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Lin W, Chen X, Huang Z, Ding Q, Yang H, Li Y, Lin D, Lin J, Zhang H, Yang X, Li C, Chen C, Qiu S. Identification of novel molecular subtypes to improve the classification framework of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Br J Cancer 2024; 130:1176-1186. [PMID: 38280969 PMCID: PMC10991292 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-024-02579-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment is largely based on a 'one-drug-fits-all' strategy in patients with similar pathological characteristics. However, given its biological heterogeneity, patients at the same clinical stage or similar therapies exhibit significant clinical differences. Thus, novel molecular subgroups based on these characteristics may better therapeutic outcomes. METHODS Herein, 192 treatment-naïve NPC samples with corresponding clinicopathological information were obtained from Fujian Cancer Hospital between January 2015 and January 2018. The gene expression profiles of the samples were obtained by RNA sequencing. Molecular subtypes were identified by consensus clustering. External NPC cohorts were used as the validation sets. RESULTS Patients with NPC were classified into immune, metabolic, and proliferative molecular subtypes with distinct clinical features. Additionally, this classification was repeatable and predictable as validated by the external NPC cohorts. Metabolomics has shown that arachidonic acid metabolites were associated with NPC malignancy. We also identified several key genes in each subtype using a weighted correlation network analysis. Furthermore, a prognostic risk model based on these key genes was developed and was significantly associated with disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07-1.16; P < 0.0001), which was further validated by an external NPC cohort (hazard ratio, 7.71; 95% CI, 1.39-42.73; P < 0.0001). Moreover, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year areas under the curve were 0.84 (95% CI, 0.74-0.94), 0.81 (95% CI, 0.73-0.89), and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.73-0.90), respectively, demonstrating a high predictive value. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we defined a novel classification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (immune, metabolism, and proliferation subtypes). Among these subtypes, metabolism and proliferation subtypes were associated with advanced stage and poor prognosis of NPC patients, whereas the immune subtype was linked to early stage and favorable prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanzun Lin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
- Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaochuan Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zongwei Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qin Ding
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hanxuan Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Duo Lin
- Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jun Lin
- Institute of Apply Genomics, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Haojiong Zhang
- Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Fudan University Cancer Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuelian Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Longyan First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Longyan, China
| | - Chao Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Hospital of Sanming City, Sangming, China
| | - Chuanben Chen
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
| | - Sufang Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
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Qian H, Ji R, Shen C, Wei Y, Sheng C, Ni Q, Pan J, Chi Y, You H, Miao Y, Shi M, Huang X, Shen A. ATRX is a predictive marker for endocrinotherapy and chemotherapy resistance in HER2-/HR+ breast cancer through the regulation of the AR, GLI3 and GATA2 transcriptional network. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:14996-15024. [PMID: 38126976 PMCID: PMC10781474 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance in breast cancer (BC) is a clinical challenge. Exploring the mechanism and identifying a precise predictive biomarker for the drug resistance in BC is critical. Three first-line drug (paclitaxel, doxorubicin and tamoxifen) resistance datasets in BC from GEO were merged to obtain 1,461 differentially expressed genes for weighted correlation network analysis, resulting in identifying ATRX as the hub gene. ATRX is a chromatin remodelling protein, therefore, ATRX-associated transcription factors were explored, thereby identifying the network of AR, GLI3 and GATA2. GO and KEGG analyses revealed immunity, transcriptional regulation and endocrinotherapy/chemotherapy resistance were enriched. Moreover, CIBERSORT revealed immunity regulation was inhibited in the resistance group. ssGSEA showed a significantly lower immune status in the ATRX-Low group compared to the ATRX-High group. Furthermore, the peaks of H3K9me3 ChIP-seq on the four genes were higher in normal tissues than in BC tissues. Notably, the frequency of ATRX mutation was higher than BRCA in BC. Moreover, depressed ATRX revealed worse overall survival and disease-free survival in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-/hormone receptor (HR)+ BC. Additionally, depressed ATRX predicted poor results for patients who underwent endocrinotherapy or chemotherapy in the HER2-/HR+ BC subgroup. A nomogram based on ATRX, TILs and ER exhibited a significantly accurate survival prediction ability. Importantly, overexpression of ATRX significantly inhibited the IC50 of the three first-line drugs on MCF-7 cell. Thus, ATRX is an efficient predictive biomarker for endocrinotherapy and chemotherapy resistance in HER2-/HR+ BC and acts by suppressing the AR, GLI3 and GATA2 transcriptional network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Qian
