Cisplatin prevents breast cancer metastasis through blocking early EMT and retards cancer growth together with paclitaxel

EGCG inhibits migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of renal cell carcinoma by activating TFEB-mediated autophagy

BACKGROUND

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is already in the top ten of all types of cancers, with more than 4 %. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenolic compound extracted from green tea, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of various tumors. However, limited studies have demonstrated the effect of EGCG on RCC and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

After exposure to gradient concentration (0,5,10,20,40,60,80,100 μM) of EGCG, the cell viability of RCC cells was determined by MTT assay. The migration and invasion abilities of RCC cells were investigated by wound healing and transwell assays. The expression levels of proteins involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and autophagy were explored by Western blotting assays. The formation of autophagosome was detected by electron microscope and LC3 puncta assays. Nude mouse xenograft model was used as the model system in vivo.

RESULTS

In the present study, EGCG significantly inhibited the migration, invasion and EMT of RCC cells in a concentrated manner. Further exploration of its mechanism indicated that autophagy is involved in EGCG-mediated metastasis inhibition and EMT inhibition of RCC cells. In addition, EGCG could significantly up-regulate the transcription factor EB (TFEB) and promotes its nuclear localization. The incorporation of TFEB into the nucleus enhanced the transcriptional levels of molecules associated with autophagy. TFEB knockdown inhibited EGCG-mediated autophagy activation, metastasis and EMT inhibition in RCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, these findings demonstrate for the first time that EGCG inhibits migration, invasion, and EMT of RCC by activating TFEB-mediated autophagy. Therefore, the combination of EGCG and TFFB activators or EMT inhibitors is expected to be a promising therapeutic strategy for RCC.

Triggering Pyroptosis by Doxorubicin-Loaded Multifunctional Nanoparticles in Combination with Decitabine for Breast Cancer Chemoimmunotherapy

Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, holds great promise for breast cancer treatment. However, the downregulation of gasdermin E (GSDME) limits the effectiveness of pyroptosis. To address this challenge, we developed a folic acid-modified and glutathione/reactive oxygen species dual-responsive nanocarrier (FPSD NPs) for the targeted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX). Through the combination with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor decitabine (DAC), the GSDME protein expression was significantly increased in 4T1 cells, resulting in cell swelling and ballooning, which are characteristic features of pyroptosis. In vivo experiments further demonstrated the antitumor efficacy of DAC + DOX@FPSD NPs, and the 4T1-bearing mice treated with DAC + DOX@FPSD NPs exhibited reduced tumor volumes, minimized tumor weights, decreased Ki67-positive cells, increased TUNEL apoptosis ratios, and pronounced lesions in H&E staining. Furthermore, DAC + DOX@FPSD NP treatment could promote pyroptosis-associated antitumor immunity, as evidenced by the increased presence of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells, heightened secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ, elevated high-mobility group box-1 levels, and enhanced calreticulin exposure. The FPSD nanocarrier developed in this study had favorable stability, active targeting ability, biocompatibility, and controlled release properties, and the DAC + DOX@FPSD NPs represented an approach to antitumor therapy by inducing pyroptosis, which offers a promising avenue for breast cancer treatment.

The synergistic effects of anoikis-related genes and EMT-related genes in the prognostic prediction of Wilms tumor

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common type of malignant abdominal tumor in children; it exhibits a high degree of malignancy, grow rapidly, and is prone to metastasis. This study aimed to construct a prognosis model based on anoikis-related genes (ARGs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes (ERGs) for WT patients; we assessed the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment and treatment efficacy, as well as identifying potential therapeutic targets. To this end, we downloaded transcriptome sequencing data and clinical data for WT and normal renal cortices and used R to construct and validate the prognostic model based on ARGs and ERGs. Additionally, we performed clinical feature analysis, nomogram construction, mutation analysis, drug sensitivity analysis, Connectivity Map (cMAP) analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and immune infiltration analysis. Finally, we screened the hub gene using the STRING database and validated it via experiments. In this way, we constructed a model with good accuracy and robustness, which was composed of seven anoikis- and EMT-related genes. Paclitaxel and mesna were selected as potential chemotherapeutic drugs and adjuvant chemotherapeutic drugs for the WT high-risk group by using the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and cMAP compound libraries, respectively. We proved the existence of a strong correlation between invasive immune cells and prognostic genes and risk scores. Next, we selected NTRK2 as the hub gene, and in vitro experiments confirmed that its inhibition can significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of tumor cells and promote late apoptosis. In summary, we screened out the potential biomarkers and chemotherapeutic drugs that can improve the prognosis of patients with WT.

Fibroblast stromal support model for predicting human papillomavirus-associated cancer drug responses

Currently, there are no specific antiviral therapeutic approaches targeting Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which cause around 5% of all human cancers. Specific antiviral reagents are particularly needed for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers (HPV+OPCs) whose incidence is increasing and for which there are no early diagnostic tools available. We and others have demonstrated that the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is overexpressed in HPV+OPCs, compared to HPV-negative cancers in this region, and that these elevated levels are associated with an improved disease outcome. Utilizing this HPV+-specific overexpression profile, we previously demonstrated that estrogen attenuates the growth and cell viability of HPV+ keratinocytes and HPV+ cancer cells in vitro. Expansion of this work in vivo failed to replicate this sensitization. The role of stromal support from the tumor microenvironment (TME) has previously been tied to both the HPV lifecycle and in vivo therapeutic responses. Our investigations revealed that in vitro co-culture with fibroblasts attenuated HPV+-specific estrogen growth responses. Continuing to monopolize on the HPV+-specific overexpression of ERα, our co-culture models then assessed the suitability of the selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), raloxifene and tamoxifen, and showed growth attenuation in a variety of our models to one or both of these drugs in vitro. Utilization of these SERMs in vivo closely resembled the sensitization predicted by our co-culture models. Therefore, the in vitro fibroblast co-culture model better predicts in vivo responses. We propose that utilization of our co-culture in vitro model can accelerate cancer therapeutic drug discovery.

IMPORTANCE

Human papillomavirus-related cancers (HPV+ cancers) remain a significant public health concern, and specific clinical approaches are desperately needed. In translating drug response data from in vitro to in vivo, the fibroblasts of the adjacent stromal support network play a key role. Our study presents the utilization of a fibroblast 2D co-culture system to better predict translational drug assessments for HPV+ cancers. We also suggest that this co-culture system should be considered for other translational approaches. Predicting even a portion of treatment paradigms that may fail in vivo with a co-culture model will yield significant time, effort, resource, and cost efficiencies.

Antitumoral and Antimetastatic Activity by Mixed Chelate Copper(II) Compounds (Casiopeínas®) on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, In Vitro and In Vivo Models

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), accounting for 15-20% of all breast cancers, has one of the poorest prognoses and survival rates. Metastasis, a critical process in cancer progression, causes most cancer-related deaths, underscoring the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. This study explores the anti-migratory, anti-invasive, anti-tumoral, and antimetastatic effects of copper coordination compounds Casiopeína IIIia (CasIIIia) and Casiopeína IIgly (CasIIgly) on MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 breast carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. These emerging anticancer agents, mixed chelate copper(II) compounds, induce apoptosis by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and causing DNA damage. Whole-transcriptome analysis via gene expression arrays indicated that subtoxic concentrations of CasIIIia upregulate genes involved in metal response mechanisms. Casiopeínas® reduced TNBC cell viability dose-dependently and more efficiently than Cisplatin. At subtoxic concentrations (IC20), they inhibited random and chemotactic migration of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells by 50-60%, similar to Cisplatin, as confirmed by transcriptome analysis. In vivo, CasIIIia and Cisplatin significantly reduced tumor growth, volume, and weight in a syngeneic breast cancer model with 4T1 cells. Furthermore, both compounds significantly decreased metastatic foci in treated mice compared to controls. Thus, CasIIIia and CasIIgly are promising chemotherapeutic candidates against TNBC.

