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Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a novel class of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), that have been studied extensively in the field of tumor research in recent years. In the case of tumor-associated lncRNAs, lncRNA cytoskeleton regulator RNA (CYTOR) displays extensive functions in tumorigenesis, including invasion, metastasis, malignant proliferation, glycolysis, and inflammatory response. Moreover, the dysregulation of CYTOR is closely related to clinicopathological characteristics, such as tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and infiltration, and poor prognosis of tumor patients. In this review, we provide a novel strategy to summarize the biological functions and clinical value of CYTOR in tumors through an overview of the literature combined with gene set enrichment analysis. A deeper understanding of the role of CYTOR in tumorigenesis may provide new diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic markers for human tumors.

Melanoma is one of the most dangerous types of cutaneous neoplasms, which are pigment-producing cells of neuroectodermal origin found all over the body. A great deal of research is focused on the mechanisms of melanoma to promote better diagnostic and treatment options for melanoma in its advanced stages. The progression of melanoma involves alteration in different levels of gene expression. With the successful implementation of next-generation sequencing technology, an increasing number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) sequences have been discovered, and a significant number of them have phenotypic effects in both in vitro and in vivo studies, implying that they play an important role in the occurrence and progression of human cancers, particularly melanoma. A number of evidence indicated that lncRNAs are important regulators in tumor cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, immune escape, energy metabolism, drug resistance, epigenetic regulation. To better understand the role of lncRNAs in melanoma tumorigenesis, we categorize melanoma-associated lncRNAs according to their cellular functions and associations with gene expression and signaling pathways in this review. Based on the mechanisms of lncRNA, we discuss the possibility of lncRNA-target treatments, and the application of liquid biopsies to detect lncRNAs in melanoma diagnosis and prognosis.

Air pollution is a global health threat and causes millions of human deaths annually. Outdoor and indoor air pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most prevalent cause of respiratory disorders, lung disease, pregnancy disorders, endocrine disturbances, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer because pollutants can alter gene expression via epigenetics like DNA methylation and histone modifications which can initiate tumorigenesis and progressed to cancer. Carcinogenicity of PAHs can be eliminated by endogenous melatonin hormone (MT) via binding to its receptor (MTNR1A) that act as free radicals scavenger therefore it protects the body from developing occupational cancer. Aims of study To predict the protective effect of melatonin hormone as anti-cancer through binding to its receptor (MTNR1A) against any type of cancer that can be induced by chronic exposure to air pollutants. Subjects and methods This study includes 168 participants, they have been divided into three groups (control, refinery field workers and refinery office workers). PAH was analyzed for each participant by GC/MS whereas melatonin hormone and MTNR1A were measured by ELISA technique. Results PAHs were absent in the blood of control, and they were elevated in refinery worker’s specimens. Concentration of MT was higher in field worker than in office and control group as well as MTNR1A, also there is a relation between their levels and duration of exposure. Conclusion Exposure to PAHs can lead to oxidative stress that can damage DNA resulting in many types of cancer but this carcinogenic effects of PAHs can be eliminated by natural endogenous biomolecules such as MT and its receptor (MTNR1A) therefore their elevation has a beneficial effect as anti-cancer to reduce the oxidative stress and prevent tumorigenesis.

Chronic inflammation caused by persistent infections and metabolic disorders is thought to contribute to the increased cancer risk and the accelerated cancer progression. Oppositely, acute inflammation induced by bacteria-based vaccines or that is occurring after cancer selectively inhibits cancer progression and metastasis. However, the interaction between inflammation and cancer may be more complex than the current explanations for the relationship between chronic and acute inflammation and cancer. In this review, we described the impact of inflammation on cancer on the basis of three perspectives, including inflammation with different durations (chronic and acute inflammation), different scopes (systemic and local inflammation) and different occurrence sequences (inflammation occurring after and before cancer). In addition, we also introduced bacteria/virus-based cancer immunotherapies. We perceive that inflammation may be a double-edged sword with cancer-promoting and cancer-suppressing functions in certain cases. We expect to further improve the understanding of the relationship between inflammation and cancer and provide a theoretical basis for further research on their complex interaction.

PI3K/AKT/mTOR (phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway is an important signal transduction pathway mediated by enzyme-linked receptors with many biological functions in mammals. This pathway modulates the epigenetic modification of DNA and target gene histones and plays a significant role in regulating biological activity, disease progression, oncogenesis, and cancer progression. PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway involves and mediates many cellular processes such as nutrient uptake, proliferation, anabolic reactions, and cell survival. Several studies have shown that PI3K/AKT/mTOR has been a promising therapeutic approach to intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). ICH is characterized by the progressive development of hematoma, which leads to the structural destabilization of the neurons and glial cells, leading to neuronal deformation, further contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction, membrane depolarization, oligaemia, and neurotransmitter imbalance. Partial suppression of cell metabolism and necrosis can occur, depending on the degree of mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore in the following review, we discuss whether or not the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway could minimize neuronal dysfunction following ICH. We further elaborate the review by discussing the updated pathophysiology of brain hemorrhage and the role of molecular targets in other neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides current approachable disease treatment in various disease states, single and dual PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway modulators.

The interaction between gut microbes and gastrointestinal (GI) tract carcinogenesis has always attracted researchers' attention to identify therapeutic targets or potential prognostic biomarkers. Various studies have suggested that the microbiota do show inflammation and immune dysregulation, which led to carcinogenesis in GI tract. In this review, we have focused on the role of microbes present in the gut, intestine, or faeces in GI tract cancers, including esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. Herein, we have discussed the importance of the microbes and their metabolites, which could serve as diagnostic biomarkers for cancer detection, especially in the early stage, and prognostic markers. To maximize the effect of the treatment strategies, an accurate evaluation of the prognosis is imperative for clinicians. There is a vast difference in the microbiota profiles within a population and across the populations depending upon age, diet, lifestyle, genetic makeup, use of antibiotics, and environmental factors. Therefore, the diagnostic efficiency of the microbial markers needs to be further validated. A deeper understanding of the GI cancer and the host microbiota is needed to acquire pivotal information about disease status.

The persistent infection of high-risk Human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) induced cervical cancer remains a challenge in women worldwide including India. Recent advances in cancer research have paved the way for advanced cancer treatment modalities including immunotherapy by manipulating the function or number of cytotoxic T cells. It is well established that anaphylatoxins like C3a and C5a of complement system influence tumor growth by evading apoptosis leading to progression of cancer. The role of the complement system, particularly the complement regulatory proteins (CRPs) which are important determinants of immune response play a crucial role in carcinogenesis. In a tumor microenvironment (TME) assisted suppression of immune effector cells may be achieved through CRPs. However, recent advances in pharmacogenomics including drug designing and combination of these approaches have provided a holistic understanding of signaling pathways and their crosstalk, to regulate cellular communications.This review describes the role of complement system; particularly CRPs in HPV induced cervical carcinogenesis which may be used for designing anti- HPV or cervical cancer therapeutics.

