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Caruso A, Gelsomino L, Panza S, Accattatis FM, Naimo GD, Barone I, Giordano C, Catalano S, Andò S. Leptin: A Heavyweight Player in Obesity-Related Cancers. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1084. [PMID: 37509120 PMCID: PMC10377641 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity, defined as the abnormal or excessive expansion of white adipose tissue, has reached pandemic proportions and is recognized as an important health concern since it is a common root for several comorbidities, including malignancies. Indeed, the current knowledge of the white adipose tissue, which shifts its role from an energy storage tissue to an important endocrine and metabolic organ, has opened up new avenues for the discovery of obesity's effects on tumor biology. In this review, we will report the epidemiological studies concerning the strong impact of obesity in several types of cancer and describe the mechanisms underlying the heterotypic signals between cancer cell lines and adipocytes, with particular emphasis on inflammation, the insulin/IGF-1 axis, and adipokines. Among the adipokines, we will further describe the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical data concerning the role of leptin, recognized as one of the most important mediators of obesity-associated cancers. In fact, leptin physiologically regulates energy metabolism, appetite, and reproduction, and several studies have also described the role of leptin in affecting cancer development and progression. Finally, we will summarize the newest pharmacological strategies aimed at mitigating the protumorigenic effects of leptin, underlining their mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Caruso
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Luca Gelsomino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, Via P. Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Salvatore Panza
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Felice Maria Accattatis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Daniela Naimo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Ines Barone
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, Via P. Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Cinzia Giordano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, Via P. Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Stefania Catalano
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, Via P. Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Via P Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, Via P. Bucci, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036 Cosenza, Italy
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Yao C, Wu S, Kong J, Sun Y, Bai Y, Zhu R, Li Z, Sun W, Zheng L. Angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma: mechanisms and anti-angiogenic therapies. Cancer Biol Med 2023; 20:j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0449. [PMID: 36647777 PMCID: PMC9843448 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2022.0449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. Angiogenesis, the process of formation of new blood vessels, is required for cancer cells to obtain nutrients and oxygen. HCC is a typical hypervascular solid tumor with an aberrant vascular network and angiogenesis that contribute to its growth, progression, invasion, and metastasis. Current anti-angiogenic therapies target mainly tyrosine kinases, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), and are considered effective strategies for HCC, particularly advanced HCC. However, because the survival benefits conferred by these anti-angiogenic therapies are modest, new anti-angiogenic targets must be identified. Several recent studies have determined the underlying molecular mechanisms, including pro-angiogenic factors secreted by HCC cells, the tumor microenvironment, and cancer stem cells. In this review, we summarize the roles of pro-angiogenic factors; the involvement of endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and tumor-associated neutrophils present in the tumor microenvironment; and the regulatory influence of cancer stem cells on angiogenesis in HCC. Furthermore, we discuss some of the clinically approved anti-angiogenic therapies and potential novel therapeutic targets for angiogenesis in HCC. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis may lead to the development of more optimized anti-angiogenic treatment modalities for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyu Yao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Shilun Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Yiwen Sun
- Department of Pathology, Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Yannan Bai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery, Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou 350001, China
| | - Ruhang Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Zhuxin Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Wenbing Sun
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100043, China
- Correspondence to: Wenbing Sun and Lemin Zheng, E-mail: and
| | - Lemin Zheng
- The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Institute of Systems Biomedicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Ministry of Education, Health Sciences Center, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, China National Clinical Research Center of Neurological Diseases, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Correspondence to: Wenbing Sun and Lemin Zheng, E-mail: and
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Leptin-Activity Modulators and Their Potential Pharmaceutical Applications. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11071045. [PMID: 34356668 PMCID: PMC8301849 DOI: 10.3390/biom11071045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptin, a multifunctional hormone primarily, but not exclusively, secreted in adipose tissue, is implicated in a wide range of biological functions that control different processes, such as the regulation of body weight and energy expenditure, reproductive function, immune response, and bone metabolism. In addition, leptin can exert angiogenic and mitogenic actions in peripheral organs. Leptin biological activities are greatly related to its interaction with the leptin receptor. Both leptin excess and leptin deficiency, as well as leptin resistance, are correlated with different human pathologies, such as autoimmune diseases and cancers, making leptin and leptin receptor important drug targets. The development of leptin signaling modulators represents a promising strategy for the treatment of cancers and other leptin-related diseases. In the present manuscript, we provide an update review about leptin-activity modulators, comprising leptin mutants, peptide-based leptin modulators, as well as leptin and leptin receptor specific monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies.
