Fascin inhibitor increases intratumoral dendritic cell activation and anti-cancer immunity

The FSCN1 gene rs2966447 variant is associated with increased serum fascin-1 levels and breast cancer susceptibility

Fascin-1 (FSCN1) is recognized as an actin-binding protein, commonly exhibits up-regulation in breast cancer (BC) and is crucial for tumor invasion and metastasis. The existence of FSCN1 gene polymorphisms may raise the potential for developing BC, and there are still no studies focusing on the relationship between the FSCN1 rs2966447 variant and BC risk in Egyptian females. Thus, we investigated the serum fascin-1 levels in BC patients and the association between the FSCN1 rs2966447 variant with its serum levels and BC susceptibility. Genotyping was conducted in 153 treatment-naïve BC females with different stages and 144 apparent healthy females by TaqMan® allelic discrimination assay, whereas serum fascin-1 level quantification was employed by ELISA. The FSCN1 rs2966447 variant demonstrated a significant association with BC susceptibility under all utilized genetic models, cancer stages and estrogen receptor negativity. Also, BC females with AT and TT genotypes had higher serum fascin-1 levels and tumor size than those with the AA genotype. Moreover, serum fascin-1 levels were significantly elevated in the BC females, notably in those with advanced-stages. Furthermore, serum fascin-1 levels were markedly positively correlated with number of positive lymph nodes as well as tumor size. Collectively, these findings revealed that the FSCN1 rs2966447 variant may be regarded as a strong candidate for BC susceptibility. Also, this intronic variant is associated with increased serum fascin-1 levels and tumor size.

TMEM52B Isoforms P18 and P20 Differentially Promote the Oncogenesis and Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Transmembrane protein 52B (TMEM52B), a newly identified tumor-related gene, has been reported to regulate various tumors, yet its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Transcriptomic analysis of NPC cell lines reveals frequent overexpression of TMEM52B, and immunohistochemical results show that TMEM52B is associated with advanced tumor stage, recurrence, and decreased survival time. Depleting TMEM52B inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and oncogenesis of NPC cells in vivo. TMEM52B encodes two isoforms, TMEM52B-P18 and TMEM52B-P20, differing in their N-terminals. While both isoforms exhibit similar pro-oncogenic roles and contribute to drug resistance in NPC, TMEM52B-P20 differentially promotes metastasis. This functional discrepancy may be attributed to their distinct subcellular localization; TMEM52B-P18 is confined to the cytoplasm, while TMEM52B-P20 is found both at the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm. Mechanistically, cytoplasmic TMEM52B enhances AKT phosphorylation by interacting with phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1), fostering NPC growth and metastasis. Meanwhile, membrane-localized TMEM52B-P20 promotes E-cadherin ubiquitination and degradation by facilitating its interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4, further driving NPC metastasis. In conclusion, the TMEM52B-P18 and TMEM52B-P20 isoforms promote the metastasis of NPC cells through different mechanisms. Drugs targeting these TMEM52B isoforms may offer therapeutic benefits to cancer patients with varying degrees of metastasis.

The combined tumour-based Fascin/Snail and stromal periostin reveals the effective prognosis prediction in colorectal cancer patients

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) promotes cancer metastasis and a tumour-based Glasgow EMT score was associated with adverse clinical features and poor prognosis. In this study, the impact of using the established five tumour-based EMT markers consisting of E-cadherin (E-cad), β-catenin (β-cat), Snail, Zeb-1, and Fascin in combination with the stromal periostin (PN) on the prediction of CRC patients' prognosis were invesigated. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of 202 CRC patients were studies the expressions of E-cad, β-cat, Snail, Zeb-1, Fascin, and PN by immunohistochemistry. Individually, cytoplasmic Fascin (Fc), cytoplasmic Snail (Sc), nuclear Snail (Sn), stromal Snail (Ss), and stromal PN (Ps) were significantly associated with reduced survival. A combination of Ps with Fc, Fs, and Sn was observed in 2 patterns including combined Fc, Fs, and Ps (FcFsPs) and Fc, Sn, and Ps (FcSnPs). These combinations enhanced the prognostic power compared to individual EMT markers and were independent prognostic markers. As the previously established scoring method required five markers and stringent criteria, its clinical use might be limited. Therefore, using these novel combined prognostic markers, either FcFsPs or FcSnPs, may be useful in predicting CRC patient outcomes.

