Role of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in the Chemoresistance Modulation of Colorectal Cancer

Dynamics of Endothelial Cell Diversity and Plasticity in Health and Disease

Endothelial cells (ECs) are vital structural units of the cardiovascular system possessing two principal distinctive properties: heterogeneity and plasticity. Endothelial heterogeneity is defined by differences in tissue-specific endothelial phenotypes and their high predisposition to modification along the length of the vascular bed. This aspect of heterogeneity is closely associated with plasticity, the ability of ECs to adapt to environmental cues through the mobilization of genetic, molecular, and structural alterations. The specific endothelial cytoarchitectonics facilitate a quick structural cell reorganization and, furthermore, easy adaptation to the extrinsic and intrinsic environmental stimuli, known as the epigenetic landscape. ECs, as universally distributed and ubiquitous cells of the human body, play a role that extends far beyond their structural function in the cardiovascular system. They play a crucial role in terms of barrier function, cell-to-cell communication, and a myriad of physiological and pathologic processes. These include development, ontogenesis, disease initiation, and progression, as well as growth, regeneration, and repair. Despite substantial progress in the understanding of endothelial cell biology, the role of ECs in healthy conditions and pathologies remains a fascinating area of exploration. This review aims to summarize knowledge and concepts in endothelial biology. It focuses on the development and functional characteristics of endothelial cells in health and pathological conditions, with a particular emphasis on endothelial phenotypic and functional heterogeneity.

PLD1 is a key player in cancer stemness and chemoresistance: Therapeutic targeting of cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and Wnt/β-catenin pathways

The development of chemoresistance is a major challenge in the treatment of several types of cancers in clinical settings. Stemness and chemoresistance are the chief causes of poor clinical outcomes. In this context, we hypothesized that understanding the signaling pathways responsible for chemoresistance in cancers is crucial for the development of novel targeted therapies to overcome drug resistance. Among the aberrantly activated pathways, the PI3K-Akt/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is clinically implicated in malignancies such as colorectal cancer (CRC) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Aberrant dysregulation of phospholipase D (PLD) has been implicated in several malignancies, and oncogenic activation of this pathway facilitates tumor proliferation, stemness, and chemoresistance. Crosstalk involving the PLD and Wnt/β-catenin pathways promotes the progression of CRC and GBM and reduces the sensitivity of cancer cells to standard therapies. Notably, both pathways are tightly regulated and connected at multiple levels by upstream and downstream effectors. Thus, gaining deeper insights into the interactions between these pathways would help researchers discover unique therapeutic targets for the management of drug-resistant cancers. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms by which PLD signaling stimulates stemness and chemoresistance in CRC and GBM. Thus, the current review aims to address the importance of PLD as a central player coordinating cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and Wnt/β-catenin pathways and proposes the possibility of targeting these pathways to improve cancer therapy and overcome drug resistance.

Pan-cancer prognostic model and immune microenvironment analysis of natural killer cell-related genes

Background

Natural killer (NK) cells play a significant role in antitumor immunity and are closely related to tumor prognosis and recurrence. NK cell-based tumor immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibition and CAR-engineered NK cells, is a promising area of research. However, there is a need for better NK cell-related models and associated biomarkers.

Methods

The sequences of NK cell-related genes were obtained from the published NK cell CRISPR/Cas9 library data, and the common genes were selected as NK cell-related genes. The RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and clinical data of 32 solid tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were downloaded from the UCSC Xena database, and the RNA-seq data of normal samples were downloaded from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. The differentially expressed NK cell-related genes (DENKGs) between the tumor and normal samples were analyzed. The DENKGs related to the prognosis of solid tumors were selected via univariate Cox analysis, and 32 kinds of solid tumor prognostic models were constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox analysis. Survival, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and independent prognostic analyses were employed to test the effectiveness of the model, along with a nomogram model and prediction curve. Differences in the immune pathways and microenvironment cells were analyzed between the high- and low-risk groups identified by the model.

Results

We constructed a pan-cancer prognostic model with 63 NK cell-related genes and further identified DEPDC1 and ASPM as potentially offering new directions in tumor research by literature screening.

Conclusions

In this study, 63 prognostic solid tumor markers were investigated using NK cell-related genes, and for the first time, a pan-cancer prognostic model was constructed to analyze their role in the immune microenvironment, which may contribute new insights into tumor research.

The effect of novel nitrogen-based chalcone analogs on colorectal cancer cells: Insight into the molecular pathways

In colorectal cancer (CRC), aberrations in KRAS are associated with aggressive tumorigenesis and an overall low survival rate because of chemoresistance and adverse effects. Ergo, complementary, and integrative medicines are being considered for CRC treatment. Among which is the use of natural chalcones that are known to exhibit anti-tumor activities in KRAS mutant CRC subtypes treatment regimens. Consequently, we examine the effect of two novel compounds (DK13 and DK14) having chalcones with nitrogen mustard moiety on CRC cell lines (HCT-116 and LoVo) with KRAS mutation. These compounds were synthesized in our lab and previously reported to exhibit potent activity against breast cancer cells. Our data revealed that DK13 and DK14 treatment suppress cell growth, disturb the progression of cell cycle, and trigger apoptosis in CRC cell lines. Besides, treatment with both compounds impedes cell invasion and colony formation in both cell lines as compared to 5-FU; this is accompanied by up and down regulations of E-cadherin and Vimentin, respectively. At the molecular level, both compounds deregulate the expression and phosphorylation of β-catenin, Akt and mTOR, which are the main likely molecular mechanisms underlying these biological occurrences. Our findings present DK13 and DK14 as novel chemotherapies against CRC, through β-catenin/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways.

Mechanical effects modulate drug resistance in MCF-7-derived organoids: Insights into the wnt/β-catenin pathway

Addressing drug resistance poses a significant challenge in cancer treatment, as cancer cells develop diverse mechanisms to evade chemotherapy drugs, leading to treatment failure and disease relapse. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture has emerged as a valuable model for studying drug resistance, although the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By obtaining a better understanding of drug resistance within the 3D culture environment, we can develop more effective strategies to overcome it and improve the success of cancer treatments. Notably, the physical structure undergoes notable changes in 3D culture, with mechanical effects believed to play a pivotal role in drug resistance. Hence, our study aimed to explore the influence of mechanical effects on drug resistance by analyzing data related to "drug resistance" and "mechanobiology". Through this analysis, we identified β-catenin and JNK1 as potential factors, which were further examined in MCF-7 cells cultivated under both 2D and 3D culture conditions. Our findings demonstrate that β-catenin is activated through canonical and non-canonical pathways and associated with the drug resistance, particularly in organoids obtained under 3D culture.

Can β-catenin, Tenascin and Fascin be potential biomarkers for personalized therapy in Gastric carcinoma?

Gastric carcinoma (GC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Studying the molecular profile of GC is essential for developing targeted therapies. β-catenin, Tenascin, and Fascin expression are among the molecular abnormalities that are claimed to cause GC progression and chemoresistance. Therefore, they could be used as potential therapeutic targets. This study aimed to evaluate β-catenin, Tenascin, and Fascin expression and their possible roles as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in GC using immunohistochemistry. This retrospective study included 84 GC cases. Tissue microarrays were constructed, followed by β-catenin, Tenascin, and Fascin immunostaining. Their expression was assessed and compared with clinicopathological parameters and survival data. The study results revealed that β-catenin nucleocytoplasmic expression, positive Tenascin, and Fascin expressions were detected in 86.9%, 70%, and 59.5% of cases, respectively. Their expression was significantly associated with poor prognostic parameters, such as deeper tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, advanced pathological stage, vascular invasion, positive omental nodules, poor response to chemotherapy, and short overall survival. Hence, nucleocytoplasmic β-catenin expression together with Tenascin and Fascin positivity can be potential prognostic and predictive markers, and they can be used as therapeutic targets for GC.

Genome-wide study of genetic polymorphisms predictive for outcome from first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients

We conducted the first large genome-wide association study to identify novel genetic variants that predict better (or poorer) prognosis in colorectal cancer patients receiving standard first-line oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy vs chemotherapy without oxaliplatin. We used data from two phase III trials, NCCTG N0147 and NCCTG N9741 and a population-based patient cohort, DACHS. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were employed, including an interaction term between each SNP and type of treatment for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. The analysis was performed for studies individually, and the results were combined using fixed-effect meta-analyses separately for resected stage III colon cancer (3098 patients from NCCTG N0147 and 549 patients from DACHS) and mCRC (505 patients from NCCTG N9741 and 437 patients from DACHS). We further performed gene-based analysis as well as in silico bioinformatics analysis for CRC-relevant functional genomic annotation of identified loci. In stage III colon cancer patients, a locus on chr22 (rs11912167) was associated with significantly poorer OS after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy vs chemotherapy without oxaliplatin (Pinteraction  < 5 × 10-8 ). For mCRC patients, three loci on chr1 (rs1234556), chr12 (rs11052270) and chr15 (rs11858406) were found to be associated with differential OS (P < 5 × 10-7 ). The locus on chr1 located in the intronic region of RCSD1 was replicated in an independent cohort of 586 mCRC patients from ALGB/SWOG 80405 (Pinteraction  = .04). The GWA gene-based analysis yielded for RCSD1 the most significant association with differential OS in mCRC (P = 6.6 × 10-6 ). With further investigation into its biological mechanisms, this finding could potentially be used to individualize first-line treatment and improve clinical outcomes.

Functional inhibition of the RNA-binding protein HuR sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer to chemotherapy

Chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, chemoresistance compromises its efficacy. The RNA-binding protein Hu antigen R (HuR) could be a potential therapeutic target to enhance the chemotherapy efficacy. HuR is known to mainly stabilize its target mRNAs, and/or promote the translation of encoded proteins, which are implicated in multiple cancer hallmarks, including chemoresistance. In this study, a docetaxel-resistant cell subline (231-TR) was established from the human TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231. Both the parental and resistant cell lines exhibited similar sensitivity to the small molecule functional inhibitor of HuR, KH-3. Docetaxel and KH-3 combination therapy synergistically inhibited cell proliferation in TNBC cells and tumor growth in three animal models. KH-3 downregulated the expression levels of HuR targets (e.g., β-Catenin and BCL2) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, KH-3 restored docetaxel's effects on activating Caspase-3 and cleaving PARP in 231-TR cells, induced apoptotic cell death, and caused S-phase cell cycle arrest. Together, our findings suggest that HuR is a critical mediator of docetaxel resistance and provide a rationale for combining HuR inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents to enhance chemotherapy efficacy.

Natural compounds: Wnt pathway inhibitors with therapeutic potential in lung cancer

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is abnormally activated in most lung cancer tissues and considered to be an accelerator of carcinogenesis and lung cancer progression, which is closely related to increased morbidity rates, malignant progression, and treatment resistance. Although targeting the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway shows significant potential for lung cancer therapy, it still faces challenges owing to its complexity, tumor heterogeneity and wide physiological activity. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the role of the abnormal activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in lung cancer progression. Moreover, Wnt inhibitors used in lung cancer clinical trials are expected to break existing therapeutic patterns, although their adverse effects limit the treatment window. This is the first study to summarize the research progress on various compounds, including natural products and derivatives, that target the canonical Wnt pathway in lung cancer to develop safer and more targeted drugs or alternatives. Various natural products have been found to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin in various ways, such as through upstream and downstream intervention pathways, and have shown encouraging preclinical anti-tumor efficacy. Their diversity and low toxicity make them a popular research topic, laying the foundation for further combination therapies and drug development.

The Role of Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth leading malignancy worldwide, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Molecularly targeted therapies for HNSCC are still lacking. However, recent reports provide novel insights about many molecular alterations in HNSCC that may be useful in future therapies. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new biomarkers that may provide a better prediction of the disease and promising targets for personalized therapy. The poor response of HNSCC to therapy is attributed to a small population of tumor cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). Growing evidence indicates that the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of head and neck tissues. The HH pathway is normally involved in embryogenesis, stem cell renewal, and tissue regeneration. However, abnormal activation of the HH pathway is also associated with carcinogenesis and CSC regulation. Overactivation of the HH pathway was observed in several tumors, including basal cell carcinoma, that are successfully treated with HH inhibitors. However, clinical studies about HH pathways in HNSCC are still rare. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and recent advances regarding the HH pathway in HNSCC and discuss its possible implications for prognosis and future therapy.

Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Reductase-2 Promotes Colorectal Carcinogenesis by Modulating Microtubule-Associated Serine/Threonine Kinase-like/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling

BACKGROUND

Despite significant progress in clinical management, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths. A positive association between PYCR2 (pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase-2), a terminal enzyme of proline metabolism, and CRC aggressiveness was recently reported. However, how PYCR2 promotes colon carcinogenesis remains ill understood.

METHODS

A comprehensive analysis was performed using publicly available cancer databases and CRC patient cohorts. Proteomics and biochemical evaluations were performed along with genetic manipulations and in vivo tumor growth assays to gain a mechanistic understanding.

RESULTS

PYCR2 expression was significantly upregulated in CRC and associated with poor patient survival, specifically among PYCR isoforms (PYCR1, 2, and 3). The genetic inhibition of PYCR2 inhibited the tumorigenic abilities of CRC cells and in vivo tumor growth. Coinciding with these observations was a significant decrease in cellular proline content. PYCR2 overexpression promoted the tumorigenic abilities of CRC cells. Proteomics (LC-MS/MS) analysis further demonstrated that PYCR2 loss of expression in CRC cells inhibits survival and cell cycle pathways. A subsequent biochemical analysis supported the causal role of PYCR2 in regulating CRC cell survival and the cell cycle, potentially by regulating the expression of MASTL, a cell-cycle-regulating protein upregulated in CRC. Further studies revealed that PYCR2 regulates Wnt/β-catenin-signaling in manners dependent on the expression of MASTL and the cancer stem cell niche.

CONCLUSIONS

PYCR2 promotes MASTL/Wnt/β-catenin signaling that, in turn, promotes cancer stem cell populations and, thus, colon carcinogenesis. Taken together, our data highlight the significance of PYCR2 as a novel therapeutic target for effectively treating aggressive colon cancer.

Potent salinomycin C20-O-alkyl oxime derivative SAL-98 efficiently inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by affecting Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway

The dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is closely related to tumorigenesis, metastasis and cancer stem cell maintenance. Salinomycin is a polyether ionophore antibiotic that selectively eliminates cancer stem cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. Salinomycin selectively target cancer stem cells, but the toxicity limits its further use. In this study, we explore the anti-tumor mechanism of one most active salinomycin C20-O-alkyl oximederivative SAL-98 and found that SAL-98 exerts 10 times higher anti-tumor and anti-CSCs activities compared with salinomycin, which induces cell cycle arrest, ER stress and mitochondria dysfunction and inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway in vitro with high efficacy. Moreover, SAL-98 shows good anti-metastasis effect in vivo. In addition, SAL-98 demonstrates same anti-tumor activities as salinomycin with less 5 times concentration in vivo, the ER stress, autophagy and anti-CSCs effects were also confirmed in vivo. Mechanistically, SAL-98 inhibits the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway associated with CHOP expression induced by ER stress, the induced CHOP disrupts the β-catenin/TCF4 complex and represses the Wnt targeted genes. This study provides an alternative strategy for rational drug development to target Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Interplay between EZH2/β-catenin in stemness of cisplatin-resistant HNSCC and their role as therapeutic targets

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is associated with the regulation of cancer stem cells, and it can be driven by epigenetic modifications. Here, we aim to identify epigenetic modifications involved in the control of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling and investigate the role of this pathway in the accumulation of cancer stem cells (CSC) and chemoresistance of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). Quantitative-PCR, western blot, shRNA assay, viability assay, flow cytometry assay, spheres formation, xenograft model, and chromatin immunoprecipitation were employed to evaluate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and EZH2 in wild-type and chemoresistant oral carcinoma cell lines, and in the populations of CSC and non-stem cells. We demonstrated that β-catenin and EZH2 were accumulated in cisplatin-resistant and CSC population. The upstream genes of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling (APC and GSK3β) were decreased, and the downstream gene MMP7 was increased in the chemoresistant cell lines. The inhibition of β-catenin and EZH2 combined effectively decreased the CSC population in vitro and reduced the tumor volume and CSC population in vivo. EZH2 inhibition increased APC and GSK3β, and the Wnt/β-catenin inhibition reduced MMP7 levels. In contrast, EZH2 overexpression decreased APC and GSK3β and increased MMP7. EZH2 and β-catenin inhibitors sensitized chemoresistant cells to cisplatin. EZH2 and H3K27me3 bounded the promoter of APC, leading to its repression. These results suggest that EZH2 regulates β-catenin by inhibiting the upstream gene APC contributing to the accumulation of cancer stem cells and chemoresistance. Moreover, the pharmacological inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin combined with EZH2 can be an effective strategy for treating HNSCC.

Different Roles of Apoptosis and Autophagy in the Development of Human Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major life-threatening malignancy, despite numerous therapeutic and screening attempts. Apoptosis and autophagy are two processes that share common signaling pathways, are linked by functional relationships and have similar protein components. During the development of cancer, the two processes can trigger simultaneously in the same cell, causing, in some cases, an inhibition of autophagy by apoptosis or apoptosis by autophagy. Malignant cells that have accumulated genetic alterations can take advantage of any alterations in the apoptotic process and as a result, progress easily in the cancerous transformation. Autophagy often plays a suppressive role during the initial stages of carcinogenicity, while in the later stages of cancer development it can play a promoting role. It is extremely important to determine the regulation of this duality of autophagy in the development of CRC and to identify the molecules involved, as well as the signals and the mechanisms behind it. All the reported experimental results indicate that, while the antagonistic effects of autophagy and apoptosis occur in an adverse environment characterized by deprivation of oxygen and nutrients, leading to the formation and development of CRC, the effects of promotion and collaboration usually involve an auxiliary role of autophagy compared to apoptosis. In this review, we elucidate the different roles of autophagy and apoptosis in human CRC development.

Modulation of Wnt-β-catenin signaling with antibodies: therapeutic opportunities and challenges

Since the recognition that mutations in components of the Wnt-β-catenin pathway underlie some human cancers, considerable attention has been dedicated to developing therapeutic modalities to block its activity. Despite numerous efforts, no drug directly inhibiting Wnt signaling is currently clinically available. Conversely, activating the Wnt pathway in a specific manner has recently been made possible with new molecules mimicking the activity of Wnt proteins, thus offering new possibilities for controlling tissue stem cell activity and for the rational treatment of various degenerative conditions. We describe the landscape of antibody modalities that modulate the Wnt-β-catenin pathway, and detail the advances and challenges in both cancer and regenerative medicine drug development.

Canonical Wnt Pathway Is Involved in Chemoresistance and Cell Cycle Arrest Induction in Colon Cancer Cell Line Spheroids

The presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been associated with the induction of drug resistance and disease recurrence after therapy. 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) is widely used as the first-line treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its effectiveness may be limited by the induction of drug resistance in tumor cells. The Wnt pathway plays a key role in the development and CRC progression, but it is not clearly established how it is involved in CSCs resistance to treatment. This work aimed to investigate the role played by the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CSCs resistance to 5FU treatment. Using tumor spheroids as a model of CSCs enrichment of CRC cell lines with different Wnt/β-catenin contexts, we found that 5FU induces in all CRC spheroids tested cell death, DNA damage, and quiescence, but in different proportions for each one: RKO spheroids were very sensitive to 5FU, while SW480 were less susceptible, and the SW620 spheroids, the metastatic derivative of SW480 cells, displayed the highest resistance to death, high clonogenic capacity, and the highest ability for regrowth after 5FU treatment. Activating the canonical Wnt pathway with Wnt3a in RKO spheroids decreased the 5FU-induced cell death. But the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition with Adavivint alone or in combination with 5FU in spheroids with aberrant activation of this pathway produced a severe cytostatic effect compromising their clonogenic capacity and diminishing the stem cell markers expression. Remarkably, this combined treatment also induced the survival of a small cell subpopulation that could exit the arrest, recover SOX2 levels, and re-grow after treatment.

Reprogramming of palmitic acid induced by dephosphorylation of ACOX1 promotes β-catenin palmitoylation to drive colorectal cancer progression

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. However, it is not well known how metabolism affects cancer progression. We identified that metabolic enzyme acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1) suppresses colorectal cancer (CRC) progression by regulating palmitic acid (PA) reprogramming. ACOX1 is highly downregulated in CRC, which predicts poor clinical outcome in CRC patients. Functionally, ACOX1 depletion promotes CRC cell proliferation in vitro and colorectal tumorigenesis in mouse models, whereas ACOX1 overexpression inhibits patient-derived xenograft growth. Mechanistically, DUSP14 dephosphorylates ACOX1 at serine 26, promoting its polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, thereby leading to an increase of the ACOX1 substrate PA. Accumulated PA promotes β-catenin cysteine 466 palmitoylation, which inhibits CK1- and GSK3-directed phosphorylation of β-catenin and subsequent β-Trcp-mediated proteasomal degradation. In return, stabilized β-catenin directly represses ACOX1 transcription and indirectly activates DUSP14 transcription by upregulating c-Myc, a typical target of β-catenin. Finally, we confirmed that the DUSP14-ACOX1-PA-β-catenin axis is dysregulated in clinical CRC samples. Together, these results identify ACOX1 as a tumor suppressor, the downregulation of which increases PA-mediated β-catenin palmitoylation and stabilization and hyperactivates β-catenin signaling thus promoting CRC progression. Particularly, targeting β-catenin palmitoylation by 2-bromopalmitate (2-BP) can efficiently inhibit β-catenin-dependent tumor growth in vivo, and pharmacological inhibition of DUSP14-ACOX1-β-catenin axis by Nu-7441 reduced the viability of CRC cells. Our results reveal an unexpected role of PA reprogramming induced by dephosphorylation of ACOX1 in activating β-catenin signaling and promoting cancer progression, and propose the inhibition of the dephosphorylation of ACOX1 by DUSP14 or β-catenin palmitoylation as a viable option for CRC treatment.

Hedgehog-GLI and Notch Pathways Sustain Chemoresistance and Invasiveness in Colorectal Cancer and Their Inhibition Restores Chemotherapy Efficacy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality and chemoresistance is a major medical issue. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the primary step in the emergence of the invasive phenotype and the Hedgehog-GLI (HH-GLI) and NOTCH signaling pathways are associated with poor prognosis and EMT in CRC. CRC cell lines harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations, grown as monolayers and organoids, were treated with the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) alone or combined with HH-GLI and NOTCH pathway inhibitors GANT61 and DAPT, or arsenic trioxide (ATO) to inhibit both pathways. Treatment with 5-FU led to the activation of HH-GLI and NOTCH pathways in both models. In KRAS mutant CRC, HH-GLI and NOTCH signaling activation co-operate to enhance chemoresistance and cell motility, while in BRAF mutant CRC, the HH-GLI pathway drives the chemoresistant and motile phenotype. We then showed that 5-FU promotes the mesenchymal and thus invasive phenotype in KRAS and BRAF mutant organoids and that chemosensitivity could be restored by targeting the HH-GLI pathway in BRAF mutant CRC or both HH-GLI and NOTCH pathways in KRAS mutant CRC. We suggest that in KRAS-driven CRC, the FDA-approved ATO acts as a chemotherapeutic sensitizer, whereas GANT61 is a promising chemotherapeutic sensitizer in BRAF-driven CRC.

MicroRNAs as Predictive Biomarkers in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy: A Narrative Literature Review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and is associated with high mortality rates worldwide. The underlying mechanism of tumorigenesis in CRC is complex, involving genetic, lifestyle-related, and environmental factors. Although radical resection with adjuvant FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have remained mainstays of treatment for patients with stage III CRC and locally advanced rectal cancer, respectively, the oncological outcomes of these treatments are often unsatisfactory. To improve patients' chances of survival, researchers are actively searching for new biomarkers to facilitate the development of more effective treatment strategies for CRC and metastatic CRC (mCRC). MicroRNAs (miRs), small, single-stranded, noncoding RNAs, can post-transcriptionally regulate mRNA translation and trigger mRNA degradation. Recent studies have documented aberrant miR levels in patients with CRC or mCRC, and some miRs are reportedly associated with chemoresistance or radioresistance in CRC. Herein, we present a narrative review of the literature on the roles of oncogenic miRs (oncomiRs) and tumor suppressor miRs (anti-oncomiRs), some of which can be used to predict the responses of patients with CRC to chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Moreover, miRs may serve as potential therapeutic targets because their functions can be manipulated using synthetic antagonists and miR mimics.

Is the combination of immunotherapy with conventional chemotherapy the key to increase the efficacy of colorectal cancer treatment?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prevalent and deadly neoplasms worldwide. According to GLOBOCAN predictions, its incidence will increase from 1.15 million CRC cases in 2020 to 1.92 million cases in 2040. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in CRC development is necessary to improve strategies focused on reducing the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of this oncological pathology. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are the main strategies for treating CRC. The conventional chemotherapeutic agent utilized throughout the last four decades is 5-fluorouracil, notwithstanding its low efficiency as a single therapy. In contrast, combining 5-fluorouracil therapy with leucovorin and oxaliplatin or irinotecan increases its efficiency. However, these treatments have limited and temporary solutions and aggressive side effects. Additionally, most patients treated with these regimens develop drug resistance, which leads to disease progression. The immune response is considered a hallmark of cancer; thus, the use of new strategies and methodologies involving immune molecules, cells, and transcription factors has been suggested for CRC patients diagnosed in stages III and IV. Despite the critical advances in immunotherapy, the development and impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors on CRC is still under investigation because less than 25% of CRC patients display an increased 5-year survival. The causes of CRC are diverse and include modifiable environmental factors (smoking, diet, obesity, and alcoholism), individual genetic mutations, and inflammation-associated bowel diseases. Due to these diverse causes, the solutions likely cannot be generalized. Interestingly, new strategies, such as single-cell multiomics, proteomics, genomics, flow cytometry, and massive sequencing for tumor microenvironment analysis, are beginning to clarify the way forward. Thus, the individual mechanisms involved in developing the CRC microenvironment, their causes, and their consequences need to be understood from a genetic and immunological perspective. This review highlighted the importance of altering the immune response in CRC. It focused on drugs that may modulate the immune response and show specific efficacy and contrasted with evidence that immunosuppression or the promotion of the immune response is the answer to generating effective treatments with combined chemotherapeutic drugs.

LSM12 facilitates the progression of colorectal cancer by activating the WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway

Aberrant activation of the WNT signaling pathway is a joint event in colorectal cancer (CRC), but the molecular mechanism is still unclear. Recently, RNA-splicing factor LSM12 (like-Sm protein 12) is highly expressed in CRC tissues. This study aimed to verify whether LSM12 is involved in regulating CRC progression via regulating the WNT signaling pathway. Here, we found that LSM12 is highly expressed in CRC patient-derived tissues and cells. LSM12 is involved in the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of CRC cells, similar to the function of WNT signaling in CRC. Furthermore, protein interaction simulation and biochemical experiments proved that LSM12 directly binds to CTNNB1 (also known as β-Catenin) and regulates its protein stability to affect the CTTNB1-LEF1-TCF1 transcriptional complex formation and the associated WNT downstream signaling pathway. LSM12 depletion in CRC cells decreased the in vivo tumor growth through repression of cancer cell growth and acceleration of cancer cell apoptosis. Taken together, we suggest that the high expression of LSM12 is a novel factor leading to aberrant WNT signaling activation, and that strategies targeting this molecular mechanism may contribute to developing a new therapeutic method for CRC.

MN1 altered astroblastoma with APC and LRP1B gene mutations: a unique variant in the cervical spine of a pediatric patient

PURPOSE

Astroblastomas (AB) are high-grade neoplasms which typically occur within the cerebral hemisphere. However, given the rarity of this neoplasm and the number of variants, the relevance of this molecular makeup is unknown. We sought to describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and pathological analysis of a novel MN1 (meningioma 1) cervical spinal cord astroblastoma variant presenting in a pediatric patient.

METHODS

A retrospective review of electronic medical records was performed with an emphasis on neuroimaging, perioperative course, and pathological analysis.

RESULTS

An 11-month-old male with no significant history presented with two weeks of neck stiffness and cervicalgia. Neurologically, the patient was intact without signs of infection or trauma. Cervical CT was unremarkable. A subsequent MRI demonstrated a heterogeneously enhancing intramedullary lesion extending from the craniocervical junction to T4. The patient was treated with perioperative steroids and underwent C1-C3 laminectomies and C4-T4 laminotomies for tumor resection. Upon completion of the durotomy, an exophytic gray-red tumor was appreciated within the epidural space and gross total resection was achieved (no change on intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring) and confirmed on post-operative imaging. Immunohistochemical analysis was consistent with an astroblastoma with atypical diffuse positivity of CD56, CD99, and nuclear OLIG2. Molecular analysis revealed not only MN1 alterations but also changes in genes encoding APC and LRP1B. Both alterations were not previously documented to be associated with an astroblastoma.

CONCLUSION

Our case represents the first report of an infant with an MN1 astroblastoma with APC and LRP1B gene alterations in the cervical spine. Gross total resection paired with a detailed histopathologic analysis is vital for optimizing adjuvant treatment.

Role of m6A modification in dysregulation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in cancer

N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification is the most abundant post-transcriptional regulation of RNAs in eukaryotes. Dysregulation of m⁶A readers, writers, and erasers can significantly promote tumorigenesis by altering the expression of various genes. Wnt/β-catenin is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway that has recently been linked to the pathogenesis of many cancers. Given the significance of this pathway in regulating normal tissue homeostasis and stem cell differentiation, a subtle understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying its dysregulation is required for effective targeting. There is mounting evidence that m⁶A regulators are highly implicated in the dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Since m⁶A regulators can affect Wnt pathway components and dysregulation of either leads to carcinogenesis, this study aims to clarify the relationship between m⁶A regulators and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to investigate their combined impact on tumorigenesis.

Investigation of the Apoptosis Inducing and β-catenin Silencing by Tetradentate Schiff Base Zinc(II) Complex on the T-47D Breast Cancer Cells

INTRODUCTION

Several mechanisms are known for the anticancer effects of cisplatin. However, its most wellknown function involves binding to DNA and activating the DNA damage response.

METHODS

Despite its good effects, the treatment process often leads to chemoresistance and affects the mechanisms that support cell survival, such as pathways that promote cell growth, apoptosis, DNA damage repair, and endocytosis. For this reason, we investigated the effects of a new metal complex (tetradentate Schiff base zinc(II) complex) on breast cancer cells (T-47D). We evaluated its effect on cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and drug resistance in comparison to cisplatin.

RESULTS

The results of the MTT test showed that tetradentate Schiff base zinc(II) complex has good cytotoxicity compared to cisplatin. The IC50 values for the [Zn(SB)]Cl2 complex and cisplatin after 72 h of exposure were equal to 42.1 and 276.1 μM, respectively. Real-time PCR assay confirmed that the [Zn(SB)]Cl2 complex activated the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis and increased the expression of Bak1 and caspase-3 genes significantly compared to cisplatin. More importantly, the [Zn(SB)]Cl2 was able to reduce the expression of the β-catenin gene, which plays a role in drug resistance, by 0.011 compared to the control.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, we can hope for this new complex because, without the help of any β-catenin silencing agent, it was able to inhibit the drug resistance in the T-47D cell line that overexpresses the β-catenin gene.

The molecular characteristics of colorectal cancer: Impact of Ibuprofen and hyperthermia

Despite various treatment options available for colorectal cancer, the survival rates for patients remain low. This study investigated the effects of hyperthermia and Ibuprofen on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) viability, proliferation, and gene expression related to tumor suppression, Wnt signaling pathways, proliferation, and apoptosis The cells were exposed to hyperthermia at 42 or 43°C for 3 hours or Ibuprofen at different concentrations (700-1500 μM), and the effects were analyzed through MTT assay, trypan blue staining, and quantitative Real-time PCR. The study used quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to evaluate the effect of hyperthermia and Ibuprofen on the expression of various genes associated with tumor suppression, proliferation, Wnt signaling pathway, and apoptosis. The results revealed that hyperthermia caused a minor reduction in the viability and proliferation of HT-29 cells, but the decrease was not statistically significant (P<0.05). On the other hand, Ibuprofen caused a concentration-dependent decrease in the viability and proliferation of HT-29 cells. Both hyperthermia and Ibuprofen reduced the expression of WNT1, CTNNB1, BCL2, and PCNA genes, and increased the expression of KLF4, P53, and BAX genes. However, the changes in gene expression were not statistically significant in cells treated with hyperthermia. The findings suggest that Ibuprofen is more effective in reducing cancer cell proliferation by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway than hyperthermia, which had some impact but was not statistically significant. The study highlights the potential of Ibuprofen as a targeted therapy for colorectal cancer.

Inhibition of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to chemotherapeutics

Although colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment has seen a remarkable improvement in the recent years, many patients will develop metastasis due to the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutics. Targeting mechanisms driving the resistance of CRC cells to treatment would significantly reduce cases of metastasis and death. Induction of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), a direct target of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, might promote resistance of CRC cells to treatment via activation of anti-apoptotic pathways and induction of the multidrug resistance (MDR1) membrane transporter that pumps drugs out of the cells. We hypothesized that inhibition of IGF2BP1 will sensitize CRC cells to chemotherapeutics. We used CRC cell lines with different status of activation of Wnt signaling to show that inhibition of IGF2BP1 potentiates the anti-growth and anti-proliferative effects of chemotherapeutics on CRC cells with activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. We observed that the inhibition of IGF2BP1 significantly increases apoptosis in the same cells. A remarkable reduction in the migratory capability of those cells was noted as well. We found that inhibition of IGF2BP1 is sufficient to decrease the resistance of chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells with activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These findings portray IGF2BP1 as a good candidate for CRC therapy.

Genomic and transcriptomic analysis of a diffuse pleural mesothelioma patient-derived xenograft library

BACKGROUND

Diffuse pleural mesothelioma (DPM) is an aggressive malignancy that, despite recent treatment advances, has unacceptably poor outcomes. Therapeutic research in DPM is inhibited by a paucity of preclinical models that faithfully recapitulate the human disease.

METHODS

We established 22 patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from 22 patients with DPM and performed multi-omic analyses to deconvolute the mutational landscapes, global expression profiles, and molecular subtypes of these PDX models and compared features to those of the matched primary patient tumors. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS; MSK-IMPACT), immunohistochemistry, and histologic subtyping were performed on all available samples. RNA sequencing was performed on all available PDX samples. Clinical outcomes and treatment history were annotated for all patients. Platinum-doublet progression-free survival (PFS) was determined from the start of chemotherapy until radiographic/clinical progression and grouped into < or ≥ 6 months.

RESULTS

PDX models were established from both treatment naïve and previously treated samples and were noted to closely resemble the histology, genomic landscape, and proteomic profiles of the parent tumor. After establishing the validity of the models, transcriptomic analyses demonstrated overexpression in WNT/β-catenin, hedgehog, and TGF-β signaling and a consistent suppression of immune-related signaling in PDXs derived from patients with worse clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that DPM PDX models closely resemble the genotype and phenotype of parental tumors, and identify pathways altered in DPM for future exploration in preclinical studies.

m6A Methyltransferase METTL3 Reduces Hippocampal Neuron Apoptosis in a Mouse Model of Autism Through the MALAT1/SFRP2/Wnt/β-catenin Axis

OBJECTIVE

Hippocampal neuron apoptosis contributes to autism, while METTL3 has been documented to possess great potentials in neuron apoptosis. Our study probed into the role of METTL3 in neuron apoptosis in autism and to determine the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis was used to analyze expressed genes in autism samples. Institute of Cancer Research mice were treated with valproic acid to develop autism models. The function of METTL3 in autism-like symptoms in mice was analyzed with behavioral tests and histological examination of their hippocampal tissues. Primary mouse hippocampal neurons were extracted for in vitro studies. Downstream factors of METTL3 were explored and validated.

RESULTS

METTL3, MALAT1, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were downregulated, while SFRP2 was upregulated in the hippocampal tissues of a mouse model of autism. METTL3 stabilized MALAT1 expression by promoting m6A modification of MALAT1. MALAT1 promoted SFRP2 methylation and led to reduced SFRP2 expression by recruiting DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B to the promoter region of SFRP2. Furthermore, SFRP2 facilitated activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling. By this mechanism, METTL3 suppressed autism-like symptoms and hippocampal neuron apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

This research suggests that METTL3 can reduce autism-like symptoms and hippocampal neuron apoptosis by regulating the MALAT1/SFRP2/Wnt/β-catenin axis.

Wnt signaling in colorectal cancer: pathogenic role and therapeutic target

Background

The Wnt signaling pathway is a complex network of protein interactions that functions most commonly in embryonic development and cancer, but is also involved in normal physiological processes in adults. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway regulates cell pluripotency and determines the differentiation fate of cells during development. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway (also known as the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway) is a recognized driver of colon cancer and one of the most representative signaling pathways. As a functional effector molecule of Wnt signaling, the modification and degradation of β-catenin are key events in the Wnt signaling pathway and the development and progression of colon cancer. Therefore, the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diseases, especially the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Objective

Inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway to explore the therapeutic targets of colorectal cancer.

Methods

Based on studying the Wnt pathway, master the biochemical processes related to the Wnt pathway, and analyze the relevant targets when drugs or inhibitors act on the Wnt pathway, to clarify the medication ideas of drugs or inhibitors for the treatment of diseases, especially colorectal cancer.

Results

Wnt signaling pathways include: Wnt/β-catenin or canonical Wnt signaling pathway, planar cell polarity (Wnt-PCP) pathway and Wnt-Ca²⁺ signaling pathway. The Wnt signaling pathway is closely related to cancer cell proliferation, stemness, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolism, inflammation and immunization, microenvironment, resistance, ion channel, heterogeneity, EMT/migration/invasion/metastasis. Drugs/phytochemicals and molecular preparations for the Wnt pathway of CRC treatment have now been developed. Wnt inhibitors are also commonly used clinically for the treatment of CRC.

Conclusion

The development of drugs/phytochemicals and molecular inhibitors targeting the Wnt pathway can effectively treat colorectal cancer clinically.

Tumor microenvironment involvement in colorectal cancer progression via Wnt/β-catenin pathway: Providing understanding of the complex mechanisms of chemoresistance

Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be one of the main causes of death from cancer because patients progress unfavorably due to resistance to current therapies. Dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a fundamental role in the genesis and progression of several types of cancer, including CRC. In many subtypes of CRC, hyperactivation of the β-catenin pathway is associated with mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. However, it can also be associated with other causes. In recent years, studies of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have demonstrated its importance in the development and progression of CRC. In this tumor nest, several cell types, structures, and biomolecules interact with neoplastic cells to pave the way for the spread of the disease. Cross-communications between tumor cells and the TME are then established primarily through paracrine factors, which trigger the activation of numerous signaling pathways. Crucial advances in the field of oncology have been made in the last decade. This Minireview aims to actualize what is known about the central role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CRC chemoresistance and aggressiveness, focusing on cross-communication between CRC cells and the TME. Through this analysis, our main objective was to increase the understanding of this complex disease considering a more global context. Since many treatments for advanced CRC fail due to mechanisms involving chemoresistance, the data here exposed and analyzed are of great interest for the development of novel and effective therapies.

CKD-581 Downregulates Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway by DACT3 Induction in Hematologic Malignancy

The present study evaluated the anti-cancer activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC)-inhibiting CKD-581 in multiple myeloma (MM) and its pharmacological mechanisms. CKD-581 potently inhibited a broad spectrum of HDAC isozymes. It concentration-dependently inhibited proliferation of hematologic cancer cells including MM (MM.1S and RPMI8226) and T cell lymphoma (HH and MJ). It increased the expression of the dishevelled binding antagonist of β-catenin 3 (DACT3) in T cell lymphoma and MM cells, and decreased the expression of c-Myc and β-catenin in MM cells. Additionally, it enhanced phosphorylated p53, p21, cleaved caspase-3 and the subG1 population, and reversely, downregulated cyclin D1, CDK4 and the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family. Finally, administration of CKD-581 exerted a significant anti-cancer activity in MM.1S-implanted xenografts. Overall, CKD-581 shows anti-cancer activity via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in hematologic malignancies. This finding is evidence of the therapeutic potential and rationale of CKD-581 for treatment of MM.

Drug Resistance in Colorectal Cancer: From Mechanism to Clinic

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The 5-year survival rate is 90% for patients with early CRC, 70% for patients with locally advanced CRC, and 15% for patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC). In fact, most CRC patients are at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. Although chemotherapy, molecularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy have significantly improved patient survival, some patients are initially insensitive to these drugs or initially sensitive but quickly become insensitive, and the emergence of such primary and secondary drug resistance is a significant clinical challenge. The most direct cause of resistance is the aberrant anti-tumor drug metabolism, transportation or target. With more in-depth research, it is found that cell death pathways, carcinogenic signals, compensation feedback loop signal pathways and tumor immune microenvironment also play essential roles in the drug resistance mechanism. Here, we assess the current major mechanisms of CRC resistance and describe potential therapeutic interventions.

Blockage of PD-L1 by FERMT3-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates chemoresistance and immune evasion of colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) constitutes a major public health problem due to the high rate of morbidity and mortality. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are the major and promising strategies for cancer patients including CRC; nevertheless, chemoresistance and immune escape limit the final efficacy of above approaches. FERMT3 has been proved to exert the critical role in immune system and contradictive effects on cancer progression. In this study, bioinformatics database analysis and clinical specimen detection both corroborated the down-regulation of FERMT3 in CRC tissues and cells. Of interest, overexpression of FERMT3 suppressed CRC cell invasion and sensitized cells to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by reducing cell viability and increasing cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activity. Noticeably, FERMT3 up-regulation enhanced natural killer (NK) cells activation by increasing secretions of IFN-γ and TNF-α when NK cells were co-cultured with CRC cells. Importantly, up-regulation of FERMT3 promoted NK cell-mediated killing of CRC cells. Mechanically, FERMT3 inhibited the aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and the subsequent PD-L1 expression in CRC cells. Moreover, targeting PD-L1 suppressed CRC cell invasion, 5-FU resistance and NK cells-mediated tumor killing. Additionally, reactivating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling with a specific WNT agonist CAS 853220-52-7 overturned the efficacy of FERMT3 overexpression against CRC cell invasion, 5-FU chemoresistance and cell susceptibility to NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Thus, the current findings substantiate that FERMT3 elevation may attenuate CRC cell chemoresistance and NK cell-mediated immune response to tumor cells by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin-PD-L1 signaling. Therefore, FERMT3 elevation may be a promising therapeutic approach to overcome chemoresistance and immune evasion in CRC. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive analysis of R-spondin fusions and RNF43 mutations implicate novel therapeutic options in colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Gene fusions involving R-spondin (RSPOfp) and RNF43 mutations have been shown to drive Wnt-dependent tumor initiation in colorectal cancer (CRC). Herein, we aimed to characterize the molecular features of RSPOfp/RNF43 mutated (mut) compared to wildtype CRCs to gain insights into potential rationales for therapeutic strategies.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A discovery cohort was classified for RSPOfp/RNF43 status using DNA/RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry. An independent cohort was used to validate our findings.

RESULTS

The discovery cohort consisted of 7,245 CRC samples. RSPOfp and RNF43 mutations were detected in 1.3% (n=94) and 6.1% (n=443) of cases. We found 5 RSPO fusion events that had not previously been reported (e.g. IFNGR1-RSPO3). RNF43-mut tumors were associated with right-sided primary tumors. No RSPOfp tumors had RNF43 mutations. In comparison to wildtype CRCs, RSPOfp tumors were characterized by a higher frequency of BRAF, BMPR1A and SMAD4 mutations. APC mutations were observed in only a minority of RSPOfp-positive compared to wildtype cases (4.4 vs. 81.4%). Regarding RNF43 mutations, a higher rate of KMT2D and BRAF mutations were detectable compared to wildtype samples. While RNF43 mutations were associated with a microsatellite instability (MSI-H)/mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) phenotype (64.3%), and a TMB {greater than or equal to}10 mt/Mb (65.8%), RSPOfp was not associated with MSI-H/dMMR. The validation cohort replicated our genetic findings.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest series of RSPOfp/RNF43-mut CRCs reported to date. Comprehensive molecular analyses asserted the unique molecular landscape associated with RSPO/RNF43 and suggested potential alternative strategies to overcome the low clinical impact of Wnt-targeted agents and immunotherapy.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000277 promotes tumor progression and DDP resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are well-known regulators of cancer progression and chemoresistance in various types of cancers. This study was performed to investigate the function of hsa_circ_0000277 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods

RNA levels were analyzed via the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was applied to determine cell proliferation and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of cisplatin (DDP). Colony formation ability was evaluated by colony formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured using flow cytometry. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assays were performed for target interaction analysis. The protein levels were determined through western blot. Xenograft models were established for researching hsa_circ_0000277 function in vivo.

Results

Hsa_circ_0000277 expression was increased in ESCC cells and tissues, and it had important clinical significance. Downregulation of hsa_circ_0000277 repressed ESCC cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle, and DDP resistance. Hsa_circ_0000277 acted as a microRNA-873-5p (miR-873-5p) sponge and Sry-related high-mobility group box 4 (SOX4) was validated as a target of miR-873-5p. Moreover, hsa_circ_0000277/miR-873-5p axis and miR-873-5p/SOX4 axis regulated ESCC cell progression and DDP resistance. Hsa_circ_0000277/miR-873-5p axis activated SOX4/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Hsa_circ_0000277 facilitated tumorigenesis and DDP resistance by miR-873-5p/SOX4 axis in vivo.

Conclusion

These findings unraveled that hsa_circ_0000277 promoted ESCC progression and DDP resistance via miR-873-5p/SOX4/Wnt/β-catenin axis, showing a specific molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in ESCC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12885-022-09241-9.

The genetic polymorphisms of key genes in WNT pathway (LRP5 and AXIN1) was associated with osteoporosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Genetic factors play a critical role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. The imbalance of WNT/β-catenin will cause the occurrence of osteoporosis. LRP5 and AXIN1 play an important role in the classical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our study was aimed to determine the association between five candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of LRP5 or AXIN1 and osteoporosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

METHODS

A total of 599 osteoporosis patients and 599 healthy individuals were recruited for this case-control study. Agena MassARRAY was used to genotype SNPs. The association between SNPs and osteoporosis susceptibility in different genetic models was analyzed by PLINK software. We used false-positive report probability (FPRP) analysis to detect whether the positive results were just chance or noteworthy observations. Multifactor dimension reduction (MDR) was used to analyze the interaction of SNP-SNP in the osteoporosis risk. Finally, haplotype analysis was performed by plink1.07 and Haploview software.

RESULTS

We found that LRP5 rs11228240, AXIN1 rs2301522, and rs9921222 were significantly associated with the osteoporosis susceptibility. The results of subgroup analysis showed that LRP5 rs11228240 (protective factor) and AXIN1 rs2301522 (risk factor) were associated with the susceptibility of osteoporosis among participants who were age >60 years, female or BMI ≤ 24; AXIN1 rs9921222 significantly increased the risk of osteoporosis among participants with BMI ≤ 24. The genotype A_rs2301522C_rs9921222 could increase the susceptibility of osteoporosis (p = 0.026). The rs11228219_LPR5, rs11228240 _LPR5, rs2301522_AXIN1, and rs9921222_AXIN1 four-site model was the best model for predicting the osteoporosis risk (test accuracy = 0.541; CVC = 10/10).

CONCLUSIONS

The LRP5-rs11228240, AXIN1-rs2301522, and AXIN1- rs9921222 were associated with osteoporosis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

A diagnostic and prognostic value of blood-based circulating long non-coding RNAs in Thyroid, Pancreatic and Ovarian Cancer

Several studies have demonstrated the potential of circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as promising cancer biomarkers. Herein, we addressed the regulatory role of circulating lncRNAs and their potential value as diagnostic/prognostic markers for thyroid, pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Furthermore, we analyzed and measured the clinical implications and association of lncRNAs with sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Based on our meta-analysis, we found that GAS8-AS1 could discriminate thyroid cancer from non-cancer and other cancers with higher accuracy (AUC = 0.746; sensitivity = 61.70%, and specificity = 90.00%). Similarly, for ovarian cancer, lncRNA RP5-837J1.2 was found to have ideal diagnostic potential with critical clinical specifications of AUC = 0.996; sensitivity = 97.30% and specificity = 94.60%. Whereas we could not find any lncRNA having high diagnostic/prognostic efficiency in pancreatic cancer. We believe that lncRNAs mentioned above may explore clinical settings for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer patients.

Exosomal-long non-coding RNAs journey in colorectal cancer: Evil and goodness faces of key players

Exosomes are nano-vesicles (NVs) secreted by cells and take part in cell-cell communications. Lately, these exosomes were proved to have dual faces in cancer. Actually, they can contribute to carcinogenesis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenesis, metastasis and tumor microenvironment (TME) of various cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). On the other hand, they can be potential targets for cancer treatment. CRC is one of the most frequent tumors worldwide, with incidence rates rising in the recent decades. In its early stage, CRC is asymptomatic with poor treatment outcomes. Therefore, finding a non-invasive, early diagnostic biomarker tool and/or suitable defender to combat CRC is mandatory. Exosomes provide enrichment and safe setting for their cargos non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and proteins, whose expression levels can be upregulated ordown-regulated in cancer. Hence, exosomes can be used as diagnostic and/or prognostic tools for cancer. Moreover, exosomes can provide a novel potential therapeutic modality for tumors via loading with specific chemotherapeutic agents, with the advantage of possible tumor targeting. In this review, we will try to collect and address recent studies concerned with exosomes and their cargos' implications for CRC diagnosis and/or hopefully, treatment.

Therapeutic strategies targeting Wnt/β‑catenin signaling for colorectal cancer (Review)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common carcinomas. Although great progress has been made in recent years, CRC survival remains unsatisfactory due to high metastasis and recurrence. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRC tumorigenesis and metastasis has become increasingly important. Recently, aberrant Wnt/β‑catenin signaling has been reported to be strongly associated with CRC tumorigenesis, metastasis and recurrence. Therefore, the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway has potential value as a therapeutic target for CRC. In the present review, the dysregulation of this pathway in CRC and the promoting or suppressing function of therapeutic targets on CRC were explored. In addition, the interaction between this pathway and epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell stemness, mutations, metastasis‑related genes and tumor angiogenesis in CRC cells were also investigated. Numerous studies on this pathway may help identify the potential diagnostic and prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for CRC.

Sanguisorba officinalis L. suppresses 5-fluorouracil-sensitive and-resistant colorectal cancer growth and metastasis via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a widespread cancer with high morbidity and mortality. Chemoresistance and metastasis are the current challenges for CRC treatment. Sanguisorba officinalis Linn. (called DiYu in Chinese, DY) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) whose root is long used as medicinal part. In our previous study, the aqueous extract of DY could inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and showed great antitumor effect against CRC. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is involved in CRC chemoresistance and metastasis. However, there is little study on the antitumor and antimetastatic effects of DY on resistant CRC cells. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of aqueous extract of DY on the growth and metastasis of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) sensitive and resistant CRC, and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism.

METHODOLOGY

In this study, cell viability, cell colony formation and apoptosis analyses were performed to verify the in vitro antitumor effect of DY on 5-FU-sensitive and -resistant CRC cells. Next, transwell assays were used to test the inhibition activity of DY on CRC migration and invasion. Western Blotting assays were carried out to identify the molecular mechanism underlying the efficacy of DY extract. Xenograft CRC nude mice model and tumor metastasis model were used to confirm the in vivo antitumor and antimetastatic effects of DY.

RESULTS

DY inhibited cell proliferation and apoptosis via the upregulation of Bax, cleaved-caspase3 and cleaved-PARP proteins and downregulation of Bcl-2 protein. DY also inhibited cell migration and invasion via the downregulation of N-cadherin, vimentin and snail proteins and upregulation of E-cadherin protein, demonstrating that DY suppressed cell metastasis by reversing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) procession. Moreover, the protein expression levels of β-catenin in whole cell, cytoplasm and nucleus were decreased after DY treatment. Taken together, DY suppressed CRC cell growth and metastasis via inhibition of the Wnt pathway. Additionally, DY also demonstrated effective antitumor and anti-metastasis activities in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, DY suppressed the growth and metastasis of 5-FU-sensitive and -resistant CRC via inhibition of the Wnt pathway, which indicated that DY could be a potential drug to treat CRC patients and improve clinic outcome.

Progestins as Anticancer Drugs and Chemosensitizers, New Targets and Applications

Progesterone and its synthetic analogues, progestins, participate in the regulation of cell differentiation, proliferation and cell cycle progression. Progestins are usually applied for contraception, maintenance of pregnancy, and hormone replacement therapy. Recently, their effectiveness in the treatment of hormone-sensitive tumors was revealed. According to current data, the anticancer activity of progestins is mainly mediated by their cytotoxic and chemosensitizing influence on different cancer cells. In connection with the detection of previously unknown targets of the progestin action, which include the membrane-associated progesterone receptor (PR), non-specific transporters related to the multidrug resistance (MDR) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP), and checkpoints of different signaling pathways, new aspects of their application have emerged. It is likely that the favorable influence of progestins is predominantly associated with the modulation of expression and activity of MDR-related proteins, the inhibition of survival signaling pathways, especially TGF-β and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, which activate the proliferation and promote MDR in cancer cells, and the facilitation of mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Biological effects of progestins are mediated by the inhibition of these signaling pathways, as well as the direct interaction with the nucleotide-binding domain of ABC-transporters and mitochondrial adenylate translocase as an MPTP component. In these ways, progestins can restore the proliferative balance, the ability for apoptosis, and chemosensitivity to drugs, which is especially important for hormone-dependent tumors associated with estrogen stress, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and drug resistance.

Defining the Role of GLI/Hedgehog Signaling in Chemoresistance: Implications in Therapeutic Approaches

Insight into cancer signaling pathways is vital in the development of new cancer treatments to improve treatment efficacy. A relatively new but essential developmental signaling pathway, namely Hedgehog (Hh), has recently emerged as a major mediator of cancer progression and chemoresistance. The evolutionary conserved Hh signaling pathway requires an in-depth understanding of the paradigm of Hh signaling transduction, which is fundamental to provide the necessary means for the design of novel tools for treating cancer related to aberrant Hh signaling. This review will focus substantially on the canonical Hh signaling and the treatment strategies employed in different studies, with special emphasis on the molecular mechanisms and combination treatment in regard to Hh inhibitors and chemotherapeutics. We discuss our views based on Hh signaling's role in regulating DNA repair machinery, autophagy, tumor microenvironment, drug inactivation, transporters, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and cancer stem cells to promote chemoresistance. The understanding of this Achilles' Heel in cancer may improve the therapeutic outcome for cancer therapy.

Clinical Use of Progestins and Their Mechanisms of Action: Present and Future (Review)

This review summarizes the current opinions on the mechanisms of action of nuclear, mitochondrial, and membrane progesterone receptors. The main aspects of the pharmacological action of progestins have been studied. Data on the clinical use of gestagens by nosological groups are presented. Particular attention is paid to progesterone, megestrol acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate due to broadening of their spectrum of action. The possibilities of using gestagens as neuroprotectors, immunomodulators, and chemosensitizers are considered.

Understanding the regulation of β-catenin expression and activity in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis: beyond destruction complex

Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling is central to colorectal cancer carcinogenesis. The well-known potential of targeting the canonical Wnt signaling pathway for the treatment of CRC is largely attributed to the ability of this pathway to regulate various cellular processes such as cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance, immune response, apoptosis, and cellular metabolism. However, with the current approach of targeting this pathway, none of the Wnt-targeted agents have been successfully implicated in clinical practice. Instead of using classical approaches to target this pathway, there is a growing need to find new and modified approaches to achieve the same. For this, a better understanding of the regulation of β-catenin, a major effector of the canonical Wnt pathway is a must. The present review addresses the importance of understanding the regulation of β-catenin beyond the destruction complex. Few recently discovered β-catenin regulators such as ZNF281, TTPAL, AGR2, ARHGAP25, TREM2, and TIPE1 showed significant potential in regulating the development of CRC through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Although the expression and activity of β-catenin is influenced by many protein regulators, the abovementioned proteins not only influence its expression and activation but are also directly involved in the development of CRC and various other solid tumors. Therefore, we hypothesise that focusing the current research on finding the detailed mechanism of action of these regulators may assist in providing with a better treatment approach or improve the current therapeutic regimens.

Wnt Signaling and Cadherin Expressions in Different Staging of Colorectal Cancer as Biomarkers for Metastasis: Study of SW480, COLO 320DM, and HCT116 Cellines

BACKGROUND: Early metastases is still unresolved problem in cancer management, eventually in colorectal cancer (CRC). In addition, many markers are useful just only in the late stage of CRC. AIM: This study evaluates the differences in the expression intensity of nuclear β-catenin, cytoplasmic β-catenin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin between CRC SW480 cell line as control group and COLO320DM and HCT116 cell lines as case groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study applied experimental research design with the different test methods. Culture growing and subcultures manufacturing for the CRC cell line models were done initially and followed by the immunofluorescence method by administering antibodies on β-catenin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin, and continued with staining process using fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate and 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Observations were done using an immunofluorescence microscope. Calculation of area density in each cell to perceive the expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin was conducted using ImageJ software, resulted in mean fluorescence intensity. RESULTS: There are significant differences in the expressions of cytoplasmic β-catenin, nuclear β-catenin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin among SW480, COLO320DM, and HCT116 cell lines (p < 0.05). Despite no significant differences in cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin expressions between SW480 and HCT116 cell lines, and in E-cadherin and N-cadherin expressions between COLO320DM and HCT116 cell lines (p > 0.05). SW480 cell line has a higher expression of nuclear β-catenin than the cytoplasm (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study reveals differences in the expression of nucleic and cytoplasmic β-catenin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in three stages of CRC (Duke B, C, and D) refer to different activation invasion, migration, and metastatic processes. Furthermore, the high expression of nuclear β-catenin and N-cadherin in the early stage of CRC indicate there is a metastatic process in that stage, so nuclear β-catenin and cadherin can be considered as potential biomarkers in the early stage of this cancer.

Potential of olive oil and its phenolic compounds as therapeutic intervention against colorectal cancer: a comprehensive review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major causes of death across the world and incidence rate of CRC increasing alarmingly each passing year. Diet, genomic anomalies, inflammation and deregulated signalling pathways are among the major causes of CRC. Because of numerous side effects of CRC therapies available now, researchers all over the world looking for alternative treatment/preventive strategy with lesser/no side effects. Olive oil which is part of Mediterranean diet contains numerous phenolic compounds that fight against free radicals and inflammation and also well-known for protective role against CRC. The current review focused on the recent evidences where olive oil and its phenolic compounds such as hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein and oleocanthal showed activities against CRC as well to analyse the cellular and molecular signalling mechanism through which these compounds act on. These compounds shown to combat CRC by reducing proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis through regulation of numerous signalling pathways including MAPK pathway, PI3K-Akt pathway and Wnt/β-catenin pathway and at the same time, induce apoptosis in different CRC model. However, further research is an absolute necessity to establish these compounds as nutritional supplements and develop therapeutic strategy in CRC.

Wnt/β-Catenin Inhibition Disrupts Carboplatin Resistance in Isogenic Models of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, characterized by limited treatment options and higher relapse rates than hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Chemotherapy remains the mainstay treatment for TNBC, and platinum salts have been explored as a therapeutic alternative in neo-adjuvant and metastatic settings. However, primary and acquired resistance to chemotherapy in general and platinum-based regimens specifically strongly hampers TNBC management. In this study, we used carboplatin-resistant in vivo patient-derived xenograft and isogenic TNBC cell-line models and detected enhanced Wnt/β-catenin activity correlating with an induced expression of stem cell markers in both resistant models. In accordance, the activation of canonical Wnt signaling in parental TNBC cell lines increases stem cell markers' expression, formation of tumorspheres and promotes carboplatin resistance. Finally, we prove that Wnt signaling inhibition resensitizes resistant models to carboplatin both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting the synergistic use of Wnt inhibitors and carboplatin as a therapeutic option in TNBC. Here we provide evidence for a prominent role of Wnt signaling in mediating resistance to carboplatin, and we establish that combinatorial targeting of Wnt signaling overcomes carboplatin resistance enhancing chemotherapeutic drug efficacy.

Emerging role of tumor microenvironment derived exosomes in therapeutic resistance and metastasis through epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

The tumor microenvironment (TME) constitutes multiple cell types including cancerous and non-cancerous cells. The intercellular communication between these cells through TME derived exosomes may either enhance or suppress the tumorigenic processes. The tumor-derived exosomes could convert an anti-tumor environment into a pro-tumor environment by inducing the differentiation of stromal cells into tumor-associated cells. The exosomes from tumor-associated stromal cells reciprocally trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cells, which impose therapeutic resistance and metastasis. It is well known that these exosomes contain the signals of EMT, but how these signals execute chemoresistance and metastasis in tumors remains elusive. Understanding the significance and molecular signatures of exosomes transmitting EMT signals would aid in developing appropriate methods of inhibiting them. In this review, we focus on molecular signatures of exosomes that shuttle between cancer cells and their stromal populations in TME to explicate their impact on therapeutic resistance and metastasis through EMT. Especially Wnt signaling is found to be involved in multiple ways of exosomal transport and hence we decipher the biomolecules of Wnt signaling trafficked through exosomes and their potential in serving as therapeutic targets.

Does Oral Apigenin Have Real Potential for a Therapeutic Effect in the Context of Human Gastrointestinal and Other Cancers?

Apigenin (4′, 5, 7-trihydroxyflavone) is a plant flavone that has been found to have various actions against cancer cells. We evaluated available evidence to determine whether it is feasible for apigenin to have such effects in human patients.

Apigenin taken orally is systemically absorbed and recirculated by enterohepatic and local intestinal pathways. Its bioavailability is in the region of 30%. Once absorbed from the oral route it reaches maximal circulating concentration (C_max) after a time (T_max) of 0.5–2.5h, with an elimination half-life (T¹/₂) averaging 2.52 ± 0.56h.

Using a circulating concentration for efficacy of 1–5μmol/L as the target, we evaluated data from both human and rodent pharmacokinetic studies to determine if a therapeutic concentration would be feasible. We find that oral intake of dietary materials would require heroic ingestion amounts and is not feasible. However, use of supplements of semi-purified apigenin in capsule form could reach target blood levels using amounts that are within the range currently acceptable for other supplements and medications. Modified formulations or parenteral injection are suitable but may not be necessary.

Further work with direct studies of pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes are necessary to fully evaluate whether apigenin will contribute to a useful clinical strategy, but given emerging evidence that it may interact beneficially with chemotherapeutic drugs, this is worthy of emphasis. In addition, more effective access to intestinal tissues from the oral route raises the possibility that apigenin may be of particular relevance to gastrointestinal disorders including colorectal cancer.

Long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer: Novel oncogenic mechanisms and promising clinical applications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy and ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite the improvements in CRC diagnosis and treatment approaches, a considerable proportion of CRC patients still suffers from poor prognosis due to late disease detections and lack of personalized disease managements. Recent evidences have not only provided important molecular insights into their mechanistic behaviors but also indicated that identification of cancer-specific long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) could benefit earlier disease detections and improve treatment outcomes in patients suffering from CRC. LncRNAs have raised extensive attentions as they participate in various hallmarks of CRC. The mechanistic evidence gleaned in the recent decade clearly reveals that lncRNAs exert their oncogenic roles by regulating autophagy, epigenetic modifications, enhancing stem phenotype and modifying tumor microenvironment. In view of their pleiotropic functional roles in malignant progression, and their frequently dysregulated expression in CRC patients, they have great potential to be reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets for CRC. In the present review, we will focus on the oncogenic roles of lncRNAs and related mechanisms in CRC as well as discuss their clinical potential in the early diagnosis, prognostic prediction and therapeutic translation in patients with this malignancy.