The clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of FGFR1 gene amplification in non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Frequency of actionable molecular drivers in lung cancer patients with precocious brain metastases

Brain metastases frequently occur during the course of disease in patients suffering from lung cancer. Occasionally, neurological symptoms caused by brain metastases (BM) might represent the first sign of systemic tumor disease (so called precocious metastases), leading to the detection of the primary lung tumor. The biological basis of precocious BM is largely unknown, and treatment options are not well established for this subgroup of patients. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed 33 patients (24 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)), 9 small cell lung cancer (SCLC)) presenting with precocious BM focusing on molecular alterations potentially relevant for the tumor's biology and treatment. We found five FGFR1 amplifications (4 adenocarcinoma, 1 SCLC) among 31 analyzed patients (16.1%), eight MET amplifications among 30 analyzed tumors (7 NSCLC, 1 SCLC; 26.7%), three EGFR mutations within 33 patients (all adenocarcinomas, 9.1%), and five KRAS mutations among 32 patients (all adenocarcinomas; 15.6%). No ALK, ROS1 or RET gene rearrangements were detected. Our findings suggest that patients with precocious BM of lung cancer harbor EGFR mutations, MET amplifications or FGFR1 amplifications as potential targeted treatment options.

LncRNA PVT1 Facilitates Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of NSCLC Cells via miR-551b/FGFR1 Axis

Background

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) plays a crucial role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nonetheless, regulatory effects of PVT1 on functions of NSCLC cells remain blurry.

Methods

Relative expression levels of PVT1, miR-551b and FGFR1 mRNA in tumor tissues and cells were examined employing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); CCK-8 and BrdU assays were utilized for measuring cell viability and proliferation of H1299 and A549 cells; cell migration and invasion were detected deploying Transwell assay; dual-luciferase assay was used for the validation of binding sequence between PVT1 and miR-551b. FGFR1 expression in protein level was quantified employing Western blot.

Results

PVT1 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, whereas miR-551b expression was down-regulated. Overexpression of PVT1 potentiated viability, proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells while miR-551b inhibited the biological behaviors mentioned above. MiR-551b was predicted and then confirmed as a direct downstream target of PVT1. Meanwhile, a negative correlation was observed between PVT1 expression and miR-551b expression in NSCLC tissues. Besides, PVT1 could increase FGFR1 expression by repressing miR-551b expression.

Conclusion

PVT1 promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells by indirectly mediating FGFR1 via targeting miR-551b.

mRNA Expression of FGFR1 as Potential Marker for Predicting Prognosis of Surgical Resection of Small Cell Lung Cancer may be better than Protein Expression and Gene Amplification

Purpose: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) alterations have been described in many cancers, including lung cancer, but the role has not been elucidated specifically in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The present study aimed to identify the frequency of FGFR1 alterations among Chinese patients with surgically resected SCLC and the association with the clinicopathological characteristics and the survival were also investigated.

Methods: FGFR1 protein expression, FGFR1 amplification, FGFR1 mutations, and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, were determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively in primary tumors from 33 patients with resected SCLC.

Results: 7/33(21.2%) of the specimens were positive for FGFR1 protein expression. FGFR1 amplification was identified in 4/28 cases (14.3%). If the cut-off value was determined to be 3.5, FGFR1 mRNA positivity was considered in 7/33 cases (21.2%). However, no mutation was detected in the 33 SCLC postoperative tissue specimens. No significant association was observed between FGFR1 protein expression or amplification and clinicalcharacteristics or prognosis. There was a distinct trend for mRNA level and poor prognosis, including recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.07) and overall survival (OS) (p= 0.08), but they did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions: As novel FGFR1-targeted therapies are developed, FISH, IHC, especially mRNA were detected, which should be considered as biomarkers of FGFR1 pathway dysregulation in SCLC.

Circular RNA circFGFR1 promotes progression and anti-PD-1 resistance by sponging miR-381-3p in non-small cell lung cancer cells

BACKGROUND

Immune system evasion, distance tumor metastases, and increased cell proliferation are the main reasons for the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the death of NSCLC patients. Dysregulation of circular RNAs plays a critical role in the progression of NSCLC; therefore, further understanding the biological mechanisms of abnormally expressed circRNAs is critical to discovering novel, promising therapeutic targets for NSCLC treatment.