Di- and Triselenoesters-Promising Drug Candidates for the Future Therapy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a major malignancy among women, characterized by a high mortality rate. The available literature evidence indicates that selenium, as a trace element, has chemopreventive properties against many types of cancer; as such, compounds containing it in their structure may potentially exhibit anticancer activity. Accordingly, we have undertaken a study to evaluate the effects of novel selenoesters (EDAG-1, -7, -8, -10) on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Our analysis included investigations of cell proliferation and viability as well as cytometric determinations of apoptosis/autophagy induction, changes in mitochondrial membrane polarity (ΔΨm), caspase 3/7, 8, and 9 activities, and Bax, Bcl-2, p53, Akt, AMPK, and LC3A/B proteins. The obtained data revealed that the tested derivatives are highly cytotoxic and inhibit cell proliferation even at nanomolar doses (0.41-0.79 µM). Importantly, their strong proapoptotic properties (↑ caspase 3/7) are attributable to the effects on both the extrinsic (↑ caspase 8) and intrinsic (↓ ΔΨm and Bcl-2, ↑ Bax, p53, and caspase 9) pathways of apoptosis. Moreover, the tested compounds are autophagy activators (↓ Akt, ↑ autophagosomes and autolysosomes, AMPK, LC3A/B). In summary, the potent anticancer activity suggests that the tested compounds may be promising drug candidates for future breast cancer therapy.

Systemic oncological therapy in breast cancer patients on dialysis

The advancement of renal replacement therapy has significantly enhanced the survival rates of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) over time. However, this prolonged survival has also been associated with a higher likelihood of cancer diagnoses among these patients including breast cancer. Breast cancer treatment typically involves surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies, with approaches tailored to cancer type, stage, and patient preferences. However, renal replacement therapy complicates systemic therapy due to altered drug clearance and the necessity for dialysis sessions. This review emphasizes the need for optimized dosing and administration strategies for systemic breast cancer treatments in dialysis patients, aiming to ensure both efficacy and safety. Additionally, challenges in breast cancer screening and diagnosis in this population, including soft-tissue calcifications, are highlighted.

IRTKS contributes to the malignant progression of cervical cancer cells

Cervical cancer (CC), one of the most aggressive tumors in women, has high risk rates of recurrence and metastasis. It is essential to study the key genes and proteins involved in CC development. IRTKS, a member of the IRSp53 family, has been reported as a tumor promoter in gastric and breast cancers. However, the biological role of IRTKS in CC is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the biological function of IRTKS in CC cells in vitro and the effect of IRTKS on tumorigenesis in vivo. Siha and Hela cells were treated with si-RNA and plasmids. Cell proliferation and growth were detected by CCK8, colony formation assay and nude mouse tumorigenicity assay, respectively. Transwell assay was used to analyze cell migration and invasion. The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins was determined by western blot. IRTKS was highly expressed in CC. IRTKS contributed to the proliferation of CC cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, IRTKS facilitated the migration and invasion of CC cells and modulated EMT. IRTKS plays a crucial role in CC tumorigenesis, suggesting it may be a potential key gene for new therapeutic strategies in CC.

ACSL4-Mediated Membrane Phospholipid Remodeling Induces Integrin β1 Activation to Facilitate Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Metastasis

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer and has a poor prognosis and a high propensity to metastasize. Lipid metabolism has emerged as a critical regulator of tumor progression and metastasis in other cancer types. Characterization of the lipid metabolic features of TNBC could provide important insights into the drivers of TNBC metastasis. Here, we showed that metastatic TNBC tumors harbor more unsaturated phospholipids, especially long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, at the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine compared with primary tumors. Metastatic TNBC tumors upregulated ACSL4, a long-chain polyunsaturated acyl-CoA synthetase that drives the preferential incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acids into phospholipids, resulting in the alteration of membrane phospholipid composition and properties. Moreover, ACSL4-mediated phospholipid remodeling of the cell membrane induced lipid-raft localization and activation of integrin β1 in a CD47-dependent manner, which led to downstream focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation that promoted metastasis. Importantly, pharmacologic inhibition of ACSL4 suppressed tumor growth and metastasis and increased chemosensitivity in TNBC models in vivo. These findings indicate that ACSL4-mediated phospholipid remodeling enables TNBC metastasis and can be inhibited as a potential strategy to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in TNBC.

SIGNIFICANCE

ACSL4 upregulation in triple-negative breast cancer alters cell membrane phospholipid composition to increase integrin β1 activation and drive metastasis, indicating that targeting ACSL4 could potentially block metastasis and improve patient outcomes.

Glucosyltriazole amphiphile treatment attenuates breast cancer by modulating the AMPK signaling

Breast cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women. Out of various subtypes, triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) account for 15% of breast cancers and exhibit more aggressive characteristics as well as a worse prognosis due to their proclivity for metastatic progression and limited therapeutic strategies. It has been demonstrated that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has context-specific protumorigenic implications in breast cancer cells. A set of glucosyltriazole amphiphiles, consisting of acetylated (9a-h) and unmodified sugar hydroxyl groups (10a-h), were synthesized and subjected to in vitro biological evaluation. Among them, 9h exhibited significant anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and 4T1 cell lines with IC50 values of 12.5, 15, and 12.55 μM, respectively. Further, compound 9h was evaluated for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis in in vitro models (using breast cancer cells) and antitumour activity in an in vivo model (orthotopic mouse model using 4T1 cells). Annexin-V assay results revealed that treatment with 9h caused 34% and 28% cell death at a concentration of 15 or 7.5 μM, respectively, while cell cycle analysis demonstrated that 9h arrested the cells at the G2/M or G1 phase in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells, respectively. Further, in vivo, investigation showed that compound 9h exhibited equipotent as doxorubicin at 7.5 mg/kg, and superior efficacy than doxorubicin at 15 mg/kg. The mechanistic approach revealed that 9h showed potent anticancer activity in an in vivo orthotopic model (4T1 cells) partly by suppressing the AMPK activation. Therefore, modulating the AMPK activation could be a probable approach for targeting breast cancer and mitigating cancer progression.

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Increase the Natural Killer Resistance of Circulating Tumor Cells via Intercellular Signaling of cGAS-STING-IFNβ-HLA

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed from primary tumors must overcome the cytotoxicity of immune cells, particularly natural killer (NK) cells, to cause metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) protects tumor cells from the cytotoxicity of immune cells, which is partially executed by cancer-associated mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, the mechanisms by which MSCs influence the NK resistance of CTCs remain poorly understood. This study demonstrates that MSCs enhance the NK resistance of cancer cells in a gap junction-dependent manner, thereby promoting the survival and metastatic seeding of CTCs in immunocompromised mice. Tumor cells crosstalk with MSCs through an intercellular cGAS-cGAMP-STING signaling loop, leading to increased production of interferon-β (IFNβ) by MSCs. IFNβ reversely enhances the type I IFN (IFN-I) signaling in tumor cells and hence the expression of human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) on the cell surface, protecting the tumor cells from NK cytotoxicity. Disruption of this loop reverses NK sensitivity in tumor cells and decreases tumor metastasis. Moreover, there are positive correlations between IFN-I signaling, HLA-I expression, and NK tolerance in human tumor samples. Thus, the NK-resistant signaling loop between tumor cells and MSCs may serve as a novel therapeutic target.

Novel NF-κB Inhibitor-Conjugated Pt(IV) Prodrug to Enable Cancer Therapy through ROS/ER Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Overcome Multidrug Resistance

Although cisplatin has been widely used for clinical purposes, its application is limited due to its obvious side effects. To mitigate the defects of cisplatin, here, six "multitarget prodrugs" were synthesized by linking cisplatin and NF-κB inhibitors. Notably, complex 9 demonstrated a 63-fold enhancement in the activity against A549/CDDP cells with lower toxicity toward normal LO2 cells compared to cisplatin. Additionally, complex 9 could effectively cause DNA damage, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, generate reactive oxygen species, and induce cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway and ER stress. Remarkably, complex 9 effectively inhibited the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway and disrupted the PI3K/AKT signaling transduction. Importantly, complex 9 showed superior in vivo antitumor efficiency compared to cisplatin or the combination of cisplatin/4, without obvious systemic toxicity in A549 or A549/CDDP xenograft models. Our results demonstrated that the dual-acting mechanism endowed the complexes with high efficiency and low toxicity, which may represent an efficient strategy for cancer therapy.

