VEGF, HIF-1α, and Metabolic Indicators in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective:To explore and analyze the expression and clinical significance of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),hypoxia-inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α),and metabolic indicators in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods:Sixty ESCC patients admitted to the hospital from October 2021 to October 2023 were selected as the ESCC group.Sixty normal healthy patients from the same period were chosen as the control group.Their serum samples and tissue samples were collected.Metabolic indicators of all study subjects were obtained based on the basic biochemical results upon admission.RT-PCR was utilized to detect the expression of VEGF and HIF-1αin ESCC tissues.Results:The expression of VEGF and HIF-1αin the ESCC T3+T4 group was significantly higher than that of the carcinoma in situ(Tis)group,T1+T2 group,and control group.Furthermore,the expression of HIF-1αwas found to be related to the expression of VEGF,showing a significant correlation between the quantities.Significant differences in the levels of metabolic indicators were observed between the ESCC group and the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Metabolic indicators are associated with the onset of ESCC in patients.Abnormal lipid metabolism plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of tumors.The expression of VEGF and HIF-1αin ESCC tissues significantly correlates with the tumor stage,providing a new reference for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.

The DMRTA1-SOX2 positive feedback loop promotes progression and chemotherapy resistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is among the most prevalent causes of cancer-related death in patients worldwide.Resistance to immunotherapy and chemotherapy results in worse survival outcomes in ESCC.It is urgent to explore the underlying molecular mechanism of immune evasion and chemoresistance in ESCC.Here,we conducted RNA-sequencing analysis in ten ESCC tissues from cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy patients.We found that DMRTA1 was extremely upregulated in the non-pathologic complete response(non-pCR)group.The proliferation rate of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells was markedly decreased after knockdown of DMRTA1 expression,which could increase cisplatin sensitivity in ESCC.Additionally,suppression of DMRTA1 could decrease the immune escape of esophageal squamous carcinoma cells.Further mechanistic studies suggest that DMRTA1 can promote its expression by binding to the promoter of SOX2,which plays important roles in the progression and chemoresistance of ESCC in the form of positive feedback.Therefore,DMRTA1 could be a potential target to suppress immune escape and overcome chemoresistance in ESCC.

Effectiveness and safety of combined nimotuzumab and S-1 chemotherapy with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer in malnourished and elderly patients:A prospective phaseⅡstudy

Objective:Definitive chemoradiotherapy(dCRT)is the standard treatment for unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer.However,this treatment is associated with substantial toxicity,and most malnourished or elderly patients are unable to complete this therapy.Therefore,there is a need for a more suitable radiotherapy combination regimen for this population.This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination regimen comprising chemotherapy with nimotuzumab and S-1 and concurrent radiotherapy for patients with fragile locally advanced esophageal cancer with a high Nutritional Risk Screening 2002(NRS-2002)score.Methods:Eligible patients with unresectable esophageal carcinoma who had an NRS-2002 score of 2 or higher were enrolled.They were treated with S-1 and nimotuzumab with concurrent radiotherapy,followed by surgery or definitive radiotherapy.The primary endpoint was the locoregional control(LRC)rate.Results:A total of 55 patients who met the study criteria were enrolled.After completion of treatment,surgery was performed in 15 patients and radiotherapy was continued in 40 patients.The median follow-up period was 33.3[95%confidence interval(95%CI,31.4−35.1)]months.The LRC rate was 77.2%(95%CI,66.6%−89.4%)at 1 year in the entire population.The overall survival(OS)rate and event-free survival(EFS)rate were 57.5%and 51.5%at 3 years,respectively.Surgery was associated with better LRC[hazard ratio(HR)=0.16;95%CI,0.04−0.70;P=0.015],OS(HR=0.19;95%CI,0.04−0.80;P=0.024),and EFS(HR=0.25;95%CI,0.08−0.75;P=0.013).Most adverse events were of grade 1 or 2,and no severe adverse events occurred.Conclusions:For malnourished or elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer,radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab and S-1 is effective and has a good safety profile.

