摘要
Background:Gastric cancer(GC),a malignant tumor with poor prognosis,is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide;consequently,identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for its corresponding treatment.NUF2,a component of the NDC80 kinetochore complex,promotes cancer progression in multiple malignancies.Therefore,this study aimed to explore the potential of NUF2 as a therapeutic target to inhibit GC progression.Methods:Clinical samples were obtained from patients who underwent radical resection of GC at Lanzhou University Second Hospital from 2016 to 2021.Cell count assays,colony formation assays,and cell-derived xenotransplantation(CDX)models were used to determine the effects of NUF2 on GC progression.Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of NUF2 or quercetin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis.A live-cell time-lapse imaging assay was performed to determine the effect of NUF2 on the regulation of mitotic progression.Transcriptomics was used to investigate the NUF2-associated molecular mechanisms.Virtual docking and microscale thermophoresis were used to identify NUF2 inhibitors.Finally,CDX,organoid,and patient-derived xenograft(PDX)models were used to examine the efficacy of the NUF2 inhibitor in GC.Results:NUF2 expression was significantly increased in GC and was negatively correlated with prognosis.The deletion of NUF2 suppressed GC progression both in vivo and in vitro.NUF2 significantly regulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)pathway,promoted G2/M phase transition,and inhibited apoptosis in GC cells.Additionally,quercetin was identified as a selective NUF2 inhibitor with low toxicity that significantly suppressed tumor growth in GC cells,organoids,CDX,and PDX models.Conclusions:Collectively,NUF2-mediated G2/M phase transition and apoptosis inhibition promoted GC progression;additionally,NUF2 inhibitors exhibited potent anti-GC activity.This study provides a new strategy for targeting NUF2 to suppress GC progression in clinical settings.
基金
supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32170729 and 8216100622)
Major Project Granted by the Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Department(No.21ZD4FA015)
the Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Plan Project 21(No.JR1RA144)
the Cuiying Scientific and Technological Innovation Program of Lanzhou University Second Hospital(No.CY2020-MS10)
Gansu Province Science Foundation for Youths(20JR5RA316)
the Cuiying Science and Technology Innovation Project of Lanzhou University Second Hospital(Nos.CYXZ2020-10,CY2020-MS10,CYXZ2021-27,and CY2022-ZD-01).
