VERU-111 suppresses tumor growth and metastatic phenotypes of cervical cancer cells through the activation of p53 signaling pathway

Curcumin attenuates smoking and drinking activated NF-κB/IL-6 inflammatory signaling axis in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

High-risk strains of HPV are known to cause cervical cancer. Multiple clinical studies have emphasized that smoking and drinking are critical risk factors for cervical cancer and its high-grade precursors. In this study, we investigated if smoking and/or drinking augment the molecular mechanisms of cervical carcinogenesis and defined a potential therapeutic approach for their attenuation.

METHODS

The impact of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and/or ethanol (EtOH) exposure on cervical cancer cells was assessed by measuring changes in their cell migration and invasion characteristics. Expression of HPV16 E6/E7, NF-κB, cytokines, and inflammation mediators was determined using qRT-PCR, immunoblotting, ELISA, luciferase reporter assay, and confocal microscopy. Herein, we used curcumin (Cur), and PLGA nanoparticle formulation of curcumin (PLGA-Cur) and determined effectiveness of free Cur and PLGA-Cur formulation on smoking and drinking activated NF-κB/IL-6 mediated inflammatory signaling pathways using in vitro cervical cancer models.

RESULTS

Treatments with B[a]P and/or EtOH altered the expression of HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes and EMT markers in cervical cancer cells; it also enhanced migration and invasion. In addition, B[a]P and/or EtOH exposure promoted inflammation pathways through TNF-α and NF-κB signaling, leading to IL-6 upregulation and activation of VEGF. The molecular effects caused by B[a]P and/or EtOH exposure were effectively attenuated by curcumin (Cur)/PLGA-Cur treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest a molecular link between smoking, drinking, and HPV infectivity in cervical carcinogenesis. In addition, attenuation of these effects by treatment with Cur/PLGA-Cur treatment, implies the role of curcumin in cervical cancer prevention and treatment.

Research advances in signaling pathways related to the malignant progression of HSIL to invasive cervical cancer: A review

The progression of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) to invasive cervical cancer (ICC) is a complex process involving persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and changes in signal transduction regulation, energy and material metabolism, cell proliferation, autoimmune, and other biological process in vaginal microenvironment and immune microenviroment. Signaling pathways are a series of interacting molecules in cells that regulate various physiological functions of cells, such as growth, differentiation, metabolism, and death. In the progression of HSIL to ICC, abnormal activation or inhibition in signaling pathways plays an essensial role. This review presented some signaling pathways related to the malignant progression of HSIL to ICC, including p53, Rb, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, NF-κB, MAPK, TGF-β, JAK-STAT, Hippo, and Hedgehog. The molecular mechanisms involved in the biological process of pathway regulation were also analyzed, in order to illustrate the molecular pathway of HSIL progression to ICC and provide references for the development of more effective prevention and treatment methods.

BioID-based intact cell interactome of the Kv1.3 potassium channel identifies a Kv1.3-STAT3-p53 cellular signaling pathway

Kv1.3 is a multifunctional potassium channel implicated in multiple pathologies, including cancer. However, how it is involved in disease progression is not fully clear. We interrogated the interactome of Kv1.3 in intact cells using BioID proximity labeling, revealing that Kv1.3 interacts with STAT3- and p53-linked pathways. To prove the relevance of Kv1.3 and of its interactome in the context of tumorigenesis, we generated stable melanoma clones, in which ablation of Kv1.3 remodeled gene expression, reduced proliferation and colony formation, yielded fourfold smaller tumors, and decreased metastasis in vivo in comparison to WT cells. Kv1.3 deletion or pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial Kv1.3 increased mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species release, decreased STAT3 phosphorylation, stabilized the p53 tumor suppressor, promoted metabolic switch, and altered the expression of several BioID-identified Kv1.3-networking proteins in tumor tissues. Collectively, our work revealed the tumor-promoting Kv1.3-interactome landscape, thus opening the way to target Kv1.3 not only as an ion-conducting entity but also as a signaling hub.