Comparative efficacy and safety between endoscopic submucosal dissection,surgery and definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with cT1N0M0 esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND Endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)and surgical resection are the standard of care for cT1N0M0 esophageal cancer(EC),whereas definitive chemoradiotherapy(d-CRT)is a treatment option.Nevertheless,the comparative efficiency and safety of ESD,surgery and d-CRT for cT1N0M0 EC remain unclear.AIM To compare the efficiency and safety of ESD,surgery and d-CRT for cT1N0M0 EC.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the hospitalized data of a total of 472 consecutive patients with cT1N0M0 EC treated at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer center between 2017-2019 and followed up until October 30th,2022.We analyzed demographic,medical recorded,histopathologic characteristics,imaging and endoscopic,and follow-up data.The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to analyze the difference of survival outcome by treatments.Inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW)was used to minimize potential confounding factors.RESULTS We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent ESD(n=99)or surgery(n=220)or d-CRT(n=16)at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from 2017 to 2019.The median follow-up time for the ESD group,the surgery group,and the d-CRT group was 42.0 mo(95%CI:35.0-60.2),45.0 mo(95%CI:34.0-61.75)and 32.5 mo(95%CI:28.3-40.0),respectively.After adjusting for background factors using IPTW,the highest 3-year overall survival(OS)rate and 3-year recurrence-free survival(RFS)rate were observed in the ESD group(3-year OS:99.7% and 94.7% and 79.1%;and 3-year RFS:98.3%,87.4% and 79.1%,in the ESD,surgical,and d-CRT groups,respectively).There was no difference of severe complications occurring between the three groups(P≥0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that treatment method,histology and depth of infiltration were independently associated with OS and RFS.CONCLUSION For cT1N0M0 EC,ESD had better long-term survival and lower hospitalization costs than those who underwent d-CRT and surgery,with a similar rate of severe complications occurring.

Risk factors for lymph node metastasis in T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Lymph node metastasis(LNM)affects the application and outcomes of endoscopic resection in T1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).However,reports of the risk factors for LNM have been controversial.AIM To evaluate risk factors for LNM in T1 ESCC.METHODS We searched Embase,PubMed and Cochrane Library to select studies related to LNM in patients with T1 ESCC.Included studies were divided into LNM and non-LNM groups.We performed a meta-analysis to examine the relationship between LNM and clinicopathologic features.Odds ratio(OR),mean differences and 95%confidence interval(CI)were assessed using a fixed-effects or randomeffects model.RESULTS Seventeen studies involving a total of 3775 patients with T1 ESCC met the inclusion criteria.After excluding studies with heterogeneity based on influence analysis,tumor size(OR=1.93,95%CI=1.49-2.50,P<0.001),tumor location(OR=1.46,95%CI=1.17-1.82,P<0.001),macroscopic type(OR=3.17,95%CI=2.33-4.31,P<0.001),T1 substage(OR=6.28,95%CI=4.93-8.00,P<0.001),differentiation(OR=2.11,95%CI=1.64-2.72,P<0.001)and lymphovascular invasion(OR=5.86,95%CI=4.60-7.48,P<0.001)were found to be significantly associated with LNM.Conversely,sex,age and infiltrative growth pattern were not identified as risk factors for LNM.CONCLUSION A tumor size>2 cm,lower location,nonflat macroscopic type,T1b stage,poor differentiation and lymphovascular invasion were associated with LNM in patients with T1 ESCC.

Interaction between XRCC1 Polymorphisms and Intake of Long-Term Stored Rice in the Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma:A Case-Control Study

Objective This study aimed to explore the roles of three common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the X-ray repair cross-complementing group-1 gene （XRCC1） and of life style factors and their possible interactions in the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） in China. Methods A population-based case-control study of 432 cases and 915 controls was conducted in Yangzhong County, Jiangsu Province, China. Subjects were interviewed by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire that included questions on demographics and life style. XRCC1 genotypes were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism （PCR-RFLP） assay. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios （aORs） and 95% confidence intervals （CIs） for associations of ESCC with XRCCI polymorphisms and lifestyle-related factors. Results Both the drinking of river water and alcohol intake history were significantly associated with an increased risk of ESCC among men with aORs of 4.20 （95% Ch 2.90-6.07） and 2.03 （95% Ch 1.43-2.89）, respectively. For women, the corresponding odds ratios were 8.37 （95% CI： 5.09-13.75） for river water drinking and 12.78 （95% CI： 2.69-60.69） for long-term stored rice intake. After the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was adjusted for potential confounders, subjects with GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for ESCC （aOR： 1.21, 95% CI： 0.93-1.56）, compared with subjects with a GG genotype, and a positive multiplicative interaction between intake of long-term stored rice and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism was observed （P=O.009）.Conclusions Our findings suggest that both lifestyle-related factors, including drinking river water, long-term stored rice and alcohol intake, and the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism were possible risk factors for ESCC, and that the XRCC1 G28152A polymorphism modified the effect of long-term stored rice intake on the risk of ESCC among Chinese people.