The active role of bacteria in oncogenesis has long been a topic of debate. Although, it was speculated to be a transmissible cause of cancer as early as the 16th-century, yet the idea about the direct involvement of bacteria in cancer development has only been explored in recent decades. More recently, several studies have uncovered the mechanisms behind the carcinogenic potential of bacteria which are inflammation, immune evasion, pro-carcinogenic metabolite production, DNA damage and genomic instability. On the other side, the recent development on the understanding of tumor microenvironment and technological advancements has turned this enemy into an ally. Studies using bacteria for cancer treatment and detection have shown noticeable effects. Therapeutic abilities of bioengineered live bacteria such as high specificity, selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells, responsiveness to external signals and control after ingestion have helped to overcome the challenges faced by conventional cancer therapies and highlighted the bacterial based therapy as an ideal approach for cancer treatment. In this review, we have made an effort to compile substantial evidence to support the multidimensional role of bacteria in cancer. We have discussed the multifaceted role of bacteria in cancer by highlighting the wide impact of bacteria on different cancer types, their mechanisms of actions in inducing carcinogenicity, followed by the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of bacteria in cancers. Moreover, we have also highlighted the existing gaps in the knowledge of the association between bacteria and cancer as well as the limitation and advantage of bacteria-based therapies in cancer. A better understanding of these multidimensional roles of bacteria in cancer can open up the new doorways to develop early detection strategies, prevent cancer, and develop therapeutic tactics to cure this devastating disease.

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-linked deaths in the world. Gastric tumor cells have biological characteristics such as rapid proliferation, high invasiveness, and drug resistance, which result in recurrence and poor survival. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been proposed as a first‐class carcinogen for gastric cancer according to the 1994 world health organization (WHO) classification. One of the important mechanisms by which H. pylori affects the gastric environment and promotes carcinogenesis is triggering inflammation. H. pylori induces an inflammatory response and a plethora of different signal transduction processes, leading to gastric mucosal disturbance, chronic gastritis, and a multi-step complex pathway that initiates carcinogenesis. It seems undeniable that the interaction between various cell types, including immune cells, gastric epithelium, glands, and stem cells, is vital for the progression and development of carcinogenesis concerning H. pylori. The interactions of H. pylori with surrounding cells play a key role in cancer progression. In this review, we discuss the interplay between H. pylori and tumor-supportive cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and myeloid derived-suppressor cells (MDSCs) in gastric cancer. It is hoped that clarifying the specific mechanisms for ‘cross-talk’ between H. pylori and these cells will provide promising strategies for developing new treatments.

The chaperonins CCT and Hsp60 are molecular chaperones, members of the chaperone system (CS). Chaperones are cytoprotective but if abnormal in quantity or quality they may cause diseases, the chaperonopathies. Here, recent advances in the understanding of CCT and Hsp60 in cancerology are briefly discussed, focusing on breast and brain cancers. CCT subunits, particularly CCT2, were increased in breast cancer cells and this correlated with tumor progression. Experimental induction of CCT2 increase was accompanied by an increase of CCT3, 4, and 5, providing another evidence for the interconnection between the members of the CS and the difficulties expected while manipulating one member with therapeutic purposes. Another in silico study demonstrated a direct correlation between the increase in the tumor tissue of the mRNA levels of all CCT subunits, except CCTB6, with bad prognosis. Studies with glioblastomas demonstrated an increase in the CCT subunits in the tumor tissue and in extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from them. Expression levels of CCT1, 2, 6A, and 7 were the most increased and markers of bad prognosis, particularly CCT6A. A method for measuring Hsp60 and related miRNA in exosomes from blood of patients with glioblastomas or other brain tumors was discussed, and the results indicate that the triad Hsp60-related miRNAs-exosomes has potential regarding diagnosis and patient monitoring. All these data provide a strong foundation for future studies on the role played by chaperonins in carcinogenesis and for fully developing their theranostics applications along with exosomes.

Background: Epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRPs) can regulate alternative splicing of RNA and play roles in tumorigenesis and development of various malignancies. In this study, bioinfor...

PurposeEstrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast cancer plays an essential role in carcinogenesis and disease progression. Recently, tumors with low level (1-10%) of ER expression have been separately defined as ER Low Positive (ERlow). It is suggested that ERlow tumors might be morphologically and behaviorally different from tumors with high ER expression (ERhigh).MethodsRetrospective analysis of a prospective cohort database was performed. Patients who underwent curative surgery for early breast cancer and had available medical records were included for analysis. Difference in clinicopathological characteristics, endocrine responsiveness and five-year recurrence-free survival was evaluated between different ER subgroups (ERhigh, ERlow, and ER-negative (ER-)).ResultsA total of 2162 breast cancer patients were included in the analysis, Tis and T1 stage. Among them, 1654 (76.5%) were ERhigh, 54 (2.5%) were ERlow, and 454 (21.0%) were ER- patients. ERlow cases were associated with smaller size, higher histologic grade, positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), negative progesterone receptor, and higher Ki-67 expression. Recurrence rate was highest in ER- tumors and was inversely proportional to ER expression. Recurrence-free survival was not affected by hormonal therapy in the ERlow group (P = 0.418).ConclusionERlow breast cancer showed distinct clinicopathological features. ERlow tumors seemed to have higher recurrence rates compared to ERhigh tumors, and they showed no significant benefit from hormonal therapy. Future large scale prospective studies are necessary to validate the treatment options for ERlow breast cancer.

Background: Long non-coding RNA actin filament-associated protein1-antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1) was confirmed to be associated with tumorigenesis. However, the role of AFAP1-AS1 in breast cancer was...

Somatic mutations accumulating over a patient's lifetime are well-defined causative factors that fuel carcinogenesis. It is now clear, however, that epigenomic signature is also largely perturbed in many malignancies. These alterations support the transcriptional program crucial for the acquisition and maintenance of cancer hallmarks. Epigenetic instability may arise due to the genetic mutations or transcriptional deregulation of the proteins implicated in epigenetic signaling. Moreover, external stimulation and physiological aging may also participate in this phenomenon. The epigenomic signature is frequently associated with a cell of origin, as well as with tumor stage and differentiation, which all reflect its high heterogeneity across and within various tumors. Here, we will overview the current understanding of the causes and effects of the altered and heterogeneous epigenomic landscape in cancer. We will focus mainly on DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications as the key regulatory epigenetic signaling marks. In addition, we will describe how this knowledge is translated into the clinic. We will particularly concentrate on the applicability of epigenetic alterations as biomarkers for improved diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction. Finally, we will also review current developments regarding epi-drug usage in clinical and experimental settings.

