Emerging Mechanisms and Treatment Progress on Liver Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

Circ_0004851 regulates the molecular mechanism of miR-296-3p/FGF11 in the influence of high iodine on PTC

The prevalence of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has been rising in recent years. Despite its relatively low mortality, PTC frequently metastasizes to lymph nodes and often recurs, posing significant health and economic burdens. The role of iodine in the pathogenesis and advancement of thyroid cancer remains poorly understood. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are recognized to function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) that modulate gene expression and play a role in various cancer stages. Consequently, this research aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which circRNA influences the impact of iodine on PTC. Our research indicates that high iodine levels can exacerbate the malignancy of PTC via the circ_0004851/miR-296-3p/FGF11 axis. These insights into iodine's biological role in PTC and the association of circRNA with the disease could pave the way for novel biomarkers and potentially effective therapeutic strategies to mitigate PTC progression.

Expression Status of Rap1 Pathway-Related Genes in Liver Metastases Compared with Corresponding Primary Colorectal Cancer

Understanding molecular networks of CRLM is an ongoing area of research. In this study, paired CRC tissue and adjacent noncancerous tissue from 15 non-metastatic CRC patients and paired CRC tissue and matched liver metastatic tissues from 15 CRLM patients along with their adjacent noncancerous tissues were evaluated. We assessed Rap1 pathway-related genes including NRAS, FGF-1, NGF, and KDR expression by qRT-PCR and their protein status by Western blot. In CRLM patients, NRAS, FGF1, and KDR mRNA and protein were expressed at higher levels in metastatic than in CRC primary tumor and adjacent noncancerous tissue (p < 0.05). In non-metastatic patients, NRAS, FGF1, KDR, and NGF gene expression did not differ between CRC primary tumor-and adjacent noncancerous tissue (p > 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed a reasonable diagnostic accuracy of NRAS, FGF1, KDR, and FGF for the discrimination of metastatic patients from non- metastatic ones on analysis of their primary tumors. The data suggest that further functional studies on Rap1-related genes' role in CRLM are needed. In conclusion, the present data broaden our knowledge about specific molecular characteristics of CRLM. An increased understanding of the molecular features of metastasis has the potential to create more successful treatment, or prevention, of metastasis, especially in multimodal primary tumor treatment.

Using machine learning approach for screening metastatic biomarkers in colorectal cancer and predictive modeling with experimental validation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis accounts for the majority of fatalities associated with CRC. Early detection of metastasis is crucial for improving patient outcomes but can be delayed due to a lack of symptoms. In this research, we aimed to investigate CRC metastasis-related biomarkers by employing a machine learning (ML) approach and experimental validation. The gene expression profile of CRC patients with liver metastasis was obtained using the GSE41568 dataset, and the differentially expressed genes between primary and metastatic samples were screened. Subsequently, we carried out feature selection to identify the most relevant DEGs using LASSO and Penalized-SVM methods. DEGs commonly selected by these methods were selected for further analysis. Finally, the experimental validation was done through qRT-PCR. 11 genes were commonly selected by LASSO and P-SVM algorithms, among which seven had prognostic value in colorectal cancer. It was found that the expression of the MMP3 gene decreases in stage IV of colorectal cancer compared to other stages (P value < 0.01). Also, the expression level of the WNT11 gene was observed to increase significantly in this stage (P value < 0.001). It was also found that the expression of WNT5a, TNFSF11, and MMP3 is significantly lower, and the expression level of WNT11 is significantly higher in liver metastasis samples compared to primary tumors. In summary, this study has identified a set of potential biomarkers for CRC metastasis using ML algorithms. The findings of this research may provide new insights into identifying biomarkers for CRC metastasis and may potentially lay the groundwork for innovative therapeutic strategies for treatment of this disease.

The burden and trend of liver metastases in Shanghai, China: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Studies on the epidemiology of liver metastases (LM)-related mortality are rare. we aimed to describe the burden and trend of liver metastases in Pudong of Shanghai, which could be beneficial to cancer prevention.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective population-based analysis of cancer mortality data with liver metastases in Shanghai Pudong from 2005 to 2021. Long-term trends in crude mortality rates (CMRs), age-standardized mortality rates worldwide, and rate of years of life lost (YLL) were analyzed by the Join-point regression model. In addition, we evaluate the impact of the demographic and nondemographic factors on the mortality of disease by the decomposition method.

