FADD at the Crossroads between Cancer and Inflammation

The Crosstalk of Apoptotic and Non-Apoptotic Signaling in CD95 System

The mechanisms of CD95 (Fas/APO-1)-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway in cancer cells have been extensively studied. The majority of human cells express CD95, but not all these cells can induce extrinsic apoptosis. Accumulating evidence has shown that CD95 is a multifunctional protein, and its stimulation can also elicit non-apoptotic or even survival signals. It has become clear that under certain cellular contexts, due to the various checkpoints, CD95 activation can trigger both apoptotic and non-apoptotic signals. The crosstalk of death and survival signals may occur at different levels of signal transduction. The strength of the CD95 stimulation, initial levels of anti-apoptotic proteins, and posttranslational modifications of the core DISC components have been proposed to be the most important factors in the life/death decisions at CD95. Successful therapeutic targeting of CD95 signaling pathways will require a better understanding of the crosstalk between CD95-induced apoptotic and cell survival pathways. In this review, in order to gain a systematic understanding of the crosstalk between CD95-mediated apoptosis and non-apoptotic signaling, we will discuss these issues in a step-by-step way.

FADD amplification is associated with CD8+ T-cell exclusion and malignant progression in HNSCC

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between FADD amplification and overexpression and the tumor immune microenvironment.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining and bioanalysis were used to analyze the association between FADD expression in tumor cells and cells in tumor microenvironment. RNA-seq analysis was used to detect the differences in gene expression upon FADD overexpression. Flow cytometry and multicolor immunofluorescence staining (mIHC) were used to detect the differences in CD8+ T-cell infiltration in FADD-overexpressed cells or tumor tissues.

RESULTS

Overexpression of FADD significantly promoted tumor growth. Cells with high FADD expression presented high expression of CD276 and FGFBP1 and low expression of proinflammatory factors (such as IFIT1-3 and CXCL8), which reduced the percentage of CD8+ T cells and created a "cold tumor" immune microenvironment, thus promoting tumor progression. In vivo and in vitro experiment confirmed that tumor tissues with excessive FADD expression exhibited CD8+ T-cell exclusion in the microenvironment.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary investigation has discovered the association between FADD expression and the immunosuppressive microenvironment in HNSCC. Due to the high frequent amplification of the chromosomal region 11q13.3, where FADD is located, targeting FADD holds promise for improving the immune-inactive state of tumors, subsequently inhibiting HNSCC tumor progression.

Protective effects of Panax ginseng as a medical food against chemical toxic agents: molecular and cellular mechanisms

Humans are exposed to different types of toxic agents, which may directly induce organ malfunction or indirectly alter gene expression, leading to carcinogenic and teratogenic effects, and eventually death. Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is the most valuable of all medicinal herbs. Nevertheless, specific data on the antidotal mechanisms of this golden herb are currently unavailable. Based on the findings of in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, this review focused on the probable protective mechanisms of ginseng and its major components, such as protopanaxadiols, protopanaxatriols, and pentacyclic ginsenosides against various chemical toxic agents. Relevant articles from 2000 to 2023 were gathered from PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. This literature review shows that P. ginseng and its main components have protective and antidotal effects against the deteriorative effects of pesticides, pharmaceutical agents, including acetaminophen, doxorubicin, isoproterenol, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, and gentamicin, ethanol, and some chemical agents. These improvements occur through multi-functional mechanisms. They exhibit antioxidant activity, induce anti-inflammatory action, and block intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. However, relevant clinical trials are necessary to validate the mentioned effects and translate the knowledge from basic science to human benefit, fulfilling the fundamental goal of all toxicologists.

LncRNA H19/miR-107 regulates endothelial progenitor cell pyroptosis and promotes flow recovery of lower extremity ischemia through targeting FADD

BACKGROUND

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an ischemic disease with a rising incidence worldwide. The lncRNA H19 (H19) is enriched in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and transplantation of pyroptosis-resistant H19-overexpressed EPCs (oe-H19-EPCs) may promote vasculogenesis and blood flow recovery in PAD, especially with critical limb ischemia (CLI).

METHODS

EPCs isolated from human peripheral blood was characterized using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Cell proliferation was determined with CCK8 and EdU assays. Cell migration was assessed by Transwell and wound healing assays. The angiogenic potential was evaluated using tube formation assay. The pyroptosis pathway-related protein in EPCs was detected by western blot. The binding sites of H19 and FADD on miR-107 were analyzed using Luciferase assays. In vivo, oe-H19-EPCs were transplanted into a mouse ischemic limb model, and blood flow was detected by laser Doppler imaging. The transcriptional landscape behind the therapeutic effects of oe-H19-EPCs on ischemic limbs were examined with whole transcriptome sequencing.

RESULTS

Overexpression of H19 in EPCs led to an increase in proliferation, migration, and tube formation abilities. These effects were mediated through pyroptosis pathway, which is regulated by the H19/miR-107/FADD axis. Transplantation of oe-H19-EPCs in a mouse ischemic limb model promoted vasculogenesis and blood flow recovery. Whole transcriptome sequencing indicated significant activation of vasculogenesis pathway in the ischemic limbs following treatment with oe-H19-EPCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Overexpression of H19 increases FADD level by competitively binding to miR-107, leading to enhanced proliferation, migration, vasculogenesis, and inhibition of pyroptosis in EPCs. These effects ultimately promote the recovery of blood flow in CLI.

Ginsenoside Rb1 in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: A review of therapeutic potentials and molecular mechanisms

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs), which are circulatory system diseases caused by heart defects and vascular diseases, are the major noncommunicable diseases affecting global public health. With the improvement of economic level and the change of human lifestyle, the prevalence of CCVDs continues to increase. Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) was widely used in traditional diseases due to its supposed tonic properties. Ginsenoside Rb1 (G-Rb1) is the most abundant active ingredient with multiple pharmacological effects extracted from ginseng, which has been shown to have potential benefits on the cardiovascular system through a variety of mechanisms, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, regulation of vasodilation, reduction of platelet adhesion, influence of calcium ion channels, improvement of lipid distribution, involving in glucose metabolism and controlling blood sugar. This review reviewed the protective effects of G-Rb1 on CCVDs and its potential mechanisms, such as atherosclerosis (AS), hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke (IS) and periocular microvascular retinopathy. Finally, we reviewed and reported the results of in vivo and in vitro experiments using G-Rb1 to improve CCVDs, highlighted its efficacy, safety, and limitations.

