Long Non-coding RNA LINC00941 as a Potential Biomarker Promotes the Proliferation and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a considerable global health burden. Accumulating evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in many cancers and play important roles in GC. However, only a few lncRNAs have been functionally characterized. In this study, we identified that long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 941 (LINC00941) is a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA), and we found that the expression of LINC00941 is associated with tumor depth and distant metastasis in GC. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis of LINC00941 co-expression network demonstrated that LINC00941 might be an essential regulator of tumor metastasis and cancer cell proliferation. To validate our findings, we utilized the loss-of-function analysis to reveal the biological function of LINC00941 in GC cells. Loss-of-function analysis revealed that silence of LINC00941 inhibits GC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and modulates tumor growth in vivo. Our findings confirmed that LINC00941 plays an important oncogenic function in GC and may serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of GC.

Berberine as a potential agent for breast cancer therapy

Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignancy that mainly occurred in women and it has become the most diagnosed cancer annually since 2020. Berberine (BBR), an alkaloid extracted from the Berberidacea family, has been found with broad pharmacological bioactivities including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-obesity, antidepressant, and anticancer effects. Mounting evidence shows that BBR is a safe and effective agent with good anticancer activity against BC. However, its detailed underlying mechanism in BC treatment remains unclear. Here, we will provide the evidence for BBR in BC therapy and summarize its potential mechanisms. This review briefly introduces the source, metabolism, and biological function of BBR and emphasizes the therapeutic effects of BBR against BC via directly interacting with effector proteins, transcriptional regulatory elements, miRNA, and several BBR-mediated signaling pathways. Moreover, the novel BBR-based therapeutic strategies against BC improve biocompatibility and water solubility, and the efficacies of BBR are also briefly discussed. Finally, the status of BBR in BC treatment and future research directions is also prospected.

Resveratrol prevents liver damage in MCD-induced steatohepatitis mice by promoting SIGIRR gene transcription

Persistent inflammation is one of the main reasons that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease develops into cirrhosis and liver cancer, and reducing the expression of inflammatory factors may be an effective strategy to alleviate the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). SIGIRR, a member of the interleukin-1 receptor family, has been shown to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, and its down-regulation or deletion has been suggested to be an important cause of inflammatory damage to organs. In this study, we identified that resveratrol efficiently induced the transcriptional activity of the SIGIRR promoter and also increased SIGIRR mRNA levels in human hepatocytes and mouse livers. Furthermore, the potential effects of resveratrol on a methionine/choline-deficient diet-induced NASH mouse model were investigated. Resveratrol maintained the expression level of SIGIRR in the mouse liver. Resveratrol intervention alleviated NASH progression; decreased the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase; and down-regulated tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and transforming growth factor-β mRNA and protein levels. Additionally, increased SIGIRR potentially blocked the activity of the Toll-like receptor/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. In vitro, resveratrol pretreatment protected against hepatocyte injury caused by foamy macrophage-released inflammatory cytokines, which are involved in the development of NASH. However, resveratrol did not effectively induce hepatocyte SIGIRR gene transcription in the inflammatory cytokine microenvironment. In conclusion, resveratrol is practical and acts as an agonist of the SIGIRR protein to negatively regulate the expression of inflammatory factors in liver, suggesting that appropriate intake may be a potential way to prevent the occurrence and development of NASH.

Novel treatment of refractory / recurrent pulmonary hepatoblastoma

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus about how to manage pulmonary metastasis in patients with hepatoblastoma. We reviewed a treatment with a combination of oxaliplatin, vincristine, and topotecan (OVT) paired with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of 12 patients with multiple refractory / recurrent pulmonary hepatoblastoma.

METHODS

The medical records from patients with ≤21 years of age presenting with multiple deposits (≥2) of refractory / recurrent pulmonary hepatoblastoma were reviewed. The following data were extracted from each patient: age, gender, histological subtyping, cycles of OVT, tumor size, biomarkers, chemotherapy regimen and dosage, RFA details, treatment response, follow up, and patient outcomes. The primary outcome measure was the complete response (CR) of pulmonary diseases, and secondary outcomes were event-free survival rate and overall survival rate.

