Lovastatin lactone elicits human lung cancer cell apoptosis via a COX-2/PPARγ-dependent pathway

Statins, commonly coprescribed drugs, and concomitant risk factors: A protective, neutral, or harmful association with common cancer types development: A 10-year multicentric retrospective lebanese study

Elevated blood levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are a major cardiovascular risk factor, and cholesterol-lowering drugs are among the most prescribed drugs worldwide. Cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. The relationship between cancer development and statins intake is controversial, and there are no clear studies in Lebanon and the Middle East concerning this topic. Hence, our study aimed to search for any possible association of statin intake as well as other medications (proton pump inhibitors [PPI], metformin, Aspirin, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors, and fenofibrate) with lung, colorectal cancer (CRC), and bladder cancer development in the Lebanese population. A retrospective study was performed on 709 subjects divided into 2 main groups: control (no cancer ± statin intake), and cases (either lung, or colorectal, or bladder cancer ± statin intake). Collected data included the age and gender of the patient, socioeconomic status, presence of cardiovascular disease and comorbidities, cancer risk factors, and the intake type, dose, and duration of statins. Bivariate, multivariate, and binary logistic analyses were enrolled. Out of 709 participants, 63.2% were males and 75% were cancer-positive (24.1%: lung cancer, 26.7%: CRC, 24.1%: bladder cancer). The overall intake of statins was not shown to significantly affect cancer development. However, a duration-response relationship was established between Simvastatin and lung cancer (odds ratio [OR]=1.208) as well as bladder cancer (OR=1.189). No significant association was found between each statin and CRC. Although PPIs intake was associated with a possibly harmful effect on lung cancer development (OR=3.42), it revealed a protective association with CRC development (OR=0.38). Other risk factors such as smoking and age were strongly associated (harmful) with lung and bladder cancer development. Physical inactivity and a family history of CRC were each associated with a harmful effect on CRC development. A harmful association with the development of lung and bladder cancer was found with the increasing duration of intake of Simvastatin. Other drugs such as PPIs and specific risk factors were also associated negatively or positively with the development of these 3 cancers. These findings should be validated by further investigations to guide clinicians on optimal treatment options for their patients.

A Cross-Talk about Radioresistance in Lung Cancer-How to Improve Radiosensitivity According to Chinese Medicine and Medicaments That Commonly Occur in Pharmacies

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the population and is characterized by non-specific symptoms that delay the diagnosis and reduce the effectiveness of oncological treatment. Due to the difficult placement of the tumor, one of the main methods of lung cancer treatment is radiotherapy, which damages the DNA of cancer cells, inducing their apoptosis. However, resistance to ionizing radiation may develop during radiotherapy cycles, leading to an increase in the number of DNA points of control that protect cells from apoptosis. Cancer stem cells are essential for radioresistance, and due to their ability to undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition, they modify the phenotype, bypassing the genotoxic effect of radiotherapy. It is therefore necessary to search for new methods that could improve the cytotoxic effect of cells through new mechanisms of action. Chinese medicine, with several thousand years of tradition, offers a wide range of possibilities in the search for compounds that could be used in conventional medicine. This review introduces the potential candidates that may present a radiosensitizing effect on lung cancer cells, breaking their radioresistance. Additionally, it includes candidates taken from conventional medicine-drugs commonly available in pharmacies, which may also be significant candidates.

Simvastatin Improves Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Role of Peroxisome-Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ and Classic WNT/β-Catenin Pathway

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in elderly men with an uncertain etiology and mechanistic basis. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is also a very common illness and is closely related to BPH. Simvastatin (SV) is one of the widely used statins for MetS. Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), crosstalking with the WNT/β-catenin pathway, plays important roles in MetS. Our current study aimed to examine SV-PPARγ-WNT/β-catenin signaling in the development of BPH. Human prostate tissues and cell lines plus a BPH rat model were utilized. Immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining, construction of a tissue microarray (TMA), ELISA, CCK-8 assay, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, and Western blotting were also performed. PPARγ was expressed in both prostate stroma and epithelial compartments and downregulated in BPH tissues. Furthermore, SV dose-dependently triggered cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and attenuated tissue fibrosis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process both in vitro and in vivo. SV also upregulated the PPARγ pathway, whose antagonist could reverse SV produced in the aforementioned biological process. Additionally, crosstalk between PPARγ and WNT/β-catenin signaling was demonstrated. Finally, correlation analysis with our TMA containing 104 BPH specimens showed that PPARγ was negatively related with prostate volume (PV) and free prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) and positively correlated with maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax). WNT-1 and β-catenin were positively related with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and nocturia, respectively. Our novel data demonstrate that SV could modulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, tissue fibrosis, and the EMT process in the prostate through crosstalk between PPARγ and WNT/β-catenin pathways.

Drug Repurposing in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma: Old Solutions for New Problems

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 2022. The majority (80%) of lung cancer cases belong to the non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) subtype. Despite the increased screening efforts, the median five-year survival of metastatic NSCLC remains low at approximately 3%. Common treatment approaches for NSCLC include surgery, multimodal chemotherapy, and concurrent radio and chemotherapy. NSCLC exhibits high rates of resistance to treatment, driven by its heterogeneity and the plasticity of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Drug repurposing offers a faster and cheaper way to develop new antineoplastic purposes for existing drugs, to help overcome therapy resistance. The decrease in time and funds needed stems from the availability of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs to be repurposed. This review provides a synopsis of the drug-repurposing approaches and mechanisms of action of potential candidate drugs used in treating NSCLC, including but not limited to antihypertensives, anti-hyperlipidemics, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-diabetics, and anti-microbials.

