Implications of HIF-1α in the tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer

The long non-coding RNA mir155hg promotes NLRP3-inflammasome activation and oxidative stress response in acute lung injury by targeting miR-450b-5p to regulate HIF-1α

BACKGROUND

Acute lung injury (ALI) can cause multiple organ dysfunction and a high mortality rate. Inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and immune damage contribute to their pathogenic mechanisms. We studied the role of the newly discovered lncRNA, Lncmir155hg, in ALI.

METHODS

The levels of Lncmir155hg and miR-450b-5p from mice with ALI were detected via polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) and Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Pathological changes of lung were detected by HE (hematoxylin and eosin) staining, and HIF-1α, NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 protein changes were detected by immunohistochemistry. MLE-12 cells proliferation was detected by Cell-Counting Kit 8 analysis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected via flow cytometry. NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), and caspase-1 were measured via western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays detected the expression of Inflammatory factors. Lncmir155hg, miR-450b-5p, miR-450b-5p, and HIF-1α targets were predicted using LncTar and miRWalk and confirmed in dual-luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

In mice with ALI and MLE-12 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Lncmir155hg was high-expressed and miR-450b-5p was low-expressed. sh-Lncmir155hg reduced the damage of lung tissue, the production of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress reaction induced by LPS，miR-450b-5p reverses the effect of Lncmir155hg in mice. sh-Lncmir155hg decreased the protein levels of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1 in LPS-induced lung tissues. sh-Lncmir155hg + miR-450b-5p inhibitor transfection reversed the effect of sh-Lncmir155hg on the expression of HIF-1α, NLRP3 and caspase-1. Lncmir155hg knockdown induced proliferation and inhibited NLRP3-inflammasome activation and oxidative stress in MLE-12 cells of ALI. miR-450b-5p was identified to have binding with Lncmir155hg, and inhibition of miR-450b-5p eliminated the effect of si-Lncmir155hg in MLE-12 cells of ALI. More importantly, miR-450b-5p was directly combined with HIF-1α, miR-450b-5p mimic promoted proliferation and inhibited activation of inflammasome associated proteins and reaction of oxidative stress, and HIF-1α overexpression abolished these effects.

CONCLUSION

Lncmir155hg aggravated ALI via the miR-450b-5p/HIF-1α axis.

Adjuvant Properties of Caffeic Acid in Cancer Treatment

Caffeic acid (CA) is a polyphenol belonging to the phenylpropanoid family, commonly found in plants and vegetables. It was first identified by Hlasiwetz in 1867 as a breakdown product of caffetannic acid. CA is biosynthesized from the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine through specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Extensive research since its discovery has revealed various health benefits associated with CA, including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. These effects are attributed to its ability to modulate several pathways, such as inhibiting NFkB, STAT3, and ERK1/2, thereby reducing inflammatory responses, and activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway to enhance antioxidant cell defenses. The consumption of CA has been linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers, mitigation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy-induced toxicity, and reversal of resistance to first-line chemotherapeutic agents. This suggests that CA could serve as a useful adjunct in cancer treatment. Studies have shown CA to be generally safe, with few adverse effects (such as back pain and headaches) reported. This review collates the latest information from Google Scholar, PubMed, the Phenol-Explorer database, and ClinicalTrials.gov, incorporating a total of 154 articles, to underscore the potential of CA in cancer prevention and overcoming chemoresistance.

Calix[6]arene dismantles extracellular vesicle biogenesis and metalloproteinases that support pancreatic cancer hallmarks

Many challenges are faced in pancreatic cancer treatment due to late diagnosis and poor prognosis because of high recurrence and metastasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), besides acting in intercellular communication, are key players in the cancer cell plasticity responsible for initiating metastasis. Therefore, these entities provide valuable targets for the development of better treatments. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of calix[6]arene to disturb the release of EVs and the activity of MMPs in pancreatic cancer cells. We found a correlation between the endocytic-associated mediators and the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. We observed a more active EV machinery in the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1, which was reduced three-fold by treatment with calix[6]arene at subtoxic concentration (5 μM; p 〈0,001). We observed the modulation of 186 microRNAs (164 miRNAs upregulated and 22 miRNAs downregulated) upon calix[6]arene treatment. Interestingly, some of them as miR-4443 and miR-3909, regulates genes HIF1A e KIF13A that are well known to play a role in transport of vesicles. Furthermore, Calix[6]arene downmodulated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2 and - 9 and disturbed the viability of pancreatic organoids which recapitulate the cellular heterogeneity, structure, and functions of primary tissues. Our findings shed new insights on calix[6]arene's antitumor mechanism, including its intracellular effects on vesicle production and trafficking, as well as MMP activity, which may harm the tumor microenvironment and contribute to a reduction in cancer cell dissemination, which is one of the challenges associated with high mortality in pancreatic cancer.

CircRNAs in Pancreatic Cancer: New Tools for Target Identification and Therapeutic Intervention

We have reviewed the literature for circular RNAs (circRNAs) with efficacy in preclinical pancreatic-cancer related in vivo models. The identified circRNAs target chemoresistance mechanisms (n=5), secreted proteins and transmembrane receptors (n=15), transcription factors (n=9), components of the signaling- (n=11), ubiquitination- (n=2), autophagy-system (n=2), and others (n=9). In addition to identifying targets for therapeutic intervention, circRNAs are potential new entities for treatment of pancreatic cancer. Up-regulated circRNAs can be inhibited by antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or clustered regularly interspaced short-palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated protein (CRISPR-CAS)-based intervention. The function of down-regulated circRNAs can be reconstituted by replacement therapy using plasmids or virus-based vector systems. Target validation experiments and the development of improved delivery systems for corresponding agents were examined.

Chemotherapy Assessment in Advanced Multicellular 3D Models of Pancreatic Cancer: Unravelling the Importance of Spatiotemporal Mimicry of the Tumor Microenvironment

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a challenge for global health with very low survival rate and high therapeutic resistance. Hence, advanced preclinical models for treatment screening are of paramount importance. Herein, chemotherapeutic (gemcitabine) assessment on novel (polyurethane) scaffold-based spatially advanced 3D multicellular PDAC models is carried out. Through comprehensive image-based analysis at the protein level, and expression analysis at the mRNA level, the importance of stromal cells is confirmed, primarily activated stellate cells in the chemoresistance of PDAC cells within the models. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that, in addition to the presence of activated stellate cells, the spatial architecture of the scaffolds, i.e., segregation/compartmentalization of the cancer and stromal zones, affect the cellular evolution and is necessary for the development of chemoresistance. These results highlight that, further to multicellularity, mapping the tumor structure/architecture and zonal complexity in 3D cancer models is important for better mimicry of the in vivo therapeutic response.

Tumour-associated neutrophils: Potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer immunotherapy

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant tumour of the digestive system with poor therapeutic response and low survival rates. Immunotherapy has rapidly developed in recent years and has achieved significant outcomes in numerous malignant neoplasms. However, responses to immunotherapy in PC are rare, and the immunosuppressive and desmoplastic tumour microenvironment (TME) significantly hinders their efficacy in PC. Tumour-associated neutrophils (TANs) play a crucial role in the PC microenvironment and exert a profound influence on PC immunotherapy by establishing a robust stromal shelter and restraining immune cells to assist PC cells in immune escape, which may subvert the current status of PC immunotherapy. The present review aims to offer a comprehensive summary of the latest progress in understanding the involvement of TANs in PC desmoplastic and immunosuppressive functions and to emphasise the potential therapeutic implications of focusing on TANs in the immunotherapy of this deleterious disease. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future use of TANs in PC immunotherapy.