RESULTS

Of 12 assessable patients, three (25%) (95% CI, 46.3-104) patients achieved PR (partial resopnse) after they finished OVT. After RFA, five (41.7%) (95% CI, 8.95-74.4) patients achieved CR (complete response). The 2 year event-free survival rate was 33% (95% CI, 20.5-64.6). The 2 year overall survival for the study group was 41.7% (95% CI, 8.9-74.4). All toxicity events were handled satisfactorily and no toxic related deaths were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Our review report shows that OVT combined with RFA can be a successful treatment modality for previously heavily treated refractory / recurrent pulmonary metastatic lesions from hepatoblastoma.

MicroRNA-30a-3p acts as a tumor suppressor in MHCC-97H hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting COX-2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs which can bind to target mRNAs and regulate gene expression. Increasing evidences suggest that miRNAs play an important role in driving hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression by regulating tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of microRNA-30a-3p (miR-30a-3p) was reduced in HCC cell lines in comparison to immortalized liver cell line, LO2. Augmented miR-30a-3p level markedly inhibited MHCC-97H cell growth, migration and invasion in vitro. MiR-30a-3p was also found to inhibit tumor growth in vivo using tumor-bearing mice. Mechanismly, COX-2 was discovered to be a direct and functional target of miR-30a-3p in MHCC-97H cells. Raised miR-30a-3p expression reduced the transcriptional level of COX-2 in MHCC-97H cells, while genetically upregulated COX-2 expression was able to reverse the function of miR-30a-3p-mediated suppression of MHCC-97H cells growth, migration and invasion. In addition, we found that using a COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, could enhance the anti-metastatic role of miR-30a-3p in MHCC-97H cells. Lastly, we found that decreased COX-2 protein level affected PGE2 production, leading to lower Bcl-2, Caspase-3, MMP2 and MMP9 expression but higher Bax and E-cadherin expression, which in turn culminated in higher rates of cell death and lower rates of cell migration. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that miR-30a-3p could be a target for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cells progression.

Paeoniflorin Coordinates Macrophage Polarization and Mitigates Liver Inflammation and Fibrogenesis by Targeting the NF-[Formula: see text]B/HIF-1α Pathway in CCl4-Induced Liver Fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a disease largely driven by resident and recruited macrophages. The phenotypic switch of hepatic macrophages can be achieved by chemo-attractants and cytokines. During a screening of plants traditionally used to treat liver diseases in China, paeoniflorin was identified as a potential drug that affects the polarization of macrophages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of paeoniflorin in an animal model of liver fibrosis and explore its underlying mechanisms. Liver fibrosis was induced in Wistar rats via an intraperitoneal injection of CCl₄. In addition, the RAW264.7 macrophages were cultured in the presence of CoCl₂ to simulate a hypoxic microenvironment of fibrotic livers in vitro. The modeled rats were treated daily with either paeoniflorin (100, 150, and 200[Formula: see text]mg/kg) or YC-1 (2[Formula: see text]mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Hepatic function, inflammation and fibrosis, activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition were assessed in the in vivo and in vitro models. The expression levels of M1 and M2 macrophage markers and the NF-[Formula: see text]B/HIF-1[Formula: see text] pathway factors were measured using standard assays. Paeoniflorin significantly alleviated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, as well as hepatocyte necrosis in the CCl₄-induced fibrosis model. Furthermore, paeoniflorin also inhibited HSC activation and reduced ECM deposition both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, paeoniflorin restrained M1 macrophage polarization and induced M2 polarization in the fibrotic liver tissues as well as in the RAW264.7 cells grown under hypoxic conditions by inactivating the NF-[Formula: see text]B/HIF-1[Formula: see text] signaling pathway. In conclusion, paeoniflorin exerts its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in the liver by coordinating macrophage polarization through the NF-[Formula: see text]B/HIF-1[Formula: see text] pathway.

