p-Akt as a potential poor prognostic factor for gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Ubiquitination of ASCL1 mediates CD47 transcriptional activation of the AKT signaling pathway, and glycolysis promotes osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs

Bones are extremely dynamic organs that continually develop and remodel. This process involves changes in numerous gene expressions. hBMSC cells can promote osteogenic differentiation. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which ASCL1 promotes osteogenic differentiation in hBMSC cells while decreasing glycolysis. hBMSCs were induced to differentiate into osteoblasts. The ASCL1 expression level during hBMSC osteogenic differentiation was measured by RT‒qPCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence. The differentiation level of osteoblasts was observed after staining with ALP and alizarin red. ChIP-qPCR were used to determine the relationship between ASCL1 and CD47, and the expression of glycolysis-related proteins was detected. Overexpression of ASCL1 was used to determine its impact on osteogenic differentiation. si-USP8 was used to verify the ubiquitination of ASCL1-mediated CD47/AKT pathway's impact on hBMSC glycolysis and osteogenic differentiation. The results showed that the expression of ASCL1 was upregulated after the induction of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs. From a functional perspective, knocking down USP8 can promote the ubiquitination of ASCL1, while the osteogenic differentiation ability of hBMSCs was improved after the overexpression of ASCL1, indicating that ASCL1 can promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. In addition, USP8 regulates the ubiquitination level of ASCL1 and mediates CD47 transcriptional regulation of the AKT pathway to increase the glycolysis level of hBMSCs and cell osteogenic differentiation. USP8 ubiquitination regulates the level of ASCL1. In addition, ubiquitination of ASCL1 mediates CD47 transcription to activate the AKT signaling pathway and increase hBMSC glycolysis to promote osteogenic differentiation.

Characterization of DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt as Prognostic Biomarkers in the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective Oral cancer has a five-year survival rate of 68%, and the methods used to assess it still rely heavily on morphology. Protein biomarkers can potentially increase the predictive power of histopathological evaluation. This study aims to examine the expression of three closely linked proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); protein deglycase (DJ-1), an oncogene, phosphatase, and tensin homolog (PTEN), a tumor suppressor gene, and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), the activated form of a vital serine/threonine kinase, which is involved in the oncogenesis of several human malignancies, throughout the tumor progression steps to establish their potential as prognostic biomarkers. Study design Western blot analysis was carried out using four different cell lines representing the successive steps of OSCC progression, including normal oral keratinocytes, dysplastic oral keratinocytes, locally invasive OSCC, and metastatic OSCC.  Results DJ-1 expression was found to be upregulated gradually throughout the successive steps of OSCC progression from normal to dysplastic to locally invasive to metastatic OSCC. PTEN expression showed an overall opposite trend. Interestingly, a significant downregulation of p-Akt was seen in the locally invasive OSCC cells, although it was followed by a significant increase in p-Akt expression in the metastatic OSCC cell line, which is consistent with the role of p-Akt in the motility and migration of cancer cells. Conclusion This study documented trends in expression patterns of three important signaling molecules, DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt, in normal, premalignant, and malignant oral keratinocytes. The oncogenic DJ-1 and tumor suppressor PTEN were expressed in a manner consistent with their respective roles in tumorigenesis, while p-Akt only showed a significant upregulation in the metastatic OSCC cells. Overall, all three proteins exhibited unique trends throughout the progressive stages of OSCC tumor progression, thereby adding to their potential utility as prognostic biomarkers for oral cancer patients.

Metallodrugs, an approach against invasion and metastasis in cancer treatment

Cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease that causes high mortality throughout the world; therefore, finding the most effective therapies is a major research challenge. Currently, most anticancer drugs present a limited number of well‐established targets, such as cell proliferation or death; however, it is important to consider that the worse progression of cancer toward pathological stages implies invasion and metastasis processes. Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry (MIC) is a young area that deals with the design, synthesis, characterization, preclinical evaluation, and mechanism of action of new inorganic compounds, called metallodrugs. The properties of metallic ions allow enriching of strategies for the design of new drugs, enabling the adjustment of physicochemical and stereochemical properties. Metallodrugs can adopt geometries, such as tetrahedral, octahedral, square planar, and square planar pyramid, which adjusts their arrangement and facilitates binding with a wide variety of targets. The redox properties of some metal ions can be modulated by the presence of the bound ligands to adjust their interaction, thereby opening a range of mechanisms of action. In this regard, the mechanisms of action that trigger the biological activity of metallodrugs have been generally identified by: (a) coordination of the metal to biomolecules (for instance, cisplatin binds to the N7 in DNA guanine, as Pt‐N via coordination of the inhibition of enzymes); (b) redox‐active; and (c) ROS production. For this reason, a series of metallodrugs can interact with several specific targets in the anti‐invasive processes of cancer and can prevent metastasis. The structural base of several metal compounds shows great anticancer potential by inhibiting the signaling pathways related to cancer progression. In this minireview, we present the advances in the field of antimetastatic effects of metallodrugs.

