The potential of gas plasma technology for targeting breast cancer

Comprehensive studies on the biological activities of human metastatic (MDA-MB-231) and non-metastatic (MCF-7) breast cancer cell lines, directly or combinedly treated using non-thermal plasma-based approaches

Progressive incidence and a pessimistic survival rate of breast cancer in women worldwide remains one of the most concerning topics. Progressing research indicates a potentially high effectiveness of use cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) systems. The undoubted advantage seems its simplicity in combination with other anti-cancer modalities. Following observed trend of studies, one inventory CAP system was applied to directly treat human breast cancer cell lines and culturing in two different Plasma Activated Media (PAM) for combined utilization. Proposed CAP treatments on MCF-10 A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines were studied in terms of impact on cell viability by MTT assay. Disturbances in cell motility following direct and combined CAP application were assessed by scratch test. Finally, the induction of apoptosis and necrosis was verified with annexin V and propidium iodide staining. Reactive species generated during CAP treatment were determined based on optical emission spectrometry analysis along with colorimetric methods to qualitatively assess the NO2-, NO3-, H2O2, and total ROS with free radicals concentration. The most effective approach for CAP utilization was combined treatment, leading to significant disruption in cell viability, motility and mostly apoptosis induction in breast cancer cell lines. Determined CAP dose allows for mild outcome, showing insignificant harm for the non-cancerous MCF-10 A cell line, while the highly aggressive MDA-MB-231 cell line shows the highest sensitivity on proposed CAP treatment. Direct CAP treatment seems to drive the cells into the sensitive state in which the effectiveness of PAM is boosted. Observed anti-cancer response of CAP treatment was mostly triggered by RNS (mostly NO2- ions) and ROS along with free radicals (such as H2O2, OH•, O2-•, 1O2, HO2•). The combined application of one CAP source represent a promising alternative in the development of new and effective modalities for breast cancer treatment.

Necroptosis-related KLRB1 was a potent tumor suppressor and immunotherapy determinant in breast cancer

Breast cancer is a multifaceted and diverse illness that impacts millions of people globally. Identifying the underlying causes of BRCA and creating efficient treatment plans are urgent. Necroptosis is widely involved in cancer development. However, the specific roles of necroptosis in cancer immunotherapy of breast cancer have not been explored. In this study, we aim to establish the connection between necroptosis and immunotherapy in BRCA. TCGA, METABRIC, GSE103091, GSE159956, and GSE96058 were included for bioinformatics analysis. NMF and CoxBoost algorithms were used to develop the necroptosis-related patterns and model, respectively. A necroptosis-related model was developed and determined KLRB1 as a critical tumor suppressor by in vitro validation. The mutation characteristics, immune characteristics, and molecular functions of KLRB1 were explored. We further examined how necroptosis-related KLRB1 functions in BRCA as a powerful tumor suppressor and regulates the activity of macrophages by in vitro validation, including CCK8, EdU, and Transwell assays. KLRB1 was also revealed to be an immunotherapy determinant.

Development of a novel prognostic signature based on single-cell combined bulk RNA analysis in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC), a malignant tumor, is a significant cause of death and disability among women globally. Recent research indicates that copy number variation plays a crucial role in tumor development. In this study, we employed the Single-Cell Variational Aneuploidy Analysis (SCEVAN) algorithm to differentiate between malignant and non-malignant cells, aiming to identify genetic signatures with prognostic relevance for predicting patient survival.

METHODS

We analyzed gene expression profiles and associated clinical data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. Using the SCEVAN algorithm, we distinguished malignant from non-malignant cells and investigated cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). We categorized TCGA samples based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between these cell types. Subsequent Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis was conducted. Additionally, we developed polygenic models for the DEGs using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-penalized Cox regression analysis. To assess the prognostic accuracy of these characteristics, we generated Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic curves from training and validation datasets. We also monitored the expression variations of prognostic genes across the pseudotime of malignant cells. Patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on median risk scores to compare their TME and identify potential therapeutic agents. Lastly, polymerase chain reaction was used to validate seven pivotal genes.