Unexpected vincristine-induced systemic capillary leak syndrome in patients with Wilm's tumor: A single institution experience

Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) is a rare but fatal disease, which has been reported following the infusions of interleukin-2, tumor necrosis factor, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, certain monoclonal antibodies, and gemcitabine, suggesting that drugs can also cause CLS. In this study, seven Wilm's tumor cases with CLS had been presented, which was suggested to be caused following administration of vincristine (VCR). From January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2016, medical records from Wilm's tumor patients were reviewed to identify those diagnosed with CLS. Moreover, the following data were extracted for each patient, including age, gender, histological subtyping, tumor stage, risk group, biomarkers, chemotherapy regimen and dosage, surgery details, clinical manifestation of CLS, treatment regimen of CLS, and patient outcomes. From January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2016, a total of seven patients with Wilms tumor were identified with a diagnosis of VCR-associated CLS. Typically, for these seven cases in our study, the predominant features of CLS included interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary edema. Moreover, steroid therapy was demonstrated as the most effective therapy in our study. The clinical features of VCR-induced CLS are distinct, and pediatric oncologists should be aware of CLS that manifests as interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary edema during the VCR treatment for patients with Wilm's tumor.

Treatment of Neuroblastoma with a Novel Delayed Intensification Chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES

To test the feasibility of adding a novel delayed intensification chemotherapy to a dose-intensive induction regimen chemotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma.

METHODS

Patients enrolled in this study received chemotherapy in accordance with the design of the NB97 trial. At the end of the therapy, patients received three cycles of delayed intensification chemotherapy. The delayed intensification chemotherapy consists of two A1 and one A2 cycle. The A1 cycle consists of 1.5 mg/m² of vincristine on day 1, 1.2 g/m² of cyclophosphamide on day 2, 100 mg/m² of cisplatin on day 3, and 160 mg/m² of etoposide on day 4. The A2 cycle is similar to the A1 cycle, however the only difference is that on day 4, 30 mg/m² of doxorubicin is substituted for etoposide.

RESULTS

Between 2007 to 2011, a total of thirty-six patients were enrolled, sixteen patients were long term event-free survivors. Three patients were alive with tumor whilst fifteen patients died. The 3-year Event free survival (EFS) and Overall survival (OS) were 44.4% (95%CI, 27.4 to 61.5%) and 50% (95%CI, 32.8 to 67.2%) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

A high rate of survival among patients with high-risk neuroblastoma was achieved with delayed intensification chemotherapy without the occurrence of a second malignancy.

SNS alleviates depression-like behaviors in CUMS mice by regluating dendritic spines via NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Depression is one of the most common mood disturbances worldwide. The Si-ni-san formula (SNS) is a famous classic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) widely used to treat depression for thousands of years in clinics. However, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of SNS in improving depression-like behaviors following chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) remains unknown.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate whether SNS alleviates depression-like behaviors in CUMS mice by regulating dendritic spines via NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in vitro and in vivo.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

In vivo, mice were exposed to CUMS for 42 days, and SNS (4.9, 9.8, 19.6 g/kg/d), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg/d), 3-methyladenine (3-MA) (30 mg/kg/d), rapamycin(1 mg/kg/d), and deferoxamine (DFO) (200 mg/kg/d) were conducted once daily during the last 3 weeks of the CUMS procedure. In vitro, a depressive model was established by culture of SH-SY5Y cells with corticosterone, followed by treatment with different concentrations of freeze-dried SNS (0.001, 0.01, 0.1 mg/mL) and rapamycin (10 nM), NCOA4-overexpression, Si-NCOA4. After the behavioral test (open-field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST), dendritic spines, GluR2 protein expression, iron concentration, and ferritinophagy-related protein levels (P62, FTH, NCOA4, LC3-II/LC3-I) were tested in vitro and in vivo using immunohistochemistry, golgi staining, immunofluorescence, and Western blot assays. Finally, HEK-293T cells were transfected by si-NCOA4 or GluR2-and NCOA4-overexpression plasmid and treated with corticosterone(100 μM), freeze-dried SNS(0.01 mg/mL), rapamycin(25 nM), and 3-MA(5 mM). The binding amount of GluR2, NCOA4, and LC3 was assessed by the co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) assay.

