The Multidirectional Effect of Azelastine Hydrochloride on Cervical Cancer Cells

LHFPL2 Serves as a Potential Biomarker for M2 Polarization of Macrophages in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the kidney, presenting significant challenges for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Macrophages play crucial roles in RCC, promoting tumor progression and warranting further investigation. Previous studies have identified LHFPL2 as a transmembrane protein associated with reproduction, but its relationship with tumors or macrophages has not been discussed. This study utilized transcriptomic sequencing data from 609 KIRC patients in the TCGA database and single-cell sequencing data from 34,326 renal carcinoma cells for subsequent analysis. We comprehensively evaluated the expression of LHFPL2 and its relationship with clinical features, tumor prognosis, immune infiltration, and mutations. Additionally, we further assessed the correlation between LHFPL2 and macrophage M2 polarization using single-cell data and explored its potential as a cancer therapeutic target through molecular docking. The results demonstrated that LHFPL2 is upregulated in RCC and associated with poor survival rates. In clinical staging, the proportion of malignant and high-metastasis patients was higher in the high-LHFPL2 group than in the low-LHFPL2 group. Furthermore, we found that LHFPL2 influences RCC immune infiltration, with its expression positively correlated with various immune checkpoint and M2-related gene expressions, positively associated with M2 macrophage infiltration, and negatively correlated with activated NK cells. Moreover, LHFPL2 showed specific expression in macrophages, with the high-expression subgroup exhibiting higher M2 polarization, hypoxia, immune evasion, and angiogenesis scores, promoting tumor progression. Finally, we predicted several potential drugs targeting LHFPL2, such as conivaptan and nilotinib. Our analysis elaborately delineates the immune characteristics of LHFPL2 in the tumor microenvironment and its positive correlation with macrophage M2 polarization, providing new insights into tumor immunotherapy. We also propose potential FDA-approved drugs targeting this gene, which should be tested for their binding effects with LHFPL2 in future studies.

The mechanisms of action of mitochondrial targeting agents in cancer: inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and inducing apoptosis

The tumor microenvironment affects the structure and metabolic function of mitochondria in tumor cells. This process involves changes in metabolic activity, an increase in the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor cells compared to normal cells, the production of more intracellular free radicals, and the activation of oxidative pathways. From a practical perspective, it is advantageous to develop drugs that target mitochondria for the treatment of malignant tumors. Such drugs can enhance the selectivity of treatments for specific cell groups, minimize toxic effects on normal tissues, and improve combinational treatments. Mitochondrial targeting agents typically rely on small molecule medications (such as synthetic small molecules agents, active ingredients of plants, mitochondrial inhibitors or autophagy inhibitors, and others), modified mitochondrial delivery system agents (such as lipophilic cation modification or combining other molecules to form targeted mitochondrial agents), and a few mitochondrial complex inhibitors. This article will review these compounds in three main areas: oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), changes in ROS levels, and endogenous oxidative and apoptotic processes.

Perspectives and mechanisms for targeting mitotic catastrophe in cancer treatment

Mitotic catastrophe is distinct from other cell death modes due to unique nuclear alterations characterized as multi and/or micronucleation. Mitotic catastrophe is a common and virtually unavoidable consequence during cancer therapy. However, a comprehensive understanding of mitotic catastrophe remains lacking. Herein, we summarize the anticancer drugs that induce mitotic catastrophe, including microtubule-targeting agents, spindle assembly checkpoint kinase inhibitors, DNA damage agents and DNA damage response inhibitors. Based on the relationships between mitotic catastrophe and other cell death modes, we thoroughly evaluated the roles played by mitotic catastrophe in cancer treatment as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Some strategies for overcoming its shortcomings while fully utilizing its advantages are summarized and proposed in this review. We also review how mitotic catastrophe regulates cancer immunotherapy. These summarized findings suggest that the induction of mitotic catastrophe can serve as a promising new therapeutic approach for overcoming apoptosis resistance and strengthening cancer immunotherapy.

Lysosomes as a Target of Anticancer Therapy

Lysosomes are organelles containing acidic hydrolases that are responsible for lysosomal degradation and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. They play an important role in autophagy, as well as in various cell death pathways, such as lysosomal and apoptotic death. Various agents, including drugs, can induce lysosomal membrane permeability, resulting in the translocation of acidic hydrolases into the cytoplasm, which promotes lysosomal-mediated death. This type of death may be of great importance in anti-cancer therapy, as both cancer cells with disturbed pathways leading to apoptosis and drug-resistant cells can undergo it. Important compounds that damage the lysosomal membrane include lysosomotropic compounds, antihistamines, immunosuppressants, DNA-damaging drugs, chemotherapeutics, photosensitizers and various plant compounds. An interesting approach in the treatment of cancer and the search for ways to overcome the chemoresistance of cancer cells may also be combining lysosomotropic compounds with targeted modulators of autophagy to induce cell death. These compounds may be an alternative in oncological treatment, and lysosomes may become a promising therapeutic target for many diseases, including cancer. Understanding the functional relationships between autophagy and apoptosis and the possibilities of their regulation, both in relation to normal and cancer cells, can be used to develop new and more effective anticancer therapies.

Chemical Stability Study of H1 Antihistaminic Drugs from the First and the Second Generations, Diphenhydramine, Azelastine and Bepotastine, in Pure APIs and in the Presence of Two Excipients, Citric Acid and Polyvinyl Alcohol

The chemical stability of diphenhydramine (DIPH), azelastine (AZE) and bepotastine (BEPO) was examined in solutions and solids. The drugs were subjected to high temperature (70 °C for 35 h) or UV/VIS light (18.902−94.510 kJ/m2) at pH 1−13, to examine their percentage degradation and kinetics of degradation. Further, the stability of solid DIPH, AZE and BEPO was examined in the presence of excipients of different reactivity, i.e., citric acid (CA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) under high temperature/high humidity (70 °C/80% RH) or UV/VIS light (94.510 kJ/m2). Under high temperature, DIPH degraded visibly (>19%) at pH 1 and 4, AZE was shown stable, while the degradation of BEPO was rather high (>17%) in all pH conditions. Under UV/VIS irradiation all the drugs were shown labile with degradation in the range 5.5−96.3%. As far as the solid mixtures were concerned, all drugs interacted with excipients, especially under high temperature/high humidity or UV/VIS light. As a result, DIPH, AZE and BEPO were compared in terms of their stability, with regard to their different structures and acid/base properties. All these results may be helpful for manufacturing, storing and applying these drugs in their topical (skin, nasal and ocular), oral and injectable formulations.