Tumor microenvironment complexity and therapeutic implications at a glance

Understanding the molecular mechanism responsible for developing therapeutic radiation-induced radioresistance of rectal cancer and improving the clinical outcomes of radiotherapy - A review

Rectal cancer accounts for the second highest cancer-related mortality, which is predominant in Western civilizations. The treatment for rectal cancers includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Radiotherapy, specifically external beam radiation therapy, is the most common way to treat rectal cancer because radiation not only limits cancer progression but also significantly reduces the risk of local recurrence. However, therapeutic radiation-induced radioresistance to rectal cancer cells and toxicity to normal tissues are major drawbacks. Therefore, understanding the mechanistic basis of developing radioresistance during and after radiation therapy would provide crucial insight to improve clinical outcomes of radiation therapy for rectal cancer patients. Studies by various groups have shown that radiotherapy-mediated changes in the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in developing radioresistance. Therapeutic radiation-induced hypoxia and functional alterations in the stromal cells, specifically tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), play a crucial role in developing radioresistance. In addition, signaling pathways, such as - the PI3K/AKT pathway, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and the hippo pathway, modulate the radiation responsiveness of cancer cells. Different radiosensitizers, such as small molecules, microRNA, nanomaterials, and natural and chemical sensitizers, are being used to increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy. This review highlights the mechanism responsible for developing radioresistance of rectal cancer following radiotherapy and potential strategies to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy for better management of rectal cancer.

MOICS, a novel classier deciphering immune heterogeneity and aid precise management of clear cell renal cell carcinoma at multiomics level

Recent studies have indicated that the tumor immune microenvironment plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the characteristics and heterogeneity of tumor immunity in ccRCC, particularly at the multiomics level, remain poorly understood. We analyzed immune multiomics datasets to perform a consensus cluster analysis and validate the clustering results across multiple internal and external ccRCC datasets; and identified two distinctive immune phenotypes of ccRCC, which we named multiomics immune-based cancer subtype 1 (MOICS1) and subtype 2 (MOICS2). The former, MOICS1, is characterized by an immune-hot phenotype with poor clinical outcomes, marked by significant proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, fibroblasts, and high levels of immune inhibitory signatures; the latter, MOICS2, exhibits an immune-cold phenotype with favorable clinical characteristics, characterized by robust immune activity and high infiltration of endothelial cells and immune stimulatory signatures. Besides, a significant negative correlation between immune infiltration and angiogenesis were identified. We further explored the mechanisms underlying these differences, revealing that negatively regulated endopeptidase activity, activated cornification, and neutrophil degranulation may promote an immune-deficient phenotype, whereas enhanced monocyte recruitment could ameliorate this deficiency. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the genomic landscapes between the subtypes: MOICS1 exhibited mutations in TTN, BAP1, SETD2, MTOR, MUC16, CSMD3, and AKAP9, while MOICS2 was characterized by notable alterations in the TGF-β pathway. Overall, our work demonstrates that multi-immune omics remodeling analysis enhances the understanding of the immune heterogeneity in ccRCC and supports precise patient management.

Elevated extracellular vesicular Nm23-H1 subdues the pro-migratory potential of breast cancer cell-derived extracellular vesicles

Metastasis is a key determinant in cancer mortality which is often associated with decreased levels of Nm23-H1, a well-established metastasis suppressor. Despite lacking a secretion signal peptide, Nm23-H1 has been reported to be present in the extracellular space and enclosed within extracellular vesicles (EVs). While the presence of Nm23-H1 proteins in EVs released by cancer cells has been observed through proteomics profiling, the role of vesicular Nm23-H1 remains unclear. Here, we investigated the function of vesicular Nm23-H1 using MDA-MB-231 (highly metastatic, low Nm23-H1) and MCF-7 (low/non-metastatic, high Nm23-H1) breast cancer cell models. Our findings confirm that Nm23-H1 is indeed encapsulated within EVs, and its levels can be manipulated through overexpression and knockdown approaches. Functional assays revealed that EVs derived from MDA-MB-231 cells that contained high levels of Nm23-H1 exhibit impaired pro-migratory properties, suggesting that vesicular Nm23-H1 may act as a metastasis suppressor. Furthermore, EVs with increased levels of Nm23-H1 altered the transcript levels of multiple cancer-related genes in recipient cells and stimulated type I interferon signaling through STAT1 phosphorylation. These results suggest the existence of an unconventional signaling pathway mediated by the uptake of EVs enriched with Nm23-H1, which may contribute to the anti-metastatic effect of Nm23-H1 in the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, our study demonstrates that elevated Nm23-H1 levels can impact the abundance of various other proteins encapsulated within breast cancer cell-derived EVs, such as SUSD2 (Sushi Domain Containing 2) which can also modulate metastasis.

Construction of a novel cancer-associated fibroblast-related signature to predict clinical outcome and immune response in cervical cancer

This study developed a prognostic signature for cervical cancer using transcriptome profiling and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and TISCH database, focusing on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Through LASSO Cox regression and integrated bioinformatics analyses, we identified 144 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to CAFs, from which an 11-gene CAF-related signature (CAFRSig) was constructed. The CAFRSig effectively stratified patients into high- and low-risk categories, demonstrating significant prognostic capability in predicting overall survival. Gene ontology (GO) and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) linked the DEGs to crucial pathways in tumor malignancy, immune response, and fatty acid metabolism. The immune landscape analysis, utilizing the TIMER platform and CIBERSORT algorithm, revealed a positive correlation between immune cell effector functions and CAFRSig scores, highlighting the model's potential to identify patients likely to respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies. Furthermore, neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a key gene in the CAFRSig, was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues and associated with disease progression and differentiation. The downregulation of NRP1 curbed cell proliferation and influenced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), implicating the PI3K/AKT pathway and modulating PD-L1 expression. This comprehensive analysis establishes a robust prognostic signature based on CAF-related genes, offering valuable insights for optimizing therapeutic strategies in cervical cancer management.

Acetaminophen induces mitochondrial apoptosis through proteasome dysfunctions

Acetaminophen is a known antipyretic and non-opioid analgesic for mild pain and fever. Numerous studies uncover their hidden chemotherapeutics applications, including chronic cancer pain management. Acetaminophen also represents an anti-proliferative effect in some cancer cells. Few studies also suggest that the use of Acetaminophen can trigger apoptosis and impede cellular growth. However, Acetaminophen's molecular potential and precise mechanism against improper cellular proliferation and use as an effective anti-proliferative agent still need to be better understood. Here, our current findings show that Acetaminophen induces proteasomal dysfunctions, resulting in aberrant protein accumulation and mitochondrial abnormalities, and consequently induces cell apoptosis. We observed that the Acetaminophen treatment leads to improper aggregation of ubiquitylated expanded polyglutamine proteins, which may be due to the dysfunctions of proteasome activities. Our in-silico analysis suggests the interaction of Acetaminophen and proteasome. Furthermore, we demonstrated the accumulation of proteasome substrates and the depletion of proteasome activities after treating Acetaminophen in cells. Acetaminophen induces proteasome dysfunctions and mitochondrial abnormalities, leading to pro-apoptotic morphological changes and apoptosis successively. These results suggest that Acetaminophen can induce cell death and may retain a promising anti-proliferative effect. These observations can open new possible molecular strategies in the near future for developing and designing specific and effective proteasome inhibitors, which can be helpful in conjugation with other anti-tumor drugs for their better efficiency.

Therapeutic implications of signaling pathways and tumor microenvironment interactions in esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer (EC) is significantly influenced by the tumor microenvironment (TME) and altered signaling pathways. Downregulating these pathways in EC is essential for suppressing tumor development, preventing metastasis, and enhancing therapeutic outcomes. This approach can increase tumor sensitivity to treatments, enhance patient outcomes, and inhibit cancer cell proliferation and spread. The TME, comprising cellular and non-cellular elements surrounding the tumor, significantly influences EC's development, course, and treatment responsiveness. Understanding the complex relationships within the TME is crucial for developing successful EC treatments. Immunotherapy is a vital TME treatment for EC. However, the heterogeneity within the TME limits the application of anticancer drugs outside clinical settings. Therefore, identifying reliable microenvironmental biomarkers that can detect therapeutic responses before initiating therapy is crucial. Combining approaches focusing on EC signaling pathways with TME can enhance treatment outcomes. This integrated strategy aims to interfere with essential signaling pathways promoting cancer spread while disrupting factors encouraging tumor development. Unraveling aberrant signaling pathways and TME components can lead to more focused and efficient treatment approaches, identifying specific cellular targets for treatments. Targeting the TME and signaling pathways may reduce metastasis risk by interfering with mechanisms facilitating cancer cell invasion and dissemination. In conclusion, this integrative strategy has significant potential for improving patient outcomes and advancing EC research and therapy. This review discusses the altered signaling pathways and TME in EC, focusing on potential future therapeutics.

