TGF-β signaling in liver and gastrointestinal cancers

Structure, unique biological properties, and mechanisms of action of transforming growth factor β

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a ubiquitous molecule that is extremely conserved structurally and plays a systemic role in human organism. TGF-β is a homodimeric molecule consisting of two subunits joined through a disulphide bond. In mammals, three genes code for TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3 isoforms of this cytokine with a dominating expression of TGF-β1. Virtually, all normal cells contain TGF-β and its specific receptors. Considering the exceptional role of fine balance played by the TGF-β in anumber of physiological and pathological processes in human body, this cytokine may be proposed for use in medicine as an immunosuppressant in transplantology, wound healing and bone repair. TGFb itself is an important target in oncology. Strategies for blocking members of TGF-β signaling pathway as therapeutic targets have been considered. In this review, signalling mechanisms of TGF-β1 action are addressed, and their role in physiology and pathology with main focus on carcinogenesis are described.

From Inflammation to Oncogenesis: Tracing Serum DCLK1 and miRNA Signatures in Chronic Liver Diseases

Chronic liver diseases, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC are often a consequence of persistent inflammation. However, the transition mechanisms from a normal liver to fibrosis, then cirrhosis, and further to HCC are not well understood. This study focused on the role of the tumor stem cell protein doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) in the modulation of molecular factors in fibrosis, cirrhosis, or HCC. Serum samples from patients with hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC were analyzed via ELISA or NextGen sequencing and were compared with control samples. Differentially expressed (DE) microRNAs (miRNA) identified from these patient sera were correlated with DCLK1 expression. We observed elevated serum DCLK1 levels in fibrosis, cirrhosis, and HCC patients; however, TGF-β levels were only elevated in fibrosis and cirrhosis. While DE miRNAs were identified for all three disease states, miR-12136 was elevated in fibrosis but was significantly increased further in cirrhosis. Additionally, miR-1246 and miR-184 were upregulated when DCLK1 was high, while miR-206 was downregulated. This work distinguishes DCLK1 and miRNAs' potential role in different axes promoting inflammation to tumor progression and may serve to identify biomarkers for tracking the progression from pre-neoplastic states to HCC in chronic liver disease patients as well as provide targets for treatment.

Signaling pathways in liver cancer: pathogenesis and targeted therapy

Liver cancer remains one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide with high incidence and mortality rates. Due to its subtle onset, liver cancer is commonly diagnosed at a late stage when surgical interventions are no longer feasible. This situation highlights the critical role of systemic treatments, including targeted therapies, in bettering patient outcomes. Despite numerous studies on the mechanisms underlying liver cancer, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the only widely used clinical inhibitors, represented by sorafenib, whose clinical application is greatly limited by the phenomenon of drug resistance. Here we show an in-depth discussion of the signaling pathways frequently implicated in liver cancer pathogenesis and the inhibitors targeting these pathways under investigation or already in use in the management of advanced liver cancer. We elucidate the oncogenic roles of these pathways in liver cancer especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as the current state of research on inhibitors respectively. Given that TKIs represent the sole class of targeted therapeutics for liver cancer employed in clinical practice, we have particularly focused on TKIs and the mechanisms of the commonly encountered phenomena of its resistance during HCC treatment. This necessitates the imperative development of innovative targeted strategies and the urgency of overcoming the existing limitations. This review endeavors to shed light on the utilization of targeted therapy in advanced liver cancer, with a vision to improve the unsatisfactory prognostic outlook for those patients.

Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Delivery of Ferulic Acid and Diosgenin Anticancer Natural Agents

It was investigated whether loading multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with two natural anticancer agents: ferulic acid (FUA) and diosgenin (DGN), may enhance the anticancer effect of these drugs. The CNTs were functionalized with carboxylic acid (CNTCOOH) or amine (CNTNH2), loaded with the above pro-drugs, as well as both combined and coated with chitosan or chitosan-stearic acid. Following physicochemical characterization, the drug-loading properties and kinetics of the drug's release were investigated. Their effects on normal human skin fibroblasts and MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells, HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and A549 non-small-cell lung cancer cells were evaluated in vitro. Their actions at the molecular level were evaluated by assessing the expression of lncRNAs (HULC, HOTAIR, CCAT-2, H19, and HOTTIP), microRNAs (mir-21, mir-92, mir-145, and mir-181a), and proteins (TGF-β and E-cadherin) in HepG2 cells. The release of both pro-drugs depended on the glutathione concentration, coating, and functionalization. Release occurred in two stages: a no-burst/zero-order release followed by a sustained release best fitted to Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetics. The combined nanoformulation cancer inhibition effect on HepG2 cancer cells was more pronounced than for A549 and MCF7 cells. The combined nanoformulations had an additive impact followed by a synergistic effect, with antagonism demonstrated at high concentrations. The nanoformulation coated with chitosan and stearic acid was particularly successful in targeting HepG2 cells and inducing apoptosis. The CNT functionalized with carboxylic acid (CNTCOOH), loaded with both FUA and DGN, and coated with chitosan-stearic acid inhibited the expression of lncRNAs and modulated both microRNAs and proteins. Thus, nanoformulations composed of functionalized CNTs dual-loaded with FUA and DGN and coated with chitosan-stearic acid are a promising drug delivery system that enhances the activity of natural pro-drugs.

Mitochondrial-mediated nuclear remodeling and macrophage polarizations: A key switch from liver fibrosis to HCC progression

Liver fibrosis is a significant health burden worldwide and has emerged as the leading cause of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence. Mitochondria are the dynamic organelles that regulate the differentiation, survival, and polarization of macrophages. Nuclear-DNA-associated proteins, micro-RNAs, as well as macrophage polarization are essential for maintaining intracellular and extra-cellular homeostasis in the liver parenchyma. Dysregulated mitochondrial coding genes (ETS complexes I, II, III, IV, and V), non-coding RNAs (mitomiRs), and nuclear alteration lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation which are implicated in the transition of liver fibrosis into HCC. Recent findings indicated the protecting effect of E74-like factor 3/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (Elf-3/PPAR-γ). HDAR-y inhibits the deacetylation of PPAR-y and maintains the PPAR-y pathway. Elf-3 plays a tumor suppressive role through epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related gene and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB-2) domain. Additionally, the development of HCC includes the PI3K/Akt/mTOR and transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) pathway that promotes the Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through Smad/Snail/Slug signaling cascade. In contrast, the TLR2/NOX2/autophagy axis promotes M2 polarization in HCC. Thus, a thorough understanding of the mitochondrial and nuclear reciprocal relationship related to macrophage polarization could provide new research opportunities concerning diseases with a significant impact on liver parenchyma towards developing liver fibrosis or liver cancer. Moreover, this knowledge can be used to develop new therapeutic strategies to treat liver diseases.

Vactosertib potently improves anti-tumor properties of 5-FU for colon cancer

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown that the TGF-β signaling pathway plays a critical role in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. The aim of the current study is to investigate the therapeutic potential of Vactosertib (EW-7197), a selective inhibitor of TGF-β receptor type I, either alone or in combination with the standard first-line chemotherapeutic treatment, 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), in CRC progression in both cellular and animal models.

METHODS

Real-Time PCR, Zymography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) tissue staining, and Flow cytometry techniques were applied to determine the anti-tumor properties of this novel TGF-β inhibitor in in vitro (CT-26 cell line) and in vivo (inbred BALB/C mice) samples.

RESULTS

Our findings showed that Vactosertib decreased cell proliferation and induced spheroid shrinkage. Moreover, this inhibitor suppressed the cell cycle and its administration either alone or in combination with 5-FU induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of p53 and BAX proteins. It also improved 5-FU anti-cancer effects by decreasing the tumor volume and weight, increasing tumor necrosis, and regulating tumor fibrosis and inflammation in an animal model. Vactosertib also enhanced the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on invasive behavior of CRC cells by upregulating the expression of E-cadherin and inhibiting MMP-9 enzymatic activity.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrating the potent anti-tumor effects of Vactosertib against CRC progression. Our results clearly suggest that this inhibitor could be a promising agent reducing CRC tumor progression when administered either alone or in combination with standard treatment in CRC patients.

