Olaparib and enzalutamide synergistically suppress HCC progression via the AR-mediated miR-146a-5p/BRCA1 signaling

Dihydrotanshinone I targets ESR1 to induce DNA double-strand breaks and proliferation inhibition in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Due to its high incidence and elevated mortality, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged as a formidable global healthcare challenge. The intricate interplay between gender-specific disparities in both incidence and clinical outcomes has prompted a progressive recognition of the substantial influence exerted by estrogen and its corresponding receptors (ERs) upon HCC pathogenesis. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) emerged for the treatment of HCC by administering exogenous estrogen. However, the powerful side effects of estrogen, including the promotion of breast cancer and infertility, hinder the further application of ERT. Identifying effective therapeutic targets for estrogen and screening bioactive ingredients without E2-like side effects is of great significance for optimizing HCC ERT.

METHODS

In this study, we employed an integrative approach, harnessing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, clinical paraffin sections, adenoviral constructs as well as in vivo studies, to unveil the association between estrogen, estrogen receptor α (ESR1) and HCC. Leveraging methodologies encompassing molecular dynamics simulation and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were used to confirm whether ESR1 is a molecular target of DHT. Multiple in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to identify whether i) ESR1 is a crucial gene that promotes DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and proliferation inhibition in HCC, ii) Dihydrotanshinone I (DHT), a quinonoid monomeric constituent derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dan shen) exerts anti-HCC effects by regulating ESR1 and subsequent DSBs, iii) DHT has the potential to replace E2.

RESULTS

DHT could target ESR1 and upregulate its expression in a concentration-dependent manner. This, in turn, leads to the downregulation of breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1), a pivotal protein involved in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) process. The consequence of this downregulation is manifested through the induction of DSBs in HCC, subsequently precipitating a cascade of downstream events, including apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Of particular significance is the comparative assessment of DHT and isodose estradiol treatments, which underscores DHT's excellent HCC-suppressive efficacy without concomitant perturbation of endogenous sex hormone homeostasis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings not only confirm ESR1 as a therapeutic target in HCC management but also underscores DHT's role in upregulating ESR1 expression, thereby impeding the proliferation and invasive tendencies of HCC. In addition, we preliminarily identified DHT has the potential to emerge as an agent in optimizing HCC ERT through the substitution of E2.

The role of sex hormones and receptors in HBV infection and development of HBV-related HCC

Gender disparity in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related diseases has been extensively documented. Epidemiological studies consistently reported that males have a higher prevalence of HBV infection and incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Further investigations have revealed that sex hormone-related signal transductions play a significant role in gender disparity. Sex hormone axes showed significantly different responses to virus entry and replication. The sex hormones axes change the HBV-specific immune responses and antitumor immunity. Additionally, Sex hormone axes showed different effects on the development of HBV-related disease. But the role of sex hormones remains controversial, and researchers have not reached a consensus on the role of sex hormones and the use of hormone therapies in HCC treatment. In this review, we aim to summarize the experimental findings on sex hormones and provide a comprehensive understanding of their roles in the development of HCC and their implications for hormone-related HCC treatment.

Androgen receptor suppresses lung cancer invasion and increases cisplatin response via decreasing TPD52 expression

Lung cancer, as the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, still accounts for the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The high rate of mortality and tumor recurrence has prompted clinicians and scientists to urgently explore new targets for improved treatment. Previous studies have indicated a potential role of the androgen receptor (AR) in the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the precise mechanisms underlying this association, particularly its relation to TPD52-mediated cell invasion and cisplatin (DDP) response, have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, further investigation is necessary to gain a better understanding of these mechanisms and their potential implications for lung cancer treatment. In this study, we discovered that AR can suppress NSCLC cell invasion and increase cisplatin response by downregulating the expression of circular RNA (circRNA), specifically circ-SLCO1B7. This suppression is achieved through the direct binding of AR to the 5' promoter region of the host gene SLCO1B7. The decreased expression of circ-SLCO1B7, mediated by AR, released miR-139-5p back to the RISC (RNA induced silencing complex), where it bonds to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of Tumor Protein D52 (TPD52) messenger RNA, resulting in TPD52 reduction. The in vivo data also validated the functional contribution of AR/circ-SLCO1B7/miR-139-5p/TPD52 axis to lung cancer progression. Furthermore, analysis of human NSCLC databases and clinical specimens confirmed the association of the AR/circ-SLCO1B7/miR-139-5p/TPD52 signaling pathway with NSCLC progression. Collectively, the results from our study suggest that AR can suppress lung cancer cell invasion and increase DDP response by modulating the circ-SLCO1B7/miR-139-5p/TPD52 signaling pathway. Targeting this novel signaling pathway may be a new therapeutic strategy to effectively constrain NSCLC development.

A Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator, S4, Displays Robust Anti-cancer Activity on Hepatocellular Cancer Cells by Negatively Regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global health problem that often correlates with poor prognosis. Due to the insufficient therapy options with limited benefits, it is crucial to identify new therapeutic approaches to overcome HCC. One of the vital signaling pathways in organ homeostasis and male sexual development is Androgen Receptor (AR) signaling. Its activity affects several genes that contribute to cancer characteristics and have essential roles in cell cycle progression, proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. AR signaling has been shown to be misregulated in many cancers, including HCC, suggesting that it might contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. Targeting AR signaling using anti-androgens, AR inhibitors, or AR-degrading molecules is a powerful and promising strategy to defeat HCC. In this study, AR signaling was targeted by a novel Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM), S4, in HCC cells to evaluate its potential anti-cancer effect. To date, S4 activity in cancer has not been demonstrated, and our data unrevealed that S4 significantly impaired HCC growth, migration, proliferation, and induced apoptosis through inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Since PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling is frequently activated in HCC and contributes to its aggressiveness and poor prognosis, its negative regulation by the downregulation of critical components via S4 was a prominent finding. Further studies are necessary to investigate the S4 action mechanism and anti-tumorigenic capacity in in-vivo.

Focus on the tumor microenvironment: A seedbed for neuroendocrine prostate cancer

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a microecology consisting of tumor and mesenchymal cells and extracellular matrices. The TME plays important regulatory roles in tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and differentiation. Neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) is a mechanism by which castration resistance develops in advanced prostate cancer (PCa). NED is induced after androgen deprivation therapy and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is established finally. NEPC has poor prognosis and short overall survival and is a major cause of death in patients with PCa. Both the cellular and non-cellular components of the TME regulate and induce NEPC formation through various pathways. Insights into the roles of the TME in NEPC evolution, growth, and progression have increased over the past few years. These novel insights will help refine the NEPC formation model and lay the foundation for the discovery of new NEPC therapies targeting the TME.

Interaction between Non-Coding RNAs and Androgen Receptor with an Especial Focus on Prostate Cancer

The androgen receptor (AR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily and has three functional domains, namely the N-terminal, DNA binding, and C-terminal domain. The N-terminal domain harbors potent transactivation functions, whereas the C-terminal domain binds to androgens and antiandrogens used to treat prostate cancer. AR has genomic activity being DNA binding-dependent or through interaction with other DNA-bound transcription factors, as well as a number of non-genomic, non-canonical functions, such as the activation of the ERK, AKT, and MAPK pathways. A bulk of evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs have functional interactions with AR. This type of interaction is implicated in the pathogenesis of human malignancies, particularly prostate cancer. In the current review, we summarize the available data on the role of microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs on the expression of AR and modulation of AR signaling, as well as the effects of AR on their expression. Recognition of the complicated interaction between non-coding RNAs and AR has practical importance in the design of novel treatment options, as well as modulation of response to conventional therapeutics.

Integrated analysis of expression, prognostic value and immune infiltration of GSDMs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Six Gasdermins (GSDM) family members participate in various biological processes especially pyroptosis, as well as in the initiation and development of many types of cancer. However, the systematic analysis of the GSDM family in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is lacking. In this study, several bioinformatics databases were recruited to analyze the roles of the GSDMs in differential expression, prognostic correlation, functional enrichment exploration, immune modulation, genetic alterations, and methylated modification in patients with HCC. Consequently, the mRNA expression of all the six GSDMs was accordantly increased in HCC, while only the protein expressions of GSDMB, GSDMD, and GSDME were apparently increased in HCC tissue. The expression of all the GSDMs (except GSDMA) was significantly higher in tumor stage 1-3 subgroups, compared with that in normal subgroups. Higher GSDME expression was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) in patients with HCC. GSDMD had the highest genetic alteration rate among the GSDMs. The three signal pathways which were most likely related to GSDMs-associated molecules were the cell adhesion, growth regulation, and hormone metabolic process. The majority of GSDMs members were positively correlated with the infiltration of B cells, neutrophils, and dendritic cells, however negatively correlated with macrophage. All of the six GSDM members showed remarkably decreased methylation levels in HCC tissues. In conclusion, the GSDM family (especially GSDME) had the potential to become essential biomarkers to better improve the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC, as well as provided insight for the development of therapeutic targets.

