HENG ZHANG^1,#, WENJING CHENG^2,#, HAIBO ZHAO², WEIDONG CHEN², QIUJIE ZHANG^2,*, QING-QING YU^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.2, pp. 297-308, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.043138 - 28 December 2023

Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) belongs to the class of significantly malignant tumors found in humans. Recently, dysregulated fatty acid metabolism (FAM) has been a topic of attention due to its modulation in cancer, specifically CRC. However, the regulatory FAM pathways in CRC require comprehensive elucidation. Methods: The clinical and gene expression data of 175 fatty acid metabolic genes (FAMGs) linked with colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and normal cornerstone genes were gathered through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-COAD corroborating with the Molecular Signature Database v7.2 (MSigDB). Initially, crucial prognostic genes were selected by uni- and multi-variate Cox… More >

ZHI ZHANG^1,#, XIAOSONG LI^1,2,#, YING ZHANG^1,2,#, HAO ZHU^1,2, ZHENGUO QIAO³, YANG LU⁴, XIUWEI MI⁴, HUIHUA CAO⁵, GENHAI SHEN^1,*, SONGBING HE^4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.2, pp. 353-360, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.042986 - 28 December 2023

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) stands among the top prevalent cancers worldwide and holds a prominent position as a major contributor to cancer-related mortality globally. Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), a constituent of the interferon-inducible hematopoietic interferon-inducible nuclear antigens with 200 amino acid repeats protein family, contributes to both cancer progression and inflammasome activation. Despite this understanding, the precise biological functions and molecular mechanisms governed by AIM2 in CRC remain elusive. Consequently, this study endeavors to assess AIM2’s expression levels, explore its potential antitumor effects, elucidate associated cancer-related processes, and decipher the underlying signaling pathways in CRC. More > Graphic Abstract

YUN ZHANG^1,2,#, SHALING TANG^1,2,#, YUBO GAO^1,2, ZHONGTING LU^1,2, YUAN YANG^1,2, JING CHEN³, TAO LI^4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 61-71, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.043481 - 15 November 2023

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health problem with high morbidity and mortality rates. Surgical resection is the main treatment for early-stage CRC, but detecting it early is challenging. Therefore, effective therapeutic targets for advanced patients are still lacking. Exosomes, tiny vesicles in body fluids, play a crucial role in tumor metastasis, immune regulation, and drug resistance. Interestingly, they can even serve as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Studies have shown that exosomes can carry miRNA, mediate the polarization of M1/M2 macrophages, promote the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells, and affect More > Graphic Abstract

JINSONG WU^1,2, ZHENG ZHI¹, WENZHONG XU¹, DIANCGENG LI¹, QIUBO LI¹, YAN HAN¹, JIANMING HE^1,3,*, XI LIANG^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.12, pp. 2671-2680, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.043494 - 27 December 2023

Abstract Introduction: Collective cancer cell migration (CCCM) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) play key roles in metastasis. This study reports that the colorectal carcinoma cell line LIM1863 is useful for the study of CCCM and EMT. Methods: Hematoxylin and eosin staining, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot analysis were performed. Results: LIM1863 automatically grew as spheroids in suspension and had important typical epithelial properties, including several layers of cells arranged around a central lumen, apical-basal polarity, and types of cell-cell junctions. Treatment with a combination of both TGF beta 1 and TNF alpha induced definite and… More >

ZHIWANG LI, HAN YU, YUPING LIU, WEISHENG WU, HAIJING ZENG, EN LI^*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.11, pp. 2409-2422, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.031186 - 27 November 2023

Abstract Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disease with a high probability of becoming cancerous. Many RNAs potentially associated with FAP have not been identified. In this study, a circRNA (circular RNA) expression profile of FAP was established using a circRNA microarray, and differentially expressed circRNAs were verified by RT-qPCR. The effects of hsa_circ_0036740 on the malignant behavior of tumor cells (proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial mesenchymal transition) and the levels of C3A complement protein expression were evaluated. Moreover, neutrophils were isolated and co-cultured with colorectal cancer cells (CRCs), followed by measurements of MPO-DNA, citrullinated… More > Graphic Abstract

