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Tawil S, Khaddage-Soboh N. Cancer research in Lebanon: Scope of the most recent publications of an academic institution (Review). Oncol Lett 2024; 28:350. [PMID: 38872861 PMCID: PMC11170263 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer may be considered one of the most interesting areas of study, and although oncology research has grown markedly over the last decade, there is as yet no known cure for cancer. The objective of the present review is to examine various approaches to cancer research from a single institution, summarize their key conclusions and offer recommendations for future evaluations. The review examined 72 cancer-associated studies that were published within six years from 2017 to 2022. Published works in the subject fields of 'cancer' or 'oncology' and 'research' that were indexed in Scopus and Web of Science were retrieved and sorted according to article title, author names, author count, citation count and key words. After screening, a total of 28 in vitro/animal studies and 46 patient-associated published studies were obtained. A large proportion of these studies comprised literature reviews (20/72), while 20 studies were observational in nature. The 72 publications included 23 in which various types of cancer were examined, while the remaining studies focused on specific types of cancer, including lung, breast, colon and brain cancer. These studies aimed to investigate the incidence, prevalence, treatment and prevention mechanisms associated with cancer. Despite the existence of extensive cancer research, scientists seldom contemplate an ultimate cure for cancer. However, it is crucial to continuously pursue research on cancer prevention and treatment in order to enhance the effectiveness and minimize potential side effects of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samah Tawil
- School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
| | - Nada Khaddage-Soboh
- Adnan Kassar School of Business, Lebanese American University, Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon
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Lim LQJ, Adler L, Hajaj E, Soria LR, Perry RBT, Darzi N, Brody R, Furth N, Lichtenstein M, Bab-Dinitz E, Porat Z, Melman T, Brandis A, Aylon Y, Ben-Dor S, Orr I, Pri-Or A, Seger R, Shaul Y, Ruppin E, Oren M, Perez M, Meier J, Brunetti-Pierri N, Shema E, Ulitsky I, Erez A, Malitsky S, Itkin M. ASS1 metabolically contributes to the nuclear and cytosolic p53-mediated DNA damage response. Nat Metab 2024:10.1038/s42255-024-01060-5. [PMID: 38858597 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01060-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Downregulation of the urea cycle enzyme argininosuccinate synthase (ASS1) in multiple tumors is associated with a poor prognosis partly because of the metabolic diversion of cytosolic aspartate for pyrimidine synthesis, supporting proliferation and mutagenesis owing to nucleotide imbalance. Here, we find that prolonged loss of ASS1 promotes DNA damage in colon cancer cells and fibroblasts from subjects with citrullinemia type I. Following acute induction of DNA damage with doxorubicin, ASS1 expression is elevated in the cytosol and the nucleus with at least a partial dependency on p53; ASS1 metabolically restrains cell cycle progression in the cytosol by restricting nucleotide synthesis. In the nucleus, ASS1 and ASL generate fumarate for the succination of SMARCC1, destabilizing the chromatin-remodeling complex SMARCC1-SNF5 to decrease gene transcription, specifically in a subset of the p53-regulated cell cycle genes. Thus, following DNA damage, ASS1 is part of the p53 network that pauses cell cycle progression, enabling genome maintenance and survival. Loss of ASS1 contributes to DNA damage and promotes cell cycle progression, likely contributing to cancer mutagenesis and, hence, adaptability potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Qiu Jin Lim
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lital Adler
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Emma Hajaj
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Medicine D, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Leandro R Soria
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Rotem Ben-Tov Perry
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Naama Darzi
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ruchama Brody
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noa Furth
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Michal Lichtenstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Elizabeta Bab-Dinitz
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ziv Porat
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tevie Melman
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Alexander Brandis
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yael Aylon
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shifra Ben-Dor
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Irit Orr
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Amir Pri-Or
- The De Botton Protein Profiling Institute of the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Rony Seger
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yoav Shaul
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eytan Ruppin
- Cancer Data Science Lab, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Moshe Oren
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Minervo Perez
- Cancer Data Science Lab, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jordan Meier
- Cancer Data Science Lab, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicola Brunetti-Pierri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
- Department of Translational Medicine, Medical Genetics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM, School of Advanced Studies), Genomics and Experimental Medicine Program, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Efrat Shema
