CCR9 initiates epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathways to promote osteosarcoma metastasis

Immune effector dysfunction signatures predict outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Immune effector dysfunction (IED) is mainly manifested as immune exhaustion and senescence, which are the primary obstacles to the success of cancer immunotherapy. In the current study, we characterized the prognostic relevance of IED signatures in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) data of CRC tissue samples from 41 newly diagnosed patients in our clinical center (HDPH cohort) were used to investigate the prognostic importance of IED signatures. The results were validated by the RNA sequencing data of 372 CRC patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

RESULTS

In the HDPH cohorts, high Natural Killer (NK) and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were associated with poor overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in CRC patients. Optimal IED signatures, including high expression of CCR9, ISG20, and low expression of ICOS, and CACNA2D2, predicted poor OS and RFS. Moreover, high-risk scores estimated by a weighted combination of these four IED genes were associated with poor OS and RFS. Notably, risk stratification was constructed by combining risk score and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage better than TNM stage alone in predicting OS and RFS for CRC patients. The above results were confirmed in the TCGA cohort.

CONCLUSION

CCR9, ISG20, ICOS, and CACNA2D2 were optimal IED signatures for predicting the outcomes of CRC patients, which might be a potential biomarker for prognostic stratification and designing novel CRC therapy.

RANK/RANKL axis promotes migration, invasion, and metastasis of osteosarcoma via activating NF-κB pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most prevalent primary bone tumors with a high degree of metastasis and poor prognosis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a cellular mechanism that contributes to the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, and OS cells have been reported to exhibit EMT-like characteristics. Our previous studies have shown that the interaction between tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 11 (TNFRSF11A; also known as RANK) and its ligand TNFSF11 (also known as RANKL) promotes the EMT process in breast cancer cells. However, whether the interaction between RANK and RANKL enhances aggressive behavior by inducing EMT in OS cells has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we showed that the interaction between RANK and RANKL increased the migration, invasion, and metastasis of OS cells by promoting EMT. Importantly, we clarified that the RANK/RANKL axis induces EMT by activating the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Furthermore, the NF-κB inhibitor dimethyl fumarate (DMF) suppressed migration, invasion, and EMT in OS cells. Our results suggest that the RANK/RANKL axis may serve as a potential tumor marker and promising therapeutic target for OS metastasis. Furthermore, DMF may have clinical applications in the treatment of lung metastasis in patients with OS.

Deciphering the Signaling Mechanisms of Osteosarcoma Tumorigenesis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the predominant primary bone tumor in the pediatric and adolescent populations. It has high metastatic potential, with the lungs being the most common site of metastasis. In contrast to many other sarcomas, OS lacks conserved translocations or genetic mutations; instead, it has heterogeneous abnormalities, including somatic DNA copy number alteration, ploidy, chromosomal amplification, and chromosomal loss and gain. Unfortunately, clinical outcomes have not significantly improved in over 30 years. Currently, no effective molecularly targeted therapies are available for this disease. Several genomic studies showed inactivation in the tumor suppressor genes, including p53, RB, and ATRX, and hyperactivation of the tumor promoter genes, including MYC and MDM2, in OS. Alterations in the major signaling pathways, including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, NOTCH, Hedgehog/Gli, TGF-β, RTKs, RANK/RANKL, and NF-κB signaling pathways, have been identified in OS development and metastasis. Although OS treatment is currently based on surgical excision and systematic multiagent therapies, several potential targeted therapies are in development. This review focuses on the major signaling pathways of OS, and we propose a biological rationale to consider novel and targeted therapies in the future.

Non-coding RNA-based therapeutics in cancer therapy: An emphasis on Wnt/β-catenin control

Non-coding RNA transcripts are RNA molecules that have mainly regulatory functions and they do not encode proteins. microRNAs (miRNAs), lncRNAs and circRNAs are major types of this family and these epigenetic factors participate in disease pathogenesis, especially cancer that their abnormal expression may lead to cancer progression. miRNAs and lncRNAs possess a linear structure, whereas circRNAs possess ring structures and high stability. Wnt/β-catenin is an important factor in cancer with oncogenic function and it can increase growth, invasion and therapy resistance in tumors. Wnt upregulation occurs upon transfer of β-catenin to nucleus. Interaction of ncRNAs with Wnt/β-catenin signaling can determine tumorigenesis. Wnt upregulation is observed in cancers and miRNAs are able to bind to 3'-UTR of Wnt to reduce its level. LncRNAs can directly/indirectly regulate Wnt and in indirect manner, lncRNAs sponge miRNAs. CircRNAs are new emerging regulators of Wnt and by its stimulation, they increase tumor progression. CircRNA/miRNA axis can affect Wnt and carcinogenesis. Overall, interaction of ncRNAs with Wnt can determine proliferation rate, migration ability and therapy response of cancers. Furthermore, ncRNA/Wnt/β-catenin axis can be utilized as biomarker in cancer and for prognostic applications in patients.

