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Chen L, Huang S, Wu X, He W, Song M. Serotonin signalling in cancer: Emerging mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1750. [PMID: 38943041 PMCID: PMC11213692 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is a multifunctional bioamine serving as a neurotransmitter, peripheral hormone and mitogen in the vertebrate system. It has pleiotropic activities in central nervous system and gastrointestinal function via an orchestrated action of serotonergic elements, particularly serotonin receptor-mediated signalling cascades. The mitogenic properties of serotonin have garnered recognition for years and have been exploited for repurposing serotonergic-targeted drugs in cancer therapy. However, emerging conflicting findings necessitate a more comprehensive elucidation of serotonin's role in cancer pathogenesis. MAIN BODY AND CONCLUSION Here, we provide an overview of the biosynthesis, metabolism and action modes of serotonin. We summarise our current knowledge regarding the effects of the peripheral serotonergic system on tumourigenesis, with a specific emphasis on its immunomodulatory activities in human cancers. We also discuss the dual roles of serotonin in tumour pathogenesis and elucidate the potential of serotonergic drugs, some of which display favourable safety profiles and impressive efficacy in clinical trials, as a promising avenue in cancer treatment. KEY POINTS Primary synthesis and metabolic routes of peripheral 5-hydroxytryptamine in the gastrointestinal tract. Advanced research has established a strong association between the serotonergic components and carcinogenic mechanisms. The interplay between serotonergic signalling and the immune system within the tumour microenvironment orchestrates antitumour immune responses. Serotonergic-targeted drugs offer valuable clinical options for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Chen
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuting Huang
- School of Public HealthSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaoxue Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Weiling He
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- Department of Gastrointestinal SurgeryXiang'an Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenChina
| | - Mei Song
- Institute of Precision MedicineThe First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‐Sen UniversitySun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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2
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Weiss M, Nikisher B, Haran H, Tefft K, Adams J, Edwards JG. High throughput screen of small molecules as potential countermeasures to galactic cosmic radiation induced cellular dysfunction. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2022; 35:76-87. [PMID: 36336373 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Space travel increases galactic cosmic ray exposure to flight crews and this is significantly elevated once travel moves beyond low Earth orbit. This includes combinations of high energy protons and heavy ions such as 56Fe or 16O. There are distinct differences in the biological response to low-energy transfer (x-rays) or high-energy transfer (High-LET). However, given the relatively low fluence rate of exposure during flight operations, it might be possible to manage these deleterious effects using small molecules currently available. Virtually all reports to date examining small molecule management of radiation exposure are based on low-LET challenges. To that end an FDA approved drug library (725 drugs) was used to perform a high throughput screen of cultured cells following exposure to galactic cosmic radiation. The H9c2 myoblasts, ES-D3 pluripotent cells, and Hy926 endothelial cell lines were exposed to a single exposure (75 cGy) using the 5-ion GCRsim protocol developed at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). Following GCR exposure cells were maintained for up to two weeks. For each drug (@10µM), a hierarchical cumulative score was developed incorporating measures of mitochondrial and cellular function, oxidant stress and cell senescence. The top 160 scores were retested following a similar protocol using 1µM of each drug. Within the 160 drugs, 33 are considered to have an anti-inflammatory capacity, while others also indirectly suppressed pro-inflammatory pathways or had noted antioxidant capacity. Lead candidates came from different drug classes that included angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or AT1 antagonists, COX2 inhibitors, as well as drugs mediated by histamine receptors. Surprisingly, different classes of anti-diabetic medications were observed to be useful including sulfonylureas and metformin. Using a hierarchical decision structure, we have identified several lead candidates. That no one drug or even drug class was completely successful across all parameters tested suggests the complexity of managing the consequences of galactic cosmic radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Weiss
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
| | - B Nikisher
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
| | - H Haran
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
| | - K Tefft
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
| | - J Adams
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York
| | - J G Edwards
- Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.
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Kim Y, Ko J, Shin N, Park S, Lee SR, Kim S, Song J, Lee S, Kang KS, Lee J, Jeon NL. All-in-One microfluidic design to integrate vascularized tumor spheroid into high-throughput platform. Biotechnol Bioeng 2022; 119:3678-3693. [PMID: 36043394 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The development of a scalable and highly reproducible in vitro tumor microenvironment (TME) platform still sheds light on new insights into cancer metastasis mechanisms and anticancer therapeutic strategies. Here, we present an all-in-one injection molded plastic array 3D culture platform (All-in-One-IMPACT) that integrates vascularized tumor spheroids for highly reproducible, high-throughput experimentation. This device allows the formation of self-assembled cell spheroids on a chip by applying the hanging drop method to the cell culture channel. Then, when the hydrogel containing endothelial cells and fibroblasts is injected, the spheroid inside the droplet can be patterned together in three dimensions along the culture channel. In just two steps above, we can build a vascularized TME within a defined area. This process does not require specialized user skill and minimizes error-inducing steps, enabling both reproducibility and high-throughput of the experiment. We have successfully demonstrated the process, from spheroid formation to tumor vascularization, using patient-derived cancer cells (PDCs) as well as various cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we performed combination therapies with Taxol (paclitaxel) and Avastin (bevacizumab), which are used in standard care for metastatic cancer. The All-in-One IMPACT is a powerful tool for establishing various anticancer treatment strategies through the development of a complex TME for use in high-throughput experiments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngtaek Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihoon Ko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Nari Shin
- Adult Stem Cell Research Center and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonghyuk Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Ryeol Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suryong Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiyoung Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokjun Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sun Kang
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeeyun Lee
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Noo Li Jeon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Advanced Machinery and Design Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Bioengineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Irving H, Turek I, Kettle C, Yaakob N. Tapping into 5-HT 3 Receptors to Modify Metabolic and Immune Responses. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111910. [PMID: 34769340 PMCID: PMC8584345 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptors are ligand gated ion channels, which clearly distinguish their mode of action from the other G-protein coupled 5-HT or serotonin receptors. 5-HT3 receptors are well established targets for emesis and gastrointestinal mobility and are used as adjunct targets in treating schizophrenia. However, the distribution of these receptors is wider than the nervous system and there is potential that these additional sites can be targeted to modulate inflammatory and/or metabolic conditions. Recent progress in structural biology and pharmacology of 5-HT3 receptors have provided profound insights into mechanisms of their action. These advances, combined with insights into clinical relevance of mutations in genes encoding 5-HT3 subunits and increasing understanding of their implications in patient's predisposition to diseases and response to the treatment, open new avenues for personalized precision medicine. In this review, we recap on the current status of 5-HT3 receptor-based therapies using a biochemical and physiological perspective. We assess the potential for targeting 5-HT3 receptors in conditions involving metabolic or inflammatory disorders based on recent findings, underscoring the challenges and limitations of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Irving
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (I.T.); (C.K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ilona Turek
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (I.T.); (C.K.)
