The Role and Therapeutic Value of Syndecan-1 in Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance

Single-cell characterization of differentiation trajectories and drug resistance features in gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis (GCPM) experience a rapidly deteriorating clinical trajectory characterized by therapeutic resistance and dismal survival, particularly following the development of malignant ascites. However, the intricate dynamics within the peritoneal microenvironment (PME) during the treatment process remain largely unknown.

METHODS

Matched samples from primary tumours (PT), peritoneal metastases (PM), and paired pre-treatment and post-chemo/immunotherapy (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) progression malignant ascites samples, were collected from 48 patients. These samples were subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing (n = 30), multiplex immunofluorescence (n = 30), and spatial transcriptomics (n = 3). Furthermore, post hoc analyses of a phase 1 clinical trial (n = 20, NCT03710265) and an in-house immunotherapy cohort (n = 499) were conducted to validate the findings.

RESULTS

Tracing the evolutionary trajectory of epithelial cells unveiled the terminally differentially MUC1+ cancer cells with a high epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition potential, and they demonstrated spatial proximity with fibroblasts and endothelial cells, correlating with poor prognosis. A significant expansion of macrophage infiltrates, which exhibited the highest proangiogenic activity, was observed in the ascites compared with PT and PM. Besides, higher C1Q+ macrophage infiltrates correlated with significantly lower GZMA+ T-lymphocyte infiltrates in therapeutic failure cases, potentially mediated by the LGALS9-CD45 and SPP1-CD44 ligand-receptor interactions. In the chemoresistant group, intimate interactions between C1Q+ macrophages and fibroblasts through the complement activation pathway were found. In the group demonstrating immunoresistance, heightened TGF-β production activity was detected in MUC1+ cancer cells, and they were skewed to interplay with C1Q+ macrophages through the GDF15-TGF-βR2 axis. Ultimately, post hoc analyses indicated that co-targeting TGF-β and PDL1 pathways may confer superior clinical benefits than sole anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for patients presenting with GCPM at the time of diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings elucidated the cellular differentiation trajectories and crucial drug resistance features within PME, facilitating the exploration of effective targets for GCPM treatment.

HIGHLIGHTS

MUC1+ cancer cells with a high epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition potential and exhibiting spatial proximity to fibroblasts and endothelial cells constitute the driving force of gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM). Higher C1Q+ macrophage infiltrates correlated with significantly lower GZMA+ T-lymphocyte infiltrates within the peritoneal microenvironment in therapeutic failure cases. Co-targeting TGF-β and PDL1 pathways may confer superior clinical benefits than sole anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for patients presenting with GCPM at diagnosis.

Multidimensional role of adapalene in regulating cell death in multiple myeloma

Aims

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains a challenging condition to cure, with persistent drug resistance negating the benefits of treatment advancements. The unraveling complexities in programmed cell death (PCD), inclusive of apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis, have highlighted novel therapeutic avenues. Our study focuses on deciphering how adapalene (ADA), a small molecule compound, accelerates the demise of MM cells via targeting their compensatory survival mechanisms.

Methods

To assess the impact of ADA on MM, we employed flow cytometry and trypan blue exclusion assays to determine cell viabilities across MM cell lines and primary patient samples post-treatment. To delineate ADA's therapeutic targets and mechanisms, we conducted RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. We further designed pre-clinical trials emphasizing MM, exploring the efficacy of ADA as a standalone and in combination with bortezomib (BTZ).

Results

ADA elicited a dose-responsive induction of MM cell death. Building upon ADA's anti-MM capabilities as a single agent, we proposed that ADA-BTZ co-treatment might amplify this lethality. Indeed, ADA and BTZ together greatly potentiated MM cell death. ADA proved beneficial in restoring BTZ susceptibility in BTZ-resistant relapsed or refractory MM (RRMM) patient cells. Molecular simulations highlighted ADA's high affinity (-9.17 kcal/mol) for CD138, with MM-GBSA revealing a binding free energy of -27.39 kcal/mol. Detailed interaction analyses indicated hydrogen-bonding of ADA with CD138 at the Asp35 and Gln34 residues. Additionally, ADA emerged as a versatile instigator of both ferroptosis and apoptosis in MM cells. Furthermore, ADA disrupted activation of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway triggered by BTZ, fostering cell death in BTZ-resistant MM subsets.