Tumour-promoting inflammation is a critical hallmark in cancer development, and inflammasomes are well-known regulators of inflammatory processes within the tumour microenvironment. Different inflammasome components along with the adaptor, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing caspase activation and recruitment domain (ASC), and the effector, caspase-1, have a significant influence on tumorigenesis but in a tissue-specific and stage-dependent manner. The downstream products of inflammasome activation, that is the proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18, regulate tissue homeostasis and induce antitumour immune responses, but in contrast, they can also favour cancer growth and proliferation by directing various oncogenic signalling pathways in cancer cells. Moreover, different epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification and noncoding RNAs, control inflammasomes and their components by regulating gene expression during cancer progression. Furthermore, autophagy, a master controller of cellular homeostasis, targets inflammasome-induced carcinogenesis by maintaining cellular homeostasis and removing potential cancer risk factors that promote inflammasome activation in support of tumorigenesis. Here, in this review, we summarize the effect of inflammasome activation in cancers and discuss the role of epigenetic and autophagic regulatory mechanisms in controlling inflammasomes. A proper understanding of the interactions among these key processes will be useful for developing novel therapeutic regimens for targeting inflammasomes in cancer.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major histological subtype of esophageal cancer with a poor prognosis. Although several serum metabolomic investigations have been reported, ESCC tumor-associated metabolic alterations and predictive biomarkers in sera have not been defined. Here, we enrolled 34 treatment-naive patients with ESCC and collected their pre- and post-esophagectomy sera together with the sera from 34 healthy volunteers for a metabolomic survey. Our comprehensive analysis identified ESCC tumor-associated metabolic alterations as represented by a panel of 12 serum metabolites. Notably, postoperative abrosia and parenteral nutrition substantially perturbed the serum metabolome. Furthermore, we performed an examination using sera from carcinogen-induced mice at the dysplasia and ESCC stages and identified three ESCC tumor-associated metabolites conserved between mice and humans. Notably, among these metabolites, the level of pipecolic acid was observed to be progressively increasing in mouse sera from dysplasia to cancerization, and it could be used to accurately discriminate between mice at the dysplasia stage and healthy control mice. Furthermore, this metabolite is essential for ESCC cells to restrain oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and cell proliferation arrest. Together, this study revealed a panel of 12 ESCC tumor-associated serum metabolites with potential for monitoring therapeutic efficacy and disease relapse, presented evidence for refining parenteral nutrition composition, and highlighted serum pipecolic acid as an attractive biomarker for predicting ESCC tumorigenesis.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a particular subtype of lung cancer with high mortality. Recent advances in understanding SCLC genomics and breakthroughs of immunotherapy have substantially expanded existing knowledge and treatment modalities. However, challenges associated with SCLC remain enigmatic and elusive. Most of the conventional drug discovery approaches targeting altered signaling pathways in SCLC end up in the ‘grave-yard of drug discovery’, which mandates exploring novel approaches beyond inhibiting cell signaling pathways. Epigenetic modifications have long been documented as the key contributors to the tumorigenesis of almost all types of cancer, including SCLC. The last decade witnessed an exponential increase in our understanding of epigenetic modifications for SCLC. The present review highlights the central role of epigenetic regulations in acquiring neoplastic phenotype, metastasis, aggressiveness, resistance to chemotherapy, and immunotherapeutic approaches of SCLC. Different types of epigenetic modifications (DNA/histone methylation or acetylation) that can serve as predictive biomarkers for prognostication, treatment stratification, neuroendocrine lineage determination, and development of potential SCLC therapies are also discussed. We also review the utility of epigenetic targets/epidrugs in combination with first-line chemotherapy and immunotherapy that are currently under investigation in preclinical and clinical studies. Altogether, the information presents the inclusive landscape of SCLC epigenetics and epidrugs that will help translate the knowledge of epigenetics to improve SCLC outcomes.

The plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells contains small flask-shaped invaginations known as caveolae that are involved in the regulation of cellular signaling. Caveolin-1 is a 21-24k- Da protein localized in the caveolar membrane. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) has been considered as a master regulator among the various signaling molecules. It has been emerging as a chief protein regulating cellular events associated with homeostasis, caveolae formation, and caveolae trafficking. In addition to the physiological role of cav-1, it has a complex role in the progression of various diseases. Caveolin-1 has been identified as a prognosticator in patients with cancer and has a dual role in tumorigenesis. The expression of Cav-1 in hippocampal neurons and synapses is related to neurodegeneration, cognitive decline, and aging. Despite the ubiquitous association of caveolin-1 in various pathological processes, the mechanisms associated with these events are still unclear. Caveolin- 1 has a significant role in various events of the viral cycle, such as viral entry. This review will summarize the role of cav-1 in the development of cancer, neurodegeneration, glaucoma, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases. The therapeutic perspectives involving clinical applications of Caveolin-1 have also been discussed. The understanding of the involvement of caveolin-1 in various diseased states provides insights into how it can be explored as a novel therapeutic target.

The world-wide rate of incidence of cancer disease has been only modestly contested by the past and current preventive and interventional strategies. Hence, the global effort towards novel ideas to contain the disease still continues. Constituents of human diets have in recent years emerged as key regulators of carcinogenesis, with studies reporting their inhibitory potential against all the three stages vis-a-vis initiation, promotion and progression. Unlike drugs which usually act on single targets, these dietary factors have an advantage of multi-targeted effects and pleiotropic action mechanisms, which are effective against cancer that manifest as a micro-evolutionary and multi-factorial disease. Since most of the cellular targets have been identified and their consumption considered relatively safe, these diet-derived agents often appear as molecules of interest in repurposing strategies. Currently, many of these molecules are being investigated for their ability to influence the aberrant alterations in cell's epigenome for epigenetic therapy against cancer. Targeting the epigenetic regulators is a new paradigm in cancer chemoprevention which acts to reverse the warped-up epigenetic alterations in a cancer cell, thereby directing it towards a normal phenotype. In this review, we discuss the significance of dietary factors and natural products as chemopreventive agents. Further, we corroborate the experimental evidence from existing literature, reflecting the ability of a series of such molecules to act as epigenetic modifiers in cancer cells, by interfering with molecular events that map the epigenetic imprints such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation and non-coding RNA mediated gene regulation.

The role of epigenetics in the etiology of cancer progression is being emphasized for the past two decades to check the impact of chromatin modifiers and remodelers. Histone modifications, DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, nucleosome positioning, regulation by non-coding RNAs and precisely microRNAs are influential epigenetic marks in the field of progressive cancer sub-types. Furthermore, constant epigenetic changes due to hyper or hypomethylation could efficiently serve as effective biomarkers of cancer diagnosis and therapeutic development. Ongoing research in the field of epigenetics has resulted in the resolutory role of various epigenetic markers and their inhibition using specific inhibitors to arrest their key cellular functions in in-vitro and pre-clinical studies. Although, the mechanism of epigenetics in cancer largely remains unexplored. Nevertheless, various advancements in the field of epigenetics have been made through transcriptome analysis and in-vitro genome targeting technologies to unravel the applicability of epigenetic markers for future cancer therapeutics and management. Therefore, this review emphasizes on recent advances in epigenetic landscapes that could be targeted/explored using novel approaches as personalized treatment modalities for cancer containment.