Rewiring the T cell-suppressive cytokine landscape of the tumor microenvironment: a new frontier for precision anti-cancer therapy

T lymphocytes that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) often fail to function as effective anti-cancer agents. Within the TME, cell-to-cell inhibitory interactions play significant roles in dampening their anti-tumor activities. Recent studies have revealed that soluble factors released in the TME by immune and non-immune cells, as well as by tumor cells themselves, contribute to the exacerbation of T cell exhaustion. Our understanding of the cytokine landscape of the TME, their interrelationships, and their impact on cancer development is still at its early stages. In this review, we aim to shed light on Interleukin (IL) -6, IL-9, and IL-10, a small group of JAK/STAT signaling-dependent cytokines harboring T cell-suppressive effects in the TME and summarize their mechanisms of action. Additionally, we will explore how advancements in scientific research can help us overcoming the obstacles posed by cytokines that suppress T cells in tumors, with the ultimate objective of stimulating further investigations for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to counteract their tumor-promoting activities.

Identification of autoantibodies as potential non-invasive biomarkers for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) presents a challenging diagnosis due to its nonspecific early clinical manifestations, often resulting in late-stage detection and high mortality. Diagnosing iCCA is further complicated by its limited accuracy, often necessitating multiple invasive procedures for precise identification. Despite carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) having been investigated and employed for iCCA diagnosis, it demonstrates modest diagnostic performance. Consequently, the identification of novel biomarkers with improved sensitivity and specificity remains an imperative yet formidable task. Autoantibodies, as early indicators of the immune response against cancer, offer a promising avenue for enhancing diagnostic accuracy. Our study aimed to identify non-invasive blood-based autoantibody biomarkers capable of distinguishing iCCA patients from healthy individuals (CTRs). We profiled autoantibodies in 26 serum samples (16 iCCAs and 10 CTRs) using protein microarrays containing 1622 functional proteins. Leveraging machine learning techniques, we identified a signature composed of three autoantibody biomarkers (NDE1, PYCR1, and VIM) in conjunction with CA19-9 for iCCA detection. This combined signature demonstrated superior diagnostic performance with an AUC of 96.9%, outperforming CA19-9 alone (AUC: 83.8%). These results suggest the potential of autoantibody biomarkers to develop a complementary non-invasive diagnostic utility for routine iCCA screening.

Podocyte Death in Diabetic Kidney Disease: Potential Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets

Cell deaths maintain the normal function of tissues and organs. In pathological conditions, the abnormal activation or disruption of cell death often leads to pathophysiological effects. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a significant microvascular complication of diabetes, is linked to high mortality and morbidity rates, imposing a substantial burden on global healthcare systems and economies. Loss and detachment of podocytes are key pathological changes in the progression of DKD. This review explores the potential mechanisms of apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, cuproptosis, and podoptosis in podocytes, focusing on how different cell death modes contribute to the progression of DKD. It recognizes the limitations of current research and presents the latest basic and clinical research studies targeting podocyte death pathways in DKD. Lastly, it focuses on the future of targeting podocyte cell death to treat DKD, with the intention of inspiring further research and the development of therapeutic strategies.

Molluscan pleiotropic FADD involved in innate immune signaling and induces apoptosis

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was initially identified as a crucial adaptor protein in the apoptotic pathway mediated by death receptor (DR). Subsequently, many studies have confirmed that FADD plays a vital role in innate immunity and inflammatory responses in animals. However, the function of this pleiotropic molecule in mollusk species has not been well explored. In this study, we successfully verified the gene sequence of FADD in the Zhikong scallop (Chlamys farreri) and designated it as CfFADD. The CfFADD protein contains a conserved death effector and death domains. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CfFADD is a novel addition to the molluscan FADD family with a close evolutionary relationship with molluscan FADD subfamily proteins. CfFADD mRNA expression in various scallop tissues was significantly induced by challenge with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, and poly(I:C)), suggesting its role in innate immunity in scallops. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that CfFADD interacted with the scallop DR (tumor necrosis factor receptor) and a signaling molecule involved in the Toll-like receptor pathway (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase), confirming that CfFADD may be involved in DR-mediated apoptosis and innate immune signaling pathways. Further studies showed that CfFADD interacted with CfCaspase-8 and activated caspase-3. HEK293T cells exhibited distinct apoptotic features after transfection with a CfFADD-expression plasmid, suggesting a functional DR-FADD-caspase apoptotic pathway in scallops. Overexpression of CfFADD led to a significant dose-dependent activation of interferon β and nuclear factor-κB reporter genes, demonstrating the key role of CfFADD in innate immunity. In summary, our research has confirmed the critical roles of CfFADD in innate immunity and apoptosis and provides valuable information for developing comparative immunology theories.

Dysregulation of neutrophil oxidant production and interleukin-1-related cytokines in granulomatosis with polyangiitis

OBJECTIVES

Neutrophils play a key role in ANCA-associated vasculitis, both as targets of autoimmunity and as facilitators of vascular damage. In granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), the data regarding the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neutrophils are unclear. Further, recent data suggests that ROS production could have an anti-inflammatory effect through the regulation of inflammasomes and IL-1-related cytokines. We aimed to analyse ROS production in neutrophils from patients with GPA and investigate its association with IL-1-related cytokines and the autoantigen PR3.

METHODS

Seventy-two GPA patients with disease flare were included in the NEUTROVASC prospective cohort study. ROS production in whole blood of patients with active GPA was evaluated and compared with that in the same patients in remission or healthy controls. Associations between ROS production, PR3 membrane expression on neutrophils, serum levels of IL-1-related cytokines as well as inflammasome-related proteins were analysed.

