Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor Suppresses the Metastasis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Through Negative Regulation of the Yes-Associated Protein

DNA Methylation as Drug Sensitivity Marker in RCC: A Systematic Review

Patient response after treatment of renal cell cancer (RCC) with systemic agents, which include various drug categories, is generally poor and unpredictable. In this context, the ideal drug administration includes tools to predict the sensitivity of the disease to therapy. The aim of this study was to systematically summarize the reports on the predictive value of the methylation status in the systemic therapy of RCC. Only original articles reporting on the association of promoter methylation with the response of patients or cell lines to systemic agents were included in this review. We applied PRISMA recommendations to the structure and methodology of this systematic review. Our literature search concluded with 31 articles conducted on RCC cell lines and patient tissues. The majority of the studies demonstrated a methylation-dependent response to systemic agents. This correlation suggests that the methylation pattern can be used as a predictive tool in the management of RCC with various classes of systemic agents. However, although methylation biomarkers show promise for predicting response, the evidence of such correlation is still weak. More studies on the gene methylation pattern in patients under systemic therapy and its correlation with different degrees of response are needed.

Targeting metastasis-initiating cancer stem cells in gastric cancer with leukaemia inhibitory factor

Gastric cancer's (GC) bad prognosis is usually associated with metastatic spread. Invasive cancer stem cells (CSC) are considered to be the seed of GC metastasis and not all CSCs are able to initiate metastasis. Targeting these aggressive metastasis-initiating CSC (MIC) is thus vital. Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is hereby used to target Hippo pathway oncogenic members, found to be induced in GC and associated with CSC features. LIF-treated GC cell lines, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cells and/or CSC tumourspheres underwent transcriptomics, laser microdissection-associated proteomics, 2D and 3D invasion assays and in vivo xenograft in mice blood circulation. LIFR expression was analysed on tissue microarrays from GC patients and in silico from public databases. LIF-treated cells, especially CSC, presented decreased epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and invasion capacity in vitro, and lower metastasis initiation ability in vivo. These effects involved both the Hippo and Jak/Stat pathways. Finally, GC's high LIFR expression was associated with better clinical outcomes in patients. LIF treatment could thus represent a targeted anti-CSC strategy to fight against metastatic GC, and LIFR detection in primary tumours could constitute a potential new prognosis marker in this disease.

Targeting Leukemia Inhibitory Factor in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) is a member of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine family. Known to induce differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells, evidence has accumulated supporting its role in cancer evolution though regulating cell differentiation, renewal, and survival. LIF has recently emerged as a biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The first-in-human clinical trial has shown promising safety profile and has suggested a potential role for LIF inhibitor in combination regimen.

AREAS COVERED

Herein, we summarize, discuss, and give an expert opinion on the role of LIF in PDAC promotion, and its potential role as a biomarker and target of anti-cancer therapy. We conducted an exhaustive PubMed search for English-language articles published from January 1, 1970, to August 1, 2022.

EXPERT OPINION

PDAC carries a devastating prognosis for patients, highlighting the need for advancing drug development. The results of the phase 1 trial with MSC-1 demonstrated tolerability and safety but modest efficacy. Future research should focus on investigating LIF targets in combination with current standard-of-care chemotherapy and immunotherapy can be a promising approach. Further, larger multicenter clinical trials are needed to define the use of LIF as a new biomarker in PDAC patients.

Inflammatory Networks in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Cancer-associated inflammation has been established as a hallmark feature of almost all solid cancers. Tumor-extrinsic and intrinsic signaling pathways regulate the process of cancer-associated inflammation. Tumor-extrinsic inflammation is triggered by many factors, including infection, obesity, autoimmune disorders, and exposure to toxic and radioactive substances. Intrinsic inflammation can be induced by genomic mutation, genome instability and epigenetic remodeling in cancer cells that promote immunosuppressive traits, inducing the recruitment and activation of inflammatory immune cells. In RCC, many cancer cell-intrinsic alterations are assembled, upregulating inflammatory pathways, which enhance chemokine release and neoantigen expression. Furthermore, immune cells activate the endothelium and induce metabolic shifts, thereby amplifying both the paracrine and autocrine inflammatory loops to promote RCC tumor growth and progression. Together with tumor-extrinsic inflammatory factors, tumor-intrinsic signaling pathways trigger a Janus-faced tumor microenvironment, thereby simultaneously promoting or inhibiting tumor growth. For therapeutic success, it is important to understand the pathomechanisms of cancer-associated inflammation, which promote cancer progression. In this review, we describe the molecular mechanisms of cancer-associated inflammation that influence cancer and immune cell functions, thereby increasing tumor malignancy and anti-cancer resistance. We also discuss the potential of anti-inflammatory treatments, which may provide clinical benefits in RCCs and possible avenues for therapy and future research.

