Publications by authors named "Chengming Zhu"

The transcription factor TP53 exhibits the preeminent frequency of genetic mutations across various cancer types. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) stand as pivotal molecules in the initiation and progression of carcinogenesis. Nonetheless, the specific roles of TP53-regulated lncRNAs in colon cancer remain largely unexplored.

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Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are essential for maintaining genome integrity and fertility in various organisms. In flies and nematodes, piRNA genes are encoded in heterochromatinized genomic clusters. The molecular mechanisms of piRNA transcription remain intriguing.

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The LIM-domain-only protein LMO2 interacts with LDB1 in context-dependent multiprotein complexes and plays key roles in erythropoiesis and T cell leukemogenesis, but whether they have any roles in B cells is unclear. Through a CRISPR/Cas9-based loss-of-function screening, we identified LMO2 and LDB1 as factors for class switch recombination (CSR) in murine B cells. LMO2 contributes to CSR at least in part by promoting end joining of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and inhibiting end resection.

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The centrosome is the microtubule-organizing center and a crucial part of cell division. Centrosomal RNAs (cnRNAs) have been reported to enable precise spatiotemporal control of gene expression during cell division in many species. Whether and how cnRNAs exist in C.

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Germ granules, or nuage, are RNA-rich condensates that are often docked on the cytoplasmic surface of germline nuclei. C. elegans perinuclear germ granules are composed of multiple subcompartments, including P granules, Mutator foci, Z granules, SIMR foci, P -bodies, and E granules.

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Article Synopsis
  • The pairing center (PC) in C. elegans chromosomes is vital for homolog pairing and synapsis, with specific DNA motifs that recruit certain meiosis proteins (ZIM-1, ZIM-2, ZIM-3, HIM-8).
  • Researchers have determined the crystal structures of the DNA binding domains of HIM-8, ZIM-1, and ZIM-2 bound to their respective PC DNA motifs, revealing important details about how they interact.
  • The study highlights that specific DNA-contacting residues are concentrated in the ZF1-2 domains and that the CTD may enhance the flexibility and specificity of binding to different PC DNA motifs, indicating a co-evolution of these elements.
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Chemotherapy continues to be the primary treatment for certain types of breast cancer. However, despite an initial positive response to chemotherapeutic agents, the development of resistance is inevitable. The exact molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unclear.

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Aims: The RNA-binding protein LSM7 is essential for RNA splicing, acting as a key component of the spliceosome complex; however, its specific role in breast cancer (BC) has not been extensively investigated.

Materials And Methods: LSM7 expression in BC samples was evaluated through bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry. The impact of LSM7 on promoting metastatic tumor characteristics was examined using transwell and wound healing assays, as well as an orthotopic xenograft model.

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Environmental stimuli not only alter gene expression profiles but also induce structural changes in cells. How distinct nuclear bodies respond to cellular stress is poorly understood. Here, we identify a subnuclear organelle named the nucleolar stress body (NoSB), the formation of which is induced by the inhibition of rRNA transcription or inactivation of rRNA processing and maturation in C.

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Germ granules are biomolecular condensates present in most animal germ cells. One function of germ granules is to help maintain germ cell totipotency by organizing mRNA regulatory machinery, including small RNA-based gene regulatory pathways. The C.

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Article Synopsis
  • The Warburg effect in cancer cells leads to glucose being metabolized anaerobically, resulting in lactate buildup, which impacts chemotherapy response and DNA repair processes.
  • Lactate-induced lactylation of NBS1 is crucial for its role in DNA repair through homologous recombination and is influenced by specific enzymes that add or remove lactate.
  • High lactylation levels of NBS1 correlate with poor chemotherapy outcomes, and reducing lactate through specific inhibitors may enhance treatment effectiveness by improving DNA repair mechanisms.
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TNF receptor superfamily member 11a (TNFRSF11a, RANK) and its ligand TNF superfamily member 11 (TNFRSF11, RANKL) are overexpressed in many malignancies. However, the clinical importance of RANKL/RANK in colorectal cancer (CRC) is mainly unknown. We examined CRC samples and found that RANKL/RANK was elevated in CRC tissues compared with nearby normal tissues.

