Solute carrier-related signature for assessing prognosis and immunity in patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma

Background:Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)is the most common malignant kidney cancer.However,the tumor microenvironment and crosstalk involved in metabolic reprogramming in ccRCC are not well-understood.Methods:We used The Cancer Genome Atlas to obtain ccRCC transcriptome data and clinical information.The EMTAB-1980 cohort was used for external validation.The GENECARDS database contains the first 100 solute carrier(SLC)-related genes.The predictive value of SLC-related genes for ccRCC prognosis and treatment was assessed using univariate Cox regression analysis.An SLC-related predictive signature was developed through Lasso regression analysis and used to determine the risk profiles of patients with ccRCC.Patients in each cohort were separated into high-and low-risk groups based on their risk scores.The clinical importance of the signature was assessed through survival,immune microenvironment,drug sensitivity,and nomogram analyses using R software.Results:SLC25A23,SLC25A42,SLC5A1,SLC3A1,SLC25A37,SLC5A6,SLCO5A1,and SCP2 comprised the signatures of the eight SLCrelated genes.Patients with ccRCC were separated into high-and low-risk groups based on the risk value in the training and validation cohorts;the high-risk group had a significantly worse prognosis(p<0.001).The risk score was an independent predictive indicator of ccRCC in the two cohorts according to univariate and multivariate Cox regression(p<0.05).Analysis of the immune microenvironment showed that immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression differed between the two groups(p<0.05).Drug sensitivity analysis showed that compared to the low-risk group,the high-risk group was more sensitive to sunitinib,nilotinib,JNK-inhibitor-VIII,dasatinib,bosutinib,and bortezomib(p<0.001).Survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were validated using the E-MTAB-1980 cohort.Conclusions:SLC-related genes have predictive relevance in ccRCC and play roles in the immunological milieu.Our results provide insight into metabolic reprogramming in ccRCC and identify promising treatment targets for ccRCC.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2 as a prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic indicator for clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background:In many cancer types,aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2(ARNT2)has been found to be associated with tumor cell proliferation and prognosis.However,the role of ARNT2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)has not been completely elucidated.In this study,the potential role of ARNT2 in ccRCC development was characterized.Methods:A pan-cancer dataset(TCGA-TARGET-GTEx)was accessed from UCSC Xena Data Browser.ARNT2 expression in normal and tumor samples was compared.Univariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of ARNT2.Single sample gene set enrichment analysis(ssGSEA)was used to estimate the enrichment of functional pathways and gene signatures.CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE methods evaluated the immune infiltration.The ARNT2 expression was determined in ccRCC tissue and cell lines using RT-qPCR and Western blot.Results:ARNT2 expression was significantly dysregulated in 23 out of 30 cancer types.Pan-cancer data revealed a strong correlation between ARNT2 expression and immune modulators,immune cell infiltration,and genomic alternations.In ccRCC patients,the low-ARNT2 expression group had higher immune infiltration,CD8 T cells,and programmed cell death ligand 1 expression,as well as higher enrichment score of immunotherapeutic predictors than those in the high-ARNT2 expression group.Low-ARNT2 expression group was more responsive to immunotherapy.Moreover,low ARNT2 expression was observed in ccRCC tissue and cell lines.Conclusions:Dysregulated ARNT2 expression is involved in cancer development and the modulation of the immune microenvironment.ARNT2 can be potentially used as a prognostic indicator and an immunotherapeutic indicator for ccRCC.

Iris metastasis from clear cell renal cell carcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)is a common type of tumor that can metastasize to any organs and sites.However,it is extremely rare for ccRCC to metastasize to the iris.Here,we describe a rare case of iris metastasis from ccRCC with a history of left nephrectomy in 2010.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to blurred vision and red eyes,and a mass was found on the iris in the right eye.B-scan ultrasonography revealed a well-bounded high-density lesion at the corner of the anterior chamber at the 3-4 o’clock position.Phacoemulsification with simultaneous intraocular lens implantation and iridocyclectomy was performed in the right eye.The lesion was confirmed to be metastatic ccRCC by histological and immunohistochemical analyses.The patient was still alive at 9 mo after surgical treatment.Ocular metastasis can be an initial sign with a poor prognosis.Timely detection and treatment may improve survival.Clinicians should pay attention to similar metastatic diseases to prevent misdiagnosis leading to missed treatment oppor-tunities.CONCLUSION This report of the characteristics and successful management of a rare case of iris metastasis from ccRCC highlights the importance of a comprehensive medical history,histopathology,immunohistochemistry,and clinical manifestation for successful disease diagnosis.