Biodegradable Hypocrellin B nanoparticles coated with neutrophil membranes for hepatocellular carcinoma photodynamics therapy effectively via JUNB/ROS signaling

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-induced and chemotherapy-resistant common liver cancer, and a major cause of death. Some natural products have been found to be used as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy of HCC. Due to its specific molecular structure diversities and biological activities, current status of HCC treatment with nature production remains unsatisfactory, owing largely to the toxicity, side effect and inefficiency to drug targeting. Herein, we show a nanoparticle-based broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory strategy that naïve neutrophil membrane-coated PLGA nanoparticles (NM-HB NPs) were constructed for synchronous nearinfrared fluorescence (NIR FL) imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for HCC. Moreover, NM-HB NPs inhibited the expression of JUNB and promoted the ROS production. JUNB depletion enhanced the anti-HCC effect of NM-HB NPs. Importantly, it was shown that NM-HB NPs are well targeted to the tumor site and overcomes the blood circulation and immune elimination in vivo and vitro. In a mouse model of HCC, the neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles (NM-HB NPs) show significant therapeutic efficacy by PDT and suppressing tumor tissue increase. All results demonstrated that NM coated HB NPs representing a viable and effective treatment option for HCC.

Integrated analysis of the functions and prognostic values of RNA binding proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, ranks as the fifth most common cancer and has been the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are proteins that interact with different classes of RNA and are commonly detected in cells.

Methods

We used RNA sequencing data from TCGA to display dysfunctional RBPs microenvironments and provide potential useful biomarkers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis.

Results

330 differently expressed RBPs (208 upregulated and 122 downregulated) were identified. KEGG were mainly enriched in RNA degradation, Influenza A, Hepatitis C, RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway, Herpes simplex virus 1 infection and RNA transport. CBioPortal results demonstrated that these genes were altered in 50 samples out of 357 HCC patients (14%) and the amplification of BRCA1 was the largest frequent copy-number alteration.

Conclusion

Based on the online database, we identified novel RBPs markers for the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-021-01843-0.

Loss of exosomal miR-146a-5p from cancer-associated fibroblasts after androgen deprivation therapy contributes to prostate cancer metastasis

Background

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the backbone of therapy for advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Despite the good initial response, castration resistance and metastatic progression will inevitably occur. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) may be implicated in promoting metastasis of PCa after ADT. Our aim is to investigate the role and mechanism of CAFs-derived exosomes involving in metastasis of PCa after ADT.

Methods

PCa cells were co-cultured with exosomes derived from 10 nM dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated (simulating the high androgen level of prostate cancer microenvironment) or ethanol (ETOH) -treated (simulating the castration level of prostate cancer microenvironment after ADT) CAFs, and their migration and invasion differences under castration condition were examined both in vitro and in vivo. The miRNA profiles of exosomes derived from DHT-treated CAFs and matched ETOH-treated CAFs were analysed via next generation sequencing. The transfer of exosomal miR-146a-5p from CAFs to PCa cells was identified by fluorescent microscopy. The function and direct target gene of exosomal miR-146a-5p in PCa cells were confirmed through Transwell assays, luciferase reporter, and western blot.

Results

Compared with DHT-treated CAFs, exosomes derived from ETOH-treated CAFs dramatically increased migration and invasion of PCa cells under castration condition. MiR-146a-5p level in exosomes from ETOH-treated CAFs was significantly reduced. The loss of miR-146a-5p may strengthen the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to accelerate cancer cells metastasis by modulating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/ERK pathway.

Conclusions

CAFs-derived exosomal miR-146a-5p confers metastasis in PCa cells under ADT through the EGFR/ERK pathway and it may present a new treatment for PCa.