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The interaction and mutual regulation of different signaling pathways in cells form a dynamic signal transduction network, which is involved in the development of tumors, as the distant metastasis of gastric cancer is the result of regulation and influence of various signaling pathways. Cancer metastasis is often directly associated with poor prognosis, thus in-depth study of the signaling pathway affecting gastric cancer metastasis is essential strategy to optimize the treatment of advanced gastric cancer patients.

Simple Summary: Peritoneum is the most common metastasis site of gastric cancer, and angiogenesis plays a key role in peritoneal metastasis which the specific mechanism of is unknown. We focused on the peritoneal metastasis-associated secretory protein ESM1 based on the previous RNA-seq. The expression of ESM1 is up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues, and even higher in primary gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. Moreover, the high expression of ESM1 is significantly associated with poor prognosis. Through clinicopathological data analysis, it was found that ESM1 was positively correlated with vascular invasion. The conditioned medium of gastric cancer cells overexpressing ESM1 promoted tube formation in vitro and gastric cancer cells overexpressing ESM1 induced angiogenesis in vitro. Mechanically, ESM1 binds to c-Met receptor on the surface of endothelial cells, activates the downstream MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, and promotes the transcription and translation of pro-angiogenic molecules (such as HIF1α, VEGFA and MMP9) in endothelial cell, thereby promoting peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. Our study may provide a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. The peritoneum is the most common metastatic site of advanced gastric cancer and is associated with extremely poor prognosis. Endothelial-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) was found to be significantly associated with gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM); however, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of ESM1 in regulating GCPM remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that ESM1 expression was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and positively correlated with platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) levels. Moreover, clinical validation, in in vitro and in vivo experiments, confirmed that ESM1 promoted gastric cancer angiogenesis, eventually promoting gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis. Mechanistically, ESM1 promoted tumor angiogenesis by binding to c-Met on the vascular endothelial cell membrane. In addition, our results confirmed that ESM1 upregulated VEGFA, HIF1α, and MMP9 expression and induced angiogenesis by activating the MAPK/ERK pathway. In conclusion, our findings identified the role of ESM1 in gastric cancer angiogenesis and GCPM, thus providing insights into the diagnosis and treatment of advanced gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peritoneum is the most common metastatic site of advanced gastric cancer and is associated with extremely poor prognosis. Endothelial-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) was found to be significantly associated with gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM); however, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of ESM1 in regulating GCPM remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrated that ESM1 expression was significantly upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and positively correlated with platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) levels. Moreover, clinical validation, in in vitro and in vivo experiments, confirmed that ESM1 promoted gastric cancer angiogenesis, eventually promoting gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis. Mechanistically, ESM1 promoted tumor angiogenesis by binding to c-Met on the vascular endothelial cell membrane. In addition, our results confirmed that ESM1 upregulated VEGFA, HIF1α, and MMP9 expression and induced angiogenesis by activating the MAPK/ERK pathway. In conclusion, our findings identified the role of ESM1 in gastric cancer angiogenesis and GCPM, thus providing insights into the diagnosis and treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

Background: The anti-tumor effect of interleukin (IL)-36β-mediated activation of CD8 + T cells has been reported, but the molecular mechanism is largely undefined., Methods: The levels of IL-36β in pancreatic cancer were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining. Cytology and animal experiments were performed to study the effects of IL-36β on the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. We then examined the changes of CD8 + T cells and natural killer (NK) cells in the tumor by flow cytometry. The microRNA expression profiles were determined by microarray analysis., Results: The results revealed decreased levels of IL-36β in pancreatic cancer tissues. In addition, IL-36β inhibited tumor growth and promoted CD8 + T and NK cell proliferation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Moreover, IL-36β stimulated CD8 + T cells to synthesize high amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-2. Microarray analysis showed that IL-36β administration to human and mouse CD8 + T cells consistently downregulated the miRNA, let-7c-5p. Downregulation of let-7c-5p resulted in IFN-γ and IL-2 upregulation in CD8 + T cells, whereas its upregulation had the opposite effect. Further experiments demonstrated that IL-36β downregulated IFN-γ in let-7c-5p + CD8 + T cells., Conclusions: These findings suggest IL-36β promotes IFN-γ and IL-2 production in CD8 + T cells, as well as anti-tumor effects in CD8 + T cells by downregulating let-7c-5p., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://dx.doi.org/10.21037/atm-21-5991). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Interleukin enhancer binding factor 2 (ILF2) participates in several aspects of DNA and RNA metabolism and regulates gene expression at multiple levels; however, its role in breast cancer remains undefined. The variant statuses of ILF2 in human breast cancer were evaluated using the COSMIC database. Altered ILF2 expression in normal breast tissue relative to cancer tissue and in breast cancer patients with different clinicopathological characteristics, molecular subtypes, clinical outcomes and chemotherapy responses were examined using the Oncomine, GOBO, Kaplan-Meier plotter and GEO datasets. To explore possible biological networks connected to ILF2 in breast cancer, we performed ingenuity pathway analysis on ILF2-related differentially expressed genes. We found that many breast cancers had increased ILF2 copy number variations and increased ILF2 expression. We also observed that elevated ILF2 expression was correlated with aggressive features, such as high histological grade, BRCA1 mutations, and the triple-negative/basal-like subtype, which resulted in shorter survival in these cases. Moreover, ILF2 expression predicted responses to anthracycline/taxane-based treatment. Ingenuity pathway analysis revealed that ILF2-related biological functions included promoting cell survival, viability, and proliferation, as well as cell cycle progression and DNA repair. Certain well-known oncogenes (MYC and HGF), cytokines (CSF2, IFNG and IL5) and microRNAs (miR-21, miR-155-5p and let-7) may participate in the ILF2 expression network in breast cancer. In summary, ILF2 is involved in the development and progression of breast cancer and may be a predictive biomarker for better responses to anthracycline/taxane-based treatments., Competing Interests: None.