Correlation between Hypovitaminosis D Status and Hyperactivation of IL-6/STAT3 Signaling in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Objective:To analyze serum vitamin D levels in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)by flow cytometry and to investigate the relationship between hypovitaminosis D status and hyperactivation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling in ccRCC.Methods:Eighty patients diagnosed with ccRCC by our oncology department from January 2019 to December 2021 were selected as study subjects,and the control subjects were selected from patients who were receiving health check-up from our hospital(matched according to case group:control group,1:2),with 160 healthy patients.All serum samples collected from the case-control subjects were allowed to stand for 1–2 hours,centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes,and stored in a-80°C refrigerator,from which they were removed and thawed to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25(OH)D)and interleukin 6(IL-6)levels.Results:The blood calcium level of patients in the cancer group was significantly lower than that of patients in the non-cancer group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The IL-6 level of the cancer group was significantly higher than that of the non-cancer group.In high vitamin D state,the IL-6 level of the non-cancer group was higher than that of the cancer group,and the average concentration of IL-6 in both the cancer group and the non-cancer group was significantly higher in low vitamin D state compared with high vitamin D state(P<0.05);the correlation between hypovitaminosis D status and renal Ki-67 was found to be positive.Conclusion:The results showed that serum IL-6 levels were elevated in the cancer group and circulating serum 25(OH)D levels were negatively correlated with IL-6 levels.In addition,signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling in RCC tissues was activated in ccRCC patients and in those with low vitamin D status among the cancer group and was higher than that in those with high vitamin D status.These results suggest that hypovitaminosis D status in ccRCC patients is associated with activated IL-6/STAT3 signaling and the activation of tumor proliferation markers proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),cyclin D1,and Ki-67.

MicroRNA-375 Suppresses the Tumor Aggressive Phenotypes of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas through Regulating YWHAZ

Background： MicroRNAs （miRNAs） are key regulators during tumor initiation and progression. MicroRNA-375 （MiR-375） has been proven to play a tumor-suppressive role in various types of human malignancies; however, its biological role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma （ccRCC） remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the biologic role as well as the underlying mechanism of miR-375 in ccRCC progression. Methods： Quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qPCR） was applied to test the expression of miR-375 in tissues and cell lines by t-test. Functional experiments were used to investigate the biological role of miR-375 utilizing a gain-of-function strategy. The target of miR-375 was investigated by bioinformatic analysis and further verified by luciferase reporter assay, qPCR, Western blotting, and functional experiments in vitro. Results： Our study demonstrated that miR-375 was significantly downregulated in ccRCC tissues （cancer vs. normal, 0.804 ±0.079 vs. 1.784 ± 0.200, t = 5.531 P 〈 0.0001 ） and cell lines, and loss ofmiR-375 expression significantly associated with advanced Fuhrman nuclear grades （Grade Ⅲ and Ⅳ vs. Grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ, 1.000 ± 0.099 vs. 1.731 ± 0.189, t = 3.262 P = 0.003）. Functional studies demonstrated that miR-375 suppressed ccRCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion （all P 〈 0.05 in both 786-0 and A498 cell lines）. Multiple miRNA target prediction algorithms indicated the well-studied oncogene YWHAZ as a direct target ofmiR-375, which was further confirmed by the luciferase reporter assay, qPCR, and Western blotting. Moreover, restoration of YWHAZ could rescue the antiproliferation effect ofmi R-375. Conclusions： The data provide the solid evidence that miR-375 plays a tumor-suppressive role in ccRCC progression, partially through regulating YWHAZ. This study expands the antitumor profile ofmiR-375, and supports its role as a potential therapeutic target in ccRCC treatment.

