The roles of the SOX2 protein in the development of esophagus and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and pharmacological target for therapy

Advancing precision medicine in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using patient-derived organoids

BACKGROUND

Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) represent a promising approach for replicating the characteristics of original tumors and facilitating drug testing for personalized treatments across diverse cancer types. However, clinical evidence regarding their application to esophageal cancer remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of implementing PDOs in clinical practice to benefit patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

Fresh surgical biopsies were obtained from patients with esophageal cancer for the establishment of PDOs. These PDOs were subsequently characterized through histological analysis. A customized drug panel, based on standard-of-care chemotherapy regimens, was applied to the PDOs. The resulting drug sensitivity profiles were then correlated with the clinical responses observed in individual patients undergoing actual treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 34 PDOs were successfully established with a 61.8% success rate. The classification method based on chemotherapy sensitivity closely corresponded to clinical responses. The paclitaxel plus cisplatin (TP)-sensitive group demonstrated significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the resistant groups, Hazard ratio (HR), 5.12; 95% confidence intervals (CI 0.58-44.71; p < 0.05), thus illustrating the potential of this approach for guiding personalized treatment strategies.

CONCLUSION

Organoid biobanks were established across multiple institutes to facilitate PDOs-based functional precision medicine. The findings demonstrate that this framework offers robust predictive value in clinical settings, enhances precision therapeutics, and advances drug discovery for esophageal cancer.

Single-cell analysis reveals the spatial-temporal expression of genes associated with esophageal malformations

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of congenital diseases is challenging due to their occurrence within specific developmental stages. Esophageal malformations are examples of such conditions, characterized by abnormalities in the development of esophagus during embryogenesis. These developmental malformations encompass a range of anomalies, including esophageal atresia, and tracheoesophageal fistula. Here, we investigated the preferential expression of 29 genes that are implicated in such malformations and their immediate interactome (a total of 67 genes). We conducted our analyses across several single-cell atlases of embryonic development, encompassing approximately 150,000 cells from the mouse foregut, 180,000 cells from human embryos, and 500,000 cells from 24 human organs. Our study, spanning diverse mesodermal and endodermal cell populations and early developmental stages, shows that the genes associated with esophageal malformations show their highest cell-type specific expression in lateral plate mesoderm cells and at the developmental stage of E8.75-E9.0 days. In human embryos, these genes show a significant cell-type specific expression among subpopulations of epithelial cells, fibroblasts and progenitor cells including basal cells. Notably, members of the forkhead-box family of transcription factors, namely FOXF1, FOXC1, and FOXD1, as well as the SRY-box transcription factor, SOX2, demonstrate the most significant preferential expression in both mouse and human embryos. Overall, our findings provide insights into the temporal and cellular contexts contributing to esophageal malformations.

Targeting the SOX2/CDP protein complex with a peptide suppresses the malignant progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Emerging evidence indicates that SOX2 is an oncogene for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, direct targeting of SOX2 is not feasible given that this transcription factor plays important roles in the maintenance of tissues such as the brain. Here, we identified CDP (Homeobox protein cut-like 1 or CASP) as a unique SOX2 binding partner enriched in ESCC with Duolink proximity ligation assay, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFc) and immunoprecipitation. We then screened a peptide aptamer library using BiFc and immunoprecipitation and identified several peptide aptamers, including P58, that blocked the CDP/SOX2 interaction, leading to the inhibition of ESCC progress in vitro and in vivo. Upon administration, synthetic peptide P58, containing the YGRKKRRQRRR cell-penetrating peptide and the fluorophore TAMRA, also blocked the growth and metastasis of ESCC in both mice and zebrafish. Therefore, targeting the SOX2 binding partner CDP with peptide P58 offers an alternative avenue to treat ESCC with increased SOX2 levels.

Unmasking the Deceptive Nature of Cancer Stem Cells: The Role of CD133 in Revealing Their Secrets

Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, and its complexity poses a significant challenge to effective treatment. Cancer stem cells and their markers have become key players in tumor growth and progression. CD133, a marker in various cancer types, is an active research area as a potential therapeutic target. This article explores the role of CD133 in cancer treatment, beginning with an overview of cancer statistics and an explanation of cancer stem cells and their markers. The rise of CD133 is discussed, including its structure, functions, and occurrence in different cancer types. Furthermore, the article covers CD133 as a therapeutic target, focusing on gene therapy, immunotherapy, and approaches to affect CD133 expression. Nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles and nanoliposomes are also discussed in the context of CD133-targeted therapy. In conclusion, CD133 is a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. As research in this area progresses, it is hoped that CD133-targeted therapies will offer new and effective treatment options for cancer patients in the future.