Adverse effects of chemoradiotherapy on invasion and metastasis of tumor cells

Design and synthesis of novel imidazole-chalcone derivatives as microtubule protein polymerization inhibitors to treat cervical cancer and reverse cisplatin resistance

Using the licochalcone moiety as a lead compound scaffold, 16 novel imidazole-chalcone derivatives were designed and synthesized as microtubule protein polymerization inhibitors. The proliferation inhibitory activities of the derivatives against SiHa (human cervical squamous cell carcinoma), C-33A (human cervical cancer), HeLa (human cervical cancer), HeLa/DDP (cisplatin-resistant human cervical cancer), and H8 (human cervical epithelial immortalized) cells were evaluated. Compound 5a exhibited significant anticancer activity with IC50 values ranging from 2.28 to 7.77 μM and a resistance index (RI) of 1.63, while showing minimal toxicity to normal H8 cells. When compound 5a was coadministered with cisplatin, the RI of cisplatin to HeLa/DDP cells decreased from 6.04 to 2.01, while compound 5a enhanced the fluorescence intensity of rhodamine 123 in HeLa/DDP cells. Further studies demonstrated that compound 5a arrested cells at the G2/M phase, induced apoptosis, reduced colony formation, inhibited cell migration, and inhibited cell invasion. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that compound 5a decreased the immunofluorescence intensity of α-/β-tubulin in cancer cells, reduced the expression of polymerized α-/β-tubulin, and increased the expression of depolymerized α-/β-tubulin. Additionally, the molecular docking results demonstrate that compound 5a can interact with the tubulin colchicine binding site and generate multiple types of interactions. These results suggested that compound 5a has anticancer effects and significantly reverses cervical cancer resistance to cisplatin, which may be related to its inhibition of microtubule and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity.

Mitochondrial-Stem Cell Connection: Providing Additional Explanations for Understanding Cancer

The cancer paradigm is generally based on the somatic mutation model, asserting that cancer is a disease of genetic origin. The mitochondrial-stem cell connection (MSCC) proposes that tumorigenesis may result from an alteration of the mitochondria, specifically a chronic oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) insufficiency in stem cells, which forms cancer stem cells (CSCs) and leads to malignancy. Reviewed evidence suggests that the MSCC could provide a comprehensive understanding of all the different stages of cancer. The metabolism of cancer cells is altered (OxPhos insufficiency) and must be compensated by using the glycolysis and the glutaminolysis pathways, which are essential to their growth. The altered mitochondria regulate the tumor microenvironment, which is also necessary for cancer evolution. Therefore, the MSCC could help improve our understanding of tumorigenesis, metastases, the efficiency of standard treatments, and relapses.

Novel radiation and targeted therapy combinations for improving rectal cancer outcomes

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is commonly used as standard treatment for rectal cancer. However, response rates are variable and survival outcomes remain poor, highlighting the need to develop new therapeutic strategies. Research is focused on identifying novel methods for sensitising rectal tumours to RT to enhance responses and improve patient outcomes. This can be achieved through harnessing tumour promoting effects of radiation or preventing development of radio-resistance in cancer cells. Many of the approaches being investigated involve targeting the recently published new dimensions of cancer hallmarks. This review article will discuss key radiation and targeted therapy combination strategies being investigated in the rectal cancer setting, with a focus on exploitation of mechanisms which target the hallmarks of cancer.

