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Proteomics combined with single-cell sequencing reveals key genes and computational lead compound related to ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, lactate metabolism and lactate modification.

Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy (LFH) is a hallmark pathological feature of lumbar spinal stenosis; however, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Lactate metabolism and related lactylation modifications have emerged as critical links between cellular metabolism and epigenetic regulation, with established roles in various fibrotic and inflammatory diseases. Nevertheless, the specific contribution of lactylation to LFH pathogenesis remains unexplored. In this study, we integrated proteomic profiling of ligamentum flavum tissues with single-cell transcriptomic data to identify differentially expressed proteins associated with LFH. Cross-referencing these genes with genes involved in lactate metabolism and lactylation yielded 16 candidate genes. Through functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network construction, and GraphBAN model prediction, we identified five hub genes (NDUFS2, HMOX1, SPR, FABP5, and PFKP) and two potential lead compounds (ZINC000014879975 and ZINC000242437513). Molecular docking analysis confirmed favorable binding affinities between these compounds, suggesting that they may serve as potential lead compounds worthy of further experimental investigation. Single-cell analysis further revealed that macrophages occupy a central position in the LFH microenvironment, resulting in pronounced metabolic reprogramming and remodeling of intercellular communication networks, particularly via the MIF-CD74/CD44 axis, under pathological conditions.

Proteomics↗

A clinically applicable method for early interstitial lung disease detection in incident rheumatoid arthritis cases: integration of protein biomarkers and clinical factors.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop an early diagnostic method integrating proteomic biomarkers and clinical parameters for screening interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through a multi-phase research strategy. METHODS: A three-phase study was conducted: (1) Discovery: Tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomics with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analyzed serum protein profiles in 5 RA-ILD and 5 RA-non-ILD patients, identifying candidates via bioinformatics. (2) Verification: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) validated candidates in an independent cohort (13 RA-ILD vs 14 RA-non-ILD). (3) Application: Biomarkers combined with clinical indicators (Krebs von den Lungen-6 [KL-6], age, sex) were evaluated in 110 patients (51 RA-ILD vs 59 RA-non-ILD) to build a predictive model. RESULTS: Proteomic analysis identified matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), von Willebrand factor (VWF), and other significantly differentially expressed proteins. ELISA validation confirmed that serum MMP3 and VWF levels were significantly higher in the RA-ILD group than in the RA-non-ILD group (p = 0.025 and 0.027, respectively). Expanded validation demonstrated superior diagnostic performance when combining MMP3 and VWF with KL-6 (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.90). The nomogram prediction model based on univariate analysis exhibited excellent discrimination (AUC = 0.89) and calibration. CONCLUSION: This systematic study from discovery to validation identified MMP3 and VWF as potential biomarkers for RA-ILD. The integrated predictive model combining these biomarkers with clinical parameters (KL-6, age, sex) provides a potential tool for early ILD screening in RA patients, offering novel strategies for early diagnosis and intervention of RA-ILD.

Humans↗

Male accessory gland proteins in Grapholita molesta: Identification and reproductive functional validation of four accessory gland-specific lipases.

Accessory gland proteins (Acps), synthesized in the male accessory glands (AGs), are transferred to females via spermatophores during mating and elicit diverse post-mating physiological and behavioral responses. However, Acps have not been comprehensively characterized in Grapholita molesta, a cosmopolitan orchard pest. Here, using data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry, we describe an integrated proteomic approach combining comparative AG analyses (virgin vs. newly mated) with spermatophore profiling to identify Acps in G. molesta. According to the established screening criteria, we identified 83 confirmed Acps, which were classified into nine categories. Tissue-specific expression patterns of 20 randomly selected Acp genes were evaluated, revealing that these genes were specifically or highly expressed in male AGs. Among the 83 confirmed Acps, four Acps harbored the PLN02872 superfamily domain and were classified into the canonical lipase family. Notably, their transcripts were all highly expressed in the AGs during the pre-maturation stage. These four Acps were selected for preliminary validation of their male reproductive functions. RNAi-mediated knockdown of three out of four lipase genes in G. molesta males significantly decreased the fertility of mated females, with phenotypes including a significant reduction in egg production and egg hatching rate. This study provides a comprehensive catalog of high-confidence Acps, lays a foundation for subsequent in-depth functional characterization of these reproductive proteins, and offers promising molecular targets for the development of novel genetic regulation-based integrated pest management strategies.