Prognostic implications of TOR1B expression across cancer types: a focus on basal-like breast cancer and cellular adaptations to hypoxia

The TOR1B gene is known to play a pivotal role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and responding to endoplasmic reticulum stress. However, its involvement in cancer remains relatively understudied. This study seeks to explore the prognostic implications of TOR1B across various cancers, with a specific focus on Basal-like Breast Cancer (BLBC) and its underlying cellular mechanisms. Through comprehensive analysis of data from TCGA, TARGET, GEO, and GTEx, we investigated TOR1B expression and its correlation with patient outcomes. Furthermore, in vitro experiments conducted on BLBC cell lines examined the impact of TOR1B modulation on cell viability, apoptosis, and metabolic activity under varying oxygen levels. Our statistical analysis encompassed differential expression analysis, survival analysis, and multivariate Cox regression. Our findings indicate that TOR1B is overexpressed in BLBC and other cancers, consistently correlating with poorer prognosis. Elevated TOR1B levels were significantly associated with reduced overall and disease-free survival in BLBC patients. In vitro experiments further revealed that TOR1B knockdown augmented apoptosis and influenced metabolic activity, particularly under hypoxic conditions, highlighting its potential role in cancer cell adaptation to stress. Overall, our study underscores the importance of TOR1B in cancer progression, particularly in BLBC, where it serves as a notable prognostic indicator. The interaction between TOR1B and metabolic pathways, as well as its regulation by HIF-1α, suggests its significance in adapting to hypoxia, thereby positioning TOR1B as a promising therapeutic target for aggressive breast cancer subtypes.

FAXC interacts with ANXA2 and SRC in mitochondria and promotes tumorigenesis in cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most difficult malignancies to treat as the therapeutic options are limited. Although several driver genes have been identified, most remain unknown. In this study, we identified a failed axon connection homolog (FAXC), whose function is unknown in mammals, by analyzing serially passaged CCA xenograft models. Knockdown of FAXC reduced subcutaneous tumorigenicity in mice. FAXC was bound to annexin A2 (ANXA2) and c-SRC, which are tumor-promoting genes. The FAXC/ANXA2/c-SRC complex forms in the mitochondria. FAXC enhances SRC-dependent ANXA2 phosphorylation at tyrosine-24, and the C-terminal amino acid residues (351-375) of FAXC are required for ANXA2 phosphorylation. Transcriptome data from a xenografted CCA cell line revealed that FAXC correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, and KRAS signaling genes. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of CCA tumorigenesis and provide candidate therapeutic targets.

Hypoxia-associated autophagy flux dysregulation in human cancers

A general feature of cancer is hypoxia, determined as low oxygen levels. Low oxygen levels may cause cells to alter in ways that contribute to tumor growth and resistance to treatment. Hypoxia leads to variations in cancer cell metabolism, angiogenesis and metastasis. Furthermore, a hypoxic tumor microenvironment might induce immunosuppression. Moreover, hypoxia has the potential to impact cellular processes, such as autophagy. Autophagy refers to the catabolic process by which damaged organelles and toxic macromolecules are broken down. The abnormal activation of autophagy has been extensively recorded in human tumors and it serves as a regulator of cell growth, spread to other parts of the body, and resistance to treatment. There is a correlation between hypoxia and autophagy in human malignancies. Hypoxia can regulate the activity of AMPK, mTOR, Beclin-1, and ATGs to govern autophagy in human malignancies. Furthermore, HIF-1α, serving as an indicator of low oxygen levels, controls the process of autophagy. Hypoxia-induced autophagy has a crucial role in regulating the growth, spread, and resistance to treatment in human malignancies. Hypoxia-induced regulation of autophagy can impact other mechanisms of cell death, such as apoptosis. Chemoresistance and radioresistance have become significant challenges in recent years. Hypoxia-mediated autophagy plays a crucial role in determining the response to these therapeutic treatments.

Flavonoids with Anti-Angiogenesis Function in Cancer

The formation of new blood vessels, known as angiogenesis, significantly impacts the development of multiple types of cancer. Consequently, researchers have focused on targeting this process to prevent and treat numerous disorders. However, most existing anti-angiogenic treatments rely on synthetic compounds and humanized monoclonal antibodies, often expensive or toxic, restricting patient access to these therapies. Hence, the pursuit of discovering new, affordable, less toxic, and efficient anti-angiogenic compounds is imperative. Numerous studies propose that natural plant-derived products exhibit these sought-after characteristics. The objective of this review is to delve into the anti-angiogenic properties exhibited by naturally derived flavonoids from plants, along with their underlying molecular mechanisms of action. Additionally, we summarize the structure, classification, and the relationship between flavonoids with their signaling pathways in plants as anti-angiogenic agents, including main HIF-1α/VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, JNK1/STAT3, and MAPK/AP-1 pathways. Nonetheless, further research and innovative approaches are required to enhance their bioavailability for clinical application.

MicroRNA-561-3p indirectly regulates the PD-L1 expression by targeting ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC genes in breast cancer

Globally, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. In breast cancer, microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for both the initiation and development of tumors. It has been suggested that the tumor suppressor microRNA-561-3p (miR-561-3p) is crucial in arresting the growth of cancer cells. Further research is necessary to fully understand the role and molecular mechanism of miR-561 in human BC. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of miR-561-3p on ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC expression as oncogenes that have the most impact on PD-L1 overexpression and cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle in breast cancer (BC) cell lines. The expression of ZEB1, HIF1A, and MYC genes and miR-561-3p were measured in BC clinical samples and cell lines via qRT-PCR. The luciferase assay, MTT, Annexin-PI staining, and cell cycle experiments were used to assess the effect of miR-561-3p on candidate gene expression, proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression. Flow cytometry was used to investigate the effects of miR-561 on PD-L1 suppression in the BC cell line. The luciferase assay showed that miRNA-561-3p targets the 3'-UTRs of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC genes significantly. In BC tissues, the qRT-PCR results demonstrated that miR-561-3p expression was downregulated and the expression of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC genes was up-regulated. It was shown that overexpression of miR-561-3p decreased PD-L1 expression and BC cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest through downregulation of candidate oncogenes. Furthermore, inhibition of candidate genes by miR-561-3p reduced PD-L1 at both mRNA and protein levels. Our research investigated the impact of miR-561-3p on the expression of ZEB1, HIF1A and MYC in breast cancer cells for the first time. Our findings may help clarify the role of miR-561-3p in PD-L1 regulation and point to this miR as a potential biomarker and novel therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy.

Nanoparticle drug delivery systems responsive to tumor microenvironment: Promising alternatives in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

The conventional therapeutic treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is negatively influenced by the development of tumor cell drug resistant, and systemic toxicity of therapeutic agents due to off-target activity. In accordance with research findings, nanoparticles (NPs) responsive to the tumor microenvironment (TME) have been discovered for providing opportunities to selectively target tumor cells via active targeting or Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect. The combination of the TME control and therapeutic NPs offers promising solutions for improving the prognosis of the TNBC because the TME actively participates in tumor growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. The NP-based systems leverage stimulus-responsive mechanisms, such as low pH value, hypoxic, excessive secretion enzyme, concentration of glutathione (GSH)/reactive oxygen species (ROS), and high concentration of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to combat TNBC progression. Concurrently, NP-based stimulus-responsive introduces a novel approach for drug dosage design, administration, and modification of the pharmacokinetics of conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the strengths, limitations, applications, perspectives, and future expectations of both novel and traditional stimulus-responsive NP-based drug delivery systems for improving outcomes in the medical practice of TNBC. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Plasticity and resistance of cancer stem cells as a challenge for innovative anticancer therapies - do we know enough to overcome this?

According to the CSC hypothesis, cancer stem cells are pivotal in initiating, developing, and causing cancer recurrence. Since the identification of CSCs in leukemia, breast cancer, glioblastoma, and colorectal cancer in the 1990s, researchers have actively investigated the origin and biology of CSCs. However, the CSC hypothesis and the role of these cells in tumor development model is still in debate. These cells exhibit distinct surface markers, are capable of self-renewal, demonstrate unrestricted proliferation, and display metabolic adaptation. CSC phenotypic plasticity and the capacity to EMT is strictly connected to the stemness state. CSCs show high resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. The plasticity of CSCs is significantly influenced by tumor microenvironment factors, such as hypoxia. Targeting the genetic and epigenetic changes of cancer cells, together with interactions with the tumor microenvironment, presents promising avenues for therapeutic strategies. See also the Graphical abstract(Fig. 1).

