A novel combination treatment of antiADAM17 antibody and erlotinib to overcome acquired drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer through the FOXO3a/FOXM1 axis

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor controls IFN-γ-induced immune checkpoints PD-L1 and IDO via the JAK/STAT pathway in lung adenocarcinoma

While immunotherapy has shown some efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, many respond only partially or not at all. One limitation in improving outcomes is the lack of a complete understanding of immune checkpoint regulation. Here, we investigated a possible link between an environmental chemical receptor implicated in lung cancer and immune regulation, the AhR, a known but counterintuitive mediator of immunosuppression (interferon (IFN)-γ), and regulation of two immune checkpoints (PD-L1 and IDO). AhR gene-edited LUAD cell lines, a syngeneic LUAD mouse model, bulk and scRNA sequencing of LUADs and tumor-infiltrating T cells were used to map out a signaling pathway leading from IFN-γ through the AhR to JAK/STAT, PD-L1, IDO, and tumor-mediated immunosuppression. The data demonstrate that: (1) IFN-γ activation of the JAK/STAT pathway leading to PD-L1 and IDO1 up-regulation is mediated by the AhR in murine and human LUAD cells, (2) AhR-driven IDO1 induction results in the production of Kynurenine (Kyn), an AhR ligand, which likely mediates an AhR→IDO1→Kyn→AhR amplification loop, (3) transplantation of AhR-knockout LUAD cells results in long-term tumor immunity in most recipients. (4) The 23% of AhR-knockout tumors that do grow do so at a much slower pace than controls and exhibit higher densities of CD8+ T cells expressing markers of immunocompetence, increased activity, and increased cell-cell communication. The data definitively link the AhR to IFN-γ-induced JAK/STAT pathway and immune checkpoint-mediated immunosuppression and support the targeting of the AhR in the context of LUAD.

Diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP) exposure leads to cell apoptosis to HUVEC cells and toxicity to Caenorhabditis elegans through increasing the oxidative stress

Diisooctyl phthalate (DIOP), a common phthalate plasticizer, is frequently encountered in everyday life. Despite its widespread use, there is a dearth of toxicological research on DIOP, resulting in incomplete knowledge of its potential harmful effects. Our current research endeavored to provide a comprehensive evaluation of DIOP's toxicological profile using both cellular and Caenorhabditis elegans models as our in vitro and in vivo study subjects. Our results demonstrate that DIOP markedly decreases the viability and colony-forming ability of HUVECs. Moreover, this cytotoxicity correlates with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and the induction of cell apoptosis. In addition, DIOP adversely affects the growth, movement, and reproductive fitness of C. elegans, as well as other physiological aspects such as body curvature, egg-laying capability, and body length. C. elegans exposed to DIOP exhibit increased oxidative stress, evidenced by higher ROS levels and lipofuscin buildup. Importantly, the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways are implicated in the response to DIOP-induced toxicity. This study, therefore, highlights the potential toxicity of DIOP in both cellular and organismal models, advancing our understanding of the detrimental effects associated with exposure to DIOP.

Exploring the association of ADAM17 expression with survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

The A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family is involved in many vital cellular events, from proliferation to migration, and accumulated evidence suggests its increased expression in malignant tumors. In this study, we investigated ADAM17 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its relationship with clinicopathological factors and survival. Immunohistochemical staining of ADAM expression was performed in 108 patients with NSCLC and in 54 control cases with no known malignant diagnosis. Association between ADAM17 expression, clinicopathological factors, and survival were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. ADAM17 was lowly expressed in 89 (82.4%) and highly expressed in 19 (17.6%) of the patients with NSCLC. In univariate analysis, high ADAM17 expression, lymphovascular invasion, stage, and treatment response significantly affected progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis also showed that high ADAM17 expression, lymphovascular invasion, stage, and treatment response were important prognostic factors for PFS and OS (p < 0.05). Our study revealed that high ADAM17 expression significantly associated with OS and PFS in patients with NSCLC. ADAM17 may potentially be the area of a new targeted treatment strategy in NSCLC. Thus, routine evaluation of ADAM17 expression in patients with NSCLC may be a future consideration.

