VEGFA isoforms play a vital role in oral cancer progression

Tumor growth-arrest effect of tetrahydroquinazoline-derivative human topoisomerase II-alpha inhibitor in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Oral malignancies continue to have severe morbidity with less than 50% long-term survival despite the advancement in the available therapies. There is a persisting demand for new approaches to establish more efficient strategies for their treatment. In this regard, the human topoisomerase II (topoII) enzyme is a validated chemotherapeutics target, as topoII regulates vital cellular processes such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome segregation in cells. TopoII inhibitors are currently used to treat some neoplasms such as breast and small cells lung carcinomas. Additionally, topoII inhibitors are under investigation for the treatment of other cancer types, including oral cancer. Here, we report the therapeutic effect of a tetrahydroquinazoline derivative (named ARN21934) that preferentially inhibits the alpha isoform of human topoII. The treatment efficacy of ARN21934 has been evaluated in 2D cell cultures, 3D in vitro systems, and in chick chorioallantoic membrane cancer models. Overall, this work paves the way for further preclinical developments of ARN21934 and possibly other topoII alpha inhibitors of this promising chemical class as a new chemotherapeutic approach for the treatment of oral neoplasms.

VEGF signaling: Role in angiogenesis and beyond

Angiogenesis is a crucial process for tissue development, repair, and tumor survival. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key driver secreted by cancer cells, promoting neovascularization. While VEGF's role in angiogenesis is well-documented, its influence on the other aspects in tumor microenvironemt is less discussed. This review elaborates on VEGF's impact on intercellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment, including how VEGF affects pericyte proliferation and migration and mediates interactions between tumor-associated macrophages and cancer cells, resulting in PDL-1-mediated immunosuppression and Nrf2-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The review discusses VEGF's involvement in intra-organelle crosstalk, tumor metabolism, stemness, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. It also provides insights into current anti-VEGF therapies and their limitations in cancer treatment. Overall, this review aims to provide a thorough overview of the current state of knowledge concerning VEGF signaling and its impact, not only on angiogenesis but also on various other oncogenic processes.

Bioinformatics analysis of miRNA and its associated genes to identify potential biomarkers of oral submucous fibrosis and oral malignancy

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs are a group of non-coding RNA that controls the gene expression. The interaction between miRNA and mRNA is thought to be dynamic. Oral cancer "The cancer of mouth" is quite prevailing in developing countries. miRNA has been found associated with oral cancer targeting tumor growth, cell proliferation, metastasis, invasion. The significant association of miRNA with genes could be used as a remarkable tool for diagnosis as well as prognostic analysis of oral cancer.

AIM

The aim of the present study is to evaluate common upregulated and downregulated miRNAs in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and oral malignancy (OM) patients that can be used as diagnostic biomarkers, and to find out their interactions with target genes to establish associated networks in cancer pathways.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using miRDeep2 and DESeq analysis, the upregulated and downregulated miRNA in OSMF (Oral Submucous Fibrosis) and OM (Oral Malignancies) samples were compared to GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) control dataset. There were 50 common downregulated miRNAs and 13 common upregulated miRNAs in OSMF and OM samples. miRNet analysis of common upregulated miRNA and common downregulated miRNA identified 1295 and 5954 genes, respectively connected with cancer pathways. From analysis of Hub genes, HRAS, STAT3, TP53, MYC, PTEN, CTNNB1, CCND1, JUN, VEGFA, KRAS were found associated with downregulated miRNA and VEGFA, TP53, MDM2, PTEN, MYC, ERBB2, CDKN1A, HSP90AA1, CCND1, AKTI were found associated with upregulated miRNA. The gene enrichment analysis of these hub genes were associated with cell communication, metabolic process, cell proliferation, and cellular component organization. Hub Genes linked with upregulated miRNA had an enrichment ratio of 11.828, whereas hub genes linked with downregulated miRNA had an enrichment ratio of 45.912.

CONCLUSION

We identified common deregulated miRNAs between OSMF and OM patients, which were further analyzed to find out associations with the genes correlated to cancer pathways. The hub genes identified in this study were found to have a significant impact on tumor growth and carcinogenesis. Also, the enrichment of these genes has revealed that the genes are associated with cellular communication, metabolic processes and various biological regulation. These deregulated miRNAs can be used to make a panel of biomarkers to diagnose oral cancer from blood even before its onset.

