Metabolic reprogramming in colon cancer reversed by DHTS through regulating PTEN/AKT/HIF1α mediated signal pathway

Autophagy in colitis-associated colon cancer: exploring its potential role in reducing initiation and preventing IBD-Related CAC development

ABBREVIATIONS

A. muciniphila: Akkermansia muciniphila; AIEC: adherent invasive Escherichia coli; AOM/DSS: azoxymethane-dextran sodium sulfate; ATG: autophagy related; BECN1: beclin1, autophagy related; CAC: colitis-associated colon cancer; CCDC50: coiled-coil domain containing 50; CLDN2: claudin 2; CoPEC: colibactin-producing Escherichia coli; CRC: colorectal cancer; DAMPs: danger/damage-associated molecular patterns; DC: dendritic cell; DSS: dextran sulfate sodium; DTP: drug-resistant persistent; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ERN1/IRE1α: endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1; IBD: inflammatory bowel disease; IECs: intestinal epithelial cells; IKK: IkappaB kinase; IL: interleukin; IRGM1: immunity-related GTPase family M member 1; ISC: intestinal stem cell; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; MDP: muramyl dipeptide; MELK: maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase; MHC: major histocompatibility complex; miRNA: microRNA; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NLRP3: NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3; NOD2: nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2; NRBF2: nuclear receptor binding factor 2; PAMPs: pathogen-associated molecular patterns; PI3K: class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PYCARD/ASC: PYD and CARD domain containing; RALGAPA2/RalGAPα2: Ral GTPase activating protein protein, alpha subunit 2 (catalytic); RIPK2/CARD3: receptor (TNFRSF)-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2; RIPK3: receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 3; ROS: reactive oxygen species; sCRC: sporadic colorectal cancer; SMARCA4/BRG1: SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 4; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1; STAT3: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TNF/TNFA: tumor necrosis factor; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; UPR: unfolded protein response; WT: wild-type.

A review on the role of fatty acids in colorectal cancer progression

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. The role of fatty acids (FA) and their metabolism in cancer, particularly in CRC raises a growing interest. In particular, dysregulation of synthesis, desaturation, elongation, and mitochondrial oxidation of fatty acids are involved. Here we review the current evidence on the link between cancer, in particular CRC, and fatty acids metabolism, not only to provide insight on its pathogenesis, but also on the development of novel biomarkers and innovative pharmacological therapies that are based on FAs dependency of cancer cells.

Molecular Mechanism of Tanshinone against Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignant tumor of the male urinary system in Europe and America. According to the data in the World Cancer Report 2020, the incidence rate of PCa ranks second in the prevalence of male malignant tumors and varies worldwide between regions and population groups. Although early PCa can achieve good therapeutic results after surgical treatment, due to advanced PCa, it can adapt and tolerate androgen castration-related drugs through a variety of mechanisms. For this reason, it is often difficult to achieve effective therapeutic results in the treatment of advanced PCa. Tanshinone is a new fat-soluble phenanthraquinone compound derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza that can play a therapeutic role in different cancers, including PCa. Several studies have shown that Tanshinone can target various molecular pathways of PCa, including the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, androgen receptor (AR) pathway, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which will affect the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and affect cell proliferation, apoptosis, tumor metabolism, genomic stability, and tumor drug resistance. Thus, the occurrence and development of PCa cells are inhibited. In this review, we summarized the in vivo and in vitro evidence of Tanshinone against prostate cancer and discussed the effect of Tanshinone on nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), AR, and mTOR. At the same time, we conducted a network pharmacology analysis on the four main components of Tanshinone to further screen the possible targets of Tanshinone against prostate cancer and provide ideas for future research.

Hypoxia boosts aerobic glycolysis of carcinoma：a complex process for tumor development

Hypoxia, a common feature in malignant tumors, is mainly caused by insufficient oxygen supply. Hypoxia is closely related to cancer development, affecting cancer invasion and metastasis, energy metabolism and other pathological processes, and is not conducive to cancer treatment and prognosis. Tumor cells exacerbate metabolic abnormalities to adapt to the hypoxic microenvironment, especially to enhance aerobic glycolysis. Glycolysis leads to an acidic microenvironment in cancer tissues, enhancing cancer metastasis, deterioration and drug resistance. Therefore, hypoxia is a therapeutic target that cannot be ignored in cancer treatment. The adaptation of tumor cells to hypoxia is mainly regulated by hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs), and the stability of HIFs is improved under hypoxic conditions. HIFs can promote the glycolysis of tumors by regulating glycolytic enzymes, transporters, and participates in regulating the TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle. In addition, HIFs indirectly affect glycolysis through its interaction with non-coding RNAs. Therefore, targeting hypoxia and HIFs are important tumor therapies.

