A targeted proteomics approach to the quantitative analysis of ERK/Bcl-2-mediated anti-apoptosis and multi-drug resistance in breast cancer

Comprehensive characterization of B7 family members in breast cancer: B7-H5 switch reverses breast cancer from "immuno-cold" into "immuno-hot" status

The members of the classic B7 family regulate the immune microenvironment of several malignant tumors. However, the potential relationship between the B7 family and the breast cancer (BrCa) tumor immune microenvironment has remained elusive. In the present study, we provide a comprehensive explanation of the expression, clinical significance, mutation, and immune cell infiltration of B7 family molecules in BrCa. First, we recruited 10 patients with BrCa surgery from the Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital and performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis to investigate the distribution of B7 family members in multiple immune cell subsets. We focused on B7-2, B7-H3, and B7-H5 molecules of the B7 family and constructed tumor microarrays by self-recruiting patients to perform multiple immunohistochemical (mIHC) analyses and study tumor expression of B7-2, B7-H3, B7-H5 and CD8+ immune cell infiltration. B7-H5 displayed a strong correlation with CD8+ immune cell infiltration. In summary, B7-H5 provides a new perspective for the identification of immunothermal subtypes of BrCa and could function as a switch to reverse BrCa from an "immunologically cold" state to an "immunologically hot" state.

Hypoxia, oxidative stress, and the interplay of HIFs and NRF2 signaling in cancer

Oxygen is crucial for life and acts as the final electron acceptor in mitochondrial energy production. Cells adapt to varying oxygen levels through intricate response systems. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), including HIF-1α and HIF-2α, orchestrate the cellular hypoxic response, activating genes to increase the oxygen supply and reduce expenditure. Under conditions of excess oxygen and resulting oxidative stress, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) activates hundreds of genes for oxidant removal and adaptive cell survival. Hypoxia and oxidative stress are core hallmarks of solid tumors and activated HIFs and NRF2 play pivotal roles in tumor growth and progression. The complex interplay between hypoxia and oxidative stress within the tumor microenvironment adds another layer of intricacy to the HIF and NRF2 signaling systems. This review aimed to elucidate the dynamic changes and functions of the HIF and NRF2 signaling pathways in response to conditions of hypoxia and oxidative stress, emphasizing their implications within the tumor milieu. Additionally, this review explored the elaborate interplay between HIFs and NRF2, providing insights into the significance of these interactions for the development of novel cancer treatment strategies.

Targeting nucleolin improves sensitivity to chemotherapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

PURPOSE

Most patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are treated with chemotherapy as primary care. Although the treatment response is usually positive, resistance and relapse often occur via unknown mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with chemotherapy resistance in ALL. Here, we present clinical and experimental evidence that overexpression of nucleolin (NCL), a multifunctional nucleolar protein, is linked to drug resistance in ALL.

METHODS

NCL mRNA and protein levels were compared between cell lines and patient samples using qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. NCL mRNA levels were compared between patients of different disease stages from our clinic patients' specimens and publicly available ALL patient datasets. Cells and patient-derived xenograft mouse experiments were performed to assess the effect of NCL inhibition on ALL chemotherapy effectiveness.

RESULTS

Analysis of patient specimens, and publicly available RNA-sequencing datasets revealed a strong correlation between the abundance of NCL and disease relapse or poor survival in B-ALL. Altering NCL expression results in changes in drug sensitivity in ALL cell lines. High levels of NCL upregulated components of the ATP-binding cassette transporters via activation of the ERK pathway, resulting in a decrease in drug accumulation inside the cells. Targeting NCL with AS1411, an NCL-binding oligonucleotide aptamer, significantly increased the sensitivity of ALL cell lines and cells/patient-derived ALL xenograft mice to chemotherapeutic drugs and prolonged mouse survival.

CONCLUSION

Our results highlight NCL as a prognostic marker in B-ALL and a potential therapeutic target to combat chemotherapy resistance in ALL.

NAD (P)H Quinone Dehydrogenase 1-Targeting Triptolide Analogue Causes Tumor Regression and Sensitizes Cisplatin-Resistant Lung Cancer to Chemotherapy

Cisplatin (DDP) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug against lung cancer. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of this drug is hampered by drug resistance. Overcoming drug resistance is crucial for improving the outcomes of lung cancer treatment. Here, we reported the effect of CX-23, an activated triptolide analogue that targets NAD (P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), on DDP-resistant lung cancer and sensitizes DDP-resistant lung cancer to chemotherapy. Our findings unveiled the antiproliferative activity of CX-23 against both A549- and DDP-resistant A549 (A549/DDP) cells while enhancing the chemosensitivity of these cells to DDP. Notably, CX-23 demonstrated no toxicity toward normal lung cells. Further investigations revealed that CX-23 exerts its effects by blocking AKT phosphorylation, leading to reduced expression of Mcl-1 and Bcl-2, and upregulating cleaved-caspase-3 levels, ultimately inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. CX-23 can be rapidly transformed in both A549 and A549/DDP cell lysates while remaining stable in mouse plasma and normal lung tissues. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that CX-23 can distribute to lung tissues. Moreover, in vivo studies showed that CX-23 can prevent DDP-resistant lung cancer progression without causing any toxicity in the liver, kidneys, or lungs after 6 weeks of treatment. The combination of CX-23 and DDP not only significantly inhibited tumor progression compared to DDP alone but also attenuated DDP-induced kidney toxicity. These findings suggest that CX-23 alone or in combination with DDP may provide an alternative therapeutic option for DDP-resistant lung cancer.