Therapeutic effect and transcriptome-methylome characteristics of METTL3 inhibition in liver hepatocellular carcinoma

Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is the key subunit of methyltransferase complex responsible for catalyzing N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification on mRNA, which is the most prevalent post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes. In this study, we utilized online databases to analyze the association between METTL3 expression and various aspects of tumorigenesis, including gene methylation, immunity, and prognosis. Our investigation revealed that METTL3 serves as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). Through experimental studies, we observed frequent upregulation of METTL3 in LIHC tumor tissue and cells. Subsequent inhibition of METTL3 using a novel small molecule inhibitor, STM2457, significantly impeded tumor growth in LIHC cell lines, spheroids, and xenograft tumor model. Further, transcriptome and m6A sequencing of xenograft bodies unveiled that inhibition of METTL3-m6A altered genes enriched in SMAD and MAPK signaling pathways that are critical for tumorigenesis. These findings suggest that targeting METTL3 represents a promising therapeutic strategy for LIHC.

Effects of metalloprotease ADAMTS12 on cervical cancer cell phenotype and its potential mechanism

ADAMTS12 is a gene widely expressed in human tissues. We studied the expression level of ADAMTS12 in cervical cancer tissue and its relationship with clinicopathological features. We also explored the function of ADAMTS12 in cervical cancer cells and its underlying mechanisms. We found the higher expression level of ADAMTS12 in cancer tissues, which was associated with the worse overall survival rate. The immunofluorescence assay showed that the cytoplasm of cervical cancer cells is the main expression site of ADAMTS12. Overexpression of ADAMTS12 in HeLa and CaSki cells prominently promoted the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We found that 2032 genes were correlated with ADAMTS12, which was mainly related to extracellular matrix, TGF-β signaling pathway. The phosphorylation levels of mTOR and 4E-BP1 were upregulated in ADAMTS12-overexpressing cells. Co-Immunoprecipitation combined with protein mass spectrometry showed that TGF-β signaling pathway-related proteins interacting with ADAMTS12 were screened from HeLa cells with ADAMTS12 overexpression. Therefore, we concluded that ADAMTS12 may affect the mTOR signaling pathway through the interacting with TGF-β1, and then affect the biological function of cervical cancer cells.

Cathepsin W restrains peripheral regulatory T cells for mucosal immune quiescence

Peripheral regulatory T (pT_reg) cells are a key T cell lineage for mucosal immune tolerance and anti-inflammatory responses, and interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) signaling is critical for T_reg cell generation, expansion, and maintenance. The expression of IL-2R on pT_reg cells is tightly regulated to ensure proper induction and function of pT_reg cells without a clear molecular mechanism. We here demonstrate that Cathepsin W (CTSW), a cysteine proteinase highly induced in pT_reg cells under transforming growth factor-β stimulation is essential for the restraint of pT_reg cell differentiation in an intrinsic manner. Loss of CTSW results in elevated pT_reg cell generation, protecting the animals from intestinal inflammation. Mechanistically, CTSW inhibits IL-2R signaling in pT_reg cells by cytosolic interaction with and process of CD25, repressing signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 activation to restrain pT_reg cell generation and maintenance. Hence, our data indicate that CTSW acts as a gatekeeper to calibrate pT_reg cell differentiation and function for mucosal immune quiescence.

Tea domain transcription factor TEAD4 mitigates TGF-β signaling and hepatocellular carcinoma progression independently of YAP

Tea domain transcription factor 4 (TEAD4) plays a pivotal role in tissue development and homeostasis by interacting with Yes-associated protein (YAP) in response to Hippo signaling inactivation. TEAD4 and YAP can also cooperate with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-activated Smad proteins to regulate gene transcription. Yet, it remains unclear whether TEAD4 plays a YAP-independent role in TGF-β signaling. Here, we unveil a novel tumor suppressive function of TEAD4 in liver cancer via mitigating TGF-β signaling. Ectopic TEAD4 inhibited TGF-β-induced signal transduction, Smad transcriptional activity, and target gene transcription, consequently suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and migration in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in mice. Consistently, depletion of endogenous TEAD4 by siRNAs enhanced TGF-β signaling in cancer cells. Mechanistically, TEAD4 associates with receptor-regulated Smads (Smad2/3) and Smad4 in the nucleus, thereby impairing the binding of Smad2/3 to the histone acetyltransferase p300. Intriguingly, these negative effects of TEAD4 on TGF-β/Smad signaling are independent of YAP, as impairing the TEAD4-YAP interaction through point mutagenesis or depletion of YAP and/or its paralog TAZ has little effect. Together, these results unravel a novel function of TEAD4 in fine tuning TGF-β signaling and liver cancer progression in a YAP-independent manner.

Peripheral CD4+CD25hiCD127low regulatory T cells are increased in patients with gastrointestinal cancer

BACKGROUND

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in regulation of immune response and immunologic tolerance in cancer. Gastrointestinal cancer is still a leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. This study aimed to detect Tregs in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

METHODS

In this study, 45 gastric cancer patients, 50 colorectal cancer patients and 50 healthy controls were enrolled. Flow cytometry was used to detect CD4⁺CD25^hiCD127^low Tregs, CD4⁺CD25^hi, and CD4⁺ cells in peripheral blood. Cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in peripheral blood and in the supernatant of Tregs cultures were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Compared with healthy controls, the levels of CD4⁺CD25^hiCD127^low Tregs and CD4⁺CD25^hi cells increased significantly in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Patients with gastrointestinal cancer also showed a significantly increased levels of IL-10 and TGF-β1 in both peripheral blood and CD4⁺CD25^hiCD127^low Tregs culture medium.

CONCLUSION

The present study firstly demonstrated that gastrointestinal patients have a compromised immune status where the CD4⁺CD25^hiCD127^low Tregs, as well as levels of IL-10 and TGF-β1 are elevated. The data offered new information for understanding the immunological features of gastrointestinal patients, as well as provided new insights into approaches to develop new immunotherapies for patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Geniposide alleviates pressure overload in cardiac fibrosis with suppressed TGF-β1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Cardiac fibrosis is one of the main contributors to the pathogenesis of heart failure. Geniposide (GE), a major iridoid in gardenia fruit extract, has recently been reported to improve skeletal muscle fibrosis through the modulation of inflammation response. This investigation aimed to illuminate the cardio-protective effect and the potential mechanism of GE in cardiac fibrosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A transverse aortic contraction (TAC) induction mice model was established and GE (0 mg/kg; 10 mg/kg; 20 mg/kg; 40 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage daily for 4 weeks. Hemodynamic parameters, Masson's trichrome stain, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were estimated and cardiomyocyte fibrosis, interstitial collagen levels, and hypertrophic markers were analyzed using qPCR and western blot. In vitro, H9C2 cells were exposed to the Ang II (1 μM) pretreated with GE (0.1 μM, 1 μM, and 10 μM). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected. Moreover, the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad2 pathway was assessed in vivo and in vitro.

RESULTS

GE significantly ameliorated TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy, ventricular remodeling, myocardial fibrosis, and improved cardiac function in vivo, and it inhibited Ang II-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro. We further observed that the inflammatory channel TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway was suppressed by GE both in vivo and in vitro.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that GE inhibited myocardial fibrosis and improved hypertrophic cardiomyocytes with attenuated the TGF-β1/Smad2 pathway and proposed to be an important therapeutic of cardiac fibrosis reduced by TAC.

Angiogenic signaling pathways and anti-angiogenic therapy for cancer

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is a complex and dynamic process regulated by various pro- and anti-angiogenic molecules, which plays a crucial role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. With the advances in molecular and cellular biology, various biomolecules such as growth factors, chemokines, and adhesion factors involved in tumor angiogenesis has gradually been elucidated. Targeted therapeutic research based on these molecules has driven anti-angiogenic treatment to become a promising strategy in anti-tumor therapy. The most widely used anti-angiogenic agents include monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. However, the clinical benefit of this modality has still been limited due to several defects such as adverse events, acquired drug resistance, tumor recurrence, and lack of validated biomarkers, which impel further research on mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis, the development of multiple drugs and the combination therapy to figure out how to improve the therapeutic efficacy. Here, we broadly summarize various signaling pathways in tumor angiogenesis and discuss the development and current challenges of anti-angiogenic therapy. We also propose several new promising approaches to improve anti-angiogenic efficacy and provide a perspective for the development and research of anti-angiogenic therapy.

