RGS12 represses oral squamous cell carcinoma by driving M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages via controlling ciliary MYCBP2/KIF2A signaling / 国际口腔科学杂志·英文版

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play crucial roles in tumor progression and immune responses. However, mechanisms of driving TAMs to antitumor function remain unknown. Here, transcriptome profiling analysis of human oral cancer tissues indicated that regulator of G protein signaling 12 (RGS12) regulates pathologic processes and immune-related pathways. Mice with RGS12 knockout in macrophages displayed decreased M1 TAMs in oral cancer tissues, and extensive proliferation and invasion of oral cancer cells. RGS12 increased the M1 macrophages with features of increased ciliated cell number and cilia length. Mechanistically, RGS12 associates with and activates MYC binding protein 2 (MYCBP2) to degrade the cilia protein kinesin family member 2A (KIF2A) in TAMs. Our results demonstrate that RGS12 is an essential oral cancer biomarker and regulator for immunosuppressive TAMs activation.

Expression regulation and functional analysis of RGS2 and RGS4 in adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

BACKGROUND: Understanding the molecular basis underlying the formation of bone-forming osteocytes and lipid-storing adipocytes will help provide insights into the cause of disorders originating in stem/progenitor cells and develop therapeutic treatments for bone- or adipose-related diseases. In this study, the role of RGS2 and RGS4, two members of the regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) family, was investigated during adipogenenic and osteogenenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). RESULTS: Expression of RGS2 and RGS4 were found to be inversely regulated during adipogenesis induced by dexamethasone (DEX) and 3-isobutyl-methylxanthine, regardless if insulin was present, with RGS2 up-regulated and RGS4 down-regulated in response to adipogenic induction. RGS2 expression was also up-regulated during osteogenesis at a level similar to that induced by treatment of DEX alone, a shared component of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation inducing media, but significantly lower than the level induced by adipogenic inducing media. RGS4 expression was down-regulated during the first 48 h of osteogenesis but up-regulated afterwards, in both cases at levels similar to that induced by DEX alone. Expression knock-down using small interfering RNA against RGS2 resulted in decreased differentiation efficiency during both adipogenesis and osteogenesis. On the other hand, expression knock-down of RGS4 also resulted in decreased adipogenic differentiation but increased osteogenic differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: RGS2 and RGS4 are differentially regulated during adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. In addition, both RGS2 and RGS4 play positive roles during adipogenesis but opposing roles during osteogenesis, with RGS2 as a positive regulator and RGS4 as a negative regulator. These results imply that members of RGS proteins may play multifaceted roles during human adipogenesis and osteogenesis to balance or counterbalance each other's function during those processes.

Identification of microRNAs and mRNAs associated with multidrug resistance of human laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells

Multidrug resistance (MDR) poses a serious impediment to the success of chemotherapy for laryngeal cancer. To identify microRNAs and mRNAs associated with MDR of human laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells, we developed a multidrug-resistant human laryngeal cancer subline, designated Hep-2/v, by exposing Hep-2 cells to stepwise increasing concentrations of vincristine (0.02-0.96'µM). Microarray assays were performed to compare the microRNA and mRNA expression profiles of Hep-2 and Hep-2/v cells. Compared to Hep-2 cells, Hep-2/v cells were more resistant to chemotherapy drugs (∼45-fold more resistant to vincristine, 5.1-fold more resistant to cisplatin, and 5.6-fold more resistant to 5-fluorouracil) and had a longer doubling time (42.33±1.76 vs 28.75±1.12'h, P<0.05), higher percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase (80.98±0.52 vs 69.14±0.89, P<0.05), increased efflux of rhodamine 123 (95.97±0.56 vs 12.40±0.44%, P<0.01), and up-regulated MDR1 expression. A total of 7 microRNAs and 605 mRNAs were differentially expressed between the two cell types. Of the differentially expressed mRNAs identified, regulator of G-protein signaling 10, high-temperature requirement protein A1, and nuclear protein 1 were found to be the putative targets of the differentially expressed microRNAs identified. These findings may open a new avenue for clarifying the mechanisms responsible for MDR in laryngeal cancer.