Animals↗

Modification-specific proteomics of plasma membrane proteins: identification and characterization of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins released upon phospholipase D treatment.

Plasma membrane proteins are displayed through diverse mechanisms, including anchoring in the extracellular leaflet via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) molecules. GPI-anchored membrane proteins (GPI-APs) are a functionally and structurally diverse protein family, and their importance is well-recognized as they are candidate cell surface biomarker molecules with potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications in molecular medicine. GPI-APs have also attracted interest in plant biotechnology because of their role in root development and cell remodeling. Using a shave-and-conquer concept, we demonstrate that phospholipase D (PLD) treatment of human and plant plasma membrane fractions leads to the release of GPI-anchored proteins that were identified and characterized by capillary liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. In contrast to phospholipase C, the PLD enzyme is not affected by structural heterogeneity of the GPI moiety, making PLD a generally useful reagent for proteomic investigations of GPI-anchored proteins in a variety of cells, tissues, and organisms. A total of 11 human GPI-APs and 35 Arabidopsis thaliana GPI-APs were identified, representing a significant addition to the number of experimentally detected GPI-APs in both species. Computational GPI-AP sequence analysis tools were investigated for the characterization of the identified GPI-APs, and these demonstrated that there is some discrepancy in their efficiency in classification of GPI-APs and the exact assignment of omega-sites. This study highlights the efficiency of an integrative proteomics approach that combines experimental and computational methods to provide the selectivity, specificity, and sensitivity required for characterization of post-translationally modified membrane proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hcc-2, a novel mammalian ER thioredoxin that is differentially expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary cancer of the liver. Thus there is great interest to identify novel HCC diagnostic markers for early detection of the disease and tumour specific associated proteins as potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of HCC. Currently, we are screening for early biomarkers as well as studying the development of HCC by identifying the differentially expressed proteins of HCC tissues during different stages of disease progression. We have isolated, by reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), a 1741bp cDNA encoding a protein that is differentially expressed in HCC. This novel protein was initially identified by proteome analysis and we designate it as Hcc-2. The protein is upregulated in poorly-differentiated HCC but unchanged in well-differentiated HCC. The full-length transcript encodes a protein of 363 amino acids that has three thioredoxin (Trx) (CGHC) domains and an ER retention signal motif (KDEL). Fluorescence GFP tagging to this protein confirmed that it is localized predominantly to the cytoplasm when expressed in mammalian cells. Protein alignment analysis shows that it is a variant of the TXNDC5 gene, and the human variants found in Genbank all show close similarity in protein sequence. Functionally, it exhibits the anticipated reductase activity in the insulin disulfide reduction assay, but its other biological role in cell function remains to be elucidated. This work demonstrates that an integrated proteomics and genomics approach can be a very powerful means of discovering potential diagnostic and therapeutic protein targets for cancer therapy.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

In vitro and in silico processes to identify differentially expressed proteins.

We present an integrated proteomics platform designed for performing differential analyses. Since reproducible results are essential for comparative studies, we explain how we improved reproducibility at every step of our laboratory processes, e.g. by taking advantage of the powerful laboratory information management system we developed. The differential capacity of our platform is validated by detecting known markers in a real sample and by a spiking experiment. We introduce an innovative two-dimensional (2-D) plot for displaying identification results combined with chromatographic data. This 2-D plot is very convenient for detecting differential proteins. We also adapt standard multivariate statistical techniques to show that peptide identification scores can be used for reliable and sensitive differential studies. The interest of the protein separation approach we generally apply is justified by numerous statistics, complemented by a comparison with a simple shotgun analysis performed on a small volume sample. By introducing an automatic integration step after mass spectrometry data identification, we are able to search numerous databases systematically, including the human genome and expressed sequence tags. Finally, we explain how rigorous data processing can be combined with the work of human experts to set high quality standards, and hence obtain reliable (false positive < 0.35%) and nonredundant protein identifications.

