α7-Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist QND7 suppresses non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation and migration via inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling

Modulation of the Effect of Cisplatin on Nicotine-Stimulated A549 Lung Cancer Cells Using Analog of Marine Sponge Toxin Loaded in Gelatin Nanoparticles

Nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which are overexpressed in numerous cancer types, leading to signaling pathways that increase lung cancer invasiveness and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, the effects of APS12-2, a synthetic analog of marine sponge toxin that acts as an antagonist of nAChRs, was investigated in vitro on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells and non-tumorigenic human lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells. In addition, gelatin nanoparticles (GNPs) loaded with APS12-2 (APS12-2-GNPs) were prepared and their effects were compared with those of free APS12-2. Nicotine reduced cytotoxicity, the formation of reactive oxygen species, and the formation of lipid droplets caused by cisplatin on A549 cells. The effects of nicotine on the decreased efficacy of cisplatin were reduced by APS12-2 and APS12-2-GNPs. APS12-2-GNPs showed a substantial advantage compared with free APS12-2; the cytotoxicity of APS12-2 on BEAS-2B cells was greatly reduced when APS12-2 was loaded in GNPs, whereas the cytotoxicity on A549 cells was only slightly reduced. Our results suggest that both APS12-2 and APS12-2-GNPs hold promise as supportive agents in the cisplatin-based chemotherapy of lung cancer.

Attenuation of Nicotine Effects on A549 Lung Cancer Cells by Synthetic α7 nAChR Antagonists APS7-2 and APS8-2

Nicotine binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) that are overexpressed in different cancer cells, promoting tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of APS7-2 and APS8-2, synthetic analogs of a marine sponge toxin, to inhibit nicotine-mediated effects on A549 human lung cancer cells. Our electrophysiological measurements confirmed that APS7-2 and APS8-2 act as α7 nAChR antagonists. APS8-2 showed no cytotoxicity in A549 cells, while APS7-2 showed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in A549 cells. The different cytotoxic responses of APS7-2 and APS8-2 emphasize the importance of the chemical structure in determining their cytotoxicity on cancer cells. Nicotine-mediated effects include increased cell viability and proliferation, elevated intracellular calcium levels, and reduced cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species production (ROS) in A549 cells. These effects of nicotine were effectively attenuated by APS8-2, whereas APS7-2 was less effective. Our results suggest that APS8-2 is a promising new therapeutic agent in the chemotherapy of lung cancer.

Targeting Alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Lung Cancer: Insights, Challenges, and Therapeutic Strategies

Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) is an ion-gated calcium channel that plays a significant role in various aspects of cancer pathogenesis, particularly in lung cancer. Preclinical studies have elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying α7 nAChR-associated lung cancer proliferation, chemotherapy resistance, and metastasis. Understanding and targeting this mechanism are crucial for developing therapeutic interventions aimed at disrupting α7 nAChR-mediated cancer progression and improving treatment outcomes. Drug research and discovery have determined natural compounds and synthesized chemical antagonists that specifically target α7 nAChR. However, approved α7 nAChR antagonists for clinical use are lacking, primarily due to challenges related to achieving the desired selectivity, efficacy, and safety profiles required for effective therapeutic intervention. This comprehensive review provided insights into the molecular mechanisms associated with α7 nAChR and its role in cancer progression, particularly in lung cancer. Furthermore, it presents an update on recent evidence about α7 nAChR antagonists and addresses the challenges encountered in drug research and discovery in this field.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cancer: Limitations and prospects

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have long been considered to solely mediate neurotransmission. However, their widespread distribution in the human body suggests a more diverse physiological role. Additionally, the expression of nAChRs is increased in certain cancers, such as lung cancer, and has been associated with cell proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition, angiogenesis and apoptosis prevention. Several compounds that interact with these receptors have been identified as potential therapeutic agents. They have been tested as drugs for treating nicotine addiction, alcoholism, depression, pain and Alzheimer's disease. This review focuses on nAChR-mediated signalling in cancer, presenting opportunities for the development of innovative nAChR-based anticancer drugs. It displays the differences in expression of each nAChR subunit between normal and cancer cells for selected cancer types, highlighting their possible involvement in specific cases. Antagonists of nAChRs that could complement existing cancer therapies are summarised and critically discussed. We hope that this review will stimulate further research on the role of nAChRs in cancer potentially leading to innovative cancer therapies.