Up-regulation of CREB-1 regulates tendon adhesion in the injury tendon healing through the CREB-1/TGF-β3 signaling pathway

AIM

To explore the mechanism of the healing of tendon tissue and anti-adhesion, and to discuss the role of the transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3)/cAMP response element binding protein-1 (CREB-1) signaling pathway in the healing process of tendons.

METHOD

All mice were divided into four groups of 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks respectively. Each time group was divided into four treatment groups: the amplification group, the inhibition group, the negative group, and the control group. When the tendon injury model was established, the CREB-1 virus was injected into the tendon injury parts. A series of methods such as gait behaviourism, anatomy, histological examination, immunohistochemical examination and collagen staining were employed to assess the tendon healing and the protein expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1, Smad3/7 and type I/III collagen (COL-I/III). CREB-1 virus was sent to tendon stem cells to assess the protein expression of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, CREB-1, COL-I/III by methods such as immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

RESULTS

The amplification group showed better gait behaviourism than the inhibition group in the healing process. The amplification group also had less adhesion than the negative group. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of tendon tissue sections showed that the number of fibroblasts in the amplification group was less than the inhibition group, and the immunohistochemical results indicated that the expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1, and Smad7 at each time point was higher than the inhibition group. The expression of COL-I/III and Smad3 in the amplification group was lower than the inhibition group at all time points. The collagen staining indicated that the ratio of type I/III collagen in the amplification group was higher than the negative group at 2,4,8 week. The CREB-1 amplification virus could promote the protein expression of TGF-β3, CREB-1 and inhibit the protein expression of TGF-β1 and COL-I/III in the tendon stem cells.

CONCLUSION

In the process of tendon injury healing, CREB-1 could promote the secretion of TGF-β3, so as to promote the tendon healing and have the effect of anti-adhesion in tendons. It might provide new intervention targets for anti-adhesion treatment of tendon injuries.

Cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth in renal transplant patients accompanied by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between the prevalence of cyclosporin A-induced gingival overgrowth and the expression of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition factors in the gingival tissues of renal transplant patients.

BACKGROUND

Gingival overgrowth (GO) is a frequent complication in organ transplant patients treated with the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA). The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is considered a factor contributing to CsA-induced GO. However, current knowledge on this topic is sparse.

METHODS

Sixty-three renal transplant patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of GO: those with gingival overgrowth (GO+ group) and those without gingival overgrowth (GO- group). Data on age, sex, and use of immunosuppressant and calcium channel blocker medications, serum creatinine values, peak concentrations of blood CsA, and gingival hyperplasia scores were recorded to identify clinically pathogenic factors. Gingival tissues from five patients with CsA-induced GO and five healthy subjects were selected for histomorphological observation with hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, and immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA expression of EMT factors was detected with reverse transcription-quantitative PCR.

RESULTS

The use of CsA significantly increased the prevalence of GO in renal transplant patients. The expression of α-SMA, SMAD4, and TGM2 was upregulated and that of E-cadherin was downregulated in the gingival tissues of patients with CsA-induced GO compared with those of the corresponding controls.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with CsA is closely related to the occurrence of GO in renal transplant patients and EMT plays an important role in CsA-induced gingival tissue hyperplasia.

A potential requirement for Smad3 phosphorylation in Notch-mediated EMT in colon cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a challenging disease to treat due to several factors including stemness and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dysfunctional signaling pathways such as Notch and TGF-β contribute to these phenomena. We previously found that cells expressing constitutively active Notch1 also had increased expression of Smad3, an important member of the TGF-β signaling pathway. We hypothesized that Smad3, mediates the Notch-induced stemness and EMT observed in CRC cells. The human colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT-116, stably transduced with constitutively active Notch-1 (ICN) or a GFP-vector control was treated with different combinations of TGF-β1, DAPT (a Notch inhibitor), or SIS3 (a Smad3 inhibitor). Western blot analysis was performed to determine the effects of Smad3 stimulation and inhibition on Notch and potential downstream EMT-related targets, CD44, Slug and Snail. Smad3 inhibition induced a decrease in Notch1 and Notch3 receptor expression and effectively inhibited CD44, Slug, and Snail expression. Colosphere forming ability was also reduced in cells with inhibited Smad3. These results indicate a key role of TGF-β signaling in Notch1-induced tumorigenesis, and suggest a potential use for Smad3 inhibitors in combination with Notch1 inhibitors that are already in use for CRC treatments.

Emerging role for branched-chain amino acids metabolism in fibrosis

Fibrosis is a common pathological feature of organ diseases resulting from excessive production of extracellular matrix, which accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. However, there is currently no effective treatment targeting fibrogenesis. Recently, metabolic alterations are increasingly considered as essential factors underlying fibrogenesis, and especially research on metabolic regulation of amino acids is flourishing. Among them, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are the most abundant essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine and valine, which play significant roles in the substance and energy metabolism and their regulation. Dysregulation of BCAAs metabolism has been proven to contribute to numerous diseases. In this review, we summarize the metabolic regulation of fibrosis and the changes in BCAAs metabolism secondary to fibrosis. We also review the effects and mechanisms of the BCAAs intervention, and its therapeutic targeting in hepatic, renal and cardiac fibrosis, with a focus on the fibrosis in liver and associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sulforaphane regulates Nrf2-mediated antioxidant activity and downregulates TGF-β1/Smad pathways to prevent radiation-induced muscle fibrosis

AIMS

This study aimed to examine the efficacy of sulforaphane (SFN) in preventing radiation-induced muscle fibrosis (RIMF) and the potential role in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant stress.

MAIN METHODS

The RIMF model was established by a single irradiation of the left thigh of C57BL/6 J mice, and the mice were then randomly divided into control, SFN, irradiation (IR), and IR + SFN (IR/SFN) groups. The serum and skeletal muscle were collected eight weeks after irradiation, and changes in oxidative stress and muscle fibrosis were detected.

KEY FINDINGS

The IR group showed a more obvious skeletal muscle fiber atrophy, significantly higher number of collagen fibers, and higher inflammatory cell infiltration compared to control group. Compared to the IR group, the IR/SFN group had orderly arranged muscle fibers, decreased collagen fibers, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. In addition, compared with the control group, the expression of oxidative stress-related indexes was significantly increased, accompanied by activation of the transforming growth factor (TGF-β)/Smad pathway and its downstream fibrogenic molecules in the skeletal muscle of the IR group. After SFN intervention, the above indices were significantly restored. Furthermore, SFN induced the upregulation of Nrf2, activation of AKT, and inhibition of GSK-3β and Fyn accumulation.

SIGNIFICANCE

These results revealed that Nrf2 plays a central role in protecting against RIMF. Furthermore, SFN prevents RIMF by activating Nrf2 via the AKT/GSK-3β/Fyn pathway.

Myofibroblast specific targeting approaches to improve fibrosis treatment

Fibrosis has been shown to develop in individuals with underlying health conditions, especially chronic inflammatory diseases. Fibrosis is often diagnosed in various organs, including the liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, and skin, and has been described as excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix that can affect specific organs in the body or systemically throughout the body. Fibrosis as a chronic condition can result in organ failure and result in death of the individual. Understanding and identification of specific biomarkers associated with fibrosis has emerging potential in the development of diagnosis and targeting treatment modalities. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss multiple signaling pathways such as TGF-β, collagen, angiotensin, and cadherin and outline the chemical nature of the different signaling pathways involved in fibrogenesis as well as the mechanisms. Although it has been well established that TGF-β is the main catalyst initiating and driving multiple pathways for fibrosis, targeting TGF-β can be challenging as this molecule regulates essential functions throughout the body that help to keep the body in homeostasis. We also discuss collagen, angiotensin, and cadherins and their role in fibrosis. We comprehensively discuss the various delivery systems used to target collagen, angiotensin, and cadherins to manage fibrosis. Nevertheless, understanding the steps by which this molecule drives fibrosis development can aid in the development of specific targets of its cascading mechanism. Throughout the review, we will demonstrate the mechanism of fibrosis targeting to improve targeting delivery and therapy.

