Non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines A549 and NCI-H460 express hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase on the plasma membrane

Dalbergia sissoo phytochemicals as EGFR inhibitors: an in vitro and in silico approach

The safest and most effective sources of medications are natural and traditional medicines derived from plants and herbs. In Western India, various parts of the Dalbergia sissoo plant, which belongs to the Fabaceae family, have been traditionally used to treat different types of cancer by the local tribes. However, this claim has not been scientifically proven yet. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity) and anticancer effects of different plant extracts from Dalbergia sissoo bark, root, and branch on six different cancer cell lines (K562, PC3, A431, A549, NCIH 460, and HEK 293 T) using in vitro cell viability and cytotoxicity assays. The study also involved in silico docking, MD simulation, and ADME studies of previously reported bioactive compounds from the same parts of the plant to confirm their bioactivity. The DPPH radical scavenging experiment findings showed that the methanol: water extract of the bark had a more significant antioxidant activity IC50 (45.63 ± 1.24 mg/mL). Furthermore, the extract prevented the growth of the A431, A549, and NCIH 460 cancer cell lines with the lowest IC50 values of 15.37, 29.09, and 17.02 g/mL, respectively, demonstrating remarkable anticancer potential. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation studies revealed that Prunetin, Tectorigenin, and Prunetin 4'-O-Galactoside show efficient binding to the EGFR binding domain. This study suggests that tested hits may have antioxidant and anticancer agents and can be considered for future applications in the pharma sector.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Preclinical Evaluation of Off-The-Shelf PD-L1+ Human Natural Killer Cells Secreting IL15 to Treat Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

We described previously a human natural killer (NK) cell population that upregulates PD-L1 expression upon recognizing and reacting to tumor cells or exposure to a combination of IL12, IL18, and IL15. Here, to investigate the safety and efficacy of tumor-reactive and cytokine-activated (TRACK) NK cells, human NK cells from umbilical cord blood were expanded, transduced with a retroviral vector encoding soluble (s) IL15, and further cytokine activated to induce PD-L1 expression. Our results show cryopreserved and thawed sIL15_TRACK NK cells had significantly improved cytotoxicity against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro when compared with non-transduced (NT) NK cells, PD-L1+ NK cells lacking sIL15 expression (NT_TRACK NK), or NK cells expressing sIL15 without further cytokine activation (sIL15 NK cells). Intravenous injection of sIL15_TRACK NK cells into immunodeficient mice with NSCLC significantly slowed tumor growth and improved survival when compared with NT NK and sIL15 NK cells. The addition of the anti-PD-L1 atezolizumab further improved control of NSCLC growth by sIL15_TRACK NK cells in vivo. Moreover, a dose-dependent efficacy was assessed for sIL15_TRACK NK cells without observed toxicity. These experiments indicate that the administration of frozen, off-the-shelf allogeneic sIL15_TRACK NK cells is safe in preclinical models of human NSCLC and has potent antitumor activity without and with the administration of atezolizumab. A phase I clinical trial modeled after this preclinical study using sIL15_TRACK NK cells alone or with atezolizumab for relapsed or refractory NSCLC is currently underway (NCT05334329).

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and NF-kB pathways are promoted by a mutant form of DDB2, unable to bind PCNA, in UV-damaged human cells

BACKGROUND

DNA-Damaged Binding protein 2 (DDB2) is a protein involved in the early step of Nucleotide Excision Repair. Recently, it has been reported that DDB2 is involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), key process in tumour invasiveness and metastasis formation. However, its role is not completely known.

METHODS

Boyden chamber and cell adhesion assays, and ICELLigence analysis were performed to detect HEK293 adhesion and invasion. Western blotting and gelatine zymography techniques were employed to assess the EMT protein levels and MMP enzymatic activity. Immunofluorescence analysis and pull-down assays facilitated the detection of NF-kB sub-cellular localization and interaction.

RESULTS

We have previously demonstrated that the loss of DDB2-PCNA binding favours genome instability, and increases cell proliferation and motility. Here, we have investigated the phenotypic and molecular EMT-like changes after UV DNA damage, in HEK293 clones stably expressing DDB2Wt protein or a mutant form unable to interact with PCNA (DDB2PCNA-), as well as in HeLa cells transiently expressing the same DDB2 constructs. Cells expressing DDB2PCNA- showed morphological modifications along with a reduced expression of E-cadherin, an increased activity of MMP-9 and an improved ability to migrate, in concomitance with a significant upregulation of EMT-associated Transcription Factors (TFs), whose expression has been reported to favour tumour invasion. We observed a higher expression of c-Myc oncogene, NF-kB, both regulating cell proliferation and metastatic process, as well as ZEB1, a TF significantly associated with tumorigenic potential and cell migratory ability. Interestingly, a novel interaction of DDB2 with NF-kB was detected and found to be increased in cells expressing the DDB2PCNA-, suggesting a direct modulation of NF-kB by DDB2.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the role of DDB2-PCNA interaction in counteracting EMT since DDB2PCNA- protein induces in HEK293 transformed cells a gain of function contributing to the acquisition of a more aggressive phenotype.

Formulation of Folate Receptor-Targeted Silibinin-Loaded Inhalable Chitosan Nanoparticles by the QbD Approach for Lung Cancer Targeted Delivery

Aim: Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics by functionalized nanoparticles exhibits a wonderful prospect for cancer treatment. The main objective of this research was to develop folate receptor-targeted silibinin (SB)-loaded inhalable polymeric nanoparticles (FA-CS-SB-NPs) for the treatment of lung cancer. Method: The qbD approach was implemented to prepare SB-loaded nanoparticles. Folic acid was conjugated by electrostatic conjugation in an optimized batch. The therapeutic potentials of formulations were determined using a lung cancer cell-bearing rat model. Result: Optimized formulation exhibited a spherical surface with a mean particle size of 275 ± 1.20 nm, a PDI of 0.234 ± 0.07, a ζ-potential of 32.50 ± 0.21, an entrapment efficiency of 75.52 ± 0.87%, and a CDR of 63.25 ± 1.21% at 48 h. Aerodynamic behaviors such as the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and geometric size distribution (GSD) were found to be 2.75 ± 1.02 and 3.15 ± 0.88 μm, respectively. After 24 h of incubation with FA-CS-SB-NPs, the IC50 value was found to be 24.5 g/mL. FA-SB-CS-NPs maintained a significantly higher deposition of SB in lung tissues. Conclusions: Thus, the noninvasive nature and target specificity of FA-CS-SB-NPs pave the way for pulmonary delivery for treating lung cancer.