Monastrol suppresses invasion and metastasis in human colorectal cancer cells by targeting fascin independent of kinesin-Eg5 pathway

Rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton is a prerequisite for carcinoma cells to develop cellular protrusions, which are required for migration, invasion, and metastasis. Fascin is a key protein involved in actin bundling and is expressed in aggressive and invasive carcinomas. Additionally, fascin appears to be involved in tubulin-binding and microtubule rearrangement. Pharmacophoric-based in silico screening was performed to identify compounds with better fascin inhibitory properties than migrastatin, a gold-standard fascin inhibitor. We hypothesized that monastrol displays anti-migratory and anti-invasive properties via fascin blocking in colorectal cancer cell lines. Biophysical (thermofluor and ligand titration followed by fluorescence spectroscopy), biochemical (NMR), and cellular assays (MTT, invasion of human tissue), as well as animal model studies (zebrafish invasion) were performed to characterize the inhibitory effect of monastrol on fascin activity. In silico analysis revealed that monastrol is a potential fascin-binding compound. Biophysical and biochemical assays demonstrated that monastrol binds to fascin and interferes with its actin-bundling activity. Cell culture studies, including a 3D human myoma disc model, showed that monastrol inhibited fascin-driven cytoplasmic protrusions as well as invasion. In silico, confocal microscopy, and immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that monastrol disrupted fascin-tubulin interactions. These anti-invasive effects were confirmed in vivo. In silico confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation assays were carried out to test whether monastrol disrupted the fascin-tubulin interaction. This study reports, for the first time, the in vitro and in vivo anti-invasive properties of monastrol in colorectal tumor cells. The number and types of interactions suggest potential binding of monastrol across actin and tubulin sites on fascin, which could be valuable for the development of antitumor therapies.

Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy: The Importance of Dendritic Cell Migration

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that are crucial for maintaining self-tolerance, initiating immune responses against pathogens, and patrolling body compartments. Despite promising aspects, DC-based immunotherapy faces challenges that include limited availability, immune escape in tumors, immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment, and the need for effective combination therapies. A further limitation in DC-based immunotherapy is the low population of migratory DC (around 5%-10%) that migrate to lymph nodes (LNs) through afferent lymphatics depending on the LN draining site. By increasing the population of migratory DCs, DC-based immunotherapy could enhance immunotherapeutic effects on target diseases. This paper reviews the importance of DC migration and current research progress in the context of DC-based immunotherapy.

Stiffness promotes cell migration, invasion, and invadopodia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by regulating the WT-CTTN level

Matrix stiffness potently promotes the malignant phenotype in various biological contexts. Therefore, identification of gene expression to participate in mechanical force signals transduced into downstream biochemical signaling will contribute substantially to the advances in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment. In the present study, we detected that cortactin (CTTN) played an indispensable role in matrix stiffness-induced cell migration, invasion, and invadopodia formation. Advances in cancer research have highlighted that dysregulated alternative splicing contributes to cancer progression as an oncogenic driver. However, whether WT-CTTN or splice variants (SV1-CTTN or SV2-CTTN) regulate matrix stiffness-induced malignant phenotype is largely unknown. We proved that alteration of WT-CTTN expression modulated matrix stiffness-induced cell migration, invasion, and invadopodia formation. Considering that splicing factors might drive cancer progression through positive feedback loops, we analyzed and showed how the splicing factor PTBP2 and TIA1 modulated the production of WT-CTTN. Moreover, we determined that high stiffness activated PTBP2 expression. Taken together, our findings showed that the PTBP2-WT-CTTN level increases upon stiffening and then promotes cell migration, invasion, and invadopodia formation in NPC.

The crucial role of fascin-1 in the pathogenesis, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women to be diagnosed, and it is also the second leading cause of cancer death in women globally. It is the disease that causes the most life years adjusted for disability lost among women, making it a serious worldwide health issue. Understanding and interpreting carcinogenesis and metastatic pathways is critical for curing malignancy. Fascin-1 was recognized as an actin-bundling protein with parallel, rigid bundles as a result of the cross-linking of F-actin microfilaments. Increasing levels of fascin-1 have been associated with bad prognostic profiles, aggressiveness of clinical courses, and poor survival outcomes in a variety of human malignancies. Cancer cells that overexpress fascin-1 have higher capabilities for proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis. Fascin-1 is being considered as a potential target for therapy as well as a potential biomarker for diagnostics in a variety of cancer types. This review aims to provide an overview of the FSCN1 gene and its protein structure, elucidate its physiological and pathological roles, and throw light on its involvement in the initiation, development, and chemotherapeutic resistance of BC.

