Overexpression of MMP-9 contributes to invasiveness of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP

Evaluating the Therapeutic Effect of Hispidin on Prostate Cancer Cells

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the primary treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa). However, prolonged ADT inevitably results in therapy resistance with the emergence of the castration-resistant PCa phenotype (CRPC). Hence, there is an urgent need to explore new treatment options capable of delaying PCa progression. Hispidin (HPD) is a natural polyketide primarily derived from plants and fungi. HPD has been shown to have a diverse pharmacological profile, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antiviral, cardiovascular and neuro-protective activities. However, there is currently no research regarding its properties in the context of PCa treatment. This research article seeks to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of HPD and determine the underlying molecular basis in both androgen-sensitive PCa and CRPC cells. Cell growth, migration, and invasion assays were performed via the MTS method, a wound healing assay and the transwell method. To investigate if HPD affected the expression of proteins, Western blot analysis was conducted. Furthermore, apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and Western blot analyses. HPD exhibited a favorable pharmaceutical profile to inhibit cell growth; disrupt the cell cycle; attenuate wound healing, migration and invasion; and induce apoptosis in PCa cells in vitro. The mechanistic results demonstrated that HPD reduced AR, MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and activated the caspase-related pathway, leading to programmed cell death in PCa cells. We showed the anti-cancer effect of HPD on PCa cells and confirmed its feasibility as a novel therapeutic agent. This study provides significant insights into the delineation of the molecular mechanism of HPD in PCa cells and the development of an effective and safe therapy using HPD to eliminate PCa progression.

Network pharmacology-integrated molecular docking analysis of phytocompounds of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (peacock flower) as potential anti-metastatic agents

Caesalpinia pulcherrima, or peacock flower, has been a subject of cancer therapeutics research, showing promising anti-cancer and anti-metastatic properties. The present research aims to investigate the anti-metastatic potential of the flower, through bioinformatics approaches. Metastasis targets numbering 471 were identified through overlap analysis following NCBI gene, Gene Card and OMIM query. Phytocompounds of the flower were retrieved from PubChem and their protein interactions predicted using Super-PRED and TargetNet. The 28 targets that overlapped with the predicted proteins were used to generate STRING >0.7. Enrichment analysis revealed that C. pulcherrima may inhibit metastasis through angiogenesis-related and leukocyte migration-related pathways. HSP90AA1, ESR1, PIK3CA, ERBB2, KDR and MMP9 were identified as potential core targets while and 6 compounds (3-[(4-Hydroxyphenyl)methylidene]-7,8-dimethoxychromen-4-one (163076213), clotrimazole (2812), Isovouacapenol A (636673), [(4aR,5R,6aS,7R,11aS,11bR)-4a-hydroxy-4,4,7,11b-tetramethyl-9-oxo-1,2,3,5,6,6a,7,11a-octahydronaphtho[2,1-f][1]benzofuran-5-yl] benzoate (163104827), Stigmast-5-en-3beta-ol (86821) and 4,2'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxychalcone (592216)) were identified as potential core compounds. Molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulations investigations revealed that ERBB2, HSP90AA1 and KDR, along with the newly discovered 163076213 compound to be the most significant metastasis targets and bioactive compound, respectively. These three core targets demonstrated interactions consistent with angiogenesis and leukocyte migration pathways. Furthermore, potentially novel interactions, such as KDR-MMP9, KDR-PIK3CA, ERBB2-HSP90AA1, ERBB2-ESR1, ERBB2-PIK3CA and ERBB2-MMP9 interactions were identified and may play a role in crosslinking the aforementioned metastatic pathways. Therefore, the present study revealed the main mechanisms behind the anti-metastatic effects of C. pulcherrima, paving the path for further research on these compounds and proteins to accelerate the research of cancer therapeutics and application of C. pulcherrima.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Induction of more aggressive tumoral phenotypes in LNCaP and PC3 cells by serum exosomes from prostate cancer patients

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent and sixth most fatal cancer in men worldwide. Despite its high prevalence, our understanding of its etiology and the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of the disease is substantially limited. In recent years, the potential participation of exosomes in this process has been suggested. Therefore, we aim to study the effect of exosomes isolated from the serum of patients with PCa on various cellular processes associated with increased tumor aggressiveness in two PCa cell lines: LNCaP-FGC and PC3. The exosomes were isolated by filtration wand ultracentrifugation. Their presence was confirmed by immunodetection of specific markers and their size distribution was analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The results obtained demonstrated that serum exosomes from PCa patients increased migration of PC3 cells and neuroendocrine differentiation of LNCaP-FGC cells regardless of the grade of the tumor. PCa serum exosomes also enhanced the secretion of enzymes related to invasiveness and resistance to chemotherapeutics, such as extracellular matrix metalloproteases 2 and 9, and gamma-glutamyltransferase in both cell lines. Altogether, these findings support the pivotal participation of exosomes released by tumoral cells in the progression of PCa. Future studies on the molecular mechanisms involved in the observed changes could provide crucial information on this disease and help in the discovery of new therapeutic targets.

Inhibition of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay reduces the tumorigenicity of human fibrosarcoma cells

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a eukaryotic RNA decay pathway with roles in cellular stress responses, differentiation, and viral defense. It functions in both quality control and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. NMD has also emerged as a modulator of cancer progression, although available evidence supports both a tumor suppressor and a pro-tumorigenic role, depending on the model. To further investigate the role of NMD in cancer, we knocked out the NMD factor SMG7 in the HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line, resulting in suppression of NMD function. We then compared the oncogenic properties of the parental cell line, the SMG7-knockout, and a rescue cell line in which we re-introduced both isoforms of SMG7. We also tested the effect of a drug inhibiting the NMD factor SMG1 to distinguish NMD-dependent effects from putative NMD-independent functions of SMG7. Using cell-based assays and a mouse xenograft tumor model, we showed that suppression of NMD function severely compromises the oncogenic phenotype. Molecular pathway analysis revealed that NMD suppression strongly reduces matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9) expression and that MMP9 re-expression partially rescues the oncogenic phenotype. Since MMP9 promotes cancer cell migration and invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis, its downregulation may contribute to the reduced tumorigenicity of NMD-suppressed cells. Collectively, our results highlight the potential value of NMD inhibition as a therapeutic approach.

The ethanol extract of Cyperus exaltatus var. iwasakii exhibits cell cycle dysregulation, ERK1/2/p38 MAPK/AKT phosphorylation, and reduced MMP-9-mediated metastatic capacity in prostate cancer models in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide in men. The development of novel and highly efficient therapeutic strategies is strongly recommended to treat prostate cancer. Cyperaceae are an ecologically and economically important family of plants with several pharmacological effects. However, the biological efficacy of Cyperus exaltatus var. iwasakii (CE) is unknown.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the antitumor effect of the ethanol extract of CE against prostate cancer.

METHODS

In vitro antitumor efficacy of CE was explored by the MTT assay, cell counting assay, FACS analysis, immunoblot, wound-healing migration, invasion assay, zymographic assay, and EMSA in prostate cancer cells, DU145 and LNCaP. For in vivo experiments, xenograft mice were injected with LNCaP cells. Histology (H&E and Ki-67) and biochemical enzyme assay were then performed. The toxicity test was evaluated by an acute toxicity assay. The phytochemical constituents of CE were identified by spectrometric and chromatographic analyses.

RESULTS

CE exerted a significant antiproliferative effect against prostate cancer cells. CE-induced antiproliferative cells were associated with cell cycle arrest at G₀/G₁ (cyclin D1/CDK4, cyclin E/CDK2, p21^Waf1) in DU145 cells, but G₂/M (ATR, CHK1, Cdc2, Cdc25c, p21^Waf1, and p53) in LNCaP cells. CE stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK, and AKT in DU145 cells, but only p38 MAPK phosphorylation was increased in LNCaP cells. CE treatment suppressed migration and invasion in the two types of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting MMP-9 activity through the regulation of transcription factors, such as AP-1 and NF-κB. In vivo experiments showed a reduction in tumor weight and size following oral CE administration. Histochemistry confirmed that CE inhibited tumor growth in the mouse LNCaP xenograft model. The administration of CE had no adverse effects on body weight, behavioral patterns, blood biochemistry, and histopathology findings of vital organs in mice. Finally, a total of 13 phytochemical constituents were identified and quantified in CE. The most abundant secondary metabolites in CE were astragalin, tricin, and p-coumaric acid.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of CE against prostate cancer. These findings suggest that CE might be a potential candidate for prostate cancer prevention or treatment.

