Environmental chemicals, breast cancer progression and drug resistance

PFOS and Its Commercial Alternative, 6:2 Cl-PFESA, Induce Multidrug Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), specifically perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and its alternative, 2-[(6-chloro-1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6-dodecafluorohexyl)oxy]-1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethanesulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA), are associated with environmental health concerns and potential cancer progression. However, their impact on multidrug resistance (MDR) in pancreatic cancer (PC) chemotherapy remains unclear. Here, we employed drug-sensitivity assays, including IC50 calculations, in vitro and in vivo models with various chemotherapeutics, and paclitaxel (PTX) as a representative agent, combined with transcriptomic/proteomic sequencing and clinical prognostic analysis, to identify MDR-related genes and validate their relevance, with the objective of establishing the correlation between PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure and MDR in PC at molecular, cellular, and animal model levels. Our findings demonstrate that PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure increases the drug IC50 in three different PC cell lines for various chemotherapeutic agents. Compared with PFOS, 6:2 Cl-PFESA demonstrated a more pro-MDR effect on PC cells in vitro. In vivo experiments further revealed that PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA exposures significantly reduced the efficacy of PTX in PC, with inhibition rates dropping from 78.3% to 23.8%/6.1%, respectively (p < 0.05). This effect was driven by the aberrant activation of the PI3K-ABCB1 pathway, with 6:2 Cl-PFESA demonstrating a stronger capacity to promote this signal pathway's expression and function compared with PFOS. These data suggest that exposure to PFAS may elevate the risk of MDR and subsequent disease progression. Although marketed as a safer alternative to PFOS, the notable impact of 6:2 Cl-PFESA on MDR highlights the necessity for a comprehensive assessment of its potential carcinogenic risks.

Applying cell painting in non-tumorigenic breast cells to understand impacts of common chemical exposures

The general population is exposed to many chemicals which have putative, but incompletely understood, links to breast cancer. Cell Painting is a high-content imaging-based in vitro assay that allows for unbiased measurements of concentration-dependent effects of chemical exposures on cellular morphology. We used Cell Painting to measure effects of 16 human exposure relevant chemicals, along with 21 small molecules with known mechanisms of action, in non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells, the MCF10A cell line. Using CellProfiler image analysis software, we quantified 3042 morphological features across approximately 1.2 million cells. We used benchmark concentration modeling to identify features both conserved and different across chemicals. Benchmark concentrations were compared to exposure biomarker concentration measurements from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess which chemicals induce morphological alterations at human-relevant concentrations. We found significant feature overlaps between chemicals, including similarities between the organochlorine pesticide DDT metabolite p,p'-DDE and an activator of Wnt signaling CHIR99201. We validated these findings by assaying the activation of Wnt, as reflected by translocation of ꞵ-catenin, following p'-p' DDE exposure. Consistent with Wnt signaling activation, low concentration p',p'-DDE (25 nM) significantly enhanced the nuclear translocation of ꞵ-catenin. Overall, these findings highlight the ability of Cell Painting to enhance mode-of-action studies for toxicants which are common in our environment but incompletely characterized with respect to breast cancer risk.

The oral-gut microbiome axis in breast cancer: from basic research to therapeutic applications

As a complicated and heterogeneous condition, breast cancer (BC) has posed a tremendous public health challenge across the world. Recent studies have uncovered the crucial effect of human microbiota on various perspectives of health and disease, which include cancer. The oral-gut microbiome axis, particularly, have been implicated in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer through their intricate interactions with host immune system and modulation of systemic inflammation. However, the research concerning the impact of oral-gut microbiome axis on BC remains scarce. This study focused on comprehensively reviewing and summarizing the latest ideas about the potential bidirectional relation of the gut with oral microbiota in BC, emphasizing their potential impact on tumorigenesis, treatment response, and overall patient outcomes. This review can reveal the prospect of tumor microecology and propose a novel viewpoint that the oral-gut microbiome axis can be a breakthrough point in future BC studies.

Disruption of Ferroptosis Inhibition and Immune Evasion with Tumor-Activatable Prodrug for Boosted Photodynamic/Chemotherapy Eradication of Drug-Resistant Tumors

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that threatens the life and health of women worldwide. As the first-line chemotherapy drug for breast cancer, doxorubicin (DOX) can inhibit the synthesis of RNA and DNA, and it exhibits strong inhibitory activity against breast cancer. However, drug-induced systemic toxicity and drug resistance can occur with DOX treatment. In this work, TSPO protein is identified as a promising target for overcoming drug resistance and we designed a novel BT-DOX/PDP conjugate to solve these problems in drug chemotherapy. It is found that BT-DOX/PDP can effectively downregulate TSPO1 protein and sensitize MCF-7/Adr to DOX. Furthermore, due to its positive charge, BT-DOX/PDP is readily loaded into puerarin (PUE), the resulting BT-DOX/PDP@PUE exhibited minimal systemic toxicity but enhanced antitumor activity in animal models, as compared with BT-DOX/PDP. This study demonstrates the advantages of combined chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy in overcoming drug resistance, which may be applied in the design of other photodynamic therapy-based conjugates to enhance antitumor therapy.

miRNA-driven sensitization of breast cancer cells to Doxorubicin treatment following exposure to low dose of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles

The impact of Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) (i.e., Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs)) on human health has been investigated at high and unrealistic exposure levels, overlooking the potential indirect harm of subtoxic and long exposures. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impacts of subtoxic concentrations of zinc oxide (ZnO NPs) on breast cancer cells' response to Doxorubicin. Zinc oxide nanoparticles caused a concentration-dependent reduction of cell viability in multiple breast cancer cell lines. A subtoxic concentration of 1.56 µg/mL (i.e., no observed adverse effect level) was used in subsequent mechanistic studies. Molecularly, miRNA profiling revealed significant downregulation of 13 oncogenic miRNAs (OncomiRs) in cells exposed to the sub-toxic dose of ZnO NPs followed by doxorubicin treatment. Our comprehensive bioinformatic analysis has identified 617 target genes enriched in ten pathways, mainly regulating gene expression and transcription, cell cycle, and apoptotic cell death. Several tumor suppressor genes emerged as validated direct targets of the 13 OncomiRs, including TFDP2, YWHAG, SMAD2, SMAD4, CDKN1A, CDKN1B, BCL2L11, and TGIF2. This study insinuates the importance of miRNAs in regulating the responsiveness of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Our findings further indicate that being exposed to environmental ENMs, even at levels below toxicity, might still modulate cancer cells' response to chemotherapy, which highlights the need to reestablish endpoints of ENM exposure and toxicity in cancer patients receiving chemotherapeutics.

Social Genomic Determinants of Health: Understanding the Molecular Pathways by Which Neighborhood Disadvantage Affects Cancer Outcomes

PURPOSE

Neighborhoods represent complex environments with unique social, cultural, physical, and economic attributes that have major impacts on disparities in health, disease, and survival. Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with shorter breast cancer recurrence-free survival (RFS) independent of individual-level (race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, insurance, tumor characteristics) and health system-level determinants of health (receipt of guideline-concordant treatment). This persistent disparity in RFS suggests unaccounted mechanisms such as more aggressive tumor biology among women living in disadvantaged neighborhoods compared with advantaged neighborhoods. The objective of this article was to provide a clear framework and biological mechanistic explanation for how neighborhood disadvantage affects cancer survival.

METHODS

Development of a translational epidemiological framework that takes a translational disparities approach to study cancer outcome disparities through the lens of social genomics and social epigenomics.

RESULTS

The social genomic determinants of health, defined as the physiological gene regulatory pathways (ie, neural/endocrine control of gene expression and epigenetic processes) through which contextual factors, particularly one's neighborhood, can affect activity of the cancer genome and the surrounding tumor microenvironment to alter disease progression and treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSION

We propose a novel, multilevel determinants of health model that takes a translational epidemiological approach to evaluate the interplay between political, health system, social, psychosocial, individual, and social genomic determinants of health to understand social disparities in oncologic outcomes. In doing so, we provide a concrete biological pathway through which the effects of social processes and social epidemiology come to affect the basic biology of cancer and ultimately clinical outcomes and survival.

