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Morena F, Cabrera AR, Greene NP. Exploring heterogeneity: a dive into preclinical models of cancer cachexia. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C310-C328. [PMID: 38853648 PMCID: PMC11427020 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00317.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial and complex syndrome experienced by up to 80% of patients with cancer and implicated in ∼40% of cancer-related deaths. Given its significant impact on patients' quality of life and prognosis, there has been a growing emphasis on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of CC using preclinical models. However, the mechanisms of cachexia appear to differ across several variables including tumor type and model and biologic variables such as sex. These differences may be exacerbated by variance in experimental approaches and data reporting. This review examines literature spanning from 2011 to March 2024, focusing on common preclinical models of CC, including Lewis Lung Carcinoma, pancreatic KPC, and colorectal colon-26 and Apcmin/+ models. Our analysis reveals considerable heterogeneity in phenotypic outcomes, and investigated mechanisms within each model, with particular attention to sex differences that may be exacerbated through methodological differences. Although searching for unified mechanisms is critical, we posit that effective treatment approaches are likely to leverage the heterogeneity presented by the tumor and pertinent biological variables to direct specific interventions. In exploring this heterogeneity, it becomes critical to consider methodological and data reporting approaches to best inform further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francielly Morena
- Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
| | - Ana Regina Cabrera
- Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
| | - Nicholas P Greene
- Cachexia Research Laboratory, Exercise Science Research Center, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
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Muthamil S, Muthuramalingam P, Kim HY, Jang HJ, Lyu JH, Shin UC, Go Y, Park SH, Lee HG, Shin H, Park JH. Unlocking Prognostic Genes and Multi-Targeted Therapeutic Bioactives from Herbal Medicines to Combat Cancer-Associated Cachexia: A Transcriptomics and Network Pharmacology Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:156. [PMID: 38203330 PMCID: PMC10778733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cachexia is a devastating fat tissue and muscle wasting syndrome associated with every major chronic illness, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, AIDS, and heart failure. Despite two decades of intense research, cachexia remains under-recognized by oncologists. While numerous drug candidates have been proposed for cachexia treatment, none have achieved clinical success. Only a few drugs are approved by the FDA for cachexia therapy, but a very low success rate is observed among patients. Currently, the identification of drugs from herbal medicines is a frontier research area for many diseases. In this milieu, network pharmacology, transcriptomics, cheminformatics, and molecular docking approaches were used to identify potential bioactive compounds from herbal medicines for the treatment of cancer-related cachexia. The network pharmacology approach is used to select the 32 unique genes from 238 genes involved in cachexia-related pathways, which are targeted by 34 phytocompounds identified from 12 different herbal medicines used for the treatment of muscle wasting in many countries. Gene expression profiling and functional enrichment analysis are applied to decipher the role of unique genes in cancer-associated cachexia pathways. In addition, the pharmacological properties and molecular interactions of the phytocompounds were analyzed to find the target compounds for cachexia therapy. Altogether, combined omics and network pharmacology approaches were used in the current study to untangle the complex prognostic genes involved in cachexia and phytocompounds with anti-cachectic efficacy. However, further functional and experimental validations are required to confirm the efficacy of these phytocompounds as commercial drug candidates for cancer-associated cachexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subramanian Muthamil
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
| | - Pandiyan Muthuramalingam
- Division of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (P.M.); (H.S.)
| | - Hyun-Yong Kim
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
| | - Hyun-Jun Jang
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
| | - Ji-Hyo Lyu
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
| | - Ung Cheol Shin
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
| | - Younghoon Go
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seong-Hoon Park
- Genetic and Epigenetic Toxicology Research Group, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hee Gu Lee
- Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyunsuk Shin
- Division of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea; (P.M.); (H.S.)
| | - Jun Hong Park
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea; (S.M.); (H.-Y.K.); (H.-J.J.); (J.-H.L.); (U.C.S.)
- Korean Convergence Medicine Major, University of Science & Technology (UST), KIOM Campus, Daejeon 34054, Republic of Korea
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Cunningham P, Unger CA, Patton EA, Aiken A, Browne A, James E, Aladhami AK, Hope 3rd MC, VanderVeen BN, Cardaci TD, Murphy EA, Enos RT, Velázquez KT. Platelet status in cancer cachexia progression in Apc Min/+ mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1253587. [PMID: 37701438 PMCID: PMC10493779 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1253587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cachexia, a complex wasting syndrome, significantly affects the quality of life and treatment options for cancer patients. Studies have reported a strong correlation between high platelet count and decreased survival in cachectic individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the immunopathogenesis of cancer cachexia using the ApcMin/+ mouse model of spontaneous colorectal cancer. The research focused on identifying cellular elements in the blood at different stages of cancer cachexia, assessing inflammatory markers and fibrogenic factors in the skeletal muscle, and studying the behavioral and metabolic phenotype of ApcMin/+ mice at the pre-cachectic and severely cachectic stages. Platelet measurements were also obtained from other animal models of cancer cachexia - Lewis Lung Carcinoma and Colon 26 adenocarcinoma. Our study revealed that platelet number is elevated prior to cachexia development in ApcMin/+ mice and can become activated during its progression. We also observed increased expression of TGFβ2, TGFβ3, and SMAD3 in the skeletal muscle of pre-cachectic ApcMin/+ mice. In severely cachectic mice, we observed an increase in Ly6g, CD206, and IL-10 mRNA. Meanwhile, IL-1β gene expression was elevated in the pre-cachectic stage. Our behavioral and metabolic phenotyping results indicate that pre-cachectic ApcMin/+ mice exhibit decreased physical activity. Additionally, we found an increase in anemia at pre-cachectic and severely cachectic stages. These findings highlight the altered platelet status during early and late stages of cachexia and provide a basis for further investigation of platelets in the field of cancer cachexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrice Cunningham
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Christian A. Unger
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Emma A. Patton
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Akyla Aiken
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
- Columbia Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Alea Browne
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Ella James
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Ahmed K. Aladhami
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Marion C. Hope 3rd
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Brandon N. VanderVeen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Thomas D. Cardaci
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - E. Angela Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Reilly T. Enos
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Kandy T. Velázquez
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
- Columbia Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Columbia, SC, United States
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