Cinnamic acid derivatives as potential matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitors: molecular docking and dynamics simulations

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a zinc and calcium-dependent proteolytic enzyme involved in extracellular matrix degradation. Overexpression of MMP-9 has been confirmed in several disorders, including cancers, Alzheimer′s disease, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries. Therefore, MMP-9 inhibition is recommended as a therapeutic strategy for combating various diseases. Cinnamic acid derivatives have shown therapeutic effects in different cancers, Alzheimer′s disease, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries. A computational drug discovery approach was performed to evaluate the binding affinity of selected cinnamic acid derivatives to the MMP-9 active site. The stability of docked poses for top-ranked compounds was also examined. Twelve herbal cinnamic acid derivatives were tested for possible MMP-9 inhibition using the AutoDock 4.0 tool. The stability of the docked poses for the most potent MMP-9 inhibitors was assessed by molecular dynamics (MD) in 10 nanosecond simulations. Interactions between the best MMP-9 inhibitors in this study and residues incorporated in the MMP-9 active site were studied before and after MD simulations. Cynarin, chlorogenic acid, and rosmarinic acid revealed a considerable binding affinity to the MMP-9 catalytic domain (ΔGbinding < -10 kcal/mol). The inhibition constant value for cynarin and chlorogenic acid were calculated at the picomolar scale and assigned as the most potent MMP-9 inhibitor from the cinnamic acid derivatives. The root-mean-square deviations for cynarin and chlorogenic acid were below 2 Å in the 10 ns simulation. Cynarin, chlorogenic acid, and rosmarinic acid might be considered drug candidates for MMP-9 inhibition.

A New Model of Esophageal Cancers by Using a Detergent-Free Decellularized Matrix in a Perfusion Bioreactor

The lack of physiologically relevant human esophageal cancer models has as a result that many esophageal cancer studies are encountering major bottleneck challenges in achieving breakthrough progress. To address the issue, here we engineered a 3D esophageal tumor tissue model using a biomimetic decellularized esophageal matrix in a customized bioreactor. To obtain a biomimetic esophageal matrix, we developed a detergent-free, rapid decellularization method to decellularize porcine esophagus. We characterized the decellularized esophageal matrix (DEM) and utilized the DEM for the growth of esophageal cancer cell KYSE30 in well plates and the bioreactor. We then analyzed the expression of cancer-related markers of KYSE30 cells and compared them with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue biospecimens. Our results show that the detergent-free decellularization method preserved the esophageal matrix components and effectively removed cell nucleus. KYSE30 cancer cells proliferated well on and inside the DEM. KYSE30 cells cultured on the DEM in the dynamic bioreactor show different cancer marker expressions than those in the static well plate, and also share some similarities to the FFPE-ESCC biospecimens. These findings built a foundation with potential for further study of esophageal cancer behavior in a biomimetic microenvironment using this new esophageal cancer model.

Diabetes mellitus induces a novel inflammatory network involving cancer progression: Insights from bioinformatic analysis and in vitro validation

Background

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher incidence of malignant tumors than people without diabetes, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear.

Methods

To investigate the link between DM and cancer, we screened publicly available databases for diabetes and cancer-related genes (DCRGs) and constructed a diabetes-based cancer-associated inflammation network (DCIN). We integrated seven DCRGs into the DCIN and analyzed their role in different tumors from various perspectives. We also investigated drug sensitivity and single-cell sequencing data in colon adenocarcinoma as an example. In addition, we performed in vitro experiments to verify the expression of DCRGs and the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway.

Results

Seven identified DCRGs, including PPARG, MMP9, CTNNB1, TNF, TGFB1, PTGS2, and HIF1A, were integrated to construct a DCIN. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the expression of the seven DCRGs in different tumors was significantly different, which had varied effects on diverse perspectives. Single-cell sequencing analyzed in colon cancer showed that the activity of the DCRGs was highest in Macrophage and the lowest in B cells among all cell types in adenoma and carcinoma tissue. In vitro experiments showed that the DCRGs verified by western bolt and PEG2 verified by ELISA were all highly expressed in COAD epithelial cells stimulated by high glucose.

Conclusion

This study, for the first time, constructed a DCIN, which provides novel insights into the underlying mechanism of how DM increases tumor occurrence and development. Although further research is required, our results offer clues for new potential therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat malignant tumors.

Enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation of small molecules for biomedical applications

Enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation based on self-assembly of small molecules is an attractive methodology for development of functional biomaterials. Upon the catalysis of enzymes, small-molecular precursors are converted into assemblable building blocks, which arrange into high-ordered nanofibers via non-covalent interactions at the molecular level, and further trap water to form hydrogels at the macroscopic level. Such approach has numerous advantages of region- and enantioselectivity, and mild reaction conditions for encapsulation of biomedications or cells that are fragile to environmental change. In addition to the common applications as drug reservoirs or cell scaffolds, the utilization of endogenous enzymes as stimuli to initiate self-assembly in the living cells and tissue is considered as an intelligent spatiotemporally controllable hydrogelation strategy for biomedical applications. The enzyme-instructed in situ self-assembly and hydrogelation can modulate the cell behavior, and even present therapeutic bioactivities, which provides a new perspective in the field of disease treatment. In this review, we categorize distinct enzymatic stimuli and elaborate substrate design, catalytic characteristics, and mechanisms of self-assembly and hydrogelation. The biomedical applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, and in situ gelation-produced bioactivity are outlined. Advantages and limitations regarding the state-of-the-art enzyme-driven hydrogelation technologies and future perspectives are also discussed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Hydrogel is a semi-solid soft material containing a large amount of water. Due to the features of adjustable flexibility, extremely porous architecture, and the high similarity of structure to natural extracellular matrices, the hydrogel has broad application prospects in biomedicine. In recent 20 years, enzyme-manipulated hydrogelation based on self-assembly of small molecules has developed rapidly as an attractive methodology for the construction of functional biomaterials. Upon the catalysis of enzymes, small-molecular precursors are converted into assemblable building blocks, which arrange into high-ordered nanofibers via non-covalent interactions at the molecular level, and further trap water to form hydrogels at the macroscopic level. This review summarized the characteristics of enzymatic hydrogel, as well as the traditional application and emerging prospect of enzyme-instructed self-assembly and hydrogelation.

Ibrutinib in the Treatment of Solid Tumors: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) is considered crucial in the activation and survival of both physiological and malignant B-cells. In recent years, ibrutinib, an oral BTK inhibitor, became a breakthrough therapy for hematological malignancies, such as chronic lymphocytic. However, ibrutinib's feasibility might not end there. Several other kinases with established involvement with solid malignancies (i.e., EGFR, HER2) have been found to be inhibited by this agent. Recent discoveries indicate that BTK is a potential anti-solid tumor therapy target. Consequently, ibrutinib, a BTK-inhibitor, has been studied as a therapeutic option in solid malignancies. While most preclinical studies indicate ibrutinib to be an effective therapeutic option in some specific indications, such as NSCLC and breast cancer, clinical trials contradict these observations. Nevertheless, while ibrutinib failed as a monotherapy, it might become an interesting part of a multidrug regime: not only has a synergism between ibrutinib and other compounds, such as trametinib or dactolisib, been observed in vitro, but this BTK inhibitor has also been established as a radio- and chemosensitizer. This review aims to describe the milestones in translating BTK inhibitors to solid tumors in order to understand the future potential of this agent better.