1,8-Dihydroxy-3-methoxy-anthraquinone inhibits tumor angiogenesis through HIF-1α downregulation

Photorhabdus luminescens is a gram-negative bioluminescent bacterium known as an intestinal bacterium that coexists in the digestive tract of insect-pathogenic nematodes. As part of our ongoing exploration to identify bioactive compounds from diverse natural resources, the chemical analysis of the cultures of P. luminescens KACC 12254 via LC/MS and TLC-based analyses enabled the isolation and identification of a major fluorescent compound. Its chemical structure was elucidated as 1,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxyanthraquinone (DMA) using HR-ESI-MS and NMR analysis. In this study, we conducted comprehensive investigations utilizing human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells, human umbilical cord vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs), and zebrafish embryos to assess the potential benefits of DMA in suppressing tumor angiogenesis. Our results convincingly demonstrate that DMA effectively suppresses the stability of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) protein and its target genes without inducing any cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, DMA demonstrates the ability to inhibit HIF-1α transcriptional activation and mitigate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In our in vitro experiments, DMA exhibits notable inhibitory effects on VEGF-mediated tube formation, migration, and invasion in HUVECs. Additionally, in vivo investigations using zebrafish embryos confirm the antiangiogenic properties of DMA. Notably, DMA does not exhibit any adverse developmental or cardiotoxic effects in the in vivo setting. Moreover, we observe DMA's capability to restrain tumor growth through the downregulation of PI3K/AKT and c-RAF/ERK pathway. Collectively, these compelling findings underscore DMA's potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for targeted intervention against HIF-1α and angiogenesis in cancer treatment.

Evaluations of the combined use of blood- and tissue-based protein biomarkers for pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a low 5-year survival rate. Biomarkers may be of value for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. This study assessed blood- and tumour tissue-based biomarkers associated with pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We studied 61 patients who underwent pancreatic resection. Of these 61 patients, 46 patients had PDAC, and 15 patients had inflammatory tumours. Blood and tumour tissue levels of VEGF, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) were measured.

RESULTS

Blood concentrations of VEGF (p < 0.000001) and HIF-1α (p = 0.000002) were significantly higher in the PDAC group than in the inflammatory tumour group. Tumour tissue concentrations of VEGF (p < 0.000001), HIF-1α (p = 0.000005) and GLUT1 (0.000002) were also significantly higher in the PDAC group. Univariate analyses revealed that age, BMI, and blood levels of CA19-9, VEGF, and HIF-1α were potential predictors of PDAC. Potential predictors of PDAC in tumour tissue were VEGF, HIF-1α and GLUT1. Multivariate analyses found that VEGF was the most powerful independent predictor of PDAC in blood (OR = 1.016; 95% CI: 1.007-1.025; 0.001) and tumour tissue (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.008-1.032, p = 0.001). The cut-off point for blood VEGF was 134.56 pg/ml, with a sensitivity of 97.8%, specificity of 86.7%, PPV of 95.7%, and NPV of 92.9%. The cut-off point for tissue tumour VEGF in PDAC was 208.59 pg/mg, with a sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 97.7%, 92.9%, 97.7%, and 92.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There are significant differences in blood-based biomarkers for differentiating between PDAC and inflammatory tumours of the pancreas. VEGF was an independent predictor of PDAC independent of its addition to the routinely used tumour marker CA19-9 antigen.

Exploring active ingredients and mechanisms of Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger against colon cancer using network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Colon cancer is the most prevalent and rapidly increasing malignancy globally. It has been suggested that some of the ingredients in the herb pair of Coptidis Rhizoma and ginger (Zingiber officinale), a traditional Chinese medicine, have potential anti-colon cancer properties.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of the Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger herb pair in treating colon cancer, using an integrated approach combining network pharmacology and molecular docking.

METHODS

The ingredients of the herb pair Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger, along with their corresponding protein targets, were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology and Swiss Target Prediction databases. Target genes associated with colon cancer were retrieved from the GeneCards and OMIM databases. Then, the protein targets of the active ingredients in the herb pair were identified, and the disease-related overlapping targets were determined using the Venn online tool. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING database and analyzed using Cytoscape 3.9.1 to identify key targets. Then, a compound-target-disease-pathway network map was constructed. The intersecting target genes were subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses for colon cancer treatment. Molecular docking was performed using the Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software to predict the binding affinity between the key targets and active compounds.

RESULTS

Besides 1922 disease-related targets, 630 targets associated with 20 potential active compounds of the herb pair Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger were collected. Of these, 229 intersection targets were obtained. Forty key targets, including STAT3, Akt1, SRC, and HSP90AA1, were further analyzed using the ClueGO plugin in Cytoscape. These targets are involved in biological processes such as miRNA-mediated gene silencing, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, and telomerase activity. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PI3K-Akt and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathways were closely related to colon cancer prevention by the herb pair Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger. Ten genes (Akt1, TP53, STAT3, SRC, HSP90AA1, JAK2, CASP3, PTGS2, BCl2, and ESR1) were identified as key genes for validation through molecular docking simulation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the herb pair Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger exerted preventive effects against colon cancer by targeting multiple genes, utilizing various active compounds, and modulating multiple pathways. These findings might provide the basis for further investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of Coptidis Rhizoma-ginger in colon cancer treatment, potentially leading to the development of novel drugs for combating this disease.

Highly Reproducible Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells Reveals Proteome-Level Effects of a Novel Combination Drug Therapy That Induces Cancer Cell Death via Metabolic Remodeling and Activation of the Extrinsic Apoptosis Pathway

Pancreatic cancer patients have poor survival rates and are frequently treated using gemcitabine (Gem). However, initial tumor sensitivity often gives way to rapid development of resistance. Gem-based drug combinations are employed to increase efficacy and mitigate resistance, but our understanding of molecular-level drug interactions, which could assist in the development of more effective therapeutic regimens, is limited. Global quantitative proteomic analysis could provide novel mechanistic insights into drug combination interactions, but it is challenging to achieve high-quality quantitative proteomics analysis of the large sample sets that are typically required for drug combination studies. Here, we investigated molecular-level temporal interactions of Gem with BGJ398 (infigratinib), a recently approved pan-FGFR inhibitor, in multiple treatment groups (N = 42 samples) using IonStar, a robust large-scale proteomics method that employs well-controlled, ultrahigh-resolution MS1 quantification. A total of 5514 proteins in the sample set were quantified without missing data, requiring >2 unique peptides/protein, <1% protein false discovery rate (FDR), <0.1% peptide FDR, and CV < 10%. Functional analysis of the differentially altered proteins revealed drug-dysregulated processes such as metabolism, apoptosis, and antigen presentation pathways. These changes were validated experimentally using Seahorse metabolic assays and immunoassays. Overall, in-depth analysis of large-scale proteomics data provided novel insights into possible mechanisms by which FGFR inhibitors complement and enhance Gem activity in pancreatic cancers.

Helicobacter pylori-activated fibroblasts as a silent partner in gastric cancer development

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection of gastric mucosa leading to active chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and MALT lymphoma laid the groundwork for understanding of the general relationship between chronic infection, inflammation, and cancer. Nevertheless, this sequence of events is still far from full understanding with new players and mediators being constantly identified. Originally, the Hp virulence factors affecting mainly gastric epithelium were proposed to contribute considerably to gastric inflammation, ulceration, and cancer. Furthermore, it has been shown that Hp possesses the ability to penetrate the mucus layer and directly interact with stroma components including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. These cells, which are the source of biophysical and biochemical signals providing the proper balance between cell proliferation and differentiation within gastric epithelial stem cell compartment, when exposed to Hp, can convert into cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype. The crosstalk between fibroblasts and myofibroblasts with gastric epithelial cells including stem/progenitor cell niche involves several pathways mediated by non-coding RNAs, Wnt, BMP, TGF-β, and Notch signaling ligands. The current review concentrates on the consequences of Hp-induced increase in gastric fibroblast and myofibroblast number, and their activation towards CAFs with the emphasis to the altered communication between mesenchymal and epithelial cell compartment, which may lead to inflammation, epithelial stem cell overproliferation, disturbed differentiation, and gradual gastric cancer development. Thus, Hp-activated fibroblasts may constitute the target for anti-cancer treatment and, importantly, for the pharmacotherapies diminishing their activation particularly at the early stages of Hp infection.