Crenigacestat blocking notch pathway reduces liver fibrosis in the surrounding ecosystem of intrahepatic CCA viaTGF-β inhibition

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a highly malignant tumor characterized by an intensive desmoplastic reaction due to the exaggerated presence of the extracellular (ECM) matrix components. Liver fibroblasts close to the tumor, activated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and expressing high levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), become cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs are deputed to produce and secrete ECM components and crosstalk with cancer cells favoring tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Overexpression of Notch signaling is implicated in CCA development and growth. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Notch inhibitor, Crenigacestat, on the surrounding microenvironment of iCCA.

METHODS

We investigated Crenigacestat's effectiveness in a PDX model of iCCA and human primary culture of CAFs isolated from patients with iCCA.

RESULTS

In silico analysis of transcriptomic profiling from PDX iCCA tissues treated with Crenigacestat highlighted "liver fibrosis" as one of the most modulated pathways. In the iCCA PDX model, Crenigacestat treatment significantly (p < 0.001) reduced peritumoral liver fibrosis. Similar results were obtained in a hydrodynamic model of iCCA. Bioinformatic prediction of the upstream regulators related to liver fibrosis in the iCCA PDX treated with Crenigacestat revealed the involvement of the TGF-β1 pathway as a master regulator gene showing a robust connection between TGF-β1 and Notch pathways. Consistently, drug treatment significantly (p < 0.05) reduced TGF-β1 mRNA and protein levels in tumoral tissue. In PDX tissues, Crenigacestat remarkably inhibited TGF-β signaling and extracellular matrix protein gene expression and reduced α-SMA expression. Furthermore, Crenigacestat synergistically increased Gemcitabine effectiveness in the iCCA PDX model. In 31 iCCA patients, TGF-β1 and α-SMA were upregulated in the tumoral compared with peritumoral tissues. In freshly isolated CAFs from patients with iCCA, Crenigacestat significantly (p < 0.001) inhibited Notch signaling, TGF-β1 secretion, and Smad-2 activation. Consequently, Crenigacestat also inactivated CAFs reducing (p < 0.001) α-SMA expression. Finally, CAFs treated with Crenigacestat produced less (p < 005) ECM components such as fibronectin, collagen 1A1, and collagen 1A2.

CONCLUSIONS

Notch signaling inhibition reduces the peritumoral desmoplastic reaction in iCCA, blocking the TGF-β1 canonical pathway.

20-Hydroxytetraenoic acid induces hepatic fibrosis via the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway

Hepatic fibrosis is caused by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) due to repeated liver injury. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of hepatic fibrosis. A study showed that CYP4A14 gene defect can inhibit hepatic fibrosis, but the specific mechanism was not clear. In this experiment, patients with hepatic fibrosis, LX-2 cells (a human HSCs line), and mice with liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) were used to study the effect of 20-Hydroxytetraenoic acid (20-HETE), one of the main metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) catalyzed by CYP4A enzyme, on hepatic fibrosis and its mechanism. Our experimental results showed that the 20-HETE of patients with hepatic fibrosis is significantly higher than that of normal people and is closely related to the degree of fibrosis. 20-HETE could induce activation of LX-2 cells and 20-HETE antagonist could inhibit the induction of 20-HETE. 20-HETE was significantly increased in CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis mice and inhibition of 20-HETE production could attenuate hepatic fibrosis. 20-HETE induced hepatic fibrosis mainly via the TGF- β1/Smad3 signal pathway. In conclusion, the results suggest that 20-HETE plays an important role in hepatic fibrosis and may be a possible target for the clinical treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

Deciphering the role of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a diagnostic-prognostic-therapeutic candidate against hepatocellular carcinoma

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that performs a dual role as a tumor suppressor and tumor promoter during cancer progression. Among different ligands of the TGF-β family, TGF-β1 modulates most of its biological outcomes. Despite the abundant expression of TGF-β1 in the liver, steatosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression triggers elevated TGF-β1 levels, contributing to poor prognosis and survival. Additionally, elevated TGF-β1 levels in the tumor microenvironment create an immunosuppressive stage via various mechanisms. TGF-β1 has a prime role as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC. Moreover, TGF-β1 is widely studied as a therapeutic target either as monotherapy or combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review provides clinical relevance and up-to-date information regarding the potential of TGF-β1 in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy against HCC.

Upregulation of Atypical Cadherin FAT1 Promotes an Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment via TGF-β

FAT atypical cadherin 1 (FAT1) promotes glioblastoma (GBM) by promoting protumorigenic inflammatory cytokine expression in tumor cells. However, tumors also have an immunosuppressive microenvironment maintained by mediators such as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β cytokines. Here, we have studied the role of FAT1 in tumor immune suppression. Our preliminary TIMER2.0 analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database revealed an inverse correlation of FAT1 expression with infiltration of tumor-inhibiting immune cells (such as monocytes and T cells) and a positive correlation with tumor-promoting immune cells [such as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs)] in various cancers. We have analyzed the role of FAT1 in modulating the expression of TGF-β1/2 in resected human gliomas, primary glioma cultures, and other cancer cell lines (U87MG, HepG2, Panc-1, and HeLa). Positive correlations of gene expression of FAT1 and TGF-β1/2 were observed in various cancers in TCGA, Glioma Longitudinal Analysis Consortium (GLASS), and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Positive expression correlations of FAT1 were also found with TGF-β1/2 and Serpine1 (downstream target) in fresh-frozen GBM samples using q-PCR. siRNA-mediated FAT1 knockdown in cancer cell lines and in primary cultures led to decreased TGF-β1/2 expression/secretion as assessed by q-PCR, Western blotting, and ELISA. There was increased chemotaxis (transmigration) of THP-1 monocytes toward siFAT1-transfected tumor cell supernatant as a consequence of decreased TGF-β1/2 secretion. Reduced TGF-β1 expression was also observed in THP-1 cultured in conditioned media from FAT1-depleted glioma cells, thus contributing to immune suppression. In U87MG cells, decreased TGF-β1 upon FAT1 knockdown was mediated by miR-663a, a known modulator. FAT1 expression was also observed to correlate positively with the expression of surrogate markers of MDSCs [programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), PD-L2, and interleukin (IL)-10] in glioma tumors, suggesting a potential role of FAT1 in MDSC-mediated immunosuppression. Hence, our findings elaborate contributions of FAT1 to immune evasion, where FAT1 enables an immunosuppressive microenvironment in GBM and other cancers via TGF-β1/2.

A risk score model based on TGF-β pathway-related genes predicts survival, tumor microenvironment and immunotherapy for liver hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signal is an important pathway involved in all stages of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) initiation and progression. Therefore, targeting TGF- β pathway may be a potential therapeutic strategy for LIHC. Prediction of patients' tumor cells response requires effective biomarkers.

METHODS

From 54 TGF-β-related genes, this research determined the genes showing the greatest relation to LIHC prognosis, and developed a risk score model with 8 TGF-β-related genes. The model divided LIHC patients from different datasets and platforms into low- and high-risk groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that the model was an independent prognostic factor for LIHC. The differences in genetic mutation, immune cell infiltration, biological pathway, response to immunotherapy or chemotherapy, and tumor microenvironment in LIHC samples showing different risks were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with low-risk group, in the training set and test set, high-risk group showed shorter survival, lower stromal score and higher M0 macrophages scores, regulatory T cells (Tregs), helper follicular T cells. Moreover, high-risk samples showed higher sensitivity to cisplatin, imatinib, sorafenib and salubrinal and pyrimethamine. High-risk group demonstrated a significantly higher Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score, but would significantly benefit less from taking immunotherapy and was less likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, this work provided a risk scoring model based on 8 TGF-β pathway-related genes, which might be a new potential tool for predicting LIHC.

Characterization of RNA modifications in gastric cancer to identify prognosis-relevant gene signatures

BACKGROUND

Most human genes have diverse transcript isoforms, which mainly arise from alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) at 3' ends. N7-methylguanosine (m⁷ G) is also an essential epigenetic modification at the 5' end. However, the contribution of these two RNA modifications to the development, prognosis, regulation mechanisms, and drug sensitivity of gastric cancer (GC) is unclear.

METHODS

The expression data of 2412 patients were extracted from 12 cohorts and the RNA modification patterns of 20 marker genes were systematically identified into phenotypic clusters using the unsupervised clustering approach. Following that, we developed an RNA modification model (RMscore) to quantify each GC patient's RNA modification index. Finally, we examined the correlation between RMscore and clinical features such as survival outcomes, molecular subtypes identified by the Asian Cancer Research Group (ACRG), posttranscriptional regulation, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity in GC.