Mechanistic insights into the interplays between neutrophils and other immune cells in cancer development and progression

Cancer is considered a major public health concern worldwide and is characterized by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells. The human immune system recognizes cancerous cells and induces innate immunity to destroy those cells. However, sustained tumors may protect themselves by developing immune escape mechanisms through multiple soluble and cellular mediators. Neutrophils are the most plenteous leukocytes in the human blood and are crucial for immune defense in infection and inflammation. Besides, neutrophils emancipate the antimicrobial contents, secrete different cytokines or chemokines, and interact with other immune cells to combat and successfully kill cancerous cells. Conversely, many clinical and experimental studies signpost that being a polarized and heterogeneous population with plasticity, neutrophils, particularly their subpopulations, act as a modulator of cancer development by promoting tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. Studies also suggest that tumor infiltrating macrophages, neutrophils, and other innate immune cells support tumor growth and survival. Additionally, neutrophils promote tumor cell invasion, migration and intravasation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, survival of cancer cells in the circulation, seeding, and extravasation of tumor cells, and advanced growth and development of cancer cells to form metastases. In this manuscript, we describe and review recent studies on the mechanisms for neutrophil recruitment, activation, and their interplay with different immune cells to promote their pro-tumorigenic functions. Understanding the detailed mechanisms of neutrophil-tumor cell interactions and the concomitant roles of other immune cells will substantially improve the clinical utility of neutrophils in cancer and eventually may aid in the identification of biomarkers for cancer prognosis and the development of novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment.

Identification and Characterization of Key Differentially Expressed Genes Associated With Metronomic Dosing of Topotecan in Human Prostate Cancer

Repetitive, low-dose (metronomic; METRO) drug administration of some anticancer agents can overcome drug resistance and increase drug efficacy in many cancers, but the mechanisms are not understood fully. Previously, we showed that METRO dosing of topotecan (TOPO) is more effective than conventional (CONV) dosing in aggressive human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and in mouse tumor xenograft models. To gain mechanistic insights into METRO-TOPO activity, in this study we determined the effect of METRO- and CONV-TOPO treatment in a panel of human PCa cell lines representing castration-sensitive/resistant, androgen receptor (+/−), and those of different ethnicity on cell growth and gene expression. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified for METRO-TOPO therapy and compared to a PCa patient cohort and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The top five DEGs were SERPINB5, CDKN1A, TNF, FOS, and ANGPT1. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis predicted several upstream regulators and identified top molecular networks associated with METRO dosing, including tumor suppression, anti-proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and inflammation. Further, the top DEGs were associated with increase survival of PCa patients (TCGA database), as well as ethnic differences in gene expression patterns in patients and cell lines representing African Americans (AA) and European Americans (EA). Thus, we have identified candidate pharmacogenomic biomarkers and novel pathways associated with METRO-TOPO therapy that will serve as a foundation for further investigation and validation of METRO-TOPO as a novel treatment option for prostate cancers.

Triple-negative breast cancer cells rely on kinase-independent functions of CDK8 to evade NK-cell-mediated tumor surveillance

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive malignant disease that is responsible for approximately 15% of breast cancers. The standard of care relies on surgery and chemotherapy but the prognosis is poor and there is an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Recent in silico studies have revealed an inverse correlation between recurrence-free survival and the level of cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) in breast cancer patients. CDK8 is known to have a role in natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, but its function in TNBC progression and immune cell recognition or escape has not been investigated. We have used a murine model of orthotopic breast cancer to study the tumor-intrinsic role of CDK8 in TNBC. Knockdown of CDK8 in TNBC cells impairs tumor regrowth upon surgical removal and prevents metastasis. In the absence of CDK8, the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is impaired and immune-mediated tumor-cell clearance is facilitated. CDK8 drives EMT in TNBC cells in a kinase-independent manner. In vivo experiments have confirmed that CDK8 is a crucial regulator of NK-cell-mediated immune evasion in TNBC. The studies also show that CDK8 is involved in regulating the checkpoint inhibitor programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). The CDK8-PD-L1 axis is found in mouse and human TNBC cells, underlining the importance of CDK8-driven immune cell evasion in these highly aggressive breast cancer cells. Our data link CDK8 to PD-L1 expression and provide a rationale for investigating the possibility of CDK8-directed therapy for TNBC.

The Role of the Metzincin Superfamily in Prostate Cancer Progression: A Systematic-Like Review

Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity in men. Potentially important regulators of prostate cancer progression are members of the metzincin superfamily of proteases, principally through their regulation of the extracellular matrix. It is therefore timely to review the role of the metzincin superfamily in prostate cancer and its progression to better understand their involvement in this disease. A systematic-like search strategy was conducted. Articles that investigated the roles of members of the metzincin superfamily and their key regulators in prostate cancer were included. The extracted articles were synthesized and data presented in tabular and narrative forms. Two hundred and five studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 138 investigated the role of the Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) subgroup, 34 the Membrane-Tethered Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT-MMP) subgroup, 22 the A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase (ADAM) subgroup, 8 the A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin Motifs (ADAMTS) subgroup and 53 the Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases (TIMP) family of regulators, noting that several studies investigated multiple family members. There was clear evidence that specific members of the metzincin superfamily are involved in prostate cancer progression, which can be either in a positive or negative manner. However, further understanding of their mechanisms of action and how they may be used as prognostic indicators or molecular targets is required.

The regulatory effect of cabazitaxel on epithelial-mesenchymal transition in metastatic prostate cancer

Introduction

: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical mechanism that promotes cancer cells to metastasis. Therefore, EMT regulation has become an important target in anticancer therapy approaches in recent years. However, in metastatic prostate cancer (PC), the EMT regulatory effect has not fully understood for cabazitaxel (Cbx), a third line taxane-based chemotherapeutic for metastatic castration-resistant PC.

Aim

In this study, we investigated the antimetastatic and EMT-regulatory effects of Cbx on hormone-sensitive metastatic PC cells.

Materials and Methods

The anticancer effects of Cbx were assessed by WST-1 and Annexin V analysis. The antimetastatic effect of Cbx was evaluated by wound healing and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction through EMT-mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) markers as well as EMT-repressor microRNAs (miRNAs) in Cbx-treated LNCaP cells.

Results

Our results showed that, in addition to its apoptotic and anti-migratory activities, Cbx exhibited the EMT-repressor effects through the prominent downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and Snail levels as EMT-promoting factors, and the significant upregulation of the certain miRNAs, including miR-205, miR-524, and miR-124, which play a role in EMT-repressing by targeting regulators of the EMT-associated genes.

Conclusion

Although further evaluations are needed to improve the findings, we showed that, in addition to its classical taxane function, Cbx has a regulatory effect on EMT-MET cycling in hormone-sensitive metastatic PC.

Cell-free DNA promotes malignant transformation in non-tumor cells

Cell-free DNA is present in different biological fluids and when released by tumor cells may contribute to pro-tumor events such as malignant transformation of cells adjacent to the tumor and metastasis. Thus, this study analyzed the effect of tumor cell-free DNA, isolated from the blood of prostate cancer patients, on non-tumor prostate cell lines (RWPE-1 and PNT-2). To achieve this, we performed cell-free DNA quantification and characterization assays, evaluation of gene and miRNA expression profiling focused on cancer progression and EMT, and metabolomics by mass spectrometry and cellular migration. The results showed that tumor-free cell DNA was able to alter the gene expression of MMP9 and CD44, alter the expression profile of nine miRNAs, and increased the tryptophan consumption and cell migration rates in non-tumor cells. Therefore, tumor cell-free DNA was capable of altering the receptor cell phenotype, triggering events related to malignant transformation in these cells, and can thus be considered a potential target for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Oncogenic transformation of human benign prostate hyperplasia with chronic cadmium exposure

Experimentally, it has been proved that cadmium served as an effective carcinogen and able to induce tumors in rodents in a dose-specific manner. However, systemic evaluation of cadmium exposure for the transformation of prostatic hyperplasia into prostate cancer (PCa) is still unclear. In the present study, an attempt has been made to establish cadmium-induced human prostate carcinogenesis using an in vitro model of BPH cells. Wide range of cadmium concentrations, i.e., 1 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM and 1μM, were chronically exposed to the human BPH cells for transformation into PCa and monitored using cell and molecular biology approaches. After eight weeks of exposure, the cells showed subtle morphological changes and shifts of cell cycle in the G2M phase. Significant increase in expression of prostatic genes AR, PSA, ER-β, and 5αR with increased nuclear localization of AR and pluripotency markers Cmyc, Klf4 indicated the carcinogenic effect of Cd. Further, the BPH cells exposed to Cd showed a substantial increase in the secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9, influencing migratory potential of the cells along with decreased expression of the p63 protein which further strengthen the progression towards carcinogenesis and aggressive tumor studies. Data from the present study state that Cd exhibited marked invasiveness in BPH cells. These observations established a connecting link of BPH towards PCa pathogenesis. Further, the study will also help in investigating the intricate pathways involved in cancer progression.

