Simultaneous blocking of the pan-RAF and S100B pathways as a synergistic therapeutic strategy against malignant melanoma

The enhancing effects of selenomethionine on harmine in attenuating pathological cardiac hypertrophy via glycolysis metabolism

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy, a common feature in various cardiovascular diseases, can be more effectively managed through combination therapies using natural compounds. Harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid found in plants, possesses numerous pharmacological functions, including alleviating cardiac hypertrophy. Similarly, Selenomethionine (SE), a primary organic selenium source, has been shown to mitigate cardiac autophagy and alleviate injury. To explores the therapeutic potential of combining Harmine with SE to treat cardiac hypertrophy. The synergistic effects of SE and harmine against cardiac hypertrophy were assessed in vitro with angiotensin II (AngII)-induced hypertrophy and in vivo using a Myh6R404Q mouse model. Co-administration of SE and harmine significantly reduced hypertrophy-related markers, outperforming monotherapies. Transcriptomic and metabolic profiling revealed substantial alterations in key metabolic and signalling pathways, particularly those involved in energy metabolism. Notably, the combination therapy led to a marked reduction in the activity of key glycolytic enzymes. Importantly, the addition of the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) did not further potentiate these effects, suggesting that the antihypertrophic action is predominantly mediated through glycolytic inhibition. These findings highlight the potential of SE and harmine as a promising combination therapy for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.

Alarmins in cutaneous malignant melanoma: An updated overview of emerging evidence on their pathogenetic, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic role

Malignant cutaneous melanoma is the leading cause of death for skin cancer to date, with globally increasing incidence rates. In this epidemiological scenario, international scientific research is exerting efforts to identify new clinical strategies aimed at the prognostic amelioration of the disease. Very promising and groundbreaking in this context is the scientific interest related to alarmins and their pioneering utility in the setting of the pathogenetic understanding, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy for malignant cutaneous melanoma. However, the scientific investigations on this matter should not overlook their still well-presented dual and contradictory role. The aim of our critical analysis is to provide an up-to-date overview of the emerging evidence concerning the dichotomous role of alarmins in the aforementioned clinical settings. Our literature revision was based on the extensive body of both preclinical and clinical findings published on the PubMed database over the past 5 years. In addition to this, we offer a special focus on potentially revolutionary new therapeutic frontiers, which, on the strength of their earliest successes in other clinical areas, could inaugurate a new era of personalized and precision medicine in the field of dermato-oncology.

Exosomal miRNA-mediated intercellular communications and immunomodulatory effects in tumor microenvironments

Extracellular communication, in other words, crosstalk between cells, has a pivotal role in the survival of an organism. This communication occurs by different methods, one of which is extracellular vesicles. Exosomes, which are small lipid extracellular vesicles, have recently been discovered to have a role in signal transduction between cells inside the body. These vesicles contain important bioactive molecules including lipids, proteins, DNA, mRNA, and noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Exosomes are secreted by all cells including immune cells (macrophages, lymphocytes, granulocytes, dendritic cells, mast cells) and tumor cells. The tumor microenvironment (TME) represents a complex network that supports the growth of tumor cells. This microenvironment encompasses tumor cells themselves, the extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, blood vessels, immune cells, and non-cellular components such as exosomes and cytokines. This review aims to provide insights into the latest discoveries concerning how the immune system communicates internally and with other cell types, with a specific focus on research involving exosomal miRNAs in macrophages, dendritic cells, B lymphocytes, and T lymphocytes. Additionally, we will explore the role of exosomal miRNA in the TME and the immunomodulatory effect.

Primary tumour category, site of metastasis, and baseline serum S100B and LDH are independent prognostic factors for survival in metastatic melanoma patients treated with anti-PD-1

Background

Prognostic classification of metastatic melanoma patients treated with anti-PD-1 is of great interest to clinicians.

Objective

We aimed to determine the anti-PD-1 treatment related prognostic performance of demographics, clinical and histological prognostic markers and baseline serum S100B and LDH levels in advanced melanoma.

Methods

A total of 200 patients with unresectable metastatic melanoma were included in this retrospective study. 34.5% had stage M1c disease and 11.5% had stage M1d disease at the start of therapy. 30% had pT4b primary melanoma. 55.5% had elevated baseline serum S100B levels and 62.5% had elevated baseline serum LDH levels. We analysed the risk of death using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models and the median overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survival using the Kaplan-Meier estimator.