Zoledronic acid induces ferroptosis by upregulating POR in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma, usually originating in the stroma, is the most common primary bone cancer in adolescents, and its prognosis is poor. Surgery, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy are not satisfactory at the present time. Therefore, it is critical to develop novel therapeutic strategies to improve the quality of life and long-term survival rate of osteosarcoma patients. In this study, we discovered that zoledronic acid (ZOL) dramatically increased cell death in osteosarcoma cells, and this cytotoxicity was greatly reversed by liproxstatin-1 (a ferroptosis inhibitor). ZOL also had an obvious effect on lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which suggested that ZOL most certainly induces ferroptosis in osteosarcoma cells. In addition, we further found that ZOL increases cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) expression dose dependently in osteosarcoma cell lines. Knockdown of POR attenuated ZOL-induced cytotoxicity and attenuated the effect of ferroptosis in osteosarcoma cells, which indicated that POR plays an important role in ferroptosis. Moreover, we also found that ZOL inhibits osteosarcoma growth in vivo. Our findings suggest that ZOL induces ferroptosis by upregulating POR expression to increase ROS levels and upregulate lipid peroxidation levels in osteosarcoma cells. POR may be used as a therapeutic target to inhibit osteosarcoma.

Crosstalk Between β-CATENIN-Mediated Cell Adhesion and the WNT Signaling Pathway

Cell adhesion and stable signaling regulation are fundamental ways of maintaining homeostasis. Among them, the Wnt/β-CATENIN signaling plays a key role in embryonic development and maintenance of body dynamic homeostasis. At the same time, the key signaling molecule β-CATENIN in the Wnt signaling can also function as a cytoskeletal linker protein to regulate tissue barriers, cell migration, and morphogenesis. Dysregulation of the balance between Wnt signaling and adherens junctions can lead to disease. How β-CATENIN maintains the independence of these two functions, or mediates the interaction and balance of these two functions, has been explored and debated for a long time. In this study, we will focus on five aspects of β-CATENIN chaperone molecules, phosphorylation of β-CATENIN and related proteins, epithelial mesenchymal transition, β-CATENIN homolog protein γ-CATENIN and disease, thus deepening the understanding of the Wnt/β-CATENIN signaling and the homeostasis between cell adhesion and further addressing related disease problems.

Chemokine/GPCR Signaling-Mediated EMT in Cancer Metastasis

Metastasis, the chief cause of cancer-related deaths, is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In the tumor microenvironment, EMT can be triggered by chemokine/G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, which is closely associated with tumor progression. However, the functional links between chemokine/GPCR signaling-mediated EMT and metastasis remain unclear. Herein, we summarized the mechanisms of chemokine/GPCR signaling-mediated EMT with an insight into facilitating metastasis and clarified the role of chemokine in the local invasion, intravasation, circulation, extravasation, and colonization, respectively. Moreover, several potential pathways that might contribute to EMT based on the latest studies on GPCR signaling were proposed, including signaling mediated by G protein, β-arrestin, intracellular, dimerization activation, and transactivation. However, there is still limited evidence to support the EMT programme functional contribution to metastasis, which keeps a key question still open whether we should target EMT programme of cancer cells. Answers to that question might help develop an anticancer strategy or guide new directions for anticancer metastasis therapy.

CCL25/CCR9 interaction promotes the malignant behavior of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Background

CC chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9), an organ-specific chemokine receptor, interacts with its exclusive ligand CCL25 to promote tumor proliferation and metastasis. However, the effect of CCR9 on salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) malignant behavior remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the specific molecular mechanism by which CCR9/CCL25 modulates malignant progression in SACC.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry staining and RT-qPCR analyses were performed to detect the correlation of CCR9 expression and tumor progression-associated markers in SACC. In vitro, SACC cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 and colon formation, and cell migration and invasion were detected by wound healing and transwell assays. Vercirnon was used as an inhibitor of CCR9, and LY294002 was used as an inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT pathway in this study. Western blot and RT-qPCR assays were carried out to measure the downstream factors of the interaction of CCL25 and CCR9. The effect of CCL25 on the development of SACC in vivo was examined by a xenograft tumor model in nude mice following CCL25, Vercirnon and LY294002 treatment.

Results

CCR9 was highly expressed in SACC compared with adjacent salivary gland tissues, and its level was associated with tumor proliferation and metastases. CCL25 enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through its interaction with CCR9 and exerted an antiapoptotic effect on SACC cells. Targeting CCR9 via Vercirnon significantly reduced the phosphorylation level of AKT induced by CCL25. CCL25/CCR9 could activate its downstream factors through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, such as cyclin D1, BCL2 and SLUG, thus promoting SACC cell proliferation, antiapoptosis, invasion and metastasis. The in vivo data from the xenograft mouse models further proved that CCL25 administration promoted malignant tumor progression by activating the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Conclusion

The interaction of CCL25 and CCR9 promotes tumor growth and metastasis in SACC by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, offering a promising strategy for SACC treatment.

Emerging Applications of Deep Learning in Bone Tumors: Current Advances and Challenges

Deep learning is a subfield of state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and multiple deep learning-based AI models have been applied to musculoskeletal diseases. Deep learning has shown the capability to assist clinical diagnosis and prognosis prediction in a spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders, including fracture detection, cartilage and spinal lesions identification, and osteoarthritis severity assessment. Meanwhile, deep learning has also been extensively explored in diverse tumors such as prostate, breast, and lung cancers. Recently, the application of deep learning emerges in bone tumors. A growing number of deep learning models have demonstrated good performance in detection, segmentation, classification, volume calculation, grading, and assessment of tumor necrosis rate in primary and metastatic bone tumors based on both radiological (such as X-ray, CT, MRI, SPECT) and pathological images, implicating a potential for diagnosis assistance and prognosis prediction of deep learning in bone tumors. In this review, we first summarized the workflows of deep learning methods in medical images and the current applications of deep learning-based AI for diagnosis and prognosis prediction in bone tumors. Moreover, the current challenges in the implementation of the deep learning method and future perspectives in this field were extensively discussed.