Body Fluids↗

Mass spectrometry-based mapping of the ubiquitin chaperone code.

Maintenance of proteome integrity is essential for cellular homeostasis and organismal health. This integrity depends on proteostasis, a coordinated network of protein quality control systems that regulate protein folding, stabilization, and degradation. Molecular chaperones, together with proteolytic pathways such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, prevent the accumulation of misfolded and aggregation-prone proteins. Perturbations, including genetic mutations, environmental stress, and aging challenge protein folding fidelity, leading to proteotoxic stress and contributing to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Among the chaperone machinery, the HSP70 and HSP90 families play central roles in maintaining protein conformational homeostasis and directing damaged or misfolded substrates toward refolding or degradation pathways. Recent studies show that chaperone activity is dynamically regulated by diverse post-translational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, collectively termed the "chaperone code." These modifications modulate chaperone-client interactions, enzymatic activity, localization, and coordination with protein degradation systems. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics has emerged as a powerful approach for mapping ubiquitination sites and quantifying ubiquitin signaling dynamics. This chapter outlines experimental and computational strategies for MS-based analysis of the ubiquitin chaperone code, including di-glycine peptide enrichment, site identification, quantitative analysis, and validation.

Humans↗

Insights into human CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells through a systematically proteomic survey coupled with transcriptome.

Hematopoietic stem cells are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into different hematopoietic lineages. To gain a comprehensive understanding of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, a systematic proteomic survey of human CD34+ cells collected from human umbilical cord blood was performed, in which the proteins were separated by 1- and 2-DE, as well as by nano-LC, and subsequently identified by MS. A total of 370 distinct proteins identified from those cells provided new insights into the potential of the stem/progenitor cells because the nerve, gonad, and eye-associated proteins were reliably identified. Interestingly, the transcripts of 133 (35.9%) identified proteins were not found by the prevalent transcriptome approaches, although several selected transcripts could be detected by RT-PCR. Moreover, the heterogeneity of 33 proteins identified from 2-DE was attributable primarily to post-translational processes rather than to alternative splicing at transcriptional level. Furthermore, the biosyntheses of 15 proteins identified in this study appears not to be completely interrupted in spite of the fact that corresponding antisense RNAs were found in the existing transcriptome data. The integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analyses employed here provided a unique view of the human stem/progenitor cells.

Antigens, CD34↗

NAD+ Metabolism Licenses Zygotic Genome Activation via PARP7-Mediated ADP-Ribosylation of UHRF1 in Mouse Early Embryos.

Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is a critical developmental milestone whose metabolic regulation remains unclear. This study identifies a pivotal role for Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism in regulating ZGA through poly(ADP&#x2011;ribose) polymerase 7(PARP7)-mediated ADP-ribosylation. Using ultra-low input embryo metabolomics, we profiled metabolism from zygote to blastocyst, revealing a significant NAD+ decline at the 2-cell stage. This shift coincided with specific upregulation of the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase PARP7, confirmed by transcriptomics, quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. Genetic knockdown via trim-away technology or pharmacological inhibition with RBN-2397 caused developmental delay/arrest at the 2-cell stage, impaired blastocyst formation, and defective ZGA. Mechanistically, PARP7 deficiency reduced chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq), diminished H3K4ac and H3K27ac marks, and impaired RNA polymerase II transcription. Integrated proteomics and ADP-ribosylome analysis of late 2-cell embryos identified UHRF1 as a key PARP7 target, mono-ADP-ribosylated at lysines K30 and K31. This modification stabilized UHRF1 protein (cycloheximide chase), and UHRF1 overexpression partially rescued the transcriptional defects associated with ZGA from PARP7 inhibition. Our findings establish a metabolic-epigenetic axis wherein NAD+ metabolism, via PARP7-mediated ADP-ribosylation of UHRF1, regulates chromatin remodeling and transcriptional activation during ZGA, offering fundamental insights into early development.