Unveiling the potential effects of resveratrol in lung cancer treatment: Mechanisms and nanoparticle-based drug delivery strategies

Lung cancer ranks among the most prevalent forms of cancer and remains a significant factor in cancer-related mortality across the world. It poses significant challenges to healthcare systems and society as a whole due to its high incidence, mortality rates, and late-stage diagnosis. Resveratrol (RV), a natural compound found in various plants, has shown potential as a nanomedicine for lung cancer treatment. RV has varied effects on cancer cells, including promoting apoptosis by increasing pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bak) and decreasing anti-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2). It also hinders cell proliferation by influencing important signaling pathways (MAPK, mTOR, PI3K/Akt, and Wnt/β-catenin) that govern cancer progression. In addition, RV acts as a potent antioxidant, diminishing oxidative stress and safeguarding cells against DNA damage. However, using RV alone in cancer treatment has drawbacks, such as low bioavailability, lack of targeting ability, and susceptibility to degradation. In contrast, nanoparticle-based delivery systems address these limitations and hold promise for improving treatment outcomes in lung cancer; nanoparticle formulations of RV offer advantages such as improved drug delivery, increased stability, controlled release, and targeted delivery to lung cancer cells. This article will provide an overview of lung cancer, explore the potential of RV as a therapeutic agent, discuss the benefits and challenges of nanoparticle-based drug delivery, and highlight the promise of RV nanoparticles for cancer treatment, including lung cancer. By optimizing these systems for clinical application, future studies aim to enhance overall treatment outcomes and improve the prognosis for lung cancer patients.

Acacetin inhibited non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell growth via upregulating miR-34a in vitro and in vivo

Acacetin, one of the flavonoid compounds, is a natural product found in various plants, including Silver birch, and Damiana. Previous studies showed that acacetin has anti-cancer effects on many kinds of cancer cells, however, the role of and the mechanisms of actions of acacetin on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells is still not fully understood. Herein, we found that, in vitro, acacetin inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration of NSCLC cells, A549 and H460, in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, flow cytometry assay results showed that acacetin induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells. In vivo, acacetin suppressed tumor formation of A549-xenografted nude mice model with no obvious toxicities. Western blotting results showed that the protein levels of cell cycle-related proteins cyclin B1, cyclin D, and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 had decreased, while the apoptosis-related protein Bak had increased both in NSCLC cells and in A549-xenografted tumor tissues. For investigating the molecular mechanism behind the biological effects of acacetin on NSCLC, we found that acacetin induced the expression levels of tumor suppressor p53 both in vitro and in vivo. MicroRNA, miR-34a, the direct target of p53, has been shown anti-NSCLC proliferation effects by suppressing the expression of its target gene programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). We found that acacetin upregulated the expression levels of miR-34a, and downregulated the expression levels of PD-L1 of NSCLC cells in vitro and of tumors in vivo. In vitro, knockdown p53 expression by siRNAs reversed the induction effects of acacetin on miR34a expression and abolished the inhibitory activity of acacetin on NSCLC cell proliferation. Furthermore, using agomir and antagomir to overexpress and suppress the expression miR-34a in NSCLC cells was also examined. We found that miR-34a agomir showed similar effects as acacetin on A549 cells, while miR-34a antagomir could partially or completely reverse acacetin's effects on A549 cells. In vivo, intratumor injection of miR-34a antagomir could drastically suppress the anti-tumor formation effects of acacetin in A549-xenografted nude mice. Overall, our results showed that acacetin inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis of NSCLC cells by regulating miR-34a.

Upregulated PPP1R14B is connected to cancer progression and immune infiltration in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 14B (PPP1R14B) is an oncogenic gene found in a variety of tumors, but its role in the prognosis and development of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains unknown. Our study aimed to determine whether PPP1R14B could be a prognostic biomarker for KIRC and its role in the development of KIRC.

METHODS

In this work, we used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to explore the expression of PPP1R14B in tumor tissues, its relationship with the prognosis of tumor patients, and its role in tumor occurrence and development. We validated our findings using the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort, our clinical samples, and in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

PPP1R14B was upregulated in KIRC compared to adjacent normal tissue. Moreover, multivariate analysis revealed that upregulated PPP1R14B expression was an independent risk factor for KIRC progression. High-PPP1R14B groups had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in TCGA and ICGC cohorts. We used Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and scratch wound healing assay to explore the proliferation and migration of KIRC cells following PPP1R14B knockdown. Our results indicated that PPP1R14B knockdown significantly reduced the proliferation and migration of KIRC cells in vitro. We also explored the possible cellular mechanisms of PPP1R14B through the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Gene ontology (GO) analysis, and TISIDB analysis. The function enrich analysis revealed that PPP1R14B-related genes were mainly enriched in purine metabolism and the macromolecule catabolic process. PPP1R14B expression was associated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in the TCGA cohort, and the results of single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA) further demonstrated that PPP1R14B expression was associated with the enhanced infiltration of CD8 + T lymphocytes.

CONCLUSION

PPP1R14B may serve as a prognostic biomarker in KIRC, affect purine metabolism, activate immune infiltration, and promote KIRC cell migration.

A shift in focus towards precision oncology, driven by revolutionary nanodiagnostics; revealing mysterious pathways in colorectal carcinogenesis

Multiple molecular mechanisms contribute to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), with chromosomal instability (CIN) playing a significant role. CRC is influenced by mutations in several important genes, including APC, TP53, KRAS, PIK3CA, BRAF, and SMYD4. The three molecular subtypes of this disease are CIN, MSI-H, and CIMP (CpG-island phenotype). p53 dysfunction and aberrant Wnt signalling are common characteristics of CRC carcinogenesis. Despite advances in conventional therapy, metastatic CRC remains difficult to treat due to toxicity and resistance. Theranostics for cancer could significantly benefit from nanotechnology, as it would enable more targeted, individualised care with fewer side effects. Utilising functionalized nanoparticles has enabled MRI-guided gene therapy, magnetic hyperthermia, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and photothermal/photodynamic therapy, thereby radically modifying the way cancer is treated. Active targeting using ligands or peptides on nanoparticles improves the delivery of drugs to cancer cells. Nanostructures such as drug peptide conjugates, chitosan nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, hybrid lipid-polymer nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, and quantum dots may enable targeted drug delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy against CRC. Nanomedicines are presently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of colorectal cancer, with the promise of more effective and individualised therapies. This article examines current nanomedicine patents for CRC, including the work of Delta-Fly, Merrimack, and Pfenning, Meaning & Partner, among others. In terms of future nanomedicine research and development, ligand production, particle size, and clearance are crucial factors. Lastly, the numerous nanostructures utilized in nanomedicine for targeted drug administration and diagnostics indicate optimistic prospects for enhancing CRC treatment. The successes of nanomedicine research and development for existing colon cancer treatments are also highlighted in this review.

Intracellular metabolic profiling of drug resistant cells by surface enhanced Raman scattering

BACKGROUND

Intracellular metabolic profiling reveals real-time metabolic information useful for the study of underlying mechanisms of cells in particular conditions such as drug resistance. However, mass spectrometry (MS), one of the leading metabolomics technologies, usually requires a large number of cells and complex pretreatments. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has an ultrahigh detection sensitivity and specificity, favorable for metabolomics analysis. However, some targeted SERS methods focus on very limited metabolite without global bioprofiling, and some label-free approaches try to fingerprint the metabolic response based on whole SERS spectral classification, but comprehensive interpretation of biological mechanisms was lacking. (95) RESULTS: We proposed a label-free SERS technique for intracellular metabolic profiling in complex cellular lysates within 3 min. We first compared three kinds of cellular lysis methods and sonication lysis shows the highest extraction efficiency of metabolites. To obtain comprehensive metabolic information, we collected a spectral set for each sample and further qualified them by the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) to calculate how many spectra should be acquired at least to gain the adequate information from a statistical and global view. In addition, according to our measurements with 10 pure metabolites, we can understand the spectra acquired from complex cellular lysates of different cell lines more precisely. Finally, we further disclosed the variations of 22 SERS bands in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells and some are associated with the androgen receptor signaling activity and the methionine salvage pathway in the drug resistance process, which shows the same metabolic trends as MS. (149) SIGNIFICANCE: Our technique has the capability to capture the intracellular metabolic fingerprinting with the optimized lysis approach and spectral set collection, showing high potential in rapid, sensitive and global metabolic profiling in complex biosamples and clinical liquid biopsy. This gives a new perspective to the study of SERS in insightful understanding of relevant biological mechanisms. (54).