Poria cocos Polysaccharides Alleviates Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis by Preventing Oxidative Stress, Regulating Hormone Production, Modifying Gut Microbiota, and Remodeling the DNA Methylome

Chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP) is a common male disease with high incidence and low cure rate. This study aims to investigate the anti-CNP potential of Poria cocos polysaccharides (PPs) in a λ-carrageenan-induced CNP rat model. Results showed that PPs exerted anti-CNP functions by reducing the prostate weight and prostate index as well as the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). Further analysis on sex hormones revealed that PPs could favor CNP alleviation by regulating the production of testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DTH), and estradiol (E2). PPs could also alleviate CNP by regulating the level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), malonaldehyde (MDA), and superoxide diamutase (SOD) in inflamed prostate, thereby enhancing the anti-oxidative stress activity. As most non-digestive polysaccharides are fermented by gut microbiota rather than being digested directly by the host, we further analyzed PP-induced changes in gut microbiota. Microbiomic analysis revealed that PPs significantly change the profile of gut microbiota. Moreover, the relative abundance of five genera was recovered by PPs with a dose-effect relationship, thereby being suggested to play critical roles in the alleviation of CNP. Epigenomic (methylomic) analysis showed that PPs remodeled the DNA methylome of intestinal epithelia, by which PPs might modify hormone production. In the present study, we reported the anti-CNP activity of PPs as well as the involved mechanisms.

Oridonin inhibits hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell migration by the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/matrix metallopeptidase-9 signal pathway in gallbladder cancer

Hypoxia has crucial roles in cancer development and progression. Our previous study indicated that cell migration was increased in a hypoxic microenvironment in GBC-SD gallbladder cancer (GBC) cells. Oridonin, a bioactive diterpenoid compound that is isolated from the plant Rabdosia rubescens, has been identified as an anticancer agent in various types of cancer. However, its roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration in a hypoxic microenvironment and the associated regulatory mechanisms have not yet to be fully elucidated in GBC. The present study investigated the effect of oridonin on cell proliferation, apoptosis, the cell cycle and cell migration in GBC in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the role of oridonin in hypoxia-induced cell migration and its underlying mechanisms were explored in GBC. The results indicated that treatment with oridonin significantly suppressed cell proliferation and the metastatic ability of GBC-SD cells in a dose-dependent manner, increased the level of cell apoptosis and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Further experiments demonstrated that oridonin could inhibit hypoxia-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell migration by downregulating the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α/matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9. In addition, oridonin suppressed GBC cell growth and downregulated the expression levels of HIF-1α and MMP-9 in a GBC-SD cell xenograft model. Taken together, these results suggest that oridonin possesses anticancer properties in GBC. Notably, oridonin can suppress tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell migration by targeting the HIF-1α/MMP-9 signaling pathway.

Angiogenesis Inhibition in Prostate Cancer: An Update

Prostate cancer (PCa), like all other solid tumors, relies on angiogenesis for growth, progression, and the dissemination of tumor cells to other parts of the body. Despite data from in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies, as well as human specimen studies indicating the crucial role played by angiogenesis in PCa, angiogenesis inhibition in clinical settings has not shown significant benefits to patients, thus challenging the inclusion and usefulness of antiangiogenic agents for the treatment of PCa. However, one of the apparent reasons why these antiangiogenic agents failed to meet expectations in PCa can be due to the choice of the antiangiogenic agents, because the majority of these drugs target vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) and its receptors. The other relevant causes might be inappropriate drug combinations, the duration of treatment, and the method of endpoint determination. In this review, we will first discuss the role of angiogenesis in PCa growth and progression. We will then summarize the different angiogenic growth factors that influence PCa growth dynamics and review the outcomes of clinical trials conducted with antiangiogenic agents in PCa patients and, finally, critically assess the current status and fate of antiangiogenic therapy in this disease.

Driver network as a biomarker: systematic integration and network modeling of multi-omics data to derive driver signaling pathways for drug combination prediction

Motivation

Drug combinations that simultaneously suppress multiple cancer driver signaling pathways increase therapeutic options and may reduce drug resistance. We have developed a computational systems biology tool, DrugComboExplorer, to identify driver signaling pathways and predict synergistic drug combinations by integrating the knowledge embedded in vast amounts of available pharmacogenomics and omics data.

Results

This tool generates driver signaling networks by processing DNA sequencing, gene copy number, DNA methylation and RNA-seq data from individual cancer patients using an integrated pipeline of algorithms, including bootstrap aggregating-based Markov random field, weighted co-expression network analysis and supervised regulatory network learning. It uses a systems pharmacology approach to infer the combinatorial drug efficacies and synergy mechanisms through drug functional module-induced regulation of target expression analysis. Application of our tool on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and prostate cancer demonstrated how synergistic drug combinations can be discovered to inhibit multiple driver signaling pathways. Compared with existing computational approaches, DrugComboExplorer had higher prediction accuracy based on in vitro experimental validation and probability concordance index. These results demonstrate that our network-based drug efficacy screening approach can reliably prioritize synergistic drug combinations for cancer and uncover potential mechanisms of drug synergy, warranting further studies in individual cancer patients to derive personalized treatment plans.

Availability and implementation

DrugComboExplorer is available at https://github.com/Roosevelt-PKU/drugcombinationprediction.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

High tissue MMP14 expression predicts worse survival in gastric cancer, particularly with a low PROX1

Matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14), a membrane-associated matrix metalloproteinase, has been shown to influence the invasion and metastasis of several solid tumors. Prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX1), involved in the development and cell fate determination, is also expressed in malignant diseases functioning either as a tumor-suppressing or oncogenic factor. In certain cancers PROX1 appears to transcriptionally suppress MMP14 expression. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the association between MMP14 and PROX1 and understand their potential as prognostic biomarkers in gastric cancer. The cohort consisted of 313 individuals operated for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2000 and 2009 in the Department of Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital. MMP14 and PROX1 expressions were studied using immunohistochemistry in the patient sample and using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence in gastric cancer cell lines. We generated survival curves using the Kaplan-Meier method, determining significance via the log-rank test. A high MMP14 expression associated with being ≥67 years (P = .041), while a positive nuclear PROX1 expression associated with tumors of a diffuse histological type (P = .041) and a high cytoplasmic PROX1 expression (P < .001). Five-year disease-specific survival among patients with a high MMP14 expression was 35.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 24.9-46.9), compared to 45.3% (95% CI 38.0-52.6) for patients with a low MMP14 (P = .030). Survival was worse specifically among those with a high MMP14 and absent nuclear PROX1 expression (hazard ratio [HR] 1.65; 95% CI 1.09-2.51; P = .019). Thus, this study confirms that a high MMP14 expression predicts a worse survival in gastric cancer, revealing for the first time that survival is particularly worse when PROX1 is low.

