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Open Access 01-12-2023 | Research

Altered splicing machinery in lung carcinoids unveils NOVA1, PRPF8 and SRSF10 as novel candidates to understand tumor biology and expand biomarker discovery

Authors: Ricardo Blázquez-Encinas, Víctor García-Vioque, Teresa Caro-Cuenca, María Trinidad Moreno-Montilla, Federica Mangili, Emilia Alors-Pérez, Sebastian Ventura, Aura D. Herrera-Martínez, Paula Moreno-Casado, Marco A. Calzado, Ángel Salvatierra, María A. Gálvez-Moreno, Lynnette Fernandez-Cuesta, Matthieu Foll, Raúl M. Luque, Nicolas Alcala, Sergio Pedraza-Arevalo, Alejandro Ibáñez-Costa, Justo P. Castaño

Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine | Issue 1/2023

Abstract

Background

Lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LungNENs) comprise a heterogeneous group of tumors ranging from indolent lesions with good prognosis to highly aggressive cancers. Carcinoids are the rarest LungNENs, display low to intermediate malignancy and may be surgically managed, but show resistance to radiotherapy/chemotherapy in case of metastasis. Molecular profiling is providing new information to understand lung carcinoids, but its clinical value is still limited. Altered alternative splicing is emerging as a novel cancer hallmark unveiling a highly informative layer.

Methods

We primarily examined the status of the splicing machinery in lung carcinoids, by assessing the expression profile of the core spliceosome components and selected splicing factors in a cohort of 25 carcinoids using a microfluidic array. Results were validated in an external set of 51 samples. Dysregulation of splicing variants was further explored in silico in a separate set of 18 atypical carcinoids. Selected altered factors were tested by immunohistochemistry, their associations with clinical features were assessed and their putative functional roles were evaluated in vitro in two lung carcinoid-derived cell lines.

Results

The expression profile of the splicing machinery was profoundly dysregulated. Clustering and classification analyses highlighted five splicing factors: NOVA1, SRSF1, SRSF10, SRSF9 and PRPF8. Anatomopathological analysis showed protein differences in the presence of NOVA1, PRPF8 and SRSF10 in tumor versus non-tumor tissue. Expression levels of each of these factors were differentially related to distinct number and profiles of splicing events, and were associated to both common and disparate functional pathways. Accordingly, modulating the expression of NOVA1, PRPF8 and SRSF10 in vitro predictably influenced cell proliferation and colony formation, supporting their functional relevance and potential as actionable targets.

Conclusions

These results provide primary evidence for dysregulation of the splicing machinery in lung carcinoids and suggest a plausible functional role and therapeutic targetability of NOVA1, PRPF8 and SRSF10.

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Title: Altered splicing machinery in lung carcinoids unveils NOVA1, PRPF8 and SRSF10 as novel candidates to understand tumor biology and expand biomarker discovery
Authors: Ricardo Blázquez-Encinas
Víctor García-Vioque
Teresa Caro-Cuenca
María Trinidad Moreno-Montilla
Federica Mangili
Emilia Alors-Pérez
Sebastian Ventura
Aura D. Herrera-Martínez
Paula Moreno-Casado
Marco A. Calzado
Ángel Salvatierra
María A. Gálvez-Moreno
Lynnette Fernandez-Cuesta
Matthieu Foll
Raúl M. Luque
Nicolas Alcala
Sergio Pedraza-Arevalo
Alejandro Ibáñez-Costa
Justo P. Castaño
Publication date: 01-12-2023
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of Translational Medicine / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1479-5876
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-023-04754-8

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