A phycoerythrin isolated from Rhodomonas salina induces apoptosis via ERK/Bak and JNK/Caspase-3 pathway in A549 cells

Rhodomonas salina, Cryptophyta, Rhodomonas genus, is a valuable source for live feed in aquaculture and for the production of phycoerythrin (PE). In this study, PE was extracted from Rhodomonas salina and characterized as having a molecular weight of approximately 24 kDa, an absorbance at 545 nm, and a purity of up to 6.61 (which meets reagent grade requirements with an OD545/OD280 ratio >4). The effects of PE on anticancer activity and its underlying mechanisms were evaluated to assess the immunomodulatory potential on the human lung cancer A549 cell line. Biochemical assays and western blot analysis were applied to confirm the immune mechanisms. The results showed that after 24 h of exposure to PE, the proliferation of A549 cells was significantly and dose-dependently decreased. PE also caused the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The further results showed that PE can remarkably enhance the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and p53. Simultaneously, the BCL-2 family was also affected and had some changes, such as the dramatically enhance of Bim and Bak and the decrease of Bcl-2 level. However, it is interesting to note that there was no apparent alteration in Bax expression during the experiment. Furthermore, the biological mechanism for the potential of PE to induce apoptosis showed that the ERK/Bak and the JNK/caspase-3 signaling pathway were activated. This study provides evidence that the anticancer activity of PE in Rhodomonas salina may have potential for preventing cancer and serving as a novel immunostimulant in the pharmaceutical industry.

In vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities of mixture Thai medicinal plants

BACKGROUND

The phytochemical study of medicinal plants is rapidly gaining popularity with many pharmacologic effects. This study aims to determine the antioxidant capacity as well as anticancer and antimigration activities of Clear belongs Plus extract (CBL-P) which consisted of five medicinal plants namely, Alpinia galanga, Piper nigrum, Citrus aurantifolia, Tiliacora triandra, and Cannabis sativa on human colon cancer cells SW620 and HCT116 cell lines, and human non-small cell lung cancer cells A549 and NCI-H460 cell lines.

METHODS

In this study the dried-plant powder was extracted using 90% ethanol. Additionally, CBL-P was studied antioxidative activity via DPPH and ABTS assays and anti-inflammatory activities using nitric oxide assay using Griess reaction. Antiproliferation and antimigration of CBL-P were investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and scratch assay.

RESULTS

The results showed that CBL-P had potent antiproliferative activity with IC₅₀ values in a concentration- and time-dependent manners for all four cell lines. CBL-P also possessed potent antimigration activity against all studied cancer cells. CBL-P demonstrated antimigration activity on four different types of cancer cells (A549, NCI-H460, HCT116, and SW620) after 48 h of incubation, with the greatest effect seen at the highest concentration tested (15 μg/mL) in A549 cells (10.23% of wound closure) and NCI-H460 cells (9.16% of wound closure). CBL-P was also effective in reducing migration in HCT116 and SW620 cells, with a range of closure area from 10-50%. In addition, CBL-P had antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 8.549 ± 0.241 mg/mL and 2.673 ± 0.437 mg/mL for DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. CBL-P also showed anti-inflammatory activity with the best inhibitory activity on NO production at a concentration of 40 μg/mL.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the mixture extract possessed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Furthermore, the mixture plant extract significantly exhibited antiproliferative and antimigration activities on SW620, HCT116, A549, and NCI-H460 cells (P ≤ 0.05). Taken together, our results suggest that medicinal plants may have synergistic effects that could potentially enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment when used as adjuvants. These findings provide a solid scientific foundation for future efforts to explore the mechanism of action.

Cyclohexane-1,3-dione Derivatives as Future Therapeutic Agents for NSCLC: QSAR Modeling, In Silico ADME-Tox Properties, and Structure-Based Drug Designing Approach

The abnormal expression of the c-Met tyrosine kinase has been linked to the proliferation of several human cancer cell lines, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this context, the identification of new c-Met inhibitors based on heterocyclic small molecules could pave the way for the development of a new cancer therapeutic pathway. Using multiple linear regression (MLR)-quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and artificial neural network (ANN)-QSAR modeling techniques, we look at the quantitative relationship between the biological inhibitory activity of 40 small molecules derived from cyclohexane-1,3-dione and their topological, physicochemical, and electronic properties against NSCLC cells. In this regard, screening methods based on QSAR modeling with density-functional theory (DFT) computations, in silico pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (ADME-Tox) modeling, and molecular docking with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) computations were used. Using physicochemical (stretch-bend, hydrogen bond acceptor, Connolly molecular area, polar surface area, total connectivity) and electronic (total energy, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels) molecular descriptors, compound 6d is identified as the optimal scaffold for drug design based on in silico screening tests. The computer-aided modeling developed in this study allowed us to design, optimize, and screen a new class of 36 small molecules based on cyclohexane-1,3-dione as potential c-Met inhibitors against NSCLC cell growth. The in silico rational drug design approach used in this study led to the identification of nine lead compounds for NSCLC therapy via c-Met protein targeting. Finally, the findings are validated using a 100 ns series of molecular dynamics simulations in an aqueous environment on c-Met free and complexed with samples of the proposed lead compounds and Foretinib drug.

Biologic Impact of Green Synthetized Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Two Different Lung Tumorigenic Monolayers and a 3D Normal Bronchial Model-EpiAirwayTM Microtissue

The present study reports the successful synthesis of biocompatible magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) by an ecofriendly single step method, using two ethanolic extracts based on leaves of Camellia sinensis L. and Ocimum basilicum L. The effect of both green raw materials as reducing and capping agents was taken into account for the development of MNPs, as well as the reaction synthesis temperature (25 °C and 80 °C). The biological effect of the MNPs obtained from Camellia sinensis L. ethanolic extract (Cs 25, Cs 80) was compared with that of the MNPs obtained from Ocimum basilicum L. ethanolic extract (Ob 25, Ob 80), by using two morphologically different lung cancer cell lines (A549 and NCI-H460); the results showed that the higher cell viability impairment was manifested by A549 cells after exposure to MNPs obtained from Ocimum basilicum L. ethanolic extract (Ob 25, Ob 80). Regarding the biosafety profile of the MNPs, it was shown that the EpiAirway^TM models did not elicit important viability decrease or significant histopathological changes after treatment with none of the MNPs (Cs 25, Cs 80 and Ob 25, Ob 80), at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL.

