prevention.