Conclusion

ADA demonstrates a comprehensive capability to orchestrate MM cell death, exerting pronounced anti-MM activity while disrupting NF-κB-related drug resistance. ADA sensitization of MM cells to BTZ unravels its potential as a novel therapeutic drug for MM management.

Tigilanol Tiglate-Induced Changes in Secretome Profiles Alter C-Met Phosphorylation and Cell Surface Protein Expression in H357 Head and Neck Cancer Cells

Tigilanol tiglate (TT, also known as EBC-46) is a novel, plant-derived diterpene ester possessing anticancer and wound-healing properties. Here, we show that TT-evoked PKC-dependent S985 phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase MET leads to subsequent degradation of tyrosine phosphorylated p-Y1003 and p-Y1234/5 MET species. PKC inhibition with BIM-1 blocked S985 phosphorylation of MET and led to MET cell surface accumulation. Treatment with metalloproteinase inhibitors prevented MET-ECD release into cell culture media, which was also blocked by PKC inhibitors. Furthermore, unbiased secretome analysis, performed using TMT-technology, identified additional targets of TT-dependent release of cell surface proteins from H357 head and neck cancer cells. We confirm that the MET co-signalling receptor syndecan-1 was cleaved from the cell surface in response to TT treatment. This was accompanied by rapid cleavage of the cellular junction adhesion protein Nectin-1 and the nerve growth factor receptor NGFRp75/TNFR16. These findings, that TT is a novel negative regulator of protumorigenic c-MET and NGFRp75/TNFR16 signalling, as well as regulating Nectin-1-mediated cell adhesion, further contribute to our understanding of the mode of action and efficacy of TT in the treatment of solid tumours.

Non-apoptotic regulatory cell death scoring system to predict the clinical outcome and drug choices in breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer (BC), the most common cancer among women globally, has been shown by numerous studies to significantly involve non-apoptotic regulatory cell death (RCD) in its pathogenesis and progression.

Methods

We obtained the RNA sequences and clinical data of BC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for the training set, while datasets GSE96058, GSE86166, and GSE20685 from The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were utilized as validation cohorts. Initially, we performed non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering analysis on the BC samples from the TCGA database to discern non-apoptotic RCD-related molecular subtypes. To identify prognostically-relevant non-apoptotic RCD genes (NRGs) and construct a prognostic model, we implemented three machine learning algorithms: lasso regression, random forest, and XGBoost analysis. The expression of selected genes was verified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis, and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. The risk signature was evaluated concerning clinical characteristics and drug sensitivity. Furthermore, we developed a nomogram to predict BC patient survival.

Results

The NMF method successfully compartmentalized patients from the TCGA database into three distinct non-apoptotic RCD-related subtypes, with significant variations observed in immune characteristics and prognostic stratification across these subtypes. We identified 5 differentially expressed NRGs used in establishing the risk signature. Patients with different risk groups exhibited distinct clinicopathological features, drug sensitivity, and prognostic outcomes. A nomogram was subsequently developed, incorporating the NRGs-related risk signature, age, T stage, and N stage, to aid clinical decision-making.

Conclusion

We identified a novel NRGs-related risk signature, which was expected to become a potential prognostic marker in BC.

Redox signaling-mediated tumor extracellular matrix remodeling: pleiotropic regulatory mechanisms

BACKGROUND

The extracellular matrix (ECM), a fundamental constituent of all tissues and organs, is crucial for shaping the tumor microenvironment. Dysregulation of ECM remodeling has been closely linked to tumor initiation and progression, where specific signaling pathways, including redox signaling, play essential roles. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are risk factors for carcinogenesis whose excess can facilitate the oxidative damage of biomacromolecules, such as DNA and proteins. Emerging evidence suggests that redox effects can aid the modification, stimulation, and degradation of ECM, thus affecting ECM remodeling. These alterations in both the density and components of the ECM subsequently act as critical drivers for tumorigenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the functions and primary traits of the ECM, and it delves into our current understanding of how redox reactions participate in ECM remodeling during cancer progression. We also discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by clinical strategies targeting redox-controlled ECM remodeling to overcome cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The redox-mediated ECM remodeling contributes importantly to tumor survival, progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. A comprehensive investigation of the concrete mechanism of redox-mediated tumor ECM remodeling and the combination usage of redox-targeted drugs with existing treatment means may reveal new therapeutic strategy for future antitumor therapies.

