Vascular endothelial growth factor B coordinates metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer

Peptides Derived from Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B Show Potent Binding to Neuropilin-1

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) regulate significant pathways in angiogenesis, myocardial and neuronal protection, metabolism, and cancer progression. The VEGF-B growth factor is involved in cell survival, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant mechanisms, through binding to VEGF receptor 1 and neuropilin-1 (NRP1). We employed surface plasmon resonance technology and X-ray crystallography to analyse the molecular basis of the interaction between VEGF-B and the b1 domain of NRP1, and developed VEGF-B C-terminus derived peptides to be used as chemical tools for studying VEGF-B - NRP1 related pathways. Peptide lipidation was used as a means to stabilise the peptides. VEGF-B-derived peptides containing a C-terminal arginine show potent binding to NRP1-b1. Peptide lipidation increased binding residence time and improved plasma stability. A crystal structure of a peptide with NRP1 demonstrated that VEGF-B peptides bind at the canonical C-terminal arginine binding site. VEGF-B C-terminus imparts higher affinity for NRP1 than the corresponding VEGF-A165 region. This tight binding may impact on the activity and selectivity of the full-length protein. The VEGF-B167 derived peptides were more effective than VEGF-A165 peptides in blocking functional phosphorylation events. Blockers of VEGF-B function have potential applications in diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Preoperative Ultrasound Radiomics Signatures for Noninvasive Evaluation of Biological Characteristics of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to establish and validate radiomics signatures based on ultrasound (US) medicine images to assess the biological behaviors of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) in a noninvasive manner.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study consisted of 128 ICC patients. We focused on evaluating six pathological features: microvascular invasion, perineural invasion, differentiation, Ki-67, vascular endothelial growth factor, and cytokeratin 7. Region of interest (ROI) of ICC was identified by manually plotting the tumor contour on the grayscale US image. We extracted radiomics features from medical US imaging. Then, dimensionality reduction methods and classifiers were used to develop radiomic signatures for evaluating six pathological features in ICC. Finally, independent validation datasets were used to assess the radiomic signatures performance.

RESULTS

We extracted 1076 quantitative characteristic parameters on the US medicine images. Based on extracted radiomics features, the best performing radiomic signatures for evaluating microvascular invasion features were produced by hypothetical test + support vector machine (SVM), perineural invasion subgroup were least absolute shrinkage and selection operator + principal component analysis + support vector machine, differentiation subgroup were hypothetical test + decision tree, Ki-67 subgroup were hypothetical test + logistic regression, vascular endothelial growth factor subgroup were hypothetical test + Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), and cytokeratin 7 subgroup were hypothetical test + bagging, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Through the high-throughput radiomics analysis based on US medicine images, we proposed radiomics signatures that have moderate efficiency in predicting the biological behaviors of ICC noninvasively.

Relevance of CCL3/CCR5 axis in oral carcinogenesis

The chemokine CCL3 is a chemotactic cytokine crucial for inflammatory cell recruitment in homeostatic and pathological conditions. CCL3 might stimulate cancer progression by promoting leukocyte accumulation, angiogenesis and tumour growth. The expression of CCL3 and its receptors CCR1 and CCR5 was demonstrated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but their role was not defined. Here, the functions of CCL3 were assessed using a model of chemically induced tongue carcinogenesis with 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO). Lineages of OSCC were used to analyse the effects of CCL3 in vitro. The 4NQO-induced lesions exhibited increased expression of CCL3, CCR1 and CCR5. CCL3^-/- and CCR5^-/- mice presented reduced incidence of tongue tumours compared to wild-type (WT) and CCR1^-/- mice. Consistently, attenuated cytomorphological atypia and reduced cell proliferation were observed in lesions of CCL3^-/- and CCR5^-/- mice. OSCC from CCL3^-/- mice exhibited lower infiltration of eosinophils and reduced expression of Egf, Fgf1, Tgf-β1, Vegfa, Vegfb, Itga-4, Vtn, Mmp-1a, Mmp-2 and Mmp-9 than WT mice. In vitro, CCL3 induced invasion and production of CCL5, IL-6, MMP -2, -8, -9. Blockage of CCL3 in vitro using α-CCL3 or Evasin-1 (a CCL3-binding protein) impaired tumour cell invasion. In conclusion, CCL3/CCR5 axis has pro-tumourigenic effects in oral carcinogenesis. The induction of inflammatory and angiogenic pathways and eosinophils recruitment appear to be the underlying mechanism explaining these effects. These data reveal potential protective effects of CCL3 blockade in oral cancer.