Epigenomics of clear cell renal cell carcinoma： mechanisms and potential use in molecular pathology

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma （ccRCC） is one frequent form of urologic malignancy with numerous genetic and epigenetic alterations. This review summarizes the recent major findings of epigenetic alterations including DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs and recently identified long noncoding RNAs in the development and progression of ccRCC. These epigenetic profilings can provide a promising means of prognostication and early diagnosis for patients with ccRCCs. With the developed high- throughput technologies nowadays, the epigenetic analyses will have possible clinical applications in the molecular pathology of ccRCC.

Aberrant DNA methyltransferase 1 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma development and progression

Objective： To better understand the contribution of dysregulated DNA methyltransferase 1 （DNMT1） expression to the progression and biology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma （ccRCC）. Methods： We examined the differences in the expression of DNMT1 in 89 ecRCC and 22 normal tissue samples by immunohistochemistry. In addition, changes in cell viability, apoptosis, colony formation and invading ability of ccRCC cell lines （786-0 and Caki-1） were assessed after transfection with DNMT1 siRNA. Results： We found DNMT1 protein was significantly higher expressed in ccRCC than that of in no-tumor tissues （56.2% and 27.3%, respectively, P=0.018）. The expression of DNMT1 was strongly associated with ccRCC tumor size, tumor pathology stage, histological grading, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, recurrence and prognosis. Moreover, knockdown of DNMT1 expression significantly inhibited ccRCC cell viability, induced apoptosis, decreased colony formation and invading ability. Conclusions： Expression of DNMTI protein is increased in ccRCC tissues, and DNMT1 expression is associated with poor prognosis of patients. Experiments in vitro further showed DNMT1 played an essential role in proliferation and invasion of renal cancer cells. Moreover, targeting this enzyme could be a promising strategy for treating ccRCC, as evidenced by inhibited cell viability, increased apoptosis, decreased colony formation and invading ability.

Pomegranate extract inhibits EMT in clear cell renal cell carcinoma in a NF-κB and JNK dependent manner

Objective:Clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)is the most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma(RCC)and is characterized by biallelic inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau(VHL)tumor suppressor gene.One effect of VHL inactivation is hypoxia inducible factor alpha(HIFa)-independent constitutive activation of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)and c-jun N-terminal kinase(JNK).Both NF-κB and JNK drive ccRCC growth and epithelial to mesenchymal transition(EMT).The purpose of this study was to determine the biochemical effects of pomegranate juice extracts(PE)on RCC cell lines.Methods:The pre-clinical effects of PE on NF-κB,JNK,and the EMT phenotype were assayed,including its effect on proliferation,anchorage-independent growth,and invasion of pVHLdeficient RCCs.Results:PE inhibits the NF-κB and JNK pathways and consequently inhibits the EMT phenotype of pVHL-deficient ccRCCs.The effects of PE are concentration-dependent and affect not only biochemical markers of EMT(i.e.,cadherin expression)but also functional manifestations of EMT,such as invasion.These effects are manifested within days of exposure to PE when diluted 2000-fold.Highly dilute concentrations of PE(106 dilution),which do not impact these pathways in the short term,were found to have NF-κB and JNK inhibitory effects and ability to reverse the EMT phenotype following prolonged exposure.Conclusion:These findings suggest that PE may mediate inhibition growth of pVHL-deficient ccRCCs and raises the possibility of its use as a dietary adjunct to managing patients with active surveillance for small,localized,incidentally identified renal tumors so as to avoid more invasive procedures such as nephrectomy.

Link between dysregulated hypoxia signaling and aberrant methylation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma？

Dysregulated pseudo-hypoxia （through its effects on cell survival, angiogenesis, metabolism, invasion） and epigenetic dysregulation [through widespread suppression of tumor suppressor genes involved in cell cycle, apoptosis, adhesion, immune evasion, etc. （1）] are considered to be the two central driving pathogenic features in the progression of clear cell Renal Cell Carcinoma （ccRCC） （2,3）.

