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Tan C, Li Y, Wang K, Lin Y, Chen Y, Zheng X. Causal roles and clinical utility of cardiovascular proteins in colorectal cancer risk: a multi-modal study integrating mendelian randomization, expression profiling, and survival analysis. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:138. [PMID: 38778378 PMCID: PMC11110250 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01909-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This comprehensive investigation delved into the intricate causal interplay existing between cardiovascular-related plasma proteins and the susceptibility to colorectal cancer, leveraging the robust framework of Mendelian randomization, and employed expression profiling and survival analysis to unravel the latent clinical worth embedded within pertinent gene expressions. METHODS Protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) of 85 cardiovascular proteins were employed as instrumental variables to investigate the causal relationship between proteins and CRC risk using a Mendelian randomization approach. Causal inferences were graded as strong, intermediate or weak based on statistical checks. Drug-target MR examined VEGF receptors for their potential as therapeutic targets for colorectal cancer. Differential expression analysis, diagnostic ROC curves, and survival analyses were performed for identified proteins using RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) colorectal cancer cohort. RESULTS Using cis-pQTLs, LOX-1, VEGF-A and OPG were associated with increased CRC risk (strong evidence), while PTX3, TNF-R2 and MMP-7 were protective (strong evidence). Pan-pQTL analysis found MMP-10 increased risk (intermediate evidence) and ADM increased risk (weak evidence). Drug-target MR found VEGF R1 may be promising therapeutic targets. Differential expression analysis revealed seven genes encoding the identified proteins were dysregulated in tumors. ROC analysis showed five gene expression had high diagnostic accuracy. KM analysis showed four genes had prognostic value. CONCLUSIONS This large-scale MR study implicates several cardiovascular proteins in CRC susceptibility and progression. Findings highlight roles for VEGF signaling and extracellular matrix regulation. Results nominate specific proteins as potential diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlei Tan
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Yanhua Li
- General Practice Department at the Second Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 318 Chaowang Road, Hangzhou, 310005, Zhejiang, P. R. China.
| | - Kexin Wang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Ying Lin
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Yu Chen
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Xuebao Zheng
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548 Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, P. R. China
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Andrade AAR, Pauli F, Pressete CG, Zavan B, Hanemann JAC, Miyazawa M, Fonseca R, Caixeta ES, Nacif JLM, Aissa AF, Barreiro EJ, Ionta M. Antiproliferative Activity of N-Acylhydrazone Derivative on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Involves Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Required for G2/M Transition. Biomedicines 2024; 12:892. [PMID: 38672246 PMCID: PMC11048582 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in males. It is estimated that approximately one million deaths will occur by 2030 due to hepatic cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver cancer subtype and is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage. The drug arsenal used in systemic therapy for HCC is very limited. Multikinase inhibitors sorafenib (Nexavar®) and lenvatinib (Lenvima®) have been used as first-line drugs with modest therapeutic effects. In this scenario, it is imperative to search for new therapeutic strategies for HCC. Herein, the antiproliferative activity of N-acylhydrazone derivatives was evaluated on HCC cells (HepG2 and Hep3B), which were chemically planned on the ALL-993 scaffold, a potent inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor 2 (VEGFR2). The substances efficiently reduced the viability of HCC cells, and the LASSBio-2052 derivative was the most effective. Further, we demonstrated that LASSBio-2052 treatment induced FOXM1 downregulation, which compromises the transcriptional activation of genes required for G2/M transition, such as AURKA and AURKB, PLK1, and CDK1. In addition, LASSBio-2052 significantly reduced CCNB1 and CCND1 expression in HCC cells. Our findings indicate that LASSBio-2052 is a promising prototype for further in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernanda Pauli
- Institute of Chemistry, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-140, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carolina Girotto Pressete
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Bruno Zavan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | | | - Marta Miyazawa
- School of Dentistry, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil
| | - Rafael Fonseca
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Ester Siqueira Caixeta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | | | - Alexandre Ferro Aissa
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
| | - Eliezer J. Barreiro
- Laboratory of Evaluation and Synthesis of Bioactive Substances (LASSBio), Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marisa Ionta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil (A.F.A.)