Computational approach for assessing the involvement of SMYD2 protein in human cancers using TCGA data

BACKGROUND

SMYD2 is a protein of the SET and MYND domain-containing family SMYD. It can methylate the lysine residue of various histone and nonhistone cancer-related proteins and plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Although emerging evidence supports the association of SMYD2 in the progression of cancers, but its definitive effect is not yet clear. Therefore, further study of the gene in relation with cancer progression needs to be conducted. In the current study, investigators used TCGA data to determine the potential carcinogenic effect of SMYD2 in 11 cancer types. The transcriptional expression, survival rate, mutations, enriched pathways, and Gene Ontology of the SMYD2 were explored using different bioinformatics tools and servers. In addition, we also examined the correlation between SMYD2 gene expression and immunocyte infiltration in multiple cancer types.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that higher expression of SMYD2 was significantly correlated with cancer incidents. In CESC and KIRC, the mRNA expression of SMYD2 was significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). In BRCA, KIRC, COAD, and HNSC, the mRNA expression of SMYD2 was significantly correlated with disease-free survival (DFS). We detected 15 missense, 4 truncating, 4 fusions, and 1 splice type of mutation. The expression of SMYD2 was significantly correlated with tumor purity and immunocyte infiltration in six cancer types. The gene GNPAT was highly associated with SMYD2. Significant pathways and Gene Ontology (GO) terms for co-expressed genes were associated to various processes linked with cancer formation.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our data-driven results may provide reasonably comprehensive insights for understanding the carcinogenic effect of SMYD2. It suggests that SMYD2 might be used as a significant target for identifying new biomarkers for various human tumors.

Dual hypoxia-responsive supramolecular complex for cancer target therapy

The prognosis with pancreatic cancer is among the poorest of any human cancer. One of the important factors is the tumor hypoxia. Targeting tumor hypoxia is considered a desirable therapeutic option. However, it has not been translated into clinical success in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. With enhanced cytotoxicities against hypoxic pancreatic cancer cells, BE-43547A2 (BE) may serve as a promising template for hypoxia target strategy. Here, based on rational modification, a BE prodrug (NMP-BE) is encapsulated into sulfonated azocalix[5]arene (SAC5A) to generate a supramolecular dual hypoxia-responsive complex NMP-BE@SAC5A. Benefited from the selective load release within cancer cells, NMP-BE@SAC5A markedly suppresses tumor growth at low dose in pancreatic cancer cells xenograft murine model without developing systemic toxicity. This research presents a strategy for the modification of covalent compounds to achieve efficient delivery within tumors, a horizon for the realization of safe and reinforced hypoxia target therapy using a simple approach.

Identifying the role of hypoxia-related lncRNAs in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in hypoxia-induced tumor processes. However, the prognostic value of hypoxia-related lncRNAs in pancreatic cancer is limited.

METHODS

Hypoxia-related lncRNAs were identified by coexpression analysis and the LncTarD database. LASSO analysis was performed to develop a prognostic model. The function of TSPOAP1-AS1 was studied in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We recognized a set of fourteen hypoxia-related lncRNAs for the construction of a prognostic model. The prognostic model displayed excellent performance in predicting the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. The overexpression of TSPOAP1-AS1, a hypoxia-related lncRNA, attenuated the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. HIF-1α bound to the promoter of TSPOAP1-AS1 and impaired its transcription under hypoxia.

CONCLUSION

The hypoxia-related lncRNA assessment model might be a potential strategy for prognostic prediction in pancreatic cancer. The fourteen lncRNAs contained in the model could be helpful for uncovering the mechanisms of pancreatic tumorigenesis.

PNU-74654 Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Inhibits EMT Progression in Pancreatic Cancer

Background and Objectives: PNU-74654, a Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor, has an antiproliferative effect on many cancer types; however, its therapeutic role in pancreatic cancer (PC) has not yet been demonstrated. Here, the effects of PNU-74654 on proliferation and cell cycle phase distribution were studied in PC cell lines. Materials and Methods: The cancer-related molecular pathways regulated by PNU-74654 were determined by a proteome profiling oncology array and confirmed by western blotting. Results: The cell viability and proliferative ability of PC cells were decreased by PNU-74654 treatment. G1 arrest was observed, as indicated by the downregulation of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and the upregulation of p27. PNU-74654 inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as determined by an increase in E-cadherin and decreases in N-cadherin, ZEB1, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α). PNU-74654 also suppressed cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin and impaired the NF-κB pathway. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that PNU-74654 modulates G1/S regulatory proteins and inhibits the EMT, thereby suppressing PC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The synergistic effect of PNU-74654 and chemotherapy or the exclusive use of PNU-74654 may be therapeutic options for PC and require further investigation.

CircRNAs in BALF exosomes and plasma as diagnostic biomarkers in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by severe pneumonia

Background

The transcriptomic studies targeting circular RNAs (circRNAs) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) exosomes of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients caused by severe pneumonia have rarely been reported. This study aimed to screen and validate abnormally expressed circRNAs in exosomes from BALF of patients with ARDS caused by severe pneumonia and then evaluate the diagnostic values of these circRNAs for ARDS.

Method

BALF was collected from four patients with ARDS caused by severe pneumonia and four healthy subjects. CircRNA expression profile was obtained by microarray analysis in BALF exosomes of the discovery cohort. The differentially expressed circRNAs in BALF exosomes were verified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and underwent competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network construction and functional enrichment analysis.

Results

A total of 629 circRNAs were differentially expressed in BALF exosomes between ARDS patients and healthy subjects. Nine differentially expressed circRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR, and seven were consistent with the results of microarray analysis. CeRNA network analysis was performed for hsa_circRNA_002809, hsa_circRNA_042882, and hsa_circRNA_104034. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the target genes were mainly associated with hypoxia-induced damage, inflammatory response, and the HIF-1 signaling pathway. Hsa_circRNA_042882 and hsa_circRNA_104034 can be regarded as promising diagnostic biomarkers for patients with ARDS caused by severe pneumonia, with remarkable sensitivity and specificity of the area under the curve of 0.8050 and 1 or 0.835 and 0.799, respectively.

Conclusion

This study obtained circRNA expression profiles of ARDS patients, and hsa_circRNA_042882 and hsa_circRNA_104034 were regarded as promising diagnostic biomarkers for patients with ARDS caused by severe pneumonia.

Hyperthermia Influences the Secretion Signature of Tumor Cells and Affects Endothelial Cell Sprouting

Tumors are a highly heterogeneous mass of tissue showing distinct therapy responses. In particular, the therapeutic outcome of tumor hyperthermia treatments has been inconsistent, presumably due to tumor versus endothelial cell cross-talks related to the treatment temperature and the tumor tissue environment. Here, we investigated the impact of the average or strong hyperthermic treatment (43 °C or 47 °C for 1 h) of the human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (PANC-1 and BxPC-3) on endothelial cells (HUVECs) under post-treatment normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Immediately after the hyperthermia treatment, the distinct repression of secreted pro-angiogenic factors (e.g., VEGF, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, M-CSF), intracellular HIF-1α and the enhanced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in tumor cells were detectable (particularly for strong hyperthermia, 2D cell monolayers). Notably, there was a significant increase in endothelial sprouting when 3D self-organized pancreatic cancer cells were treated with strong hyperthermia and the post-treatment conditions were hypoxic. Interestingly, for the used treatment temperatures, the intracellular HIF-1α accumulation in tumor cells seems to play a role in MAPK/ERK activation and mediator secretion (e.g., VEGF, PDGF-AA, Angiopoietin-2), as shown by inhibition experiments. Taken together, the hyperthermia of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in vitro impacts endothelial cells under defined environmental conditions (cell-to-cell contact, oxygen status, treatment temperature), whereby HIF-1α and VEGF secretion play a role in a complex context. Our observations could be exploited for the hyperthermic treatment of pancreatic cancer in the future.

