Fig 1: SERBP1 expression and impact on glioma survival and therapy. a SERBP1 mRNA expression in normal human tissue based on the GTEx database. b Comparative analysis of SERBP1 mRNA expression in normal brain/cortex (GTEx) and glioma samples (grades II, III, and IV) from the TCGA consortium. c Immunostaining of representative glioma samples (grades II, III, and IV) from the Shanghai Hospital cohort showing SERBP1 protein expression levels. d Kaplan–Meier curves indicate the survival of 177 glioma patients from the Shanghai Changzheng Hospital cohort displaying low and high SERBP1 levels. e–g Kaplan-Meier curves indicate the survival of 118 GBM patients from the Shanghai Changzheng Hospital cohort displaying low and high SERBP1 levels: E (all patients), F (54 patients who received TMZ), and G (83 patients who received radiation)
Fig 2: SERBP1 regulates metabolism. a Enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms related to genes downregulated upon SERBP1 in U251 cells. Gene set was analyzed using Panther [24] and GO terms were compiled using Revigo [25]; most representative terms associated with metabolism are listed. b Network analysis of genes implicated in metabolism affected by SERBP1 knockdown. Network was built using String [26] considering interaction (experimental evidence), text mining, and co-occurrence. Different colors were used to indicate clusters. c Schematic representation of one-carbon cycle, showing genes affected by SERBP1 knockdown. d, e qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis in U251 and U343 cells corroborated the impact of SERBP1 on the expression of critical genes implicated in metabolism. f Representative PHGDH immunostaining of tumors from the xenograft study for each group. Scale bar = 60 µm
Fig 3: SERBP1 binding motif. a SERBP1 RNA binding motif obtained with RNACompete. b Fluorescence polarization assay shows SERBP1’s high affinity (KD ~ 47 nM) to a 7-mer RNA oligonucleotide (5'- GCGCGGG - 3'). c ~ 40% of transcripts determined via RIP-Seq as preferentially associated with SERBP1 display the identified GC-rich motif in their 3' UTR, a number much higher than expected by chance. d Results of luciferase assay showing that co-transfection of a SERBP1 expression vector increased the expression of reporter constructs containing the 3' UTR of genes displaying putative SERBP1 binding motifs. GAPDH was used as a negative control
Fig 4: SERBP1 knockdown increased expression of genes linked to neurogenesis and nervous system development. a Enriched Gene Ontology terms related to genes upregulated upon SERBP1 knockdown in U251 cells. Gene set was analyzed using Panther [24] and GO terms were compiled using [25]. Most representative terms associated with nervous system development and function are listed. b Network analysis of genes implicated in neuronal differentiation affected by SERBP1 knockdown. The network was built using String [26] considering interaction (experimental evidence), text mining, and co-occurrence. Different colors were used to indicate clusters. c Heatmap shows that genes upregulated upon SERBP1 knockdown cells display increased expression during murine neurogenesis—0 day/stem vs. 4 days/differentiated cells. d qRT-PCR shows SERBP1 and ß-III Tubulin expression in neuronal stem cells (NSCs) and differentiated cells. e Genes upregulated upon SERBP1 knockdown showing decreased expression in GBM in reference to LGG are labeled in blue, genes that show reduced expression in GBM in reference to normal brain (cortex) are labeled in green and genes that are methylated (H3K27me3) in GBM cells [45] are labeled in orange. f Western blot showing that SERBP1 knockdown leads to a decrease in H3K27me3 in GBM cells
Fig 5: SERBP1 impact on one-carbon and methyl cycles and potential downstream effects. a Metabolic analysis shows that SERBP1 silencing affected the production of metabolites associated with one-carbon, methyl, and MTA cycles. b Intracellular glutathione levels following SERBP1 silencing. c Model for SERBP1 impact on metabolism and functional downstream effects
Supplier Page from DNASU for SERBP1 (Homo sapiens) in pDONR221 (Gateway donor/master vector)