RESULTS

We observed a robust defect in ROS production by neutrophils from patients with active GPA compared with healthy controls, independent of glucocorticoid treatment. Serum levels of IL-1-related cytokines were significantly increased in GPA patients, particularly in patients with kidney involvement, and levels of these cytokines returned to normal after patients achieved remission. Further, inflammasome-related proteins were significantly dysregulated in the cytosol of neutrophils as well as the serum from GPA patients.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggests that ROS production and regulation of inflammasomes in neutrophils from patients with GPA are disturbed and may be a potential therapeutic target.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01862068.

FADD regulates adipose inflammation, adipogenesis, and adipocyte survival

Adipose tissue, aside from adipocytes, comprises various abundant immune cells. The accumulation of low-grade chronic inflammation in adipose tissue serves as a primary cause and hallmark of insulin resistance. In this study, we investigate the physiological roles of FADD in adipose tissue inflammation, adipogenesis, and adipocyte survival. High levels of Fadd mRNA were observed in mitochondrial-rich organs, particularly brown adipose tissue. To explore its metabolic functions, we generated global Fadd knockout mice, resulting in embryonic lethality, while heterozygous knockout (Fadd+/-) mice did not show any significant changes in body weight or composition. However, Fadd+/- mice exhibited reduced respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and serum cholesterol levels, along with heightened global and adipose inflammatory responses. Furthermore, AT masses and expression levels of adipogenic and lipogenic genes were decreased in Fadd+/- mice. In cellular studies, Fadd inhibition disrupted adipogenic differentiation and suppressed the expression of adipogenic and lipogenic genes in cultured adipocytes. Additionally, Fadd overexpression caused adipocyte death in vitro with decreased RIPK1 and RIPK3 expression, while Fadd inhibition downregulated RIPK3 in iWAT in vivo. These findings collectively underscore the indispensable role of FADD in adipose inflammation, adipogenesis, and adipocyte survival.

Expression of RIPK1 and FADD are associated with chemosensitivity and survival in head and heck squamous cell carcinoma via tanshinone IIA-mediated modulation of the RIPK1-FADD-Caspase 8 complex

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), a main active ingredient of salvia miltiorrhiza, has a wide range of antitumor effects, while its specific role and mechanism in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) is not fully understood. Totally 59 primary HNSCC patients underwent two courses of induction chemotherapy before surgery. The association between expression of Fas-Associated Death Domain (FADD) and receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) and chemotherapy resistance and survival were evaluated. The cell counting kit-8 was used to detect the effect of Tan IIA on the activity of cisplatin in chemoresistant HNSCC cells through a series of in vitro experiments. The quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis and flow cytometry were used. FADD and RIPK1 expressions were differentially expressed in Chemosensitive and drug-resistant patients. Furthermore, patients with tumors exhibiting high expression of FADD and RIPK1 had significantly greater risk for chemoresistance and mortality than patients with tumors that had low levels of these proteins. Moreover, Tan IIA reduced the expression of RIPK1 and FADD in HNSCC chemoresistant cell lines, which could increase the chemosensitivity of cisplatin and promote apoptosis. Overexpression of RIPK1 led to attenuation of therapeutic effects of Tan IIA, which were mainly realized through regulation of the RIPK1-FADD-Caspase 8 complex. This study is the first to demonstrate the clinical value and role of FADD and RIPK1 in the treatment of HNSCC. This work establishes the proapoptotic effects of Tan IIA and its potential to enhance chemosensitivity in HNSCC by modulating the RIPK1-FADD-Caspase 8 complex.

FADD promotes type I interferon production to suppress porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is an epidemic animal infectious disease worldwide, causing huge economic losses to the global swine industry. Fas-associated death domain (FADD) was previously reported to be an adaptor protein that functions in transferring the apoptotic signals regulated by the death receptors. In the current study, we unravel its unidentified role in promoting type I interferon (IFN) production during PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection. We identified that FADD inhibited PRRSV infection via promotion of type I IFN transcription. Overexpression of FADD suppressed the replication of PRRSV, while knockout of FADD increased viral titer and nucleocapsid protein expression. Mechanistically, FADD promoted mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS)-mediated production of IFN-β and some IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, FADD exerted anti-PRRSV effects in a MAVS-dependent manner and increased the type I IFN signaling during PRRSV infection. This study highlights the importance of FADD in PRRSV replication, which may have implications for the future control of PRRS.

Yantiao Formula Intervention in Rats with Sepsis: Network Pharmacology and Experimental Analysis

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

Traditional Chinese Medicine prescribes Yantiao Formula (YTF; peach kernel, mirabilite, Angelica sinensis, Radix Scrophulariae, raw rhubarb, Radix Paeoniae, Flos Lonicerae, Forsythia and Ophiopogon japonicus) to treat sepsis. Clinically, it reduced the inflammatory response of sepsis. It also reduced lung damage by decreasing the level of TNF-α in septic rats' serum. Using network pharmacology analysis, we investigated the efficacy network and mechanism of YTF in treating sepsis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and a Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (BATMAN-TCM) combined with literature to collect the main components in YTF and their targets. DisGeNET and GENECARDS databases were used for sepsis-related targets. Cytoscape 3.7.1 software was used to construct the herbcomponent- target and ingredient-target-disease interaction protein-protein interaction networks of YTF. The jvenn was used to perform the intersection of YTF targets and sepsis targets. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed． We also created a sepsis rat model using cecal ligation and perforation and stimulated alveolar macrophages (NR8383) with endotoxin to investigate the mechanisms of YTF.

RESULTS

GO, and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that these targets involved mineralocorticoid secretion, aldosterone secretion, active regulation of chronic inflammatory response, the exogenous coagulation pathway, and other pathophysiology. It was linked to various inflammatory factors and the MAPK pathway. YTF inhibits the p38MAPK pathway and decreases TNF- α, IL-6, and CXCL8 levels.

