MiR-1246 is responsible for lung cancer cells-derived exosomes-mediated promoting effects on lung cancer stemness via targeting TRIM17

A Review: Surface Engineering of Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems

This review explores the evolution of lipid-based nanoparticles (LBNPs) for drug delivery (DD). Herein, LBNPs are classified into liposomes and cell membrane-based nanoparticles (CMNPs), each with unique advantages and challenges. Conventional LBNPs possess drawbacks such as poor targeting, quick clearance, and limited biocompatibility. One of the possible alternatives to overcome these challenges is surface modification of nanoparticles (NPs) with materials such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), aptamers, antibody fragments, peptides, CD44, hyaluronic acid, folic acid, palmitic acid, and lactoferrin. Thus, the main focus of this review will be on the different surface modifications that enable LBNPs to have beneficial properties for DD, such as enhancing mass transport properties, immune evasion, improved stability, and targeting. Moreover, various CMNPs are explored used for DD derived from cells such as red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, leukocytes, cancer cells, and stem cells, highlighting their unique natural properties (e.g., biocompatibility and ability to evade the immune system). This discussion extends to the biomimicking of hybrid NPs accomplished through the surface coating of synthetic (mainly polymeric) NPs with different cell membranes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive resource for researchers on recent advances in the field of surface modification of LBNPs and CMNPs. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the dynamic field of lipid-based DD systems.

A randomized phase II trial of Captem or Folfiri as second-line therapy in neuroendocrine carcinomas

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (NECs) prognosis is poor.No standard second-line therapy is currently recognized after failure of platinum-based first-line treatment. FOLFIRI and CAPTEM regimens have shown promising activity in preliminary studies. We aimed to evaluate these regimens in metastatic NEC patients.

METHODS

This is an open-label, multicenter, randomized non-comparative phase II trial to evaluate the activity and safety of FOLFIRI or CAPTEM in metastatic NEC patients. Primary endpoints were the 12 weeks-Disease Control Rate (12w-DCR) by investigator assessment per RECIST v1.1 and safety per CTCAE v5.0. Additional endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Patients' serum samples were subject to NGS miRNome profiling in comparison with healthy donors to reveal differentially expressed miRNAs as candidate circulating biomarkers.

RESULTS

The study was halted for futility at interim analysis, as the minimum 12w-DCR threshold of 10 out of 25 patients required for the first step was not reached. From 06/03/2017 to 18/01/2021, 53 out of 112 patients were enrolled. Median follow-up was 22.6 months (range: 1.4-60.4). The 12w-DCR was 39.1 % in the FOLFIRI arm and 28.0 % in the CAPTEM arm. In the FOLFIRI subgroup the 12-months OS rate was 28.4 % (95 % CI: 12.7-46.5) while in the CAPTEM subgroup it was 32.4 % (95 % CI: 14.9-51.3). The most common G3-G4 side effects were neutropenia (n = 5, 18.5 %) and anemia (n = 2, 7.4 %) for FOLFIRI and G3-G4 thrombocytopenia (n = 2, 8.0 %), G4 nausea/vomiting (n = 1, 4.0 %) for CAPTEM. Three microRNAs emerged as NEC independent predictors. High expression values were found to be significantly associated with decreased PFS and OS.

CONCLUSION

The safety profile of FOLFIRI and CAPTEM was manageable. FOLFIRI and CAPTEM chemotherapy showed comparable activity in the second-line setting after progression on etoposide/platinum.

CLINICALTRIALS

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT03387592.

Extracellular vesicles in non-small cell lung cancer stemness and clinical applications

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) accounts for 85% of lung cancers, the leading cause of cancer associated deaths in the US and worldwide. Within NSCLC tumors, there is a subpopulation of cancer cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs) which exhibit stem-like properties that drive NSCLC progression, metastasis, relapse, and therapeutic resistance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanoparticles secreted by cells that carry vital messages for short- and long-range intercellular communication. Numerous studies have implicated NSCLC CSC-derived EVs in the factors associated with NSCLC lethality. In this review, we have discussed mechanisms of EV-directed cross-talk between CSCs and cells of the tumor microenvironment that promote stemness, tumor progression and metastasis in NSCLC. The mechanistic studies discussed herein have provided insights for developing novel NSCLC diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and strategies to therapeutically target the NSCLC CSC niche.