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Class switch recombination (CSR) diversifies the effector functions of antibodies and involves complex regulation of transcription and DNA damage repair. Here, we show that the deubiquitinase USP7 promotes CSR to immunoglobulin A (IgA) and suppresses unscheduled IgG switching in mature B cells independent of its role in DNA damage repair, but through modulating switch region germline transcription. USP7 depletion impairs Sα transcription, leading to abnormal activation of Sγ germline transcription and increased interaction with the CSR center via loop extrusion for unscheduled IgG switching.

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Deficiency in regulatory T cells (Tregs) is an important mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of pediatric aplastic anemia, but its specific mechanism is unclear. In our study, we aimed to investigate whether IL-2/STAT5 can regulate the proliferation of Tregs in aplastic anemia (AA) by regulating their expression of B lymphocyte-induced mature protein-1 (BLIMP-1) or interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). Through clinical research and animal experiments, we found that poor activation of the IL-2/STAT5 signaling pathway may leads to low expression of BLIMP-1 in Tregs of children with AA, which leads to defects in the differentiation and proliferation of Tregs in AA.

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Mutations in the master hematopoietic transcription factor GATA1 are often associated with functional defects in erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis. In this study, we identified a novel GATA1 germline mutation (c.1162delGG, p.

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Flexion-type pediatric humeral supracondylar fractures are rare, and the reduction technique remains contradictory. A minimally invasive technique using percutaneous leverage reduction combined with an external fixator was described to achieve satisfactory reduction and avoid the open reduction in this study. The operation and clinical results of patients treated with this technique were retrospectively compared with traditional closed reduction.

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The nucleolus is the most prominent membraneless organelle within the nucleus. How the nucleolar structure is regulated is poorly understood. Here, we identified two types of nucleoli in C.

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Background: Although many efforts have been devoted to identify biomarkers to predict the responsiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I, microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repair (MMR) defect, tumor mutation burden (TMB), tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), and several transcriptional signatures, the sensitivity of these indicators remains to be further improved.

Materials And Methods: Here, we integrated T-cell spatial distribution and intratumor transcriptional signals in predicting the response to immune checkpoint therapy in MMR-deficient tumors including tumors of Lynch syndrome (LS).

Results: In both cohorts, MMR-deficient tumors displayed personalized tumor immune signatures, including inflamed, immune excluded, and immune desert, which were not only individual-specific but also organ-specific.

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Objective: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are commonly used in various types of cancer, but their efficacy in ovarian cancer (OC) is limited. Thus, identifying novel immune-related therapeutic targets is crucial. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B1 (LILRB1), a key receptor of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G), is involved in immune tolerance, but its role in tumor immunity remains unclear.

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Mesenchymal gastrointestinal cancers are represented by the gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) which occur throughout the whole gastrointestinal tract, and affect human health and economy globally. Curative surgical resections and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the main managements for localized GISTs and recurrent/metastatic GISTs, respectively. Despite multi-lines of TKIs treatments prolonged the survival time of recurrent/metastatic GISTs by delaying the relapse and metastasis of the tumor, drug resistance developed quickly and inevitably, and became the huge obstacle for stopping disease progression.

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The chromatin organization modifier domain (chromodomain) is an evolutionally conserved motif across eukaryotic species. The chromodomain mainly functions as a histone methyl-lysine reader to modulate gene expression, chromatin spatial conformation and genome stability. Mutations or aberrant expression of chromodomain proteins can result in cancer and other human diseases.

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We assessed the causal association of three COVID-19 phenotypes with insulin-like growth factor 1, estrogen, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone. We used bidirectional two-sample univariate and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to evaluate the direction, specificity, and causality of the association between CNS-regulated hormones and COVID-19 phenotypes. Genetic instruments for CNS-regulated hormones were selected from the largest publicly available genome-wide association studies of the European population.

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Temperature greatly affects numerous biological processes in all organisms. How multicellular organisms respond to and are impacted by hypothermic stress remains elusive. Here, we found that cold-warm stimuli induced depletion of the RNA exosome complex in the nucleoli but enriched it in the nucleoplasm.

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