Pulsed electric fields with calcium ions stimulate oxidative alternations and lipid peroxidation in human non-small cell lung cancer

Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) are commonly used to facilitate the delivery of various molecules, including pharmaceuticals, into living cells. However, the applied protocols still require optimization regarding the conditions of the permeabilization process, i.e., pulse waveform, voltage, duration, and the number of pulses in a burst. This study highlights the importance of electrochemical processes involved in the electropermeabilization process, known as electroporation. This research investigated the effects of electroporation on human non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549) in potassium (SKM) and HEPES-based buffers (SHM) using sub-microsecond and microsecond range pulses. The experiments were performed using 100 ns - 100 μs (0.6-15 kV/cm) bursts with 8 pulses in a sequence. It was shown that depending on the buffer composition, the susceptibility of cells to PEF varies, while calcium enhances the cytotoxic effects of PEF, if high cell membrane permeabilization is triggered. It was also determined that electroporation with calcium ions induces oxidative stress in cells, including lipid peroxidation (LPO), generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and neutral lipid droplets. Here, we demonstrated that calcium ions and optimized pulse parameters could potentiate PEF efficacy and oxidative alternations in lung cancer cells. Thus, the anticancer efficacy of PEF in lung cancers in combination with standard cytostatic drugs or calcium ions should be considered, but this issue still requires in-depth detailed studies with in vivo models.

Lung cancer metabolomic data from tumor core biopsies enables risk-score calculation for progression-free and overall survival

INTRODUCTION

Metabolomics has emerged as a powerful method to provide insight into cancer progression, including separating patients into low- and high-risk groups for overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). However, survival prediction based mainly on metabolites obtained from biofluids remains elusive.

OBJECTIVES

This proof-of-concept study evaluates metabolites as biomarkers obtained directly from tumor core biopsies along with covariates age, sex, pathological stage at diagnosis (I/II vs. III/VI), histological subtype, and treatment vs. no treatment to risk stratify lung cancer patients in terms of OS and PFS.

METHODS

Tumor core biopsy samples obtained during routine lung cancer patient care at the University of Louisville Hospital and Norton Hospital were evaluated with high-resolution 2DLC-MS/MS, and the data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. A linear equation was developed to stratify patients into low and high risk groups based on log-transformed intensities of key metabolites. Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis (SPLS-DA) was performed to predict OS and PFS events.

RESULTS

Univariable Cox proportional hazards regression model coefficients divided by the standard errors were used as weight coefficients multiplied by log-transformed metabolite intensity, then summed to generate a risk score for each patient. Risk scores based on 10 metabolites for OS and 5 metabolites for PFS were significant predictors of survival. Risk scores were validated with SPLS-DA classification model (AUROC 0.868 for OS and AUROC 0.755 for PFS, when combined with covariates).

CONCLUSION

Metabolomic analysis of lung tumor core biopsies has the potential to differentiate patients into low- and high-risk groups based on OS and PFS events and probability.

Adenosine Conjugated Docetaxel Nanoparticles—Proof of Concept Studies for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer, a molecularly diverse disease, is the most prevalent cause of cancer mortality globally. Increasing understanding of the clinicopathology of the disease and mechanisms of tumor progression has facilitated early detection and multimodal care. Despite the advancements, survival rates are extremely low due to non-targeted therapeutics and correspondingly increased risk of metastasis. At some phases of cancer, patients need to face the ghost of chemotherapy. It is a difficult decision near the end of life. Such treatments have the capability to prolong survival or reduce symptoms, but can cause serious adverse effects, affecting quality of life of the patient. It is evident that many patients do not die from burden of the disease alone, but they die due to the toxic effect of treatment. Thus, increasing the efficacy is one aspect and decreasing the toxicity is another critical aspect of cancer formulation design. Through our current research, we tried to uncover both mentioned potentials of the formulation. Therefore, we designed actively targeted nanoparticles for improved therapeutics considering the overexpression of adenosine (ADN) receptors on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. Docetaxel (DTX), an essential therapeutic as part of combination therapy or as monotherapy for the treatment of NSCLC, was encapsulated in biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles. ADN was conjugated on the surface of nanoparticles using EDC-NHS chemistry. The particles were characterized in vitro for physicochemical properties, cellular uptake, and biocompatibility. The size and zeta potential of DTX nanoparticles (DPLGA) were found to be 138.4 ± 5.45 nm and −16.7 ± 2.3 mV which were found to change after ADN conjugation. The size was increased to 158.2 ± 6.3 nm, whereas zeta potential was decreased to −11.7 ± 1.4 mV for ADN-conjugated DTX nanoparticles (ADN-DPLGA) indicative of surface conjugation. As observed from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the nanoparticles were spherical and showed no significant change in encapsulation efficiency even after surface conjugation. Careful and systematic optimization leads to ADN-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles having distinctive characteristic features such as particle size, surface potential, encapsulation efficacy, etc., that may play crucial roles in the fate of nanoparticles (NPs). Consequently, higher cellular uptake in the A549 lung cancer cell line was exhibited by ADN-DPLGA compared to DPLGA, illustrating the role of ADN receptors (ARs) in facilitating the uptake of NPs. Further in vivo pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution experiments revealed prolonged circulation in plasma and significantly higher lung tissue distribution than in other organs, dictating the targeting potential of the developed formulation over naïve drug and unconjugated formulations. Further, in vivo acute toxicity was examined using multiple parameters for non-toxic attributes of the developed formulation compared to other non-targeted organs. Further, it also supports the selection of biocompatible polymers in the formulation. The current study presents a proof-of-concept for a multipronged formulation technology strategy that might be used to maximize anticancer therapeutic responses in the lungs in the treatment of NSCLC. An improved therapeutic and safety profile would help achieve maximum efficacy at a reduced dose that would eventually help reduce the toxicity.

Ethyl acetate extract of Clausena excavata induces growth inhibition of non-small-lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line via apoptosis

CONTEXT

Clausena excavata Burm. f is a plant used in folklore medicine for the treatment of various ailments in South East Asia. The plant parts contain chemical components that are cytotoxic to many cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE

The study investigated the cytotoxic effects of ethyl acetate, methanol and chloroform C. excavata leaf extracts on the non-small-lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line.

METHODS

Based on the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, among extracts, ethyl acetate C. excavata leaf extract (EACE) was the most potent anti-NCI-H460 cells, with IC50 value of 47.1 ± 6.1 μg/ml. The effects of EACE on NCI-H460 cells were also determined by clonogenic, 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide-PI flow cytometric assays. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptotic gene expressions was determined via flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively.

RESULTS

EACE-treated NCI-H460 cells after 48 h underwent apoptosis as evident by loss of cell viability, cell shrinkage, and chromatin condensation. The results also showed EACE mediated increase in ROS production by the NCI-H460 cells. After 48 h treatment, EACE increased the pro-apoptotic BAX and decreased the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Survivin and c-Myc gene expressions.

CONCLUSIONS

EACE is a potential anti-lung cancer by increasing cancer cell ROS production and apoptosis.