Adipocytes Promote Endometrial Cancer Progression Through Activation of the SIRT1-HMMR Signaling Axis

Adipocyte is a predominant component of the omental adipose tissue that influences the tumor microenvironment and increases the risk of endometrial cancer progression (EC), however, little is known about the underlying mechanism. In this study, using a co-culture model, we found that the adipocyte-EC cell interaction promoted SIRT1 signaling in vitro and in vivo xenograft mice models. Furthermore, immunostaining of SIRT1 protein showed significantly higher expression of SIRT1 in endometrial cancer patients than in normal endometria. RNA sequencing analysis revealed HMMR (hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor), an oncogene, as a downstream effector of SIRT1 in adipocyte-associated EC. Transient knockdown and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that SIRT1 inhibition impedes transcription of the HMMR gene via FOXM1, and reduced expression of HMMR in co-cultured EC cells blocks AURKA activation via TPX2, leading to cell cycle arrest. This is the first study to report the positive correlation between SIRT1 and HMMR in EC patient tumors and might be used as a potential biomarker in EC. Notably, SIRT1 regulates HMMR expression in a FOXM1-dependent manner, and interfering with SIRT1 may provide a promising strategy for the management of endometrial cancer.

Downregulation of ABLIM3 confers to the metastasis of neuroblastoma via regulating the cell adhesion molecules pathway

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most prevalent extracranial solid tumor in pediatric patients, and its treatment failure often associated with metastasis. In this study, LASSO, SVM-RFE, and random forest tree algorithms, was used to identify the pivotal gene involved in NB metastasis. NB cell lines (SK-N-AS and SK-N-BE2), in conjunction with NB tissue were used for further study. ABLIM3 was identified as the hub gene and can be an independent prognostic factor for patients with NB. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ABLIM3 is negatively correlated with the metastasis of NB. Patients with low expression of ABLIM3 had a poor prognosis. High ABLIM3 expression correlated with APC co-stimulation and Type1 IFN response, and TIDE analysis indicated that patients with low ABLIM3 expression exhibited enhanced responses to immunotherapy. Downregulation of ABLIM3 by shRNA transfection increased the migration and invasion ability of NB cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed that genes associated with ABLIM3 were primarily enriched in the cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) pathway. RT-qPCR and western blot analyses demonstrated that downregulation of ABLIM3 led to decreased expression of ITGA3, ITGA8, and KRT19, the key components of CAMs. This study indicated that ABLIM3 can be an independent prognostic factor for NB patients, and CAMs may mediate the effect of ABLIM3 on the metastasis of NB, suggesting that ABLIM3 is a potential therapeutic target for NB metastasis, which provides a novel strategy for future research and treatment strategies for NB patients.

The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Controls IFNγ-Induced Immune Checkpoints PD-L1 and IDO via the JAK/STAT Pathway in Lung Adenocarcinoma

While immunotherapy has shown efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, many respond only partially or not at all. One limitation in improving outcomes is the lack of a complete understanding of immune checkpoint regulation. Here, we investigated a possible link between an environmental chemical receptor implicated in lung cancer and immune regulation, (the aryl hydrocarbon receptor/AhR), a known but counterintuitive mediator of immunosuppression (IFNγ), and regulation of two immune checkpoints (PD-L1 and IDO). AhR gene-edited LUAD cell lines, a syngeneic LUAD mouse model, bulk- and scRNA sequencing of LUADs and tumor-infiltrating leukocytes were used to map out a signaling pathway leading from IFNγ through the AhR to JAK/STAT, PD-L1, IDO, and tumor-mediated immunosuppression. The data demonstrate that: 1) IFNγ activation of the JAK/STAT pathway leading to PD-L1 and IDO1 upregulation is mediated by the AhR in murine and human LUAD cells, 2) AhR-driven IDO1 induction results in the production of Kynurenine (Kyn), an AhR ligand, which likely mediates an AhR→IDO1→Kyn→AhR amplification loop, 3) transplantation of AhR-knockout LUAD cells results in long-term tumor immunity in most recipients. 4) The 23% of AhR-knockout tumors that do grow do so at a much slower pace than controls and exhibit higher densities of CD8+ T cells expressing markers of immunocompetence, increased activity, and increased cell-cell communication. The data definitively link the AhR to IFNγ-induced JAK/STAT pathway and immune checkpoint-mediated immunosuppression and support the targeting of the AhR in the context of LUAD.