Effects of Dermatan Sulfate from Marine Invertebrate Styela plicata in the Wound Healing Pathway: A Natural Resource Applied to Regenerative Therapy

Acute and chronic dermatological injuries need rapid tissue repair due to the susceptibility to infections. To effectively promote cutaneous wound recovery, it is essential to develop safe, low-cost, and affordable regenerative tools. Therefore, we aimed to identify the biological mechanisms involved in the wound healing properties of the glycosaminoglycan dermatan sulfate (DS), obtained from ascidian Styela plicata, a marine invertebrate, which in preliminary work from our group showed no toxicity and promoted a remarkable fibroblast proliferation and migration. In this study, 2,4-DS (50 µg/mL)-treated and control groups had the relative gene expression of 84 genes participating in the healing pathway evaluated. The results showed that 57% of the genes were overexpressed during treatment, 16% were underexpressed, and 9.52% were not detected. In silico analysis of metabolic interactions exhibited overexpression of genes related to: extracellular matrix organization, hemostasis, secretion of inflammatory mediators, and regulation of insulin-like growth factor transport and uptake. Furthermore, in C57BL/6 mice subjected to experimental wounds treated with 0.25% 2,4-DS, the histological parameters demonstrated a great capacity for vascular recovery. Additionally, this study confirmed that DS is a potent inducer of wound-healing cellular pathways and a promoter of neovascularization, being a natural ally in the tissue regeneration strategy.

In silico interaction of HOX cluster-embedded microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in oral cancer

The essential role HOX-associated non-coding RNAs play in chromatin dynamics and gene regulation has been well documented. The potential roles of these microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in oral cancer development, with their attendant involvement in various cellular processes including proliferation, invasion, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis is gaining credence. An interaction network of HOX-embedded non-coding RNAs was constructed to identify the RNA interaction landscape using the arena-Idb platform and visualized using Cytoscape. The miR-10a was shown to interact with HOXA1, miR-10b with HOXD10, miR-196a1 with HOXA5, HOXA7, HOXB8, HOXC8, HOXD8, and miR-196a2 with HOXA5. The lncRNAs, HOTAIR interacted with HOXC11, HOTAIRM1 with HOXA1 and HOXA4, HOTTIP with HOXA13, HOXA-AS2 with HOXA3, HOXA11-AS with HOXA11 and HOXD-AS1 with HOXB8. Changes in the HOX cluster-embedded non-coding RNAs have implications for prognosis and overall disease survival. Our review aims to analyze the functional significance and clinical relevance of non-coding RNAs within the HOX cluster in the context of oral carcinogenesis. Elucidating these interactions between the non-coding RNAs and HOX genes in oral cancer development and progression could pave the way for the identification of reliable biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

VEGF gene transfection restores the angiogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis in mice

Background

To explore the effectiveness of adenovirus-enhanced green fluorescent protein-vascular endothelial growth factor165 (AD-EGFP-VEGF165) transfection on fibroblasts from mice, and we assessed whether VEGF165 restores the angiogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) in mice.

Methods

AD-EGFP-VEGF165 and AD-EGFP were transfected into fibroblasts from mouse buccal tissues in vitro. The expression of VEGF before and after transfection was detected by RT-qPCR and ELISA in each group of fibroblasts. Fifteen OSF mice (pre-experimental construction) were randomly divided into 3 groups, and equal amounts of AD-EGFP-VEGF165 virus, AD-EGFP virus, and saline were injected into the buccal submucosal tissue of OSF mice. The expression of VEGF and local tissue angiogenesis were observed and measured in each group of animals.

Results

The Ad-EGFP-VEGF165-transfected fibroblasts increased human and mouse VEGF expression compared to the Ad-EGFP group and control group (P<0.05). The buccal submucosal tissue of mice was injected with Ad-EGFP-VEGF165 after the 6th day, and the expression of VEGF was effectively expressed in AD-EGFP-VEGF165 group (P<0.05), while no positive expression observed in other groups. and the number of microvessels in the AD-EGFP-VEGF165 group increased significantly compared to the other groups (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Ad-EGFP-VEGF165 can be successfully transfected into fibroblasts from mice, and restored the angiogenesis of OSF in mice.