RESULTS

The SCEVAN algorithm identified distinct malignant and non-malignant cells in GSE180286. Cellchat analysis revealed significantly increased cellular communication, particularly between fibroblasts, endothelial cells and malignant cells. The DEGs were predominantly involved in immune-related pathways. TCGA samples were classified into clusters A and B based on these genes. Cluster A, enriched in immune pathways, was associated with poorer prognosis, whereas cluster B, predominantly involved in circadian rhythm pathways, showed better outcomes. We constructed a 14-gene prognostic signature, validated in a 1:1 internal TCGA cohort and external GEO datasets (GSE42568 and GSE146558). Kaplan-Meier analysis confirmed the prognostic signature's accuracy (p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated the predictive reliability of these prognostic features. Single-cell pseudotime analysis with monocle2 highlighted the distinct expression trends of these genes in malignant cells, underscoring the intratumoral heterogeneity. Furthermore, we explored the differences in TME between high- and low-risk groups and identified 16 significantly correlated drugs.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the 14-gene prognostic signature could serve as a novel biomarker for forecasting the prognosis of BC patients. Additionally, the immune cells and pathways in different risk groups indicate that immunotherapy may be a crucial component of treatment strategies for BC patients.

Cold Atmospheric Helium Plasma in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Promising Tool for the Disinfection of Silicone Endotracheal Prostheses

Despite the excellent properties of silicone endotracheal prostheses, their main limitation is the formation of a polymicrobial biofilm on their surfaces. It can cause local inflammation, interfering with the local healing process and leading to further complications in the clinical scenario. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on multispecies biofilms grown on the silicone protheses' surfaces. In addition to silicone characterization before and after CAP exposure, CAP cytotoxicity on immortalized human bronchial epithelium cell line (BEAS-2B) was evaluated. The aging time test reported that CAP could temporarily change the silicone surface wetting characteristics from hydrophilic (80.5°) to highly hydrophilic (<5°). ATR-FTIR showed no significant alterations in the silicone surficial chemical composition after CAP exposure for 5 min. A significant log reduction in viable cells in monospecies biofilms (log CFU/mL) of C. albicans, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa (0.636, 0.738, and 1.445, respectively) was detected after CAP exposure. Multispecies biofilms exposed to CAP showed significant viability reduction for C. albicans and S. aureus (1.385 and 0.831, respectively). The protocol was not cytotoxic to BEAS-2B. CAP can be a simple and effective method to delay multispecies biofilm formation inside the endotracheal prosthesis.

SOX10 promotes the malignant biological behavior of basal-like breast cancer cells by regulating EMT process

Background

The diagnostic utility of SRY-box transcription factor 10 (SOX10) expression in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) has been reported previously. However, the effect of SOX10 on the malignancy of BLBC cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unelucidated. Here, we investigate the regulatory mechanisms and roles of SOX10 in BLBC progression.

Methods

Sequencing data from patients with BLBC were extracted from the Cancer Genome Atlas database to determine the transcriptomic levels of SOX10 across breast cancer subtypes. Subsequently, the bioinformatics relevance of SOX10 in BLBC was investigated. Immunohistochemical assays were used to corroborate the protein expression of SOX10 in clinicopathological specimens (human breast cancer paraffin tissues). RNA interference was used to downregulate SOX10 expression, and the efficiency of interference was evaluated using quantitative PCR. The expression levels of molecules related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway were determined by western blotting. Various assays, such as transwell, colony formation, and flow apoptosis assays, were conducted to assess the malignancy of BLBC cells (MDA-MB-231).

Results

Bioinformatics analyses revealed the differential expression of SOX10 in various breast cancer subtypes. An association between SOX10 and immune checkpoint expression was observed in BLBC. Additionally, immune correlation analysis indicated a positive relationship between SOX10 expression and effector immune cells. SOX10 was identified as a potential immunotherapeutic target. Juxtaposed with non-basal-like breast cancer (N-BLBC) and breast adenosis, immunohistochemical analysis revealed the upregulated expression of SOX10 in BLBC, indicating its potential diagnostic significance. Single-gene functional enrichment analysis indicated that SOX10 is associated with EMT and the tumor inflammatory index. Experimental outcomes from cellular assays suggested that the downregulation of SOX10 inhibited multiple malignancy-associated behaviors in MDA-MB-231 cells, specifically affecting the EMT process, migration, invasion, proliferation, clone formation, and anti-apoptotic activities.

