Exercise Activates p53 and Negatively Regulates IGF-1 Pathway in Epidermis within a Skin Cancer Model

The Influence of the Exposome in the Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a Multicenter Case-Control Study

INTRODUCTION

The concept of exposome refers to the total of harmful and beneficial environmental exposures that can help predict the organism's biological responses over time. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sun exposure has been recognized as the main etiological agent of skin cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one most commonly associated with chronic exposure. However, in recent years, evidence suggests that lifestyle, environmental pollution, and contaminants in water and food can have an influence.

OBJECTIVES

To study the relationship between SCC and sun exposure, pollution, stress, and lifestyle in a Spanish cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

A multicenter case-control study was carried out in which 13 dermatologists from different regions of Spain recruited cases and controls between April 2020 and August 2022. The group of cases were patients diagnosed with SCC and, as a control group, people who attended Dermatology consultations as companions with no history of skin cancer.

RESULTS

A total of 62 patients with SCC and 126 controls were included (62.9% males, median age 76.46 (10.1) and 33.3%, median age 55.7 (15), respectively). The SCC group had experienced more outside work than the controls (75% vs. 22.4%, p < 0.001), less recreational exposure (sunbathing, p = 0.05, and outdoor sports, p = 0.01), and a lower annual income (p = 0.01), with an increase in tobacco exposure (p < 0.001), without differences in other carcinogens, such as ionizing radiation or chemical exposure. The control group had a higher daily screentime use (p < 0.001) and practiced more relaxation activities (p = 0.03). A higher linolenic acid intake and lower coffee consumption were the only dietary variables associated with SCC (p < 0.05). Some chronic medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants, beta-blockers, statins, hydrochlorothiazide, ACE inhibitors, metformin, and omeprazole) were also statistically associated with SCC. Statistical significance for all aforementioned variables was maintained in the multivariate analysis (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The study found a significant association between SCC and multiple exposome-related factors in addition to chronic sun exposure in the Spanish population. Primary prevention strategies should target specific populations, such as outdoor workers promoting sun-safe behaviors and stress-reducing activities, in addition to adequate skin photoprotection in patients under certain medications associated with SCC.

Exercise Training in Elderly Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

Due to the aging of the population, in 70% of cases, a new cancer diagnosis equals a cancer diagnosis in a geriatric patient. In this population, beyond the concept of mortality and morbidity, functional capacity, disability, and quality of life remain crucial. In fact, when the functional status is preserved, the pathogenetic curve towards disability will stop or even regress. The present systematic review investigated the effectiveness of physical exercise, as part of a holistic assessment of the patient, for preventing disability and improving the patient’s quality of life, and partially reducing all-cause mortality. This evidence must point towards decentralization of care by implementing the development of rehabilitation programs for elderly cancer patients either before or after anti-cancer therapy.

Antioxidant Properties of Hemp Proteins: From Functional Food to Phytotherapy and Beyond

As one of the oldest plants cultivated by humans, hemp used to be banned in the United States but returned as a legal crop in 2018. Since then, the United States has become the leading hemp producer in the world. Currently, hemp attracts increasing attention from consumers and scientists as hemp products provide a wide spectrum of potential functions. Particularly, bioactive peptides derived from hemp proteins have been proven to be strong antioxidants, which is an extremely hot research topic in recent years. However, some controversial disputes and unknown issues are still underway to be explored and verified in the aspects of technique, methodology, characteristic, mechanism, application, caution, etc. Therefore, this review focusing on the antioxidant properties of hemp proteins is necessary to discuss the multiple critical issues, including in vitro structure-modifying techniques and antioxidant assays, structure-activity relationships of antioxidant peptides, pre-clinical studies on hemp proteins and pathogenesis-related molecular mechanisms, usage and potential hazard, and novel advanced techniques involving bioinformatics methodology (QSAR, PPI, GO, KEGG), proteomic analysis, and genomics analysis, etc. Taken together, the antioxidant potential of hemp proteins may provide both functional food benefits and phytotherapy efficacy to human health.

Exercise Promotes Pro-Apoptotic Ceramide Signaling in a Mouse Melanoma Model

Simple Summary

Exercise has been shown to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy against several tumor models using mice through modulating tumor vascular perfusion, immune function, circulating growth factors, hypoxia, and metabolism in tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment. However, little is known about the effect of exercise on tumor-cell-intrinsic death mechanisms, such as apoptosis. Ceramide is a bioactive lipid that can promote cell death. The strategy of increasing intracellular ceramide has potential as an anticancer treatment for melanoma with dysregulated ceramide metabolism, but there is not yet a clinically relevant method to do so. We found that moderate aerobic exercise increases pro-apoptotic ceramide in melanoma in mice, and activates p53 signaling, promoting tumor cell apoptosis. This finding suggests that exercise may be most effective as an adjuvant therapy to sensitize cancer cells to anticancer treatments in tumors that exhibit downregulated ceramide generation to evade cell death.

Abstract

Ceramides are essential sphingolipids that mediate cell death and survival. Low ceramide content in melanoma is one mechanism of drug resistance. Thus, increasing the ceramide content in tumor cells is likely to increase their sensitivity to cytotoxic therapy. Aerobic exercise has been shown to modulate ceramide metabolism in healthy tissue, but the relationship between exercise and ceramide in tumors has not been evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that aerobic exercise causes tumor cell apoptosis and accumulation of pro-apoptotic ceramides in B16F10 but not BP melanoma models using mice. B16F10 tumor-bearing mice were treated with two weeks of moderate treadmill exercise, or were control, unexercised mice. A reverse-phase protein array was used to identify canonical p53 apoptotic signaling as a key pathway upregulated by exercise, and we demonstrate increased apoptosis in tumors from exercised mice. Consistent with this finding, pro-apoptotic C16-ceramide, and the ceramide generating enzyme ceramide synthase 6 (CerS6), were higher in B16F10 tumors from exercised mice, while pro-survival sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) was lower. These data suggest that exercise contributes to B16F10 tumor cell death, possibly by modulating ceramide metabolism toward a pro-apoptotic ceramide/sphingosine-1-phosphate balance. However, these results are not consistent in BP tumors, demonstrating that exercise can have different effects on tumors of different patient or mouse origin with the same diagnosis. This work indicates that exercise might be most effective as a therapeutic adjuvant with therapies that kill tumor cells in a ceramide-dependent manner.

Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Related to Sun Exposure in Sportspeople: A Systematic Review

People who practice outdoor sports have an increased risk of skin cancer as they are exposed to high doses of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Recent studies have shown that in many athletes, sun protection behaviours are inadequate, with the risk that this entails. The aim of this review is to collect the information published to date about the knowledge, attitudes and habits of athletes in relation to sun exposure and its risks. A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Embase with the search algorithm "(skin cancer OR melanoma) AND (exercise OR sport OR athletes)". All studies analysing the knowledge, attitudes and habits of photoprotection in athletes were included. A total of 2,365 publications were found, of which 23 were selected, including a total of 10,445 sportspeople. The majority of participants declared their voluntary intention to tan and stated that the sun made them feel better, although they also showed concern about possible damage associated with UV radiation. In most studies, less than half of the participants made adequate use of photoprotective measures. In general, most athletes had a high level of knowledge regarding the risk of skin cancer associated with sun exposure. In conclusion, most athletes are aware of the risks associated with UV radiation but do not make adequate use of photoprotective cream. New training programs on photoprotection could help improve athletes' photoprotective behaviour, reducing the incidence of skin cancer and precancerous lesions in this population.

Exercise Counteracts the Deleterious Effects of Cancer Cachexia

Simple Summary

This review provides an overview of the effects of exercise training on the major mechanisms related to cancer cachexia (CC). The review also discusses how cancer comorbidities can influence the ability of patients/animals with cancer to perform exercise training and what precautions should be taken when they exercise. The contribution of other factors, such as exercise modality and biological sex, to exercise effectiveness in ameliorating CC are also elaborated in the final sections. We provide meticulous evidence for how advantageous exercise training can be in patients/animals with CC at molecular and cellular levels. Finally, we emphasise what factors should be considered to optimise and personalise an exercise training program in CC.

Abstract

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a multifactorial syndrome characterised by unintentional loss of body weight and muscle mass in patients with cancer. The major hallmarks associated with CC development and progression include imbalanced protein turnover, inflammatory signalling, mitochondrial dysfunction and satellite cell dysregulation. So far, there is no effective treatment to counteract muscle wasting in patients with CC. Exercise training has been proposed as a potential therapeutic approach for CC. This review provides an overview of the effects of exercise training in CC-related mechanisms as well as how factors such as cancer comorbidities, exercise modality and biological sex can influence exercise effectiveness in CC. Evidence in mice and humans suggests exercise training combats all of the hallmarks of CC. Several exercise modalities induce beneficial adaptations in patients/animals with CC, but concurrent resistance and endurance training is considered the optimal type of exercise. In the case of cancer patients presenting comorbidities, exercise training should be performed only under specific guidelines and precautions to avoid adverse effects. Observational comparison of studies in CC using different biological sex shows exercise-induced adaptations are similar between male and female patients/animals with cancer, but further studies are needed to confirm this.