An integrated approach to understand the regulatory role of miR-27 family in breast cancer metastasis

One of the prime reasons of increasing breast cancer mortality is metastasizing cancer cells. Owing to the side effects of clinically available drugs to treat breast cancer metastasis, it is of utmost importance to understand the underlying biogenesis of breast cancer tumorigenesis. In-silico identification of potential RNAs might help in utilizing the miR-27 family as a therapeutic target in breast cancer. The experimentally verified common interacting mRNAs for miR27 family are retrieved from three publicly available databases- TargetScan, miRDB and miRTarBase. Finally on comparing the common genes with HCMDB and GEPIA data, four breast cancer-associated differentially expressed metastatic mRNAs (GATA3, ENAH, ITGA2 and SEMA4D) are obtained. Corresponding to the miR27 family and associated mRNAs, interacting drugs are retrieved from Sm2mir and CTDbase, respectively. The interaction network-based approach was utilized to obtain the hub RNAs and triad modules by employing the 'Cytohubba' and 'MClique' plugins, respectively in Cytoscape. Further, sample-, subclass- and promoter methylation-based expression analyses reveals GATA3 and ENAH to be the most significant mRNAs in breast cancer metastasis having >10% genetic alteration in both METABRIC Vs TCGA datasets as per their oncoprint analysis via cBioPortal. Additionally, survival analysis in Oncolnc reveals SEMA4D as survival biomarker. Interactions among the miR27 family, their target mRNAs and drugs interacting with miRNAs and mRNAs can be extensively explored in both in-vivo and in-vitro setups to assess their therapeutic potential in the diminution of breast cancer.

Breast Tumor Metastasis and Its Microenvironment: It Takes Both Seed and Soil to Grow a Tumor and Target It for Treatment

Metastasis remains a major challenge in treating breast cancer. Breast tumors metastasize to organ-specific locations such as the brain, lungs, and bone, but why some organs are favored over others remains unclear. Breast tumors also show heterogeneity, plasticity, and distinct microenvironments. This contributes to treatment failure and relapse. The interaction of breast cancer cells with their metastatic microenvironment has led to the concept that primary breast cancer cells act as seeds, whereas the metastatic tissue microenvironment (TME) is the soil. Improving our understanding of this interaction could lead to better treatment strategies for metastatic breast cancer. Targeted treatments for different subtypes of breast cancers have improved overall patient survival, even with metastasis. However, these targeted treatments are based upon the biology of the primary tumor and often these patients' relapse, after therapy, with metastatic tumors. The advent of immunotherapy allowed the immune system to target metastatic tumors. Unfortunately, immunotherapy has not been as effective in metastatic breast cancer relative to other cancers with metastases, such as melanoma. This review will describe the heterogeneic nature of breast cancer cells and their microenvironments. The distinct properties of metastatic breast cancer cells and their microenvironments that allow interactions, especially in bone and brain metastasis, will also be described. Finally, we will review immunotherapy approaches to treat metastatic breast tumors and discuss future therapeutic approaches to improve treatments for metastatic breast cancer.

A New Method for Constructing Macrophage-Associated Predictors of Treatment Efficacy Based on Single-Cell Sequencing Analysis

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are highly infiltrated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of colorectal cancer (CRC) and play a vital role in CRC's development as well as prognosis. The required data were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and The Cancer Genome Atlas. Univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage operator analyses were executed for model construction. TME assessment and immune prediction were performed using the ESTIMATE software package and the single sample genome enrichment analysis algorithm. The results show patients with low a TAMs risk score (TRS) had a better prognosis in both The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts. Patients with low TRS were more sensitive to 3 chemotherapeutic agents: oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, and cisplatin ( P <0.05). TME assessment showed that the low TRS group had less infiltration of M2 macrophages and regulatory T cells, but CD4 + T cells, NK cells, and dendritic cells occupy a greater proportion of TME. Low TRS group patients have a low StromalScore and ImmuneScore but have high TumorPurity. The immune checkpoint TIM-3 gene HAVCR2 expression was significantly higher in the high TRS group. Finally, we created a nomogram including TRS for forecasting survival, and TRS was significantly associated with the clinical stage of the patients. In conclusion, the TRS serves as a reliable prognostic indicator of CRC; it predicts patient outcomes to immunotherapy and chemotherapy and provides genomic evidence for the subsequent development of modulated TAMs for treating CRC.

Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Mediating Resistance to Anti-HER2 Antibodies

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women globally. Despite advancements in treatment strategies, many patients still develop challenging-to-treat metastatic disease. The development and progression of tumors are influenced by genetic/epigenetic changes within tumor cells and alterations in the tumor microenvironment (TME) through a dynamic communication. The TME comprises various elements, including immune, tumor, and stromal cells. Tumor cells at the core of the TME orchestrate complex signals that lead to tumor growth, survival, and resistance to treatment. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in a significant proportion of invasive breast cancers, influencing prognosis and prediction. Novel therapeutic approaches target HER2-positive breast cancers by leveraging HER2-targeted therapeuirtcs such as antibody-drug conjugates, monoclonal antibodies, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The TME in HER2-positive breast cancers also involves cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer-associated adipocytes, which play critical roles in tumor progression and therapy resistance. The immune microenvironment also plays a significant role, with studies indicating its impact on outcomes in HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab, one of the first monoclonal antibodies targeting HER2, has shown promise in enhancing survival rates in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. Integration of trastuzumab with chemotherapy has demonstrated significant enhancements in disease-free survival as well as overall survival rates during early breast cancer treatment. Trastuzumab functions by inhibiting HER2 signaling pathways, leading to cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Overall, understanding the complex interplay between HER2, the tumor microenvironment, and therapeutic interventions is essential for improving outcomes in HER2-positive BC.

Modeling the Cellular Uptake of Functionalized Carbon Nanohorns Loaded with Cisplatin through a Breast Cancer Cell Membrane

The cisplatin encapsulation into carbon nanohorns (CNH) is a promising nanoformulation to circumvent the drug dissipation and to specifically accumulate it in tumor sites. Herein, biased molecular dynamics simulations were used to analyze the transmembrane transport of the CNH loaded with cisplatin through a breast cancer cell membrane prototype. The simulations revealed a four-stage mechanism: approach, insertion, permeation, and internalization. Despite the lowest structural disturbance of the membrane provided by the nanocarrier, the average free energy barrier for the translocation was 55.2 kcal mol-1, suggesting that the passive process is kinetically unfavorable. In contrast, the free energy profiles revealed potential wells of -6.8 kcal mol-1 along the insertion stage in the polar heads region of the membrane, which might enhance the retention of the drug in tumor sites; therefore, the most likely cisplatin delivery mechanism should involve the adsorption and retention of CNH on the surface of cancer cells, allowing the loaded cisplatin be slowly released and passively transported through the cell membrane.

Research progress in the role and mechanism of Leucine in regulating animal growth and development

Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, is essential in regulating animal growth and development. Recent research has uncovered the mechanisms underlying Leucine's anabolic effects on muscle and other tissues, including its ability to stimulate protein synthesis by activating the mTORC1 signaling pathway. The co-ingestion of carbohydrates and essential amino acids enhances Leucine's anabolic effects. Moreover, Leucine has been shown to benefit lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, making it a promising strategy for preventing and treating metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity. While emerging evidence indicates that epigenetic mechanisms may mediate Leucine's effects on growth and development, more research is needed to elucidate its mechanisms of action fully. Specific studies have demonstrated that Leucine promotes muscle growth and metabolic health in animals and humans, making it a promising therapeutic agent. However, it is essential to note that Leucine supplementation may cause digestive issues or interact with certain medications, and More study is required to determine definitively optimal dosages. Therefore, it is important to understand how Leucine interacts with other nutrients, dietary factors, and lifestyle habits to maximize its benefits. Overall, Leucine's importance in human nutrition is far-reaching, and its potential to prevent muscle loss and enhance athletic performance warrants further investigation.

