Exploiting Oncogenic Drivers along the CCNG1 Pathway for Cancer Therapy and Gene Therapy

MicroRNAs as the critical regulators of epithelial mesenchymal transition in pancreatic tumor cells

Pancreatic cancer (PC), as one of the main endocrine and digestive systems malignancies has the highest cancer related mortality in the world. Lack of the evident clinical symptoms and appropriate diagnostic markers in the early stages of tumor progression are the main reasons of the high mortality rate among PC patients. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the molecular pathways involved in the PC progression, in order to introduce novel early diagnostic methods. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical cellular process associated with pancreatic tumor cells invasion and distant metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are also important regulators of EMT process. In the present review, we discussed the role of miRNAs in regulation of EMT process during PC progression. It has been reported that the miRNAs mainly regulate the EMT process in pancreatic tumor cells through the regulation of EMT-specific transcription factors and several signaling pathways such as WNT, NOTCH, TGF-β, JAK/STAT, and PI3K/AKT. Considering the high stability of miRNAs in body fluids and their role in regulation of EMT process, they can be introduced as the non-invasive diagnostic markers in the early stages of malignant pancreatic tumors. This review paves the way to introduce a non-invasive EMT based panel marker for the early tumor detection among PC patients.

Downregulation of PDIA3 inhibits gastric cancer cell growth through cell cycle regulation

OBJECTIVE

Protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) promotes the correct folding of newly synthesized glycoproteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. PDIA3 is overexpressed in most tumors, and it may become a biomarker of cancer prognosis and immunotherapy. Our study aims to detect the expression level of PDIA3 in gastric cancer (GC) and its association with GC development as wells as the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

GC cell lines with PDIA3 knockdown by siRNA, CRISPR-cas9 sgRNAs or a pharmacological inhibitor of LOC14 were prepared and used. PDIA3 knockout GC cells were established by CRISPR-cas9-PDIA3 system. The proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle of GC cells were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Immunodeficient nude mice was used to evaluate the role of PDIA3 in tumor formation. Quantitative PCR and western blot were used for examining gene and protein expressions. RNA sequencing was performed to see the altered gene expression.

RESULTS

The expressions of PDIA3 in GC tissues and cells were increased significantly, and its expression was negatively correlated with the three-year survival rate of GC patients. Down-regulation of PDIA3 by siRNA, LOC14 or CRISPR-cas9 significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells TMK1 and AGS, with cell cycle arrested at G2/M phase. Meanwhile, decreased PDIA3 significantly inhibited growth of tumor xenograft in vivo. It was found that cyclin G1 (encoded by CCNG1 gene) expression was decreased by downregulation of PDIA3 in GC cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, protein levels of other cell cycle related factors including cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK6 were also significantly decreased. Further study showed that STAT3 was associated with PDIA3-mediated cyclin G1 regulation.

CONCLUSION

PDIA3 plays an oncogenic role in GC. Our findings unfolded the functional role of PDIA3 in GC development and highlighted a novel target for cancer therapeutic strategy.

Recent insights into the nutritional immunomodulation of cancer-related microRNAs

Cancer is the most common cause of death worldwide, following cardiovascular diseases. Cancer is a multifactorial disease and many reasons such as physical, chemical, biological, and lifestyle-related factors. Nutrition, which is one of the various factors that play a role in the prevention, development, and treatment of many types of cancer, affects the immune system, which is characterized by disproportionate pro-inflammatory signaling in cancer. Studies investigating the molecular mechanisms of this effect have shown that foods rich in bioactive compounds, such as green tea, olive oil, turmeric, and soybean play a significant role in positively changing the expression of miRNAs involved in the regulation of genes associated with oncogenic/tumor-suppressing pathways. In addition to these foods, some diet models may change the expression of specific cancer-related miRNAs in different ways. While Mediterranean diet has been associated with anticancer effects, a high-fat diet, and a methyl-restricted diet are considered to have negative effects. This review aims to discuss the effects of specific foods called "immune foods," diet models, and bioactive components on cancer by changing the expression of miRNAs in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Nanoparticle-enhanced proton beam immunoradiotherapy drives immune activation and durable tumor rejection