Prognostic implications of FGFR1 and MYC status in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic implications of combined MYC and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1(FGFR1) status in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas(ESCCs). METHODS All patients with ESCC(n = 180) underwent surgical resection at Seoul National University Hospital sometime between 2000 and 2013. A tissue microarray was constructed using cores obtained from representative tumor areas of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. FGFR1 and MYC copy numbers were quantified using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The level of MYC expression was determined using immunohistochemistry. FGFR1 and MYC amplification status was compared between primary and metastatic lymph nodes. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed according to adjuvant therapy status.RESULTS FGFR1 and MYC amplifications were observed in 21.4%(37/173) and 54.2%(91/168) of patients, respectively, while MYC expression was observed in 58.9%(106/180) of patients. There was a positive correlation between MYC amplification and overexpression(P = 0.002). Although FGFR1 amplification was not associated with MYC amplification or expression, 12.3%(20/163) of patients exhibited both FGFR1 amplification and MYC expression. There was also a correlation in FGFR1 amplification status between matched primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes(P < 0.001). MYC expression was higher in ESCCs with p T1(P < 0.001) and in those with no lymph node metastasis(P = 0.023). MYC expression was associated with prolonged diseasefree survival(P = 0.036) and overall survival(OS)(P = 0.017) but was not an independent prognostic factor. FGFR1 amplification was an independent predictor for prolonged OS in all patients(P = 0.029) and in those who did not receive adjuvant therapy(P = 0.013). Combined FGFR1 amplification and MYC expression predicted better OS in patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy(P = 0.034) but not in those who did receive adjuvant therapy.CONCLUSION FGFR1 amplification and MYC expression have prognostic implications in resected ESCCs with respect to adjuvant therapy. The role of FGFR1-targeted therapy in ESCC remains to be explored.

Protein and gene expression characteristics of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM To investigate the expression characteristics of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1(HNRNPH1) m RNA and protein in cell lines and tissues of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC). METHODS Western blotting was used to assess the expression of HNRNPH1 protein in seven ESCC cell lines and 30 paired fresh tissue specimens. The subcellular localization of HNRNPH1 was determined by immunofluorescence in ESCC cells. The RNA sequencing data from 87 patients with ESCC were obtained from the cancer genome atlas(TCGA), and the expression and clinical characteristics analysis of different transcript variants of HNRNPH1 were evaluated in this dataset. In addition, immunohistochemistry was carried out to detect the expression of HNRNPH1 protein in 125 patients.RESULTS The expression of HNRNPH1 protein varied across different ESCC cell lines. It was exclusively restricted to the nucleus of the ESCC cells. There are two transcript variants of the HNRNPH1 gene. Variant 1 was constitutively expressed, and its expression did not change during tumorigenesis. In contrast, levels of variant 2 were low in non-tumorous tissues and were dramatically increased in ESCC(P = 0.0026). The high levels of variant 2 were associated with poorer differentiated tumors(P = 0.0287). Furthermore, in paired fresh tissue specimens, HNRNPH1 protein was overexpressed in 73.3%(22/30) of neoplastic tissues. HNRNPH1 was significantly upregulated in ESCC, with strong staining in 43.2%(54/125) of tumor tissues and 22.4%(28/125) of matched non-cancerous tissues(P = 0.0005). Positive HNRNPH1 expression was significantly associated with poor tumor differentiation degree(P = 0.0337).CONCLUSION The different alternative transcript variants of HNRNPH1 exhibited different expression changes during tumorigenesis. Its m RNA and protein were overexpressed in ESCC and associated with poorer differentiation of tumor cells. These findings highlight the potential of HNRNPH1 in the therapy and diagnosis of ESCC.