This study evaluated and compared the expression of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) in epithelial cells and fibroblasts of oral leukoplakia (OL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) using normal oral mucosa as a control.The expression of SPARC was determined in samples of normal oral mucosa (n = 12), OL without dysplasia (n = 31), OL with dysplasia (n = 54), and OSCC (n = 69) using immunohistochemistry. The percentage of positive cells in epithelial cells and fibroblasts was independently evaluated.Epithelial SPARC was found in 33.3%, 35.5%, 25.9%, and 66.7% of normal oral mucosa, OL without dysplasia, OL with dysplasia, and OSCC, respectively. Fibroblast SPARC was found in 50.0%, 29.0%, 46.3%, and 84.1% of normal oral mucosa, OL without dysplasia, OL with dysplasia, and OSCC, respectively. OSCC had higher epithelial and fibroblast SPARC expression than normal oral mucosa, OL without dysplasia, and OL with dysplasia (P.05). No significant differences were observed in epithelial and fibroblast SPARC among normal oral mucosa or OL with and without dysplasia.Overexpression of epithelial and fibroblast SPARC was observed in OSCC but not in OL, suggesting that SPARC is involved in the late stage of oral carcinogenesis.

Contains fulltext : 283431.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Aberrations in nuclear size and shape are commonly used to identify cancerous tissue. However, it remains unclear whether the disturbed nuclear structure directly contributes to the cancer pathology or is merely a consequence of other events occurring during tumorigenesis. Here, we show that highly invasive and proliferative breast cancer cells frequently exhibit Akt-driven lower expression of the nuclear envelope proteins lamin A/C, leading to increased nuclear deformability that permits enhanced cell migration through confined environments that mimic interstitial spaces encountered during metastasis. Importantly, increasing lamin A/C expression in highly invasive breast cancer cells reflected gene expression changes characteristic of human breast tumors with higher LMNA expression, and specifically affected pathways related to cell-ECM interactions, cell metabolism, and PI3K/Akt signaling. Further supporting an important role of lamins in breast cancer metastasis, analysis of lamin levels in human breast tumors revealed a significant association between lower lamin A levels, Akt signaling, and decreased disease-free survival. These findings suggest that downregulation of lamin A/C in breast cancer cells may influence both cellular physical properties and biochemical signaling to promote metastatic progression.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and remains the second leading cause of cancer death. While breast cancer mortality has steadily declined over the past decades through medical advances, an alarming disparity in breast cancer mortality has emerged between African American women (AAW) and Caucasian American women (CAW); and new evidence suggests more aggressive behavior of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in AAW may contribute to racial differences in tumor biology and mortality. Progesterone (PRG) is capable of exerting its cellular effects through either its classic, non-classic or combined responses through binding to either classic nuclear PRG receptors (nPRs) or non-classic membrane PRG receptors (mPRs), warranting both pathways an equally important status in PRG-mediated signaling. In our previous report, we demonstrated that the CCM signaling complex (CSC) consisting of CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3 proteins can couple both nPRs and mPRs signaling cascades to form a CSC-mPRs-PRG-nPRs (CmPn) signaling network in nPR positive(+) breast cancer cells. In this report, we furthered our research by establishing the CSC-mPRs-PRG (CmP) signaling network in nPR(-) breast cancer cells, demonstrating that a common core mechanism exists, regardless of nPR(+/-) cell type. This is the first report stating that inducible expression patterns exist between CCMs and major mPRs in TNBC cells. Furthermore, we firstly show mPRs in TNBC cells are localized in the nucleus and participate in nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in a coordinately synchronized fashion with CCM proteins under steroid actions, following the same cellular distribution as other well-defined steroid hormone receptors. Finally, for the first time, we deconvoluted the CmP signalosome by using multi-omics approaches, which helped us understand key factors within the CmP network, and identify 21 specific biomarkers with potential clinical applications associated with AAW-TNBC tumorigenesis. These novel biomarkers could have immediate clinical implications to dramatically improve health disparities among AAW-TNBCs.

Abstract: The prevalence of obesity continues to increase to the extent that it became a worldwide pandemic. An accumulating body of evidence has associated obesity with the development of different types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, which is a notorious disease with a high mortality rate. At the molecular level, colorectal cancer is a heterogenous disease characterized by a myriad of genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with various forms of genomic instability (detailed in Supplementary Materials). Recently, the microenvironment has emerged as a major factor in carcinogenesis. Our aim is to define the different molecular alterations leading to the development of colorectal cancer in obese patients with a focus on the role of the microenvironment in carcinogenesis. We also highlight all existent molecules in clinical trials that target the activated pathways in obesity-associated colorectal cancer, whether used as single treatments or in combination. Obesity predisposes to colorectal cancer via creating a state of chronic inflammation with dysregulated adipokines, inflammatory mediators, and other factors such as immune cell infiltration. A unifying theme in obesity-mediated colorectal cancer is the activation of the PI3K/AKT, mTOR/MAPK, and STAT3 signaling pathways. Different inhibitory molecules towards these pathways exist, increasing the therapeutic choice of obesity-associated colon cancer. However, obese patients are more likely to suffer from chemotherapy overdosing. Preventing obesity through maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle remains to be the best remedy.

Abstract: miRNA-129-5p belongs to the microRNA-129 (miRNA-129) family. miRNA-129-5p is expressed in many tissues and organs of the human body, and it regulates a wide range of biological functions. The abnormal expression of miRNA-129-5p is related to the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors. miRNA-129-5p plays an important role in the tumorigenesis process and functions by promoting or inhibiting tumors. However, the role of miRNA-129-5p in cancer remains controversial. This article reviews the different biological functions of miRNA- 129-5p in cancer and provides ideas for research in this field to guide the development of targeted therapies and drugs for malignant tumors.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers presented an alarmingly high number of new cancer cases worldwide and are highly characterised by poor prognosis. The poor overall survival is mainly due to late detection and emerging challenges in treatment, particularly chemoresistance. Thus, the identification of novel molecular targets in GI cancer is highly regarded as the main focus. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered as potential novel molecular targets for combating cancer, as they are highly associated with carcinogenesis and have a great impact on cancer progression. Amongst lncRNAs, HOTTIP has demonstrated a prominent oncogenic regulation in cancer progression, particularly in GI cancers, including oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. This review aimed to present a focused update on the regulatory roles of HOTTIP in GI cancer progression and chemoresistance, as well as deciphering the associated molecular mechanisms underlying their impact on cancer phenotypes and chemoresistance and the key molecules involved. It has been reported that it regulates the expression of various genes and proteins in GI cancers that impact cellular functions, including proliferation, adhesion, migration and invasion, apoptosis, chemosensitivity, and tumour differentiation. Furthermore, HOTTIP was also discovered to have a higher diagnostic value as compared to existing diagnostic biomarkers. Overall, HOTTIP has presented itself as a novel therapeutic target and potential diagnostic biomarker in the development of GI cancer treatment.

