Cancer stem cell markers for liver cancer and pancreatic cancer

Targeting Hepatic Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) and Related Drug Resistance by Small Interfering RNA (siRNA)

Tumor recurrence after curative therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells' resistance to conventional therapies is the reasons for the worse clinical results of HCC patients. A tiny population of cancer cells with a strong potential for self-renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenesis has been identified as cancer stem cells (CSCs). The discovery of CSC surface markers and the separation of CSC subpopulations from HCC cells have been made possible by recent developments in the study of hepatic (liver) CSCs. Hepatic CSC surface markers include epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM), CD133, CD90, CD13, CD44, OV-6, ALDH, and K19. CSCs have a significant influence on the development of cancer, invasiveness, self-renewal, metastasis, and drug resistance in HCC, and thus provide a therapeutic chance to treat HCC and avoid its recurrence. Therefore, it is essential to develop treatment approaches that specifically and effectively target hepatic stem cells. Given this, one potential treatment approach is to use particular small interfering RNA (siRNA) to target CSC, disrupting their behavior and microenvironment as well as changing their epigenetic state. The characteristics of CSCs in HCC are outlined in this study, along with new treatment approaches based on siRNA that may be used to target hepatic CSCs and overcome HCC resistance to traditional therapies.

Diagnostic lncRNA high expression for liver patients prognosis and medication guidance: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The study of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has gained significant attention due to their roles in regulating gene expression and their potential as diagnostic biomarkers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of high-expression lncRNAs in liver disease patients, including those with hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, up to July 2024. Studies were included if they investigated the expression of lncRNAs in liver disease patients and evaluated their diagnostic performance. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to assess the quality of included studies. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratios (DOR), and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were calculated using a bivariate random-effects model.

Results

Nine studies involving 888 samples were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) was 2.01 (95% CI: 1.71-2.36), indicating a significant association between high lncRNA expression and poor liver disease outcomes. Subgroup analyses revealed a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.99 (95% CI: 1.53-2.60) for tissue samples and 8.62 (95% CI: 1.16-63.71) for blood samples, suggesting a stronger diagnostic value for blood-based lncRNAs. The funnel plots indicated minimal publication bias, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings.

Conclusion

High-expression lncRNAs show significant potential as diagnostic biomarkers for liver diseases, offering non-invasive, accurate, and timely diagnostic information. Despite the promising results, further research is needed to standardize detection methods, elucidate the biological functions of lncRNAs, and validate their clinical utility in diverse patient populations. Integrating lncRNA biomarkers with traditional diagnostic approaches could enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve patient management and outcomes in liver disease.

Investigation of Newly Synthesized Fluorinated Isatin-Hydrazones by In Vitro Antiproliferative Activity, Molecular Docking, ADME Analysis, and e-Pharmacophore Modeling

In this study, we investigated the in vitro antiproliferative activities and performed computational studies of newly synthesized fluorinated isatin-hydrazones. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by FT-IR, 1D NMR (1H- and 13C NMR and APT), 2D NMR (HETCOR and HMBC), and elemental analysis. All compounds (1-15) were tested in human lung (A549) and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines for 72 h. The compounds were screened against a healthy embryonic kidney cell line (HEK-293T) under the same conditions to determine their toxic effects. According to the results obtained, one of the compounds, in particular, compound 8 was effective at inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells, and its effects on both cancer cell lines were similar to IC50 values of 42.43 and 48.43 μM for A549 and HepG2, respectively. Compound 8, which was determined to be the best anticancer agent in vitro, was chosen to interact with the target via molecular docking. This selected ligand (compound 8) interacted with the targets 4HJO, 4ASD, 3POZ, and 7TZ7, and docked into the active sites. The docking score, Glide energy, and Glide emodel values were calculated and determined to be lower than those of the reference compound cisplatin. The pharmacokinetic properties, stability, and drug-likeness parameters of all designed compounds were estimated using SwissADME. Finally, the binding affinities of compound 8 for all four targets were calculated using the MM-GBSA method.