METHODS

The expression of circular RNA fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (circFGFR1) in NSCLC tissues, paired nontumor tissues, and cell lines was detected by RT-qPCR. The role of circFGFR1 in NSCLC progression was assessed both in vitro by CCK-8, clonal formation, wound healing, and Matrigel Transwell assays and in vivo by a subcutaneous tumor mouse assay. In vivo circRNA precipitation, RNA immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays were performed to explore the interaction between circFGFR1 and miR-381-3p.

RESULTS

Here, we report that circFGFR1 is upregulated in NSCLC tissues, and circFGFR1 expression is associated with deleterious clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognoses for NSCLC patients. Forced circFGFR1 expression promoted the migration, invasion, proliferation, and immune evasion of NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, circFGFR1 could directly interact with miR-381-3p and subsequently act as a miRNA sponge to upregulate the expression of the miR-381-3p target gene C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), which promoted NSCLC progression and resistance to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)- based therapy.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our results suggest the critical role of circFGFR1 in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and immune evasion abilities of NSCLC cells and provide a new perspective on circRNAs during NSCLC progression.

Identification of Key Genes and Prognostic Value Analysis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis

Emerging evidence indicates that various functional genes with altered expression are involved in the tumor progression of human cancers. This study is aimed at identifying novel key genes that may be used for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy. This study included 3 expression profiles (GSE45267, GSE74656, and GSE84402), which were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). GEO2R was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC and normal samples. The functional and pathway enrichment analysis was performed by the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the identified DEGs was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Gene, and hub genes were identified. ONCOMINE and CCLE databases were used to verify the expression of the hub genes in HCC tissues and cells. Kaplan-Meier plotter was used to assess the effects of the hub genes on the overall survival of HCC patients. A total of 99 DEGs were identified from the 3 expression profiles. These DEGs were enriched with functional processes and pathways related to HCC pathogenesis. From the PPI network, 5 hub genes were identified. The expression of the 5 hub genes was all upregulated in HCC tissues and cells compared with the control tissues and cells. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that high expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK1), cyclin B1 (CCNB1), cyclin B2 (CCNB2), MAD2 mitotic arrest deficient-like 1 (MAD2L1), and topoisomerase IIα (TOP2A) predicted poor overall survival in HCC patients (all log-rank P < 0.01). These results revealed that the DEGs may serve as candidate key genes during HCC pathogenesis. The 5 hub genes, including CDK1, CCNB1, CCNB2, MAD2L1, and TOP2A, may serve as promising prognostic biomarkers in HCC.

Dexamethasone and lenvatinib inhibit migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer by regulating EKR/AKT and VEGF signal pathways

Migration and invasion is one of the most important features in tumor metastasis and development. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common types of cancer globally, and has been linked to air contamination. Evidence indicates that cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61) is associated with the migration and invasion of NSCLC. Overexpression of CYR61 protein promotes the migration and the transition of tumor-derived vascular endothelial cells in NSCLC. However, the association between CYR61 and NSCLC remains poorly understood. Lenvatinib is an oral multi-target drug that targets various receptors upon tumor angiogenesis. Dexamethasone is widely approved for combination therapy in patients with NSCLC. In the current study, the expression and function of CYR61 in NSCLC was analyzed during the progression of NSCLC. Inhibitory effects on migration and invasion induced by lenvatinib and dexamethasone were determined by migratory and invasion assays. Migratory pathways of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT) were also investigated by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CYR61 via synergistic treatment with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and dexamethasone. Therapeutic outcomes of combined treatment with lenvatinib and dexamethasone were assessed in NSCLC-bearing mice. The results of the present study indicate that cooperative treatment of lenvatinib and dexamethasone significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced cell migration and suppressed tumor growth (P<0.01). Notably, the results demonstrated that dexamethasone eradicated the promotion effects of TGF-β1 on the AKT/epithelial-mesenchymal transition process and lenvatinib extinguished tumor cell metastasis by targeting VEGF. The results of the current study also demonstrate that dexamethasone suppressed the expression of CAG-I and enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1. Synergistic treatment for NSCLC was demonstrated to be efficacious. In conclusion, dexamethasone inhibited AKT/ERK phosphorylation and lenvatinib antagonism bound VEGF leading to the limitation of migration and invasion of cancer cells in NSCLC.

Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of FGFR1 gene amplification in resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background

Previous studies about the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) amplification in resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are controversial. Therefore, the aim of the current meta-analysis was to determine the association of FGFR1 amplification with prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics of resected ESCC patients.

