Identification of SLITRK6 as a Novel Biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma by comprehensive bioinformatic analysis

Insight into the Association between Slitrk Protein and Neurodevelopmental and Neuropsychiatric Conditions

Slitrk proteins belong the leucine-rich repeat transmembrane family and share structural similarities with the Slits and tropomyosin receptor kinase families, which regulate the development of the nervous system. Slitrks are highly expressed in the developing nervous system of vertebrates, modulating neurite outgrowth and enhancing synaptogenesis; however, the expression and function of Slitrk protein members differ. Slitrk protein variations have been associated with various sensory and neuropsychiatric conditions, including myopia, deafness, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, glioma, and Tourette syndrome; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, the Slitrk family members' protein expression, roles in the signaling cascade, functions, and gene mutations need to be comprehensively studied to develop therapeutics against neurodegenerative diseases. This study presents complete and pertinent information demonstrating the relationship between Slitrk family proteins and neuropsychiatric illnesses. This review briefly discusses neurodevelopmental disorders, the leucine-rich repeat family, the Slitrk family, and the association of Slitrk with the neuropathology of representative disorders.

Systematic review of recent advancements in antibody-drug and bicycle toxin conjugates for the treatment of urothelial cancer

Antibody-drug conjugates and bicycle toxin conjugates represent a tremendous advance in drug delivery technology and have shown great promise in the treatment of urothelial cancer. Previously approved systemic therapies, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, are often impractical due to comorbidities, and outcomes for patients with advanced disease remain poor, even when receiving systemic therapy. In this setting, antibody-drug and bicycle toxin conjugates have emerged as novel treatments, dramatically altering the therapeutic landscape. These drugs harness unique designs consisting of antibody or bicycle peptide, linker, and cytotoxic payload with more targeted delivery than conventional chemotherapy, thus eliminating malignant cells while reducing systemic toxicities. Potential targets investigated in urothelial cancer include Nectin-4, TROP2, HER2, and EphA2. Initial clinical trials demonstrated efficacy in treatment of refractory advanced urothelial cancer, as well as improvement in quality of life. These initial studies led to FDA approval of two antibody-drug conjugates, enfortumab vedotin and sacituzumab govitecan. Moreover, antibody-drug and bicycle toxin conjugates are being studied in ongoing clinical trials in frontline treatment of advanced disease as well as for localized cancer. These studies highlight the potential for additional future therapies with novel targets, novel antibodies, cytotoxic and immunomodulatory payloads, and unique structural designs enhancing efficacy and safety. There is increasing evidence that combinations with other cancer therapies, especially immunotherapy, improve treatment outcomes. The combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab was recently approved for first-line treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma. Despite the great promise of these novel drugs, robust predictive biomarkers are needed to determine the patients who would maximally benefit. This review surveys the rationale and current state of the evidence for these new drugs and describes future directions actively being explored.

SLITRK6 promotes the progression of lung adenocarcinoma by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and Warburg effect

To investigate the role of SLITRK6 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and the underlying mechanism in it, clinical tissues and tissue microarray of LUAD were used to detect the expression of SLITRK6. In vitro cell viability assay and colony formation assay in LUAD cells were conducted to investigate SLITRK6 related biological functions. In vivo subcutaneous model was used to determine the role of SLITRK6 in LUAD growth. It was found that the expression of SLITRK6 was significantly upregulated in LUAD tissues compared with that in para-cancerous tissues. Knockdown of SLITRK6 suppressed the proliferation and colony formation of LUAD cells in vitro. Meanwhile, the growth of LUAD cells was also inhibited by SLITRK6 knockdown in vivo. Furthermore, we found that SLITRK6 knockdown could suppress the glycolysis of LUAD cells by regulating the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR. All results suggest that SLITRK6 promotes LUAD cell proliferation and colony formation by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and Warburg effect. SLITRK6 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for LUAD in future.

An update on antibody-drug conjugates in urothelial carcinoma: state of the art strategies and what comes next

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in increasing the knowledge of tumour biology and drug resistance mechanisms in urothelial cancer. Therapeutic strategies have significantly advanced with the introduction of novel approaches such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor inhibitors. However, despite these novel agents, advanced urothelial cancer is often still progressive in spite of treatment and correlates with a poor prognosis. The introduction of antibody-drug conjugates consisting of a target-specific monoclonal antibody covalently linked to a payload (cytotoxic agent) is a novel and promising therapeutic strategy. In December 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to the nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, enfortumab vedotin, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinomas that are refractory to both immune checkpoint inhibitors and platinum-based treatment. Heavily pre-treated urothelial cancer patients reported a significant, 40% response to enfortumab vedotin while other antibody-drug conjugates are currently still under investigation in several clinical trials. We have comprehensively reviewed the available treatment strategies for advanced urothelial carcinoma and outlined the mechanism of action of antibody-drug conjugate agents, their clinical applications, resistance mechanisms and future strategies for urothelial cancer.