Modified Natriuretic Peptides and their Potential Role in Cancer Treatment

Peptides in breast cancer therapy: From mechanisms to emerging drug delivery and immunotherapy strategies

Breast cancer therapy can be improved by the application of multifunctional peptides and they have unique features, such as high specificity, minimized toxicity, and the capability to influence diverse processes. The role of peptides in breas cancer therapy is highlighted in the present review, examining their functions as therapeutic agents, diagnostic tools, and drug delivery application. Therapeutic peptides have displayed the ability to regulate key pathways in breast tumor, including HER2, VEGF, and EGFR, providing ideal alternatives to the conventional chemotherapy with reduced adverse effects. Additionally, peptide-based vaccines and immune-modulating peptides have demonstrated the capacity in enhancing anti-cancer immunity. The incorporation of peptides into nanoparticles has improved the delivery of drugs and genes, enhanced anti-cancer efficacy while minimizing side impacts. The progresses in the peptide engineering, including stapled peptides, peptide-drug conjugates, and cell-penetrating peptides, have remarkably increased their therapeutic efficacy and stability, elevating their applications in breast cancer therapy. Peptides can be developed using bioinformatics and high-throughput screening technologies to optimize pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. Despite their promise, peptides demonstrate challenges such as enzymatic degradation, limited stability, and high production costs. These obstacles can be addressed through strategies such as peptide cyclization, the employement of non-natural amino acids, and nanoparticle encapsulation. This review explores these recent advancements and strategies, providing ideal insights into the clinical potential of peptides in breast tumor therapy.

Natriuretic Peptides in Gastrointestinal Cancer: Biomarkers and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are an important health problem globally. Natriuretic peptides are hormones that have a crucial role in human physiology. There are a variety of treatments for GI cancer, but conventional therapies have side effects and low efficacy. Studies have demonstrated that natriuretic peptides are therapeutic in different cancer types. Natriuretic peptides are best known for their involvement in regulating blood pressure and blood volume. The anti-tumor effect exerted by natriuretic peptides is via their inhibitory effects on DNA synthesis and by their effects on apoptosis. The anti-proliferative role of natriuretic peptides has been shown in human breast cancer, prostate, colon, pancreatic, lung, ovarian, and other tumors. The roles of natriuretic peptides in these cancers are diverse and not well understood. Therefore, we have reviewed the recent literature on natriuretic peptides in GI cancers as a common malignancy in adults to assess the pathways that NPs are involved in the progression of GI cancers and its effect on the prevention or treatment of GI cancers.

From Beats to Metabolism: the Heart at the Core of Interorgan Metabolic Cross Talk

The heart, once considered a mere blood pump, is now recognized as a multifunctional metabolic and endocrine organ. Its function is tightly regulated by various metabolic processes, at the same time it serves as an endocrine organ, secreting bioactive molecules that impact systemic metabolism. In recent years, research has shed light on the intricate interplay between the heart and other metabolic organs, such as adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle. The metabolic flexibility of the heart and its ability to switch between different energy substrates play a crucial role in maintaining cardiac function and overall metabolic homeostasis. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how metabolic disorders disrupt cardiac metabolism is crucial, as it plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of cardiac diseases. The emerging understanding of the heart as a metabolic and endocrine organ highlights its essential contribution to whole body metabolic regulation and offers new insights into the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. In this review, we provide an in-depth exploration of the heart's metabolic and endocrine functions, emphasizing its role in systemic metabolism and the interplay between the heart and other metabolic organs. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests a correlation between heart disease and other conditions such as aging and cancer, indicating that the metabolic dysfunction observed in these conditions may share common underlying mechanisms. By unraveling the complex mechanisms underlying cardiac metabolism, we aim to contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for metabolic diseases and improve overall cardiovascular health.

Natriuretic peptides: Another tool for the management of cancer?

The connection between heart failure (HF) and cancer through multiple pathways such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurohormonal activation, among others, is well established. As a consequence, increases in plasma levels of several biomarkers have been described in both disorders. The most consistent information is related to natriuretic peptides (NPs). Although they are known to be produced in the ventricles as a response to myocardial distension, and thus can be useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of HF, and also for the management of chemotherapy-induced myocardial damage, they are also produced by tumour cells. In this regard, increased plasma levels of NPs have been described in patients with multiple malignancies in the absence of volume overload. Natriuretic peptide levels have been shown to correlate directly with the extension of tumours and with poorer outcomes. Moreover, some data indicate that they may help in the detection of subclinical tumours. Given that these peptides have been described to have anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects, a plausible hypothesis is that they may be produced by tumours as a negative feed-back mechanism to avoid tumour progression. This would lead to increased levels of NPs in plasma that could be potentially useful for early detection of malignancies as well as for a prognostic assessment. Nevertheless, since the sample size of many studies published so far is limited, more data are needed to provide consistent data in order to confirm or rule out this hypothesis.

Elevated brain natriuretic peptide in a patient with metastatic cancer without heart failure: A case study

ABSTRACT

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a well-established biomarker for heart failure (HF). However, its diagnostic utility can be limited in patients with comorbidities that independently elevate serum BNP levels, including chronic renal failure and sepsis. We describe a rare occurrence of significantly elevated serum BNP levels in a patient with metastatic urothelial cancer without HF or obvious signs of sepsis. The report highlights the need for considering alternative causes for increased serum BNP levels, especially in the presence of malignancy.

The Role of the Cardiac Biomarkers in the Renal Cell Carcinoma Multidisciplinary Management

Renal cell carcinoma, an aggressive malignancy, is often incidentally diagnosed. The patient remains asymptomatic to the late stage of the disease, when the local or distant metastases are already present. Surgical treatment remains the choice for these patients, although the plan must adapt to the characteristics of the patients and the extension of the neoplasm. Systemic therapy is sometimes needed. It includes immunotherapy, target therapy, or both, with a high level of toxicity. Cardiac biomarkers have prognosis and monitoring values in this setting. Their role in postoperative identification of myocardial injury and heart failure already have been demonstrated, as well as their importance in preoperative evaluation from the cardiac point of view and the progression of renal cancer. The cardiac biomarkers are also part of the new cardio-oncologic approach to establishing and monitoring systemic therapy. They are complementary tests for assessment of the baseline toxicity risk and tools to guide therapy. The goal must be to continue the treatment as long as possible with the initiation and optimisation of the cardiological treatment. Cardiac atrial biomarkers are reported to have also antitumoral and anti-inflammatory properties. This review aims to present the role of cardiac biomarkers in the multidisciplinary management of renal cell carcinoma patients.

Chicken skin-derived collagen peptides chelated zinc promotes zinc absorption and represses tumor growth and invasion in vivo by suppressing autophagy

To improve the utilization value of chicken by-products, we utilized the method of step-by-step hydrolysis with bromelain and flavourzyme to prepare low molecular weight chicken skin collagen peptides (CCP) (<5 kDa) and characterized the amino acids composition of the CCP. Then, we prepared novel CCP-chelated zinc (CCP–Zn) by chelating the CCP with ZnSO₄. We found that the bioavailability of CCP–Zn is higher than ZnSO₄. Besides, CCP, ZnSO₄, or CCP–Zn effectively repressed the tumor growth, invasion, and migration in a Drosophila malignant tumor model. Moreover, the anti-tumor activity of CCP–Zn is higher than CCP or ZnSO₄. Furthermore, the functional mechanism studies indicated that CCP, ZnSO₄, or CCP–Zn inhibits tumor progression by reducing the autonomous and non-autonomous autophagy in tumor cells and the microenvironment. Therefore, this research provides in vivo evidence for utilizing chicken skin in the development of zinc supplements and cancer treatment in the future.

Potential association factors for developing effective peptide-based cancer vaccines

Peptide-based cancer vaccines have been shown to boost immune systems to kill tumor cells in cancer patients. However, designing an effective T cell epitope peptide-based cancer vaccine still remains a challenge and is a major hurdle for the application of cancer vaccines. In this study, we constructed for the first time a library of peptide-based cancer vaccines and their clinical attributes, named CancerVaccine (https://peptidecancervaccine.weebly.com/). To investigate the association factors that influence the effectiveness of cancer vaccines, these peptide-based cancer vaccines were classified into high (HCR) and low (LCR) clinical responses based on their clinical efficacy. Our study highlights that modified peptides derived from artificially modified proteins are suitable as cancer vaccines, especially for melanoma. It may be possible to advance cancer vaccines by screening for HLA class II affinity peptides may be an effective therapeutic strategy. In addition, the treatment regimen has the potential to influence the clinical response of a cancer vaccine, and Montanide ISA-51 might be an effective adjuvant. Finally, we constructed a high sensitivity and specificity machine learning model to assist in designing peptide-based cancer vaccines capable of providing high clinical responses. Together, our findings illustrate that a high clinical response following peptide-based cancer vaccination is correlated with the right type of peptide, the appropriate adjuvant, and a matched HLA allele, as well as an appropriate treatment regimen. This study would allow for enhanced development of cancer vaccines.

Design, Synthesis and Anti-Tumor Activity Evaluation of Novel 3,4-(Methylenedioxy)cinnamic Acid Amide-Dithiocarbamate Derivatives

The fragments, 3,4-(methylenedioxy)cinnamic acid amide and dithiocarbamates, have received increasing attention because of their multiple pharmacological activities in recent years, especially in anti-tumor. We synthesized 17 novel 3,4-(methylenedioxy)cinnamic acid amide-dithiocarbamate derivatives based on the principle of pharmacophore assembly and discovered that compound 4a₇ displayed the most potent antiproliferative activity against HeLa cells with IC₅₀ value of 1.01 μM. Further mechanistic studies revealed that 4a₇ triggered apoptosis in HeLa cells via activating mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathways and effectively inhibited colony formation. Also, 4a₇ had the ability to arrest cell cycle in the G2/M phase as well as to inhibit the migration in HeLa cells. More importantly, acute toxicity experiments showed that 4a₇ had good safety in vivo. All the results suggested that compound 4a₇ might serve as a promising lead compound that merited further attention in future anti-tumor drug discovery.