Potential molecular link between the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGprt) enzyme in Lesch-Nyhan disease and cancer

Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND) is a rare X-linked inherited neurogenetic disorders of purine metabolic in which the cytoplasmic enzyme, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGprt) is defective. Despite having been characterized over 60 years ago, however, up to now, there is no satisfactory explanation of how deficits in enzyme HGprt can lead to LND with the development of the persistent and severe self-injurious behavior. Recently, a role for epistasis between the mutated hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT1) and the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) genes affecting the regulation of alternative APP pre-mRNA splicing in LND has been demonstrated. Furthermore, there were also some reported cases of LND developing thrombosis while APP is an important regulator of vein thrombosis and controls coagulation. Otherwise, the surface expression of HGprt enzyme was also observed in several somatic tissue cancers while APP and the APP-like protein-2 (APLP2) are deregulated in cancer cells and linked to increased tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The present review provides a discussion about these findings and suggests a potential molecular link between APP and HGprt via epistasis between HPRT1 and APP genes affecting the regulation of alternative APP pre-mRNA splicing. As a perspective, expression vectors for HGprt enzyme and APP are constructed as described in Ref. # 24 (Nguyen KV, Naviaux RK, Nyhan WL (2020) Lesch-Nyhan disease: I. Construction of expression vectors for hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGprt) enzyme and amyloid precursor protein (APP). Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids 39: 905–922), and they could be used as tools for clarification of these issues. In addition, these expression vectors, especially the one with the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor can be used as a model for the construction of expression vectors for any protein targeting to the cell plasma membrane for studying intermolecular interactions and could be therefore useful in the vaccines as well as antiviral drugs development (studying intermolecular interactions between the spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2, as well as its variants and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, ACE2, in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [43],[44], for example).

Silibinin loaded inhalable solid lipid nanoparticles for lung targeting

AIM

In the current study, efforts are being made to prepare Inhalable Silibinin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with narrow size distribution with improved bioavailability.

METHODS

SLNs were formulated by high shear homogenisation method SLNs were characterised, including Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), particle size analysis, entrapment efficiency with Aerodynamic behaviour. The MTT assay was performed against A549 cell line, to measure their anticancer cell activity with In vivo study.

RESULTS

Optimized formulation exhibited spherical surface with a mean particle size of 221 ± 1.251 nm, PI of 0.121 ±  0.081, zeta potential of -4.12 ± 0.744. Aerodynamic behaviour such as Mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and Geometric size distribution (GSD) were found to be 5.487 ± 0.072 and 2.321 ± 0.141 respectively proved formulation is suitable for inhalation. In vitro cellular efficacy against A549 cells, revealed that the optimised formulations were more effective and potent.

CONCLUSION

The Inhalable SLNs approach was successfully engineered and administered to the lungs safely without causing any problems.

Antiproliferative activity of cardenolides on cell line A549: structure-activity relationship analysis

Since the beginning, natural products have represented an important source of bioactive molecules for cancer treatment. Among them, cardenolides attract the attention of different research groups due to their cardiotonic and antitumor activity. The observed biological activity is closely related to their Na+/K+-ATPase inhibition potency. Currently, the discovery of new compounds against cancer is an urgent need in modern pharmaceutical research. Thus, the aim of this work is to determine the physicochemical properties and substituent effects that module the antiproliferative activity of cardenolides on the human lung cancer cell line A549. We build and curate a library with results obtained from literature; molecular descriptors were calculated in PaDEL software, and SAR/QSAR analysis was performed. The SAR results showed that cardenolides were sensitive to modifications in C and D steroidal ring and required substituent groups with the function of hydrogen bond acceptor at the C3 position. QSAR models to doubly linked-type cardenolides indicated that properties as lipoaffinity and atoms with the capacity to be hydrogen bond acceptors are involved in the increment of antiproliferative activity on A549 cell line. In contrast, the presence and position of very electro-negative atoms on the molecule decreased the antiproliferative effect on A549 cells. These results suggest that the antiproliferative capacity of cardenolides on the cell line A549 is strongly related to substituent groups on the C3 position, which must not be carbohydrate. Additionally, the steroidal rings C and D must remain without modifications.

Integrative Analysis of Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Data Identifies Prognostic Biomarkers Associated With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most malignant neoplasm in oral cancer. There is growing evidence that its progression involves altered metabolism. The current method of evaluating prognosis is very limited, and metabolomics may provide a new approach for quantitative evaluation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the use of metabolomics as prognostic markers for patients with OSCC.

Methods

An analytical platform, Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole/Orbitrap High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS), was used to acquire the serum fingerprinting profiles from a total of 103 patients of OSCC before and after the operation. In total, 103 OSCC patients were assigned to either a training set (n = 73) or a test set (n = 30). The potential biomarkers and the changes of serum metabolites were profiled and correlated with the clinicopathological parameters and survival of the patients by statistical analysis. To further verify our results, we linked them to gene expression using data from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG).

Results

In total, 14 differential metabolites and five disturbed pathways were identified between the preoperative group and postoperative group. Succinic acid change-low, hypoxanthine change-high tumor grade, and tumor stage indicated a trend towards improved recurrence-free survival (RFS), whether in a training set or a test set. In addition, succinic acid change-low, hypoxanthine change-high, and tumor grade provided the highest predictive accuracy of the patients with OSCC. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the imbalance in the amino acid and purine metabolic pathway may affect the prognosis of OSCC.

Conclusions

The changes of metabolites before and after operation may be related to the prognosis of OSCC patients. UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS serum metabolomics analysis could be used to further stratify the prognosis of patients with OSCC. These results can better understand the mechanisms related to early recurrence and help develop more effective therapeutic targets.

The impact of physiological metabolite levels on serine uptake, synthesis and utilization in cancer cells

Serine is a non-essential amino acid that is critical for tumour proliferation and depletion of circulating serine results in reduced tumour growth and increased survival in various cancer models. While many cancer cells cultured in a standard tissue culture medium depend on exogenous serine for optimal growth, here we report that these cells are less sensitive to serine/glycine depletion in medium containing physiological levels of metabolites. The lower requirement for exogenous serine under these culture conditions reflects both increased de novo serine synthesis and the use of hypoxanthine (not present in the standard medium) to support purine synthesis. Limiting serine availability leads to increased uptake of extracellular hypoxanthine, sparing available serine for other pathways such as glutathione synthesis. Taken together these results improve our understanding of serine metabolism in physiologically relevant nutrient conditions and allow us to predict interventions that may enhance the therapeutic response to dietary serine/glycine limitation.

Cancer cells in culture are often grown in media conditions containing unphysiological metabolite levels. Here, the authors grow cells under physiological metabolite levels to further understand the reliance of cells on serine and find that when grown under these conditions the cells are less sensitive to serine withdrawal.

Dihydroisotanshinone I induced ferroptosis and apoptosis of lung cancer cells

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge) is broadly utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for lung cancer. However, it's exact effort and mechanism on lung cancer is fully unclear. In this study, we found that dihydroisotanshinone I (DT), a pure compound extracted from danshen, can inhibit the growth of A549 cells and H460 cells. DT also induced apoptosis and ferroptosis in these lung cancer cells. DT also blocking the protein expression of GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4). For in vivo study, DT treatment can inhibit metastasis of A549 cells in the nude mice model without adverse effects on mice. In conclusion, DT inhibited the growth of lung cancer cells through apoptosis and ferroptosis and inhibited metastasis of A549 cells in the nude mice model. Further studies are warranted to validate the findings of this study.