ELYN AMIELA SALLEH¹, YEONG YEH LEE², ANDEE DZULKARNAEN ZAKARIA³, NUR ASYILLA CHE JALIL⁴, MARAHAINI MUSA^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.10, pp. 2233-2244, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030541 - 08 November 2023

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern. Accumulation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in CRC is associated with poor prognosis and disease recurrence. CAFs are the main cellular component of the tumor microenvironment. CAF-tumor cell interplay, which is facilitated by various secretomes, drives colorectal carcinogenesis. The complexity of CAF populations contributes to the heterogeneity of CRC and influences patient survival and treatment response. Due to their significant roles in colorectal carcinogenesis, different clinical applications utilizing or targeting CAFs have been suggested. Circulating CAFs (cCAFs) which can be detected in blood samples, have been proposed… More > Graphic Abstract

LIANLI NI^1,2,#, YUN YU^1,2,#, HAN LIN^1,2, WEISHAN ZHUGE², LU TAO², YIWEI SHEN², RI CUI^2,*, SHAOTANG LI^1,2,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.10, pp. 2245-2254, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.030147 - 08 November 2023

Abstract Background: Homeobox B8 (HOXB8), a member of HOX family, plays a key role in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the function of HOXB8 in oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance in CRC is still unclear. This study investigated the role and precise molecular mechanism of HOXB8 in OXA-resistant CRC cells. Methods: The cell viability was measured by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the colony forming ability was determined by colony formation assay. The silencing RNA (siRNA) approach was used to knockdown HOXB8 in CRC cells while the lentiviral transfection system was used to establish… More >

SUNG HEE LIM^1,#, HEE JIN CHO^1,2,3,#, KYOUNG-MEE KIM⁴, HO YEONG LIM¹, WON KI KANG¹, JEEYUN LEE¹, YOUNG SUK PARK¹, HEE CHEOL KIM^5,*, SEUNG TAE KIM^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.31, No.6, pp. 855-866, 2023, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030374 - 15 September 2023

Abstract Background: Although bevacizumab is an important treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), not all patients with CRC benefit from it; in unselected patient populations, only modest survival benefits have been reported. Methods: We evaluated clinical outcomes in 110 patients using comprehensive molecular characterization to identify biomarkers for a response to bevacizumab-containing treatment. The molecular analysis comprised whole-exome sequencing, ribonucleic acid sequencing, and a methylation array on patient tissues. Results: Genomic and molecular characterization was successfully conducted in 103 patients. Six of 103 CRC samples were hypermutated, and none of the non-hypermutant tumors were microsatellite unstable. Among… More >

LIJUN JIANG¹, WENMIN JI¹, YAJIE GONG², JIAJUN LI², JINCHUN LIU^1,*

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.8, pp. 1803-1810, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.029516 - 28 August 2023

Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies. Early diagnosis is the key to effective treatment of CRC. Since microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as biomarkers of CRC, the objective of this work was to examine the effect of miR-520f-3p, which targets YAP1 (Yes-associated protein 1), on the ability of CRC cells to proliferate, invade, migrate, and undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods: A miR-520f-3p mimic was used to overexpress miR-520f-3p in HT29 cells. To establish the tumor-bearing mouse model, transfected HT29 cells were subcutaneously implanted into BALB/c-nu nude mice, and YAP1 and miR-520f-3p… More > Graphic Abstract

NING AN^1,#, HEQING PENG^2,#, MIN HOU³, DUOFENG SU², LIU WANG⁴, XIAOGANG SHEN^5,*, MING ZHANG^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.31, No.3, pp. 307-316, 2023, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.028564 - 22 May 2023

Abstract Zinc-finger proteins play different roles in cancer; however, the function of zinc-finger protein ZNF575 in cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to determine the function and expression of ZNF575 in colorectal cancer. Proliferation assay, colony formation assay, and tumor model in mice were used to investigate the function of ZNF575 after ectopic expression of ZNF575 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. RNA sequencing, ChIP, and luciferase assays were used to investigate the mechanism behind ZNF575 regulation of CRC cell growth. The expression of ZNF575 was determined by IHC staining in 150 pairs of… More > Graphic Abstract