Active autophagy in cancer-associated fibroblasts: Recent advances in understanding the novel mechanism of tumor progression and therapeutic response

Determining the Mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction for Gastric Cancer Treatment through Network Analysis and Experimental Validation

Gastric cancer (GC) is a widespread malignancy. Banxia Xiexin decoction (BXD) has been used for GC treatment, but the specific mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain controversial. This study used a comprehensive approach to network pharmacology combined with experimental validation to elucidate the mechanism of BXD's anti-GC effects. Initially, we used the UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS/MS technology to identify the main chemical constituents of BXD, as well as potential targets associated with these constituents. Then, we employed the Genecard and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) to determine the targets specifically related to GC. We employed a combination of Gene Ontology (GO), the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, and protein-protein interaction analysis to predict the crucial targets of BXD and uncover the pathways involved in its therapeutic effects against GC. The results were subsequently verified through cell experiments. The analysis revealed 174 common targets shared by BXD and GC. GO enrichment analysis highlighted biological processes, such as autophagy, protein kinase activity, and apoptosis. Moreover, the enrichment analysis revealed several significant pathways that serve as the primary mechanisms by which BXD exerts its effects. Notably, these pathways include PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, and Pathways in cancer. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that BXD effectively hindered GC cell proliferation, stimulated autophagy, and facilitated apoptosis by PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway regulation. These findings reveal the effectiveness of BXD against GC through diverse components, targets, and pathways, indicating that BXD holds potential therapeutic value in GC treatment. This study uncovers the intricate biological mechanisms that underlie BXD's efficacy in treating GC through the integration of network pharmacology analysis and rigorous in vitro experiments.

PDGF-BB accelerates TSCC via fibroblast lactates limiting miR-26a-5p and boosting mitophagy

The tumor microenvironment and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play crucial roles in tumor development, and their metabolic coupling remains unclear. Clinical data showed a positive correlation between PDGF-BB, CAFs, and glycolysis in the tumor microenvironment of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma patients. In vitro, CAFs are derived from hOMF cells treated with PDGF-BB, which induces their formation and promotes aerobic glycolysis. Mitophagy increased the PDGF-BB-induced formation of CAF phenotypes and aerobic glycolysis, while autophagy inhibition blocked PDGF-BB-induced effects. Downregulation of miR-26a-5p was observed in CAFs; upregulation of miR-26a-5p inhibited the expression of mitophagy-related proteins ULKI, Parkin, PINK1, and LC3 and aerobic glycolysis in PDGF-BB-induced CAFs. PDGF-BB-induced CAFs promoted tumor cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, NF-κB signaling pathway activation, and PDGF-BB secretion. Thus, PDGF-BB is associated with lactate-induced CAF formation and glucose metabolism reprogramming. These findings indicate potential therapeutic targets in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

The Prognosis of Cancer Depends on the Interplay of Autophagy, Apoptosis, and Anoikis within the Tumor Microenvironment

Within the tumor microenvironment, the fight between the immune system and cancer influences tumor transformation. Metastasis formation is an important stage in the progression of cancer. This process is aided by cellular detachment and resistance to anoikis, which are achieved by altering intercellular signaling. Autophagy, specifically pro-survival autophagy, aids cancer cells in developing treatment resistance. Numerous studies have shown that autophagy promotes tumor growth and resistance to anoikis. To regulate protective autophagy, cancer-related genes phosphorylate both pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. Apoptosis, a type of controlled cell death, eliminates damaged or unwanted cells. Anoikis is a type of programmed cell death in which cells lose contact with the extracellular matrix. The dysregulation of these cellular pathways promotes tumor growth and spread. Apoptosis, anoikis, and autophagy interact meticulously and differently depending on the cellular circumstances. For instance, autophagy can protect cancer cells from apoptosis by removing cellular components that are damaged and might otherwise trigger apoptotic pathways. Similarly, anoikis dysregulation can trigger autophagy by causing cellular harm and metabolic stress. In order to prevent or treat metastatic disease, specifically, targeting these cellular mechanisms may present a promising prospect for cancer therapy. This review discourses the state of our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tumor transformation and the establishment of metastatic tumors. To enhance the prognosis for cancer, we highlight and discuss potential therapeutic approaches that target these processes and genes involved in them.

The "Self-eating" of cancer-associated fibroblast: A potential target for cancer

Autophagy helps maintain energy homeostasis and protect cells from stress effects by selectively removing misfolded/polyubiquitylated proteins, lipids, and damaged mitochondria. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are cellular components of tumor microenvironment (TME). Autophagy in CAFs inhibits tumor development in the early stages; however, it has a tumor-promoting effect in advanced stages. In this review, we aimed to summarize the modulators responsible for the induction of autophagy in CAFs, such as hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, mitochondrial stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In addition, we aimed to present autophagy-related signaling pathways in CAFs, and role of autophagy in CAF activation, tumor progression, tumor immune microenvironment. Autophagy in CAFs may be an emerging target for tumor therapy. In summary, autophagy in CAFs is regulated by a variety of modulators and can reshape tumor immune microenvironment, affecting tumor progression and treatment.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote malignant phenotypes of prostate cancer cells via autophagy : Cancer-associated fibroblasts promote prostate cancer development