RESULTS

The samples were categorized into two groups on the basis of their RMscore: high and low. The group with a low RMscore had a bad prognosis. Moreover, the low RMscore was associated with KRAS, Hedgehog, EMT, and TGF-β signaling, whereas a high RMscore was related to abnormal cell cycle signaling pathway activation. The findings also revealed that the RMscore contributes to the regulation of the miRNA-mRNA network. Drug sensitivity analysis revealed that RMscore is associated with the response to some anticancer drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

The RMscore model has the potential to be a useful tool for prognosis prediction in patients with GC. A comprehensive investigation of APA-RNA and m⁷ G-RNA modifications may reveal novel insights into the epigenetics of GC and aid in the development of more effective treatment strategies.

High expression of RASAL1, a hub gene in the progression of liver cancer, suggests a poor prognostis

OBJECTIVE

Liver cancer (LC) is a frequently occurring lethal malignancy worldwide, yet the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and their development remain uncharacterized. In this study, bioinformatics methods were used to find candidate hub genes for prognosis assessment and clinical treatment of LC.

METHODS

Differential analysis was carried out based on the evidence of gene expression profiling in LC on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were constructed into co-expression networks and divided into modules by virtue of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Based on the Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), the module genes were subjected to functional enrichment analysis. The LC microarray (GSE105130) in the Gene Expression Omnibus was selected to verify the hub genes' expression profiles. The validity of the hub genes was verified via survival analysis, as well as expression correlation with the clinicopathological features. Thereafter, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were applied to investigate the possible biological functions of the hub genes.

RESULTS

In total, 3780 DEGs and 17 co-expression modules were obtained. The blue module had the strongest correlation with the tumour stage and the module genes were principally enriched in tumour-associated GO terms, as well as pathways such as Ras protein signal transduction, ERK1/2 cascade, Ras signal pathway, and ECM-receptor interaction. RASAL1, which is highly expressed in LC, was identified as a hub gene for LC progression. Its high expression suggested unfavorable patient prognosis and was correlated with T stage, gender and tumour stage. Further analysis identified that the overexpression of RASAL1 was substantially enriched in cancer-associated gene sets.

CONCLUSION

RASAL1 is a hub gene that influences LC progression, constituting a novel biomarker and molecular target in the future diagnosis and therapy of LC.

Oncogenic Role of Connective Tissue Growth Factor Is Associated with Canonical TGF-β Cascade in Colorectal Cancer

TGF-β signaling pathways promote tumour development and control several downstream genes such as CTGF and MMPs. This study aimed to investigate the association between CTGF and MMP-1 mRNA expressions with clinicopathological status and survival rate in colorectal cancer patients. We investigated expression levels of CTGF and MMP-1 genes in paraffin-embedded tumours and adjacent normal tissue blocks (ADJ) by Real Time-PCR. Then, the expression of Smad2 and Smad4 proteins in the TGF-β canonical pathway was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Finally, the correlation between CTGF, MMP-1, and the canonical TGF-β-signalling pathway with the clinicopathological features was investigated. Expression levels of MMP-1and CTGF were higher in tumours compared with adjacent normal tissues. Overexpression levels of MMP-1 and CTGF were associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, tumour histopathological grading, advanced stage, and poor survival (p < 0.05). Additionally, a significant association between the upregulation of MMP-1 and tumour location was noted. Upregulation of Smad2 and Smad4 proteins were also significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, advanced stage, and poor survival (p < 0.0001). This study showed that canonical TGF-β signalling regulates both CTGF and MMP-1 expression and CRC progression. Moreover, TGF-β signalling and its downstream genes could be used as novel biomarkers and novel approaches for targeted therapy in CRC.

Survival estimation in patients with stomach and esophageal carcinoma using miRNA expression profiles

Identifying a miRNA signature associated with survival will open a new window for developing miRNA-targeted treatment strategies in stomach and esophageal cancers (STEC). Here, using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas on 516 patients with STEC, we developed a Genetic Algorithm-based Survival Estimation method, GASE, to identify a miRNA signature that could estimate survival in patients with STEC. GASE identified 27 miRNAs as a survival miRNA signature and estimated the survival time with a mean squared correlation coefficient of 0.80 ± 0.01 and a mean absolute error of 0.44 ± 0.25 years between actual and estimated survival times, and showed a good estimation capability on an independent test cohort. The miRNAs of the signature were prioritized and analyzed to explore their roles in STEC. The diagnostic ability of the identified miRNA signature was analyzed, and identified some critical miRNAs in STEC. Further, miRNA-gene target enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of these miRNAs in various pathways, including the somatotrophic axis in mammals that involves the growth hormone and transforming growth factor beta signaling pathways, and gene ontology annotations. The identified miRNA signature provides evidence for survival-related miRNAs and their involvement in STEC, which would aid in developing miRNA-target based therapeutics.

TGF-β Alters the Proportion of Infiltrating Immune Cells in a Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Immunotherapy, such as checkpoint inhibitors against anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), has not been successful in treating patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), dendritic cells (DCs), and the TGF-β cytokine are critical in anti-cancer immunity. We hypothesized that TGF-β enhances the immunosuppressive effects of TAM, MDSC, and DC presence in tumors.

METHODS

Using a murine PDAC cell line derived from a genetically engineered mouse model, we orthotopically implanted treated cells plus drug embedded in Matrigel into immunocompetent mice. Treatments included saline control, TGF-β1, or a TGF-β receptor 1 small molecule inhibitor, galunisertib. We investigated TAM, MDSC, DC, and TAM PD-L1 expression with flow cytometry in tumors. Separately, we used the TIMER2.0 database to analyze TAM and PD-L1 gene expression in human PDAC tumors in TCGA database.

RESULTS

TGF-β did not alter MDSC or DC frequencies in the primary tumors. However, in PDAC metastases to the liver, TGF-β decreased the proportion of MDSCs (P=0.022) and DCs (P=0.005). TGF-β significantly increased the percent of high PD-L1 expressing TAMs (32 ± 6 % vs. 12 ± 5%, P=0.013) but not the proportion of TAMs in primary and metastatic tumors. TAM PD-L1 gene expression in TCGA PDAC database was significantly correlated with tgb1 and tgfbr1 gene expression (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

TGF-β is important in PDAC anti-tumor immunity, demonstrating context-dependent impact on immune cells. TGF-β has an overall immunosuppressive effect mediated by TAM PD-L1 expression and decreased presence of DCs. Future investigations will focus on enhancing anti-cancer immune effects of TGF-β receptor inhibition.

Regulatory role of the transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway in the drug resistance of gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, including esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer, is one of the most prevalent types of malignant carcinoma and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Despite significant advances in therapeutic strategies for GI cancers in recent decades, drug resistance with various mechanisms remains the prevailing cause of therapy failure in GI cancers. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway has crucial, complex roles in many cellular functions related to drug resistance. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the role of the TGF-β signaling pathway in the resistance of GI cancers to conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and traditional medicine. Various processes, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cell development, tumor microenvironment alteration, and microRNA biogenesis, are proposed as the main mechanisms of TGF-β-mediated drug resistance in GI cancers. Several studies have already indicated the benefit of combining antitumor drugs with agents that suppress the TGF-β signaling pathway, but this approach needs to be verified in additional clinical studies. Moreover, the identification of potential biological markers that can be used to predict the response to TGF-β signaling pathway inhibitors during anticancer treatments will have important clinical implications in the future.

Endostatin in fibrosis and as a potential candidate of anti-fibrotic therapy

Fibrotic diseases pose significant clinical challenges due to their broadness and complexity. Thus, a better understanding of fibrogenesis and the development of more effective treatments is imperative. Recent evidence suggests a significant antifibrotic potential of an endogenous glycoprotein, endostatin. While endostatin has been widely studied for its role as an anticancer adjuvant by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, its possible implication in fibrosis remains largely unclear. Here, we review the role of endostatin in various cellular processes and highlight its antifibrotic activity. We hypothesize that endostatin conveys a homeostatic function in the process of fibrosis by regulating (a) TGF-β1 and its downstream signaling; (b) RhoA/ROCK pathway; (c) NF-κB signaling pathway; (d) expression of EGR-1; (e) PDGF/PDGFR pathway; (f) autophagy-related pathways; (g) pathways associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. Finally, we propose a schematic model of the antifibrotic roles and mechanisms of endostatin; also, we outline future research directions of endostatin and aim to present a potential therapeutic approach for fibrosis.

