Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40615663›Full record

ArticleCell death and differentiation2025

The PLEKHA1-TACC2 fusion gene drives tumorigenesis via vascular mimicry formation in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma.

Ting Yang, Zhi-Rui Lin, Tian-Liang Xia, Shang-Xin Liu, Bo-Yu Yuan, Yi-Ling Luo, Wen-Ting Du, Chao-Bo Lei, Yong-Zhan Nie, Mu-Sheng Zeng and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death and differentiation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Ting Yang *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Zhi-Rui Lin *Institute of Medical Research, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID 0009-0004-5340-0574
Tian-Liang Xia *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.ORCID 0009-0002-3369-8612
Shang-Xin Liu *State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.ORCID 0000-0001-9915-9190
Bo-Yu YuanState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Yi-Ling LuoState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Wen-Ting DuState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Chao-Bo LeiState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.ORCID 0009-0003-5456-803X
Yong-Zhan NieState Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.ORCID 0000-0003-1124-4548
Mu-Sheng ZengState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. zengmsh@sysucc.org.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-3509-5591
Qian ZhongState Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. zhongqian@sysucc.org.cn.ORCID 0000-0003-1071-6996

Funding

Guangdong Science and Technology Department (Science and Technology Department, Guangdong Province) 2020B1212030004National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 81621004National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 81830090National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82072982National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) U22A20322Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation) 2023A1515011790
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Despite advancements of diagnosis and multimodality therapies in esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC), the survival is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is urgent to identify novel targets for efficient therapeutic strategies. Herein, we identify a fusion gene between PLEKHA1 and TACC2 generated by chromosomal rearrangement by performing RNA sequencing from ESCC tissues. PLEKHA1-TACC2 transcripts are present in ESCC (66/404, 16.3%) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (58/402, 14.4%) tissues, correlated with poor prognosis of patients. Mechanistically, the fusion proteins upregulate the EphA2/AKT/MMP2 signaling pathway and promote vascular mimicry formation by reducing the ubiquitylation of EphA2. Moreover, EphA2 inhibitors dasatinib and ALW II-41-27 remarkably suppress the progression of tumors expressing PLEKHA1-TACC2 in vivo. Functionally, PLEKHA1-TACC2 fusion and Trp53 deletion significantly increases tumor incidence, tumor multiplicity, and mouse mortality in transgenic ESCC mouse model, which could be suppressed by regorafenib, a EphA2 inhibitor approved by FDA in solid tumors. Together, our data indicate that PLEKHA1-TACC2 fusion protein has oncogenic activities and serves as a promising prognosis marker and therapeutic target.

Indexed as

CarcinogenesisEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaOncogene Proteins, FusionAnimalsCell Line, TumorFemaleHumansMaleMiceReceptor, EphA2Signal TransductionOncogene Proteins, FusionReceptor, EphA2

Identifiers

PMID40615663
PMCPMC12669629

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.