Potential mammary carcinogens used in food contact articles: implications for policy, enforcement, and prevention

Many nations have food contact material (FCM) legislation purporting to protect citizens from hazardous chemicals, often specifically by regulating genotoxic carcinogens. Despite such regulations, cancers that are associated with harmful chemical exposures are highly prevalent, especially breast cancer. Using the novel Key Characteristics of Toxicants framework, Kay et al. found 921 substances that are potential mammary carcinogens. By comparing Kay et al.'s chemicals list with our own Database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex), we found that 189 (21%) of the potential mammary carcinogens have been measured in FCMs. When limiting these results to migration studies published in 2020-2022, 76 potential mammary carcinogens have been detected to migrate from FCMs sold in markets across the globe, under realistic conditions of use. This implies that chronic exposure of the entire population to potential mammary carcinogens from FCMs is the norm and highlights an important, but currently underappreciated opportunity for prevention. Reducing population-wide exposure to potential mammary carcinogens can be achieved by science-based policy amendments addressing the assessment and management of food contact chemicals.

Decarbromodiphenyl ether exposure promotes migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells through miR-221 in extracellular vesicles

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effect of decarbromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) exposure on the migration ability of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and to explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Human TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells were divided into blank control group and BDE-209 exposure groups (treated with 0.02, 0.20, 2.00, 20.00 and 200.00 ng/mL BDE-209 in high glucose DMEM). Extracellular vehicles (EVs) secreted by MDA-MB-231 cells were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation. Transmission electron microscopy (SEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and Western blotting were performed to characterize the EVs. The effect of the EVs induced by BDE-209 exposure (EVs-BDE-209) on the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells was detected by wound-healing assay and Transwell test. qRT-PCR was used to measure the miR-221 level in EVs-BDE-209. The expression of MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 cells was determined by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared with the blank control, BDE-209 exposure increased the tumor cell-derived EVs in dose-dependent manner. The MDA-MB-231 cells co-cultured with EVs released by 200.00 ng/mL BDE-209 exposure showed an 86% increase in cell migration rate, a 1.32-fold higher number of membrane-penetrating cells, a 2.71-fold higher expression level of miR-221, and a 1.62-fold higher expression level of MMP9 compared with the blank control group (all P<0.05). While transfection with anti-miR-221 antibody to decrease miR-221 level in EVs significantly reversed the increased invasion ability of the MDA-MB-231 cells treated with EVs-BDE-209.

CONCLUSIONS

BDE-209 exposure may promote metastasis potential of MDA-MB-231 cells via EVs-BDE-209 transmitted miR-221.

6:2 Cl-PFESA, a proposed safe alternative for PFOS, diminishes the gemcitabine effectiveness in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)/pancreatic cancer, is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of PDAC treatment. Nonetheless, the development of resistance to gemcitabine among patients is a major factor contributing to unfavorable prognostic outcomes. The resistance exhibited by tumors is modulated by a constellation of factors such as genetic mutations, tumor microenvironment transforms, environmental contaminants exposure. Currently, comprehension of the relationship between environmental pollutants and tumor drug resistance remains inadequate. Our study found that PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure increases resistance to gemcitabine in PDAC. Subsequent in vivo trials confirmed that exposure to PFOS/6:2 Cl-PFESA reduces gemcitabine's efficacy in suppressing PDAC, with the inhibition rate decreasing from 79.5 % to 56.7 %/38.7 %, respectively. Integrative multi-omics sequencing and molecular biology analyses have identified the upregulation of ribonucleotide reductase catalytic subunit M1 (RRM1) as a critical factor in gemcitabine resistance. Subsequent research has demonstrated that exposure to PFOS and 6:2 Cl-PFESA results in the upregulation of the RRM1 pathway, consequently enhancing chemotherapy resistance. Remarkably, the influence exerted by 6:2 Cl-PFESA exceeds that of PFOS. Despite 6:2 Cl-PFESA being regarded as a safer substitute for PFOS, its pronounced effect on chemotherapeutic resistance in PDAC necessitates a thorough evaluation of its potential risks related to gastrointestinal toxicity.

Opportunities offered by latent-based multiblock strategies to integrate biomarkers of chemical exposure and biomarkers of effect in environmental health studies

Modern environmental epidemiology benefits from a new generation of technologies that enable comprehensive profiling of biomarkers, including environmental chemical exposure and omic datasets. The integration and analysis of large and structured datasets to identify functional associations is constrained by computational challenges that cannot be overcome using conventional regression methods. Some extensions of Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression have been developed to efficently integrate multiple datasets, including Multiblock PLS (MB-PLS) and Sequential and Orthogonalized PLS; however, these approaches remain seldom applied in environmental epidemiology. To address that research gap, this study aimed to assess and compare the applicability of PLS-based multiblock models in an observational case study, where biomarkers of exposure to environmental chemicals and endogenous biomarkers of effect were simultaneously integrated to highlight biological links related to a health outcome. The methods were compared with and without sparsity coupling two metrics to support the variable selection: Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) and Selectivity Ratio (SR). The framework was applied to a case-study dataset mimicking the structure of 36 environmental exposure biomarkers (E-block), 61 inflammation biomarkers (M-block), and their relationships with the gestational age at delivery of 161 mother-infant pairs. The results showed an overall consistency in the selected variables across models, although some specific selection patterns were identified. The block-scaled concatenation-based approaches (e.g. MB-PLS) tended to select more variables from the E-block, while these methods were unable to identify certain variables in the M-block. Overall, the number of variables selected using the SR criterion was higher than using the VIP criterion, with lower predictive performances. The multiblock models coupled to VIP, appeared to be the methods of choice for identifying relevant variables with similar statistical performances. Overall, the use of multiblock PLS-based methods appears to be a good strategy to efficiently support the variable selection process in modern environmental epidemiology.

The multifaceted role of SOX2 in breast and lung cancer dynamics

Breast and lung cancers are leading causes of death among patients, with their global mortality and morbidity rates increasing. Conventional treatments often prove inadequate due to resistance development. The alteration of molecular interactions may accelerate cancer progression and treatment resistance. SOX2, known for its abnormal expression in various human cancers, can either accelerate or impede cancer progression. This review focuses on examining the role of SOX2 in breast and lung cancer development. An imbalance in SOX2 expression can promote the growth and dissemination of these cancers. SOX2 can also block programmed cell death, affecting autophagy and other cell death mechanisms. It plays a significant role in cancer metastasis, mainly by regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Additionally, an imbalanced SOX2 expression can cause resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in these cancers. Genetic and epigenetic factors may affect SOX2 levels. Pharmacologically targeting SOX2 could improve the effectiveness of breast and lung cancer treatments.

Triple negative breast cancer cells exposed to aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands hexachlorobenzene and chlorpyrifos activate endothelial cells

Breast cancer is currently one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. The mechanisms by which pesticides can increase breast cancer risk are multiple and complex. We have previously observed that two aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists ‒pesticides hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and chlorpyrifos (CPF)‒ act on tumor progression, stimulating cell migration and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in animal models. Elevated levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) are found in malignant breast tumors, and HIF-1α is known to induce proangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS-2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which are fundamental in breast cancer progression. In this work, we studied HCB (0.005, 0.05, 0.5 and 5 μM) and CPF (0.05, 0.5, 5 and 50 μM) action on the expression of these proangiogenic factors in triple negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231, as well as the effect of their conditioned medium (CM) on endothelial cells. Exposure to pesticides increased HIF-1α and VEGF protein expression in an AhR-dependent manner. In addition, HCB and CPF boosted NOS-2 and COX-2 content and VEGF secretion in MDA-MB-231 cells. The treatment of endothelial cells with CM from tumor cells exposed to pesticides increased cell proliferation, migration, and tubule formation, enhancing both tubule length and branching points. Of note, these effects were VEGF-dependent, as they were blocked in the presence of a VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) inhibitor. In sum, our results highlight the harmful impact of HCB and CPF in modulating the interaction between breast cancer and endothelial cells and promoting angiogenesis.

