Targeted expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand TRAIL in skin protects mice against chemical carcinogenesis

Identification of the role of autophagy-related TNFSF10/ hsa-let-7a-5p axis in vitiligo development and potential herbs exploring based on a bioinformatics analysis

Background

Vitiligo is a common clinical disorder caused by the destruction of epidermal melanocytes, which is often associated with autoimmune mechanisms. Autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and exhibits close associations with various autoimmune disorders. While dysautophagy of melanocytes is associated with vitiligo pathogenesis, there is a lack of studies on autophagy-related genes (ARGs) in blood samples from individuals with vitiligo.

Methods

Blood samples from individuals with vitiligo and healthy controls were compared to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were subsequently subjected to further analysis. Then, miRNAs correlated with core genes were predicted by five distinct online tools, and those miRNAs that appeared in three or more tools at the same time were chosen for further enrichment analysis. Furthermore, in vitro experiments of targeting core genes were conducted.

Results

The results showed that there were a total of 30 ARGs among DEGs, with 13 up-regulated genes and 17 down-regulated genes. Based on the functional enrichment analysis of DEGs and projected miRNAs, we hypothesized that autophagy and apoptosis may synergistically contribute to the progression of vitiligo, with the TNFSF10/hsa-let-7a-5p axis potentially playing an important role that should not be ignored. In addition, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was found to be the common component in BAI GUO, CHA YE, and MEI ZHOU JIN LV MEI, which were discovered to be potential in vitiligo treatment by inducing cell autophagy and apoptosis targeting TNFSF10.

Conclusion

It was the first time that TNFSF/hsa-let-7a-5p was discovered to be involved in the development of vitiligo through autophagy and apoptosis. Meanwhile, we observed that BAI GUO, CHA YE, and MEI ZHOU JIN LV MEI were promising to treat vitiligo by regulating autophagy and apoptosis via TNFSF10. These findings could lead to new directions for investigating the pathogenesis and therapy of vitiligo.

Differential gene expression of immunity and inflammation genes in colorectal cancer using targeted RNA sequencing

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease caused by molecular changes, as driver mutations, gene methylations, etc., and influenced by tumor microenvironment (TME) pervaded with immune cells with both pro- and anti-tumor effects. The studying of interactions between the immune system (IS) and the TME is important for developing effective immunotherapeutic strategies for CRC. In our study, we focused on the analysis of expression profiles of inflammatory and immune-relevant genes to identify aberrant signaling pathways included in carcinogenesis, metastatic potential of tumors, and association of Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS) gene mutation.

Methods

A total of 91 patients were enrolled in the study. Using NGS, differential gene expression analysis of 11 tumor samples and 11 matching non-tumor controls was carried out by applying a targeted RNA panel for inflammation and immunity genes containing 475 target genes. The obtained data were evaluated by the CLC Genomics Workbench and R library. The significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed in Reactome GSA software, and some selected DEGs were used for real-time PCR validation.

Results

After prioritization, the most significant differences in gene expression were shown by the genes TNFRSF4, IRF7, IL6R, NR3CI, EIF2AK2, MIF, CCL5, TNFSF10, CCL20, CXCL11, RIPK2, and BLNK. Validation analyses on 91 samples showed a correlation between RNA-seq data and qPCR for TNFSF10, RIPK2, and BLNK gene expression. The top differently regulated signaling pathways between the studied groups (cancer vs. control, metastatic vs. primary CRC and KRAS positive and negative CRC) belong to immune system, signal transduction, disease, gene expression, DNA repair, and programmed cell death.

Conclusion

Analyzed data suggest the changes at more levels of CRC carcinogenesis, including surface receptors of epithelial or immune cells, its signal transduction pathways, programmed cell death modifications, alterations in DNA repair machinery, and cell cycle control leading to uncontrolled proliferation. This study indicates only basic molecular pathways that enabled the formation of metastatic cancer stem cells and may contribute to clarifying the function of the IS in the TME of CRC. A precise identification of signaling pathways responsible for CRC may help in the selection of personalized pharmacological treatment.

Apoptotic cell death in disease-Current understanding of the NCCD 2023

Apoptosis is a form of regulated cell death (RCD) that involves proteases of the caspase family. Pharmacological and genetic strategies that experimentally inhibit or delay apoptosis in mammalian systems have elucidated the key contribution of this process not only to (post-)embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis, but also to the etiology of multiple human disorders. Consistent with this notion, while defects in the molecular machinery for apoptotic cell death impair organismal development and promote oncogenesis, the unwarranted activation of apoptosis promotes cell loss and tissue damage in the context of various neurological, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, infectious, neoplastic and inflammatory conditions. Here, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) gathered to critically summarize an abundant pre-clinical literature mechanistically linking the core apoptotic apparatus to organismal homeostasis in the context of disease.