Tumor microenvironment of cancer stem cells: Perspectives on cancer stem cell targeting

There are few tumor cell subpopulations with stem cell characteristics in tumor tissue, defined as cancer stem cells (CSCs) or cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs), which can reconstruct neoplasms with malignant biological behaviors such as invasiveness via self-renewal and unlimited generation. The microenvironment that CSCs depend on consists of various cellular components and corresponding medium components. Among these factors existing at a variety of levels and forms, cytokine networks and numerous signal pathways play an important role in signaling transduction. These factors promote or maintain cancer cell stemness, and participate in cancer recurrence, metastasis, and resistance. This review aims to summarize the recent molecular data concerning the multilayered relationship between CSCs and CSC-favorable microenvironments. We also discuss the therapeutic implications of targeting this synergistic interplay, hoping to give an insight into targeting cancer cell stemness for tumor therapy and prognosis.

Blocking exosomal secretion aggravated 1,4-benzoquinone-induced cytotoxicity

Benzene exposure inhibits the hematopoietic system and leads to the occurrence of various types of leukemia. However, the mechanism underlying the hematotoxicity of benzene is still largely unclear. Emerging evidence has shown that exosomes are involved in toxic mechanisms of benzene. To understand the effect of 1,4-benzoquinone (PBQ; an active metabolite of benzene in bone marrow) on the exosomal release characteristics and role of exosomal secretion in PBQ-induced cytotoxicity. Exosomes were isolated from PBQ-treated HL-60 cells, purified by ultracentrifugation, and verified by transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and the presence of specific biomarkers. Our results showed that PBQ increased exosomal secretion in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak in 3 h at 10 μM PBQ treatment and then slowly decreasing in HL-60 cells. The exosomes contained miRNAs, which have been reported to be associated with benzene exposure or benzene poisoning. In particular, mir-34a-3p and mir-34A-5p were enriched in exosomes derived from PBQ-treated cells. In addition, the inhibition of exosomal release by GW4869 (an inhibitor of exosomal release) exacerbated PBQ-induced cytotoxicity, including increased intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased the apoptosis rate. Our findings illustrated that exosomes secretion plays an important role in antagonizing PBQ-induced cytotoxicity and maintaining cell homeostasis.

Machine learning reveals PANoptosis as a potential reporter and prognostic revealer of tumour microenvironment in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), a prominent lung cancer subtype, has an underexplored relationship with PANoptosis, a recently discovered mode of tumour cell death. This study incorporated iron death, copper death, scorch death, necrotizing apoptosis and bisulfide death into a pan-death gene set (PANoptosis) and conducted single-cell analysis of scRNA-seq data from 11 LUAD samples. Differentially expressed genes were identified, and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were performed. Univariate COX regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were used to screen PANoptosis key genes for constructing an LUAD risk model. The model's prognostic performance was evaluated using survival curves, risk scores and validation in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The study also explored the correlation between risk scores, tumour biological function, immunotherapy, drug sensitivity and immune infiltration. The SMS gene in the PANoptosis model was silenced in two LUAD cell lines for cellular validation. Single-cell analysis revealed eight major cell types and several PANoptosis genes significantly associated with LUAD survival. The risk model demonstrated strong prognostic performance and association with immune infiltration, suggesting PANoptosis involvement in LUAD tumour immunity. Cellular validation further supported these findings. The PANoptosis key risk genes are believed to be closely related to the tumour microenvironment and immune regulation of LUAD, potentially providing valuable insights for early diagnosis and clinical treatment, and broader applications in other tumours and complex diseases.

Composition of Conditioned Media from Radioresistant and Chemoresistant Cancer Cells Reveals miRNA and Other Secretory Factors Implicated in the Development of Resistance

Resistance to chemo- or radiotherapy is the main obstacle to consistent treatment outcomes in oncology patients. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving the development of resistance is required. This review focuses on secretory factors derived from chemo- and radioresistant cancer cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and cancer stem cells (CSCs) that mediate the development of resistance in unexposed cells. The first line of evidence considers the experiments with conditioned media (CM) from chemo- and radioresistant cells, CAFs, MSCs, and CSCs that elevate resistance upon the ionizing radiation or anti-cancer drug exposure of previously untreated cells. The composition of CM revealed factors such as circular RNAs; interleukins; plasminogen activator inhibitor; and oncosome-shuttled lncRNAs, mRNAs, and miRNAs that aid in cellular communication and transmit signals inducing the chemo- and radioresistance of sensitive cancer cells. Data, demonstrating that radioresistant cancer cells become resistant to anti-neoplastic drug exposure and vice versa, are also discussed. The mechanisms driving the development of cross-resistance between chemotherapy and radiotherapy are highlighted. The secretion of resistance-mediating factors to intercellular fluid and blood brings attention to its diagnostic potential. Highly stable serum miRNA candidates were proposed by several studies as prognostic markers of radioresistance; however, clinical studies are needed to validate their utility. The ability to predict a treatment response with the help of the miRNA resistance status database will help with the selection of an effective therapeutic strategy. The possibility of miRNA-based therapy is currently being investigated with ongoing clinical studies, and such approaches can be used to alleviate resistance in oncology patients.