Myricetin inhibits 4 T1 breast tumor growth in mice via induction of Nrf-2/GPX4 pathway-mediated Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a recently identified form of programmed cell death that is iron-dependent and closely involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Past studies have identified myricetin as being able to inhibit breast cancer growth through its targeting of apoptotic mechanisms, but the precise mechanisms whereby it exerts its antitumoral effects in breast cancer remain to be characterized in detail. Here, the effects of myricetin on the induction of ferroptosis in breast cancer cells were investigated. It was found that myricetin was able to significantly inhibit 4 T1 tumor cell viability and colony forming activity, increasing the level of MDA, Fe2+, and ROS within these cells. From a mechanistic perspective, myricetin was found to induce ferroptotic 4 T1 cell death via downregulating Nrf-2 and GPX4. In vivo experimentation demonstrated that myricetin treatment was sufficient to reduce the growth of subcutaneous breast tumors in female mice as evidenced by decreases in tumor weight and volume, while significantly inhibiting Nrf-2 and GPX4 expression within the tumors of treated mice. Myricetin is capable of readily suppressing breast tumor growth in mice via the induction of ferroptotic activity through the Nrf-2/GPX4 pathway. Myricetin may thus offer utility as a therapeutic agent for the management of breast cancer in clinical settings.

Exposure to Pesticides and Breast Cancer in an Agricultural Region in Brazil

Rural workers are disproportionally exposed to pesticides and might be at an increased risk of developing chronic diseases. Here, we investigated the impact of pesticide exposure on breast cancer (BC) risk and disease profile in rural female workers. This is a case-control study that prospectively included 758 individuals. The study was conducted in the Southwest region of Paraná state in Brazil, a region characterized by family-based agriculture and intensive use of pesticides. We found that this region has a 41% higher BC diagnosis rate and 14% higher BC mortality rate than the mean rates in Brazil, as well as a pesticide trade volume about 6 times higher than the national average. We showed substantial exposure in this population and found that even women who did not work in the fields but performed equipment decontamination and clothes washing of male partners who worked in the fields had urine samples positive for glyphosate, atrazine, and/or 2,4-D. The crude association showed a significantly higher risk of BC among women exposed to pesticides (OR: 1.58, 95% CI 1.18-2.13). Adjusted analyses showed a lower and nonstatistically significant association (OR: 1.30, 95% CI 41 0.87-1.95). Stratification on disease profile showed a significantly higher risk of lymph node metastasis (adjusted OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.31-3.72) in women exposed to pesticides. Our findings suggest that female populations exposed to pesticides are at a higher risk of developing BC with a more aggressive profile and draw attention to the need to monitor rural populations potentially exposed to pesticides in the field or at home.

Enhancing the Inhibition of Breast Cancer Growth Through Synergistic Modulation of the Tumor Microenvironment Using Combined Nano-Delivery Systems

Purpose

Breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy among women worldwide, and malignancy is closely linked to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we prepared mixed nano-sized formulations composed of pH-sensitive liposomes (Ber/Ru486@CLPs) and small-sized nano-micelles (Dox@CLGs). These liposomes and nano-micelles were modified by chondroitin sulfate (CS) to selectively target breast cancer cells.

Methods

Ber/Ru486@CLPs and Dox@CLGs were prepared by thin-film dispersion and ethanol injection, respectively. To mimic actual TME, the in vitro "condition medium of fibroblasts + MCF-7" cell model and in vivo "4T1/NIH-3T3" co-implantation mice model were established to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of drugs.

Results

The physicochemical properties showed that Dox@CLGs and Ber/Ru486@CLPs were 28 nm and 100 nm in particle size, respectively. In vitro experiments showed that the mixed formulations significantly improved drug uptake and inhibited cell proliferation and migration. The in vivo anti-tumor studies further confirmed the enhanced anti-tumor capabilities of Dox@CLGs + Ber/Ru486@CLPs, including smaller tumor volumes, weak collagen deposition, and low expression levels of α-SMA and CD31 proteins, leading to a superior anti-tumor effect.

Conclusion

In brief, this combination therapy based on Dox@CLGs and Ber/Ru486@CLPs could effectively inhibit tumor development, which provides a promising approach for the treatment of breast cancer.

Domestic dogs as environmental sentinel in comparative toxicologic pathology: Assessment of metals and rare earth elements concentrations in healthy and neoplastic mammary glands

Quantification of trace element concentrations in human and animal tissues has acquired great importance in the last few years, considering the pivotal role of these elements in several physiological and pathological processes. Variations in their concentrations appear to have a role in the development and advancement of diseases in both humans and animals, for example, cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of rare earth elements and metals in healthy and neoplastic Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) mammary gland tissue of dogs. All samples were processed to have a quantitative determination of inorganic elements including metals of known toxicological interest such as Pb, Cd, Tl, As, Hg, the trace elements Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, and other elements including Cr, V, Mo, Ni, Sb, W, Sn. Moreover, rare earth elements (REEs) (Sc, Y, Lu, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) were also investigated. Cu and Mo concentrations in mammary cancerous tissue were greater than those in normal mammary glands (p < 0.05). In non-neoplastic tissue increased concentrations of Cd, Co, Ni, Tl, and V were also reported (p < 0.05). The mammary tissue of healthy individuals had greater concentrations of REEs than the neoplastic mammary glands (p < 0.05). The results of our study confirmed differences in mammary inorganic element concentrations between healthy and neoplastic groups, highlighting the potential relevance of these fluctuations in toxicologic pathology.

Effects and mechanisms of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation in environmental pollutant-induced carcinogenesis

Environmental pollution, including air pollution, plastic contamination, and heavy metal exposure, is a pressing global issue. This crisis contributes significantly to pollution-related diseases and is a critical risk factor for chronic health conditions, including cancer. Mounting evidence underscores the pivotal role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) as a crucial regulatory mechanism in pathological processes and cancer progression. Governed by m6A writers, erasers, and readers, m6A orchestrates alterations in target gene expression, consequently playing a vital role in a spectrum of RNA processes, covering mRNA processing, translation, degradation, splicing, nuclear export, and folding. Thus, there is a growing need to pinpoint specific m6A-regulated targets in environmental pollutant-induced carcinogenesis, an emerging area of research in cancer prevention. This review consolidates the understanding of m6A modification in environmental pollutant-induced tumorigenesis, explicitly examining its implications in lung, skin, and bladder cancer. We also investigate the biological mechanisms that underlie carcinogenesis originating from pollution. Specific m6A methylation pathways, such as the HIF1A/METTL3/IGF2BP3/BIRC5 network, METTL3/YTHDF1-mediated m6A modification of IL 24, METTL3/YTHDF2 dynamically catalyzed m6A modification of AKT1, METTL3-mediated m6A-modified oxidative stress, METTL16-mediated m6A modification, site-specific ATG13 methylation-mediated autophagy, and the role of m6A in up-regulating ribosome biogenesis, all come into play in this intricate process. Furthermore, we discuss the direction regarding the interplay between pollutants and RNA metabolism, particularly in immune response, providing new information on RNA modifications for future exploration.

The prognostic genes model of breast cancer drug resistance based on single-cell sequencing analysis and transcriptome analysis

Breast cancer (BC) represents a multifaceted malignancy, with escalating incidence and mortality rates annually. Chemotherapy stands as an indispensable approach for treating breast cancer, yet drug resistance poses a formidable challenge. Through transcriptome data analysis, we have identified two sets of genes exhibiting differential expression in this context. Furthermore, we have confirmed the overlap between these genes and those associated with exosomes, which were subsequently validated in cell lines. The investigation screened the identified genes to determine prognostic markers for BC and utilized them to formulate a prognostic model. The disparities in prognosis and immunity between the high- and low-risk groups were validated using the test dataset. We have discerned different BC subtypes based on the expression levels of prognostic genes in BC samples. Variations in prognosis, immunity, and drug sensitivity among distinct subtypes were examined. Leveraging data from single-cell sequencing and prognostic gene expression, the AUCell algorithm was employed to score individual cell clusters and analyze the pathways implicated in high-scoring groups. Prognostic genes (CCT4, CXCL13, MTDH, PSMD2, and RAB27A) were subsewoquently validated using RT-qPCR. Consequently, we have established a model for predicting prognosis in breast cancer that hinges on drug resistance and ERGs. Furthermore, we have evaluated the prognostic value of this model. The genes identified as prognostic markers can now serve as a reference for precise treatment of this condition.

