Targeting TGF-β Signaling in Cancer

TGF-β: A novel predictor and target for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling regulates multiple physiological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, immune homeostasis, and wound healing. Besides, TGF-β plays a vital role in diseases, including cancer. Accumulating evidence indicates that TGF-β controls the composition and behavior of immune components in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Advanced cancers leverage TGF-β to reshape the TME and escape immune surveillance. TGF-β-mediated immune evasion is an unfavorable factor for cancer immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that hyperactive TGF-β signaling is closely associated with ICI resistance. It has been validated that TGF-β blockade synergizes with ICI and overcomes treatment resistance. TGF-β-targeted therapies, including trap and bispecific antibodies, have shown immense potential for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we summarized the predictive value of TGF-β signaling and the prospects of TGF-β-targeted therapies for cancer immunotherapy.

The Role of Tumor Microenvironment in Regulating the Plasticity of Osteosarcoma Cells

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignancy that is becoming increasingly common in adolescents. OS stem cells (OSCs) form a dynamic subset of OS cells that are responsible for malignant progression and chemoradiotherapy resistance. The unique properties of OSCs, including self-renewal, multilineage differentiation and metastatic potential, 149 depend closely on their tumor microenvironment. In recent years, the likelihood of its dynamic plasticity has been extensively studied. Importantly, the tumor microenvironment appears to act as the main regulatory component of OS cell plasticity. For these reasons aforementioned, novel strategies for OS treatment focusing on modulating OS cell plasticity and the possibility of modulating the composition of the tumor microenvironment are currently being explored. In this paper, we review recent studies describing the phenomenon of OSCs and factors known to influence phenotypic plasticity. The microenvironment, which can regulate OSC plasticity, has great potential for clinical exploitation and provides different perspectives for drug and treatment design for OS.

GDF15 alleviates the progression of benign tracheobronchial stenosis by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition and inactivating fibroblasts

Benign tracheobronchial stenosis (BTS) is a fatal and incurable disease. Epithelial repair and matrix reconstruction play an important role in the wound repair process. If the interstitial context is not restored and stabilized in time, it can lead to pathological fibrosis. Here we attempted to identify cytokines that are involved in promoting wound repair. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a cytokine secreted by tracheal epithelial cells, which is indispensable for the growth of epithelial cells and inhibits the overgrowth of fibroblasts. GDF15 can counteract transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ1) stimulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tracheal epithelial cells and inhibit fibroblast activation via the TGFβ1-SMAD2/3 pathway. In a rat model of tracheal stenosis, GDF15 supplementation alleviated the degree of tracheal stenosis. These results suggest that GDF15 prevents fibroblast hyperactivation and promotes epithelial repair in injured trachea. GDF15 may be a potential therapy to improve benign tracheobronchial stenosis.

Identification of HMGA2 as a predictive biomarker of response to bintrafusp alfa in a phase 1 trial in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer

Background

We report the clinical activity, safety, and identification of a predictive biomarker for bintrafusp alfa, a first-in-class bifunctional fusion protein composed of the extracellular domain of TGFβRII (a TGF-β "trap") fused to a human IgG1 mAb blocking PD-L1, in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods

In this expansion cohort of a global phase 1 study, patients with pretreated, advanced TNBC received bintrafusp alfa 1200 mg every 2 weeks intravenously until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal. The primary objective was confirmed best overall response by RECIST 1.1 assessed per independent review committee (IRC).

Results

As of May 15, 2020, a total of 33 patients had received bintrafusp alfa, for a median of 6.0 (range, 2.0-48.1) weeks. The objective response rate was 9.1% (95% CI, 1.9%-24.3%) by IRC and investigator assessment. The median progression-free survival per IRC was 1.3 (95% CI, 1.2-1.4) months, and median overall survival was 7.7 (95% CI, 2.1-10.9) months. Twenty-five patients (75.8%) experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Grade 3 TRAEs occurred in 5 patients (15.2%); no patients had a grade 4 TRAE. There was 1 treatment-related death (dyspnea, hemolysis, and thrombocytopenia in a patient with extensive disease at trial entry). Responses occurred independently of PD-L1 expression, and tumor RNAseq data identified HMGA2 as a potential biomarker of response.

Conclusions

Bintrafusp alfa showed clinical activity and manageable safety in patients with heavily pretreated advanced TNBC. HMGA2 was identified as a potential predictive biomarker of response.

ClinicalTrialsgov identifier

NCT02517398.

Therapeutic Implications of TGF-β Pathway in Desmoid Tumor Based on Comprehensive Molecular Profiling and Clinicopathological Properties

(1) Background: Desmoid tumors have a relatively high local failure rate after primary treatment using surgery and/or radiotherapy. Moreover, desmoid tumors recur at the primary site for many patients. An effective therapeutic strategy for the desmoid tumor is needed to maintain quality of life and prolong survival. (2) Method: First of all, we collected desmoid tumor tissues and investigated the status of protein expression for beta-catenin and alpha-SMA through immunohistochemistry. Then, we performed targeted sequencing and whole RNA sequencing. To compare the data with other cancer types, we used NGS data from sarcoma patients at Yonsei Cancer Center (YCC-sarcoma cohort, n = 48) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n = 9235). Secondly, we established the novel patient-derived preclinical models (n = 2) for the validation of treatment strategy. The same gene alteration of primary tissue was demonstrated. (3) Results: We discovered specific gene sets related to the TGF-β signaling pathway. Moreover, we selected the combination treatment comprising TGF-β inhibitor, vactosertib, and imatinib. In screening for the anti-proliferation effect, the combination treatment of TGF-β inhibitor was more effective for tumor suppression than monotherapy. (4) Conclusion: We found preclinical indications that TGF-β inhibitors could prove useful as a potential treatment for patients with desmoid tumors. Moreover, we could find some examples in clinical trials.

Anti-TGF-β/PD-L1 bispecific antibody promotes T cell infiltration and exhibits enhanced antitumor activity in triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Agents blocking programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) have been approved for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the response rate of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 is still unsatisfactory, partly due to immunosuppressive factors such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). In our previous pilot study, the bispecific antibody targeting TGF-β and murine PD-L1 (termed YM101) showed potent antitumor effect. In this work, we constructed a bispecific antibody targeting TGF-β and human PD-L1 (termed BiTP) and explored the antitumor effect of BiTP in TNBC.

METHODS

BiTP was developed using Check-BODY^TM bispecific platform. The binding affinity of BiTP was measured by surface plasmon resonance, ELISA, and flow cytometry. The bioactivity was assessed by Smad and NFAT luciferase reporter assays, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and superantigen stimulation assays. The antitumor activity of BiTP was explored in humanized epithelial-mesenchymal transition-6-hPDL1 and 4T1-hPDL1 murine TNBC models. Immunohistochemical staining, flow cytometry, and bulk RNA-seq were used to investigate the effect of BiTP on immune cell infiltration.

RESULTS

BiTP exhibited high binding affinity to dual targets. In vitro experiments verified that BiTP effectively counteracted TGF-β-Smad and PD-L1-PD-1-NFAT signaling. In vivo animal experiments demonstrated that BiTP had superior antitumor activity relative to anti-PD-L1 and anti-TGF-β monotherapy. Mechanistically, BiTP decreased collagen deposition, enhanced CD8⁺ T cell penetration, and increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. This improved tumor microenvironment contributed to the potent antitumor activity of BiTP.

CONCLUSION

BiTP retains parent antibodies' binding affinity and bioactivity, with superior antitumor activity to parent antibodies in TNBC. Our data suggest that BiTP might be a promising agent for TNBC treatment.

The roles of TGF-β and VEGF pathways in the suppression of antitumor immunity in melanoma and other solid tumors

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has become well-known in cancer therapy, strengthening the body's antitumor immune response rather than directly targeting cancer cells. Therapies targeting immune inhibitory checkpoints, such as PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4, have resulted in impressive clinical responses across different types of solid tumors. However, as with other types of cancer treatments, ICB-based immunotherapy is hampered by both innate and acquired drug resistance. We previously reported the enrichment of gene signatures associated with wound healing, epithelial-to-mesenchymal, and angiogenesis processes in the tumors of patients with innate resistance to PD-1 checkpoint antibody therapy; we termed these the Innate Anti-PD-1 Resistance Signatures (IPRES). The TGF-β and VEGFA pathways emerge as the dominant drivers of IPRES-associated processes. Here, we review these pathways' functions, their roles in immunosuppression, and the currently available therapies that target them. We also discuss recent developments in the targeting of TGF-β using a specific antibody class termed trap antibody. The application of trap antibodies opens the promise of localized targeting of the TGF-β and VEGFA pathways within the tumor microenvironment. Such specificity may offer an enhanced therapeutic window that enables suppression of the IPRES processes in the tumor microenvironment while sparing the normal homeostatic functions of TGF-β and VEGFA in healthy tissues.

To Ub or not to Ub: a regulatory question in TGF-β signaling

The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily controls a wide spectrum of biological processes in metazoans, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, cell-fate determination, and embryonic development. Deregulation of TGF-β-Smad signaling contributes to developmental anomalies and a variety of disorders and diseases such as tumorigenesis, fibrotic disorders, and immune diseases. In cancer, TGF-β has dual effects through its antiproliferative and prometastatic actions. At the cellular level, TGF-β functions mainly through the canonical Smad-dependent pathway in a cell type-specific and context-dependent manner. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that ubiquitination plays a vital role in regulating TGF-β-Smad signaling. We summarize current progress on ubiquitination (Ub) and the ubiquitin ligases that regulate TGF-β-Smad signaling.

The difficulty in translating the preclinical success of combined TGFβ and immune checkpoint inhibition to clinical trial

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the treatment paradigm for solid tumors. However, even in cancers generally considered ICI-sensitive, responses can vary significantly. Thus, there is an ever-increasing interest in identifying novel means of improving therapeutic responses, both for cancers in which ICIs are indicated and those for which they have yet to show significant anti-tumor activity. To this end, Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) signaling is emerging as an important barrier to the efficacy of ICIs. Accordingly, several preclinical studies now support the use of combined TGFβ and immune checkpoint blockade, with near-uniform positive results across a wide range of tumor types. However, as these approaches have started to emerge in clinical trials, the addition of TGFβ inhibitors has often failed to show a meaningful benefit beyond the current generation of ICIs alone. Here, we summarize landmark clinical studies exploring combined TGFβ and immune checkpoint blockade. These studies not only reinforce the difficulty in translating results from rodents to clinical trials in immune-oncology but also underscore the need to re-evaluate the design of trials exploring this approach, incorporating both mechanism-driven combination strategies and novel, predictive biomarkers to identify the patients most likely to derive clinical benefit.

Comprehensive analysis of anoikis-related long non-coding RNA immune infiltration in patients with bladder cancer and immunotherapy

Background

Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death or programmed cell death(PCD) for short. Studies suggest that anoikis involves in the decisive steps of tumor progression and cancer cell metastasis and spread, but what part it plays in bladder cancer remains unclear. We sought to screen for anoikis-correlated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) so that we can build a risk model to understand its ability to predict bladder cancer prognosis and the immune landscape.

Methods

We screened seven anoikis-related lncRNAs (arlncRNAs) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and designed a risk model. It was validated through ROC curves and clinicopathological correlation analysis, and demonstrated to be an independent factor of prognosis prediction by uni- and multi-COX regression. In the meantime, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, immune infiltration, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration prediction (IC50) were implemented with the model. Moreover, we divided bladder cancer patients into three subtypes by consensus clustering analysis to further study the differences in prognosis, immune infiltration level, immune checkpoints, and drug susceptibility.

Result

We designed a risk model of seven arlncRNAs, and proved its accuracy using ROC curves. COX regression indicated that the model might be an independent prediction factor of bladder cancer prognosis. KEGG enrichment analysis showed it was enriched in tumors and immune-related pathways among the people at high risk. Immune correlation analysis and drug susceptibility results indicated that it had higher immune infiltration and might have a better immunotherapy efficacy for high-risk groups. Of the three subtypes classified by consensus clustering analysis, cluster 3 revealed a positive prognosis, and cluster 2 showed the highest level of immune infiltration and was sensitive to most chemistries. This is helpful for us to discover more precise immunotherapy for bladder cancer patients.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, we found seven arlncRNAs and built a risk model that can identify different bladder cancer subtypes and predict the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. Immune-related and drug sensitivity researches demonstrate it can provide individual therapeutic schedule with greater precision for bladder cancer patients.

TGF-β Signaling in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC): From Underlying Mechanism to Potential Applications in Clinical Development

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a serious public health issue, and it has the leading incidence and mortality among malignant tumors worldwide. CRC patients with metastasis in the liver, lung or other distant sites always have poor prognosis. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover the underlying mechanisms of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and to develop optimal therapy for mCRC. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a significant role in various physiologic and pathologic processes, and aberrant TGF-β signal transduction contributes to mCRC progression. In this review, we summarize the alterations of the TGF-β signaling pathway in mCRC patients, the functional mechanisms of TGF-β signaling, its promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, its facilitation of angiogenesis, its suppression of anti-tumor activity of immune cells in the microenvironment and its contribution to stemness of CRC cells. We also discuss the possible applications of TGF-β signaling in mCRC diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapies in clinical trials. Hopefully, these research advances in TGF-β signaling in mCRC will improve the development of new strategies that can be combined with molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy and traditional therapies to achieve better efficacy and benefit mCRC patients in the near future.

Identification of TGF-β signaling-related molecular patterns, construction of a prognostic model, and prediction of immunotherapy response in gastric cancer

Background: TGF-β signaling pathway plays an essential role in tumor progression and immune responses. However, the link between TGF-β signaling pathway-related genes (TSRGs) and clinical prognosis, tumor microenvironment (TME), and immunotherapy in gastric cancer is unclear. Methods: Transcriptome data and related clinical data of gastric cancer were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and 54 TSRGs were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). We systematically analyzed the expression profile characteristics of 54 TSRGs in 804 gastric cancer samples and examined the differences in prognosis, clinicopathological features, and TME among different molecular subtypes. Subsequently, TGF-β-related prognostic models were constructed using univariate and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to quantify the degree of risk in each patient. Patients were divided into two high- and low-risk groups based on the median risk score. Finally, sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and anti-tumor agents was assessed in patients in high- and low-risk groups. Results: We identified two distinct TGF-β subgroups. Compared to TGF-β cluster B, TGF-β cluster A exhibits an immunosuppressive microenvironment with a shorter overall survival (OS). Then, a novel TGF-β-associated prognostic model, including SRPX2, SGCE, DES, MMP7, and KRT17, was constructed, and the risk score was demonstrated as an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients. Further studies showed that gastric cancer patients in the low-risk group, characterized by higher tumor mutation burden (TMB), the proportion of high microsatellite instability (MSI-H), immunophenoscore (IPS), and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score, had a better prognosis, and linked to higher response rate to immunotherapy. In addition, the risk score and anti-tumor drug sensitivity were strongly correlated. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of TSRGs, deepen the understanding of tumor immune microenvironment, and guide individualized immunotherapy for gastric cancer patients.

