Fluoxetine selectively induces p53-independent apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells

Decreased PANK1 expression in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma: impact on cell apoptosis, invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

OBJECTIVE

To investigate pantothenate kinases 1 (PANK1) expression in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) tissues, analyze its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis, and explore its impact on invasion, migration, and apoptosis in KIRC cells.

METHODS

GEPIA (gene expression profiling interactive analysis), UALCAN and LinkedOmics, were employed to analyze PANK1 expression in KIRC tissues and its correlation with clinical characteristics. Comparative analyses were performed between KIRC (Caki-1 and 786-O) and noncancerous renal cells (HK-2 and RPTEC). Transfection with PANK1 activation particles was conducted, followed by Wound healing, Transwell assay, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (Annexin V-FITC/PI) staining, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting.

RESULTS

PANK1 was down-regulated in KIRC tissues and cells compared to normal tissues and noncancerous cells. Correlation analyses linked PANK1 expression with clinicopathological features in KIRC, with high PANK1 expression associated with a favorable outcome. High PANK1 expression correlated positively with E-cadherin (CDH1), tight junction protein 1 (TJP1), Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS), caspase-8 (CASP8), and CASP9, while showing a negative correlation with vimentin (VIM), snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAIL1), twist family BHLH transcription factor 1 (TWIST1), and TWIST2. PANK1 overexpression increased CDH1, TJP1, FAS, CASP8, and CASP9 while downregulating SNAIL1, VIM, TWIST1, and TWIST2, inhibiting invasion and migration, and promoting apoptosis in KIRC cells.

CONCLUSION

PANK1 down-regulation in KIRC tissues correlated with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Its overexpression modulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene, inhibited invasion, promoted apoptosis in KIRC cells, highlighting its role in disease progression and therapeutic potential.

Serotonin signalling in cancer: Emerging mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities

BACKGROUND

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a multifunctional bioamine serving as a neurotransmitter, peripheral hormone and mitogen in the vertebrate system. It has pleiotropic activities in central nervous system and gastrointestinal function via an orchestrated action of serotonergic elements, particularly serotonin receptor-mediated signalling cascades. The mitogenic properties of serotonin have garnered recognition for years and have been exploited for repurposing serotonergic-targeted drugs in cancer therapy. However, emerging conflicting findings necessitate a more comprehensive elucidation of serotonin's role in cancer pathogenesis.

MAIN BODY AND CONCLUSION

Here, we provide an overview of the biosynthesis, metabolism and action modes of serotonin. We summarise our current knowledge regarding the effects of the peripheral serotonergic system on tumourigenesis, with a specific emphasis on its immunomodulatory activities in human cancers. We also discuss the dual roles of serotonin in tumour pathogenesis and elucidate the potential of serotonergic drugs, some of which display favourable safety profiles and impressive efficacy in clinical trials, as a promising avenue in cancer treatment.

KEY POINTS

Primary synthesis and metabolic routes of peripheral 5-hydroxytryptamine in the gastrointestinal tract. Advanced research has established a strong association between the serotonergic components and carcinogenic mechanisms. The interplay between serotonergic signalling and the immune system within the tumour microenvironment orchestrates antitumour immune responses. Serotonergic-targeted drugs offer valuable clinical options for cancer therapy.

Beyond Psychotropic: Potential Repurposing of Fluoxetine toward Cancer Therapy

Drug repurposing, rebranding an existing drug for a new therapeutic indication, is deemed a beneficial approach for a quick and cost-effective drug discovery process by skipping preclinical, Phase 1 trials and pharmacokinetic studies. Several psychotropic drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), were studied for their potential application in different diseases, especially in cancer therapy. Fluoxetine (FLX) is one of the most prescribed psychotropic agents from the SSRIs class for the treatment of several neuropsychiatric disorders with a favorable safety profile. FLX exhibited different oncolytic effects via mechanisms distinct from its main serotonergic activity. Taking advantage of its ability to rapidly penetrate the blood-brain barrier, FLX could be particularly useful in brain tumors. This was proved by different in vitro and in vivo experiments using FLX as a monotherapy or combination with temozolomide (TMZ) or radiotherapy. In this review of the literature, we summarize the potential pleiotropic oncolytic roles of FLX against different cancers, highlighting the multifaceted activities of FLX and its ability to interrupt cancer proliferation via several molecular mechanisms and even surmount multidrug resistance (MDR). We elaborated on the successful synergistic combinations such as FXR/temozolomide and FXR/raloxifene for the treatment of glioblastoma and breast cancer, respectively. We showcased beneficial pharmaceutical trials to load FLX onto carriers to enhance its safety and efficacy on cancer cells. This is the first review article extensively summarizing all previous FLX repurposing studies for the management of cancer.