Colorectal Cancer Apoptosis Induced by Dietary δ-Valerobetaine Involves PINK1/Parkin Dependent-Mitophagy and SIRT3

Understanding the mechanisms of colorectal cancer progression is crucial in the setting of strategies for its prevention. δ-Valerobetaine (δVB) is an emerging dietary metabolite showing cytotoxic activity in colon cancer cells via autophagy and apoptosis. Here, we aimed to deepen current knowledge on the mechanism of δVB-induced colon cancer cell death by investigating the apoptotic cascade in colorectal adenocarcinoma SW480 and SW620 cells and evaluating the molecular players of mitochondrial dysfunction. Results indicated that δVB reduced cell viability in a time-dependent manner, reaching IC50 after 72 h of incubation with δVB 1.5 mM, and caused a G2/M cell cycle arrest with upregulation of cyclin A and cyclin B protein levels. The increased apoptotic cell rate occurred via caspase-3 activation with a concomitant loss in mitochondrial membrane potential and SIRT3 downregulation. Functional studies indicated that δVB activated mitochondrial apoptosis through PINK1/Parkin pathways, as upregulation of PINK1, Parkin, and LC3B protein levels was observed (p < 0.0001). Together, these findings support a critical role of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis induced by δVB in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells.

Dihydrotanshinone Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Suppressing the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death. Most (75–85%) primary liver cancers occurring worldwide are hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The development of resistance and other drug related side effects are the prime reasons for the failure of treatment. Therefore, developing high-efficacy and low-toxicity natural anticancer agents is greatly needed in the treatment of HCC. Dihydrotanshinone (DHTS) is widely used for promoting blood circulation and antitumor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of DHTS-induced apoptosis of HCC, both in vitro and in vivo. We found that DHTS inhibited the growth of several HCC cells (HCCLM3, SMMC7721, Hep3B and HepG2). DHTS induced the apoptosis of SMMC7721 cells. Immunofluorescence results have showed that DHTS decreased STAT3 nuclear translocation. Moreover, Western blot results have demonstrated that DHTS suppressed the activation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. In addition, xenograft results have showed that DHTS suppressed tumor growth of SMMC7721 cells in vivo by inhibiting the p-STAT3. Thus, we demonstrated that DHTS could inhibit HCC by suppressing the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. DHTS has potential to be a chemotherapeutic agent in HCC and merits further clinical investigation.

miR-6858 plays a key role in the process of melatonin inhibition of the malignant biological behavior of glioma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA molecules with a length of 18-25 nucleotides, have been shown to be involved in mediating various malignant properties of GBM, including growth, invasion and angiogenesis. Here, we investigated whether miRNAs might be involved in mediating the suppression of malignant properties of GBM by melatonin (MEL), an amine hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Sequencing was performed to screen specifically for miRNAs induced by MEL in U87 and an orthotopically xenografted primary GBM cell line, GBM#P3. MiR-6858-5p was the most significantly up-regulated miR in GBM cell lines in response to MEL (~5 × ). Transfection of a mimic of miR-6858-5p into both cell lines led to a decrease in viability of ~ 50% at 72 h, confirming a suppressive role for miR-6858-5p in GBM. In contrast, an inhibitor of miR-6858-5p rescued GBM cells from MEL suppression of proliferation, migration and invasion. Analysis using Targetscan yielded candidate mRNAs targeted by miR-6858-5p, some of which are involved in the SIRT/AKT signaling pathway. In cells transfected with a mimic or an inhibitor of miR-6858-5p, levels of SIRT3 and downstream components of the AKT signaling pathway were suppressed or up-regulated, respectively, both in vitro and in an in vivo orthotopic xenograft model. Our results elucidated a novel molecular mechanism underlying MEL suppression of GBM, highlighting a role for miRNAs, and provide a potential therapeutic strategy for GBM.

15,16-dihydrotanshinone I inhibits EOMA cells proliferation by interfering in posttranscriptional processing of hypoxia-inducible factor 1

Infantile hemangioma (IH), which threatens the physical and mental health of patients, is the most common benign tumor in infants. Previously, we found that 15,16-dihydrotanshinone I (DHTS) was significantly more effective at inhibiting hemangioma proliferation in vitro and in vivo than the first-line treatment propranolol. To investigate the underlying mechanism of DHTS, we used EOMA cells as a model to study the effect of DHTS. We compared the transcriptomes of control and DHTS-treated EOMA cells. In total, 2462 differentially expressed genes were detected between the groups. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed downregulated activity of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) signaling pathway in EOMA cells following treatment with DHTS. Thus, we investigated HIF-1α expression at protein and mRNA levels. Our results revealed that DHTS downregulated HIF-1α expression by interfering in its posttranscriptional processing, and the RNA-binding protein HuR participated in this mechanism. Our findings provide a basis for clinical transformation of DHTS and insight into pathogenic mechanisms involved in IH.

