FOXO3/TRIM22 axis abated the antitumor effect of gemcitabine in non-small cell lung cancer via autophagy induction

Chemoresistance Mechanisms in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer-Opportunities for Drug Repurposing

Globally, lung cancer contributes significantly to the public health burden-associated mortality. As this form of cancer is insidious in nature, there is an inevitable diagnostic delay leading to chronic tumor development. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes 80-85% of all lung cancer cases, making this neoplasia form a prevalent subset of lung carcinoma. One of the most vital aspects for proper diagnosis, prognosis, and adequate therapy is the precise classification of non-small cell lung cancer based on biomarker expression profiling. This form of biomarker profiling has provided opportunities for improvements in patient stratification, mechanistic insights, and probable druggable targets. However, numerous patients have exhibited numerous toxic side effects, tumor relapse, and development of therapy-based chemoresistance. As a result of these exacting situations, there is a dire need for efficient and effective new cancer therapeutics. De novo drug development approach is a costly and tedious endeavor, with an increased attrition rate, attributed, in part, to toxicity-related issues. Drug repurposing, on the other hand, when combined with computer-assisted systems biology approach, provides alternatives to the discovery of new, efficacious, and safe drugs. Therefore, in this review, we focus on a comparison of the conventional therapy-based chemoresistance mechanisms with the repurposed anti-cancer drugs from three different classes-anti-parasitic, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotics for cancer treatment with a primary focus on NSCLC therapeutics. Certainly, amalgamating these novel therapeutic approaches with that of the conventional drug regimen in NSCLC-affected patients will possibly complement/synergize the existing therapeutic modalities. This approach has tremendous translational significance, since it can combat drug resistance and cytotoxicity-based side effects and provides a relatively new strategy for possible application in therapy of individuals with NSCLC.

Unveiling the potential of FOXO3 in lung cancer: From molecular insights to therapeutic prospects

Lung cancer poses a significant challenge regarding molecular heterogeneity, as it encompasses a wide range of molecular alterations and cancer-related pathways. Recent discoveries made it feasible to thoroughly investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying lung cancer, giving rise to the possibility of novel therapeutic strategies relying on molecularly targeted drugs. In this context, forkhead box O3 (FOXO3), a member of forkhead transcription factors, has emerged as a crucial protein commonly dysregulated in cancer cells. The regulation of the FOXO3 in reacting to external stimuli plays a key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis as a component of the molecular machinery that determines whether cells will survive or dies. Indeed, various extrinsic cues regulate FOXO3, affecting its subcellular location and transcriptional activity. These regulations are mediated by diverse signaling pathways, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and protein interactions that eventually drive post-transcriptional modification of FOXO3. Nevertheless, while it is no doubt that FOXO3 is implicated in numerous aspects of lung cancer, it is unclear whether they act as tumor suppressors, promotors, or both based on the situation. However, FOXO3 serves as an intriguing possible target in lung cancer therapeutics while widely used anti-cancer chemo drugs can regulate it. In this review, we describe a summary of recent findings on molecular mechanisms of FOXO3 to clarify that targeting its activity might hold promise in lung cancer treatment.

LncRNAs as nodes for the cross-talk between autophagy and Wnt signaling in pancreatic cancer drug resistance

Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy with high mortality. In addition to the few symptoms until the disease reaches an advanced stage, the high fatality rate is attributed to its rapid development, drug resistance and lack of appropriate treatment. In the selection and research of therapeutic drugs, gemcitabine is the first-line drug for pancreatic cancer. Solving the problem of gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer will contribute to the progress of pancreatic cancer treatment. Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides, play vital roles in cellular physiological metabolic activities. Currently, our group and others have found that some lncRNAs are aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells, which can regulate the process of cancer through autophagy and Wnt/β-catenin pathways simultaneously and affect the sensitivity of cancer cells to therapeutic drugs. This review presents an overview of the recent evidence concerning the node of lncRNA for the cross-talk between autophagy and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in pancreatic cancer, together with the practicability of lncRNAs and the core regulatory factors as targets in therapeutic resistance.