Bioinformatic analysis identifies HPV-related tumor microenvironment remodeling prognostic biomarkers in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are highly aggressive tumors with rapid progression and poor prognosis. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been identified as one of the most important carcinogens for HNSCC. As an early event in HNSCC, infection with HPV leads to altered immune profiles in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME plays a key role in the progression and transformation of HNSCC. However, the TME in HNSCC is a complex and heterogeneous mix of tumor cells, fibroblasts, different types of infiltrating immune cells, and extracellular matrix. Biomarkers relevant to the TME, and the biological role of these biomarkers, remain poorly understood. To this end, we performed comprehensive analysis of the RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data from tumor tissue of 502 patients with HNSCC and healthy tissue of 44 control samples. In total, we identified 4,237 differentially expressed genes, including 2,062 upregulated and 2,175 downregulated genes. Further in-depth bioinformatic analysis suggested 19 HNSCC tumor tissue-specific genes. In the subsequent analysis, we focused on the biomarker candidates shown to be significantly associated with unfavorable patient survival: ITGA5, PLAU, PLAUR, SERPINE1, TGFB1, and VEGFC. We found that the expression of these genes was negatively regulated by DNA methylation. Strikingly, all of these potential biomarkers are profoundly involved in the activation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway in HNSCCs. In addition, these targets were found to be positively correlated with the immune invasion levels of CD4+ T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells, but negatively correlated with B-cell infiltration and CD8+ T-cell invasion. Notably, our data showed that the expression levels of ITGA5, PLAU, PLAUR, SERPINE1, and TGFB1 were significantly overexpressed in HPV-positive HNSCCs compared to normal controls, indicating the potential role of these biomarkers as transformation and/or malignant progression markers for HNSCCs in patients with HPV infection. Taken together, the results of our study propose ITGA5, PLAU, PLAUR, SERPINE1, and TGFB1 as potential prognostic biomarkers for HNSCCs, which might be involved in the HPV-related TME remodeling of HNSCC. Our findings provide important implications for the development and/or improvement of patient stratification and customized immunotherapies in HNSCC.

Roles of TGF-β in cancer hallmarks and emerging onco-therapeutic design

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a double-edged sword in cancer treatment because of its pivotal yet complex and roles played during cancer initiation/development. Current anti-cancer strategies involving TGF-β largely view TGF-β as an onco-therapeutic target that not only substantially hinders its full utilisation for cancer control, but also considerably restricts innovations in this field. Thereby, how to take advantages of therapeutically favourable properties of TGF-β for cancer management represents an interesting and less investigated problem. Here, by categorising cancer hallmarks into four critical transition events and one enabling characteristic controlling cancer initiation and progression, and delineating TGF-β complexities according to these cancer traits, we identify the suppressive role of TGF-β in tumour initiation and early-stage progression and its promotive functionalities in cancer metastasis as well as other cancer hallmarks. We also propose the feasibility and possible scenarios of combining cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) with onco-therapeutics utilising TGF-β for cancer control given the intrinsic properties of CAP against cancer hallmarks.

Immunotherapy for lung cancer combining the oligodeoxynucleotides of TLR9 agonist and TGF-β2 inhibitor

Tumor immunotherapies have shown promising antitumor effects, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, only 12.46% of the patients benefit from the ICIs, the rest of them shows limited effects on ICIs or even accelerates the tumor progression due to the lack of the immune cell infiltration and activation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we administrated a combination of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist CpG ODN and Transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) antisense oligodeoxynucleotide TIO3 to mice intraperitoneally once every other day for a total of four injections, and the first injection was 24 h after LLC cell inoculation. We found that the combination induced the formation of TME toward the enrichment and activation of CD8⁺ T cells and NK cells, accompanied with a marked decrease of TGF-β2. The combined therapy also effectively inhibited the tumor growth and prolonged the survival of the mice, even protected the tumor-free mice from the tumor re-challenge. Both of CpG ODN and TIO3 are indispensable, because replacing CpG ODN with TLR9 inhibitor CCT ODN showed no antitumor effect, CpG ODN or TIO3 alone did not lead to ideal antitumor results. This effect was possibly initiated by the activation of dendritic cells at the tumor site. This systemic antitumor immunotherapy with a combination of the two oligonucleotides (an immune stimulant and an immunosuppressive cytokine inhibitor) before the tumor formation may provide a novel strategy for clinical prevention of the postoperative tumor recurrence.

Next-generation immunotherapy for solid tumors: combination immunotherapy with crosstalk blockade of TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1

INTRODUCTION

In solid tumor immunotherapy, less than 20% of patients respond to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) agents. The role of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) in diverse immunity is well-established; however, systemic blockade of TGFβ is associated with toxicity. Accumulating evidence suggests the role of crosstalk between TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways.

AREAS COVERED

We focus on TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway crosstalk and the determinant role of TGFβ in the resistance of immune checkpoint blockade. We provide the rationale for combination anti-TGFβ and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies for solid tumors and discuss the current status of dual blockade therapy in preclinical and clinical studies.

EXPERT OPINION

The heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment across solid tumors complicates patient selection, treatment regimens, and response and toxicity assessment for investigation of dual blockade agents. However, clinical knowledge from single-agent studies provides infrastructure to translate dual blockade therapies. Dual TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade results in enhanced T-cell infiltration into tumors, a primary requisite for successful immunotherapy. A bifunctional fusion protein specifically targets TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment, avoiding systemic toxicity, and prevents interaction of PD-1+ cytotoxic cells with PD-L1+ tumor cells.

Identification of immune infiltration landscape on prognosis and therapy of the ferroptosis-related genes signature in breast cancer

Ferroptosis is a unique iron-dependent cell death mechanism characterized by the generation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells, which leads to mitochondrial metabolic dysregulation. However, how could the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) modulates ferroptosis remains unclear. Thus, by integrating multiple algorithms, we revealed the novel functional and immune patterns of the ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) in breast cancer. Five prognostic FRGs were finally selected for the prognostic signature and four of which were identified as the independent biomarkers for immunotherapies. The consensus cluster analysis illustrated the FRGs were characterized by the metabolism dysfunction and immune infiltration cells, meanwhile, these FRGs have the same stem cell characteristics and response efficacy to the immunotherapies. In conclusion, a comprehensive analysis of the FRGs in breast cancer was conducted to develop a prognostic gene signature. Functional and immunological evidence of vulnerabilities in the interaction between ferroptosis and the TIME was also revealed. Further data and research are required.

Noncytotoxic Roles of Granzymes in Health and Disease

Granzymes are serine proteases previously believed to play exclusive and somewhat redundant roles in lymphocyte-mediated target cell death. However, recent studies have challenged this paradigm. Distinct substrate profiles and functions have since emerged for each granzyme while their dysregulated proteolytic activities have been linked to diverse pathologies.