Ansofaxine hydrochloride inhibits tumor growth and enhances Anti-TNFR2 in murine colon cancer model

Introduction: As psychoneuroimmunology flourishes, there is compelling evidence that depression suppresses the anti-tumor immune response, promotes the progression of cancer, and inhibits the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. Recent studies have reported that antidepressants can not only alleviate the depressant condition of cancer patients, but also strengthen the anti-tumor immunity, thus suppressing tumors. Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) antagonistic antibodies (Anti-TNFR2) targeting tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) has achieved great results in preclinical studies, and with a favorable toxicity profile than existing immunotherapies, and is expected to become a new generation of more effective treatment strategies. Understanding the effects of combination therapy with antidepressants and Anti-TNFR2 may help design new strategies for cancer immunotherapy. Methods: We treated CT26, HCT116, MCA38 and SW620 colon cancer cells with fluoxetine (0-50 µM), ansofaxine hydrochloride (0-50 µM) and amitifadine hydrochloride (0-150 µM) to examine their effects on cell proliferation and apoptosis. We explored the antitumor effects of ansofaxine hydrochloride in combination with or without Anti-TNFR in subcutaneously transplanted CT26 cells in tumor-bearing mouse model. Antitumor effects were evaluated by tumor volume. NK cell, M1 macrophage cell, CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, exhausted CD8+ T and regulatory T cell (Tregs) subtypes were measured by flow cytometry. 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine and norepinephrine levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Oral antidepression, ansofaxine hydrochloride, enhanced peripheral dopamine levels, promoted CD8+T cell proliferation, promoted intratumoral infiltration of M1 and NK cells, decreased the proportion of tumor-infiltrating exhausted CD8+T cells, and strengthened anti-tumor immunity, thereby inhibiting colon cancer growth. In combination therapy, oral administration of ansofaxine hydrochloride enhanced the efficacy of Anti-TNFR2, and produced long-term tumor control in with syngeneic colorectal tumor-bearing mice, which was attributable to the reduction in tumor-infiltrating Treg quantity and the recovery of CD8+ T cells function. Discussion: In summary, our data reveal the role of ansofaxine hydrochloride in modulating the anti-tumor immunity. Our results support that exhausted CD8+T is an important potential mechanism by which ansofaxine hydrochloride activates anti-tumor immunity and enhances anti-tumor effects of anti-TNFR2.

Investigation of the cytotoxicity induced by cannabinoids on human ovarian carcinoma cells

Cannabinoids have been shown to induce anti-tumor activity in a variety of carcinoma cells such as breast, prostate, and brain. The aim of the present study is to investigate the anti-tumor activity of cannabinoids, CBD (cannbidiol), and CBG (cannabigerol) in ovarian carcinoma cells sensitive and resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. Sensitive A2780 cells and resistant A2780/CP70 carcinoma cells and non-carcinoma cells were exposed to varying concentrations of CBD, CBG, carboplatin or CB1 and CB2 receptor antagonists, AM251 and AM630, respectively, alone or in combination, at different exposure times and cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay. The mechanism of action of CBD and CB in inducing cytotoxicity was investigated involving a variety of apoptotic and cell cycle assays. Treatment with CBD and CBG selectively, dose and time dependently reduced cell viability and induced apoptosis. The effect of CBD was stronger than CBG in all cell lines tested. Both CBD and CBG induced stronger cytotoxicity than afforded by carboplatin in resistant cells. The cytotoxicity induced by CBD was not CB1 or CB2 receptor dependent in both carcinoma cells, however, CBG-induced cytotoxicity may involve CB1 receptor activity in cisplatin-resistant carcinoma cells. A synergistic effect was observed when cannabinoids at sublethal doses were combined with carboplatin in both carcinoma cells. The apoptotic event may involve loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, Annexin V, caspase 3/7, ROS activities, and cell cycle arrest. Further studies are required to investigate whether these results are translatable in the clinic. Combination therapies with conventional cancer treatments using cannabinoids are suggested.

