Wnt5A modulates integrin expression in a receptor-dependent manner in ovarian cancer cells

Unlocking the potential: advancements and future horizons in ROR1-targeted cancer therapies

While receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) is typically expressed at low levels or absent in normal tissues, its expression is notably elevated in various malignant tumors and conditions, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, and lung adenocarcinoma. This distinctive feature positions ROR1 as an attractive target for tumor-specific treatments. Currently, several targeted drugs directed at ROR1 are undergoing clinical development, including monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T). Additionally, there are four small molecule inhibitors designed to bind to ROR1, presenting promising avenues for the development of PROTAC degraders targeting ROR1. This review offers updated insights into ROR1's structural and functional characteristics, embryonic development implications, cell survival signaling pathways, and evolutionary targeting strategies, all of which have the potential to advance the treatment of malignant tumors.

Noncanonical WNT5A controls the activation of latent TGF-β to drive fibroblast activation and tissue fibrosis

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling is a core pathway of fibrosis, but the molecular regulation of the activation of latent TGF-β remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate a crucial role of WNT5A/JNK/ROCK signaling that rapidly coordinates the activation of latent TGF-β in fibrotic diseases. WNT5A was identified as a predominant noncanonical WNT ligand in fibrotic diseases such as systemic sclerosis, sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, stimulating fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and tissue fibrosis by activation of latent TGF-β. The activation of latent TGF-β requires rapid JNK- and ROCK-dependent cytoskeletal rearrangements and integrin αV (ITGAV). Conditional ablation of WNT5A or its downstream targets prevented activation of latent TGF-β, rebalanced TGF-β signaling, and ameliorated experimental fibrosis. We thus uncovered what we believe to be a novel mechanism for the aberrant activation of latent TGF-β in fibrotic diseases and provided evidence for targeting WNT5A/JNK/ROCK signaling in fibrotic diseases as a new therapeutic approach.

A novel class of inhibitors that disrupts the stability of integrin heterodimers identified by CRISPR-tiling-instructed genetic screens

The plasma membrane is enriched for receptors and signaling proteins that are accessible from the extracellular space for pharmacological intervention. Here we conducted a series of CRISPR screens using human cell surface proteome and integrin family libraries in multiple cancer models. Our results identified ITGAV (integrin αV) and its heterodimer partner ITGB5 (integrin β5) as the essential integrin α/β pair for cancer cell expansion. High-density CRISPR gene tiling further pinpointed the integral pocket within the β-propeller domain of ITGAV for integrin αVβ5 dimerization. Combined with in silico compound docking, we developed a CRISPR-Tiling-Instructed Computer-Aided (CRISPR-TICA) pipeline for drug discovery and identified Cpd_AV2 as a lead inhibitor targeting the β-propeller central pocket of ITGAV. Cpd_AV2 treatment led to rapid uncoupling of integrin αVβ5 and cellular apoptosis, providing a unique class of therapeutic action that eliminates the integrin signaling via heterodimer dissociation. We also foresee the CRISPR-TICA approach to be an accessible method for future drug discovery studies.

FZD3 regulates the viability, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degradation of vaginal wall fibroblasts in pelvic organ prolapse via the Wnt signaling pathway

The occurrence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) seriously affects women's quality of life. However, the pathogenesis of POP remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the role of Frizzled class receptor 3 (FZD3) in POP. FZD3 expression in the vaginal wall tissues was detected using immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis. Then, vaginal wall fibroblasts (VWFs) were isolated from patients with POP and non-POP, and were identified. Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation was assessed by western blot analysis. The results illustrated that FZD3 was downregulated in POP. VWFs from POP had lower cell viability, ECM degradation, and higher apoptosis. Knockdown of FZD3 inhibited cell viability, ECM degradation, and promoted apoptosis of VWFs, whereas overexpression of FZD3 had opposite results. Moreover, IWP-4 (Wingless-type [Wnt] pathway inhibitor) reversed the role of FZD3 overexpression on biological behaviors. Taken together, FZD3 facilitates VWFs viability, ECM degradation, and inhibits apoptosis via the Wnt pathway in POP. The findings provide a potential target for the treatment of POP.

Wnt5a: A promising therapeutic target for inflammation, especially rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Wnt5a is a member of the Wnt protein family, which acts on classical or multiple non-classical Wnt signaling pathways by binding to different receptors. The expression regulation and signal transduction of Wnt5a is closely related to the inflammatory response. Abnormal activation of Wnt5a signaling is an important part of inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

OBJECTIVES

This paper mainly focuses on Wnt5a protein and its mediated signaling pathway, summarizes the latest research progress of Wnt5a in the pathological process of inflammation and RA, and looks forward to the main directions of Wnt5a in RA research, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of RA diseases by targeting Wnt5a.