Recent advances in access to overcome cancer drug resistance by nanocarrier drug delivery system

Cancer is currently one of the most intractable diseases causing human death. Although the prognosis of tumor patients has been improved to a certain extent through various modern treatment methods, multidrug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells is still a major problem leading to clinical treatment failure. Chemotherapy resistance refers to the resistance of tumor cells and/or tissues to a drug, usually inherent or developed during treatment. Therefore, an urgent need to research the ideal drug delivery system to overcome the shortcoming of traditional chemotherapy. The rapid development of nanotechnology has brought us new enlightenments to solve this problem. The novel nanocarrier provides a considerably effective treatment to overcome the limitations of chemotherapy or other drugs resulting from systemic side effects such as resistance, high toxicity, lack of targeting, and off-target. Herein, we introduce several tumor MDR mechanisms and discuss novel nanoparticle technology applied to surmount cancer drug resistance. Nanomaterials contain liposomes, polymer conjugates, micelles, dendrimers, carbon-based, metal nanoparticles, and nucleotides which can be used to deliver chemotherapeutic drugs, photosensitizers, and small interfering RNA (siRNA). This review aims to elucidate the advantages of nanomedicine in overcoming cancer drug resistance and discuss the latest developments.

Sublethal cytochrome c release generates drug-tolerant persister cells

Drug-tolerant persister cells (persisters) evade apoptosis upon targeted and conventional cancer therapies and represent a major non-genetic barrier to effective cancer treatment. Here, we show that cells that survive treatment with pro-apoptotic BH3 mimetics display a persister phenotype that includes colonization and metastasis in vivo and increased sensitivity toward ferroptosis by GPX4 inhibition. We found that sublethal mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) and holocytochrome c release are key requirements for the generation of the persister phenotype. The generation of persisters is independent of apoptosome formation and caspase activation, but instead, cytosolic cytochrome c induces the activation of heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI) kinase and engagement of the integrated stress response (ISR) with the consequent synthesis of ATF4, all of which are required for the persister phenotype. Our results reveal that sublethal cytochrome c release couples sublethal MOMP to caspase-independent initiation of an ATF4-dependent, drug-tolerant persister phenotype.

The role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha in multidrug-resistant breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide with increasing incidence. Significant therapeutics advances in the field of breast cancer have resulted in a growing number of treatment options, whereas de novo or acquired resistance is still a persistent clinical challenge. Drug resistance involves a variety of mechanisms, and hypoxia is one of the many causes. Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1 Alpha (HIF-1α) is a key transcription factor which can regulate the response of cells to hypoxia. HIF-1α can trigger anaerobic glycolysis of tumor cells, induce angiogenesis, promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of tumor cells, and lead to multidrug resistance. This review mainly discusses the role of HIF-1α in the drug-resistant breast cancer and highlighted the potential of HIF-1α -targeted therapy.

Understanding the cell survival mechanism of anoikis-resistant cancer cells during different steps of metastasis

Anchorage-independent survival of cancer cells is associated with metastasis as it enables cells to travel to secondary target sites. Tissue integrity is generally maintained by detachment-induced cell death called 'anoikis', but cancer cells undergoing the multistep metastatic process show resistance to anoikis. Anoikis resistance enables these cells to survive through the extracellular matrix (ECM) deprived phase, which starts when cancer cells detach and move into the circulation till cells reach to the secondary target site. Comprehensive analysis of the molecular and functional biology of anoikis resistance in cancer cells will provide crucial details about cancer metastasis, enabling us to identify novel therapeutic targets against cancer cell dissemination and ultimately secondary tumor formation. This review broadly summarizes recent advances in the understanding of cellular and molecular events leading to anoikis and anoikis resistance. It further elaborates more about the signaling cross-talk in anoikis resistance and its regulation during metastasis.

Targeted Therapy of B7 Family Checkpoints as an Innovative Approach to Overcome Cancer Therapy Resistance: A Review from Chemotherapy to Immunotherapy

It is estimated that there were 18.1 million cancer cases worldwide in 2018, with about 9 million deaths. Proper diagnosis of cancer is essential for its effective treatment because each type of cancer requires a specific treatment procedure. Cancer therapy includes one or more approaches such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. In recent years, immunotherapy has received much attention and immune checkpoint molecules have been used to treat several cancers. These molecules are involved in regulating the activity of T lymphocytes. Accumulated evidence shows that targeting immune checkpoint regulators like PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are significantly useful in treating cancers. According to studies, these molecules also have pivotal roles in the chemoresistance of cancer cells. Considering these findings, the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy can help to treat cancer with a more efficient approach. Among immune checkpoint molecules, the B7 family checkpoints have been studied in various cancer types such as breast cancer, myeloma, and lymphoma. In these cancers, they cause the cells to become resistant to the chemotherapeutic agents. Discovering the exact signaling pathways and selective targeting of these checkpoint molecules may provide a promising avenue to overcome cancer development and therapy resistance. Highlights: (1) The development of resistance to cancer chemotherapy or immunotherapy is the main obstacle to improving the outcome of these anti-cancer therapies. (2) Recent investigations have described the involvement of immune checkpoint molecules in the development of cancer therapy resistance. (3) In the present study, the molecular participation of the B7 immune checkpoint family in anticancer therapies has been highlighted. (4) Targeting these immune checkpoint molecules may be considered an efficient approach to overcoming this obstacle.