The Anti-Cancer Activity of the Naturally Occurring Dipeptide Carnosine: Potential for Breast Cancer

Carnosine is an endogenous dipeptide composed of β-alanine and L-histidine, possessing a multimodal pharmacodynamic profile that includes anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. Carnosine has also shown its ability to modulate cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and even glycolytic energy metabolism, all processes playing a key role in the context of cancer. Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases of the 20th and 21st centuries. Among the different types of cancer, breast cancer represents the most common non-skin cancer among women, accounting for an estimated 15% of all cancer-related deaths in women. The main aim of the present review was to provide an overview of studies on the anti-cancer activity of carnosine, and in particular its activity against breast cancer. We also highlighted the possible advantages and limitations involved in the use of this dipeptide. The first part of the review entailed a brief description of carnosine's biological activities and the pathophysiology of cancer, with a focus on breast cancer. The second part of the review described the anti-tumoral activity of carnosine, for which numerous studies have been carried out, especially at the preclinical level, showing promising results. However, only a few studies have investigated the therapeutic potential of this dipeptide for breast cancer prevention or treatment. In this context, carnosine has shown to be able to decrease the size of cancer cells and their viability. It also reduces the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclin D1, NAD+, and ATP, as well as cytochrome c oxidase activity in vitro. When tested in mice with induced breast cancer, carnosine proved to be non-toxic to healthy cells and exhibited chemopreventive activity by reducing tumor growth. Some evidence has also been reported at the clinical level. A randomized phase III prospective placebo-controlled trial showed the ability of Zn-carnosine to prevent dysphagia in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy. Despite this evidence, more preclinical and clinical studies are needed to better understand carnosine's anti-tumoral activity, especially in the context of breast cancer.

Exploring the potential hypothalamic role in mediating cisplatin-induced negative energy balance

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug commonly used for treating different types of cancer. However, long-term use can lead to side effects, including anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, which negatively affect the patient's quality of life and ability to undergo chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the development of a negative energy balance during cisplatin treatment. Mice treated with cisplatin exhibit reduced food intake, body weight, and energy expenditure. We observed altered neuronal activity in the hypothalamic nuclei involved in the regulation of energy metabolism in cisplatin-treated mice. In addition, we observed activation of microglia and inflammation in the hypothalamus following treatment with cisplatin. Consistent with this finding, inhibition of microglial activation effectively rescued cisplatin-induced anorexia and body weight loss. The present study identified the role of hypothalamic neurons and inflammation linked to microglial activation in the anorexia and body weight loss observed during cisplatin treatment. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the development of metabolic abnormalities during cisplatin treatment and suggest new strategies for managing these side effects.

Investigation of LGALS2 expression in the TCGA database reveals its clinical relevance in breast cancer immunotherapy and drug resistance

Breast cancer (BRCA) is known as the leading cause of death in women worldwide and has a poor prognosis. Traditional therapeutic strategies such as surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can cause adverse reactions such as drug resistance. Immunotherapy, a new treatment approach with fewer side effects and stronger universality, can prolong the survival of BRCA patients and even achieve clinical cure. However, due to population heterogeneity and other reasons, there are still certain factors that limit the efficacy of immunotherapy. Therefore, the importance of finding new tumor immune biomarker cannot be emphasized enough. Studies have reported that LGALS2 was closely related to immunotherapy efficacy, however, it is unclear whether it can act as an immune checkpoint for BRCA immunotherapy. In the current study, changes in LGALS2 expression were analyzed in public datasets such as TCGA-BRCA. We found that LGALS2 expression was associated with immune infiltration, drug resistance and other characteristics of BRCA. Moreover, high LGALS2 expression was closely related to immunotherapy response, and was associated with methylation modifications and clinical resistance for the first time. These findings may help to elucidate the role of LGALS2 in BRCA for the development and clinical application of future immunotherapy strategies against BRCA.

Transition metals in angiogenesis - A narrative review

The aim of this paper is to offer a narrative review of the literature regarding the influence of transition metals on angiogenesis, excluding lanthanides and actinides. To our knowledge there are not any reviews up to date offering such a summary, which inclined us to write this paper. Angiogenesis describes the process of blood vessel formation, which is an essential requirement for human growth and development. When the complex interplay between pro- and antiangiogenic mediators falls out of balance, angiogenesis can quickly become harmful. As it is so fundamental, both its inhibition and enhancement take part in various diseases, making it a target for therapeutic treatments. Current methods come with limitations, therefore, novel agents are constantly being researched, with metal agents offering promising results. Various transition metals have already been investigated in-depth, with studies indicating both pro- and antiangiogenic properties, respectively. The transition metals are being applied in various formulations, such as nanoparticles, complexes, or scaffold materials. Albeit the increasing attention this field is receiving, there remain many unanswered questions, mostly regarding the molecular mechanisms behind the observed effects. Notably, approximately half of all the transition metals have not yet been investigated regarding potential angiogenic effects. Considering the promising results which have already been established, it should be of great interest to begin investigating the remaining elements whilst also further analyzing the established effects.

IGJ suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis by inhibiting EMT via the NF‑κB signaling pathway

Breast cancer metastasis is the primary cause of mortality of patients with breast cancer. The present study aimed to explore the role and underlying mechanisms of IGJ in the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was utilized to analyze the differential gene expression profiles in patients with breast cancer with or without metastasis; the target gene, joining chain of multimeric IgA and IgM (JCHAIN, also known as IGJ, as referred to herein), with significant expression and with prognostic value was screened. The expression levels of IGJ in human breast cancer paired tissues and cell lines were detected using reverse transcription‑quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. IGJ differential expression was detected in paired human breast cancer tissues using immunohistochemistry. The role of IGJ in breast cancer was verified using CCK‑8, invasion and migration assays, and scratch tests in vivo and in vitro. Further exploration of the role and mechanism of IGJ in breast cancer was conducted through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence experiments. Through the analysis of gene expression profiles, it was found that IGJ was poorly expressed in patients with breast cancer with metastasis compared to patients with non‑metastatic breast cancer. The overexpression of IGJ was associated with an improved distant metastasis‑free survival and overall survival (OS). COX multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that IGJ was an independent prognostic factor for the OS and relapse‑free survival of patients with breast cancer. In comparison to healthy breast cancer adjacent tissues and cell lines, IGJ was poorly expressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines (P<0.05). Further analyses indicated that the overexpression of IGJ suppressed the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the occurrence of epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) and suppressing the nuclear translocation of p65. Finally, rescue experiments indicated that IGJ restricted the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells by regulating the NF‑κB signaling pathway. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that IGJ suppresses the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer by inhibiting both the occurrence of EMT and the NF‑κB signaling pathway. These findings may provide novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Gallium maltolate shows synergism with cisplatin and activates nucleolar stress and ferroptosis in human breast carcinoma cells

PURPOSE

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease with poor outcomes. TNBC lacks effective targeted treatments, and the development of drug resistance limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy. It is crucial to identify new drugs that can enhance the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy to reduce drug resistance and side effects.

METHODS

TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Hs 578T, and a normal cell line, MCF-10 A, were included in this study. The cells were treated with gallium maltolate (GaM), and their transcriptome was analyzed. Ferroptosis and nucleolar stress markers were detected by qPCR, western blotting, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. The impairment of ribosome synthesis was evaluated by northern blotting and sucrose gradients.

RESULTS

GaM triggered cell death via apoptosis and ferroptosis. In addition, GaM impaired translation and activated nucleolar stress. Cisplatin (DDP) is a chemotherapeutic agent for advanced breast cancer. While single treatment with GaM or DDP at low concentrations did not impact cell growth, co-administration enhanced cell death in TNBC but not in normal breast cells. The enhancement of ferroptosis and nucleolar stress could be observed in TNBC cell lines after co-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that GaM synergizes with cisplatin via activation of nucleolar stress and ferroptosis in human breast carcinoma cells. GaM is marginally toxic to normal cells but impairs the growth of TNBC cell lines. Thus, GaM has the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent against TNBC.

The Expression of ZNF268 and Its Role in The Cisplatin-based Chemoresistance of Breast Cancer

Objective

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in females worldwide and is one of the leading causes of cancer death and disability in women. Multiple therapies have been applied to breast cancer treatment; however, the long-term survival rate remains low. Although cisplatin has been widely utilized for cancer therapy, chemoresistance still influences the outcome.

Methods

After collecting the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 treated with or without cisplatin and sample information from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA), we screened out their common parameters and influences on the prognoses of patients' potential targets. Surgical excisional tissue sections of patients with breast cancer who were admitted and treated in the Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Liuzhou People's Hospital from 2017 to 2020 was collected and follow up. After a series of assays combined with clinical information, we tested the reliability of the target.