CONCLUSION

YTF has a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-channel role in treating sepsis. The primary mechanisms may involve inhibiting the p38MAPK pathway to reduce the inflammatory response.

A novel necroptosis-related gene signature in acute myeloid leukemia

OBJECTIVE

Necroptosis has been reported to play an important role in different cancers, including leukemia. However, biomarkers of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) that help predict the prognosis of AML are still lacking. Our research aims to build a novel signature of NRGs that could enhance our understanding of the molecular heterogeneity in leukemia.

METHOD

Gene expression profiles as well as clinical features were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases. Data analysis were executed using R software version 4.2.1 and GraphPad Prism version 9.0.0.

RESULT

Univariate cox regression and lasso regression were applied to identify survival-specific genes. Four genes including FADD, PLA2G4A, PYCARD and ZBP1 were considered as independent risk factors that affect the prognosis of patients. Risk scores were calculated according to the coefficient of four genes. Then clinical characteristics and risk scores were enrolled to construct a nomogram. CellMiner was also used to screen potential drugs and analyze the correlations between genes and drug sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

In general, we established a signature of four genes related to necroptosis that could be helpful for future risk stratification in patients with AML.

Discovery of potential RIPK1 inhibitors by machine learning and molecular dynamics simulations

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) plays a crucial role in inflammation and cell death, so it is a promising candidate for the treatment of autoimmune, inflammatory, neurodegenerative, and ischemic diseases. So far, there are no approved RIPK1 inhibitors available. In this study, four machine learning algorithms were employed (random forest, extra trees, extreme gradient boosting and light gradient boosting machine) to predict small molecule inhibitors of RIPK1. The statistical metrics revealed similar performance and demonstrated outstanding predictive capabilities in all four models. Molecular docking and clustering analysis were employed to confirm six compounds that are structurally distinct from existing RIPK1 inhibitors. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the binding ability of these compounds. Utilizing the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method, the 1855 bit has been identified as the most significant molecular fingerprint fragment. The findings propose that these six small molecules exhibit promising potential for targeting RIPK1 in associated diseases. Notably, the identification of Cpd-1 small molecule (ZINC000085897746) from the Musa acuminate highlights its natural product origin, warranting further attention and investigation.

The diagnostic or prognostic values of FADD in cancers based on pan‑cancer analysis

Previous studies have determined that aberrant expression of the fas-associated death domain (FADD) contributes to the development of cancer. However, no pan-cancer analysis has been reported to explore the relationship between FADD and various cancers. Multiple databases were screened to identify cancer datasets for the present study and to validate the expression of FADD in various tumors. The association of FADD alteration with cancer prognosis, clinical features and tumor immunity was also evaluated. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized to confirm the expression of FADD in breast, colon, liver and gastric cancer cells. Analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus database and The Cancer Genome Atlas database indicated that FADD was highly expressed in breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma, kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma, liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and prostate adenocarcinoma, whereas RT-qPCR results revealed that FADD was highly expressed in breast cancer and colon cancer. Further analyses demonstrated that FADD expression was significantly altered in ESCA, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC), lung squamous cell carcinoma and BRCA. FADD expression was observed to be a risk factor of the overall survival in patients with HNSC, LIHC and LUAD as demonstrated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. The results of the present study demonstrated that FADD is highly expressed in numerous malignancies and can be utilized as a biomarker for the diagnosis of BRCA, COAD, LIHC and stomach adenocarcinoma. Moreover, FADD expression is a predictive risk factor for the development of HNSC, LIHC and LUAD and can potentially be used as a prognostic marker for these cancers.

Prognostic Value of Necroptosis-Related Genes Signature in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The dual role of necroptosis in inhibiting and promoting tumor development has gradually received much attention because of its essential significance for targeted treatment. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the relationship between necroptosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and search for novel prognostic factors for OSCC. RNA-seq data and clinical information were downloaded from TCGA and GTEx databases. The prognostic signature of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) was constructed by univariate Cox regression analysis and the LASSO Cox regression model. Moreover, survival analyses, ROC curves, and nomograms were adopted to further analyze. GO and KEGG analyses and immune infiltration analyses were used for function enrichment and immune feature research in turn. The NRG prognostic signature expression was higher in OSCC tissues than in normal tissues, and the overall survival (OS) rate of the high-expression group was much lower. HPRT1 was proved to be an independent prognostic factor in OSCC. Furthermore, the function enrichment analyses revealed that NRGs were involved in necroptosis, apoptosis, inflammation, and immune reaction. The expression of NRGs was related to immunosuppression in OSCC. Furthermore, the knockdown of HPRT1 could suppress the proliferation and migration of OSCC. In conclusion, the high expression of NRG prognostic signature is associated with poor prognosis in OSCC, and HPRT1 can serve as a novel independent prognostic factor for OSCC.

Upregulated FADD is associated with poor prognosis, immune exhaustion, tumor malignancy, and immunotherapy resistance in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Background

FAS-associated death structural domain (FADD) proteins are important proteins that regulate apoptosis and are also involved in many nonapoptotic pathways in tumors. However, how dysregulated FADD affects the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown.

Method

Transcriptome profiles and corresponding clinical information of LUAD patients were convened from different databases, and the results were validated by qRT-PCR and cell counting kit-8 using LUAD cell lines. Potential associations between FADD and tumor malignancy, the immune microenvironment, genomic stability, and treatment sensitivity in LUAD patients were revealed by systematic bioinformatics analysis.

Results

FADD was significantly overexpressed in LUAD, and patients with higher expression levels of FADD had a worse prognosis and more advanced tumor stage. Functional analysis revealed that elevated expression of FADD was associated with cell cycle dysregulation, angiogenesis, and metabolic disturbances. In addition, overexpression of FADD was associated with a higher infiltration of suppressive immune cells. From a single-cell perspective, cells with lower FADD expression are more active in immune-related pathways. FADD was associated with more genomic mutations, especially TP53. Patients with high FADD expression are more likely to benefit from conventional chemotherapy, while those with low FADD expression are more suitable for immunotherapy.