A Novel Seventeen-Gene Metabolic Signature for Predicting Prognosis in Colon Cancer

A metabolic disorder is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. Multiple differentially expressed metabolic genes have been identified in colon cancer (CC), and their biological functions and prognostic values have been well explored. The purpose of the present study was to establish a metabolic signature to optimize the prognostic prediction in CC. The related data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database, and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) combined with GSE39582 set, GSE17538 set, GSE33113 set, and GSE37892 set. The differentially expressed metabolic genes were selected for univariate Cox regression and lasso Cox regression analysis using TCGA and GTEx datasets. Finally, a seventeen-gene metabolic signature was developed to divide patients into a high-risk group and a low-risk group. Patients in the high-risk group presented poorer prognosis compared to the low-risk group in both TCGA and GEO datasets. Moreover, gene set enrichment analyses demonstrated multiple significantly enriched metabolism-related pathways. To sum up, our study described a novel seventeen-gene metabolic signature for prognostic prediction of colon cancer.

HIF-1α Preconditioning Potentiates Antioxidant Activity in Ischemic Injury: The Role of Sequential Administration of Dihydrotanshinone I and Protocatechuic Aldehyde in Cardioprotection

Aims: The management of myocardial ischemia has been challenged by reperfusion injury. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is the critical cause of reperfusion injury, but antioxidant treatment failed to gain satisfactory effects. We hypothesized that improvement of redox homeostasis by preconditioning regulation should potentiate the ability of antioxidants to protect the heart from reperfusion injury. Results: By phenotype-based screening, we identified that dihydrotanshinone I (DT) and protocatechuic aldehyde (PCA) potently protected cardiomyocytes through preconditioning regulation and antioxidant activity, respectively. DT induced transient ROS generation via reversible inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory complex I and thereby stabilizing HIF-1α, while PCA elevated the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) by providing reducing equivalents to scavenge ROS. HIF-1α, stabilized by DT, transcriptionally upregulated Nrf2 and thereby activated antioxidant enzymes, potentiating PCA to protect cardiomyocytes from reperfusion injury by strengthening intrinsic ROS scavenging capacity. In rat ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model, sequential administration of DT and PCA, but not in reverse, additively protected the heart from I/R injury, manifested by reduced infarct size and improved cardiac function. These results were further supported by sequential administration of metformin and vitamin E in the rat and porcine I/R models. Innovation and Conclusion: Our work demonstrates that preconditioning regulation of redox state is essential for antioxidants to protect the heart from I/R injury, providing a new direction for the treatment of myocardial injury.

Downregulation of miR-183 inhibits the growth of PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and increases chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a common malignancy with a poorly understood pathogenesis. Currently, the efficacy of anti-PC therapies is insufficient, partially due to the chemoresistance of cancer cells. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-183 in the proliferation, apoptosis, and chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine of human PC cells and the associated mechanisms. PANC-1 cells were transfected with microRNA (miR)-183 inhibitors, and the effect of miR-183 on cell proliferation was evaluated via MTT assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were determined by flow cytometry. In vivo tumor xenograft models of PANC-1 cells were generated in BALB/c nude mice to examine the effect of miR-183 downregulation on tumor growth. Furthermore, components of the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway were examined via reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in the collected cells. Finally, PANC-1 cells were treated with 5-fluorouracil or gemcitabine and transfected with miR-183 inhibitors, and the viability of cells was determined by MTT assay. The results demonstrated that knockdown of miR-183 could significantly decrease proliferation and promote apoptosis of PANC-1 cells. The cells transfected with miR-183 inhibitors were significantly arrested at the G₁ phase (P<0.01). Furthermore, miR-183 downregulation led to significant decreases in the mRNA levels of PI3K, Akt and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression (P<0.001), and significant increases in PTEN and Bcl-2 associated X protein expression in PANC-1 cells (P<0.001). Knockdown of miR-183 was able to significantly increase the chemosensitivity of PANC-1 cells to 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine. These results indicate that downregulation of miR-183 can inhibit the growth of PC cells in vitro and in vivo, and increase cell sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine through regulating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.