Methods

The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and SinoMed databases were searched systematically from the establishment date of databases to April 1, 2019 to identify related studies. The correlations of FGFR1 amplification of prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics in ESCC were assessed by the combined hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and combined odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI, respectively. All statistical analyses were performed by the Stata 12.0 software.

Results

A total of nine retrospective studies involving 2,326 patients who received the surgery were included into the current meta-analysis. The results indicated that FGFR1 amplification was significantly correlated with worse overall survival (OS) (HR =1.50, 95% CI: 1.25-1.81, P<0.001), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR =1.58, 95% CI: 1.27-1.96, P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (OR =1.45, 95% CI: 1.13-1.86, P=0.004), higher TNM stage (OR =1.33, 95% CI: 1.03-1.72, P=0.027) and poorer differentiation (OR =1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13, P<0.001).

Conclusions

The current meta-analysis strongly demonstrates that FGFR1 amplification is an independent prognostic risk factor for resected ESCC patients and more prevalent among patients with advanced tumor stage and poorer differentiation.

FGFR1 is an independent prognostic factor and can be regulated by miR-497 in gastric cancer progression

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) has been reported in gastric cancer to be a prognostic factor. However, miR-497-targeted FGFR1 has not been explored in the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer. The present study intended to revalidate the prognostic significance of FGFR1 in patients with gastric cancer, and the mechanism of miR-497-regulated FGFR1 was investigated in gastric cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels were assayed by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively. The targeted genes were predicted by a bioinformatics algorithm and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining was used to evaluate the apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. FGFR1 was frequently up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues and associated with poor overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. Interestingly, FGFR1 loss-of-function resulted in a significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. In addition, we found that miR-497 was inhibited in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, while overexpression of miR-497 could suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. Importantly, bioinformatics analysis and experimental data suggested that FGFR1 was a direct target of miR-497, which could inhibit FGFR1 expression when transfected with miR-497 mimics. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of FGFR1 reversed the growth inhibition and apoptosis of miR-497 mimics in AGS and SGC-7901 cells. These findings suggested that overexpression of miR-497 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in gastric cancer through the suppression of FGFR1.

Targeting cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer-61 by antibody immunotherapy suppresses growth and migration of non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequent type of human lung cancer; lung cancer is responsible for the highest rates of cancer-associated mortality in the world. Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer-61 (CYR-61) has been identified as a tumorigenesis-, development- and metastasis-related gene, and is reported to enhance proliferation, migration and invasion through hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced scattering and the metastasis-inducing HGF/Met signaling pathway in tumor cells and xenograft models. CYR-61 is a protein that promotes human lung cancer cell metastasis and is closely related to the patient's prognosis in NSCLC. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether CYR-61 may serve as a dual potential target for gene therapy of human NSCLC. In the present study, an antibody targeted against CYR-61 (anti-CYR-61) was constructed and the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanism of this antibody in NSCLC cells and mice with NSCLC was investigated. It was observed that NSCLC cell viability, migration and invasion were inhibited while cell apoptosis was induced by the neutralization of CYR-61 protein by anti-CYR-61. Western blotting demonstrated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT) expression levels in NSCLC cells were decreased following treatment with anti-CYR-61. In addition, it was observed that inhibition of NSCLC cell viability was achieved by the suppression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling pathway. ERK and AKT phosphorylation levels were downregulated in NSCLC cells and tumors following anti-CYR-61 treatment. Analysis of a murine model indicated that tumor growth was inhibited and tumor metastasis was significantly suppressed (P<0.01) following anti-CYR-61 treatment for CYR-61. In conclusion, CYR-61 may serve as a potential target for gene therapy for the treatment of human NSCLC.

Ultrasonic diagnosis combined with targeted ultrasound contrast agent improves diagnostic sensitivity of ultrasonic for non-small cell lung cancer patients

