Pancreatic carcinoma cells colonizing the liver modulate the expression of their extracellular matrix genes

EPI-X4, a CXCR4 antagonist inhibits tumor growth in pancreatic cancer and lymphoma models

Endogenous peptide inhibitor for CXCR4 (EPI-X4) is a CXCR4 antagonist with potential for cancer therapy. It is a processed fragment of serum albumin from the hemofiltrate of dialysis patients. This study reports the efficacy of fifteen EPI-X4 derivatives in pancreatic cancer and lymphoma models. In vitro, the peptides were investigated for antiproliferation (cytotoxicity) by MTT assay. The mRNA expression for CXCR4 and CXCL12 was determined by RT-PCR, chip array and RNA sequencing. Chip array analysis yielded 634 genes associated with CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling. About 21% of these genes correlated with metastasis in the context of cell motility, proliferation, and survival. Expression levels of these genes were altered in pancreatic cancer (36%), lymphoma models (53%) and in patients' data (58%). EPI-X4 derivatives failed to inhibit cell proliferation due to low expression of CXCR4 in vitro, but inhibited tumor growth in the bioassays with significant efficacy. In the pancreatic cancer model, EPI-X4a, f and k inhibited mean tumor growth by > 50% and even caused complete remissions. In the lymphoma model, EPI-X4b, n and p inhibited mean tumor growth by > 70% and caused stable disease. Given the non-toxic and non-immunogenic properties of EPI-X4, these findings underscore its status as a promising therapy of pancreatic cancer and lymphoma and warrant further studies. SIMPLE SUMMARY: This study examined the value of chemokine receptor CXCR4 as an antineoplastic target for the endogenous peptide inhibitor of CXCR4 (EPI-X4), a 12-meric peptide derived from serum albumin. EPI-X4 inhibits CXCR4 interaction with its natural ligand, CXCL12 (SDF1). Therefore, malignancies (including pancreatic cancer and lymphoma) that depend on the CXCR4/CXCL12 pathway for progression can be targeted with EPI-X4. Of 634 genes that were linked to the CXCR4/CXCL12 pathway, 21% were associated with metastasis. In cultured human Suit2-007 pancreatic cancer cells, CXCR4 showed low to undetectable expression, which was why EPI-X4 did not inhibit pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. These findings were different in vivo, where CXCR4 was highly expressed and EPI-X4 inhibited tumor growth in rodents harboring pancreatic cancer or lymphoma. In the pancreatic cancer model, EPI-X4 derivatives a, f and k caused complete remissions, while in lymphomas EPI-X4 derivatives b, n and p caused stable disease.

Khasianine Affects the Expression of Sugar-Sensitive Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Which Are Altered in Data from the Rat Model and Patients

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a deadly malignancy with no effective treatment, particularly in the advanced stage. This study explored the antiproliferative activity of khasianine against pancreatic cancer cell lines of human (Suit2-007) and rat (ASML) origin. Khasianine was purified from Solanum incanum fruits by silica gel column chromatography and analyzed by LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Its effect in pancreatic cancer cells was evaluated by cell proliferation assay, chip array and mass spectrometry. Proteins showing sensitivity to sugars, i.e. sugar-sensitive lactosyl-Sepharose binding proteins (LSBPs), were isolated from Suit2-007 cells by competitive affinity chromatography. The eluted fractions included galactose-, glucose-, rhamnose- and lactose-sensitive LSBPs. The resulting data were analyzed by Chipster, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and GraphPad Prism. Khasianine inhibited proliferation of Suit2-007 and ASML cells with IC50 values of 50 and 54 μg/mL, respectively. By comparative analysis, khasianine downregulated lactose-sensitive LSBPs the most (126%) and glucose-sensitive LSBPs the least (85%). Rhamnose-sensitive LSBPs overlapped significantly with lactose-sensitive LSBPs and were the most upregulated in data from patients (23%) and a pancreatic cancer rat model (11.5%). From IPA, the Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) emerged as one of the most activated signaling pathways involving rhamnose-sensitive LSBPs. Khasianine altered the mRNA expression of sugar-sensitive LSBPs, some of which were modulated in data from patients and the rat model. The antiproliferative effect of khasianine in pancreatic cancer cells and the downregulation of rhamnose-sensitive proteins underscore the potential of khasianine in treating pancreatic cancer.

Ryanodine receptor 1-mediated Ca2+ signaling and mitochondrial reprogramming modulate uterine serous cancer malignant phenotypes

Background

Uterine serous cancer (USC) is the most common non-endometrioid subtype of uterine cancer, and is also the most aggressive. Most patients will die of progressively chemotherapy-resistant disease, and the development of new therapies that can target USC remains a major unmet clinical need. This study sought to determine the molecular mechanism by which a novel unfavorable prognostic biomarker ryanodine receptor 1 (RYR1) identified in advanced USC confers their malignant phenotypes, and demonstrated the efficacy of targeting RYR1 by repositioned FDA-approved compounds in USC treatment.