Pan-cancer analysis identifies LIFR as a prognostic and immunological biomarker for uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma

Background

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) exhibits significant tumor-promoting function, while its cognate receptor (LIFR) is considered to act as either a tumor promoter or suppressor. Dysregulation of LIF and LIFR is associated with the initiation, progression and metastasis of multiple cancer entities. Although increasing numbers of studies are revealing an indispensable critical role of LIFR in tumorigenesis for various different cancers, no systematic analysis of LIFR has appeared thus far.

Methods

Here, we comprehensively analyzed the expression profile and prognostic value of LIFR, and correlations between LIFR and the infiltration of immune cells and clinicopathological parameters across different tumor types using several bioinformatic tools. The expression profile of LIFR in various tumor types and clinical stages was investigated using the TIMER2 and GEPIA2 databases. Genetic alternations of LIFR were extracted from cBioPortal. The prognostic value of LIFR was assessed using GEPIA2 and Sanger box databases, and correlations between LIFR expression and immune infiltration were analyzed using the CIBERSORT method and TIMER2 database. The correlations between LIFR expression and immune and stromal scores were assessed using ESTIMATE. We also analyzed correlations between LIFR and immunoregulators. Finally, we detected an effect of LIFR on Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma (UCEC) and evaluated the expression level of LIFR in clinical UCEC samples.

Results

Aberrant expression of LIFR in cancers and its prognosis ability, especially in UCEC was documented. Significantly lower levels of LIFR expression level correlated with better prognosis in multiple tumor types. LIFR expression was positively correlated with the abundance of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, LIFR expression was strongly associated with the presence of immune modulators and checkpoint genes. Overexpression of LIFR suppressed the migration and invasion of UCEC cells in vitro.

Conclusion

Our pan-cancer detection data provided a novel understanding of the roles of LIFR in oncogenesis.

The critical role of the Hippo signaling pathway in kidney diseases

The Hippo signaling pathway is involved in cell growth, proliferation, and apoptosis, and it plays a key role in regulating organ size, tissue regeneration, and tumor development. The Hippo signaling pathway also participates in the occurrence and development of various human diseases. Recently, many studies have shown that the Hippo pathway is closely related to renal diseases, including renal cancer, cystic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, and renal fibrosis, and it promotes the transformation of acute kidney disease to chronic kidney disease (CKD). The present paper summarizes and analyzes the research status of the Hippo signaling pathway in different kidney diseases, and it also summarizes the expression of Hippo signaling pathway components in pathological tissues of kidney diseases. In addition, the present paper discusses the positive therapeutic significance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in regulating the Hippo signaling pathway for treating kidney diseases. This article introduces new targets and ideas for drug development, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases.

The Pleiotropic role, functions and targeted therapies of LIF/LIFR axis in cancer: Old spectacles with new insights

The dysregulation of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and its cognate receptor (LIFR) has been associated with multiple cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. LIF plays a significant tumor-promoting role in cancer, while LIFR functions as a tumor promoter and suppressor. Epithelial and stromal cells secrete LIF via autocrine and paracrine signaling mechanism(s) that bind with LIFR and subsequently with co-receptor glycoprotein 130 (gp130) to activate JAK/STAT1/3, PI3K/AKT, mTORC1/p70s6K, Hippo/YAP, and MAPK signaling pathways. Clinically, activating the LIF/LIFR axis is associated with poor survival and anti-cancer therapy resistance. This review article provides an overview of the structure and ligands of LIFR, LIF/LIFR signaling in developmental biology, stem cells, cancer stem cells, genetics and epigenetics of LIFR, LIFR regulation by long non-coding RNAs and miRNAs, and LIF/LIFR signaling in cancers. Finally, neutralizing antibodies and small molecule inhibitors preferentially blocking LIF interaction with LIFR and antagonists against LIFR under pre-clinical and early-phase pre-clinical trials were discussed.

Lidocaine Suppresses Gastric Cancer Development Through Circ_ANO5/miR-21-5p/LIFR Axis

BACKGROUND

Lidocaine has been manifested to exert anti-tumor role in gastric cancer (GC) progression. However, the action mechanism by which Lidocaine functions in GC has not been fully elucidated.

AIM

The study aimed to reveal the molecular mechanism of Lidocaine in GC progression.

METHODS

Cell clonogenicity and viability were assessed by colony formation and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assays, respectively. Transwell assay was employed to detect cell migration and invasion. Flow cytometry was implemented to monitor cell apoptosis. Relative expression of circular RNA ANO5 (circ_ANO5), microRNA (miR)-21-5p and Leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) was examined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Western blot assay was performed to analyze the levels of LIFR and cell metastasis-related proteins. The target relationship between miR-21-5p and circ_ANO5 or LIFR was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. In addition, xenograft model was established to explore the role of Lidocaine in vivo.

