Over-expression of NOTCH1 as a biomarker for invasive breast ductal carcinoma

Gene expression profiling and protein-protein interaction analysis reveals the dynamic role of MCM7 in Alzheimer's disorder and breast cancer

The interrelation of cancer and Alzheimer's disorder (AD)-associated molecular mechanisms, reported last decade, paved the path for drug discoveries. In this direction, while chemotherapy is well established for breast cancer (BC), the detection and targeted therapy for AD is not advanced due to a lack of recognized peripheral biomarkers. The present study aimed to find diagnostic and prognostic molecular signature markers common to both BC and AD for possible drug targeting and repurposing. For these disorders, two corresponding microarray datasets (GSE42568, GSE33000) were used for identifying the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), resulting in recognition of CD209 and MCM7 as the two common players. While the CD209 gene was upregulated in both disorders and has been studied vastly, the MCM7 gene showed a strikingly reverse pattern of expression level, downregulated in the case of BC while upregulated in the case of AD. Thus, the MCM7 gene was further analyzed for expression, predictions, and validations of its structure and protein-protein interaction (PPI) for the possible development of new treatment methods for AD. The study concluded with indicative drug repurposing studies to check the effect of existing clinically approved drugs for BC for rectifying the expression levels of the mutated MCM7 gene in AD.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03207-1.

Abnormal activation of notch 1 signaling causes apoptosis resistance in cervical cancer

Notch1 signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved and crucial regulator to determine cell fate and differentiation. Notch1 is often over expressed in several cancers, which plays an essential for cancer cell proliferation, survival, invasion and metastasis. The oncogenic function of Notch1 signaling in cervical cancer progression is not well-characterized. In the present study, we showed that Notch1 is significantly enhanced in cervical cancer tissues. Similarly, the relative mRNA and expression of Notch1 protein are significantly upregulated in cervical cancer cell lines such as HeLa and SiHa. Further, we have performed RNAi for NOTCH1 depletion to determine its specific role in cervical cancer progression. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that NOTCH1 depletion leads to activation of apoptotic cell death in cervical cancer. Further, the NOTCH1 depleted cells showed increased sensitivity towards DNA-targeting drugs and therefore cell viability was reduced efficiently. Altogether, our findings suggest that Notch1 overexpression in cervical cancer cells was involved in tumorigenesis and apoptosis resistance of cervical cancer.

Nonviral siRNA delivery systems for pancreatic cancer therapy

The serious drawbacks of the conventional treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) such as nonspecific toxicity and high resistance to chemo and radiation therapy, have prompted the development and application of countless small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based therapeutics. Recent advances in drug delivery systems hold great promise for improving siRNA-based therapeutics and developing a new class of drugs, known as nano-siRNA drugs. However, many fundamental questions, regarding toxicity, immunostimulation, and poor knowledge of nano-bio interactions, need to be addressed before clinical translation. In this review, we provide recent achievements in the design and development of various nonviral delivery vehicles for pancreatic cancer therapy. More importantly, codelivery of conventional anticancer drugs with siRNA as a new revolutionary pancreatic cancer combinational therapy is completely discussed.

Additive Pharmacological Interaction between Cisplatin (CDDP) and Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors (HDIs) in MDA-MB-231 Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Cells with Altered Notch1 Activity-An Isobolographic Analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the Notch1 activity level on the pharmacological interaction between cisplatin (CDDP) and two histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs)-valproic acid (VPA) and vorinostat (SAHA) in the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Stable breast cancer (BC) cell lines with increased and decreased activity of Notch1 were generated using a transfection method. The type of interaction between CDDP and the HDIs was determined by isobolographic analysis of cell proliferation in MDA-MB-231 cells with differential levels of Notch1 activity in vitro. The combination of CDDP/SAHA and CDDP/VPA in the MDA-MB-231 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells with increased activity of Notch1, as well as CDDP/VPA in the MDA-MB-231 cells with decreased activity of Notch1, yielded an additive interaction, whereas additivity with a tendency towards antagonism was observed for the combination of CDDP/SAHA in MDA-MB-231 cells with the decreased activity of Notch1. Our studies demonstrated that SAHA and VPA might be considered as potential therapeutic agents in combination therapy with CDDP against TNBC with altered Notch1 activity.

Genetic and molecular biology of breast cancer among Iranian patients

Abstract

Background, Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths in Iran. This high ratio of mortality had a rising trend during the recent years which is probably associated with late diagnosis.