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
| | - Rui Ji
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
| | - Cheng Shen
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA
| | - Yinze Wei
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
| | - Chenyi Sheng
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Qichao Ni
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Jing Pan
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Yifan Chi
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Huan You
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Ying Miao
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Minxin Shi
- Department of Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
| | - Xianghua Huang
- Department of Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
| | - Aiguo Shen
- Cancer Research Center Nantong, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226361, China
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Borella F, Fucina S, Mangherini L, Cosma S, Carosso AR, Cusato J, Cassoni P, Bertero L, Katsaros D, Benedetto C. Hormone Receptors and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Recent Advances in Biology and Treatment Options. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2157. [PMID: 37626654 PMCID: PMC10452581 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, EOC remains a challenging disease to manage, and the 5-year survival rate is still poor. The role of hormone receptors (HRs) in EOC carcinogenesis and prognosis has been actively explored; however, the role of hormone therapy (HT) in the treatment of these tumors is not well established. Most available data on HT mainly come from retrospective series and small early clinical trials. Several of these studies suggest that HT may have a role in adjuvant, maintenance therapy, or in the case of recurrent disease, especially for some subtypes of EOC (e.g., low-grade serous EOC). Furthermore, HT has recently been combined with targeted therapies, but most studies evaluating these combinations are still ongoing. The main aim of this review is to provide an overview of the progress made in the last decade to characterize the biological and prognostic role of HRs for EOC and the developments in their therapeutic targeting through HT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Borella
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Stefano Fucina
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Luca Mangherini
- Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Stefano Cosma
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Andrea Roberto Carosso
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Jessica Cusato
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, 10149 Turin, Italy;
| | - Paola Cassoni
- Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Luca Bertero
- Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.); (L.B.)
| | - Dionyssios Katsaros
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Chiara Benedetto
- Gynecology and Obstetrics 1U, Departments of Surgical Sciences, City of Health and Science, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (S.F.); (S.C.); (A.R.C.); (D.K.); (C.B.)
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Kim D, Jeong J, Choi J. Exploring the potential of ToxCast™ data for mechanism-based prioritization of chemicals in regulatory context: Case study with priority existing chemicals (PECs) under K-REACH. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2023:105439. [PMID: 37392832 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2023.105439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have highlighted the potential of ToxCast™ database to mechanism-based prioritization of chemicals. To explore the applicability of ToxCast data in the context of regulatory inventory chemicals, we screened 510 priority existing chemicals (PECs) regulated under the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (K-REACH) using ToxCast bioassays. In our analysis, a hit-call data matrix containing 298984 chemical-gene interactions was computed for 949 bioassays with the intended target genes, which enabled the identification of the putative toxicity mechanisms. Based on the reactivity to the chemicals, we analyzed 412 bioassays whose intended target gene families were cytochrome P450, oxidoreductase, transporter, nuclear receptor, steroid hormone, and DNA-binding. We also identified 141 chemicals based on their reactivity in the bioassays. These chemicals are mainly in consumer products including colorants, preservatives, air fresheners, and detergents. Our analysis revealed that in vitro bioactivities were involved in the relevant mechanisms inducing in vivo toxicity; however, this was not sufficient to predict more hazardous chemicals. Overall, the current results point to a potential and limitation in using ToxCast data for chemical prioritization in regulatory context in the absence of suitable in vivo data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghyeon Kim
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseong Jeong
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhee Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea.