RNF43 is a novel tumor-suppressor and prognostic indicator in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Identifying prognostic indicators of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)and elucidating the mechanisms underlying ccRCC progression are crucial for improving ccRCC patient prognosis.This study investigated the clinical significance and biological role of Ring finger protein 43(RNF43)in ccRCC.Two independent cohorts of patients with ccRCC were employed to determine the prognostic significance of RNF43 by immunohistochemistry and statistical analyses.In vitro and in vivo experiments,RNA-seq,and other techniques were used to determine the biological role of RNF43 in ccRCC and related molecular mechanisms.RNF43 expression was commonly decreased in ccRCC specimens,and low expression of RNF43 indicated a higher TNM stage,SSIGN score,and WHO/ISUP grade and short survival in patients with ccRCC.Additionally,RNF43 overexpression suppressed the proliferation,migration,and targeted drug resistance of ccRCC cells,while the knockdown of RNF43 enhanced these characteristics of ccRCC.RNF43 knockdown activated YAP signaling by decreasing YAP phosphorylation by p-LATS1/2 and increasing the transcription and nuclear distribution of YAP.By contrast,RNF43 overexpression showed the opposite effects.Decreasing YAP abolished the effect of RNF43 knockdown in promoting the malignant features of ccRCC.Additionally,restoring RNF43 expression suppressed the resistance of the targeted drug pazopanib in in vivo orthotopic ccRCC.Furthermore,combining the expression of RNF43 and YAP with TNM stage or the SSIGN score exhibited greater accuracy than any of these indicators alone in assessing the postoperative prognosis of ccRCC patients.In summary,our study identified a novel tumor suppressor,RNF43,which is also a prognostic indicator and potential target for ccRCC.

A potential impact of A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain-Like Protein Decysin-1(ADAMDEC1)on clear cell renal cell carcinoma propagation

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma(KIRC)is the most common and aggressivemalignancy subtype of renal neoplasm that arises from proximal convoluted tubules.It is characterized by poor clinical outcomes and high mortality of patients due to the lack of specific biomarkers for varying stages of the disease and no effective treatment.Proteases are associated with the development of several malignant tumors in humans by their ability to degrade extracellular matrices,facilitating metastasis.Herein,differentially expressed genes in KIRC cases compared to healthy kidneys were screened out from the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis(GEPIA)database.This data was applied to determine the most elevated protease in KIRC and as a result,A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Domain-Like Protein Decysin-1(ADAMDEC1)was selected.This expression pattern was exclusive for KIRC and not observed for papillary and chromophobe renal cell carcinomas,in which ADAMDEC1 was at the same level in tumors and non-cancer specimens.Furthermore,the ADAMDEC1 significant increase was detected in the fourteen other human malignancies compared to healthy samples,which suggested its strong involvement in cancer development.Next,GEPIA and Pathology Atlas correlated ADAMDEC1 high expression with more advanced tumor grade and shorter survival of KIRC patients.Xena Functional Genomics Explorer presented that ADAMDEC1 could be hypermethylated in some tumor cases and one somatic mutation in the gene sequence was detected.Finally,a Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins;STRING base was utilized to predict the interactions of ADAMDEC1 with other molecules and construct the signaling network.In summary,ADAMDEC1 showed the tremendous potential to be the predictive marker for the KIRC and its development.Therefore,this review with data analysis can be a good base for further in vitro and in vivo research that experimentally can confirm the ADAMDEC1 as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic target of KIRC.

Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies Fourteen Hub Genes Associated with Prognosis in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Summary:Renal cancer is a common genitourinary malignance,of which clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)has high aggressiveness and leads to most cancer-related deaths.Identification of sensitive and reliable biomarkers for predicting tumorigenesis and progression has great significance in guiding the diagnosis and treatment of ccRCC.Here,we identified 2397 common difTerentially expressed genes(DEGs)using paired normal and tumor ccRCC tissues from GSE53757 and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA).Then,we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis and protein-protein interaction network analysis,17 candidate hub genes were identified.These candidate hub genes were further validated in GSE36895 and Oncomine database and 14 real hub genes were identified.All the hub genes were up-regulated and significantly positively correlated with pathological stage and histologic grade of ccRCC.Survival analysis showed that the higher expression level of each hub gene tended to predict a worse clinical outcome.ROC analysis showed that all the hub genes can accurately distinguish between tumor and normal samples,and between early stage and advanced stage ccRCC.Moreover,all the hub genes were positively associated with distant metastasis,lymph node infiltration,tumor recurrence and the expression of MKi67,suggesting these genes might promote tumor proliferation,invasion and metastasis.Furthermore,the functional annotation demonstrated that most genes were enriched in cell-cycle related biological function.In summary,our study identified 14 potential biomarkers for predicting tumorigenesis and progression,which might contribute to early diagnosis,prognosis prediction and therapeutic intervention.