Chitinase 3-like 1 secreted by peritumoral macrophages in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is a favorable prognostic factor for survival

AIM To identify whether chitinase 3-like 1(CHI3 L1) serves as a suitable biomarker for the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) and to analyze this protein's cellular source.METHODS An ELISA was conducted to detect the concentration of CHI3 L1 in the serum of 150 ESCC patients diagnosed between January 2001 and February 2005. The prognostic relevance of CHI3 L1 was evaluated by a Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. The immunohistochemistry was reanalyzed,and fluorescent staining was utilized to explore the cellular origins of CHI3 L1. We stimulated monocyte-derived macrophages(MDMs) with either IL-6 or the supernatant of the ESCC cell line Eca-109 and later investigated the level of CHI3 L1 by q PCR and ELISA.RESULTS The level of serum CHI3 L1 was higher in older patients(≥ 60) than in patients under the age of 60(P = 0.001). The patients with higher levels of CHI3 L1 had a significantly shorter overall survival,whereas the traditional markers,carcinoembryonic antigen and squamous cell carcinoma antigen,were less effective(P > 0.05). A multivariate Cox analysis(P = 0.001) indicated that CHI3 L1 was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients. Peritumoral macrophages in ESCC exhibited high levels of CHI3 L1. Interleukin-6(IL-6) and the supernatant of Eca-109 containing IL-6 stimulated MDMs to secrete CHI3 L1. The serum concentration of CHI3 L1 in the ESCC patients showed a weak correlation with the laboratory inflammatory parameters neutrophil(NEU,P = 0.045),neutrophil/lymphocyte rate(NLR,P = 0.016),and C-reactive protein(CRP,P < 0.001).CONCLUSION Our study first established a connection between the pretreated CHI3 L1 and patients with ESCC,and the serum CHI3 L1 was primarily secreted by ESCC-surrounded macrophages.

Association and prognostic significance of alpha-L-fucosidase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND Alpha-L-fucosidase-1(FUCA1)has been demonstrated to play opposing regulatory roles in adenocarcinoma and non-adenocarcinoma.Moreover,recent studies reported that FUCA1 could decrease the invasion capability by downregulating matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP-9)expression.However,the potential role and prognostic significance of FUCA1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)have not yet been explored.AIM To evaluate the status,association,and prognostic value of FUCA1 and MMP-9 expression in ESCC.METHODS Patients who underwent esophagectomy for ESCC between January 1,2014,and December 31,2014 at Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center were enrolled.The expression status of FUCA1 and MMP-9 in cancerous tissues was detected using immunohistochemistry.In addition,the expression profiles of the FUCA1 and MMP-9 genes in non-metastatic ESCC were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.RESULTS High expression of FUCA1 and MMP-9 was found in 90 patients(75.6%)and 62 patients(52.1%),respectively.In the high FUCA1 expression group,the constituent ratios of patients with stage III disease(61.1%vs 37.9%,P=0.029),lymphatic invasion(62.2%vs 31.0%,P=0.003),and high MMP-9 expression(60.0%vs 27.6%,P=0.002)were significantly higher than those in the low FUCA1 expression group.In Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis,advanced tumor-nodemetastasis stage(III,P=0.001),positive regional lymph node metastasis(N+,P=0.002),high FUCA1 expression(P=0.001),and high MMP-9 expression(P=0.002)were potential predictors of shorter overall survival(OS),which was similar to the results analyzed based on the TCGA database.Further Cox multivariate regression analyses still demonstrated that FUCA1 and MMP-9 expression levels were independent prognostic factors of OS[hazard ratio(HR):0.484,95%confidence interval(CI):0.239-0.979;P=0.044;and HR:0.591,95%CI:0.359-0.973,P=0.039,respectively].CONCLUSION FUCA1 cooperation with MMP-9 may have a major role in affecting the ESCC invasion and metastatic capability,and serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker in ESCC.

Alteration in gene expression profile and oncogenicity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by RIZ1 upregulation