Biological activity of a stable 6-aryl-2-benzoyl-pyridine colchicine-binding site inhibitor, 60c, in metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Improving survival for patients diagnosed with metastatic disease and overcoming chemoresistance remain significant clinical challenges in treating breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype characterized by a lack of therapeutically targetable receptors (ER/PR/HER2). TNBC therapy includes a combination of cytotoxic chemotherapies, including microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) like paclitaxel (taxane class) or eribulin (vinca class); however, there are currently no FDA-approved MTAs that bind to the colchicine-binding site. Approximately 70 % of patients who initially respond to paclitaxel will develop taxane resistance (TxR). We previously reported that an orally bioavailable colchicine-binding site inhibitor (CBSI), VERU-111, inhibits TNBC tumor growth and treats pre-established metastatic disease. To further improve the potency and metabolic stability of VERU-111, we created next-generation derivatives of its scaffold, including 60c.

RESULTS

60c shows improved in vitro potency compared to VERU-111 for taxane-sensitive and TxR TNBC models, and suppress TxR primary tumor growth without gross toxicity. 60c also suppressed the expansion of axillary lymph node metastases existing prior to treatment. Comparative analysis of excised organs for metastasis between 60c and VERU-111 suggested that 60c has unique anti-metastatic tropism. 60c completely suppressed metastases to the spleen and was more potent to reduce metastatic burden in the leg bones and kidney. In contrast, VERU-111 preferentially inhibited liver metastases and lung metastasis repression was similar. Together, these results position 60c as an additional promising CBSI for TNBC therapy, particularly for patients with TxR disease.

Prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3: Opportunities and challenges in targeting HPV-mediated cervical carcinogenesis

Cervical cancer (CaCx) ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women globally. Persistent infection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) is major etiological factor associated with CaCx. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3), a prominent member of the STAT family, has emerged as independent oncogenic driver. It is a target of many oncogenic viruses including HPV. How STAT3 influences HPV viral gene expression or gets affected by HPV is an area of active investigation. A better understanding of host-virus interaction will provide a prognostic and therapeutic window for CaCx control and management. In this comprehensive review, we delve into carcinogenic role of STAT3 in development of HPV-induced CaCx. With an emphasis on fascinating interplay between STAT3 and HPV genome, the review explores the diverse array of opportunities and challenges associated with this field to harness the prognostic and therapeutic potential of STAT3 in CaCx.

Small Molecule Inhibitors of Human Papillomavirus: A Review of Research from 1997 to 2021

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the cause of warts, lesions and cancer, with different types of HPV causing different symptoms. HPV infections are the primary cause of cervical cancer. There are over 220 different types of HPV, and only nine of these can currently be vaccinated. There is a need to treat these viral infections without just treating the symptoms of the infection, as is currently the main method. There is a wide range of small molecules that have been used to inhibit various stages of the HPV infectious cycle. This review examined 132 small molecules from 121 studies that specifically target aspects of HPV infections. HPV DNA encodes for six early genes (E1 to E7, skipping E3) and two late genes (L1 and L2). According to the results, these targets for small molecule inhibitors fall into three categories: those targeting E1 and E2, targeting E6 and E7 and, finally, targeting L1 and L2. Inhibitors of E6 and E7 are the most widely studied targets, with the majority of HPV inhibition in this area. While compounds targeting both E1/E2 and E6/E7 have made it to clinical trials, there has been no significant advancement on the topic.

HPV E6 promotes cell proliferation of cervical cancer cell by accelerating accumulation of RBM15 dependently of autophagy inhibition

