Lithium chloride attenuates mitomycin C induced necrotic cell death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via HMGB1 and Bax signaling

Comprehensive review of drug-mediated ICD inhibition of breast cancer: mechanism, status, and prospects

The escalating incidence of breast cancer (BC) in women underscores its grave health threat. Current molecular insights into BC's post-adjuvant therapy cure remain elusive, necessitating active treatment explorations. Immunotherapy, notably chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD), has emerged as a promising BC therapy. ICD harnesses chemotherapeutics to activate anti-tumor immunity via DAMPs, fostering long-term T-cell memory and primary BC cure. Besides chemotherapy drugs, Nanodrugs, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ICIs also induce ICD, boosting immune response. ICIs, like PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, revolutionize cancer treatment but face limited success in cold tumors. Thus, ICD induction combined with ICIs is studied extensively for BC immunotherapy. This article reviews the mechanism of ICD related drugs in BC and provides reference for the research and development of BC treatment, in order to explore more effective clinical treatment of BC, we hope to explore more ICD inducers and make ICIs more effective vaccines.

Unrevealing Lithium Repositioning in the Hallmarks of Cancer: Effects of Lithium Salts (LiCl and Li2CO3) in an In Vitro Cervical Cancer Model

Lithium, a natural element, has been employed as a mental stabilizer in psychiatric treatments; however, some reports indicate it has an anticancer effect, prompting the consideration of repurposing lithium for cancer treatment. The potential anticancer use of lithium may depend on its form (salt type) and the type of cancer cells targeted. Little is known about the effects of Li2CO3 or LiCl on cancer cells, so we focused on exploring their effects on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle as part of the hallmarks of cancer. Firstly, we established the IC50 values on HeLa, SiHa, and HaCaT cells with LiCl and Li2CO3 and determined by crystal violet that cell proliferation was time-dependent in the three cell lines (IC50 values for LiCl were 23.43 mM for SiHa, 23.14 mM for HeLa, and 15.10 mM for HaCaT cells, while the IC50 values for Li2CO3 were 20.57 mM for SiHa, 11.52 mM for HeLa, and 10.52 mM for HaCaT cells.) Our findings indicate that Li2CO3 and LiCl induce DNA fragmentation and caspase-independent apoptosis, as shown by TUNEL, Western Blot, and Annexin V/IP assay by flow cytometry. Also, cell cycle analysis showed that LiCl and Li2CO3 arrested the cervical cancer cells at the G1 phase. Moreover, lithium salts displayed an anti-migratory effect on the three cell lines observed by the wound-healing assay. All these findings imply the viable anticancer effect of lithium salts by targeting several of the hallmarks of cancer.

HMGB1 in the interplay between autophagy and apoptosis in cancer

Lysosome-mediated autophagy and caspase-dependent apoptosis are dynamic processes that maintain cellular homeostasis, ensuring cell health and functionality. The intricate interplay and reciprocal regulation between autophagy and apoptosis are implicated in various human diseases, including cancer. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a nonhistone chromosomal protein, plays a pivotal role in coordinating autophagy and apoptosis levels during tumor initiation, progression, and therapy. The regulation of autophagy machinery and the apoptosis pathway by HMGB1 is influenced by various factors, including the protein's subcellular localization, oxidative state, and interactions with binding partners. In this narrative review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the structure and function of HMGB1, with a specific focus on the interplay between autophagic degradation and apoptotic death in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the significance of HMGB1 as a biomarker and its potential as a therapeutic target in tumor diseases is crucial for advancing our knowledge of cell survival and cell death.