Detection of genetic variations of regulator of G-protein signaling 2 in hypertensives by sequencing / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the new genetic variations of regulator of G-protein signalling 2 (RGS2) gene in Kazakh hypertensives.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 94 Kazakh patients with essential hypertension were enrolled and genomic DNA was extracted from their peripheral blood leukocytes. All the exon regions and their flanking sequences of RGS2 were directly sequenced.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We identified 13 variants including 5 common- single nucleotide polymorphisms with a minor allele frequency over 5%single nucleotide polymorphisms and 8 novel variations in 94 Kazakh hypertensives. Among these variations, 2 were in the introns and 7 in the promoter region. One subject had a G-to-C substitution at nucleotide 54 in exon 1, which lead to an amino acid substitution from K-to-N at position 18; another individual had an A-to-G substitution at nucleotide 2422 in exon 5, resulting in an amino acid from Y-to-C at position 178. Among eight common single nucleotide polymorphisms, -638A>G, -395G>C, 1891-1892TC I/D, and 2971G>C,and -43A>T and 2297A>G were in tight linkage disequilibrium with an r-square of more than 0.8, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The variants and their frequencies in RGS2 gene in Kazakh hypertensives may have ethnic differences when compared with other populations. The frequencies of the mutations are low in this population, and whether they influence blood pressure regulation requires further functional experiments.</p>

Role of Regulators of G-Protein Signaling 4 in Ca2+ Signaling in Mouse Pancreatic Acinar Cells

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are regulators of Ca2+ signaling that accelerate the GTPase activity of the G-protein alpha-subunit. RGS1, RGS2, RGS4, and RGS16 are expressed in the pancreas, and RGS2 regulates G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-induced Ca2+ oscillations. However, the role of RGS4 in Ca2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells is unknown. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of GPCR-induced Ca2+ signaling in pancreatic acinar cells derived from RGS4-/- mice. RGS4-/- acinar cells showed an enhanced stimulus intensity response to a muscarinic receptor agonist in pancreatic acinar cells. Moreover, deletion of RGS4 increased the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations. RGS4-/- cells also showed increased expression of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase type 2. However, there were no significant alterations, such as Ca2+ signaling in treated high dose of agonist and its related amylase secretion activity, in acinar cells from RGS4-/- mice. These results indicate that RGS4 protein regulates Ca2+ signaling in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

Association between the regulator of G-protein signaling 2 gene 1891-1892del TC polymorphism with hypertension in Xinjiang Kazakh population / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of the 1891-1892del TC polymorphism of regulator of G-protein signalling 2 (RGS2) gene with hypertension in Xinjiang Kazakh population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The case-control study was performed in 444 cases and 489 controls. The genotypes of the individuals in the 1891-1892del TC locus were identified by TaqMan method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A significant association was observed between the1891-1892TC insertion/deletion polymorphism with hypertension in men (OR=1.698, P=0.03) and in the total population (OR=1.32, P=0.044). The mean systolic blood pressure and serum uric acid levels of the ID+DD carriers were significantly higher than that of the II carriers (adjusted, P=0.04 and P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results suggest that the D allele of the 1891-1892TC insertion/deletion locus of the RGS2 gene might be an independent risk factor for hypertension in Xinjiang Kazakhs; and the polymorphism may have some influence on serum uric acid level in this population.</p>

RGS Proteins and Opioid Signaling / 대한통증학회지

The regulators of the G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are responsible for the rapid acceleration of the GTPase-activity intrinsic to the heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunits. As GTPase-activating proteins (GAP), the RGS proteins negatively regulate the G-protein signals. Recently, the RGS proteins are known to be one of the important regulators of opioid signal transduction and the development of tolerance. The aim of this study was to review the recent discovery and understanding of the role of RGS proteins in opioid signaling and the development of tolerance. This information will be useful for medical personnel, particularly those involved in anesthesia and pain medicine, by helping them improve the effective use of opioids and develop new drugs that can prevent opioid tolerance.