Identification of Transcriptomic Signatures of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma-Derived Exosomes That Promote Macrophage M2 Polarization and Predict Prognosis: S100A9 Reveals Tumor Progression

Background

Exosomes play a role in intercellular communication and participate in the interaction between pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells and immune cells. Macrophages can receive tumor cell-derived exosomes to polarize into M2-type macrophages, which can enhance the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer, leading to poor prognosis. However, the mechanism by which pancreatic cancer cell-derived exosomes promote M2-type macrophages is still unclear.

Methods

M2 macrophage-associated exosome-derived key module genes were identified by differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) analysis using exoRbase 2.0, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify key prognostic genes and obtain regression coefficients to establish prognostic signature. Immune infiltration, tumor mutations, and GSEA among different risk groups were compared. exoRbase 2.0, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2), HPA, and TISCH2 databases were used to further analyze the expression pattern of S100A9 in pancreatic cancer. In vitro experiments, cell-derived exosome isolation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, flow cytometry analysis, cell transfection, transwell assay, and CCK-8 assay were applied to investigate the roles of S100A9 in macrophage M2 polarization and tumor progression.

Results

The key genes of PDAC-derived exosomes promoting M2-type macrophage polarization were identified, and a risk score model was established. The risk score is related to the expression of common immune checkpoints, immune score, and stromal score, and the tumor mutational burden and biological function of high- and low-risk groups were also different. S100A9 was positively correlated with M2-type macrophage marker. In addition, scRNA-seq data from the TISCH2 database revealed that S100A9 is predominantly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells and mono/macrophage cells, suggesting that S100A9 in pancreatic cancer cells could be received by macrophages, thereby inducing macrophage polarization. In vitro, we used exosomes from BxPC-3 cell lines to coculture macrophages and found that macrophages were mainly polarized toward M2 type, which further promoted the proliferation and metastasis of PDAC.

Conclusions

Our study established a reliable risk score model for PDAC-derived exosomes and M2 macrophages, identified the important role of S100A9 in macrophage M2 polarization, which provides a new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of PDAC, and strengthened the understanding of the mechanism of tumor development and metastasis.

Cell of Origin of Pancreatic cancer: Novel Findings and Current Understanding

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stands as one of the most lethal diseases globally, boasting a grim 5-year survival prognosis. The origin cell and the molecular signaling pathways that drive PDAC progression are not entirely understood. This review comprehensively outlines the categorization of PDAC and its precursor lesions, expounds on the creation and utility of genetically engineered mouse models used in PDAC research, compiles a roster of commonly used markers for pancreatic progenitors, duct cells, and acinar cells, and briefly addresses the mechanisms involved in the progression of PDAC. We acknowledge the value of precise markers and suitable tracing tools to discern the cell of origin, as it can facilitate the creation of more effective models for PDAC exploration. These conclusions shed light on our existing understanding of foundational genetically engineered mouse models and focus on the origin and development of PDAC.

In situ grown magnetic COF@MOF with a phosphoserine anchor for in-depth N-glycopeptide analysis in serum

A hydrophilic phosphoserine-functionalized magnetic organic framework composite (termed Fe3O4@COF@MOF-PS) was synthesized by an in situ growth strategy for effective capture of N-glycopeptides. Fe3O4@COF@MOF-PS exhibited high sensitivity (0.2 fmol μL-1), outstanding exclusion of size capability (1 : 10 000), good selectivity (1 : 2000), and reusability (at least 10 times). It also exhibited remarkable performance in the N-glycopeptide analysis in complex biological samples. Via nano-LC-MS/MS analysis, a total of 223 N-glycopeptides with 161 glycosylation sites assigned to 91 glycoproteins and 331 N-glycopeptides with 243 glycosylation sites assigned to 134 glycoproteins were identified in sera from cervical cancer patients and normal controls, respectively. Biological processes and molecular functional analyses indicate that the captured glycoproteins are of significant relevance to cervical cancer, for example, gene coverage or expression of cell adhesion and extracellular matrix structural constituents. Thus, Fe3O4@COF@MOF-PS not only efficiently captures N-glycopeptides, but also has the possibility of screening potential disease markers and elucidating the process of cervical cancer development.

