Cyclin G2, a novel target of sulindac to inhibit cell cycle progression in colorectal cancer

MicroRNA-183 cluster: a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in gastrointestinal malignancies

Small non-coding RNAs (microRNA, miR), powerful epigenetic regulators, were found involved in the regulation of most biological functions via post-translational inhibition of protein expression. Increased expression of pro-oncogenic miRs (known as miR cancer biomarkers) and inhibition of pro-apoptotic miR expression have been demonstrated in different tumors. The recently identified miR-183 was found implicated in gastrointestinal tumor metabolism regulation. Elevated miR-183 expression and cancer-promoting effects were reported in esophageal and colorectal cancers, which was partially contradicted by controversial data observed in gastric cancers. Anti-cancer effect of miR-183 in gastric cancer cells was associated with the Bim-1 and Ezrin genes regulation. Many studies indicated that miR-183 can inhibit tumor suppressor genes in most cell lines, promoting tumor cell proliferation and migration. Increased miR-183 level results in the downregulation of FOXO1, PDCD4, and other tumor suppressor genes in gastrointestinal tumor cells. MiR-183 also influences the signaling of PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Wnt/β-catenin, and Bcl-2/p53 signaling pathways. Mir-183 inhibits apoptosis and autophagy, and promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cancer cell proliferation, and migration. Accordingly, gastrointestinal cancer occurrence, development of chemoradiotherapy resistance, recurrence/metastasis, and prognosis were associated with miR-183 expression. The current study assessed reported miR-183 functions and signaling, providing new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies.

Sulfoxides in medicine

In the review, current status of sulfoxides on the pharmaceutical market is discussed. In the first part of the article, natural sulfoxides will be described with a special focus on sulforaphane and amanitin, a mushroom toxin which has been developed as payload in antibody drug conjugates in the possible cancer treatment. Controversies associated with the medical use of dimethylsulfoxide are briefly described in the next section. In the part devoted to PPIs, the benefits of using pure enantiomers (chiral switch) are discussed. An interesting approach, repositioning of drugs is exemplified by new possible applications of modafinil and sulindac. The review is concluded by presentation of cenicriviroc and adezmapimod, both with the status of promising drug candidates.

Setomimycin as a potential molecule for COVID‑19 target: in silico approach and in vitro validation

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to a worldwide crisis. In view of emerging variants time to time, there is a pressing need of effective COVID-19 therapeutics. Setomimycin, a rare tetrahydroanthracene antibiotic, remained unexplored for its therapeutic uses. Herein, we report our investigations on the potential of setomimycin as COVID-19 therapeutic. Pure setomimycin was isolated from Streptomyces sp. strain RA-WS2 from NW Himalayan region followed by establishing in silico as well as in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 property of the compound against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro). It was found that the compound targets M^pro enzyme with an IC₅₀ value of 12.02 ± 0.046 μM. The molecular docking study revealed that the compound targets Glu166 residue of M^pro enzyme, hence preventing dimerization of SARS-CoV-2 M^pro monomer. Additionally, the compound also exhibited anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant property, suggesting that setomimycin may be a viable option for application against COVID-19 infections.

Graphical abstract

Interactions of Analgesics with Cisplatin: Modulation of Anticancer Efficacy and Potential Organ Toxicity

Cisplatin (CDDP), one of the most eminent cancer chemotherapeutic agents, has been successfully used to treat more than half of all known cancers worldwide. Despite its effectiveness, CDDP might cause severe toxic adverse effects on multiple body organs during cancer chemotherapy, including the kidneys, heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and auditory system, as well as peripheral nerves causing severely painful neuropathy. The latter, among other pains patients feel during chemotherapy, is an indication for the use of analgesics during treatment with CDDP. Different types of analgesics, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and narcotic analgesics, could be used according to the severity of pain. Administered analgesics might modulate CDDP’s efficacy as an anticancer drug. NSAIDS, on one hand, might have cytotoxic effects on their own and few of them can potentiate CDDP’s anticancer effects via inhibiting the CDDP-induced cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme, or through COX-independent mechanisms. On the other hand, some narcotic analgesics might ameliorate CDDP’s anti-neoplastic effects, causing chemotherapy to fail. Concerning safety, some analgesics share the same adverse effects on normal tissues as CDDP, augmenting its potentially hazardous effects on organ impairment. This article offers an overview of the reported literature on the interactions between analgesics and CDDP, paying special attention to possible mechanisms that modulate CDDP’s cytotoxic efficacy and potential adverse reactions.

A review on interplay between small RNAs and oxidative stress in cancer progression

Oxidative stress has been known to be the underlying cause in many instances of cancer development. The new aspect of cancer genesis that has caught the attention of many researchers worldwide is its connection to non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). ncRNAs may not be protein coding, but in light of the more recent discovery of their wide range of functions, the term 'dark matter of the genome' has been rendered inapplicable. There is an extensive mention of colon cancer as an example, where some of these ncRNAs and their manipulations have seen significant progress. As of now, the focus is on discovering a non-invasive, cost-effective method for diagnosis that is easier to monitor and can be conducted before visible symptoms indicate cancer in a patient, by which time it may already be too late. The concept of liquid biopsies has revolutionized recent diagnostic measures. It has been possible to detect circulating parts of the cancer genome or other biomarkers in the patients' bodily fluids, resulting in the effective management of the disease. This has led these ncRNAs to be considered effective therapeutic targets and extrinsic modifications in several tumor types, proven to be effective as therapy. However, there is a vast scope for further understanding and pertinent application of our acquired knowledge and expanding it in enhancing the utilization of ncRNAs for a better prognosis, quicker diagnosis, and improved management of cancer. This review explores the prognosis of cancer and related mutations by scrutinizing small ncRNAs in the disease.

miR-17-5p drives G2/M-phase accumulation by directly targeting CCNG2 and is related to recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background

The human miR-17-92 polycistron is the first reported and most well-studied onco-miRNA with a cluster of seven miRNAs. miR-17-5p, a member of the miR-17-92 family, plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. However, few studies have shown the role of miR-17-5p in the cell cycle of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Methods

RT-qPCR was used to detect miR-17-5p expression levels in 64 HNSCC tissues and 5 cell lines. The relationship between the expression of miR-17-5p in the tissues and the clinical characteristics of the patients was analyzed. HNSCC cells were transfected with an miR-17-5p mimic or inhibitor to evaluate cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry. Cell cycle distribution of cells transfected with target gene was evaluated using flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the regulatory effect of miR-17-5p on target gene expression.

Results

In the present study, we found that miR-17-5p expression in HNSCC tissues and cell lines was remarkably increased, and miR-17-5p is related to recurrence in HNSCC patients. Silencing miR-17-5p blocked HNSCC cells in G2/M phase, whereas its overexpression propelled cell cycle progression. More importantly, we verified that miR-17-5p negatively regulated CCNG2 mRNA and protein expression by directly targeting its 3’UTR.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that miR-17-5p might act as a tumor promoter and prognostic factor for recurrence in HNSCC patients.