Repurposed Drugs in Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major causes of death worldwide, ranking as the fifth most incident cancer in 2020 and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. The majority of GC patients are in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, presenting a poor prognosis and outcome. Current GC treatment approaches involve endoscopic detection, gastrectomy and chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in an adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. Drug development approaches demand extreme effort to identify molecular mechanisms of action of new drug candidates. Drug repurposing is based on the research of new therapeutic indications of drugs approved for other pathologies. In this review, we explore GC and the different drugs repurposed for this disease.

Effect of Statins on Lung Cancer Molecular Pathways: A Possible Therapeutic Role

Lung cancer is a common neoplasm, usually treated through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery. Both clinical and experimental studies on cancer cells suggest that some drugs (e.g., statins) have the potential to improve the prognosis of cancer. In fact, statins blocking the enzyme "hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase" exert pleiotropic effects on different genes involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. In this narrative review, we presented the experimental and clinical studies that evaluated the effects of statins on lung cancer and described data on the effectiveness and safety of these compounds. We also evaluated gender differences in the treatment of lung cancer to understand the possibility of personalized therapy based on the modulation of the mevalonate pathway. In conclusion, according to the literature data, statins exert multiple effects on lung cancer cells, even if the evidence for their use in clinical practice is lacking.

Inhibitory effect of lovastatin on human lung cancer cell proliferation by regulating the ERK1/2 and COX-2 pathways

Background

Lovastatin is an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, effectively inhibiting cholesterol synthesis. Previous research findings showed that lovastatin markedly suppressed tumor cell proliferation and metastasis and induced apoptosis. The present study aimed to determine the underlying mechanism of the suppressive effect of lovastatin on the growth of human lung cancer cells.

Methods

The A549 cell line was treated with different concentrations of lovastatin. Subsequently, cell proliferation and colony formation were analyzed, along with the expression of apoptosis-related proteins (ERK1/2, c-JUN, COX-2, BCL-2, and BAX) by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Experimental data were analyzed with SPSS 25.0 and expressed as the mean ± SEM. One-way ANOVA or two-way independent samples t-test were used.

Results

The results confirmed that lovastatin suppressed cell viability and reduced the numbers of cell colonies, and a concentration-dependent response was observed with increasing lovastatin concentrations (P<0.05). Accordingly, these suppressive effects were related to decreased protein expression levels of p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2, p-c-JUN/c-JUN, COX-2, and BCL-2 and increased BAX protein expression (P<0.05). Furthermore, we conducted an experimental intervention with low-dose LPS+ATP to stimulate A549 cell growth, and then examined the proliferation and apoptosis of A549 cells after LPS+ATP+50 µM lovastatin intervention. The principal finding of this research was that lovastatin still suppressed A549 cell growth after LPS+ATP stimulation via modulation of ERK1/2, c-JUN, COX-2, BCL-2, and BAX protein levels (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Collectively, the findings presented in this study confirmed that lovastatin can inhibit A549 cell proliferation by regulating the ERK1/2 and COX-2 pathways.

Reprogramming of Lipid Metabolism in Lung Cancer: An Overview with Focus on EGFR-Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Most of lung cancer cases are classified as non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). EGFR has become an important therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC patients, and inhibitors targeting the kinase domain of EGFR are currently used in clinical settings. Recently, an increasing interest has emerged toward understanding the mechanisms and biological consequences associated with lipid reprogramming in cancer. Increased uptake, synthesis, oxidation, or storage of lipids has been demonstrated to contribute to the growth of many types of cancer, including lung cancer. In this review, we provide an overview of metabolism in cancer and then explore in more detail the role of lipid metabolic reprogramming in lung cancer development and progression and in resistance to therapies, emphasizing its connection with EGFR signaling. In addition, we summarize the potential therapeutic approaches targeting lipid metabolism for lung cancer treatment.

The role of statins in lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality in the 21^st century. Statins as inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase not only reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease but may also play an important role in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Statins have several antitumor properties including the ability to reduce cell proliferation and angiogenesis, decrease invasion and synergistic suppression of lung cancer progression. Statins induce tumor cell apoptosis by inhibition of downstream products such as small GTP-binding proteins, Rho, Ras and Rac, which are dependent on isoprenylation. Statins reduce angiogenesis in tumors by down-regulation of pro-angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor. In this review, the feasibility and efficacy of statins in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer are discussed.

An overview on the biological activity and anti-cancer mechanism of lovastatin

Lovastatin, a secondary metabolite isolated from fungi, is often used as a representative drug to reduce blood lipid concentration and treat hypercholesterolemia. Its structure is similar to that of HMG-CoA. Lovastatin inhibits the binding of the substrate to HMG-CoA reductase, and strongly competes with HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR), thereby exerting a hypolipidemic effect. Further, its safety has been confirmed in vivo and in vitro. Lovastatin also has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, the biological activity of lovastatin, especially its anti-cancer effect, has garnered research attention. Several in vitro studies have confirmed that lovastatin has a significant inhibitory effect on cancer cell viability in a variety of cancers (such as breast, liver, cervical, lung, and colon cancer). At the same time, lovastatin can also increase the sensitivity of some types of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and strengthen their therapeutic effect. Lovastatin inhibits cell proliferation and regulates cancer cell signaling pathways, thereby inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This article reviews the structure, biosynthetic pathways, and applications of lovastatin, focusing on the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of action.