Identification of potential pseudogenes for predicting the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

PURPOSE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a highly deadly malignant tumor with high recurrence and metastasis rates. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in tumor metastasis, recurrence, and resistance to drugs, which have attracted widespread attention in recent years. Research has shown that pseudogenes may regulate stemness to promote the progression of HCC, but its specific mechanisms and impact on prognosis remain unclear.

METHODS

In this study, clinical prognosis information of HCC was first downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then we calculated the mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) of HCC. We also screened the differentially expressed pseudogene (DEPs) and conducted univariate Cox regression analysis to investigate their effect on the prognosis of HCC. Further, genomic mutation frequency analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to compare the role of pseudogenes and stemness in promoting the progression of HCC. Finally, we conducted the correlation analysis to examine the potential mechanism of pseudogenes regulating stemness to promote the progression of HCC and detected the possible pathways through the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis.

RESULTS

Herein, we revealed that the high stemness of HCC correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. We obtained 31 up-regulated and 8 down-regulated DEPs in HCC and screened CTB-63M22.1, a poor prognostic indicator of HCC. In addition, CTB-63M22.1 had a mutation frequency similar to mRNAsi and acted in a module similar to that of mRNAsi on HCC. We then screened two RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) LIN28B and NOP56 with the highest correlation with stemness. We also discovered that they were primarily enriched in the biological process as examples of mitotic nuclear division and cell cycle.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these results revealed that pseudogenes CTB-63M22.1 may regulate cancer stemness by regulating RBPs, suggesting that CTB-63M22.1 may serve as an innovative therapeutic target and a reliable prognostic marker for HCC.

Umbelliprenin induces autophagy and apoptosis while inhibits cancer cell stemness in pancreatic cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Umbelliprenin is a sesquiterpene coumarin isolated from Artemisia absinthium L. and shows antitumor effects in various cancers by inducing apoptosis. However, the antitumor effect of umbelliprenin in human pancreatic cancer has not been clarified.

METHODS

The antitumor effects were determined by MTT and AnnexinV/PI double staining assay in vitro and xenograft mice in vivo. Autophagy was determined via immunofluorescence analysis. Apoptotic or autophagic related proteins were measured by immunoblotting. The pancreatic cancer cell stemness were determined by mammosphere formation and ALDEFLUOR assay.

RESULTS

It revealed that umbelliprenin inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in vitro and pancreatic cancer tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, umbelliprenin induced pancreatic cancer cell BxPC3 apoptosis and autophagy as evidenced by upregulated apoptosis and autophagy- related protein expression (p < 0.01). Blocking autophagy by 3-MA or Atg7 knockout enhanced umbelliprenin-induced apoptosis (p < 0.05). Umbelliprenin also reduced pancreatic cancer cell stemness by reducing Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2 mRNA levels (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, umbelliprenin greatly inhibited Akt/mTOR and Notch1 signal pathway.

CONCLUSION

Umbelliprenin may be a novel therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Pancreatic cancer stemness: dynamic status in malignant progression

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that the capacity for self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation of pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) contribute to major challenges with current PC therapies, causing metastasis and therapeutic resistance, leading to recurrence and death in patients. The concept that PCSCs are characterized by their high plasticity and self-renewal capacities is central to this review. We focused specifically on the regulation of PCSCs, such as stemness-related signaling pathways, stimuli in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME), as well as the development of innovative stemness-targeted therapies. Understanding the biological behavior of PCSCs with plasticity and the molecular mechanisms regulating PC stemness will help to identify new treatment strategies to treat this horrible disease.

Implications of cancer stem cells in diabetes and pancreatic cancer

This review provides a detailed study of pancreatic cancer (PC) and the implication of different types of cancers concerning diabetes. The combination of anti-diabetic drugs with other anti-cancer drugs and phytochemicals can help prevent and treat this disease. PC cancer stem cells (CSCs) and how they migrate and develop into malignant tumors are discussed. A detailed explanation of the different mechanisms of diabetes development, which can enhance the pancreatic CSCs' proliferation by increasing the IGF factor levels, epigenetic modifications, DNA damage, and the influence of lifestyle factors like obesity, and inflammation, has been discussed. It also explains how cancer due to diabetes is associated with high mortality rates. One of the well-known diabetic drugs, metformin, can be combined with other anti-cancer drugs and prevent the development of PC and has been taken as one of the prime focus in this review. Overall, this paper provides insight into the relationship between diabetes and PC and the methods that can be employed to diagnose this disease at an earlier stage successfully.