Deciphering roles of TRIMs as promising targets in hepatocellular carcinoma: current advances and future directions

Tripartite motif (TRIM) family is assigned to RING-finger-containing ligases harboring the largest number of proteins in E3 ubiquitin ligating enzymes. E3 ubiquitin ligases target the specific substrate for proteasomal degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), which seems to be a more effective and direct strategy for tumor therapy. Recent advances have demonstrated that TRIM genes associate with the occurrence and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TRIMs trigger or inhibit multiple biological activities like proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, ferroptosis and autophagy in HCC dependent on its highly conserved yet diverse structures. Remarkably, autophagy is another proteolytic pathway for intracellular protein degradation and TRIM proteins may help to delineate the interaction between the two proteolytic systems. In depth research on the precise molecular mechanisms of TRIM family will allow for targeting TRIM in HCC treatment. We also highlight several potential directions warranted further development associated with TRIM family to provide bright insight into its translational values in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Non-coding RNAs in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications

Lung cancer (LC) is a heterogeneous disease with high malignant degree, rapid growth, and early metastasis. The clinical outcomes of LC patients are generally poor due to the insufficient elucidation of pathological mechanisms, low efficiency of detection and assessment methods, and lack of individualized therapeutic strategies. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA), are endogenous regulators that are widely involved in the modulation of almost all aspects of life activities, from organogenesis and aging to immunity and cancer. They commonly play vital roles in various biological processes by regulating gene expression via their interactions with DNA, RNA, or protein. An increasing amount of studies have demonstrated that ncRNAs are closely correlated with the initiation and development of LC. Their dysregulation promotes the progression of LC via distinct mechanisms, such as influencing protein activity, activating oncogenic signaling pathways, or altering specific gene expression. Furthermore, some ncRNAs present certain clinical values as biomarker candidates and therapeutic targets for LC patients. A complete understanding of their mechanisms in LC progression may be highly beneficial to developing ncRNA-based therapeutics for LC patients. This review mainly focuses on the intricate mechanisms of miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA involved in LC progression and discuss their underlying applications in LC treatment.

Long non-coding RNA TDRG1 aggravates lung cancer stemness by binding to Sox2 mRNA

The roles of long non-coding RNA TDRG1 have been revealed in several tumors, especially its roles in CSC progression have been recently elucidated; However, its effects in lung CSC progression have not been revealed. In the present study, we collected 3D non-adherent spheres as the CSC model to measure lncRNA TDRG1 level in lung CSC and the parental lung cancer cells, and found that TDRG1 level was significantly upregulated in lung CSCs compared to that of parental lung cancer cells. Then we constructed the lung CSCs with or without TDRG1 stable knockdown and lung cancer cells with or without TDRG1 stable overexpression. It was found that TDRG1 positively regulated lung cancer stemness. Mechanistically, we identified that TDRG1 directly bound to Sox2 mRNA, which is a critical stemness regulator, enhanced its mRNA stability, and thus increased Sox2 expression. Indeed, we demonstrated that TDRG1 aggravated lung cancer stemness dependent on Sox2 expression. Thus, this study suggests that TDRG1 is a critical stemness promoter of lung cancer cells by acting as a stabilizer for Sox2 mRNA.

Exosomal Micro-RNAs as Intercellular Communicators in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Communication between neighboring or distant cells is made through a complex network that includes extracellular vesicles (EVs). Exosomes, which are a subgroup of EVs, are released from most cell types and have been found in biological fluids such as urine, plasma, and airway secretions like bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), nasal lavage, saliva, and sputum. Mainly, the cargo exosomes are enriched with mRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs), which can be transferred to a recipient cell consequently modifying and redirecting its biological function. The effects of miRNAs derive from their role as gene expression regulators by repressing or degrading their target mRNAs. Nowadays, various types of research are focused on evaluating the potential of exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers for the prognosis and diagnosis of different pathologies. Nevertheless, there are few reports on their role in the pathophysiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease characterized by progressive lung scarring with no cure. In this review, we focus on the role and effect of exosomal miRNAs as intercellular communicators in the onset and progression of IPF, as well as discussing their potential utility as therapeutic agents for the treatment of this disease.