Possible involvement of CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 in exercise-induced collagen production of mouse dermal fibroblasts

Evidence suggests that exercise can regulate skin functions such as promoting wound healing and inhibiting aging. Physical exercise modulates the secretion of proteins and peptides from skeletal muscles, called myokines, which play a role in transmitting exercise signals throughout the body. Therefore, exercise-regulated myokines may play a role in controlling skin functions; however, the precise mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we focused on the recently identified CXC motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), an exercise-reduced myokine, and attempted to elucidate its role in regulating collagen synthesis in dermal fibroblasts. Mouse C2C12 myotubes were stimulated with or without electrical pulse stimulation (EPS) to induce contraction for 24 h, and conditioned medium was collected (EPS-CM or Ctrl-CM, respectively). The reduction in CXCL10 concentration by EPS was confirmed using ELISA. Next, mouse dermal fibroblasts were isolated from the dorsal skin of C57BL6/J mice (2 weeks old) and were stimulated with Ctrl-CM or EPS-CM for 24 h. EPS-CM treatment significantly increased collagen production compared to Ctrl-CM treatment. Even in the Ctrl-CM condition, the addition of an antagonist for CXCR3 (CXCL10 receptor) increased collagen production. In contrast, recombinant CXCL10 abolished EPS-CM-dependent collagen induction. Overall, this study raises the possibility that CXCL10 secretion from skeletal muscles may control collagen production in mouse dermal fibroblasts.

Effect of exercise on peritoneal microenvironment and progression of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological malignancies and lacks treatments that do not significantly impact patient health-related quality of life. Exercise has been associated with reduced cancer risk and improved clinical outcomes; however the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we utilized a treadmill-running exercise model to investigate the effects of exercise on high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) progression and chemotherapy outcomes. We found that treadmill-running suppressed peritoneal colonization of tumors in a syngeneic mouse ovarian cancer model. Acute exercise stimulated the production of CCL2 and IL-15 in the peritoneal microenvironment while downregulating CCL22, VEGF, and CCL12. Using a co-culture model, we demonstrated the role of CCL2 in mediating the activity of peritoneal cells to inhibit cancer cell viability. We showed that the activation of M1 macrophages may contribute to the exercise-induced changes in the peritoneal microenvironment. We identified that chronic exercise modulates gene expression of intraperitoneal fat tissues related to lipid formation, thermogenesis, browning, and inflammation, which can contribute to inhibiting the colonization of metastatic ovarian cancer. Treadmill running also lowered blood urea nitrogen levels and reduced incidence of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia during chemotherapy in a mouse model, suggesting the potential beneficial effects of exercise in improving chemotherapy outcomes. Our data provided new insights into the acute and chronic effects of physical activity on ovarian cancer at the molecular and in vivo levels.

Exercise-induced myokines and their effect on prostate cancer

Exercise is recognized by clinicians in the field of clinical oncology for its potential role in reducing the risk of certain cancers and in reducing the risk of disease recurrence and progression; yet, the underlying mechanisms behind this reduction in risk are not fully understood. Studies applying post-exercise blood serum directly to various types of cancer cell lines provide insight that exercise might have a role in inhibiting cancer growth via altered soluble and cell-free blood contents. Myokines, which are cytokines produced by muscle and secreted into the bloodstream, might offer multiple benefits to cellular metabolism (such as a reduction in insulin resistance, improved glucose uptake and reduced adiposity), and blood myokine levels can be altered with exercise. Alterations in the levels of myokines such as IL-6, IL-15, IL-10, irisin, secreted protein acidic risk in cysteine (SPARC), myostatin, oncostatin M and decorin might exert a direct inhibitory effect on cancer growth via inhibiting proliferation, promoting apoptosis, inducing cell-cycle arrest and inhibiting the epithermal transition to mesenchymal cells. The association of insulin resistance, hyperinsulinaemia and hyperlipidaemia with obesity can create a tumour-favourable environment; exercise-induced myokines can manipulate this environment by regulating adipose tissue and adipocytes. Exercise-induced myokines also have a critical role in increasing cytotoxicity and the infiltration of immune cells into the tumour.