Breast adipose tissue-derived extracellular vesicles from obese women alter tumor cell metabolism

Breast adipose tissue is an important contributor to the obesity-breast cancer link. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized particles containing selective cargo, such as miRNAs, that act locally or circulate to distant sites to modulate target cell functions. Here, we find that long-term education of breast cancer cells with EVs obtained from breast adipose tissue of women who are overweight or obese (O-EVs) results in increased proliferation. RNA-seq analysis of O-EV-educated cells demonstrates increased expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, such as ATP synthase and NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase. O-EVs increase respiratory complex protein expression, mitochondrial density, and mitochondrial respiration in tumor cells. The mitochondrial complex I inhibitor metformin reverses O-EV-induced cell proliferation. Several miRNAs-miR-155-5p, miR-10a-3p, and miR-30a-3p-which promote mitochondrial respiration and proliferation, are enriched in O-EVs relative to EVs from lean women. O-EV-induced proliferation and mitochondrial activity are associated with stimulation of the Akt/mTOR/P70S6K pathway, and are reversed upon silencing of P70S6K. This study reveals a new facet of the obesity-breast cancer link with human breast adipose tissue-derived EVs causing metabolic reprogramming of breast cancer cells.

Transcriptional Targeting of Dendritic Cells Using an Optimized Human Fascin1 Gene Promoter

Deeper knowledge about the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in cancer development and progression has resulted in new strategies such as gene-based cancer immunotherapy. Whereas some approaches focus on the expression of tumoricidal genes within the TME, DNA-based vaccines are intended to be expressed in antigen-presenting cells (e.g., dendritic cells, DCs) in secondary lymphoid organs, which in turn induce anti-tumor T cell responses. Besides effective delivery systems and the requirement of appropriate adjuvants, DNA vaccines themselves need to be optimized regarding efficacy and selectivity. In this work, the concept of DC-focused transcriptional targeting was tested by applying a plasmid encoding for the luciferase reporter gene under the control of a derivative of the human fascin1 gene promoter (pFscnLuc), comprising the proximal core promoter fused to the normally more distantly located DC enhancer region. DC-focused activity of this reporter construct was confirmed in cell culture in comparison to a standard reporter vector encoding for luciferase under the control of the strong ubiquitously active cytomegalovirus promoter and enhancer (pCMVLuc). Both plasmids were also compared upon intravenous administration in mice. The organ- and cell type-specific expression profile of pFscnLuc versus pCMVLuc demonstrated favorable activity especially in the spleen as a central immune organ and within the spleen in DCs.

Effects of imipramine on cancer patients over-expressing Fascin1; description of the HITCLIF clinical trial

Background

Tumor invasion and metastasis are responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths. The identification of molecules involved in these processes is crucial to design effective treatments that can halt the progression of cancer. To spread and metastasize, tumor cells must restructure their cytoskeleton and emit protrusions. A key molecule in this process of creating these invading structures is Fascin1, the main protein involved in the formation of actin cytoskeleton bundles and a consistent marker of bad prognosis in several types of cancer. Recent studies have shown that imipramine, an FDA- and EMA-approved antidepressant, can block Fascin1and prevent the formation of actin bundles, making it a promising candidate for the treatment of Fascin1-expressing cancers. As a result, a clinical trial will be conducted to assess the efficacy of imipramine being the first experimental clinical study selecting patients based on Fascin1 expression.

Methods

The HITCLIF trial is a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized and non-commercial phase II clinical trial conducted in parallel groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine as anti-invasive agent in the treatment of localized colon, rectal and triple negative breast cancer patients with overexpression of Fascin1. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive imipramine or placebo. Patients will be stratified into 2 groups according to whether administration of imipramine is concomitant with neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen. Group A will receive imipramine alone without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while Group B will receive imipramine treatment along with the standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen. The primary endpoint of the trial is the grade of alteration in the prognostic histopathological features at invasive margins (tumor budding, cytoplasmic pseudo-fragments, tumor growth pattern, and peritumoral lymphocytic infiltration).

