Hyperthermia Influences the Secretion Signature of Tumor Cells and Affects Endothelial Cell Sprouting

Effects of Angiogenic Factors on the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Their Impact on the Onset and Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Overview

High levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 and angiopoietin (ANG)-2 are found in tissues from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). As might be expected, VEGF, FGF-2, and ANG-2 overexpression parallels the development of new blood and lymphatic vessels that nourish the growing OPMDs or OSCCs and provide the latter with metastatic routes. Notably, VEGF, FGF-2, and ANG-2 are also linked to the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a trans-differentiation process that respectively promotes or exasperates the invasiveness of normal and neoplastic oral epithelial cells. Here, we have summarized published work regarding the impact that the interplay among VEGF, FGF-2, ANG-2, vessel generation, and EMT has on oral carcinogenesis. Results from the reviewed studies indicate that VEGF, FGF-2, and ANG-2 spark either protein kinase B (AKT) or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), two signaling pathways that can promote both EMT and new vessels' formation in OPMDs and OSCCs. Since EMT and vessel generation are key to the onset and progression of OSCC, as well as to its radio- and chemo-resistance, these data encourage including AKT or MAPK inhibitors and/or antiangiogenic drugs in the treatment of this malignancy.

Clemastine and hyperthermia enhance sensitization of osteosarcoma cells for apoptosis

Clemastine is an antagonist of histamine H1 receptor may provide benefits in the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS). In the current study, we used hyperthermia approach to sensitize OS cells to clemastine-mediated cell death. Osteosarcoma U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells were treated with clemastine at 37°C, followed by 42°C for 2 h, and released at 37°C for 6 h. The impact of clemastine and hyperthermia on OS cell survival and autophagy-mediated cell death was investigated. Exposure of U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells to clemastine and hyperthermia (42°C) inhibited dose-dependent clemastine-mediated cell survival by increasing cell apoptosis. Hyperthermia and clemastine exposure modulated inflammatory and unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling differentially in U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells. Exposure of U-2 OS and Saos-2 cells to hyperthermia and clemastine inhibited AKT/mTOR and induced expression of the autophagy biomarkers LC3B II and LC3-positive puncta formation. The inhibition of autophagy by 3-methyladenine blocked hyperthermia and clemastine-mediated induction of LC3B II, LC3-positive puncta formation, and OS cell apoptosis. These results indicate that clemastine and hyperthermia sensitize OS cell lines by inducing increased autophagic cell death. Collectively, our data suggest that hyperthermia along with antihistamine therapy may provide an improved approach for the treatment of OS.

New 2-oxoindole derivatives as multiple PDGFRα/ß and VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Two new series of N-aryl acetamides 6a-o and benzyloxy benzylidenes 9a-p based 2-oxoindole derivatives were designed as potent antiproliferative multiple kinase inhibitors. The results of one-dose NCI antiproliferative screening for compounds 6a-o and 9a-p elucidated that the most promising antiproliferative scaffolds were 6f and 9f, which underwent five-dose testing. Notably, the amido congener 6f was the most potent derivative towards pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma MDA-PATC53 and PL45 cell lines (IC50 = 1.73 µM and 2.40 µM, respectively), and the benzyloxy derivative 9f was the next potent one with IC50 values of 2.85 µM and 2.96 µM, respectively. Both compounds 6f and 9f demonstrated a favorable safety profile when tested against normal prostate epithelial cells (RWPE-1). Additionally, compound 6f displayed exceptional selectivity as a multiple kinase inhibitor, particularly targeting PDGFRα, PDGFRβ, and VEGFR-2 kinases, with IC50 values of 7.41 nM, 6.18 nM, and 7.49 nM, respectively. In contrast, the reference compound Sunitinib exhibited IC50 values of 43.88 nM, 2.13 nM, and 78.46 nM against the same kinases. The derivative 9f followed closely, with IC50 values of 9.9 nM, 6.62 nM, and 22.21 nM for the respective kinases. Both 6f and 9f disrupt the G2/M cell cycle transition by upregulating p21 and reducing CDK1 and cyclin B1 mRNA levels. The interplay between targeted kinases and these cell cycle regulators underpins the G2/M cell cycle arrest induced by our compounds. Also, compounds 6f and 9f fundamentally resulted in entering MDA-PATC53 cells into the early stage of apoptosis with good percentages compared to the positive control Sunitinib. The in silico molecular-docking outcomes of scaffolds 6a-o and 9a-p in VEGFR-2, PDGFRα, and PDGFRβ active sites depicted their ability to adopt essential binding interactions like the reference Sunitinib. Our designed analogs, specifically 6f and 9f, possess promising antiproliferative and kinase inhibitory properties, making them potential candidates for further therapeutic development.