Noncoding RNAs in triple negative breast cancer: Mechanisms for chemoresistance

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype among breast cancers with high recurrence and this condition is partly due to chemoresistance. Therefore, fully understanding the mechanism of TNBC-resistance is the key to overcoming chemoresistance, which will be an effective strategy for TNBC therapy. Various potential mechanisms involved in the chemoresistance of TNBC have been investigated and indicated that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) especially microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) take part in most TNBC resistance. The ncRNA-induced chemoresistance process is involved in the alteration of many activities. here, we mainly summarize the mechanisms of ncRNAs in the chemoresistance of TNBC and discuss the potential clinical application of ncRNAs in the treatment of TNBC, indicating that targeting ncRNAs might be a promising strategy for resensitization to chemotherapies.

Enhancement of anticancer drug sensitivity in multidrug resistance cells overexpressing ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCC10 by CP55, a synthetic derivative of 5-cyano-6-phenylpyrimidin

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter C10 (ABCC10), also named multidrug resistance protein 7 (MRP7), is a member of ABC transporter superfamily and has been revealed to transport a wide range of chemotherapeutic agents including taxanes, epothilone B, Vinca alkaloids, and anthracyclines. In our previous study, a 5-cyano-6-phenylpyrimidin derivative CP55 was synthesized and found significantly reversal effect of multidrug resistance (MDR) mediated by ABCB1. In this study, we found CP55 also efficiently reversed MDR mediated by ABCC10. Our in vitro study showed that co-treatment with CP55 significantly increased the efficacy of ABCC10-substrate anticancer drugs in MDR cells overexpressing ABCC10. Furthermore, we showed that treatment with CP55 increased the intracellular accumulation of [³H]-labeled anticancer drugs and in-turn decreasing drug efflux by inhibiting the transport activity, without altering ABCC10 protein ex-pression level or cellular localization. Potential CP55-ABCC10 interactions were predicted via docking analysis using human ABCC10 homology model and obtained high docking score. Therefore, CP55 represents a promising therapeutic agent in the combinational treatment of chemo-resistant cancer related to ABCC10.

Protective effect of Shenfu on gut epithelium in a porcine model of hemorrhagic shock

This study aimed to explore the protective effect of Shenfu on the hemodynamics and gut integrity in a porcine model of hemorrhagic shock. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in 32 domestic pigs with a rapid bleeding via the arterial sheath to a mean arterial pressure of 40 mm Hg within 10 min. Animals with hemorrhagic shock were then randomly assigned into the negative control group (n=8), receiving neither blood transfusion nor drug treatment; the blood transfusion group, in which animals were given blood transfusion alone; the saline group, in which animals were blood transfused and resuscitated with saline (3 mL/kg); and the Shenfu group, in which animals received blood transfusion and resuscitation with Shenfu (3 mL/kg). Blood tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-ɑ) and interleukin-6 were measured using ELISAs. Tissue levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, Ca++ATPase, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) were determined using respective quantitation kits. Fluid resuscitation with Shenfu significantly improved HR, CI, and MAP of pig with hemorrhagic shock, which was accompanied with mitigation of tissue damages in intestinal epithelium. Blood TNF-ɑ was reduced in the Shenfu group. Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 expression in intestinal tissues were elevated and decreased, respectively, in pigs treated with Shenfu. Notably, treatment with Shenfu suppressed oxidative stress markers MDA, MPO, and FABP2 in the intestine. Oppositely, SOD, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Ca++ATPase levels in intestinal tissues were promoted by Shenfu treatment. Shenfu demonstrates significant protective effect on the hemodynamics and gut epithelium of pigs with hemorrhagic shock.

USP18-deficiency in cervical carcinoma is crucial for the malignant behavior of tumor cells in an ERK signal-dependent manner

Ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP)18 belongs to the USP family, and is involved in cleaving and removing ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like molecules from their target molecules. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that USP18 is constitutively expressed in different types of human tumors, and ectopic expression or downregulation of USP18 expression may contribute to tumorigenesis. However, the role of USP18 in uterine cervical cancer (UCC) remains unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate USP18 expression in a human tissue microarray constructed using UCC and non-cancer cervical tissues, and to determine the potential role and molecular mechanism by which USP18 is implicated in the tumor biology of human UCC HeLa cells. Microarray analysis demonstrated that USP18 protein expression was downregulated in tumor tissues compared with in normal tissues. In addition, in vitro analysis revealed that USP18-knockdown markedly promoted the proliferation, colony formation, migration and aggressiveness of HeLa cells. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that USP18-knockdown increased the levels of Bcl-2, STAT3 and phosphorylated-ERK in HeLa cells. Notably, USP18 silencing-induced malignant phenotypes were interrupted following exogenous administration of the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059. Overall, the results of the present study suggested that USP18 may be a potent inhibitor involved in UCC tumor-associated biological behaviors, which are associated with the ERK signaling pathway.