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most prevalent human cancers, which is known for local growth, easily migration, long-distance invasion and reoccurrence. Targeted ultrasound (US) contrast combined with ultrasound for lung cancer diagnosis has been applied in the clinic. In the present study, a novel targeted ultrasound contrast agent containing chistosan/Fe₃O₄-parceled bispecific antibody (TcBab) targeting carcino-embryonic antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor was introduced, and the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity was investigated in patients with NSCLC. A total of 384 patients with suspected NSCLC were recruited to investigate the accuracy of TcBab-ultrasound (TcBab-US) and ultrasound. Results demonstrated that TcBab-US improved sensitivity and may provide a novel protocol for diagnosing tumors in patients with suspected NSCLC at an early stage. Data analysis demonstrated that TcBab-US diagnosed 154 suspected patients with NSCLC, whereas ultrasound only diagnosed 84 suspected patients with NSCLC out of a total of 384 patients with suspected NSCLC (P<0.01). A dosage experiment revealed that the optimal dose of TcBab was 5 mg/kg for NSCLC patients. Pharmacodynamics analysis showed that TcBab may be metabolized within 16 h in serum of patients. Notably, early diagnosis determined by TcBab-US contributed to improvement of survival for NSCLC patients as determined by a comparison of the survival rate with the survival rate of patients who did not receive TcBab (P<0.05). In conclusion, these investigations suggested that TcBab improves the accuracy and diagnostic confidence of ultrasonic for the diagnosis of early-stage NSCLC, and may have potential application value in the clinic.

Association Between Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 Gene Amplification and Human Papillomavirus Prevalence in Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Clinicopathologic Analysis

Amplification of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 ( FGFR1) has been reported in many squamous cell carcinomas, and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has been characterized as a distinct subset with favorable prognosis. Here, we investigated the FGFR1 amplification and HPV status in tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and analyzed the clinical characteristics. HPV in situ hybridization (HPV ISH) and FGFR1 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed using tissue microarray from 89 cases of TSCC. Fourteen of 89 (15.7%) TSCC cases had FGFR1 amplification, and HPV was detected in 59 of 89 (66.3%) cases. FGFR1 amplification status was not associated with HPV positivity ( p=0.765). Outcomes were not significantly different between FGFR1 amplified and non-amplified patients. Although FGFR1 amplified patients ( n=4) in the HPV ISH-negative group ( n=30) had a tendency for poorer overall survival, no statistical significance was identified ( p=0.150, log-rank). FGFR1 protein overexpression showed better disease-free survival ( p=0.031, log-rank) in HPV-negative TSCC. This study suggests FGFR1 amplification may be important in the pathogenesis of TSCC regardless of HPV status.

Bright-field in situ hybridization detects gene alterations and viral infections useful for personalized management of cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Bright-field in situ hybridization (ISH) methods detect gene alterations that may improve diagnostic precision and personalized management of cancer patients. Areas covered: This review focuses on some bright-field ISH techniques for detection of gene amplification or viral infection that have already been introduced in tumor pathology, research and diagnostic practice. Other emerging ISH methods, for the detection of translocation, mRNA and microRNA have recently been developed and need both an optimization and analytical validation. The review also deals with their clinical applications and implications on the management of cancer patients. Expert commentary: The technology of bright-field ISH applications has advanced significantly in the last decade. For example, an automated dual-color assay was developed as a clinical test for selecting cancer patients that are candidates for personalized therapy. Recently an emerging bright-field gene-protein assay has been developed. This method simultaneously detects the protein, gene and centromeric targets in the context of tissue morphology, and might be useful in assessing the HER2 status particularly in equivocal cases or samples with heterogeneous tumors. The application of bright-field ISH methods has become the gold standard for the detection of tumor-associated viral infection as diagnostic or prognostic factors.

Metastasis-associated protein 2 promotes the metastasis of non-small cell lung carcinoma by regulating the ERK/AKT and VEGF signaling pathways

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is the most common cause of cancer‑associated mortality in the world and accounts for ~85% of human lung cancers. Metastasis‑associated protein 2 (MTA2) is a component of the histone deacetylase complex and serves a role in tumor progression; however, the mechanism through which MTA2 is involved in the progression of NSCLC remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and function of MTA2 and the MTA2‑mediated signaling pathway in NSCLC cells. Expression of MTA2 and its target genes was analyzed in MTA2‑overexpressing and anti‑MTA2 antibody (AbMTA2)‑treated NSCLC cells, as well as growth, migration, invasion and apoptotic‑resistance. The inhibitory effects on tumor formation were analyzed using AbMTA2‑treated NSCLC cells and in a mouse model. Histological assessment was conducted to analyze the expressions levels of extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK), RAC‑α serine/threonine protein kinase (AKT) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in experimental tumors. Results of the present study demonstrated that MTA2 was overexpressed in NSCLC cells. The growth, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells were markedly inhibited by AbMTA2. In addition, it was observed that the ERK/AKT and VEGF signaling pathways were both upregulated in MTA2‑overexpressing NSCLC cells, and downregulated following silencing of MTA2 activation. ERK and AKT phosphorylation levels were downregulated in NSCLC cells and tumors following MTA2 silencing. The in vivo study demonstrated that tumor growth was markedly inhibited following siRNA‑MTA2 treatment. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that MTA2 silencing may significantly inhibit the growth and aggressiveness of NSCLC cells. Results from the present study indicated that the mechanism underlying the MTA2‑mediated invasive potential of NSCLC cells involved the ERK/AKT and VEGF signaling pathways, which may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of NSCLC.