RESULTS

Wnt5a is highly expressed in activated blood vessels, histocytes and synoviocytes in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, sepsis, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. It mediates the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, regulates the migration and recruitment of various immune effector cells, and thus participates in the inflammatory response. Wnt5a plays a pathological role in synovial inflammation and bone destruction of RA, and may be an important clinical therapeutic target for RA.

CONCLUSION

Wnt5a is involved in the pathological process of inflammation and interacts with inflammatory factors. Wnt5a may be a new target for regulating the progression of RA disease and intervening therapy because of its multi-modal effects on the etiology of RA, especially as a regulator of osteoclast activity and inflammation.

Extracellular Matrix in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer: Advances in Understanding of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Biology

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is notoriously known as the "silent killer" of post-menopausal women as it has an insidious progression and is the deadliest gynaecological cancer. Although a dual origin of HGSOC is now widely accepted, there is growing evidence that most cases of HGSOC originate from the fallopian tube epithelium. In this review, we will address the fallopian tube origin and involvement of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in HGSOC development. There is limited research on the role of ECM at the earliest stages of HGSOC carcinogenesis. Here we aim to synthesise current understanding on the contribution of ECM to each stage of HGSOC development and progression, beginning at serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) precursor lesions and proceeding across key events including dissemination of tumourigenic fallopian tube epithelial cells to the ovary, survival of these cells in peritoneal fluid as multicellular aggregates, and colonisation of the ovary. Likewise, as part of the metastatic series of events, serous ovarian cancer cells survive travel in peritoneal fluid, attach to, migrate across the mesothelium and invade into the sub-mesothelial matrix of secondary sites in the peritoneal cavity. Halting cancer at the pre-metastatic stage and finding ways to stop the dissemination of ovarian cancer cells from the primary site is critical for improving patient survival. The development of drug resistance also contributes to poor survival statistics in HGSOC. In this review, we provide an update on the involvement of the ECM in metastasis and drug resistance in HGSOC. Interplay between different cell-types, growth factor gradients as well as evolving ECM composition and organisation, creates microenvironment conditions that promote metastatic progression and drug resistance of ovarian cancer cells. By understanding ECM involvement in the carcinogenesis and chemoresistance of HGSOC, this may prompt ideas for further research for developing new early diagnostic tests and therapeutic strategies for HGSOC with the end goal of improving patient health outcomes.

Distinctive Roles of Wnt Signaling in Chondrogenic Differentiation of BMSCs under Coupling of Pressure and Platelet-Rich Fibrin

BACKGROUND

Although newly formed constructs of feasible pressure-preadjusted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) showed biomechanical flexibility and superior capacity for cartilage regeneration, it is still not very clear how BMSCs and seed cells feel mechanical stimuli and convert them into biological signals, and the difference in signal transduction underlying mechanical and chemical cues is also unclear.

METHODS

To determine whether mechanical stimulation (hydrostatic pressure) and chemical cues (platelet-rich fibrin, PRF) activate canonical or noncanonical Wnt signaling in BMSCs, BMSCs cocultured with PRF were subjected to hydrostatic pressure loading, and the activation of the Wnt signaling molecules and expression of cartilage-associated proteins and genes were determined by western blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Inhibitors of canonical or noncanonical Wnt signaling, XVX-939 or L690,330, were adopted to investigate the role of Wnt signaling molecules in mechanically promoted chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

RESULTS

Hydrostatic pressure of 120 kPa activated both Wnt/β-catenin signaling and Wnt/Ca²⁺ signaling, with the the maximum promotion effect at 60 min. PRF exerted no synergistic effect on Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation. However, the growth factors released by PRF might reverse the promotion effects of pressure on Wnt/Ca²⁺ signaling. Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that pressure could activate the expression of Col-II, Sox9, and aggrecan in BMSCs cocultured with PRF. Blocking experiment found a positive role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and a negative role of Wnt/Ca²⁺ signaling in chondrogenic differentiation of the BMSCs. Mutual inhibition exists between canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling in BMSCs under pressure.

CONCLUSION

Wnt signaling participates in the pressure-promoted chondrogenesis of the BMSCs co-cultured with PRF, with canonical and noncanonical pathways playing distinct roles during the process.