Dysregulation of autophagy in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) has been demonstrated to play a role in malignant phenotypes of human tumors. We intended to investigate the function of CAFs autophagy in prostate cancer (PCa). Firstly, CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated from cancerous and adjacent normal tissues of PCa patients, for the following experimental preparation. In comparison with NFs, CAFs expressed higher levels of the myofibroblast marker ?-smooth muscle actin (?-SMA) and the mesenchymal marker Vimentin. Besides, CAFs possessed a higher autophagic level than NFs. As for malignant phenotypes, PCa cells co-cultured with CAFs-CM showed greater proliferation, migration and invasion capabilities, while these outcomes were obviously abolished by autophagy inhibition with 3-Methyladenine (3-MA). Moreover, silencing of ATG5 in CAFs inhibited fibroblasts autophagic level and suppressed malignant phenotypes of PCa cells, while ATG5 overexpression in NFs exerted opposite effects. Depletion of ATG5 in CAFs inhibited the xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis of PCa cells. Taken together, our data demonstrated the promotive effect of CAFs on PCa malignant phenotypes through ATG5-dependent autophagy, suggesting a novel mechanism for PCa progression.

The role of angiogenesis in melanoma: Clinical treatments and future expectations

The incidence of melanoma has increased rapidly over the past few decades, with mortality accounting for more than 75% of all skin cancers. The high metastatic potential of Melanoma is an essential factor in its high mortality. Vascular angiogenic system has been proved to be crucial for the metastasis of melanoma. An in-depth understanding of angiogenesis will be of great benefit to melanoma treatment and may promote the development of melanoma therapies. This review summarizes the recent advances and challenges of anti-angiogenic agents, including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, human recombinant Endostatin, and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We hope to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms, clinical research progress, and future research directions of melanoma.

Targeting the tumor stroma for cancer therapy

Tumors are comprised of both cancer cells and surrounding stromal components. As an essential part of the tumor microenvironment, the tumor stroma is highly dynamic, heterogeneous and commonly tumor-type specific, and it mainly includes noncellular compositions such as the extracellular matrix and the unique cancer-associated vascular system as well as a wide variety of cellular components including activated cancer-associated fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells, pericytes. All these elements operate with each other in a coordinated fashion and collectively promote cancer initiation, progression, metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Over the past few decades, numerous studies have been conducted to study the interaction and crosstalk between stromal components and neoplastic cells. Meanwhile, we have also witnessed an exponential increase in the investigation and recognition of the critical roles of tumor stroma in solid tumors. A series of clinical trials targeting the tumor stroma have been launched continually. In this review, we introduce and discuss current advances in the understanding of various stromal elements and their roles in cancers. We also elaborate on potential novel approaches for tumor-stroma-based therapeutic targeting, with the aim to promote the leap from bench to bedside.

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: A Genetic Update and Future Perspectives

Simple Summary

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the main type of cancer in the Caucasian population, and the number of cases continues to rise. Research mostly focuses on clinical characteristics analysis, but genetic features are crucial to malignancies’ establishment and advance. We aim to explore the genetic basics of skin cancer, surrounding microenvironment interactions, and regulation mechanisms to provide a broader perspective for new therapies’ development.

Abstract

Skin cancer is one of the main types of cancer worldwide, and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most frequent within this group. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the most common types. Multifactorial features are well-known for cancer development, and new hallmarks are gaining relevance. Genetics and epigenetic regulation play an essential role in cancer susceptibility and progression, as well as the variety of cells and molecules that interact in the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we provide an update on the genetic features of NMSC, candidate genes, and new therapies, considering diverse perspectives of skin carcinogenesis. The global health situation and the pandemic have been challenging for health care systems, especially in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer. We provide innovative approaches to overcome the difficulties in the current clinical dynamics.

The dual role of neutrophils in cancer

For the past decade, the role and importance of neutrophils in cancer is being increasingly appreciated. Research has focused on the ability of cancer-related neutrophils to either support tumor growth or interfere with it, showing diverse mechanisms through which the effects of neutrophils take place. In contrast to the historic view of neutrophils as terminally differentiated cells, mounting evidence has demonstrated that neutrophils are a plastic and diverse population of cells. These dynamic and plastic abilities allow them to perform varied and sometimes opposite functions simultaneously. In this review, we summarize and detail clinical and experimental evidence for, and underlying mechanisms of, the dual impact of neutrophils' functions, both supporting and inhibiting cancer development. We first discuss the effects of various basic functions of neutrophils, namely direct cytotoxicity, secretion of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and proteases, NETosis, autophagy and modulation of other immune cells, on tumor growth and metastatic progression. We then describe the clinical evidence for pro- vs anti-tumor functions of neutrophils in human cancer. We believe and show that the "net" impact of neutrophils in cancer is the sum of a complex balance between contradicting effects which occur simultaneously.

Identification of an Autophagy-Related lncRNA Prognostic Signature and Related Tumor Immunity Research in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Autophagy is closely associated with the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). In the present study, we established a signature on the basis of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) related to autophagy (ARlncRNAs) to investigate the TIME and survival of patients with LUAD. We selected ARlncRNAs associated with prognosis to construct a model and divided each sample into different groups on the basis of risk score. The ARlncRNA signature could be recognized as an independent prognostic factor for patients with LUAD, and patients in the low-risk group had a greater survival advantage. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis suggested that several immune functions and pathways were enriched in different groups. A high-risk score correlated significantly negatively with high abundance of immune cells and stromal cells around the tumor and high tumor mutational burden. Low-risk patients had a higher PD-1, CTLA-4, and HAVCR2 expression and had a better efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including PD-1/CTLA-4 inhibitor. A reliable signature on the basis of ARlncRNAs was constructed to explore the TIME and prognosis of patients with LUAD, which could provide valuable information for individualized LUAD treatment.