Hypoxia-induced cancer cell reprogramming: a review on how cancer stem cells arise

Cancer stem cells are a subset of cells within the tumor that possess the ability to self-renew as well as differentiate into different cancer cell lineages. The exact mechanisms by which cancer stem cells arise is still not completely understood. However, current research suggests that cancer stem cells may originate from normal stem cells that have undergone genetic mutations or epigenetic changes. A more recent discovery is the dedifferentiation of cancer cells to stem-like cells. These stem-like cells have been found to express and even upregulate induced pluripotent stem cell markers known as Yamanaka factors. Here we discuss developments in how cancer stem cells arise and consider how environmental factors, such as hypoxia, plays a key role in promoting the progression of cancer stem cells and metastasis. Understanding the mechanisms that give rise to these cells could have important implications for the development of new strategies in cancer treatments and therapies.

Targeting HIF-1 for prostate cancer: a synthesis of preclinical evidence

INTRODUCTION

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) mediates multiple intracellular processes that drive cellular metabolism and induce proliferation. Dysregulated HIF expression is associated with oncogenic cellular transformation. Moreover, high HIF levels correlate with tumor aggressiveness and chemoresistance, indicating the vital effect of HIF-1α on tumorigenicity. Currently, widespread in-vitro and in-vivo research is focusing on targeting HIF with drugs that have already been approved for use by the FDA, such as belzutifan, in renal cell carcinoma. HIF inhibition is mostly associated with tumor size reduction; however, drug toxicity remains a challenge.

AREA COVERED

In this review, we focus on the potential of targeting HIF in prostate cancer (PC) and summarize the scientific background of HIF activity in PC. This finding emphasizes the rationale for using HIF as a therapeutic target in this malignancy. We have listed known HIF inhibitors that are being investigated in preclinical studies and their potential as anticancer drugs for PC.

EXPERT OPINION

Although HIF-targeting agents have been investigated for over a decade, their use in therapy-resistant cancers remains relevant and should be explored further. In addition, the use of naturally occurring HIF inhibitors should be considered as an add-on therapy for the currently used regimens.

Pharmacological properties and derivatives of saikosaponins-a review of recent studies

OBJECTIVES

Saikosaponins (SSs) constitute a class of medicinal monomers characterised by a triterpene tricyclic structure. Despite their potential therapeutic effects for various pathological conditions, the underlying mechanisms of their actions have not been systematically analysed. Here, we mainly review the important anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral mechanisms underlying SS actions.

METHODS

Information from multiple scientific databases, such as PubMed, the Web of Science, and Google Scholar, was collected between 2018 and 2023. The search term used was saikosaponin.

KEY FINDINGS

Numerous studies have shown that Saikosaponin A exerts anti-inflammatory effects by modulating cytokine and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid metabolism. Moreover, saikosaponin D exerts antitumor effects by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis and autophagy, and the antiviral mechanisms of SSs, especially against SARS-CoV-2, have been partially revealed. Interestingly, an increasing body of experimental evidence suggests that SSs show the potential for use as anti-addiction, anxiolytic, and antidepressant treatments, and therefore, the related molecular mechanisms warrant further study.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing amount of data have indicated diverse SS pharmacological properties, indicating crucial clues for future studies and the production of novel saikosaponin-based anti-inflammatory, efficacious anticancer, and anti-novel-coronavirus agents with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity.

Mitochondria-Targeted Nanosystem Enhances Radio-Radiodynamic-Chemodynamic Therapy on Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Radiodynamic therapy (RDT), which produces ¹O₂ and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) in response to X-rays, can be used in conjunction with radiation therapy (RT) to drastically lower X-ray dosage and reduce radio resistance associated with conventional radiation treatment. However, radiation-radiodynamic therapy (RT-RDT) is still impotent in a hypoxic environment in solid tumors due to its oxygen-dependent nature. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) can generate reactive oxygen species and O₂ by decomposing H₂O₂ in hypoxic cells and thus potentiate RT-RDT to achieve synergy. Herein, we developed a multifunctional nanosystem, AuCu-Ce6-TPP (ACCT), for RT-RDT-CDT. Ce6 photosensitizers were conjugated to AuCu nanoparticles via Au-S bonds to realize radiodynamic sensitization. Cu can be oxidized by H₂O₂ and catalyze the degradation of H₂O₂ to generate ^•OH through the Fenton-like reaction to realize CDT. Meanwhile, the degradation byproduct oxygen can alleviate hypoxia while Au can consume glutathione to increase the oxidative stress. We then attached mercaptoethyl-triphenylphosphonium (TPP-SH) to the nanosystem, targeting ACCT to mitochondria (colocalization Pearson coefficient 0.98) to directly disrupt mitochondrial membranes and more efficiently induce apoptosis. We confirmed that ACCT efficiently generates ¹O₂ and ^•OH upon X-ray irradiation, resulting in strong anticancer efficacy in both normoxic and hypoxic 4T1 cells. The down-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α expression and reduction of intracellular H₂O₂ concentrations suggested that ACCT could significantly alleviate hypoxia in 4T1 cells. ACCT-enhanced RT-RDT-CDT can successfully shrink or remove tumors in radioresistant 4T1 tumor-bearing mice upon 4 Gy of X-ray irradiation. Our work thus presents a new strategy to treat radioresistant hypoxic tumors.

GLI1 interaction with p300 modulates SDF1 expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts to promote pancreatic cancer cells migration

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in the progression of multiple malignancies. Secretion of cytokines and growth factors underlies the pro-tumoral effect of CAFs. Although this paracrine function has been extensively documented, the molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of these factors remain elusive. In this study, we provide evidence of a novel CAF transcriptional axis regulating the expression of SDF1, a major driver of cancer cell migration, involving the transcription factor GLI1 and histone acetyltransferase p300. We demonstrate that conditioned media from CAFs overexpressing GLI1 induce the migration of pancreatic cancer cells, and this effect is impaired by an SDF1-neutralizing antibody. Using a combination of co-immunoprecipitation, proximity ligation assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we further demonstrate that GLI1 and p300 physically interact in CAFs to co-occupy and drive SDF1 promoter activity. Mapping experiments highlight the requirement of GLI1 N-terminal for the interaction with p300. Importantly, knockdowns of both GLI1 and p300 reduce SDF1 expression. Further analysis shows that knockdown of GLI1 decreases SDF1 promoter activity, p300 recruitment, and levels of its associated histone marks (H4ac, H3K27ac, and H3K14ac). Finally, we show that the integrity of two GLI binding sites in the SDF1 promoter is required for p300 recruitment. Our findings define a new role for the p300-GLI1 complex in the regulation of SDF1, providing new mechanistic insight into the molecular events controlling pancreatic cancer cells migration.

Hydrogel scaffolds in bone regeneration: Their promising roles in angiogenesis

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) has become a hopeful potential treatment strategy for large bone defects, including bone tumors, trauma, and extensive fractures, where the self-healing property of bone cannot repair the defect. Bone tissue engineering is composed of three main elements: progenitor/stem cells, scaffold, and growth factors/biochemical cues. Among the various biomaterial scaffolds, hydrogels are broadly used in bone tissue engineering owing to their biocompatibility, controllable mechanical characteristics, osteoconductive, and osteoinductive properties. During bone tissue engineering, angiogenesis plays a central role in the failure or success of bone reconstruction via discarding wastes and providing oxygen, minerals, nutrients, and growth factors to the injured microenvironment. This review presents an overview of bone tissue engineering and its requirements, hydrogel structure and characterization, the applications of hydrogels in bone regeneration, and the promising roles of hydrogels in bone angiogenesis during bone tissue engineering.

