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Zhu Z, Song J, Zhang C, Zhang J, Shan Z. Rapamycin alleviates irradiation-induced parotid injury by enhancing the whole gland homeostasis. Oral Dis 2024. [PMID: 38569076 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Salivary gland injury is one of the most common complications of radiotherapy in head-and-neck cancers. This study investigated the mechanism by which rapamycin prevents irradiation (IR)-induced injury in the parotid glands. MATERIALS AND METHODS Miniature pigs either received (a) no treatment (NT), (b) IR in the right parotid gland for 5 consecutive days (IR), or intraperitoneal administration of rapamycin (Rap) 1 h prior to IR (IR + Rap). Tissues were collected at three distinct time points (24 h, 4 weeks, and 16 weeks) after IR. Histological analyses, western blot, and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction were performed to explore the mechanisms of IR-induced injury in the parotid gland. RESULTS Rapamycin treatment maintained parotid salivary flow 16 weeks post-IR, preserved the number of acinar cells, and reduced parotid tissue fibrosis, as well as reduced apoptosis levels, decreased cleaved caspase-3 expression, and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the parotid glands. Autophagy marker LC3B was upregulated by rapamycin after IR, while P62 expression was downregulated. Rapamycin reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and the mesenchymal tissue fibrosis following IR. CONCLUSIONS Rapamycin maintains gland homeostasis after IR by decreasing apoptosis, reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory factors, and enhancing autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zhu
- Outpatient Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Beijing Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxin Song
- Outpatient Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Beijing Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chunmei Zhang
- Salivary Gland Disease Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Tooth Regeneration and Function Reconstruction, Beijing Laboratory of Oral Health and Beijing Stomatological Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Outpatient Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Beijing Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaochen Shan
- Outpatient Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Beijing Stomatological Hospital, School of Stomatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Wang J, Mou X, Lu H, Jiang H, Xian Y, Wei X, Huang Z, Tang S, Cen H, Dong M, Liang Y, Shi G. Exploring a novel seven-gene marker and mitochondrial gene TMEM38A for predicting cervical cancer radiotherapy sensitivity using machine learning algorithms. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1302074. [PMID: 38327905 PMCID: PMC10847243 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1302074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the management of Cervical cancer (CC), as the development of resistance by cancer cells to radiotherapeutic interventions is a significant factor contributing to treatment failure in patients. However, the specific mechanisms that contribute to this resistance remain unclear. Currently, molecular targeted therapy, including mitochondrial genes, has emerged as a new approach in treating different types of cancers, gaining significant attention as an area of research in addressing the challenge of radiotherapy resistance in cancer. Methods The present study employed a rigorous screening methodology within the TCGA database to identify a cohort of patients diagnosed with CC who had received radiotherapy treatment. The control group consisted of individuals who demonstrated disease stability or progression after undergoing radiotherapy. In contrast, the treatment group consisted of patients who experienced complete or partial remission following radiotherapy. Following this, we identified and examined the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the two cohorts. Subsequently, we conducted additional analyses to refine the set of excluded DEGs by employing the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and random forest techniques. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis was conducted in order to evaluate the potential correlation between the expression of core genes and the extent of immune cell infiltration in patients diagnosed with CC. The mitochondrial-associated genes were obtained from the MITOCARTA 3.0. Finally, the verification of increased expression of the mitochondrial gene TMEM38A in individuals with CC exhibiting sensitivity to radiotherapy was conducted using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry assays. Results This process ultimately led to the identification of 7 crucial genes, viz., GJA3, TMEM38A, ID4, CDHR1, SLC10A4, KCNG1, and HMGCS2, which were strongly associated with radiotherapy sensitivity. The enrichment analysis has unveiled a significant association between these 7 crucial genes and prominent signaling pathways, such as the p53 signaling pathway, KRAS signaling pathway, and PI3K/AKT/MTOR pathway. By utilizing these 7 core genes, an unsupervised clustering analysis was conducted on patients with CC, resulting in the categorization of patients into three distinct molecular subtypes. In addition, a predictive model for the sensitivity of CC radiotherapy was developed using a neural network approach, utilizing the expression levels of these 7 core genes. Moreover, the CellMiner database was utilized to predict drugs that are closely linked to these 7 core genes, which could potentially act as crucial agents in overcoming radiotherapy resistance in CC. Conclusion To summarize, the genes GJA3, TMEM38A, ID4, CDHR1, SLC10A4, KCNG1, and HMGCS2 were found to be closely correlated with the sensitivity of CC to radiotherapy. Notably, TMEM38A, a mitochondrial gene, exhibited the highest degree of correlation, indicating its potential as a crucial biomarker for the modulation of radiotherapy sensitivity in CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Xue Mou
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Haishan Lu
- Clinical Pathological Diagnosis & Research Centra, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Hai Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Yuejuan Xian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Xilin Wei
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Ziqiang Huang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Senlin Tang
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Hongsong Cen
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Mingyou Dong
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Yuexiu Liang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Guiling Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
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Műzes G, Sipos F. Autoimmunity and Carcinogenesis: Their Relationship under the Umbrella of Autophagy. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11041130. [PMID: 37189748 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system and autophagy share a functional relationship. Both innate and adaptive immune responses involve autophagy and, depending on the disease’s origin and pathophysiology, it may have a detrimental or positive role on autoimmune disorders. As a “double-edged sword” in tumors, autophagy can either facilitate or impede tumor growth. The autophagy regulatory network that influences tumor progression and treatment resistance is dependent on cell and tissue types and tumor stages. The connection between autoimmunity and carcinogenesis has not been sufficiently explored in past studies. As a crucial mechanism between the two phenomena, autophagy may play a substantial role, though the specifics remain unclear. Several autophagy modifiers have demonstrated beneficial effects in models of autoimmune disease, emphasizing their therapeutic potential as treatments for autoimmune disorders. The function of autophagy in the tumor microenvironment and immune cells is the subject of intensive study. The objective of this review is to investigate the role of autophagy in the simultaneous genesis of autoimmunity and malignancy, shedding light on both sides of the issue. We believe our work will assist in the organization of current understanding in the field and promote additional research on this urgent and crucial topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Györgyi Műzes