Characterization of EGFR-reprogrammable temozolomide-resistant cells in a model of glioblastoma

Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance is a major clinical challenge for glioblastoma (GBM). O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) mediated DNA damage repair is a key mechanism for TMZ resistance. However, MGMT-null GBM patients remain resistant to TMZ, and the process for resistance evolution is largely unknown. Here, we developed an acquired TMZ resistant xenograft model using serial implantation of MGMT-hypermethylated U87 cells, allowing the extraction of stable, TMZ resistant (TMZ-R) tumors and primary cells. The derived tumors and cells exhibited stable multidrug resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Functional experiments, as well as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), indicated that TMZ treatment induced cellular heterogeneity including quiescent cancer stem cells (CSCs) in TMZ-R tumors. A subset of these were labeled by NES⁺/SOX2⁺/CADM1⁺ and demonstrated significant advantages for drug resistance. Further study revealed that Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) deficiency and diminished downstream signaling may confer this triple positive CSCs subgroup’s quiescent phenotypes and chemoresistance. Continuous EGF treatment improved the chemosensitivity of TMZ-R cells both in vitro and in vivo, mechanically reversing cell cycle arrest and reduced drug uptake. Further, EGF treatment of TMZ-R tumors favorably normalized the response to TMZ in combination therapy. Here, we characterize a unique subgroup of CSCs in MGMT-null experimental glioblastoma, identifying EGF + TMZ therapy as a potential strategy to overcome cellular quiescence and TMZ resistance, likely endowed by deficient EGFR signaling.

Active fractions of golden-flowered tea (Camellia nitidissima Chi) inhibit epidermal growth factor receptor mutated non-small cell lung cancer via multiple pathways and targets in vitro and in vivo

As a medicine-food homology (MFH) plant, golden-flowered tea (Camellia nitidissima Chi, CNC) has many different pharmacologic activities and is known as "the queen of the tea family" and "the Panda of the Plant world". Several studies have revealed the pharmacologic effects of CNC crude extract, including anti-tumor, anti-oxidative and hepatoprotective activity. However, there are few studies on the anti-tumor active fractions and components of CNC, yet the underlying mechanism has not been investigated. Thus, we sought to verify the anti-non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) effects of four active fractions of CNC. Firstly, we determined the pharmacodynamic material basis of the four active fractions of CNC (Camellia. leave. saponins, Camellia. leave. polyphenols, Camellia. flower. saponins, Camellia. flower. polyphenols) by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and confirmed the differences in their specific compound contents. Then, MTT, colony formation assay and EdU incorporation assay confirmed that all fractions of CNC exhibit significant inhibitory on NSCLC, especially the Camellia. leave. saponins (CLS) fraction on EGFR mutated NSCLC cell lines. Moreover, transcriptome analysis revealed that the inhibition of NSCLC cell growth by CLS may be via three pathways, including "Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction," "PI3K-Akt signaling pathway" and "MAPK signaling pathway." Subsequently, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot (WB) revealed TGFB2, INHBB, PIK3R3, ITGB8, TrkB and CACNA1D as the critical targets for the anti-tumor effects of CLS in vitro. Finally, the xenograft models confirmed that CLS treatment effectively suppressed tumor growth, and the key targets were also verified in vivo. These observations suggest that golden-flowered tea could be developed as a functional tea drink with anti-cancer ability, providing an essential molecular mechanism foundation for MFH medicine treating NSCLC.

Importance of TGFβ in Cancer and Nematode Infection and Their Interaction-Opinion

Historically, there has been little interaction between parasitologists and oncologists, although some helminth infections predispose to the development of tumours. In addition, both parasites and tumours need to survive immune attack. Recent research suggests that both tumours and parasites suppress the immune response to increase their chances of survival. They both co-opt the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling pathway to modulate the immune response to their benefit. In particular, there is concern that suppression of the immune response by nematodes and their products could enhance susceptibility to tumours in both natural and artificial infections.

Transcriptome alterations in chicken HD11 cells with steady knockdown and overexpression of RIPK2 gene

Receptor interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is involved in a variety of signaling pathway to produce a series of inflammatory cytokines in response to a diverse of bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens. However, the underlying regulating of RIPK2 remain unknown. Transcriptome alterations in chicken HD11 cells following RIPK2 overexpression or silencing by shRNA were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Both overexpression and knockdown of the RIPK2 gene caused wide-spread changes in gene expression in chicken HD11 cells. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) caused by altered RIPK2 gene expression were associated with multiple biological processes linked with biological regulation, response to stimulus, cell communication, and signal transduction etc. KEGG analysis revealed that many of the DEGs were enriched in VEGF signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, Focal adhesion, TGF-beta signaling pathway etc. Moreover, we show that initiation genes, TGFB1 and TGFB3, in the TGF-beta signaling pathway are biological targets regulated by RIPK2 in chicken HD11 cells. This is the first transcriptome-wide study in which RIPK2-regulated genes in chicken cells have been screened. Our findings elucidate the molecular events associated with RIPK2 in chicken HD11 cells.

BMS-202, a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor, decelerates the pro-fibrotic effects of fibroblasts derived from scar tissues via ERK and TGFβ1/Smad signaling pathways

INTRODUCTION

Hypertrophic scar (HS), a fibroproliferative disorder of the skin with some tumor-like properties, is closely related to dysregulated inflammation. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor is a promising medication for cancer therapy as its potent functions on adaptive immune response; whether it could be a candidate for HS therapy has aroused our interest. This study aimed to explore the effect and the mechanism of BMS-202, a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor, in HS.

METHODS

Ten HS and adjacent normal skin tissues collected from HS patients were used to detect α-SMA, collagen I, and PD-L1 expression by Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot (WB) analysis. Fibroblasts derived from HS tissues (HFBs) were exposed to diverse concentrations of BMS-202, of which proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and collagen synthesis were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End labeling, and [3 H]-proline incorporation assays, respectively. The effect of BMS-202 on α-SMA and collagen I expression, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1)/Smad signaling in HFBs was also determined by WB and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The expression level of PD-L1 was significantly elevated in both HS tissues and HFBs, which was positively correlated with α-SMA and collagen I expressions. BMS-202 exerted a significant suppression effect on the cell proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis, and α-SMA and collagen I expression of HFBs in a concentration-dependent way; but did not affect apoptosis. Finally, BMS-202 could reduce the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, Smad2, and Smad3, and the TGFβ1 expression once its concentration reached 2.5 nM.

CONCLUSION

BMS-202 effectively suppressed proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix deposition of HFBs, potentially through the regulation of the ERK and TGFβ1/Smad signaling pathways.

miR-574, miR-499, miR-125b, miR-106a, and miR-9 potentially target TGFBR-1 and TGFBR-2 genes involving in inflammatory response pathway: Potential novel biomarkers for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

MicroARNAs (miRNAs) are linked to a variety of cancers, which resulted in molecular pathway dysregulation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Using five dysregulated miRNAs identified by literature mining and in silico analysis, we were able to demonstrate the critical role that the TGFBR1 and TGFB receptor signaling pathways play in the state of CLL. Assays using real-time PCR were run on 30 patients and 30 healthy controls. This study showed that patient samples have considerably higher levels of miR-574 and miR-499. Notably, the same groups had lower expression levels of miR-125b, miR-106a, and miR-9. Furthermore, we suggested that TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 expression levels were decreased in patients, and we suggested that these genes could be targets for our profile miRNAs. In the current study, we hypothesized that miR-574, miR-499, miR-125b, miR-106a, and miR-9 are likely five new potential biomarkers for early diagnosis. Our research also showed that these profile miRNAs have a role in the formation of CLL, possibly through controlling the TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 pathways. This suggests that these profile miRNAs could serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of CLL.