Exploring the intricate relationship between miRNA dysregulation and breast cancer development: insights into the impact of environmental chemicals

Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent form of cancer among women globally, influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Recent studies have investigated changes in microRNAs (miRNAs) during breast cancer progression and the potential impact of environmental chemicals on miRNA expression. This review aims to provide an updated overview of miRNA alterations in breast cancer and to explore their potential association with environmental chemicals. We will discuss the current knowledge on dysregulated miRNAs in breast cancer, including both upregulated and downregulated miRNAs. Additionally, we will review the influence of environmental chemicals, such as endocrine-disrupting compounds, heavy metals, and air pollutants, on miRNA expression and their potential contribution to breast cancer development. This review aims to advance our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying miRNA dysregulation in breast cancer by comprehensively examining miRNA alterations and their association with environmental chemicals. This knowledge is crucial for the development of targeted therapies and preventive measures. Furthermore, identifying specific miRNAs affected by environmental chemicals may allow the prediction of individual susceptibility to breast cancer and the design of personalized intervention strategies.

Expression Significance of Estrogen Receptor ER-α36 in Breast Cancer Treated by Chemotherapy: A Meta-Analysis

Estrogen receptor (ER) is a molecular marker and target for diagnosing and treating breast cancer (BC). ER-α36, a novel estrogen receptor subtype, involved in the proliferation, differentiation, metastasis, and invasion of tumor cells. It is closely linked to the progression of various cancers. Therefore, studying ER is of high significance in treating BC. In this study, we will investigate the changes in the expression level of ER-α36 in patients with BC treated by chemotherapy through meta-analysis, so as to evaluate the clinical value of ER-α36 in the prognosis of BC treated by chemotherapy. English databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched to retrieve the articles published from the establishment of the database to April 2023. The keywords included chemotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, breast cancer, estrogen receptor alpha, and ER-α36. Five suitable studies, encompassing 636 patients, were ultimately selected. The meta-analysis results revealed that, following the chemotherapy, the analysis of ER-α36 positive cases yielded an Odds Ratio (OR) of 0.42, a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.28-0.64 (Z = 4.00, P < 0.0001). Additionally, the analysis of cases exhibiting remission in BC demonstrated an OR of 2.22 (95% CI = 1.40-3.50, Z = 3.40, P = 0.0007). Compared to patients receiving single chemotherapy agents or those untreated with chemotherapy, the combined use of multiple chemotherapy drugs can significantly reduce the levels of ER-α36 in BC patients, enhancing the remission rate of BC. ER-α36 can serve as a critical indicator for assessing the prognosis of BC following chemotherapy.

Drug resistance in breast cancer is based on the mechanism of exocrine non-coding RNA

Breast cancer (BC) ranks first among female malignant tumors and involves hormonal changes and genetic as well as environmental risk factors. In recent years, with the improvement of medical treatment, a variety of therapeutic approaches for breast cancer have emerged and have strengthened to accommodate molecular diversity. However, the primary way to improve the effective treatment of breast cancer patients is to overcome treatment resistance. Recent studies have provided insights into the mechanisms of resistance to exosome effects in BC. Exosomes are membrane-bound vesicles secreted by both healthy and malignant cells that facilitate intercellular communication. Specifically, exosomes released by tumor cells transport their contents to recipient cells, altering their properties and promoting oncogenic components, ultimately resulting in drug resistance. As important coordinators, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in this process and are aberrantly expressed in various human cancers. Exosome-derived ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have emerged as crucial components in understanding drug resistance in breast cancer. This review provides insights into the mechanism of exosome-derived ncRNAs in breast cancer drug resistance, thereby suggesting new strategies for the treatment of BC.

Geographical association of biodiversity with cancer and cardiovascular mortality rates: analysis of 39 distinct conditions

Background

Biodiversity has been recognized as a positive contributor to human health and wellbeing. Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two most significant global health burdens, and understanding their relationship with biodiversity forms an essential step toward promoting biodiversity conservation and human health.

Methods

The species richness of birds is a common indicator of biodiversity, given their vast numbers, distinctive distribution, and acute sensitivity to environmental disturbances. This ecological study utilized avian observation data derived from the eBird database, human health data from the International Health Metrics and Evaluation, and county-level statistics, including population characteristics, socio-economics, healthcare service, residential environment, and geographic and climatic characteristics in 2014. We aimed to extensively explore the individual associations between biodiversity (i.e., avian species richness) and age-standardized cause-specific mortalities for different types of cancers (29 conditions) and cardiovascular diseases (10 conditions) across the United States (US).

Results

Our multiple regression analyses that adjusted for a variety of socio-demographic and geographical factors showed that increased rarefied species richness of birds was associated with reduced mortality rates for three of the five most common cancers, namely, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer, breast cancer (in women only), and colon and rectal cancer. For cardiovascular conditions, a similar relationship was observed for ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease-the two most frequent causes of mortality. This study provided extended details regarding the beneficial effects of biodiversity on human health.

Arsenic and Benzo[a]pyrene Co-exposure Effects on MDA-MB-231 Cell Viability and Migration

Although humans are frequently exposed to multiple pollutants simultaneously, research on their harmful effects on health has typically focused on studying each pollutant individually. Inorganic arsenic (As) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are well-known pollutants with carcinogenic potential, but their co-exposure effects on breast cancer cell progression remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to assess the combined impact of BaP and As on the viability and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. The results indicated that even at low levels, both inorganic As (0.01 μM, 0.1 μM, and 1 μM) and BaP (1 μM, 2.5 μM), individually or in combination, enhanced the viability and migration of the cells. However, the cell cycle analysis revealed no significant differences between the control group and the cells exposed to BaP and As. Specifically, exposure to BaP alone or in combination with As (As 0.01 μM + BaP 1 μM) for 24 h led to a significant increase in vimentin gene expression. Interestingly, short-term exposure to As not only did not induce EMT but also modulated the effects of BaP on vimentin gene expression. However, there were no observable changes in the expression of E-cadherin mRNA. Consequently, additional research is required to evaluate the prolonged effects of co-exposure to As and BaP on the initiation of EMT and the progression of breast cancer.

Correlation Between miR-497-5p Expression With Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis in Patients With Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) comprises multiple biological and histologic properties. MicroRNAs show key functions in cancer prognosis. This paper explored the relationship between miR-497-5p with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in BC. Cancer tissues and normal adjacent tissues (NATs) were collected from 140 included patients with BC. The clinical baseline data, including age, tumor size, pathologic grade, clinical stage, modified Scraff-Bloom-Richardson grade, and lymph node metastasis, were recorded. miR-497-5p expression in cancer tissues and NAT was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Patients with BC were followed up for 5 years to record their survival. Patients were divided into the miR-497-5p low expression and high expression groups to assess the correlation between miR-497-5p expression with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival of patients. The role of miR-497-5p as an independent risk factor for death was further analyzed by a multivariate Cox regression model. miR-497-5p was downregulated in BC tissues than NAT. Tumor size, clinical stage, and lymph node metastasis showed significant differences among patients with high and low miR-497-5p expression levels. Patients with BC with low miR-497-5p expression presented decreased survival. Lowly-expressed miR-497-5p was an independent risk factor for death in patients. Collectively, cancer tissue miR-497-5p low expression increases the risk of death and serves as an independent risk factor for death in patients with BC.

Breast Cancer Exposomics

We are exposed to a mixture of environmental man-made and natural xenobiotics. We experience a wide spectrum of environmental exposure in our lifetime, including the effects of xenobiotics on gametogenesis and gametes that undergo fertilization as the starting point of individual development and, moreover, in utero exposure, which can itself cause the first somatic or germline mutation necessary for breast cancer (BC) initiation. Most xenobiotics are metabolized or/and bioaccumulate and biomagnify in our tissues and cells, including breast tissues, so the xenobiotic metabolism plays an important role in BC initiation and progression. Many considerations necessitate a more valuable explanation regarding the molecular mechanisms of action of xenobiotics which act as genotoxic and epigenetic carcinogens. Thus, exposomics and the exposome concept are based on the diversity and range of exposures to physical factors, synthetic chemicals, dietary components, and psychosocial stressors, as well as their associated biologic processes and molecular pathways. Existing evidence for BC risk (BCR) suggests that food-borne chemical carcinogens, air pollution, ionizing radiation, and socioeconomic status are closely related to breast carcinogenesis. The aim of this review was to depict the dynamics and kinetics of several xenobiotics involved in BC development, emphasizing the role of new omics fields related to BC exposomics, such as environmental toxicogenomics, epigenomics and interactomics, metagenomics, nutrigenomics, nutriproteomics, and nutrimiRomics. We are mainly focused on food and nutrition, as well as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), involved in BC development. Overall, cell and tissue accumulation and xenobiotic metabolism or biotransformation can lead to modifications in breast tissue composition and breast cell morphology, DNA damage and genomic instability, epimutations, RNA-mediated and extracellular vesicle effects, aberrant blood methylation, stimulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), disruption of cell-cell junctions, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, metabolic reprogramming, and overexpression of mesenchymal genes. Moreover, the metabolism of xenobiotics into BC cells impacts almost all known carcinogenic pathways. Conversely, in our food, there are many bioactive compounds with anti-cancer potential, exerting pro-apoptotic roles, inhibiting cell cycle progression and proliferation, migration, invasion, DNA damage, and cell stress conditions. We can conclude that exposomics has a high potential to demonstrate how environmental exposure to xenobiotics acts as a double-edged sword, promoting or suppressing tumorigenesis in BC.