Progression on the Roles and Mechanisms of Tumor-Infiltrating T Lymphocytes in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most common malignancies in China, where it ranks second in mortality and fifth in morbidity. Currently, liver transplantation, hepatic tumor resection, radiofrequency ablation, and molecular-targeted agents are the major treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Overall, HCC has a poor survival rate and a high recurrence rate. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been discovered to play essential roles in the development, prognosis, and immunotherapy treatment of HCC. As the major component cells of TILs, T cells are also proved to show antitumor and protumor effects in HCC. Foxp3+, CD8+, CD3+, and CD4+ T lymphocytes are the broadly studied subgroups of TILs. This article reviews the roles and mechanisms of different tumor-infiltrating T lymphocyte subtypes in HCC.

Genetic mutation and biological pathway prediction based on whole slide images in breast carcinoma using deep learning

Breast carcinoma is the most common cancer among women worldwide that consists of a heterogeneous group of subtype diseases. The whole-slide images (WSIs) can capture the cell-level heterogeneity, and are routinely used for cancer diagnosis by pathologists. However, key driver genetic mutations related to targeted therapies are identified by genomic analysis like high-throughput molecular profiling. In this study, we develop a deep-learning model to predict the genetic mutations and biological pathway activities directly from WSIs. Our study offers unique insights into WSI visual interactions between mutation and its related pathway, enabling a head-to-head comparison to reinforce our major findings. Using the histopathology images from the Genomic Data Commons Database, our model can predict the point mutations of six important genes (AUC 0.68-0.85) and copy number alteration of another six genes (AUC 0.69-0.79). Additionally, the trained models can predict the activities of three out of ten canonical pathways (AUC 0.65-0.79). Next, we visualized the weight maps of tumor tiles in WSI to understand the decision-making process of deep-learning models via a self-attention mechanism. We further validated our models on liver and lung cancers that are related to metastatic breast cancer. Our results provide insights into the association between pathological image features, molecular outcomes, and targeted therapies for breast cancer patients.

IFN-α-2b Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Fibroblasts via the TGFβ/Smad Signaling Pathway to Reduce Postoperative Epidural Fibrosis

Epidural fibrosis after lumbar laminectomy refers to a serious complication, and excessive proliferation of fibroblasts is considered the major factor. Interferon-alpha-2b (IFN-α-2b) can exert antiviral and antiproliferative effects, which has been suggested to effectively prevent several fibrotic diseases. However, the effect of IFN-α-2b on the prevention of epidural fibrosis (EF) and its possible mechanism remain unclear. In this study, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to examine the possible mechanism of IFN-α-2b for preventing EF. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), cell cycle test, Edu incorporation, wound healing assay, transwell test, and Western blotting assay were performed to investigate the inhibitory effect of IFN-α-2b on the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts in vitro. As indicated from the results, IFN-α-2b was capable of inhibiting proliferation and migration of fibroblasts and inhibiting the activity of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)/Smad signaling pathway. In vivo, the effect of IFN-α-2b on the reduction of EF was determined by performing histological macroscopic evaluation and histological and immunohistochemical staining. As suggested from the results, IFN-α-2b significantly inhibited EF after laminectomy. As revealed from the mentioned results, IFN-α-2b may have a promising application for preventing EF in the future.

SLC39A10 Upregulation Predicts Poor Prognosis, Promotes Proliferation and Migration, and Correlates with Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Recent evidence has shown that Solute Carrier Family 39 Member 10 (SLC39A10) promoted tumor progression in several cancer types. The study intended to explore the expression and function of SLC39A10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Multiple bioinformatics analyses were used to evaluate SLC39A10 expression and potential role in HCC. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm SLC39A10 expression. Intro studies were performed to assess the effects of SLC39A10 on HCC cells proliferation and migration. Furthermore, flow cytometry was conducted to identify its specific function in apoptosis of HCC.

Results

SLC39A10 was significantly over-expressed in HCC samples from both bioinformatic databases and our cohort. Survival analyses suggested patients with high expression of SLC39A10 had poor overall survival and disease-free survival (P-value <0.01). Further, the expression of SLC39A10 was positively correlated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and some immune checkpoints like CTLA4, TIM3 and TGFB1. In HCC cell lines, SLC39A10 knockdown inhibited cells proliferation and migration, but promoted apoptosis.

Conclusion

An increased SLC39A10 expression was found and served as an unfavorable indicator of survival in HCC. Further studies suggested SLC39A10 promotes tumor aggressiveness and may provide a novel target for HCC therapy.

Tumor-on-chip modeling of organ-specific cancer and metastasis

Every year, cancer claims millions of lives around the globe. Unfortunately, model systems that accurately mimic human oncology - a requirement for the development of more effective therapies for these patients - remain elusive. Tumor development is an organ-specific process that involves modification of existing tissue features, recruitment of other cell types, and eventual metastasis to distant organs. Recently, tissue engineered microfluidic devices have emerged as a powerful in vitro tool to model human physiology and pathology with organ-specificity. These organ-on-chip platforms consist of cells cultured in 3D hydrogels and offer precise control over geometry, biological components, and physiochemical properties. Here, we review progress towards organ-specific microfluidic models of the primary and metastatic tumor microenvironments. Despite the field's infancy, these tumor-on-chip models have enabled discoveries about cancer immunobiology and response to therapy. Future work should focus on the development of autologous or multi-organ systems and inclusion of the immune system.

The Role of TGF-β Signaling Pathways in Cancer and Its Potential as a Therapeutic Target

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway mediates various biological functions, and its dysregulation is closely related to the occurrence of malignant tumors. However, the role of TGF-β signaling in tumorigenesis and development is complex and contradictory. On the one hand, TGF-β signaling can exert antitumor effects by inhibiting proliferation or inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. On the other hand, TGF-β signaling may mediate oncogene effects by promoting metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune escape. This review summarizes the recent findings on molecular mechanisms of TGF-β signaling. Specifically, this review evaluates TGF-β's therapeutic potential as a target by the following perspectives: ligands, receptors, and downstream signaling. We hope this review can trigger new ideas to improve the current clinical strategies to treat tumors related to the TGF-β signaling pathway.

High SGO2 Expression Predicts Poor Overall Survival: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Shugoshin2 (SGO2) may participate in the occurrence and development of tumors by regulating abnormal cell cycle division, but its prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In this study, we accessed The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to get the clinical data and gene expression profile of HCC. The expression of SGO2 in HCC tissues and nontumor tissues and the relationship between SGO2 expression, survival, and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. The SGO2 expression level was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in nontumor tissues (p < 0.001). An analysis from the Oncomine and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) databases also demonstrated that SGO2 was upregulated in HCC (all p < 0.001). A logistic regression analysis revealed that the high expression of SGO2 was significantly correlated with gender, tumor grade, pathological stage, T classification, and Eastern Cancer Oncology Group (ECOG) score (all p < 0.05). The overall survival (OS) of HCC patients with higher SGO2 expression was significantly poor (p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that age and high expression of SGO2 were independent predictors of poor overall survival (all p < 0.05). Twelve signaling pathways were significantly enriched in samples with the high-SGO2 expression phenotype. Ten proteins and 34 genes were significantly correlated with SGO2. In conclusion, the expression of SGO2 is closely related to the survival of HCC. It may be used as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker of HCC.

Targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway for fibrosis therapy: a patent review (2015-2020)

INTRODUCTION

Fibrosis is a serious disease that occurs in many organs, such as kidney, liver and lung. The deterioration of these organs ultimately leads to death. Due to the complex mechanisms of fibrosis, research and development of antifibrotic drugs is difficult. One solution is to focus on core pathways, one of which is the TGF-β signaling pathway. In virtually every type of fibrosis, TGF-β signaling is recognized as a critical pathway.

AREA COVERED

This review discusses patents on active molecules related to the TGF-β signaling. Molecules targeting components related to the activation of TGF-β are introduced. Several strategies preventing signal propagation from active TGF-β to downstream targets are also introduced, including TGF-β antibodies, TGF-β ligand traps, and inhibitors of TGF-β receptor kinases. Finally, molecules affecting downstream targets in both canonical and noncanonical TGF-β signaling pathways are described.