FGFR1 gene amplification in squamous cell carcinomas of the lung: a potential favorable prognostic marker for women and for patients with advanced cancer

In squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung, mutations within the genes of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) such as K660N/K660E in FGFR2 and R248C/S249C in FGFR3 and FGFR1 gene amplification have been described, but their prognostic relevance still remains unclear. In order to detect the mutation frequencies and to define their prognostic value for associated clinicopathologic features and survival of patients, resected ΔNp63/p40-positive SCC of the lung (n = 101) were screened for FGFR1 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization performed on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissues and for the presumed driver mutations in genes of FGFR2 and FGFR3 by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Twenty-two of 101 SCCs (22%) were positive for amplification based on a FGFR1/centromere (chromosome 8) ratio > 2.0 or higher. In advanced tumor stages (III-IV), the overall survival of patients carrying FGFR1 gene amplification was significantly higher (p = 0.006). Among women, FGFR1 gene amplification was significantly associated with longer overall survival (p = 0.023). The presence of FGFR1 gene amplification was associated with patient age (65 versus 69 years, p = 0.046), but not with gender, tumor stage, histologic subtype, tumor grade, or ΔNp63/p40 immunoreactivity. The S249C mutation in the FGFR3 gene was identified in one out of 101 SCCs (1%); the K600N, K660E, or R248C mutations were not identified. These results suggest that FGFR1 gene amplification is a frequent alteration in SCC of the lung and appears not to be a negative but rather a favorable prognostic marker for women and particularly for patients with advanced SCC of the lung (stage III-IV).

FGFR1 signaling potentiates tumor growth and predicts poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR1) over-expression was broadly found in squamous cancer, where it induced cellular proliferation, differentiation, and metastasis by activating various signaling pathway. However, the role of FGFR1 gene expression in predicting prognosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) and its regulatory function in the progression of ESCC are not well understood. Therefore, we performed an analysis of FGFR1 mRNA expression by quantitative RT-PCR in tumor tissue of 145 patients with ESCC. The relationships between FGFR1 gene expression and clinicopathological parameters, also the prognosis were further examined. Results suggested that higher FGFR1 gene expression predicted worse overall survival (HR = 1.502, 95%[CI] = 1.005-2.246, P = 0.045). Disease-free survival tends to be shorter in patients with higher FGFR1 expression but without statistical significance (HR = 1.398, 95%[CI] = 0.942-2.074, P = 0.096). FGFR1 was up regulated in multiple ESCC cell lines. Subsequent in vitro experiments demonstrated that anti-FGFR1 treatment by PD173074 inhibited TE-1 and EC9706 cell viability along with the attenuation of MEK-ERK signaling pathway. In vivo, PD173074 administration also had shown potent ESCC growth arresting effect. Overall, our study suggested that FGFR1 gene expression could be an independent prognosis predictive factor in patients with ESCC. Anti-FGFR1 inhibited ESCC growth and could be a potential strategy in ESCC targeted therapy.

Contrast-enhanced computerized tomography combined with a targeted nanoparticle contrast agent for screening for early-phase non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and patients with NSCLC are frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. This is primarily due to a lack of advanced and sensitive protocols for the detection of early stage NSCLC. Therefore, methods for the accurate diagnosis of early stage NSCLC are urgently required to improve survival rates. The present study investigated the use of contrast-enhanced computerized tomography (CECT) combined with a targeted nanoparticle contrast agent (TNCA) to diagnose early-stage NSCLC in a mice xenograft model. The TNCA used was lenvatinib, a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1-3, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1-4, platelet-derived growth factor receptor β, proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase receptor Ret and mast/stem cell growth factor receptor Kit. Xenograft NSCLC mice were established and used to analyze the efficacy of CECT-TNCA compared with CT scanning alone. The TNCA was inhaled with the use of an atomizer. The results demonstrated that CECT-TNCA improved the sensitivity of the diagnosis of early stage NSCLC. In addition, imaging using the TNCA enabled the visualization of nodules in the lung in mice with early stage NSCLC. In addition, lung nodule signal enhancement was increased in CECT-TNCA compared with CT, suggesting a high accurate accumulation of the TNCA in tumor nodules. Mice diagnosed with early stage NSCLC exhibited a higher eradication rate of NSCLC after treatment with cisplatin compared with mice with advanced stage NSCLC. These data indicate that the sensitivity and accuracy of CT imaging for the diagnosis of early stage NSCLC was improved through combination with the liposome-encapsulated TNCA.