AIM:To investigate the effect of retinoblastoma protein-interacting zinc finger gene 1(RIZ1)upregulation in gene expression profile and oncogenicity of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)cell line TE13.METHODS:TE13 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)/RIZ1 and pcDNA3.1(+).Changes in gene expression profile were screened and the microarray results were confirmed by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Nude mice were inoculated with TE13 cells to establish ESCC xenografts.After two weeks,the inoculated mice were randomly divided into three groups.Tumors were injected with normal saline,transfection reagent pcDNA3.1(+)and transfection reagent pcDNA3.1(+)/RIZ1,respectively.Tumor development was quantified,and changes in gene expression of RIZ1 transfected tumors were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting.RESULTS:DNA microarray data showed that RIZ1transfection induced widespread changes in gene expression profile of cell line TE13,with 960 genes upregulated and 1163 downregulated.Treatment of tumor xenografts with RIZ1 recombinant plasmid significantly inhibited tumor growth,decreased tumor size,and increased expression of RIZ1 mRNA compared to control groups.The changes in gene expression profile were also observed in vivo after RIZ1 transfection.Most of the differentially expressed genes were associated with cell development,supervision of viral replication,lymphocyte costimulatory and immune system development in esophageal cells.RIZ1 gene may be involved in multiple cancer pathways,such as cytokine receptor interaction and transforming growth factor beta signaling.CONCLUSION:The development and progression of esophageal cancer are related to the inactivation of RIZ1.Virus infection may also be an important factor.

Transcriptome sequencing reveals novel biomarkers and immune cell infiltration in esophageal tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is one of the most common malignancies worldwide,and its development comprises a multistep process from intraepithelial neoplasia(IN)to carcinoma(CA).However,the critical regulators and underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown.AIM To explore the genes and infiltrating immune cells in the microenvironment that are associated with the multistage progression of ESCC to facilitate diagnosis and early intervention.METHODS A mouse model mimicking the multistage development of ESCC was established by providing warter containing 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide(4NQO)to C57BL/6 mice.Moreover,we established a control group without 4NQO treatment of mice.Then,transcriptome sequencing was performed for esophageal tissues from patients with different pathological statuses,including low-grade IN(LGIN),high-grade IN(HGIN),and CA,and controlled normal tissue(NOR)samples.Differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified in the LGIN,HGIN,and CA groups,and the biological functions of the DEGs were analyzed via Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses.The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to detect the pattern of immune cell infilt-ration.Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was also conducted to validate our results.Finally,the Luminex multiplex cytokine analysis was utilized to measure the serum cytokine levels in the mice.RESULTS Compared with those in the NOR group,a total of 681541,and 840 DEGs were obtained in the LGIN,HGIN,and CA groups,respectively.Using the intersection of the three sets of DEGs,we identified 86 genes as key genes involved in the development of ESCC.Enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched mainly in the keratinization,epidermal cell differentiation,and interleukin(IL)-17 signaling pathways.CIBERSORT analysis revealed that,compared with those in the NOR group,M0 and M1 macrophages in the 4NQO group showed stronger infiltration,which was validated by IHC.Serum cytokine analysis revealed that,compared with those in the NOR group,IL-1βand IL-6 were upregulated,while IL-10 was downregulated in the LGIN,HGIN,and CA groups.Moreover,the expression of the representative key genes,such as S100a8 and Krt6b,was verified in external human samples,and the results of immunohistochemical staining were consistent with the findings in mice.CONCLUSION We identified a set of key genes represented by S100a8 and Krt6b and investigated their potential biological functions.In addition,we found that macrophage infiltration and abnormal alterations in the levels of inflam-mation-associated cytokines,such as IL-1β,IL-6,and IL-10,in the peripheral blood may be closely associated with the development of ESCC.

Serum Folate, MTHFR C677T Polymorphism and Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk

This study examined associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and serum folate concentrations with the risk of esophageal precancerous lesions （EPL） and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC）. The highest quartile of serum folate concentration significantly decreased the risk of ESCC compared with the lowest quartile （0R=0.11; 95% CI, 0.04-0.33; P〈0.05）. MTHFR 677 C〉T polymorphism was associated with the risk of ESCC by using chi-square tests （P〈0.05）. For the CT genotype, the risk of ESCC significantly increased in study participants with low serum folate concentrations （〈26.92μg/L） compared with participants with high serum folate concentrations （〉26.92 μg/L） by using multinomial logistic regression models. The MTHFR genotype may further modify associations between serum folate concentrations and the risk of ESCC, but it was not significantly associated with the risk of EPL.

