Dan Liu

Glucose Deprivation‐Induced Disulfidptosis via the SLC7A11‐INF2 Axis: Pan‐Cancer Prognostic Exploration and Therapeutic Validation

Abstract Disulfidptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, involves cytoskeletal collapse due to excessive disulfide bond formation, linking metabolism and reactive oxygen species to potential cancer therapy targets. Recent multi‐omics studies highlight the prognostic value of disulfidptosis‐related gene (DRG) signatures in pan‐cancers; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying their biological functions and therapeutic relevance remain poorly defined. Herein, a DRG score model is constructed using LASSO Cox regression across 33 cancer types, and a nomogram incorporating the DRG score is developed for prognostic prediction. The tumor microenvironment, mutation profiles, and immunotherapy responses are analyzed. The DRG score serves as an independent prognostic factor across cancers, correlating with poor outcomes and malignant features. Glucose deprivation induces disulfidptosis in SLC7A11 high cells (high SLC7A11 expression), especially in cancers with a high DRG score, such as ovarian cancer. Silencing INF2 prevents disulfidptosis and decreases susceptibility to irofulven, which can be reversed by GLUT inhibitors. SLC7A11 knockdown reduces disulfidptosis, restores ATP/NADPH levels, and protects the cytoskeleton under glucose deprivation, whereas INF2 knockdown impairs cell migration. Moreover, the DRG scores predict prognosis and therapeutic responses. The SLC7A11‐INF2 axis regulates disulfidptosis, migration, and drug sensitivity, highlighting its potential as a marker of metabolic vulnerability in ovarian cancer.

Circ_0075960 targets the miR-202-5p/CTNND1 axis to promote the growth and migration of endometrial carcinoma cells via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the female reproductive tract, involving multiple molecular alterations. Circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation is frequently observed in EC tissues, suggesting the involvement of circRNA in EC development. We aimed to investigate the role of circ_0075960 in EC. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot assays were applied for expression analysis. CCK-8, EdU, colony formation, flow cytometry and wound healing assays were employed for functional analysis. The predicted binding relationship between miR-202-5p and circ_0075960 or CTNND1 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter experiment. Circ_0075960 and CTNND1 were upregulated, while miR-202-5p was downregulated in EC. Knockdown of circ_0075960 induced EC cell apoptosis, suppressed cell proliferation and migration, and repressed tumor growth in animal models. MiR-202-5p was targeted by circ_0075960 and it directly bound to CTNND1 3'UTR. The inhibition of circ_0075960 knockdown or miR-202-5p enrichment on EC cell proliferation and migration was reversed by miR-202-5p depletion or CTNND1 overexpression, respectively. Circ_0075960 targeted miR-202-5p to positively regulate CTNND1 expression. Moreover, circ_0075960 knockdown weakened the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling via targeting the miR-202-5p/CTNND1 axis. Circ_0075960 targets the miR-202-5p/CTNND1 axis to modulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity, thus contributing to the malignant development of EC.

LOXL2 reduces susceptibility to PARP inhibitors by promoting super-enhancer-regulated DNA damage repair in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have revolutionized the treatment of homologous recombination-deficient (HRD) tumors, yet their efficacy in homologous recombination-proficient (HRP) tumors is still limited. Here, we pinpoint lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) as a key epigenetic regulator driving PARPi resistance. Our study demonstrate that elevated LOXL2 expression correlates with poor prognosis and disease recurrence in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patients. Functional studies reveal that LOXL2 depletion or pharmacological inhibition synergizes with PARPi to suppress HRP models of both ovarian and breast cancer. Mechanistically, LOXL2 directly interacts with and transcriptionally activates BRD4, a core component of the super-enhancer complex, thereby amplifying the expression of DNA damage repair (DDR) genes such as MDC1, KAT5, and USP7. Strikingly, LOXL2 inhibition induces a "BRCAness" phenotype in HRP tumors, rendering them more susceptible to PARPi by impairing DDR capacity. Combining BET inhibitors with PARPi abrogates LOXL2-mediated resistance, underscoring BRD4 dependency in this process. Our findings establish LOXL2 as a druggable epigenetic target to overcome PARPi resistance in HRP models of multiple tumor types, presenting a therapeutic strategy independent of HR status and holding significant clinical potential for expanding PARPi benefits to a broader patient population.

C/EBPβ promotes poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor resistance by enhancing homologous recombination repair in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

AbstractPARP inhibitors (PARPi) are efficacious in treating high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HG-SOC) with homologous recombination (HR) deficiency. However, they exhibit suboptimal efficiency in HR-proficient cancers. Here, we found that the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), a transcription factor, was inversely correlated with PARPi sensitivity in vitro and in vivo, both in HR-proficient condition. High C/EBPβ expression enhanced PARPi tolerance; PARPi treatment in turn induced C/EBPβ expression. C/EBPβ directly targeted and upregulated multiple HR genes (BRCA1, BRIP1, BRIT1, and RAD51), thereby inducing restoration of HR capacity and mediating acquired PARPi resistance. C/EBPβ is a key regulator of the HR pathway and an indicator of PARPi responsiveness. Targeting C/EBPβ could induce HR deficiency and rescue PARPi sensitivity accordingly. Our findings indicate that HR-proficient patients may benefit from PARPi via targeting C/EBPβ, and C/EBPβ expression levels enable predicting and tracking PARPi responsiveness during treatment.