Insight into the differential toxicity of PFOA and PFBA based on a 3D-cultured MDA-MB-231 cell model

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a category of high-concerned emerging contaminants which are suspected to correlate with various human adverse health outcomes including tumors. It is also a question whether short-chain PFASs are qualified alternatives under the regulation of long-chain PFASs. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) culture system based on Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel matrix was used to investigate the impacts of 120-h perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) exposure of MDA-MB-231 cells. The results showed that PFOA exposure promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells in an environmentally relevant concentration range (0.1 to 10 μM), exhibiting a clear malignant-promoting risk. In contrast, PFBA only showed a trend to induce non-invasive cell migration. Hippo/YAP signaling pathway was identified as the contributor to the differences between the two PFASs. PFOA but PFBA reduced YAP phosphorylation and increased the nuclear content of YAP, which further facilitated abundant key factors of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Our results provided a new idea for the carcinogenicity of PFOA using a 3D-based paradigm. Although the effects by PFBA were much milder than PFOA in the current test duration, the cell model suitable for longer exposure is still necessary to better assess the safety of alternative short-chain PFASs.

Development and evaluation of a comprehensive workflow for suspect screening of exposome-related xenobiotics and phase II metabolites in diverse human biofluids

Suspect and non-target screening (SNTS) methods are being promoted in order to decode the human exposome since a wide chemical space can be analysed in a diversity of human biofluids. However, SNTS approaches in the exposomics field are infra-studied in comparison to environmental or food monitoring studies. In this work, a comprehensive suspect screening workflow was developed to annotate exposome-related xenobiotics and phase II metabolites in diverse human biofluids. Precisely, human urine, breast milk, saliva and ovarian follicular fluid were employed as samples and analysed by means of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS). To automate the workflow, the "peak rating" parameter implemented in Compound Discoverer 3.3.2 was optimized to avoid time-consuming manual revision of chromatographic peaks. In addition, the presence of endogenous molecules that might interfere with the annotation of xenobiotics was carefully studied as the employment of inclusion and exclusion suspect lists. To evaluate the workflow, limits of identification (LOIs) and type I and II errors (i.e., false positives and negatives, respectively) were calculated in both standard solutions and spiked biofluids using 161 xenobiotics and 22 metabolites. For 80.3 % of the suspects, LOIs below 15 ng/mL were achieved. In terms of type I errors, only two cases were identified in standards and spiked samples. Regarding type II errors, the 7.7 % errors accounted in standards increased to 17.4 % in real samples. Lastly, the use of an inclusion list for endogens was favoured since it avoided 18.7 % of potential type I errors, while the exclusion list caused 7.2 % of type II errors despite making the annotation workflow less time-consuming.

Hypoxia-induced miR-181a-5p up-regulation reduces epirubicin sensitivity in breast cancer cells through inhibiting EPDR1/TRPC1 to activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Breast carcinoma (BC) ranks as a predominant malignancy and constitutes the second principal cause of mortality among women globally. Epirubicin stands as the drug of choice for BC therapeutics. Nevertheless, the emergence of chemoresistance has significantly curtailed its therapeutic efficacy. The resistance mechanisms to Epirubicin remain not entirely elucidated, yet they are conjectured to stem from diminished tumor vascular perfusion and resultant hypoxia consequent to Epirubicin administration. In our investigation, we meticulously scrutinized the Gene Expression Omnibus database for EPDR1, a gene implicated in hypoxia and Epirubicin resistance in BC. Subsequently, we delineated the impact of EPDR1 on cellular proliferation, motility, invasive capabilities, and interstitial-related proteins in BC cells, employing methodologies such as the CCK-8 assay, Transwell assay, and western blot analysis. Our research further unveiled that hypoxia-induced miR-181a-5p orchestrates the regulation of BC cell duplication, migration, invasion, and interstitial-related protein expression via modulation of EPDR1. In addition, we identified TRPC1, a gene associated with EPDR1 expression in BC, and substantiated that EPDR1 influences BC cellular dynamics through TRPC1-mediated modulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling cascade. Our findings underscore the pivotal role of EPDR1 in the development of BC. EPDR1 was found to be expressed at subdued levels in BC tissues, Epirubicin-resistant BC cells, and hypoxic BC cells. The overexpression of EPDR1 curtailed BC cell proliferation, motility, invasiveness, and the expression of interstitial-related proteins. At a mechanistic level, the overexpression of hypoxia-induced miR-181a-5p was observed to inhibit the EPDR1/TRPC1 axis, thereby activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and diminishing the sensitivity to Epirubicin in BC cells. In summation, our study demonstrates that the augmentation of hypoxia-induced miR-181a-5p diminishes Epirubicin sensitivity in BC cells by attenuating EPDR1/TRPC1 expression, thereby invigorating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This exposition offers a theoretical foundation for the application of Epirubicin in BC therapy, marking a significant contribution to the existing body of oncological literature.

Chemical mixture that targets the epidermal growth factor pathway impairs human trophoblast cell functions

Pregnant women are exposed to complex chemical mixtures, many of which reach the placenta. Some of these chemicals interfere with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation, a receptor tyrosine kinase that modulates several placenta cell functions. We hypothesized that a mixture of chemicals (Chem-Mix) known to reduce EGFR activation (polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-126, PCB-153, atrazine, trans-nonachlor, niclosamide, and bisphenol S) would interfere with EGFR-mediated trophoblast cell functions. To test this, we determined the chemicals' EGFR binding ability, EGFR and downstream effectors activation, and trophoblast functions (proliferation, invasion, and endovascular differentiation) known to be regulated by EGFR in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). The Chem-Mix competed with EGF for EGFR binding, however only PCB-153, niclosamide, trans-nonachlor, and BPS competed for binding as single chemicals. The effects of the Chem-Mix on EGFR phosphorylation were tested by exposing the placental EVT cell line, HTR-8/SVneo to control (0.1% DMSO), Chem-Mix (1, 10, or 100 ng/ml), EGF (30 ng/ml), or Chem-Mix + EGF. The Chem-Mix - but not the individual chemicals - reduced EGF-mediated EGFR phosphorylation in a dose dependent manner, while no effect was observed in its downstream effectors (AKT and STAT3). None of the individual chemicals affected EVT cell invasion, but the Chem-Mix reduced EVT cell invasion independent of EGF. In support of previous studies that have explored chemicals targeting a specific pathway (estrogen/androgen receptor), current findings indicate that exposure to a chemical mixture that targets the EGFR pathway can result in a greater impact compared to individual chemicals in the context of placental cell functions.

Ki-67 Change in Anthracyline-containing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Anthracycline-containing regimens are irreplaceable in neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for breast cancer (BC) at present. However, 30% of early breast cancer (EBC) patients are resistant to anthracycline-containing chemotherapy, leading to poor prognosis and higher mortality. Ki-67 is associated with the prognosis and response to therapy, and it changes after NAC.

METHODS

A total of 105 BC patients who received anthracycline-containing NAC were enrolled. Then, the optimal model of Ki-67 was selected, and its predictive efficacy was analyzed. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to determine the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) status and Ki-67 level. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to verify the HER-2 when the IHC score was 2+.