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Shockley KE, To B, Chen W, Lozanski G, Cruz-Monserrate Z, Krishna SG. The Role of Genetic, Metabolic, Inflammatory, and Immunologic Mediators in the Progression of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms to Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1722. [PMID: 36980608 PMCID: PMC10046238 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) have the potential to progress to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). As with any progression to malignancy, there are a variety of genetic and metabolic changes, as well as other disruptions to the cellular microenvironment including immune alterations and inflammation, that can contribute to tumorigenesis. Previous studies further characterized these alterations, revealing changes in lipid and glucose metabolism, and signaling pathways that mediate the progression of IPMN to PDAC. With the increased diagnosis of IPMNs and pancreatic cysts on imaging, the opportunity to attenuate risk with the removal of high-risk lesions is possible with the understanding of what factors accelerate malignant progression and how they can be clinically utilized to determine the level of dysplasia and stratify the risk of progression. Here, we reviewed the genetic, metabolic, inflammatory, and immunologic pathways regulating the progression of IPMN to PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie E. Shockley
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Briana To
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Gerard Lozanski
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Zobeida Cruz-Monserrate
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Somashekar G. Krishna
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, and The James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Xu Y, Cai J, Zhong K, Wen Y, Cai L, He G, Liao H, Zhang C, Fu S, Chen T, Cai J, Zhong X, Chen C, Huang M, Cheng Y, Pan M. Plasma-only circulating tumor DNA analysis detects minimal residual disease and predicts early relapse in hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing curative resection. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1119744. [PMID: 36959801 PMCID: PMC10028131 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1119744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Minimal residual disease (MRD) is considered an essential factor leading to relapse within 2 years (early relapse) after radical surgery, which is challenging to be detected by conventional imaging. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) provides a novel approach for detecting MRD and predicting clinical outcomes. Here, we tried to construct a fixed panel for plasma-only ctDNA NGS to enable tumor-uninformed MRD detection in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Here, we performed the followings: (i) profiling genomic alteration spectrum of ctDNA from the Chinese HCC cohort consisting of 493 individuals by NGS; (ii) screening of MRD monitoring genes; and (iii) performance evaluation of MRD monitoring genes in predicting early relapse in the ZJZS2020 cohort comprising 20 HCC patients who underwent curative resection. Results A total of 493 plasma samples from the Chinese HCC cohort were detected using a 381/733-gene NGS panel to characterize the mutational spectrum of ctDNA. Most patients (94.1%, 464/493) had at least one mutation in ctDNA. The variants fell most frequently in TP53 (45.1%), LRP1B (20.2%), TERT (20.2%), FAT1 (16.2%), and CTNNB1 (13.4%). By customized filtering strategy, 13 MRD monitoring genes were identified, and any plasma sample with one or more MRD monitoring gene mutations was considered MRD-positive. In the ZJZS2020 cohort, MRD positivity presented a sensitivity of 75% (6/8) and a specificity of 100% (6/6) in identifying early postoperative relapse. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly short relapse-free survival (RFS; median RFS, 4.2 months vs. NR, P=0.002) in the MRD-positive patients versus those with MRD negativity. Cox regression analyses revealed MRD positivity as an independent predictor of poor RFS (HR 13.00, 95% CI 2.60-69.00, P=0.002). Conclusions We successfully developed a 13-gene panel for plasma-only MRD detection, which was effective and convenient for predicting the risk of early postoperative relapse in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Xu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianpeng Cai
- Department of Pancreatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaihang Zhong
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaohong Wen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Cai
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guolin He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hangyu Liao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shunjun Fu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Chen
- Medical Affairs, 3D Medicines, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Jinping Cai
- Medical Affairs, 3D Medicines, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefeng Zhong
- Medical Affairs, 3D Medicines, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Chunzhu Chen
- Medical Affairs, 3D Medicines, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Mengli Huang