The functional interlink between AR and MMP9/VEGF signaling axis is mediated through PIP5K1α/pAKT in prostate cancer

Currently, no effective targeted therapeutics exists for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Given that matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) and its associated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are critical for tumor vascularization and invasion under castration-resistant condition, it is therefore of great importance to define the functional association and interplay between androgen receptor (AR) and MMP9 and their associated key survival and invasion pathways in PCa cells. Here, we found that there was a significant correlation between MMP9 and AR protein expression in primary and metastatic PCa tissues, and a trend that high level of MMP9 expression was associated with poor prognosis. We demonstrated that constitutive activation of AR increased expression of MMP9 and VEGF/VEGF receptors. We further showed that AR exerts its effect on MMP9/VEGF signaling axis through PIP5K1α/AKT. We showed that MMP9 physically interacted with PIP5K1α via formation of protein-protein complexes. Furthermore, elevated expression of MMP9 enhanced ability of AR to activate its target gene cyclin A1. The elevated sequential activation of AR/PIP5K1α/AKT/MMP9/VEGF signaling axis contributed to increased invasiveness and growth of metastatic tumors. Conversely, treatment with PIP5K1α inhibitor significantly suppressed invasiveness of PCa cells expressing constitutively activated AR, this was coincident with its inhibitory effect of this inhibitor on AR/MMP9/VEGF pathways. Our results suggest that AR and MMP9-associated network proteins may be effectively targeted by blocking PIP5K1α/AKT pathways using PIP5K1α inhibitor in metastatic PCa.

Paradoxical Role of Glypican-1 in Prostate Cancer Cell and Tumor Growth

Recent studies suggest that glypican-1 (GPC-1) is a biomarker for prostate cancer, but there are few studies elucidating the role of GPC-1 in prostate cancer progression. We observed high expression of GPC-1 in more aggressive prostate cancer cell lines such as PC-3 and DU-145. While inhibition of GPC-1 expression in PC-3 cells decreased cell growth and migration in vitro, it surprisingly increased cell proliferation and migration in DU-145 cells, suggesting that the role of GPC-1 is cell type-dependent. Further, GPC-1 inhibition increased PC-3 tumor size in NCr nude mice xenografts. We hypothesized that the discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivo data is mediated by stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, we tested the effect of tumor conditioned media (TCM) on gene expression in human mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts. Treatment of stromal cells with TCM from PC-3 cells transfected with GPC-1 shRNA increased the expression of migration markers, endocrine/paracrine biomolecules, and extracellular matrix components. Additionally, the decreased cell growth in GPC-1 knockdown PC-3 cells was rescued by coculturing with stromal cells. These data demonstrate the paradoxical role that GPC-1 plays in prostate cancer cell growth by interacting with stromal cells and through ECM remodeling and endocrine/paracrine signaling.

Knockdown of KDM1A suppresses tumour migration and invasion by epigenetically regulating the TIMP1/MMP9 pathway in papillary thyroid cancer

Epigenetic dysregulation plays an important role in cancer. Histone demethylation is a well‐known mechanism of epigenetic regulation that promotes or inhibits tumourigenesis in various malignant tumours. However, the pathogenic role of histone demethylation modifiers in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which has a high incidence of early lymphatic metastasis, is largely unknown. Here, we detected the expression of common histone demethylation modifiers and found that the histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) and H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) demethylase KDM1A (or lysine demethylase 1A) is frequently overexpressed in PTC tissues and cell lines. High KDM1A expression correlated positively with age <55 years and lymph node metastasis in patients with PTC. Moreover, KDM1A was required for PTC cell migration and invasion. KDM1A knockdown inhibited the migration and invasive abilities of PTC cells both in vitro and in vivo. We also identified tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1) as a key KDM1A target gene. KDM1A activated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) through epigenetic repression of TIMP1 expression by demethylating H3K4me2 at the TIMP1 promoter region. Rescue experiments clarified these findings. Altogether, we have uncovered a new mechanism of KDM1A repression of TIMP1 in PTC and suggest that KDM1A may be a promising therapeutic target in PTC.

MoS2 Field-Effect Transistor-Amyloid-β1-42 Hybrid Device for Signal Amplified Detection of MMP-9

The detection of circulating protein (CP) is very important for the diagnosis and therapeutics of cancer. Conventional techniques based on a specific antibody-antigen interaction are still lacking because of a shortage of cost effectiveness, complicated sandwich structure and tagging process, and inconsistent detection of CP due to the inherent instability of antibodies. Herein, we demonstrate a hybrid device consisting of two-dimensional (2D) nanoscale molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) field-effect transistor (FET) with an amyloid-β_1-42 (Aβ_1-42) functionalized surface, which amplifies electric signals of the FET in order to detect matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which is a certain type of CP that degrades Aβ_1-42. With the hybrid device, we detected the concentrations of MMP-9 in the range from 1 pM to 10 nM. Moreover, using tapping-mode atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy, we verified that the signal amplification corresponding to the MMP-9 concentrations was caused by the reduced length and the decreased surface potential of degraded Aβ_1-42 due to MMP-9. The hybrid device studied in this paper can be very useful for monitoring MMP-9 activity, as well as serving as a sensing platform for the electrical signal amplification of 2D MoS₂ FET-biosensors.

Targeting the SPOCK1-snail/slug axis-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by apigenin contributes to repression of prostate cancer metastasis

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is considered one of the most prevalent malignancy globally, and metastasis is a major cause of death. Apigenin (API) is a dietary flavonoid which exerts an antimetastatic effect in various cancer types. Sparc/osteonectin, cwcv, and kazal-like domains proteoglycan 1 (SPOCK1) is a crucial modulator of tumor growth and metastasis in cancers. However, the role and underlying regulatory mechanisms of SPOCK1 in the API-mediated antimetastatic effects of PCa remain unclear.

Methods

MTS, colony formation, wound-healing, and transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the effects of API on PCa cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive potentials. In vivo orthotopic bioluminescent xenograft model were employed to determine antitumor activity of API. PCa cells were transfected with either Snail-, Slug-, SPOCK1-overexpressing vector, or small hairpin (sh)SPOCK1 to determine the invasive abilities and expression levels of SPOCK1 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers in response to API treatment. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were carried out to evaluate the expression level of SPOCK1 in PCa xenografts and a PCa tissue array. Associations of SPOCK1 expression with clinicopathological features and prognoses of patients with PCa were analyzed by GEO or TCGA RNA-sequencing data.

Results

API significantly suppressed in vitro PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and inhibited in vivo PCa tumor growth and metastasis. Moreover, survival times of animals were also prolonged after API treatment. Mechanistic studies revealed that API treatment resulted in downregulation of SPOCK1, which was accompanied by reduced expressions of mesenchymal markers and subsequent attenuation of invasive abilities of PCa cells. Overexpression of SPOCK1 in PCa xenografts resulted in significant promotion of tumor progression and relieved the anticancer activities induced by API, whereas knockdown of SPOCK1 had opposite effects. In clinical, SPOCK1 levels were higher in tumor tissues compared to non-tumor tissues, which was also significantly correlated with shorter disease-free survival in PCa patients.

Conclusions

Levels of SPOCK1 increase with the progression of human PCa which suggests that SPOCK1 may act as a prognostic marker or therapeutic target for patients with PCa. Suppression of SPOCK1-mediated EMT signaling contributes to the antiproliferative and antimetastatic activities of API in vitro and in vivo.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1247-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

High serum MMP-14 predicts worse survival in gastric cancer

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), endopeptidases with diverse biochemical functions, can promote cancer cell invasion and metastasis by degrading the extracellular matrix. A high matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) expression in gastric cancer tissue has been associated with metastasis and poor prognosis. To further understand this association, we investigated serum MMP-14 as a biomarker in gastric cancer patients. The patient cohort consisted of 240 gastric adenocarcinoma patients who underwent surgery at Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, between 2000 and 2009. We determined the soluble MMP-14 serum levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We then calculated the associations between serum levels and clinicopathologic variables using the Mann-Whitney U-test or the Kruskal-Wallis test. We constructed survival curves using the Kaplan-Meier method and calculating the hazard ratios using the Cox proportional hazard model. We revealed a positive association between a high serum MMP-14 level and stages III–IV (p = 0.029), and between a high serum MMP-14 and distant metastasis (p = 0.022). Patients with a low serum MMP-14 had a 5-year disease-specific survival of 49.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 45.5–52.9), whereas patients with a high serum MMP-14 had a 5-year survival of 22.1% (95% CI 15.2–29.0; p = 0.001). High serum MMP-14 was a statistically significant prognostic factor among patients with an intestinal type of cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 3.54; 95% CI 1.51–8.33; p = 0.004), but not among patients with a diffuse type. The serum MMP-14 level remained an independent prognostic factor in our multivariate survival analysis (HR 1.55; 95% CI 1.02–2.35; p = 0.040). This study indicates for the first time that high serum soluble MMP-14 levels in gastric cancer serves as a marker for a poor prognosis, possibly indicating the presence of distant metastases.

Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 and Acid Phosphatase in the Degradation of the Lamina Propria of Eruptive Pathway of Rat Molars

The comprehension of dental pathogenesis and disorders derived from eruption failure requires a deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying normal tooth eruption. As intense remodelling is needed during tooth eruption, we hypothesize that matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and acid phosphatase (ACP) play a role in the eruptive pathway degradation. We evaluated MMP-1-immunoexpression and the collagen content in the lamina propria at different eruptive phases. Immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural cytochemistry for detection of ACP were also performed. In the maxillary sections containing first molars of 9-, 11-, 13-, and 16-day-old rats, the birefringent collagen of eruptive pathway was quantified. MMP-1 and ACP-2 immunohistochemical reactions were performed and the number of MMP-1-immunolabelled cells was computed. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-test (p ≤ 0.05). ACP cytochemistry was evaluated in specimens incubated in sodium β-glycerophosphate. In the eruptive pathway of 13- and 16-day-old rats, the number of MMP-1-immunolabelled cells increased concomitantly to reduction of collagen in the lamina propria. Enhanced ACP-2-immunolabelling was observed in the lamina propria of 13- and 16-day-old rats. Fibroblasts and macrophages showed lysosomes and vacuoles containing fragmented material reactive to ACP. MMP-1 degrades extracellular matrix, including collagen fibers, being responsible for the reduction in the collagen content during tooth eruption. The enhanced ACP activity at the mucosal penetration stage indicates that this enzyme plays a role in the degradation of remnant material, which is engulfed by macrophages and fibroblasts of the eruptive pathway. Therefore, enzymatic failure in the eruptive pathway may disturbs tooth eruption.

Functional profiling of circulating tumor cells with an integrated vortex capture and single-cell protease activity assay

Tumor cells are hypothesized to use proteolytic enzymes to facilitate invasion. Whether circulating tumor cells (CTCs) secrete these enzymes to aid metastasis is unknown. A quantitative and high-throughput approach to assay CTC secretion is needed to address this question. We developed an integrated microfluidic system that concentrates rare cancer cells >100,000-fold from 1 mL of whole blood into ∼50,000 2-nL drops composed of assay reagents within 15 min. The system isolates CTCs by size, exchanges fluid around CTCs to remove contaminants, introduces a matrix metalloprotease (MMP) substrate, and encapsulates CTCs into microdroplets. We found CTCs from prostate cancer patients possessed above baseline levels of MMP activity (1.7- to 200-fold). Activity of CTCs was generally higher than leukocytes from the same patient (average CTC/leukocyte MMP activity ratio, 2.6 ± 1.5). Higher MMP activity of CTCs suggests active proteolytic processes that may facilitate invasion or immune evasion and be relevant phenotypic biomarkers enabling companion diagnostics for anti-MMP therapies.

Polymorphism of MMP-9 gene is not associated with the risk of urinary cancers: Evidence from an updated meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP-9) is a zinc-dependent gelatinase, which could decrease the expression of extracellular matrix proteins and influence the metastatic behavior of tumors. In order to draw a comprehensive and precise result about the relationship of MMP-9 and urinary cancers, we presented the current meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI and Wanfang databases, the cited references were also manually searched again, covering all the papers published until August 2018. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. All the meta-analysis was conducted with Stata version 12.0 software to assess the strength of the association. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analyses of gene polymorphisms and in-silico analysis of MMP-9 expression were also conducted to illustrate the relationship.

RESULTS

17 case-control studies comprise of more than 6154 cases and 6330 controls were enrolled and analyzed. After analyzed, we found that there is no significant association between rs3918241, rs2250889, rs17576 and rs17577 of MMP-9 and urinary cancers. LD analysis uncovered a significant LD between rs3918241 and rs17577 in CEU, CHB&CHS, ESN, and JPT populations (CEU: r² = 1.0; CHB&CHS: r² = 1.0; ESN: r² = 0.74; JPT: r² = 0.77), as well as a remarkable LD between rs17576 and rs2250889 in CHB&CHS and JPT populations (CHB&CHS: r² = 0.81; JPT: r² = 0.82). Furthermore, in-silico results indicated that the expression of MMP-9 in cancer tissue was higher than that in normal tissue in prostate cancer (Transcripts Per Kilobase Million (TPM) = 7.14 vs. 1.36, P < 0.001), bladder cancer (TPM = 14.2 vs. 2.47, P < 0.001), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (TPM = 7.43 vs. 1.61, P < 0.001), kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (TPM = 5.52 vs. 1.74, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

rs3918241, rs2250889, rs17576 and rs17577 polymorphisms of MMP-9 are not associated with altered risk of urinary cancer. More studies with large sample size focused on the combined effect of two or more polymorphisms of MMP-9 are necessary in the future.

Validation of Neurotensin Receptor 1 as a Therapeutic Target for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common type of malignancy worldwide, and the survival rate of patients with advanced-stage gastric cancer is low, even after receiving chemotherapy. Here, we validated neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) as a potential therapeutic target in gastric cancer. We compared NTSR1 expression levels in sixty different gastric cancer-tissue samples and cells, as well as in other cancer cells (lung, breast, pancreatic, and colon), by assessing NTSR1 expression via semi-quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry and western blot. Following neurotensin (NT) treatment, we analyzed the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and further determined the effects on cell migration and invasion via wound-healing and transwell assays. Our results revealed that NTSR1 mRNA levels were higher in gastric cancer tissues than non-cancerous tissues. Both of NTSR1 mRNA levels and expression were higher in gastric cancer cell lines relative to levels observed in other cancer-cell lines. Moreover, NT treatment induced MMP-9 expression and activity in all cancer cell lines, which was significantly decreased following treatment with the NTSR1 antagonist SR48692 or small-interfering RNA targeting NTSR1. Furthermore, NT-mediated metastases was confirmed by observing epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers SNAIL and E-cadherin in gastric cancer cells. NT-mediated invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells were reduced by NTSR1 depletion through the Erk signaling. These findings strongly suggested that NTR1 constitutes a potential therapeutic target for the inhibition of gastric cancer invasion and metastasis.

Molecular basis of the effect of MMP-9 on the prostate bone metastasis: A review

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer in men especially after 50 years old. The metastasis of said cancer involves a rise for morbidity, metastasizing 90% of the occasions on bone. Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in the process of bone formation and they are postulated to be involved in the process of metastasizing, in particular MMP-9. This work is justified taking into account the scientific interest of the subject and the quality of the literature sources used. PCa generates a high morbidity and mortality in men, especially due to the process of metastasis, resulting in effects to health and socioeconomic level.

METHODS

This search was performed selecting articles published from 2003 to 2017. Items were selected and valued according to the Cochrane criteria (2011).

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

The selected articles (17) demonstrate the involvement of MMP-9 as a modulator of bone metastatic lesions either of osteoblast, osteoclast or mixed origin as well as the recognition of the major mechanisms or molecules involved in the regulation of expression gene of MMP-9 and finally establishing the MMP-9 as a therapeutic target for possible future drug development. Finally, this study evidences MMP-9 as an essential factor for the activation of the chain of the different MMPs and consequently in the genesis and development of bone metastasis of PCa due to its influence on bone osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity.