Discussion

Fascin1 is an interesting therapeutical target as it plays a causative role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Moreover, its expression is virtually absent in normal epithelia but highly expressed in cancer with bad prognosis. In silico, in vitro and in vivo studies by our group have demonstrated that the antidepressant imipramine has Fascin1-dependant anti-invasive and anti-metastatic effects in colorectal cancer cells. Now we are recruiting patients in a clinical trial based on Fascin1 over-expression in which administration of imipramine will be carried out during the period between the diagnosis biopsy and surgical resection to explore the drug effects on tumor invasive front.

Clinical trial registration

https:///www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2021-001328-17/ES, identifier 2021-001328-17.

Targeting FSCN1 with an oral small-molecule inhibitor for treating ocular neovascularization

BACKGROUND

Ocular neovascularization is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment. While intravitreal anti-VEGF agents can be effective, they do have several drawbacks, such as endophthalmitis and drug resistance. Additional studies are necessary to explore alternative therapeutic targets.

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis and quantitative RT-PCR were used to detect and verify the FSCN1 expression levels in oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) and laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) mice model. Transwell, wound scratching, tube formation, three-dimensional bead sprouting assay, rhodamine-phalloidin staining, Isolectin B4 staining and immunofluorescent staining were conducted to detect the role of FSCN1 and its oral inhibitor NP-G2-044 in vivo and vitro. HPLC-MS/MS analysis, cell apoptosis assay, MTT assay, H&E and tunnel staining, visual electrophysiology testing, visual cliff test and light/dark transition test were conducted to assess the pharmacokinetic and security of NP-G2-044 in vivo and vitro. Co-Immunoprecipitation, qRT-PCR and western blot were conducted to reveal the mechanism of FSCN1 and NP-G2-044 mediated pathological ocular neovascularization.

RESULTS

We discovered that Fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) is vital for angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo, and that it is highly expressed in oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) and laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV). We found that NP-G2-044, a small-molecule inhibitor of FSCN1 with oral activity, can impede the sprouting, migration, and filopodia formation of cultured endothelial cells. Oral NP-G2-044 can effectively and safely curb the development of OIR and CNV, and increase efficacy while overcoming anti-VEGF resistance in combination with intravitreal aflibercept (Eylea) injection.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, FSCN1 inhibition could serve as a promising therapeutic approach to block ocular neovascularization.

Roles of Fascin in Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that play a crucial role in activating naive T cells through presenting antigen information, thereby influencing immunity and anti-cancer responses. Fascin, a 55-kDa actin-bundling protein, is highly expressed in mature DCs and serves as a marker protein for their identification. However, the precise role of fascin in intratumoral DCs remains poorly understood. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of fascin in both normal and intratumoral DCs. In normal DCs, fascin promotes immune effects through facilitating DC maturation and migration. Through targeting intratumoral DCs, fascin inhibitors enhance anti-tumor immune activity. These roles of fascin in different DC populations offer valuable insights for future research in immunotherapy and strategies aimed at improving cancer treatments.

FSCN1 as a new druggable target in adrenocortical carcinoma

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with a high risk of relapse and metastatic spread. The actin-bundling protein fascin (FSCN1) is overexpressed in aggressive ACC and represents a reliable prognostic indicator. FSCN1 has been shown to synergize with VAV2, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the Rho/Rac GTPase family, to enhance the invasion properties of ACC cancer cells. Based on those results, we investigated the effects of FSCN1 inactivation by CRISPR/Cas9 or pharmacological blockade on the invasive properties of ACC cells, both in vitro and in an in vivo metastatic ACC zebrafish model. Here, we showed that FSCN1 is a transcriptional target for β-catenin in H295R ACC cells and that its inactivation resulted in defects in cell attachment and proliferation. FSCN1 knock-out modulated the expression of genes involved in cytoskeleton dynamics and cell adhesion. When Steroidogenic Factor-1 (SF-1) dosage was upregulated in H295R cells, activating their invasive capacities, FSCN1 knock-out reduced the number of filopodia, lamellipodia/ruffles and focal adhesions, while decreasing cell invasion in Matrigel. Similar effects were produced by the FSCN1 inhibitor G2-044, which also diminished the invasion of other ACC cell lines expressing lower levels of FSCN1 than H295R. In the zebrafish model, metastases formation was significantly reduced in FSCN1 knock-out cells and G2-044 significantly reduced the number of metastases formed by ACC cells. Our results indicate that FSCN1 is a new druggable target for ACC and provide the rationale for future clinical trials with FSCN1 inhibitors in patients with ACC.