Overexpression and surface localization of HPRT in prostate cancer provides a potential target for cancer specific antibody mediated cellular cytotoxicity

We chose to evaluate Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) as a possible biomarker for prostate cancer due to its involvement in nucleotide synthesis and cell cycle progression. We utilized two prostate cancer cell lines (PC3 and DU145) along with patient tissue and knockdowns to evaluate overall HPRT expression. The surface localization of HPRT was determined utilizing flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy followed by ADCC to evaluate targeting potential. We found significant upregulation of HPRT within malignant samples with approximately 47% of patients had elevated levels of HPRT compared to normal controls. We also observed a significant association between HPRT and the plasma membrane of DU145 cells (p = 0.0004), but found no presence on PC3 cells (p = 0.14). This was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. ADCC experiments were performed to determine whether HPRT could be used as a target antigen for selective cell-mediated killing. We found that DU145 cells treated with HPRT antibodies had a significantly higher incidence of cell death than both isotype treated samples and PC3 cells treated with the same concentrations of HPRT antibody. Finally, we determined that p53 had a significant impact on HPRT expression both internally and on the surface of cancer cells. These results suggest HPRT as a possible biomarker target for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

Cancer cell-intrinsic expression of MHC II in lung cancer cell lines is actively restricted by MEK/ERK signaling and epigenetic mechanisms

BACKGROUND

Programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) targeted immunotherapy affords clinical benefit in ~20% of unselected patients with lung cancer. The factor(s) that determine whether a tumor responds or fails to respond to immunotherapy remains an active area of investigation. We have previously defined divergent responsiveness of two KRAS-mutant cell lines to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade using an orthotopic, immunocompetent mouse model. Responsiveness to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade correlates with an interferon gamma (IFNγ)-inducible gene signature and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) expression by cancer cells. In the current study, we aim to identify therapeutic targets that can be manipulated in order to enhance cancer-cell-specific MHC II expression.

METHODS

Responsiveness to IFNγ and induction of MHC II expression was assessed after various treatment conditions in mouse and human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines using mass cytometric and flow cytometric analysis.

RESULTS

Single-cell analysis using mass and flow cytometry demonstrated that IFNγ consistently induced PD-L1 and MHC class I (MHC I) across multiple murine and human NSCLC cell lines. In contrast, MHC II showed highly variable induction following IFNγ treatment both between lines and within lines. In mouse models of NSCLC, MHC II induction was inversely correlated with basal levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, suggesting potential mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-dependent antagonism of MHC II expression. To test this, cell lines were subjected to varying levels of stimulation with IFNγ, and assessed for MHC II expression in the presence or absence of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors. IFNγ treatment in the presence of MEK inhibitors significantly enhanced MHC II induction across multiple lung cancer lines, with minimal impact on expression of either PD-L1 or MHC I. Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) also enhanced MHC II expression to a more modest extent. Combined MEK and HDAC inhibition led to greater MHC II expression than either treatment alone.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies emphasize the active inhibitory role that epigenetic and ERK signaling cascades have in restricting cancer cell-intrinsic MHC II expression in NSCLC, and suggest that combinatorial blockade of these pathways may engender new responsiveness to checkpoint therapies.

HPRT promotes proliferation and metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through direct interaction with STAT3

Increasing effort has been put into finding novel molecular pathways to improve the efficiency of EGFR inhibitors against head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). In this study, we performed data mining and bioinformatically analysed RNA-Seq data downloaded from TCGA and confirmed that higher expression of HPRT in HNSCC tissue was related to poor prognosis of patients. Then, we conducted in vitro and in vivo loss- and gain-of-function experiments to demonstrate the role of HPRT in HNSCC cell lines. Overexpression of HPRT increased the gene expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition markers via direct interaction with STAT3. Knocking down HPRT significantly decreased tumour growth and enhanced the anticancer effect of EGFR inhibitors against HNSCC xenografts. In conclusion, HPRT is a binding partner of STAT3 that promotes EMT and proliferation. Our findings support HPRT as a promising prognostic indicator and potential therapeutic target for HNSCC.

Unleashing β-catenin with a new anti-Alzheimer drug for bone tissue regeneration

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is critical for bone differentiation and regeneration. Tideglusib, a selective FDA approved glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibitor, has been shown to promote dentine formation, but its effect on bone has not been examined. Our objective was to study the effect of localized Tideglusib administration on bone repair. Bone healing between Tideglusib treated and control mice was analysed at 7, 14 and 28 days postoperative (PO) with microCT, dynamic histomorphometry and immunohistology. There was a local downregulation of GSK-3β in Tideglusib animals, resulting in a significant increase in the amount of new bone formation with both enhanced cortical bone bridging and medullary bone deposition. The bone formation in the Tideglusib group was characterized by early osteoblast differentiation with down-regulation of GSK-3β at day 7 and 14, and higher accumulation of active β-catenin at day 14. Here, for the first time, we show a positive effect of Tideglusib on bone formation through the inactivation of GSK-3β. Furthermore, the findings suggest that Tideglusib does not interfere with precursor cell recruitment and commitment, contrary to other GSK-3β antagonists such as lithium chloride. Taken together, the results indicate that Tideglusib could be used directly at a fracture site during the initial intraoperative internal fixation without the need for further surgery, injection or drug delivery system. This FDA-approved drug may be useful in the future for the prevention of non-union in patients presenting with a high risk for fracture-healing.

Evaluation of the upregulation and surface expression of hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Burkitt's B cell lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to determine whether Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) could be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of B cell malignancies. With 4.3% of all new cancers diagnosed as Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, finding new biomarkers for the treatment of B cell cancers is an ongoing pursuit. HPRT is a nucleotide salvage pathway enzyme responsible for the synthesis of guanine and inosine throughout the cell cycle.

METHODS

Raji cells were used for this analysis due to their high HPRT internal expression. Internal expression was evaluated utilizing western blotting and RNA sequencing. Surface localization was analyzed using flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and membrane biotinylation. To determine the source of HPRT surface expression, a CRISPR knockdown of HPRT was generated and confirmed using western blotting. To determine clinical significance, patient blood samples were collected and analyzed for HPRT surface localization.

RESULTS

We found surface localization of HPRT on both Raji cancer cells and in 77% of the malignant ALL samples analyzed and observed no significant expression in healthy cells. Surface expression was confirmed in Raji cells with confocal microscopy, where a direct overlap between HPRT specific antibodies and a membrane-specific dye was observed. HPRT was also detected in biotinylated membranes of Raji cells. Upon HPRT knockdown in Raji cells, we found a significant reduction in surface expression, which shows that the HPRT found on the surface originates from the cells themselves. Finally, we found that cells that had elevated levels of HPRT had a direct correlation to XRCC2, BRCA1, PIK3CA, MSH2, MSH6, WDYHV1, AK7, and BLMH expression and an inverse correlation to PRKD2, PTGS2, TCF7L2, CDH1, IL6R, MC1R, AMPD1, TLR6, and BAK1 expression. Of the 17 genes with significant correlation, 9 are involved in cellular proliferation and DNA synthesis, regulation, and repair.

CONCLUSIONS

As a surface biomarker that is found on malignant cells and not on healthy cells, HPRT could be used as a surface antigen for targeted immunotherapy. In addition, the gene correlations show that HPRT may have an additional role in regulation of cancer proliferation that has not been previously discovered.