RESULTS

Lidocaine inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while promoted apoptosis of GC cells. Lidocaine upregulated circ_ANO5 and LIFR expression, but downregulated miR-21-5p expression in GC cells. Additionally, expression of circ_ANO5 and LIFR was decreased, while miR-21-5p expression was increased in GC cells. Circ_ANO5 depletion or miR-21-5p overexpression attenuated Lidocaine-induced anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects on GC cells. Circ_ANO5 could sponge miR-21-5p, and miR-21-5p targeted LIFR. Moreover, Lidocaine suppressed the tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Lidocaine might GC cell malignancy by modulating circ_ANO5/miR-21-5p/LIFR axis, highlighting a novel insight for GC treatment.

Leukaemia inhibitory factor in gastric cancer: friend or foe?

IL-6 family cytokine leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) study has deciphered a variety of effects, in physiology as well as pathology. Despite the sudden arousal in LIF interest in cancers, its study in the gastric cancer (GC) context has been put aside. Only few related studies can be found in literature, most of them investigating IL-6/STAT3 signalling in GC, and not the particular LIF/LIFRβ signalisation. LIF/LIFR has opposing effects depending on the signalling pathways involved. This review relates the pro- and anti-tumorigenic aspects of LIF/LIFR in GC, taking also into account facts from other types of cancer. A better understanding of these issues would undoubtedly help postulate interesting hypotheses and perspectives for future LIF/LIFR study and its use in GC therapies, where options tend to be limited in number and efficiency.

Downregulation of miR-335 exhibited an oncogenic effect via promoting KDM3A/YAP1 networks in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of renal cancer affecting many people worldwide. Although the 5-year survival rate is 65% in localized disease, after metastasis, the survival rate is <10%. Emerging evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial regulatory role in the progression of ccRCC. Here, we show that miR-335, an anti-onco-miRNA, is downregulation in tumor tissue and inhibited ccRCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Our studies further identify the H3K9me1/2 histone demethylase KDM3A as a new miR-335-regulated gene. We show that KDM3A is overexpressed in ccRCC, and its upregulation contributes to the carcinogenesis and metastasis of ccRCC. Moreover, with the overexpression of KDM3A, YAP1 was increased and identified as a direct downstream target of KDM3A. Enrichment of KDM3A demethylase on YAP1 promoter was confirmed by CHIP-qPCR and YAP1 was also found involved in the cell growth and metastasis inhibitory of miR-335. Together, our study establishes a new miR-335/KDM3A/YAP1 regulation axis, which provided new insight and potential targeting of the metastasized ccRCC.

Emerging Perspectives on Leukemia Inhibitory Factor and its Receptor in Cancer

Tumorigenesis and metastasis have deep connections to inflammation and inflammatory cytokines, but the mechanisms underlying these relationships are poorly understood. Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) and its receptor (LIFR), part of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine family, make up one such ill-defined piece of the puzzle connecting inflammation to cancer. Although other members of the IL-6 family have been shown to be involved in the metastasis of multiple types of cancer, the role of LIF and LIFR has been challenging to determine. Described by others in the past as enigmatic and paradoxical, LIF and LIFR are expressed in a diverse array of cells in the body, and the narrative surrounding them in cancer-related processes has been vague, and at times even contradictory. Despite this, recent insights into their functional roles in cancer have highlighted interesting patterns that may allude to a broader understanding of LIF and LIFR within tumor growth and metastasis. This review will discuss in depth the signaling pathways activated by LIF and LIFR specifically in the context of cancer-the purpose being to summarize recent literature concerning the downstream effects of LIF/LIFR signaling in a variety of cancer-related circumstances in an effort to begin teasing out the intricate web of contradictions that have made this pair so challenging to define.

Hsa_circ_0001073 targets miR-626/LIFR axis to inhibit lung cancer progression

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are associated with lung cancer progression. However, it is unclear whether and how circRNA hsa_circ_0001073 (circ_0001073) are involved in lung cancer progression. circ_0001073, microRNA (miR)-626, and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) abundances were determined via quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Cell viability, invasion, and apoptosis were analyzed by cell counting kit-8, transwell analysis and flow cytometry, respectively. The target correlation was tested by dual-luciferase reporter analysis or RNA immunoprecipitation. Results showed that circ_0001073 abundance was down-regulated in lung cancer cells. circ_0001073 constrained cell viability and invasion and facilitated apoptosis in lung cancer cells. miR-626 was targeted via circ_0001073, and circ_0001073 inhibited lung cancer progression via reducing miR-626 expression. LIFR was targeted via miR-626, and miR-626 knockdown constrained cell viability and invasion and facilitated apoptosis in lung cancer cells via up-regulating LIFR. circ_0001073 increased LIFR expression via miR-626 in lung cancer cells. In conclusion, circ_0001073 represses lung cancer progression via miR-626/LIFR axis, indicating the potential value of circ_0001073 in lung cancer treatment.

