Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 44 (USP44) is a member of the ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) family and its functions in various biological processes have been gradually elucidated in recent years. USP44 targets multiple downstream factors and regulates multiple mechanisms through its deubiquitination activity. Ubiquitination is, in essence, a process in which a single ubiquitin molecule or a multiubiquitin chain binds to a substrate protein to form an isopeptide bond. Deubiquitination is the catalyzing of the isopeptide bonds between ubiquitin and substrate proteins through deubiquitylating enzymes. These two processes serve an important role in the regulation of the expression, conformation, localization and function of substrate proteins by regulating their binding to ubiquitin. Based on existing research, this paper summarized the current state of knowledge about USP44. The physiological roles of USP44 in various cellular events and its pathophysiological roles in different cancer types are evaluated and the therapeutic potential of USP44 for cancer treatment is evaluated.

Background At present, due to the heterogeneity of breast cancer, common tumor markers have certain limitations in clinical prognostic evaluation. This suggests an unmet need for markers to predict clinical outcomes and potentially guide targeted therapies. The present study sought to explore the expression level and clinical significance of undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1) in breast cancer. Methods Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of UTF1 in 221 breast cancer samples. The clinical significance of UTF1 protein expression in breast cancer tissues was evaluated by combining clinicopathological parameters and UTF1 expression profile. We performed 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and clone formation assays to evaluate the effect of UTF1 on Bcap37 cell proliferation. Wound healing assay and transwell migration assay were used to evaluate the changes of cell invasion and migration ability, respectively. All experiments were performed with 3 biological replicates. Genomic differences after UTF1 overexpression were evaluated by RNA sequencing technology and the possible functions and regulatory mechanisms were elucidated. Results The findings showed that UTF1 expression level was significantly correlated with tumor size (P=0.004), but not with patient age, tumor histological stage, lymph node metastasis, as well as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), and Ki67 expression levels. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard model indicated that UTF1 expression was significantly associated with overall survival (OS) time of breast cancer patients. The median survival time of patients with high expression level of UTF1 was shorter compared with that of patients with low UTF1 expression level. The results of cell experiments showed that UTF1 overexpression could significantly promote the growth, proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. The RNA sequencing results showed that UTF1 was not only closely related to apoptosis genes, but also closely related to the nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B pathway. Conclusions The findings of the current study indicate that UTF1 is involved in occurrence and tumor progression and is significantly associated with prognosis of breast cancer patients.

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This paper describes the discovery of porphyry Cu-Au ore bodies (No. 2 and No. 3) in Xiongcun, Tibet, China, through the investigation of stream sediments, soils and rocks. The study area (Xiongcun), located in the city of Xigaze, has a complex topography due to its complicated geological background. The Xiongcun No. 1 ore body will soon be mined, and it has been 15 years since its discovery. However, recent research on stream sediments, soils and rocks around the No. 1 ore body has revealed notable Cu anomalies on the periphery. With the successful application of exploratory geochemistry data in the anomaly locations, the No. 2 and No. 3 ore bodies have been revealed. The ore reserves of the No. 2 and No. 3 ore bodies are estimated to reach 1.64 million tons of Cu, more than 80 tons of Au and 200 tons of Ag. We expect that our findings will not only enhance the understanding of the reanalysis of anomalies surrounding the discovered deposits but also contribute to the evaluation of the ore-prospecting potential of this plateau region.