Ipsilateral synchronous papillary and clear renal cell carcinoma:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND There is limited information on ipsilateral synchronous papillary renal cell carcinoma(PRCC)and clear cell renal cell carcinoma(CCRCC).Therefore,these rare tumors are often misdiagnosed preoperatively as a single tumor with intrarenal metastasis or some other diseases.Effective management and long-term overall survival might be affected because the prognosis of the two tumors differs.CASE SUMMARY We describe a case of ipsilateral synchronous PRCC and CCRCC with two histological variants in a 72-year-old man,whose mass was found incidentally,with no other chief complaints and vital signs were normal.Initial ultrasound revealed a hypoechoic lobular mass with a volume of 7.8 cm×4.8 cm×2.8 cm in the middle to lower pole of the left kidney.A subsequent contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan showed a single endophytic mass of 7.5 cm in diameter.The patient underwent laparoscopic left radical nephrectomy.A final diagnosis of ipsilateral synchronous PRCC and CCRCC was confirmed by pathological examination.There was no recurrence or metastasis after 25 mo follow-up.CONCLUSION We report a case of ipsilateral synchronous PRCC and CCRCC,and review related literature to estimate the prevalence of similar cases.The above descriptions may be expected to help understand the disease,and improve diagnosis in the future.

Tumor-to-tumor metastasis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma to contralateral synchronous pheochromocytoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Tumor-to-tumor metastasis(TTM)is an uncommon condition.Only a few cases of renal cell carcinoma(RCC)as donor tumor of TTM have been reported in literature,and none of these studies have described RCC metastasizing to synchronous pheochromocytoma(PCC).CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 54-year-old woman who presented with recurrent dull abdominal pain for six months,which was further aggravated for one more month.Enhanced computed tomography revealed a tumor mass in the right kidney and another mass in the left retroperitoneum/adrenal gland.Histopathology and immunochemistry of resected specimens confirmed the diagnosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(CCRCC)of the right kidney,and the left retroperitoneum revealed a typical PCC with CCRCC metastasis.Whole exome sequencing revealed the presence of a c.529A>T somatic mutation of the Von Hippel Lindau(VHL)gene in the metastasized CCRCC,which was also present in the primary right kidney CCRCC,as confirmed by Sanger sequencing.No VHL mutation was detected in the PCC or in normal right kidney tissue.Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed loss of chromosome 3p in both the primary right kidney CCRCC and CCRCC metastasized to PCC in the left kidney.CONCLUSION This is the first case showing metastasis of CCRCC to PCC,thus leading to tumorto-tumor metastasis.

Decreased cross-sectional muscle area in male patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma and peritumoral collateral vessels

BACKGROUND Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass(SMM)and is a sign of cancer cachexia.Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma(RCC)may show cachexia.AIM To evaluate the amount of SMM in male clear cell RCC(ccRCC)patients with and without collateral vessels.METHODS In this study,we included a total of 124 male Caucasian patients divided into two groups:ccRCCa group without collateral vessels(n=54)and ccRCCp group with collateral vessels(n=70).Total abdominal muscle area(TAMA)was measured in both groups using a computed tomography imaging-based approach.TAMA measures were also corrected for age in order to rule out age-related effects.RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of TAMA(P<0.05)driven by a reduction in patients with peritumoral collateral vessels.The result was confirmed by repeating the analysis with values corrected for age(P<0.05),indicating no age effect on our findings.CONCLUSION This study showed a decreased TAMA in ccRCC patients with peritumoral collateral vessels.The presence of peritumoral collateral vessels adjacent to ccRCC might be a fine diagnostic clue to sarcopenia.