Hsa_circ_0017956 Acts as miR-758-3p Sponge to Facilitate the Progression of Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer by Regulating FOXP4 Expression

Accumulating studies have demonstrated the important role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the progression of different human tumors, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to deeply study the function and mechanism of circ_0017956 in NSCLC. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was applied to detect the expression of circ_0017956, microRNA-758-3p (miR-758-3p), and Forkhead Box P4 (FOXP4). Western blot was performed to determine the protein levels. Cell proliferation was examined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Transwell assay was applied to detect cell migratory and invasive capacities. The angiogenesis ability was evaluated by tube formation experiment. The target relationship between miR-758-3p and circ_0017956 or FOXP4 was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Animal experiment was conducted to assess the effect of circ_0017956 in vivo. Circ_0017956 and FOXP4 were upregulated, while miR-758-3p was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells. Silencing of circ_0017956 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis, but promoted cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Mechanically, circ_0017956 functioned as a sponge for miR-758-3p and miR-758-3p could directly interact with FOXP4. Moreover, silencing of miR-758-3p or overexpression of FOXP4 could overturn the anticancer influence of circ_0017956 interference on NSCLC cells. Besides that, circ_0017956 knockdown hindered tumor growth in vivo. Altogether, circ_0017956 promoted the progression of NSCLC by regulating FOXP4 through sponging miR-758-3p.

The human acetylcholinesterase C-terminal T30 peptide activates neuronal growth through alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the mTOR pathway

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a highly conserved enzyme responsible for the regulation of acetylcholine signaling within the brain and periphery. AChE has also been shown to participate in non-enzymatic activity and contribute to cellular development and aging. In particular, enzymatic cleavage of the synaptic AChE isoform, AChE-T, is shown to generate a bioactive T30 peptide that binds to the ⍺7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) at synapses. Here, we explore intracellular mechanisms of T30 signaling within the human cholinergic neural cell line SH-SY5Y using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Proteomic analysis of cells exposed to (100 nM) T30 for 3-days reveals significant changes within proteins important for cell growth. Specifically, bioinformatic analysis identifies proteins that converge onto the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway signaling. Functional experiments confirm that T30 regulates neural cell growth via mTOR signaling and ⍺7 nAChR activation. T30 was found promote mTORC1 pro-growth signaling through an increase in phosphorylated elF4E and S6K1, and a decrease in the autophagy LC3B-II protein. These findings are corroborated in hippocampal neurons and show that T30 promotes dendritic arborization. Taken together, our findings define mTOR as a novel pathway activated by T30 interaction with the nAChR and suggest a role for this process in human disease.

Cholinergic dysfunction in COVID-19: frantic search and hoping for the best

A novel coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a potential cause of acute respiratory infection called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The binding of SARS-CoV-2 with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) induces a series of inflammatory cellular events with cytopathic effects leading to cell injury and hyperinflammation. Severe SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to dysautonomia and sympathetic storm due to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Therefore, this review aimed to elucidate the critical role of the cholinergic system (CS) in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The CS forms a multi-faceted network performing diverse functions in the body due to its distribution in the neuronal and non-neuronal cells. Acetylcholine (ACh) acts on two main types of receptors which are nicotinic receptors (NRs) and muscarinic receptors (MRs). NRs induce T cell anergy with impairment of antigen-mediated signal transduction. Nicotine through activation of T cell NRs inhibits the expression and release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines. NRs play important anti-inflammatory effects while MRs promote inflammation by inducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. SARS-CoV-2 infection can affect the morphological and functional stability of CS through the disruption of cholinergic receptors. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is similar to neurotoxins, which can bind to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the ANS and brain. Therefore, cholinergic receptors mainly nAChR and related cholinergic agonists may affect the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cholinergic dysfunction in COVID-19 is due to dysregulation of nAChR by SARS-CoV-2 promoting the central sympathetic drive with the development of the sympathetic storm. As well, nAChR activators through interaction with diverse signaling pathways can reduce the risk of inflammatory disorders in COVID-19. In addition, nAChR activators may mitigate endothelial dysfunction (ED), oxidative stress (OS), and associated coagulopathy in COVID-19. Similarly, nAChR activators may improve OS, inflammatory changes, and cytokine storm in COVID-19. Therefore, nAChR activators like varenicline in virtue of its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects with direct anti-SARS-CoV-2 effect could be effective in the management of COVID-19.

Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression in Sorafenib-resistant Hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent kind of liver cancer, remains one of the world's main causes of death. The alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAchR) has been recognized to be overexpressed in malignancies and chemoresistance. Since little is known about the role of α7nAchR expression in drug-resistant cells, this study was designed to investigate the effect of α7nAchR suppression in combination with Sorafenib (SOR) on SOR-resistant HCC cells. First, SOR-resistant HCC cells were generated. To suppress the expression of α7nAchR, cells were treated with SOR following siRNA transfection. qRT-PCR was used to examine the expression of α7nAchR and apoptotic genes by evaluating the IC50 of SOR and the combination of α7nAchR siRNA and SOR on the survival of resistant cells. Moreover, apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle analysis for resistant HCC cells were performed using flow cytometry. Cell migration and colony formation assays were also used for further confirmation. Our results suggest that inhibiting α7nAchR can lead resistant HCC cells to become sensitive. Furthermore, when siRNA and SOR were treated together, HCC-resistant cells showed a considerable reduction in α7nAchR mRNA gene expression. In addition, when α7nAchR was downregulated in combination with SOR, migration and colony formation were inhibited. Apoptosis was triggered by modulating the expression of apoptotic target genes, and cell cycle arrest was observed in the G2-M and subG1 phases. Overexpression of α7nAchR in SOR-resistant HCC cells suggests that it might be a therapeutic target for HCC cell resistance therapy.

Nicotinic receptors modulate antitumor therapy response in triple negative breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Triple negative breast cancer is more aggressive than other breast cancer subtypes and constitutes a public health problem worldwide since it has high morbidity and mortality due to the lack of defined therapeutic targets. Resistance to chemotherapy complicates the course of patients’ treatment. Several authors have highlighted the participation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the modulation of conventional chemotherapy treatment in cancers of the airways. However, in breast cancer, less is known about the effect of nAChR activation by nicotine on chemotherapy treatment in smoking patients.

AIM

To investigate the effect of nicotine on paclitaxel treatment and the signaling pathways involved in human breast MDA-MB-231 tumor cells.

METHODS

Cells were treated with paclitaxel alone or in combination with nicotine, administered for one or three 48-h cycles. The effect of the addition of nicotine (at a concentration similar to that found in passive smokers’ blood) on the treatment with paclitaxel (at a therapeutic concentration) was determined using the 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The signaling mediators involved in this effect were determined using selective inhibitors. We also investigated nAChR expression, and ATP “binding cassette” G2 drug transporter (ABCG2) expression and its modulation by the different treatments with Western blot. The effect of the treatments on apoptosis induction was determined by flow cytometry using annexin-V and 7AAD markers.

RESULTS

Our results confirmed that treatment with paclitaxel reduced MDA-MB-231 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner and that the presence of nicotine reversed the cytotoxic effect induced by paclitaxel by involving the expression of functional α7 and α9 nAChRs in these cells. The action of nicotine on paclitaxel treatment was linked to modulation of the protein kinase C, mitogen-activated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and NF-κB signaling pathways, and to an up-regulation of ABCG2 protein expression. We also detected that nicotine significantly reduced the increase in cell apoptosis induced by paclitaxel treatment. Moreover, the presence of nicotine reduced the efficacy of paclitaxel treatment administered in three cycles to MDA-MB-231 tumor cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings point to nAChRs as responsible for the decrease in the chemotherapeutic effect of paclitaxel in triple negative tumors. Thus, nAChRs should be considered as targets in smoking patients.

Inflammation Regulation via an Agonist and Antagonists of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in RAW264.7 Macrophages

The α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems and is closely related to a variety of nervous system diseases and inflammatory responses. The α7 nAChR subtype plays a vital role in the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. In vivo, ACh released from nerve endings stimulates α7 nAChR on macrophages to regulate the NF-κB and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting the production and release of downstream proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Despite a considerable level of recent research on α7 nAChR-mediated immune responses, much is still unknown. In this study, we used an agonist (PNU282987) and antagonists (MLA and α-conotoxin [A10L]PnIA) of α7 nAChR as pharmacological tools to identify the molecular mechanism of the α7 nAChR-mediated cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. The results of quantitative PCR, ELISAs, and transcriptome analysis were combined to clarify the function of α7 nAChR regulation in the inflammatory response. Our findings indicate that the agonist PNU282987 significantly reduced the expression of the IL-6 gene and protein in inflammatory macrophages to attenuate the inflammatory response, but the antagonists MLA and α-conotoxin [A10L]PnIA had the opposite effects. Neither the agonist nor antagonists of α7 nAChR changed the expression level of the α7 nAChR subunit gene; they only regulated receptor function. This study provides a reference and scientific basis for the discovery of novel α7 nAChR agonists and their anti-inflammatory applications in the future.