Lesch-Nyhan disease: I. Construction of expression vectors for hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGprt) enzyme and amyloid precursor protein (APP)

Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND) is a rare X-linked inherited neurogenetic disorder of purine metabolism in which the enzyme, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGprt) is defective. Despite having been characterized over 50 years ago, it remains unclear precisely how deficits in HGprt enzyme activity can lead to the neurological syndrome, especially the self-injury of LND. Several studies have proposed different hypotheses regarding the etiology of this disease, and several treatments have been tried in patients. However, up to now, there is no satisfactory explanation of the disease and for many LND patients, efficacious treatment for persistent self-injurious behavior remains unreachable. A role for epistasis between mutated hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT1) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) genes has been recently suggested. This finding may provide new directions not only for investigating the role of APP in neuropathology associated with HGprt-deficiency in LND but also for the research in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders in which the APP gene is involved in the pathogenesis of diseases and may pave the way for new strategies applicable to rational antisense drugs design. It is therefore necessary to study the HGprt enzyme and APP using expression vectors for exploring their impacts on LND as well as other human diseases, especially the ones related to APP such as Alzheimer's disease in which the physiologic function and the structure of the entire APP remain largely unclear until now. For such a purpose, we report here the construction of expression vectors as the first step (Part I) of our investigation.

Novel monoclonal antibodies against thymidine kinase 1 and their potential use for the immunotargeting of lung, breast and colon cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) is a pyrimidine salvage pathway enzyme that is up-regulated in malignant tissues and elevated in the serum of cancer patients. While TK1 has been well established as a tumor biomarker, little has been done to explore its potential as a tumor target. Recently, we reported the membrane expression of TK1 on malignant cells, but not on normal cells. This study explores the possible use of monoclonal antibodies for the targeting of membrane associated TK1 in lung, breast, colon and prostate cancer cells.

METHODS

We generated and evaluated a panel of monoclonal antibodies against six different epitopes exposed in the tetrameric form of TK1. Antibodies were developed with hybridoma technology and validated with Western blot, siRNA TK1 knockdown, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry. The therapeutic potential of the antibodies was evaluated in vitro in antibody-dependent cell-mediated-cytotoxicity (ADCC) experiments.

RESULTS

Binding of the antibodies to TK1 was confirmed by Western blot in purified recombinant protein, cancer serum, and cell lysate. After a TK1 knockdown was performed, a reduction of TK1 expression was observed with five antibodies. Using indirect ELISA, we identified 3B2E11, 9C10, 7H2, 3B4, 8G2 among the most sensitive antibodies (LOD = 10.73-66.9 pg/ml). Surface expression of TK1 on the membrane of various cancer cell lines was analyzed with flow cytometry. Antibodies 8G2, 3B4, 7HD and 5F7G11 detected TK1 on the membrane of various cancer cell lines, including lung, prostate, colon and breast. No significant binding was detected on normal lymphocytes. Increased cytolysis of lung (~ 70%. p = 0.0001), breast (~ 70%, p = 0.0461) and colon (~ 50% p = 0.0216) cancer cells by effector cells was observed when anti-TK1 antibodies were added during ADCC experiments.

CONCLUSIONS

The antibodies developed showed potential to be used to detect and target TK1 on the membrane of various tumor cells. The targeting of TK1 in malignant cells using monoclonal antibodies may be a feasible approach for the elimination of high TK1 expressing tumor cells.

Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase expression is negatively correlated with immune activity through its regulation of purine synthesis

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of elevated Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) on the immune response in the tumor microenvironment.

METHODOLOGY

HPRT expression was evaluated in cancer patients and correlated with cytokine expression, survival, and immune cell infiltration. An HPRT knockdown cell line was created to evaluate HPRT impact on purine expression and subsequent purine treatment was administered to immune cells to determine their influence on cell activation.

RESULTS

HPRT expression was negatively correlated with the general expression of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, HPRT expression was also negatively correlated with the infiltration of immune cell subsets: B-cells, CD4 + T cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells (p < 0.001) and CD8 + T-cells (p < 0.01). When HPRT was knocked down in a Raji cell line, the levels of adenosine were reduced significantly compared to the wild type. When examining the level of Ca2+ influx of Raji compared to the HPRT Raji knockdown cell, there was a significant decrease in calcium influx in the knockdown cells when compared to the wild type cells. This demonstrates that HPRT had a significant impact on overall cell activation and the ability of the cells to properly influx calcium needed for their activation.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that purine levels significantly reduce immune cell activation in cancer and the upregulation of HPRT in malignant tissue is a contributing factors to the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Jorunnamycin A from Xestospongia sp. Suppresses Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Sensitizes Anoikis in Human Lung Cancer Cells

Metastasis is a key driving force behind the high mortality rate associated with lung cancer. Herein, we report the first study revealing the antimetastasis activity of jorunnamycin A, a bistetrahydroisoquinolinequinone isolated from a Thai blue sponge Xestospongia sp. evidenced by its inhibition of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), sensitization of anoikis, and suppression of anchorage-independent survival in human lung cancer cells. Treatment with jorunnamycin A (0.05-0.5 μM) altered the expression of p53 and Bcl-2 family proteins, particularly causing the down-regulation of antiapoptosis Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 proteins. Under detachment conditions for 12 h, jorunnamycin A-treated cells exhibited diminution of pro-survival proteins p-Akt and p-Erk as well as the survival-promoting factor caveolin-1. Corresponding with the inhibition on the Akt and Erk pathway as well as activation of p53, there was an increase in the epithelial marker E-cadherin and a remarkable decrease of EMT markers and associated proteins including vimentin, snail, and claudin-1. As the loss of anchorage dependence is an important barrier to metastasis, the observed inhibitory effects of jorunnamycin A on the coordinating networks of EMT and anchorage-independent growth emphasize the potential development of jorunnamycin A as an effective agent against lung cancer metastasis.

Falling from grace: HPRT is not suitable as an endogenous control for cancer-related studies

HPRT is a housekeeping enzyme involved in recycling guanine and inosine in the purine salvage pathway. As a housekeeping gene, HPRT has been widely used as an endogenous control for molecular studies evaluating changes in gene expression. Yet, recent evidence has shown that HPRT exhibits high variability within malignant samples. We designed this study to determine whether this observed upregulation is consistently found, therefore rendering hprt an unsuitable normalization control in cancer. Utilizing protein and RNA-seq expression, we found that malignant and normal patient samples vary significantly both within the same tissue type and across organ sites. Upon staining for HPRT via immunohistochemistry, we found that expression is highly variable in malignant samples (Lung; 89.2-111.8, Breast; 66.7-98.3, Colon; 85.3-129.7, Prostate; 90.8-155.4, Pancreas; 74.1-132.1). Similarly, we observed high variability across cell lines via western blotting (p < 0.0001) which was further confirmed using RNA sequencing. Comparing normal and malignant patient samples, we observed consistent upregulation of HPRT expression within malignant samples relative to normal samples (p = 0.0001). These data indicate that HPRT is unsuitable as an endogenous control for cancer-related studies because its expression is highly variable and exceeds that of an appropriate control; therefore, we recommend its discontinued use as a normalization gene.

Potential new biomarkers for endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Incidence of endometrial cancer are rising both in the United States and worldwide. As endometrial cancer becomes more prominent, the need to develop and characterize biomarkers for early stage diagnosis and the treatment of endometrial cancer has become an important priority. Several biomarkers currently used to diagnose endometrial cancer are directly related to obesity. Although epigenetic and mutational biomarkers have been identified and have resulted in treatment options for patients with specific aberrations, many tumors do not harbor those specific aberrations. A promising alternative is to determine biomarkers based on differential gene expression, which can be used to estimate prognosis.