Thymoquinone Alterations of the Apoptotic Gene Expressions and Cell Cycle Arrest in Genetically Distinct Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and it is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women. triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC), a subtype of BC, is typically associated with the highest pathogenic grade and incidence in premenopausal and young African American (AA) women. Chemotherapy, the most common treatment for TNBC today, can lead to acquired resistance and ineffective treatment. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are needed to combat medication resistance and ineffectiveness in TNBC patients. Thymoquinone (TQ) is shown to have a cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells in vitro. However, TQ's mode of action and precise mechanism in TNBC disease in vitro have not been adequately investigated. Therefore, TQ's effects on the genetically different MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines were assessed. The data obtained show that TQ displayed cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner after 24 h, with IC50 values of 25.37 µM and 27.39 µM, respectively. Moreover, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells in a scratched wound-healing assay displayed poor wound closure, inhibiting invasion and migration via cell cycle blocking after 24 h. TQ arrested the cell cycle phase in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. The three cell cycle stages in MDA-MB-468 cells were significantly affected at 15 and 20 µM for G0/G1 and S phases, as well as all TQ concentrations for G2/M phases. In MDA-MB-468 cells, there was a significant decrease in G0/G1 phases with a substantial increase in the S phase and G2/M phases. In contrast, MDA-MB-231 showed a significant effect only during the two cell cycle stages (S and G2/M), at concentrations of 15 and 20 µM for S phases and all TQ values for G2/M phases. The TQ effect on the apoptotic gene profiles indicated that TQ upregulated 15 apoptotic genes in MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells, including caspases, GADD45A, TP53, DFFA, DIABLO, BNIP3, TRAF2/3, and TNFRSF10A. In MDA-MB-468 cells, 16 apoptotic genes were upregulated, including TNFRSF10A, TNF, TNFRSF11B, FADD TNFRSF10B, CASP2, and TRAF2, all of which are important for the apoptotic pathway andsuppress the expression of one anti-apoptotic gene, BIRC5, in MDA-MB-231 cells. Compared to MDA-MB-231 cells, elevated levels of TNF and their receptor proteins may contribute to their increased sensitivity to TQ-induced apoptosis. It was concluded from this study that TQ targets the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells differently. Additionally, due to the aggressive nature of TNBC and the lack of specific therapies in chemoresistant TNBC, our findings related to the identified apoptotic gene profile may point to TQ as a potential agent for TNBC therapy.

Molecular signaling cascades involved in nonmelanoma skin carcinogenesis

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer worldwide and the incidence continues to rise, in part due to increasing numbers in high-risk groups such as organ transplant recipients and those taking photosensitizing medications. The most significant risk factor for NMSC is ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sunlight, specifically UVB, which is the leading cause of DNA damage, photoaging, and malignant transformation in the skin. Activation of apoptosis following UVR exposure allows the elimination of irreversibly damaged cells that may harbor oncogenic mutations. However, UVR also activates signaling cascades that promote the survival of these potentially cancerous cells, resulting in tumor initiation. Thus, the UVR-induced stress response in the skin is multifaceted and requires coordinated activation of numerous pathways controlling DNA damage repair, inflammation, and kinase-mediated signal transduction that lead to either cell survival or cell death. This review focuses on the central signaling mechanisms that respond to UVR and the subsequent cellular changes. Given the prevalence of NMSC and the resulting health care burden, many of these pathways provide promising targets for continued study aimed at both chemoprevention and chemotherapy.

Senescence-secreted factors activate Myc and sensitize pretransformed cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis

Senescent cells secrete a plethora of factors with potent paracrine signaling capacity. Strikingly, senescence, which acts as defense against cell transformation, exerts pro-tumorigenic activities through its secretome by promoting tumor-specific features, such as cellular proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasiveness. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has the unique activity of activating cell death exclusively in tumor cells. Given that the senescence-associated secretome (SAS) supports cell transformation, we asked whether SAS factor(s) would establish a program required for the acquisition of TRAIL sensitivity. We found that conditioned media from several types of senescent cells (CMS) efficiently sensitized pretransformed cells to TRAIL, while the same was not observed with normal or immortalized cells. Dynamic transcription profiling of CMS-exposed pretransformed cells indicated a paracrine autoregulatory loop of SAS factors and a dominant role of CMS-induced MYC. Sensitization to TRAIL coincided with and depended on MYC upregulation and massive changes in gene regulation. Senescent cell-induced MYC silenced its target gene CFLAR, encoding the apoptosis inhibitor FLIP_L, thus leading to the acquisition of TRAIL sensitivity. Altogether, our results reveal that senescent cell-secreted factors exert a TRAIL-sensitizing effect on pretransformed cells by modulating the expression of MYC and CFLAR. Notably, CMS dose-dependent sensitization to TRAIL was observed with TRAIL-insensitive cancer cells and confirmed in co-culture experiments. Dissection and characterization of TRAIL-sensitizing CMS factors and the associated signaling pathway(s) will not only provide a mechanistic insight into the acquisition of TRAIL sensitivity but may lead to novel concepts for apoptogenic therapies of premalignant and TRAIL-resistant tumors.