Apoptotic Effect of Gallic Acid via Regulation of p-p38 and ER Stress in PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 Cells Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is currently recognized as the seventh most prevalent cause of cancer-related mortality among individuals of both genders. It is projected that a significant number of individuals will succumb to this disease in the forthcoming years. Extensive research and validation have been conducted on both gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil as viable therapeutic options for PC. Nevertheless, despite concerted attempts to enhance treatment outcomes, PC continues to pose significant challenges in terms of achieving effective treatment alone through chemotherapy. Gallic acid, an endogenous chemical present in various botanical preparations, has attracted considerable attention due to its potential as an anticancer agent. The results of the study demonstrated that gallic acid exerted a decline in cell viability that was dependent on its concentration. Furthermore, it efficiently suppressed cell proliferation in PC cells. This study observed a positive correlation between gallic acid and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Additionally, it confirmed the upregulation of proteins associated with the protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) pathway, which is one of the pathways involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Moreover, the administration of gallic acid resulted in verified alterations in the transmission of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signals. Notably, an elevation in the levels of p-p38, which represents the phosphorylated state of p38 MAPK was detected. The scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), has shown inhibitory effects on phosphorylated p38 (p-p38), whereas the p38 inhibitor SB203580 inhibited C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). In both instances, the levels of PARP have been successfully reinstated. In other words, the study discovered a correlation between endoplasmic reticulum stress and the p38 signaling pathway. Consequently, gallic acid induces the activation of both the p38 pathway and the ER stress pathway through the generation of ROS, ultimately resulting in apoptosis. The outcomes of this study provide compelling evidence to support the notion that gallic acid possesses considerable promise as a viable therapeutic intervention for pancreatic cancer.

Fluoxetine Ameliorates the Aggravation of UC Symptoms in C57BL/6 Mice Induced by CUMS

OBJECTIVE

Patients with chronic ulcerative colitis (UC) often have mental symptoms such as depression and anxiety, and stress can lead to gastrointestinal diseases. However, the correlation between mental stress and UC is unclear. In this paper, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was utilized to evaluate the involvement of mental factors in the pathogenesis of UC.

METHODS

The CUMS model was used to evaluate the direct/indirect involvement of mental factors in the pathogenesis of UC. The behavior was evaluated by the open field, forced swimming, and tail suspension tests. Body weight, the disease activity index (DAI) score, colon length, and HE staining of colon tissue were used to evaluate the action of CUMS and fluoxetine.

RESULTS

The results showed that weight loss and the DAI score increased in CUMS mice, but they had no meaningful effect on colon length and morphological structure of colon tissue. However, CUMS aggravated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colon length shortening and colon morphological structure damage. Fluoxetine significantly improved the DAI score, shortened colon length, and damaged morphology and structure of the colons induced by CUMS combined with DSS in mice. Fluoxetine also decreased the level of IL-6 in the serum and the TNF-α and IFN-γ levels of colon tissue. Fluoxetine simultaneously improved behavioral abnormalities induced by CUMS combined with DSS in mice.

CONCLUSION

CUMS aggravated the UC symptoms induced by DSS, and fluoxetine could improve the UC symptoms due to its improvement in the inflammatory level and behavioral abnormalities.

High-throughput drug screening identifies fluoxetine as a potential therapeutic agent for neuroendocrine prostate cancer

Introduction

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is an aggressive subtype of prostate cancer with poor prognosis and resistance to hormone therapy, which has limited therapeutic approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to identify a novel treatment for NEPC and provide evidence of its inhibitory effects.

Methods

We performed a high-throughput drug screening and identified fluoxetine, originally an FDA-approved antidepressant, as candidate therapeutic agent for NEPC. We carried out both in vitro and in vivo experiments to demonstrate the inhibitory effects of fluoxetine on NEPC models and its mechanism in detail.

Results

Our results demonstrated that fluoxetine effectively curbed the neuroendocrine differentiation and inhibited cell viability by targeting the AKT pathway. Preclinical test in NEPC mice model (PBCre4: Ptenf/f; Trp53f/f; Rb1f/f) showed that fluoxetine effectively prolonged the overall survival and reduced the risk of tumor distant metastases.

Discussion

This work repurposed fluoxetine for antitumor application, and supported its clinical development for NEPC therapy, which may provide a promising therapeutic strategy.

Therapeutic treatment with fluoxetine using the chronic unpredictable stress model induces changes in neurotransmitters and circulating miRNAs in extracellular vesicles

The most widely prescribed antidepressant, fluoxetine (FLX), is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects when administered post-stress. Few studies have evaluated the effects of FLX treatment when chronic stress has induced deleterious effects in patients. Our objective was to evaluate FLX treatment (20 mg/kg/day, i.v.) once these effects are manifested, and the drug's relation to extracellular circulating microRNAs associated with inflammation, a hedonic response (sucrose intake), the forced swim test (FST), and corticosterone levels (CORT) and monoamine concentrations in limbic areas. A group of Wistar rats was divided into groups: Control; FLX; CUMS (for six weeks of exposure to chronic, unpredictable mild stress); and CUMS + FLX, a mixed group. After CUMS, the rats performed the FST, and serum levels of CORT and six microRNAs (miR-16, -21, -144, -155, -146a, -223) were analyzed, as were levels of dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. CUMS reduced body weight, sucrose intake, and hippocampal noradrenaline levels, but increased CORT, immobility behavior on the FST, dopamine concentrations in the prefrontal cortex, and all miRNAs except miR-146a expression. Administering FLX during CUMS reduced CORT levels and immobility behavior on the FST and increased the expression of miR-16, -21, -146a, -223, and dopamine. FLX protects against the deleterious effects of stress by reducing CORT and has an antidepressant effect on the FST, with minimally-modified neurotransmitter levels. FLX increased the expression of miRNAs as part of the antidepressant effect. It also regulates both neuroinflammation and serotoninergic neurotransmission through miRNAs, such as the miR-16.

Repurposed Drugs in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major causes of death worldwide, ranking as the fifth most incident cancer in 2020 and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. The majority of GC patients are in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, presenting a poor prognosis and outcome. Current GC treatment approaches involve endoscopic detection, gastrectomy and chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in an adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. Drug development approaches demand extreme effort to identify molecular mechanisms of action of new drug candidates. Drug repurposing is based on the research of new therapeutic indications of drugs approved for other pathologies. In this review, we explore GC and the different drugs repurposed for this disease.

Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Colorectal Cancer among People with Family History

Individuals with a family history of colorectal cancer (CRC) are at a high risk of developing CRC. Preclinical and population-based evidence suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might play a role in preventing CRC. We performed a nationwide cohort study to explore whether the use of SSRIs could reduce CRC risk among individuals with family history. We identified individuals aged 50 and above who had one or more first-degree relatives diagnosed with CRC. A total of 38,617 incident SSRI users were identified and matched with 115,851 non-users, on a ratio of 1:3. The Cox regression model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI confidence intervals (CIs). We found a significant negative association between SSRI use and the risk of CRC (adjusted HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.70-0.85). Restricted cubic spline regression showed a non-linear dose-responded relationship between SSRI use and CRC risk. The association was stronger in rectal cancer than colon cancer (adjusted HR, 0.73 vs. 0.79), and more pronounced in advanced-stage CRC than early-stage CRC (adjusted HR, 0.73 vs. 0.80). This population-based cohort study suggests that the use of SSRIs is associated with a reduced risk of CRC among individuals with a family history of CRC.