Nanomedicine Combats Drug Resistance in Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Surgery, chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy are currently available as treatment methods. However, drug resistance is a significant factor in the failure of lung cancer treatments. Novel therapeutics have been exploited to address complicated resistance mechanisms of lung cancer and the advancement of nanomedicine is extremely promising in terms of overcoming drug resistance. Nanomedicine equipped with multifunctional and tunable physiochemical properties in alignment with tumor genetic profiles can achieve precise, safe, and effective treatment while minimizing or eradicating drug resistance in cancer. Here, this work reviews the discovered resistance mechanisms for lung cancer chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy, and outlines novel strategies for the development of nanomedicine against drug resistance. This work focuses on engineering design, customized delivery, current challenges, and clinical translation of nanomedicine in the application of resistant lung cancer.

Discovery of 4-((3,4-dichlorophenyl)amino)-2-methylquinolin-6-ol derivatives as EGFR and HDAC dual inhibitors

In patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the standard therapy consists of selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). Nonetheless, their clinical utility is primarily limited by the development of resistance to drugs. HDAC inhibitors have been shown in studies to reduce the level of EGFR that is expressed and downregulate the EGFR-induced phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. Therefore, dual inhibitors of EGFR and HDAC provide a potential approach as combination treatment synergistically inhibited the growth of NSCLC. Herein, we examined the EGFR inhibition effect of twenty compounds which designed and synthesized by us previously. Among them, compounds 12c and 12d exhibited powerful antiproliferative activity against the NCI-H1975 cell line with IC50 values of 0.48 ± 0.07 and 0.35 ± 0.02 μM, correspondingly. In cell-free kinase assays, both 12c and 12d demonstrated target-specific EGFR inhibition against wild type (EGFRwt). Furthermore, the expression of EGFR and phosphorylation of the EGF-induced pathways were significantly suppressed under the treatment of 12c and 12d. Besides, both histones H3 and H4 exhibited increased levels of acetylation following 12c and 12d treatment. The animal experiments shown that 12d could prevent the growth of tumor, inhibited the expression of EGFR and the phosphorylation levels of p70 S6K, AKT and p38 MAPK in vivo, and did not cause organ damage to the mice during the experiment. Overall, the results illustrated that compound 12c and 12d could serve as effective EGFR and HDAC dual inhibitors in NSCLC cells. Our work offers an alternative strategy for NSCLC therapy.

A Novel Aniline Derivative from Peganum harmala L. Promoted Apoptosis via Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR-Mediated Autophagy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common clinical malignant tumor with limited therapeutic drugs. Leading by cytotoxicity against NSCLC cell lines (A549 and PC9), bioactivity-guided isolation of components from Peganum harmala seeds led to the isolation of pegaharoline A (PA). PA was elucidated as a structurally novel aniline derivative, originating from tryptamine with a pyrrole ring cleaved and the degradation of carbon. Biological studies showed that PA significantly inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, suppressed DNA synthesis, arrested the cell cycle, suppressed colony formation and HUVEC angiogenesis, and blocked cell invasion and migration. Molecular docking and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) demonstrated PA could bind with CD133, correspondingly decreased CD133 expression to activate autophagy via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and increased ROS levels, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3 to promote apoptosis. PA could also decrease p-cyclinD1 and p-Erk1/2 and block the EMT pathway to inhibit NSCLC cell growth, invasion, and migration. According to these results, PA could inhibit NSCLC cell growth by blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR and EMT pathways. This study provides evidence that PA has a promising future as a candidate for developing drugs for treating NSCLC.

Inhibition of GPR30 sensitized gefitinib to NSCLC cells via regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Introduction: G-protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is associated with cell metastasis and drug resistance in many different cancer cells. The present study aimed to reveal the sensitivity of GPR30 to gefitinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.Methods: Cell viability and proliferation were detected using cell counting kit 8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays, respectively. Western blotting and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR were used to detect GPR30 or epithelial-mesenchyme transition (EMT)-related mRNA and protein expression.Results: The results showed that GPR30 expression is associated with gefitinib sensitivity. G15, as a GPR30 antagonist, reduced GPR30 expression. We chose the maximum concentration of G15 with minimal cytotoxicity to detect cell viability after combined treatment with gefitinib in NSCLC cells, which indicated that G15 could increase sensitivity to gefitinib. However, the effect of G15 on gefitinib sensitivity disappeared after treatment with a small interfering RNA targeting GPR30. Further research showed that G15 or GPR30 siRNA treatment could upregulate E-cadherin and downregulate vimentin levels.Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggested that G15 could enhance NSCLC sensitivity to gefitinib by inhibition of GPR30 and EMT.