We conducted the largest investigation of predisposition variants in cancer to date, discovering 853 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 8% of 10,389 cases from 33 cancer types. Twenty-one genes showed single or cross-cancer associations, including novel associations of SDHA in melanoma and PALB2 in stomach adenocarcinoma. The 659 predisposition variants and 18 additional large deletions in tumor suppressors, including ATM, BRCA1, and NF1, showed low gene expression and frequent (43%) loss of heterozygosity or biallelic two-hit events. We also discovered 33 such variants in oncogenes, including missenses in MET, RET, and PTPN11 associated with high gene expression. We nominated 47 additional predisposition variants from prioritized VUSs supported by multiple evidences involving case-control frequency, loss of heterozygosity, expression effect, and co-localization with mutations and modified residues. Our integrative approach links rare predisposition variants to functional consequences, informing future guidelines of variant classification and germline genetic testing in cancer.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most frequently observed malignant tumours in the urinary system and targeted drug resistance is quite common in RCC. Long noncoding RNA SNHG12 (lncRNA SNHG12) has emerged as a key molecule in numerous human cancers, but its functions in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) sunitinib resistance remain unclear. In this study, we found SNHG12 was highly expressed in RCC tissues and in sunitinib-resistant RCC cells and was associated with a poor clinical prognosis. SNHG12 promoted RCC proliferation, migration, invasion and sunitinib resistance via CDCA3 in vitro. Mechanically, SNHG12 bound to SP1 and prevented the ubiquitylation-dependent proteolysis of SP1. Stabilised SP1 bound to a specific region in the promoter of CDCA3 and increased CDCA3 expression. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that SNHG12 increased tumour growth and that knocking down SNHG12 could reverse RCC sunitinib resistance. Our study revealed that the lncRNA SNHG12/SP1/CDCA3 axis promoted RCC progression and sunitinib resistance, which could provide a new therapeutic target for sunitinib-resistant RCC.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common renal malignancy in adults, the incidence of which continues to increase. The lipid droplet protein perilipin 2 (PLIN2), which was originally considered an RNA transcript, is markedly expressed during adipocyte differentiation. In addition, it has been observed to be elevated in numerous types of cancer, including ccRCC; however, its essential function remains unclear in ccRCC. The present study examined the expression of PLIN2 in ccRCC, and aimed to determine the association between PLIN2 expression and patient survival. The present study mined the transcriptional, clinicopathological and survival data of PLIN2 in patients with ccRCC through The Cancer Genome Atlas. The expression levels of PLIN2 were also detected in human ccRCC tissues and cell lines by western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and its biological role was identified by functional analysis. The results demonstrated that PLIN2 was predominantly elevated in RCC tissues and cells. In addition, the expression levels of PLIN2 were significantly associated with various clinicopathological factors, and high PLIN2 expression was associated with a good prognosis. The results of a multivariate analysis demonstrated that high PLIN2 expression was an independent prognostic indicator of overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.586; P=0.001). Furthermore, PLIN2 knockdown promoted proliferation of ccRCC cells, and enhanced cell invasion and migration. These results suggested that PLIN2 may be considered a novel prognostic factor in ccRCC and a specific diagnostic indicator for patients with ccRCC. Furthermore, it could be a potential novel target for the clinical treatment of ccRCC.

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) are highly malignant and aggressive tumors lack of effective therapeutic drugs. Piperlongumine (PL), a natural product isolated from longer pepper plants, is recently identified as a potent cytotoxic compound highly selective to cancer cells. Here, we reported that PL specifically suppressed HCC cell migration/invasion via endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-MAPKs-CHOP signaling pathway. PL selectively killed HCC cells but not normal hepatocytes with an IC50 of 10-20 μM while PL at much lower concentrations only suppressed HCC cell migration/invasion. PL selectively elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HCC cells, which activated or up-regulated downstream PERK/Ire 1α/Grp78, p38/JNK/Erk and CHOP subsequently. Administration of antioxidants completely abolished PL's effects on cell death and migration/invasion. However, pharmacological inhibition of ER stress-responses or MAPKs signaling pathways with corresponding specific inhibitors only reversed PL's effect on cell migration/invasion but not on cell death. Consistently, knocking-down of CHOP by RNA interference only reversed PL-suppressed HCC cell migration. Finally, PL significantly suppressed HCC development and activated the ER-MAPKs-CHOP signaling pathway in HCC xenografts in vivo. Taken together, PL selectively killed HCC cells and preferentially inhibited HCC cell migration/invasion via ROS-ER-MAPKs-CHOP axis, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy for the highly malignant and aggressive HCC clinically.