Nanomedicine Combats Drug Resistance in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy are currently available as treatment methods. However, drug resistance is a significant factor in the failure of lung cancer treatments. Novel therapeutics have been exploited to address complicated resistance mechanisms of lung cancer and the advancement of nanomedicine is extremely promising in terms of overcoming drug resistance. Nanomedicine equipped with multifunctional and tunable physiochemical properties in alignment with tumor genetic profiles can achieve precise, safe, and effective treatment while minimizing or eradicating drug resistance in cancer. Here, this work reviews the discovered resistance mechanisms for lung cancer chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy, and outlines novel strategies for the development of nanomedicine against drug resistance. This work focuses on engineering design, customized delivery, current challenges, and clinical translation of nanomedicine in the application of resistant lung cancer.

Mechanism of autophagy induced by activation of the AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway after TRIM22-mediated DENV-2 infection of HUVECs

BACKGROUND

Dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) was used to infect primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to examine autophagy induced by activation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway following tripartite motif-containing 22 (TRIM22)-mediated DENV-2 infection to further reveal the underlying pathogenic mechanism of DENV-2 infection.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to screen putative interference targets of TRIM22 and determine the knockdown efficiency. The effect of TRIM22 knockdown on HUVEC proliferation was determined using the CCK8 assay. Following TRIM22 knockdown, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to determine the ultrastructure of HUVEC autophagosomes and expression of HUVEC autophagy and AMPK pathway-related genes were measured by qRT-PCR. Moreover, HUVEC autophagy and AMPK pathway-related protein expression levels were determined by western blot analysis. Cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry (FCM) and the autophagosome structure of the HUVECs was observed by TEM.

RESULTS

Western blot results indicated that TRIM22 protein expression levels increased significantly 36 h after DENV-2 infection, which was consistent with the proteomics prediction. The CCK8 assay revealed that HUVEC proliferation was reduced following TRIM22 knockdown (P < 0.001). The TEM results indicated that HUVEC autolysosomes increased and autophagy was inhibited after TRIM22 knockdown. The qRT-PCR results revealed that after TRIM22 knockdown, the expression levels of antithymocyte globulin 7 (ATG7), antithymocyte globulin 5 (ATG5), Beclin1, ERK, and mTOR genes decreased (P < 0.01); however, the expression of AMPK genes (P < 0.05) and P62 genes (P < 0.001) increased. FCM revealed that following TRIM22 knockdown, the percentage of HUVECs in the G2 phase increased (P < 0.001) along with cell apoptosis. The effect of TRIM22 overexpression on HUVEC autophagy induced by DENV-2 infection and AMPK pathways decreased after adding an autophagy inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

In HUVECs, TRIM22 protein positively regulates autophagy and may affect autophagy through the AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway. Autophagy is induced by activation of the AMPK/ERK/mTOR signaling pathway following TRIM22-mediated DENV-2 infection of HUVECs.

Growth Arrest of Alveolar Cells in Response to Cytokines from Spike S1-Activated Macrophages: Role of IFN-γ

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by severe hypoxemia and high-permeability pulmonary edema. A hallmark of the disease is the presence of lung inflammation with features of diffuse alveolar damage. The molecular pathogenetic mechanisms of COVID-19-associated ARDS (CARDS), secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection, are still not fully understood. Here, we investigate the effects of a cytokine-enriched conditioned medium from Spike S1-activated macrophage on alveolar epithelial A549 cells in terms of cell proliferation, induction of autophagy, and expression of genes related to protein degradation. The protective effect of baricitinib, employed as an inhibitor of JAK-STAT, has been also tested. The results obtained indicate that A549 exhibits profound changes in cell morphology associated to a proliferative arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Other alterations occur, such as a blockade of protein synthesis and the activation of autophagy, along with an increase of the intracellular amino acids content, which is likely ascribable to the activation of protein degradation. These changes correlate to the induction of IFN-regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) due to an increased secretion of IFN-γ in the conditioned medium from S1-activated macrophages. The addition of baricitinib prevents the observed effects. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the IFN-γ-IRF-1 signaling pathway may play a role in the alveolar epithelial damage observed in COVID-19-related ARDS.

