Flourishing tumor organoids: History, emerging technology, and application

Smart delivery vehicles for cancer: categories, unique roles and therapeutic strategies

Chemotherapy and surgery remain the primary treatment modalities for cancers; however, these techniques have drawbacks, such as cancer recurrence and toxic side effects, necessitating more efficient cancer treatment strategies. Recent advancements in research and medical technology have provided novel insights and expanded our understanding of cancer development; consequently, scholars have investigated several delivery vehicles for cancer therapy to improve the efficiency of cancer treatment and patient outcomes. Herein, we summarize several types of smart therapeutic carriers and elaborate on the mechanism underlying drug delivery. We reveal the advantages of smart therapeutic carriers for cancer treatment, focus on their effectiveness in cancer immunotherapy, and discuss the application of smart cancer therapy vehicles in combination with other emerging therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Finally, we summarize the bottlenecks encountered in the development of smart cancer therapeutic vehicles and suggest directions for future research. This review will promote progress in smart cancer therapy and facilitate related research.

Applications and evolution of 3D cancer-immune cell models

Understanding the highly complex tumor-immune landscape is an important goal for developing novel immune therapies for solid cancers. To this end, 3D cancer-immune models have emerged as patient-relevant in vitro tools for modeling the tumor-immune landscape and the cellular interactions within it. In this review, we provide an overview of the components and applications of 3D cancer-immune models and discuss their evolution from 2015 to 2023. Specifically, we observe trends in primary cell-sourced, T cell-based complex models used for therapy evaluation and biological discovery. Finally, we describe the challenges of implementing 3D cancer-immune models and the opportunities for maximizing their potential for deciphering the complex tumor-immune microenvironment and identifying novel, clinically relevant drug targets.

Deciphering two decades of cellular reprogramming in cancer: A bibliometric analysis of evolving trends and research frontiers

Recent research has reevaluated the traditional view of cancer's linear progression and recurrence by introducing cellular reprogramming a process in which cancer cells can their state under certain conditions. This change is driven by a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors, with pivotal roles played by key genes, and pathways, notably Wnt and Notch. The complexity of cancer's behavior is further influenced by factors such as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and therapy-induced stress, both of which are significant contributors to cancer recurrence. In this context bibliometric analysis emerges as a crucial tool for evaluating the impacts and trends within scientific literature. Our study utilized bibliometrics to analysis the role of cellular reprogramming oncology over the past two decades, highlighting its potential to improve cancer treatment outcomes. In conducting this analysis, we searched for literature search on cellular reprogramming (CR) in the Web of Science database, covering the years 2002-2022. We employed visualization tools like Citespace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix to analyze the collected data resulting in a dataset of 3102 articles. The United States and China emerged as leading contributors to this field, with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center being the most prolific institution. Menendez was the most influential scholar in this research domain. Cancers was the journal with the most publications on this subject. The most local-cited document was the article titled "Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation". A comprehensive analysis has been conducted based on keywords and cited references. In recent years, the research emphasis has shifted to "extracellular vesicles," "cancer therapy," and "cellular plasticity". Therefore, this analysis uses bibliometrics to chart cutting-edge progress in cancer's cellular reprogramming, aiding experts to quickly understand and innovate in this crucial area.

p20BAP31 promotes cell apoptosis via interaction with GRP78 and activating the PERK pathway in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Although various treatments for CRC have made progress, they have limitations. Therefore, the search for new effective molecular targets is important for the treatment of CRC. p20BAP31 induces apoptosis through diverse pathways and exhibits greater sensitivity in CRC. Therefore, a comprehensive exploration of the molecular functions of p20BAP31 is important for its application in anti-tumor therapy. In this study, we showed that exogenous p20BAP31 was still located in the ER and significantly activated the unfolded protein response (UPR) through the PERK pathway. The activation of the PERK pathway is prominent in p20BAP31-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and apoptosis. We found, for the first time, that p20BAP31 leads to ER stress and markedly attenuates tumor cell growth in vivo. Importantly, mechanistic investigations indicated that p20BAP31 competitively binds to GRP78 from PERK and causes hyperactivation of the UPR. Furthermore, p20BAP31 upregulates the expression of GRP78 by promoting HSF1 nuclear translocation and enhancing its binding to the GRP78 promoter. These findings reveal p20BAP31 as a regulator of ER stress and a potential target for tumor therapy, and elucidate the underlying mechanism by which p20BAP31 mediates signal transduction between ER and mitochondria.