Animals↗

Cross-tissue immune profiling of APOE &#x3b5;4 reveals early dysregulation in Alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) &#x3b5;4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its contribution to disease pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. METHODS: Here, we integrate proteomic profiling of plasma (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;9028), cerebrospinal fluid (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;1099), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;720), and superior temporal gyrus (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;105) to define the immune phenotype associated with APOE &#x3b5;4. RESULTS: We identify a conserved, allele dose-dependent pro-inflammatory immune protein signature across peripheral and central tissues independent of AD diagnosis. This signature also emerges in patient-derived cortical organoids prior to amyloid beta and tau pathology, supporting a genotype-driven mechanism. Cross-tissue comparisons reveal shared innate and antiviral responses alongside tissue-specific immune signaling. Notably, a 12-week medical ketogenic diet partially reversed the APOE &#x3b5;4 immune signature. DISCUSSION: These findings position immune dysregulation as an early and tractable driver of AD risk in APOE &#x3b5;4 carriers with direct implications for targeted prevention strategies.

Humans↗

Schisantherin B mitigates cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by modulating the CNPY2-PERK/CHOP signaling axis.

Irreversible cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL) is a refractory chemotherapy-related adverse effect with limited clinical treatments. Schisantherin B (STB), a lignan isolated from Schisandra chinensis, is widely recognized for its neuroprotective properties, while its role in auditory injury remains unclear. Herein, we found that STB alleviated cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in House Ear Institute Organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1) cells and guinea pig models, protecting cochlear hair cells, synaptic ribbons and spiral ganglion neurons, and partially restoring auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds. Furthermore, combined drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) assay, the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, we confirmed STB directly binds to the canopy FGF signaling regulator 2 (CNPY2), a key initiator of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Notably, consistent dual in vitro and in vivo validation confirmed that STB exerts no regulatory effect on CNPY2 protein abundance, yet suppressed the downstream Protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase / C/EBP homologous protein (PERK/CHOP) signaling cascade and ER stress-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, molecular docking and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) validated the physical binding of STB to CNPY2 and the endogenous interaction between CNPY2 and PERK. Additionally, CNPY2 overexpression and shRNA knockdown further verified this functional relationship. Integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analyses showed STB partially reversed cisplatin-triggered inflammation and excessive ER stress. Collectively, our results suggest STB may serve as a potential otoprotective agent. The CNPY2-PERK/CHOP axis is closely linked to cisplatin-induced cochlear damage and offers a feasible target for intervention against CIHL. Abbreviations: CIHL, cisplatin-induced hearing loss; STB, Schisantherin B; HEI-OC1, house ear institute organ of corti 1; ABR, auditory brainstem response; DARTS, drug affinity responsive target stability; CETSA, cellular thermal shift assay; SPR, surface plasmon resonance; CNPY2, canopy FGF signaling regulator 2; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; PERK, protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase; CHOP, C/EBP homologous protein; co-IP, co-immunoprecipitation; STA, Schisantherin A; STC, Schisantherin C; dB SPL, decibels sound pressure level; EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; dB SPL, decibels sound pressure level; SGN, spiral ganglion neuron; IHCs, inner hair cells; OHCs, outer hair cells; CCK-8, Cell Counting Kit-8; OD, optical density; ODb, blank sample, ODc, control sample; NC, negative control; PVDF, polyvinylidene difluoride; RT, room temperature; LC-MS/MS, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry; MS, mass spectrometry; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; KDs, equilibrium dissociation constants; SP, standard precision; SEM, standard error of the mean; HSD, honestly significant difference; Ctrl, control group; CV, cell viability; Kd, dissociation rate constant; Ka, association rate constant; STS, sodium thiosulfate; UPR, unfolded protein response; BLB, blood-labyrinth barrier.

Apoptosis↗

High-Fat Diet and a High Amyloid Load Interact to Induce PKC-&#x3b1; Dependent Synaptic Insulin Resistance.