A multifunctional protein pre-coated metal-organic framework for targeted delivery with deep tissue penetration

Targeted drug delivery using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has shown significant progress. However, the tumor microenvironment (TME) impedes efficient MOF particle transfer into tumor cells. To tackle this issue, we pre-coated nano-sized MOF-808 particles with multifunctional proteins: glutathione S-transferase (GST)-affibody (Afb) and collagenase, aiming to navigate the TME more effectively. The surface of MOF-808 particles is coated with GST-Afb-a fusion protein of GST and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) Afb or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Afb which has target affinity. We also added collagenase enzymes capable of breaking down collagen in the extracellular matrix (ECM) through supramolecular conjugation, all without chemical modification. By stabilizing these proteins on the surface, GST-Afb mitigate biomolecule absorption, facilitating specific tumor cell targeting. Simultaneously, collagenase degrades the ECM in the TME, enabling deep tissue penetration of MOF particles. Our resulting system, termed collagenase-GST-Afb-MOF-808 (Col-Afb-M808), minimizes undesired interactions between MOF particles and external biological proteins. It not only induces cell death through Afb-mediated cell-specific targeting, but also showcases advanced cellular internalization in 3D multicellular spheroid cancer models, with effective deep tissue penetration. The therapeutic efficacy of Col-Afb-M808 was further assessed via in vivo imaging and evaluation of tumor inhibition following injection of IR-780 loaded Col-Afb-M808 in 4T1tumor-bearing nude mice. This study offers key insights into the regulation of the multifunctional protein-adhesive surface of MOF particles, paving the way for the designing even more effective targeted drug delivery systems with nano-sized MOF particles.

Mapping the spatial dynamics of the CD4+ T cell spectrum in classical Hodgkin lymphoma

As around 25-30% of classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) patients with advanced stages do not respond to standard therapies, the tumor microenvironment (TME) of cHL is one avenue that may be explored with the aim of improving risk stratification. CD4+ T cells are thought to be one of the main cell types in the TME. However, few immune signatures have been studied, and many of these lack related spatial data. Thus, our aim is to spatially resolve the CD4+ T cell subtypes that influence cHL outcome, depicting new immune signatures or transcriptional patterns that are in crosstalk with the tumor cells. This study was conducted using the Nanostring GeoMx DSP technology, based on the selection of distinct functional areas of patients' tissues followed by the gene-expression profiling. The goals were to assess the differences in CD4+ T cell populations between tumor-rich and immune-predominant areas defined by different CD30 and PD-L1 expression levels and to seek correlations with clinical metadata. Our results depict a complex map of CD4+ T cells with different functions and differentiation states that are enriched at distinct locations, the flux of cytokines and chemokines that could be related to these, and the specific relationships with the clinical outcome.

Enhancing hepatocellular carcinoma management: prognostic value of integrated CCL17, CCR4, CD73, and HHLA2 expression analysis

PURPOSE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a critical global health concern, with existing treatments benefiting only a minority of patients. Recent findings implicate the chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) and its receptor CCR4 as pivotal players in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of various cancers. This investigation aims to delineate the roles of CCL17 and CCR4 in modulating the tumor's immune landscape, assessing their potential as therapeutic interventions and prognostic markers in HCC.

METHODS

873 HCC patients post-radical surgery from 2008 to 2012 at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were retrospectively examined. These individuals were stratified into a training cohort (n = 354) and a validation cohort (n = 519). Through immunohistochemical analysis on HCC tissue arrays, the expressions of CCL17, CCR4, CD73, CD47, HHLA2, and PD-L1 were quantified. Survival metrics were analyzed using the Cox model, and a prognostic nomogram was devised via R software.

RESULTS

The investigation confirmed the presence of CCL17 and CCR4 within the cancerous and stromal compartments of HCC tissues, associating their heightened expression with adverse clinical markers and survival outcomes. Notably, the interplay between CD73 and CCR4 expression in tumor stroma highlighted a novel cellular entity, CCR4 + CD73 + stromal cells, impacting overall and relapse-free survival. A prognostic nomogram amalgamating these immunological markers and clinical variables was established, offering refined prognostic insights and aiding in the management of HCC. The findings suggest that reduced CCR4 and CCR4 + CD73 + cell prevalence may forecast improved outcomes post-TACE.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive evaluation of CCR4, CCL17, and associated markers introduces a nuanced understanding of the HCC immunological milieu, proposing CCR4 + CD73 + stromal cells as critical to HCC pathogenesis and patient stratification.

Extracellular vesicles as modulators of monocyte and macrophage function in tumors

The tumor microenvironment (TME) harbors several cell types, such as tumor cells, immune cells, and non-immune cells. These cells communicate through several mechanisms, such as cell-cell contact, cytokines, chemokines, and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Tumor-derived vesicles are known to have the ability to modulate the immune response. Monocytes are a subset of circulating innate immune cells and play a crucial role in immune surveillance, being recruited to tissues where they differentiate into macrophages. In the context of tumors, it has been observed that tumor cells can attract monocytes to the TME and induce their differentiation into tumor-associated macrophages with a pro-tumor phenotype. Tumor-derived EVs have emerged as essential structures mediating this process. Through the transfer of specific molecules and signaling factors, tumor-derived EVs can shape the phenotype and function of monocytes, inducing the expression of cytokines and molecules by these cells, thus modulating the TME towards an immunosuppressive environment.

Hallmarks of cancer resistance

This review explores the hallmarks of cancer resistance, including drug efflux mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, metabolic reprogramming characterized by the Warburg effect, and the dynamic interplay between cancer cells and mitochondria. The role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in treatment resistance and the regulatory influence of non-coding RNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are studied. The chapter emphasizes future directions, encompassing advancements in immunotherapy, strategies to counter adaptive resistance, integration of artificial intelligence for predictive modeling, and the identification of biomarkers for personalized treatment. The comprehensive exploration of these hallmarks provides a foundation for innovative therapeutic approaches, aiming to navigate the complex landscape of cancer resistance and enhance patient outcomes.

Small Peptide-Based Nanodelivery Systems for Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis

Developing nano-biomaterials with tunable topology, size, and surface characteristics has shown tremendously favorable benefits in various biologic and clinical applications. Among various nano-biomaterials, peptide-based drug delivery systems offer multiple merits over other synthetic systems due to their enhanced bio- and cytocompatibility and desirable biochemical and biophysical properties. Currently, around 100 peptide-based drugs are clinically available for numerous therapeutic purposes. In conjugation with chemotherapeutic moieties, peptides demonstrate a remarkable ability to reduce nonspecific drug effects by improving drug targetability at cancer sites. This review encompasses a wide-ranging role played by different peptide-based nanostructures in cancer theranostics. Section 1 introduces the rising concern about cancer as a disease and further describes peptide-based nanomaterials as biomedical agents to tackle the ailment. The subsequent section explores the mechanistic pathways behind the self-assembly of peptides to form hierarchically distinct assemblies. The crux of our review lies in an exhaustive exploration of the applications of various types of peptide-based nanostructures in cancer therapy and diagnosis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Peptide-based drug delivery systems possess superior biocompatibility, biochemical, and biophysical properties compared to other synthetic alternatives. The development of these nano-biomaterials with customizable topology, size, and surface characteristics have shown promising outcomes in biomedical contexts. Peptides in conjunction with chemotherapeutic agents exhibit the ability to enhance drug targetability at cancer sites, reducing nonspecific drug effects. This comprehensive review emphasizes the pivotal role of diverse peptide-based nanostructures as cancer theranostics, elucidating their potential in revolutionizing cancer therapy and diagnosis.

Assessment of circulating proteins in thyroid cancer: Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis

The causality between circulating proteins and thyroid cancer (TC) remains unclear. We employed five large-scale circulating proteomic genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with up to 100,000 participants and a TC meta-GWAS (nCase = 3,418, nControl = 292,703) to conduct proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) and Bayesian colocalization analysis. Protein and gene expressions were validated in thyroid tissue. Through MR analysis, we identified 26 circulating proteins with a putative causal relationship with TCs, among which NANS protein passed multiple corrections (P BH = 3.28e-5, 0.05/1,525). These proteins were involved in amino acids and organic acid synthesis pathways. Colocalization analysis further identified six proteins associated with TCs (VCAM1, LGMN, NPTX1, PLEKHA7, TNFAIP3, and BMP1). Tissue validation confirmed BMP1, LGMN, and PLEKHA7's differential expression between normal and TC tissues. We found limited evidence for linking circulating proteins and the risk of TCs. Our study highlighted the contribution of proteins, particularly those involved in amino acid metabolism, to TCs.