Prognostic significance of carbonic anhydrase IX expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of carbonic anhydrase IX ( CA IX) expression in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma ( ccRCC) . Methods CA IX excression in a cohort of 120 patients with ccRCC was evaluated by P-V immunohistochemistry

Clinical significance,molecular characterization,and immune microenvironment analysis of coagulation-related genes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background:Numerous studies have revealed a tight connection between tumor development and the coagulation system.However,the effects of coagulation on the prognosis and tumor microenvironment(TME)of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)remain poorly understood.Methods:We employed the consensus clustering method to characterize distinct molecular subtypes associated with coagulation patterns.Subsequently,we examined variations in the overall survival(OS),genomic profiles,and TME characteristics between these subtypes.To develop a prognostic coagulation-related risk score(CRRS)model,we utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression and stepwise multivariate Cox regression analyses.We also created a nomogram to aid in the clinical application of the risk score,evaluating the relationships between the CRRS and the immune microenvironment,responsiveness to immunotherapy,and targeted treatment.The clinical significance of PLAUR and its biological function in ccRCC were also further analyzed.Results:There were significant differences in clinical features,prognostic stratification,genomic variation,and TME characteristics between the two coagulation-related subtypes.We established and validated a CRRS using six coagulation-related genes that can be employed as an effective indicator of risk stratification and prognosis estimation for ccRCC patients.Significant variations in survival outcomes were observed between the high-and low-risk groups.The nomogram was proficient in predicting the 1-,3-,and 5-year OS.Additionally,the CRRS emerged as a novel tool for evaluating the clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy and targeted treatments in ccRCC.Moreover,we confirmed upregulated PLAUR expression in ccRCC samples that was significantly correlated with poor patient prognosis.PLAUR knockdown notably inhibited ccRCC cell proliferation and migration.Conclusion:Our data suggested that CRRS may be employed as a reliable predictive biomarker that can provide therapeutic benefits for immunotherapy and targeted therapy in ccRCC.

Network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis reveal insights into the molecular mechanism of Gualou Qumai Wan in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Background:To initially clarify the potential therapeutic targets and pharmacological mechanism regarding Gualou Qumai Wan(GQW),a kind of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),in clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC)by virtue of the network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking analysis.Methods:The screening of bioactive components and targets of GQW was based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology(TCMSP)and the UniProt platform served for standardizing their targets.Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM),PharmGkb,TTD,DrugBank and GeneCards databases were searched to collect the disease targets of ccRCC.Cytoscape assisted in constructing herb-compound-target(H-C-T)networks.The STRING database was searched for constructing the target protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks,while the R programming language served for analyzing GO functional terms and the KEGG pathways related to potential targets.Analyses of core genes related to survival and tumor microenvironment(TME)were conducted respectively based on the GEPIA2 database and TIMER 2.0 database.Human Protein Atlas(HPA)and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)helped to obtain core genes’protein expression as well as transcriptome expression level.Autodock Vina software validated the molecular docking regarding GQW components and pivotal targets.Results:The constructed H-C-T networks mainly had 33 compounds and 65 targets.A topological analysis of the PPI network identified that ESR1,AKT1,HIF1A,PTGS2,TP53 and VEGFA serve as core targets in the way GQW affects ccRCC.According to the GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses,the effects of GQW are mediated by genes related to hypoxia and oxidative stress as well as the Chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways.AKT1 shows a close relation to the recruitment of various immune cells and can remarkably affect disease prognosis according to reports.Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations showed that diosgenin has higher affinity with core targets.Conclusion:The study makes a comprehensive explanation of the biological activity,potential targets,as well as molecular mechanism regarding GQW against ccRCC,which promisingly assists in revealing the action mechanism of TCM formulae in disease treatment and the respective and scientific basis.

