Glioblastoma and acute myeloid leukemia: malignancies with striking similarities

Unraveling the impact of miR-21 on apoptosis regulation in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is a prevalent form of carcinoma that exhibits a greater incidence rate across diverse demographics globally. Despite extensive global efforts, GBM continues to be a highly lethal disease that is characterized by a grim prognosis. There is a wealth of evidence suggesting that the pathophysiology of GBM is associated with the dysregulation of numerous cellular and molecular processes. The etiology of GBM may involve various cellular and molecular pathways, including EGFR, PDCD4, NF-κB, MAPK, matrix metalloproteinases, STAT, and Akt. MicroRNAs, short non-coding RNA molecules, regulate gene expression and mRNA translation after transcription but before translation to exert control over a wide range of biological functions. Extensive research has consistently demonstrated the upregulation of miRNA-21 in glioma, indicating its involvement in diverse biological pathways that facilitate tumor cell survival. By explaining the intricate interplay between miR-21 and the regulation of apoptosis in GBM, this review has the potential to significantly enhance our comprehension of the illness and provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Tieing together loose ends: telomere instability in cancer and aging

Telomere maintenance is essential for maintaining genome integrity in both normal and cancer cells. Without functional telomeres, chromosomes lose their protective structure and undergo fusion and breakage events that drive further genome instability, including cell arrest or death. One means by which this loss can be overcome in stem cells and cancer cells is via re‐addition of G‐rich telomeric repeats by the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). During aging of somatic tissues, however, insufficient telomerase expression leads to a proliferative arrest called replicative senescence, which is triggered when telomeres reach a critically short threshold that induces a DNA damage response. Cancer cells express telomerase but do not entirely escape telomere instability as they often possess short telomeres; hence there is often selection for genetic alterations in the TERT promoter that result in increased telomerase expression. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the consequences of telomere instability in cancer and aging, and outline the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in exploiting the reliance of cells on telomere maintenance for preserving genome stability.

OPALS: A New Osimertinib Adjunctive Treatment of Lung Adenocarcinoma or Glioblastoma Using Five Repurposed Drugs

Background: Pharmacological targeting aberrant activation of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase signaling is an established approach to treating lung adenocarcinoma. Osimertinib is a tyrosine kinase approved and effective in treating lung adenocarcinomas that have one of several common activating mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor. The emergence of resistance to osimertinib after a year or two is the rule. We developed a five-drug adjuvant regimen designed to increase osimertinib’s growth inhibition and thereby delay the development of resistance. Areas of Uncertainty: Although the assembled preclinical data is strong, preclinical data and the following clinical trial results can be discrepant. The safety of OPALS drugs when used individually is excellent. We have no data from humans on their tolerability when used as an ensemble. That there is no data from the individual drugs to suspect problematic interaction does not exclude the possibility. Data Sources: All relevant PubMed.org articles on the OPALS drugs and corresponding pathophysiology of lung adenocarcinoma and glioblastoma were reviewed. Therapeutic Opinion: The five drugs of OPALS are in wide use in general medicine for non-oncology indications. OPALS uses the anti-protozoal drug pyrimethamine, the antihistamine cyproheptadine, the antibiotic azithromycin, the antihistamine loratadine, and the potassium sparing diuretic spironolactone. We show how these inexpensive and generically available drugs intersect with and inhibit lung adenocarcinoma growth drive. We also review data showing that both OPALS adjuvant drugs and osimertinib have data showing they may be active in suppressing glioblastoma growth.

Characterization of ROS Metabolic Equilibrium Reclassifies Pan-Cancer Samples and Guides Pathway Targeting Therapy

Background: Abnormal redox equilibrium is a major contributor to tumor malignancy and treatment resistance. Understanding reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism is a key to clarify the tumor redox status. However, we have limited methods to evaluate ROS in tumor tissues and little knowledge on ROS metabolism across human cancers.

Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas multi-omics data across 22 cancer types and the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer data were analyzed in this study. Cell viability testing and xenograft model were used to validate the role of ROS modulation in regulating treatment efficacy.

Results: ROS indexes reflecting ROS metabolic balance in five dimensions were developed and verified. Based on the ROS indexes, we conducted ROS metabolic landscape across 22 cancer types and found that ROS metabolism played various roles in different cancer types. Tumor samples were classified into eight ROS clusters with distinct clinical and multi-omics features, which was independent of their histological origin. We established a ROS-based drug efficacy evaluation network and experimentally validated the predicted effects, suggesting that modulating ROS metabolism improves treatment sensitivity and expands drug application scopes.

Conclusion: Our study proposes a new method in evaluating ROS status and offers comprehensive understanding on ROS metabolic equilibrium in human cancers, which provide practical implications for clinical management.