Conclusions

Upregulated FADD is associated with worse prognosis, immune exhaustion, and tumor malignancy in LUAD patients. In addition, FADD can be an efficient indicator for assessing sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Therefore, FADD has the potential to serve as a new target for precision medicine and targeted therapy for LUAD.

Targeting the p53 signaling pathway in cancers: Molecular mechanisms and clinical studies

Tumor suppressor p53 can transcriptionally activate downstream genes in response to stress, and then regulate the cell cycle, DNA repair, metabolism, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and other biological responses. p53 has seven functional domains and 12 splice isoforms, and different domains and subtypes play different roles. The activation and inactivation of p53 are finely regulated and are associated with phosphorylation/acetylation modification and ubiquitination modification, respectively. Abnormal activation of p53 is closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. While targeted therapy of the p53 signaling pathway is still in its early stages and only a few drugs or treatments have entered clinical trials, the development of new drugs and ongoing clinical trials are expected to lead to the widespread use of p53 signaling-targeted therapy in cancer treatment in the future. TRIAP1 is a novel p53 downstream inhibitor of apoptosis. TRIAP1 is the homolog of yeast mitochondrial intermembrane protein MDM35, which can play a tumor-promoting role by blocking the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway. This work provides a systematic overview of recent basic research and clinical progress in the p53 signaling pathway and proposes that TRIAP1 is an important therapeutic target downstream of p53 signaling.

Radical-Scavenging and Subchondral Bone-Regenerating Nanomedicine for Osteoarthritis Treatment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by cartilage degradation and subchondral bone remodeling. However, most available studies focus on either cartilage degradation or subchondral bone lesion, alone, and rarely pay attention to the synergy of these two pathological changes. Herein, a dual-functional medication is developed to simultaneously protect cartilage and achieve subchondral bone repair. Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs), with a strong reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging capability and high biocompatibility, also present a notable promoting effect in osteogenesis. BPNSs efficiently eliminate the intracellular ROS and, thus, protect the inherent homeostasis between cartilage matrix anabolism and catabolism. RNA sequencing results of BPNSs-treated OA chondrocytes further reveal the restoration of chondrocyte function, activation of antioxidant enzymes, and regulation of inflammation. Additional in vivo assessments solidly confirm that BPNSs inhibit cartilage degradation and prevent OA progression. Meanwhile, histological evaluation and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) scanning analysis verify the satisfying disease-modifying effects of BPNSs on OA. Additionally, the excellent biocompatibility of BPNSs enables them as a competitive candidate for OA treatment. This distinct disease-modifying treatment of OA on the basis of BPNSs provides an insight and paradigm on the dual-functional treatment strategy focusing on both cartilage degradation and subchondral bone lesion in OA and explores a broader biomedical application of BPNS nanomedicine in orthopedics.

Ginsenoside Rb1 promotes the activation of PPARα pathway via inhibiting FADD to ameliorate heart failure

PURPOSE

Ginsenoside Rb1 (GRb1), a dammarane-type triterpene saponin compound mainly distributed in ginseng (Panax ginseng), has been demonstrated to ameliorate cardiovascular diseases. However, it remains unclear whether GRb1 alleviates heart failure (HF) by maintaining cardiac energy metabolism balance. Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the cardiac benefits of GRb1 against cardiac energy deficit and explore its mechanism of action.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Isoproterenol (ISO) induced HF Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated with GRb1 or fenofibrate for 6 weeks. ISO-induced primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) were used as the in vitro model. In vivo, GRb1 significantly improved the structural and metabolic disorder, as demonstrated by the restoration of cardiac function, inhibition of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, and increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. In vitro, GRb1 effectively protected mitochondrial function and scavenged excessive reactive oxygen species. Moreover, in ISO-induced NRCMs, GRb1 significantly inhibited the abnormal upregulation of Fas-associated death domain (FADD), promoted transcriptional activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα), improved the aberrant expression of cardiac energy metabolism-related enzymes and cardiac fatty acid oxidation, and subsequently increased the synthesis of ATP. Noticeably, GRb1 could inhibit the increased binding between FADD and PPARα, which contributed to the activation of PPARα. Furthermore, GRb1 strengthened the thermal stabilization of FADD and might bind to FADD directly.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, it's part of the in-depth mechanism of GRb1's cardio-protection that GRb1 could directly bind to FADD and counteract its negative role in the transcription of PPARα thus ameliorating cardiac energy derangement and HF.

Prognostic significance and immune correlates of FADD in penile squamous cell carcinoma

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) with a poor prognosis lacks reliable biomarkers for stratifying patients. Fas-associated death domain (FADD) could regulate cell proliferation and has shown promising diagnostic and prognostic significance in multiple cancers. However, researchers have not determined how FADD exerts its effect on PSCC. In this study, we set out to investigate the clinical features of FADD and the prognostic impact of PSCC. Additionally, we also assessed the role of affecting the immune environment in PSCC. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to evaluate the protein expression of FADD. The difference between FADD^high and FADD^low was explored by RNA sequencing from available cases. The immune environment evaluation of CD4, CD8, and Foxp3 was performed by immunohistochemical. In this study, we found that FADD was overexpressed in 19.6 (39/199) patients, and the overexpression of FADD was associated with phimosis (p=0.007), N stage (p<0.001), clinical stage (p=0.001), and histologic grade (p=0.005). The overexpression of FADD was an independent prognostic factor for both PFS (HR 3.976, 95% CI 2.413-6.553, p<0.001) and OS (HR 4.134, 95% CI 2.358-7.247, p<0.001). In addition, overexpression of FADD was mainly linked to T cell activation and PD-L1 expression combined with PD-L1 checkpoint in cancer. Further validation demonstrated that overexpression of FADD was positively correlated with the infiltration of Foxp3 in PSCC (p=0.0142). It is the first time to show that overexpression of FADD is an adjunct biomarker with poor prognosis in PSCC and could also serve as a tumor immune environment regulator.