Endurance Exercise Mitigates Immunometabolic Adipose Tissue Disturbances in Cancer and Obesity

Adipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ whose complex biology can be explained by the diversity of cell types that compose this tissue. The immune cells found in the stromal portion of adipose tissue play an important role on the modulation of inflammation by adipocytokines secretion. The interactions between metabolic active tissues and immune cells, called immunometabolism, is an important field for discovering new pathways and approaches to treat immunometabolic diseases, such as obesity and cancer. Moreover, physical exercise is widely known as a tool for prevention and adjuvant treatment on metabolic diseases. More specifically, aerobic exercise training is able to increase the energy expenditure, reduce the nutrition overload and modify the profile of adipocytokines and myokines with paracrine and endocrine effects. Therefore, our aim in this review was to cover the effects of aerobic exercise training on the immunometabolism of adipose tissue in obesity and cancer, focusing on the exercise-related modification on adipose tissue or immune cells isolated as well as their interaction.

Extracellular vesicles enriched with miR-150 released by macrophages regulates the TP53-IGF-1 axis to alleviate myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) is recognized as a major cause of death and disability around the world. Macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been reportedly involved in the regulation of cellular responses to MI. Thus, we sought to clarify the mechanism by which macrophage-derived EVs regulate this process. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to determine microRNA-150 (miR-150) expression in an MI mouse model with ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-exposed cardiomyocytes. Bioinformatics analysis and dual luciferase reporter gene assay were adopted to identify the correlation of miR-150 with tumor protein 53 (TP53) expression in cardiomyocytes. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were conducted in H/R-induced cardiomyocytes, cardiomyocytes incubated with EVs from miR-150 mimic-transfected macrophages, or MI-model mice treated with EVs from miR-150 mimic-transfected macrophages. hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining assays were used for detecting inflammatory infiltration and cell apoptosis. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by dead cardiomyocytes was measured with an LDH kit, and the apoptosis-related proteins, Bax, and cleaved-caspase 3 were determined by Western blot analysis. miR-150 expression was downregulated in the infarcted cardiac tissues of MI mice. Macrophage-derived EVs could transfer miR-150 into cardiomyocytes, where it directly targeted and suppressed TP53. Furthermore, miR-150 suppressed phosphatase and tensin homology (PTEN) and activated p-Akt to upregulate IGF-1 expression. Furthermore, increased expression of EV-derived miR-150 prevented cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vitro, as evidenced by downregulated Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 and upregulated Bcl2 and alleviated MI in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the cardioprotective effect of macrophage-derived EV-miR-150 on MI-induced heart injury through negatively regulating the TP53-IGF-1 signaling pathway.NEW & NOTEWORTHY miR-150 is expressed at a low level in cardiac tissues after myocardial infarction. Macrophages-derived EVs transfer miR-150 to cardiomyocytes. miR-150 directly targets TP53. miR-150 elevation regulates TP53-IGF-1 axis to reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis. EV-derived miR-150 could be a potential therapeutic target for myocardial infarction.

Exercise retards hepatocarcinogenesis in obese mice independently of weight control

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in humans and accelerate diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice. We investigated whether exercise reduces HCC development in obese/diabetic Alms1 mutant (foz/foz) mice and studied protective mechanisms.

METHODS

We measured HCC development in DEN-injected male foz/foz and wild-type (WT) littermates housed with or without an exercise wheel from week 4 until 12 or 24 weeks, and in foz/foz mice pair-fed to WT littermates. We also studied HCC development in DEN-injected Jnk1^-/-.foz/foz mice generated by cross breeding, as well as their genetic controls. Dysplastic hepatocytes were identified by glutathione-S-transferase pi form (GST-pi) immunohistochemistry, liver nodules were counted, and HCC was analysed by histopathology.