Results

The median follow-up time from the start of anti-PD-1 treatment in patients who were alive at the end of the study (N=81) was 37 months (range: 6.1-95.9). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that M1c stage (vs. M1a, p=0.005) or M1d stage at the start of therapy (vs. M1a, p=0.001), pT4b category (vs. pT1a, p=0.036), elevated baseline serum S100B levels (vs. normal S100B, p=0.008) and elevated LDH levels (vs. normal LDH, p=0.049) were independently associated with poor survival. The combination of M1d stage, elevated baseline serum S100B and LDH levels and pT4b category was associated with a very high risk of death (HR 4.72 [1.81; 12.33]). In the subgroup of patients with pT4b primary melanoma, the median OS of patients with normal serum S100B levels was 37.25 months [95% CI 11.04; 63.46]), while the median OS of patients with elevated serum S100B levels was 8.00 months [95% CI 3.49; 12.51]) (p<0.001); the median OS of patients with normal serum LDH levels was 41.82 months [95% CI 11.33; 72.32]), while the median OS of patients with elevated serum LDH levels was 12.29 months [95% CI 4.35; 20.23]) (p=0.002).

Conclusion

Our real-world study indicates that the prognostic role of primary melanoma parameters is preserved in anti-PD-1 treated stage IV patients. Furthermore, there seems to be perspective in combining clinical, histological and serum prognostic markers in a prognostic model.

Cordyceps militaris Reduces Oxidative Stress and Regulates Immune T Cells to Inhibit Metastatic Melanoma Invasion

In this study, the water extract of Cordyceps militaris (Linn.) Link (CM) was used as a functional material to investigate the inhibitory mechanisms on B16F10 and lung metastatic melanoma (LMM) cells. Reducing power, chelating ability, and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were applied for antioxidative capacities, and we obtained positive results from the proper concentrations of CM. To examine the ability of CM in melanoma proliferation inhibition and to substantiate the previous outcomes, three cellular experiments were performed via (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, MTT, a tetrazole) assay, cell migration, and invasion evaluation. The addition of CM to the incubation medium increased the number of CD8+ T cells significantly, which improved the immunogenicity. This study showed that CM exhibits various biological capabilities, including antioxidation, anti-tumor, tumor invasion suppression, and T cytotoxic cell activity promotion.

Predictive Performance of Serum S100B Versus LDH in Melanoma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Currently, no consensus on the use of blood tests for monitoring disease recurrence in patients with resected melanoma exists. The only meta-analysis conducted in 2008 found that elevated serum S100B levels were associated with significantly worse survival in melanoma patients. Serum LDH is an established prognostic factor in patients with advanced melanoma.

Objective

To compare the discriminative and prognostic ability of serum S100B with that of serum LDH in patients with melanoma.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis were reported in accordance with the PRISMA Statement. The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42019137138).

Results

A quantitative analysis of data from 6 eligible studies included 1,033 patients with cutaneous melanoma. The discriminative ability of serum S100B at identifying disease relapse [pooled Area Under the ROC (AUROC) 78.64 (95% CI 70.28; 87.01)] was significantly greater than the discriminative ability of serum LDH [AUROC 64.41 (95% CI 56.05; 7278)] (p=0.013). Ten eligible studies with 1,987 patients were included in the risk of death analysis. The prognostic performance of serum S100B [pooled estimate of adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.78 (95% CI 1.38; 2.29)] was independent but not superior to that of serum LDH [HR 1.60 (95% CI 1.36; 2.29)].

Limitations

A relatively small number of articles were eligible and there was considerable heterogeneity across the included studies.

Conclusions

Serum biomarkers may provide relevant information on melanoma patient status and should be further researched. Serum S100B is a valid marker for diagnosis of melanoma recurrence.

Systematic Review Registration

The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42019137138).

Simultaneous blocking of the pan-RAF and S100B pathways as a synergistic therapeutic strategy against malignant melanoma

Melanoma is a very aggressive form of skin cancer. Although BRAF inhibitors have been utilized for melanoma therapy, advanced melanoma patients still face a low five-year survival rate. Recent studies have shown that CRAF can compensate for BRAF depletion via regulating DNA synthesis to remain melanoma proliferation. Hence, targeting CRAF either alone or in combination with other protein pathways is a potential avenue for melanoma therapy. Based on our previously reported CRAF-selective inhibitor for renal cancer therapy, we have herein discovered an analogue (complex 1) from the reported CRAF library suppresses melanoma cell proliferation and melanoma tumour growth in murine models of melanoma via blocking the S100B and RAF pathways. Intriguingly, we discovered that inhibiting BRAF together with S100B exerts a novel synergistic effect to significantly restore p53 transcription activity and inhibit melanoma cell proliferation, whereas blocking BRAF together with CRAF only had an additive effect. We envision that blocking the pan-RAF and S100B/p53 pathways might be a novel synergistic strategy for melanoma therapy and that complex 1 is a potential inhibitor against melanoma via blocking the pan-RAF and S100B pathways.