The natural extract degalactotigonin exerts antitumor effects on renal cell carcinoma cells through repressing YAP

Background

The pervasive progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after treatment demands more effective drugs with few side effects. In the present study, we determined whether degalactotigonin (DGT) extracted from Solanum nigrum L. could exert antitumoral effects on RCC and examined the related molecular mechanisms.

Methods

The effects of DGT on RCC cells were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, invasion and migration assays and subcutaneous tumor xenograft experiments in nude mice. The related molecular mechanisms were delineated by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) and plasmid transfection.

Results

DGT induced apoptosis and suppressed the proliferation, invasion, migration, and tumorigenicity of RCC cells. Mechanistically, yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling was inactivated, and the expression of YAP and its target genes was reduced in degalactotigonin-treated RCC cells. Additionally, DGT activated phosphorylated large tumor suppressor 1/2 (p-LATS1/2) to phosphorylate YAP, which increased YAP retention in the cytoplasm but decreased the amount of YAP that entered the nuclei of RCC cells. Moreover, DGT impaired the increased aggressive features of RCC cells induced by YAP overexpression.

Conclusions

DGT is an effective therapeutic agent, which facilitates the apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation, invasion, migration, and tumorigenicity of RCC cells in a YAP-dependent manner.

Oncogenic potential of macrophage‑capping protein in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Macrophage-capping protein (CapG) is a newly characterized oncogene involved in several types of cancer. However, the expression patterns and biological mechanisms of CapG in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the roles of CapG in the prognosis, proliferation and metastasis of ccRCC. In the present study, the expression of CapG was analyzed by western blotting in 24 paired ccRCC and adjacent normal tissue samples. Another 152 tissue samples from 152 patients with ccRCC were examined by immunohistochemistry. Compared with normal tissue, CapG expression was significantly increased in ccRCC tissue, and high CapG expression was associated with advanced tumor stage, histological grade, lymph node metastasis, and poor overall survival. Moreover, CapG was an independent predictor of survival. Lentivirus-mediated CapG knockdown significantly inhibited 786-O cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, induced cell cycle arrest at the G₂/M phase, and increased apoptosis in vitro. Microarray analysis indicated that RAC, CDC42 and ERK/MAPK signaling were disrupted by CapG knockdown in 786-O cells. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that CapG plays an oncogenic role in ccRCC and may represent a potential therapeutic target for this disease.

Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) Inhibits Cancer Stem Cells Tumorigenic Properties through Hippo Kinases Activation in Gastric Cancer

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) present chemo-resistance mechanisms contributing to tumour maintenance and recurrence, making their targeting of utmost importance in gastric cancer (GC) therapy. The Hippo pathway has been implicated in gastric CSC properties and was shown to be regulated by leukaemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) and its ligand LIF in breast cancer. This study aimed to determine LIF’s effect on CSC properties in GC cell lines and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) cells, which remains unexplored. LIF’s treatment effect on CSC markers expression and tumoursphere formation was evaluated. The Hippo kinase inhibitor XMU-MP-1 and/or the JAK1 inhibitor Ruxolitinib were used to determine Hippo and canonical JAK/STAT pathway involvement in gastric CSCs’ response to LIF. Results indicate that LIF decreased tumorigenic and chemo-resistant CSCs, in both GC cell lines and PDX cells. In addition, LIF increased activation of LATS1/2 Hippo kinases, thereby decreasing downstream YAP/TAZ nuclear accumulation and TEAD transcriptional activity. LIF’s anti-CSC effect was reversed by XMU-MP-1 but not by Ruxolitinib treatment, highlighting the opposite effects of these two pathways downstream LIFR. In conclusion, LIF displays anti-CSC properties in GC, through Hippo kinases activation, and could in fine constitute a new CSCs-targeting strategy to help decrease relapse cases and bad prognosis in GC.

Prognostic value of leukemia inhibitory factor and its receptor in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Currently, the prognostic effects of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and LIF receptor (LIFR) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) are not clear. In the present study, we utilized the large datasets from four public databases to investigate the expression of LIF and LIFR and their clinical significance in PAAD. Eight cohorts containing 1278 cases with PAAD were identified and the analysis results suggested that LIF was highly expressed while LIFR was lowly expressed in PAAD tissues compared with adjacent or normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier plot curves and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses indicated high LIF expression was associated with shorter overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.641, 95% CI: 1.399-1.925, p < 0.001) whereas high LIFR expression was associated with longer overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.653, 95% CI: 0.517-0.826, p < 0.001).