The mechanism of m6A modification in HPV-related cervical cancer remains unclear. This study explored the role of methyltransferase components in HPV-related cervical cancer and the mechanism. The levels of methyltransferase components and autophagy, ubiquitylation of RBM15 protein and the co-localization of lysosomal markers LAMP2A and RBM15 were measured. CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, clone formation experiment and immunofluorescence assay were conducted to measure cell proliferation. The mouse tumor model was developed to study the cell growth in vivo. The binding of RBM15 to c-myc mRNA and m6A modifcation of c-myc mRNA were analyzed. The expressions of METTL3, RBM15 and WTAP were higher in HPV-positive cervical cancer cell lines than those in HPV-negative cells, especially RBM15. HPV-E6 knock-down inhibited the expression of RBM15 protein and promoted its degradation, but couldn't change its mRNA level. Autophagy inhibitor and proteasome inhibitor could reverse those effects. HPV-E6 siRNA could not enhance ubiquitylation modification of RBM15, but could enhance autophagy and the co-localization of RBM15 and LAMP2A. RBM15 overexpression could enhance cell proliferation, block the inhibitory effects of HPV-E6 siRNA on cell growth, and these effects could be reserved by cycloeucine. RBM15 could bind to c-myc mRNA, resulting in an increase to m6A level and protein expression of c-myc, which could be blocked by cycloeucine. HPV-E6 can downregulate autophagy, inhibit the degradation of RBM15 protein, induce the accumulation of intracellular RBM15, and increase the m6A modification on c-myc mRNA, resulting in an increase of c-myc protein and a growth promotion for cervical cancer cells.

The prognostic value and biological significance of gap junction beta protein 2 (GJB2 or Cx26) in cervical cancer

Objective

To evaluate the prognostic value and explore the biological significance of gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2 or Cx26) in cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

We first compared GJB2 expression between CC and normal tissues using public databases and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas data (TCGA cohort, n = 304) and tissue microarray samples (OBC cohort, n = 111), we explored the prognostic value of GJB2 for CC patients using bioinformatics analysis and IHC scoring. To explore the biological significance of GJB2, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and Gene Ontology (GO) were performed. The impact of GJB2 on the immune microenvironment was analyzed by CIBERSORTx and ESTIMATE algorithms. We finally investigated the relationship between GJB2 and drug sensitivity based on the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC).

Results

The expression of GJB2 was significantly increased in CC over normal tissues. Both the TCGA and OBC cohort found that patients with high GJB2 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) time, and high GJB2 expression was the independent risk factor for prognosis (TCGA: HR, 2.566; 95% CI, 1.066–6.180; p = 0.036; OBC: HR, 2.198; 95% CI, 1.019–4.741; p = 0.045). GJB2 was correlated with patient clinical factors such as tumor size and differentiation grade. The p53 signaling pathway and toll-like receptor pathway may be regulated by GJB2. The abundance of various immune cells was significantly different between the low and high GJB2 expression groups. The ImmuneScore was significantly increased in the high GJB2 expression group. In addition, the expression level of GJB2 was positively correlated with the natural log of the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (LN_IC50) value of cisplatin/paclitaxel (Spearman r = 0.238/0.153, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

GJB2 can serve as a potential prognostic marker of poor survival and a therapeutic target in CC. Moreover, GJB2 may affect the immune microenvironment and is correlated with chemoresistance.

Emerging Roles and Potential Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) is a preventable disease using proven interventions, specifically prophylactic vaccination, pervasive disease screening, and treatment, but it is still the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Patients with advanced or metastatic CC have a very dismal prognosis and current therapeutic options are very limited. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of metastasis and discovering new therapeutic targets are crucial. New sequencing tools have given a full visualization of the human transcriptome's composition. Non-coding RNAs (NcRNAs) perform various functions in transcriptional, translational, and post-translational processes through their interactions with proteins, RNA, and even DNA. It has been suggested that ncRNAs act as key regulators of a variety of biological processes, with their expression being tightly controlled under physiological settings. In recent years, and notably in the past decade, significant effort has been made to examine the role of ncRNAs in a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Therefore, shedding light on the functions of ncRNA will aid in our better understanding of CC. In this review, we summarize the emerging roles of ncRNAs in progression, metastasis, therapeutics, chemo-resistance, human papillomavirus (HPV) regulation, metabolic reprogramming, diagnosis, and as a prognostic biomarker of CC. We also discussed the role of ncRNA in the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology, including cancer stem cells (CSCs) in CC. We also address contemporary technologies such as antisense oligonucleotides, CRISPR-Cas9, and exosomes, as well as their potential applications in targeting ncRNAs to manage CC.