Expression of Bmi-1 and PAI-1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM:To determine the correlation between invasiveness,migration and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)and expression of the B-cellspecific Moloney leukemia virus insert site 1(Bmi-1)and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1).METHODS:Eighty previously untreated patients who underwent surgical excision of ESCC were included.The expression of Bmi-1 and PAI-1 was examined immunohistochemically in formalin-fixed paraffinembedded primary tissue specimens.The relationships between the expression of Bmi-1 and PAI-1,the clinicopathologic features of ESCC,and the survival rate of ESCC patients were also discussed.The correlation between Bmi-1 and PAI-1 protein expression in ESCC was analyzed.The relationship between Bmi-1 and PAI-1expression and ESCC prognosis was evaluated using a Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis.RESULTS:The rates of positive Bmi-1 and PAI-1 expression in ESCC were higher than those in normal esophageal tissue(P<0.05).The expression of Bmi-1and PAI-1 was correlated with depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis(P<0.05),but not with patient age,tumor size or nationality(P>0.05).The expression of Bmi-1 was positively correlated with that of PAI-1(P<0.05).The 10-year overall survival rate for all patients was 20%(16∕80).Univariate KaplanMeier survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of esophageal PAI-1 and Bmi-1 had lower survival,however,the difference was not statistically significant.Cox multivariate analysis showed that PAI-1and Bmi-1 were not independent factors for survival rate,while the depth of tumor invasion and metastasis were independent factors affecting patient survival.CONCLUSION:The expression of Bmi-1 and PAI-1plays a role in ESCC progression,and may be used as a prognostic marker in ESCC.

Defect of SLC38A3 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and predicts poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective: Solute carrier family 38(SLC38 s) transporters play important roles in amino acid transportation and signaling transduction. However, their genetic alterations and biological roles in tumors are still largely unclear.This study aimed to elucidate the genetic signatures of SLC38 s transporters and their implications in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods: Analyses on somatic mutation and copy number alterations(CNAs) of SLC38 A3 were performed as described. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) assay and Western blot assay were used to detect the protein expression level. MTS assay, colony formation assay, transwell assay and wound healing assay were used to explore the malignant phenotypes of ESCC cells. Immunofluorescence assay was used to verify the colocalization of two indicated proteins and immunopreciptation assay was performed to confirm the interaction of proteins.Results: Our findings revealed that SLC38 s family was significantly disrupted in ESCC, with high frequent CNAs and few somatic mutations. SLC38 A3 was the most frequent loss gene among them and was linked to poor survival and lymph node metastasis. The expression of SLC38 A3 was lower in tumor tissues compared to that in normal tissues, which was also significantly associated with worse clinical outcome. Further experiments revealed that depletion of SLC38 A3 could promote EMT in ESCC cell lines, and the interaction of SLC38 A3 and SETDB1 might lead to the reduced transcription of Snail. Pharmacogenomic analyses demonstrated that fifteen inhibitors were showed significantly correlated with SLC38 A3 expression.Conclusions: Our investigations have provided insights that SLC38 A3 could act as a suppressor in EMT pathway and serve as a prognostic factor and predictor of differential drug sensitivities in ESCC.

Inhibition of bromodomain-containing protein 4 enhances the migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells by inducing cell autophagy

BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC),the predominant type of esophageal cancer,has a 5-year survival rate less than 20%.Although the cause of poor prognosis is the high incidence and mortality of ESCC,the high rate of metastasis after esophageal cancer surgery is the main cause of death after the surgery.Bromodomain-containing protein 4(BRD4),an epigenetic reader of chromatinacetylated histones in tumorigenesis and development,plays an essential role in regulating oncogene expression.BRD4 inhibition and BRD4 inhibition-based treatment can potentially suppress ESCC growth.However,the effects and mechanisms of action of BRD4 on ESCC cell migration remain unclear.AIM To explore the effect of BRD4 on cell migration of ESCC in vitro and its possible molecular mechanism.METHODS Human ESCC cell lines KYSE-450 and KYSE-150 were used.The 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay was performed to examine cell proliferation,and the transwell migration assay was conducted to test ESCC cell migration.JQ1,a BRD4 inhibitor,was applied to cells,and BRD4 siRNA was transfected into ESCC cells to knockdown endogenous BRD4.GFP-RFP-LC3 adenovirus was infected into ESCC cells to evaluate the effect of JQ1 on autophagy.Western blotting was performed to determine the protein levels of BRD4,E-cadherin,vimentin,AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),and p-AMPK.RESULTS BRD4 was either downregulated by small interfering RNA or pretreated with JQ1 in ESCC cells,leading to increased tumor migration in ESCC cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner.Inhibition of BRD4 not only significantly suppressed cell proliferation but also strongly increased cell migration by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT).The protein expression of vimentin was increased and E-cadherin decreased in a dose-dependent manner,subsequently promoting autophagy in KYSE-450 and KYSE-150 cells.Pretreatment with JQ1,a BRD4 inhibitor,inhibited BRD4-induced LC3-II activation and upregulated AMPK phosphorylation in a dosedependent manner.Additionally,an increased number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes were observed in JQ1-treated ESCC cells.The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine(3-MA)reversed the effects of BRD4 knockdown on ESCC cell migration and blocked JQ1-induced cell migration.3-MA also downregulated the expression of vimentin and upregulation E-cadherin.CONCLUSION BRD4 inhibition enhances cell migration by inducing EMT and autophagy in ESCC cells via the AMPK-modified pathway.Thus,the facilitating role on ESCC cell migration should be considered for BRD4 inhibitor clinical application to ESCC patients.