A high-fat diet induces changes in mesenteric adipose tissue accelerating early-stage pancreatic carcinogenesis in mice

BACKGROUND

Increased adiposity is a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer development. Multiple preclinical studies have documented that high-fat, high caloric diets, rich in omega-6 fatty acids (FA) accelerate pancreatic cancer development. However, the effect of a high-fat, low sucrose diet (HFD), on pancreatic carcinogenesis remains unclear. We evaluated the impact of a HFD on early-stage pancreatic carcinogenesis in the clinically relevant KrasLSL-G12D/+; Ptf1aCre/+ (KC) genetically engineered mouse model, and characterized the role of the mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT).

METHODS

Cohorts of male and female KC mice were randomly assigned to a control diet (CD) or a HFD, matched for FA composition (9:1 of omega-6 FA: omega-3 FA), and fed their diets for eight weeks.

RESULTS

After eight weeks on a HFD, KC mice had significantly higher body weight, fat mass, and serum leptin compared to CD-fed KC mice. Furthermore, a HFD accelerated pancreatic acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and proliferation, associated with increased activation of ERK and STAT3, and macrophage infiltration in the pancreas, compared to CD-fed KC mice. Metabolomics analysis of the MAT revealed sex differences between diet groups. In females, a HFD altered metabolites related to FA (α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid) and amino acid metabolism (alanine, aspartate, glutamate). In males, a HFD significantly affected pathways related to alanine, aspartate, glutamate, linoleic acid, and the citric acid cycle.

CONCLUSIONS

A HFD accelerates early pancreatic ADM through multifaceted mechanisms, including effects at the tumor and surrounding MAT. The sex-dependent changes in MAT metabolites could explain some of the sex differences in HFD-induced pancreatic ADM.

In silico approaches for drug repurposing in oncology: a scoping review

Introduction: Cancer refers to a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. Due to its complexity, it has been hard to find an ideal medicine to treat all cancer types, although there is an urgent need for it. However, the cost of developing a new drug is high and time-consuming. In this sense, drug repurposing (DR) can hasten drug discovery by giving existing drugs new disease indications. Many computational methods have been applied to achieve DR, but just a few have succeeded. Therefore, this review aims to show in silico DR approaches and the gap between these strategies and their ultimate application in oncology. Methods: The scoping review was conducted according to the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations. Relevant studies were identified through electronic searching of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, as well as the grey literature. We included peer-reviewed research articles involving in silico strategies applied to drug repurposing in oncology, published between 1 January 2003, and 31 December 2021. Results: We identified 238 studies for inclusion in the review. Most studies revealed that the United States, India, China, South Korea, and Italy are top publishers. Regarding cancer types, breast cancer, lymphomas and leukemias, lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer are the top investigated. Additionally, most studies solely used computational methods, and just a few assessed more complex scientific models. Lastly, molecular modeling, which includes molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, was the most frequently used method, followed by signature-, Machine Learning-, and network-based strategies. Discussion: DR is a trending opportunity but still demands extensive testing to ensure its safety and efficacy for the new indications. Finally, implementing DR can be challenging due to various factors, including lack of quality data, patient populations, cost, intellectual property issues, market considerations, and regulatory requirements. Despite all the hurdles, DR remains an exciting strategy for identifying new treatments for numerous diseases, including cancer types, and giving patients faster access to new medications.

Tumor-specific enhanced NIR-II photoacoustic imaging via photothermal and low-pH coactivated AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel

BACKGROUND

Properly designed second near-infrared (NIR-II) nanoplatform that is responsive tumor microenvironment can intelligently distinguish between normal and cancerous tissues to achieve better targeting efficiency. Conventional photoacoustic nanoprobes are always "on", and tumor microenvironment-responsive nanoprobe can minimize the influence of endogenous chromophore background signals. Therefore, the development of nanoprobe that can respond to internal tumor microenvironment and external stimulus shows great application potential for the photoacoustic diagnosis of tumor.

RESULTS

In this work, a low-pH-triggered thermal-responsive volume phase transition nanogel gold nanorod@poly(n-isopropylacrylamide)-vinyl acetic acid (AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA) was constructed for photoacoustic detection of tumor. Via an external near-infrared photothermal switch, the absorption of AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel in the tumor microenvironment can be dynamically regulated, so that AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel produces switchable photoacoustic signals in the NIR-II window for tumor-specific enhanced photoacoustic imaging. In vitro results show that at pH 5.8, the absorption and photoacoustic signal amplitude of AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel in NIR-II increases up obviously after photothermal modulating, while they remain slightly change at pH 7.4. Quantitative calculation presents that photoacoustic signal amplitude of AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel at 1064 nm has ~ 1.6 folds enhancement as temperature increases from 37.5 °C to 45 °C in simulative tumor microenvironment. In vivo results show that the prepared AuNR@PNIPAM-VAA nanogel can achieve enhanced NIR-II photoacoustic imaging for selective tumor detection through dynamically responding to thermal field, which can be precisely controlled by external light.

CONCLUSIONS

This work will offer a viable strategy for the tumor-specific photoacoustic imaging using NIR light to regulate the thermal field and target the low pH tumor microenvironment, which is expected to realize accurate and dynamic monitoring of tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Tobacco-induced hyperglycemia promotes lung cancer progression via cancer cell-macrophage interaction through paracrine IGF2/IR/NPM1-driven PD-L1 expression

Tobacco smoking (TS) is implicated in lung cancer (LC) progression through the development of metabolic syndrome. However, direct evidence linking metabolic syndrome to TS-mediated LC progression remains to be established. Our findings demonstrate that 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and benzo[a]pyrene (NNK and BaP; NB), components of tobacco smoke, induce metabolic syndrome characteristics, particularly hyperglycemia, promoting lung cancer progression in male C57BL/6 J mice. NB enhances glucose uptake in tumor-associated macrophages by increasing the expression and surface localization of glucose transporter (GLUT) 1 and 3, thereby leading to transcriptional upregulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), which subsequently activates insulin receptor (IR) in LC cells in a paracrine manner, promoting its nuclear import. Nuclear IR binds to nucleophosmin (NPM1), resulting in IR/NPM1-mediated activation of the CD274 promoter and expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1). Restricting glycolysis, depleting macrophages, or blocking PD-L1 inhibits NB-mediated LC progression. Analysis of patient tissues and public databases reveals elevated levels of IGF2 and GLUT1 in tumor-associated macrophages, as well as tumoral PD-L1 and phosphorylated insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor/insulin receptor (pIGF-1R/IR) expression, suggesting potential poor prognostic biomarkers for LC patients. Our data indicate that paracrine IGF2/IR/NPM1/PD-L1 signaling, facilitated by NB-induced dysregulation of glucose levels and metabolic reprogramming of macrophages, contributes to TS-mediated LC progression.

Investigating cellular similarities and differences between upper tract urothelial carcinoma and bladder urothelial carcinoma using single-cell sequencing

Background

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) both originate from uroepithelial tissue, sharing remarkably similar clinical manifestations and therapeutic modalities. However, emerging evidence suggests that identical treatment regimens may lead to less favorable outcomes in UTUC compared to BLCA. Therefore, it is imperative to explore molecular processes of UTUC and identify biological differences between UTUC and BLCA.

Methods

In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on three UTUC cases and four normal ureteral tissues. These data were combined with publicly available datasets from previous BLCA studies and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data for both cancer types. This pooled analysis allowed us to delineate the transcriptional differences among distinct cell subsets within the microenvironment, thus identifying critical factors contributing to UTUC progression and phenotypic differences between UTUC and BLCA.

Results

scRNA-seq analysis revealed seemingly similar but transcriptionally distinct cellular identities within the UTUC and BLCA ecosystems. Notably, we observed striking differences in acquired immunological landscapes and varied cellular functional phenotypes between these two cancers. In addition, we uncovered the immunomodulatory functions of vein endothelial cells (ECs) in UTUC, and intercellular network analysis demonstrated that fibroblasts play important roles in the microenvironment. Further intersection analysis showed that MARCKS promote UTUC progression, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining revealed that the diverse expression patterns of MARCKS in UTUC, BLCA and normal ureter tissues.

Conclusion

This study expands our multidimensional understanding of the similarities and distinctions between UTUC and BLCA. Our findings lay the foundation for further investigations to develop diagnostic and therapeutic targets for UTUC.

Regulatory and memory T lymphocytes infiltrating prostate tumors predict long term clinical outcomes

Introduction

The localization, density but mostly the phenotype of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) provide important information on the initial interaction between the host immune system and the tumor. Our objective was to assess the prognostic significance of T (CD3+), T regulatory (Treg) (FoxP3+) and T memory (Tmem) (CD45RO+) infiltrating lymphocytes and of genes associated with TIL in prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to assess the infiltration of CD3+, FoxP3+ and CD45RO+ cells in the tumor area, tumor margin and adjacent normal-like epithelium of a series of 98 PCa samples with long clinical follow-up. Expression of a panel of 31 TIL-associated genes was analyzed by Taqman Low-Density Array (TLDA) technology in another series of 50 tumors with long clinical follow-up. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to determine association of these markers with biochemical recurrence (BCR), need for definitive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or lethal PCa.

Results

TIL subtypes were present at different densities in the tumor, tumor margin and adjacent normal-like epithelium, but their density and phenotype in the tumor area were the most predictive of clinical outcomes. In multivariate analyses, a high density of Treg (high FoxP3+/CD3+ cell ratio) predicted a higher risk for need of definitive ADT (HR=7.69, p=0.001) and lethal PCa (HR=4.37, p=0.04). Conversely, a high density of Tmem (high CD45RO+/CD3+ cell ratio) predicted a reduced risk of lethal PCa (HR=0.06, p=0.04). TLDA analyses showed that a high expression of FoxP3 was associated with a higher risk of lethal PCa (HR=5.26, p=0.02). Expression of CTLA-4, PD-1, TIM-3 and LAG-3 were correlated with that of FoxP3. Amongst these, only a high expression of TIM-3 was associated with a significant higher risk for definitive ADT in univariate Cox regression analysis (HR=3.11, p=0.01).

Conclusion

These results show that the proportion of Treg and Tmem found within the tumor area is a strong and independent predictor of late systemic progression of PCa. Our results also suggest that inhibition of TIM-3 might be a potential approach to counter the immunosuppressive functions of Treg in order to improve the anti-tumor immune response against PCa.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Boost Tumorigenesis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma via Exosome-Mediated Paracrine SNHG1

Despite the dominant roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have attached much attention in tumorigenesis, the CAFs-derived molecular determinants that regulate renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development remains elusive. Our previous study uncovered an oncogenic SNHG1 in the immune escape of RCC, whereas CAFs-derived exosomes could be a source accounting for increasing SNHG1 in RCC cells, this is still a mystery. The obtained CAFs and normal fibroblast (NFs) from fresh RCC and adjacent tissues were firstly identified using western blot and immunofluorescent staining. The enrichment of SNHG1 was validated by RT-qPCR. CAFs-derived exosomes were isolated from conditioned medium using ultracentrifugation method and ExoQuick-TC system. The internalization of exosomes, transfer of SNHG1, was measured by immunofluorescence. Regulation of conditioned medium or exosomal SNHG1 from CAFs on RCC biological functions was evaluated by CCK-8, EdU incorporation, colony formation, and transwell assays to assess the RCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. SNHG1 was significantly upregulated in CAFs isolated from RCC stroma. Exosomes derived from CAFs transferred SNHG1 to RCC cells and resulted in an increased SNHG1 expression in RCC cells. The exosomes excreted by CAFs promoted RCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas the promotion effect of CAFs-exosomes on RCC progression was attenuated by SNHG1 knockdown. The present study revealed a new mechanism of exosomal SNHG1 extracted from CAFs enhanced RCC progression and may provide a potential target for the treatment of RCC.

Electro-antibacterial therapy (EAT) to enhance intracellular bacteria clearance in pancreatic cancer cells

Intratumoral bacteria have been implicated in driving tumor progression, yet effective treatments to modulate the tumor microbiome remain limited. In this study, we investigate the use of electroporation in combination with metronidazole to enhance the clearance of intracellular Fusobacterium nucleatum within pancreatic cancer cells. We explore various parameters, including electric field strength, pulse width, and pulse number to assess the permeability of pancreatic cancer cells infected with F. nucleatum, compared to non-infected cells of the same type. We subsequently quantify the clearance of intracellular bacteria when these pulsing schemes are applied to a suspension of infected pancreatic cancer cells in the presence of metronidazole. Our results reveal distinct differences in cell permeability between infected and non-infected cells, identifying a unique biophysical marker for host cells infected with F. nucleatum. We demonstrate that the combinatorial use of electroporation and metronidazole significantly enhances the delivery of metronidazole into host cells, leading to more effective clearance of intracellular F. nucleatum compared to independent treatments; we term this novel approach Electro-Antibacterial Therapy (EAT). EAT holds promise as an innovative strategy for addressing intratumoral bacteria in pancreatic cancer, other malignancies, and potentially treatment-resistant infections, offering new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Self-activating chitosan-based nanoparticles for sphingosin-1 phosphate modulator delivery and selective tumor therapy

This study reports on the design and synthesis of hypoxia responsive nanoparticles (HRNPs) composed of methoxy polyethylene glycol-4,4 dicarboxylic azolinker-chitosan (mPEG-Azo-chitosan) as ideal drug delivery platform for Fingolimod (FTY720, F) delivery to achieve selective and highly enhanced TNBC therapy in vivo. Herein, HRNPs with an average size of 49.86 nm and a zeta potential of +3.22 mV were synthetized, which after PEG shedding can shift into a more positively-charged NPs (+30.3 mV), possessing self-activation ability under hypoxia situation in vitro, 2D and 3D culture. Treatment with lower doses of HRNPs@F significantly reduced MDA-MB-231 microtumor size to 15 %, induced apoptosis by 88 % within 72 h and reduced highly-proliferative 4 T1 tumor weight by 87.66 % vs. ∼30 % for Fingolimod compared to the untreated controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record for development of hypoxia-responsive chitosan-based NPs with desirable physicochemical properties, and selective self-activation potential to generate highly-charged nanosized tumor-penetrating chitosan NPs. This formulation is capable of localized delivery of Fingolimod to the tumor core, minimizing its side effects while boosting its anti-tumor potential for eradication of TNBC solid tumors.

Cu2WS4-PEG Nanozyme as Multifunctional Sensitizers for Enhancing Immuno-Radiotherapy by Inducing Ferroptosis

Unavoidable damage to normal tissues and tumor microenvironment (TME) resistance make it challenging to eradicate breast carcinoma through radiotherapy. Therefore, it is urgent to develop radiotherapy sensitizers that can effectively reduce radiation doses and reverse the suppressive TME. Here, a novel biomimetic PEGylated Cu2WS4 nanozyme (CWP) with multiple enzymatic activities is synthesized by the sacrificing template method to have physical radiosensitization and biocatalyzer-responsive effects on the TME. Experiment results show that CWP can improve the damage efficiency of radiotherapy on breast cancer cell 4T1 through its large X-ray attenuation coefficient of tungsten and nucleus-penetrating capacity. CWP also exhibit strong Fenton-like reactions that produced abundant ROS and GSH oxidase-like activity decreasing GSH. This destruction of redox balance further promotes the effectiveness of radiotherapy. Transcriptome sequencing reveals that CWP induced ferroptosis by regulating the KEAP1/NRF2/HMOX1/GPX4 molecules. Therefore, owing to its multiple enzymatic activities, high-atomic W elements, nucleus-penetrating, and ferroptosis-inducing capacities, CWP effectively improves the efficiency of radiotherapy for breast carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, CWP-mediated radiosensitization can trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD) to improve the anti-PD-L1 treatments to inhibit the growth of primary and distant tumors effectively. These results indicate that CWP is a multifunctional nano-sensitizers for radiotherapy and immunotherapy.

Dual-responsive chondroitin sulfate self-assembling nanoparticles for combination therapy in metastatic cancer cells

In this study, we developed self-assembling nanoparticles (LCPs) able to trigger the release of Chlorambucil (Chl) and Doxorubicin (DOX) to MDA-MB-231 cells by exploiting the enzyme and redox signals. The DOX loaded LCPs was prepared by the self-assembly of two chondroitin sulphate (CS) derivatives, obtained by the covalent conjugation of Lipoic Acid (LA) and Chlorambucil (Chl) to the CS backbone. After the physic-chemical characterization of the conjugates by FT-IR, 1H NMR, and determination of the critical aggregation concentration, spherical nanoparticles with mean hydrodynamic diameter of 45 nm (P.D.I. 0.24) and Z-potential of - 44 mV were obtained by water addition/solvent evaporation method. In vitro experiments for the release of Chl and DOX were performed in healthy and cancer cells, using a cell culture media to maintain the physiological intracellular conditions (pH 7.4) (and concentration of esterase and GSH. The results allowed the selective release of the payloads to be detected: Chl release of 0 and 41% were obtained after 2 h incubation in normal and in cancer cells respectively, while values of 35 (in healthy cells) and 60% (in cancer cells) were recorded for DOX release after 96 h. Finally, viability studies proved the ability of the newly proposed nanosystem to enhance the cytotoxic activity of the two drugs against cancer cells.