Main body

Therefore it is critical to define a unique panel of genetic markers for the early detection among our population. In present review we summarized all of the reported significant genetic markers among Iranian BC patients for the first time, which are categorized based on their cellular functions.

Conclusions

This review paves the way of introducing a unique ethnic specific panel of diagnostic markers among Iranian BC patients. Indeed, this review can also clarify the genetic and molecular bases of BC progression among Iranians.

Prevalence of polycystic kidney disease in Persian and Persian related-cats referred to Small Animal Hospital, University of Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most prevalent inherited genetic disease of cats, predominantly affecting Persians and Persian-related cats.

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in Persian cats in Iran, and also to assess the relationships between PKD and gender, age as well as clinical and paracilinical manifestations.

METHODS

Sonographic screening examination was performed on all healthy and unhealthy Persian and Persian-related cats referred to Small Animal Hospital of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, from April 2014 to May 2015. Cats were classified as positive when at least one anechoic cavity was found in at least one kidney.

RESULTS

Of 76 Persian and Persian-related cats submitted for PKD ultrasound screening, 36.8% were found to have the disease and 63.2% were negative. Therefore, the prevalence of PKD was estimated 36.8% in Persian and Persian related cats in Tehran, Iran, which is approximately similar to prevalence in other parts of the world. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between PKD and age, as in affected cats the detection probability of renal cysts in sonography was increased in older animals. For each year increase in age, the detection probability of PKD in sonography was increased about 2.62 times.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of the PKD amongst Persian cats in Iran is relatively high, and insufficient attention to incidence and prevalence of PKD especially in breeding programs, would spread the disease throughout in Persian cats.

Antrocin, a bioactive component from Antrodia cinnamomea, suppresses breast carcinogenesis and stemness via downregulation of β-catenin/Notch1/Akt signaling

BACKGROUND

We identified increased β-catenin and Atk expression was associated with drug resistance and poor prognosis in breast cancer patients using public databases. Antrocin treatment suppressed breast tumorigenesis and stemness properties.

HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE

We aimed to provide preclinical evidence for antrocin, an active component of Antrodia cinnamomea, as a potential small-molecule drug for treating drug-resistant breast cancer.

METHODS

Various in vitro assays including SRB, Boyden chamber, colony formation, drug combination index and tumor sphere generation were used to determine the anti-cancer and stemness effects of antrocin. Mouse xenograft models were used to evaluate antrocin's effect in vivo.

RESULTS

Antrocin treatment suppressed the viability, migration colony formation and mammosphere generation. Antrocin-mediated anti-cancer effects were associated with the decreased expression of oncogenic and stemness markers such as β-catenin, Akt and Notch1. A sequential regimen of antrocin and paclitaxel synergistically inhibit breast cancer viability in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Our preclinical evidence supports antrocin's ability of inhibiting tumorigenic and stemness properties in breast cancer cells. Further develop of antrocin should be encouraged; the combined use of antrocin and paclitaxel may also be considered for future clinical trials.

Relationship Between ADAMTS8, ADAMTS18, and ADAMTS20 (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs) Expressions and Tumor Molecular Classification, Clinical Pathological Parameters, and Prognosis in Breast Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between ADAMTSs expression and breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and to offer a theoretical basis for novel treatment methods for IDC patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Non-proliferative catheter of breast fibroadenoma (FA) and IDC were used as the normal control and experimental group, respectively. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and Western blot (WB) analysis was used to assess protein expression levels of ADAMTS8, ADAMTS18, and ADAMTS20 in both FA and IDC tissues. The results of IHC, the relationship between the protein expression and the tumor molecular classification, and clinical pathological parameters were all evaluated. RESULTS IHC and WB results showed that the expression of ADAMTS8/18 in IDC samples was higher than in FA samples, while the expression of ADAMTS20 in IDC samples was lower than that in FA samples. According to the results of WB, the level of ADAMTS8 was higher in the HER2+ group than in the HER2- group and FA group. The expression of ADAMTS18 in the HR+ (including ER+ and PR+) group was significantly higher than in the HR- group and FA group. The expression of ADAMTS18 protein was also higher in the Ki67+ group than in the Ki67- group. ADAMTS20 was higher in HER2+ IDC compared with the basal subtype of IDC. CONCLUSIONS ADAMTS8/18/20 levels were not significantly correlated to the molecular subtype of IDC. ADAMTS18/20 was significantly associated with histological grade of IDC. ADAMTS8 may predict poor prognosis results of IDC patients.