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Luo Q, Du R, Liu W, Huang G, Dong Z, Li X. PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway: Role in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Regulatory Mechanisms and Opportunities for Targeted Therapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:852383. [PMID: 35392233 PMCID: PMC8980269 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.852383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), is the most common type of esophageal cancer worldwide, mainly occurring in the Asian esophageal cancer belt, including northern China, Iran, and parts of Africa. Phosphatidlinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is one of the most important cellular signaling pathways, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, migration, metabolism and proliferation. In addition, mutations in some molecules of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are closely associated with survival and prognosis in ESCC patients. A large number of studies have found that there are many molecules in ESCC that can regulate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Overexpression of these molecules often causes aberrant activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Currently, several effective PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitors have been developed, which can play anticancer roles either alone or in combination with other inhibitors. This review mainly introduces the general situation of ESCC, the composition and function of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and regulatory factors that interact with PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Meanwhile, mutations and inhibitors of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in ESCC are also elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Luo
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ruijuan Du
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenting Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guojing Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zigang Dong
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, China.,Henan Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Yao Z, Gao G, Yang J, Long Y, Wang Z, Hu W, Liu Y. Prognostic Role of the Activated p-AKT Molecule in Various Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors: A Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2020; 10:588200. [PMID: 33363017 PMCID: PMC7758503 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.588200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main causes of human death worldwide. Recently, many studies have firmly established the causal relationship between oxidative stress and cancer initiation and progression. As a key protein in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, p-AKT (phosphorylated Akt) participates in the process of oxidative stress and plays a prognostic role in various hematologic tumors and solid tumors. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane libraries to identify studies published in the past decade involving cancer patients expressing p-AKT that reported overall survival (OS) during follow-up. In this study, 6,128 patients in total were evaluated from 29 enrolled articles, and we concluded that overexpression of p-AKT was closely related to worse OS in cancer patients with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.33 (95% CI: 1.67–4.00). Furthermore, we conducted a subgroup analysis, and the results indicated that overexpression of p-AKT was associated with worse OS in hematological tumor (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.41–1.92), and solid tumor (HR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.61–5.26). High expression of p-AKT is related to poor prognosis of various hematologic tumors and solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yao
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Guangyu Gao
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jiawen Yang
- Department of Ultrasound, Xingtang Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Yuming Long
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Wang
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Wentao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, China
| | - Yulong Liu
- Department of Nuclear Accident Medical Emergency, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiological Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Suzhou, China
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Ling B, Yao M, Li G, Liu J, Liu B, Wang W, Jiang B. Clinical significance of ring finger protein 2 high expression in skin squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:1111-1118. [PMID: 32724350 PMCID: PMC7377046 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although ring finger protein 2 (RNF2) serves an important role in the occurrence, development and regulation of various types of cancer, RNF2 expression in skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of RNF2 expression in SCC and adjacent tissues from patients. The protein and gene expression levels of RNF2 in SCC and adjacent tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blot analysis and semi-quantitative reverse transcription (RT) PCR. Single factor analysis was used to study the association between RNF2 expression level and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with SCC. Multifactor Cox survival analysis was used to examine the association between RNF2 expression and the overall survival rate of postoperative patients with SCC. The results from IHC staining demonstrated that the positive expression rate of RNF2 was 84.68% (210/248) and 56.05% (139/248) in SCC and in adjacent tissues, respectively. Furthermore, results from western blot analysis demonstrated that RNF2 protein expression in SCC tissues was significantly higher compared with that in the adjacent tissues (P<0.05). The positive rate of RNF2 mRNA in SCC was 81.05% (201/248), which was significantly higher compared with that in the adjacent tissues 54.44% (135/248; P<0.05). Furthermore, RNF2 protein and gene expression levels were associated with tumor diameter, tumor stage, tumor metastasis and the degree of tumor differentiation in patients with SCC. Patients exhibiting higher RNF2 protein expression in SCC tissues had a significantly shorter disease-specific survival rate compared with patients with low RNF2 expression. In addition, RNF2 protein expression, tumor diameter, tumors site and tumor stage were independent factors affecting the overall survival rate of postoperative patients. High protein and gene expression levels of RNF2 in SCC tissues may be associated with the occurrence and development of SCC and prognosis of patients. The results form this study may serve the development of novel therapeutic options and diagnostic strategies for patients with SCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bai Ling
- Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng City, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, P.R. China
| | - Ming Yao
- Department of Dermatology, Yancheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated to Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
| | - Gongqi Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Linyi Traditional Hospital, Linyi, Shandong 276003, P.R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214005, P.R. China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214005, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng City, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, P.R. China
| | - Bin Jiang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Central Blood Station of Yancheng City, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224000, P.R. China
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