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Melo ML, Fonseca R, Pauli F, Zavan B, Hanemann JAC, Miyazawa M, Caixeta ES, Nacif JLM, Aissa AF, Barreiro EJ, Ionta M. N-acylhydrazone derivative modulates cell cycle regulators promoting mitosis arrest and apoptosis in estrogen positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2023; 93:105686. [PMID: 37652252 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide. About 75% of all diagnosed cases are hormone-positive, which are treated with hormone therapy. However, many patients are refractory or become resistant to the drugs used in therapeutic protocols. In this scenario, it is essential to identify new substances with pharmacological potential against breast cancer. VEGFR2 inhibitors are considered promising antitumor agents not only due to their antiangiogenic activity but also by inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of N-acylhydrazone derivative LASSBio-2029 on the proliferative behavior of MCF-7 cells. We observed a promising antitumor potential of this substance due to its ability to modulate critical cell cycle regulators including mitotic kinases (CDK1, AURKA, AURKB, and PLK1) and CDK inhibitor (CDKN1A). Increased frequencies of abnormal mitosis and apoptotic cells were observed in response to treatment. A molecular docking analysis predicts that LASSBio-2029 could bind to the proto-oncoprotein ABL1, which participates in cell cycle control, interacting with other controller proteins and regulating centrosome-associated tubulins. Finally, we created a gene signature with the downregulated genes, whose reduced expression is associated with a higher relapse-free survival probability in breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Lúcia Melo
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, MG 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Rafael Fonseca
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, MG 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Pauli
- Institute of Chemistry, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, RJ 24020-140, Brazil
| | - Bruno Zavan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, MG 37130-001, Brazil
| | - João Adolfo Costa Hanemann
- Department of Clinic and Surgery, School of Dentistry. Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, MG, Brazil
| | - Marta Miyazawa
- Department of Clinic and Surgery, School of Dentistry. Federal University of Alfenas, 37130-001, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alexandre Ferro Aissa
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, MG 37130-001, Brazil.
| | - Eliezer J Barreiro
- Laboratory of Evaluation and Synthesis of Bioactive Substances (LASSBio), Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Marisa Ionta
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, MG 37130-001, Brazil.
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Liu XJ, Zhao HC, Hou SJ, Zhang HJ, Cheng L, Yuan S, Zhang LR, Song J, Zhang SY, Chen SW. Recent development of multi-target VEGFR-2 inhibitors for the cancer therapy. Bioorg Chem 2023; 133:106425. [PMID: 36801788 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Vascular epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), as an important tyrosine transmembrane protein, plays an important role in regulating endothelial cell proliferation and migration, regulating angiogenesis and other biological functions. VEGFR-2 is aberrantly expressed in many malignant tumors, and it is also related to the occurrence, development, and growth of tumors and drug resistance. Currently, there are nine VEGFR-2 targeted inhibitors approved by US.FDA for clinical use as anticancer drugs. Due to the limited clinical efficacy and potential toxicity of VEGFR inhibitors, it is necessary to develop new strategies to improve the clinical efficacy of VEGFR inhibitors. The development of multitarget therapy, especially dual-target therapy, has become a hot research field of cancer therapy, which may provide an effective strategy with higher therapeutic efficacy, pharmacokinetic advantages and low toxicity. Many groups have reported that the therapeutic effects could be improved by simultaneously inhibiting VEGFR-2 and other targets, such as EGFR, c-Met, BRAF, HDAC, etc. Therefore, VEGFR-2 inhibitors with multi-targeting capabilities have been considered to be promising and effective anticancer agents for cancer therapy. In this work, we reviewed the structure and biological functions of VEGFR-2, and summarized the drug discovery strategies, and inhibitory activities of VEGFR-2 inhibitors with multi-targeting capabilities reported in recent years. This work might provide the reference for the development of VEGFR-2 inhibitors with multi-targeting capabilities as novel anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiu-Juan Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hong-Cheng Zhao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443003, China
| | - Su-Juan Hou
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Hao-Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shuo Yuan
- Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou 450018, China
| | - Li-Rong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Sai-Yang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Shi-Wu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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Wang K, Chen Q, Liu N, Zhang J, Pan X. Recent advances in, and challenges of, anti-angiogenesis agents for tumor chemotherapy based on vascular normalization. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:2743-2753. [PMID: 34332098 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A major problem associated with cancer treatment is resistance-prone chemotherapeutic drugs. An increasing number of studies have documented that the occurrence of resistance tends to be associated with abnormal blood vessels. In 2001, Jain proposed the vascular normalization theory, which was recently applied to the drug-resistant treatment of tumors in the clinic. Through the intervention of angiogenesis inhibitors, remodeling the structure and function of abnormal vessels can maximize the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. In this review, we systematically describe the occurrence and progress of tumor angiogenesis, as well as the pathological characteristics of tumor blood vessels. Moreover, druggable targets for vascular normalization and the development of related inhibitors are also outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Qinhua Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Baoan Authentic TCM Therapy Hospital, Shenzhen 518101, China
| | - Nanxin Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaoyan Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
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