MicroRNAs:A novel signature in the metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)is a malignant epithelial tumor,characterized by squamous cell differentiation,it is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally.The increased mortality rate of ESCC patients is predominantly due to the advanced stage of the disease when discovered,coupled with higher risk of metastasis,which is an exceedingly malignant charac-teristic of cancer,frequently leading to a high mortality rate.Unfortunately,there is currently no specific and effective marker to predict and treat metastasis in ESCC.MicroRNAs(miRNAs)are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules,approximately 22 nucleotides in length.miRNAs are vital in modulating gene expression and serve pivotal regulatory roles in the occurrence,progression,and prognosis of cancer.Here,we have examined the literature to highlight the intimate correlations between miRNAs and ESCC metastasis,and show that ESCC metastasis is predominantly regulated or regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors.This review proposes a potential role for miRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for metastasis in ESCC metastasis,with the ultimate aim of reducing the mortality rate among patients with ESCC.

Overexpressed NEDD8 as a potential therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:The hyperactivated neddylation pathway plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is emerging as a promising anticancer target.We aimed to study whether NEDD8(neural precursor cell expressed,developmentally down-regulated 8)might serve as a therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Methods:The clinical relevance of NEDD8 expression was evaluated by using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database and tissue arrays.NEDD8-knockdown ESCC cells generated with the CRISPR/Cas9 system were used to explore the anticancer effects and mechanisms.Quantitative proteomic analysis was used to examine the variations in NEDD8 knockdown-induced biological pathways.The cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with fluorescence activated cell sorting.A subcutaneous-transplantation mouse tumor model was established to investigate the anticancer potential of NEDD8 silencing in vivo.Results:NEDD8 was upregulated at both the mRNA and protein expression levels in ESCC,and NEDD8 overexpression was associated with poorer overall patient survival(mRNA level:P=0.028,protein level:P=0.026,log-rank test).Downregulation of NEDD8 significantly suppressed tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.Quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that downregulation of NEDD8 induced cell cycle arrest,DNA damage,and apoptosis in ESCC cells.Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NEDD8 knockdown led to the accumulation of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases(CRLs)substrates through inactivation of CRLs,thus suppressing the malignant phenotype by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ESCC.Rescue experiments demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis after NEDD8 silencing was attenuated by DR5 knockdown.Conclusions:Our study elucidated the anti-ESCC effects and underlying mechanisms of NEDD8 knockdown,and validated NEDD8 as a potential target for ESCC therapy.