A plethora of studies suggest that a high-fat diet in combination with a high amyloid load causes synaptic insulin resistance and is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Our understanding of the underlying mechanisms is still fragmented. To gain new insights, we conducted integrated proteomic and phosphoproteomic profiling of hippocampal synaptosomes from WT and a transgenic mouse line with a high amyloid load (heterozygous TBA2.1 mice) that show no overt signs of neurodegeneration and dementia. Mice were fed with a regular or high-fat diet. Data-independent acquisition quantified over 5400 proteins, revealing a stable synaptic proteome across conditions. However, the combination of high amyloid load and high-fat diet triggered coordinated remodeling of lipid metabolism pathways, particularly mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid catabolism. Phosphoproteomic analysis showed pronounced activation of lipid- and stress-responsive kinases, including protein kinase C-&#x3b1;, along with increased inhibitory phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrates (IRS1/2). In vitro experiments indicate that blocking protein kinase C-&#x3b1; indeed prevents synaptic insulin resistance in primary neurons. The findings suggest that this proteomic workflow, combined with kinase pathway analysis, can reveal nodal points for interventions in a complex disease state with a trajectory to Alzheimer's disease.

Animals↗

A Proteogenomic Approach to Discover Novel lncRNA-Derived Microproteins and Their Potential Clinical Utility in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Microproteins (i.e., peptides) are increasingly recognized for their functions in versatile biological contexts, but their clinical relevance and utility remain largely unexplored. Proteogenomic approaches can accelerate microprotein discovery in clinical samples by integrating proteomic data with genomics and transcriptomics evidence. However, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-derived microproteins (lncPeps) remain largely unidentified, resulting in unmatchable MS/MS spectra. To solve this problem, we have used high-quality Ribo-seq translatomic datasets to generate an extensive database of human liver lncRNA-derived open reading frames (lncORFs), which we subsequently applied to proteomics data of tumor-adjacent normal tissue pairs from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Using the new database, we discovered 104 novel lncPeps, including 46 lncPeps differentially expressed between tumor and nontumor tissues, and 13 lncPeps with significant correlation with prognosis. Remarkably, combining the expression of lncPeps with canonical proteins in a LASSO regression model improved predictive performance for recurrence, increasing the AUC by 0.005 to 0.085 across three recurrence time points. These findings suggest that the discovery of lncPeps contributes to our understanding of the molecular heterogeneity and progression of HCC and broadens the range of potential biomarker candidates and treatment targets for the disease.

Humans↗

PRDX1 as a novel urinary biomarker for bladder cancer: Development of an integrated fiber optic sensing platform.

In this study, integrated proteomic and transcriptomic analyses identified peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1) as a novel urinary biomarker for bladder cancer (BC). PRDX1 was significantly upregulated in BC tissues and was associated with poorer overall survival. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that PRDX1 promotes malignant phenotypes of BC cells, including proliferation, migration, and invasion. Silencing PRDX1 in BC cells significantly reduced the invasiveness and proliferation ability.To address the clinical need for rapid and non-invasive detection, we developed an innovative optical fiber biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology for the quantitative detection of urinary PRDX1. The biosensor exhibited excellent analytical performance, including high sensitivity (limit of detection: 0.06&#x202f;ng/mL), a wide linear range (0-25&#x202f;ng/mL), rapid response (&#x223c;14&#x202f;s), as well as good stability and selectivity. In clinical validation involving 97 BC patients and 30 healthy controls, the biosensor demonstrated outstanding diagnostic performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.91 and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 86.6%, outperforming conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Collectively, this study not only identifies PRDX1 as a promising biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of BC, but also establishes an efficient SPR-based optical fiber sensing platform, providing new insights into both clinical detection and the functional role of PRDX1 in BC progression.

Humans↗

Comprehensive Landscape of Post-Translational Modification Alterations in Nephrolithiasis Revealing Activation of Multiple Cell Death Pathways.

Nephrolithiasis is a common urinary disorder characterized by high prevalence and recurrence, but the molecular mechanisms underlying calcium oxalate (CaOx)-crystal-induced renal injury remain incompletely understood. We applied integrated proteomic, phosphoproteomic, acetylomic, and lactylomic analyses to kidney tissues from a mouse model of CaOx nephrolithiasis followed by bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation. We identified 658 differentially expressed proteins, 735 differential phosphorylation sites, 335 differential acetylation sites, and 113 differential lactylation sites. Functional enrichment indicated immune activation, fibrotic remodeling, and alterations in PI3K-Akt, NOD-like receptor, p53, and Toll-like receptor signaling together with changes in fatty acid degradation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and glycolysis. Kinase activity prediction suggested the relative activation of multiple cyclin-dependent kinases. Proteins associated with ferroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, including ACSL4, BNIP3, RIPK3, and GSDMD, showed coordinated abundance and modification changes. Several candidate sites, including MTOR_S1849, GCLM_K94, GCLM_S59, and GSS_K172, were also dysregulated. These data provide a multiomics resource for CaOx nephrolithiasis and identify candidate PTM events and regulatory pathways for future mechanistic validation.