Genetic Disruption of Guanylyl Cyclase/Natriuretic Peptide Receptor-A Triggers Differential Cardiac Fibrosis and Disorders in Male and Female Mutant Mice: Role of TGF-β1/SMAD Signaling Pathway

The global targeted disruption of the natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPRA) gene (Npr1) in mice provokes hypertension and cardiovascular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to determine the mechanisms regulating the development of cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in Npr1 mutant mice. Npr1 knockout (Npr1^-/-, 0-copy), heterozygous (Npr1^+/-, 1-copy), and wild-type (Npr1^+/+, 2-copy) mice were treated with the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 receptor (TGF-β1R) antagonist GW788388 (2 µg/g body weight/day; ip) for 28 days. Hearts were isolated and used for real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot, and immunohistochemical analyses. The Npr1^-/- (0-copy) mice showed a 6-fold induction of cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction with markedly induced expressions of collagen-1α (3.8-fold), monocyte chemoattractant protein (3.7-fold), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, 5.3-fold), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA, 6.1-fold), TGF-βRI (4.3-fold), TGF-βRII (4.7-fold), and phosphorylated small mothers against decapentaplegic (pSMAD) proteins, including pSMAD-2 (3.2-fold) and pSMAD-3 (3.7-fold), compared with wild-type mice. The expressions of phosphorylated extracellular-regulated kinase ERK1/2 (pERK1/2), matrix metalloproteinases-2, -9, (MMP-2, -9), and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were also significantly upregulated in Npr1 0-copy mice. The treatment of mutant mice with GW788388 significantly blocked the expression of fibrotic markers, SMAD proteins, MMPs, and PCNA compared with the vehicle-treated control mice. The treatment with GW788388 significantly prevented cardiac dysfunctions in a sex-dependent manner in Npr1 0-copy and 1-copy mutant mice. The results suggest that the development of cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction in mutant mice is predominantly regulated through the TGF-β1-mediated SMAD-dependent pathway.

The soldiers needed to be awakened: Tumor-infiltrating immune cells

In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) are a key component. Different types of TIICs play distinct roles. CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells could secrete soluble factors to hinder tumor cell growth, whereas regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) release inhibitory factors to promote tumor growth and progression. In the meantime, a growing body of evidence illustrates that the balance between pro- and anti-tumor responses of TIICs is associated with the prognosis in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, in order to boost anti-tumor response and improve the clinical outcome of tumor patients, a variety of anti-tumor strategies for targeting TIICs based on their respective functions have been developed and obtained good treatment benefits, including mainly immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), adoptive cell therapies (ACT), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and various monoclonal antibodies. In recent years, the tumor-specific features of immune cells are further investigated by various methods, such as using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and the results indicate that these cells have diverse phenotypes in different types of tumors and emerge inconsistent therapeutic responses. Hence, we concluded the recent advances in tumor-infiltrating immune cells, including functions, prognostic values, and various immunotherapy strategies for each immune cell in different tumors.

TGF-β at the crossroads of multiple prognosis in breast cancer, and beyond

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), a pluripotent cytokine and a multifunctional growth factor has a crucial role in varied biological mechanisms like invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, apoptosis, wound healing, and immunosuppression. Moreover, it also has an imperative role both in normal mammary gland development as well as breast carcinogenesis. TGF-β has shown to have a paradoxical role in breast carcinogenesis, by transitioning from a growth inhibitor to a growth promoter with the disease advancement. The inter-communication and crosstalk of TGF-β with different signaling pathways has strengthened the likelihood to explore it as a comprehensive biomarker. In the last two decades, TGF-β has been studied extensively and has been found to be a promising biomarker for early detection, disease monitoring, treatment selection, and tumor progression making it beneficial for disease management. In this review, we focus on the signaling pathways and biological activities of the TGF-β family in breast cancer pathogenesis and its role as a circulatory and independent biomarker for breast cancer progression and metastasis. Moreover, this review highlights TGF-β as a drug target, and the underlying mechanisms through which it is involved in tumorigenesis that will aid in the development of varied therapies targeting the different stages of breast cancer.

Keratin 80 Promotes Migration and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Regulating the TGF-β/SMAD Pathway

Upregulation of keratin 80 (KRT80) expression levels and carcinogenic function has been found in several types of tumors. However, its contribution and mechanism in NSCLC remain to be outlined. In this study, bioinformatic investigation from the TCGA dataset revealed that KRT80 was confirmed to be elevated in human NSCLC tissues. The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot assays disclosed that KRT80 was uplifted in NSCLC cells. Data from CCK-8 and colony formation assays exhibited that depletion of KRT80 restrained NSCLC cell proliferation. Findings from Transwell and Western blot assays illustrated that downregulation of KRT80 inhibited NSCLC cell migration, invasion, and EMT. Further mechanism exploration implied that KRT80 may be included within the regulation of EMT of NSCLC cells by affecting the TGF-β/SMAD pathway. Moreover, depletion of KRT80 attenuated xenograft tumor growth and the expressions of KRT80, Ki-67, and TGFBR1. In conclusion, depletion of KRT80 repressed NSCLC cell proliferation, invasion, and EMT, possibly mediated by the TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway, indicating that KRT80 may be a potentially useful target for NSCLC.

Constructing a Novel Prognostic Signature Based on TGF-β Signaling for Personalized Treatment in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Background

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) shows significantly high mortality. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling plays an important role in tumorigenesis and development. A prognostic model was conducted using transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling for predicting PAAD prognosis and guiding personalized therapies.

Methods

Datasets were grouped into test and training sets. Univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were applied and introduced for identifying prognostic genes associated with TGF-β. Risk score of each sample was calculated by the prognostic model. The difference in survival, clinical information, mutations, pathways, and chemotherapy and immunotherapy sensitivities between high-risk and low-risk groups was analyzed.

Results

Based on TGF-β signaling, this work built a 7-gene prognostic model showing robustness in sample classification into low-risk and high-risk groups with differential prognoses. Oncogenic pathways like glycolysis, Notch signaling, and hypoxia were noticeably enriched in the group with high risk. Interferon and STAT1 were positively associated with risk score. Importantly, the low-risk group may develop a more favorable response to both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The current work highlighted the significant function of TGF-β signaling in PAAD development and described the potential cross-links with other oncogenic pathways.

Conclusion

Notably, the prognostic signature can act as a predictor of prognosis, but as a biomarker for optimizing personalized therapies in clinical practice.

The extracellular matrix alteration, implication in modulation of drug resistance mechanism: friends or foes?

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), having several important roles related to the hallmarks of cancer. In cancer, multiple components of the ECM have been shown to be altered. Although most of these alterations are represented by the increased or decreased quantity of the ECM components, changes regarding the functional alteration of a particular ECM component or of the ECM as a whole have been described. These alterations can be induced by the cancer cells directly or by the TME cells, with cancer-associated fibroblasts being of particular interest in this regard. Because the ECM has this wide array of functions in the tumor, preclinical and clinical studies have assessed the possibility of targeting the ECM, with some of them showing encouraging results. In the present review, we will highlight the most relevant ECM components presenting a comprehensive description of their physical, cellular and molecular properties which can alter the therapy response of the tumor cells. Lastly, some evidences regarding important biological processes were discussed, offering a more detailed understanding of how to modulate altered signalling pathways and to counteract drug resistance mechanisms in tumor cells.