Expression Profile Analysis to Identify Circular RNA Expression Signatures in the Prolificacy Trait of Yunshang Black Goat Pituitary in the Estrus Cycle

The pituitary gland is an important organ. It is a complex area of the brain involved in endocrine function and reproductive regulation. However, the function of the pituitary in goat reproduction is still unclear. Herein, RNA sequencing was used to explore the expression patterns of circle RNAs (circRNAs) in the pituitary of Yunshang black goats during the various estrus phases. Then the host genes of the circRNAs were predicted, and a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed. The results showed a total of 6,705 circRNAs in the pituitary of Yunshang black goats, among which 388 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs (214 were upregulated, while 174 were downregulated) were identified between high- and low-yield Yunshang black goats in the follicular phase (HF vs. LF); moreover, 361 DE circRNAs (136 were upregulated, while 225 were downregulated) were identified between high- and low-yield Yunshang black goats in the luteal phase (HL vs. LL). There were 65 DE circRNAs targeting 40 miRNAs in the HF vs. LF comparison and 46 DE circRNAs targeting 31 miRNAs in the HL vs. LL comparison. We identified chi_circ_0030920, chi_circ_0043017, chi_circ_0008353, chi_circ_0041580, and chi_circ_0016478 as the key circRNAs through functional enrichment analysis. The ceRNA network analysis showed that chi_circ_0031209 and chi_circ_0019448 might play an important role in reproduction by influencing the expression of prolactin receptor (PRLR) in high- and low-yielding goats during the luteal phase, whereas chi_circ_0014542 regulates the expression of WNT5A during the follicular phase. Our study provided the overall expression profiles of circRNAs in the goat pituitary during the estrus phase, which provides new insight into the mechanism of high-yield goats, which can be helpful to guide goat breeding.

Wnt5A and TGFβ1 Converges through YAP1 Activity and Integrin Alpha v Up-Regulation Promoting Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer Cells and Mesothelial Cell Activation

In this paper, we investigate whether Wnt5A is associated with the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 and Hippo-YAP1/TAZ-TEAD pathways, implicated in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial ovarian cancer. We used 3D and 2D cultures of human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV-3, OVCAR-3, CAOV-4, and different subtypes of human serous ovarian cancer compared to normal ovary specimens. Wnt5A showed a positive correlation with TAZ and TGFβ1 in high- and low-grade serous ovarian cancer specimens compared to borderline serous and normal ovaries. Silencing Wnt5A by siRNAs significantly decreased Smad2/3 activation and YAP1 expression and nuclear shuttling in ovarian cancer (OvCa) cells. Furthermore, Wnt5A was required for TGFβ1-induced cell migration and invasion. In addition, inhibition of YAP1 transcriptional activity by Verteporfin (VP) altered OvCa cell migration and invasion through decreased Wnt5A expression and inhibition of Smad2/3 activation, which was reverted in the presence of exogenous Wnt5A. We found that the activation of TGFβ1 and YAP1 nuclear shuttling was promoted by Wnt5A-induced integrin alpha v. Lastly, Wnt5A was implicated in activating human primary omental mesothelial cells and subsequent invasion of ovarian cancer cells. Together, we propose that Wnt5A could be a critical mediator of EMT-associated pathways.

Stationed or Relocating: The Seesawing EMT/MET Determinants from Embryonic Development to Cancer Metastasis

Epithelial and mesenchymal transition mechanisms continue to occur during the cell cycle and throughout human development from the embryo stage to death. In embryo development, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) can be divided into three essential steps. First, endoderm, mesoderm, and neural crest cells form, then the cells are subdivided, and finally, cardiac valve formation occurs. After the embryonic period, the human body will be subjected to ongoing mechanical stress or injury. The formation of a wound requires EMT to recruit fibroblasts to generate granulation tissues, repair the wound and re-create an intact skin barrier. However, once cells transform into a malignant tumor, the tumor cells acquire the characteristic of immortality. Local cell growth with no growth inhibition creates a solid tumor. If the tumor cannot obtain enough nutrition in situ, the tumor cells will undergo EMT and invade the basal membrane of nearby blood vessels. The tumor cells are transported through the bloodstream to secondary sites and then begin to form colonies and undergo reverse EMT, the so-called "mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET)." This dynamic change involves cell morphology, environmental conditions, and external stimuli. Therefore, in this manuscript, the similarities and differences between EMT and MET will be dissected from embryonic development to the stage of cancer metastasis.