Cholesterol synthesis inhibition promotes axonal regeneration in the injured central nervous system

Neuronal regeneration in the injured central nervous system is hampered by multiple extracellular proteins. These proteins exert their inhibitory action through interactions with receptors that are located in cholesterol rich compartments of the membrane termed lipid rafts. Here we show that cholesterol-synthesis inhibition prevents the association of the Neogenin receptor with lipid rafts. Furthermore, we show that cholesterol-synthesis inhibition enhances axonal growth both on inhibitory -myelin and -RGMa substrates. Following optic nerve injury, lowering cholesterol synthesis with both drugs and siRNA-strategies allows for robust axonal regeneration and promotes neuronal survival. Cholesterol inhibition also enhanced photoreceptor survival in a model of Retinitis Pigmentosa. Our data reveal that Lovastatin leads to several opposing effects on regenerating axons: cholesterol synthesis inhibition promotes regeneration whereas altered prenylation impairs regeneration. We also show that the lactone prodrug form of lovastatin has differing effects on regeneration when compared to the ring-open hydroxy-acid form. Thus the association of cell surface receptors with lipid rafts contributes to axonal regeneration inhibition, and blocking cholesterol synthesis provides a potential therapeutic approach to promote neuronal regeneration and survival in the diseased Central Nervous System. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Statins have been intensively used to treat high levels of cholesterol in humans. However, the effect of cholesterol inhibition in both the healthy and the diseased brain remains controversial. In particular, it is unclear whether cholesterol inhibition with statins can promote regeneration and survival following injuries. Here we show that late stage cholesterol inhibition promotes robust axonal regeneration following optic nerve injury. We identified distinct mechanisms of action for activated vs non-activated Lovastatin that may account for discrepancies found in the literature. We show that late stage cholesterol synthesis inhibition alters Neogenin association with lipid rafts, thereby i) neutralizing the inhibitory function of its ligand and ii) offering a novel opportunity to promote CNS regeneration and survival following injuries.

Targeting SREBP-2-Regulated Mevalonate Metabolism for Cancer Therapy

Recently, targeting metabolic reprogramming has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for fighting cancer. Sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), a basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor, mainly regulates genes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis. SREBP-2 binds to the sterol regulatory elements (SREs) in the promoters of its target genes and activates the transcription of mevalonate pathway genes, such as HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), mevalonate kinase and other key enzymes. In this review, we first summarized the structure of SREBP-2 and its activation and regulation by multiple signaling pathways. We then found that SREBP-2 and its regulated enzymes, including HMGCR, FPPS, SQS, and DHCR4 from the mevalonate pathway, participate in the progression of various cancers, including prostate, breast, lung, and hepatocellular cancer, as potential targets. Importantly, preclinical and clinical research demonstrated that fatostatin, statins, and N-BPs targeting SREBP-2, HMGCR, and FPPS, respectively, alone or in combination with other drugs, have been used for the treatment of different cancers. This review summarizes new insights into the critical role of the SREBP-2-regulated mevalonate pathway for cancer and its potential for targeted cancer therapy.

Thymoquinone-Loaded Soy-Phospholipid-Based Phytosomes Exhibit Anticancer Potential against Human Lung Cancer Cells

Thymoquinone (TQ), a natural polyphenol, has been associated with various pharmacological responses; however, low bioavailability of TQ limits its clinical application. Thus, a novel phytosomal delivery system of TQ-Phospholipon® 90H complex (TQ-phytosome) was developed by refluxing combined with anti-solvent precipitation. This TQ delivery system was optimized by a three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design. The optimized TQ-phytosome size was (45.59 ± 1.82 nm) and the vesicle size was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The in vitro release pattern of the formulation indicated a biphasic release pattern, where an initial burst release was observed within 2 h, followed by a prolonged release. A remarkable increase in dose-dependent cytotoxicity was evident from the significant decrease in IC50 value of TQ-phytosomes (4.31 ± 2.21 µM) against the A549 cell line. The differential effect of TQ-phytosomes in cell cycle analysis was observed, where cancer cells were accumulated on G2-M and pre-G1 phases. Furthermore, increased apoptotic induction and cell necrosis of TQ-phytosomes were revealed with the annexin V staining technique via activation of caspase-3. In reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis, TQ-phytosomes acted to significantly increase ROS generation in A549 cells. In conclusion, the sustained release profile with significantly-improved anticancer potential could be obtained with TQ by this phytosomal nanocarrier platform.

Esculentoside A rescues granulosa cell apoptosis and folliculogenesis in mice with premature ovarian failure

Follicular atresia is one of the main processes for the loss of granulosa cells and oocytes from the mammalian ovary and any impairment to premature ovarian failure. Large numbers of studies have demonstrated that granulosa cell apoptosis causes follicular atresia, yet the rescue of these cells remains elusive. We aimed to use Esculentoside A (3-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl-1, 4-b-D-xylopyranosyl) phytolaccagenin, a saponin extracted from Phytolacca esculenta roots, as a potential rescue agent for the apoptosis of granulosa cells. Our results revealed the rescue of normal body and ovary weights, normal ovarian histo-architecture of ovaries, and hormones levels with regular estrus cycle. Consistently, the expression of proliferating and anti-apoptotic markers, i.e. KI67 and BCL-2 in granulosa cells, was enhanced. Meanwhile, the expressions of pro-apoptotic markers, which were BAX and CASPASEs (CASPASE-9 and CASPASE-3), were prominently reduced in Esculentoside A-induced premature ovarian failure mice. Additionally, PPARγ, a potential therapeutic target, has also rescued its expression by treating the premature ovarian failure mice with Esculentoside A. Our results advocated that Esculentoside A could restore folliculogenesis in premature ovarian failure mice. Furthermore, it has the potential to be investigated as a therapeutic agent for premature ovarian failure.

Serum COX-2 and FOXO3a in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and correlation with disease activity

Expression levels of serum cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the correlation with disease activity were investigated. Sixty patients with RA admitted to the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (study group; 28 active patients and 32 remissive patients), and further 30 healthy subjects undergoing physical examinations during the same period (control group) were enrolled in this study. RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the expression levels of COX-2 and FOXO3a in serum. According to DAS28 score, the patients were divided into active and remissive patients, between whom the expression levels were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to analyze the diagnostic values of COX-2 and FOXO3a for disease activity. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation of the two markers with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and DAS28 score. The expression levels of COX-2 and FOXO3a in active and remissive patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05), and those in active patients were significantly higher than those in remissive patients (both P<0.05). The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of COX-2 and FOXO3a were 0.748 and 0.802, respectively, suggesting that the two markers have high diagnostic value. The expression levels of COX-2 and FOXO3a were positively correlated with ESR, CRP, and DAS28 score of active and remissive patients (both P<0.05). In conclusion, the expression levels of COX-2 and FOXO3a in patients with RA are upregulated, thus, the two markers may be involved in the development and progression of the disease. The expression levels of COX-2 and FOXO3a are related to the disease activity of RA, and therefore can be used as diagnostic indicators for the disease activity.

Medulloblastoma malignant biological behaviors are associated with HOTAIR/miR-483-3p/CDK4 axis

BACKGROUND

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Although the 5-year survival rate is high, patients with relapsed medulloblastoma have a guarded prognosis. HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) has been proved to be related to the metastasis of various tumors. Therefore, the molecular mechanism of HOTAIR in medulloblastoma cells was investigated in this study.

METHODS

HOTAIR was stably silenced in medulloblastoma cells (Daoy and D341). Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by 5'-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) staining, Hoechst 33342 staining, immunohistochemical (IHC), Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) and flow cytometry, respectively. The targeted relationship between HOTAIR/Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and miR-483-3p were predicted by bioinformatics and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Balb/C nude mice were inoculated with shRNA-HOTAIR transfected Daoy cells.

RESULTS

We found that the down-regulation of HOTAIR inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Sh-RNA-HOTAIR also inhibited the expression of CKD4. The CDK4 dependent increase of cell proliferation and decrease of cell apoptosis were reversed by shRNA-HOTAIR. Finally, a xenograft model of medulloblastoma in nude mice was built, and the effect of shRNA-HOTAIR on the growth of tumors was analyzed by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining, and TUNEL staining. The data suggested interference of HOTAIR inhibited the growth, tumor weight, cell proliferation, and promoted cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study altogether demonstrated HOTAIR influence cell proliferation and apoptosis by regulation of miR-483-3p and CDK4 in medulloblastoma cells. HOTAIR can be used as a candidate for potential applications in the treatment of medulloblastoma.

Eriocitrin alleviates oxidative stress and inflammatory response in cerebral ischemia reperfusion rats by regulating phosphorylation levels of Nrf2/NQO-1/HO-1/NF-κB p65 proteins

Background

Cerebral ischemia (CI) can lead to ischemic stroke. The most effective therapy for cerebral ischemic stroke is the early restoration of blood reperfusion. However, reperfusion after CI can result in cerebral ischemia reperfusion (CI/R) injury. This study aimed to detect the effect of eriocitrin on cerebral I/R injury and investigate the underlying mechanism.

Methods

Seventy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the control group, the cerebral I/R group, the I/R + eriocitrin 8 mg/kg group, the I/R + eriocitrin 16 mg/kg group, and the I/R + eriocitrin 32 mg/kg group. Different doses of eriocitrin or 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium were administrated to the rats once daily for 7 days before middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). PCR staining was performed to observe cerebral infarction. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was carried out to observe the damage to the brain tissue. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect apoptosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative mRNA levels of related molecules. Western blot was used to detect the expression of related proteins. The detection kits were used to detect superoxide dismutase (SOD) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect TNF-radiation, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10).

Results

The results showed that Eriocitrin significantly reduced the cerebral infarct volume, cerebral water content, and cerebral indexes. Eriocitrin treatment alleviated pathological injury, promoted cell proliferation, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Eriocitrin upregulated SOD activity and downregulated MDA and LDH content. Eriocitrin also effectively decreased the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), but increased the content of IL-10 in serum and brain tissues. Furthermore, Eriocitrin increased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), as well as the expressions of heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Moreover, Eriocitrin decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that Eriocitrin attenuated oxidative injury and inflammatory response in rats with CI/R via the Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Purification, characterization and anti-tumor activities of polysaccharides from Ecklonia kurome obtained by three different extraction methods

To investigate and compare the effects of different extraction methods on the structure and anti-tumor activity of Ecklonia kurome polysaccharides (EP), three techniques, namely hot water extraction (HW), ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UA) and enzyme-assisted extraction (EA), were used to extract EP, and three crude EPs were purified by DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration chromatography. The significant antitumor active components in each method were screened by MTT assay and named as HW-EP5, UA-EP4 and EA-EP3, respectively. The molecular weight, FT-IR assay and NMR showed that HW-EP5, UA-EP4 and EA-EP3 were pyran polysaccharides with a molecular weight of 14,466, 15,922 and 16,947 Da, respectively. HW-EP5 contained the most monosaccharides and the highest content of sulfate and uronic acid. HW-EP5 had an even and smooth sheet-like appearance, while UA-EP4 and EA-EP3 exhibited irregular and rough fragments. All three polysaccharides can inhibit the migration of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and promote its apoptosis. All three polysaccharides promoted caspase activity during apoptosis. HW-EP5 and UA-EP4 up-regulated the expression of proapoptotic proteins Bax and p53, while EA-EP3 only up-regulated the expression of p53. These experimental results indicate that Ecklonia kurome polysaccharides, especially HW-EP5, have great potential as a natural medicine for the treatment of breast cancer.