A Comprehensive Characterization of Stemness in Cell Lines and Primary Cells of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive characterization of stemness in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. Seventeen cell lines were evaluated for the expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers. The two putative pancreatic CSC phenotypes were expressed heterogeneously ranging from 0 to 99.35% (median 3.46) for ESA+CD24+CD44+ and 0 to 1.94% (median 0.13) for CXCR4+CD133+. Cell lines were classified according to ESA+CD24+CD44+ expression as: Low-Stemness (LS; <5%, n = 9, median 0.31%); Medium-Stemness (MS; 6−20%, n = 4, median 12.4%); and High-Stemness (HS; >20%, n = 4, median 95.8%) cell lines. Higher degree of stemness was associated with in vivo tumorigenicity but not with in vitro growth kinetics, clonogenicity, and chemo-resistance. A wide characterization (chemokine receptors, factors involved in pancreatic organogenesis, markers of epithelial−mesenchymal transition, and secretome) revealed that the degree of stemness was associated with KRT19 and NKX2.2 mRNA expression, with CD49a and CA19.9/Tie2 protein expression, and with the secretion of VEGF, IL-7, IL-12p70, IL-6, CCL3, IL-10, and CXCL9. The expression of stem cell markers was also evaluated on primary tumor cells from 55 PDAC patients who underwent pancreatectomy with radical intent, revealing that CXCR4+/CD133+ and CD24+ cells, but not ESA+CD24+CD44+, are independent predictors of mortality.

Combined Targeting of AKT and mTOR Inhibits Tumor Formation of EpCAM+ and CD90+ Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells in an Orthotopic Mouse Model

The epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and Thy-1 cell surface antigen (CD90) have been implicated as cancer stem cell (CSC) markers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Expression of EpCAM and CD90 on HCC cells is associated with increased tumorigenicity, metastasis and poor prognosis. In this study, we demonstrate that combined treatment with AKT and mTOR inhibitors—i.e., MK2206 and RAD001—results in a synergistic reduction in proliferation of EpCAM+ and CD90+ HCC cells cultured either as adherent cells or as tumoroids in vitro. In addition, tumor growth was reduced by combined treatment with AKT and mTOR inhibitors in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of an EpCAM+ HCC cell line (Huh7) and primary patient-derived EpCAM+ HCC cells (HCC1) as well as a CD90+ HCC-related cell line (SK-HEP1) in vivo. However, during AKT/mTOR treatment, outgrowth of therapy-resistant tumors was observed in all mice analyzed within a few weeks. Resistance was associated in most cases with restoration of AKT signaling in the tumors, intrahepatic metastases and distant metastases. In addition, an upregulation of the p38 MAPK pathway was identified in the AKT/mTOR inhibitor-resistant tumor cells by kinome profiling. The development of resistant cells during AKT/mTOR therapy was further analyzed by red-green-blue (RGB) marking of HCC cells, which revealed an outgrowth of a large number of Huh7 cells over a period of 6 months. In summary, our data demonstrate that combined treatment with AKT and mTOR inhibitors exhibits synergistic effects on proliferation of EpCAM+ as well as CD90+ HCC cells in vitro. However, the fast development of large numbers of resistant clones under AKT/mTOR therapy observed in vitro and in the orthotopic xenotransplantation mouse model in vivo strongly suggests that this therapy alone will not be sufficient to eliminate EpCAM+ or CD90+ cancer stem cells from HCC patients.

Etching reaction of carbon quantum dot-functionalized MnO2 nanosheets with an enzymatic product for photoelectrochemical immunoassay of alpha-fetoprotein

An etching reaction-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay was developed to monitor alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) by coupling with the enzymatic product toward the dissolution of MnO2 nanosheets.