Multiparametric MRI for characterization of the tumour microenvironment

Our understanding of tumour biology has evolved over the past decades and cancer is now viewed as a complex ecosystem with interactions between various cellular and non-cellular components within the tumour microenvironment (TME) at multiple scales. However, morphological imaging remains the mainstay of tumour staging and assessment of response to therapy, and the characterization of the TME with non-invasive imaging has not yet entered routine clinical practice. By combining multiple MRI sequences, each providing different but complementary information about the TME, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) enables non-invasive assessment of molecular and cellular features within the TME, including their spatial and temporal heterogeneity. With an increasing number of advanced MRI techniques bridging the gap between preclinical and clinical applications, mpMRI could ultimately guide the selection of treatment approaches, precisely tailored to each individual patient, tumour and therapeutic modality. In this Review, we describe the evolving role of mpMRI in the non-invasive characterization of the TME, outline its applications for cancer detection, staging and assessment of response to therapy, and discuss considerations and challenges for its use in future medical applications, including personalized integrated diagnostics.

Identification of EGR4 as a prospective target for inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and a novel biomarker in colorectal cancer

EGR4 (Early Growth Response 4) is a member of the EGR family, involving in tumorigenesis. However, the function and action mechanism of EGR4 in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. To address this, we assessed the prognosis of CRC based on EGR4 using the Kaplan-Meier plotter tool and tissue microarray. The abundance of immunoinfiltration was evaluated through ssGSEA, TISIDB, and TIMER. In vitro experiments involving knockdown or overexpression of EGR4 were performed, and RNA-sequencing was conducted to explore potential mechanisms. Furthermore, we used oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil to validate the impact of EGR4 on chemo-resistance. Pan-cancer analysis and tissue microarray showed that EGR4 was highly expressed in CRC and significantly correlated with an unfavorable prognosis. Moreover, EGR4 expression was associated with immunoinfiltration and cancer-associated fibroblasts in the CRC microenvironment. Functional enrichment demonstrated that high-expressional EGR4 were involved in chromatin and nucleosome assembly. Additionally, EGR4 promoted the proliferation of CRC cells. Mechanistically, EGR4 upregulated TNFα to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway, and its knockdown reduced p65 nuclear translocation. Importantly, combining shEGR4 with oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil significantly inhibited CRC proliferation. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the potential prognosis and therapeutic targets of EGR4 in CRC.

PRUNE1 and NME/NDPK family proteins influence energy metabolism and signaling in cancer metastases

We describe here the molecular basis of the complex formation of PRUNE1 with the tumor metastasis suppressors NME1 and NME2, two isoforms appertaining to the nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) enzyme family, and how this complex regulates signaling the immune system and energy metabolism, thereby shaping the tumor microenvironment (TME). Disrupting the interaction between NME1/2 and PRUNE1, as suggested, holds the potential to be an excellent therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer and the inhibition of metastasis dissemination. Furthermore, we postulate an interaction and regulation of the other Class I NME proteins, NME3 and NME4 proteins, with PRUNE1 and discuss potential functions. Class I NME1-4 proteins are NTP/NDP transphosphorylases required for balancing the intracellular pools of nucleotide diphosphates and triphosphates. They regulate different cellular functions by interacting with a large variety of other proteins, and in cancer and metastasis processes, they can exert pro- and anti-oncogenic properties depending on the cellular context. In this review, we therefore additionally discuss general aspects of class1 NME and PRUNE1 molecular structures as well as their posttranslational modifications and subcellular localization. The current knowledge on the contributions of PRUNE1 as well as NME proteins to signaling cascades is summarized with a special regard to cancer and metastasis.

HOXA9 transcription factor is a double-edged sword: from development to cancer progression

The HOXA9 transcription factor serves as a molecular orchestrator in cancer stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis, and generation of the tumor microenvironment in hematological and solid malignancies. However, the multiple modes of regulation, multifaceted functions, and context-dependent interactions responsible for the dual role of HOXA9 as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in cancer remain obscure. Hence, unravelling its molecular complexities, binding partners, and interacting signaling molecules enables us to comprehend HOXA9-mediated transcriptional programs and molecular crosstalk. However, it is imperative to understand its central role in fundamental biological processes such as embryogenesis, foetus implantation, hematopoiesis, endothelial cell proliferation, and tissue homeostasis before designing targeted therapies. Indeed, it presents an enormous challenge for clinicians to selectively target its oncogenic functions or restore tumor-suppressive role without altering normal cellular functions. In addition to its implications in cancer, the present review also focuses on the clinical applications of HOXA9 in recurrence and drug resistance, which may provide a broader understanding beyond oncology, open new avenues for clinicians for accurate diagnoses, and develop personalized treatment strategies. Furthermore, we have also discussed the existing therapeutic options and accompanying challenges in HOXA9-targeted therapies in different cancer types.

Targeting senescent cells to reshape the tumor microenvironment and improve anticancer efficacy

Cancer is daunting pathology with remarkable breadth and scope, spanning genetics, epigenetics, proteomics, metalobomics and cell biology. Cellular senescence represents a stress-induced and essentially irreversible cell fate associated with aging and various age-related diseases, including malignancies. Senescent cells are characterized of morphologic alterations and metabolic reprogramming, and develop a highly active secretome termed as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Since the first discovery, senescence has been understood as an important barrier to tumor progression, as its induction in pre-neoplastic cells limits carcinogenesis. Paradoxically, senescent cells arising in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to tumor progression, including augmented therapeutic resistance. In this article, we define typical forms of senescent cells commonly observed within the TME and how senescent cells functionally remodel their surrounding niche, affect immune responses and promote cancer evolution. Furthermore, we highlight the recently emerging pipelines of senotherapies particularly senolytics, which can selectively deplete senescent cells from affected organs in vivo and impede tumor progression by restoring therapeutic responses and securing anticancer efficacies. Together, co-targeting cancer cells and their normal but senescent counterparts in the TME holds the potential to achieve increased therapeutic benefits and restrained disease relapse in future clinical oncology.

Construction of a prognostic score model for breast cancer based on multi-omics analysis of study on bone metastasis

Background

Breast cancer (BRCA) is the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women all over the world. Metastasis to bone is an indicator of poor prognosis in BRCA patients. This study aimed to develop a prognostic score model for predicting bone metastasis in patients with BRCA.

Methods

BRCA-related RNA sequencing datasets and corresponding clinical information were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using Limma package of R software. A risk score based predictive model was constructed based on the key genes identified through univariate Cox regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. The gene expression profiles in BRCA patients were analyzed by gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Random survival forest (RSF) analysis of BRCA patients with bone metastasis was conducted to identify the key DEGs.

Results

Based on DEG analysis, a total of 677 genes were identified as genes related to bone metastasis in BRCA. By univariate Cox regression and LASSO regression, 28 DEGs were identified as signature genes to develop the prognostic model. A risk score for each patient was created by incorporating the expression values of each specific gene and weighting them with the corresponding estimated regression coefficients. Patients were divided into a low-risk and a high-risk group based on the median risk score. Overall survival (OS) was significantly lower in the high-risk group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multi-omics analysis indicated that the model had high training/testing accuracy and a good clinical predictive value. We used extra data from GEO database to verify the robustness of the prognostic model, and the lower OS in high-risk group and area under the curve (AUC) value indicated the model had strong predictive efficacy for prognosis of BRCA.

Conclusions

A prognostic prediction model was constructed based on 28 key DEGs identified through multi-omics analysis of studies on bone metastasis. The model may provide a promising method for distinguishing the high-risk BRCA patients and help on decision making in addition to prognosis prediction for BRCA patients.

Extra-nuclear and cytoplasmic steroid receptor signalling in hormone dependent cancers

Steroid hormone receptors are key mediators in the execution of hormone action through a combination of genomic and non-genomic action. Since their isolation and characterisation in the early 20th Century much of our understanding of the biological actions of steroid hormones are underpinned by their activated receptor activity. Over the past two decades there has been an acceleration of more omics-based research which has resulted in a major uptick in our comprehension of genomic steroid action. However, it is well understood that steroid hormones can induce very rapid signalling events in tandem with their genomic actions wherein they exert their influence through alterations in gene expression. Thus the totality of genomic and non-genomic steroid action occurs in a simultaneous and reciprocal manner and a greater appreciation of whole cell action is required to fully evaluate steroid hormone activity in vivo. In this mini-review we outline the most recent developments in non-genomic steroid action and cytoplasmic steroid hormone receptor biology in endocrine-related cancers with a focus on the 3-keto steroid receptors, in particular the androgen receptor.