Graphene oxide nanoarchitectures in cancer biology: Nano-modulators of autophagy and apoptosis

Nanotechnology is a growing field, with many potential biomedical applications of nanomedicine for the treatment of different diseases, particularly cancer, on the horizon. Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles can act as carbon-based nanocarriers with advantages such as a large surface area, good mechanical strength, and the capacity for surface modification. These nanostructures have been extensively used in cancer therapy for drug and gene delivery, photothermal therapy, overcoming chemotherapy resistance, and for imaging procedures. In the current review, we focus on the biological functions of GO nanoparticles as regulators of apoptosis and autophagy, the two major forms of programmed cell death. GO nanoparticles can either induce or inhibit autophagy in cancer cells, depending on the conditions. By stimulating autophagy, GO nanocarriers can promote the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy. However, by impairing autophagy flux, GO nanoparticles can reduce cell survival and enhance inflammation. Similarly, GO nanomaterials can increase ROS production and induce DNA damage, thereby sensitizing cancer cells to apoptosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments have investigated whether GO nanomaterials show any toxicity in major body organs, such as the brain, liver, spleen, and heart. Molecular pathways, such as ATG, MAPK, JNK, and Akt, can be regulated by GO nanomaterials, leading to effects on autophagy and apoptosis. These topics are discussed in this review to shed some lights towards the biomedical potential of GO nanoparticles and their biocompatibility, paving the way for their future application in clinical trials.

Combination, Modulation and Interplay of Modern Radiotherapy with the Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer: Which Candidates to Boost Radiotherapy?

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cancer (PDAC) is a highly diverse disease with low tumor immunogenicity. PDAC is also one of the deadliest solid tumor and will remain a common cause of cancer death in the future. Treatment options are limited, and tumors frequently develop resistance to current treatment modalities. Since PDAC patients do not respond well to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), novel methods for overcoming resistance are being explored. Compared to other solid tumors, the PDAC's tumor microenvironment (TME) is unique and complex and prevents systemic agents from effectively penetrating and killing tumor cells. Radiotherapy (RT) has the potential to modulate the TME (e.g., by exposing tumor-specific antigens, recruiting, and infiltrating immune cells) and, therefore, enhance the effectiveness of targeted systemic therapies. Interestingly, combining ICI with RT and/or chemotherapy has yielded promising preclinical results which were not successful when translated into clinical trials. In this context, current standards of care need to be challenged and transformed with modern treatment techniques and novel therapeutic combinations. One way to reconcile these findings is to abandon the concept that the TME is a well-compartmented population with spatial, temporal, physical, and chemical elements acting independently. This review will focus on the most interesting advancements of RT and describe the main components of the TME and their known modulation after RT in PDAC. Furthermore, we will provide a summary of current clinical data for combinations of RT/targeted therapy (tRT) and give an overview of the most promising future directions.

A compendium of Androgen Receptor Variant 7 target genes and their role in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

Persistent androgen receptor (AR) signalling is the main driver of prostate cancer (PCa). Truncated isoforms of the AR called androgen receptor variants (AR-Vs) lacking the ligand binding domain often emerge during treatment resistance against AR pathway inhibitors such as Enzalutamide. This review discusses how AR-Vs drive a more aggressive form of PCa through the regulation of some of their target genes involved in oncogenic pathways, enabling disease progression. There is a pressing need for the development of a new generation of AR inhibitors which can repress the activity of both the full-length AR and AR-Vs, for which the knowledge of differentially expressed target genes will allow evaluation of inhibition efficacy. This review provides a detailed account of the most common variant, AR-V7, the AR-V7 regulated genes which have been experimentally validated, endeavours to understand their relevance in aggressive AR-V driven PCa and discusses the utility of the downstream protein products as potential drug targets for PCa treatment.

Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2): A systematic review of its implications in pathogenesis

OBJECTIVES

Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) is a cell surface protein composed of approximately 160 amino acids and encoded by the growth arrest-specific 3 (GAS3)/peripheral myelin protein 22 kDa (PMP22) gene family. Although EMP2 expression has been investigated in several diseases, much remains unknown regarding its mechanism of action and the extent of its role in pathogenesis. Our aim was to perform a systematic review on the involvement of EMP2 in disease processes and the current usage of anti-EMP2 therapies.

METHODS

A Boolean search of the English-language medical literature was performed. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant citations. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

RESULTS

52 studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. Of those, 28 (53.8%) were human-only studies, 11 (21.2%) were animal-only studies, and 13 (25%) studies included both human and animal models. Furthermore, 34 (65.4%) studies focused on EMP2's role in neoplasms, while the remaining 18 (34.6%) articles evaluated its role in other pathologies.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the evidence suggests the mechanisms of action of EMP2 are context dependent. Promising results have been produced by utilizing EMP2 as a biomarker and therapeutic target. More studies are warranted to better understand the mechanism and comprehend the role of EMP2 in the pathogenesis of diseases.

VHL: Trends and Insight into a Multi-Modality, Interdisciplinary Approach for Management of Central Nervous System Hemangioblastoma

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is a multi-system disease which results in significant morbidity from central nervous system (CNS) involvement as well as ocular, renal and neuro-endocrine effects. Haemangioblastomas of the CNS present a number of challenges. The natural history of these lesions is varied, as is the size and location within the CNS. Whilst surgery is considered the mainstay of treatment and best chance at curing these lesions, this is also often associated with significant risks due to the anatomical location of these lesions, most commonly the posterior fossa and spinal cord.We review the literature and describe our experience across two separate European VHL referral centres. Alternative treatment options and combined modalities are increasingly being used in the context of managing CNS haemangioblastomas. We analyse the increasing use of stereotactic radiosurgery and the evolution of medical treatments as potential future adjuncts to surgery. The availability of multiple modalities in our armamentarium is essential in tailoring a personalised treatment approach to these patients. Owing to the multi-systemic nature of the disease, in our experience, managing the care of patients with VHL is best delivered using an interdisciplinary approach utilising multiple specialties and adopting an individually tailored holistic approach.

Molecular characterisation of coding regions of HIF-1a gene in Vechur cattle by cDNA sequencing

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is a transcription factor stabilized by hypoxia by inducing or suppressing the homeostatic regulatory gene expression, enabling tissues and cells to survive despite fluctuations in environmental circumstances. As the name implies, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 is secreted not only as a cellular response to hypoxia but also in heat stress and oxidative stress. The goal of this work was to determine the molecular characterisation of the HIF-1α gene coding region as well as the differences in HIF-1αprotein primary structure between Vechur cattle and other cattle breeds in the online databases. Total RNA was isolated from blood samples of 6 Vechur cattle using the trizol reagent method, and full-length c sequences of the HIF-1α gene were sequenced. The base pair length of composite HIF-1αcDNA of Vechur cattle and encoding ORFis 3956 bp and 2469 bp respectively. The 5'UTR was recognized to be 279 bp in length. The start codon was identified at nucleotide 280-282, the stop codon UGA at 2746-2748 bp and a 1208 bp 3'UTR which included a poly-A tail of 27 adenine residues. In a comparative analysis of the cDNA, point transitions causing guanine to adenine (G>A) changes at 1211th and 2699th positions were noticed as a heterozygous condition in the whole 3956 bp sequence. These two SNVs in the coding regions were responsible for two amino acid changes in the deduced 823 amino acid sequence. Since the predicted amino acid arginine had been replaced with lysine at 311th and 807th positions, it showed 99.76 percent sequence identity with Bos taurus. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the HIF-1α protein of Vechur cattle had a lesser evolutionary distance from the same gene of related species emphasising the highly conserved nature of this particular protein. This structural variation observed in the present study should be evaluated on a larger population to assess its functional relevance for thermo-tolerance.