Introduction and aims Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent cancer worldwide. Many risk factors are involved, and current evidence links the gut microbiota and colorectal carcinogenesis. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is proposed as one of the risk factors at the onset and during the progression of CRC, due to immune system and inflammatory modulation. Materials and methods Ninety samples from three different regions of the colon were collected through colonoscopy in patients with CRC, and qPCR TagMan® was conducted to detect F. nucleatum and cytokines (IL-17, IL-23, and IL-10) in tumor, peritumor, and normal samples. The differences between them were analyzed and correlated. Results The abundance of F. nucleatum determined through the 2-ΔΔCt method in CRC (7.750 [5.790-10.469]) was significantly higher than in the normal control (0.409 [0.251-0.817]) (p 0.05). Conclusions CRC is a heterogeneous disease that presents and progresses in a complex microenvironment, partially due to gut microbiome imbalance. F. nucleatum was enriched in CRC tissue, but whether that is a cause of the pathology or a consequence, has not yet been clearly defined.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise short non-coding RNAs that function in regulating the expression of tumor suppressors or oncogenes and modulate oncogenic signaling pathways in cancer. miRNAs expression alters significantly in several tumor tissues and cancer cell lines. For example, miR-106b functions as an oncogene and increases in multiple cancers. The miR-106b directly targets genes involved in tumorigenesis, proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastases. This review has focused on the miR-106b function and its downstream target in different cancers and provide perspective into how miR-106 regulates cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastases by regulating the tumor suppressor genes. Since miRNAs-based therapies are currently being developed to enhance cancer therapy outcomes, miR-106b could be an attractive and prospective candidate in different cancer types for detection, diagnosis, and prognosis assessment in the tumor.

The histone demethylase KDM6A controls gene expression by the epigenetic regulation of H3K27 methylation and functions in diverse processes, including differentiation, development, and cancer. Here, we investigated the role of KDM6A in prostate cancer. Specific deletion of KDM6A in the adult mouse prostate epithelium strongly inhibited tumor progression initiated by the loss of PTEN. Mechanistically, KDM6A promoted prostate tumorigenesis and lipid metabolism by binding to the SREBP1c promoter to increase SREBP1c transcription. USP7 deubiquitinated KDM6A to increase its expression. KDM6A was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer and positively associated with USP7 expression. Furthermore, targeting KDM6A stability by inhibiting USP7 in conditional knockout mice and xenograft models markedly suppressed prostate cancer growth and significantly enhanced KDM6A inhibitor efficacy. Collectively, these findings indicate that KDM6A regulates prostate lipid metabolism and is essential for prostate tumorigenesis initiated by PTEN loss. Targeting USP7/KDM6A could be a valuable strategy to ameliorate prostate cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. Significance: These findings show that KDM6A supports prostate tumorigenesis by promoting SREBP1c-mediated lipid metabolism, proposing targeting the USP7/KDM6A axis as a therapeutic strategy for treating prostate cancer.

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) are a commonly observed histological feature of human tumors and are particularly prominent in late stage and drug resistant cancers. The chromosomal duplication conferred by their aneuploidy gives rise to DNA damage resistance and complex tumor cell karyotypes, a driving factor in chemotherapy resistance and disease relapse. Furthermore, PGCCs also exhibit key cytoskeletal features that give rise to a distinct biophysical phenotype, including increased density of polymerized actin and vimentin intermediate filaments, nuclear and cytoskeletal stiffening, increased traction force, and migratory persistence. Despite recent research highlighting the role PGCCs play in cancer progression, this population of tumor cells remains poorly characterized in terms of their biophysical properties. In this review, we will discuss the various aspects of their biomolecular phenotype, such as increased stemness as well as a mixed EMT signature. These features have been extensively associated with tumorigenesis and recurrence, and aggressive cancers. Additionally, we will also examine the distinct PGCC cytoskeletal features of actin and filamentous vimentin. Specifically, how the differential organization of these networks serve to support their increased size and drive migratory persistence. These findings could shed light on potential therapeutic strategies that allow for specific elimination or mitigation of the invasive potential of these polyploid cancer cells. Lastly, we will examine how the biophysical and molecular phenotype of PGCCs combine to tip the scale in favor of promoting cancer progression, presenting an important target in the clinical treatment of cancer.

BACKGROUND: SIRT1 is a multifunctional protein, possibly essential in tumorigenesis pathways, which can act both as a tumor promoter and tumor suppressor depending on the oncogenes, specific to particular tumors. Pathogenesis of laryngeal cancer is multifactorial and the association of SIRT1 expression with the clinical characteristics and prognosis of LSCC has not been fully identified. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to evaluate associations between single gene nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SIRT1 (rs3818292, rs3758391, and rs7895833), serum SIRT1 levels, and 5-year survival rate in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS: The study involved 302 patients with LSCC and 409 healthy control subjects. The genotyping of SNPs was performed using RT-PCR, and serum SIRT1 levels were determined by the ELISA method. RESULTS: Our study found significant differences in genotype distributions of SIRT1 rs3758391 polymorphisms between the study groups. SIRT1 rs3758391 T/T genotype was associated with the increased LSCC development odds (OR = 1.960 95% CI = 1.028–3.737; p= 0.041). Carriers of SIRT1 rs3758391 T/T genotype had statistically significantly increased odds of LSCC development into advanced stages under the codominant and recessive genetic models (OR = 2.387 95% CI = 1.091–5.222; p= 0.029 and OR = 2.287 95% CI = 1.070–4.888; p= 0.033, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in serum SIRT1 levels between the LSCC and control groups. However, LSCC patients with SIRT1 rs3818292 AG genotype demonstrated a tendency to significantly lower SIRT1 serum levels than controls (p= 0.034). No statistically significant associations between SIRT1 (rs3818292, rs3758391, and rs7895833) SNPs and the 5-year survival rate of LSCC patients were found. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated a statistically significant association between the SIRT1 rs3758391 T/T genotype and increased LSCC development odds. LSCC patients with SIRT1 rs3818292 AG genotype showed a tendency to manifest with lower SIRT1 serum levels. No associations between SIRT1 SNPs and the 5-year survival rate of LSCC patients were detected.

Rapid progress in molecular cancer biology coupled with the discovery of novel oncology drugs has opened new horizons for cancer target discovery. As one of the crucial signaling pathways related to tumorigenesis, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) coordinates the activity of many transcription factors and their downstream molecules that impact tumor growth and metastasis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the transcriptional responses to acute hypoxia are mainly attributable to HIF-1α. Moreover, the overexpression of HIF-1α in several solid cancers has been found to be strongly associated with poor prognosis. Thus, pharmacological targeting of the HIF-1 signaling pathways has been considered as a new strategy for cancer therapy in the recent years. Although over the past decade, tremendous efforts have been made in preclinical studies to develop new HIF-1 inhibitors from natural products (reservoirs of novel therapeutic agents), to date, these efforts have not been successfully translated into clinically available treatments. In this review, we provide new insights into the bio-pharmacological considerations for selecting natural compounds as potential HIF-1 inhibitors to accelerate anti-cancer drug development. In addition, we highlighted the importance of assessing the dependency of cancer on HIF1A to shortlist cancer types as suitable disease models. This may subsequently lead to new paradigms for discovering more HIF-1 inhibitors derived from natural products and facilitate the development of potent therapeutic agents targeting specific cancer types.