RESULTS

Cancer with liver metastases accounted for 26.68% of all metastases. The CMR and age-standardized mortality rates by Segi's world population (ASMRW) of cancer with liver metastases were 15.12/105 person-years and 6.33/105 person-years, respectively. The YLL from cancer with liver metastases was 84 959.87 years, with the age group of 60-69 years having the highest YLL of 26 956.40 years. The top three cancer types in liver metastases are colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. The long-term trend of ASMRW significantly decreased by 2.31% per year ( P <0.05). The ASMRW and YLL rates of those over 45 decreased year by year. Particularly striking was the 70-79 age group. Although the overall mortality of cancer with liver metastases decreased, there was still a significant upward trend toward an increased mortality rate caused by cancer with liver metastases in aging patients.

CONCLUSION

Liver metastases were a common site of metastases in patients with cancers originating from the digestive system. The disease burden caused by cancer with liver metastases provides valuable evidence for cancer management.

Three Members of Transmembrane-4-Superfamily, TM4SF1, TM4SF4, and TM4SF5, as Emerging Anticancer Molecular Targets against Cancer Phenotypes and Chemoresistance

There are six members of the transmembrane 4 superfamily (TM4SF) that have similar topology and sequence homology. Physiologically, they regulate tissue differentiation, signal transduction pathways, cellular activation, proliferation, motility, adhesion, and angiogenesis. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated, among six TM4SF members, the regulatory roles of transmembrane 4 L6 domain family members, particularly TM4SF1, TM4SF4, and TM4SF5, in cancer angiogenesis, progression, and chemoresistance. Hence, targeting derailed TM4SF for cancer therapy has become an emerging research area. As compared to others, this review aimed to present a focused insight and update on the biological roles of TM4SF1, TM4SF4, and TM4SF5 in the progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance of various cancers. Additionally, the mechanistic pathways, diagnostic and prognostic values, and the potential and efficacy of current anti-TM4SF antibody treatment were also deciphered. It also recommended the exploration of other interactive molecules to be implicated in cancer progression and chemoresistance, as well as potential therapeutic agents targeting TM4SF as future perspectives. Generally, these three TM4SF members interact with different integrins and receptors to significantly induce intracellular signaling and regulate the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Intriguingly, gene silencing or anti-TM4SF antibody could reverse their regulatory roles deciphered in different preclinical models. They also have prognostic and diagnostic value as their high expression was detected in clinical tissues and cells of various cancers. Hence, TM4SF1, TM4SF4, and TM4SF5 are promising therapeutic targets for different cancer types preclinically and deserve further investigation.

Intracellular and extracellular factors of colorectal cancer liver metastasis: a pivotal perplex to be fully elucidated

Metastasis is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and the liver is the most common site of metastasis. Tumor cell metastasis can be thought of as an invasion-metastasis cascade and metastatic organotropism is thought to be a process that relies on the intrinsic properties of tumor cells and their interactions with molecules and cells in the microenvironment. Many studies have provided new insights into the molecular mechanism and contributing factors involved in CRC liver metastasis for a better understanding of the organ-specific metastasis process. The purpose of this review is to summarize the theories that explain CRC liver metastasis at multiple molecular dimensions (including genetic and non-genetic factors), as well as the main factors that cause CRC liver metastasis. Many findings suggest that metastasis may occur earlier than expected and with specific organ-anchoring property. The emergence of potential metastatic clones, the timing of dissemination, and the distinct routes of metastasis have been explained by genomic studies. The main force of CRC liver metastasis is also thought to be epigenetic alterations and dynamic phenotypic traits. Furthermore, we review key extrinsic factors that influence CRC cell metastasis and liver tropisms, such as pre-niches, tumor stromal cells, adhesion molecules, and immune/inflammatory responses in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, biomarkers associated with early diagnosis, prognosis, and recurrence of liver metastasis from CRC are summarized to enlighten potential clinical practice, including some markers that can be used as therapeutic targets to provide new perspectives for the treatment strategies of CRC liver metastasis.

Construction of a co-expression network and prediction of metastasis markers in colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common global malignancy associated with high invasiveness, high metastasis, and poor prognosis. CRC commonly metastasizes to the liver, where the treatment of metastasis is both difficult and an important topic in current CRC management.