RESULTS

3-MA, SNS, and DFO promoted depressive-like behaviors in CUMS mice during OFT, SPT, FST and TST, improved the amount of the total, thin, mushroom spine density and enhanced GluR2 protein expression in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, treatment with SNS decreased iron concentrations and inhibited NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy activation in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, 3-MA and SNS could prevent the binding of GluR2, NCOA4 and LC3 in corticosterone-treated HEK-293T, and rapamycin reversed this phenomenon after treatment with SNS.

CONCLUSION

SNS alleviates depression-like behaviors in CUMS mice by regulating dendritic spines via NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy.

Monitoring pediatric CNS non-germinomatous germ cell tumors via cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor DNA

BACKGROUND

Accurate molecular and clinical stratification of patients with central nervous system (CNS) non-germinomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs) remains challenging, impeding the development of personalized therapeutic approaches. Herein, we investigated the translational significance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in pediatric NGGCTs to identify characteristic features of CNS NGGCTs and to identify a subset of patients for whom the presence of residual disease is a risk factor and an indicator of shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

METHODS

Medical records of patients with CNS NGGCTs between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022 were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 11 male and six female patients. Tumor markers were elevated in four of the five people who underwent surgery. The remaining 12 patients were diagnosed with malignant NGGCTs according to elevated tumor markers. Among them, ctDNA before chemotherapy as well as ctDNA clearance were consistently associated with PFS and OS (p < .05). By setting a ctDNA positivity threshold of 6%, patients with high ctDNA (above the threshold) levels, which had limitation due to the selection based on optimal statistic from the survival analysis, had significantly inferior 5-year PFS and OS compared to those with low levels (below the threshold). ctDNA or ctDNA clearance combined with the presence of residual disease predicted significantly worse OS and PFS (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

CSF ctDNA might allow the study of genomic evolution and the characterization of tumors in pediatric NGGCTs. CSF ctDNA analysis may facilitate the clinical management of pediatric NGGCT patients, and aid in designing personalized therapeutic strategies.

The role of lysine-specific demethylase 6A (KDM6A) in tumorigenesis and its therapeutic potentials in cancer therapy

Histone demethylation is a key post-translational modification of chromatin, and its dysregulation affects a wide array of nuclear activities including the maintenance of genome integrity, transcriptional regulation, and epigenetic inheritance. Lysine specific demethylase 6A (KDM6A, also known as UTX) is an Fe²⁺- and α-ketoglutarate- dependent oxidase which belongs to KDM6 Jumonji histone demethylase subfamily, and it can remove mono-, di- and tri-methyl groups from methylated lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me1/2/3). Mounting studies indicate that KDM6A is responsible for driving multiple human diseases, particularly cancers and pharmacological inhibition of KDM6A is an effective strategy to treat varieties of KDM6A-amplified cancers in cellulo and in vivo. Although there are several reviews on the roles of KDM6 subfamily in cancer development and therapy, all of them only simply introduce the roles of KDM6A in cancer without systematically summarizing the specific mechanisms of KDM6A in tumorigenesis, which greatly limits the advances on the understanding of roles KDM6A in varieties of cancers, discovering targeting selective KDM6A inhibitors, and exploring the adaptive profiles of KDM6A antagonists. Herein, we present the structure and functions of KDM6A, simply outline the functions of KDM6A in homeostasis and non-cancer diseases, summarize the role of KDM6A and its distinct target genes/ligand proteins in development of varieties of cancers, systematically classify KDM6A inhibitors, sum up the difficulties encountered in the research of KDM6A and the discovery of related drugs, and provide the corresponding solutions, which will contribute to understanding the roles of KDM6A in carcinogenesis and advancing the progression of KDM6A as a drug target in cancer therapy.