Background: MALAT-1 is significantly overexpressed in various cancers, suggesting that it might be a potential biomarker of cancer.Methods: A meta-analysis was performed using microarray data obtained via the Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 platform found in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and data obtained through a systematic search of PubMed and Web of Science. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI (Confidence interval) were used to judge the value of biomarkers.Results: A total of 28 studies were included in this meta-analysis, comprising a total of 3573 patients. MALAT-1 was significantly linked with over survival (OS) (HR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.12-2.23), recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR=2.32, 95% CI: 1.68-3.19) and death-free survival (DFS) (HR=3.28, 95% CI: 1.52-7.09). We found that MALAT-1 was a risk factor in the prognoses of lung cancer (HR=1.54, 95%CI: 1.01-2.34), digestive system cancer (HR=2.16, 95% CI: 1.34-3.48) and ovarian cancer (HR=3.98, 95% CI: 1.54-10.25). In contrast, MALAT-1 was a safe factor in the prognosis of B cell lineage cancer (HR=0.45, 95% CI: 0.33-0.61). MALAT-1 was also a risk factor of RFS in breast cancer (HR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.25-3.09) and the TNM stage in pancreatic cancer (OR=3.65, 95% CI: 1.86-7.18) and glioma (OR=4.30, 95% CI: 1.90-9.73) and was a safe factor in colorectal cancer (OR=0.17, 95% CI: 0.08-0.35). MALAT-1 was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis in clear cell carcinoma (OR=5.04, 95% CI: 2.36-10.78) and distant metastasis in pancreatic cancer (OR=11.64, 95% CI: 2.13-63.78).Conclusions: MALAT-1 can serve as a molecular marker in different types of cancers.

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Objective: Obesity hypoventilation syndrome is associated with diaphragmatic dysfunction. This study aimed to explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in mediating obesity-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction.Methods: A pulmonary function test and ultrasound were applied to evaluate diaphragmatic function and magnetic resonance imaging was applied to measure diaphragmatic lipid deposition in human patients. For the mechanistic study, obese mice were introduced to a high-fat diet for 24 weeks, followed by diaphragmatic ultrasound measurement, transcriptomic sequencing, and respective biochemical analysis. Automatic force mapping was applied to measure the mechanical properties of C2C12 myotubes.Results: People with obesity showed significant diaphragm weakness and lipid accumulation, which was further confirmed in obese mice. Consistently, diaphragms from obese mice showed altered gene expression profile in lipid metabolism and activation of ER stress response, indicated by elevated protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) Xiaoxin Xiang, Yanhua Zhu, and Xuya Pan contributed equally to this study.Xiaoyue Zhang, Yanming Chen, and Guojun Shi are also equal contributors.

Background: Peptide hormones are crucial regulators of metabolism. However, maturation of hormone precursors (prohormones) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in vivo remains largely unexplored. Aims: This project aims to study the integrative role of the two major protein quality control pathways in the ER, ER-Associated Degradation (ERAD) and autophagy, in regulating prohormone maturation under physiological conditions. Taking vasopressin precursor (proAVP) as a model, this project will provide novel insights on hormone maturation and the physiological function of ERQC pathways. Methods: We generated AVP neuron specific ERAD and Autophagy deficient mouse models by deleting Sel1L and Atg7, respectively. We also generated Sel1L and Atg7 deficient cell models. We used immunostaining, sucrose sedimentation, and Western blots to dissect the roles of ERAD and autophagy in proAVP folding and maturation. Results: Mice with Atg7 deficiency in AVP neurons maintain normal water homeostasis, while Sel1L deficient mice develop central diabetes insipidus. Further, Atg7 deficient neurons show reduced proAVP protein and altered subcellular distribution, but its ER export remains functional. Mechanically, unlike Sel1L deficiency, Atg7 deficiency alone shows amber accumulation of misfolded proAVP in vitro; however, further blocking autophagy with ERAD deficiency shows increased portion of misfolded proAVP comparing with ERAD deficiency along. Further, combined deletion of Atg7 and Sel1L in AVP neurons leads to earlier development of Diabetes Insipidus comparing with Sel1L deficiency alone, suggesting a critical role of autophagy in maintaining AVP maturation with compromised ERAD. Conclusions: Here we demonstrate that autophagy alone is dispensable for the maturation of proAVP in the ER, but is indispensable in the event of compromised ERAD function both in vivo and in vitro. This study points to the differential roles and crosstalk between ERAD and autophagy in neuroendocrine cells. Disclosure G. Shi: None. X. Pan: None. H. Wang: None. P. Arvan: None. L. Qi: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01DK120047); University of Michigan (U064133)