Thymic epithelial tumors: examining the GTF2I mutation and developing a novel prognostic signature with LncRNA pairs to predict tumor recurrence

Background

General transcription factor IIi (GTF2I) mutations are very common in thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) and are related to a more favorable prognosis in TET patients. However, limited research has been conducted on the role of GTF2I in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Further, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been associated with the survival of patients with TETs. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between GTF2I mutations and TIME and build a new potential signature for predicting tumor recurrence in the TETs. Research data was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to evaluate TIME differences between GTF2I mutant and wild-type TETs. Relevant differentially expressed lncRNAs based on differentially expressed immune-related genes were identified to establish lncRNA pairs. We constructed a signature using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.

Results

GTF2I is the most commonly mutated gene in TETs, and is associated with an increased number of early-stage pathological types, as well as no history of myasthenia gravis or radiotherapy treatment. In the GTF2I wild-type group, immune score and immune cell infiltrations with M2 macrophages, activated mast cells, neutrophils, plasma, T helper follicular cells, and activated memory CD4 T cells were higher than the GTF2I mutant group. A risk model was built using five lncRNA pairs, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year area under the curves were 0.782, 0.873, and 0.895, respectively. A higher risk score was related to more advanced histologic type.

Conclusion

We can define the GTF2I mutant-type TET as an immune stable type and the GTF2I wild-type as an immune stressed type. A signature based on lncRNA pairs was also constructed to effectively predict tumor recurrence.

Cytokines as an important player in the context of CAR-T cell therapy for cancer: Their role in tumor immunomodulation, manufacture, and clinical implications

CAR-T cell therapies have been recognized as one of the most advanced and efficient strategies to treat patients with hematologic malignancies. However, similar results have not been observed for the treatment of solid tumors. One of the explanations is the fact that tumors have extremely hostile microenvironments for the infiltration and effector activity of T-cells, mainly due to the presence of highly suppressive cytokines, hypoxia, and reactive oxygen species. Taking advantage of cytokines functionally, new fourth-generation CAR constructs have been developed to target tumor cells and additionally release cytokines that can contribute to the cytotoxicity of T-cells. The manufacturing process, including the use of cytokines in the expansion and differentiation of T cells, is also discussed. Finally, the clinical aspects and the influence of cytokines on the clinical condition of patients, such as cytokine release syndrome, who receive treatment with CAR-T cells are addressed. Therefore, this review aims to highlight how important cytokines are as one of the major players of cell therapy.

microRNA-145-5p inhibits prostate cancer bone metastatic by modulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Objective

To investigate the effects of miRNA-145-5p on the tumor development and progression of prostate cancer (Pca) bone metastasis.

Methods

Levels of miRNA-145-5p were assessed by real-time quantitative PCR in PC3 (bone metastatic Pca cells), 22RV1 (non-metastatic Pca cells), RWPE-1 (non-cancerous prostate epithelial cells) and Pca tissues collected from patients with and without bone metastases. The impact of miRNA-145-5p on cell proliferation was tested by CCK8 assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometric cell cycle analysis. Effects on invasion and migration of PC3 cells were determined by Transwell and wound healing assays. Western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and flow cytometry apoptosis analyses were also performed to assess roles in metastasis.

Results

Levels of miRNA-145-5p were decreased in Pca bone metastases and miRNA-145-5p inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. miRNA-145-5p inhibited the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in PC3 cells. miR-145-5p increased the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9). It was found that miRNA-145-5p mediated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and induced apoptosis.

Conclusions

miRNA-145-5p negatively regulated the EMT, inhibited Pca bone metastasis and promoted apoptosis in Pca bone metastasis. Mimicry of miRNA-145-5p action raises the possibility of a novel target for treating Pca with bone metastases.

Anti-TGF-β1 aptamer enhances therapeutic effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitor, gefitinib, on non-small cell lung cancer in xenograft model

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays crucial pathophysiological roles in various diseases, such as cancer and fibrosis. However, the disease modulation by targeting TGF-β1 isoform remains to be established, regardless of several studies employed with limited antibodies. Here, we developed an RNA aptamer to human active TGF-β1, named APT-β1, and characterized its properties in vitro and in vivo. APT-β1 bound to human and mouse active TGF-β1 proteins with high affinity and specificity and strongly inhibited TGF-β1-induced downstream signaling and cell morphology with 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) values at picomolar concentrations. In a xenograft mouse model of non-small cell lung cancer, APT-β1 alone showed no appreciable effect on tumor growth, while it greatly enhanced the anti-tumor effect of gefitinib, an approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor. These findings strongly suggest that the anti-TGF-β1 medication may be a promising cancer therapy to suppress repopulation of lung cancer in combination with certain anti-cancer drugs, such as gefitinib.

Involvement of microRNAs and their potential diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic role in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 85%-90% of primary liver cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by targeting the 3'UTR of mRNA. Abnormal expression and regulation of miRNAs are involved in the occurrence and progression of HCC, and miRNAs can also play a role in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC as oncogenes or tumor suppressors.

METHODS

In the past decades, a large number of studies have shown that miRNAs play an essential regulatory role in HCC and have potential as biomarkers for HCC. We reviewed the literature to summarize these studies.

RESULTS

By reviewing the literature, we retrospected the roles of miRNAs in the development, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of HCC, and put forward prospects for the further research on miRNAs in the precision treatment of HCC.

CONCLUSION

MicroRNAs are important regulators and biomarkers in the occurrence, progression, outcome, and treatment of HCC, and can provide new targets and strategies for improving the therapeutic effect of HCC.

Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Signaling in Cancer-Induced Cachexia: From Molecular Pathways to the Clinics

Cachexia is a metabolic syndrome consisting of massive loss of muscle mass and function that has a severe impact on the quality of life and survival of cancer patients. Up to 20% of lung cancer patients and up to 80% of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed with cachexia, leading to death in 20% of them. The main drivers of cachexia are cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1/GDF15) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). Besides its double-edged role as a tumor suppressor and activator, TGF-β causes muscle loss through myostatin-based signaling, involved in the reduction in protein synthesis and enhanced protein degradation. Additionally, TGF-β induces inhibin and activin, causing weight loss and muscle depletion, while MIC-1/GDF15, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, leads to anorexia and so, indirectly, to muscle wasting, acting on the hypothalamus center. Against this background, the blockade of TGF-β is tested as a potential mechanism to revert cachexia, and antibodies against TGF-β reduced weight and muscle loss in murine models of pancreatic cancer. This article reviews the role of the TGF-β pathway and to a minor extent of other molecules including microRNA in cancer onset and progression with a special focus on their involvement in cachexia, to enlighten whether TGF-β and such other players could be potential targets for therapy.

Identification of Necroptosis-Related miRNA Signature as a Potential Predictive Biomarker for Prognosis and Immune Status in Colon Adenocarcinoma

Objective

Increasing studies suggest that necroptosis is correlated with tumor progression. And aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression plays a vital role in various tumors. Thus, we are committed to exploring a necroptosis-associated miRNA signature to serve as a prognostic biomarker in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). Data Sources and Methods. In the current study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to download the miRNA and mRNA expression profiles and clinical information of samples. All patients were stochastically assigned to TCGA-train and TCGA-test clusters. Subsequently, we established a prognostic signature comprised of necroptosis-related miRNAs (NR-mis) via LASSO-Cox regression and then developed a nomogram signature composed of the prognostic signature and clinical factors. Corresponding prognostic values were evaluated. Functional analysis, tumor microenvironment (TME), and chemosensitivity of risk subgroups were also identified.