A Phase Ib/II Study of Sabizabulin, a Novel Oral Cytoskeleton Disruptor, in Men with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer with Progression on an Androgen Receptor-targeting Agent

PURPOSE

Sabizabulin, an oral cytoskeleton disruptor, was tested in a phase Ib/II clinical study in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The phase Ib portion utilized a 3+3 design with escalating daily oral doses of 4.5-81 mg and increasing schedule in 39 patients with mCRPC treated with one or more androgen receptor-targeting agents. Prior taxane chemotherapy was allowed. The phase II portion tested a daily dose of 63 mg in 41 patients with no prior chemotherapy. Efficacy was assessed using PCWG3 and RECIST 1.1 criteria.

RESULTS

The MTD was not defined in the phase Ib and the recommended phase II dose was set at 63 mg/day. The most common adverse events (>10% frequency) at the 63 mg oral daily dosing (combined phase Ib/II data) were predominantly grade 1-2 events. Grade ≥3 events included diarrhea (7.4%), fatigue (5.6%), and alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase elevations (5.6% and 3.7%, respectively). Neurotoxicity and neutropenia were not observed. Preliminary efficacy data in patients treated with ≥1 continuous cycle of 63 mg or higher included objective response rate in 6 of 29 (20.7%) patients with measurable disease (1 complete, 5 partial) and 14 of 48 (29.2%) patients had PSA declines. The Kaplan-Meier median radiographic progression-free survival was estimated to be 11.4 months (n = 55). Durable responses lasting >2.75 years were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This clinical trial demonstrated that chronic oral daily dosing of sabizabulin has a favorable safety profile with preliminary antitumor activity. These data support the ongoing phase III VERACITY trial of sabizabulin in men with mCRPC.

Survivin suppression heightens BZML-induced mitotic catastrophe to overcome multidrug resistance by removing therapy-induced senescent A549/Taxol cells

Mitotic catastrophe (MC) is a newly identified type of anticancer mechanism for multidrug resistance (MDR) prevention. However, the long cellular death process resulting from MC is not beneficial for anticancer treatment. BZML is a novel colchicine-binding site inhibitor which can overcome MDR by inducing MC; however, BZML-induced MC cells underwent a long cellular death process. Thus, to improve anticancer therapies based on drug-induced MC, BZML-induced MC was served as a model to further study the underlying molecular mechanisms in the process of MC. Here, BZML could induce p53-dependent senescence in A549/Taxol cells, a MDR cell line. This senescence was a secondary effect of MC in overcoming MDR. During MC, BZML-induced destruction of protein-degradation system contributed not only to an increase of p53 protein but also to the accumulation of survivin in nucleus of A549/Taxol cells. Importantly, the nuclear accumulation of survivin was not the inducer but the result of BZML-induced MC, and it promoted the survival of senescent cells. Moreover, it provided additional vulnerability and critical opportunities for sequentially applied therapies. Further, targeting survivin with YM155 accelerated the death of MC cells by timely eliminating therapy-induced senescent cells and strengthening the efficiency of BZML in overcoming MDR in A549/Taxol cells. Collectively, nuclear accumulation of survivin delayed cellular death during MC by promoting the survival of BZML-induced senescent A549/Taxol cells. Moreover, "one-two punch" approach to cancer treatment based on combination therapy with YM155 for survivin suppression might be a new strategy for potentiating MC to overcome MDR.

Pharmacological targeting PIKfyve and tubulin as an effective treatment strategy for double-hit lymphoma

Double-hit lymphoma is one of the most aggressive and refractory lymphoma subtypes with recurrent genetic abnormalities of MYC and BCL-2 or BCL6 rearrangement, leading to a poor prognosis in the present clinical practice. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies for eliminating double-hit lymphomas are urgently needed. Here, we reported that HZX-02-059, a novel PIKfyve and tubulin dual-target inhibitor, showed a highly cytotoxic activity against double-hit lymphoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo through a noncanonical caspase-independent cell death, methuosis. Mechanistically, the cytotoxicity triggered by HZX-02-059 was contributed to the PIKfyve/TFEB axis-induced cell death of methuosis, as well as the inhibition of tubulin and mTOR/Myc axis-induced cell cycle arrest. In summary, the present findings suggest that HZX-02-059 represents a good starting point for developing targeted therapeutics against double-hit lymphomas.