MACC‑1 antibody target therapy suppresses growth and migration of non‑small cell lung cancer

Non‑small‑cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~80% of human lung cancers that result in mortalities worldwide. Metastasis‑associated in colon cancer‑1 (MACC‑1) has been demonstrated to be significantly expressed in cases of NSCLC and promotes tumor cell migration and metastasis through transactivation of the metastasis‑inducing hepatocyte growth factor/MET proto‑gene, receptor tyrosine kinase (HGF/MET) signaling pathway. The present study constructed a chimeric antibody (Chanti‑MACC‑1) targeting MACC‑1 and investigated its potential as a molecular therapeutic target in the treatment of NSCLC therapy. The expression of MACC‑1 was detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting in lung cancer cell lines and tissues. MTT assay was used to detect proliferation of A549 cells treated by Chanti‑MACC‑1, whereas the functional and regulatory effects of Chanti‑MACC‑1 in the migration and metastasis of NSCLC cells was investigated by a cell invasion assay. The therapeutic effect and survival time was observed in animal models. The results demonstrated that MACC‑1 expression was increased and overexpression of MACC‑1 promoted the progression of the cell cycle, significantly promoted NSCLC cell growth and enhanced tumor migration and invasion through the HGF/MET signaling pathway. It was further demonstrated that Chanti‑MACC‑1 efficiently suppressed MACC‑1 expression and significantly inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion by blocking the HGF/MET signaling pathway. The data revealed that Chanti‑MACC‑1 was not only beneficial for tumor remission, however additionally contributed to the long‑term survival of NSCLC ‑bearing mice. The findings of the present study indicated that MACC‑1 was significantly upregulated and promoted tumor cell growth and migration in NSCLC cells and tissues via transactivation of the metastasis‑inducing HGF/MET signaling pathway. However, Chanti‑MACC‑1significantly inhibited tumor growth and metastasis, which suggested that MACC‑1 may be essential for tumor initiation and progression by negatively regulating tumor suppressors.

Chimeric antibody targeting SRPK-1 in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer by inhibiting growth, migration and invasion

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common types of cancer in humans, and is characterized by rapid growth, migration, invasion and reoccurrence. Evidence has indicated that the protein and mRNA levels of serine‑arginine protein kinase‑1 (SRPK‑1) are upregulated in NSCLC tissues. However, the functions of SRPK1 and targeted therapy for SRPK1 in the progression and treatment of NSCLC remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the mRNA and protein expression levels of SRPK‑1 in NSCLC cells and tissues were analyzed using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and SDS‑PAGE, and the role of SRPK1 in the progression of NSCLC was investigated. In addition, a chimeric antibody target for SRPK‑1 (ChanSRPK‑1) was constructed, and the therapeutic effects of ChanSRPK‑1 were investigated in H358‑bearing mice. The curative effects of ChanSRPK‑1 on the inhibition of growth, migration and invasion of NSCLC were also examined in vitro and in vivo. The results revealed that the mRNA and protein levels of SRPK‑1 were upregulated in NSCLC cells and tumor tissues. Higher expression of SRPK1 promoted NSCLC cell growth, migration and invasion, whereas lower expression of SRPK‑1 suppressed growth, migration and invasion of the NSCLC cells. Animal experiments demonstrated that ChanSRPK‑1 inhibited the β‑catenin/T‑cell factor complex. ChanSRPK‑1 treatment also downregulated the phosphorylation levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3-β and prolonged the survival of tumor‑bearing mice. Taken together, SRPK‑1 may offer potential as a therapeutic target oncogenic molecular in NSCLC, and ChanSRPK‑1 may be a therapeutic agent with functions as a target and for oncolytic therapy in the treatment of NSCLC.