Effective Delivery of siRNA-Loaded Nanoparticles for Overcoming Oxaliplatin Resistance in Colorectal Cancer

Copper in colorectal cancer: From copper-related mechanisms to clinical cancer therapies

Copper, a trace element and vital cofactor, plays a crucial role in the maintenance of biological functions. Recent evidence has established significant correlations between copper levels, cancer development and metastasis. The strong redox-active properties of copper offer both benefits and disadvantages to cancer cells. The intestinal tract, which is primarily responsible for copper uptake and regulation, may suffer from an imbalance in copper homeostasis. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most prevalent primary cancer of the intestinal tract and is an aggressive malignant disease with limited therapeutic options. Current research is primarily focused on the relationship between copper and CRC. Innovative concepts, such as cuproplasia and cuproptosis, are being explored to understand copper-related cellular proliferation and death. Cuproplasia is the regulation of cell proliferation that is mediated by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic copper-modulated activities. Whereas, cuproptosis refers to cell death induced by excess copper via promoting the abnormal oligomerisation of lipoylated proteins within the tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as by diminishing the levels of iron-sulphur cluster proteins. A comprehensive understanding of copper-related cellular proliferation and death mechanisms offers new avenues for CRC treatment. In this review, we summarise the evolving molecular mechanisms, ranging from abnormal intracellular copper concentrations to the copper-related proteins that are being discovered, and discuss the role of copper in the pathogenesis, progression and potential therapies for CRC. Understanding the relationship between copper and CRC will help provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for innovative treatment strategies in CRC management.

Pan-Cancer Analysis Reveals SH3TC2 as an Oncogene for Colorectal Cancer and Promotes Tumorigenesis via the MAPK Pathway

SH3 domain and tetrapeptide repeat 2 (SH3TC2) is a protein-encoding gene and has previously been described as a critical signaling hub for neurological disorders. Although increasing evidence supports a vital role of SH3TC2 in the tumorigenesis of various kinds of cancer, no systematic analysis of SH3TC2 is available. The function and mechanism of SH3TC2 in other cancers remain unknown. Thus, this study aimed to analyze SH3TC2 in various kinds of cancer to find its tumorigenic role in one or more specific cancers. In the current study, we analyzed the expression level and prognostic value of SH3TC2 in different tumors in the TCGA-GTEx pan-cancer dataset. Subsequently, the prognostic role and mechanism of SH3TC2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) were further explored via clinical samples and in vitro and in vivo experiments. We observed differential expression of SH3TC2 in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), acute myeloid leukemia (LAML), READ (rectum adenocarcinoma), SKCM (skin cutaneous melanoma), and TGCT (testicular germ cell tumors). Subsequently, SH3TC2 showed a significant effect on the clinical stage and prognostic value in CRC, LAML, and SKCM. Moreover, we found in the TCGA database and seven GEO datasets that SH3TC2 was significantly highly expressed in tumor tissue. Through enrichment analysis of SH3TC2 and its co-expressed genes, we found that SH3TC2 may play a role in the MAPK signaling pathway. Correlation analysis indicated that SH3TC2 was significantly associated with multiple key factors in the MAPK signaling pathway. Additionally, higher expression of SH3TC2 was found in tumor tissue in our cohort including 40 CRC patients. Overexpression of SH3TC2 may imply poor prognosis. Knockdown of SH3TC2 significantly inhibited tumor invasion, migration, and proliferation. More importantly, knockdown of SH3TC2 inhibited tumor growth in a CRC mouse model. The study preliminarily conducted a pan-cancer study of SH3TC2 and further explored the mechanism of SH3TC2 in CRC. Our research revealed that higher expression of SH3TC2 may promote CRC progression and invasion via the MAPK signaling pathway.