Baicalein Inhibits the Migration and Invasion of B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells through Inactivation of the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

Baicalein, a natural flavonoid obtained from the rhizome of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been reported to have anticancer activities in several human cancer cell lines. However, its antimetastatic effects and associated mechanisms in melanoma cells have not been extensively studied. The current study examined the effects of baicalein on cell motility and anti-invasive activity using mouse melanoma B16F10 cells. Within the noncytotoxic concentration range, baicalein significantly inhibited the cell motility and invasiveness of B16F10 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Baicalein also reduced the activity and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9; however, the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -2 were concomitantly increased. The inhibitory effects of baicalein on cell motility and invasiveness were found to be associated with its tightening of tight junction (TJ), which was demonstrated by an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance and downregulation of the claudin family of proteins. Additionally, treatment with baicalein markedly reduced the expression levels of lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylated Akt and the invasive activity in B16F10 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that baicalein inhibits B16F10 melanoma cell migration and invasion by reducing the expression of MMPs and tightening TJ through the suppression of claudin expression, possibly in association with a suppression of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway.

Comprehensive profiling and quantitation of oncogenic mutations in non-small cell lung carcinoma using single-molecule amplification and re-sequencing technology

The carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung carcinoma has been found to associate with activating and resistant mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of specific oncogenes. Here, we assessed the type, frequency, and abundance of epithelial growth factor receptor, KRAS, BRAF, and ALK mutations in 154 non-small cell lung carcinoma specimens using single-molecule amplification and re-sequencing technology. We found that epithelial growth factor receptor mutations were the most prevalent (44.2%), followed by KRAS (18.8%), ALK (7.8%), and BRAF (5.8%) mutations. The type and abundance of the mutations in tumor specimens appeared to be heterogeneous. Thus, we conclude that identification of clinically significant oncogenic mutations may improve the classification of patients and provide valuable information for determination of the therapeutic strategies.

SIRT2 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cell growth through impairing Skp2-mediated p27 degradation

Skp2 is a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase which promotes the ubiquitination-associated degradation of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27, resulting in increases in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell growth. We recently showed that down-regulation of Sirtuin deacetylases 2 (SIRT2) in NSCLC increased cancer cell growth through suppressing p27. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we examined the relationship between SIRT2 and Skp2 in regulation of NSCLC cell growth through p27. We found that the levels of SIRT2 significantly decreased, while the levels of Skp2 significantly increased in NSCLC specimens, compared to the paired non-tumor lung tissue. The levels of SIRT2 and Skp2 inversely correlated. Low SIRT2 levels were associated with poor patients' survival. Moreover, in several lung cancer cell lines, the SIRT2 levels significantly decreased and the Skp2 levels significantly increased. Overexpression of SIRT2 promoted Skp2 deacetylation and degradation, resulting in increases in p27 and suppression of NSCLC cell growth, whereas knockdown of Skp2 inhibited Skp2 deacetylation and degradation, resulting in decreases in p27 and increases in NSCLC cell growth. The deacetylation of Skp2 by SIRT2 and degradation of p27 by Skp2 were significantly inhibited by histone deacetylase inhibitor and proteasome inhibitor, respectively. Finally, SIRT2 and Skp2 co-immunoprecipitated in NSCLC cells. Together, our data suggest that SIRT2 may induce Skp2 deacetylation and subsequent degradation to abolish the effects of Skp2 on p27 to affect NSCLC cell growth. Thus, re-expression of SIRT2 may be a promising strategy for treating NSCLC.

Intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine is associated with decreased overall survival after lung cancer surgery

Background and Aims:

The aim is to evaluate the association between the use of intraoperative dexmedetomidine with an increase in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery.