Interactions between LAMP3+ dendritic cells and T-cell subpopulations promote immune evasion in papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) continues to rise all over the world, 10-15% of the patients have a poor prognosis. Although immunotherapy has been applied in clinical practice, its therapeutic efficacy remains far from satisfactory, necessitating further investigation of the mechanism of PTC immune remodeling and exploration of novel treatment targets.

METHODS

This study conducted a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis using 18 surgical tissue specimens procured from 14 patients diagnosed with adjacent tissues, non-progressive PTC or progressive PTC. Key findings were authenticated through spatial transcriptomics RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, multiplex immunohistochemistry, and an independent bulk RNA-seq data set containing 502 samples.

RESULTS

A total of 151,238 individual cells derived from 18 adjacent tissues, non-progressive PTC and progressive PTC specimens underwent scRNA-seq analysis. We found that progressive PTC exhibits the following characteristics: a significant decrease in overall immune cells, enhanced immune evasion of tumor cells, and disrupted antigen presentation function. Moreover, we identified a subpopulation of lysosomal associated membrane protein 3 (LAMP3+) dendritic cells (DCs) exhibiting heightened infiltration in progressive PTC and associated with advanced T stage and poor prognosis of PTC. LAMP3+ DCs promote CD8+ T cells exhaustion (mediated by NECTIN2-TIGIT) and increase infiltration abundance of regulatory T cells (mediated by chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 17 (CCL17)-chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 4 (CCR4)) establishing an immune-suppressive microenvironment. Ultimately, we unveiled that progressive PTC tumor cells facilitate the retention of LAMP3+ DCs within the tumor microenvironment through NECTIN3-NECTIN2 interactions, thereby rendering tumor cells more susceptible to immune evasion.

CONCLUSION

Our findings expound valuable insights into the role of the interaction between LAMP3+ DCs and T-cell subpopulations and offer new and effective ideas and strategies for immunotherapy in patients with progressive PTC.

Melanin for Photoprotection and Hair Coloration in the Emerging Era of Nanocosmetics

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing fields of high social and economic impact. such as human health preservation, energy conversion and storage, environmental decontamination, and art restoration. However, the possible global-scale application of nanomaterials is raising increasing concerns, mostly related to the possible toxicity of materials at the nanoscale. The possibility of using nanomaterials in cosmetics, and hence in products aimed to be applied directly to the human body, even just externally, is strongly debated. Preoccupation arises especially from the consideration that nanomaterials are mostly of synthetic origin, and hence are often seen as "artificial" and their effects as unpredictable. Melanin, in this framework, is a unique material since in nature it plays important roles that specific cosmetics are aimed to cover, such as photoprotection and hair and skin coloration. Moreover, melanin is mostly present in nature in the form of nanoparticles, as is clearly observable in the ink of some animals, like cuttlefish. Moreover, artificial melanin nanoparticles share the same high biocompatibility of the natural ones and the same unique chemical and photochemical properties. Melanin is hence a natural nanocosmetic agent, but its actual application in cosmetics is still under development, also because of regulatory issues. Here, we critically discuss the most recent examples of the application of natural and biomimetic melanin to cosmetics and highlight the requirements and future steps that would improve melanin-based cosmetics in the view of future applications in the everyday market.

The prognostic value of Dickkopf-3 (Dkk3), TGFB1 and ECM-1 in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is considered one of the most common cancers worldwide. Despite advances in patient diagnosis, management, and risk stratification, 10%-20% of patients progress to castration-resistant disease. Our previous report highlighted a protective role of Dickkopf-3 (DKK3) in PCa stroma. This role was proposed to be mediated through opposing extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM-1) and TGF-β signalling activity. However, a detailed analysis of the prognostic value of DKK3, ECM-1 and members of the TGF-β signalling pathway in PCa was not thoroughly investigated. In this study, we explored the prognostic value of DKK3, ECM-1 and TGFB1 using a bioinformatical approach through analysis of large publicly available datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TGCA) and Pan-Cancer Atlas databases. Our results showed a significant gradual loss of DKK3 expression with PCa progression (p < 0.0001) associated with increased DNA methylation in its promoter region (p < 1.63E-12). In contrast, patients with metastatic lesions showed significantly higher levels of TGFB1 expression compared to primary tumours (p < 0.00001). Our results also showed a marginal association between more advanced tumour stage presented as positive lymph node involvement and low DKK3 mRNA expression (p = 0.082). However, while ECM1 showed no association with tumour stage (p = 0.773), high TGFB1 expression showed a significant association with more advanced stage presented as advanced T3 stage compared to patients with low TGFB1 mRNA expression (p < 0.001). Interestingly, while ECM1 showed no significant association with patient outcome, patients with high DKK3 mRNA expression showed a significant association with favourable outcomes presented as prolonged disease-specific (p = 0.0266), progression-free survival (p = 0.047) and disease-free (p = 0.05). In contrast, high TGFB1 mRNA expression showed a significant association with poor patient outcomes presented as shortened progression-free (p = 0.00032) and disease-free survival (p = 0.0433). Moreover, DKK3, TGFB1 and ECM1 have acted as immune-associated genes in the PCa tumour microenvironment. In conclusion, our findings showed a distinct prognostic value for this three-gene signature in PCa. While both DKK3 and TGFB1 showed a potential role as a clinical marker for PCa stratification, ECM1 showed no significant association with the majority of clinicopathological parameters, which reduce its clinical significance as a reliable prognostic marker.

Advancement in Cancer Vasculogenesis Modeling through 3D Bioprinting Technology

Cancer vasculogenesis is a pivotal focus of cancer research and treatment given its critical role in tumor development, metastasis, and the formation of vasculogenic microenvironments. Traditional approaches to investigating cancer vasculogenesis face significant challenges in accurately modeling intricate microenvironments. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology present promising solutions to these challenges. This review provides an overview of cancer vasculogenesis and underscores the importance of precise modeling. It juxtaposes traditional techniques with 3D bioprinting technologies, elucidating the advantages of the latter in developing cancer vasculogenesis models. Furthermore, it explores applications in pathological investigations, preclinical medication screening for personalized treatment and cancer diagnostics, and envisages future prospects for 3D bioprinted cancer vasculogenesis models. Despite notable advancements, current 3D bioprinting techniques for cancer vasculogenesis modeling have several limitations. Nonetheless, by overcoming these challenges and with technological advances, 3D bioprinting exhibits immense potential for revolutionizing the understanding of cancer vasculogenesis and augmenting treatment modalities.

DEP domain containing 1 as a biomarker for poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma

Objective

The DEP domain-containing 1 (DEPDC1) gene is essential in the development and advancement of different types of cancer. This study is to examine the levels of DEPDC1 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and to determine its relationship with clinical results and immune response. The goal is to assess its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD.

Methods

By comprehensively utilizing the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), gene Expression Synthesis (GEO), UALCAN, cBioPortal, TISIDB databases and online platforms, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis to investigate DEPDC1 gene survival analysis, prognostic diagnosis, prognostic survival, immune cell infiltration, DNA methylation, and the correlation of genetic mutations in LUAD. The results were validated through cell assay and immunohistochemical staining.

Results

DEPDC1 shows high levels of expression in the majority of tumors, with its expression being notably elevated in LUAD compablue to normal tissues. The expression of DEPDC1 varies based on the clinical characteristics of patients with LUAD. DEPDC1 expression affects the survival prognosis and prognostic model construction of LUAD patients. In addition, the presence of DEPDC1 is linked to immune infiltration. Various chemokines and chemokine receptors, immunoinhibitors and immune-stimulators in LUAD are significantly correlated with DEPDC1 methylation levels. Cell experiments confirmed through qPCR that the mRNA expression of DEPDC1 in LUAD was markedly elevated in comparison to the normal population, and immunohistochemistry showed positive DEPDC1 expression in LUAD pathological sections.

Conclusion

Systematic analysis and experiments have verified that DEPDC1 serves as a biomarker for detecting early, prediction of survival, and evaluation of immune cell infiltration in LUAD.