Predictive Study of the Active Ingredients and Potential Targets of Codonopsis pilosula for the Treatment of Osteosarcoma via Network Pharmacology

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of primary bone tumor in children and adults. Dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula) is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in the treatment of OS worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms of Dangshen in OS remain unclear. Hence, in this study, we aimed to systematically explore the underlying mechanisms of Dangshen in the treatment of OS. Our study adopted a network pharmacology approach, focusing on the identification of active ingredients, drug target prediction, gene collection, gene ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and other network tools. The network analysis identified 15 active compounds in Dangshen that were linked to 48 possible therapeutic targets related to OS. The results of the gene enrichment analysis show that Dangshen produces a therapeutic effect in OS likely by regulating multiple pathways associated with DNA damage, cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. Based on the network pharmacology approach, we successfully predicted the active compounds and their respective targets. In addition, we illustrated the molecular mechanisms that mediate the therapeutic effect of Dangshen in OS. These findings may aid in the development of novel targeted therapies for OS in the future.

The Tubulin Inhibitor VERU-111 in Combination With Vemurafenib Provides an Effective Treatment of Vemurafenib-Resistant A375 Melanoma

Melanoma is one of the deadliest skin cancers having a five-year survival rate around 15–20%. An overactivated MAPK/AKT pathway is well-established in BRAF mutant melanoma. Vemurafenib (Vem) was the first FDA-approved BRAF inhibitor and gained great clinical success in treating late-stage melanoma. However, most patients develop acquired resistance to Vem within 6–9 months. Therefore, developing a new treatment strategy to overcome Vem-resistance is highly significant. Our previous study reported that the combination of a tubulin inhibitor ABI-274 with Vem showed a significant synergistic effect to sensitize Vem-resistant melanoma both in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we unveiled that VERU-111, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of α and β tubulin that is under clinical development, is highly potent against Vem-resistant melanoma cells. The combination of Vem and VERU-111 resulted in a dramatically enhanced inhibitory effect on cancer cells in vitro and Vem-resistant melanoma tumor growth in vivo compared with single-agent treatment. Further molecular signaling analyses demonstrated that in addition to ERK/AKT pathway, Skp2 E3 ligase also plays a critical role in Vem-resistant mechanisms. Knockout of Skp2 diminished oncogene AKT expression and contributed to the synergistic inhibitory effect of Vem and VERU-111. Our results indicate a treatment combination of VERU-111 and Vem holds a great promise to overcome Vem-resistance for melanoma patients harboring BRAF (V600E) mutation.

GJA1 Expression and Its Prognostic Value in Cervical Cancer

Gap Junction Protein Alpha 1 (GJA1) belongs to the gap junction family and has been widely studied in cancers. We evaluated the role of GJA1 in cervical cancer (CC) using public data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The difference of GJA1 expression level between CC and normal tissues was analyzed by the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), six GEO datasets, and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). The relationship between clinicopathological features and GJA1 expression was analyzed by the chi-squared test and the logistic regression. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were used to assessing the effect of GJA1 expression on survival. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to screen the signaling pathways regulated by GJA1. Immune Cell Abundance Identifier (ImmuCellAI) was chosen to analyze the immune cells affected by GJA1. The expression of GJA1 in CC was significantly lower than that in normal tissues based on the GEPIA, GEO datasets, and HPA. Both the chi-squared test and the logistic regression showed that high-GJA1 expression was significantly correlated with keratinization, hormone use, tumor size, and FIGO stage. The Kaplan–Meier curves suggested that high-GJA1 expression could indicate poor prognosis (p = 0.0058). Multivariate analysis showed that high-GJA1 expression was an independent predictor of poor overall survival (HR, 4.084; 95% CI, 1.354-12.320; p = 0.013). GSEA showed many cancer-related pathways, such as the p53 signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway, were enriched in the high-GJA1-expression group. Immune cell abundance analysis revealed that the abundance of CD8 naive, DC, and neutrophil was significantly increased in the high-GJA1-expression group. In conclusion, GJA1 can be regarded as a potential prognostic marker of poor survival and therapeutic target in CC. Moreover, many cancer-related pathways may be the critical pathways regulated by GJA1. Furthermore, GJA1 can affect the abundance of immune cells.