Animals↗

Urinary multi-omics reveal non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common kidney malignancy. Yet, no rapid, non-invasive biomarkers are available for diagnosis or screening. Urine represents an ideal analyte matrix due to its accessibility, low invasiveness, longitudinal sampling, and the kidney's central role in filtration. Here, we integrated proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic analyses of urine from ccRCC patients and controls to identify diagnostic biomarkers. Multi-omics profiling revealed urogenital metabolic dysregulation in ccRCC, including increased lipid metabolism, altered mitochondrial respiration signatures, and elevated urinary lipid content. We identified three urinary protein biomarkers: serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), haptoglobin (HP), and lipocalin 15 (LCN15). Using a parallel reaction monitoring mass spectrometry workflow, we developed a rapid and sensitive assay and combined these markers into a diagnostic UrineScore. The UrineScore achieved 0.96 in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in the discovery cohort, and 0.95 in an independent validation cohort. Together, these results support the feasibility of multi-omics-guided urinary biomarker discovery and represent a step toward accessible diagnostic platforms for ccRCC.

Humans↗

Detecting functional modules in the yeast protein-protein interaction network.

MOTIVATION: Identification of functional modules in protein interaction networks is a first step in understanding the organization and dynamics of cell functions. To ensure that the identified modules are biologically meaningful, network-partitioning algorithms should take into account not only topological features but also functional relationships, and identified modules should be rigorously validated. RESULTS: In this study we first integrate proteomics and microarray datasets and represent the yeast protein-protein interaction network as a weighted graph. We then extend a betweenness-based partition algorithm, and use it to identify 266 functional modules in the yeast proteome network. For validation we show that the functional modules are indeed densely connected subgraphs. In addition, genes in the same functional module confer a similar phenotype. Furthermore, known protein complexes are largely contained in the functional modules in their entirety. We also analyze an example of a functional module and show that functional modules can be useful for gene annotation. CONTACT: yuan.33@osu.edu SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Algorithms↗

Dual EZH1/2 inhibition enhances DNMT inhibitor efficacy in colon cancer through targeting H3K27me1.

Our recent work showed that low-dose DNMT inhibitor (DNMTi) treatment sensitizes colon cancer cells to EZH2 inhibitors (EZH2i), synergistically upregulating tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) and transposable elements through activation of the calcium-calcineurin-NFAT signaling pathway. A key observation was that EZH2i displayed variable sensitivities in combination therapy, which could not be explained solely by loss of lysine 27 trimethylation on histone H3 (H3K27me3), the most commonly studied EZH2 product. This led us to perform a comprehensive pharmacologic screen of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) antagonists. Here, we show that compounds targeting both EZH2 and its interchangeable catalytic subunit, EZH1, achieved superior TSG re-expression when combined with DNMTi. Integrative proteomic and epigenomic analyses revealed that EZH1/2 inhibitors reduce all three H3K27 methylation states, whereas EZH2-selective inhibitors preserve EZH1-dependent H3K27me1 at deeply Polycomb-repressed genomic regions. Notably, H3K27me1 loss coincided with deposition of p300/CBP-dependent lysine 27 acetylation on histone H3 (H3K27ac), which proved essential for TSG re-expression. Paradoxically, blocking p300/CBP activity further enhanced the growth-inhibitory effects of combined DNMT and EZH1/2 inhibition. Mechanistically, we show that EZH1/2 inhibition redistributes p300/CBP activity, reducing H3K27ac from oncogenic loci and redirecting it to bivalent regions that enable TSG re-expression. Collectively, these findings reveal a coordinated role for EZH1-dependent H3K27me1 and DNA methylation in sustaining oncogenic transcriptional programs and provide strong rationale for advancing dual EZH1/2 inhibitors for combination epigenetic cancer therapy.

DNA methylation↗