C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Regulates the Expression and Secretion of Antibacterial Peptide S100A7 in Goat Mammary Gland Through PKG/JNK/c-Jun Signaling Pathway

During infection, the infected tissue secretes a variety of endogenous peptides to resist further invasion of pathogens. Among these endogenous peptides, the natriuretic peptides and the antimicrobial peptides attracted the most attention. C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and its receptor natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) were members of the natriuretic peptide system. The antimicrobial peptide S100A7 plays an important role to resist infection of bacteria in mastitis. It is reported that the expression of S100A7 is regulated by an activator protein-1 (AP-1)-responsive promoter. As a subunit of AP-1, c-Jun is a downstream target of CNP/NPR-B signaling pathway. Therefore, it is a hypothesis that the CNP/NPR-B signaling pathway induces the expression and secretion of S100A7 in mammary glands to take part in local mammary gland innate immunity. To verify this hypothesis, goat mammary gland and isolated mammary epithelial cells (MECs) were used to explore the expression of CNP/NPR-B and their physiological roles in goat mammary gland. The results showed that goat mammary gland expressed NPR-B, but not CNP. The expression and secretion of S100A7 in goat MECs were obviously induced by CNP/NPR-B signaling pathway. After treatment with CNP, the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) level in goat MECs was significantly upregulated. Along with the upregulation of cGMP level, the phosphorylation levels of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and its target c-Jun were also increased gradually. KT5823 is a specific inhibitor for protein kinase G (PKG). KT5823 remarkably inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun induced by CNP. Correspondingly, KT5823 evidently inhibited the expression and secretion of S100A7 induced by CNP. On the other hand, the expression of NPR-B and S100A7 was upregulated in the mastitis goat mammary gland. But, there was no significant difference in expression of CNP between healthy and mastitis goat mammary gland tissues. The goat mastitis model was established in vitro using goat MECs treated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS treatment also could increase the expression of NPR-B and S100A7. In conclusion, goat mammary gland expressed NPR-B, indicating mammary gland was the target organ for natriuretic peptide system. Moreover, CNP, through NPR-B/JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway to regulate the expression and secretion of S100A7 in MECs, played an important role in mammary gland innate immunity.

Insulin-Degrading Enzyme, an Under-Estimated Potential Target to Treat Cancer?

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a multifunctional protease due to the variety of its substrates, its various cellular locations, its conservation between species and its many non-proteolytic functions. Numerous studies have successfully demonstrated its implication in two main therapeutic areas: metabolic and neuronal diseases. In recent years, several reports have underlined the overexpression of this enzyme in different cancers. Still, the exact role of IDE in the physiopathology of cancer remains to be elucidated. Known as the main enzyme responsible for the degradation of insulin, an essential growth factor for healthy cells and cancer cells, IDE has also been shown to behave like a chaperone and interact with the proteasome. The pharmacological modulation of IDE (siRNA, chemical compounds, etc.) has demonstrated interesting results in cancer models. All these results point towards IDE as a potential target in cancer. In this review, we will discuss evidence of links between IDE and cancer development or resistance, IDE's functions, catalytic or non-catalytic, in the context of cell proliferation, cancer development and the impact of the pharmacomodulation of IDE via cancer therapeutics.

About gladiators and a sacred disease

In this special edition of the Biomedical Journal the reader gains an insight into drug-resistant epilepsy and according treatment approaches involving deep brain stimulation, the ketogenic diet and fecal microbiota transplant. Another emphasis is put on personalized medicine strategies, and covered in articles about the use of natriuretic peptides against cancer, along with an article about companion diagnostics involving extracellular vesicles. Recurrent infection with Clostridium difficile, associated risk factors and therapeutic options are discussed. We learn about a mechanism that helps Leishmania evade a host control mechanism, receive an update about human adenovirus and are presented with characteristic magnetic resonance neuroimaging in COVID-19 pediatric patients. An advanced assessment in pediatric septic shock and an improved model for a pediatric early warning system are proposed. Some of the genetic causes of renal hypomagnesemia are explored, the impact of air pollution on children is examined, and an antisiphon device is described for surgical treatment of hydrocephalus. The relation between energy metabolism, circadian rhythm and its influence on the ATPase in the SCN are investigated, and among others some of the genetics influencing smoking duration and lung cancer. Finally it is discussed how embryo quality can be improved in in vitro fertilization, and what impact high estradiol has on blastocyst implantation. The outcome of surgery to correct mandibular deficiency is assessed, and in two letters the inclusion of observational studies in the evaluation of clinical trials related to COVID-19 is elaborated.