A bioinformatics framework to identify the biomarkers and potential drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a common malignant tumor, is one of the main causes of death in cancer patients in the world. Therefore, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanism of CRC and identify its diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The purpose of this study is to reveal the genes involved in the development of CRC and to predict drug candidates that may help treat CRC through bioinformatics analyses. Two independent CRC gene expression datasets including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and GSE104836 were used in this study. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed separately on the two datasets, and intersected for further analyses. 249 drug candidates for CRC were identified according to the intersected DEGs and the Crowd Extracted Expression of Differential Signatures (CREEDS) database. In addition, hub genes were analyzed using Cytoscape according to the DEGs, and survival analysis results showed that one of the hub genes, TIMP1 was related to the prognosis of CRC patients. Thus, we further focused on drugs that could reverse the expression level of TIMP1. Eight potential drugs with documentary evidence and two new drugs that could reverse the expression of TIMP1 were found among the 249 drugs. In conclusion, we successfully identified potential biomarkers for CRC and achieved drug repurposing using bioinformatics methods. Further exploration is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms of these identified genes and drugs/small molecules in the occurrence, development and treatment of CRC.

Antidepressants Fluoxetine Mediates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Autophagy of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells Through the ATF4-AKT-mTOR Signaling Pathway

Fluoxetine, one of the latest clinical antidepressants, is reported to have the anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells via immune-related pathways. However, the mechanism is still not known. This study mainly focused on the discovery of the molecular basis of the inhibitory effect of fluoxetine in lung cancer. The specific anti-proliferation effect and autophagy induced by fluoxetine on lung cancer cell were shown in CCK8 and immunofluorescence. The RNA sequence hinted that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related protein and mTOR pathway were enriched after fluoxetine treatment. Western blot results revealed that the ER stress pathway was activated by fluoxetine, including PERK, ATF4, and CHOP, while the AKT/mTOR pathway was inhibited. In addition, the transfection of ATF4 siRNA further discovered that ER stress participated in the inhibition of AKT/mTOR pathway and the induction of anti-proliferation and autophagy in the fluoxetine-treated cells. More importantly, fluoxetine was demonstrated to play cytotoxic activity in cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Our results showed that fluoxetine triggered the ATF4-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway to induce cell cycle arrest and autophagy restraining cancer cells’ growth in lung cancer. This study found fluoxetine unaffected the proliferation of normal lung epithelial cells, providing safe clinical therapeutic strategies for lung cancer patients with depression.

Integrative genomic analysis of a novel small nucleolar RNAs prognostic signature in patients with acute myelocytic leukemia

This study mainly used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA sequencing dataset to screen prognostic snoRNAs of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and used for the construction of prognostic snoRNAs signature for AML. A total of 130 AML patients with RNA sequencing dataset were used for prognostic snoRNAs screenning. SnoRNAs co-expressed genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were used for functional annotation, as well as gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Connectivity Map (CMap) also used for potential targeted drugs screening. Through genome-wide screening, we identified 30 snoRNAs that were significantly associated with the prognosis of AML. Then we used the step function to screen a prognostic signature composed of 14 snoRNAs (SNORD72, SNORD38, U3, SNORA73B, SNORD79, SNORA73, SNORD12B, SNORA74, SNORD116-12, SNORA65, SNORA14, snoU13, SNORA75, SNORA31), which can significantly divide AML patients into high- and low-risk groups. Through GSEA, snoRNAs co-expressed genes and DEGs functional enrichment analysis, we screened a large number of potential functional mechanisms of this prognostic signature in AML, such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt, Wnt, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, T cell receptors, NF-kappa B, mTOR and other classic cancer-related signaling pathways. In the subsequent targeted drug screening using CMap, we also identified six drugs that can be used for AML targeted therapy, they were alimemazine, MG-262, fluoxetine, quipazine, naltrexone and oxybenzone. In conclusion, our current study was constructed an AML prognostic signature based on the 14 prognostic snoRNAs, which may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker for AML.

Antidepressants with anti-tumor potential in treating glioblastoma: A narrative review

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is known as the deadliest form of brain tumor. In addition, its high treatment resistance, heterogeneity, and invasiveness make it one of the most challenging tumors. Depression is a common psychological disorder among patients with cancer, especially GBM. Due to the high occurrence rates of depression in GBM patients and the overlap of molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these diseases, finding antidepressants with antitumor effects could be considered as an affordable strategy for the treatment of GBM. Antidepressants exert their antitumor properties through different mechanisms. According to available evidence in this regard, some of them can eliminate the adverse effects resulting from chemo-radiotherapy in several cancers along with their synergistic effects caused by chemotherapy. Therefore, providing comprehensive insight into this issue would guide scientists and physicians in developing further preclinical studies and clinical trials, in order to evaluate antidepressants' antitumor potential. Considering that no narrative review has been recently published on this issue, specifically on these classes of drugs, we present this article with the purpose of describing the antitumor cellular mechanisms of three classes of antidepressants as follows: tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in GBM.

