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Alaa Eldeen M, Mamdouh F, Abdulsahib WK, Eid RA, Alhanshani AA, Shati AA, Alqahtani YA, Alshehri MA, Samir A. Zaki M, Soltan MA, Noreldin AE. Oncogenic Potential of Replication Factor C Subunit 4: Correlations with Tumor Progression and Assessment of Potential Inhibitors. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:152. [PMID: 38399367 PMCID: PMC10891693 DOI: 10.3390/ph17020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Replication Factor C Subunit 4 (RFC4), an oncogene implicated in many human cancers, has yet to be extensively studied in many cancer types to determine its expression patterns and tumor tissue function. Various bioinformatics tools were used to analyze RFC4 as a potential oncogene and therapeutic target across many cancers. We first examined RFC4 expression levels in several human tumor types to determine relationships with tumor grade, stage, metastasis, and patient survival. We also examined RFC4's genetic changes, epigenetic methylation, and effect on tumor microenvironment (TME) immune cell infiltration. We also analyzed RFC4's connections with immunological checkpoints to identify potential molecular pathways involved in carcinogenesis. Our findings show that RFC4 is upregulated in several tumor types and associated with poor prognoses in many human cancers. This study shows that RFC4 significantly affects the tumor immunological microenvironment, specifically immune cell populations. Finally, we screened for RFC4-inhibiting pharmacological compounds with anti-cancer potential. This study fully elucidates RFC4's carcinogenic activities, emphasizing its potential as a prognostic biomarker and a target for anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Alaa Eldeen
- Cell Biology, Histology & Genetics Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Farag Mamdouh
- Biotechnology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Al Qalyubia Governorate, Banha 13511, Egypt;
| | - Waleed K. Abdulsahib
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Al Farahidi University, Baghdad 00965, Iraq
| | - Refaat A. Eid
- Pathology Department, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ahmad A. Alhanshani
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia (A.A.S.); (Y.A.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Ayed A. Shati
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia (A.A.S.); (Y.A.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Youssef A. Alqahtani
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia (A.A.S.); (Y.A.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Mohammed A. Alshehri
- Department of Child Health, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia (A.A.S.); (Y.A.A.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Mohamed Samir A. Zaki
- Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed A. Soltan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sinai University, Ismailia 41611, Egypt;
| | - Ahmed E. Noreldin
- Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, Egypt
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Eid RA, Alaa Edeen M, Shedid EM, Kamal ASS, Warda MM, Mamdouh F, Khedr SA, Soltan MA, Jeon HW, Zaki MSA, Kim B. Targeting Cancer Stem Cells as the Key Driver of Carcinogenesis and Therapeutic Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021786. [PMID: 36675306 PMCID: PMC9861138 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging concept of cancer stem cells (CSCs) as the key driver behind carcinogenesis, progression, and diversity has displaced the prior model of a tumor composed of cells with similar subsequently acquired mutations and an equivalent capacity for renewal, invasion, and metastasis. This significant change has shifted the research focus toward targeting CSCs to eradicate cancer. CSCs may be characterized using cell surface markers. They are defined by their capacity to self-renew and differentiate, resist conventional therapies, and generate new tumors following repeated transplantation in xenografted mice. CSCs' functional capabilities are governed by various intracellular and extracellular variables such as pluripotency-related transcription factors, internal signaling pathways, and external stimuli. Numerous natural compounds and synthetic chemicals have been investigated for their ability to disrupt these regulatory components and inhibit stemness and terminal differentiation in CSCs, hence achieving clinical implications. However, no cancer treatment focuses on the biological consequences of these drugs on CSCs, and their functions have been established. This article provides a biomedical discussion of cancer at the time along with an overview of CSCs and their origin, features, characterization, isolation techniques, signaling pathways, and novel targeted therapeutic approaches. Additionally, we highlighted the factors endorsed as controlling or helping to promote stemness in CSCs. Our objective was to encourage future studies on these prospective treatments to develop a framework for their application as single or combined therapeutics to eradicate various forms of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Refaat A. Eid
- Pathology Department, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Alaa Edeen
- Cell Biology, Histology & Genetics Division, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
- Correspondence: (M.A.E.); (B.K.)
| | - Eslam M. Shedid
- Biotechnology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Al Qalyubia Governorate, Banha 13511, Egypt
| | - Al Shaimaa S. Kamal
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Al Qalyubia Governorate, Banha 13511, Egypt
| | - Mona M. Warda
- Biotechnology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Al Qalyubia Governorate, Banha 13511, Egypt
| | - Farag Mamdouh
- Biotechnology Division, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Al Qalyubia Governorate, Banha 13511, Egypt
| | - Sohila A. Khedr
- Industrial Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31733, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A. Soltan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sinai University, Ismailia 41611, Egypt
| | - Hee Won Jeon
- Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohamed Samir A. Zaki
- Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha P.O. Box 62529, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 31527, Egypt
| | - Bonglee Kim
- Department of Pathology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (M.A.E.); (B.K.)
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