SFMBT2 (Scm-like with four mbt domains 2) negatively regulates cell migration and invasion in prostate cancer cells

Metastatic prostate cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in men. In this study, we found that expression level of SFMBT2 is altered during prostate cancer progression and has been associated with the migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. The expression level of SFMBT2 is high in poorly metastatic prostate cancer cells compared to highly metastatic prostate cancer cells. We also found that SFMBT2 knockdown elevates MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-26 expression, leading to increased cell migration and invasion in LNCaP and VCaP cells. SFMBT2 interacts with YY1, RNF2, N-CoR and HDAC1/3, as well as repressive histone marks such as H3K9me2, H4K20me2, and H2AK119Ub which are associated with transcriptional repression. In addition, SFMBT2 knockdown decreased KAI1 gene expression through up-regulation of N-CoR gene expression. Expression of SFMBT2 in prostate cancer was strongly associated with clinicopathological features. Patients having higher Gleason score (≥ 8) had substantially lower SFMBT2 expression than patients with lower Gleason score. Moreover, tail vein or intraprostatic injection of SFMBT2 knockdown LNCaP cells induced metastasis. Taken together, our findings suggest that regulation of SFMBT2 may provide a new therapeutic strategy to control prostate cancer metastasis as well as being a potential biomarker of metastatic prostate cancer.

Antitumoral action of icaritin in LNCaP prostate cancer cells by regulating PEA3/HER2/AR signaling

Human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) and androgen receptor (AR) are critical factors for prostate cancer (PCa) progression. These factors regulate tumor cell survival and proliferation, and remain as crucial drivers of castration-resistant PCa progression. Icaritin (ICT) is a prenyl flavonoid derived from the Epimedium genus, which has many biological and pharmacological effects. Using androgen-sensitive human prostate carcinoma LNCaP cell lines, we found that 35 μg/ml of ICT could inhibit more than 50% of cell proliferation, induce cell apoptosis, and lead to a strong G1 phase arrest by targeting cyclin-related proteins and suppressing the ability of cell invasion. Moreover, ICT exerts its potent anticancer efficacy by inducing polyomavirus enhancer activator 3 (PEA3) to inhibit the aberrantly activated HER2/AR signaling. In addition, after PEA3 expression was silenced by specific small-interference RNA, we found that both the ICT-inhibited effect on LNCaP cell proliferation and the ICT-induced cell apoptosis rate decreased. These results provide alternative mechanisms for the antitumor actions of ICT, indicating that ICT might be a promising therapeutic agent, as well as a preventive agent, for hormone therapy-resistant PCa.

Myosin isoform expressed in metastatic prostate cancer stimulates cell invasion

During metastasis, tumor cells migrate out of their original tissue to invade other organs. Secretion of exosomes and metalloproteases is essential for extracellular matrix remodeling, enabling migration through tissue barriers. Metastatic prostate cancer is differentiated by expression of the rare isoform A of the molecular motor myosin IC, however the function of this isoform remained unknown. Here we show that it contributes causatively to the invasive motility of prostate cancer cells. We found that the isoform associates with metalloprotease-containing exosomes and stimulates their secretion. While the data show that myosin IC is involved in prostate cancer cell migration, migration outside extracellular matrix in vitro proves little affected specifically by isoform A. Nevertheless, this isoform stimulates invasion through extracellular matrix, pointing to a critical role in secretion. Both the secretion and invasion depend on the integrity of the motor and lipid-binding domains of the protein. Our results demonstrate how myosin IC isoform A is likely to function in metastasis, driving secretion of exosomes that enable invasion of prostate cancer cells across extracellular matrix barriers. The new data identify a molecule suitable for a mechanistically grounded development into a marker and target for prognosis, detection, and treatment of invasive prostate cancer.

Environmental factors and risk of aggressive prostate cancer among a population of New Zealand men - a genotypic approach

Prostate cancer is one of the most significant health concerns for men worldwide. Numerous researchers carrying out molecular diagnostics have indicated that genetic interactions with biological and behavioral factors play an important role in the overall risk and prognosis of this disease. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are increasingly becoming strong biomarker candidates to identify susceptibility to prostate cancer. We carried out a gene × environment interaction analysis linked to aggressive and non-aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) with a number of SNPs. By using this method, we identified the susceptible alleles in a New Zealand population, and examined the interaction with environmental factors. We have identified a number of SNPs that have risk associations both with and without environmental interaction. The results indicate that certain SNPs are associated with disease vulnerability based on behavioral factors. The list of genes with SNPs identified as being associated with the risk of PCa in a New Zealand population is provided in the graphical abstract.

NF‑κB inhibition is associated with OPN/MMP‑9 downregulation in cutaneous melanoma

The development of cutaneous melanoma is influenced by genetic factors, including BRAF mutations and environmental factors, such as ultraviolet exposure. Its progression has been also associated with the involvement of several tumour microenvironmental molecules. Among these, nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) has been indicated as a key player of osteopontin (OPN) and matrix metalloproteinase‑9 (MMP‑9) activation. However, whether NF‑κB plays a role in the development and progression of melanoma in association with the OPN/MMP‑9 axis according to the BRAFV600E mutation status has not been investigated in detail to date. Thus, in the present study, in order to shed light on this matter, 148 patients with melanoma and 53 healthy donors were recruited for the analysis of OPN, MMP‑9 and NF‑κB. Significantly higher circulating levels of OPN and MMP‑9 were observed in the patients with melanoma when compared to the healthy donors. Similar data were obtained for NF‑κB p65 activity. The OPN levels did not differ significantly between melanomas with or without BRAFV600E mutation. However, as regards NF‑κB and MMP‑9, significant differences were observed between the melanomas with or without BRAFV600E mutation. To determine whether NF‑κB inhibition is associated with a decrease in the levels of OPN and MMP‑9, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 29 patients with melanoma were treated with the NF‑κB inhibitor, dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomycin (DHMEQ), with or without OPN. As expected, the inhibition of NF‑κB induced a marked decrease in both the OPN and MMP‑9 levels. Furthermore, the decrease in MMP‑9 levels was higher among melanomas harbouring the BRAFV600E mutation. Overall, our data suggest that the activation of MMP‑9 is associated with the BRAFV600E mutation status. Furthermore, such an activation is mediated by NF‑κB, suggesting its role as therapeutic target in patients with melanoma.

Fisetin Enhances Chemotherapeutic Effect of Cabazitaxel against Human Prostate Cancer Cells

Although treatment of prostate cancer has improved over the past several years, taxanes, such as cabazitaxel, remain the only form of effective chemotherapy that improves survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, the effectiveness of this class of drugs has been associated with various side effects and drug resistance. We previously reported that fisetin, a hydroxyflavone, is a microtubule-stabilizing agent and inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and suggested its use as an adjuvant for treatment of prostate and other cancer types. In this study, we investigated the effect of fisetin in combination with cabazitaxel with the objective to achieve maximum therapeutic benefit, reduce dose and toxicity, and minimize or delay the induction of drug resistance and metastasis. Our data show for the first time that a combination of fisetin (20 μmol/L) enhances cabazitaxel (5 nmol/L) and synergistically reduces 22Rν1, PC-3M-luc-6, and C4-2 cell viability and metastatic properties with minimal adverse effects on normal prostate epithelial cells. In addition, the combination of fisetin with cabazitaxel was associated with inhibition of proliferation and enhancement of apoptosis. Furthermore, combination treatment resulted in the inhibition of tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis when assessed in two in vivo xenograft mouse models. These results provide evidence that fisetin may have therapeutic benefit for patients with advanced prostate cancer through enhancing the efficacy of cabazitaxel under both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent conditions. This study underscores the benefit of the combination of fisetin with cabazitaxel for the treatment of advanced and resistant prostate cancer and possibly other cancer types. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 2863-74. ©2016 AACR.

MicroRNA-133a inhibits the malignant behavior of glioma via downregulation of matrix metallopeptidase 9

MicroRNA (miR)-133a expression has been reported to be downregulated in numerous human malignancies. However, the expression levels and function of miR-133a have not yet been investigated in human glioma. In the present study, the expression of miR‑133a was analyzed by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Following transfection of miR‑133a, cell proliferation, cell migration, cell invasion and luciferase assays, and western blot analysis were conducted in glioma cell lines. The present study demonstrated that miR‑133a was downregulated in human glioma tissues compared with in normal adjacent tissues. In addition, the results indicated that miR‑133a was likely to directly target matrix metallopeptidase 9 in glioma. These results suggest that miR-133a may be considered as a target for the treatment of human glioma.