Apoptotic Effects of Anthocyanins from Vitis coignetiae Pulliat Are Enhanced by Augmented Enhancer of the Rudimentary Homolog (ERH) in Human Gastric Carcinoma MKN28 Cells

Evidence suggests that augmented expression of a certain gene can influence the efficacy of targeted and conventional chemotherapies. Here, we tested whether the high expression of enhancer of the rudimentary homolog (ERH), which serves as a prognostic factor in some cancers, can influence the efficacy of anthocyanins isolated from fruits of Vitis coignetiae Pulliat, Meoru in Korea (AIMs) on human gastric cancer cells. The anticancer efficacy of AIMs was augmented in ERH-transfected MKN28 cells (E-MKN28 cells). Molecularly, ERH augmented AIM-induced caspase-dependent apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and -9. The ERH-augmented apoptotic effect was related to mitochondrial depolarization and inhibition of antiapoptotic proteins, XIAP, and Bcl-2. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was augmented in AIMs-treated E-MKN28 cells compared to AIMs-treated naïve MKN28 cells. In conclusion, ERH augmented AIM-induced caspase-dependent mitochondrial-related apoptosis in MKN28 cells. A decrease in expression of Bcl-2 and subsequent excessive ROS generation would be the mechanism for ERH-augmented mitochondrial-related apoptosis in AIMs-treated MKN28 cells. A decrease in expression of XIAP would be another mechanism for ERH-augmented caspase-dependent apoptosis in AIMs-treated MKN28 cells.

Network pharmacology and molecular docking reveal the mechanism of Scopoletin against non-small cell lung cancer

AIMS

Scopoletin is a natural anticarcinogenic and antiviral coumarin component. Many studies have proved its anti-cancer effect, and after the preliminary screening of this study, Scopoletin had the best inhibitory effect on Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). But its mechanism for treating NSCLC is still unclear. Therefore, network pharmacology and molecular docking technology were used to explore the potential anti-NSCLC targets and pathways of Scopoletin. The results were verified in vitro.

MAIN METHODS

First, Scopoletin was isolated from Fennel and screened to conduct cell proliferation assay on Human lung cancer cell line A549, Human colon cancer cell line HCT-116 and Human hepatoma cell line HepG2 respectively, through the MTT test. Then, the key targets and related pathways were screened through Protein-protein Interaction (PPI) network and "component-target-pathway" (C-TP) network constructed by network pharmacology. And the key targets were selected to dock with Scopoletin via molecular docking. A549 and Human normal lung epithelial cell BEAS-2B were used to verify the results, finally.

KEY FINDINGS

Through MTT, A549 was chosen as the test cancer cell. From network pharmacology, 16 targets, 27 signaling pathways and 16 GO items were obtained (P < 0.05). The results of PPI network and molecular docking showed that EGFR, BRAF and AKT1 were the key targets of Scopoletin against NSCLC, which were consistent with the western-blot results.

SIGNIFICANCE

Through network pharmacology, molecular docking and experiments in vitro, Scopoletin was verified to against NSCLC through RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway.

Investigation of cancer drug resistance mechanisms by phosphoproteomics

Cancer cell mutations can be identified by genomic and transcriptomic techniques. However, they are not sufficient to understand the full complexity of cancer heterogeneity. Analyses of proteins expressed in cancers and their modification profiles show how these mutations could be translated at the functional level. Protein phosphorylation is a major post-translational modification critical for regulating several cellular functions. The covalent addition of phosphate groups to serine, threonine, and tyrosine is catalyzed by protein kinases. Over the past years, kinases were strongly associated with cancer, thus inhibition of protein kinases emanated as novel cancer treatment. However, cancers frequently develop drug resistance. Therefore, a better understanding of drug effects on tumors is urgently needed. In this perspective, phosphoproteomics arose as advanced tool to monitor cancer therapies and to discover novel drugs. This review highlights the role of phosphoproteomics in predicting sensitivity or resistance of cancers towards tyrosine kinase inhibitors and cytotoxic drugs. It also shows the importance of phosphoproteomics in identifying biomarkers that could be applied in clinical diagnostics to predict responses to drugs.

Co-delivery of doxorubicin and DNAzyme using ZnO@polydopamine core-shell nanocomposites for chemo/gene/photothermal therapy