The functions of fluoxetine and identification of fluoxetine-mediated circular RNAs and messenger RNAs in cerebral ischemic stroke

Fluoxetine is used to improve cognition, exercise ability, depression, and neurological functions in patients with cerebral ischemic stroke. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important regulatory roles in multiple diseases. However, studies regarding the fluoxetine-mediated circRNA-microRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA) axis have not been conducted. This study is aim to investigate the functions of fluoxetine and identification of fluoxetine-mediated circRNAs and mRNAs in cerebral ischemic stroke. The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat models were successfully established at fisrt, and then rats were intraperitoneally injected with 10-mg/kg fluoxetine hydrochloride for 14 d. Afterward, the cerebral infarction area was evaluated using triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. High-throughput sequencing was adopted to screen the differential circRNAs and mRNAs. The candidate circRNAs, mRNAs, and potential microRNAs were verified using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). In addtion, microRNA and circRNA binding was verified using the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results revealed that fluoxetine markedly diminished the cerebral infarction area in rats after MCAO. The circRNAs and mRNAs were differentially expressed, which includes 879 circRNAs and 815 mRNAs between sham and MCAO groups, respectively, and 958 circRNAs and 838 mRNAs between MCAO and fluoxetine groups, respectively. In which, circMap2k1 and Pidd1 expression was significantly increased in the MCAO group but suppressed after fluoxetine treatment. Moreover, circMap2k1 directly binds with miR-135b-5p. Taken together, we verified that fluoxetine could improve brain injury after cerebral ischemic stroke. Moreover, the circMap2k1/miR-135b-5p/Pidd1 axis is potentially involved in cerebral ischemic stroke.

Drug Repurposing in Oncology: Current Evidence and Future Direction

BACKGROUND

Drug repurposing, the application of known drugs and compounds with a primary non-oncology purpose, might be an attractive strategy to offer more effective treatment options to cancer patients at a low cost and reduced time.

METHODS

This review described a total of 10 kinds of non-oncological drugs from more than 100 mechanical studies as well as evidence from population-based studies. The future direction of repurposed drug screening is discussed by using patient-derived tumor organoids.

RESULTS

Many old drugs showed previously unknown effects or off-target effects and can be intelligently applied for cancer chemoprevention and therapy. The identification of repurposed drugs needs to combine evidence from mechanical studies and population-based studies. Due to the heterogeneity of cancer, patient-derived tumor organoids can be used to screen the non-oncological drugs in vitro.

CONCLUSION

These identified old drugs could be repurposed in oncology and might be added as adjuvants and finally benefit patients with cancers.

Antidepressants and Antipsychotic Agents as Repurposable Oncological Drug Candidates

Drug repurposing, also known as drug repositioning/reprofiling, is a relatively new strategy for the identification of alternative uses of well-known therapeutics that are outside the scope of their original medical indications. Such an approach might entail a number of advantages compared to standard de novo drug development, including less time needed to introduce the drug to the market, and lower costs. The group of compounds that could be considered as promising candidates for repurposing in oncology include the central nervous system drugs, especially selected antidepressant and antipsychotic agents. In this article, we provide an overview of some antidepressants (citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline) and antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, pimozide, thioridazine, trifluoperazine) that have the potential to be repurposed as novel chemotherapeutics in cancer treatment, as they have been found to exhibit preventive and/or therapeutic action in cancer patients. Nevertheless, although drug repurposing seems to be an attractive strategy to search for oncological drugs, we would like to clearly indicate that it should not replace the search for new lead structures, but only complement de novo drug development.