Current understanding of epigenetics role in melanoma treatment and resistance

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer resulting from genetic mutations in melanocytes. Several factors have been considered to be involved in melanoma progression, including genetic alteration, processes of damaged DNA repair, and changes in mechanisms of cell growth and proliferation. Epigenetics is the other factor with a crucial role in melanoma development. Epigenetic changes have become novel targets for treating patients suffering from melanoma. These changes can alter the expression of microRNAs and their interaction with target genes, which involves cell growth, differentiation, or even death. Given these circumstances, we conducted the present review to discuss the melanoma risk factors and represent the current knowledge about the factors related to its etiopathogenesis. Moreover, various epigenetic pathways, which are involved in melanoma progression, treatment, and chemo-resistance, as well as employed epigenetic factors as a solution to the problems, will be discussed in detail.

Diverse antitumor effects of ascorbic acid on cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment

Ascorbic acid has attracted substantial attention for its potential antitumor effects by acting as an antioxidant in vivo and as a cofactor in diverse enzymatic reactions. However, solid proof of its clinical efficacy against cancer and the mechanism behind its effect have not been established. Moreover, cancer forms cancer-specific microenvironments and interacts with various cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), to maintain cancer growth and progression; however, the effect of ascorbic acid on the cancer microenvironment is unclear. This review discusses the effects and mechanisms of ascorbic acid on cancer, including the role of ascorbic acid concentration. In addition, we present future perspectives on the effects of ascorbic acid on cancer cells and the CAF microenvironment. Ascorbic acid has a variety of effects, which contributes to the complexity of these effects. Oral administration of ascorbic acid results in low blood concentrations (&lt;0.2 mM) and acts as a cofactor for antioxidant effects, collagen secretion, and HIFα degradation. In contrast, intravenous treatment achieves large blood concentrations (&gt;1 mM) and has oxidative-promoting actions that exert anticancer effects via reactive oxygen species. Therefore, intravenous administration at high concentrations is required to achieve the desired effects on cancer cells during treatment. Partial data on the effect of ascorbic acid on fibroblasts indicate that it may also modulate collagen secretion in CAFs and impart tumor-suppressive effects. Thus, future studies should verify the effect of ascorbic acid on CAFs. The findings of this review can be used to guide further research and clinical trials.

Autophagy: A Key Player in Pancreatic Cancer Progression and a Potential Drug Target

Simple Summary

With the mortality rate of pancreatic cancer predicted to rise over the coming years, it is essential that effective treatment strategies are developed as soon as possible. Pancreatic cancer has always proven very difficult to treat due to its fast growing and aggressive nature. Chemotherapeutic treatment has struggled to increase the survival rate of pancreatic cancer patients due to effective chemo-resistant properties that derive from the supporting tumor microenvironment and autophagy, a vital survival pathway. This review will explore how the autophagy pathway and tumor microenvironment help to sustain tumor survival under stress and expand into a metastatic state. Due to the comprehensive understanding of the autophagy pathway, we will highlight the potential chinks in the pancreatic tumor’s armor and identify potential targets to overcome chemo-resistance in pancreatic cancer. We will also present novel autophagy inhibitors that could reduce tumor survival and how they could be most effectively conceived.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is known to have the lowest survival outcomes among all major cancers, and unfortunately, this has only been marginally improved over last four decades. The innate characteristics of pancreatic cancer include an aggressive and fast-growing nature from powerful driver mutations, a highly defensive tumor microenvironment and the upregulation of advantageous survival pathways such as autophagy. Autophagy involves targeted degradation of proteins and organelles to provide a secondary source of cellular supplies to maintain cell growth. Elevated autophagic activity in pancreatic cancer is recognized as a major survival pathway as it provides a plethora of support for tumors by supplying vital resources, maintaining tumour survival under the stressful microenvironment and promoting other pathways involved in tumour progression and metastasis. The combination of these features is unique to pancreatic cancer and present significant resistance to chemotherapeutic strategies, thus, indicating a need for further investigation into therapies targeting this crucial pathway. This review will outline the autophagy pathway and its regulation, in addition to the genetic landscape and tumor microenvironment that contribute to pancreatic cancer severity. Moreover, this review will also discuss the mechanisms of novel therapeutic strategies that inhibit autophagy and how they could be used to suppress tumor progression.

HIF1α: A Novel Biomarker with Potential Prognostic and Immunotherapy in Pan-cancer

Cancer is a catastrophic disease that seriously affects human health. HIF1α plays an important role in cancer initiation, progression, and prognosis. However, little is known about the specific role of HIF1α in pan-cancer. Therefore, we systematically and comprehensively analyzed HIF1α using GEPIA, HPA, GeneMANIA, STRING, SMPDB, cBioPortal, UALCAN, and TISDB databases and also 33 cancer and normal tissues in TCGA downloaded from the Genome Data Commons (GDC) data portal. Data and statistical analysis were performed using R software v4.0.3. Our results found that there were differences in the mRNA expression levels of HIF1α in human pan-cancer and its corresponding normal tissues. The expression level of HIF1α correlated with tumor stage in LIHC and also significantly correlated with prognosis in LIHC, LUSC, STAD, OV, PAAD, PRAD, THCA, LUAD, MESO, and READ. The small molecule pathways involved in HIF1α include succinate signaling, fumarate, and succinate carcinogenesis-related pathways. The highest mutation frequency of the HIF1α gene in pan-cancer was head and neck cancer, and the HIF1α methylation level in most tumors is significantly reduced. HIF1α was not only associated with immune cell infiltration but also with immune checkpoint genes and immune regulators TMB and MSI. There were currently 5 small molecule drugs targeting HIF1α.

Connecting the Human Microbiome and Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease that is increasing in incidence throughout the world. There are no clear causal factors associated with the incidence of pancreatic cancer; however, some correlation to smoking, diabetes and alcohol has been described. Recently, a few studies have linked the human microbiome (oral and gastrointestinal tract) to pancreatic cancer development. A perturbed microbiome has been shown to alter normal cells while promoting cancer-related processes such as increased cell signaling, immune system evasion and invasion. In this article, we will review in detail the alterations within the gut and oral microbiome that have been linked to pancreatic cancer and explore the ability of other microbiomes, such as the lung and skin microbiome, to contribute to disease development. Understanding ways to identify a perturbed microbiome can result in advancements in pancreatic cancer research and allow for prevention, earlier detection and alternative treatment strategies for patients.

Pancreatic Cancer and Microenvironments: Implications of Anesthesia

Simple Summary

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal malignant neoplasm with less than 10% 5-year relative survival after the initial diagnosis. Several factors may be related to the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, including the rapid tumor progression, increased metastatic propensity, insignificant symptoms, shortage of early diagnostic biomarkers, and its tendency toward resistance to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pancreatic neoplastic cells interact intimately with a complicated microenvironment that can foster drug resistance, metastasis, or relapse in pancreatic cancer. In addition, evidence shows that perioperative factors, including surgical manipulation, anesthetics, or analgesics, might alter the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression. This review outlines the up-to-date knowledge of anesthesia implications in the pancreatic microenvironment and provides future anesthetic strategies for improving pancreatic cancer survival.

Abstract

Pancreatic malignancy is a lethal neoplasm, as well as one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality, having a 5-year overall survival rate of less than 10%. The average life expectancy of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer does not exceed six months. Although surgical excision is a favorable modality for long-term survival of pancreatic neoplasm, metastasis is initially identified in nearly 80% of the patients by the time of diagnosis, making the development of therapeutic policy for pancreatic cancer extremely daunting. Emerging evidence shows that pancreatic neoplastic cells interact intimately with a complicated microenvironment that can foster drug resistance, metastasis, or relapse in pancreatic cancer. As a result, the necessity of gaining further insight should be focused on the pancreatic microenvironment contributing to cancer progression. Numerous evidence reveals that perioperative factors, including surgical manipulation and anesthetics (e.g., propofol, volatile anesthetics, local anesthetics, epidural anesthesia/analgesia, midazolam), analgesics (e.g., opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tramadol), and anesthetic adjuvants (such as ketamine and dexmedetomidine), might alter the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression by affecting perioperative inflammatory or immune responses during cancer surgery. Therefore, the anesthesiologist plays an important role in perioperative management and may affect surgical outcomes. However, the literature on the impact of anesthesia on the pancreatic cancer microenvironment and progression is limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the implications of anesthesia in the pancreatic microenvironment and provides future anesthetic strategies for improving pancreatic cancer survival rates.