EXPERT OPINION

Since the approval of pirfenidone, targeting TGF-β signaling has been anticipated as an effective therapy for fibrosis. The potential of this therapy has been further supported by emerging patents on the TGF-β signaling. This pathway can be entirely inhibited, from the activation of TGF-β to downstream signaling. Inhibiting TGF-β signaling is expected to provide more effective treatments for fibrosis.

Molecular-targeted therapy toward precision medicine for gastrointestinal cancer: Current progress and challenges

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer remains the deadliest cancer in the world. The current standard treatment for GI cancer focuses on 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapeutic regimens and surgery, and molecular-targeted therapy is expected to be a more effective and less toxic therapeutic strategy for GI cancer. There is well-established evidence for the use of epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted and vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted antibodies, which should routinely be incorporated into treatment strategies for GI cancer. Other potential therapeutic targets involve the PI3K/AKT pathway, tumor growth factor-β pathway, mesenchymal-epithelial transition pathway, WNT pathway, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and immune checkpoints. Many clinical trials assessing the agents of targeted therapy are underway and have presented promising and thought-provoking results. With the development of molecular biology techniques, we can identify more targetable molecular alterations in larger patient populations with GI cancer. Targeting these molecules will allow us to reach the goal of precision medicine and improve the outcomes of patients with GI cancer.

Zuojin Pill ameliorates chronic atrophic gastritis induced by MNNG through TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt axis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Zuojin Pill (ZJP) is a classic prescription composed of Coptis chinensis and Tetradium ruticarpum (A.Juss.) T.G.Hartley, which is often used in the treatment of digestive system diseases.

AIM OF THIS STUDY

The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of ZJP on chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) induced by MNNG.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The GES-1 and rat model of CAG was established by MNNG. Detection of cell viability, morphological changes and proliferation of GES-1 by CCK-8 and high content screening (HCS) assay. G-17, IL-8 and TNF-α in rat serum were detected by ELISA kit. The expression of related mRNA and protein on TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt signal axis were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that ZJP could significantly improve the GES-1 damage induced by MNNG and improve the gastric histomorphology of CAG rats. The intervention of ZJP could significantly reduce the content of G-17 and inflammatory factors IL-8, TNF- α, IL-6 and IL-1β, inhibit the expression of TGF-β1, PI3K and their downstream signals p-Akt, p-mTOR, P70S6K, and promote the expression level of PTEN, LC3-II and Beclin-1.

CONCLUSION

ZJP has a good therapeutic effect on CAG induced by MNNG, which may be closely related to the inhibition of TGF-β1/PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

Latency-Associated Transcript-Derived MicroRNAs in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Target SMAD3 and SMAD4 in TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Background

During its latent infection, hepatic stellate cell (HSV-1) produces only a micro RNA (miRNA) precursor called latency-associated transcript (LAT), which encodes six distinct miRNAs. Recent studies have suggested that some of these miRNAs could target cellular mRNAs. One of the key cell signaling pathways that can be affected by HSV-1 is the TGF-β/Smad pathway. Herein, we investigated the potential role of the LAT as well as three LAT-derived miRNAs in targeting SMAD3 and SMAD4, as two main mediators in TGF-β/Smad.

Methods

The selection of LAT-derived miRNAs was based on the search results obtained from an online miRNA prediction tool. HEK293T cells were transfected with each miRNA-expressing lentivector and with the construct-expressing LAT. To survey the effect of LAT on the expression of pro-fibrotic markers, we transfected LX-2 cells with LAT construct. The impact of viral miRNA overexpression on SMADs and fibrotic markers was measured by quantitative PCR and luciferase assays.

Results

Among the LAT-derived miRNAs, miR-H2, miR-H3, and miR-H4 were selected for the study. Our results demonstrated that while miR-H2 binds to both SMAD mRNAs, miR-H3 and miR-H4 inhibit only the expression of the SMAD4 and SMAD3, respectively. Transfection of the LX-2 with LAT also decreased pro-fibrotic genes expression.

Conclusion

Our findings display that LAT negatively regulates TGF-β/Smad through targeting SMAD3 and SMAD4 by its miRNAs. These viral miRNAs can also contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions in diseases for which prevention or treatment can be achieved through targeting TGF-β pathway.

Latency-Associated Transcript-Derived MicroRNAs in Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Target SMAD3 and SMAD4 in TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Background:

During its latent infection, HSV-1 produces only a miRNA precursor called LAT, which encodes six distinct miRNAs. Recent studies have suggested that some of these miRNAs could target cellular mRNAs. One of the key cell signaling pathways that can be affected by HSV-1 is the TGF-β/Smad pathway. Herein, we investigated the potential role of the LAT as well as three LAT-derived miRNAs in targeting SMAD3 and SMAD4, as two main mediators in TGF-β/Smad.

Methods:

The selection of LAT-derived miRNAs was based on the search results obtained from an online miRNA prediction tool. HEK293T cells were transfected with each miRNA-expressing lentivector and with the construct-expressing LAT. To survey the effect of LAT on the expression of pro-fibrotic markers, we transfected LX-2 cells with LAT construct. The impact of viral miRNA overexpression on SMADs and fibrotic markers was measured by qPCR and luciferase assays.

Results:

Among the LAT-derived miRNAs, miR-H2, miR-H3, and miR-H4 were selected for the study. Our results demonstrated that while miR-H2 binds to both SMAD mRNAs, miR-H3 and miR-H4 inhibit only the expression of the SMAD4 and SMAD3, respectively. Transfection of the LX-2 with LAT also decreased pro-fibrotic genes expression.

Conclusion:

Our findings display that LAT negatively regulates TGF-β/Smad through targeting SMAD3 and SMAD4 by its miRNAs. These viral miRNAs can also contribute to the development of therapeutic interventions in diseases for which prevention or treatment can be achieved through targeting TGF-β pathway.

Inhibition of TGFβ improves hematopoietic stem cell niche and ameliorates cancer-related anemia

Background

Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome that is quite common in terminal-stage cancer patients. Cancer-related anemia is one of the main features of cancer cachexia and mostly results in a poor prognosis. The disadvantages of the current therapies are obvious, but few new treatments have been developed because the pathological mechanism remains unclear.

Methods

C57BL/6 mice were subcutaneously injected with Lewis lung carcinoma cells to generate a cancer-related anemia model. The treated group received daily intraperitoneal injections of SB505124. Blood parameters were determined with a routine blood counting analyzer. Erythroid cells and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The microarchitecture changes of the femurs were determined by micro-computed tomography scans. Smad2/3 phosphorylation was analyzed by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. The changes in the hematopoietic stem cell niche were revealed by qPCR analysis of both fibrosis-related genes and hematopoietic genes, fibroblastic colony-forming unit assays, and lineage differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells.

Results

The mouse model exhibited hematopoietic suppression, marked by a decrease of erythrocytes in the peripheral blood, as well as an increase of immature erythroblasts and reduced differentiation of multipotent progenitors in the bone marrow. The ratio of bone volume/total volume, trabecular number, and cortical wall thickness all appeared to decrease, and the increased osteoclast number has led to the release of latent TGFβ and TGFβ signaling over-activation. Excessive TGFβ deteriorated the hematopoietic stem cell niche, inducing fibrosis of the bone marrow as well as the transition of mesenchymal stromal cells. Treatment with SB505124, a small-molecule inhibitor of TGFβ signaling, significantly attenuated the symptoms of cancer-related anemia in this model, as evidenced by the increase of erythrocytes in the peripheral blood and the normalized proportion of erythroblast cell clusters. Meanwhile, hindered hematopoiesis and deteriorated hematopoietic stem cell niche were also shown to be restored with SB505124 treatment.

Conclusion

This study investigated the role of TGFβ released by bone remodeling in the progression of cancer-related anemia and revealed a potential therapeutic approach for relieving defects in hematopoiesis.

