start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=29 cd-vols= no-issue=4 article-no= start-page=115137 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2026 dt-pub=202604 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Multifaceted role of POU5F1P1 in regulating its parental stem cell gene, POU5F1 en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=The human-specific retrogene POU5F1P1 (OCT4-Pseudogene1; OCT4-PG1), derived from stem cell factor POU5F1 (OCT4A), is predicted to encode an OCT4A-like protein; however, its function remains unclear. This study investigated OCT4-PG1 expression, translational control, and its role in endometrial cancer and stem cell regulation. Quantitative analyses revealed that elevated OCT4A, but not OCT4-PG1, expression correlated with clinical risk factors associated with poor prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer. OCT4-PG1 is under strong translational suppression mediated by its untranslated region and does not function as a protein under normal conditions. Instead, it acts as a non-coding RNA that suppresses OCT4A translation. Structural analyses showed that a single amino acid deletion (Gln259) destabilizes the OCT4-PG1 protein, thereby preventing its tumorigenic and transcriptional functions. Nevertheless, OCT4-PG1 forms heterodimers with OCT4A or SOX2, enhancing the regulatory activity of OCT4A. These findings highlight the regulatory role of pseudogenes in cancer and stem cell biology, with implications for therapies targeting OCT4A-related pathways. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=IrieKyohei en-aut-sei=Irie en-aut-mei=Kyohei kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=KosakaMitsuko en-aut-sei=Kosaka en-aut-mei=Mitsuko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=MizunoNobuhiko en-aut-sei=Mizuno en-aut-mei=Nobuhiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=OmaeRyo en-aut-sei=Omae en-aut-mei=Ryo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=NakataniYoshimasa en-aut-sei=Nakatani en-aut-mei=Yoshimasa kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=OoSandi Myat Noe en-aut-sei=Oo en-aut-mei=Sandi Myat Noe kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=MasuyamaHisashi en-aut-sei=Masuyama en-aut-mei=Hisashi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=KawaguchiAyano en-aut-sei=Kawaguchi en-aut-mei=Ayano kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=20 cd-vols= no-issue=1 article-no= start-page=521 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2020 dt-pub=20200605 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Prognostic value of OCT4A and SPP1C transcript variant co-expression in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Background
Octamer-binding transcription factor 4A (OCT4A) is essential for cell pluripotency and reprogramming both in humans and mice. To date, however, the function of human OCT4 in somatic and/or tumour tissues is largely unknown.
Methods
RT-PCR was used to identify full-length splice forms of OCT4 transcripts in normal and cancer cells. A FLAG-tagged OCT4 genomic transgene was used to identify OCT4-positive cancer cells. A potential role for OCT4 in somatic cancer cells was examined by cell ablation of OCT4-positive cells using promoter-driven diphtheria toxin A. OCT4 and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) transcripts in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma tumours were analysed and compared with pathohistological features.
Results
The results show that, unlike in murine cells, OCT4A and OCT4B variants are transcribed in both human cancer cells and in adult tissues such as lung, kidney, uterus, breast, and eye. We found that OCT4A and SPP1C are co-expressed in highly aggressive human breast, endometrial, and lung adenocarcinoma cell lines, but not in mesothelial tumour cell lines. Ablation of OCT4-positive cells in lung adenocarcinoma cells significantly decreased cell migration and SPP1C mRNA levels. The OCT4A/SPP1C axis was found in primary, early-stage, lung adenocarcinoma tumours.