Novel roles of androgen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, TP53, regulatory RNAs, NF-kappa-B, chromosomal translocations, neutrophil associated gelatinase, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in prostate cancer and prostate cancer stem cells

Approximately one in six men will be diagnosed with some form of prostate cancer in their lifetime. Over 250,000 men worldwide die annually due to complications from prostate cancer. While advancements in prostate cancer screening and therapies have helped in lowering this statistic, better tests and more effective therapies are still needed. This review will summarize the novel roles of the androgen receptor (AR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the EGFRvIII variant, TP53, long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRs), NF-kappa-B, chromosomal translocations, neutrophil associated gelatinase, (NGAL), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), the tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells (CSC) have on the diagnosis, development and treatment of prostate cancer.

The use of collagen-based scaffolds to simulate prostate cancer bone metastases with potential for evaluating delivery of nanoparticulate gene therapeutics

Prostate cancer bone metastases are a leading cause of cancer-related death in men with current treatments offering only marginally improved rates of survival. Advances in the understanding of the genetic basis of prostate cancer provide the opportunity to develop gene-based medicines capable of treating metastatic disease. The aim of this work was to establish a 3D cell culture model of prostate cancer bone metastasis using collagen-based scaffolds, to characterise this model, and to assess the potential of the model to evaluate delivery of gene therapeutics designed to target bone metastases. Two prostate cancer cell lines (PC3 and LNCaP) were cultured in 2D standard culture and compared to 3D cell growth on three different collagen-based scaffolds (collagen and composites of collagen containing either glycosaminoglycan or nanohydroxyapatite). The 3D model was characterised for cell proliferation, viability and for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) secretion. Chemosensitivity to docetaxel treatment was assessed in 2D in comparison to 3D. Nanoparticles (NPs) containing siRNA formulated using a modified cyclodextrin were delivered to the cells on the scaffolds and gene silencing was quantified. Both prostate cancer cell lines actively infiltrated and proliferated on the scaffolds. Cell culture in 3D resulted in reduced levels of MMP1 and MMP9 secretion in PC3 cells. In contrast, LNCaP cells grown in 3D secreted elevated levels of PSA, particularly on the scaffold composed of collagen and glycosaminoglycans. Both cell lines grown in 3D displayed increased resistance to docetaxel treatment. The cyclodextrin.siRNA nanoparticles achieved cellular uptake and knocked down the endogenous GAPDH gene in the 3D model. In conclusion, development of a novel 3D cell culture model of prostate cancer bone metastasis has been initiated resulting, for the first time, in the successful delivery of gene therapeutics in a 3D in vitro model. Further enhancement of this model will help elucidate the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and also accelerate the design of effective therapies which can penetrate into the bone microenvironment for prostate cancer therapy.

MGF enhances tenocyte invasion through MMP-2 activity via the FAK-ERK1/2 pathway

Tendon regeneration and healing requires tenocytes to move to the repair site followed by proliferation and synthesis of the extracellular matrix. A novel synthetic growth factor, mechano-growth factor (MGF), has been discovered to have positive roles in tissue repair through the improvement of cell proliferation and migration and the protection of cells against injury-induced apoptosis. However, it remains unclear whether MGF has the potential to accelerate tendon repair. In this study, using a transwell system, we found that MGF-C25E (a synthetic mechano-growth factor E peptide) significantly promotes tenocyte invasion, which was accompanied by the increased phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) as well as the increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2). The MMP-2 inhibitor OA-Hy blocked MGF-C25E-promoted tenocyte invasion. Inhibitors of FAK or ERK1/2 blocked MGF-C25E-promoted tenocyte invasion and MMP-2 activity as well. These results indicate that MGF-C25E promotes tenocyte invasion by increasing MMP-2 activity via the FAK-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings provide the first evidence that MGF-C25E enhances tenocyte invasion and indicate that it may serve as a potential repair material for promoting the healing and regeneration of injured tendons.

Cyclodextrin mediated delivery of NF-κB and SRF siRNA reduces the invasion potential of prostate cancer cells in vitro

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men of the western world. To date, no effective treatment exists for metastatic prostate cancer and consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new and improved therapeutics. In recent years, the therapeutic potential of RNA interference (RNAi) has been extensively explored in a wide range of diseases including prostate cancer using numerous gene delivery vectors. The aims of this study were to investigate the ability of a non-viral modified cyclodextrin (CD) vector to deliver siRNA to the highly metastatic PC-3 prostate cancer cell line, to quantify the resulting knockdown of the two target genes (RelA and SRF) and to study the effects of the silencing on metastasis. Data from a Matrigel in vitro invasion assay indicated that the silencing of the target genes achieved by the CD vector resulted in significant reductions (P=0.0001) in the metastatic potential of these cells. As the silencing of these target genes was shown not to have a negative impact on cell viability, we hypothesise that the mechanism of invasion inhibition is due, in part, to the significant reduction observed (P⩽0.0001) in the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine, MMP9, which is known to be implicated in the metastasis of prostate cancer.

Activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) by neurotensin promotes cell invasion and migration through ERK pathway in gastric cancer

Neurotensin (NT) is distributed throughout the brain and gastrointestinal tract. Although the relationship between NT and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in gastric cancer has not been reported, the elevation of MMP-9 and NT is reported in the breast, lung, prostate, and gastric cancer. The aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between NT and MMP-9 activity and the underlying signaling mechanism in gastric cancer cell lines. Commercial ELISA kits were used for estimation of NT and MMP-9 expression, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay was used for measurement of MMP-9 activity. Cell migration and invasion were determined by wound healing and transwell assay. The expression of signaling proteins was measured by Western blotting. Our study reveals a positive correlation between increased plasma NT and MMP-9 activity in both of patient's serum and gastric cancer cell lines. A dose-dependent elevation of MMP-9 activity was observed by NT treatment in gastric cancer cells (MKN-1 and MKN-45) compared to untreated gastric cancer and normal epithelial cell (HFE-145). Moreover, NT-mediated migration and invasion were observed in gastric cancer cells unlike in normal cell. The signaling mechanism of NT in gastric cancer cells was confirmed in protein kinase C (PKC), extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. In addition, pretreatment of gastric cancer cells with NTR1 inhibitor SR48692 was shown to significantly inhibit the NT-mediated MMP-9 activity, cell invasion, and migration. Our finding illustrated NTR1 could be a possible therapeutic target for gastric cancer.

Cyclic mechanical stretching promotes migration but inhibits invasion of rat bone marrow stromal cells

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also broadly known as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are multipotent stem cells that have a self-renewal capacity and multilineage differentiation potential. Mechanical stretching plays a vital role in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs. However, little is known about the effects of cyclic stretching on BMSC migration and invasion. In this study, using a custom-made cell-stretching device, we studied the effects of cyclic mechanical stretching on rat BMSC migration and invasion using a Transwell Boyden Chamber. The protein secretion of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was detected by gelatin zymography, and the activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) was measured by western blot. We found that cyclic mechanical stretching with 10% amplitude at 1Hz frequency for 8h promotes BMSC migration, but reduces BMSC invasion. FAK and ERK1/2 signals were activated in BMSCs after exposure to cyclic stretching. In the presence of the FAK phosphorylation blocker PF573228 or the ERK1/2 phosphorylation blocker PD98059, the cyclic-stretch-promoted migration of BMSCs was completely suppressed. On the other hand, cyclic mechanical stretching reduced the secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in BMSCs, and PF573228 suppressed the cyclic-stretch-reduced secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The decrease of BMSC invasion induced by mechanical stretching is partially restored by PF573228 but remained unaffected by PD98059. Taken together, these data show that cyclic mechanical stretching promotes BMSC migration via the FAK-ERK1/2 signalling pathway, but reduces BMSC invasion by decreasing secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 via FAK, independent of the ERK1/2 signal.