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Pennel K, Dutton L, Melissourgou-Syka L, Roxburgh C, Birch J, Edwards J. Novel radiation and targeted therapy combinations for improving rectal cancer outcomes. Expert Rev Mol Med 2024; 26:e14. [PMID: 38623751 PMCID: PMC11140547 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2024.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Neoadjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is commonly used as standard treatment for rectal cancer. However, response rates are variable and survival outcomes remain poor, highlighting the need to develop new therapeutic strategies. Research is focused on identifying novel methods for sensitising rectal tumours to RT to enhance responses and improve patient outcomes. This can be achieved through harnessing tumour promoting effects of radiation or preventing development of radio-resistance in cancer cells. Many of the approaches being investigated involve targeting the recently published new dimensions of cancer hallmarks. This review article will discuss key radiation and targeted therapy combination strategies being investigated in the rectal cancer setting, with a focus on exploitation of mechanisms which target the hallmarks of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Pennel
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Louise Dutton
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Lydia Melissourgou-Syka
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
- CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow, G611BD, UK
| | - Campbell Roxburgh
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
- Academic Unit of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G4 0SF, UK
| | - Joanna Birch
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Joanne Edwards
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
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Luo F, Tang Y, Zheng L, Yang Y, Gao H, Tian S, Chen H, Tang C, Tang S, Man Q, Wu Y. Isoliquiritigenin Inhibits the Growth of Colorectal Cancer Cells through the ESR2/PI3K/AKT Signalling Pathway. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 17:43. [PMID: 38256877 PMCID: PMC10820227 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a flavonoid phytoestrogen, has shown anti-tumour activities against various cancers. However, its anti-CRC mechanism has not been clarified. In this study, the potential molecular mechanism of ISL against CRC was investigated through network pharmacological prediction and experimental validation. The results of the network prediction indicate that ESR2, PIK3CG and GSK3β might be the key targets of ISL against CRC, which was verified by molecular docking, and that its anti-tumour mechanisms might be related to the oestrogen and PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. The experimental results show that ISL reduced the viability of SW480 and HCT116 cells, induced apoptosis, blocked the cell cycle in the G2 phase in vitro, and suppressed xenograft tumour growth in vivo. In addition, ISL significantly down-regulated the protein expression of PIK3CG, AKT, p-AKT, p-GSK3β, CDK1, NF-κB and Bcl-2; up-regulated ESR2 and Bax; decreased the ratio of p-AKT/AKT and p-GSK3β/GSK3β; and increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. This study indicates that ISL can inhibit the growth of CRC cells and induce apoptosis, which may be related to the up-regulation of ESR2 and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenglin Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Yimeng Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Lin Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Haoyue Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, Women and Children, School of Nursing, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610106, China;
| | - Shiya Tian
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Hongyu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Chenxi Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Shanshan Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Qiong Man
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Yiying Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; (F.L.); (Y.T.); (L.Z.); (Y.Y.); (S.T.); (H.C.); (C.T.); (S.T.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Study on the Structure-Specific Small Molecule Drug in Sichuan Province College Key Laboratory, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
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Koukourakis IM, Xanthopoulou E, Sgouras TI, Kouroupi M, Giatromanolaki A, Kouloulias V, Tiniakos D, Zygogianni A. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy induces multiple pathways related to anti-tumour immunity in rectal cancer. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1852-1862. [PMID: 37838813 PMCID: PMC10667544 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02459-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rectal cancer treated with preoperative radiotherapy (RT) provides an interesting model to study changes induced on cancer cell immuno-phenotype that could be exploited by immunotherapy interventions to improve prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We assessed the expression of HLA-class-I, β2-microglobulin, TAP1, PD-L1 and STING/IFNβ in preoperative biopsies and respective post-RT surgical specimens from patients with rectal cancer (n = 27). The effect of radiation was further investigated in colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2. RESULTS Rectal carcinomas exhibited extensive loss of expression of HLA-Class-I related molecules, which was restored in post-irradiation surgical specimens (P < 0.0001). RT induced the expression of IFNβ and STING in cancer cells and tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (P < 0.0001). In in vitro experiments, irradiation with 4 Gy or 10 Gy induced the expression of HLA-class-I protein (P < 0.001). PD-L1 levels were transiently induced for two days (P < 0.001). cGAS, STING, IFNβ and the downstream genes (MX1, MX2, UBE2L6v2, IFI6v2 and IFI44) mRNA levels significantly increased after 3 × 8 Gy or 1 × 20 Gy irradiation (P < 0.001). TREX1 mRNA levels remained unaltered. CONCLUSIONS RT induces the IFN-type-I pathway and the expression of HLA-class-I molecules on rectal carcinoma. The transient induction of PD-L1 expression suggests that long-course daily RT may sustain increased PD-L1 levels. Anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy could block this immunosuppressive pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis M Koukourakis
- Radiation Oncology Unit, 1st Department of Radiology, Aretaieion University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | - Erasmia Xanthopoulou
- Department of Radiotherapy/Oncology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Theologos I Sgouras
- Department of Radiotherapy/Oncology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Maria Kouroupi
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Alexandra Giatromanolaki
- Department of Pathology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Vassilios Kouloulias
- Radiation Oncology Unit, 2nd Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dina Tiniakos
- Department of Pathology, Aretaieion University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Anna Zygogianni
- Radiation Oncology Unit, 1st Department of Radiology, Aretaieion University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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