Results

We found that a high expression level of ZNF268 in breast cancer cell lines significantly enhances the sensitivity to cisplatin, contrary to the effects of low expression. Furthermore, a significantly worse prognosis was observed in patients with a high expression of ZNF268 after cisplatin chemotherapy.

Conclusion

The expression level of ZNF268 in breast cancer patients after cisplatin chemotherapy may become a potential target to predict the chemoresistance of patients to cisplatin. This study provides a novel idea for improving breast cancer treatment and survival rates.

Degradation of Hexokinase 2 Blocks Glycolysis and Induces GSDME-Dependent Pyroptosis to Amplify Immunogenic Cell Death for Breast Cancer Therapy

Hexokinase 2 (HK2) is the principal rate-limiting enzyme in the aerobic glycolysis pathway and determines the quantity of glucose entering glycolysis. However, the current HK2 inhibitors have poor activity, so we used proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to design and synthesize novel HK2 degraders. Among them, C-02 has the best activity to degrade HK2 protein and inhibit breast cancer cells. It is demonstrated that C-02 could block glycolysis, cause mitochondrial damage, and then induce GSDME-dependent pyroptosis. Furthermore, pyroptosis induces cell immunogenic death (ICD) and activates antitumor immunity, thus improving antitumor immunotherapy in vitro and in vivo. These findings show that the degradation of HK2 can effectively inhibit the aerobic metabolism of breast cancer cells, thereby inhibiting their malignant proliferation and reversing the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Deciphering the potential ability of RG108 in cisplatin-induced HEI-OC1 ototoxicity: a research based on RNA-seq and molecular biology experiment

BACKGROUND

Drug-induced hearing loss (DIHL) is very common, and seriously affects people's happiness in life. RG108 is a small molecule inhibitor. RG108 is protective against DIHL. Our purpose is to probe the incidence of RG108 on cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our research, the ototoxicity of RG108 was investigated in HEI-OC1. We observed under the microscope whether RG108 had an effect on cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cells. RNA-seq experiments were further performed to explore possible gene ontology (GO) and pathways. ROS assay was applied to supervisory the effect of RG108 on oxidative harm of auditory cells. In auditory cells, RG108 was tested for its effects on apoptosis-related proteins by Western blotting (WB).

RESULTS

GO analysis showed that RG108 associated with apoptosis. KEGG analysis shows RG108 may act on PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (PASP) in hearing loss. BIOCARTA analysis showed that RG108 may affect oxidative stress by activating NRF2 pathway. ROS ascerted that RG108 could rescue oxidative harm in HEI-OC1. RG108 rescued cisplatin-induced significant increase in Bax and significant decrease in BCL2. RG108 attenuates cisplatin-induced cochlear apoptosis through upregulated phosphorylated PI3K and phosphorylated AKT and down-regulated caspase3. MTT experiments showed that both PI3K and AKT inhibitors could significantly rescue the damage caused by cisplatin to HEI-OC1. RG108 significantly increases the level of NRF2/HO-1/NQO1 in cisplatin-induced cells.

CONCLUSION

Overall, these results provide evidence that NRF2/PI3K-AKT axis may mediate RG108 in the treatment of DIHL, which provide a broader outlook on drug-induced deafness treatment.

Tetramethylpyrazine-Rhein Derivative inhibits the migration of canine inflammatory mammary carcinoma cells by mitochondrial damage-mediated apoptosis and cadherins downregulation

BACKGROUND

Canine inflammatory mammary carcinoma (CIMC) has a high incidence of metastasis, high lethality, and poor prognosis, which needs novel adjuvant agents. Tetramethylpyrazine-Rhein Derivative (TRD) has been shown to have antitumor activity, which is a potential research direction for CIMC.

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the efficacy of TRD on CIMC in vitro and in vivo, and provided possibilities for the application of active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine.

METHODS

In vitro, TRD cytotoxicity was measured with CCK-8. Flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope were used to detect the cell cycle, cell death, and changes in mitochondria. Wound-healing assay, cell invasion assay, and scanning electron microscope were used to evaluate the suppression of cell migration and invasion. Expression changes were detected by RT-qPCR and western blot assay. In vivo, the lung metastasis models were randomly divided into control, low-dose TRD, high-dose TRD, and positive groups. Each group was administered orally once a day for 18 days and took in vivo imaging photos.

RESULTS

The IC₅₀ of TRD in CHMp and MDCK were 42.59 and 79.37 μM, respectively. TRD mediated cell apoptosis by mitochondrial damage and caused S and G₂/M phase arrest by downregulating cyclin B1. Moreover, TRD reduced filopodia and inhibited cell migration by downregulating cadherins. In CIMC lung metastasis models, TRD could effectively inhibit tumor growth (P < 0.001) in the lungs without significant toxicity.

CONCLUSION

TRD showed potential activity to inhibit CIMC lung metastasis with multi-target and low toxicity.

Nanomechanical Characterization of Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines as a Marker of Response to 2c Treatment

Epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumors with different molecular and clinical features. In past decades, few improvements have been achieved in terms of EOC management and treatment efficacy, such that the 5-year survival rate of patients remained almost unchanged. A better characterization of EOCs' heterogeneity is needed to identify cancer vulnerabilities, stratify patients and adopt proper therapies. The mechanical features of malignant cells are emerging as new biomarkers of cancer invasiveness and drug resistance that can further improve our knowledge of EOC biology and allow the identification of new molecular targets. In this study, we determined the inter and intra-mechanical heterogeneity of eight ovarian cancer cell lines and their association with tumor invasiveness and resistance to an anti-tumoral drug with cytoskeleton depolymerization activity (2c).

G2/M-Phase-Inhibitory Mitochondrial-Depolarizing Re(I)/Ru(II)/Ir(III)-2,2'-Bipyrimidine-Based Heterobimetallic Luminescent Complexes: An Assessment of In Vitro Antiproliferative Activity and Bioimaging for Targeted Therapy toward Human TNBC Cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an extremely vicious subtype of human breast cancer having the worst prognosis along with strong invasive and metastatic competency. Hence, it can easily invade into blood vessels, and presently, no targeted therapeutic approach is available to annihilate this type of cancer. Metal complexes have successfully stepped into the anticancer research and are now being applauded due to their anticancer potency after the discovery of cisplatin. Many of these metal complexes are also well recognized for their activity toward breast cancer. As the TNBC is a very dangerous subtype and has long been a challenging ailment to treat, we have intended to develop a few brand new mixed metallic Ru(II)/Ir(III)/Re(I)-2,2'-bipyrimidine complexes [L'Re2], [L'RuRe], and [L'IrRe] to abate the unbridled proliferation of TNBC cells. The potency of the complexes against TNBC cells has been justified using MDA-MB-468 TNBC cell lines where complex [L'IrRe] has displayed significant potency among all the three complexes with an IC₅₀ value of 24.12 μM. The complex [L'IrRe] has been competent to cause apoptosis of TNBC cells through inhibition of the G2/M phase in the cell cycle in association with a profuse amount of ROS generation and mitochondrial depolarization.

Engine shutdown: migrastatic strategies and prevention of metastases

Most cancer-related deaths among patients with solid tumors are caused by metastases. Migrastatic strategies represent a unique therapeutic approach to prevent all forms of cancer cell migration and invasion. Because the migration machinery has been shown to promote metastatic dissemination, successful migrastatic therapy may reduce the need for high-dose cytotoxic therapies that are currently used to prevent the risk of metastatic dissemination. In this review we focus on anti-invasive and antimetastatic strategies that hold promise for the treatment of solid tumors. The best targets for migrastatic therapy would be those that are required by all forms of motility, such as ATP availability, mitochondrial metabolism, and cytoskeletal dynamics and cell contractility.