Hydrogel/microcarrier cell scaffolds for rapid expansion of satellite cells from large yellow croakers: Differential analysis between 2D and 3D cell culture

Cell culture meat is based on the scaled-up expansion of seed cells. The biological differences between seed cells from large yellow croakers in the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems have not been explored. Here, satellite cells (SCs) from large yellow croakers (Larimichthys crocea) were grown on cell climbing slices, hydrogels, and microcarriers for five days to analyze the biological differences of SCs on different cell scaffolds. The results exhibited that SCs had different cell morphologies in 2D and 3D cultures. Cell adhesion receptors (Itgb1andsdc4) and adhesion spot markervclof the 3D cultures were markedly expressed. Furthermore, myogenic decision markers (Pax7andmyod) were significantly enhanced. However, the expression of myogenic differentiation marker (desmin) was significantly increased in the microcarrier group. Combined with the transcriptome data, this suggests that cell adhesion of SCs in 3D culture was related to the integrin signaling pathway. In contrast, the slight spontaneous differentiation of SCs on microcarriers was associated with rapid cell proliferation. This study is the first to report the biological differences between SCs in 2D and 3D cultures, providing new perspectives for the rapid expansion of cell culture meat-seeded cells and the development of customized scaffolds.

Nanostructured Biomaterials in 3D Tumor Tissue Engineering Scaffolds: Regenerative Medicine and Immunotherapies

The evaluation of nanostructured biomaterials and medicines is associated with 2D cultures that provide insight into biological mechanisms at the molecular level, while critical aspects of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are provided by the study of animal xenograft models. More realistic models that can histologically reproduce human tumors are provided by tissue engineering methods of co-culturing cells of varied phenotypes to provide 3D tumor spheroids that recapitulate the dynamic TME in 3D matrices. The novel approaches of creating 3D tumor models are combined with tumor tissue engineering (TTE) scaffolds including hydrogels, bioprinted materials, decellularized tissues, fibrous and nanostructured matrices. This review focuses on the use of nanostructured materials in cancer therapy and regeneration, and the development of realistic models for studying TME molecular and immune characteristics. Tissue regeneration is an important aspect of TTE scaffolds used for restoring the normal function of the tissues, while providing cancer treatment. Thus, this article reports recent advancements in the development of 3D TTE models for antitumor drug screening, studying tumor metastasis, and tissue regeneration. Also, this review identifies the significant opportunities of using 3D TTE scaffolds in the evaluation of the immunological mechanisms and processes involved in the application of immunotherapies.

Developing hydrogels for gene therapy and tissue engineering

Hydrogels are a class of highly absorbent and easily modified polymer materials suitable for use as slow-release carriers for drugs. Gene therapy is highly specific and can overcome the limitations of traditional tissue engineering techniques and has significant advantages in tissue repair. However, therapeutic genes are often affected by cellular barriers and enzyme sensitivity, and carrier loading of therapeutic genes is essential. Therapeutic gene hydrogels can well overcome these difficulties. Moreover, gene-therapeutic hydrogels have made considerable progress. This review summarizes the recent research on carrier gene hydrogels for the treatment of tissue damage through a summary of the most current research frontiers. We initially introduce the classification of hydrogels and their cross-linking methods, followed by a detailed overview of the types and modifications of therapeutic genes, a detailed discussion on the loading of therapeutic genes in hydrogels and their characterization features, a summary of the design of hydrogels for therapeutic gene release, and an overview of their applications in tissue engineering. Finally, we provide comments and look forward to the shortcomings and future directions of hydrogels for gene therapy. We hope that this article will provide researchers in related fields with more comprehensive and systematic strategies for tissue engineering repair and further promote the development of the field of hydrogels for gene therapy.

Engineered cell membrane-coated nanoparticles based cancer therapy: A robust weapon against the lethal and challenging hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become an important public health problem, and there are still challenges to overcome in clinical treatment. The nanodrug delivery system (NDDS) has developed tremendously in recent years, and many researchers have explored NDDS for the treatment of HCC. Engineered cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (ECNPs) have emerged, combining the unique functions of cell membranes with the engineering versatility of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs) to effectively deliver therapeutic drugs. It is designed to have the capabilities: specific active targeting, immune evasion, prolonging the circulation blood time, controlled drug release delivery, and reducing drugs systematic toxicity. Thus, ECNPs are a promising bionic tool in the treatment of HCC and have operability to achieve combination and integrated therapy. This review focuses on the mechanism and strategy of ECNPs for the treatment of HCC and summarizes its research progress in the treatment of HCC in recent years.

Current Advances in the Use of Tissue Engineering for Cancer Metastasis Therapeutics

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and results in nearly 10 million deaths each year. The global economic burden of cancer from 2020 to 2050 is estimated to be USD 25.2 trillion. The spread of cancer to distant organs through metastasis is the leading cause of death due to cancer. However, as of today, there is no cure for metastasis. Tissue engineering is a promising field for regenerative medicine that is likely to be able to provide rehabilitation procedures to patients who have undergone surgeries, such as mastectomy and other reconstructive procedures. Another important use of tissue engineering has emerged recently that involves the development of realistic and robust in vitro models of cancer metastasis, to aid in drug discovery and new metastasis therapeutics, as well as evaluate cancer biology at metastasis. This review covers the current studies in developing tissue-engineered metastasis structures. This article reports recent developments in in vitro models for breast, prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancer. The review also identifies challenges and opportunities in the use of tissue engineering toward new, clinically relevant therapies that aim to reduce the cancer burden.