- Medical Affairs, 3D Medicines, Inc., Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan Cheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Mingxin Pan, ; Yuan Cheng,
| | - Mingxin Pan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, General Surgery Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Mingxin Pan, ; Yuan Cheng,
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The role of Hedgehog and Notch signaling pathway in cancer. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:44. [PMID: 36517618 PMCID: PMC9751255 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00099-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Notch and Hedgehog signaling are involved in cancer biology and pathology, including the maintenance of tumor cell proliferation, cancer stem-like cells, and the tumor microenvironment. Given the complexity of Notch signaling in tumors, its role as both a tumor promoter and suppressor, and the crosstalk between pathways, the goal of developing clinically safe, effective, tumor-specific Notch-targeted drugs has remained intractable. Drugs developed against the Hedgehog signaling pathway have affirmed definitive therapeutic effects in basal cell carcinoma; however, in some contexts, the challenges of tumor resistance and recurrence leap to the forefront. The efficacy is very limited for other tumor types. In recent years, we have witnessed an exponential increase in the investigation and recognition of the critical roles of the Notch and Hedgehog signaling pathways in cancers, and the crosstalk between these pathways has vast space and value to explore. A series of clinical trials targeting signaling have been launched continually. In this review, we introduce current advances in the understanding of Notch and Hedgehog signaling and the crosstalk between pathways in specific tumor cell populations and microenvironments. Moreover, we also discuss the potential of targeting Notch and Hedgehog for cancer therapy, intending to promote the leap from bench to bedside.
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Molecular Regulation of Androgen Receptors in Major Female Reproductive System Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147556. [PMID: 35886904 PMCID: PMC9322163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are three main types of cancer in the female reproductive system, specifically ovarian cancer (OVCA), endometrial cancer (EC), and cervical cancer (CC). They are common malignant tumors in women worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality. In recent years, androgen receptors (ARs) have been found to be closely related to the occurrence, progression, prognosis, and drug resistance of these three types of tumors. This paper summarizes current views on the role of AR in female reproductive system cancer, the associations between female reproductive system cancers and AR expression and polymorphisms. AR regulates the downstream target genes transcriptional activity and the expression via interacting with coactivators/corepressors and upstream/downstream regulators and through the gene transcription mechanism of “classical A/AR signaling” or “non-classical AR signaling”, involving a large number of regulatory factors and signaling pathways. ARs take part in the processes of cancer cell proliferation, migration/invasion, cancer cell stemness, and chemotherapeutic drug resistance. These findings suggest that the AR and related regulators could target the treatment of female reproductive system cancer.
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Lee MY. Embryonic Programs in Cancer and Metastasis—Insights From the Mammary Gland. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:938625. [PMID: 35846378 PMCID: PMC9277484 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.938625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is characterized as a reversion of a differentiated cell to a primitive cell state that recapitulates, in many aspects, features of embryonic cells. This review explores the current knowledge of developmental mechanisms that are essential for embryonic mouse mammary gland development, with a particular focus on genes and signaling pathway components that are essential for the induction, morphogenesis, and lineage specification of the mammary gland. The roles of these same genes and signaling pathways in mammary gland or breast tumorigenesis and metastasis are then summarized. Strikingly, key embryonic developmental pathways are often reactivated or dysregulated during tumorigenesis and metastasis in processes such as aberrant proliferation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stem cell potency which affects cellular lineage hierarchy. These observations are in line with findings from recent studies using lineage tracing as well as bulk- and single-cell transcriptomics that have uncovered features of embryonic cells in cancer and metastasis through the identification of cell types, cell states and characterisation of their dynamic changes. Given the many overlapping features and similarities of the molecular signatures of normal development and cancer, embryonic molecular signatures could be useful prognostic markers for cancer. In this way, the study of embryonic development will continue to complement the understanding of the mechanisms of cancer and aid in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and strategies.
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