The combination of radiation therapy (RT) and immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment option in oncology. Historically, x-ray radiation (XRT) has been the most commonly used form of RT. However, proton beam therapy (PBT) is gaining recognition as a viable alternative, as it has been shown to produce similar outcomes to XRT while minimizing off-target effects. The effects of PBT on the antitumor immune response have only just begun to be described, and to our knowledge no studies to date have examined the effect of PBT as part of a combinatorial immunoradiotherapeutic strategy. Here, using a 2-tumor model of lung cancer in mice, we show that PBT in tandem with an anti-PD1 antibody substantially reduced growth in both irradiated and unirradiated tumors. This was accompanied by robust activation of the immune response, as evidenced by whole-tumor and single-cell RNA sequencing showing upregulation of a multitude of immune-related transcripts. This response was further significantly enhanced by the injection of the tumor to be irradiated with NBTXR3 nanoparticles. Tumors of mice treated with the triple combination exhibited increased infiltration and activation of cytotoxic immune cells. This triple combination eradicated both tumors in 37.5% of the treated mice and showed robust long-term immunity to cancer.

Citrinin as a potential anti-cancer therapy: A comprehensive review

Citrinin (CIT) is a polyketide-derived mycotoxin, which is produced by many fungal strains belonging to the gerena Monascus, Aspergillus, and Penicillium. It has been postulated that mycotoxins have several toxic mechanisms and are potentially used as antineoplastic agents. Therefore, the present study carried out a systematic review, including articles from 1978 to 2022, by collecting evidence in experimental studies of CIT antiplorifactive activity in cancer. The Data indicate that CIT intervenes in important mediators and cell signaling pathways, including MAPKs, ERK1/2, JNK, Bcl-2, BAX, caspases 3,6,7 and 9, p53, p21, PARP cleavage, MDA, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defenses (SOD, CAT, GST and GPX). These factors demonstrate the potential antitumor drug CIT in inducing cell death, reducing DNA repair capacity and inducing cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in cancer cells.

The advent of a pan-collagenous CLOVIS POINT for pathotropic targeting and cancer gene therapy, a retrospective

The 'Clovis Point'-an enabling prehistoric gain-of-function in stone-age tool technologies which empowered the Paleoindian-Americans to hunt, to strike-deep, and to kill designated target megafauna more efficiently-was created biochemically by molecular-genetic bio-engineering. This Biomedical "Clovis Point" was crafted by adapting a broad-spectrum Pan-Collagen Binding Domain (Pan-Coll/CBD) found within the immature pre-pro-peptide segment of Von Willebrand Factor into a constructive series of advanced medical applications. Developed experimentally, preclinically, and clinically into a cutting-edge Biotechnology Platform, the Clovis Point is suitable for 1) solid-state binding of growth factors on collagenous scaffolds for improved orthopedic wound healing, 2) promoting regeneration of injured/diseased tissues; and 3) autologous stem cell capture, expansion, and gene-based therapies. Subsequent adaptations of the high-affinity Pan-Coll/CBD (exposed-collagen-seeking/surveillance function) for intravenous administration in humans, enabled the physiological delivery, aka Pathotropic Targeting to diseased tissues via the modified envelopes of gene vectors; enabling 4) precision tumor-targeting for cancer gene therapy and 5) adoptive/localized immunotherapies, demonstrating improved long-term survival value-thus pioneering a proximal and accessible cell cycle control point for cancer management-empowering modern medical oncologists to address persistent problems of chemotherapy resistance, recurrence, and occult progression of metastatic disease. Recent engineering adaptations have advanced the clinical utility to include the targeted delivery of small molecule APIs: including taxanes, mAbs, and RNA-based therapeutics.

