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Zhao Q, Li M, Zhang Y. Comprehensive pan‑cancer analysis of potassium voltage-gated channel Q4 (KCNQ4) gene across multiple human malignant tumors. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18608. [PMID: 37903775 PMCID: PMC10616121 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45074-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of studies indicate that Potassium Voltage-Gated Channel Q4 (KCNQ4) gene is the cause of non-syndromic hearing loss, but there are few studies investigating the role of KCNQ4 in cancers and scarcity of comprehensive analysis of its involvement in the diagnosis, methylation, mutation, prognosis of various cancer types. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the anticancerous and immune effects of KCNQ4 in various cancers and its potential value in breast cancer. In this study, we explored the potential role of KCNQ4 in cancers using public databases and the R software for bioinformatics analysis. The results showed that the low expression of KCNQ4 across specific cancer types was positively associated with low mutation frequency and methylation, and the improved survival. Eight small molecule compounds were identified that could potentially target KCNQ4. In addition, immunohistochemistry confirmed that the KCNQ4 expression was low in breast cancer. In vitro experiments confirmed that overexpression of KCNQ4 inhibited cell migration and invasion and promoted apoptosis. In summary, our comprehensive pan-cancer analysis highlights the potential of KCNQ4 as a cancer marker, and can be used as an auxiliary prognostic indicator and an indicator for immunotherapy in certain tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhao
- Pathology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University (Weifang People's Hospital), Weifang, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Meizeng Li
- Pathology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University (Weifang People's Hospital), Weifang, China
- Department of Basic Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Yunxiang Zhang
- Pathology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University (Weifang People's Hospital), Weifang, China.
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Mohi-Ud-Din R, Chawla A, Sharma P, Mir PA, Potoo FH, Reiner Ž, Reiner I, Ateşşahin DA, Sharifi-Rad J, Mir RH, Calina D. Repurposing approved non-oncology drugs for cancer therapy: a comprehensive review of mechanisms, efficacy, and clinical prospects. Eur J Med Res 2023; 28:345. [PMID: 37710280 PMCID: PMC10500791 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01275-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer poses a significant global health challenge, with predictions of increasing prevalence in the coming years due to limited prevention, late diagnosis, and inadequate success with current therapies. In addition, the high cost of new anti-cancer drugs creates barriers in meeting the medical needs of cancer patients, especially in developing countries. The lengthy and costly process of developing novel drugs further hinders drug discovery and clinical implementation. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in repurposing approved drugs for other diseases to address the urgent need for effective cancer treatments. The aim of this comprehensive review is to provide an overview of the potential of approved non-oncology drugs as therapeutic options for cancer treatment. These drugs come from various chemotherapeutic classes, including antimalarials, antibiotics, antivirals, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antifungals, and have demonstrated significant antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, immunomodulatory, and antimetastatic properties. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify relevant studies on the repurposing of approved non-oncology drugs for cancer therapy. Various electronic databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, were searched using appropriate keywords. Studies focusing on the therapeutic potential, mechanisms of action, efficacy, and clinical prospects of repurposed drugs in cancer treatment were included in the analysis. The review highlights the promising outcomes of repurposing approved non-oncology drugs for cancer therapy. Drugs belonging to different therapeutic classes have demonstrated notable antitumor effects, including inhibiting cell proliferation, promoting apoptosis, modulating the immune response, and suppressing metastasis. These findings suggest the potential of these repurposed drugs as effective therapeutic approaches in cancer treatment. Repurposing approved non-oncology drugs provides a promising strategy for addressing the urgent need for effective and accessible cancer treatments. The diverse classes of repurposed drugs, with their demonstrated antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, immunomodulatory, and antimetastatic properties, offer new avenues for cancer therapy. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to explore the full potential of these repurposed drugs and optimize their use in treating various cancer types. Repurposing approved drugs can significantly expedite the process of identifying effective treatments and improve patient outcomes in a cost-effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roohi Mohi-Ud-Din
- Department of General Medicine, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190001, India
| | - Apporva Chawla
- Khalsa College of Pharmacy, G.T. Road, Amritsar, Punjab, 143001, India
| | - Pooja Sharma
- Khalsa College of Pharmacy, G.T. Road, Amritsar, Punjab, 143001, India
| | - Prince Ahad Mir
- Khalsa College of Pharmacy, G.T. Road, Amritsar, Punjab, 143001, India
| | - Faheem Hyder Potoo
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 1982, 31441, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Željko Reiner
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Reiner
- Department of Nursing Sciences, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dilek Arslan Ateşşahin
- Baskil Vocational School, Department of Plant and Animal Production, Fırat University, 23100, Elazıg, Turkey
| | | | - Reyaz Hassan Mir
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Kashmir, 190006, India.
| | - Daniela Calina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.