SLURP-1 Controls Growth and Migration of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells, Forming a Complex With α7-nAChR and PDGFR/EGFR Heterodimer

Secreted Ly6/uPAR-related protein 1 (SLURP-1) is a secreted Ly6/uPAR protein that negatively modulates the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of α7 type (α7-nAChR), participating in control of cancer cell growth. Previously we showed, that a recombinant analogue of human SLURP-1 (rSLURP-1) diminishes the lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell proliferation and abolishes the nicotine-induced growth stimulation. Here, using multiplex immunoassay, we demonstrated a decrease in PTEN and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase phosphorylation in A549 cells upon the rSLURP-1 treatment pointing on down-regulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Decreased phosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor type β (PDGFRβ) and arrest of the A549 cell cycle in the S and G2/M phases without apoptosis induction was also observed. Using a scratch migration assay, inhibition of A549 cell migration under the rSLURP-1 treatment was found. Affinity extraction demonstrated that rSLURP-1 in A549 cells forms a complex not only with α7-nAChR, but also with PDGFRα and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which are known to be involved in regulation of cancer cell growth and migration and are able to form a heterodimer. Knock-down of the genes encoding α7-nAChR, PDGFRα, and EGFR confirmed the involvement of these receptors in the anti-migration effect of SLURP-1. Thus, SLURP-1 can target the α7-nAChR complexes with PDGFRα and EGFR in the membrane of epithelial cells. Using chimeric proteins with grafted SLURP-1 loops we demonstrated that loop I is the principal active site responsible for the SLURP-1 interaction with α7-nAChR and its antiproliferative effect. Synthetic peptide mimicking the loop I cyclized by a disulfide bond inhibited ACh-evoked current at α7-nAChR, as well as A549 cell proliferation and migration. This synthetic peptide represents a promising prototype of new antitumor drug with the properties close to that of the native SLURP-1 protein.

Erianthridin Induces Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Apoptosis through the Suppression of Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase Activity

Due to the high mortality of lung cancer, natural derivative compounds have been promoted as versatile sources for anticancer drug discovery. Erianthridin, a phenanthrene compound isolated from Dendrobium formosum, exhibits intriguing apoptosis-inducing effects in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Apoptotic nuclei staining assays showed that apoptotic cells with DNA fragmentation and apoptotic bodies were apparent, and an increase in annexin V-FITC-positive cells were found in cells treated with erianthridin. The apoptosis protein markers for cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase were significantly upregulated in response to erianthridin. A mechanistic investigation revealed that erianthridin was able to attenuate extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity and thereby mediate apoptosis through the modulation of Bcl-2 family protein levels. U0126, an extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor, augmented the apoptosis-inducing effect of erianthridin; in contrast, overexpression of exogenous extracellular signal-regulated kinase substantially abrogated erianthridin activity. Furthermore, an in vitro 3D tumorigenesis assay showed that erianthridin was able to potentially suppress lung cancer cell proliferation. This study is the first to report a promising cytotoxic effect of erianthridin, which provides preclinical evidence for further research and development of this compound.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0072309 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer progression by sponging miR-580-3p

Objective: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to top the list of cancer mortalities worldwide. Early diagnosis and therapeutic interventions targeting NSCLC is becoming the world’s significant challenge. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as a group of potential cancer biomarkers.

Materials and methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to examine the expression of circ_0072309 in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8), wound healing and Transwell assays were used to analyze cell proliferation, migration and invasion in A549 and H1299 cells. The relationship between circ_0072309 and miR-580-3 was analyzed by Luciferase reporter and RNA pull down assays.

Results: We screened circ_0072309 from Gene Expression Omnibus and found that circ_0072309 was lowly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. The transfection of circ_0072309-overexpressing vector significantly suppressed the cell proliferation, migration and invasion in A549 and H1299 cells. We predicted that miR-580-3p is a target of circ_0072309 by using publicly available bioinformatic algorithms Circinteractome tool and confirmed that circ_0072309 directly bound to miR-580-3p. Furthermore, the addition of miR-580-3p mitigated the blockage of cell proliferation, migration and invasion induced by circ_0072309.

Conclusions: These data showed that circ_0072309 inhibits the progression of NSCLC progression via blocking the expression of miR-580-3p. These findings revealed the anti-tumor role of circ_0072309 during the development of NSCLC and provided a novel diagnostic biomarker and potential therapy for NSCLC.