RESULTS

Exercising foz/foz mice maintained similar weight as WT mice up to 10 weeks, but then gained weight and were obese by 24 weeks; a similar body weight profile was obtained by pair-feeding foz/foz mice to WT. At 12 weeks, livers of exercising foz/foz mice exhibited fewer GST-pi positive hepatocytes than sedentary counterparts; by 24 weeks, fewer exercising foz/foz mice developed HCC (15% vs. 64%, p <0.05). Conversely, pair-feeding foz/foz mice failed to reduce HCC incidence. In these insulin-resistant foz/foz mice, exercise failed to activate hepatic AMPK or Akt/mTORC1. Instead, it improved insulin sensitivity, ameliorated steatosis and liver injury, activated p53 to increase p27 expression, and prevented JNK activation. This was associated with suppression of hepatocellular proliferation. DEN-injected Jnk1^-/-.foz/foz mice failed to develop liver tumours or HCC at 24 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct effects of exercise dampen proliferation of dysplastic hepatocytes to reduce 3-month dysplastic foci and 6-month incidence of DEN-induced HCC in obese, insulin-resistant mice. The effects of exercise that potentially slow hepatocarcinogenesis include p53-mediated induction of p27 and prevention of JNK activation.

LAY SUMMARY

Fatty liver disease commonly occurs alongside obesity and diabetes, contributing to rapidly increasing rates of liver cancer throughout the world. Herein, we show that exercise reduces the incidence and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma in mouse models. The effect of exercise on cancer risk was shown to be independent of changes in weight. Exercise could be a protective mechanism against liver cancer in at-risk individuals.

Influence of the Exposome on Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in humans. While exposure to solar radiation is the most widely known and relevant causal factor, the different degrees of individual risk have not been fully elucidated. Epidemiological studies show how the risk of skin cancer is affected by other types of radiation (eg, ionizing radiation), pesticides, particulate matter in air pollution, toxins (eg, arsenic) in water and some foods. Some living entities, such as polyomavirus and human papillomavirus, can also cause specific types of cancer. Lastly, lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, and exercise may play a role, although only a few studies shed light on these factors. The abovementioned factors make up the exposome of skin cancer, that is, the set of environmental exposures that, together with the genome and microbiome, determine the onset of disease.

Aerobic Training and Green Tea Extract Protect against N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced Prostate Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Aerobic training and green tea extract can be used to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8-wk aerobic exercise training and administration of green tea extract on the level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and p53 tumor suppressor protein (p53) in prostate of rats which were stimulated by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea to induce the prostate cancer.

METHODS

Sixty adult male Wistar rats were assigned into six groups including healthy control, cancer control (CCt), cancer training (CTr: 45 min·d at low to moderate intensity, five times per week, 8 wk), cancer extract (CEx: 1.34 mL of green tea extract, three times per week, 8 wk), cancer training+ cancer extract (CTr + CEx) and sham groups. Rats were sacrificed 48 h after the last intervention session, and the prostate tissue was isolated to measure the levels of NF-kB, COX-2, and p53.

RESULTS

The NF-kB level in CCt group was increased significantly compared to the healthy control (P = 0.02). In the CTr group, NF-kB level was decreased significantly compared to the CCt and CEx groups (P = 0.001 and 0.05, respectively). In addition, the levels of P53 protein were reduced in CTr, CEx, and CTr + CEx groups compared to CCt group (P = 0.001, 0.02 and 0.004, respectively). No significant changes were found in the level of COX-2 between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that a long-term exercise training combined with the intake of green tea extract may reduce levels of NF-kB and p53 in rats with prostate cancer. Given the importance of recognizing complementary therapies in this regard, future studies are warranted.

Exercise and cancer: a position statement from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology

Due to improvements in the number of cancer survivors and survival time, there is a growing interest in healthy behaviors, such as physical activity (PA), and their potential impact on cancer- and non-cancer-related morbidity in individuals with cancer. Commissioned by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), in this review, we sought to distill the most recent evidence on this topic, focusing on the mechanisms that underpin the effects of PA on cancer, the role of PA in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of cancer and practical recommendations for clinicians regarding PA counseling. Despite the available information, the introduction of exercise programs into the global management of cancer patients remains a challenge with several areas of uncertainty. Among others, the most effective behavioral interventions to achieve long-term changes in a patient’s lifestyle and the optimal intensity and duration of PA should be defined with more precision in future studies.