miR-1-3p通过调控STC2抑制人食管鳞状细胞癌细胞的恶性生物学行为

目的探讨miR-1-3p对人食管鳞状细胞癌(ESCC)细胞的恶性生物学行为的影响及其可能的作用机制。方法利用基因表达数据库(GEO)筛选ESCC中差异表达的miRNA。采用qRT-PCR检测人ESCC细胞KYSE30、KYSE150、KYSE410、KYSE510和Eca109及正常食管上皮细胞HET-1A中miR-1-3p的表达水平。CCK-8试剂盒、划痕愈合和Transwell实验以及流式细胞术分别检测转染miR-1-3p mimic对ESCC细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭、凋亡能力的影响。使用生物信息学工具预测miR-1-3p的靶基因,Kaplan-Meier法分析癌症基因组图谱(TCGA)数据库中STC2表达水平与患者预后的关系。采用FISH检测miR-1-3p的亚细胞定位,双荧光素酶报告基因验证miR-1-3p与STC2的靶向关系。RNA免疫沉淀(RIP)实验检测miR-1-3phe STC2的结合。Western blot法检测转染miR-1-3p mimic对ESCC细胞中STC2及内质网应激相关蛋白p-PERK、p-eIF2α、ATF4表达水平的影响。CCK-8、划痕愈合、Transwell实验和流式细胞术分别检测过表达和敲低STC2对ESCC细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭和凋亡能力的影响。结果ESCC细胞中miR-1-3p的表达水平均低于HET-1A细胞(均P<0.05),转染miR-1-3p mimic可抑制ESCC细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭能力(均P<0.05),促进ESCC细胞凋亡(均P<0.001)。生物信息学工具预测miR-1-3p的靶基因为STC2,ESCC组织中STC2的表达水平高于正常食管上皮组织,与预后呈负相关(均P<0.05)。miR-1-3p位于胞质,并可直接与STC2 mRNA结合。转染miR-1-3p mimic可下调STC2、p-PERK、p-eIF2α、ATF4蛋白的表达水平(均P<0.05)。过表达STC2可促进ESCC细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭能力(均P<0.05),抑制ESCC细胞凋亡(均P<0.05)。敲低STC2可抑制ESCC细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭能力(均P<0.05),促进ESCC细胞凋亡(均P<0.05)。结论miR-1-3p通过靶向调控STC2抑制ESCC细胞的恶性生物学行为,促进ESCC细胞凋亡,可能是通过抑制内质网应激发挥作用。

