The present study was performed to clarify the significance of DNA methylation alterations during endometrial carcinogenesis. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis and targeted sequencing of tumor-related genes were performed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip and the Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2, respectively, for 31 samples of normal control endometrial tissue from patients without endometrial cancer and 81 samples of endometrial cancer tissue. Principal component analysis revealed that tumor samples had a DNA methylation profile distinct from that of control samples. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed significant differences of DNA methylation at 1034 CpG sites between early-onset endometrioid endometrial cancer (EE) tissue (patients aged ≤40 years) and late-onset endometrioid endometrial cancer (LE) tissue, which were accumulated among ‘transcriptional factors’. Mutations of the CTNNB1 gene or DNA methylation alterations of genes participating in Wnt signaling were frequent in EEs, whereas genetic and epigenetic alterations of fibroblast growth factor signaling genes were observed in LEs. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering grouped EE samples in Cluster EA (n = 22) and samples in Cluster EB (n = 12). Clinicopathologically less aggressive tumors tended to be accumulated in Cluster EB, and DNA methylation levels of 18 genes including HOXA9, HOXD10 and SOX11 were associated with differences in such aggressiveness between the two clusters. We identified 11 marker CpG sites that discriminated EB samples from EA samples with 100% sensitivity and specificity. These data indicate that genetically and epigenetically different pathways may participate in the development of EEs and LEs, and that DNA methylation profiling may help predict tumors that are less aggressive and amenable to fertility preservation treatment.

Background Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common brain malignancy in adults, is generally aggressive and incurable, even with multiple treatment modalities and agents. Filamins (FLNs) are a group of actin-binding proteins that regulate the actin cytoskeleton in cells. However, the role of FLNs in malignancies—particularly in GBM—is unclear. Methods The relation between FLNC expression and overall survival in GBM was evaluated by the Kaplan−Meier analysis using GBM patients from the Kagoshima University Hospital ( n = 90) and data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ( n = 153). To assess FLNC function in GBM, cell migration and invasion were examined with Transwell and Matrigel invasion assays using FLNC-overexpressing U251MG and LN299 GBM cells, and ShRNA-mediated FLNC knocked-down KNS81 and U87MG cells. The gelatin zymography assay was used to estimate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 activity. Results In silico analysis of GBM patient data from TCGA and immunohistochemical analyses of clinical GBM specimens revealed that increased FLNC expression was associated with poor patient prognosis. FLNC overexpression in GBM cell lines was positively correlated with enhanced invasiveness, but not migration, and was accompanied by upregulation of MMP2. Conclusions FLNC is a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for GBM progression.

Inorganic-organic hybrid crystals were successfully obtained as single crystals by using polyoxotungstate anion and cationic dodecylpyridazinium (C12pda) and dodecylpyridinium (C12py) surfactants. The decatungstate (W10) anion was used as the inorganic component, and the crystal structures were compared. In the crystal comprising C12pda (C12pda-W10), the heterocyclic moiety directly interacted with W10, which contributed to a build-up of the crystal structure. On the other hand, the crystal consisting of C12py (C12py-W10) had similar crystal packing and molecular arrangement to those in the W10 crystal hybridized with other pyridinium surfactants. These results indicate the significance of the heterocyclic moiety of the surfactant to construct hybrid crystals with polyoxometalate anions.

Considering the poor prognosis of most advanced cancers, prevention of invasion and metastasis is essential for disease control. Ras homologous (Rho) guanine exchange factors (GEFs) and their signaling cascade could be potential therapeutic targets in advanced cancers. We conducted in silico analyses of The Cancer Genome Atlas expression data to identify candidate Rho-GEF genes showing aberrant expression in advanced gastric cancer and found FERM, Rho/ ArhGEF, and pleckstrin domain protein 1 (FARP1) expression is related to poor prognosis. Analyses in 91 clinical advanced gastric cancers of the relationship of prognosis and pathological factors with immunohistochemical expression of FARP1 indicated that high expression of FARP1 is significantly associated with lymphatic invasion, lymph metastasis, and poor prognosis of the patients (P = 0.025). In gastric cancer cells, FARP1 knockdown decreased cell motility, whereas FARP1 overexpression promoted cell motility and filopodium formation via CDC42 activation. FARP1 interacted with integrin β5, and a potent integrin αvβ5 inhibitor (SB273005) prevented cell motility in only high FARP1-expressing gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that the integrin αvβ5-FARP1-CDC42 axis plays a crucial role in gastric cancer cell migration and invasion. Thus, regulatory cascade upstream of Rho can be a specific and promising target of advanced cancer treatment.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults, is characterized by rapid proliferation, aggressive migration, and invasion into normal brain tissue. Formin proteins have been implicated in these processes. However, the role of formin-like 1 (FMNL1) in cancer remains unclear. We studied FMNL1 expression in glioblastoma samples using immunohistochemistry. We sought to analyze the correlation between FMNL1 expression, clinicopathologic variables, and patient survival. Migration and invasion assays were used to verify the effect of FMNL1 on glioblastoma cell lines. Microarray data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). FMNL1 was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in a cohort of 217 glioblastoma multiforme cases (p < 0.001). FMNL1 expression was significantly higher in the mesenchymal subtype. FMNL1 upregulation and downregulation were associated with mesenchymal and proneural markers in the GSEA, respectively. These data highlight the important role of FMNL1 in the neural-to-mesenchymal transition. Conversely, FMNL1 downregulation suppressed glioblastoma multiforme cell migration and invasion via DIAPH1 and GOLGA2, respectively. FMNL1 downregulation also suppressed actin fiber assembly, induced morphological changes, and diminished filamentous actin. FMNL1 is a promising therapeutic target and a useful biomarker for GBM progression.