Effects of SDF-1/CXCR7 on the Migration, Invasion and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Gastric Cancer Cells

We found that SDF-1/CXCR7 axis played an important role in the growth and proliferation of gastric cancer in the previous studies. The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of SDF-1/CXCR7 on the metastatic ability of gastric cancer cells and the possible mechanisms. CXCR7 expression in SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells was stably knocked down via lentiviral vectors. The cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by transwell migration and invasion assays. The expressions of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and Akt phosphorylation were detected with real-time PCR and/or western blot. We found that SDF-1 markedly enhanced the migration and invasion abilities of SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells; CXCR7 knockdown inhibited these effects. SDF-1/CXCR7 increased the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF. SDF-1/CXCR7 also downregulated E-cadherin expression but upregulated N-cadherin, vimentin and Snail expressions, suggesting that SDF-1/CXCR7 could promote the development of EMT in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, SDF-1/CXCR7 could promote Akt phosphorylation. Our results indicated that SDF-1/CXCR7 enhanced the migration, invasion and EMT of gastric cancer cells and thus CXCR7 supression may be a strategy for inhibiting gastric cancer metastasis.

Anticancer mechanisms of phytochemical compounds: focusing on epigenetic targets

It has recently been proven that epigenetic dysregulation is importantly involved in cell transformation and therefore induces cancerous diseases. The development of molecules called epidrugs, which target specifically different epigenetic modifications to restore cellular memory and therefore the treatment, became a real challenge currently. Currently, bioactive compounds of medicinal plants as epidrugs have been can identified and explored in cancer therapy. Indeed, these molecules can target specifically different epigenetic modulators including DNMT, HDAC, HAT, and HMT. Moreover, some compounds exhibit stochastic epigenetic actions on different pathways regulating cell memory. In this work, pharmacodynamic actions of natural epidrugs belonging to cannabinoids, carotenoids, chalcones, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, tanshinones, and other chemical classes we reported and highlighted. In this review, the effects of several natural bioactive compounds of epigenetic medications on cancerous diseases were highlighted. Numerous active molecules belonging to different chemical classes such as cannabinoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, lignans, polysaccharides, saponins, secoiridoids, steroids, tannins, and tanshinones are discussed in this review.

The flavonoid Astragalin shows anti-tumor activity and inhibits PI3K/AKT signaling in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is a common malignant cancer, which is one of the most affected cancers by PI3K/AKT signaling. Here, we investigated the anti-tumor role of Astragalin, a natural flavonoid compound, in gastric cancer and explored the underlying molecular mechanism. Three well-established gastric cancer cell lines and xenograft mouse model were used to examine the anti-tumor effect of Astragalin by using CCK-8, transwell assays, and Western blot. Tumor burden of xenograft mice with Astragalin administration was monitored and determined during and at end of the experiments. Astragalin could effectively inhibit cell viability of gastric cancer cells and possessed good anti-tumor activity in xenograft mice. In addition, astragalin induced the expression of apoptotic signaling proteins, suppressed the migration and invasion cancer cells, and inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway significantly. In contrast, epidermal growth factor stimulation was able to block the anti-tumor activity of Astragalin. In conclusion, astragalin exerts its anticancer activities through inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling, which highlights its potential for the treatment of gastric cancer.

TASP1 Promotes Proliferation and Migration in Gastric Cancer via EMT and AKT/P-AKT Pathway

Threonine aspartase 1 (TASP1) was reported to function in the development of cancer. However, the regulatory mechanism of TASP1 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. In this study, we determined the expression of TASP1 in tissues of GC patients, GC cells by qRT-PCR, and western blot and assessed the relationship between TASP1 and GC cell proliferation and migration via CCK-8 and transwell assay. It was found that the expression of TASP1 in GC tissues or GC cell lines was significantly higher than that in normal adjacent tissues or normal cells. The proliferation and migration of GC cells were inhibited upon TASP1 knockdown. Mechanism investigation revealed that TASP1 promoted GC cell proliferation and migration through upregulating the p-AKT/AKT expression. TASP1 induced GC cell migration via the epithelial -mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. In conclusion, TASP1 promotes GC progression through the EMT and AKT/p-AKT pathway, and it may serve as a new potential biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.

The Role of mTOR Signaling as a Therapeutic Target in Cancer

The aim of this review was to summarize current available information about the role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in cancer as a potential target for new therapy options. The mTOR and PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 (mTOR complex 1) signaling are critical for the regulation of many fundamental cell processes including protein synthesis, cell growth, metabolism, survival, catabolism, and autophagy, and deregulated mTOR signaling is implicated in cancer, metabolic dysregulation, and the aging process. In this review, we summarize the information about the structure and function of the mTOR pathway and discuss the mechanisms of its deregulation in human cancers including genetic alterations of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway components. We also present recent data regarding the PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in clinical studies and the treatment of cancer, as well the attendant problems of resistance and adverse effects.

Prognostic Role of the Activated p-AKT Molecule in Various Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors: A Meta-Analysis

Cancer is one of the main causes of human death worldwide. Recently, many studies have firmly established the causal relationship between oxidative stress and cancer initiation and progression. As a key protein in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, p-AKT (phosphorylated Akt) participates in the process of oxidative stress and plays a prognostic role in various hematologic tumors and solid tumors. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane libraries to identify studies published in the past decade involving cancer patients expressing p-AKT that reported overall survival (OS) during follow-up. In this study, 6,128 patients in total were evaluated from 29 enrolled articles, and we concluded that overexpression of p-AKT was closely related to worse OS in cancer patients with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.33 (95% CI: 1.67–4.00). Furthermore, we conducted a subgroup analysis, and the results indicated that overexpression of p-AKT was associated with worse OS in hematological tumor (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.41–1.92), and solid tumor (HR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.61–5.26). High expression of p-AKT is related to poor prognosis of various hematologic tumors and solid tumors.

Prognostic Biomarkers for Gastric Cancer: An Umbrella Review of the Evidence

Introduction: Biomarkers are biological molecules entirely or partially participating in cancerous processes that function as measurable indicators of abnormal changes in the human body microenvironment. Aiming to provide an overview of associations between prognostic biomarkers and gastric cancer (GC), we performed this umbrella review analyzing currently available meta-analyses and grading the evidence depending on the credibility of their associations. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted by two independent investigators of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Databases to identify meta-analyses investigating associations between prognostic biomarkers and GC. The strength of evidence for prognostic biomarkers for GC were categorized into four grades: strong, highly suggestive, suggestive, and weak. Results: Among 120 associations between prognostic biomarkers and GC survival outcomes, only one association, namely the association between platelet count and GC OS, was supported by strong evidence. Associations between FITC, CEA, NLR, foxp3+ Treg lymphocytes (both 1- and 3-year OS), CA 19-9, or VEGF and GC OS were supported by highly suggestive evidence. Four associations were considered suggestive and the remaining 108 associations were supported by weak or not suggestive evidence. Discussion: The association between platelet count and GC OS was supported by strong evidence. Associations between FITC, CEA, NLR, foxp3+ Treg lymphocytes (both 1- and 3-year OS), CA 19-9, or VEGF and GC OS were supported by highly suggestive evidence, however, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to inadequate methodological quality as deemed by AMSTAR 2.0.

Genetic alterations in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and targeted therapies

Thyroid cancer is the most common type of endocrine malignancy, and its incidence is increasing. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), referring to undifferentiated subtypes, is considered to be aggressive and associated with poor prognosis. Conventional therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy and radioiodine therapy, have been used for ATC, but these do not provide any significant reduction of the overall mortality rate. The tumorigenesis, development, dedifferentiation and metastasis of ATC are closely associated with the activation of various tyrosine cascades and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, including B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase^V600E, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α,tumor protein 53 mutations and telomerase reverse transcriptase mutation. These pathways exert their functions individually or through a complex network. Identification of these mutations may provide a deeper understanding of ATC. A variety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been successfully employed for controlling ATC growth in vitro and in xenografts. Certain novel compounds are still in clinical trials. Multi-kinase inhibitors provide a novel approach with great potential. This systematic review determined the prevalence of the major genetic alterations and their inhibitors in ATC.

