Dual Targeting of EGFR with PLK1 Exerts Therapeutic Synergism in Taxane-Resistant Lung Adenocarcinoma by Suppressing ABC Transporters

TRPV1 inhibition overcomes cisplatin resistance by blocking autophagy-mediated hyperactivation of EGFR signaling pathway

Cisplatin resistance along with chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain is an important cause of treatment failure for many cancer types and represents an unmet clinical need. Therefore, future studies should provide evidence regarding the mechanisms of potential targets that can overcome the resistance as well as alleviate pain. Here, we show that the emergence of cisplatin resistance is highly associated with EGFR hyperactivation, and that EGFR hyperactivation is arisen by a transcriptional increase in the pain-generating channel, TRPV1, via NANOG. Furthermore, TRPV1 promotes autophagy-mediated EGF secretion via Ca²⁺ influx, which activates the EGFR-AKT signaling and, consequentially, the acquisition of cisplatin resistance. Importantly, TRPV1 inhibition renders tumors susceptible to cisplatin. Thus, our findings indicate a link among cisplatin resistance, EGFR hyperactivation, and TRPV1-mediated autophagic secretion, and implicate that TRPV1 could be a crucial drug target that could not only overcome cisplatin resistance but also alleviate pain in NANOG⁺ cisplatin-resistant cancer.

Inhibition of PLK1 Destabilizes EGFR and Sensitizes EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer Cells to Small Molecule Inhibitor Osimertinib

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have significantly prolonged survival in EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer patients. However, the development of resistance mechanisms prohibits the curative potential of EGFR TKIs. Combination therapies emerge as a valuable approach to preventing or delaying disease progression. Here, we investigated the combined inhibition of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and EGFR in TKI-sensitive EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells. The pharmacological inhibition of PLK1 destabilized EGFR levels and sensitized NSCLC cells to Osimertinib through induction of apoptosis. In addition, we found that c-Cbl, a ubiquitin ligase of EGFR, is a direct phosphorylation target of PLK1 and PLK1 impacts the stability of c-Cbl in a kinase-dependent manner. In conclusion, we describe a novel interaction between mutant EGFR and PLK1 that may be exploited in the clinic. Co-targeting PLK1 and EGFR may improve and prolong the clinical response to EGFR TKI in patients with an EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Identification of unique transcriptomic signatures and key genes through RNA sequencing and integrated WGCNA and PPI network analysis in HIV infected lung cancer

With the widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT), the survival time of AIDS patients has been greatly extended. However, the incidence of lung cancer in HIV-infected patients is increasing and has become a major problem threatening the survival of AIDS patients. The aim of this study is to use Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene analysis to find possible key genes involved in HIV-infected lung cancer. In this study, using lung tissue samples from five pairs of HIV-infected lung cancer patients, second-generation sequencing was performed and transcriptomic data were obtained. A total of 132 HIV-infected lung cancer-related genes were screened out by WGCNA and differential gene expression analysis methods. Based on gene annotation analysis, these genes were mainly enriched in mitosis-related functions and pathways. In addition, in protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, a total of 39 hub genes were identified. Among them, five genes (ASPM, CDCA8, CENPF, CEP55, and PLK1) were present in both three hub gene lists (intersection gene, DEGs, and WCGNA module) suggesting that these five genes may become key genes involved in HIV-infected lung cancer.