Macrophage-Induced Carboxypeptidase A4 Promotes the Progression of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Background: The density of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is associated with poor prognosis. However, the crosstalk between macrophages and ATC cells is poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of macrophages on cancer cell phenotypes. We found a new mediator between M2 macrophages and ATC cells through proteomics analysis. Methods: The role of macrophages in proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells was evaluated using coculture assay and conditioned medium (CM). Secretory factors in the CM from single or coculture were identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry proteomics analysis. We evaluated the role of the secretory factor in proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. In vivo xenograft model was used to evaluate the effect of the factor. Results: M2 macrophages significantly increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells, whereas M1 macrophages decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells. Based on proteomic analysis of CM, we identify carboxypeptidase A4 (CPA4) as a mediator of the crosstalk between macrophages and ATC cells. CPA4 was only detected in the coculture media of M2 macrophage/8505C, and its expression in cancer cells increased by M2 macrophage. The expression of CPA4 protein was significantly higher in human thyroid cancers, particularly in ATCs, than normal and benign tissues. A bioinformatics analysis of public data revealed that CPA4 expression was associated with poor prognosis and dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer. Knockdown of CPA4 suppressed proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of ATC cells, consistent with the decrease of STAT3, ERK, and AKT/mTOR phosphorylation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker expression. In addition, the increased expression of CPA4 in cancer cells by M2 macrophage stimulation induced the polarization of macrophages to the M2 phenotype, which formed a positive feedback loop. Xenograft tumors did not develop after CPA4 knockdown. Conclusions: Our data suggest that CPA4 stimulates the progression of thyroid cancer by mediating between M2 macrophages and ATC cells. CPA4 can be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with ATC.

Applications of 3D Bioprinting Technology to Brain Cells and Brain Tumor Models: Special Emphasis to Glioblastoma

Primary brain tumor is one of the most fatal diseases. The most malignant type among them, glioblastoma (GBM), has low survival rates. Standard treatments reduce the life quality of patients due to serious side effects. Tumor aggressiveness and the unique structure of the brain render the removal of tumors and the development of new therapies challenging. To elucidate the characteristics of brain tumors and examine their response to drugs, realistic systems that mimic the tumor environment and cellular crosstalk are desperately needed. In the past decade, 3D GBM models have been presented as excellent platforms as they allowed the investigation of the phenotypes of GBM and testing innovative therapeutic strategies. In that scope, 3D bioprinting technology offers utilities such as fabricating realistic 3D bioprinted structures in a layer-by-layer manner and precisely controlled deposition of materials and cells, and they can be integrated with other technologies like the microfluidics approach. This Review covers studies that investigated 3D bioprinted brain tumor models, especially GBM using 3D bioprinting techniques and essential parameters that affect the result and quality of the study like frequently used cells, the type and physical characteristics of hydrogel, bioprinting conditions, cross-linking methods, and characterization techniques.

Integrating spatial and single-cell transcriptomics reveals tumor heterogeneity and intercellular networks in colorectal cancer

Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), a powerful tool for studying the tumor microenvironment (TME), does not preserve/provide spatial information on tissue morphology and cellular interactions. To understand the crosstalk between diverse cellular components in proximity in the TME, we performed scRNA-seq coupled with spatial transcriptomic (ST) assay to profile 41,700 cells from three colorectal cancer (CRC) tumor-normal-blood pairs. Standalone scRNA-seq analyses revealed eight major cell populations, including B cells, T cells, Monocytes, NK cells, Epithelial cells, Fibroblasts, Mast cells, Endothelial cells. After the identification of malignant cells from epithelial cells, we observed seven subtypes of malignant cells that reflect heterogeneous status in tumor, including tumor_CAV1, tumor_ATF3_JUN | FOS, tumor_ZEB2, tumor_VIM, tumor_WSB1, tumor_LXN, and tumor_PGM1. By transferring the cellular annotations obtained by scRNA-seq to ST spots, we annotated four regions in a cryosection from CRC patients, including tumor, stroma, immune infiltration, and colon epithelium regions. Furthermore, we observed intensive intercellular interactions between stroma and tumor regions which were extremely proximal in the cryosection. In particular, one pair of ligands and receptors (C5AR1 and RPS19) was inferred to play key roles in the crosstalk of stroma and tumor regions. For the tumor region, a typical feature of TMSB4X-high expression was identified, which could be a potential marker of CRC. The stroma region was found to be characterized by VIM-high expression, suggesting it fostered a stromal niche in the TME. Collectively, single cell and spatial analysis in our study reveal the tumor heterogeneity and molecular interactions in CRC TME, which provides insights into the mechanisms underlying CRC progression and may contribute to the development of anticancer therapies targeting on non-tumor components, such as the extracellular matrix (ECM) in CRC. The typical genes we identified may facilitate to new molecular subtypes of CRC.

Functional roles of microRNAs in vasculogenic mimicry and resistance to therapy in human cancers: an update

INTRODUCTION

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) alludes to the ability of cancer cells to organize on three-dimensional channel-like structures to obtain nutrients and oxygen. This mechanism confers an aggressive phenotype, metastatic potential, and resistance to chemotherapy resulting in a poor prognosis. Recent studies have been focused on the identification of microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate the VM representing potential therapeutic targets in cancer.

AREAS COVERED

An overview of the roles of miRNAs on VM development and their functional relationships with tumor microenvironment. The functions of cancer stem-like cells in VM, and resistance to therapy are also discussed. Moreover, the modulation of VM by natural compounds is explored. The clinical significance of deregulated miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets in tumors showing VM is further highlighted.

EXPERT OPINION

The miRNAs are regulators of protein-encoding genes involved in VM; however, their specific expression signatures with clinical value in large cohorts of patients have not been established yet. We considered that genomic profiling of miRNAs could be useful to define some hallmarks of tumors such as stemness, drug resistance, and VM in cancer patients. However, additional studies are needed to establish the relevant role of miRNAs as effective therapeutic targets in tumors that have developed VM.

Bortezomib exerts its anti-cancer activity through the regulation of Skp2/p53 axis in non-melanoma skin cancer cells and C. elegans

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), encompassing basal and squamous cell carcinoma, is the most prevalent cancer in the United States. While surgical removal remains the conventional therapy with a 95% 5-year cure rate, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative treatment strategies. In this study, we investigated the role of Bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor, in NMSC. Using two NMSC cell lines (A431 and A388), we examined the effects of BTZ treatment. Our results demonstrated that 48 h of BTZ treatment led to downregulating Skp2 expression in both A431 and A388 cells while upregulating p53 expression, specifically in A388 cells. These alterations resulted in impaired cellular growth and caspase-dependent cell death. Silencing Skp2 in A388 cells with siRNA confirmed the upregulation of p53 as a direct target. Furthermore, BTZ treatment increased the Bax to Bcl-2 ratio, promoting mitochondrial permeability and the subsequent release of cytochrome C, thereby activating caspases. We also found that BTZ exerted its antitumor effects by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), as blocking ROS production significantly reduced BTZ-induced apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, BTZ treatment induced autophagy, which is evident from the increased expression of microtubule-associated proteins nucleoporin p62 and LC-3A/B. In addition to cell lines, we assessed the impact of BTZ in an in vivo setting using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our findings demonstrated that BTZ induced germline apoptosis in worms even at low concentrations. Notably, this increased apoptosis was mediated through the activity of CEP-1, the worm's counterpart to mammalian p53. In summary, our study elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying BTZ-induced apoptosis in NMSC cell lines and C. elegans. By targeting the skp2/p53 axis, inducing mitochondrial permeability, generating ROS, and promoting autophagy, BTZ demonstrates promising anti-cancer activity in NMSC. These findings provide novel insights into potential therapeutic strategies for controlling the unregulated growth of NMSC.

Modulation of the tumor microenvironment and mechanism of immunotherapy-based drug resistance in breast cancer

Breast cancer, the most frequent female malignancy, is often curable when detected at an early stage. The treatment of metastatic breast cancer is more challenging and may be unresponsive to conventional therapy. Immunotherapy is crucial for treating metastatic breast cancer, but its resistance is a major limitation. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is vital in modulating the immunotherapy response. Various tumor microenvironmental components, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), are involved in TME modulation to cause immunotherapy resistance. This review highlights the role of stromal cells in modulating the breast tumor microenvironment, including the involvement of CAF-TAM interaction, alteration of tumor metabolism leading to immunotherapy failure, and other latest strategies, including high throughput genomic screening, single-cell and spatial omics techniques for identifying tumor immune genes regulating immunotherapy response. This review emphasizes the therapeutic approach to overcome breast cancer immune resistance through CAF reprogramming, modulation of TAM polarization, tumor metabolism, and genomic alterations.

An Evaluation of Risk Factors for Intracranial Metastases of Sarcomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Sarcomas, a group of neoplasms comprising both tissue and bone soft tissue tumors, has an increasing prevalence in recent years. Prognosis significantly hinges on early detection, and if not detected early, may consequently metastasize. This review will be the first systematic review and meta-analysis characterizing the presentation and progression of brain metastases from bone and soft tissue cancers.