RESULTS

The post-NAC Ki67 level after treatment with anthracycline drugs was lower than pre-NAC Ki-67 (19.6%±23.3% vs. 45.6%±23.1%, P<0.001). Furthermore, patients with the Ki-67 decrease had a border line higher pathological complete response (pCR) rate (17.2% vs. 0.0%, P=0.068), and a higher overall response rate (ORR) (73.6% vs. 27.8%, P<0.001), when compared to patients without the Ki-67 decrease. The ΔKi-67 and ΔKi-67% were valuable markers for the prediction of both the pCR rate and ORR. The area under the curve (AUC) for ΔKi-67 on pCR and ORR was 0.809 (0.698-0.921) and 0.755 (0.655-0.855), respectively, while the AUC for ΔKi-67% on pCR and ORR was 0.857 (0.742-0.972) and 0.720 (0.618-0.822), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression model 1 revealed that ΔKi-67 was an independent predictor for both pCR [odds ratio (OR)=61.030, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.709-790.965; P=0.002] and ORR (OR=10.001, 95% CI: 3.044-32.858; P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression model 2 revealed that ΔKi-67% was also an independent predictor for both pCR (OR=408.922, 95% CI=8.908-18771.224; P=0.002) and ORR (OR=5.419, 95% CI=1.842-15.943; P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study results suggest that ΔKi67 and ΔKi67% are candidate predictors for anthracycline-containing NAC response, and that they may provide various information for further systematic therapy after surgery in clinical practice.

Onco-Breastomics: An Eco-Evo-Devo Holistic Approach

Known as a diverse collection of neoplastic diseases, breast cancer (BC) can be hyperbolically characterized as a dynamic pseudo-organ, a living organism able to build a complex, open, hierarchically organized, self-sustainable, and self-renewable tumor system, a population, a species, a local community, a biocenosis, or an evolving dynamical ecosystem (i.e., immune or metabolic ecosystem) that emphasizes both developmental continuity and spatio-temporal change. Moreover, a cancer cell community, also known as an oncobiota, has been described as non-sexually reproducing species, as well as a migratory or invasive species that expresses intelligent behavior, or an endangered or parasite species that fights to survive, to optimize its features inside the host's ecosystem, or that is able to exploit or to disrupt its host circadian cycle for improving the own proliferation and spreading. BC tumorigenesis has also been compared with the early embryo and placenta development that may suggest new strategies for research and therapy. Furthermore, BC has also been characterized as an environmental disease or as an ecological disorder. Many mechanisms of cancer progression have been explained by principles of ecology, developmental biology, and evolutionary paradigms. Many authors have discussed ecological, developmental, and evolutionary strategies for more successful anti-cancer therapies, or for understanding the ecological, developmental, and evolutionary bases of BC exploitable vulnerabilities. Herein, we used the integrated framework of three well known ecological theories: the Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development, the Vannote's River Continuum Concept (RCC), and the Ecological Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Eco-Evo-Devo) theory, to explain and understand several eco-evo-devo-based principles that govern BC progression. Multi-omics fields, taken together as onco-breastomics, offer better opportunities to integrate, analyze, and interpret large amounts of complex heterogeneous data, such as various and big-omics data obtained by multiple investigative modalities, for understanding the eco-evo-devo-based principles that drive BC progression and treatment. These integrative eco-evo-devo theories can help clinicians better diagnose and treat BC, for example, by using non-invasive biomarkers in liquid-biopsies that have emerged from integrated omics-based data that accurately reflect the biomolecular landscape of the primary tumor in order to avoid mutilating preventive surgery, like bilateral mastectomy. From the perspective of preventive, personalized, and participatory medicine, these hypotheses may help patients to think about this disease as a process governed by natural rules, to understand the possible causes of the disease, and to gain control on their own health.

Occupational exposure to pesticides deregulates systemic cortisol levels in women with breast cancer and correlates with poor prognosis features

Pesticides have been pointed out as hormone disruptors and may significantly affect the prognosis of hormone-dependent diseases such as breast cancer (BC). Here, we investigated the impact of occupational pesticide exposure on systemic cortisol levels in female rural workers diagnosed with BC. Occupational exposure was assessed by interviews with a standardized questionnaire. Plasma samples (112 from pesticide-exposed women and 77 from unexposed women) were collected in the afternoon, outside the physiological cortisol peak, and analyzed by a chemiluminescent paramagnetic immunoassay for the quantitative determination of cortisol levels in serum and plasma. The results from both groups were categorized according to patients' clinicopathological and exposure data. BC pesticide-exposed women presented higher levels of cortisol than the unexposed. Higher cortisol levels were also detected in the exposed group with more aggressive disease (triple-negative BC), with tumors over 2 cm, with lymph node metastases, and with high risk of disease recurrence and death. These findings demonstrated that there is an association between pesticide exposure and BC that affected cortisol levels and correlated to poor disease prognosis.

Gasless endoscopic transaxillary subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants (GETSMIRI) for breast cancer: Lei's five-step method

Background

Endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy (E-NSM) is a promising procedure in the treatment of breast cancer, but the limitations of endoscopic tools and intrinsic technical complexity of the technique hinder its applicability. Here, we introduce a novel surgery, gasless endoscopic transaxillary subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants (GETSMIRI), for breast cancer. and early effects.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 11 female patients, aged 50 (27-78) years, admitted to our hospital from January to December 2022, who underwent gasless endoscopic transaxillary subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants (GETSMIRI), was conducted. This study was designed to assess patient satisfaction before and after breast reconstruction, early complications, and breast function.

Results

The tumors were all solitary, with a mean maximum diameter of 1.0 (0-2.0) cm and a mean distance of 2.3 (2-4) cm from the nipple, the mean intraoperative bleeding volume was 47.5 mL, and the mean hospital stay was 1.5 d. Postoperatively, 1 patient developed depigmentation of the nipple due to mild ischemia. There were no incisional complications, subcutaneous emphysema, infection, areola necrosis, skin flap necrosis, or removal of the prosthesis and/or patch. No tumor recurrence or metastasis was observed during the follow-up period. The difference between breast satisfaction and psychosocial health scores was not statistically significant (P = 0.680; P = 0.612).

Conclusion

GETSMIRI, immediate implantable breast reconstruction, is less invasive than other such procedures, and short-term follow-up results show good postoperative satisfaction, making it an alternative surgical method.

CENPA knockdown restrains cell progression and tumor growth in breast cancer by reducing PLA2R1 promoter methylation and modulating PLA2R1/HHEX axis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a lethal malignancy affecting females worldwide. It has been reported that upregulated centromere protein A (CENPA) expression might indicate unfortunate prognosis and can function as a prognostic biomarker in breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the accurate roles and downstream mechanisms of CENPA in breast cancer progression.

METHODS

CENPA protein levels in breast cancer tissues and cell lines were analyzed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. We used gain/loss-of-function experiments to determine the potential effects of CENPA and phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R1) on breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Co-IP assay was employed to validate the possible interaction between CENPA and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), as well as PLA2R1 and hematopoietically expressed homeobox (HHEX). PLA2R1 promoter methylation was determined using methylation-specific PCR assay. The biological capabilities of CENPA/PLA2R1/HHEX axis in breast cancer cells was determined by rescue experiments. In addition, CENPA-silenced MCF-7 cells were injected into mice, followed by measurement of tumor growth.

RESULTS

CENPA level was prominently elevated in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Interestingly, CENPA knockdown and PLA2R1 overexpression both restrained breast cancer cell proliferation and migration, and enhanced apoptosis. On the contrary, CENPA overexpression displayed the opposite results. Moreover, CENPA reduced PLA2R1 expression through promoting DNMT1-mediated PLA2R1 promoter methylation. PLA2R1 overexpression could effectively abrogate CENPA overexpression-mediated augment of breast cancer cell progression. Furthermore, PLA2R1 interacted with HHEX and promoted HHEX expression. PLA2R1 knockdown increased the rate of breast cancer cell proliferation and migration but restrained apoptosis, which was abrogated by HHEX overexpression. In addition, CENPA silencing suppressed tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSION

CENPA knockdown restrained breast cancer cell proliferation and migration and attenuated tumor growth in vivo through reducing PLA2R1 promoter methylation and increasing PLA2R1 and HHEX expression. We may provide a promising prognostic biomarker and novel therapeutic target for breast cancer.