Breast adipose tissue-derived extracellular vesicles from women with obesity stimulate mitochondrial-induced dysregulated tumor cell metabolism

Breast adipose tissue is an important contributor to the obesity-breast cancer link. Dysregulated cell metabolism is now an accepted hallmark of cancer. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized particles containing selective cargo, such as miRNAs, that act locally or circulate to distant sites to modulate target cell functions. Here, we found that long-term education of breast cancer cells (MCF7, T47D) with EVs from breast adipose tissue of women who are overweight or obese (O-EVs) leads to sustained increased proliferative potential. RNA-Seq of O-EV-educated cells demonstrates increased expression of genes, such as ATP synthase and NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase, involved in oxidative phosphorylation. O-EVs increase respiratory complex protein expression, mitochondrial density, and mitochondrial respiration in tumor cells. Mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, metformin, reverses O-EV-induced cell proliferation. Several miRNAs, miR-155-5p, miR-10a-3p, and miR-30a-3p, which promote mitochondrial respiration and proliferation, are enriched in O-EVs relative to EVs from lean women. O-EV-induced proliferation and mitochondrial activity are associated with stimulation of the Akt/mTOR/P70S6K pathway, and are reversed upon silencing of P70S6K. This study reveals a new facet of the obesity-breast cancer link with human breast adipose tissue-derived EVs causing the metabolic reprogramming of ER+ breast cancer cells.

Lactate-mediated Fascin protrusions promote cell adhesion and migration in cervical cancer

Background: Lactate is associated with the poor prognosis of many human malignancies. Cervical cancer, one of main causes of women mortality worldwide, is aggressive and absent of effective pharmacological treatment, and its underlying mechanisms of progression remain elusive. Methods: The regulation of β-catenin to fascin protrusion formation upon acidic lactate (Lactic acid [LA]) stimulation was evaluated through in β-catenin or fascin deficiency cell line models by immunofluorescence assays, and subcellular fractionation. The effect of β-catenin and fascin relocation by LA and its antagonist were evaluated by immunohistochemistry assay in patient tissues and mouse tumor xenograft model. Trypsin digestion, Transwell assay, cell proliferation in vitro was performed to explore the role of LA in the cell growth, adhesion and migration. Results: Low concentration of LA significantly promotes cytoskeleton remodeling via `protrusion formation to increase cell adhesion and migration. Mechanistically, upon LA stimulation, β-catenin diffuses from the cytoplasmic membrane into the nucleus, which in turn induces fascin nuclear-cytoplasm redistribution to the protrusion compartment. Moreover, the antagonist of LA sufficiently blocks the LA-mediated β-catenin nuclear import, fascin nuclear export, and the growth and invasion of cervical cancer cells in vitro and in vivo using a murine xenograft model. Conclusions: This study uncovers β-catenin-fascin axis as a key signal in response to extracellular lactate and indicates that antagonist of LA may serve as a potential clinical intervention for cancer development.

The post-translational modification of Fascin: impact on cell biology and its associations with inhibiting tumor metastasis

The post-translational modifications (PTMs), which are crucial in the regulation of protein functions, have great potential as biomarkers of cancer status. Fascin (Fascin actin-bundling protein 1, FSCN1), a key protein in the formation of filopodia that is structurally based on actin filaments (F-actin), is significantly associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Studies have revealed various regulatory mechanisms of human Fascin, including PTMs. Although a number of Fascin PTM sites have been identified, their exact functions and clinical significance are much less explored. This review explores studies on the functions of Fascin and briefly discusses the regulatory mechanisms of Fascin. Next, to review the role of Fascin PTMs in cell biology and their associations with metastatic disease, we discuss the advances in the characterization of Fascin PTMs, including phosphorylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, and acetylation, and the main regulatory mechanisms are discussed. Fascin PTMs may be potential targets for therapy for metastatic disease.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of fascin proteins in human serum

Background: Fascin is an actin-bundling protein that has been linked to tumor cell migration, invasion, metastasis, disease progression and mortality, thus serving as a novel cancer biomarker. Bioanalytical methods to measure fascin in biological matrices are sparsely reported, while accurate quantitation of fascin levels may lend support for fascin as a promising therapeutic target. Method: An LC-MS/MS-based method involving protein precipitation, enzymatic digestion and solid phase extraction was developed and validated for the quantitation of fascin in human serum. Linearity over a calibration range of 5-500 ng/ml with a LLOQ of 5 ng/ml, great accuracy and precision, excellent parallelism as well as high extraction recovery were achieved. Conclusion: This method provides a valuable tool for anticancer drug development and cancer treatment.