Colorectal Cancer (CRC): Investigating the Expression of the Suppressor of Fused (SuFu) Gene and Its Relationship with Several Inflammatory Blood-Based Biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Suppressor of fused (SuFu) is a tumor-suppressor gene that regulates hedgehog signaling. Its involvement in some malignancies is broadly accepted. However, its association with colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis is not clear. Likewise, no study has clearly associated blood-based inflammatory biomarkers with cancer diagnosis/prognosis as yet.

AIM

Our goal was to look at SuFu expression levels in CRC patients and its relationship with other clinicopathological factors. Additionally, we looked into the function of a few blood-based biomarkers in CRC and whether or not a combined strategy at the genetic and clinical levels can be applied in CRC.

METHODS

The investigation included 98 histopathologically confirmed CRC samples and adjacent normal tissues (controls). A colonoscopy was followed by a targeted biopsy for each suspected colon cancer patient. A CT scan and MRI were also performed on every patient with rectal cancer. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used for assessment. A Beckman Coulter DxH900 was used to examine blood parameters. A Beckman Coulter DxI800 was used to identify pretreatment carcinoma embryonic antigens (CEA) and carbohydrate antigens (CA 19-9) in CRC patients.

RESULTS

The expression of SuFu was associated with gender, education, passive smoking, tumor grade, perineural invasion (PNI), lymph node metastasis (LNM), node status, stage, vital status, and recurrence (p < 0.05). In the combined analysis, the areas under the curve produced by the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and red cell distribution width (RDW) were the greatest (AUCRDW+PLR+NLR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.86-0.93, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the most severe pathological features were linked to RDW, PLR, NLR, and HPR. SuFu expression, node status, LNM, PNI, and stage all had significant correlations with OS and DFS rates in IHC-based univariate survival analysis (p < 0.05). According to the Cox regression, CA-19.9 had a strong independent predictive link with 3-year DFS (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In CRC, SuFu was downregulated both transcriptionally and translationally, was primarily nucleo-cytoplasmic, and was expressed less in high-grade tumors. In addition, SuFu was linked to a poor overall and disease-free survival rate. It may be possible to use SuFu as a therapeutic target for CRC in the future. However, SuFu expression had no effect on RDW, PLR, NLR, or HPR serum levels.

(4-Picolylamino)-17β-Estradiol derivative and analogues induce apoptosis with death receptor trail R2/DR5 in MCF-7

In order to discover more effective and less toxic drugs in the field of anti-tumor, the backbone structure of 17β-estradiol was modified, and 11 target compounds were synthesized. Compounds 5 and 10, which exhibited better anti-tumor activity and higher selectivity (more than 10-fold), were chosen for further biological investigation. Flow cytometry results indicated that 5 and 10 could arrest MCF-7 cells in the G2 phase and induce apoptosis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 5 and 10 could bind to the estradiol receptor alpha in MCF-7 cells. Western blotting and real-time PCR assays were performed to detect the effects of compounds on apoptosis-related targets at the protein and gene levels. These results showed that both 5 and 10 could dosed-dependently increase the expression of Apaf-1, Bax, caspase-3,8,9 and reduce the expression levels of the anti-apoptotic factors Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Besides, the Human apoptosis array assay demonstrated the expression level of death receptor Trail R2/DR5 was upregulated obviously while the expression of TNF R1, IAPs and Hsp27/60/70 were downregulated. On the whole, 5 induced MCF-7 cell death through the endogenous pathway in mitochondria and the exogenous pathway with death receptor Trail R2/DR5.

FADD as a key molecular player in cancer progression

Cancer is a leading disease-related cause of death worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic interventions, cancer remains a major global public health problem. Cancer pathogenesis is extremely intricate and largely unknown. Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was initially identified as an adaptor protein for death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptosis. Recent evidence suggests that FADD plays a vital role in non-apoptotic cellular processes, such as proliferation, autophagy, and necroptosis. FADD expression and activity of are modulated by a complicated network of processes, such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, and post-translational modification. FADD dysregulation has been shown to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of numerous types of cancer. However, the detailed mechanisms of FADD dysregulation involved in cancer progression are still not fully understood. This review mainly summarizes recent findings on the structure, functions, and regulatory mechanisms of FADD and focuses on its role in cancer progression. The clinical implications of FADD as a biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer patients are also discussed. The information reviewed herein may expand researchers’ understanding of FADD and contribute to the development of FADD-based therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Machine learning identification of cuproptosis and necroptosis-associated molecular subtypes to aid in prognosis assessment and immunotherapy response prediction in low-grade glioma

Both cuproptosis and necroptosis are typical cell death processes that serve essential regulatory roles in the onset and progression of malignancies, including low-grade glioma (LGG). Nonetheless, there remains a paucity of research on cuproptosis and necroptosis-related gene (CNRG) prognostic signature in patients with LGG. We acquired patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and captured CNRGs from the well-recognized literature. Firstly, we comprehensively summarized the pan-cancer landscape of CNRGs from the perspective of expression traits, prognostic values, mutation profiles, and pathway regulation. Then, we devised a technique for predicting the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy for LGG patients. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) defined by CNRGs with prognostic values was performed to generate molecular subtypes (i.e., C1 and C2). C1 subtype is characterized by poor prognosis in terms of disease-specific survival (DSS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS), more patients with G3 and tumour recurrence, high abundance of immunocyte infiltration, high expression of immune checkpoints, and poor response to immunotherapy. LASSO-SVM-random Forest analysis was performed to aid in developing a novel and robust CNRG-based prognostic signature. LGG patients in the TCGA and GEO databases were categorized into the training and test cohorts, respectively. A five-gene signature, including SQSTM1, ZBP1, PLK1, CFLAR, and FADD, for predicting OS of LGG patients was constructed and its predictive reliability was confirmed in both training and test cohorts. In both the training and the test datasets (cohorts), higher risk scores were linked to a lower OS rate. The time-dependent ROC curve proved that the risk score had outstanding prediction efficiency for LGG patients in the training and test cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed the CNRG-based prognostic signature independently functioned as a risk factor for OS in LGG patients. Furthermore, we developed a highly reliable nomogram to facilitate the clinical practice of the CNRG-based prognostic signature (AUC > 0.9). Collectively, our results gave a promising understanding of cuproptosis and necroptosis in LGG, as well as a tailored prediction tool for prognosis and immunotherapeutic responses in patients.