The potential hepatoprotective effects of lovastatin combined with oral hypoglycemic agents in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats

Aims: Epidemiologic studies have shown that individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of hepatic diseases which represent a true clinical problem. The purpose of the present study was to assess the possible modulatory effect of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor lovastatin on therapeutic efficiency of traditional antidiabetics, as metformin and gliclazide, regarding hepatic complications in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats.Methods: Animals were divided into seven groups; normal control group, STZ control group (50 mg/kg, i.p., single dose), lovastatin group, metformin group, gliclazide group, lovastatin plus metformin group and lovastatin plus gliclazide group. Serum HMG-CoA reductase, in addition to serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as hepatocyte integrity loss markers, hepatic tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), glutathione reduced (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase as oxidative stress markers, as well as serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and hepatic nitric oxide end products (NOx) as inflammatory markers were assessed, coupled with a confirmatory histopathological study.Results: The combined effect of lovastatin with metformin or gliclazide was significantly better than either drug alone regarding serum AST, ALP and TNF-α, and hepatic TBARS, GSH, GST, SOD and NOx levels.Conclusions: Hepatic complications associated with diabetes could be improved by combination of metformin or gliclazide with lovastatin.

Fruiting bodies of selected edible mushrooms as a potential source of lovastatin

Agaricus bisporus, Cantharellus cibarius, Imleria badia, and Lentinula edodes are among the most popular species of edible mushrooms in Poland. These edible mushrooms are an important source of biologically active substances exhibiting beneficial (e.g., antioxidant, antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory) effects on the human body. The fruiting bodies of edible mushrooms are also a valuable source of lovastatin, which belongs to a group of compounds, called statins, commonly used as cholesterol-lowering drugs. Due to the presence of lovastatin, edible mushrooms can be useful in the prevention of hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the content of lovastatin in the selected species of edible mushrooms and to evaluate its release into artificial digestive juices. This study was the first to determine the release of lovastatin into digestive juices after the extraction of materials obtained from edible mushrooms. The largest amount of lovastatin was found in the fruiting bodies of C. cibarius (67.89 mg/100 g d.w.), and the smallest in those of L. edodes (0.95 mg/100 g d.w.). The amount of lovastatin released from the extracts of the examined species into digestive juices was found to be relatively low. The highest content after incubation in artificial gastric juice was detected for the fruiting bodies of L. edodes (0.02 mg/100 g d.w.) and after incubation in the intestinal juice for the mycelium from the in vitro cultures of L. edodes (0.51 mg/100 g d.w.). Thus, the results of the present study showed that due to its ability to accumulate lovastatin from culture medium, L. edodes mycelium can be used to obtain a product with increased hypolipidemic activity.

Encapsulation of Lovastatin in Zein Nanoparticles Exhibits Enhanced Apoptotic Activity in HepG2 Cells

Research on statins highlights their potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells and their potential for cancer prevention. The aim of the current study was to examine whether loading lovastatin (LVS) in zein (ZN) nanoparticles (NPs) would potentiate the anti-proliferative effects of LVS and enhance its proliferation-inhibiting activity in HepG2 cells. LVS-ZN NPs were prepared and showed excellent characteristics, with respect to their particle size, zeta potential, diffusion, and entrapment efficiency. In addition, they showed the most potent anti-proliferative activity against HepG2 cells. ZN alone showed an observable anti-proliferative that was significantly higher than that of raw LVS. Furthermore, LVS uptake by HepG2 cells was greatly enhanced by the formulation in ZN. A cell cycle analysis indicated that LVS induced a significant cell accumulation in the G2/M and pre-G phases. In this regard, the LVS-ZN NPs exhibited the highest potency. The accumulation in the pre-G phase indicated an enhanced pro-apoptotic activity of the prepared formula. The cells incubated with the LVS-ZN NPs showed the highest percentage of cells with annexin-V positive staining. In addition, the same incubations showed the highest content of caspase-3 enzyme in comparison to raw LVS or ZN. Thus, the loading of LVS in ZN nanoparticles enhances its anti-proliferative activity against HepG2 cells, which is attributed, at least partly, to the enhanced cellular uptake and the induction of apoptosis.

