ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression and gene function of methyltransferase-like protein 27 (METTL27) in colon cancer, its association with immune infiltration and its prognostic significance.@*METHODS@#We analyzed the expression levels of METTL27 in 33 cancers using R language and identified METTL27 as a differential gene in colon cancer. The related signaling pathways of METTL27 were analyzed by gene functional annotation and enrichment. SsGSEA algorithm was used to analyze immune infiltration, and logistic analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between METTL27 expression and clinicopathological features of the patients. Kaplan-meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to construct a nomogram for evaluating the correlation between METTL27 expression and clinical prognosis. The expression level of METTL27 was further verified in colorectal cancer cell lines and 16 clinical specimens of colorectal cancer tissues using qPCR and Western blotting.@*RESULTS@#METTL27 was highly expressed in 21 cancers, and its expression was significantly higher in colon cancer than in adjacent tissues (P < 0.001). METTL27-related genes were identified by differential analysis, and functional annotation revealed that METTL27 was significantly enriched in transmembrane transport and lipid metabolism, and 5 related signaling pathways were identified by GSEA. METTL27 expression was negatively correlated with different T helper cells and central memory T cells (P < 0.001). The patients with a high METTL27 mRNA expression had a poor survival outcome. Cox regression analysis showed that METTL27 expression was an independent prognostic factor of the overall survival. The expression level of METTL27 was significantly higher in the colorectal cancer cell line than in normal cells (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#METTL27 is overexpressed in colon cancer and is associated with a poor prognosis of the patients. A high expression of METTL27 showed is associated less T cell immune infiltration, suggesting the potential of METTL27 as a prognostic marker of colon cancer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Prognosis , RNA, MessengerABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the effect of different approaches of bone marrow stromal stem cell (BMSCs) transplantation into the allogenic rat liver.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty male SD rats were randomized equally into local liver group, portal vein group, and femoral vein group, and received injection of 1×10⁶/ml BMSCs directly into the rat liver, through the portal vein and through the femoral vein, respectively. The rat livers were scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 12 h and 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after the cell transplantation. Prussian blue staining of the rat liver sections was also performed 14 days after the transplantation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MRI showed decreased signal intensity in all the rat livers of the local liver group; the ovoid area of the signal intensity gradually shrunk and the signal intensity increased with the passage of time. Lowered signal intensity was also seen in the rat livers of the portal vein group, appearing constantly branch-shaped, indistinct and increased gradually. Decreased signal intensity did not occur in the livers of femoral vein group. Prussian blue staining of all the rat livers at day 14 showed the presence of cells containing blue particles in all the groups, most numerous in the local liver group followed by the portal vein group and then the femoral vein group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Direct intrahepatic injection of the BMSCs results in better effect than cell transplantation via the portal vein or the femoral vein.</p>