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Igor Ulitsky
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ayelet Erez
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
| | - Sergey Malitsky
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maxim Itkin
- Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Fang K, Sun M, Leng Z, Chu Y, Zhao Z, Li Z, Zhang Y, Xu A, Zhang Z, Zhang L, Chen T, Xu M. Targeting IGF1R signaling enhances the sensitivity of cisplatin by inhibiting proline and arginine metabolism in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma under hypoxia. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:73. [PMID: 36978187 PMCID: PMC10044411 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cisplatin (DDP)-based chemotherapy is commonly adopted as the first-line treatment for patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the high rate of drug resistance limits its clinical application and the underlying mechanisms at play remain unclear. The aims of this study were to elucidate the role of abnormal signal transmission and metabolism in the chemoresistance of OSCC under hypoxia and to identify targeted drugs that enhance the sensitivity of DDP chemotherapy. METHODS Upregulated genes in OSCC were determined by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, immunohistochemistry (IHC), real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and western blotting (WB). The clinicopathological significance of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF1R), argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1), and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase 1 (PYCR1) in OSCC was analysed using tissue micriarray (TMA). Metabolic abnormalities were determined by untargeted metabolomics analysis. The DDP-resistance role of IGF1R, ASS1, and PYCR1 in OSCC was investigated in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Generally, tumour cells exist in a hypoxic microenvironment. By genomic profiling, we determined that IGF1R, as a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), was upregulated in OSCC under low-oxygen conditions. Clinically, enhanced IGF1R expression was associated with higher tumour stages and a poorer prognosis in OSCC patients, and its inhibitor, linsitinib, showed synergistic effects with DDP therapy in vivo and in vitro. Since oxygen-deprivation frequently lead to metabolic reprogramming, we further learned via metabolomics analysis that abnormal IGF1R pathways promoted the expression of metabolic enzymes ASS1 and PYCR1 by the transcriptional activity of c-MYC. In detail, enhanced expression of ASS1 promotes arginine metabolism for biological anabolism, whereas PYCR1 activates proline metabolism for redox balance, which maintains the proliferation ability of OSCC cells during DDP treatment under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION Enhanced expression of ASS1 and PYCR1 via IGF1R pathways rewired arginine and proline metabolism, promoting DDP resistance in OSCC under hypoxia. Linsitinib targeting IGF1R signaling may lead to promising combination therapy options for OSCC patients with DDP resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Fang
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Mingchuang Sun
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zhuyun Leng
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Yuan Chu
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Ziying Zhao
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zhaoxing Li
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Yunwei Zhang
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Aiping Xu
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Zehua Zhang
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
| | - Meidong Xu
- Endoscopy Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200120, China.
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Szefel J, Ślebioda T, Walczak J, Kruszewski WJ, Szajewski M, Ciesielski M, Stanisławowski M, Buczek T, Małgorzewicz S, Owczarzak A, Aleksandrowicz-Wrona E, Krzykowski G. The effect of l-arginine supplementation and surgical trauma on the frequency of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and T lymphocytes in tumour and blood of colorectal cancer patients. Adv Med Sci 2022; 67:66-78. [PMID: 34995935 DOI: 10.1016/j.advms.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE l-arginine (L-arg) deficiency causes immunosuppression, but it is unknown if L-arg supplementation in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients restores immune system activity. Our objective was to investigate the effect of L-arg supplementation on the frequency of monocytic (M) and polymorphonuclear (PNM) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs, respectively). METHODS We enrolled 65 CRC patients (34 males, 31 females) aged 69 ± 10 years into a prospective, randomised, double-blind study. Twenty-eight patients received L-arg and 37 received placebo for 9 days at a dose of 10 g/day. The frequency changes in MDSC, CD4+ cells and the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed before supplementation with L-arg (test 1), after 9 days of supplementation (test 2), and after surgery on day 11 (test 3). RESULTS The frequency of M-MDSC in the tumours of patients receiving L-arg supplementation was higher than in placebo-treated patients, as was the frequency of PMN-MDSC and M-MDSC in the mucosa. CRP concentration in the serum of placebo-treated patients in test 2 was higher than in test 1, and the concentration in the serum of patients with L-arg supplementation in test 2 was lower than in test 1. Moreover, the expression pattern of the argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1) suggests that CRC is not auxotrophic for L-arg. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that L-arg supplementation in CRC patients can reduce immunosuppression by decreasing the frequency of suppressor cells and increasing the frequency of effector CD4+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarosław Szefel