METHODS

We evaluated 589 patients to determine differential expression between normal and malignant patient samples. We then supplemented these evaluations with immunohistochemistry staining of endometrial tumors and normal tissues. Additionally, we used the Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures to evaluate the effects of 1826 chemotherapy drugs on 26 cell lines to determine the effects of each drug on HPRT1 and AURKA expression.

RESULTS

Expression of HPRT1, Jag2, AURKA, and PGK1 were elevated when compared to normal samples, and HPRT1 and PGK1 showed a stepwise elevation in expression that was significantly related to cancer grade. To determine the prognostic potential of these genes, we evaluated patient outcome and found that levels of both HPRT1 and AURKA were significantly correlated with overall patient survival. When evaluating drugs that had the most significant effect on lowering the expression of HPRT1 and AURKA, we found that Topo I and MEK inhibitors were most effective at reducing HPRT1 expression. Meanwhile, drugs that were effective at reducing AURKA expression were more diverse (MEK, Topo I, MELK, HDAC, etc.). The effects of these drugs on the expression of HPRT1 and AURKA provides insight into their role within cellular maintenance.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these data show that JAG2, AURKA, PGK1, and HRPT1 have the potential to be used independently as diagnostic, prognostic, or treatment biomarkers in endometrial cancer. Expression levels of these genes may provide physicians with insight into tumor aggressiveness and chemotherapy drugs that are well suited to individual patients.

Emerging Role of Purine Metabolizing Enzymes in Brain Function and Tumors

The growing evidence of the involvement of purine compounds in signaling, of nucleotide imbalance in tumorigenesis, the discovery of purinosome and its regulation, cast new light on purine metabolism, indicating that well known biochemical pathways may still surprise. Adenosine deaminase is important not only to preserve functionality of immune system but also to ensure a correct development and function of central nervous system, probably because its activity regulates the extracellular concentration of adenosine and therefore its function in brain. A lot of work has been done on extracellular 5′-nucleotidase and its involvement in the purinergic signaling, but also intracellular nucleotidases, which regulate the purine nucleotide homeostasis, play unexpected roles, not only in tumorigenesis but also in brain function. Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) appears to have a role in the purinosome formation and, therefore, in the regulation of purine synthesis rate during cell cycle with implications in brain development and tumors. The final product of purine catabolism, uric acid, also plays a recently highlighted novel role. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathological manifestations of purine dysmetabolisms, focusing on the newly described/hypothesized roles of cytosolic 5′-nucleotidase II, adenosine kinase, adenosine deaminase, HPRT, and xanthine oxidase.

Examination of Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase as a biomarker for colorectal cancer patients

The aim of this study is to investigate these enzymes as possible biomarkers in two colorectal cancer cell lines: HT29, SW480, SW620, and Colo205. With 1,168,929 individuals currently diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the United States, there remains a need to find biomarkers to improve diagnosis and expand treatment options for patients. Due to their role in proliferation and cell cycle regulation, we hypothesized an increase in salvage pathway enzyme (APRT, DCK, and HPRT) expression and possible presentation within colon cancer cells. Enzyme surface localization was assessed utilizing confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and scanning electron microscopy. General protein expression was evaluated utilizing immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. While we found no statistically significant presence of either APRT or DCK on the membranes of SW620, Colo205, and HT29 cells, but found significant expression of HPRT on the surface of HT29, SW480, and SW620 cells. The average population fluorescence increased by 28%, 58%, and 40% in HT29, SW620, and SW480 cells, respectively, when compared to isotype controls. Confocal microscopy images revealed direct overlap between SW620 cells stained with a membrane dye and anti-HPRT antibody, indicating co-localization on the plasma membrane. In addition, cells treated with gold labelled HPRT antibody experienced significant changes in gold weight percentage on both SW620 and HT29 cells when compared to isotype controls. When evaluating expression within normal tissue, there was insignificant levels of HPRT binding. These data collectively suggest that HPRT may be a possible biomarker target for the identification and treatment of colorectal cancer.

The expansion of targetable biomarkers for CAR T cell therapy

Biomarkers are an integral part of cancer management due to their use in risk assessment, screening, differential diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of response to treatment, and monitoring progress of disease. Recently, with the advent of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, a new category of targetable biomarkers has emerged. These biomarkers are associated with the surface of malignant cells and serve as targets for directing cytotoxic T cells. The first biomarker target used for CAR T cell therapy was CD19, a B cell marker expressed highly on malignant B cells. With the success of CD19, the last decade has shown an explosion of new targetable biomarkers on a range of human malignancies. These surface targets have made it possible to provide directed, specific therapy that reduces healthy tissue destruction and preserves the patient's immune system during treatment. As of May 2018, there are over 100 clinical trials underway that target over 25 different surface biomarkers in almost every human tissue. This expansion has led to not only promising results in terms of patient outcome, but has also led to an exponential growth in the investigation of new biomarkers that could potentially be utilized in CAR T cell therapy for treating patients. In this review, we discuss the biomarkers currently under investigation and point out several promising biomarkers in the preclinical stage of development that may be useful as targets.

A review of HPRT and its emerging role in cancer

Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) is a common salvage housekeeping gene with a historically important role in cancer as a mutational biomarker. As an established and well-known human reporter gene for the evaluation of mutational frequency corresponding to cancer development, HPRT is most commonly used to evaluate cancer risk within individuals and determine potential carcinogens. In addition to its use as a reporter gene, HPRT also has important functionality in the body in relation to purine regulation as demonstrated by Lesch-Nyhan patients whose lack of functional HPRT leads to significant purine overproduction and further neural complications. This regulatory role, in addition to an established connection between other salvage enzymes and cancer development, points to HPRT as an emerging influence in cancer. Recent work has shown that not only is the enzyme upregulated within malignant tumors, it also has significant surface localization within some cancer cells. With this is mind, HPRT has the potential to become a significant biomarker not only for the characterization of cancer, but also for its potential treatment.

Cancer cell lines involving cancer stem cell populations respond to oxidative stress

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Incubation of cancer cells with H₂O₂ results in oxidative stress.

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Cancer cell lines involving cancer stem cell populations respond to oxidative stress and are directed towards apoptosis.

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Presence of different CSC populations may involve when cancer cells generate response to oxidative stress.

Cancer cells may be more prone to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than normal cells; therefore increased oxidative stress can specifically kill cancer cells including cancer stem cells (CSCs). In order to generate oxidative stress in various cancer cell lines including A549, G361 and MCF-7, cultured cells were exposed to H₂O₂. Incubation of cancer cells with H₂O₂ results in concentration-dependent cell death in A549 and G361-7 cells, whereas MCF-7 cells showed higher sensitivity even at a lower H₂O₂ concentration. H₂O₂ treatment decreased the number of cells in G2/M phase and increased the number of apoptotic cells. Both CD24 negative/CD44 positive cells and CD146 positive cells were found to be present in all tested cancer cell lines, indicating that CSC populations may play role in the cellular response to oxidative stress. This study showed that inducing oxidative stress through ROS can offer a promising approach for anti-cancer therapy.