Impact of cancer rehabilitation on the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Sarcopenia is a prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cancer rehabilitation (CR) improves patients' physical function and muscle mass. We investigated the effects of CR on the prognosis of patients with HCC. The present study was a prospective observational study, which analyzed 152 patients with HCC who underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) between 2013 and 2016. Patients were classified into the CR (n=85) and control (n=67) groups. The effects of CR on muscle mass were evaluated by changes in the skeletal muscle index (SMI) before and after TACE. Independent factors associated with survival were evaluated by Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the survival rate between the CR and control groups. The difference in survival rate between the two groups was also examined after propensity score matching. SMI was significantly increased in the CR group compared with the control group. In Cox regression analysis, independent factors associated with survival were CR and Child-Pugh class A (estimate 1.760, 95% CI 0.914–3.226, P=0.001; estimate 1.602, 95% CI 0.426–2.998, P=0.0129). The survival rate was significantly higher in the CR group than in the control group (median 552 vs. 424 days; P=0.0359). The survival rate was also significantly higher in the CR group than that in the control group after propensity score matching (median 529 vs. 369 days; P=0.0332). CR was associated with prolonged survival in patients with HCC who underwent TACE. Patients with cancer are recommended to maintain physical activity even during cancer treatment.

The therapeutic effects of blocking IGF-R1 on mice model of skin cancer

Background and objectives: The incidence of skin cancer has raised in the last few years. One of the important growth factors found in the skin layers is insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1. It is directly linked with many cancers in different organs. Therefore, we aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of blocking IGF-1 receptor (IGF-R1) pathway by PQ401 in skin cancer as well as studying its effect on tumor invasion markers.Materials and methods: We experimentally induced skin cancer in mice by the application of 7,12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene. Skin samples were removed for determination of gen and protein expression of IGF-1, IGF-R1, glypican-3, MMP9, syndecan-1 and fascin-1 by Western blot and PCR. Moreover, skin sections were stained with hematoxylin/eosin and Mallory.Results: Treatment with PQ401 blocked the expression of IGF-R1 in the skin, which is associated with reduction in the skin cancer-induced tumors and scratches. In addition, PQ401 ameliorated skin cancer induced formation of epidermal atypia and hyperplasia. PQ401 reduced both gene and protein expression of the tumor invasion markers, MMP9, syndecan-1 and fascin-1, without affecting gene and protein expression of glypican-3 and IGF-1 in skin cancer group.Conclusion: Blocking IGF-R1 has therapeutic effects against experimental skin cancer induced in mice. In addition, blocking IGF = R1 attenuated skin cancer-induced activation of tumor invasion markers.Key pointsIGF-1/IGF-R1is highly expressed in different cancers as skin cancer.Blocking IGF-R1 production ameliorated skin cancer.Blocking IGF-R1 attenuated skin cancer-induced activation of tumor invasion markers.

TRIM59 overexpression correlates with poor prognosis and contributes to breast cancer progression through AKT signaling pathway

TRIM59 has been recently implicated in the carcinogenesis of several cancers such as lung cancer, gastric cancer, and bladder cancer. However, its expression pattern and clinical significance has not been investigated in human breast cancer. In the present study, we examined TRIM59 protein expression in 95 cases of breast cancer tissues using immunohistochemistry. We found that TRIM59 was upregulated in 42 out of 95 cases and correlated with TNM stage (P = 0.0056), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0088) and poor prognosis (P = 0.0092). Importantly, TRIM59 level was higher in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (P = 0.0157). Expression of TRIM59 protein was also upregulated in breast cancer cell lines compared to normal MCF-10A cell line. TRIM59 plasmid and shRNA transfection was performed in MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells respectively. TRIM59 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, invasion, migration, cell cycle transition, and paclitaxel resistance, whereas TRIM59 depletion showed the opposite results. Further analysis showed that TRIM59 overexpression upregulated expression of cyclinA, cyclinE, Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, p-AKT, and downregulated expression of p21, p27, p53. AKT inhibitor treatment abolished the effect of TRIM59 on Bcl-2 expression. TRIM59 overexpression also upregulated the level of p53 ubiquitination. In conclusion, TRIM59 overexpression correlates with poor prognosis and promotes malignant behavior through regulation of AKT pathway in human breast cancer.

Molecular Signatures of the Insulin-like Growth Factor 1-mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast, Lung and Gastric Cancers

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, which is constituted by the IGF-1 and IGF-2 peptide hormones, their corresponding receptors and several IGF binding proteins, is involved in physiological and pathophysiological processes. The IGF system promotes cancer proliferation/survival and its signaling induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, which contributes to the migration, invasiveness, and metastasis of epithelial tumors. These cancers share two major IGF-1R signaling transduction pathways, PI3K/AKT and RAS/MEK/ERK. However, as far as we could review at this time, each type of cancer cell undergoes EMT through tumor-specific routes. Here, we review the tumor-specific molecular signatures of IGF-1-mediated EMT in breast, lung, and gastric cancers.