Exploring Prognostic Immune Microenvironment-Related Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma from the TCGA Database

Purpose: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a high rate of local and distant metastases. In tumor tissues, the interaction between tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME) is closely related to cancer development and prognosis. Therefore, screening for TME-related genes in HNSCC is crucial for understanding metastatic patterns. Methods: Our research relied mainly on a novel algorithm called Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumors using Expression data (ESTIMATE). Fragments Per Kilobase of exon model per Million mapped fragments (FPKM) data and HNSCC clinical data were obtained from the TCGA database, and the purity of HNSCC tissue and the features of stromal and immune cell infiltration were determined. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened based on immune, stromal, and ESTIMATE scores, and their protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and ClueGO functions were evaluated. Finally, the expression profiles of DEGs related to immunity in HNSCC were determined. Differential gene expression was verified in the highly invasive oral cancer cell lines (SCC-25, CAL-27, and FaDu) and oral cancer tissues. Results: Our analysis found that both the immune and ESTIMATE scores were significantly associated with the prognosis of HNSCC. Moreover, cross-validation using the Venn algorithm revealed that 433 genes were significantly upregulated, and 394 genes were significantly downregulated. All DEGs were associated with both ESTIMATE and immune scores. The enrichment of cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions and chemokine signaling pathways was observed using pathway enrichment analyses. We initially screened 25 genes after analyzing the key sub-networks of the PPI network. Survival analysis revealed the significance of CCR4, CXCR3, P2RY14, CCR2, CCR8, and CCL19 in relation to survival and their association with immune infiltration-related metastasis in HNSCC. Conclusions: The expression profiles of relevant TME-related genes were screened following stromal and immune cell scoring using ESTIMATE, and DEGs associated with survival were identified. These TME-related gene markers offer valuable utility as both prognostic indicators and markers denoting metastatic traits in HNSCC.

Construction of intelligent drug delivery system based on polysaccharide-derived polymer micelles: A review

Micelles are nanostructures developed via the spontaneous assembly of amphiphilic polymers in aqueous systems, which possess the advantages of high drug stability or active-ingredient solubilization, targeted transport, controlled release, high bioactivity, and stability. Polysaccharides have excellent water solubility, biocompatibility, and degradability, and can be modified to achieve a hydrophobic core to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs, improve drug biocompatibility, and achieve regulated delivery of the loaded drug. Micelles drug delivery systems based on polysaccharides and their derivatives show great potential in the biomedical field. This review discusses the principles of self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers and the formation of micelles; the preparation of amphiphilic polysaccharides is described in detail, and an overview of common polysaccharides and their modifications is provided. We focus on the review of strategies for encapsulating drugs in polysaccharide-derived polymer micelles (PDPMs) and building intelligent drug delivery systems. This review provides new research directions that will help promote future research and development of PDPMs in the field of drug carriers.

Revolutionizing digestive system tumor organoids research: Exploring the potential of tumor organoids

Digestive system tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite ongoing research, our understanding of their mechanisms and treatment remain inadequate. One promising tool for clinical applications is the use of gastrointestinal tract tumor organoids, which serve as an important in vitro model. Tumor organoids exhibit a genotype similar to the patient's tumor and effectively mimic various biological processes, including tissue renewal, stem cell, and ecological niche functions, and tissue response to drugs, mutations, or injury. As such, they are valuable for drug screening, developing novel drugs, assessing patient outcomes, and supporting immunotherapy. In addition, innovative materials and techniques can be used to optimize tumor organoid culture systems. Several applications of digestive system tumor organoids have been described and have shown promising results in related aspects. In this review, we discuss the current progress, limitations, and prospects of this model for digestive system tumors.

Inhibition of autophagy enhances the anticancer effect of Schisandrin B on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most common malignant tumors worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Autophagy regulation has been proposed as a possible treatment option for HNSCC. Schisandrin B (Sch B) exerts anticancer effects by regulating apoptosis and autophagy, but the anticancer effect of Sch B in HNSCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Sch B on human Cal27 HNSCC cells and to further reveal its potential regulatory mechanisms. The anticancer effect of Sch B was evaluated in vitro by flow cytometry, clonogenic assays, and Western blot analysis. The regulatory mechanism of Sch B-induced apoptosis and autophagy was further explored by polymerase chain reaction, luciferase assay, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection. The results showed that Sch B significantly induced apoptosis and autophagy in Cal27 cells and that inhibition of autophagy enhanced the apoptotic effect of Sch B on Cal27 cells. Additionally, Sch B-activated autophagy in Cal27 cells was dependent on the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, and ROS acted as a regulator of the NF-B pathway. N-acetylcysteine, a scavenger of ROS, inhibited Sch B-dependent autophagy via the NF-κB pathway. Based on the results, Sch B is a potential therapeutic agent for HNSCC and activates the NF-κB pathway by increasing ROS production, which subsequently promotes autophagy in HNSCC cells. Therefore, the strategy of enhancing the anticancer effect of Sch B by inhibiting autophagy deserves further attention.