Ubiquitin-related lncRNAs: The new tool for prognosis prediction in prostate cancer

Objective

To establish a ubiquitin-related long noncoding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) prognosis prediction model for prostate cancer (Pca).

Methods

Data were acquired through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Ubiquitin-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs in Pca were filtered out. UBE2S was selected as the representative gene and validated in vitro. Progression-free survival (PFS) predictive signature was established with ubiquitin-related lncRNAs screened by Cox regression analyses and internally validated. A nomogram was constructed to assess the prognosis of Pca patients. Gene enrichment analysis was performed to explore functional differences based on risk stratification. Between different risk groups, immune status and drug sensitivity were contrasted.

Results

A total of 254 ubiquitin-related genes were screened. UBE2S was shown to promote the proliferation of Pca cells in vitro. The predictive signature was established based on six ubiquitin-related lncRNAs and validated. The prognosis of Pca patients was worse with an increasing risk score. The area under the curve (AUC) of the signature was higher than that of clinicopathological variables (0.806 vs 0.504–0.701). The AUC was 0.811 for 1-year PFS, 0.807 for 3-year PFS, and 0.790 for 5-year PFS. The calibration curves of risk score-based nomogram demonstrated high consistency. By contrasting the expression of immune function, cells, and checkpoints, we found that the signature was closely related to immunity. The high-risk patients were more sensitive to gemcitabine, cisplatin, bortezomib, etc. and resistant to bicalutamide.

Conclusion

The ubiquitin-related lncRNAs can effectively predict the prognosis of Pca and may provide new treatment options for Pca.

Inhibitors of the Actin-Bundling Protein Fascin-1 Developed for Tumor Therapy Attenuate the T-Cell Stimulatory Properties of Dendritic Cells

Simple Summary

Expression of the actin-bundling protein Fascin-1 (Fscn1) is largely restricted to neuronal cells and to activated dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are important inducers of (antitumor) immune responses. In tumor cells, de novo expression of Fscn-1 correlates with their invasive and metastatic activities. Pharmacological Fscn1 inhibitors, which are currently under clinical trials for tumor therapy, were demonstrated to counteract tumor metastasis. Within this study, we were interested in better understanding the effects of Fscn1 inhibitors on DCs and discovered that two distinct Fascin-1 inhibitors affect the immune-phenotype and T-cell stimulatory activity of DCs. Our results suggest that systemic application of Fscn1 inhibitors for tumor therapy may also modulate antitumor immune responses.

Abstract

Background: Stimulated dendritic cells (DCs), which constitute the most potent population of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), express the actin-bundling protein Fascin-1 (Fscn1). In tumor cells, de novo expression of Fscn1 correlates with their invasive and metastatic properties. Therefore, Fscn1 inhibitors have been developed to serve as antitumor agents. In this study, we were interested in better understanding the impact of Fscn1 inhibitors on DCs. Methods: In parallel settings, murine spleen cells and bone-marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in the presence of Fscn1 inhibitors (NP-G2-044 and BDP-13176). An analysis of surface expression of costimulatory and coinhibitory receptors, as well as cytokine production, was performed by flow cytometry. Cytoskeletal alterations were assessed by confocal microscopy. The effects on the interactions of BMDCs with antigen-specific T cells were monitored by time lapse microscopy. The T-cell stimulatory and polarizing capacity of BMDCs were measured in proliferation assays and cytokine studies. Results: Administration of Fscn1 inhibitors diminished Fscn1 expression and the formation of dendritic processes by stimulated BMDCs and elevated CD273 (PD-L2) expression. Fscn1 inhibition attenuated the interaction of DCs with antigen-specific T cells and concomitant T-cell proliferation. Conclusions: Systemic administration of Fscn1 inhibitors for tumor therapy may also modulate DC-induced antitumor immune responses.