| | - Christine Kettle
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (I.T.); (C.K.)
| | - Nor Yaakob
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia;
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Ye D, Xu H, Tang Q, Xia H, Zhang C, Bi F. The role of 5-HT metabolism in cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188618. [PMID: 34428515 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) metabolism has long been linked to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Numerous studies have shown the functions of 5-HT and its metabolites in the regulation of tumor biological processes like cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis and immunomodulatory through multi-step complex mechanisms. Reprogramming of 5-HT metabolism has been revealed in various tumors paving way for development of drugs that target enzymes, metabolites or receptors involved in 5-HT metabolic pathway. However, information on the role of 5-HT metabolism in cancer is scanty. This review briefly describes the main metabolic routes of 5-HT, the role of 5-HT metabolism in cancer and systematically summarizes the most recent advances in 5-HT metabolism-targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Ye
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Huanji Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Qiulin Tang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Hongwei Xia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Chenliang Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China
| | - Feng Bi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center and Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province 610041, China.
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Chen Y, Sun J, Fan X, Wang X, Zeng L, Zhang X, Zhang K, Li N, Han Q, Liu Z. Association of 5-Hydroxytryptamine 3 Receptor Antagonists With the Prognosis of Liver Failure. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:648736. [PMID: 33967787 PMCID: PMC8100675 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.648736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver failure is a severe clinical syndrome with high mortality. 5-Hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists (5-HT3RAs) can reduce liver damage in animal models. We investigated whether 5-HT3RAs may improve the prognosis of liver failure. We analyzed the 28 and 90 days mortality of liver failure patients in relation to the use of 5-HT3RAs using data from a tertiary hospital in northwest China. According to the use of 5-HT3RAs, 419 patients with liver failure (46 acute, 93 sub-acute, 44 chronic, 236 acute on chronic) were divided into 5-HT3RA group (n = 105) and control group (n = 314). 5-HT3RAs were associated with decreased 28 days (HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.10-0.34, p < 0.001) and 90 days (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.13-0.33, p < 0.001) mortality. After propensity score matching (PSM) (n = 67 in each group), 5-HT3RAs were still significantly associated with reduced 28 days (HR 0.10, 95%CI 0.04-0.26, p < 0.001) and 90 days (HR 0.16, 95%CI 0.08-0.31, p < 0.001) mortality. 5-HT3RA group patients had significantly higher 28 and 90 days survivals than controls both before and after PSM (all p < 0.001). This study shows that 5-HT3RAs are associated with increased survival of liver failure patients and thus may be used to treat liver failure if the findings are confirmed by additional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Postgraduate, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingkang Sun
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Postgraduate, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiude Fan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lu Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoge Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qunying Han
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhengwen Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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7
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Tone M, Tahara S, Nojima S, Motooka D, Okuzaki D, Morii E. HTR3A is correlated with unfavorable histology and promotes proliferation through ERK phosphorylation in lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3953-3961. [PMID: 32736413 PMCID: PMC7540989 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death around the world. Adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type and has various histologic subtypes: lepidic, acinar, papillary, solid, and invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma. Histologic subtypes are related to invasiveness of tumors; eg, lepidic subtype is less invasive than acinar/papillary subtype. HTR3A is the main subunit of 5‐hydroxytryptamine 3 (5‐HT3) receptors, which are the only ligand‐gated ion channels in seven families of 5‐HT receptors. Although 5‐HT3 receptor is expressed mainly throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems, some papers report the effect of 5‐HT3 receptors on tumor cells, including lung cancer. However, whether HTR3A correlates with histopathological findings such as the histologic subtypes or the distribution in an individual sample remains unclear. Immunohistochemically, we revealed that the higher expression level of HTR3A was detected in acinar, papillary, and solid adenocarcinoma than in adenocarcinoma in situ and lepidic adenocarcinoma; the former was a more aggressive subtype than the latter. We also showed the relationship between HTR3A expression and Ki‐67 positivity, widely used as a proliferation marker. Moreover, we generated HTR3A‐knockdown lung adenocarcinoma cells and showed that the HTR3A knockdown attenuated proliferation by ERK phosphorylation. Our results indicated that HTR3A expression was related to proliferation in lung adenocarcinoma, by means of both in vitro and immunohistochemical assays on clinical samples. We showed the therapeutic potential of a 5‐HT3 receptor antagonist, tropisetron, for the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuyo Tone
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Tahara
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nojima
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Single Cell Genomics, Human Immunology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daisuke Okuzaki
- Single Cell Genomics, Human Immunology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiichi Morii
- Department of Pathology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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