Curbing Lipids: Impacts ON Cancer and Viral Infection

Lipids play a fundamental role in maintaining normal function in healthy cells. Their functions include signaling, storing energy, and acting as the central structural component of cell membranes. Alteration of lipid metabolism is a prominent feature of cancer, as cancer cells must modify their metabolism to fulfill the demands of their accelerated proliferation rate. This aberrant lipid metabolism can affect cellular processes such as cell growth, survival, and migration. Besides the gene mutations, environmental factors, and inheritance, several infectious pathogens are also linked with human cancers worldwide. Tumor viruses are top on the list of infectious pathogens to cause human cancers. These viruses insert their own DNA (or RNA) into that of the host cell and affect host cellular processes such as cell growth, survival, and migration. Several of these cancer-causing viruses are reported to be reprogramming host cell lipid metabolism. The reliance of cancer cells and viruses on lipid metabolism suggests enzymes that can be used as therapeutic targets to exploit the addiction of infected diseased cells on lipids and abrogate tumor growth. This review focuses on normal lipid metabolism, lipid metabolic pathways and their reprogramming in human cancers and viral infection linked cancers and the potential anticancer drugs that target specific lipid metabolic enzymes. Here, we discuss statins and fibrates as drugs to intervene in disordered lipid pathways in cancer cells. Further insight into the dysregulated pathways in lipid metabolism can help create more effective anticancer therapies.

High-Throughput Assessment of Mechanistic Toxicity of Chemicals in Miniaturized 3D Cell Culture

High-content imaging (HCI) assays on two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures often do not represent in vivo characteristics accurately, thus reducing the predictability of drug toxicity/efficacy in vivo. On the other hand, conventional 3D cell cultures are relatively low throughput and possess difficulty in cell imaging. To address these limitations, a miniaturized 3D cell culture has been developed on a micropillar/microwell chip platform with human cells encapsulated in biomimetic hydrogels. Model compounds are used to validate human cell microarrays for high-throughput assessment of mechanistic toxicity. Main mechanisms of toxicity of compounds can be investigated by analyzing multiple parameters such as DNA damage, mitochondrial impairment, intracellular glutathione level, and cell membrane integrity. IC₅₀ values of these parameters can be determined and compared for the compounds to investigate the main mechanism of toxicity. This paper describes miniaturized HCI assays on 3D-cultured cell microarrays for high-throughput assessment of mechanistic profiles of compound-induced toxicity. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Effects of statins on the chemoresistance-The antagonistic drug-drug interactions versus the anti-cancer effects

There has been growing interest in the potential anti-cancer activity of statins based on evidence of their anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, and radiosensitizing properties, but no studies have focused on the effects of statins on the chemoresistance. In spite of their direct cytostatic/cytotoxic effects on the cancer cells, statins via drug interactions may affect therapeutic effects of the chemotherapy agents and so cause chemoresistance in cancer cells. Here, we aim to present the molecular mechanisms underlying cytotoxic effects of statins on the cancer cells against those mechanisms by which statins may lead to chemoresistance, in order to clarify whether the positive effects of the co-treatment of statins on the efficiency of chemotherapeutic agents is due to the natural anti-cancer effects of statins or it is due to increasing the cellular concentrations of chemotherapy drugs in cancer cells.

Cyclooxygenase-2 in cancer: A review

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is frequently expressed in many types of cancers exerting a pleiotropic and multifaceted role in genesis or promotion of carcinogenesis and cancer cell resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. COX-2 is released by cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), macrophage type 2 (M2) cells, and cancer cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME). COX-2 induces cancer stem cell (CSC)-like activity, and promotes apoptotic resistance, proliferation, angiogenesis, inflammation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. COX-2 mediated hypoxia within the TME along with its positive interactions with YAP1 and antiapoptotic mediators are all in favor of cancer cell resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. COX-2 exerts most of the functions through its metabolite prostaglandin E2. In some and limited situations, COX-2 may act as an antitumor enzyme. Multiple signals are contributed to the functions of COX-2 on cancer cells or its regulation. Members of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and nuclear factor-κβ are main upstream modulators for COX-2 in cancer cells. COX-2 also has interactions with a number of hormones within the body. Inhibition of COX-2 provides a high possibility to exert therapeutic outcomes in cancer. Administration of COX-2 inhibitors in a preoperative setting could reduce the risk of metastasis in cancer patients. COX-2 inhibition also sensitizes cancer cells to treatments like radio- and chemotherapy. Chemotherapeutic agents adversely induce COX-2 activity. Therefore, choosing an appropriate chemotherapy drugs along with adjustment of the type and does for COX-2 inhibitors based on the type of cancer would be an effective adjuvant strategy for targeting cancer.

Relationship of SNP rs2645429 in Farnesyl-Diphosphate Farnesyltransferase 1 Gene Promoter with Susceptibility to Lung Cancer

Background and Purpose

The mevalonate pathway is one of the major metabolic pathways that use acetyl-CoA to produce sterols and isoprenoids. These compounds can be effective in the growth and development of tumors. One of the enzymes involved in the mevalonate pathway is FDFT1. Different variants of this gene are involved in the risk of suffering various diseases. The present study examined the relationship between FDFT1 rs2645429 polymorphism and the risk of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a population from southern Iran.

Method

The genotypes of rs2645429 polymorphism of FDFT1 gene were examined in 95 samples: 34 patients with NSCLC and 61 healthy individuals by RFLP method.

Results

The results of this study indicated that C allele of this polymorphism was effectively associated with the risk of NSCLC in the Iranian population (p value = 0.023; OR = 2.71; 95% CI = 1.12–6.59) and CC genotype has significant relation with susceptibility to NSCLC (p value = 0.029; OR = 3.02; 95% CI = 1.09–8.39). This polymorphism is located in the promoter region FDFT1 gene, and CC genotype may increase the activity of this promoter. This study also found a significant relationship between C allele and metastatic status. C allele was more common in NSCLC patients. (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

C allele of FDFT1 rs2645429 polymorphism gene can be a risk factor for NSCLC, whereas T allele probably has a low protective role.