Multi-modal nanomedicines that synergistically combine chemo-, gene-, and photothermal therapy have shown great potential for cancer treatment. In this study, a core-shell nanosystem-based on a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocore and a polydopamine (PDA) shell was constructed to integrate chemo- (doxorubicin, DOX), gene- (DNAzyme, DZ), and photothermal (PDA layer) therapy in one system. Instead of small interfering RNAs, we employed DZ for tumor-related gene (survivin) regulation owing to its higher stability, biocompatibility, and predictable activity. DOX and amino-modified DZ were loaded onto the PDA shell via physisorption and covalent conjugation, respectively. Specifically, the ZnO nanocore was designed as a metal cofactor reservoir to release Zn²⁺ in response to intracellular stimuli, which triggered the activation of DZ for gene silencing after endocytosis into cells. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the enhanced anti-tumor efficacy of these multifunctional nanocomposites and highlighted the advantages of these nano-drug delivery systems to alleviate the side effects of DOX. This study provides a strategy for synergistic cancer therapy via chemo/gene/photothermal combination and offers a strategy to harness DZ as a gene-silencing tool for disease treatment in combination with other therapeutic modalities. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this work, we constructed a core-shell nanosystem containing a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocore and a polydopamine (PDA) outer layer, which integrated chemo- (doxorubicin, DOX), gene- (DNAzyme, DZ), and photothermal (PDA layer) therapies for multimodal cancer therapy. Specifically, the ZnO core was incorporated to solve the key issue of DZ for gene silencing applications, which acted as the metal cofactor reservoir to release Zn²⁺ inside cells for effective DZ activation. In addition, the PDA shell could detoxify the ZnO by scavenging the reactive oxygen species produced by ZnO, thus increasing the biocompatibility of the nanocarrier. This work solves the key issue of DZ for RNAi-based applications, offers a platform to combine DZ with other therapeutic modalities, and also provides a smart strategy to achieve triggered activation of biocatalytic reactions for therapeutic applications.

Low expression of NCALD is associated with chemotherapy resistance and poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer

Background

Low expression of NCALD(neurocalcin delta) in peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients predicts poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of NCALD in ovarian cancer and its relationship with chemotherapy outcomes is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential signaling pathways of NCALD and to evaluate its ability to predict chemotherapy outcomes and prognosis.

Methods

High-throughput RNA sequencing data were downloaded from TCGA. GSEA explored the potential signaling pathways of NCALD. The expression of NCALD in chemotherapy sensitive and chemotherapy resistant ovarian cancer patients was detected by TCGA data and clinical samples. ROC analysis confirmed the ability of NCALD to predict chemotherapy outcomes. The association between NCALD expression and prognosis in ovarian cancer patients was assessed using Kaplan-Meier plotter.

Results

In patients with NCALD overexpression, genes expression related to ERK1 / 2 signaling pathway, NF-kappaB signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway and immune response pathway was increased, especially ERK1 / 2 signaling pathway. The expression of NCALD in chemoresistant patients was significantly lower than chemosensitive patients. In TCGA data and immunohistochemical samples, the AUC of NCALD expression predicting chemotherapy outcome was 0.59 and 0.64, respectively. In clinical samples, low expression of NCALD was associated with poor OS and PFS.

Conclusions

NCALD may activate the ERK1 / 2 signaling pathway in ovarian cancer. As a new biomarker of chemotherapy sensitivity, NCALD was significantly down-regulated in chemotherapy resistance ovarian cancer patients. Low expression of NCALD in ovarian cancer is associated with poor OS and PFS. In the future, further research will be needed on the potential mechanism and clinical application value of NCALD in ovarian cancer.

A quantitative N-glycoproteomics study of cell-surface N-glycoprotein markers of MCF-7/ADR cancer stem cells

Isotopic-labeling quantitative N-glycoproteomics characterization of cell-surface differentially expressed N-glycosylation in MCF-7/ADR cancer stem cells (CSCs) relative to MCF-7/ADR cells was carried out at the intact N-glycopeptide level with trypsin digestion, ZIC-HILIC enrichment, isotopic diethyl labeling, RPLC-MS/MS analysis of the 1:1 mixture, and GPSeeker DB search. With a spectrum-level false discovery rate of ≤ 1%, 1,336 intact N-glycopeptides from the combination of 301 unique peptide backbones and 169 putative N-glycan linkages (52 monosaccharide compositions) were identified; the corresponding intact N-glycoproteins and N-glycosites were 289 and 305, respectively, among which 176 N-glycosites were confirmed with GlcNAc-containing site-determining b/y fragment ion pairs. The N-glycan moieties in 546 intact N-glycopeptide IDs were identified with more than one structure-diagnostic fragment ions where multiple linkage structures exist for each of the monosaccharide compositions. With the criteria of ≥ 1.5-fold change and p value < 0.05, 72 cell-surface differentially expressed intact N-glycopeptides (DEGPs) were found in MCF-7/ADR CSCs relative to MCF-7/ADR cells, where 8 and 64 were downregulated and upregulated, respectively. Graphical abstract.

B7-H3 Induces Ovarian Cancer Drugs Resistance Through An PI3K/AKT/BCL-2 Signaling Pathway

Purpose

This study was aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of B7-H3 induced ovarian cancer proliferation and drugs resistance.

Materials and methods

We compared the expression of B7-H3 in ovarian tumor tissues from high-malignant or low-malignant patients by immunohistochemistry. We established B7-H3 overexpression and knockout ovarian cells by CRISPR-Cas9 technology and examined the expression of the PI3K/AKT/BCL-2 signals in tumor cells by Western blot or immunofluorescence. We detected the B7-H3 overexpression ovarian cancer cells drugs resistance by CCK8 cell proliferation analysis and Annexin V/PI staining. Tumor-bearing mice were used to investigate the anticancer effects of PI3K/AKT inhibitors in combination with B7-H3 neutralizing antibodies.

Results

Enhanced expression of B7-H3 was observed in ovarian tumor tissues from high-malignant patients compared to those from low-malignant patients. Notably, B7-H3 overexpression caused enhanced cells proliferation and chemo-resistance in vitro and in vivo through the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathways and up-regulation of BCL-2 protein. Combination of chemotherapeutic agents and B7-H3 neutralizing antibodies efficiently reverses the drugs resistance induced by B7-H3, resulting in improved anticancer effects in ovarian cancer.