Results

The prognostic signature based on miR-141-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-16-5p, and miR-200a-5p was closely associated with overall survival (OS) of samples and tumor metastasis in COAD. The Area Under Curve (AUC) was 0.605, 0.721, and 0.752 in TCGA-train cluster , 0.661, 0.613, and 0.695 in the TCGA-test cluster at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The C-index for nomogram signature was 0.754. Functional analysis showed the remarkable enrichment of the signature-dependent miRNAs in tumor progression and immune response. And two risk subgroups were correlated with the distinct immune infiltration and immune checkpoints. In addition, the high-risk subgroup is more sensitive to cisplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, and gemcitabine.

Conclusions

Necroptosis-related miRNAs play a crucial role in the prognosis, metastasis, immune status, and drug sensitivity in COAD.

Loss of BTK ameliorates the pathological cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction

Cardiac fibrosis is a common irreversible pathological feature of diverse heart disorders. Uncontrolled cardiac fibrosis contributes to maladaptive cardiac remodeling and eventually heart failure. However, the molecular determinants of ischemic and non-ischemic pathological cardiac fibrosis remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the role of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) in cardiac fibrosis and remodeling of mice under various pathological conditions. BTK expression was increased in myocardium of mice after pressure overload or myocardial infarction (MI). BTK was mainly located in cardiac fibroblasts of myocardium, and its expression in isolated cardiac fibroblasts was also upregulated following TGF-β treatment. The deficiency or pharmacological inhibition of BTK with the second-generation inhibitor Acalabrutinib attenuated cardiac fibrosis, preserved cardiac function and prevented adverse cardiac remodeling, which protected against heart failure in mice following pressure overload or MI. BTK deficiency or inhibitor treatment significantly decreased the expression of pro-fibrotic molecules in isolated cardiac fibroblasts and inhibited the transition of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in response to diverse pathological stresses. BTK directly bound and phosphorylated TGF-β receptor Ⅰ (TβRⅠ) at tyrosine 182, and then promoted the activation of downstream SMAD-dependent or -independent TGF-β signaling, leading to the enhanced transition of fibroblasts to pro-fibrotic myofibroblasts and the excessive extracellular matrix gene expression. Our finding uncovers a driving role of BTK in cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction following pressure overload and MI stress, and highlights novel pathogenic mechanisms in ischemic and non-ischemic maladaptive cardiac remodeling, which presents as a promising target for the development of anti-fibrotic therapy.

Phase separation in Cancer: From the Impacts and Mechanisms to Treatment potentials

Cancer is a public health problem of great concern, and it is also one of the main causes of death in the world. Cancer is a disease characterized by dysregulation of diverse cellular processes, including avoiding growth inhibitory factors, avoiding immune damage and promoting metastasis, etc. However, the precise mechanism of tumorigenesis and tumor progression still needs to be further elucidated. Formations of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) condensates are a common strategy for cells to achieve diverse functions, such as chromatin organization, signal transduction, DNA repair and transcriptional regulation, etc. The biomolecular aggregates formed by LLPS are mainly driven by multivalent weak interactions mediated by intrinsic disordered regions (IDRs) in proteins. In recent years, aberrant phase separations and transition have been reported to be related to the process of various diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Herein, we discussed recent findings that phase separation regulates tumor-related signaling pathways and thus contributes to tumor progression. We also reviewed some tumor virus-associated proteins to regulate the development of virus-associated tumors via phase separation. Finally, we discussed some possible strategies for treating tumors by targeting phase separation.

Self-carried nanodrug (SCND-SIS3): A targeted therapy for lung cancer with superior biocompatibility and immune boosting effects

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a well-known key mediator for the progression and metastasis of lung carcinoma. However, cost-effective anti-TGF-β therapeutics for lung cancer remain to be explored. Specifically, the low efficacy in drug delivery greatly limits the clinical application of small molecular inhibitors of TGF-β. In the present study, specific inhibitor of Smad3 (SIS3) is developed into a self-carried nanodrug (SCND-SIS3) using the reprecipitation method, which largely improves its solubility and bioavailability while reduces its nephrotoxicity. Compared to unmodified-SIS3, SCND-SIS3 demonstrates better anti-cancer effects through inducing tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting angiogenesis, and boosting NK cell-mediated immune responses in syngeneic Lewis Lung Cancer (LLC) mouse model. Better still, it could achieve comparable anti-cancer effect with just one-fifth the dose of unmodified-SIS3. Mechanistically, RNA-sequencing analysis and cytokine array results unveil a TGF-β/Smad3-dependent immunoregulatory landscape in NK cells. In particular, SCND-SIS3 promotes NK cell cytotoxicity by ameliorating Smad3-mediated transcriptional inhibition of Ndrg1. Furthermore, improved NK cell cytotoxicity by SCND-SIS3 is associated with higher expression of activation receptor Nkp46, and suppressed levels of Trib3 and TSP1 as compared with unmodified-SIS3. Taken together, SCND-SIS3 possesses superior anti-cancer effects with enhanced bioavailability and biocompatibility, therefore representing as a novel therapeutic strategy for lung carcinoma with promising clinical potential.

miRNA-338-3p inhibits the migration, invasion and proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting MAP3K2

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-338-3p on the migration, invasion and proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells.

Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was employed to evaluate the function and expression of related genes in lung cancer. Human A549 and NCI-H1299 cells cultured to logarithmic growth stage were assigned to negative control (NC) mimic group, miR-338-3p mimic group (miR-mimic group), NC inhibitor group and miR-338-3p inhibitor group (miR-inhibitor group) treated with or without MAP3K2 overexpression (OE)-lentivirus, or TBHQ or FR180204. Transwell assay, cell colony formation assay, Western blotting and cell-cycle analysis were carried out.

Results: Bioinformatics results manifested that miR-338 and MAP3K2 were involved in LUAD. The expression levels of MAP3K2, p-ERK1/2, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, cyclin A2 and cyclin D1 were increased after addition of miR-338-3p inhibitor, consistent with the raised amount of LUAD cells in migration and invasion experiments and number of colonies formed, as well as the cell cycle, but miR-338-3p mimic reversed these results. Moreover, MAP3K2 overexpression elevated the level of p-ERK1/2. Meanwhile, after treatment with TBHQ or FR180204, the influence of miR-338-3p inhibitor or mimic was also verified.

Conclusions: MiR-338-3p overexpression can modulate the ERK1/2 signaling pathway by targeting MAP3K2, thus inhibiting the migration, invasion and proliferation of human LUAD cells.

Crizotinib attenuates cancer metastasis by inhibiting TGFβ signaling in non-small cell lung cancer cells

Crizotinib is a clinically approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EML4-ALK fusion. Crizotinib was originally developed as an inhibitor of MET (HGF receptor), which is involved in the metastatic cascade. However, little is known about whether crizotinib inhibits tumor metastasis in NSCLC cells. In this study, we found that crizotinib suppressed TGFβ signaling by blocking Smad phosphorylation in an ALK/MET/RON/ROS1-independent manner in NSCLC cells. Molecular docking and in vitro enzyme activity assays showed that crizotinib directly inhibited the kinase activity of TGFβ receptor I through a competitive inhibition mode. Cell tracking, scratch wound, and transwell migration assays showed that crizotinib simultaneously inhibited TGFβ- and HGF-mediated NSCLC cell migration and invasion. In addition, in vivo bioluminescence imaging analysis showed that crizotinib suppressed the metastatic capacity of NSCLC cells. Our results demonstrate that crizotinib attenuates cancer metastasis by inhibiting TGFβ signaling in NSCLC cells. Therefore, our findings will help to advance our understanding of the anticancer action of crizotinib and provide insight into future clinical investigations.