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This study aimed to explore the effects of two siderophore-producing bacterial strains on iron absorption and plant growth of peanut in calcareous soil. Two siderophore-producing bacterial strains, namely, YZ29 and DZ13, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of peanut, were identified as Paenibacillus illinoisensis and Bacillus sp., respectively. In potted experiments, YZ29 and DZ13 enhanced root activity, chlorophyll and active iron content in leaves, total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation of plants and increased the quality of peanut kernels and plant biomass over control. In the field trial, the inoculated treatments performed better than the controls, and the pod yields of the three treatments inoculated with YZ29, DZ13, and YZ29 + DZ13 (1:1) increased by 37.05%, 13.80% and 13.57%, respectively, compared with the control. Based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, YZ29 and DZ13 improved the bacterial community richness and species diversity of soil surrounding the peanut roots. Therefore, YZ29 and DZ13 can be used as candidate bacterial strains to relieve chlorosis of peanut and promote peanut growth. The present study is the first to explore the effect of siderophores produced by P. illinoisensis on iron absorption.

Purpose: Emerging evidence indicates that castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is often driven by constitutively active androgen receptor (AR) or its V7 splice variant (AR-V7) and commonly becomes resistant to endocrine therapy. The aim of this work is to evaluate the function of a kinesin protein, KIF4A, in regulating AR/AR-V7 in prostate cancer endocrine therapy resistance. Experimental Design: We examined KIF4A expression in clinical prostate cancer specimens by IHC. Regulated pathways were investigated by qRT-PCR, immunoblot analysis, immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. A series of functional analyses were conducted in cell lines and xenograft models. Results: Examination of the KIF4A protein and mRNA levels in patients with prostate cancer showed that increased expression of KIF4A was positively correlated with androgen receptor (AR) levels. Patients with lower tumor KIF4A expression had improved overall survival and disease-free survival. Mechanistically, KIF4A and AR form an auto-regulatory positive feedback loop in prostate cancer: KIF4A binds AR and AR-V7 and prevents CHIP-mediated AR and AR-V7 degradation; AR binds the promoter region of KIF4A and activates its transcription. KIF4A promotes castration-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cell growth through ARand AR-V7-dependent signaling. Furthermore, KIF4A expression is upregulated in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells, and KIF4A knockdown effectively reverses enzalutamide resistance and enhances the sensitivity of CRPC cells to endocrine therapy. Conclusions: These findings indicate that KIF4A plays an important role in the progression of CRPC and serves as a crucial determinant of the resistance of CRPC to endocrine therapy.

Methylglyoxal (MGO), an endogenous reactive carbonyl compound, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of MGO in diabetic itch and hypoalgesia, two common symptoms associated with diabetic neuropathy. Methods : Scratching behavior, mechanical itch (alloknesis), and thermal hypoalgesia were quantified after intradermal (i.d.) injection of MGO in naïve mice or in diabetic mice induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Behavioral testing, patch-clamp recording, transgenic mice, and gene expression analysis were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying diabetic itch and hypoalgesia in mice. Results : I.d. injection of MGO evoked dose-dependent scratching in normal mice. Addition of MGO directly activated transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) to induce inward currents and calcium influx in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons or in TRPA1-expressing HEK293 cells. Mechanical itch, but not spontaneous itch was developed in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Genetic ablation of Trpa1 ( Trpa1 -/- ), pharmacological blockade of TRPA1 and Na v 1.7, antioxidants, and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase enzyme (MEK) inhibitor U0126 abrogated itch induced by MGO or in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Thermal hypoalgesia was induced by intrathecal (i.t.) injection of MGO or in STZ-induced diabetic mice, which was abolished by MGO scavengers, intrathecal injection of TRPA1 blockers, and in Trpa1 -/- mice. Conclusion : This study revealed that Na v 1.7 and MGO-mediated activation of TRPA1 play key roles in itch and hypoalgesia in a murine model of type 1 diabetes. Thereby, we provide a novel potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of itch and hypoalgesia induced by diabetic neuropathy.