The Anticancer Effects of the Garlic Organosulfide Diallyl Trisulfide through the Attenuation of B[a]P-Induced Oxidative Stress, AhR Expression, and DNA Damage in Human Premalignant Breast Epithelial (MCF-10AT1) Cells

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is the most characterized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon associated with breast cancer. Our lab previously reported that the organosulfur compound (OSC), diallyl trisulfide (DATS), chemoprevention mechanism works through the induction of cell cycle arrest and a reduction in oxidative stress and DNA damage in normal breast epithelial cells. We hypothesize that DATS will inhibit B[a]P-induced cancer initiation in premalignant breast epithelial (MCF-10AT1) cells. In this study, we evaluated the ability of DATS to attenuate B[a]P-induced neoplastic transformation in MCF-10AT1 cells by measuring biological endpoints such as proliferation, clonogenicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) DNA damage levels, as well as DNA repair and antioxidant proteins. The results indicate that B[a]P induced proliferation, clonogenic formation, ROS formation, and 8-OHdG levels, as well as increasing AhR, ARNT/HIF-1β, and CYP1A1 protein expression compared with the control in MCF-10AT1 cells. B[a]P/DATS's co-treatment (CoTx) inhibited cell proliferation, clonogenic formation, ROS formation, AhR protein expression, and 8-OHdG levels compared with B[a]P alone and attenuated all the above-mentioned B[a]P-induced changes in protein expression, causing a chemopreventive effect. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that DATS prevents premalignant breast cells from undergoing B[a]P-induced neoplastic transformation, thus providing more evidence for its chemopreventive effects in breast cancer.

Chitosan-functionalized bioplatforms and hydrogels in breast cancer: immunotherapy, phototherapy and clinical perspectives

Breast cancer is the most common and malignant tumor among women. Chitosan (CS)-based nanoparticles have been introduced into breast cancer therapy as a way to increase the targeted delivery of drugs and genes to the tumor site. CS nanostructures suppress tumorigenesis by enhancing both the targeted delivery of cargo (drug and gene) and its accumulation in tumor cells. The tumor cells internalize CS-based nanoparticles through endocytosis. Moreover, chitosan nanocarriers can also induce phototherapy-mediated tumor ablation. Smart and multifunctional types of CS nanoparticles, including pH-, light- and redox-responsive nanoparticles, can be used to improve the potential for breast cancer removal. In addition, the acceleration of immunotherapy by CS nanoparticles has also been achieved, and there is potential to develop CS-nanoparticle hydrogels that can be used to suppress tumorigenesis.

Nanomedicine-Based Drug-Targeting in Breast Cancer: Pharmacokinetics, Clinical Progress, and Challenges

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant neoplasm that begins in the breast tissue. After skin cancer, BC is the second most common type of cancer in women. At the end of 2040, the number of newly diagnosed BC cases is projected to increase by over 40%, reaching approximately 3 million worldwide annually. The hormonal and chemotherapeutic approaches based on conventional formulations have inappropriate therapeutic effects and suboptimal pharmacokinetic responses with nonspecific targeting actions. To overcome such issues, the use of nanomedicines, including liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles, hybrid nanoparticles, etc., has gained wider attention in the treatment of BC. Smaller dimensional nanomedicine (especially 50-200 nm) exhibited improved in vivo effectiveness, such as better tissue penetration and more effective tumor suppression through enhanced retention and permeation, as well as active targeting of the drug. Additionally, nanotechnology, which further extended and developed theranostic nanomedicine by incorporating diagnostic and imaging agents in one platform, has been applied to BC. Furthermore, hybrid and theranostic nanomedicine has also been explored for gene delivery as anticancer therapeutics in BC. Moreover, the nanocarriers' size, shape, surface charge, chemical compositions, and surface area play an important role in the nanocarriers' stability, cellular absorption, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and toxicity. Additionally, nanomedicine clinical translation for managing BC remains a slow process. However, a few cases are being used clinically, and their progress with the current challenges is addressed in this Review. Therefore, this Review extensively discusses recent advancements in nanomedicine and its clinical challenges in BC.

Nectin-4 has emerged as a compelling target for breast cancer

The incidence of breast cancer in women has increased year by year, becoming one of the most common malignant tumors in females worldwide. Most patients can be treated with surgery and endocrine drugs, but there are still some patients who lack effective treatment, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Nectin-4, a protein encoded by poliovirus receptor-associated protein 4, is a Ca2+-independent immunoglobulin-like protein. It is mainly involved in the adhesion between cells. In recent years, studies have found that Nectin-4 is overexpressed in breast cancer and several other malignancies. Otherwise, several monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors targeting Nectin-4 have shown prosperous outcomes, so Nectin-4 has great potential to be a therapeutic target for breast cancer. The present review systematically describes the significance of Nectin-4 in each aspect of breast cancer, as well as the molecular mechanisms of these aspects mediated by Nectin-4. We further highlight ongoing or proposed therapeutic strategies for breast cancer specific to Nectin-4.

Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of doxorubicin against multidrug-resistant breast cancer with reduced cardiotoxicity

Doxorubicin (DOX), a commonly used anti-cancer drug, is limited by its cardiotoxicity and multidrug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a natural antioxidant component, can effectively reduce the cardiotoxicity of DOX. Meanwhile, EGCG can inhibit the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and reverse the MDR of tumor cells. In this study, DOX is connected with low molecular weight polyethyleneimine (PEI) via hydrazone bond to get the pH-sensitive PEI-DOX, which is then combined with EGCG to prevent the cardiotoxicity of DOX and reverse the MDR of cancer cells. In addition, folic acid (FA) modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) (PEG-FA) is added to get the targeted system PEI-DOX/EGCG/FA. The MDR reversal and targeting ability of PEI-DOX/EGCG/FA is performed by cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-tumor activity on multidrug resistant MCF-7 cells (MCF-7/ADR). Additionally, we investigate the anti-drug resistant mechanism by Western Blot. The ability of EGCG to reduce DOX cardiotoxicity is confirmed by cardiotoxicity assay. In conclusion, PEI-DOX/EGCG/FA can inhibit the expression of P-gp and reverse the MDR in tumor cells. It also shows the ability of remove oxygen free radicals effectively to prevent the cardiotoxicity of DOX.

Investigation of the combined cytotoxicity induced by sodium butyrate and a flavonoid quercetin treatment on MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Quercetin (QUE) belonging to the flavonoid class is a common phytochemical present in the daily diet of some individuals. Quercetin is an important source of free radical scavengers. This property makes this flavonoid a reliable antioxidant with the following properties: anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic. Sodium butyrate (NaBu) acts as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) and is known to regulate apoptosis in cancer cells. Combining natural flavonoids such as QUE with different substances may synergistically enhance their anti-carcinogenic capacity. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the combined treatment effects of QUE and NaBu in hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells in vitro. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were treated with QUE alone, NaBu alone, as well as QUE and NaBu combined to determine the following: cell proliferation, levels of protein annexin A5 (ANXA5) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), mRNA protein expression, as well as cell and nuclear morphology. Data demonstrated that either QUE or NaBu alone inhibited cell proliferation, and reduced levels protein ANXA5, ROS and mRNA protein expression, The combination of QUE and NaBu produced a significant synergistic inhibitory effect compared to treatment groups of QUE or NaBu alone. In conclusion, our findings showed that the combination treatment of QUE and NaBu may constitute a promising therapeutic approach to breast cancer treatment but this needs further molecular and in vivo investigations.

Breast cancer-derived exosomal lncRNA SNHG14 induces normal fibroblast activation to cancer-associated fibroblasts via the EBF1/FAM171A1 axis

BACKGROUND

Exosomes released from cancer cells can activate normal fibroblasts (NFs) into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which promotes cancer development. Our study aims to explore the role and potential mechanisms of breast cancer exosomes-delivered long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) SNHG14 in regulating CAFs transformation.

METHODS

Adjacent normal tissues, cancerous and serum specimens were gathered in breast cancer patients. Exosomes and NFs were separated from breast cancer cells (SKBR-3) and normal tissues of patients, respectively. Cell viability and migration were measured with CCK-8 and Transwell assays. CAFs markers, fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and a-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected for assessing CAFs activation. The interactions between molecules were evaluated using dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

SNHG14 and FAM171A1 were upregulated in breast cancer. Exosomes secreted by SKBR-3 cells induced NFs activation in CAFs, as indicated by upregulating CAFs marker levels and facilitated cell viability and migration. Exosomal SNHG14 silencing in SKBR-3 cells inhibited CAFs activation. SNHG14 positively regulated FAM171A1 expression through EBF1. FAM171A1 overexpression eliminated the inhibition effect of exosomal SNHG14 silencing in CAFs transformation.

CONCLUSION

Breast cancer-derived exosomal SNHG14 contributed to NFs transformation into CAFs by the EBF1/FAM171A1 axis.