Towards dual function of autophagy in breast cancer: A potent regulator of tumor progression and therapy response

As a devastating disease, breast cancer has been responsible for decrease in life expectancy of females and its morbidity and mortality are high. Breast cancer is the most common tumor in females and its treatment has been based on employment of surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The changes in biological behavior of breast tumor relies on genomic and epigenetic mutations and depletions as well as dysregulation of molecular mechanisms that autophagy is among them. Autophagy function can be oncogenic in increasing tumorigenesis, and when it has pro-death function, it causes reduction in viability of tumor cells. The carcinogenic function of autophagy in breast tumor is an impediment towards effective therapy of patients, as it can cause drug resistance and radio-resistance. The important hallmarks of breast tumor such as glucose metabolism, proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis can be regulated by autophagy. Oncogenic autophagy can inhibit apoptosis, while it promotes stemness of breast tumor. Moreover, autophagy demonstrates interaction with tumor microenvironment components such as macrophages and its level can be regulated by anti-tumor compounds in breast tumor therapy. The reasons of considering autophagy in breast cancer therapy is its pleiotropic function, dual role (pro-survival and pro-death) and crosstalk with important molecular mechanisms such as apoptosis. Moreover, current review provides a pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of autophagy in breast tumor.

Doxorubicin and Cisplatin Modulate miR-21, miR-106, miR-126, miR-155 and miR-199 Levels in MCF7, MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 Cells That Makes Them Potential Elements of the DNA-Damaging Drug Treatment Response Monitoring in Breast Cancer Cells—A Preliminary Study

One of the most innovative medical trends is personalized therapy, based on simple and reproducible methods that detect unique features of cancer cells. One of the good prognostic and diagnostic markers may be the miRNA family. Our work aimed to evaluate changes in selected miRNA levels in various breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, SK-BR-3) treated with doxorubicin or cisplatin. The selection was based on literature data regarding the most commonly altered miRNAs in breast cancer (21-3p, 21-5p, 106a-5p, 126-3p, 126-5p, 155-3p, 155-5p, 199b-3p, 199b-5p, 335-3p, 335-5p). qPCR assessment revealed significant differences in the basal levels of some miRNAs in respective cell lines, with the most striking difference in miR-106a-5p, miR-335-5p and miR-335-3p—all of them were lowest in MCF7, while miR-153p was not detected in SK-BR-3. Additionally, different alterations of selected miRNAs were observed depending on the cell line and the drug. However, regardless of these variables, 21-3p/-5p, 106a, 126-3p, 155-3p and 199b-3p miRNAs were shown to respond either to doxorubicin or to cisplatin treatment. These miRNAs seem to be good candidates for markers of breast cancer cell response to doxorubicin or cisplatin. Especially since some earlier reports suggested their role in affecting pathways and expression of genes associated with the DNA-damage response. However, it must be emphasized that the preliminary study shows effects that may be highly related to the applied drug itself and its concentration. Thus, further examination, including human samples, is required.

Research Progress of Tumor Microenvironment Targeted Therapy for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and the tumor microenvironment (TME) influence each other, leading to the tumor microenvironment that can guide the corresponding treatment. With the deepening of research, some treatment options have achieved good results, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and so on. As the link between TME and malignancy is constantly discovered, more targeted studies on different components of TME are increasing, and this targeted therapy is a new method for treating ccRCC, and also a current research hotspot. This review summarizes the characteristics of the ccRCC tumor microenvironment, the outcomes of different treatments, and some potential targets.

Identification of a Novel Gene Signature with DDR and EMT Difunctionalities for Predicting Prognosis, Immune Activity, and Drug Response in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer, with an overall poor clinical prognosis, is one of the most heterogeneous cancers. DNA damage repair (DDR) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have been identified to be associated with cancer's progression. Our study aimed to explore whether genes with both functions play a more crucial role in the prognosis, immune, and therapy response of breast cancer patients. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cancer database, we used LASSO regression analysis to identify the six prognostic-related genes with both DDR and EMT functions, including TP63, YWHAZ, BRCA1, CCND2, YWHAG, and HIPK2. Based on the six genes, we defined the risk scores of the patients and reasonably analyzed the overall survival rate between the patients with the different risk scores. We found that overall survival in higher-risk-score patients was lower than in lower-risk-score patients. Subsequently, further GO and KEGG analyses for patients revealed that the levels of immune infiltration varied for patients with high and low risk scores, and the high-risk-score patients had lower immune infiltration's levels and were insensitive to treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. Furthermore, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database validated our findings. Our data suggest that TP63, YWHAZ, BRCA1, CCND2, YWHAG, and HIPK2 can be potential genetic markers of prognostic assessment, immune infiltration and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity in breast cancer patients.

A novel cuproptosis-related prognostic 2-lncRNAs signature in breast cancer

Background: Cuproptosis, a newly defined regulated form of cell death, is mediated by the accumulation of copper ions in cells and related to protein lipoacylation. Seven genes have been reported as key genes of cuproptosis phenotype. Cuproptosis may be developed by subsequent research as a target to treat cancer, such as breast cancer. Long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been proved to play a vital role in regulating the biological process of breast cancer. However, the role of lncRNAs in cuproptosis is poorly studied. Methods: Based on TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database and integrated several R packages, we screened out 153 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs and constructed a novel cuproptosis-related prognostic 2-lncRNAs signature (BCCuS) in breast cancer and then verified. By using pRRophetic package and machine learning, 72 anticancer drugs, significantly related to the model, were screened out. qPCR was used to detect the differentially expression of two model lncRNAs and seven cuproptosis genes between 10 pairs of breast cancer tissue samples and adjacent samples. Results: We constructed a novel cuproptosis-related prognostic 2-lncRNAs (USP2-AS1, NIFK-AS1) signature (BCCuS) in breast cancer. Univariate COX analysis (p < .001) and multivariate COX analysis (p < .001) validated that BCCuS was an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer. Overall survival Kaplan Meier-plotter, ROC curve and Risk Plot validated the prognostic value of BCCuS both in test set and verification set. Nomogram and C-index proved that BCCuS has strong correlation with clinical decision-making. BCCuS still maintain inspection efficiency when patients were splitting into Stage I-II (p = .024) and Stage III-IV (p = .003) breast cancer. BCCuS-high group and BCCuS-low group showed significant differences in gene mutation frequency, immune function, TIDE (tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion) score and other phenotypes. TMB (tumor mutation burden)-high along with BCCuS-high group had the lowest Survival probability (p = .005). 36 anticancer drugs whose sensitivity (IC50) was significantly related to the model were screened out using pRRophetic package. qPCR results showed that two model lncRNAs (USP2-AS1, NIFK-AS1) and three Cuproptosis genes (FDX1, PDHA1, DLAT) expressed differently between 10 pairs of breast cancer tissue samples and adjacent samples. Conclusion: The current study reveals that cuproptosis-related prognostic 2-lncRNAs signature (BCCuS) may be useful in predicting the prognosis, biological characteristics, and appropriate treatment of breast cancer patients.

Systemic treatments for breast cancer brain metastasis

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in females and BC brain metastasis (BCBM) is considered as the second most frequent brain metastasis. Although the advanced treatment has significantly prolonged the survival in BC patients, the prognosis of BCBM is still poor. The management of BCBM remains challenging. Systemic treatments are important to maintain control of central nervous system disease and improve patients' survival. BCBM medical treatment is a rapidly advancing area of research. With the emergence of new targeted drugs, more options are provided for the treatment of BM. This review features currently available BCBM treatment strategies and outlines novel drugs and ongoing clinical trials that may be available in the future. These treatment strategies are discovered to be more efficacious and potent, and present a paradigm shift in the management of BCBMs.

Nanoparticle drug delivery systems for synergistic delivery of tumor therapy

Nanoparticle drug delivery systems have proved anti-tumor effects; however, they are not widely used in tumor therapy due to insufficient ability to target specific sites, multidrug resistance to anti-tumor drugs, and the high toxicity of the drugs. With the development of RNAi technology, nucleic acids have been delivered to target sites to replace or correct defective genes or knock down specific genes. Also, synergistic therapeutic effects can be achieved for combined drug delivery, which is more effective for overcoming multidrug resistance of cancer cells. These combination therapies achieve better therapeutic effects than delivering nucleic acids or chemotherapeutic drugs alone, so the scope of combined drug delivery has also been expanded to three aspects: drug-drug, drug-gene, and gene-gene. This review summarizes the recent advances of nanocarriers to co-delivery agents, including i) the characterization and preparation of nanocarriers, such as lipid-based nanocarriers, polymer nanocarriers, and inorganic delivery carriers; ii) the advantages and disadvantages of synergistic delivery approaches; iii) the effectual delivery cases that are applied in the synergistic delivery systems; and iv) future perspectives in the design of nanoparticle drug delivery systems to co-deliver therapeutic agents.