Methods

TCGA USC dataset was analyzed to identify top genes that are associated with patient survival or disease stage, and can be targeted by FDA-approved compounds. The top gene RYR1 was selected and the functional role of RYR1 in USC progression was determined by silencing and over-expressing RYR1 in USC cells in vitro and in vivo. The molecular mechanism and signaling networks associated with the functional role of RYR1 in USC progression were determined by reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA), Western blot, and transcriptomic profiling analyses. The efficacy of the repositioned compound dantrolene on USC progression was determined using both in vitro and in vivo models.

Results

High expression level of RYR1 in the tumors is associated with advanced stage of the disease. Inhibition of RYR1 suppressed proliferation, migration and enhanced apoptosis through Ca²⁺-dependent activation of AKT/CREB/PGC-1α and AKT/HK1/2 signaling pathways, which modulate mitochondrial bioenergetics properties, including oxidative phosphorylation, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS production and TCA metabolites, and glycolytic activities in USC cells. Repositioned compound dantrolene suppressed USC progression and survival in mouse models.

Conclusions

These findings provided insight into the mechanism by which RYR1 modulates the malignant phenotypes of USC and could aid in the development of dantrolene as a repurposed therapeutic agent for the treatment of USC to improve patient survival.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02419-w.

Riproximin Exhibits Diversity in Sugar Binding, and Modulates some Metastasis-Related Proteins with Lectin like Properties in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Riproximin (Rpx) is a type II ribosome-inactivating protein with specific anti-proliferative activity. It was purified from Ximenia americana by affinity chromatography using a resin coupled with lactosyl residues. The same technique facilitated isolation of proteins with lectin-like properties from human Suit2-007 and rat ASML pancreatic cancer cells, which were termed lactosyl-sepharose binding proteins (LSBPs). The role of these proteins in cancer progression was investigated at mRNA level using chip array data of Suit2-007 and ASML cells re-isolated from nude rats. These data compared significant mRNA expression changes when relating primary (pancreas) and metastatic (liver) sites following orthotopic and intraportal implantation of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, respectively. The affinity of Rpx to 13 simple sugar structures was modeled by docking experiments, the ranking of which was principally confirmed by NMR-spectroscopy. In addition, Rpx and LSBPs were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity and their cellular uptake was assessed by fluorescence microscopy. From 13 monosaccharides evaluated, open-chain rhamnose, β-d-galactose, and α-l-galactopyranose showed the highest affinities for site 1 of Rpx’s B-chain. NMR evaluation yielded a similar ranking, as galactose was among the best binders. Both, Rpx and LSBPs reduced cell proliferation in vitro, but their anti-proliferative effects were decreased by 15–20% in the presence of galactose. The program “Ingenuity Pathway Analysis” identified 2,415 genes showing significantly modulated mRNA expression following exposure of Suit2-007 cells to Rpx in vitro. These genes were then matched to those 1,639 genes, which were significantly modulated in the rat model when comparing primary and metastatic growth of Suit2-007 cells. In this overlap analysis, LSBP genes were considered separately. The potential suitability of Rpx for treating metastatic Suit2-007 PDAC cells was reflected by those genes, which were modulated by Rpx in a way opposite to that observed in cancer progression. Remarkably, these were 14% of all genes modulated during cancer progression, but 71% of the respective LSBP gene subgroup. Based on these findings, we predict that Rpx has the potential to treat PDAC metastasis by modulating genes involved in metastatic progression, especially by targeting LSBPs.

The CCR5 antagonist maraviroc causes remission of pancreatic cancer liver metastasis in nude rats based on cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis induction

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease, and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Recently, expression of the C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and its ligands has been found to play an important role in cancer progression and metastasis. In this study, we blocked the CCR5 receptor by the FDA approved antagonist maraviroc (MVC) in Suit2-007 and MIA-PaCa-2 human PDAC cells. The treatment significantly inhibited their proliferation and induced apoptosis of exposed cells as evidenced by caspases activation and increased Bax levels. Moreover, MVC inhibited the cell cycle by down regulating the proteins of the complexes of cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 - Cyclin D and CDK2 - Cyclin E, as well as by increasing the protein levels of CDK inhibitors p18, p21 and p27. In line with this, MVC caused significant retardation of Suit2-007 cells growing in a PDAC liver metastasis xenograft model (p < 0.05). These results suggest that maraviroc could be a promising treatment strategy for PDAC patients with liver metastases.