Antitumor activities of Aspiletrein A, a steroidal saponin from Aspidistra letreae, on non-small cell lung cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide due to its strong proliferative and metastatic capabilities. The suppression of these aggressive behaviors is of interest in anticancer drug research and discovery. In recent years, many plants have been explored in order to discover new bioactive secondary metabolites to treat cancers or enhance treatment efficiency. Aspiletrein A (AA) is a steroidal saponin isolated from the whole endemic species Aspidistra letreae in Vietnam. Previously, elucidation of the structure of AA and screening of its cytotoxic activity against several cancer cell lines were reported. However, the antitumor activities and mechanisms of action have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-proliferative, anti-migrative and anti-invasive effects of AA on H460, H23 and A549 human lung cancer cells.

METHODS

MTT, wound healing and Transwell invasion assays were used to evaluate the anti-proliferation, anti-migration and anti-invasion effects of AA, respectively. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of AA on the activity of protein kinase B (Akt), a central mediator of cancer properties, and apoptotic regulators in the Bcl-2 family proteins were investigated by Western blotting.

RESULTS

AA exhibits antimetastatic effects in human lung cancer cells through the inhibition of the pAkt/Akt signaling pathway, which in turn resulted in a significant inhibitory effect of AA on the migration and invasion of the examined lung cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Aspiletrein A may be a potent inhibitor of protein kinase B (Akt). Hence, AA could be further explored as a potential antimetastatic lead compound.

Nicotinic Receptor Subunits Atlas in the Adult Human Lung

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels responsible for rapid neural and neuromuscular signal transmission. Although it is well documented that 16 subunits are encoded by the human genome, their presence in airway epithelial cells (AECs) remains poorly understood, and contribution to pathology is mainly discussed in the context of cancer. We analysed nAChR subunit expression in the human lungs of smokers and non-smokers using transcriptomic data for whole-lung tissues, isolated large AECs, and isolated small AECs. We identified differential expressions of nAChRs in terms of detection and repartition in the three modalities. Smoking-associated alterations were also unveiled. Then, we identified an nAChR transcriptomic print at the single-cell level. Finally, we reported the localizations of detectable nAChRs in bronchi and large bronchioles. Thus, we compiled the first complete atlas of pulmonary nAChR subunits to open new avenues to further unravel the involvement of these receptors in lung homeostasis and respiratory diseases.

Low-Dose Nicotine Activates EGFR Signaling via α5-nAChR and Promotes Lung Adenocarcinoma Progression

Nicotine in tobacco smoke is considered carcinogenic in several malignancies including lung cancer. The high incidence of lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) in non-smokers, however, remains unexplained. Although LAC has long been less associated with smoking behavior based on previous epidemiological correlation studies, the effect of environmental smoke contributing to low-dose nicotine exposure in non-smoking population could be underestimated. Here we provide experimental evidence of how low-dose nicotine promotes LAC growth in vitro and in vivo. Screening of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in lung cancer cell lines demonstrated a particularly high expression level of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit α5 (α 5-nAChR) in LAC cell lines. Clinical specimen analysis revealed up-regulation of α 5-nAChR in LAC tumor tissues compared to non-tumor counterparts. In LAC cell lines α 5-nAChR interacts with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), positively regulates EGFR pathway, enhances the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers, and is essential for low-dose nicotine-induced EGFR phosphorylation. Functionally, low-dose nicotine requires α 5-nAChR to enhance cell migration, invasion, and proliferation. Knockdown of α 5-nAChR inhibits the xenograft tumor growth of LAC. Clinical analysis indicated that high level of tumor α 5-nAChR is correlated with poor survival rates of LAC patients, particularly in those expressing wild-type EGFR. Our data identified α 5-nAChR as an essential mediator for low-dose nicotine-dependent LAC progression possibly through signaling crosstalk with EGFR, supporting the involvement of environmental smoke in tumor progression in LAC patients.

Important players in carcinogenesis as potential targets in cancer therapy: an update

The development of cancer is a problem that has accompanied mankind for years. The growing number of cases, emerging drug resistance, and the need to reduce the serious side effects of pharmacotherapy are forcing scientists to better understand the complex mechanisms responsible for the initiation, promotion, and progression of the disease. This paper discusses the modulation of the particular stages of carcinogenesis by selected physiological factors, including: acetylcholine (ACh), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs), Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk), aquaporins (AQPs), insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2), and exosomes. Understanding their role may contribute to the development of more effective and safer therapies based on new binding sites.