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3
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Zhang Q, Fan Z, Zhang L, You Q, Wang L. Strategies for Targeting Serine/Threonine Protein Phosphatases with Small Molecules in Cancer. J Med Chem 2021; 64:8916-8938. [PMID: 34156850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among numerous posttranslational regulation patterns, phosphorylation is reversibly controlled by the balance of kinases and phosphatases. The major form of cellular signaling involves the reversible phosphorylation of proteins on tyrosine, serine, or threonine residues. However, altered phosphorylation levels are found in diverse diseases, including cancer, making kinases and phosphatases ideal drug targets. In contrast to the success of prosperous kinase inhibitors, design of small molecules targeting phosphatase is struggling due to past bias and difficulty. This is especially true for serine/threonine phosphatases, one of the largest phosphatase families. From this perspective, we aim to provide insights into serine/threonine phosphatases and the small molecules targeting these proteins for drug development, especially in cancer. Through highlighting the modulation strategies, we aim to provide basic principles for the design of small molecules and future perspectives for the application of drugs targeting serine/threonine phosphatases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Zhongjiao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lianshan Zhang
- Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200245, China
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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4
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Silva JD, Nogueira L, Coelho R, Deus A, Khayat A, Marchi R, Oliveira ED, Santos APD, Cavalli L, Pereira S. HPV-associated penile cancer: Impact of copy number alterations in miRNA/mRNA interactions and potential druggable targets. Cancer Biomark 2021; 32:147-160. [PMID: 34151841 DOI: 10.3233/cbm-210035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Penile cancer (PeCa) is a rare disease, but its incidence has increased worldwide, mostly in HPV+ patients. Nevertheless, there is still no targeted treatment for this carcinoma. OBJECTIVE To predict the main signaling pathways involved in penile tumorigenesis and its potential drug targets. METHODS Genome-wide copy number profiling was performed in 28 PeCa. Integration analysis of CNAs and miRNAs and mRNA targets was performed by DIANA-TarBase v.8. The potential impact of the miRNAs/target genes on biological pathways was assessed by DIANA-miRPath v.3.0. For each miRNA, KEGG pathways were generated based on the tarbase and microT-CDS algorithms. Pharmaco-miR was used to identify associations between miRNAs and their target genes to predict druggable targets. RESULTS 269 miRNAs and 2,395 genes were mapped in cytobands with CNAs. The comparison of the miRNAs mapped at these cytobands and the miRNAs that were predicted to regulate the genes also mapped in these regions, resulted in a set of common 35 miRNAs and 292 genes. Enrichment pathway revealed their involvement in five top signaling pathways. EGFR and COX2 were identified as potential druggable targets. CONCLUSION Our data indicate the potential use of EGFR and COX2 inhibitors as a target treatment for PeCa patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenilson da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Health Science, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Leudivan Nogueira
- Postgraduate Program in Health Science, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.,Aldenora Bello Cancer Hospital, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Ronald Coelho
- Aldenora Bello Cancer Hospital, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Amanda Deus
- Postgraduate Program in Health Science, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.,Aldenora Bello Cancer Hospital, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - André Khayat
- Oncology Research Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Rafael Marchi
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Edivaldo de Oliveira
- Tissue Culture and Cytogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Dos Santos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Luciane Cavalli
- Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Silma Pereira
- Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
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5
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Zhang Z, Ji J, Liu H. Drug Repurposing in Oncology: Current Evidence and Future Direction. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:2175-2194. [PMID: 33109032 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327999200820124111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug repurposing, the application of known drugs and compounds with a primary non-oncology purpose, might be an attractive strategy to offer more effective treatment options to cancer patients at a low cost and reduced time. METHODS This review described a total of 10 kinds of non-oncological drugs from more than 100 mechanical studies as well as evidence from population-based studies. The future direction of repurposed drug screening is discussed by using patient-derived tumor organoids. RESULTS Many old drugs showed previously unknown effects or off-target effects and can be intelligently applied for cancer chemoprevention and therapy. The identification of repurposed drugs needs to combine evidence from mechanical studies and population-based studies. Due to the heterogeneity of cancer, patient-derived tumor organoids can be used to screen the non-oncological drugs in vitro. CONCLUSION These identified old drugs could be repurposed in oncology and might be added as adjuvants and finally benefit patients with cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianguang Ji
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University/Region Skåne, Sweden
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Ashrafizadeh M, Hushmandi K, Hashemi M, Akbari ME, Kubatka P, Raei M, Koklesova L, Shahinozzaman M, Mohammadinejad R, Najafi M, Sethi G, Kumar AP, Zarrabi A. Role of microRNA/Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Axis in the Metastasis of Bladder Cancer. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1159. [PMID: 32784711 PMCID: PMC7464913 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is the 11th most common diagnosed cancer, and a number of factors including environmental and genetic ones participate in BC development. Metastasis of BC cells into neighboring and distant tissues significantly reduces overall survival of patients with this life-threatening disorder. Recently, studies have focused on revealing molecular pathways involved in metastasis of BC cells, and in this review, we focus on microRNAs (miRNAs) and their regulatory effect on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanisms that can regulate metastasis. EMT is a vital process for migration of BC cells, and inhibition of this mechanism restricts invasion of BC cells. MiRNAs are endogenous non-coding RNAs with 19-24 nucleotides capable of regulating different cellular events, and EMT is one of them. In BC cells, miRNAs are able to both induce and/or inhibit EMT. For regulation of EMT, miRNAs affect different molecular pathways such as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), Snail, Slug, ZEB1/2, CD44, NSBP1, which are, discussed in detail this review. Besides, miRNA/EMT axis can also be regulated by upstream mediators such as lncRNAs, circRNAs and targeted by diverse anti-tumor agents. These topics are also discussed here to reveal diverse molecular pathways involved in migration of BC cells and strategies to target them to develop effective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran;
| | - Kiavash Hushmandi
- Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Division of Epidemiology & Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran 1419963114, Iran;
| | - Mehrdad Hashemi
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran 1916893813, Iran;
| | - Mohammad Esmaeil Akbari
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1989934148, Iran;
| | - Peter Kubatka
- Department of Medical Biology and Division of Oncology—Biomedical Center Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia;
| | - Mehdi Raei
- Health Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1435916471, Iran;
| | - Lenka Koklesova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Martin University Hospital and Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia;
| | - Md Shahinozzaman
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
| | - Reza Mohammadinejad
- Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman 55877577, Iran;
| | - Masoud Najafi
- Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah 6715847141, Iran;
| | - Gautam Sethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore;
| | - Alan Prem Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore;
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, 14 Medical Drive, #11-01M, Singapore 117599, Singapore
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
- Center of Excellence for Functional Surfaces and Interfaces (EFSUN), Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
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