Celecoxib-Induced Self-Assembly of Smart Albumin-Doxorubicin Conjugate for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

Recent years have witnessed the great contributions that drug combination therapy has made for enhanced cancer therapy. However, because of the complicated pharmacokinetics of combined drug formulations, the majority of combination strategies show severe adverse effects at high dosage and poor biodistribution in vivo. To overcome these deficiencies and achieve enhanced cancer therapy, we put forward a method to construct a smart albumin-based nanoplatform, denoted as K237-HSA-DC, for codelivery of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor (celecoxib) and chemotherapeutic agent (doxorubicin, DOX). Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that K237-HSA-DC exhibits the best therapeutic efficacy on tumor cells compared with all the other formulations. Moreover, K237-HSA-DC shows fewer side effects on normal organs in contrast to other formulations. To understand the reasons behind the improved drug efficacy in depth, we performed a cell metabonomics-based mechanism study and found that celecoxib could enhance the inhibitory effect of DOX on the transport of glucose into cells and then lead to subsequent significant energy metabolism inhibition. Considering the above-mentioned advantages of K237-HSA-DC, we believe the smart albumin-based nanoplatform can serve as a promising drug delivery system for enhanced cancer therapy.

High-content imaging assays on a miniaturized 3D cell culture platform

The majority of high-content imaging (HCI) assays have been performed on two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayers for its convenience and throughput. However, 2D-cultured cell models often do not represent the in vivo characteristics accurately and therefore reduce the predictability of drug toxicity/efficacy in vivo. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) cell-based HCI assays have been demonstrated to improve predictability, but its use is limited due to difficulty in maneuverability and low throughput in cell imaging. To alleviate these issues, we have developed miniaturized 3D cell culture on a micropillar/microwell chip and demonstrated high-throughput HCI assays for mechanistic toxicity. Briefly, Hep3B human hepatoma cell line was encapsulated in a mixture of alginate and fibrin gel on the micropillar chip, cultured in 3D, and exposed to six model compounds in the microwell chip for rapidly assessing mechanistic hepatotoxicity. Several toxicity parameters, including DNA damage, mitochondrial impairment, intracellular glutathione level, and cell membrane integrity were measured on the chip, and the IC₅₀ values of the compounds at different readouts were determined to investigate the mechanism of toxicity. Overall, the Z' factors were between 0.6 and 0.8 for the HCI assays, and the coefficient of variation (CV) were below 20%. These results indicate high robustness and reproducibility of the HCI assays established on the miniaturized 3D cell culture chip. In addition, it was possible to determine the predominant mechanism of toxicity using the 3D HCI assays. Therefore, our miniaturized 3D cell culture coupled with HCI assays has great potential for high-throughput screening (HTS) of compounds and mechanistic toxicity profiling.

Lovastatin induces apoptosis of HepG-2 cells by activating ROS-dependent mitochondrial and ER stress pathways

BACKGROUND

Statins can reduce the malignancies through stimulating apoptosis. We aimed to elucidate the role of lovastatin in HepG-2 cells.

METHODS

HepG-2 and non-tumor L-O2 cells were used as the cell models. CCK-8, flow cytometric analysis and carboxy fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE) labeling were performed to monitor the viability, apoptosis and proliferation.

RESULTS

We found that lovastatin exerted the most tumor suppressing effects on liver cancer cells among the three tested statins. Lovastatin treatment significantly reduced cell viability and proliferation, and induced apoptosis in HepG-2. However, drug resistance effects were observed in the non-tumor L-O2 cells. The apoptosis triggered by lovastatin was accompanied by high intracellular levels of ROS. Pretreatment with the ROS blocker N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) could mitigate the lovastatin-induced cytotoxicity in HepG-2 cells. Mechanistically, lovastatin increased HepG-2 cell apoptosis by triggering mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways through ROS accumulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Lovastatin significantly induced cell apoptosis by activating ROS-dependent mitochondrial and ER stress pathways in HepG-2 cells.

Simvastatin accelerates hematoma resolution after intracerebral hemorrhage in a PPARγ-dependent manner

To date, the neuroprotective effects of statins on intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are not well established. This study explored the effect and potential mechanism of simvastatin treatment on ICH. In the present study, the effects of simvastatin on hematoma absorption, neurological outcome, CD36 expression and microglia polarization were examined in rat model of ICH model. In the meantime, inhibitory effect of PPARγ inhibitor GW9662 was investigated following ICH. Additionally, the effect of simvastatin on PPARγ activation was also investigated in rat ICH model and primary microglia culture. Much more, the role of PPARγ and CD36 in simvastatin-mediated erythrocyte phagocytosis was also detected by using in vivo or in vitro phagocytosis models, respectively. After ICH, simvastatin promoted hematoma absorption and improved neurological outcome after ICH while upregulating CD36 expression and facilitating M2 phenotype polarization in perihematomal microglia. In addition, simvastatin increased PPARγ activation and reinforced microglia-induced erythrocyte phagocytosis in vivo and in vitro. All above effects of simvastatin were abolished by PPARγ inhibitor GW9662. In conclusion, our data suggested that simvastatin could enhance hematoma clearance and attenuate neurological deficits possibly by activating PPARγ.

Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: From a clinical perspective

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are devastating pulmonary diseases that commonly coexist and present a number of clinical challenges. COPD confers a higher risk for lung cancer development, but available chemopreventive measures remain rudimentary. Current studies have shown a marked benefit of cancer screening in the COPD population, although challenges remain, including the common underdiagnosis of COPD. COPD-associated lung cancer presents distinct clinical features. Treatment for lung cancer coexisting with COPD is challenging as COPD may increase postoperative morbidities and decrease survival. In this review, we outline current progress in the understanding of the clinical association between COPD and lung cancer, and suggest possible cancer prevention strategies in this patient population.

miR-26b Mimic Inhibits Glioma Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo Suppressing COX-2 Expression

Glioma is the most common malignant tumor of the nervous system. Studies have shown the microRNA-26b (miR-26b)/cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) axis in the development and progression in many tumor cells. Our study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of the miR-26b/COX-2 axis in glioma. Decreased expression of miR-26b with increased levels of COX-2 was found in glioma tissues compared with matched normal tissues. A strong negative correlation was observed between the level of miR-26b and COX-2 in 30 glioma tissues. The miR-26b was then overexpressed by transfecting a miR-26b mimic into U-373 cells. The invasive cell number and wound closing rate were reduced in U-373 cells transfected with miR-26b mimic. In addition, COX-2 siRNA enhanced the effect of miR-26b mimic in suppressing the expression of p-ERK1 and p-JNK. Finally, the in vivo experiment revealed that miR-26b mimic transfection strongly reduced the tumor growth, tumor volume, and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. Taken together, our research indicated a miR-26b/COX-2/ERK/JNK axis in regulating the motility of glioma in vitro and in vivo, providing a new sight for the treatment of glioma.

microRNA-142-3p inhibits apoptosis and inflammation induced by bleomycin through down-regulation of Cox-2 in MLE-12 cells

microRNA (miR)-142-3p is implicated in malignancy and has been identified as a biomarker for aggressive and recurrent lung adenocarcinomas. This study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of miR-142-3p on apoptosis and inflammation induced by bleomycin in MLE-12 cells. MLE-12 cells were first transfected either with miR-142-3p mimic or miR-142-3p inhibitor and then the cells were exposed to 50 μg/mL of bleomycin. Thereafter, cell viability, apoptosis and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed using CCK-8, flow cytometry, RT-PCR and western blot analyses. Cox-2, PI3K, AKT and mTOR expressions were detected by western blotting after bleomycin was administered together with NS-398 (an inhibitor of Cox-2). As a result, cell viability was significantly decreased, as well as apoptosis and the expression of IL-1 and TNF-α were remarkably increased after 50 and 100 μg/mL of bleomycin administration. miR-142-3p overexpression alleviated bleomycin-induced apoptosis and overproduction of these two pro-inflammatory cytokines, while miR-142-3p suppression exhibited completely opposite results. Up-regulation of Cox-2 and inactivation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR were found in bleomycin-pretreated cells, while these abnormal regulations were partially abolished by miR-142-3p overexpression and NS-398. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that miR-142-3p overexpression protected bleomycin-induced injury in lung epithelial MLE-12 cells, possibly via regulating Cox-2 expression and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. These findings provide evidence that miR-142-3p may be a therapeutic strategy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treatment.

Downregulated microRNA-26a modulates prostate cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting COX-2

MicroRNA-26a (miR-26a) is expressed at lower levels in prostate cancer cells compared with normal prostate cells. However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-26a in tumorigenesis and metastasis is not clear. In the present study, the expression profile of cellular miR-26a was analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The potential target of miR-26a was identified by luciferase assay and western blotting. Examination of miR-26a function was performed by transfection with miR-26a mimics and inhibitor. It was found that miR-26a expression was decreased in prostate cancer tissues and cell lines, with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) showing lower miR-26a expression compared with androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC). Overexpression of miR-26a by transfecting miR-26a mimics could significantly enhance apoptosis, and this upregulation of apoptosis was triggered by cytochrome c oxidase subunit II inhibition. Furthermore, it was found that lower miR-26a density resulted in an evidently poor prognosis. Understanding the important roles of miR-26a in regulating cell apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells may aid the exploration of AIPC transformation mechanisms and contribute to the development of miRNA-based therapy in the future.

MicroRNA-130b promotes lung cancer progression via PPARγ/VEGF-A/BCL-2-mediated suppression of apoptosis

Background

The prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is poor yet mechanistic understanding and therapeutic options remain limited. We investigated the biological and clinical significance of microRNA-130b and its relationship with apoptosis in NSCLC.

Methods

The level of microRNA-130b in relationship with the expression of PPARγ, VEGF-A, BCL-2 and apoptosis were analyzed in 91 lung cancer patient samples using immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay on tissue microarrays. Gain and loss-of-function studies were performed to investigate the effects of microRNA-130b, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) or vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) on biological functions of lung cancer cells using in vitro and in vivo approaches.

Results

MicroRNA-130b up-regulation conferred unfavorable prognosis of lung cancer patients. Notably, microRNA-130b targeted PPARγ and inhibiting microRNA-130b markedly repressed proliferation, invasion and metastasis of lung cancer cells, leading to increased apoptosis. MicroRNA-130b-dependent biologic effects were due to suppression of PPARγ that in turn activated BCL-2, the key mediator of anti-apoptosis. Administration of microRNA-130b mimic to mouse xenografts promoted tumor growth. In vitro and in vivo, miR-130b enrichment associated with down-regulation of PPARγ, up-regulation of VEGF-A and BCL-2, and decreased apoptosis.

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates that microRNA-130b promotes lung cancer progression via PPARγ/VEGF-A/BCL-2-mediated suppression of apoptosis. Targeting microRNA-130b might have remarkable therapeutic potential for lung cancer therapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13046-016-0382-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.