Conclusion

B7-H3 expression induces the activation the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and up-regulates BCL-2 in protein level, resulting in the sustained growth and chemo-resistance in ovarian cancer. Blockade of B7-H3 signals efficiently reverses the chemo-resistance, which provides an innovative target in ovarian cancer treatment.

Curcumin Inhibits ERK/c-Jun Expressions and Phosphorylation against Endometrial Carcinoma

Curcumin has been shown to have anticancer effects in a variety of tumors. However, there are fewer studies on the role of curcumin in endometrial carcinoma (EC). The purpose of this experiment was to examine the inhibitory effect of curcumin on endometrial carcinoma cells and ERK/c-Jun signaling pathway. We first predicted the mechanism of action of curcumin on endometrial carcinoma by network pharmacology. Then, we found that curcumin can decrease the cell viability of Ishikawa cells, inhibit the migration of cancer cells, induce apoptosis, and cause cell cycle arrest in the S phase. For molecular mechanism, curcumin reduced the mRNA expression levels of ERK2 and JUN genes and inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and c-Jun. This suggests that curcumin inhibits the proliferation of endometrial carcinoma cells by downregulating ERK/c-Jun signaling pathway activity.

Tooniliatone A sensitizes multidrug resistant cancer cells by decreasing Bcl-xL via activation of JNK MAPK signaling

BACKGROUND

Multidrug resistance (MDR) refers to the phenotype of tumor cells that are resistant to various chemotherapeutic drugs with different structures and functions, which is clearly disadvantageous for patients. Finding a natural product that can effectively reverse the MDR of tumor cells is important for the treatment of patients.

PURPOSE

To prove that tooniliatone A (TA), a novel typical limonoid, can effectively reverse the MDR of tumor cells and to explore its mechanism of action.

METHODS

The MTT, CCK-8 and monoclonal formation assays, as well as flow cytometry, were used to evaluate the role of TA in reversing tumor multidrug resistance; then the mechanism of action for TA was explored by western blotting and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.

RESULTS

TA significantly reversed the MDR of the K562/MDR and MCF-7/MDR cell lines. TA can inhibit the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL to make cells sensitive to common chemotherapeutic drugs and activate the SAPK/JNK pathway to promote phosphorylation of JNK and its downstream cJun protein. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of JNK and cJun could antagonize the MDR reversal effect of TA and the inhibition of Bcl-xL by TA. Therefore, we hypothesized that TA activates the JNK pathway to increase the transcription of the proapoptotic protein Bim, thereby inhibiting Bcl-xL and reversing MDR in tumor cells.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that TA reverses tumor MDR by activating the SAPK/JNK pathway to inhibit the action of Bcl-xL. TA may be an effective tumor MDR reversal agent.

Effects of genistein on anti-tumor activity of cisplatin in human cervical cancer cell lines

Objective

To investigate the effect of genistein on the anticancer effects of chemotherapeutic agents, we examined the effect of a genistein and cisplatin combination on CaSki human cervical cancer cells.

Methods

After the cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells, CaSki cells) had been cultured, cisplatin and genistein were added to the culture medium, and the cell activity was measured using MTT assay. The CaSki cells were cultured in a medium containing cisplatin and genistein, and then, the cells were collected in order to measure p53, Bcl2, ERK, and caspase 3 levels by western blotting.

Results

Both the HeLa and CaSki cells had decreased cell viabilities when the cisplatin concentration was 10 μM or higher. When combined with genistein, the cell viabilities of the HeLa and CaSki cells decreased at cisplatin concentrations of 8 μM and 6 μM, respectively. The administration of genistein increased the toxicity of cisplatin in the HeLa and CaSki cells. In the CaSki cells, the p-ERK1/2 level decreased by 37%, the p53 expression level increased by 304%, and the cleaved caspase 3 level increased by 115% in the cisplatin+genistein group compared to that in the cisplatin group. Bcl2 expression was reduced by 69% in the cisplatin+genistein group compared to that in the cisplatin group.

Conclusion

Genistein enhances the anticancer effect of cisplatin in CaSki cells, and can be used as a chemotherapeutic adjuvant to increase the activity of a chemotherapeutic agent.

Shikonin potentiates paclitaxel antitumor efficacy in esophageal cancer cells via the apoptotic pathway

Shikonin is a natural naphthoquinone pigment that can suppress the growth of a number of cancer cell types. Paclitaxel is an antineoplastic chemotherapy drug, which is used for the treatment of various types of solid tumor cancer. However, acquired paclitaxel resistance results in the failure of therapy, and consequent metastasis and relapse. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether shikonin can sensitize esophageal cancer cells to paclitaxel-treatment and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The biological effects of these two agents on esophageal cancer cell lines KYSE270 and KYSE150 were investigated by MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, Annexin-V apoptosis assay, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated that shikonin could significantly increase the cell growth inhibition effect induced by paclitaxel in the examined cell lines (P<0.001). The addition of shikonin to paclitaxel promoted cancer cell mitotic arrest and induced significantly higher levels of cell apoptosis. Notably, the mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2 were downregulated, while p53 was upregulated in KYSE270 and KYSE150 cells following combined treatment. In summary, shikonin can sensitize esophageal cancer cells to paclitaxel-treatment by promoting cell mitotic arrest and reinforcing the susceptibility of esophageal cancer cells to apoptosis induced by paclitaxel, which is potentially associated with altered levels of Bcl-2 and p53.