Material and Methods:

This was a propensity score-matched (PSM) retrospective study. Single academic center. The study comprised patients with Stage I through IIIa NSCLC. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years. Primary outcomes of the study were RFS and OS. RFS and OS were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models after PSM (n = 251/group) to assess the association between intraoperative dexmedetomidine use and the primary outcomes. The value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

After PSM and adjusting for significant covariates, the multivariate analysis demonstrated no association between the use of dexmedetomidine and RFS (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)]: HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.91–1.53; P = 0.199). The multivariate analysis also demonstrated an association between the administration of dexmedetomidine and reduced OS (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03–1.59; P = 0.024).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that the intraoperative use of dexmedetomidine to NSCLC patients was not associated with a significant impact on RFS and but worsening OS. A randomized controlled study should be conducted to confirm the results of this study.

Clinical Significance of Circulating Osteopontin Levels in Patients With Lung Cancer and Correlation With VEGF and MMP-9

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in carcinogenesis. Serum levels of OPN, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) were measured by ELISA in 90 lung cancer patients. OPN levels were elevated in patients compared to controls (p <.0001). Smokers, patients with worse performance status, and weight loss exhibited higher OPN levels (p =.0012,.00036, and.0003, respectively). Increased OPN levels were associated with worse survival (p =.0018). Finally, OPN levels were positively correlated with both VEGF (p =.0008) and MMP-9 (p <.0001). OPN might serve as a prognostic biomarker, and the positive correlation between OPN and both VEGF and MMP-9 could implicate new insights in tumor angiogenesis.

Different roles of myofibroblasts in the tumorigenesis of nonsmall cell lung cancer

Myofibroblasts play a critical role in the cancer cell growth, invasion, and tumor-associated vascularization during the carcinogenesis of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whereas the underlying molecular bases are not completely understood. We isolated Lin-negative, Sca1-low, and CD49e-high myofibroblasts from the NSCLC tissues of the patients and modified the levels of either transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) or vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in these cells. We found that coculture with TGFβ1-overexpressing myofibroblasts significantly decreased the NSCLC cell growth in an MTT assay through proliferation suppression rather than modulation of cell apoptosis, while significantly increased the NSCLC cell invasiveness in either a transwell migration assay or a scratch wound healing migration assay. However, modulation of TGFβ1 levels in myofibroblasts did not significantly alter vessel formation in a human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) transwell collagen gel assay. On the other hand, overexpression of VEGF-A in myofibroblasts significantly increased vessel formation in the HUVECs transwell collagen gel assay. Together, these data suggest that myofibroblasts may regulate cancer cell growth and invasion through TGFβ1 but modulate cancer-associated neovascularization through VEGF-A. Hence, targeting different signaling pathways in myofibroblasts may delicately control NSCLC growth and invasion.

E-cadherin mediates adhesion of Aspergillus fumigatus to non-small cell lung cancer cells

A spergillus fumigatus is a widely distributed microorganism, and recently, A. fumigatus culture filtrate has been shown to trigger apoptotic cell death in several human cancer cell lines, including non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, A549. Nevertheless, the molecular adhesion of A. fumigatus to these cancer cells to trigger cell death remains unknown. Here, we knocked down E-cadherin in A549 cells and examined its effects on A. fumigatus. The blastospores of A. fumigatus were incubated with the complete protein extracts from A549 cells, using an affinity purification procedure. Preliminary exploration of E-cadherin-interacting protein on the surface of Aspergillus fumigates was done by immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry analysis. We found that the adhesion of the blastospores to A549 cells was significantly reduced by E-cadherin suppression in A549 cells, suggesting that E-cadherin of A549 cells may mediate the surface adhesion of A. fumigatus blastospore. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis predicted two binding proteins for E-cadherin on A. fumigatus, AfA24A6.130c and XP_747789. Finally, the growth of E-cadherin-depleted A549 cells significantly increased by infection of A. fumigatus in vivo. Thus, our study suggests that E-cadherin mediates adhesion of A. fumigatus to NSCLC cells to trigger cell death and provides molecular evidence for the treatment of NSCLC with controlled A. fumigatus infection.