One cisplatin dose provides durable stimulation of anti-tumor immunity and alleviates anti-PD-1 resistance in an intraductal model for triple-negative breast cancer

Aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is classically treated with chemotherapy. Besides direct tumor cell killing, some chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin provide additional disease reduction through stimulation of anti-tumor immunity. The cisplatin-induced immunomodulation in TNBC was here investigated in-depth using immunocompetent intraductal mouse models. Upon primary tumor transition to invasive carcinoma, cisplatin was injected systemically and significantly reduced tumor progression. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping was corroborated by immunohistochemical analyses and revealed both differential immune cell compositions and positivity for their programmed death (PD)-1 and PD-ligand (L)1 markers across body compartments, including the primary tumor, axillary lymph nodes and spleen. As key findings, a significant decrease in immunosuppressive and a concomitant increase in anti-tumor lymphocytic cell numbers were observed in the axillary lymph nodes and spleen, highlighting their importance in cisplatin-stimulated anti-tumor immunity. These immunomodulatory effects were already established following the first cisplatin dose, indicating that early cisplatin-mediated events may determine (immuno)therapeutic outcome. Furthermore, a single cisplatin dose sufficed to alleviate anti-PD-1 resistance in a 4T1-based model, providing add-on disease reduction without toxic side effects as seen upon multiple cisplatin dosing. Overall, these results highlight cisplatin as immunotherapeutic ally in TNBC, providing durable immunostimulation, even after a single dose.

The correlation of leukocyte-specific protein 1 (LSP1) rs3817198(T>C) polymorphism with breast cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Multiple studies have investigated the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in leukocyte-specific protein 1 (LSP1) with susceptibility to breast cancer (BC) and have yielded inconsistent conclusions, particularly rs3817198(T > C). Consequently, we performed a meta-analysis to estimate this relationship more comprehensively.

METHODS

Four databases were utilized to locate eligible publications: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. This meta-analysis included 14 studies, including 22 reports of 33194 cases and 36661 controls. The relationship of rs3817198 polymorphism with breast cancer was estimated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The LSP1 co-expression network was constructed by STRING, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed using DAVIDE. Download TCGA breast cancer mRNA-seq data and analyze the relationship between LSP1 expression and breast cancer chemotherapy sensitivity.

RESULTS

The results indicated that rs3817198(T > C) was positively correlated to with breast malignancy (dominant model: OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.06-1.17; recessive model: OR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.04-1.15; heterozygous model: OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 1.04-1.15; homozygous model: OR = 1.18, 95%CI = 1.09-1.28; additive model: OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 1.05-1.13), among Caucasians and Asians. However, rs3817198(T > C) may reduce the risk of breast carcinoma in Africans. Rs3817198(T > C) might result in breast carcinoma in individuals with BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants and can contribute to estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast carcinoma. The expression of LSP1 was inversely correlated with the IC50 of doxorubicin (P = 8.91e-15, Cor = -0.23), 5-fluorouracil (P = 1.18e-22, Cor = -0.29), and cisplatin (P = 1.35e-42, Cor = -0.40).

CONCLUSION

Our study identified that LSP1 rs3817198 polymorphism might result in breast malignancy, particularly among Caucasians and Asians, but lower breast cancer susceptibility in African populations. The expression of LSP1 was negatively correlated with the IC50 of doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin.

Overcoming therapeutic resistance to platinum-based drugs by targeting Epithelial–Mesenchymal transition

Platinum-based drugs (PBDs), including cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, have been widely used in clinical practice as mainstay treatments for various types of cancer. Although there is firm evidence of notable achievements with PBDs in the management of cancers, the acquisition of resistance to these agents is still a major challenge to efforts at cure. The introduction of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) concept, a critical process during embryonic morphogenesis and carcinoma progression, has offered a mechanistic explanation for the phenotypic switch of cancer cells upon PBD exposure. Accumulating evidence has suggested that carcinoma cells can enter a resistant state via induction of the EMT. In this review, we discussed the underlying mechanism of PBD-induced EMT and the current understanding of its role in cancer drug resistance, with emphasis on how this novel knowledge can be exploited to overcome PBD resistance via EMT-targeted compounds, especially those under clinical trials.

AVA-NP-695 Selectively Inhibits ENPP1 to Activate STING Pathway and Abrogate Tumor Metastasis in 4T1 Breast Cancer Syngeneic Mouse Model

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is an endogenous DNA sensor that synthesizes cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate (2′3′-cGAMP) from ATP and GTP. 2′3′-cGAMP activates the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, resulting in the production of interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) is the phosphodiesterase that negatively regulates the STING pathway by hydrolyzing 2′3′-cGAMP. It has been established that the cGAS–STING pathway plays a major role in inhibiting tumor growth by upregulating T cell response. Herein, we demonstrate that AVA-NP-695, a selective and highly potent ENPP1 inhibitor, apart from the immunomodulatory effect also modulates cancer metastasis by negatively regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). We established that the combined addition of 2′3′-cGAMP and AVA-NP-695 significantly abrogated the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ꞵ)-induced EMT in MDA-MB-231 cells. Finally, results from the in vivo study showed superior tumor growth inhibition and impact on tumor metastasis of AVA-NP-695 compared to Olaparib and PD-1 in a syngeneic 4T1 breast cancer mouse model. The translation of efficacy from in vitro to in vivo 4T1 tumor model provides a strong rationale for the therapeutic potential of AVA-NP-695 against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) as an immunomodulatory and anti-metastatic agent.

TFAP2C Knockdown Sensitizes Bladder Cancer Cells to Cisplatin Treatment via Regulation of EGFR and NF-κB

Simple Summary

Bladder cancer (BCa) is considered one of the most common neoplasms of the urology system. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy has been the primary treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic BCa. Nevertheless, cisplatin resistance often limits the treatment of bladder cancer. We expect to find approaches to improve the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin in bladder cancer. In recent years, many studies have shown that transcription factor AP-2 gamma (TFAP2C) acts as a key player in cancer development and and its expression level is closely related to the sensitivity of tumors to cisplatin. Our study investigated whether TFAP2C affects the sensitivity of BCa cells to cisplatin and the possible mechanisms. We found that TFAP2C expression was significantly upregulated in most BCa tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. The present study confirmed that TFAP2C knockdown enhanced the anti-tumor effects of cisplatin by decreasing cisplatin-induced activation levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB). Specifically, this study provides a novel approach to improve the efficacy of cisplatin.

Abstract

Cisplatin is the first-line chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic bladder cancer. Nevertheless, approximately half of patients with BCa are insensitive to cisplatin therapy or develop cisplatin resistance during the treatment process. Therefore, it is especially crucial to investigate ways to enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to cisplatin. Transcription factor AP-2 gamma (TFAP2C) is involved in cancer development and chemotherapy sensitivity. However, its relationship with chemotherapy has not been studied in BCa. In this study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of TFAP2C in human BCa. Results based on TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), GTEx (The Genotype-Tissue Expression) and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) data showed that TFAP2C expression was upregulated in BCa tissues and that its high expression was associated with poor prognosis. Meanwhile, we demonstrated the overexpression of TFAP2C in BCa clinical specimens. Subsequently, in vitro, we knocked down TFAP2C in BCa cells and found that TFAP2C knockdown further increased cell cycle arrest and apoptosis caused by cisplatin. In addition, the inhibitory effect of cisplatin on BCa cell migration and invasion was enhanced by TFAP2C knockdown. Our data indicated that cisplatin increased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation levels, but TFAP2C knockdown suppressed this effect. Finally, in vivo data further validated these findings. Our study showed that TFAP2C knockdown affected the activation levels of EGFR and NF-κB and enhanced the anti-tumor effects of cisplatin in vivo and in vitro. This provides a new direction to improve the efficacy of traditional cisplatin chemotherapy.