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Sipos
- Immunology Division, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary
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Roy A, Bera S, Saso L, Dwarakanath BS. Role of autophagy in tumor response to radiation: Implications for improving radiotherapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:957373. [PMID: 36172166 PMCID: PMC9510974 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.957373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionary conserved, lysosome-involved cellular process that facilitates the recycling of damaged macromolecules, cellular structures, and organelles, thereby generating precursors for macromolecular biosynthesis through the salvage pathway. It plays an important role in mediating biological responses toward various stress, including those caused by ionizing radiation at the cellular, tissue, and systemic levels thereby implying an instrumental role in shaping the tumor responses to radiotherapy. While a successful execution of autophagy appears to facilitate cell survival, abortive or interruptions in the completion of autophagy drive cell death in a context-dependent manner. Pre-clinical studies establishing its ubiquitous role in cells and tissues, and the systemic response to focal irradiation of tumors have prompted the initiation of clinical trials using pharmacologic modifiers of autophagy for enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy. However, the outcome from the Phase I/II trials in many human malignancies has so far been equivocal. Such observations have not only precluded the advancement of these autophagy modifiers in the Phase III trial but have also raised concerns regarding their introduction as an adjuvant to radiotherapy. This warrants a thorough understanding of the biology of the cancer cells, including its spatio-temporal context, as well as its microenvironment all of which might be the crucial factors that determine the success of an autophagy modifier as an anticancer agent. This review captures the current understanding of the interplay between radiation induced autophagy and the biological responses to radiation damage as well as provides insight into the potentials and limitations of targeting autophagy for improving the radiotherapy of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Academy Degree College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
- *Correspondence: Amrita Roy, ; ; Soumen Bera, ; ; Bilikere S. Dwarakanath, ;
| | - Soumen Bera
- B. S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Amrita Roy, ; ; Soumen Bera, ; ; Bilikere S. Dwarakanath, ;
| | - Luciano Saso
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Bilikere S. Dwarakanath
- Central Research Facility, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research Institute, Chennai, India
- *Correspondence: Amrita Roy, ; ; Soumen Bera, ; ; Bilikere S. Dwarakanath, ;
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Gitogenin suppresses lung cancer progression by inducing apoptosis and autophagy initiation through the activation of AMPK signaling. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 111:108806. [PMID: 35914447 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.108806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is a leading cause of tumor-associated death worldwide. Autophagy plays a key role in regulating lung cancer progression, and is a promising option for lung cancer treatment. Saponins are a group of naturally occurring plant glycosides, characterized by their strong foam-forming properties in aqueous solution, and exert various biological properties, such as anti-inflammation and anti-cancer. In the present study, we for the first time explored the effects of gitogenin (GIT), an important saponin derived from Tribulus longipetalus, on lung cancer progression both in vitro and in vivo. We found that GIT markedly reduced the proliferation and induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells through increasing the cleavage of Caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs). In addition, GIT-incubated lung cancer cells exhibited clear accumulation of autophagosome, which was essential for GIT-suppressed lung cancer. Mechanistically, GIT-induced autophagy initiation was mainly through activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and blocking protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathways, respectively. Moreover, the autophagic flux was disrupted in GIT-treated lung cancer cells, contributing to the accumulation of impaired autophagolysosomes. Importantly, we found that suppressing autophagy initiation could abolish GIT-induced cell death; however, autophagosomes accumulation sensitized lung cancer cells to cell death upon GIT treatment. More in vitro experiments showed that GIT led to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in lung cancer cells, which was also involved in the modulation of apoptosis. The in vivo findings confirmed the effects of GIT against lung cancer progression with undetectable toxicity to organs. In conclusion, we provided new insights into the treatment of lung cancer, and GIT might be an effective strategy for future clinical application.
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Xu L, Huang X, Lou Y, Xie W, Zhao H. Regulation of apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis by non‑coding RNAs in metastatic non‑small cell lung cancer (Review). Exp Ther Med 2022; 23:352. [PMID: 35493430 PMCID: PMC9019694 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2022.11279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a common type of cancer worldwide, is normally associated with a poor prognosis. It is difficult to treat successfully as it often metastasizes into brain or bone. Methods to facilitate the induction of effective programmed cell death (PCD) in NSCLC cells to reverse drug resistance, or to inhibit the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells, are currently under investigation. The present study summarized the regulatory functions of PCD, including apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis, in the context of NSCLC metastasis. It further summarized how regulatory agents, including long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs and microRNAs, regulate PCD during the metastasis of NSCLC and characterized new potential diagnostic biomarkers of NSCLC metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, P.R. China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Orthopedics, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, P.R. China
| | - Yan Lou
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, Spine Tumor Center, Changzheng Hospital, Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, P.R. China
| | - Wei Xie
- Department of Orthopedics, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, P.R. China
| | - Hangyu Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics, Chengdu Seventh People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610213, P.R. China
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