Fascin-1: Updated biological functions and therapeutic implications in cancer biology

Filopodia are cellular protrusions that respond to a variety of stimuli. Filopodia are formed when actin is bound to the protein Fascin, which may play a crucial role in cellular interactions and motility during cancer metastasis. Significantly, the noncanonical features of Fascin-1 are gradually being clarified, including the related molecular network contributing to metabolic reprogramming, chemotherapy resistance, stemness ac-tivity, and tumor microenvironment events. However, the relationship between biological characteristics and pathological features to identify effective therapeutic strategies needs to be studied further. The pur-pose of this review article is to provide a broad overview of the latest molecular networks and multiomics research regarding fascins and cancer. It also highlights their direct and indirect effects on available cancer treatments. With this multidisciplinary approach, researchers and clinicians can gain the most relevant in-formation on the function of fascins in cancer progression, which may facilitate clinical applications in the future.

The tumor suppressor folliculin inhibits lactate dehydrogenase A and regulates the Warburg effect

Aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells, also known as the 'Warburg effect', is driven by hyperactivity of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA). LDHA is thought to be a substrate-regulated enzyme, but it is unclear whether a dedicated intracellular protein also regulates its activity. Here, we identify the human tumor suppressor folliculin (FLCN) as a binding partner and uncompetitive inhibitor of LDHA. A flexible loop within the amino terminus of FLCN controls movement of the LDHA active-site loop, tightly regulating its enzyme activity and, consequently, metabolic homeostasis in normal cells. Cancer cells that experience the Warburg effect show FLCN dissociation from LDHA. Treatment of these cells with a decapeptide derived from the FLCN loop region causes cell death. Our data suggest that the glycolytic shift of cancer cells is the result of FLCN inactivation or dissociation from LDHA. Together, FLCN-mediated inhibition of LDHA provides a new paradigm for the regulation of glycolysis.

Fascin Inhibitors Decrease Cell Migration and Adhesion While Increase Overall Survival of Mice Bearing Bladder Cancers

Simple Summary

Fascin is an actin-bundling protein, and is highly expressed in metastatic tumor cells. Small molecule fascin inhibitors have been recently developed to block tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Here we have tested a new fascin inhibitor on bladder cancer cells, and showed the inhibitory effects of the fascin inhibitor on bladder cancer cell migration, adhesion, and primary tumor growth. Therefore, fascin inhibitors might provide clinical benefits to bladder cancer patients.

Abstract

Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Early stage bladder tumors can be surgically removed, but these patients usually have relapses. When bladder cancer becomes metastatic, survival is very low. There is an urgent need for new treatments for metastatic bladder cancers. Here, we report that a new fascin inhibitor decreases the migration and adhesion of bladder cancer cells. Furthermore, this inhibitor decreases the primary tumor growth and increases the overall survival of mice bearing bladder cancers, alone, as well as in combination with the chemotherapy medication, cisplatin, or the immune checkpoint inhibitor, anti-PD-1 antibody. These data suggest that fascin inhibitors can be explored as a new treatment for bladder cancers.

Circulating Fascin 1 as a Promising Prognostic Marker in Adrenocortical Cancer

Fascin-1 (FSCN1) is an actin-bundling protein associated with an invasive and aggressive phenotype of several solid carcinomas, as it is involved in cell cytoskeleton rearrangement and filopodia formation. Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy characterized by poor prognosis, particularly when metastatic at diagnosis. Radical resection is the only therapeutic option for ACC patients in addition to the adjuvant treatment with mitotane. Novel specific biomarkers suggestive of tumor progression to refine diagnosis and prognosis of patients with advanced ACC are urgently needed. ACC intratumoral FSCN1 has previously been suggested as a valid prognostic marker. In the present study, we identified FSCN1 in the bloodstream of a small cohort of ACC patients (n = 27), through a specific ELISA assay for human FSCN1. FSCN1 can be detected in the serum, and its circulating levels were evaluated in pre-surgery samples, which resulted to be significantly higher in ACC patients from stage I/II and stage III/IV compared with nontumoral healthy controls (HC, n = 4, FI: 5.5 ± 0.8, P<0.001, and 8.0 ± 0.5, P < 0.001 for stage I/II and stage III/IV group vs HC, respectively). In particular, FSCN1 levels were significantly higher in advanced stage versus stage I/II (22.8 ± 1.1 vs 15.8 ± 1.8 ng/ml, P < 0.005, respectively). Interestingly, circulating levels of pre-surgical FSCN1 can significantly predict tumor progression/recurrence (Log rank = 0.013), but not the overall survival (Log rank=0.317), in patients stratified in high/low PreS FSCN1. In conclusion, these findings-though very preliminary-suggest that circulating FSCN1 may represent a new minimally-invasive prognostic marker in advanced ACC, in particular when measured before surgery enables histological diagnosis.