Novel Selenoesters as a Potential Tool in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment

Disturbing cancer statistics, especially for breast cancer, are becoming a rationale for the development of new anticancer therapies. For the past several years, studies have been proving a greater role of selenium in the chemoprevention of many cancers than previously considered; hence, a trend to develop compounds containing this element as potential agents with anticancer activity has been set for some time. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the anticancer activity of novel selenoesters (EDA-71, E-NS-4) in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. The assays evaluating proliferation and cell viability, and flow cytometer analysis of apoptosis/autophagy induction, changes in mitochondrial membrane potential, disruption of cell cycle phases, and protein activity of mTOR, NF-κB, cyclin E1/A2, and caspases 3/7, 8, 9, 10 were performed. The obtained results indicate that the tested selenoesters are highly cytotoxic and exhibit antiproliferative activity at low micromolar doses (<5 µM) compared with cisplatin. The most active compound—EDA-71—highly induces apoptosis, which proceeds via both pathways, as evidenced by the activation of all tested caspases. Furthermore, we observed the occurrence of autophagy (↓ mTOR levels) and cell cycle arrest in the S or G2/M phase (↓ cyclin E1, ↑ cyclin A2).

Establishment and Analysis of an Individualized EMT-Related Gene Signature for the Prognosis of Breast Cancer in Female Patients

Background. The current high mortality rate of female breast cancer (BC) patients emphasizes the necessity of identifying powerful and reliable prognostic signatures in BC patients. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was reported to be associated with the development of BC. The purpose of this study was to identify prognostic biomarkers that predict overall survival (OS) in female BC patients by integrating data from TCGA database. Method. We first downloaded the dataset in TCGA and identified gene signatures by overlapping candidate genes. Differential analysis was performed to find differential EMT-related genes. Univariate regression analysis was then performed to identify candidate prognostic variables. We then developed a prognostic model by multivariate analysis to predict OS. Calibration curves, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves, $C$ -index, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to test the veracity of the prognostic model. Result. In this study, we identified and validated a prognostic model integrating age and six genes (CD44, P3H1, SDC1, COL4A1, TGFβ1, and SERPINE1). $C$ -index values for BC patients were 0.672 (95% CI 0.611–0.732) and 0.692 (95% CI 0.586–0.798) in the training cohort and test set, respectively. The calibration curve and the DCA curve show the good predictive performance of the model. Conclusion. This study offered a robust predictive model for OS prediction in female BC patients and may provide a more accurate treatment strategy and personalized therapy in the future.

Breast Cancer Prognosis Prediction and Immune Pathway Molecular Analysis Based on Mitochondria-Related Genes

Background

Mitochondria play an important role in breast cancer (BRCA). We aimed to build a prognostic model based on mitochondria-related genes.

Method

Univariate Cox regression analysis, random forest, and the LASSO method were performed in sequence on pretreated TCGA BRCA datasets to screen out genes from a Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, Gene Ontology: biological process gene set to build a prognosis risk score model. Survival analyses and ROC curves were performed to verify the model by using the GSE103091 dataset. The BRCA datasets were equally divided into high- and low-risk score groups. Comparisons between clinical features and immune infiltration related to different risk scores and gene mutation analysis and drug sensitivity prediction were performed for different groups.

Result

Four genes, MRPL36, FEZ1, BMF, and AFG1L, were screened to construct our risk score model in which the higher the risk score, the poorer the prognosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the risk score was significantly associated with age, M stage, and N stage. The gene mutation probability in the high-risk score group was significantly higher than that in the low-risk score group. Patients with higher risk scores were more likely to die. Drug sensitivity prediction in different groups indicated that PF-562271 and AS601245 might be new inhibitors of BRCA.

Conclusion

We developed a new workable risk score model based on mitochondria-related genes for BRCA prognosis and identified new targets and drugs for BRCA research.

A conjugated 2D covalent organic framework as a drug delivery vehicle towards triple negative breast cancer malignancy

Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases for both sexes, has always demanded updated treatment strategies with time. Breast cancer is responsible for the highest mortality rate among females worldwide and requires treatment with advanced regimens due to the higher probability of breast cancer cells to develop drug cytotoxicity followed by resistance. Covalent organic framework (COF) materials with ordered nanoscale porosity can serve as drug delivery vehicles due to their biocompatible nature and large internal void spaces. In this research work, we have employed a novel biocompatible COF, TRIPTA, as a drug delivery carrier towards breast cancer cells. It served as a drug delivery vehicle for cisplatin in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We have checked the potency of TRIPTA in combating the proliferation of metastatic TNBC cells. Our results revealed that cisplatin loaded over TRIPTA-COF exhibited a greater impact on the CD44+/CD24- cancer stem cell niche of breast cancer. Retarded migration of cancer cells has also been observed with the dual treatment of TRIPTA and cisplatin compared to that of cisplatin alone. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has also been minimized by the combinatorial treatment of cisplatin carried by the carrier material in comparison to cisplatin alone. The epithelial marker E-cadherin is significantly increased in cells treated with cisplatin together with the carrier COF, and the expression of mesenchymal markers such as N-cadherin is lower. The transcriptional factor Snail has been observed under the same treatment. The carrier material is also internalized by the cancer cells in a time-dependent manner, suggesting that the organic carrier can serve as a specific drug delivery vehicle. Our experimental results suggested that TRIPTA-COF can serve as a potent nanocarrier for cisplatin, showing higher detrimental effects on the proliferation and migration of TNBC cells by increasing the cytotoxicity of cisplatin.

Inhibition of Ceramide Glycosylation Enhances Cisplatin Sensitivity in Cholangiocarcinoma by Limiting the Activation of the ERK Signaling Pathway

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an aggressive tumor of the biliary epithelium with poor survival that shows limited response to conventional chemotherapy. Increased expression of glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) contributes to drug resistance and the progression of various cancers; the expression profiles of GCS (UGCG) and the genes for glucocerebrosidases 1, 2, and 3 (GBA1, GBA2, and GBA3) were therefore studied in CCA. The biological functions of GCS for cell proliferation and cisplatin sensitivity in CCA were explored. GCS expression was higher in CCA tumor tissues than that of GBA1, GBA2, and GBA3. Verification of GCS expression in 29 paired frozen CCA tissues showed that 8 of 29 cases (27.6%) had high GCS expression. The expression of GCS and GBA2 was induced in CCA cell lines following low-dose cisplatin treatment. Suppression of GCS by either palmitoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PPMP), GCS knockdown or a combination of the two resulted in reduced cell proliferation. These treatments enhanced the effect of cisplatin-induced CCA cell death, increased the expression of apoptotic proteins and reduced phosphorylation of ERK upon cisplatin treatment. Taken together, inhibition of the GCS increased cisplatin-induced CCA apoptosis via the inhibition of the ERK signaling pathway. Thus, targeting GCS might be a strategy for CCA treatment.

Metallodrugs, an approach against invasion and metastasis in cancer treatment

Cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease that causes high mortality throughout the world; therefore, finding the most effective therapies is a major research challenge. Currently, most anticancer drugs present a limited number of well‐established targets, such as cell proliferation or death; however, it is important to consider that the worse progression of cancer toward pathological stages implies invasion and metastasis processes. Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry (MIC) is a young area that deals with the design, synthesis, characterization, preclinical evaluation, and mechanism of action of new inorganic compounds, called metallodrugs. The properties of metallic ions allow enriching of strategies for the design of new drugs, enabling the adjustment of physicochemical and stereochemical properties. Metallodrugs can adopt geometries, such as tetrahedral, octahedral, square planar, and square planar pyramid, which adjusts their arrangement and facilitates binding with a wide variety of targets. The redox properties of some metal ions can be modulated by the presence of the bound ligands to adjust their interaction, thereby opening a range of mechanisms of action. In this regard, the mechanisms of action that trigger the biological activity of metallodrugs have been generally identified by: (a) coordination of the metal to biomolecules (for instance, cisplatin binds to the N7 in DNA guanine, as Pt‐N via coordination of the inhibition of enzymes); (b) redox‐active; and (c) ROS production. For this reason, a series of metallodrugs can interact with several specific targets in the anti‐invasive processes of cancer and can prevent metastasis. The structural base of several metal compounds shows great anticancer potential by inhibiting the signaling pathways related to cancer progression. In this minireview, we present the advances in the field of antimetastatic effects of metallodrugs.