Mutational signatures help identify cancer-associated genes that are being involved in tumorigenesis pathways. Hence, these pathways guide precision medicine approaches to find appropriate drugs and treatments. The pattern of mutations varies in different cancer types. Some mutations dysregulate protein function so that their accumulation is responsible for cancer development and might be associated with different cancer types. Therefore, mutations as a feature set can be used as an informative candidate to distinguish various cancer types. There are several options for demonstrating mutations. One might employ binary values to demonstrate mutation regions. Another potential method for extracting features is utilizing mutation interpreters. In this study, we investigate the trinucleotide mutational pattern of each cancer type. Moreover, we extract salient NMF-based mutational signatures across various cancer types. Then, we identify cancer-associated genes of a target cancer based on its salient signatures. We evaluate the cancer-associated genes using survival and gene expression analysis in different stages of cancer. Furthermore, we introduce DiaDeL, which is a deep learning-based binary classifier. The DiaDeL model uses mutational signatures as input features and distinct a cancer type from the others. Our proposed model outperforms six state-of-the-art methods with 0.824 and 0.88 for accuracy and AUC, respectively. The source code is available at https://github.com/sabdollahi/DiaDeL.

The BRCA1-PALB2-BRCA2 axis, or the BRCA pathway, plays key roles in genome stability maintenance and suppression of breast and several other cancers. Due to frequent p53 mutations in human BRCA1 breast cancers and mouse mammary tumors from Brca1, Brca2 and Palb2 conditional knockout models, it is often thought that p53 inactivation accelerates BRCA1/2 and PALB2-associated tumorigenesis. Here, we studied tumor development in mice with a mutation in Palb2 that disengages the PALB2-BRCA1 interaction in different Trp53 backgrounds. Rather than mammary tumors, Palb2 and Trp53 compound mutant mice developed, with greatly reduced latencies, lymphomas and sarcomas that are typically associated with germline Trp53 inactivation. Whole exome sequencing failed to identify any significant differences in genomic features between the same tumor types of Trp53 single mutant and Palb2;Trp53 compound mutant mice. These results suggest that loss of the BRCA pathway accelerates p53-associated tumor development, possibly without altering the fundamental tumorigenic processes.

Dickkopf1 (DKK1) was originally identified as a secreted protein that antagonizes Wnt signaling. Although DKK1 is essential for the developmental process, its functions in postnatal and adult life are unclear. However, evidence is accumulating that DKK1 is involved in tumorigenesis in a manner unrelated to Wnt signaling. In addition, recent studies have revealed that DKK1 may control immune reactions, although the relationship of this to Wnt signaling is unknown. Other DKK family members, DKK2-4, are likely to have their own functions. Here, we review the possible novel functions of DKKs. We summarize the characteristics of receptors of DKKs and the signaling mechanisms through DKKs and their receptors, provide evidence showing that DKKs are involved in tumor aggressiveness independently of Wnt signaling, and emphasize promising cancer therapies targeting DKKs and receptors. Lastly, we discuss various physiological and pathological processes controlled by DKKs.

Mushrooms, both edible and medicinal have received considerable attention against cancer due to their polysaccharides, polysaccharides-protein complexes and low molecular weight secondary metabolites content. Every year, millions of people die because of this disease. Existing cancer therapies are poised with questions of efficacy, toxicity and adverse effects, hence justifying the search for finding new, alternative and efficient means to fend off the disease. Mushrooms and their derived active molecules can prevent oncogenesis and tumour metastasis via directly inhibiting tumour cells growth or indirectly improving immunity functions and by acting as chemotherapy adjuvants. While the mechanisms of such effects are not fully known, the roles of the bioactive compounds on cell signaling pathways involved in the promotion and progression of the disease appear to be key, particularly in view of their role(s) in multiple cellular processes, including cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. This review discusses the aberrant cell signaling pathways involved in inhibition of tumour cell growth as target for mushrooms and their bioactive compounds as well as the associated challenges for the molecules therein to be successfully considered as preventive/therapeutic agents against cancer.

A small percentage of bladder cancers in the general population have been found to harbor DNA viruses. In contrast, up to 25% of tumors of solid organ transplant recipients, who are at an increased risk of developing bladder cancer and have overall poorer outcome, harbor BK polyomavirus (BKPyV). To better understand the biology of the tumors and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis from potential oncoviruses, we performed whole genome and transcriptome sequencing on bladder cancer specimens from 43 transplant patients. Nearly half of tumors from this patient population contained viral sequences. The most common were from BKPyV (N=9, 21%), JC polyomavirus (N=7, 16%), carcinogenic human papillomaviruses (N=3, 7%), and torque teno viruses (N=5, 12%). Immunohistochemistry revealed variable Large T antigen expression in BKPyV-positive tumors ranging from 100% positive staining of tumor tissue to less than 1%. In most cases of BKPyV-positive tumors, the viral genome appeared to be clonally integrated into the host chromosome consistent with microhomology-mediated end joining and coincided with focal amplifications of the tumor genome similar to other virus-mediated cancers. Significant changes in host gene expression consistent with the functions of BKPyV Large T antigen were also observed in these tumors. Lastly, we identified four mutation signatures in our cases with those attributable to APOBEC3 and SBS5 being the most abundant. Mutation signatures associated with the antiviral drug, ganciclovir, and aristolochic acid, a nephrotoxic compound found in some herbal medicines, were also observed. The results suggest multiple pathways to carcinogenesis in solid organ transplant recipients with a large fraction being virus-associated.Author SummarySolid organ transplant recipients are at a significantly increases risk for developing bladder cancer compared to the general population, suggesting a potential infectious origin to these tumors. This study identifies that BK polyomavirus, JC polyomavirus, human papillomaviruses, and anelloviruses are commonly found in bladder tumors of solid organ transplant recipients. In most cases when detected, BK polyomavirus is integrated into the tumor genome and associates with genomic structural changes and distinct gene expression through the activity of viral oncogenes. Additionally, mutational signature analysis suggests that a subset of tumors of solid organ transplant recipients develop through distinct mutagenic processes compared to the general population. Together these results indicate multiple distinct mechanisms of carcinogenesis in bladder cancers of solid organ transplant recipients that may have implications for prevention, treatment, and outcome.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and a prime target of cell therapies. In fact, aborted fetal tissue has been used as donor material for such therapies since the 1980s. These cell therapies, however, suffer from several problems, such as a short supply of donor materials, quality instability of the tissues, and ethical restrictions. The advancement of stem cell technologies has enabled the production of donor cells from pluripotent stem cells with unlimited scale, stable quality, and less ethical problems. Several research groups have established protocols to induce dopamine neural progenitors from pluripotent stem cells in a clinically compatible manner and confirmed efficacy and safety in non-clinical studies. Based on the results from these non-clinical studies, several clinical trials of pluripotent stem cell-based therapies for PD have begun. In the context of immune rejection, there are several modes of stem cell-based therapies: autologous transplantation, allogeneic transplantation without human leukocyte antigen-matching, and allogeneic transplantation with matching. In this mini-review, several practical points of stem cell-based therapies for PD are discussed.