Medical Relevance, State-of-the-Art and Perspectives of "Sweet Metacode" in Liquid Biopsy Approaches

This review briefly introduces readers to an area where glycomics meets modern oncodiagnostics with a focus on the analysis of sialic acid (Neu5Ac)-terminated structures. We present the biochemical perspective of aberrant sialylation during tumourigenesis and its significance, as well as an analytical perspective on the detection of these structures using different approaches for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. We also provide a comparison to other established liquid biopsy approaches, and we mathematically define an early-stage cancer based on the overall prognosis and effect of these approaches on the patient's quality of life. Finally, some barriers including regulations and quality of clinical validations data are discussed, and a perspective and major challenges in this area are summarised.

Global Proteomics Analysis of Lysophosphatidic Acid Signaling in PC-3 Human Prostate Cancer Cells: Role of CCN1

Cysteine-rich angiogenic factor 61 (CCN1/Cyr61) is a matricellular protein that is induced and secreted in response to growth factors. Our previous work showed that 18:1-lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which activates the G protein-coupled receptor LPAR1, induces CCN1 between 2-4 h in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells in a manner than enhances cell-substrate adhesion. While the time course of induction suggests that CCN1 contributes to intermediate events in LPA action, the roles of CCN1 in LPA-mediated signal transduction have not been fully elucidated. This study utilized a comprehensive global proteomics approach to identify proteins up- or down-regulated in response to treatment of PC-3 cells with LPA for three hours, during the time of peak CCN1 levels. In addition, the effects of siRNA-mediated CCN1 knockdown on LPA responses were analyzed. The results show that, in addition to CCN1, LPA increased the levels of multiple proteins. Proteins up-regulated by LPA included metastasis-associated in colon cancer protein 1 (MACC1) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP1/THBS1); both MACC1 and TSP1 regulated cancer cell adhesion and motility. LPA down-regulated thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP). CCN1 knockdown suppressed the LPA-induced up-regulation of 30 proteins; these included MACC1 and TSP1, as confirmed by immunoblotting. Gene ontology and STRING analyses revealed multiple pathways impacted by LPA and CCN1. These results indicate that CCN1 contributes to LPA signaling cascades that occur during the intermediate phase after the initial stimulus. The study provides a rationale for the development of interventions to disrupt the LPA-CCN1 axis.

The extracellular matrix as hallmark of cancer and metastasis: From biomechanics to therapeutic targets

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for cell support during homeostasis and plays a critical role in cancer. Although research often concentrates on the tumor's cellular aspect, attention is growing for the importance of the cancer-associated ECM. Biochemical and physical ECM signals affect tumor formation, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Examining the tumor microenvironment uncovers intricate ECM dysregulation and interactions with cancer and stromal cells. Anticancer therapies targeting ECM sensors and remodelers, including integrins and matrix metalloproteinases, and ECM-remodeling cells, have seen limited success. This review explores the ECM's role in cancer and discusses potential therapeutic strategies for cell-ECM interactions.

A novel immune cell signature for predicting glioblastoma after radiotherapy prognosis and guiding therapy