N6-methyladenosine-modified DBT alleviates lipid accumulation and inhibits tumor progression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma through the ANXA2/YAP axis-regulated Hippo pathway

Background:The mechanism of metabolism reprogramming is an unsolved problem in clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC).Recently,it was discovered that the Hippo pathway altered tumor metabolism and promoted tumor progression.Thus,this study aimed at identifying key regulators of metabolism reprogramming and the Hippo pathway in ccRCC and pinpointing potential therapeutic targets for ccRCC patients.Methods:Hippo-related gene sets and metabolic gene sets were used to screen potential regulators of the Hippo pathway in ccRCC.Public databases and samples from patients were applied to investigate the association of dihydrolipoamide branched chain transacylase E2(DBT)with ccRCC and Hippo signaling.The role of DBT was confirmed by gain or loss of function assays in vitro and in vivo.Mechanistic results were yielded by luciferase reporter assay,immunoprecipitation,mass spectroscopy,and mutational studies.Results:DBT was confirmed as a Hippo-related marker with significant prognostic predictive value,and its downregulationwas caused bymethyltransferaselike-3(METTL3)-mediated N6-methyladenosine(m6A)modification in ccRCC.Functional studies specified DBT as a tumor suppressor for inhibiting tumor progression and correcting the lipid metabolism disorder in ccRCC.Mechanistic findings revealed that annexin A2(ANXA2)interacted with the lipoyl-binding domain of DBT to activate Hippo signaling which led to decreased nuclear localization of yes1-associated transcriptional regulator(YAP)and transcriptional repression of lipogenic genes.Conclusions:This study demonstrated a tumor-suppressive role for the DBT/ANXA2/YAP axis-regulated Hippo signaling and suggested DBT as a potential target for pharmaceutical intervention in ccRCC.

Differentiation of Renal Oncocytoma and Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma Using Relative CT Enhancement Ratio

Background：The difference between renal oncocytomas （RO） and renal clear cell carcinomas （RCCs） presents the greatest diagnostic challenge.The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine ifRO and RCCs could be differentiated on computed tomography （CT） images on the basis of their enhancement patterns with a new enhancement correcting method.Methods：Forty-six patients with a solitary renal mass who underwent total or partial nephrectomy were included in this study.Fourteen of those were RO and 32 were RCCs.All patients were examined with contrast-enhanced CT.The pattern and degree of enhancement were evaluated.We selected the area that demonstrated the greatest degree of enhancement of the renal lesion in the corticomedullary nephrographic and excretory phase images.Regions of interest （ROI） were also placed in adjacent normal renal cortex for normalization.We used the values of the normal renal cortex that were measured at the same time as divisors.The ratios of lesion-to-renal cortex enhancement were calculated for all three phases.The Student＆#39;s t-test and Pearson＆#39;s Chi-square test were used for statistical analyses.Results：All RCCs masses showed contrast that appeared to be better enhanced than RO on all contrast-enhanced phases of CT imaging,but there was no significant difference in absolute attenuation values between these two diseases （P 〉 0.05）.The ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in the corticomedullary phase showed significantly different values between RO and RCCs.The degree of contrast enhancement in RCCs was equal to or greater than that of the normal renal cortex,but it was less than that of the normal cortex in RO in the corticomedullary phase.The ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in the corticomedullary phase was higher than the cut off value of 1.0 in most RCCs （84%,27/32） and lower than 1.0 in most RO （93%,13/14） （P 〈 0.05）.In the nephrographic phase,the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation was higher than that in the corticomedullary phase in most RO （71%,10/14）,showing a prolonged enhancement pattern; and was lower than that in most RCCs （97%,31/32）,showing an early washout pattern （P 〈 0.05）.In the differentiation of RO from RCCs,the sensitivity was 93%,specificity 84%,positive predictive value 72%,negative predictive value 84%,and accuracy for RO was 87,if the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in a cortex phase was lower than the cutoff value of 1.0.The sensitivity was 71%,specificity was 97%,positive predictive value was 91%,negative predictive value was 91%,and accuracy for RO was 89%,if the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in nephrographic phase was higher than that in the corticomedullary phase.Conclusions：The ratios of renal lesion-to-cortex attenuation ratios may be helpful in differentiating RO from RCCs.