Purpose: Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is known to promote carcinogenesis and cancer progression in colon cancer. Enzymes involved in the metabolism of PGE2 include cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), and 15-prostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH). The current study aims to determine how PGE2 is expressed by examining patients with colorectal cancer and evaluating colon cancer cells to gain insight into changes in relevant enzymes upon induction of PGE2.Methods: The concentration of PGE2 was measured in tumor tissues and adjacent normal mucosal tissues of 26 patients with colon cancer. The expression of COX-1, COX-2, mPGES-1, and 15-PGDH proteins was measured. The concentration of PGE2 in FET colon cancer cells was measured both in the initial status and after stimulation by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The expression levels of PGE2-related enzymes were measured as well.Results: There was no significant difference in the average concentration of PGE2, which was measured at 453.1 pg/mL in cancer tissues and 401.2 pg/mL in normal mucosa. Among PGE2-related enzymes, 15-PGDH was expressed at a lower level in tumor cells than in normal mucosa. In colon cancer cells, PGE2 was found to be upregulated upon stimulation by TNF-α, which led to strong induction of mPGES-1 without any change in the expression of COX-2 among the PGE2-related enzymes.Conclusion: These results demonstrated that PGE2 can be induced by stimuli such as TNF-α, and suggest that activation of mPGES-1 is more closely related than that of COX-2 in the induction of PGE2 on colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most common human malignancies, is a leading cause of the cancer-related mortality. 5-FU is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent against CRC. Although CRC patients responded to 5-FU therapy initially, a part of patients succumbed to CRC due to the acquired drug resistance. Thus, investigating molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance will contribute to developing novel strategies against colorectal cancer. OBJECTIVE: Accumulation evidence revealed pivotal roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance of CRC. However, the precise roles and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA-HCG11 in CRC remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the biological roles and underlying mechanisms of HCG11 as well as its molecular targets in regulating the cellular metabolism processes, which facilitate the chemoresistance of CRC. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study uncovers that HCG11 was significantly upregulated in CRC tumors tissues and cell lines. Moreover, HCG11 was elevated in 5-FU resistant CRC tumors. Silencing HCG11 inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and glucose metabolism and sensitized CRC cells to 5-FU. In addition, we detected increased HCG11 expression level and glucose metabolism in the established 5-FU resistant CRC cell line (DLD-1 5-FU Res). Furthermore, microRNA-microArray, RNA pull-down and luciferase assays demonstrated that HCG11 inhibited miR-144-3p which displays suppressive roles in colon cancer via sponging it to form a ceRNA network. We identified pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4), which is a glucose metabolism key enzyme, was directly targeted by miR-144-3p in CRC cells. Rescue studies validated that the miR-144-3p-inhibited glucose metabolism and 5-FU sensitization were through targeting PDK4. Finally, restoration of miR-144-3p in HCG11-overexpressing DLD-1 5-FU resistant cells successfully overcame the HCG11-faciliated 5-FU resistance via targeting PDK4. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study reveals critical roles and molecular mechanisms of the HCG11-mediated 5-FU resistance through modulating the miR-144-3p-PDK4-glucose metabolism pathway in CRC.

Background/purpose Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common types of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Accurate biomarkers are needed for early diagnosis and prognosis of OSCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have shown great values in different types of cancers including OSCC. However, most of the miRNAs involved in the development of OSCC remain uncovered. This study aimed to identify hub miRNAs and mRNAs in OSCC. Materials and methods We explored the roles of key miRNAs, target genes and their relationships in OSCC using an integrated bioinformatics approach. Initially, Two OSCC microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were obtained to analyze miRNA expression. MiRNA-targeted mRNAs were acquired, and gene ontology/kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses were performed. Thereafter, we constructed a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network to identify hub genes and a miRNA-mRNA interaction network was used to identify key miRNAs. Furthermore, differential gene expression and Kaplan–Meier Plotter survival analysis was performed to evaluate their potential clinical application values. Results Four upregulated, two downregulated miRNAs and 608 target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. The PPI and miRNA-mRNA interaction networks highlighted 10 hub genes and two key miRNAs, and pathway analyses showed their correlative involvement in tumorigenesis-related processes. Of these miRNAs and genes, miR-125b, β-actin, vinculin and histone deacetylase 1 were correlated with overall survival (P Conclusion These findings indicate that miR-21 and miR-125b, associated with the 10 hub genes, jointly participate in OSCC tumorigenesis, offering insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying OSCC as potential targets for early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Breast neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) constitute a rare histologic subtype that includes both neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs). In this study, we aimed to gain insight into the clinical and molecular characteristics of NENs of the breast. NEN and paired distant normal fresh tissues and clinicopathological data were obtained from 17 patients with NENs, and clinicopathological data were collected from 755 patients with invasive breast carcinomas of no special type (IBCs-NST). We compared the clinicopathological characteristics of NENs and IBCs-NST and performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) of both NEN and paired normal tissues. Compared with the IBC-NST patients, the NEN patients had a higher mean age, lower clinical stage, and lower pathological nodal (pN) stage (P

Introduction Breast carcinoma (BC) is one of the most common cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. S100A9 and S100A8 are calcium-binding proteins involved in BC metastasis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are membrane-bound proteins that play a vital role in immune systems and carcinogenesis through inflammatory cytokines. Objectives We aimed to evaluate of S100A8, S100A9 and TLR5 in breast carcinoma by IHC, their gene expression by PCR and investigate their correlation with clinicopathological characters and hormone status. Materials and methods This study was done in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Pathology Departments, Zagazig University, Egypt. Biopsy was taken from 72 patients with invasive breast carcinoma cases admitted to Surgery Department, Zagazig University, between January 2018 and January 2021. 72 breast biopsies were obtained from adjacent normal breast (as a control). IHC, gene expression by q real-time PCR using S100A8, S100A9 and TRL5. Results Positive S100A8, S100A9, TLR5 were 81.9%, 76.4%, 86.1% respectively with statistically significant association between advanced stage, presence of lymph node metastasis, ER.PR status and HER2 negative expression. Conclusiones Based on our findings, we postulated that S100A8, S100A9, TLR5 play an important role in progression of BC and can be used as novel molecular targets for earlier BC detection and prediction for future therapies in breast carcinoma.