- Division of Oncological Propedeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Ślebioda
- Department of Histology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jakub Walczak
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Gdynia Oncology Centre, Maritime Polish Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Wiesław Janusz Kruszewski
- Division of Oncological Propedeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gdynia Oncology Centre, Maritime Polish Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Mariusz Szajewski
- Division of Oncological Propedeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gdynia Oncology Centre, Maritime Polish Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Maciej Ciesielski
- Division of Oncological Propedeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gdynia Oncology Centre, Maritime Polish Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | | | - Tomasz Buczek
- Division of Oncological Propedeutics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdynia, Poland; Department of Surgical Oncology, Gdynia Oncology Centre, Maritime Polish Red Cross Memorial Hospital, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Sylwia Małgorzewicz
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Anna Owczarzak
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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Li CH, Liao CC. The Metabolism Reprogramming of microRNA Let-7-Mediated Glycolysis Contributes to Autophagy and Tumor Progression. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:113. [PMID: 35008539 PMCID: PMC8745176 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is usually a result of abnormal glucose uptake and imbalanced nutrient metabolization. The dysregulation of glucose metabolism, which controls the processes of glycolysis, gives rise to various physiological defects. Autophagy is one of the metabolic-related cellular functions and involves not only energy regeneration but also tumorigenesis. The dysregulation of autophagy impacts on the imbalance of metabolic homeostasis and leads to a variety of disorders. In particular, the microRNA (miRNA) Let-7 has been identified as related to glycolysis procedures such as tissue repair, stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, and tumoral metastasis. In many cancers, the expression of glycolysis-related enzymes is correlated with Let-7, in which multiple enzymes are related to the regulation of the autophagy process. However, much recent research has not comprehensively investigated how Let-7 participates in glycolytic reprogramming or its links to autophagic regulations, mainly in tumor progression. Through an integrated literature review and omics-related profiling correlation, this review provides the possible linkage of the Let-7 network between glycolysis and autophagy, and its role in tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Hsiu Li
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan;
| | - Chiao-Chun Liao
- Department of Tropical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
- Institute of Public Health and Department of Social Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
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Lukasheva EV, Babayeva G, Karshieva SS, Zhdanov DD, Pokrovsky VS. L-Lysine α-Oxidase: Enzyme with Anticancer Properties. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1070. [PMID: 34832852 PMCID: PMC8618108 DOI: 10.3390/ph14111070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
L-lysine α-oxidase (LO), one of L-amino acid oxidases, deaminates L-lysine with the yield of H2O2, ammonia, and α-keto-ε-aminocaproate. Multiple in vitro and in vivo studies have reported cytotoxic, antitumor, antimetastatic, and antitumor activity of LO. Unlike asparaginase, LO has a dual mechanism of action: depletion of L-lysine and formation of H2O2, both targeting tumor growth. Prominent results were obtained on murine and human tumor models, including human colon cancer xenografts HCT 116, LS174T, and T47D with maximum T/C 12, 37, and 36%, respectively. The data obtained from human cancer xenografts in immunodeficient mice confirm the potential of LO as an agent for colon cancer treatment. In this review, we discuss recently discovered molecular mechanisms of biological action and the potential of LO as anticancer enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V. Lukasheva
- Department of Biochemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho—Maklaya Street 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (E.V.L.); (G.B.)
| | - Gulalek Babayeva
- Department of Biochemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho—Maklaya Street 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (E.V.L.); (G.B.)
- Laboratory of Combined Treatment, N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Saida Sh. Karshieva
- Laboratory of Combined Treatment, N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Dmitry D. Zhdanov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Pogodinskaya Street 10/8, 119121 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Vadim S. Pokrovsky
- Department of Biochemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Miklukho—Maklaya Street 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia; (E.V.L.); (G.B.)
- Laboratory of Combined Treatment, N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center, Kashirskoe Shosse 24, 115478 Moscow, Russia;
- Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, 1 Olimpiisky Prospect, 354340 Sochi, Russia
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