Mesenchymal stem cells and ovarian cancer: Is there promising news?

EZH2 as a potential therapeutic target for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers continue to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Understanding the molecular pathways associated with cancer progression and severity is essential for creating effective cancer treatments. In cancer research, there is a notable emphasis on Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a key player in gene expression influenced by its irregular expression and capacity to attach to promoters and alter methylation status. This review explores the impact of EZH2 signaling on various GI cancers, such as colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatocellular, esophageal, and cholangiocarcinoma. The primary function of EZH2 signaling is to facilitate the accelerated progression of cancer cells. Additionally, EZH2 has the capacity to modulate the reaction of GI cancers to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Numerous pathways, including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, serve as upstream regulators of EZH2 in these types of cancer. EZH2's enzymatic activity enables it to attach to target gene promoters, resulting in methylation that modifies their expression. EZH2 could be considered as an independent prognostic factor, with increased expression correlating with a worse disease prognosis. Additionally, a range of gene therapies including small interfering RNA, and anti-tumor agents are being explored to target EZH2 for cancer treatment. This comprehensive review underscores the current insights into EZH2 signaling in gastrointestinal cancers and examines the prospect of therapies targeting EZH2 to enhance patient outcomes.

Amniotic Fluid and Placental Membranes as Sources of Stem Cells: Progress and Challenges 2.0

The aim of the second edition of this Special Issue was to collect both review and original research articles that investigate and elucidate the possible therapeutic role of perinatal stem cells in pathological conditions, such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as inflammatory, autoimmune, musculoskeletal, and degenerative diseases [...].

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Microvesicles from Adipose Tissue: Unraveling Their Impact on Primary Ovarian Cancer Cells and Their Therapeutic Opportunities

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their derivatives can be promising tools in oncology including ovarian cancer treatment. This study aimed to determine the effect of HATMSC2-MVs (microvesicles derived from human immortalized mesenchymal stem cells of adipose tissue origin) on the fate and behavior of primary ovarian cancer cells. Human primary ovarian cancer (OvCa) cells were isolated from two sources: post-operative tissue of ovarian cancer and ascitic fluid. The phenotype of cells was characterized using flow cytometry, real-time RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence staining. The effect of HATMSC2-MVs on the biological activity of primary cells was analyzed in 2D (proliferation, migration, and cell survival) and 3D (cell survival) models. We demonstrated that HATMSC2-MVs internalized into primary ovarian cancer cells decrease the metabolic activity and induce the cancer cell death and are leading to decreased migratory activity of tumor cells. The results suggests that the anti-cancer effect of HATMSC2-MVs, with high probability, is contributed by the delivery of molecules that induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (p21, tumor suppressor p53, executor caspase 3) and proapoptotic regulators (bad, BIM, Fas, FasL, p27, TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2), and their presence has been confirmed by apoptotic protein antibody array. In this study, we demonstrate the ability to inhibit primary OvCa cells growth and apoptosis induction after exposure of OvCa cells on HATMSC2-MVs treatment; however, further studies are needed to clarify their anticancer activities.