Exploring the Antiproliferative and Modulatory Effects of 1-Methoxyisobrassinin on Ovarian Cancer Cells: Insights into Cell Cycle Regulation, Apoptosis, Autophagy, and Its Interactions with NAC

Ovarian cancer, a highly lethal malignancy among reproductive organ cancers, poses a significant challenge with its high mortality rate, particularly in advanced-stage cases resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy. This study explores the potential therapeutic efficacy of 1-methoxyisobrassinin (MB-591), a derivative of indole phytoalexins found in Cruciferae family plants, on both cisplatin-sensitive (A2780) and cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells (A2780 cis). The findings reveal that MB-591 exhibits an antiproliferative effect on both cell lines, with significantly increased potency against cisplatin-sensitive cells. The substance induces alterations in the distribution of the cell cycle, particularly in the S and G2/M phases, accompanied by changes in key regulatory proteins. Moreover, MB-591 triggers apoptosis in both cell lines, involving caspase-9 cleavage, PARP cleavage induction, and DNA damage, accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, the substance selectively induces autophagy in cisplatin-resistant cells, suggesting potential targeted therapeutic applications. The study further explores the interplay between MB-591 and antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), in modulating cellular processes. NAC demonstrates a protective effect against MB-591-induced cytotoxicity, affecting cell cycle distribution and apoptosis-related proteins. Additionally, NAC exhibits inhibitory effects on autophagy initiation in cisplatin-resistant cells, suggesting its potential role in overcoming resistance mechanisms.

A Novel Prognostic Prediction Model for Colorectal Cancer Based on Nine Autophagy-Related Long Noncoding RNAs

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common gastrointestinal cancer and has a low overall survival rate. Tumor–node–metastasis staging alone is insufficient to predict patient prognosis. Autophagy and long noncoding RNAs play important roles in regulating the biological behavior of CRC. Therefore, establishing an autophagy-related lncRNA (ARlncRNA)-based bioinformatics model is important for predicting survival and facilitating clinical treatment.

Methods

CRC data were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The database was randomly divided into train set and validation set; then, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to screen prognosis-related ARlncRNAs for prediction model construction. Interactive network and Sankey diagrams of ARlncRNAs and messenger RNAs were plotted. We analyzed the survival rate of high- and low-risk patients and plotted survival curves and determined whether the risk score was an independent predictor of CRC. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate model sensitivity and specificity. Then, the expression level of lncRNA was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the location of lncRNA was observed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Additionally, the protein expression was detected by Western blot.

Results

A prognostic prediction model of CRC was built based on nine ARlncRNAs (NKILA, LINC00174, AC008760.1, LINC02041, PCAT6, AC156455.1, LINC01503, LINC00957, and CD27-AS1). The 5-year overall survival rate was significantly lower in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group among train set, validation set, and all patients (all p < 0.001). The model had high sensitivity and accuracy in predicting the 1-year overall survival rate (area under the curve = 0.717). The prediction model risk score was an independent predictor of CRC. LINC00174 and NKILA were expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of normal colonic epithelial cell line NCM460 and colorectal cancer cell lines HT29. Additionally, LINC00174 and NKILA were overexpressed in HT29 compared with NCM460. After autophagy activation, LINCC00174 expression was significantly downregulated both in NCM460 and HT29, while NKILA expression was significantly increased.

Conclusion

The new ARlncRNA-based model predicts CRC patient prognosis and provides new research ideas regarding potential mechanisms regulating the biological behavior of CRC. ARlncRNAs may play important roles in personalized cancer treatment.

The emergence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Predictive value and immunotherapy implications

The clinical study of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) often reveals a large number of lymphocytes infiltrating the primary tumor site. As an important part of the tumor microenvironment, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) do not exist alone but as a complex multicellular population with high heterogeneity. TILs play an extremely significant role in the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of NPC. The latest research shows that they participate in tumorigenesis and treatment, and the composition, quantity, functional status and distribution of TILs subsets have good predictive value for the prognosis of NPC patients. TILs are an independent prognostic factor for TNM stage and significantly correlated with better prognosis. Additionally, adoptive immunotherapy using anti-tumor TILs has achieved good results in a variety of solid tumors including NPC. This review evaluates recent clinical and preclinical studies of NPC, summarizes the role of TILs in promoting and inhibiting tumor growth, evaluates the predictive value of TILs, and explores the potential benefits of TILs-based immunotherapy in the treatment of NPC.