Identification and Validation of the lncRNA MYOSLID as a Regulating Factor of Necroptosis and Immune Cell Infiltration in Colorectal Cancer following Necroptosis-Related LncRNA Model Establishment

Simple Summary

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers and the second leading cause of deaths due to cancer. In this study, we developed a neural model based on only four lncRNAs to predict the overall survival rate of colorectal cancer patients. Moreover, we validated the value of analysing the lncRNA MYOSLID, one of the hub lncRNAs in our model, which promotes colorectal cancer by regulating necroptosis. Our study offered some essential insights into predicting the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients and may help to assist diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Abstract

Necroptosis is a newly defined form of programmed cell death that plays an important role in cancers. However, necroptosis-related lncRNAs (NRLs) involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not yet been thoroughly studied. Methods: In this study, a 4-NRL model was developed based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. A series of informatic, in vitro and in vivo analyses were applied to validate the prognostic value of the model and the potential function of the hub lncRNA MYOSLID. Results: The model exhibited an excellent capacity for the prediction of overall survival and other clinicopathological features of CRC patients using Kaplan–Meier (K–M) survival curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Furthermore, a significant difference in the levels of immune cells, such as CD4 memory T cells and activated mast cells, between two risk groups was observed. The low-risk patients had a higher expression of immune checkpoints, such as PDCD1 (PD-1) and CD274 (PD-L1). The levels of MYOSLID, a hub lncRNA in our model, were higher in CRC tissues than in normal tissues. Knockdown of MYOSLID induced necroptosis and inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, knockdown of MYOSLID also increased the percentage of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in subcutaneously transplanted tumours. Conclusion: Our model is a promising biomarker that can be used to predict clinical outcomes in CRC patients, and MYOSLID plays an important role in regulating necroptosis and immune cell infiltration in CRC.

Heritability Estimation of Multiple Sclerosis Related Plasma Protein Levels in Sardinian Families with Immunochip Genotyping Data

This work aimed at estimating narrow-sense heritability, defined as the proportion of the phenotypic variance explained by the sum of additive genetic effects, via Haseman–Elston regression for a subset of 56 plasma protein levels related to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). These were measured in 212 related individuals (with 69 MS cases and 143 healthy controls) obtained from 20 Sardinian families with MS history. Using pedigree information, we found seven statistically significant heritable plasma protein levels (after multiple testing correction), i.e., Gc (h2 = 0.77; 95%CI: 0.36, 1.00), Plat (h2 = 0.70; 95%CI: 0.27, 0.95), Anxa1 (h2 = 0.68; 95%CI: 0.27, 1.00), Sod1 (h2 = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.18, 0.96), Irf8 (h2 = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.19, 0.99), Ptger4 (h2 = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.10, 0.96), and Fadd (h2 = 0.41; 95%CI: 0.06, 0.84). A subsequent analysis was performed on these statistically significant heritable plasma protein levels employing Immunochip genotyping data obtained in 155 healthy controls (92 related and 63 unrelated); we found a meaningful proportion of heritable plasma protein levels’ variability explained by a small set of SNPs. Overall, the results obtained, for these seven MS-related proteins, emphasized a high additive genetic variance component explaining plasma levels’ variability.

Identification of autophagy-related biomarker and analysis of immune infiltrates in oral carcinoma

Background

Autophagy plays a vital role in the progression of the tumor. We aimed to investigate the expression, prognostic value, and immune infiltration of autophagy‐related genes in oral carcinoma via bioinformatics analysis.

Methods

The microarray datasets (GSE146483 and GSE23558) of oral carcinoma were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and diseased groups were identified by the Limma package. The screened autophagy‐related gene was further validated by the human protein atlas (HPA) database, TCGA database, and GSE78060 dataset.

Results

A total of 18 upregulated (top 10: EGFR, TNF, FADD, AURKA, E2F1, CHEK1, BRCA1, BIRC5, EIF2AK2, and CSF2) and 31 downregulated (top 10: MAP1LC3A, PARK2, AGT, IGF1, TP53INP1, CXCL12, IKBKB, SESN1, ULK2, and RRAGD) autophagy‐related (DEGs) were identified, and FADD was found to be related to the prognosis of oral cancer patients. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that FADD‐associated genes were significantly enriched in immune‐related pathways. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that FADD expression was associated with immune infiltrates. Upregulation of FADD is associated with poor survival and immune infiltrates in oral cancer.

Conclusion

We speculated that FADD is involved in the immune regulation of oral cancer, as well as autophagy.

Clinical Impact of 11q13.3 Amplification on Immune Cell Infiltration and Prognosis in Breast Cancer

Introduction

Amplification of the 11q13.3 locus has been observed in various tumors. This study sought to determine the correlation of gene amplification at the 11q13.3 locus with the immune status and survival of breast cancer.

Methods

Amplification of the 11q13.3 locus was characterized by analyzing a publicly available database from the cBioPortal platform (TCGA). The correlation of amplified genes with immune cell infiltration in breast cancer was further analyzed using the TIMER2.0 platform. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the expression levels of Cyclin D1 (CCND1), Fas-associated death domain (FADD) and P53 in 156 clinical breast cancer samples.

Results

This study revealed that amplification of the 11q13.3 amplicon in breast cancer is likely more frequently detected in luminal B breast cancer. Moreover, high expression or amplification of CCND1, fibroblast growth factor 3 (FGF3), fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4), fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) and FADD was inversely correlated with the abundance of CD4+ T cells and dendritic cell infiltration in breast cancer (P < 0.05). Data analysis also demonstrated that high expression of CCND1, FGF4 and FADD mRNA levels was closely correlated with shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with breast cancer (P < 0.05). The results of immunohistochemical staining from clinical samples further confirmed that high expression of CCND1 and FADD was frequently detected in luminal B and high-grade breast cancer with shorter metastasis-free survival times (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that coamplification of genes located on the 11q13.3 amplicon is frequently detected in luminal B subtype breast cancer and is closely associated with worse survival in patients with breast cancer. Moreover, coamplification of the CCND1-FGF locus might decrease antitumor immune activity in breast cancer, indicating that coamplification of the 11q13.3 amplicon is likely to be a key determinant of therapeutic resistance and accelerate the aggressive evolution of breast cancer.