TERRA Gene Expression in Gastric Cancer: Role of hTERT

PURPOSE

One of the most important serious malignancies is gastric cancer (GC) with a high mortality globally. In this way, beside the environmental factors, genetic parameter has a remarkable effective fluctuation in GC. Correspondingly, telomeres are nucleoprotein structures measuring the length of telomeres and they have special potential in diagnosis of various types of cancers. Defect protection of the telomeric length initiates the instability of the genome during cancer, including gastric cancer. The most common way of maintaining telomere length is the function of the telomerase enzyme that replicates the TTAGGG to the end of the 3' chromosome.

METHODS

In this review, we want to discuss the alterations of hTERT repression on the modification of TERRA gene expression in conjunction with the importance of telomere and telomerase in GC.

RESULTS

The telomerase enzyme contains two essential components called telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and RNA telomerase (hTR, hTERC). Deregulation of hTERT plays a key role in the multistage process of tumorigenicity and anticancer drug resistance. The direct relationship between telomerase activity and hTERT has led to hTERT to be considered a key target for cancer treatment. Recent results show that telomeres are transcribed into telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) in mammalian cells and are long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) identified in different tissues. In addition, most chemotherapy methods have a lot of side effects on normal cells.

CONCLUSION

Telomere and telomerase are useful therapeutic goal. According to the main roles of hTERT in tumorigenesis, growth, migration, and cancer invasion, hTERT and regulatory mechanisms that control the expression of hTERT are attractive therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Modulation of the TGF-β signaling pathway by long noncoding RNA in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of liver cancer with poor prognosis. There have been demonstrated to exist many possible mechanisms in HCC tumorigenesis, and recent investigations have provided some promising therapy targets. However, further mechanisms remain to be researched to improve the therapeutic strategy and diagnosis of HCC. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine which plays critical roles in networks of different cellular processes, and TGF-β signaling has been found to participate in tumor initiation and development of HCC in recent years. Moreover, among the molecules and signaling pathways, researchers paid more attention to lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs), but the connection between lncRNAs and TGF-βremain poorly understood. In this review, we conclude the malignant procedure which lncRNAs and TGF-β involved in, and summarize the mechanisms of lncRNAs and TGF-βin HCC initiation and development. Furthermore, the interaction between lncRNA and TGF-β are paid more attention, and the potential therapy targets are mentioned.

Qiliqiangxin improves cardiac function and attenuates cardiac remodelling in doxorubicin-induced heart failure rats

Context: Therapeutic doxorubicin administration is restricted as this anticancer drug may be cardiotoxic. The traditional Chinese medicine qiliqiangxin has been approved for clinical treatment of chronic heart failure.Objective: To explore the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of qiliqiangxin on doxorubicin-induced congestive heart failure (CHF) in rats.Materials and methods: A CHF rat model was established via intraperitoneal DOX injections (2.5 mg/kg/week) for 6 weeks. The rats were randomly assigned to control, CHF, CHF + QL (1.0 g/kg/d), or captopril (3.8 mg/kg/d) treatment groups (n = 10) for 4 weeks. MicroRNA sequencing elucidated the molecular mechanisms of qiliqiangxin on doxorubicin-induced CHF in rats.Results: Unlike in the CHF group, QL significantly reduced Bax:Bcl-2 (2.05 ± 0.23 vs. 0.94 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) and the levels of collagen I (0.19 ± 0.02 vs. 0.15 ± 0.01, p < 0.05), collagen III (0.19 ± 0.02 vs. 0.14 ± 0.02, p < 0.05), TGF-β1 (5.28 ± 0.89 vs. 2.47 ± 0.51, p < 0.05), Smad3 (1.23 ± 0.12 vs. 0.78 ± 0.09, p < 0.05), MMP-2 (0.89 ± 0.01 vs. 0.53 ± 0.05, p < 0.05), and TIMP-2 (0.24 ± 0.03 vs. 0.44 ± 0.03, p < 0.05). QL also upregulated TGF-β3 (0.65 ± 0.06 vs. 0.96 ± 0.10, p < 0.05) and Smad7 (0.09 ± 0.01 vs. 0.19 ± 0.023, p < 0.05). Moreover, Smad3 was a target of miR-345-3p.Discussion and Conclusions: The beneficial effects of QL on DOX-induced CHF in rats are mediated by reduction in myocardial fibrosis, promotion of TGF-β3/Smad7, and inhibition of TGF-β1/Smad3. QL may also modulate specific miRNAs. These results provide evidence that QL might be an effective treatment for DOX-induced CHF.

Hic-5 is required for activation of pancreatic stellate cells and development of pancreatic fibrosis in chronic pancreatitis

Accumulated evidence suggests that activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) serve as the main source of the extracellular matrix proteins accumulated under the pathological conditions leading to pancreatic fibrosis in chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, little is known about the mechanisms of PSC activation. PSCs have morphologic and functional similarities to hepatic stellate cells, which are activated by hydrogen peroxide-inducible clone-5 (Hic-5), a TGF-β1-induced protein. In this study, we investigated whether Hic-5 activates PSCs, which promote pancreatic fibrosis development in CP. Hic-5-knockout and wild type mice were subjected to caerulein injection to induce CP. Hic-5 expression was strongly upregulated in activated PSCs from human CP tissue and from mouse pancreatic fibrosis in caerulein-induced CP. Hic-5 deficiency significantly attenuated mouse pancreatic fibrosis and PSC activation in the experimental murine CP model. Mechanistically, Hic-5 knock down significantly inhibited the TGF-β/Smad2 signaling pathway, resulting in reduced collagen production and α-smooth muscle actin expression in the activated PSCs. Taken together, we propose Hic-5 as a potential marker of activated PSCs and a novel therapeutic target in CP treatment.

TGF-β Enhances the Anti-inflammatory Effect of Tumor- Infiltrating CD33+11b+HLA-DR Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Gastric Cancer: A Possible Relation to MicroRNA-494

BACKGROUND

Accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) constitutes a key mechanism of tumor immune evasion in gastric cancer (GC). Therefore, searching for more accurate prognostic factors affecting their immunosuppressive role has become a growing interest in cancer immunotherapy research. Increased expression of microRNA-494 was noticed in MDSCs from tumor-bearing mice, suggesting another new therapeutic objective for cancer treatment. It was also discovered that tumor-derived transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is responsible for the up-regulation of microRNA-494 in MDSCs. The purpose of this study was to address the effect of recombinant (rTGF-β) on the anti-inflammatory activity of MDSCs in GC and its possible association with micro-RNA-494 expression in tumor tissue.

METHODS

Freshly obtained GC tumor tissue samples and peripheral blood were used for isolation of CD33+11b+HLADR- MDSCs cells from 40 GC patients and 31 corresponding controls using flow cytometry. MDSCs were co-cultured with isolated autologous T cells to assess proliferation and cytokine production in the presence and absence of rTGF-β. Real-time PCR and Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were used to evaluate tumor expression of miRNA-494 and TGF-β respectively.

RESULTS

Results showed that rTGF-β markedly increased the suppressive ability of tumor MDSCs on proliferation of autologous T cells and interferon gamma production. However, no inhibitory effect was observed for MDSCs from circulation. In addition, infiltration of MDSCs in tumors is associated with the prognosis of GC. MiRNA-494 was also extensively expressed in tumor samples with a significant correlation to MDSCs.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that tumor-derived MDSCs but not circulatory MDSCs have an immunosuppressive effect on T cells, potentially involving TGF-β mediated stimulation.  Results also suggest a role for miRNA-494 in GC progression. Therefore, control of TGF-β and miRNA-494 may be used as a treatment strategy to downregulate the immunosuppressive effect of MDSCs.
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Transgelins: Cytoskeletal Associated Proteins Implicated in the Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

Transgelins, including transgelin-1 (T-1), transgelin-2 (T-2), and transgelin-3 (T-3), are a family of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) that can alter the structure and morphology of the cytoskeleton. These proteins function by regulating migration, proliferation and apoptosis in many different cancers. Several studies have shown that in various types of tumor cells, including colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and in the tumor microenvironment, the expression and biological effects of transgelins are diverse and may transform during tumor progression. Previous researches have demonstrated that transgelin levels are positively correlated with metastasis in CRC, and down-regulating their expression can inhibit this process. In advanced disease, T-1 is a tumor activator with increasing expression, and T-2 expression increases with the progression of CRC. Finally, T-3 is only expressed in neurons and is not associated with CRC. This evidence suggests that T-1 and T-2 are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC metastasis.