Associations of accumulated persistent organic pollutants in breast adipose tissue with the evolution of breast cancer after surgery

Chronic exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is suspected to contribute to the onset of breast cancer, but the impact on the evolution of patients after diagnosis is unclear. We aimed to analyze the contribution of long-term exposure to five POPs to overall mortality, cancer recurrence, metastasis, and development of second primary tumors over a global follow-up of 10 years after surgery in breast cancer patients in a cohort study. Between 2012 and 2014, a total of 112 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were recruited from a public hospital in Granada, Southern Spain. Historical exposure to POPs was estimated by analyzing their concentrations in breast adipose tissue samples. Sociodemographic data were collected through face-to-face interviews, while data on evolution tumor were retrieved from clinical records. Statistical analyses were performed using Cox regression (overall survival, breast cancer recurrence or metastasis) and binary logistic regression models (joint outcome variable). We also tested for statistical interactions of POPs with age, residence, and prognostic markers. The third vs first tertile of hexachlorobenzene concentrations was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio, HR = 0.26; 95 % Confidence Interval, CI = 0.07-0.92) and of the appearance of any of the four events (Odds Ratio = 0.37; 95 % CI = 0.14-1.03). Polychlorinated biphenyl 138 concentrations were significantly and inversely associated with risk of metastasis (HR = 0.65; 95 % CI = 0.44-0.97) and tumor recurrence (HR = 0.69; 95 % CI = 0.49-0.98). Additionally, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene showed inverse associations with risk of metastasis in women with ER-positive tumors (HR = 0.49; 95 % CI = 0.25-0.93) and in those with a tumor size <2.0 cm (HR = 0.39; 95 % CI = 0.18-0.87). The observed paradoxical inverse associations of POP exposure with breast cancer evolution might be related to either a better prognosis of hormone-dependent tumors, which have an approachable pharmacological target, or an effect of sequestration of circulating POPs by adipose tissue.

Emerging roles of interactions between ncRNAs and other epigenetic modifications in breast cancer

Up till the present moment, breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Although the treatment methods and protocols for breast cancer are constantly improving, the long-term prognosis of patients is still not optimistic due to the complex heterogeneity of the disease, multi-organ metastasis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance. As a newly discovered class of non-coding RNAs, ncRNAs play an important role in various cancers. Especially in breast cancer, lncRNAs have received extensive attention and have been confirmed to regulate cancer progression through a variety of pathways. Meanwhile, the study of epigenetic modification, including DNA methylation, RNA methylation and histone modification, has developed rapidly in recent years, which has greatly promoted the attention to the important role of non-coding RNAs in breast cancer. In this review, we carefully and comprehensively describe the interactions between several major classes of epigenetic modifications and ncRNAs, as well as their different subsequent biological effects, and discuss their potential for practical clinical applications.

Role of long non-coding RNAs and TGF-β signaling in the regulation of breast cancer pathogenesis and therapeutic targets

The cytokine known as transforming growth factor (TGF) is essential for cell development, differentiation, and apoptosis in BC. TGF-β dysregulation can either promote or inhibit tumor development, and it is a key signaling pathway in BC spread. A recently identified family of ncRNAs known as lncRNAs has received a great deal of effort and is an important regulator of many cellular processes, including transcription of genes, chromatin remodeling, progression of the cell cycle, and posttranscriptional processing. Furthermore, both TGF-β signaling and lncRNAs serve as important early-stage biomarkers for BC diagnosis and prognosis and also play a significant role in BC drug resistance. According to recent studies, lncRNAs can regulate TGF-β by modulating its cofactors in BC. However, the particular functions of lncRNAs and the TGF-β pathway in controlling BC progression are not well understood yet. This review explores the lncRNAs' functional properties in BC as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in the regulation of genes, with a focus on dysregulated TGF-β signaling. Further, we emphasize the functional roles of lncRNAs and TGF-β pathway in the progression of BC to discover new treatment strategies and better comprehend the fundamental cellular pathways.

FBXW7 in breast cancer: mechanism of action and therapeutic potential

Breast cancer is one of the frequent tumors that seriously endanger the physical and mental well-being in women. F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 (FBXW7) is a neoplastic repressor. Serving as a substrate recognition element for ubiquitin ligase, FBXW7 participates in the ubiquitin-proteasome system and is typically in charge of the ubiquitination and destruction of crucial oncogenic proteins, further performing a paramount role in cell differentiation, apoptosis and metabolic processes. Low levels of FBXW7 cause abnormal stability of pertinent substrates, mutations and/or deletions in the FBXW7 gene have been reported to correlate with breast cancer malignant progression and chemoresistance. Given the lack of an effective solution to breast cancer's clinical drug resistance dilemma, elucidating FBXW7's mechanism of action could provide a theoretical basis for targeted drug exploration. Therefore, in this review, we focused on FBXW7's role in a range of breast cancer malignant behaviors and summarized the pertinent cellular targets, signaling pathways, as well as the mechanisms regulating FBXW7 expression. We also proposed novel perspectives for the exploitation of alternative therapies and specific tumor markers for breast cancer by therapeutic strategies aiming at FBXW7.

Long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates induce cytoskeletal abnormalities and activate epithelial-mesenchymal transition in both renal cell carcinoma 3D cultures and Caki-1 xenografted mouse model

Exposure to perfluorooctanoate (PFOA; a type of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates [PFACs]) may be correlated with the incidence of kidney cancer in individuals exposed to high levels of PFOA. However, mechanistic studies on the influence of PFACs on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development are lacking. We explored the effects of five types of PFACs on RCC using in vitro and in vivo models to fill this knowledge gap and provide information for environmental/usage regulations. Using 2D/3D cultures of Caki-1 cells, a human clear cell RCC line, we examined the effects of short-chain (SC) PFACs and long-chain (LC) PFACs on RCC physio/pathological markers, including the cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins, and Na+/K+-ATPase. We also administered three different PFACs orally to mice harboring Caki-1 xenografts to assess the impact of these compounds on engrafted RCC in vivo. Compared with the effects of SCPFACs, mice with Caki-1 xenografts treated with LCPFACs showed increased EMT-related protein expression and exhibited liver toxicity. Therefore, LCPFACs induced EMT, influencing cancer metastasis activity, and displayed higher toxicity in vivo compared with SCPFACs. These findings improve our understanding of the effects of PFACs on RCC development and their corresponding in vivo toxicity, which is crucial for regulating these substances to protect public health.

New approach methodologies to facilitate and improve the hazard assessment of non-genotoxic carcinogens-a PARC project

Carcinogenic chemicals, or their metabolites, can be classified as genotoxic or non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTxCs). Genotoxic compounds induce DNA damage, which can be detected by an established in vitro and in vivo battery of genotoxicity assays. For NGTxCs, DNA is not the primary target, and the possible modes of action (MoA) of NGTxCs are much more diverse than those of genotoxic compounds, and there is no specific in vitro assay for detecting NGTxCs. Therefore, the evaluation of the carcinogenic potential is still dependent on long-term studies in rodents. This 2-year bioassay, mainly applied for testing agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, is time-consuming, costly and requires very high numbers of animals. More importantly, its relevance for human risk assessment is questionable due to the limited predictivity for human cancer risk, especially with regard to NGTxCs. Thus, there is an urgent need for a transition to new approach methodologies (NAMs), integrating human-relevant in vitro assays and in silico tools that better exploit the current knowledge of the multiple processes involved in carcinogenesis into a modern safety assessment toolbox. Here, we describe an integrative project that aims to use a variety of novel approaches to detect the carcinogenic potential of NGTxCs based on different mechanisms and pathways involved in carcinogenesis. The aim of this project is to contribute suitable assays for the safety assessment toolbox for an efficient and improved, internationally recognized hazard assessment of NGTxCs, and ultimately to contribute to reliable mechanism-based next-generation risk assessment for chemical carcinogens.

Polysaccharides from marine biological resources and their anticancer activity on breast cancer

In recent decades, natural products from marine organisms have been widely studied for the treatment of various breast cancers. Among them, polysaccharides have been favored by researchers because of their good effects and safety. In this review, polysaccharides from marine algae including macroalgae and microalgae, chitosan, microorganisms such as marine bacteria and fungi, and starfish are addressed. Their anticancer activities on different breast cancers and action mechanisms are discussed in detail. In general, polysaccharides from marine organisms are potential sources of low side-effect and high efficiency anticancer drugs for development. However, further research on animals and clinical research are needed.