Three year results of Blessed: Expanded access for DeltaRex-G for an intermediate size population with advanced pancreatic cancer and sarcoma (NCT04091295) and individual patient use of DeltaRex-G for solid malignancies (IND# 19130)

Background: Innovative treatments are urgently needed for metastatic cancer. DeltaRex-G, a tumor-targeted retrovector encoding a dominant-negative/cytocidal cyclin G1 (CCNG1 gene) inhibitor construct-has been tested in over 280 cancer patients worldwide in phase 1, phase 2 studies and compassionate use studies, demonstrating long term (>10 years) survivorship in patients with advanced cancers, including pancreatic cancer, osteosarcoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, breast cancer, and B-cell lymphoma. Patient and Methods: Endpoints: Survival, response, treatment-related adverse events. Study one is entitled "Blessed: Expanded Access for DeltaRex-G for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer and Sarcoma (NCT04091295)". Study two is entitled "Individual Patient Use of DeltaRex-G for Solid Malignancies (Investigational New Drug#19130). In both studies, patients will receive DeltaRex-G at 1-3 x 10e11 cfu i.v. over 30-45 min, three x a week until significant disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or death occurs. Results: Seventeen patients were enrolled, nine sarcoma, two pancreatic adenocarcinoma, one non-small cell lung cancer, two breast carcinoma, one prostate cancer, one cholangiocarcinoma and one basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis. Three patients were enrolled in Study 1 and 14 patients were enrolled in Study 2. Twelve of 17 enrolled patients were treated with DeltaRex-G monotherapy or in combination with United States Food and Drug Administration-approved cancer therapies. Five patients died before receiving DeltaRex-G. Efficacy Analysis: Of the 12 treated patients, 5 (42%) are alive 15-36 months from DeltaRex-G treatment initiation. Two patients with early-stage HR + HER2+ positive or triple receptor negative invasive breast cancer who received DeltaRex-G as adjuvant/first line therapy are alive in complete remission 23 and 16 months after DeltaRex-G treatment initiation respectively; three patients with metastatic chordoma, chondrosarcoma and advanced basal cell carcinoma are alive 36, 31, and 15 months after DeltaRex-G treatment initiation respectively. Safety Analysis: There were no treatment-related adverse events reported. Conclusion: Taken together, the data suggest that 1) DeltaRex-G may evoke tumor growth stabilization after failing standard chemotherapy, 2) DeltaRex-G may act synergistically with standard chemotherapy/targeted therapies, and 3) Adjuvant/first line therapy with DeltaRex-G for early-stage invasive carcinoma of breast may be authorized by the USFDA when patients refuse to receive toxic chemotherapy.

Current approaches of nanomedicines in the market and various stage of clinical translation

Compared with traditional drug therapy, nanomedicines exhibit intriguing biological features to increase therapeutic efficiency, reduce toxicity and achieve targeting delivery. This review provides a snapshot of nanomedicines that have been currently launched or in the clinical trials, which manifests a diversified trend in carrier types, applied indications and mechanisms of action. From the perspective of indications, this article presents an overview of the applications of nanomedicines involving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, which include cancer, infections, blood disorders, cardiovascular diseases, immuno-associated diseases and nervous system diseases, etc. Moreover, the review provides some considerations and perspectives in the research and development of nanomedicines to facilitate their translations in clinic.

Cancer nanotechnology: current status and perspectives

Modern medicine has been waging a war on cancer for nearly a century with no tangible end in sight. Cancer treatments have significantly progressed, but the need to increase specificity and decrease systemic toxicities remains. Early diagnosis holds a key to improving prognostic outlook and patient quality of life, and diagnostic tools are on the cusp of a technological revolution. Nanotechnology has steadily expanded into the reaches of cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy, diagnostics, and imaging, demonstrating the capacity to augment each and advance patient care. Nanomaterials provide an abundance of versatility, functionality, and applications to engineer specifically targeted cancer medicine, accurate early-detection devices, robust imaging modalities, and enhanced radiotherapy adjuvants. This review provides insights into the current clinical and pre-clinical nanotechnological applications for cancer drug therapy, diagnostics, imaging, and radiation therapy.