Hugl-1 induces apoptosis in esophageal carcinoma cells both in vitro and in vivo

AIM: To determine whether the human giant larvae homolog 1 gene (Hugl-1/Llg1/Lgl1) exerts tumor suppressor effects in esophageal cancer. METHODS: We constructed a Hugl-1 expression plasmid, pEZ-M29-Hugl1, for gene transfection. We transfected the pEZ-M29-Hugl1 plasmid into Eca109 esophageal cancer cell lines with Lipofectamine 2000 to overexpress Hugl-1. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were performed to determine the effects of the plasmid on Hugl-1 expression. In vitro cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined separately by cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and Western blotting before and after the transfection of the plasmid into Eca109 cells. Cell cycle distribution was assessed with flow cytometry. The effect of Hugl-1 overexpressing on tumor growth in vivo was performed with a xenograft tumor model in nude mice. Expression of Hugl-1 in xenograft tumor was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.The transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) technique was performed to detect and quantitate apoptotic cell. RESULTS: The transfection efficiency was confirmed with real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. Our results show that compared with control groups the mRNA levels and protein levels of Hugl-1 in pEZ-M29-Hugl1-treated group were remarkably increased (P < 0.05). The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the growth of cells overexpressing Hugl-1 was significantly lower than control cells. Cell cycle distribution showed there was a G 0 /G 1 cell cycle arrest in cells overexpressing Hugl-1 (64.09% ± 3.14% vs 50.32% ± 4.60%, 64.09% ± 3.14% vs 49.13% ± 2.24%). Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate revealed that apoptosis was significantly increased in cells overexpressing Hugl-1 compared with control group (17.33% ± 4.76% vs 6.90% ± 1.61%, 17.33% ± 4.76% vs 6.27% ± 0.38%). Moreover, we found that Hugl-1 changes the level of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and the proapoptotic protein Bax and the activation of both caspase-3 and caspase-9. With a TUNEL assay, we found that Hugl-1 markedly increased the apoptosis rate of Eca109 cells in vivo (60.50% ± 9.11% vs 25.00% ± 12.25%). It was shown that Hugl-1 represents a significantly more effective tumor suppressor gene alone in a xenograft tumor mouse model. This data suggest that Hugl-1 inhibited tumor growth and induced cell apoptosis in vivo . CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Hugl-1 induces growth suppression and apoptosis in a human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line both in vitro and in vivo .

MiR-451 inhibits proliferation of esophageal carcinoma cellline EC9706 by targeting CDKN2D and MAP3K1

AIM To investigate the underlying molecularmechanisms of miR-451 to inhibit proliferation ofesophageal carcinoma cell line EC9706.METHODS： Assays for cell growth, apoptosis andinvasion were used to evaluate the effects of miR-451expression on EC cells. Luciferase reporter and Westernblot assays were used to test whether cyclin-dependentkinase inhibitor 2D （CDKN2D） and MAP3K1 act as majortargets of miR-451.RESULTS： The results showed that CDKN2D andMAP3K1 are direct targets of miR-451. CDKN2D andMAP3K1 overexpression reversed the effect of miR-451.MiR-451 inhibited the proliferation of EC9706 bytargeting CDKN2D and MAP3K1.CONCLUSION： These findings suggest that miR-451might be a novel prognostic biomarker and a potentialtarget for the treatment of esophageal squamous cellcarcinoma in the future.

HIF-1α induces VE-cadherin expression and modulates vasculogenic mimicry in esophageal carcinoma cells

AIM:To investigate whether hypoxia inducible factor(HIF)-1αmodulates vasculogenic mimicry(VM)by upregulating VE-cadherin expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).METHODS:Esophageal squamous cancer cell lines Eca109 and TE13 were transfected with plasmids harboring small interfering RNAs targeting HIF-1αor VEcadherin.The proliferation and invasion of esophageal carcinoma cells were detected by MTT and Transwell migration assays.The formation of tubular networks of cells was analyzed by 3D culture in vitro.BALB/c nude mice were used to observe xenograft tumor formation.The relationship between the expression of HIF-1αand VE-cadherin,ephrin A2(Eph A2)and laminin5γ2(LN5γ2)was measured by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS:Knockdown of HIF-1αinhibited cell proliferation(32.3%±6.1%for Eca109 cells and 38.6%±6.8%for TE13 cells,P<0.05).Both Eca109 and TE13cells formed typical tubular networks.The number of tubular networks markedly decreased when HIF-1αor VE-cadherin was knocked down.Expression of VEcadherin,Eph A2 and LN5γ2 was dramatically inhibited,but the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 had no obvious change in HIF-1α-silenced cells.Knockdown of VE-cadherin significantly decreased expression of both Eph A2 and LN5γ2(P<0.05),while HIF-1αexpression was unchanged.The time for xenograft tumor formation was 6±1.2 d for Eca109 cells and Eca109cells transfected with HIF-1αNeo control short hairpin RNA(sh RNA)vector,and 8.4±2.1 d for Eca109 cells transfected with an sh RNA against HIF-1α.Knockdown of HIF-1αinhibited vasculogenic mimicry(VM)and tumorigenicity in vivo.CONCLUSION:HIF-1αmay modulate VM in ESCC by regulating VE-cadherin expression,which affects VM formation through Eph A2 and LN5γ2.