Gene expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), HIF regulators, and putative HIF targets in ventricle and telencephalon of Trachemys scripta acclimated to 21 °C or 5 °C and exposed to normoxia, anoxia or reoxygenation

In anoxia-sensitive mammals, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) promotes cellular survival in hypoxia, but also tumorigenesis. By comparison, anoxia-tolerant vertebrates likely need to circumvent a prolonged upregulation of HIF to survive long-term anoxia, making them attractive biomedical models for investigating HIF regulation. To lend insight into the role of HIF in anoxic Trachemys scripta ventricle and telencephalon, 21 °C- and 5 °C-acclimated turtles were exposed to normoxia, anoxia (24 h at 21 °C; 24 h or 14 d at 5 °C) or anoxia + reoxygenation and the gene expression of HIF-1α (hif1a) and HIF-2α (hif2a), two regulators of HIF, and eleven putative downstream targets of HIF quantified by qPCR. Changes in gene expression with anoxia at 21 °C differentially aligned with a circumvention of HIF activity. Whereas hif1a and hif2a expression was unaffected in ventricle and telencephalon, and BCL2 interacting protein 3 gene expression reduced by 30% in telencephalon, gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A increased in ventricle (4.5-fold) and telencephalon (1.5-fold), and hexokinase 1 (2-fold) and hexokinase 2 (3-fold) gene expression increased in ventricle. At 5 °C, the pattern of gene expression in ventricle or telencephalon was unaltered with oxygenation state. However, cold acclimation in normoxia induced downregulation of HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and HIF target gene expression in telencephalon. Overall, the findings lend support to the postulation that prolonged activation of HIF is counterproductive for long-term anoxia survival. Nevertheless, quantification of the effect of anoxia and acclimation temperature on HIF binding activity and regulation at the protein level are needed to provide a strong scientific framework whereby new strategies for oxygen related pathologies can be developed.

Hypoxic Microenvironment-Induced Reduction in PTEN-L Secretion Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Metastasis through PI3K/AKT Pathway

Objective

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hypoxic microenvironment on PTEN-L secretion and the effects of PTEN-L on the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the potential mechanisms.

Methods

The expression levels of PTEN-L in NSCLC tissues, cells, and cell culture media were detected. The transfection of PTEN-L overexpression construct or HIF-1α-siRNAs was conducted to manipulate the expression of PTEN-L or HIF-1α. NSCLC cells were introduced into 200 μM CoCl2 medium for 72 hours under 37°C to simulate hypoxia. The proliferation and apoptosis of the A549 cells were determined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI-stained flow cytometry assay, respectively. Wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were used to measure the migration and invasion of A549 cells. The protein expression of PTEN, PTEN-L, PI3K/AKT pathway-related proteins, and HIF-1α was detected by Western blot.

Results

PTEN and PTEN-L are downregulated in lung cancer tissues and cells. The protein expression of PTEN-L in the culture medium of lung cancer cell lines is decreased. The hypoxic microenvironment inhibits PTEN-L secretion. The low level of PTEN-L promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as inhibits apoptosis of A549 cells. The overexpression of PTEN-L attenuated the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway by the hypoxic microenvironment. The knockdown of HIF-1α upregulates PTEN-L secretion under hypoxia.

Conclusions

The hypoxic microenvironment inhibits PTEN-L secretion and thus activates PI3K/AKT pathway to induce proliferation, migration, and invasion promotion, and apoptosis inhibition in NSCLC cells.

Deprogramming metabolism in pancreatic cancer with a bi-functional GPR55 inhibitor and biased β2 adrenergic agonist

Metabolic reprogramming contributes to oncogenesis, tumor growth, and treatment resistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we report the effects of (R,S′)-4′-methoxy-1-naphthylfenoterol (MNF), a GPR55 antagonist and biased β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂-AR) agonist on cellular signaling implicated in proliferation and metabolism in PDAC cells. The relative contribution of GPR55 and β₂-AR in (R,S′)-MNF signaling was explored further in PANC-1 cells. Moreover, the effect of (R,S′)-MNF on tumor growth was determined in a PANC-1 mouse xenograft model. PANC-1 cells treated with (R,S′)-MNF showed marked attenuation in GPR55 signal transduction and function combined with increased β₂-AR/Gα_s/adenylyl cyclase/PKA signaling, both of which contributing to lower MEK/ERK, PI3K/AKT and YAP/TAZ signaling. (R,S′)-MNF administration significantly reduced PANC-1 tumor growth and circulating l-lactate concentrations. Global metabolic profiling of (R,S′)-MNF-treated tumor tissues revealed decreased glycolytic metabolism, with a shift towards normoxic processes, attenuated glutamate metabolism, and increased levels of ophthalmic acid and its precursor, 2-aminobutyric acid, indicative of elevated oxidative stress. Transcriptomics and immunoblot analyses indicated the downregulation of gene and protein expression of HIF-1α and c-Myc, key initiators of metabolic reprogramming in PDAC. (R,S′)-MNF treatment decreased HIF-1α and c-Myc expression, attenuated glycolysis, shifted fatty acid metabolism towards β-oxidation, and suppressed de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis in PANC-1 tumors. The results indicate a potential benefit of combined GPR55 antagonism and biased β₂-AR agonism in PDAC therapy associated with the deprogramming of altered cellular metabolism.

HIF-1 and NRF2; Key Molecules for Malignant Phenotypes of Pancreatic Cancer

Simple Summary

Pancreatic cancer progression involves interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in harsh tumor microenvironments, which are characterized by hypoxia, few nutrients, and oxidative stress. Clinically, cancer cells overcome therapeutic interventions, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to continue to survive. Activation of the adaptation mechanism is required for cancer cell survival under these conditions, and it also contributes to the acquisition of the malignant phenotype. Stromal cells, especially pancreatic stellate cells, play a critical role in the formation of a cancer-promoting microenvironment. We here review the roles of key molecules, hypoxia inducible factor-1 and KEAP1-NRF2, in stress response mechanisms for the adaptation to hypoxia and oxidative stress in pancreatic cancer cells and stellate cells. Various cancer-promoting properties associated with these molecules have been identified, and they might serve as novel therapeutic targets in the future.

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is intractable due to early progression and resistance to conventional therapy. Dense fibrotic stroma, known as desmoplasia, is a characteristic feature of pancreatic cancer, and develops through the interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and stromal cells, including pancreatic stellate cells. Dense stroma forms harsh tumor microenvironments characterized by hypoxia, few nutrients, and oxidative stress. Pancreatic cancer cells as well as pancreatic stellate cells survive in the harsh microenvironments through the altered expression of signaling molecules, transporters, and metabolic enzymes governed by various stress response mechanisms. Hypoxia inducible factor-1 and KEAP1-NRF2, stress response mechanisms for hypoxia and oxidative stress, respectively, contribute to the aggressive behaviors of pancreatic cancer. These key molecules for stress response mechanisms are activated, both in pancreatic cancer cells and in pancreatic stellate cells. Both factors are involved in the mutual activation of cancer cells and stellate cells, by inducing cancer-promoting signals and their mediators. Therapeutic interventions targeting these pathways are promising approaches for novel therapies. In this review, we summarize the roles of stress response mechanisms, focusing on hypoxia inducible factor-1 and KEAP1-NRF2, in pancreatic cancer. In addition, we discuss the potential of targeting these molecules for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.