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The influence of leptin on the process of carcinogenesis. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2019; 23:63-68. [PMID: 31316286 PMCID: PMC6630388 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2019.85877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a new risk factor, to which more and more research is devoted, related to the development of cancer. Many studies of recent years have drawn attention to the role of adipose tissue as an important internal endocrine organ. In the adipose tissue proteins are produced, referred to by the common name as adipokines. In the case of obesity, the neoplasm cells are constantly stimulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, among which leptin dominates. The studies show that leptin can affect the cancer cells through numerous phenomena, e.g. inflammation, cell proliferation, suppression of apoptosis and angiogenesis. In this literature review we examined the role of leptin in the development of the individual cancers: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and brain neoplasms: glioma and meningioma. However, leptin has very complicated mechanisms of action which require better understanding in certain types of cancer.
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Ghasemi A, Saeidi J, Azimi-Nejad M, Hashemy SI. Leptin-induced signaling pathways in cancer cell migration and invasion. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2019; 42:243-260. [PMID: 30877623 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-019-00428-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence indicates that obesity is associated with tumor development and progression. Leptin is an adipocyte-related hormone with a key role in energy metabolism and whose circulating levels are elevated in obesity. The effect of leptin on cancer progression and metastasis and its underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Leptin can impact various steps in tumor metastasis, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix (ECM), and proteolysis of ECM components. To do so, leptin binds to its receptor (OB-Rb) to activate signaling pathways and downstream effectors that participate in tumor cell invasion as well as distant metastasis. CONCLUSIONS In this review, we describe metastasis steps in detail and characterize metastasis-related molecules activated by leptin, which may help to develop a roadmap that guides future work. In addition, we conclude that a profound understanding of the fundamental molecular processes that contribute to leptin-induced metastasis may pave the way for the development of new prognostic molecules and appropriate approaches to the treatment of obesity-related cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ghasemi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Jafar Saeidi
- Department of Physiology, School of Basic Science, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Mohsen Azimi-Nejad
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
- Department of Genetic, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Isaac Hashemy
- Surgical Oncology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Fiedor E, Zajda K, Gregoraszczuk EL. Leptin Receptor Antagonists' Action on HDAC Expression Eliminating the Negative Effects of Leptin in Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2018; 15:329-336. [PMID: 29976638 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM A common finding in cancer cells is the overexpression of histone deacetylases (HDACs), leading to altered expression and activity of numerous proteins involved in carcinogenesis. Considering that leptin can modulate the levels of HDACs, we hypothesised that leptin receptor antagonists can alter HDAC expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS HDAC expression in cells exposed to leptin and leptin receptor antagonists (SHLA and Lan2) were evaluated in ovarian epithelial (OVCAR-3, CaOV3) and folliculoma (COV434, KGN) cells. RESULTS Higher HDAC expression was found in epithelial compared to folliculoma cells. Leptin increased class I and II HDACs only in OVCAR-3 cells, and SHLA was more potent then Lan-2. In folliculoma cells, leptin only increased class II HDAC expression, Lan-2 was more potent than SHLA in the COV434 and neither antagonist affected the KGN cells. CONCLUSION SHLA and Lan2 eliminate the negative effects of leptin on HDAC expression in a cell-type-dependent manner. This is the first report testing leptin receptor blockers as HDAC inhibitors in ovarian cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta Fiedor
- Department of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Zajda
- Department of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa L Gregoraszczuk
- Department of Physiology and Toxicology of Reproduction, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Krakow, Poland
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Crean-Tate KK, Reizes O. Leptin Regulation of Cancer Stem Cells in Breast and Gynecologic Cancer. Endocrinology 2018; 159:3069-3080. [PMID: 29955847 PMCID: PMC6669812 DOI: 10.1210/en.2018-00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that obesity increases the incidence and worsens the prognosis of women's cancer. For breast cancer, women with obesity exhibit more than a twofold increase in the odds of being diagnosed with cancer, with a greater risk of advanced stage at diagnosis, and ≤40% greater risk of recurrence and death than their normal-weight counterparts. These findings are similar in gynecologic cancers, where women who are obese with a body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2 have up to six times greater risk of developing endometrial cancer and a 9.2% increase in mortality with every 10% increase in BMI. Likewise, patients with obesity exhibit a twofold higher risk of premenopausal ovarian cancer, and patients who are obese with advanced stage ovarian cancer have shown a shorter time to recurrence and poorer overall survival. Obesity is accompanied by changes in expression of adipose factors that act on local tissues and systemically. Once obesity was recognized as a factor in cancer incidence and progression, the adipose cytokine (adipokine) leptin became the focus of intense investigation as a putative link, with nearly 3000 publications on the topic. Leptin has been shown to increase cell proliferation, inhibit apoptosis, promote angiogenesis, and increase therapeutic resistance. These characteristics are associated with a subset of cells in both liquid and solid tumors known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor initiating cells. We will review the literature discussing leptin's role in breast and gynecologic cancer, focusing on its role in CSCs, and consider goals for targeting future therapy in this arena to disrupt tumor initiation and progression in women's cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie K Crean-Tate
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women’s Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ofer Reizes
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, Ohio
- Correspondence: Ofer Reizes, PhD, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, NC10, Cleveland, Ohio 44195. E-mail:
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