Conclusions

We concluded that SOX10 contributes to the malignancy of BLBC cells by modulating the EMT pathway. Moreover, we observed a notable correlation between SOX10 expression and immune responses, indicating the potential significance of SOX10 in immunotherapy.

Comprehensive evaluation of cell death-related genes as novel diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer (BRCA) ranks first among cancers in terms of incidence and mortality rates in women, primarily owing to metastasis, chemo-resistance, and heterogeneity. To predict long-term prognosis and design novel therapies for BRCA, more sensitive markers need to be explored.

Methods

Data from 1089 BRCA patients were downloaded from TCGA database. Pearson's correlation analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the role of cell death-related genes (CDGs) in predicting BRCA prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to compare the overall survival in the two subgroups. A nomogram was constructed using risk scores based on the five CDGs and other clinicopathological features. CCK-8, EdU incorporation, and colony formation assays were performed to verify the inhibitory effect of NFKBIA on BRCA cell proliferation. Transwell assay, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to ascertain the biological function of NFKBIA.

Results

Five differentially expressed CDGs were detected among 156 CDGs. The risk score for each patient was then calculated based on the expression levels of the five CDGs. Distinct differences in immune infiltration, expression of immune-oncological targets, mutation status, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of some targeted drugs were observed between the high- and low-risk groups. Finally, in vitro cell experiments verified that NFKBIA overexpression suppresses the proliferation and migration of BRCA cells.

Conclusions

Our study revealed that some CDGs, especially NFKBIA, could serve as sensitive markers for predicting the prognosis of patients with BRCA and designing more personalized clinical therapies.

Nanosecond pulsed cold atmospheric plasma jet suppresses proliferation and migration of human glioblastoma cells via apoptosis promotion and EMT inhibition

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and challenging cancers to treat. Despite extensive research on dozens of cancer cells, including GBM, the effect of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on the invasive migration of GBM cells has received limited attention, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the potential molecular mechanism of ns-CAPJ in inhibiting the invasive migration of human GBM cells. The findings indicate that ns-CAPJ significantly reduces GBM cell invasion and migration, and induces apoptosis in GBM cells. Further mechanistic studies demonstrate a direct correlation between the suppression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling pathway and ns-CAPJ's inhibitory effect on GBM cell invasion and migration. Additionally, combined with the N-acetyl cysteine (NAC, a ROS inhibitor) assay, we found that the ROS stimulated by the ns-CAPJ plays an important role in suppressing the EMT process. This work is expected to provide new insight into understanding the molecular mechanisms of how ns-CAPJ inhibits the proliferation and migration of human GBM cells.

Metal-organic framework-encapsulated dihydroartemisinin nanoparticles induces apoptotic cell death in ovarian cancer by blocking ROMO1-mediated ROS production

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a natural product derived from the herbal medicine Artemisia annua, is recently used as a novel anti-cancer agent. However, some intrinsic disadvantages limit its potential for clinical management of cancer patients, such as poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Nowadays, the nanoscale drug delivery system emerges as a hopeful platform for improve the anti-cancer treatment. Accordingly, a metal-organic framework (MOF) based on zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 was designed and synthesized to carry DHA in the core (ZIF-DHA). Contrast with free DHA, these prepared ZIF-DHA nanoparticles (NPs) displayed preferable anti-tumor therapeutic activity in several ovarian cancer cells accompanied with suppressed production of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induced apoptotic cell death. 4D-FastDIA-based mass spectrometry technology indicated that down-regulated reactive oxygen species modulator 1 (ROMO1) might be regarded as potential therapeutic targets for ZIF-DHA NPs. Overexpression of ROMO1 in ovarian cancer cells significantly reversed the cellular ROS-generation induced by ZIF-DHA, as well as the pro-apoptosis effects. Taken together, our study elucidated and highlighted the potential of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-based MOF to improve the activity of DHA to treat ovarian cancer. Our findings suggested that these prepared ZIF-DHA NPs could be an attractive therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer.