Metastasis: new perspectives on an old problem

Diagnostic Value and Molecular Function of MicroRNAs in Endometrial Diseases: A Systematic Review

The human endometrium experiences significant cyclic morphological and biochemical changes throughout the menstrual cycle to prepare for embryo implantation. These processes are meticulously regulated by ovarian steroids and various locally expressed genes, encompassing inflammatory reactions, apoptosis, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, differentiation (tissue formation), and tissue remodeling. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as crucial regulators of gene expression, with their altered expression being linked to the onset and progression of various disorders, including cancer. This review examines the expression of miRNAs in the endometrium and their potential regulatory roles under pathological conditions such as endometriosis, recurrent implantation failure and endometrial cancer. Given miRNAs' critical role in maintaining gene expression stability, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of endometrial miRNAs and identifying their specific target genes could pave the way for developing preventive and therapeutic strategies targeting specific genes associated with these reproductive disorders.

Invasive FoxM1 phosphorylated by PLK1 induces the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages to promote immune escape and metastasis, amplified by IFITM1

BACKGROUND

Understanding the mechanism behind immune cell plasticity in cancer metastasis is crucial for identifying key regulators. Previously we found that mitotic factors regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition, but how these factors convert to metastatic players in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is not fully understood.

METHODS

The clinical importance of mitotic factors was analyzed by heatmap analysis, a KM plot, and immunohistochemistry in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. Immunoprecipitation, LC-MS/MS, kinase assay, and site-directed mutagenesis were performed for the interaction and phosphorylation. A tail-vein injection mouse model, Transwell-based 3D culture, microarray analysis, coculture with monocytes, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were used to elucidate the function of phosphorylated FoxM1 in metastasis of TME.

RESULTS

The phosphorylated FoxM1 at Ser25 by PLK1 acquires the reprogramming ability to stimulate the invasive traits in cancer and influence immune cell plasticity. This invasive form of p-FoxM1 upregulates the expression of IL1A/1B, VEGFA, and IL6 by direct activation, recruiting monocytes and promoting the polarization of M2d-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Upregulation of PD-L1 in LUAD having phosphomimetic FoxM1 facilitates immune evasion. In invasive LUAD with phosphomimetic FoxM1, IFITM1 is the most highly expressed through the activation of the STING-TBK1-IRF3 signaling, which enhances FoxM1-mediated signaling. Clinically, higher expression of FOXM1, PLK1, and IFITM1 is inversely correlated with the survival rate of advanced LUAD patients, providing a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of LUAD.

CONCLUSION

FoxM1-based therapy would be a potential therapeutic strategy for LUAD to reduce TAM polarization, immune escape, and metastasis, since FoxM1 functions as a genetic reprogramming factor reinforcing LUAD malignancy in the TME.

Yulangsan polysaccharide inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion in NSCLC by attenuating the TGF-β1/ERK signaling pathway

Active polysaccharides have unique advantages in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis and inducing apoptosis. Yulangsan polysaccharide (YLSPS) is derived from the root of Millettia pulchra var. laxior (Dunn) Z. Wei. Previous studies revealed that YLSPS exhibits bioactivities such as antibacterial, antidepressive, antitumor, hepatoprotective and immunomodulating activities. However, the anticancer effects of YLSPS on lung cancer have not yet been studied, and its mechanism of action remains unclear. The present study investigated the anti-migration/invasion effects of YLSPS and possible mechanisms in lung cancer cells (A549 and Lewis) in vitro and in vivo. The data suggested that YLSPS reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibited the invasion and migration of lung cancer cells by inhibiting the TGF-β1-induced ERK signaling pathway. Furthermore, YLSPS reduced the levels of proteins associated with EMT, including vimentin, but increased those of E-cadherin, as determined by Western blotting. In vivo, YLSPS significantly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors, and decreased the levels of TGF-β1 and protein markers associated with EMT. Importantly, YLSPS had fewer toxic side effects than cisplatin. Overall, YLSPS significantly delayed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression by modulating EMT and TGF-β1/ERK signaling pathway. The present findings suggest that YLSPS may be a potential adjuvant therapy and drug for improving the tumor microenvironment of lung cancer.

Use of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to understand specific carcinogenic events: Comparison of the molecular machinery associated with cancer-hallmarks in plants and humans

Model organisms are fundamental in cancer research given that they rise the possibility to characterize in a quantitative-objective fashion the organisms as a whole in ways that are infeasible in humans. From this perspective, model organisms with short generation times and established protocols for genetic manipulation allow the understanding of basic biology principles that might guide carcinogenic onset. The cancer-hallmarks (CHs) approach, a modular perspective for cancer understanding, stands that underlying the variability among different cancer types, critical events support the carcinogenic origin and progression. Thus, CHs as interconnected genetic circuitry, have a causal effect over cancer biogenesis and might represent a comparison scaffold among model organisms to identify and characterize evolutionarily conserved modules to understand cancer. Nevertheless, the identification of novel cancer regulators by comparative genomics approaches relies on selecting specific biological processes or related signaling cascades that limit the type of detected regulators, even more, holistic analysis from a systemic perspective is absent. Similarly, although the plant Arabidopsis thaliana has been used as a model organism to dissect specific disease-associated mechanisms, given the evolutionary distance between plants and humans, a general concern about the utility of using A. thaliana as a cancer model persists. In the present research, we take advantage of the CHs paradigm as a framework to establish a functional systemic comparison between plants and humans, that allowed the identification not only of specific novel key genetic regulators, but also, biological processes, metabolic systems, and genetic modules that might contribute to the neoplastic transformation. We propose five cancer-hallmarks that overlapped in conserved mechanisms and processes between Arabidopsis and human and thus, represent mechanisms which study can be prioritized in A. thaliana as an alternative model for cancer research. Additionally, derived from network analyses and machine learning strategies, a new set of potential candidate genes that might contribute to neoplastic transformation is described. These findings postulate A. thaliana as a suitable model to dissect, not all, but specific cancer properties, highlighting the importance of using alternative complementary models to understand carcinogenesis.

High expression of E2F transcription factors 7: An independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma is the most common pathological type of lung cancer. The E2F7 transcription factor has been confirmed to be related to the occurrence and development of a variety of solid tumors, but the relationship with the prognosis of lung cancer is still unclear. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the prognostic value of E2F7 for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. In this study, we analyzed samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to study the correlation between the expression of E2F7 and clinical features, the difference in expression between tumors and normal tissues, the prognostic and diagnostic value, and Enrichment analysis of related genes. All statistical analysis uses R statistical software (version 3.6.3). The result shows that the expression level of E2F7 in LUAD was significantly higher than that of normal lung tissue (P = 1e-34). High expression of E2F7 was significantly correlated with gender (P = .034), pathologic stage (P = .046) and M stage (P = .025). Multivariate Cox analysis confirmed that E2F7 is an independent risk factor for OS in LUAD patients (P = .027). Genes related to cell cycle checkpoints, DNA damage telomere stress-induced senescence, DNA methylation, chromosome maintenance and mitotic prophase showed differential enrichment in the E2F7 high expression group. In short, high expression of E2F7 is an independent risk factor for OS in LUAD patients and has a high diagnostic value.

Discovery and Optimization of Pyrrolopyrimidine Derivatives as Selective Disruptors of the Perinucleolar Compartment, a Marker of Tumor Progression toward Metastasis

The perinucleolar compartment (PNC) is a dynamic subnuclear body found at the periphery of the nucleolus. The PNC is enriched with RNA transcripts and RNA-binding proteins, reflecting different states of genome organization. PNC prevalence positively correlates with cancer progression and metastatic capacity, making it a useful marker for metastatic cancer progression. A high-throughput, high-content assay was developed to identify novel small molecules that selectively reduce PNC prevalence in cancer cells. We identified and further optimized a pyrrolopyrimidine series able to reduce PNC prevalence in PC3M cancer cells at submicromolar concentrations without affecting cell viability. Structure-activity relationship exploration of the structural elements necessary for activity resulted in the discovery of several potent compounds. Analysis of in vitro drug-like properties led to the discovery of the bioavailable analogue, metarrestin, which has shown potent antimetastatic activity with improved survival in rodent models and is currently being evaluated in a first-in-human phase 1 clinical trial.

Antigen presentation and interferon signatures in B cells driven by localized ablative cancer immunotherapy correlate with extended survival

Rationale: B cells have emerged as key regulators in protective cancer immunity. However, the activation pathways induced in B cells during effective immunotherapy are not well understood. Methods: We used a novel localized ablative immunotherapy (LAIT), combining photothermal therapy (PTT) with intra-tumor delivery of the immunostimulant N-dihydrogalactochitosan (GC), to treat mice bearing mouse mammary tumor virus-polyoma middle tumor-antigen (MMTV-PyMT). We used single-cell RNA sequencing to compare the transcriptional changes induced by PTT, GC and PTT+GC in B cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Results: LAIT significantly increased survival in the tumor-bearing mice, compared to the treatment by PTT and GC alone. We found that PTT, GC and PTT+GC increased the proportion of tumor-infiltrating B cells and induced gene expression signatures associated with B cell activation. Both GC and PTT+GC elevated gene expression associated with antigen presentation, whereas GC elevated transcripts that regulate B cell activation and GTPase function and PTT+GC induced interferon response genes. Trajectory analysis, where B cells were organized according to pseudotime progression, revealed that both GC and PTT+GC induced the differentiation of B cells from a resting state towards an effector phenotype. The analyses confirmed upregulated interferon signatures in the differentiated tumor-infiltrating B cells following treatment by PTT+GC but not by GC. We also observed that breast cancer patients had significantly longer survival time if they had elevated expression of genes in B cells that were induced by PTT+GC therapy in the mouse tumors. Conclusion: Our findings show that the combination of local ablation and local application of immunostimulant initiates the activation of interferon signatures and antigen-presentation in B cells which is associated with positive clinical outcomes for breast cancer. These findings broaden our understanding of LAIT's regulatory roles in remodeling TME and shed light on the potentials of B cell activation in clinical applications.

KPNA2 promotes renal cell carcinoma proliferation and metastasis via NPM

Karyopherin α2 (KPNA2), involved in nucleocytoplasmic transport, has been reported to be up‐regulated in tumorigenesis. However, comprehensive studies of KPNA2 functions in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are still lacking. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles of KPNA2 in kidney tumour development. Our results showed that down‐regulation of KPNA2 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of kidney tumour cell cells in vitro, while the cell cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis were induced once KPNA2 was silenced. Repression of KPNA2 was proved to be efficient to repress tumorigenesis and development of kidney tumour in in nude mice. Furthermore, one related participator, NPM, was identified based on Co‐IP/MS and bioinformatics analyses. The up‐regulation of NPM attenuates the efficiency of knockdown KPNA2. These results indicated that KPNA2 may regulate NPM to play a crucial role for kidney tumour development.

Recent Advances on Immune Targeted Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Using bi-Specific Antibodies and Therapeutic Vaccines

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a universal heterogeneous disease that is characterized by genetic and epigenetic alterations. Immunotherapy using monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and cancer vaccines are substitute strategies for CRC treatment. When cancer immunotherapy is combined with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, the CRC treatment would become excessively efficient. One of the compelling immunotherapy approaches to increase the efficiency of CRC therapy is the deployment of therapeutic mAbs, nanobodies, bi-specific antibodies and cancer vaccines, which improve clinical outcomes in patients. Also, among the possible therapeutic approaches for CRC patients, gene vaccines in combination with antibodies are recently introduced as a new perspective. Here, we aimed to present the current progress in CRC immunotherapy, especially using Bi-specific antibodies and dendritic cells mRNA vaccines. For this aim, all data were extracted from Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Elsevier, using keywords cancer vaccines; CRC immunotherapy and CRC mRNA vaccines. About 97 articles were selected and investigated completely based on the latest developments and novelties on bi-specific antibodies, mRNA vaccines, nanobodies, and MGD007.

Lovastatin Inhibits EMT and Metastasis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Stem Cells Through Dysregulation of Cytoskeleton-Associated Proteins

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more aggressive and has poorer prognosis compared to other subtypes of breast cancer. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which epithelial cells transform into mesenchymal-like cells capable of migration, invasion, and metastasis. Recently, we have demonstrated that lovastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor and a lipid-lowering drug, could inhibit stemness properties of cancer stem cells (CSCs) derived from TNBC cell in vitro and in vivo. This study is aimed at investigating whether lovastatin inhibits TNBC CSCs by inhibiting EMT and suppressing metastasis and the mechanism involved. In the present study, we found that lovastatin dysregulated lysine succinylation of cytoskeleton-associated proteins in CSCs derived from TNBC MDA-MB-231 cell. Lovastatin inhibited EMT as demonstrated by down-regulation of the protein levels of Vimentin and Twist in MDA-MB-231 CSCs in vitro and vivo and by reversal of TGF-β1-induced morphological change in MCF10A cells. Lovastatin also inhibited the migration of MDA-MB-231 CSCs. The disruption of cytoskeleton in TNBC CSCs by lovastatin was demonstrated by the reduction of the number of pseudopodia and the relocation of F-actin cytoskeleton. Combination of lovastatin with doxorubicin synergistically inhibited liver metastasis of MDA-MB-231 CSCs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that higher expression levels of cytoskeleton-associated genes were characteristic of TNBC and predicted survival outcomes in breast cancer patients. These data suggested that lovastatin could inhibit the EMT and metastasis of TNBC CSCs in vitro and in vivo through dysregulation of cytoskeleton-associated proteins.

Store Operated Calcium Entry in Cell Migration and Cancer Metastasis

Ca²⁺ signaling is ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells and modulates many cellular events including cell migration. Directional cell migration requires the polarization of both signaling and structural elements. This polarization is reflected in various Ca²⁺ signaling pathways that impinge on cell movement. In particular, store-operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) plays important roles in regulating cell movement at both the front and rear of migrating cells. SOCE represents a predominant Ca²⁺ influx pathway in non-excitable cells, which are the primary migrating cells in multicellular organisms. In this review, we summarize the role of Ca²⁺ signaling in cell migration with a focus on SOCE and its diverse functions in migrating cells and cancer metastasis. SOCE has been implicated in regulating focal adhesion turnover in a polarized fashion and the mechanisms involved are beginning to be elucidated. However, SOCE is also involved is other aspects of cell migration with a less well-defined mechanistic understanding. Therefore, much remains to be learned regarding the role and regulation of SOCE in migrating cells.

The Anticancer Effects of Flavonoids through miRNAs Modulations in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple- negative breast cancer (TNBC) incidence rate has regularly risen over the last decades and is expected to increase in the future. Finding novel treatment options with minimum or no toxicity is of great importance in treating or preventing TNBC. Flavonoids are new attractive molecules that might fulfill this promising therapeutic option. Flavonoids have shown many biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. In addition to their anticancer effects by arresting the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing cancer cell proliferation, flavonoids can modulate non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) function. Several preclinical and epidemiological studies indicate the possible therapeutic potential of these compounds. Flavonoids display a unique ability to change miRNAs' levels via different mechanisms, either by suppressing oncogenic miRNAs or activating oncosuppressor miRNAs or affecting transcriptional, epigenetic miRNA processing in TNBC. Flavonoids are not only involved in the regulation of miRNA-mediated cancer initiation, growth, proliferation, differentiation, invasion, metastasis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but also control miRNAs-mediated biological processes that significantly impact TNBC, such as cell cycle, immune system, mitochondrial dysregulation, modulating signaling pathways, inflammation, and angiogenesis. In this review, we highlighted the role of miRNAs in TNBC cancer progression and the effect of flavonoids on miRNA regulation, emphasizing their anticipated role in the prevention and treatment of TNBC.

Oligometastases in head and neck carcinoma and their impact on management

Historically, patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with distant metastases were regarded as palliative. Oligometastasis (OM) refers to patients with a limited number of distant metastatic deposits. Treatment of patients with OMs has been reported in patients with lung, colon, breast, prostate and brain malignancies. Selected patients with oligometastatic HNSCC have a higher probability of durable disease control and cure and these patients should be treated aggressively. Treatment options for patients with HNSCC OMs include single or combinations of the three arms of cancer treatment, that is surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy/immunotherapy. To date, there are limited studies reporting the management of OM with head and neck malignancy. This review will give insights into the management of OMs in HNSCC.

Resveratrol inhibits ACHN cells via regulation of histone acetylation

Context: The relationship between resveratrol and histone acetylation in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not yet been reported.Objective: To explore the functional role of resveratrol in RCC.Materials and methods: Functional experiments were performed to determine proliferatio n of ACHN cells with treatment of resveratrol (0, 7.8125, 15.625, 31.25 and 62.5 μg/mL, for 12, 24 and 48 h of culture) or 0.1 μM SAHA. The enzyme activities of MMP-2/-9 were measured by gelatine zymography and histone acetylation by Western blot.Results: When the cells were treated with 15.625, 31.25 and 62.5 μg/mL resveratrol, ACHN cells viability was 73.2 ± 3.5%, 61.4 ± 3.1%, 50.2 ± 4.7% for 12 h, 62.7 ± 4.5%, 52.4 ± 5.5%, 40.2 ± 3.8% for 24 h, and 60.8 ± 3.7%, 39.4 ± 5.1%, 37.6 ± 2.7% for 48 h, and the wound closure (%) of migration was increased from 0.6 to 0.7, 0.85, 0.9 for 12 h and from 0.23 to 0.3, 0.48, 0.59 for 24 h. The invasion rate was 8.5 ± 0.9%, 7.4 ± 0.3% and 5.8 ± 0.6%, and cell cycle was arrested at G1 from 42.5 ± 2.9% to 55.3 ± 5.7%, 59.8 ± 3.4%, 68.7 ± 4.6%. MMP-2/-9 expression (p < 0.05) was inhibited by resveratrol. The protein levels of histone acetylation (p < 0.01) was increased by resveratrol.Discussion and conclusions: Our results suggest that these effects might be related to a high level of histone acetylation, and resveratrol can be considered as an alternative treatment for RCC.

Nanomaterial-Based Tumor Photothermal Immunotherapy

In recent years, photothermal therapy (PTT) particularly nanomaterial-based PTT is a promising therapeutic modality and technique for cancer tumor ablation. In addition to killing tumor cells directly through heat, PTT also can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) to activate the whole-body anti-tumor immune response, including the redistribution and activation of immune effector cells, the expression and secretion of cytokines and the transformation of memory T lymphocytes. When used in combination with immunotherapy, the efficacy of nanomaterial-based PTT can be improved. This article summarized the mechanism of nanomaterial-based PTT against cancer and how nanomaterial-based PTT impacts the tumor microenvironment and induces an immune response. Moreover, we reviewed recent advances of nanomaterial-based photothermal immunotherapy and discussed challenges and future outlook.

Molecular mechanisms and clinical management of cancer bone metastasis

As one of the most common metastatic sites of malignancies, bone has a unique microenvironment that allows metastatic tumor cells to grow and flourish. The fenestrated capillaries in the bone, bone matrix, and bone cells, including osteoblasts and osteoclasts, together maintain the homeostasis of the bone microenvironment. In contrast, tumor-derived factors act on bone components, leading to subsequent bone resorption or excessive bone formation. The various pathways involved also provide multiple targets for therapeutic strategies against bone metastases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the mechanism of bone metastases. Based on the general process of bone metastases, we specifically highlight the complex crosstalk between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment and the current management of cancer bone metastases.

Nutraceuticals and Metastasis Development

Nutrigenomics is a discipline that studies the effects of various dietary components on gene expression and molecular mechanisms via “omics” technologies. Many studies are focused on revealing the pathways of the anticancer properties of various nutraceuticals. However, it has been shown that metastasis, a multifactorial disease that develops from primary tumors in cascades, is responsible for almost 90% of cancer deaths. Regrettably, the effects of consumption of different nutraceuticals on metastasis development have not yet been sufficiently explored. A few studies on the subject have revealed the promotional effects of some nutraceuticals on metastasis development. Additionally, it has been shown that certain compounds can have beneficial effects on reduction of the primary tumor, but afterwards promote the spread of metastases. Therefore, in this review we discuss results published in the past five years focused on the effects of different nutraceuticals on metastasis development.

Probing Cancer Metastasis at a Single-Cell Level with a Raman-Functionalized Anionic Probe

Cancer metastasis is the primary reason for cancer-related deaths, yet there is no technique capable of detecting it due to cancer pathogenesis. Current cancer diagnosis methods evaluate tumor samples as a whole/pooled sample process loses heterogeneous information in the metastasis state. Hence, it is not suitable for metastatic cancer detection. In order to gain complete information on metastasis, it is desirable to develop a nondestructive detection method that can evaluate metastatic cells with sensitivity down to single-cell resolution. Here we demonstrated self-functionalized anionic quantum probes for in vitro metastatic cancer detection at a single-cell concentration. We achieved this by incorporating a nondestructive SERS ability within the generated probes by integrating anionic surface species and NIR plasmon resonance. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that metastatic cancer cells were detected through their neoplastic transformations. With reliable diagnostic information at the single-cell sensitivity in an in vitro state, we successfully discriminated against cancer malignancy states.

Novel 1,8-Naphthyridine Derivatives: Design, Synthesis and in vitro screening of their cytotoxic activity against MCF7 cell line

A series of new 2-phenyl-7-methyl-1,8-naphthyridine derivatives with variable substituents at C3 were synthesized for an in vitro evaluation of their anticancer activity against human breast cancer cell line (MCF7). On one hand, compounds 3f, 6f, 8c, and 10b showed IC50 values (6.53, 7.88, 7.89, 7.79 μM, respectively) compared to that of the mentioned drug staurosparine (IC50 = 4.51 μM). On the other hand, derivatives 10c, 8d, 4d, 10f and 8b displayed better activity than staurosporin with IC50 values (1.47, 1.62, 1.68, 2.30, 3.19 μM, respectively).

Long noncoding RNA lnc-ABCA12-3 promotes cell migration, invasion, and proliferation by regulating fibronectin 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in human cancers, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We previously demonstrated that a novel lncRNA, lnc-ABCA12-3, was overexpressed in ESCC tissues. However, the exact function of lnc-ABCA12-3 is unknown. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the expression of lnc-ABCA12-3 in ESCC and to explore the potential mechanism of lnc-ABCA12-3 in cell migration, invasion, and proliferation. We showed that lnc-ABCA12-3 was upregulated in ESCC tumor tissues and cell lines. The increased expression of lnc-ABCA12-3 was positively associated with advanced tumor-node-metastasis stages and poor prognosis. The knockdown of lnc-ABCA12-3 inhibited the cell migration, invasion, and proliferation abilities of KYSE-510 and Eca-109 cells. We also found that fibronectin 1 (FN1) was upregulated in ESCC tumor tissues. The expression of FN1 messenger RNA was positively correlated with the expression of lnc-ABCA12-3 in ESCC tumor tissues. After lnc-ABCA12-3 knockdown, the expression of FN1 was downregulated. In addition, the overexpression of FN1 restored the abilities of cell migration, invasion and proliferation in Eca-109 cells. Further studies indicated that lnc-ABCA12-3 acted as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-200b-3p to regulate FN1 expression. In conclusion, these results suggest that lnc-ABCA12-3 is a novel oncogene in tumorigenesis and that its high expression is related to a poor prognosis for patients with ESCC. lnc-ABCA12-3 promotes cell migration, invasion, and proliferation via the regulation of FN1 in ESCC. Our data suggest that lnc-ABCA12-3 might serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC.

miRNA‑205‑5p functions as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating VEGFA and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in renal carcinoma cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the development of various types of cancers. Dysregulation of miR-205-5p has been reported in various types of human cancer. However, little is known concerning the role of miR-205-5p in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The pr~esent study was designed to investigate the role of miR-205-5p in RCC. The expression of miR-205-5p was measured in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues and cell lines using RT-qPCR. RCC cell lines were transfected with miR-205-5p mimics. CCK-8 assays, wound healing assays, Matrigel invasion assays and nucleosome ELISAs were used to assess the effects of miR-205-5p on cell growth, migration, invasion and apoptosis, respectively. Western blotting was employed to detect changes in protein levels. Bioinformatic analyses and luciferase reporter assays were performed to identify the potential targets of miR-205-5p. Mouse xenograft models were used to verify the effect of miR-205-5p in vivo. The expression of miR-205-5p was found to be downregulated in 25 RCC tissues compared to that noted in the adjacent normal tissues. Decreased expression of miR-205-5p was associated with poor clinical outcomes. Based on the results of the in vitro experiments, overexpression of miR-205-5p reduced RCC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Overexpression of miR-205-5p also promoted apoptosis and inhibited the EMT in RCC cells. Moreover, the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was found to be negatively regulated by miR-205-5p. Bioinformatic analyses and luciferase reporter assays revealed that miR-205-5p directly targeted the 3′-UTR of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). Furthermore, miR-205-5p negatively regulated the expression of VEGFA in ccRCC cell lines. In ccRCC tissues, miR-205-5p expression was inversely correlated with VEGFA expression. Moreover, overexpression of miR-205-5p inhibited RCC growth in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. Overall, miR-205-5p functions as a tumor suppressor in RCC by targeting VEGFA and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, providing a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ccRCC.

Upregulated RACK1 attenuates gastric cancer cell growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Purpose: As there have been few studies on the effects of the receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) on gastric cancer (GC), we aimed to explore such effects and the mechanism that may be involved.

Patients and methods: Normal gastric epithelial cells and six GC cell lines were used to detect the mRNA expression of RACK1. Overexpressing RACK1 was transfected in HGC27 and MGC803 cells. The effects of overexpressing RACK1 on cell viability, migration, and invasion were determined by cell counting kit-8, wound scratch, and Transwell assay, respectively. The expressions of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling related genes were detected using quantitative real-time PCR or Western blot. Wnt pathway agonist LiCl was added into RACK1 overexpressing GC cells, and then cell viability, migration, and invasion were also detected.

Results: RACK1 was downregulated in GC cell lines. Under the circumstance that overexpressing RACK1 was successfully transfected in the two lowest RACK1-expressing GC cells, significant inhibition of cell viability, migration, and invasion, promotion to the mRNA and protein expression of E-cadherin, as well as a decrease in the N-cadherin and Snail expressions could be observed. Overexpressing RACK1 also enhanced the protein level of phosphorylation-β-catenin/β-catenin and attenuated c-Jun protein expression. Additionally, LiCl could partially reverse the inhibitory effects of cell viability, migration and invasion by overexpressing RACK.

Conclusion: We found RACK1 possibly inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition of GC cells through limitation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, thereby suppressing cell migration and invasion; RACK1 could also suppress cell growth.

NETO2 promotes pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion and migration via activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway

Purpose: The biological functions of neuropilin and tolloid-like 2 (NETO2) in the progression of pancreatic cancer remained unexplored. We aimed to investigate the biological roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of NETO2 in pancreatic cancer.

Materials and methods: Thirty paired pancreatic tumor tissue samples and corresponding nontumor tissues were obtained from 30 pancreatic cancer patients who did not receive preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The changes in multiple cellular functions associated with tumor progression were assessed after NETO2 knockdown/overexpression in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Additionally, a mouse-xenograft model was developed to verify the in vitro results.

Results:NETO2 was upregulated in pancreatic tumor tissues. Elevated expression of NETO2 was not only associated with an advanced tumor stage, but was also a prediction of poor prognosis for pancreatic cancer patients. Knockdown of NETO2 in pancreatic cancer cell lines arrested the cell cycle and inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration; in contrast, overexpression of NETO2 had an opposite effect on all of these parameters. A STAT3 specific inhibitor, cryptotanshinone, reversed the tumor-promoting effects induced by NETO2 overexpression in pancreatic cancer. Western blot analysis showed that invasion and migration were closely related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and that the STAT3 signaling pathway was involved in NETO2-mediated oncogenic transformation in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, NETO2 knockdown significantly inhibited the growth of pancreatic tumor xenografts in nude mice.

Conclusion:NETO2 has an important role in the progression and metastasis of pancreatic cancer and could serve as a novel candidate for targeted therapy of pancreatic cancer.

Amyloid β precursor protein silencing attenuates epithelial‑mesenchymal transition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via inhibition of the MAPK pathway

Advances in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have significantly improved the local control rate; however, distant metastasis remains a principal cause of mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated that the expression levels of amyloid β precursor protein (APP) are increased in NPC. The present study aimed to investigate the association between APP and the development of NPC. In order to knockdown APP expression, an APP-small interfering RNA vector was synthesized and transfected into SUNE-1 cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was performed to assess cell viability. The migratory and invasive abilities of SUNE-1 cells were examined by wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of APP, and additional factors involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. APP silencing significantly suppressed cell viability, migration and invasion. In addition, APP interference downregulated the expression levels of metastasis-associated 1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9; however, knockdown of APP led to upregulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 and inhibited EMT. The phosphorylation levels of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases 1/2 were decreased following downregulation of APP. The present results suggested that APP knockdown may significantly inhibit the development of NPC by suppressing cell viability, migration and invasion, and by inhibiting the EMT process via downregulation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, APP may facilitate the development of a novel gene therapy for the treatment of NPC.

Flaxseed Lignans as Important Dietary Polyphenols for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Molecular Targets

Cancer causes considerable morbidity and mortality across the world. Socioeconomic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute to the increasing cancer prevalence, bespeaking a need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. Phytochemicals like plant polyphenols are generally considered to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects, which explain their promotion for human health. The past several decades have contributed to a growing evidence base in the literature that demonstrate ability of polyphenols to modulate multiple targets of carcinogenesis linking models of cancer characteristics (i.e., hallmarks and nutraceutical-based targeting of cancer) via direct or indirect interaction or modulation of cellular and molecular targets. This evidence is particularly relevant for the lignans, an ubiquitous, important class of dietary polyphenols present in high levels in food sources such as flaxseed. Literature evidence on lignans suggests potential benefit in cancer prevention and treatment. This review summarizes the relevant chemical and pharmacokinetic properties of dietary polyphenols and specifically focuses on the biological targets of flaxseed lignans. The consolidation of the considerable body of data on the diverse targets of the lignans will aid continued research into their potential for use in combination with other cancer chemotherapies, utilizing flaxseed lignan-enriched natural products.

Novel Cancer Stem Marker and Its Applicability for Grading Primary Human Gliomas

Poorly differentiated cell populations including tumor-initiating stem cells have been demonstrated to display a unique ability to natively internalize fragmented double-stranded DNA. Using this feature as a marker, we show that 0.1% to 6% of human glioblastoma cells from the bioptates can effectively internalize a fluorescently labeled DNA probe. Of these, using samples from 3 patients, 66% to 100% cells are also positive for CD133, a well-established surface marker of tumor-initiating glioma stem cells. Using the samples from primary malignant brain lesions (33 patients), we demonstrate that tumor grading significantly correlates ( R = .71) with the percentage of DNA-internalizing cells. No such correlation is observed for relapse samples (18 patients).

GPER Mediates a Feedforward FGF2/FGFR1 Paracrine Activation Coupling CAFs to Cancer Cells toward Breast Tumor Progression

The FGF2/FGFR1 paracrine loop is involved in the cross-talk between breast cancer cells and components of the tumor stroma as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). By quantitative PCR (qPCR), western blot, immunofluorescence analysis, ELISA and ChIP assays, we demonstrated that 17β-estradiol (E2) and the G protein estrogen receptor (GPER) agonist G-1 induce the up-regulation and secretion of FGF2 via GPER together with the EGFR/ERK/c-fos/AP-1 signaling cascade in (ER)-negative primary CAFs. Evaluating the genetic alterations from METABRIC and TCGA datasets, we then assessed that FGFR1 is the most frequently amplified FGFRs family member and its amplification/expression associates with shorter survival rates in breast cancer patients. Therefore, in order to assess the functional FGF2/FGFR1 interplay between CAFs and breast cancer cells, we generated the FGFR1-knockout MDA-MB-231 cells using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategy. Using conditioned medium from estrogen-stimulated CAFs, we established that the activation of FGF2/FGFR1 paracrine signaling triggers the expression of the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), leading to the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings shed new light on the role elicited by estrogens through GPER in the activation of the FGF2/FGFR1 signaling. Moreover, our findings may identify further biological targets that could be considered in innovative combination strategies halting breast cancer progression.

Nanotechnology-based photoimmunological therapies for cancer

Phototherapy is a non-invasive or minimally invasive therapeutic strategy. Immunotherapy uses different immunological approaches, such as antibodies, vaccines, immunoadjuvants, and cytokines to stimulate the host immune system to fight against diseases. In cancer treatment, phototherapy not only destroys tumor cells, but also induces immunogenic tumor cell death to initiate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. When combined with immunotherapy, the effectiveness of phototherapy can be enhanced. Because of their special physical, chemical, and sometimes immunological properties, nanomaterials have also been used to enhance phototherapy. In this article, we review the recent progress in nanotechnology-based phototherapy, including nano-photothermal therapy, nano-photochemical therapy, and nano-photoimmunological therapy in cancer treatment. Specifically, we focus on the immunological responses induced by nano-phototherapies.

miR‑584‑5p regulates migration and invasion in non‑small cell lung cancer cell lines through regulation of MMP‑14

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are involved in cancer progression. In 2010, an estimated 1,500,000 patients suffered mortality from lung cancer (LC) worldwide, and ~80% of LC patients were diagnosed with non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC). miR‑584‑5p was reported to be a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of LC; in addition, miR‑584 was recently observed to suppress the progression of thyroid carcinoma, glioma and gastric cancer. However, the specific function of miR‑584‑5p in NSCLC remains unclear. In the present study, miR‑584‑5p was decreased in the tumor tissues of NSCLC patients. Furthermore, miR‑584‑5p markedly inhibited the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. The direct regulatory association between miR‑584‑5p and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑14 was verified by a luciferase reporter gene assay. Furthermore, the results indicated that miR‑584‑5p inhibited the expression of MMP‑14 at the protein and mRNA levels. miR‑584‑5p also inhibited the expression of MMP‑4 and Slug, which are involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. Taken together, these results indicated that the miR‑584‑5p/MMP‑14 axis may serve as an anticancer target in the treatment of NSCLC patients.

Knockdown of SNHG12 suppresses tumor metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the Slug/ZEB2 signaling pathway by targeting miR-218 in NSCLC

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a type of lung cancer which has a high mortality and low survival rate. Previous studies have revealed that long non-coding RNAs participate in tumorigenesis and metastasis in NSCLC. In the present study, the function of small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) was investigated in NSCLC. Using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, it was identified that SNHG12 was significantly overexpressed in NSCLC specimens. Furthermore, overexpression of SNHG12 was identified to be associated with tumor progression and poor overall survival rates. Knockdown of SNHG12 in NSCLC cells could effectively induce cell apoptosis and suppress cell viability, proliferation, migration and invasion via inhibition of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. Furthermore, a direct interaction between microRNA (miR)-218 and the binding site of SNHG12 was identified. SNHG12 acted as an endogenous sponge for miR-218. Knockdown of SNHG12 upregulated the expression level of miR-218 as well as downregulating the Slug/zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 EMT signaling pathway, and thus inhibited cell migration and invasion. Therefore, SNHG12 may serve as a key biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

Long Noncoding RNA XIST Regulates miR-137-EZH2 Axis to Promote Tumor Metastasis in Colorectal Cancer

We aimed to investigate the significant role of long noncoding RNA X inactive specific transcript (XIST) in regulating tumor metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as its possible mechanism. Expression of lncRNA XIST in CRC tissues and CRC cells was detected. CRC cells were transfected with pc-XIST, blank control si-XIST, or si-control, and then the effects of lncRNA XIST on CRC cell migration and invasion were investigated, along with the interaction between lncRNA XIST and miR-137. lncRNA XIST was upregulated in CRC tissues. Compared with HT29 cells that had low metastatic potential, XIST was markedly more highly expressed in LoVo cells that had a higher metastatic potential. Overexpression of XIST promoted the migratory and invasive potential of HT29 cells, while knockdown of XIST inhibited the migratory and invasive potential of LoVo cells. Moreover, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, including E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin, exhibited corresponding expression changes. In addition, miR-137 was inhibited by XIST, and inhibition of miR-137 could reverse the effects of knockdown of XIST on the migratory and invasive potential of LoVo cells. Furthermore, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) was confirmed as a target of miR-137. Our data reveal that lncRNA XIST may promote tumor metastasis in CRC possibly through regulating the miR-137-EZH2 axis. lncRNA XIST may serve as a prognostic indicator for CRC progression.

Epithelial‑mesenchymal transition phenotype of circulating tumor cells is associated with distant metastasis in patients with NSCLC

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are closely associated with cancer metastasis in preclinical models and patients with cancer. However, to the best of the authors knowledge, it remains unknown which type of CTCs may serve the key role in cancer metastasis. The present study investigated the association between the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype of CTCs from the peripheral blood and distant metastasis in patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Expression of EMT markers in CTCs from a cohort of patients was detected using Canpatrol™ CTC assays. A total of 110 patients (85 patients with NSCLC and 25 patients with benign diseases) were recruited. Among the 110 patients, 88 (80.0%) were characterized as CTC positive with EMT markers. Receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that E+/M+ CTCs exhibited the highest area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.876 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.805‑0.948; P<0.001) in distinguishing between patients with NSCLC and benign pulmonary diseases, and M+ CTCs had the highest AUC value of 0.723 (95% CI, 0.612‑0.833; P<0.001) in differentiating patients with NSCLC with distant metastasis from those with non‑distant metastasis. The results indicate the potential predictive value of distant metastasis of the EMT phenotype of CTCs in the peripheral blood of patients with NSCLC.

Glycosylation and metastases

The change of cellular glycosylation is one of the key events in malignant transformation and neoplastic progression, and tumor-related glycosylation alterations are promising targets in both tumor diagnosis and therapy. Both malignant transformation and neoplastic progression are the consequence of gene expression alterations and alterations in protein expression. Micro environmental factors such as extracellular matrix (ECM) also play an important role in their growth and metastasis. Tumor-associated glycans are important biomarker candidates for cancer diagnosis and prognosis, and analytical methods for their detection were developed recently. Glycoproteomics that use mass spectrometry for identification of cancer antigens and structural analysis of glycans play a key role in the investigation of changes of glycosylation during malignant transformation and tumor development and metastasis. Deep understanding of glycan remodeling in cancer and the role of glycosyltransferases that are involved in this process will require a detailed profiling of glycosylation patterns of tumor cells, and corresponding analytical methods for their detection were developed.

Combination therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma by DNA shuffling-based VEGF vaccine and doxorubicin

Antiangiogenic therapy can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy against solid tumors. This study was to determine whether TT46, a potential VEGF vaccine from DNA shuffling with a helper T-cell epitope of tetanus toxin B subunit, could enhance the efficacy of doxorubicin to combat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Compared with monotherapy, the combination with TT46 vaccination and doxorubicin could significantly reduce microvessel counts and inhibit tumor angiogenesis. Enhanced immunization with TT46 for total six doses could induce long-term response maintenance with high anti-VEGF antibody titers in body. As a result, the combination with enhanced TT46 vaccination and doxorubicin significantly inhibited the HCC growth, and improved the survival rate of HCC-bearing mice in both of subcutaneous tumor model and lung metastasis model. In conclusion, the combined therapy with TT46 vaccination and doxorubicin has antitumor effects in both a prophylactic and therapeutic setting in a mouse model of H22 hepatocellular carcinoma.

miR-190 promotes HCC proliferation and metastasis by targeting PHLPP1

miRNAs regulate gene expression and enable clinicians to distinguish between benign and malignant tissues in cancers. PH domain leucine-rich repeat-containing protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1) is known to be a tumour suppressor. A lentiviral overexpression system was used to stably express miR-190, leading to the enhancement of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) proliferation and metastasis as a result of inhibited PHLPP1 expression. The results showed that stable miR-190 expression increased the expression of EMT-related proteins (Snail and TCF8/ZEB1) as well as the phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 1 (ADAMTS1). However, restoring PHLPP1 expression counteracted the effects of miR-190 on HCC proliferation, migration and invasion. The results of the animal experiments showed that miR-190 improved the HepG2 cell tumour formation and lung metastasis ability. Stable miR-190 overexpression leads to the downregulation of PHLPP1 protein expression. miR-190 has potential as a target in the treatment and diagnosis of HCC.

Up-regulated expression of CD147 gene in malignant bone tumor and the possible induction mechanism during osteoclast formation

It is increasingly evident that the microenvironment of bone can influence cancer phenotype in many ways that favor growth in bone. CD147, a transmembrane protein of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily, was identified independently in different species and has many designations across different species. However, expression levels of CD147 mRNA in bone cancer have not been described. In this study, we have used real-time fluorescence quantification (RT-PCR) to demonstrate CD147 expression in malignant bone cancer and benign bone tumor tissues. The results suggested that the expression of CD147 gene was significantly up-regulated in malignant bone cancer. Moreover, we found that over-expressed RANKL progressively enhanced osteoclast formation up to 48 h, which suggested that RANKL could promote the formation of osteoclast, indicating that both CD147 and RANKL play important roles in the formation of osteoclasts. Furthermore, the expressions of four osteoclast specific expression genes, including TRACP, MMP-2, MMP-9 and c-Src, were analyzed using RT-PCR. The results indicated that four osteoclast-specific expression genes were detectable in all osteoclast with different treatments. However, the highest expression level of these four osteoclast-specific expression genes appears in the CD147+ RANKL group and the lowest expression level of these four osteoclast-specific expression genes appears with si-RANKL treatment. Characterization of the role of CD147 in the development of tumors should lead to a better understanding of the changes occurring at the molecular level during the development and progression of primary human bone cancer.

Non-Coding RNAs in Endometrial Physiopathology

The Human Genome Project led to the discovery that about 80% of our DNA is transcribed in RNA molecules. Only 2% of the human genome is translated into proteins, the rest mostly produces molecules called non-coding RNAs, which are a heterogeneous class of RNAs involved in different steps of gene regulation. They have been classified, according to their length, into small non-coding RNAs and long non-coding RNAs, or to their function, into housekeeping non-coding RNAs and regulatory non-coding RNAs. Their involvement has been widely demonstrated in all cellular processes, as well as their dysregulation in human pathologies. In this review, we discuss the function of non-coding RNAs in endometrial physiology, analysing their involvement in embryo implantation. Moreover, we explore their role in endometrial pathologies such as endometrial cancer, endometriosis and chronic endometritis.

AP-2β inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis through Slug and Snail to suppress epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Transcription factor AP-2β plays an important role in human cancer, but its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinogenesis is largely unknown.

Methods: AP-2β expression was detected in human hepatocellular cancer (HCC) tissues and cell lines. The effects of AP-2β on HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor formation and metastasis were evaluated by MTT, colony formation and transwell assays in vitro and mouse experiments in vivo. The association between AP-2β and miR-27a/EMT markers in HCC cell lines and tissues was analyzed.

Results: AP-2β expression was decreased in HCC tissues and cell lines. Reduced expression of AP-2β was significantly associated with more advanced tumor stages and larger tumor sizes. The overexpression of AP-2β reduced HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, tumor formation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, AP-2β overexpression increased the sensitivity of HCC cells to cisplatin. Moreover, AP-2β modulates the levels of EMT markers through Slug and Snail in HCC cell lines and tissues. Furthermore, oncogenic miR-27a inhibits AP-2β expression by binding to the AP-2β 3′ untranslated region (UTR) and reverses the tumor suppressive role of AP-2β.

Conclusion: These results suggested that AP-2β is lowly expressed in HCC by inhibiting EMT signaling to regulate HCC cell growth and migration. Therefore, AP-2β in the novel miR-27a/AP-2β/Slug/EMT regulatory axis enhances the chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity of HCC and might represent a potential target for evaluating the treatment and prognosis of human HCC.

Two tandem repeats of mHSP70407-426 enhance therapeutic antitumor effects of a recombined vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein vaccine

AIMS

Active immunization with human vascular endothelial growth factor (hVEGF) vaccines provides a therapeutic option instead of bevacizumab therapy. However, the immunity to self-molecule is difficult to elicit due to immune tolerance. A bioactive peptide of two tandem repeats of mHSP70_407-426 (M₂) has exhibited potent adjuvant ability in our previous study, and the aim of this study was to explore whether M₂ could assist hVEGF to display enhanced therapeutic anti-tumor effects.

MAIN METHODS

The anti-tumor effects of hVEGF-M₂ vaccine were evaluated in both H22 hepatocellular carcinoma and Lewis lung tumor models. CD31 analysis of excised tumors was used to evaluate anti-angiogenesis effects. The titers of anti-VEGF antibody was detected by ELISA and verified by western blot analyses, and the effects of immune sera on HUVEC differentiation were investigated by tube formation assay.

KEY FINDINGS

M₂ could assist hVEGF to exhibit more favorable therapeutic anti-tumor growth and metastasis effects than hVEGF. Meanwhile, high titer of anti-VEGF antibody was detected in hVEGF-M₂ immunized mice sera by ELISA and verified by western blot analysis. Sera from hVEGF-M₂ immunized mice could more significantly inhibit HUVEC tube formation than hVEGF immune serum. The hVEGF-M₂-immune sera could more effectively inhibit H22 tumor growth and extend the survival rates of H22 tumor bearing mice than hVEGF-immune sera. CD31 analysis of the excised tumors verified a significant reduction in vessel density after hVEGF-M₂ vaccination.

SIGNIFICANCE

M₂ could assist hVEGF to display enhanced anti-tumor effects, which are important for the further application of M₂ to enhance antigen-specific immune responses.

High NUCB2 expression level is associated with metastasis and may promote tumor progression in colorectal cancer

Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) is mainly expressed in the hypothalamic nuclei and has a proven role in energy homeostasis. It has also been recently reported to have a key role in tumor progression. However, the clinical significance of NUCB2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown. In the present study, the level of NUCB2 mRNA was quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in 34 paired fresh tissues from patients with CRC. RT-qPCR was followed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of NUCB2 protein in tissue microarrays of 251 samples to evaluate the clinical significance of NUCB2 in CRC. The RT-qPCR indicated an upregulation of NUCB2 mRNA in CRC tissues compared with normal tissues (P=0.027). IHC staining indicated a positive association between elevated NUCB2 expression and lymph node metastasis or tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Patients with CRC and lymph node metastasis demonstrated a higher expression of NUCB2 (49.5%, 50/101) compared with those without lymph node metastasis (36.7%, 55/150; P=0.043). Furthermore, NUCB2 expression was also higher in patients with CRC and TNM stage III–IV compared with those with TNM stage I–II (50.9% vs. 35.0%; P=0.011). However, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated no significant association between NUCB2 expression and disease-free survival of patients. Additionally, multivariate analysis did not identify the upregulation of NUCB2 as an independent prognostic predictor in patients with CRC (P=0.755). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that upregulation of NUCB2 is significantly associated with CRC metastasis, indicating that NUCB2 may be a cancer-associated oncogene associated with the aggressive progression of CRC.

MicroRNA-30a-5p inhibits gallbladder cancer cell proliferation, migration and metastasis by targeting E2F7

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), the most common malignant tumour of the bile duct, is highly aggressive and has a poor prognosis. MicroRNA-30a-5p (miR-30a-5p) is an important tumour suppressor that participates in many aspects of carcinogenesis and cancer development. However, the role of miR-30a-5p in GBC development remains to be determined, as do the mechanisms underlying its effects in GBC. Using samples collected from 42 subjects with gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), we showed decreased miR-30a-5p expression in the primary lesions vs. non-tumour adjacent tissues (NATs). Decreased miR-30a-5p was associated with shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Inhibiting miR-30a-5p expression in 2 representative GBC cell lines (GBC-SD and NOZ) increased cell proliferation, migration, invasiveness, as well as β-catenin nuclear translocation, vice versa. In nude mice, NOZ cells transfected with miR-30a-5p mimics grew slower (vs. miR-NC) upon subcutaneous inoculation, and had lower rate of hepatic metastasis upon spleen inoculation. Dual luciferase assay confirmed that E2F transcription factor 7 (E2F7) was a direct target of miR-30a-5p and antagonized the effects induced by miR-30a-5p downregulation in GBC cells. MiR-30a-5p attenuates the EMT and metastasis in GBC cells by targeting E2F7, suggesting miR-30a-5p is a tumour suppressor that may serve as a novel potential prognostic biomarker or molecular therapeutic target for GBC.

Ligand-activated PPARγ downregulates CXCR4 gene expression through a novel identified PPAR response element and inhibits breast cancer progression

Stromal Derived Factor-1α (SDF-1α) and its cognate receptor CXCR4 play a key role in mediating breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Therefore, drugs able to inhibit CXCR4 activation may add critical tools to reduce tumor progression, especially in the most aggressive form of the breast cancer disease. Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) γ, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been found to downregulate CXCR4 gene expression in different cancer cells, however the molecular mechanism underlying this effect is not fully understood. Here, we identified a novel PPARγ-mediated mechanism that negatively regulates CXCR4 expression in both epithelial and stromal breast cancer cells. We found that ligand-activated PPARγ downregulated CXCR4 transcriptional activity through the recruitment of the silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT) corepressor onto a newly identified PPAR response element (PPRE) within the CXCR4 promoter in breast cancer cell lines. As a consequence, the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone (BRL) significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion and this effect was PPARγ-mediated, since it was reversed in the presence of the PPARγ antagonist GW9662. According to the ability of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the most abundant component of breast cancer stroma, to secrete high levels of SDF-1α, BRL reduced migratory promoting activities induced by conditioned media (CM) derived from CAFs and affected CXCR4 downstream signaling pathways activated by CAF-CM. In addition, CAFs exposed to BRL showed a decreased expression of CXCR4, a reduced motility and invasion along with a phenotype characterized by an altered morphology. Collectively, our findings provide novel insights into the role of PPARγ in inhibiting breast cancer progression and further highlight the utility of PPARγ ligands for future therapies aimed at targeting both cancer and surrounding stromal cells in breast cancer patients.

Gene expression profile analysis of the bone microenvironment in patients with spinal metastases

The present study aimed to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with spinal metastases. Gene expression profiles in cancellous bone samples from the spines of five patients with spinal metastases, with different primary cancers, and three normal control patients were measured using microarray analysis and subsequently compared. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified were filtered using bioinformatics analyses followed by cluster analysis, gene ontology (GO) term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. Finally, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed and analyzed. A total of 152 upregulated and 388 downregulated DEGs were identified. The cluster analysis demonstrated a marked difference between the gene expression profiles of samples from patients with spinal metastases and those from normal patients. The GO terms enriched in the upregulated DEGs were associated with cell death, and those enriched in the downregulated DEGs were associated with the cell cycle. The upregulated DEGs were enriched in signaling pathways associated with tight junctions, and the downregulated DEGs were enriched in signaling pathways associated with porphyrin metabolism. In the PPI network constructed, transcription factor AP-1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen had the highest connectivity degrees with the upregulated and downregulated DEGs, respectively. The gene expression profile data from the present study provides new insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of spinal metastases, and will aid in the development of novel anticancer treatments.

Synthesis and molecular docking study of new benzofuran and furo[3,2-g]chromone-based cytotoxic agents against breast cancer and p38α MAP kinase inhibitors

This study deals with synthesis of a new set of benzofuran and 5H-furo[3,2-g]chromone linked various heterocyclic functionalities using concise synthetic approaches aiming to gain new antiproliferative candidates against MCF-7 breast cancer cells of p38α MAP kinase inhibiting activity. The biological data proved the significant sensitivity of breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 towards most of the prepared compounds in comparison with doxorubicin. In addition, compounds IIa,b, Va,b, VIa,b, VIIa,b, VIIIa,b, XIc showed significant in vitro p38α MAPK inhibiting potency comparable to the reference standard SB203580. Cell cycle analysis and apoptosis detection data demonstrated that compound VIa induced G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells, in addition to its activation of the caspases-9 and -3. Gold molecular docking studies rationalized the highly acceptable correlation between the calculated docking scores of fitness and the biological data of p38α MAP kinase inhibition. The newly prepared benzofuran and 5H-furo[3,2-g]chromone derivatives might be considered as new promising nuclei in anti-breast cancer chemotherapeutics for further functionalization, optimization and in-depth biological studies.

Long non-coding RNA UICLM promotes colorectal cancer liver metastasis by acting as a ceRNA for microRNA-215 to regulate ZEB2 expression

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathology of various tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of lncRNA in CRC liver metastasis remains unclear. Methods: a microarray was performed to identify the differentially expressed lncRNAs between CRC tissues with and without liver metastasis. Survival analysis was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and assessed using the log-rank test. In vitro and in vivo assays were preformed to explore the biological effects of the differentially expressed lncRNA in CRC cells. Results: the lncRNA UICLM (up-regulated in colorectal cancer liver metastasis) was significantly up-regulated in cases of CRC with liver metastasis. Moreover, UICLM expression was higher in CRC tissues than in normal tissues, and UICLM expression was associated with poor patient survival. Knockdown of UICLM inhibited CRC cell proliferation, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and CRC stem cell formation in vitro as well as tumor growth and liver metastasis in vivo. Ectopic expression of UICLM promoted CRC cell proliferation and invasion. Mechanistic investigations revealed that UICLM induced its biological effects by regulating ZEB2, as the oncogenesis facilitated by UICLM was inhibited by ZEB2 depletion. Further study indicated that UICLM acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-215 to regulate ZEB2 expression. Conclusions: taken together, our findings demonstrate how UICLM induces CRC liver metastasis and may offer a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target for this disease.

The PIAS3-Smurf2 sumoylation pathway suppresses breast cancer organoid invasiveness

Tumor metastasis profoundly reduces the survival of breast cancer patients, but the mechanisms underlying breast cancer invasiveness and metastasis are incompletely understood. Here, we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Smurf2 acts in a sumoylation-dependent manner to suppress the invasive behavior of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell-derived organoids. We also find that the SUMO E3 ligase PIAS3 inhibits the invasive growth of breast cancer cell-derived organoids. In mechanistic studies, PIAS3 maintains breast cancer organoids in a non-invasive state via sumoylation of Smurf2. Importantly, the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity is required for sumoylated Smurf2 to suppress the invasive growth of breast cancer-cell derived organoids. Collectively, our findings define a novel role for the PIAS3-Smurf2 sumoylation pathway in the suppression of breast cancer cell invasiveness. These findings lay the foundation for the development of novel biomarkers and targeted therapeutic approaches in breast cancer.

Long noncoding RNA XIST expedites metastasis and modulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer

Tumor progression and metastasis is the main cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical regulators in various diseases including human cancer. In this study, we found that lncRNA XIST was overexpressed in CRC cell lines and tissues. High expression of lncRNA XIST was associated with adverse overall survival in CRC patients. Knockdown of lncRNA XIST remarkably inhibited CRC cell proliferation, invasion, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and CRC stem cell formation in vitro as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Further study indicated that knockdown of lncRNA XIST markedly increased the expression of microRNA-200b-3p (miR-200b-3p) that has been found to be downregulated in CRC tissues and cell lines, and luciferase activity assay indicated that lncRNA XIST could bind directly with miR-200b-3p. Moreover, knockdown of lncRNA XIST significantly reduced the expression of ZEB1, which was the direct target of miR-200b-3p, and the tumor suppressive effects caused by knockdown of lncRNA XIST could be rescued by re-expression of ZEB1 in CRC cells. Overall, our study demonstrated how lncRNA XIST regulates CRC progression and metastasis by competing for miR-200b-3p to modulate the expression of ZEB1. lncRNA XIST may be used as a biomarker to predict prognosis in CRC patients.

SSeCKS/AKAP12 scaffolding functions suppress B16F10-induced peritoneal metastasis by attenuating CXCL9/10 secretion by resident fibroblasts

SSeCKS/Gravin/AKAP12 (SSeCKS) is a kinase scaffolding protein known to suppress metastasis by attenuating tumor-intrinsic PKC- and Src-mediated signaling pathways [1]. In addition to downregulation in metastatic cells, in silico analyses identified SSeCKS downregulation in prostate or breast cancer-derived stroma, suggesting a microenvironmental cell role in controlling malignancy. Although orthotopic B16F10 and SM1WT1[Braf^V600E] mouse melanoma tumors grew similarly in syngeneic WT or SSeCKS-null (KO) mice, KO hosts exhibited 5- to 10-fold higher levels of peritoneal metastasis, and this enhancement could be adoptively transferred by pre-injecting naïve WT mice with peritoneal fluid (PF), but not non-adherent peritoneal cells (PC), from naïve KO mice. B16F10 and SM1WT1 cells showed increased chemotaxis to KO-PF compared to WT-PF, corresponding to increased PF levels of multiple inflammatory mediators, including the Cxcr3 ligands, Cxcl9 and 10. Cxcr3 knockdown abrogated enhanced chemotaxis to KO-PF and peritoneal metastasis in KO hosts. Conditioned media from KO peritoneal membrane fibroblasts (PMF), but not from KO-PC, induced increased B16F10 chemotaxis over controls, which could be blocked with Cxcl10 neutralizing antibody. KO-PMF exhibited increased levels of the senescence markers, SA-β-galactosidase, p21^waf1 and p16^ink4a, and enhanced Cxcl10 secretion induced by inflammatory mediators, lipopolysaccharide, TNFα, IFNα and IFNγ. SSeCKS scaffolding-site mutants and small molecule kinase inhibitors were used to show that the loss of SSeCKS-regulated PKC, PKA and PI3K/Akt pathways are responsible for the enhanced Cxcl10 secretion. These data mark the first description of a role for stromal SSeCKS/AKAP12 in suppressing metastasis, specifically by attenuating signaling pathways that promote secretion of tumor chemoattractants in the peritoneum.