METHODS

Microarrays data of human CRC with liver metastasis (CRCLM) were downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify potential key genes. Differentially expressed (DE) genes (DEGs) and DEmiRNAs of primary CRC tumor tissues and metastatic liver tissues were identified. Microenvironment Cell Populations (MCP)-counter was used to estimate the abundance of immune cells in the tumor micro-environment (TME), and weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to construct the co-expression network analysis. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for the DEGs were constructed and gene modules were screened.

RESULTS

Thirty-five pairs of matched colorectal primary cancer and liver metastatic gene expression profiles were screened, and 610 DEGs (265 up-regulated and 345 down-regulated) and 284 DEmiRNAs were identified. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the complement and coagulation cascade pathways and renin secretion. Immune infiltrating cells including neutrophils, monocytic lineage, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) differed significantly between primary tumor tissues and metastatic liver tissues. WGCN analysis obtained 12 modules and identified 62 genes with significant interactions which were mainly related to complement and coagulation cascade and the focal adhesion pathway. The best subset regression analysis and backward stepwise regression analysis were performed, and eight genes were determined, including F10, FGG, KNG1, MBL2, PROC, SERPINA1, CAV1, and SPP1. Further analysis showed four genes, including FGG, KNG1, CAV1, and SPP1 were significantly associated with CRCLM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study implies complement and coagulation cascade and the focal adhesion pathway play a significant role in the development and progression of CRCLM, and FGG, KNG1, CAV1, and SPP1 may be metastatic markers for its early diagnosis.

MYO10 contributes to the malignant phenotypes of colorectal cancer via RACK1 by activating integrin/Src/FAK signaling

Liver metastases still remain a major cause of colorectal cancer (CRC) patient death. MYO10 is upregulated in several tumor types, however, its significance and the underlying mechanism in CRC is not entirely clear. Here we found that MYO10 was highly expressed in CRC tumor tissues, especially in liver metastasis tissues. MYO10 knockout reduced CRC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in vitro, and CRC metastasis in vivo. We identified RACK1 by LC-MS/MS and demonstrated that MYO10 interacts with and stabilizes RACK1. Mechanistically, MYO10 promotes CRC cell progression and metastasis via ubiquitination-mediated RACK1 degradation and integrin/Src/FAK signaling activation. Therefore, the MYO10/RACK1/integrin/Src/FAK axis may play an important role in CRC progression and metastasis.

Nomogram for predicting occurrence of synchronous liver metastasis in colorectal cancer: a single-center retrospective study based on pathological factors

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors for synchronous liver metastasis (LM) of colorectal cancer (CRC) and to construct a nomogram for predicting the occurrence of synchronous LM based on baseline and pathological information.

Methods

The baseline and pathological information of 3190 CRC patients were enrolled in the study from the Department of Colorectal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between 2012 and 2020. All patients were divided into development and validation cohorts with the 1:1 ratio. The characters of LM and none-LM patients in newly diagnosed colorectal cancer were utilized to explore the risk factors for synchronous LM with the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A predictive nomogram was constructed by using an R tool. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was calculated to describe the discriminability of the nomogram. A calibration curve was plotted to compare the predicted and observed results of the nomogram. Decision-making curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical effect of nomogram.

Results

The nomogram consisted of six features including tumor site, vascular invasion (VI), T stage, N stage, preoperative CEA, and CA-199 level. ROC curves for the LM nomogram indicated good discrimination in the development (AUC = 0.885, 95% CI 0.854–0.916) and validation cohort (AUC = 0.857, 95% CI 0.821–0.893). The calibration curve showed that the prediction results of the nomogram were in good agreement with the actual observation results. Moreover, the DCA curves determined the clinical application value of predictive nomogram.

Conclusions

The pathologic-based nomogram could help clinicians to predict the occurrence of synchronous LM in postoperative CRC patients and provide a reference to perform appropriate metastatic screening plans and rational therapeutic options for the special population.

Diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers in colorectal cancer: a review

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a public health concern and the second most common type of cancer among men and women causing a significant mortality. Biomarkers closely linked to the disease morbidity could holds potential as diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for the disease. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the search for colorectal cancer biomarkers through genomics and proteomics according to clinical function and application. Specifically, a number of biomarkers were identified and discussed. Emphasis was placed on their clinical applications relative to the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. The discovery of more sensitive and specific markers for CRC is an urgent need, and the study of molecular targets is extremely important in this process, as they will allow for a better understanding of colorectal carcinogenesis, identification and validation of potential genetic signatures.