Comprehensive analysis of INHBA: A biomarker for anti-TGFβ treatment in head and neck cancer

Inhibin subunit βA (INHBA) is a protein-coding gene belonging to the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily, which is associated with the development of a variety of cancers. However, the role of INHBA in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) remains unclear. The expression profile and prognostic significance of INHBA in HNSC were assessed using a variety of informatics methods. The level of INHBA expression was significantly higher in patients with HNSC, and it was correlated with sex, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, histological grade, and human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis indicated that poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were significantly associated with INHBA upregulation in HNSC. INHBA overexpression was validated as an independent poor prognostic factor by multivariate Cox regression, and including INHBA expression level in the prognostic model could increase prediction accuracy. In addition, copy number alterations (CNAs) of INHBA and miR-217-5p downregulation are potential mechanisms for elevated INHBA expression in HNSC. In conclusion, INHBA may represent a promising predictive biomarker and candidate target for anti-TGFβ therapy in HNSC.

The role of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer and the potential therapeutic approaches

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) with a high prevalence is recognized as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death globally. Over the past decade, there has been growing interest in the network of tumor cells, stromal cells, immune cells, blood vessel cells, and fibroblasts that comprise the tumor microenvironment (TME) to identify new therapeutic interventions.

METHODS

Databases, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus, were searched to provide an overview of the recent research progress related to targeting the TME as a novel therapeutic approach.

RESULTS

Tumor microenvironment as a result of the cross talk between these cells may result in either advantages or disadvantages in tumor development and metastasis, affecting the signals and responses from the surrounding cells. Whilst chemotherapy has led to an improvement in CRC patients' survival, the metastatic aspect of the disease remains difficult to avoid.

CONCLUSIONS

The present review emphasizes the structure and function of the TME, alterations in the TME, its role in the incidence and progression of CRC, the effects on tumor development and metastasis, and also the potential of its alterations as therapeutic targets. It should be noted that providing novel studies in this field of research might help us to achieve practical therapeutic strategies based on their interaction.

Targeting CLK4 inhibits the metastasis and progression of breast cancer by inactivating TGF-β pathway

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is highly resistant to current therapeutic options. According to the public databases Oncomine and KM plotter, the CLK4 expression is correlated with poor patient survival in TNBC, especially in mesenchymal-like TNBC (MES-TNBC) that has strong metastatic potential. Therefore, we investigated the potential involvement of CLK4 in the metastasis and progression of MES-TNBC. In the MES-TNBC cell lines, the CLK4 expression was elevated. Notably, the RNAi-mediated silencing of CLK4 reduced the expression of multiple epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes that mediate metastasis. Furthermore, CLK4 silencing reduced both the invasive behaviors of the cultured cells and tumor metastasis in the mouse xenograft model. It is also noteworthy that CLK4 silencing repressed the invasive and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties that are induced by the TGF-β signaling. Importantly, the pharmacological inhibition of CLK4 potently repressed the invasion and proliferation of MES-TNBC cell lines and patient-derived cells, which demonstrates its clinical applicability. Collectively, our results suggest that CLK4 plays a crucial role in invasion and proliferation of MES-TNBC, especially in the processes that are induced by TGF-β. Also, this study characterizes CLK4 as a novel therapeutic target in breast cancer.

Progress of tumor-associated macrophages in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor

As a significant public health problem with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, tumor is one of the major diseases endangering human life. Moreover, metastasis is the most important contributor to the death of tumor patients. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an essential biological process in developing primary tumors to metastasis. It underlies tumor progression and metastasis by inducing a series of alterations in tumor cells that confer the ability to move and migrate. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are one of the primary infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and they play an indispensable role in the EMT process of tumor cells by interacting with tumor cells. With the increasing clarity of the relationship between TAMs and EMT and tumor metastasis, targeting TAMs and EMT processes is emerging as a promising target for developing new cancer therapies. Therefore, this paper reviews the recent research progress of tumor-associated macrophages in tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition and briefly discusses the current anti-tumor therapies targeting TAMs and EMT processes.

Construction and validation of a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature as a novel and robust prognostic model for colon adenocarcinoma

Background

Cuproptosis, a newly identified form of programmed cell death, is thought to play a role in tumorigenesis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are reported to be associated with tumor progression and prognosis in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). However, the role and prognostic value of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in COAD remains unknown. This study is devoted to constructing and validating a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature that can predict COAD patient outcomes using bioinformatics methods.

Methods

The COAD mRNA and lncRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and 2,567 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs were obtained. A 10 cuproptosis-related-lncRNA prognostic signature was then constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm and Cox regression model and patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and a nomogram were employed to evaluate the predictive power of the signature. The immune characteristics and drug sensitivity were also investigated based on the signature. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to verify the risk model. In vitro experiments were conducted to validate the expression of the ten lncRNAs during cuproptosis.

Results

The high-risk group was associated with shorter overall survival (OS) time in COAD patients (p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression indicated that a high-risk score was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (p<0.001). ROC curve analysis was performed to confirm the validity of the signature (area under the curve (AUC) at 3 years: 0.879). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that the signature was highly correlated with the immune response in biological processes. The immune function, the score of the immune cells, and the expression of immune checkpoints were significantly different between the two risk groups. Three drugs, LAQ824, FH535, YM155, were found to be more sensitive in the high-risk group. Finally, the expression levels of the ten lncRNAs comprising the signature were tested by qRT-PCR.

Conclusion

A ten-cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature was constructed that provided promising insights into personalized prognosis and drug selection among COAD patients.

Role of papillary thyroid carcinoma patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis: evaluation of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers

PURPOSE

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent subtype of thyroid cancer; Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), autoimmune disease, commonly affects the thyroid gland; there is possibly a correlation between both, but the exact mechanisms that involve this relationship are still under debate. Since oxidative stress (OS) and the inflammatory environment participate in the development of several types of cancer, the objective of the present study was to establish the microenvironment and systemic participation of OS and inflammatory markers in patients with PTC and HT.

METHODS

Blood and tissue samples were collected from 115 patients: BENIGN (n = 63); PTC (n = 27); HT (n = 15) and PTC + HT (n = 10), and sixty-three were samples from healthy individuals (control group).

RESULTS

Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, reduced Glutathione, markers of lipid peroxidation and inflammation were evaluated in blood. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 3-nitrotyrosine, 4-hydroxynonenal, Ki-67 and VEGF. The results indicate that antioxidant enzymes were more active in groups with thyroid disorders compared to control, while the concentration of Reduced glutathione was reduced in BENIGN and PTC groups. When PTC and PTC + HT groups were analyzed, no significant differences were found in relation to the antioxidant defense and inflammatory markers. The ability to contain the induced lipid peroxidation was lower and a high level of malondialdehyde was observed in the PTC group. All immunohistochemical markers had higher scores in the PTC group compared to PTC + HT.

CONCLUSION

There was a more pronounced presence of OS and a greater activity of cell proliferation and angiogenesis markers in PTC than in PTC + HT group.