YT521 promotes metastases of endometrial cancer by differential splicing of vascular endothelial growth factor A

The malignancy of endometrial carcinoma (EC) largely results from its high invasive feature. The regulation of the mRNA splicing of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is critical for EC-associated cancer vascularization and invasion. Recently, we have reported that poorly prognostic EC had high levels of YT521, a newly defined RNA splicing protein. However, whether YT521 may similarly regulate the splicing of VEGF-A in EC is unknown. Here, we showed that EC specimens contained significantly higher levels of YT521, compared to the adjacent non-tumor endometrial tissue. Higher levels of YT521 were detected in EC specimens with metastases. High-YT521 EC is associated with poor patient survival. In order to examine whether YT521 may regulate VEGF-A mRNA splicing in EC, we transfected an EC cell line HEC-1A with different doses of YT521 mimics. We found that YT521 dose-dependently increased the ratio of VEGF-165 vs VEGF-121 at both mRNA and protein level, suggesting that YT521 may promote VEGF-A mRNA splicing to favor a VEGF-165 isoform. Moreover, the increases in the ratio of VEGF-165 vs VEGF-121 by YT521 overexpression resulted in increases in EC cell invasion, while decreases in the ratio of VEGF-165 vs VEGF-121 by YT521 depletion resulted in decreases in EC cell invasion in a transwell cell migration assay. Further, overexpression of VEGF-165, but not overexpression of VEGF-121, increased EC cell invasiveness. Finally, a strong correlation was detected between the ratio of VEGF-165 vs VEGF-121 and the levels of YT521 in EC specimens. Together, these data suggest that YT521 may promote EC metastases by regulating mRNA splicing of VEGF-A.

Regulation of activating protein-4-associated metastases of non-small cell lung cancer cells by miR-144

Activating protein-4 (AP4) has been recently shown to regulate the cancer metastases in some cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Specifically, AP4 regulates mTor/p21 and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) receptor signaling pathway to increase an epithelial-mesenchymal transition process to augment cell invasiveness. Nevertheless, how AP4 is regulated in NSCLC has not been studied. Here, we showed that in the specimens from the NSCLC patients, the levels of miR-144 were significantly decreased and the levels of AP4 were significantly increased, compared to the paired non-tumor lung tissue. The levels of miR-144 and AP4 inversely correlated in patients' specimens. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that miR-144 targeted the 3'-UTR of AP4 mRNA to inhibit its translation, confirmed by luciferase-reporter assay. Moreover, miR-144 overexpression inhibited AP4-mediated cell invasiveness, while miR-144 depletion increased AP4-mediated cell invasiveness in NSCLC cells. Together, our data suggest that miR-144 suppression may be the cause of the increased levels of AP4, as well as the augmented cancer metastases, in NSCLC.

Prophylactic administration of fucoidan represses cancer metastasis by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in Lewis tumor-bearing mice

Fucoidan, a heparin-like sulfated polysaccharide, is rich in brown algae. It has a wide assortment of protective activities against cancer, for example, induction of hepatocellular carcinoma senescence, induction of human breast and colon carcinoma apoptosis, and impediment of lung cancer cells migration and invasion. However, the anti-metastatic mechanism that fucoidan exploits remains elusive. In this report, we explored the effects of fucoidan on cachectic symptoms, tumor development, lung carcinoma cell spreading and proliferation, as well as expression of metastasis-associated proteins in the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells-inoculated mice model. We discovered that administration of fucoidan has prophylactic effects on mitigation of cachectic body weight loss and improvement of lung masses in tumor-inoculated mice. These desired effects are attributed to inhibition of LLC spreading and proliferation in lung tissues. Fucoidan also down-regulates expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Moreover, the tumor-bearing mice supplemented with fucoidan indeed benefit from an ensemble of the chemo-phylacticity. The fact is that fucoidan significantly decreases viability, migration, invasion, and MMPs activities of LLC cells. In summary, fucoidan is suitable to act as a chemo-preventative agent for minimizing cachectic symptoms as well as inhibiting lung carcinoma metastasis through down-regulating metastatic factors VEGF and MMPs.