Identification of potential candidate genes for lip and oral cavity cancer using network analysis

Lip and oral cavity cancer, which can occur in any part of the mouth, is the 11th most common type of cancer worldwide. The major obstacles to patients' survival are the poor prognosis, lack of specific biomarkers, and expensive therapeutic alternatives. This study aimed to identify the main genes and pathways associated with lip and oral cavity carcinoma using network analysis and to analyze its molecular mechanism and prognostic significance further. In this study, 472 genes causing lip and oral cavity carcinoma were retrieved from the DisGeNET database. A protein-protein interaction network was developed for network analysis using the STRING database. VEGFA, IL6, MAPK3, INS, TNF, MAPK8, MMP9, CXCL8, EGF, and PTGS2 were recognized as network hub genes using the maximum clique centrality algorithm available in cytoHubba, and nine potential drug candidates (ranibizumab, siltuximab, sulindac, pomalidomide, dexrazoxane, endostatin, pamidronic acid, cetuximab, and apricoxib) for lip and oral cavity cancer were identified from the DGIdb database. Gene enrichment analysis was also performed to identify the gene ontology categorization of cellular components, biological processes, molecular functions, and biological pathways. The genes identified in this study could furnish a new understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and provide more reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of lip and oral cavity cancer.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor: A Translational View in Oral Non-Communicable Diseases

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are vital regulators of angiogenesis that are expressed in response to soluble mediators, such as cytokines and growth factors. Their physiologic functions include blood vessel formation, regulation of vascular permeability, stem cell and monocyte/macrophage recruitment and maintenance of bone homeostasis and repair. In addition, angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in chronic pathologic conditions, such as tumorigenesis, inflammatory immune diseases and bone loss. According to their prevalence, morbidity and mortality, inflammatory diseases affecting periodontal tissues and oral cancer are relevant non-communicable diseases. Whereas oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is considered one of the most common cancers worldwide, destructive inflammatory periodontal diseases, on the other hand, are amongst the most prevalent chronic inflammatory conditions affecting humans and also represent the main cause of tooth loss in adults. In the recent years, while knowledge regarding the role of VEGF signaling in common oral diseases is expanding, new potential translational applications emerge. In the present narrative review we aim to explore the role of VEGF signaling in oral cancer and destructive periodontal inflammatory diseases, with emphasis in its translational applications as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Role of Oral Bacteria in the Development of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an invasive epithelial neoplasm that is influenced by various risk factors, with a low survival rate and an increasing death rate. In the past few years, with the verification of the close relationship between different types of cancers and the microbiome, research has focused on the compositional changes of oral bacteria and their role in OSCC. Generally, oral bacteria can participate in OSCC development by promoting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, influencing normal apoptosis, facilitating invasion and metastasis, and assisting cancer stem cells. The study findings on the association between oral bacteria and OSCC may provide new insight into methods for early diagnosis and treatment development.

Pineal gland protects against chemically induced oral carcinogenesis and inhibits tumor progression in rats

Clinical investigations suggest that melatonin suppression and circadian dysfunction may be related to cancer development in shift workers. Studies also show that melatonin suppression after pinealectomy increases cancer incidence in preclinical models. However, no study evaluated the influence of pinealectomy on oral cancer development. In the current study, we investigated the effects of pinealectomy on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) occurrence and progression in rats. Rats submitted to sham surgery were used as control. Pinealectomy promoted an increase of 140% in OSCC occurrence when compared to sham animals. Tumors from pinealectomized rats displayed a higher volume and thickness than the tumors from sham-operated animals. Pinealectomy induced atrophy of the epithelium adjacent to the oral lesions. Pinealectomized rats showed higher mean number of tumor-associated macrophages and eosinophils in the invasive front of OSCC. In addition, nuclear overexpression of ERK1/2 and p53 was also observed in the front of carcinomas from pinealectomized rats. These results reveal that pineal gland plays a protective role against oral carcinogenesis. The melatonin suppression caused by the pinealectomy might contribute to oral cancer development by acting on ERK1/2 and p53 pathways and regulating tumor inflammation.

miR-361-5p inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion by targeting VEGFA

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the pathogenesis of many types of cancers by negatively regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional level. Here, we found that miR-361-5p is down-regulated in 135 patients with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, the expressions of miR-361-5p were highly correlated with VEGFA in these HCC patients. Further, CCK-8 proliferation assay indicated that miR-361-5p mimics inhibited the cell proliferation of HepG2 and SNU-398 HCC cells. Transwell assay showed that miR-361-5p mimics inhibited the invasion and migration of HepG2 and SNU-398 HCC cells. Luciferase assays revealed that miR-361-5p directly bound to the 3'untranslated region of VEGFA, and western blotting showed that miR-361-5p inhibited the expression of VEGFA. Generally, this study indicated that miR-361-5p is down-regulated in HCC and inhibits proliferation and invasion of HCC cell lines via VEGFA. In future, miR-361-5p will be a potential therapeutic agent for HCC.

Down-regulation of microRNA-126-5p contributes to overexpression of VEGFA in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the role of microRNA-126-5p (miR-126-5p) in acute lung injury induced by bronchial instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to explore the potential target(s) of miR-126-5p in acute lung injury.