Conclusions
Co-expression of OCT4 and SPP1 may correlate with cancer aggressiveness, and the OCT4A/SPP1C axis may help identify early-stage high-risk patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Contrary to the case in mice, our data strongly suggest a critical role for OCT4A and SPP1C in the development and progression of human epithelial cancers. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=KoshimuneSeijiro en-aut-sei=Koshimune en-aut-mei=Seijiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=KosakaMitsuko en-aut-sei=Kosaka en-aut-mei=Mitsuko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=MizunoNobuhiko en-aut-sei=Mizuno en-aut-mei=Nobuhiko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=YamamotoHiromasa en-aut-sei=Yamamoto en-aut-mei=Hiromasa kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=MiyamotoTomoyuki en-aut-sei=Miyamoto en-aut-mei=Tomoyuki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=EbisuiKohta en-aut-sei=Ebisui en-aut-mei=Kohta kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=ToyookaShinichi en-aut-sei=Toyooka en-aut-mei=Shinichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=OhtsukaAiji en-aut-sei=Ohtsuka en-aut-mei=Aiji kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Okayama Univ, Dept Human Morphol, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=4 en-affil=Department of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=6 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=7 en-affil=Department of General Thoracic Surgery and Breast and Endocrinological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= affil-num=8 en-affil=Department of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences kn-affil= en-keyword=OCT4 kn-keyword=OCT4 en-keyword=SPP1 kn-keyword=SPP1 en-keyword=lung adenocarcinoma kn-keyword=lung adenocarcinoma en-keyword=tumour-initiating cell kn-keyword=tumour-initiating cell en-keyword=cancer stem cell kn-keyword=cancer stem cell en-keyword=cell migration kn-keyword=cell migration END start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=19 cd-vols= no-issue=2 article-no= start-page=406 end-page=414 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2013 dt-pub=201304 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Architecture of the Subendothelial Elastic Fibers of Small Blood Vessels and Variations in Vascular Type and Size en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=Most blood vessels contain elastin that provides the vessels with the resilience and flexibility necessary to control hemodynamics. Pathophysiological hemodynamic changes affect the remodeling of elastic components, but little is known about their structural properties. The present study was designed to elucidate, in detail, the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of delicate elastic fibers in small vessels, and to reveal their architectural pattern in a rat model. The fine vascular elastic components were observed by a newly developed scanning electron microscopy technique using a formic acid digestion with vascular casts. This method successfully visualized the 3D architecture of elastic fibers in small blood vessels, even arterioles and venules. The subendothelial elastic fibers in such small vessels assemble into a sheet of meshwork running longitudinally, while larger vessels have a higher density of mesh and thicker mesh fibers. The quantitative analysis revealed that arterioles had a wider range of mesh density than venules; the ratio of density to vessel size was higher than that in venules. The new method was useful for evaluating the subendothelial elastic fibers of small vessels and for demonstrating differences in the architecture of different types of vessels. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=ShinaokaAkira en-aut-sei=Shinaoka en-aut-mei=Akira kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=MomotaRyusuke en-aut-sei=Momota en-aut-mei=Ryusuke kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=ShiratsuchiEri en-aut-sei=Shiratsuchi en-aut-mei=Eri kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=KosakaMitsuko en-aut-sei=Kosaka en-aut-mei=Mitsuko kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=KumagishiKanae en-aut-sei=Kumagishi en-aut-mei=Kanae kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= en-aut-name=NakaharaRyuichi en-aut-sei=Nakahara en-aut-mei=Ryuichi kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=6 ORCID= en-aut-name=NaitoIchiro en-aut-sei=Naito en-aut-mei=Ichiro kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=7 ORCID= en-aut-name=OhtsukaAiji en-aut-sei=Ohtsuka en-aut-mei=Aiji kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=8 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Hayashikane Sangyo Co Ltd, Div Res & Dev affil-num=4 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol affil-num=5 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol affil-num=6 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Orthopaed Surg affil-num=7 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol affil-num=8 en-affil= kn-affil=Okayama Univ, Grad Sch Med Dent & Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Human Morphol en-keyword=vascular corrosion casting kn-keyword=vascular corrosion casting en-keyword=elastic fiber kn-keyword=elastic fiber en-keyword=elastin kn-keyword=elastin en-keyword=SEM kn-keyword=SEM en-keyword=formic acid digestion kn-keyword=formic acid digestion en-keyword=rat kn-keyword=rat en-keyword=three-dimensional architecture kn-keyword=three-dimensional architecture END