Tumor protein p53 mutation in archived tumor samples from a 12-year survivor of stage 4 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma may predict long-term survival with DeltaRex-G: A case report and literature review

DeltaRex-G is a replication-incompetent amphotropic murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vector that displays a collagen-matrix-targeting decapeptide on its surface envelope protein, gp70, and encodes a cytocidal ‘dominant negative’, i.e. a truncated construct of the executive cyclin G1 (CCNG1) oncogene. DeltaRex-G inhibits the CCNG1 function of promoting cell competence and survival through the commanding CCNG1/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)/Myc/mouse double minute 2 homolog (Mdm2)/p53 axis. In 2009, DeltaRex-G was granted Fast Track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In 2019, the results of a phase 1/2 study that used DeltaRex-G as monotherapy for stage 4 chemotherapy-resistant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) were published. A unique participant of the aforementioned phase 1/2 study is now an 84-year-old Caucasian woman with chemoresistant PDAC who was treated with DeltaRex-G, 3x10¹¹ colony forming units (cfu)/dose, 3 times/week for 4 weeks with a 2-week rest period, for 1.5 years. During the treatment period, the patient's tumors in the liver, lymph node and peritoneum exhibited progressive decreases in size, which were accompanied by a reduction and normalization of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels, and the patient achieved complete remission after 8 months of DeltaRex-G therapy with minimal side effects (grade 2 fatigue). Henceforth, the patient has been in remission for 12 years with no evidence of disease, no late therapy-related adverse events, and no further cancer therapy following DeltaRex-G treatment. The present study reports a mutation of tumor protein p53 (TP53) (G199V) found retrospectively in the patient's archived tumor samples. TP53 is a well-characterized tumor suppressor gene, and a critical regulatory component of the executive CCNG1/CDK/Myc/Mdm2/p53 axis, which regulates proliferative cell competence, DNA fidelity and survival. Studies are underway to determine whether TP53 mutations in pancreatic cancer can help identify a subset of patients with advanced metastatic cancer with an otherwise poor prognosis who would respond favorably to DeltaRex-G, which would broaden the treatment options for patients with otherwise lethal PDAC.

The role of HPV gene expression and selected cellular MiRNAs in lung cancer development

BACKGROUND

The high mortality rate of lung cancer can be justified that strong need to explore new aspect of tumor biology. Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been detected as risk factor for the development of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the role of HPV and cellular/miRNAs genes expression in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and development of lung cancer.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 109 lung cancer tissue and 52 controls were included. We analyzed the presence of HPV infection, its genotypes (in positive samples) and the expression of viral genes (E2, E6 and E7). Also, We examined the expression of celluar factors including (a) p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) (as anti-carcinogenic genes), (b) EMT related genes, (c) selected miRNAs.

RESULTS

Our results reported 51.4% and 23.1% of HPV genome in tumor tissues and control tissues samples, respectively. There was a significant association between the HPV positive status and lung cancer (OR = 3.26, 95% C.I = 1.47-7.02, P = 0.001). HPV type 16 was the most prevalent genotype in tissues. The expression of p53, RB, TIMP1, CCNG-1, E-cad and PTPN13 were decreased while MMP-2 and N-cad were increased in HPV-positive tumor/control tissues compared to HPV-negative tissues. Also, among miRNAs, let-7, miR-23, miR-34, miR-125, miR-146 were downregulated and miR-20, miR-424 were upregulated in HPV-positve tissues compared to HPV-negative tissues.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that HPV infection and interaction with cellular genes and miRNAs promote EMT which involved in the lung cancer development.

Roles of microRNAs in Ovarian Cancer Tumorigenesis: Two Decades Later, What Have We Learned?

Ovarian cancer is one of the top gynecological malignancies that cause deaths among females in the United States. At the molecular level, significant progress has been made in our understanding of ovarian cancer development and progression. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded, highly conserved non-coding RNA molecules (19–25 nucleotides) that negatively regulate target genes post-transcriptionally. Over the last two decades, mounting evidence has demonstrated the aberrant expression of miRNAs in different human malignancies, including ovarian carcinomas. Deregulated miRNAs can have profound impacts on various cancer hallmarks by repressing tumor suppressor genes. This review will discuss up-to-date knowledge of how the aberrant expression of miRNAs and their targeted genes drives ovarian cancer initiation, proliferation, survival, and resistance to chemotherapies. Understanding the mechanisms by which these miRNAs affect these hallmarks should allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat these lethal malignancies.