RESULTS

In the mice with LPS-induced acute lung injury, the level of miR-126-5p in the pulmonary tissues was decreased by 41 % whilst pulmonary vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) doubled in its mRNA content and increased threefold in its protein level. Similar results were observed in the alveolar type II (ATII) cells treated with LPS. By using luciferase reporter assay, we found that miR-126-5p inhibited VEGFA expression by targeting its 3'-untranslated region. In addition, overexpression of miR-126-5p attenuated LPS-induced reduction of epithelial sodium channel and aquaporin 1 in ATII cells

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-126-5p was down-regulated in LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. Thus overexpression of miR-126-5p may alleviate acute lung injury by down-regulating VEGFA.

A novel bisindole-PBD conjugate inhibits angiogenesis by regulating STAT3 and VEGF in breast cancer cells

AIMS

Breast cancer is highly resistant to chemotherapeutic approach and hence, alternative strategies have been developed to fight against this heterogeneous group of disease. In particular, many studies have demonstrated about various drugs for the treatment of breast cancer. In our study, we assessed the anti-angiogenenic activities of Bisindole-PBD (5b) in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

MAIN METHODS

In vitro Endothelial Cell (HUVEC) Tube Formation Assay was performed to show inhibitory role of 5b along with its role upon wound healing process in breast cancer cells in vitro. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) was also done to examine the expression of VEGF in response to 5b in breast cancer cells and in HUVEC cells. siRNA transfection study explored STAT3 mediated VEGF transcription in breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. CAM assay was performed to see the role of 5b on vessel formation in chicken embryo.

KEY FINDINGS

From in vitro data we have demonstrated that 5b played a role in regulation of breast cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting angiogenesis. Test drug 5b suppressed the expression VEGF at both transcriptional and post transcriptional levels. Apart from this, there was significant down regulation in STAT3 level after drug treatment, which was found to be involved in the VEGF transcription. Metastasis related MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions were also modulated by 5b. In vivo study by Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) Assay also showed anti-angiogenesis role of the test drug which was consistent with the in vitro data.

SIGNIFICANCE

Altogether, our data demonstrated 5b as potent small molecule with anti-angiogenic activities.

Monitoring of renal ischemia reperfusion injury in rabbits by ultrasonic contrast and its relationship with expression of VEGF in renal tissue

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in rabbits using the ultrasonic contrast technique and discuss the clinical value of ultrasonic contrast technique in the diagnosis of renal IRI by comparing the time-intensity curve of renal cortex and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of renal tissue.

METHODS

Twenty 3-month-old New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups, namely Ctrl group, IRI-12 h, IRI-24 h and IRI-48 h groups. The two dimensional gray-scale ultrasonography was employed to determine and mark the position of rabbit kidney. Rabbits were given the intraperitoneal anesthesia with 20% urethane with the dosage of 5 mL/kg. The aseptic operation was performed after the local skin disinfection in the area of both kidneys. The right kidney of animals in the control group was excised without any treatment for the left kidney. After excising the right kidney of animals in groups of IRI-12 h, IRI-24 h and IRI-48 h, the aneurysm clip was used to clip the renal pedicle vessel of left kidney, in order to simulate the ischemia. Because of the tissue ischemia, it could be seen that the color of kidney was changed from bright red to dark red, which indicated the successful modeling of ischemia. The aneurysm clip was released after one hour of maintaining the ischemia. Then the kidney turned out to be bright red from dark red, which indicated that the reperfusion was completed. Taking this moment as the time of ischemia reperfusion, the wound was stitched up. A total of 12, 24 and 36 h after the operation, the two-dimensional and color Doppler flow imaging and ultrasonic contrast were employed for the examination. The dynamic changes of ultrasonic contrast were recorded. The quantitative analysis software (QontraXt) was adopted to analyze the time-intensity curve of echo at different positions of renal cortex. After the ultrasonic contrast testing, rabbits were put to death. The renal cortex tissue was isolated and the tissue RNA and total protein were extracted respectively. Real-time PCR and western blotting were used to detect the VEGF and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to measure the linear relationship between these two variables.

RESULTS

The ultrasonic contrast could clearly reflect the process of IRI. The results of testing at mRNA and protein level indicated that the expression of VEGF in IRI groups was significantly increased (P < 0.05) and the expression of VEGF was also increased by the time of reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

There is the certain correlation between the expression of VEGF and process of IRI. The correlation coefficient between the ultrasonic contrast parameters of AT and TTP and the relative expression of VEGF is over 0.9, which indicates the relatively high correlation. But there is no significant difference in the change of perfusion peak intensity between groups, which has no correlation with the expression of VEGF.