TRIM22 actives PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to promote Psoriasis through enhancing cell proliferation and inflammation and inhibiting autophagy

OBJECTIVE

To reveal the function and underlying mechanism of Tri-domain protein 22 (TRIM22) in psoriasis.

MEHTODS

M5 cytokines were applied in HaCat cells to mimic psoriasis in vitro. The TRIM22-silencing virus were established to knockdown of TRIM22 in HaCat cells. Western blot and/or real-time PCR were used to detect the expression of TRIM22, KRT1, KRT6, p-P65, P65, LC3, Beclin 1, P62, p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, p-mTOR and mTOR. ELISA kits were applied to assess levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18 and HMGB1.

RESULTS

TRIM22 expression levels were upregulated in M5-treated HaCat cells. M5 treatment enhanced cell proliferation and inflammation, and inhibited autophagy in HaCat cells which were effectively reversed by TRIM22 deficiency. Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is an essential promoter of cell proliferation and inflammation, and inhibitor of autophagy in psoriasis. TRIM22 deficiency blocked M5-induced activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in HaCat cells.

CONCLUSIONS

TRIM22 facilitates cell proliferation and inflammation, and suppresses autophagy in M5-treated HaCat cells through activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and inhibition of TRIM22 can be a novel potential treatment for psoriasis.

Cancer-Associated Dysregulation of Sumo Regulators: Proteases and Ligases

SUMOylation is a post-translational modification that has emerged in recent decades as a mechanism involved in controlling diverse physiological processes and that is essential in vertebrates. The SUMO pathway is regulated by several enzymes, proteases and ligases being the main actors involved in the control of sumoylation of specific targets. Dysregulation of the expression, localization and function of these enzymes produces physiological changes that can lead to the appearance of different types of cancer, depending on the enzymes and target proteins involved. Among the most studied proteases and ligases, those of the SENP and PIAS families stand out, respectively. While the proteases involved in this pathway have specific SUMO activity, the ligases may have additional functions unrelated to sumoylation, which makes it more difficult to study their SUMO-associated role in cancer process. In this review we update the knowledge and advances in relation to the impact of dysregulation of SUMO proteases and ligases in cancer initiation and progression.

The Role of SUMO E3 Ligases in Signaling Pathway of Cancer Cells

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)ylation is a reversible post-translational modification that plays a crucial role in numerous aspects of cell physiology, including cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair, and protein trafficking and turnover, which are of importance for cell homeostasis. Mechanistically, SUMOylation is a sequential multi-enzymatic process where SUMO E3 ligases recruit substrates and accelerate the transfer of SUMO onto targets, modulating their interactions, localization, activity, or stability. Accumulating evidence highlights the critical role of dysregulated SUMO E3 ligases in processes associated with the occurrence and development of cancers. In the present review, we summarize the SUMO E3 ligases, in particular, the novel ones recently identified, and discuss their regulatory roles in cancer pathogenesis.

Mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which represents 80-85% of lung cancer cases, is one of the leading causes of human death worldwide. The majority of patients undergo an intensive and invasive treatment regimen, which may include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of these, depending on disease stage and performance status. Despite advances in therapeutic regimens, the 5-year survival of NSCLC is approximately 20-30%, largely due to diagnosis at advanced stages. Conventional chemotherapy is still the standard treatment option for patients with NSCLC, especially those with advanced disease. However, the emergence of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents (chemoresistance) poses a significant obstacle to the management of patients with NSCLC. Therefore, to develop efficacious chemotherapeutic approaches for NSCLC, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying chemoresistance. Several mechanisms are known to mediate chemoresistance. These include altered cellular targets for chemotherapy, decreased cellular drug concentrations, blockade of chemotherapy-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, acquisition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell-like phenotypes, deregulated expression of microRNAs, epigenetic modulation, and the interaction with tumor microenvironments. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying chemoresistance and tumor recurrence in NSCLC and discuss potential strategies to avoid or overcome chemoresistance.