In-silico method for elucidation of prodigiosin as PARP-1 inhibitor a prime target of Triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is found to be one of the life-threatening cancer. Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is overexpressed by those tumour cells, which become resistant to chemotherapies. Inhibition of PARP-1 has a considerable effect on treating TNBC. Prodigiosin is a valuable pharmaceutical compound that exhibits anticancer properties. The present study aims to virtually evaluate prodigiosin as a potent PARP-1 inhibitor using Molecular docking and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The PASS (Prediction of Activity Spectra for Substances) prediction tool evaluated the biological properties of prodigiosin. Then the drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties of prodigiosin were determined using Swiss-ADME software. It was suggested that prodigiosin obeyed Lipinski's rule of five and thus could act as a drug with good pharmacokinetic properties. Moreover, molecular docking was done with AutoDock 4.2 to identify the critical amino acids of the protein-ligand complex. It was indicated that prodigiosin has a docking score of -8.08 kcal/mol, which showed its effective interaction with crucial amino acid, His201A of PARP-1 protein. Further, MD simulation was performed using Gromacs software to validate the stability of the prodigiosin-PARP-1 complex. Prodigiosin was found to have good structural stability and affinity at the active site of PARP-1 protein. Additionally, PCA and MM-PBSA were calculated for the prodigiosin-PARP-1 complex, which revealed that prodigiosin has an excellent binding affinity towards PARP-1 protein. Prodigiosin can possibly be used as oral drug due to its PARP-1 inhibition through high binding affinity, structural stability, and receptor flexibility towards crucial amino acid residue His201A of PARP-1 protein. In-addition, in-vitro cytotoxicity, and apoptosis analysis of prodigiosin-treated TNBC cell line-MDA-MB-231 revealed that prodigiosin exhibited significant anticancer activity in 101.1 µg/mL concentration, when compared to commercially available synthetic drug cisplatin. Thus, prodigiosin could act as a potential candidate for treatment of TNBC than the commercially available synthetic drugs.

Lithium: A Promising Anticancer Agent

Lithium is a therapeutic cation used to treat bipolar disorders but also has some important features as an anti-cancer agent. In this review, we provide a general overview of lithium, from its transport into cells, to its innovative administration forms, and based on genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. Lithium formulations such as lithium acetoacetate (LiAcAc), lithium chloride (LiCl), lithium citrate (Li3C6H5O7), and lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) induce apoptosis, autophagy, and inhibition of tumor growth and also participate in the regulation of tumor proliferation, tumor invasion, and metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, lithium is synergistic with standard cancer therapies, enhancing their anti-tumor effects. In addition, lithium has a neuroprotective role in cancer patients, by improving their quality of life. Interestingly, nano-sized lithium enhances its anti-tumor activities and protects vital organs from the damage caused by lipid peroxidation during tumor development. However, these potential therapeutic activities of lithium depend on various factors, such as the nature and aggressiveness of the tumor, the type of lithium salt, and its form of administration and dosage. Since lithium has been used to treat bipolar disorder, the current study provides an overview of its role in medicine and how this has changed. This review also highlights the importance of this repurposed drug, which appears to have therapeutic cancer potential, and underlines its molecular mechanisms.

Lithium in Cancer Therapy: Friend or Foe?

Lithium, a trace element important for fetal health and development, is considered a metal drug with a well-established clinical regime, economical production process, and a mature storage system. Several studies have shown that lithium affects tumor development by regulating inositol monophosphate (IMPase) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). Lithium can also promote proliferation and programmed cell death (PCD) in tumor cells through a number of new targets, such as the nuclear receptor NR4A1 and Hedgehog-Gli. Lithium may increase cancer treatment efficacy while reducing side effects, suggesting that it can be used as an adjunctive therapy. In this review, we summarize the effects of lithium on tumor progression and discuss the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, we discuss lithium's limitations in antitumor clinical applications, including its narrow therapeutic window and potential pro-cancer effects on the tumor immune system.

Li-Doped Bioactive Ceramics: Promising Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Lithium (Li) is a metal with critical therapeutic properties ranging from the treatment of bipolar depression to antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral and pro-regenerative effects. This element can be incorporated into the structure of various biomaterials through the inclusion of Li chloride/carbonate into polymeric matrices or being doped in bioceramics. The biocompatibility and multifunctionality of Li-doped bioceramics present many opportunities for biomedical researchers and clinicians. Li-doped bioceramics (capable of immunomodulation) have been used extensively for bone and tooth regeneration, and they have great potential for cartilage/nerve regeneration, osteochondral repair, and wound healing. The synergistic effect of Li in combination with other anticancer drugs as well as the anticancer properties of Li underline the rationale that bioceramics doped with Li may be impactful in cancer treatments. The role of Li in autophagy may explain its impact in regenerative, antiviral, and anticancer research. The combination of Li-doped bioceramics with polymers can provide new biomaterials with suitable flexibility, especially as bio-ink used in 3D printing for clinical applications of tissue engineering. Such Li-doped biomaterials have significant clinical potential in the foreseeable future.