Impact of Polypharmacy for Chronic Ailments in Colon Cancer Patients: A Review Focused on Drug Repurposing

Colorectal cancer is characterized by high incidence worldwide. Despite increased awareness and early diagnosis thanks to screening programmes, mortality remains high, particularly for patients with metastatic involvement. Immune checkpoint inhibitors or poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-inhibitors have met with disappointing results when used in this setting, opposed to other malignancies. New drugs with different mechanisms of action are needed in this disease. Drug repurposing might offer new therapeutic options, as patients with metastatic colorectal cancer often share risk factors for other chronic diseases and thus frequently are on incidental therapy with these drugs. The aim of this review is to summarise the published results of the activity of drugs used to treat chronic medications in patients affected by colorectal cancer. We focused on antihypertensive drugs, Non-Steroid Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), metformin, antidepressants, statins and antibacterial antibiotics. Our review shows that there are promising results with beta blockers, statins and metformin, whereas data concerning antidepressants and antibacterial antibiotics seem to show a potentially harmful effect. It is hoped that further prospective trials that take into account the role of these drugs as anticancer medications are conducted.

Beneficial effect of fluoxetine on anti-tumor progression on hepatocellular carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer bearing animal model

Fluoxetine, an antidepressant, has been indicated to elicit anti-cancer response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro. However, anticancer effect and mechanism of fluoxetine in HCC and NSCLC in vivo still needs to be elucidated. In this study, we showed anticancer efficacy and inhibitory mechanism of fluoxetine on the tumor progression of HCC and NSCLC in vivo. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited with fluoxetine treatment in HCC and NSCLC in vivo. Fluoxetine obviously decreased expression of cell proliferative, anti-apoptotic, invasion-associated proteins including Cyclin-D1, survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Importantly, fluoxetine diminished the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 which recognized as one of the critical transcription factors in tumor progression. Inhibition of AKT or extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) phosphorylation was linked to NF-κB inactivation in NSCLC or HCC in vitro. Furthermore, expression of AKT or ERK phosphorylation was effectively attenuated by fluoxetine treatment in NSCLC or HCC in vivo. In addition, fluoxetine also triggered extrinsic/intrinsic apoptotic signaling by activating caspase-3, -8, and -9 in HCC and NSCLC. Our findings suggest that fluoxetine may represent as a promising adjuvant for patients with HCC or NSCLC. In conclude, the results also suggested the blockage of AKT/NF-κB or ERK/NF-κB activation and the induction of apoptosis are associated with fluoxetine-inhibited tumor progression of HCC or NSCLC in vivo.

Effects of Xiaoyaosan on Depressive-Like Behaviors in Rats With Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Through HPA Axis Induced Astrocytic Activities

ABSTRACT

Astrocytes in the hippocampus are immediately relevant to depressive-like behavior. By regulating their activities, Xiaoyaosan (XYS), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, works in the treatment of depression.

OBJECTIVE

Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model was established to observe the regulation of XYS. We investigated the behavioral changes of CUMS, the expression of corticosterone (CORT) of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the expression of Glu-NMDA receptor and astrocytes glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the hippocampus. We also investigated whether these changes were linked to XYS.

METHODS

80 adult SD rats were randomly divided into four groups, control group, CUMS group, XYS group, and fluoxetine group. The rats in the control group and the CUMS group received 0.5 ml of deionized water once a day by intragastrically administration. Rats in the two treatment groups received XYS (2.224g/kg/d) and fluoxetine (2.0mg/kg/d) once a day, respectively. Rat hippocampus GFAP and Glu-NMDA receptor were respectively detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and western blot. The CORT of HPA axis was detected by Elisa. Body weight, food intake, and behavioral tests, such as open field tests, the sucrose preference test, and exhaustive swimming test, were used to assess depressive-like behavior in rats.

RESULTS

In this work, significant behavioral changes and differences in expression of the CORT of HPA axis and hippocampal GFAP and Glu-NMDA receptor were presented in CUMS-exposed rats. Like fluoxetine, XYS improved CUMS-induced rat's body weight, food intake, and depressive-like behavior. The study also proved that XYS could reverse the CUMS-induced changes of the CORT of HPA axis and affect the astrocytic activities and down-regulate the NR2B subunit of NMDA receptor (NR2B) level in the hippocampus.

CONCLUSION

Changes in the hippocampus GFAP and Glu-NMDA receptor may be an essential mechanism of depression. Besides, XYS may be critical to the treatment of depression by intervention the HPA axis, GFAP and Glu-NMDA receptor.