Lumichrome Inhibits Human Lung Cancer Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis via a p53-Dependent Mechanism

Lumichrome, a major derivative of riboflavin, may exhibit pharmacological activity against cancer cells. Riboflavin is a vitamin found in food, however, certain evidence has suggested its possible potentiating effects on cancer progression. Here, we have shown for the first time that unlike riboflavin, lumichrome can suppress lung cancer cell growth and reduce survival in both normal and anchorage-independent conditions. In addition, lumichrome induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells via a p53-dependent mitochondrial mechanism with substantial selectivity, shown by its lesser toxicity to the normal primary dermal papilla cells. The potency of lumichrome in killing lung cancer cells was found to be comparable to that of cisplatin, a standard chemotherapeutic drug for lung cancer treatment. With regard to the mechanism, lumichrome significantly upregulated p53 and decreased its downstream target BCL-2. Such a shift of BCL-2 family protein balance further activated caspase-9 and -3 and finally executed apoptosis. Furthermore, lumichrome potentially suppressed cancer stem cells (CSCs) in lung cancer by dramatically suppressing CSC markers together with the CSC-maintaining cell signaling namely protein kinase B (AKT) and β-catenin. To conclude, the present study has unraveled a novel role and mechanism of lumichrome against lung cancer that may benefit the development of the compound for management of the disease.

Phosphorylated Akt1 expression is associated with poor prognosis in cutaneous, oral and sinonasal melanomas

Melanomas are highly aggressive tumours derived from melanocytes, which occur most commonly in the skin. Occasionally, these tumours may appear in oral and sinonasal mucous membranes. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of the Phosphorylated Akt1 (p-Akt1) expression in 144 patients affected by cutaneous (CM), 34 oral cavity (OM), and 31 sinonasal melanomas (SNM). Similar to the metastatic cutaneous melanomas, p-Akt1 was overexpressed in 17/34 of the oral cavity and 20/31 of the sinonasal melanomas. In addition, the p-Akt1-nuclear expression was associated with poorer cancer-specific survival in cutaneous (P < .0001), oral (P < .0001), and sinonasal (P = .001) melanomas. Multivariate analysis showed p-Akt1 to be an independent prognostic marker in oral (P = .041) and sinonasal (P < .0001) melanomas patients. In conclusion, p-Akt1 overexpression is an independent prognostic marker in mucosal melanomas and is significantly up-regulated in sinonasal melanomas. As both mucosal and metastatic cutaneous melanomas showed high frequency of p-Akt1 expression, these findings suggest that mucosal melanomas have a biological behaviour, similar to the aggressive cutaneous melanomas.

MAN1B1 is associated with poor prognosis and modulates proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) has been regarded as the most common malignancy of the urinary system worldwide. With lack of investigations for molecular pathogenesis underlying that develop BC, the therapeutic efficacy of several therapeutic approaches existing is still unsatisfactory. Here, our study aimed to explore the potentially biological function of MAN1B1 on BC. In this study, MAN1B1 expression level in BC tissues and normal tissues was analyzed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and correlation between its expression and prognosis was determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Knockout of MAN1B1 was performed using silencing RNA and the efficacy of MAN1B1 knockout was identified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The BC cells proliferation was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay, and then the cells apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (Annexin V-FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry following MAN1B1 knocked down by small interfering RNA. Protein kinase B (AKT) signaling was evaluated by detecting related markers, namely AKT, p-AKT, 4E-BP-1 and Bax using western blot assay. As a result, the MAN1B1 expression was higher in BC tissues than those in normal tissues, besides, its overexpression was associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, MAN1B1 reduction by silencing RNA approach resulted in BC cells proliferation suppression and BC cells apoptosis promotion. Finally, AKT signaling activity was inhibited by MAN1B1 silencing. Taken together, these results unraveled that MAN1B1 may act on an oncogenic action in BC, which improved the likelihood of MAN1B1 taking on a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential target for treating BC.