Anticancer potential of an exopolysaccharide from Lactobacillus helveticus MB2-1 on human colon cancer HT-29 cells via apoptosis induction

This study aimed at investigating the anticancer activity of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) isolated from Lactobacillus helveticus MB2-1. The crude EPS from L. helveticus MB2-1 (LHEPS) was fractionated into three fractions, namely LHEPS-1, LHEPS-2 and LHEPS-3. LHEPS-1 exhibited the most effective anti-proliferative activity, which was associated with a stronger inhibition rate and increased lactate dehydrogenase leakage of human colon cancer HT-29 cells. Flow cytometry analysis and colorimetric assay revealed that LHEPS-1 induced cell cycle arrest by preventing G1 to S transition and increased the apoptosis rate. Furthermore, LHEPS-1 enhanced the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of caspases-8/9/3, increased the levels of pro-apoptotic Bax and mitochondrial cytochrome c, while decreased the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 level, indicating that LHEPS-1 might induce the apoptosis of HT-29 cells through a ROS-dependent pathway and a mitochondria-dependent pathway. These findings suggest that LHEPS-1 may be developed as an effective food and/or drug for the prevention and therapeutics of cancer, especially human colon cancer.

H19/miR-107/HMGB1 axis sensitizes laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma to cisplatin by suppressing autophagy in vitro and in vivo

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the most common malignant tumor, which occurs in the head and neck. Current treatments for LSCC are all largely weakened by increasing drug resistance. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 on drug resistance in LSCC. In our study, we found that the level of H19 was sharply upregulated in LSCC tissues and drug-resistant cells compared with the control. Besides, the expression of high-mobility group B1 (HMGB1) was elevated, and microRNA107 (miR-107) was suppressed in drug-resistant cells compared with the control. Further study revealed that the interference of H19 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) effectively suppressed high autophagy level and obvious drug resistance in drug-resistant cells. Besides that, miR-107 was predicted as a target of H19 and inhibiting effects of H19 shRNA on autophagy and drug resistance were both reversed by miR-107 inhibitor. Moreover, HMGB1 was predicted as a target of miR-107 in LSCC cells and knockdown of HMGB1 was able to suppress autophagy and drug resistance in LSCC cells. In addition, our investigation demonstrated that H19 shRNA exerted an inhibiting effect on autophagy and drug resistance by downregulating HMGB1 by targeting miR-107. Finally, the in vivo experiment revealed that LV-H19 shRNA strongly suppressed drug resistance compared with the usage of cisplatin individually. Taken together, our research indicated an H19-miR-107-HMGB1 axis in regulating the autophagy-induced drug resistance in LSCC in vitro and in vivo, providing novel targets for molecular-targeted therapy and broadening the research for LSCC.

Autophagy modulation as a potential targeted cancer therapy: From drug repurposing to new drug development

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway to deliver dysfunctional proteins or organelles into lysosomes for degradation and recycling, which is an important pathway for normal homeostasis. Autophagy dysfunction can lead to various diseases, particularly cancer. Autophagy not only plays a role in tumor suppression, but it also serves as a tumor promoter in cancer malignancy. In this review, we summarize the involvement of autophagy-related (ATG) proteins in autophagy signaling and the role of autophagy in cancer progression. The effectiveness of US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs in regulating autophagic flux and suppressing cancer cells is also discussed. Moreover, since clinically available drugs do not specifically target ATG proteins, there is little doubt that their cancer suppression function is autophagy dependent. Therefore, this review also discusses several inhibitors against ATG proteins, such as ULK1/2, ATG4, and VPS34 to suppress cancer cells. Autophagy modulators can be either used alone or combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy to enhance the efficacy of current treatments for certain types of cancer. This review summarizes current autophagy modulation used as a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.