MicroRNA-16 sensitizes drug-resistant breast cancer cells to Adriamycin by targeting Wip1 and Bcl-2

Clinical evidence indicates that drug resistance is a major obstacle in the treatment of breast cancer (BC). Drug resistance results in the disease being uncontrollable, and leads to high mortality rates. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemosensitizing effect of microRNA (miR)-16 on Adriamycin (ADM)-resistant BC cells and the associated mechanisms. BC tumors from 40 patients were collected and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to examine the expression of miR-16. ADM-sensitive (MCF-7/S) and -resistant (MCF-7/A) BC cell lines were used to determine the expression of miR-16 prior to and following transfection with miR-16 mimics or inhibitor. The effects of increased and decreased miR-16 expression on the chemosensitivity of BC cells to ADM was analyzed using MTT, colony survival and flow cytometry assays. miR-16 was found to regulate wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1) and Bcl-2 expression, as confirmed by western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and luciferase reporter assays. miR-16 expression in drug-resistant tumor tissues and cells was decreased, compared with that the drug-sensitive equivalents. Overexpression of miR-16 in MCF-7/A was associated with a sharp downregulation of Wip1 and Bcl-2 expression, leading to increased ADM-induced cell apoptosis and sensitization of MCF-7/A cells to ADM treatment. Taken together, the results demonstrate that miR-16 may serve as an effective chemosensitizing target to enhance the effects of chemotherapy in drug-resistant BC cells with high Wip1 and Bcl-2 expression. This provides a novel approach to improving the chemotherapeutic efficacy in drug-resistant BC via regulation of miRs.

HOXA6 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis by suppressing the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of renal cell carcinoma and the incidence of this disease is increasing. The present study aimed to investigate the role of homeobox A6 (HOXA6) in the proliferation and apoptosis of ccRCC cells. Analysis of the GSE6344 dataset and immunohistochemistry revealed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of HOXA6 were suppressed in ccRCC tissues. To evaluate the roles of HOXA6 in cell proliferation and apoptosis, ccRCC cell lines (786‑O and 769‑P) were transfected with plasmids expressing HOXA6, empty vector, short hairpin (sh)HOXA6 and non‑targeting shRNA (NC). Cell Counting Kit‑8, colony formation and 5‑ethynyl‑2'‑deoxyuridine staining assays were performed to analyze cell proliferation. In addition, Caspase‑Glo and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays were performed to detect apoptosis. Furthermore, the cell cycle and apoptotic rates of 786‑O and 769‑P cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results demonstrated that, compared with the empty vector group, the proliferation of 786‑O and 769‑P cells decreased following HOXA6 overexpression; however, compared with the NC group, cell proliferation increased in the shHOXA6 group. The rate of apoptosis of HOXA6‑overexpressing cells was increased compared with the empty vector group, while the rate of apoptosis in the shHOXA6 group was reduced compared with the NC group. In addition, flow cytometry demonstrated that upregulated HOXA6 expression levels could inhibit the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Western blotting revealed that the expression levels of phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated (p)‑protein kinase B (Akt), mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinase, p‑extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK) and B‑cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‑2) were suppressed in cells overexpressing HOXA6; however, the protein expression levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog, Bcl‑2‑associated X protein, cleaved caspase‑3 and cleaved‑poly (ADP‑ribose) polymerase were increased compared with the empty vector group. Opposing results were reported for the shHOXA6 group compared with the NC group. In summary, the results demonstrated that HOXA6 suppresses cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis, which may occur via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/ERK cascade. These findings indicate the role of HOXA6 in ccRCC; however, the underlying mechanism requires further investigation.

Chemotherapy priming of the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment Promotes Delivery and Anti-Metastasis Efficacy of Intravenous Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin-Coated Lipid-siRNA Complex

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a type of malignant tumor with high lethality. Its high tumor cell-density and large variety of extracellular matrix (ECM) components present major barriers for drug delivery.

Methods: Paclitaxel-loaded PEGylated liposomes (PTX-Lip) were used as a tumor-priming agent to induce tumor cell apoptosis and decrease the abundance of ECM to promote cellular uptake and tumor delivery of nanodrugs. Paclitaxel exerts anti-cancer effects but, paradoxically, exacerbates cancer metastasis and drug resistance by increasing the expression of apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 protein (BCL-2). Thus, low-molecular-weight heparin-coated lipid-siRNA complex (LH-Lip/siBCL-2) was constructed to inhibit cancer metastasis and silence BCL-2 by BCL-2 siRNA (siBCL-2).

Results: Significant tumor growth inhibition efficacy was observed, accompanied by obvious inhibition of cancer metastasis in vivo.

Conclusion: These results suggested our sequential delivery of PTX-Lip and LH-Lip/siBCL-2 might provide a practical approach for PDAC or other ECM-rich tumors.