METHODS

The PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were queried to identify studies reporting the incidence of intracranial brain metastases from primary sarcoma to the present. Abstract and full-text screening of 1822 initial articles returned by preliminary search yielded 28 studies for inclusion and data extraction. Qualitative assessment of the studies was conducted in accordance with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale criteria. Meta-analyses were applied to assess risk factors on outcomes.

RESULTS

The average age within the cohort was 27.9 years with a male and female prevalence of 59.1% and 40.9%, respectively. The odds ratio for living status (dead/alive) was calculated for several risk factors - male/female [OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.62, 2.07], single/multiple metastases [OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.35, 1.28], lung metastases/not [OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.85, 3.13], surgery/no surgery [OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.20, 1.21]. The standardized mean differences for duration from diagnoses to metastases were likewise analyzed - male/female [SMD 0.13, 95% CI -0.15, 0.42], single/multiple metastases [SMD 0.11, 95% CI -0.20, 0.42], lung metastases/not [SMD -0.03, 95% CI -0.38, 0.32], surgery/no surgery [SMD 0.45, 95% CI -0.18, 1.09]. The standardized mean differences for duration from metastases to death were analyzed - lung metastases/not [SMD 0.43, 95% CI -0.08, 0.95].

CONCLUSIONS

Our study observed no statistically significant differences in mortality rate among several patient risk factors. Consequentially, there lacks a clear answer as to whether or not an association between mortality rates exists with these patient factors. As such, it is important to continue research in brain-metastasizing sarcomas despite their relative rarity.

Non-oncogene dependencies: Novel opportunities for cancer therapy

Targeting oncogene addictions have changed the history of subsets of malignancies and continues to represent an excellent therapeutic opportunity. Nonetheless, alternative strategies are required to treat malignancies driven by undruggable oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes and to overcome drug resistance also occurring in cancers addicted to actionable drivers. The discovery of non-oncogene addiction (NOA) uncovered novel therapeutically exploitable "Achilles' heels". NOA refers to genes/pathways not oncogenic per sé but essential for the tumor cell growth/survival while dispensable for normal cells. The clinical success of several classes of conventional and molecular targeted agents can be ascribed to their impact on both tumor cell-associated intrinsic as well as microenvironment-related extrinsic NOA. The integration of genetic, computational and pharmacological high-throughput approaches led to the identification of an expanded repertoire of synthetic lethality interactions implicating NOA targets. Only a few of them have been translated into the clinics as most NOA vulnerabilities are not easily druggable or appealing targets. Nonetheless, their identification has provided in-depth knowledge of tumor pathobiology and suggested novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, we summarize conceptual framework of intrinsic and extrinsic NOA providing exploitable vulnerabilities. Conventional and emerging methodological approaches used to disclose NOA dependencies are reported together with their limits. We illustrate NOA paradigmatic and peculiar examples and outline the functional/mechanistic aspects, potential druggability and translational interest. Finally, we comment on difficulties in exploiting the NOA-generated knowledge to develop novel therapeutic approaches to be translated into the clinics and to fully harness the potential of clinically available drugs.

Prognostic and therapeutic potential of senescent stromal fibroblasts in prostate cancer

The stromal component of the tumour microenvironment in primary and metastatic prostate cancer can influence and promote disease progression. Within the prostatic stroma, fibroblasts are one of the most prevalent cell types associated with precancerous and cancerous lesions; they have a vital role in the structural composition, organization and integrity of the extracellular matrix. Fibroblasts within the tumour microenvironment can undergo cellular senescence, which is a stable arrest of cell growth and a phenomenon that is emerging as a recognized hallmark of cancer. Supporting the idea that cellular senescence has a pro-tumorigenic role, a subset of senescent cells exhibits a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which, along with increased inflammation, can promote prostate cancer cell growth and survival. These cellular characteristics make targeting senescent cells and/or modulating SASP attractive as a potential preventive or therapeutic option for prostate cancer.

Influence of tumor microenvironment on the different breast cancer subtypes and applied therapies

Despite the significant improvements made in breast cancer therapy during the last decades, this disease still has increasing incidence and mortality rates. Different targets involved in general processes, like cell proliferation and survival, have become alternative therapeutic options for this disease, with some of them already used in clinic, like the CDK4/6 inhibitors for luminal A tumors treatment. Nevertheless, there is a demand for novel therapeutic strategies focused not only on tumor cells, but also on their microenvironment. Tumor microenvironment (TME) is a very complex and dynamic system that, more than surrounding and supporting tumor cells, actively participates in tumor development and progression. During the last decades, it has become clear that the cellular and acellular components of TME differ between the various breast cancer subtypes and shape the differences regarding their severity and prognosis. The pivotal role of the TME in controlling tumor growth and influencing responses to therapy represents a potential source for novel targets and therapeutic strategies. In this review, we present a description of the multiple therapeutic options used for different breast cancer subtypes, as well as the influence that the TME may exert on the development of the disease and on the response to the distinct therapies, which in some cases may explain their failure by the occurrence of relapses and resistance. Furthermore, the ongoing studies focused on the use of TME components for developing potential cancer treatments are described.

Cancer Nanovaccines: Nanomaterials and Clinical Perspectives

Cancer nanovaccines represent a promising frontier in cancer immunotherapy, utilizing nanotechnology to augment traditional vaccine efficacy. This review comprehensively examines the current state-of-the-art in cancer nanovaccine development, elucidating innovative strategies and technologies employed in their design. It explores both preclinical and clinical advancements, emphasizing key studies demonstrating their potential to elicit robust anti-tumor immune responses. The study encompasses various facets, including integrating biomaterial-based nanocarriers for antigen delivery, adjuvant selection, and the impact of nanoscale properties on vaccine performance. Detailed insights into the complex interplay between the tumor microenvironment and nanovaccine responses are provided, highlighting challenges and opportunities in optimizing therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, the study presents a thorough analysis of ongoing clinical trials, presenting a snapshot of the current clinical landscape. By curating the latest scientific findings and clinical developments, this study aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers and clinicians engaged in advancing cancer immunotherapy. Integrating nanotechnology into vaccine design holds immense promise for revolutionizing cancer treatment paradigms, and this review provides a timely update on the evolving landscape of cancer nanovaccines.

An overview of the regulatory role of annexin A1 in the tumor microenvironment and its prospective clinical application (Review)

Although annexin A1 (ANXA1), a 37 kDa phospholipid‑binding anti‑inflammatory protein expressed in various tissues and cell types, has been investigated extensively for its regulatory role in cancer biology, studies have mainly focused on its intracellular role. However, cancer cells and stromal cells expressing ANXA1 have the ability to transmit signals within the tumor microenvironment (TME) through autocrine, juxtacrine, or paracrine signaling. This bidirectional crosstalk between cancer cells and their environment is also crucial for cancer progression, contributing to uncontrolled tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis and resistance to therapy. The present review explored the important role of ANXA1 in regulating the cell‑specific crosstalk between various compartments of the TME and analyzed the guiding significance of the crosstalk effects in promotion or suppressing cancer progression in the development of cancer treatments. The literature shows that ANXA1 is critical for the regulation of the TME, indicating that ANXA1 signaling between cancer cells and the TME is a potential therapeutic target for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for impeding cancer development.

Harnessing the potential of nanoengineered siRNAs carriers for target responsive glioma therapy: Recent progress and future opportunities

Past scientific testimonials in the field of glioma research, the deadliest tumor among all brain cancer types with the life span of 10-15 months after diagnosis is considered as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Even though the availability of treatment options such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, are unable to completely cure GBM due to tumor microenvironment complexity, intrinsic cellular signalling, and genetic mutations which are involved in chemoresistance. The blood-brain barrier is accountable for restricting drugs entry at the tumor location and related biological challenges like endocytic degradation, short systemic circulation, and insufficient cellular penetration lead to tumor aggression and progression. The above stated challenges can be better mitigated by small interfering RNAs (siRNA) by knockdown genes responsible for tumor progression and resistance. However, siRNA encounters with challenges like inefficient cellular transfection, short circulation time, endogenous degradation, and off-target effects. The novel functionalized nanocarrier approach in conjunction with biological and chemical modification offers an intriguing potential to address challenges associated with the naked siRNA and efficiently silence STAT3, coffilin-1, EGFR, VEGF, SMO, MGMT, HAO-1, GPX-4, TfR, LDLR and galectin-1 genes in GBM tumor. This review highlights the nanoengineered siRNA carriers, their recent advancements, future perspectives, and strategies to overcome the systemic siRNA delivery challenges for glioma treatment.