Background: Glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain tumor, poses a significant clinical challenge, particularly in the context of radiotherapy. In this study, we aimed to explore infiltrating immune cells and identify immune-related genes associated with glioblastoma radiotherapy prognosis. Subsequently, we constructed a signature based on these genes to discern differences in molecular and tumor microenvironment immune characteristics, ultimately informing potential therapeutic strategies for patients with varying risk profiles. Methods: We leveraged UCSC Xena and CGGA gene expression profiles from post-radiotherapy glioblastoma as verification cohorts. Infiltration ratios were stratified into high and low groups based on the median value. Differential gene expression was determined through Limma differential analysis. A signature comprising four genes was constructed, guided by Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment results and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. We evaluated differences in cell infiltration levels, Immune Score, Stromal Score, and ESTIMATE Score and their Pearson correlations with the signature. Spearman's correlation was computed between the signature and patient drug sensitivity (IC50), predicted using Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and CCLE databases. Results: Notably, the infiltration of central memory CD8+T cells exhibited a significant correlation with glioblastoma radiotherapy prognosis. Samples were dichotomized into high- and low-risk groups based on the optimal signature threshold (2.466642). Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis revealed that the high-risk group experienced a significantly poorer prognosis (p = .0068), with AUC values exceeding 0.82 at 1, 3, and 5 years, underscoring the robust predictive potential of the signature scoring system. Independent validation sets substantiated the validity of the signature. Statistically significant differences in tumor microenvironments (p < .05) were observed between high- and low-risk groups, and these differences were significantly correlated with the signature (p < .05). Furthermore, there were significant correlations between high and low-risk groups regarding immune checkpoint expressions, Immune Prognostic Score (IPS), and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores. Conclusion: The immune cell signature, comprising SDC-1, PLAUR, FN1, and CXCL13, holds promise as a predictive tool for assessing glioblastoma prognosis following radiotherapy. This signature also offers valuable guidance for tailoring treatment strategies, emphasizing its potential clinical relevance in improving patient outcomes.

Lysine lactylation (Kla) might be a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Histone lysine lactylation (Kla) is a newly identified histone modification, which plays a crucial role in cancer progression. Hence, we determined the prognostic value of Kla in breast cancer (BC).

METHODS

We obtained RNA expression profiles of BC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), following screening out Kla-specific genes. Furthermore, we determined the prognostic value of Kla by constructing a cox model based on Kla-specific genes. Subsequently, we identified expression of lactate accumulation-related genes and prognostic Kla-specific genes through Human Protein Atlas (HPA), and further performed a correlation analysis based on their expression. Meanwhile, we explored the effects of Kla on BC tumor microenvironment (TME), drug therapy and immunotherapy. Moreover, we predicted the pathways influenced by Kla via gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).

RESULTS

A total of 1073 BC samples and 112 normal controls were obtained from TCGA, and 23 tumor samples were removed owing to inadequate clinical information. We identified 257 differentially expressed Kla-specific genes (DEKlaGs) in BC. A cox model involved with CCR7, IGFBP6, NDUFAF6, OVOL1 and SDC1 was established, and risk score could be visualized as an independent biomarker for BC. Meanwhile, Kla was remarkably associated with BC immune microenvironment, drug therapy and immunotherapy. Kla was identified to be related to activation of various BC-related KEGG pathways.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Kla contributes to drug resistance and undesirable immune responses, and plays a crucial role in BC prognosis, suggesting that Kla was expected to be a new therapeutic target for BC.

Circulating syndecan-1 and glypican-4 predict 12-month survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients

Cell surface syndecans and glypicans play important roles in the development and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Their soluble forms from proteoglycan shedding can be detected in blood and have been proposed as new prognostic biomarkers in several cancer entities. However, studies on circulating syndecan-1 (SDC1) and glypican-4 (GPC4) in CRC are limited. We, therefore, evaluated the impact of plasma SDC1 and GPC4 on the prognosis of metastatic (m)CRC patients. The present study included 93 patients with mCRC. The endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 12 months. SDC1 and GPC4 levels were measured in plasma using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Plasma levels of SDC1 and GPC4 were significantly correlated. Significant correlations of these two markers were also found with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Kaplan-Meier curve analyses indicated that PFS and OS probabilities significantly decreased with increasing levels of SDC1 and GPC4, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analyses showed that both markers were significantly associated with PFS and OS independently from clinicopathological characteristics including CEA. Respective adjusted hazard ratios (HR) together with corresponding 95% confidence intervals for one standard deviation change of SDC1 were 1.32 [1.02-1.84] for PFS and 1.48 [1.01-2.15] for OS. Adjusted HRs [95% confidence intervals] of GPC4 were 1.42 [1.07-1.89] for PFS and 2.40 [1.51-3.81] for OS. Results from area under the receiver operating characteristic curve analyses suggest that GPC4 and SDC1 add additional prognostic values to CEA for OS. In conclusion, we showed significant associations of circulating SDC1 and GPC4 with poor survival of mCRC patients.