Targeted Proteomics

Targeted proteomics detects proteins of interest with high sensitivity, quantitative accuracy, and reproducibility. In a targeted proteomics assay, surrogate peptides are generated by proteolytic digestion of target proteins and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays are developed to quantify these peptides using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this report, we describe the details of quantitative analysis of target protein in cells and tissue samples.

Erianin inhibits human cervical cancer cell through regulation of tumor protein p53 via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway

Erianin, a natural bibenzyl compound, is present in Dendrobium chrysotoxum Lindl. (commonly known as Shihu in China), which is used as an antipyretic and analgesic in traditional Chinese medicine, and has been reported to exert inhibitory effects on cancer cells in vitro. Cervical cancer is the third-most common cancer in women worldwide, and has the highest morbidity rate of gynecological malignancies. Thus, the identification of effective chemotherapeutical agents to treat this disease is urgent. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the biological functions and molecular mechanism of erianin on HeLa cells. Cellular proliferation was assessed using an MTT assay and flow cytometry assay with propidium iodide (PI) staining. Apoptosis rates were observed using a high content screening system via annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/PI double staining, and measured by flow cytometry. The protein levels of tumor protein p53, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) were assessed by western blot analysis. Erianin inhibited the growth of HeLa cells and induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner, inducing cell cycle arrest at the G₂/M stage. Erianin treatment also increased the expression of Bax and caspase-3, but decreased levels of Bcl-2 and phosphorylated-ERK1/2. Cells treated with paclitaxel were regarded as the positive group. Together, the results of the present study indicated that erianin could be considered as an effective drug candidate; in HeLa cells it inhibited cellular proliferation and promoted apoptosis via regulation of the ERK1/2 signaling and mitochondrial-based apoptosis pathways. Thus, erianin has the promise to be developed further for cervical cancer therapy.

Poly-L-Arginine Induces Apoptosis of NCI-H292 Cells via ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway

Cationic protein is a cytotoxic protein secreted by eosinophils and takes part in the damage of airway epithelium in asthma. Poly-L-arginine (PLA), a synthetic cationic protein, is widely used to mimic the biological function of the natural cationic protein in vitro. Previous studies demonstrated the damage of the airway epithelial cells by cationic protein, but the molecular mechanism is unclear. The purpose of this study aimed at exploring whether PLA could induce apoptosis of human airway epithelial cells (NCI-H292) and the underlying mechanism. Methods. The morphology of apoptotic cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The rate of apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The expressions of the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), Bcl-2/Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 were assessed by western blot. Results. PLA can induce apoptosis in NCI-H292 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 and the unbalance of Bcl2/Bax, as well as the activation of caspase-3, were involved in the PLA-induced apoptosis. Conclusions. PLA can induce the apoptosis in NCI-H292 cells, and this process at least involved the ERK1/2 and mitochondrial pathway. The results could have some indications in revealing the apoptotic damage of the airway epithelial cells. Besides, inhibition of cationic protein-induced apoptotic death in airway epithelial cells could be considered as a potential target of anti-injury or antiremodeling in asthmatics.

Root Extract of Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc. Ameliorates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Affecting NF-kappaB Signaling Pathway in a Mouse Model via Synergistic Effects of Polydatin, Resveratrol, and Emodin

Background:Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc. (PCS) has antibacterial properties and may prevent Ulcerative colitis (UC) but related molecular mechanism remains unknown. NF-κB signaling pathway is associated with inflammatory responses and its inactivation may be critical for effective therapy of UC.

Methods: UC mouse (C57BL/6J) model was established by using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The extract of PCS (PCSE) was prepared by using ethanol and its main ingredients were measured by HPLC. Thirty-two UC mice were evenly assigned into DG (received vehicle control), LG (0.1 g/kg PCSE daily), MG (0.2 g/kg PCSE daily) and HG (0.4 g/kg PCSE daily) groups. Meanwhile, 8 healthy mice were assigned as a control group (CG). Serum pharmacokinetics of PCS was measured by using HPLC. After 8-day treatment, weight, colon length and disease activity index (DAI) were measured. Inflammatory cytokines and oxidant biomarkers were measured by ELISA kits. The levels of cytokines, and key molecules in NF-κB pathway, were measured by using Western Blot. The effects of main ingredients of PCSE on cytokines and NF-κB signaling pathway were explored by using intestinal cells of a mouse UC model. The normality criterion was evaluated using the Saphiro–Wilk test. The quantitative variables were compared using the paired Student’s-t test.

Results: The main ingredients of PCSE were polydatin, resveratrol and emodin. Polydatin may be transformed into resveratrol in the intestine of the mice. PCSE prevented DSS-caused weight loss and colon length reduction, and improved histopathology of UC mice (P < 0.05). PCSE treatment increased the serum levels of IL-10 and reduced the levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.05). PCSE increased the activities of SOD, CAT, GPX and reduced the level of MDA, BCL-2, beta-arrestin, NF-κB p65 and the activity of MPO (P < 0.05). The combination of polydatin, resveratrol or emodin, and or PCSE exhibited higher inhibitory activities for cytokines and NF-κB signaling related molecules than any one of the three ingredients with same concentration treatment.

Conclusion: Oral administration of PCSE suppressed NF-κB signaling pathway and exerts its anti-colitis effects via synergistic effects of polydatin, resveratrol or emodin.