MicroRNA-122-5p inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting CCNG1 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal human malignancy, and previous researches support the contribution of microRNA (miRNA) to cancer progression. MiR-122-5p is reported to participate in the regulation of various cancers, while the function of miR-122-5p in PDAC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the precise mechanism of miR-122-5p involved in PDAC pathogenesis.

Methods

The expression levels of miR-122-5p were detected in human PDAC tissues and cell lines by miRNA RT-PCR. The effects of miR-122-5p on cell proliferation were explored by MTT assays, colony formation assays and flow cytometry assays. The ability of migration and invasion was determined by transwell assays. Dual Luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the direct interaction between miR-122-5p and its target gene. The related molecules of cell cycle, apoptosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) were examined with qRT-PCR and western blot. In addition, xenograft mouse models were applied to explore the effects of miR-122-5p in vivo.

Results

MiR-122-5p was underexpressed, while CCNG1 was highly expressed in PDAC tissues and cells. MiR-122-5p was negatively correlated with TNM stage, tumor size and lymph node metastasis in PDAC patients. Overexpression of miR-122-5p suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and inhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. Furthermore, CCNG1 was a direct target of miR-122-5p. Upregulated CCNG1 could partially reverse the effects caused by miR-122-5p. Moreover, miR-122-5p inhibited EMT through downregulation of CCNG1.

Conclusion

Overexpression of miR-122-5p could inhibit cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT by downregulating CCNG1 in PDAC, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for PDAC.

Atypical cyclins: the extended family portrait

Regulation of cell division is orchestrated by cyclins, which bind and activate their catalytic workmates, the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Cyclins have been traditionally defined by an oscillating (cyclic) pattern of expression and by the presence of a characteristic "cyclin box" that determines binding to the CDKs. Noteworthy, the Human Genome Sequence Project unveiled the existence of several other proteins containing the "cyclin box" domain. These potential "cyclins" have been named new, orphan or atypical, creating a conundrum in cyclins nomenclature. Moreover, although many years have passed after their discovery, the scarcity of information regarding these possible members of the family has hampered the establishment of criteria for systematization. Here, we discuss the criteria that define cyclins and we propose a classification and nomenclature update based on structural features, interactors, and phylogenetic information. The application of these criteria allows to systematically define, for the first time, the subfamily of atypical cyclins and enables the use of a common nomenclature for this extended family.

Upregulation of microRNA-23b-3p induced by farnesoid X receptor regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells

BACKGROUND

The downstream targets of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) such as miRNAs have a potent effect on the progression of many types of cancer. We aim to study the effects of FXR on osteosarcoma (OS) development and the potential role of microRNA-23b-3p.

METHODS

The expressions of FXR and miR-23b-3p in normal osteoblasts and five osteosarcoma cell lines were measured. Their correlations were analyzed by Pearson's test and verified by the introduction of FXR agonist, GW4064. TargetScan predicted that cyclin G1 (CCNG1) was a target for miR-23b-3p. The transfection of FXR siRNA was performed to confirm the correlation between FXR and miR-23b-3p. We further transfected miR-23b-3p inhibitor into MG-63 cells, and the transfected cells were treated with 5 μM GW4064 for 48 h. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot were performed for expression analysis. Cell proliferation, cell apoptosis rate, and cell cycle distribution were assessed by clone formation assay and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Scatter plot showed a positive correlation between FXR and miR-23b-3p (Pearson's coefficient test R² = 1.00, P = 0.0028). As CCNG1 is a target for miR-23b-3p, the treatment of GW4064 induced the downregulation of CCNG1 through upregulating miR-23b-3p. The inhibition of miR-23b-3p obviously promoted cell viability, proliferation, and cell cycle progression but reduced apoptosis rate of MG-63 cells; however, the treatment of GW4064 could partially reverse the effects of the inhibition of miR-23b-3p on OS cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Upregulated FXR by GW4064 can obviously suppress OS cell development, and the suppressive effects may rely on miR-23b-3p/CCNG1 pathway.