1.Identification of the effect of cisplatin on the transcriptome of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines
Xin GUO ; Mengdie JI ; Qi WANG ; Xueyuan LI ; Yang CHEN
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2024;44(3):352-360
Objective To investigate the effect of cisplatin treatment on the transcriptional level of human liver cancer cells by conducting transcriptome sequencing analysis after treating human liver cancer cell lines with differ-ent concentrations of cisplatin(CDDP).Methods Liver cancer cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 were incubated with cisplatin at different final concentrations of 0,20,50,100 and 200 μmol/L.After 12 hours,cell viability,immuno-fluorescence and RNA-sequencing(RNA-seq)were performed.Differential gene expression analysis(DEG),KEGG pathway analysis,and protein-protein interaction network analysis were conducted.Results Cisplatin de-creased cell viability and increased DNA damage in HepG2,Huh7 cells.Among the genes regulated after cisplatin treatment at different concentrations,59 genes were commonly up-regulated in both HepG2 and Huh7 cells,while 81 genes were commonly down-regulated.The commonly upregulated genes were mainly enriched in cancer initiation and progression pathways.The 81 commonly down-regulated genes were mainly enriched in Rap1 signaling pathway,Ras signaling pathway,signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells,axon guidance,and cell adhesion-related pathways.Survival analysis of key nodes in the protein-protein interaction network of commonly up-regulated and downregulated genes revealed a significant correlation between high expression of Jun proto-oncogene,AP-1 transcription factor subunit(JUN)and prolonged patient survival and a significant correlation between low ex-pression of growth arrest and DNA damage inducible alpha(GADD45A)and prolonged patient survival.Conclu-sions The study revealed common transcriptional changes in liver cancer cells under cisplatin treatment.Differential expression of JUN and GADD45A is a potential core mechanism to explain drug resistance.This conclusion provides some important prognostic indicators for clinical treatment.
2.Non-canonical STING-PERK pathway dependent epigenetic regulation of vascular endothelial dysfunction via integrating IRF3 and NF-κB in inflammatory response.
Xuesong LI ; Xiang CHEN ; Longbin ZHENG ; Minghong CHEN ; Yunjia ZHANG ; Ruigong ZHU ; Jiajing CHEN ; Jiaming GU ; Quanwen YIN ; Hong JIANG ; Xuan WU ; Xian JI ; Xin TANG ; Mengdie DONG ; Qingguo LI ; Yuanqing GAO ; Hongshan CHEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2023;13(12):4765-4784
Inflammation-driven endothelial dysfunction is the major initiating factor in atherosclerosis, while the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that the non-canonical stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) pathway was significantly activated in both human and mice atherosclerotic arteries. Typically, STING activation leads to the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/p65, thereby facilitating IFN signals and inflammation. In contrast, our study reveals the activated non-canonical STING-PERK pathway increases scaffold protein bromodomain protein 4 (BRD4) expression, which encourages the formation of super-enhancers on the proximal promoter regions of the proinflammatory cytokines, thereby enabling the transactivation of these cytokines by integrating activated IRF3 and NF-κB via a condensation process. Endothelium-specific STING and BRD4 deficiency significantly decreased the plaque area and inflammation. Mechanistically, this pathway is triggered by leaked mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) via mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), formed by voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) oligomer interaction with oxidized mtDNA upon cholesterol oxidation stimulation. Especially, compared to macrophages, endothelial STING activation plays a more pronounced role in atherosclerosis. We propose a non-canonical STING-PERK pathway-dependent epigenetic paradigm in atherosclerosis that integrates IRF3, NF-κB and BRD4 in inflammatory responses, which provides emerging therapeutic modalities for vascular endothelial dysfunction.