Targeted delivery of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand to keratinocytes with a pemphigus mAb

We determined the feasibility of using an anti-desmoglein (Dsg) mAb, Px44, to deliver a biologically active protein to keratinocytes. Recombinantly produced Px44-green fluorescent protein (GFP) injected into mice and skin organ culture delivered GFP to the cell surface of keratinocytes. We replaced GFP with tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) to produce Px44-TRAIL. We chose TRAIL as a biological model because it inhibits activated lymphocytes and causes apoptosis of hyperproliferative keratinocytes, features of various skin diseases. Px44-TRAIL formed a trimer, the biologically active form of TRAIL. Standard assays of TRAIL activity showed that Px44-TRAIL caused apoptosis of Jurkat cells and inhibited IFN-γ production by activated CD4+ T cells. Enzyme-linked immunoassay with Px44-TRAIL showed delivery of TRAIL to Dsg. Immunofluorescence with Px44-TRAIL incubated on skin sections and cultured keratinocytes or injected into mouse skin, human organ culture, or human xenografts detected TRAIL on keratinocytes. Px44-TRAIL caused apoptosis of the hyperproliferative, but not differentiating, cultured keratinocytes through binding to Dsg3. Foldon, a small trimerization domain, cloned into Px44-TRAIL maintained its stability and biological activity at 37° C for at least 48 hours. These data suggest that such targeted therapy is feasible and may be useful for hyperproliferative and inflamed skin diseases.

Vectors for inhaled gene therapy in lung cancer. Application for nano oncology and safety of bio nanotechnology

Novel aerosol therapeutic modalities have been investigated for lung cancer. Inhaled gene therapy has presented safety and effectiveness previously in cystic fibrosis. However, safety concerns have been raised regarding the safety of non-viral vectors for inhaled gene therapy in lung cancer, and therefore small steps have been made towards this multifunctional treatment modality. During the last decade, numerous new nanocomplexes have been created and investigated as a safe gene delivery nano-vehicle. These formulations are multifunctional; they can be used as either local therapy or carrier for an effective inhaled gene therapy for lung cancer. Herein, we present current and future perspectives of nanocomplexes for inhaled gene therapy treatment in lung cancer.

Intratracheal administration of a nanoparticle-based therapy with the angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene attenuates lung cancer growth

Targeted gene delivery, transfection efficiency, and toxicity concerns remain a challenge for effective gene therapy. In this study, we dimerized the HIV-1 TAT peptide and formulated a nanoparticle vector (dTAT NP) to leverage the efficiency of this cell-penetrating strategy for tumor-targeted gene delivery in the setting of intratracheal administration. Expression efficiency for dTAT NP-encapsulated luciferase or angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) plasmid DNA (pDNA) was evaluated in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells cultured in vitro or in vivo in orthotopic tumor grafts in syngeneic mice. In cell culture, dTAT NP was an effective pDNA transfection vector with negligible cytotoxicity. Transfection efficiency was further increased by addition of calcium and glucose to dTAT/pDNA NP. In orthotopic tumor grafts, immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that dTAT NP successfully delivered pDNA to the tumor, where it was expressed primarily in tumor cells along with the bronchial epithelium. Notably, gene expression in tumor tissues persisted at least 14 days after intratracheal administration. Moreover, bolus administration of dTAT NP-encapsulated AT2R or TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pDNA markedly attenuated tumor growth. Taken together, our findings offer a preclinical proof-of-concept for a novel gene delivery system that offers an effective intratracheal strategy for administering lung cancer gene therapy.

Tumor promotion via injury- and death-induced inflammation

Inhibition of programmed cell death is considered to be a major aspect of tumorigenesis. Indeed, several key oncogenic transcription factors, such as NF-κB and STAT3, exert their tumor-promoting activity at least in part through upregulation of survival genes. However, many cancers develop in response to chronic tissue injury, in which the resulting cell death increases the tumorigenic potential of the neighboring cells. In this review, we discuss a resolution to this paradox based on cell death-mediated induction of tumor promoting inflammatory cytokines, which enhance cell survival and trigger compensatory proliferation in response to tissue injury.

Wnt and SHH in prostate cancer: trouble mongers occupy the TRAIL towards apoptosis

Prostate cancer is a serious molecular disorder that arises because of reduction in tumour suppressors and overexpression of oncogenes. The malignant cells survive within the context of a three-dimensional microenvironment in which they are exposed to mechanical and physical cues. These signals are, nonetheless, deregulated through perturbations to mechanotransduction, from the nanoscale level to the tissue level. Increasingly sophisticated interpretations have uncovered significant contributions of signal transduction cascades in governing prostate cancer progression. To dismantle the major determinants that lie beneath disruption of spatiotemporal patterns of activity, crosstalk between various signalling cascades and their opposing and promoting effects on TRAIL-mediated activities cannot be ruled out. It is important to focus on that molecular multiplicity of cancer cells, various phenotypes reflecting expression of a variety of target oncogenes, reversible to irreversible, exclusive, overlapping or linked, coexist and compete with each other. Comprehensive investigations into TRAIL-mediated mitochondrial dynamics will remain a worthwhile area for underlining causes of tumourigenesis and for unravelling interference options.