Background: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), originally reported as an inflammation regulating molecule, is elevated in various cancer cells, which may promote carcinogenesis. Meanwhile, ISO-1 is a potent small molecular inhibitor of MIF, which has not been investigated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), hence the impact of ISO-1 on NPC cells remains to be illustrated. Objective: This study intended to explore the biological function of ISO-1 in NPC cells in vitro and prove a possibility of ISO-1 being a novel agent in NPC treatments. Methods: Gene expression of MIF in Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Nasal pharyngeal tissues were collected from adult patients undergoing nasopharyngeal biopsy for MIF level detection. Proliferation of NPC cell lines 5-8B and 6-10B was studied using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and plate-colony-formation assay, apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining, migration and invasion capacities were measured by wound-healing assay and transwell assay, all to explore the function of ISO-1 in NPC cells in vitro. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) level of NPC cells was determined by Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay. Results: Transcript level of MIF was significantly higher in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Protein MIF was overexpressed in human NPC tissues compared to non-cancerous ones, and its expression could be compromised by ISO-1 in vitro. 100μM ISO-1 significantly hindered NPC cells' migration and invasion capacities in vitro but acted relatively poorly on proliferation and apoptosis. Immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting implied a downregulated EMT level through TGF-β/Smad4 axis in ISO-1 treated NPC cells compared to the vehicle Conclusion: This study indicated that MIF antagonist ISO-1 holds an impact on NPC progression by influencing the migration and invasion of NPC cells ISO-1 inhibits the EMT process of NPC cells through TGF-β/Smad4 axis, supporting that prudent application of ISO-1 may be a potential adjuvant treatment for NPC.

Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the methionine salvage pathway, which recycles one carbon unit that is lost during polyamine synthesis back into the methionine cycle. Although MTAP deficiency has been reported in various tumours, MTAP is overexpressed and might promote oncogenesis in other cancers, including prostate and colon cancer. Currently, little is known about the MTAP status of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we immunohistochemically examined the expression of MTAP in surgically resected oral epithelial dysplasia (OED, n=7), carcinoma in situ (CIS) (n=16), and OSCC (n=118). In the normal epithelium, MTAP was only weakly expressed in the cytoplasm of the basal layer cells. In OED, CIS, and OSCC, MTAP was uniformly expressed in the cytoplasm of the dysplastic and cancer cells. In addition to cytoplasmic MTAP expression, 45 of 118 cases (38.1%) exhibited increased nuclear expression of MTAP in the cancer cells at the invasive front. Statistical analysis showed that the concomitant nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of MTAP was associated with a high budding score (p=0.0023); poor differentiation (p=0.0044); aggressive invasion patterns (p=0.0001); and features of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), such as loss of E-cadherin expression (p=0.0003) and upregulated expression of vimentin (p=0.0002), slug (p=0.0002), and laminin 5 (p

As one of the hallmarks of cancer, metabolic reprogramming leads to cancer progression, and targeting glycolytic enzymes could be useful strategies for cancer therapy. By screening a small molecule library consisting of 1320 FDA-approved drugs, we found that penfluridol, an antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia, could inhibit glycolysis and induce apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Gene profiling and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis suggested the important role of AMPK in action mechanism of penfluridol. By using drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) technology and proteomics, we identified phosphofructokinase, liver type (PFKL), a key enzyme in glycolysis, as a direct target of penfluridol. Penfluridol could not exhibit its anticancer property in PFKL-deficient cancer cells, illustrating that PFKL is essential for the bioactivity of penfluridol. High PFKL expression is correlated with advanced stages and poor survival of ESCC patients, and silencing of PFKL significantly suppressed tumor growth. Mechanistically, direct binding of penfluridol and PFKL inhibits glucose consumption, lactate and ATP production, leads to nuclear translocation of FOXO3a and subsequent transcriptional activation of BIM in an AMPK-dependent manner. Taken together, PFKL is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC, and penfluridol may be a new therapeutic option for management of this lethal disease.

The dysregulation of transcription factors is widely associated with tumorigenesis. As the most well-defined transcription factor in multiple types of cancer, c-Myc can transform cells by transactivating various downstream genes. Given that there is no effective way to directly inhibit c-Myc, c-Myc targeting strategies hold great potential for cancer therapy. In this study, we found that WSB1, which has a highly positive correlation with c-Myc in 10 cancer cell lines and clinical samples, is a direct target gene of c-Myc, and can positively regulate c-Myc expression, which forms a feedforward circuit promoting cancer development. RNA sequencing results from Bel-7402 cells confirmed that WSB1 promoted c-Myc expression through the β-catenin pathway. Mechanistically, WSB1 affected β-catenin destruction complex-PPP2CA assembly and E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor β-TRCP recruitment, which inhibited the ubiquitination of β-catenin and transactivated c-Myc. Of interest, the effect of WSB1 on c-Myc was independent of its E3 ligase activity. Moreover, overexpressing WSB1 in the Bel-7402 xenograft model could further strengthen the tumor-driven effect of c-Myc overexpression. Thus, our findings revealed a novel mechanism involved in tumorigenesis in which the WSB1/c-Myc feedforward circuit played an essential role, highlighting a potential c-Myc intervention strategy in cancer treatment.

Kinases are pivotal regulators in tumorigenesis and metastasis by modulating the expression of oncogenes and the transcription of antioncogenes directly or indirectly. Correspondingly, multifarious 3-substituted indolin-2-one derivatives as selective kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy exhibited a low nanomolar activity with prominent efficacy, superior response rate and admirable tolerability. Particularly, certain 3-substituted indolin- 2-one derivatives have met the requirements for clinical trials or the pharmaceutical market. Herein, we focus on the traits of 3-substituted indolin-2-one derivatives as kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy, overview recent progress of 3-substituted indolin-2-one derivatives as kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy, analyze the selectivity for tyrosine kinases inhibitors and serine/threonine kinases inhibitors from the molecular aspects based on the molecular docking studies, summarize the structure-activity relationships (SARs) as selective kinase inhibitors and provide our perspectives for the development of 3- substituted indolin-2-one derivatives as kinase inhibitors for cancer therapy.

Various subunits of mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes display loss-of-function mutations characteristic of tumor suppressors in different cancers, but an additional role for SWI/SNF supporting cell survival in distinct cancer contexts is emerging. In particular, genetic dependence on the catalytic subunit BRG1/SMARCA4 has been observed in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), yet the feasibility of direct therapeutic targeting of SWI/SNF catalytic activity in leukemia remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the activity of dual BRG1/BRM ATPase inhibitors across a genetically diverse panel of cancer cell lines and observed that hematopoietic cancer cell lines were among the most sensitive compared with other lineages. This result was striking in comparison with data from pooled short hairpin RNA screens, which showed that only a subset of leukemia cell lines display sensitivity to BRG1 knockdown. We demonstrate that combined genetic knockdown of BRG1 and BRM is required to recapitulate the effects of dual inhibitors, suggesting that SWI/SNF dependency in human leukemia extends beyond a predominantly BRG1-driven mechanism. Through gene expression and chromatin accessibility studies, we show that the dual inhibitors act at genomic loci associated with oncogenic transcription factors, and observe a downregulation of leukemic pathway genes, including MYC, a well-established target of BRG1 activity in AML. Overall, small-molecule inhibition of BRG1/BRM induced common transcriptional responses across leukemia models resulting in a spectrum of cellular phenotypes. Implications: Our studies reveal the breadth of SWI/SNF dependency in leukemia and support targeting SWI/SNF catalytic function as a potential therapeutic strategy in AML.