Harnessing cytokines and chemokines for cancer therapy

During the past 40 years, cytokines and cytokine receptors have been extensively investigated as either cancer targets or cancer treatments. A strong preclinical rationale supports therapeutic strategies to enhance the growth inhibitory and immunostimulatory effects of interferons and interleukins, including IL-2, IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15, or to inhibit the inflammatory and tumour-promoting actions of cytokines such as TNF, IL-1β and IL-6. This rationale is underscored by the discovery of altered and dysregulated cytokine expression in all human cancers. These findings prompted clinical trials of several cytokines or cytokine antagonists, revealing relevant biological activity but limited therapeutic efficacy. However, most trials involved patients with advanced-stage disease, which might not be the optimal setting for cytokine-based therapy. The advent of more effective immunotherapies and an increased understanding of the tumour microenvironment have presented new approaches to harnessing cytokine networks in the treatment of cancer, which include using cytokine-based therapies to enhance the activity or alleviate the immune-related toxicities of other treatments as well as to target early stage cancers. Many challenges remain, especially concerning delivery methods, context dependencies, and the pleiotropic, redundant and often conflicting actions of many cytokines. Herein, we discuss the lessons learnt from the initial trials of single-agent cytokine-based therapies and subsequent efforts to better exploit such agents for the treatment of solid tumours.

Ocular findings associated with FADD deficiency resemble familial exudative vitreoretinopathy

Purpose

We report the first known case of eye findings associated with a Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) gene mutation, an exceedingly rare entity.

Observations

A 7-year-old boy was referred for decreased vision and eye examination revealed cystoid macular edema and peripheral retinal ischemia in both eyes and progression to tractional retinal detachment in the right eye.

Conclusions and Importance

This case suggests that baseline and annual ophthalmic screening may be beneficial in individuals with FADD mutations. However, greater documentation of cases may be necessary before deriving a clear interval screening recommendation.

Cell Death in AMD: The Rationale for Targeting Fas

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the developed world. While great advances have been made in the treatment of the neovascular (“wet”) form of the disease, there is still a significant need for therapies that prevent the vision loss associated with the advanced forms of dry, atrophic AMD. In this atrophic form, retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and photoreceptor cell death is the ultimate cause of vision loss. In this review, we summarize the cell death pathways and their relation to RPE and retinal cell death in AMD. We review the data that support targeting programmed cell death through inhibition of the Fas receptor as a novel approach to preserve these structures and that this effect results from inhibiting both canonical death pathway activation and reducing the associated inflammatory response. These data lay the groundwork for current clinical strategies targeting the Fas pathway in this devastating disease.

From Apoptosis to Necroptosis: The Death Wishes to Cancer

DNA mutation is a common event in the human body, but in most situations, it is fixed right away by the DNA damage response program. In case the damage is too severe to repair, the programmed cell death system will be activated to get rid of the cell. However, if the damage affects some critical components of this system, the genetic scars are kept and multiply through mitosis, possibly leading to cancer someday. There are many forms of programmed cell death, but apoptosis and necroptosis represent the default and backup strategy, respectively, in the maintenance of optimal cell population as well as in cancer prevention. For the same reason, the ideal approach for cancer treatment is to induce apoptosis in the cancer cells because it proceeds 20 times faster than tumor cell proliferation and leaves no mess behind. Induction of necroptosis can be the second choice in case apoptosis becomes hard to achieve, however, necroptosis finishes the job at a cost-inflammation.

Natural Peptides Inducing Cancer Cell Death: Mechanisms and Properties of Specific Candidates for Cancer Therapeutics

Nowadays, cancer has become the second highest leading cause of death, and it is expected to continue to affect the population in forthcoming years. Additionally, treatment options will become less accessible to the public as cases continue to grow and disease mechanisms expand. Hence, specific candidates with confirmed anticancer effects are required to develop new drugs. Among the novel therapeutic options, proteins are considered a relevant source, given that they have bioactive peptides encrypted within their sequences. These bioactive peptides, which are molecules consisting of 2–50 amino acids, have specific activities when administered, producing anticancer effects. Current databases report the effects of peptides. However, uncertainty is found when their molecular mechanisms are investigated. Furthermore, analyses addressing their interaction networks or their directly implicated mechanisms are needed to elucidate their effects on cancer cells entirely. Therefore, relevant peptides considered as candidates for cancer therapeutics with specific sequences and known anticancer mechanisms were accurately reviewed. Likewise, those features which turn certain peptides into candidates and the mechanisms by which peptides mediate tumor cell death were highlighted. This information will make robust the knowledge of these candidate peptides with recognized mechanisms and enhance their non-toxic capacity in relation to healthy cells and further avoid cell resistance.

Natural Peptides Inducing Cancer Cell Death: Mechanisms and Properties of Specific Candidates for Cancer Therapeutics

Nowadays, cancer has become the second highest leading cause of death, and it is expected to continue to affect the population in forthcoming years. Additionally, treatment options will become less accessible to the public as cases continue to grow and disease mechanisms expand. Hence, specific candidates with confirmed anticancer effects are required to develop new drugs. Among the novel therapeutic options, proteins are considered a relevant source, given that they have bioactive peptides encrypted within their sequences. These bioactive peptides, which are molecules consisting of 2–50 amino acids, have specific activities when administered, producing anticancer effects. Current databases report the effects of peptides. However, uncertainty is found when their molecular mechanisms are investigated. Furthermore, analyses addressing their interaction networks or their directly implicated mechanisms are needed to elucidate their effects on cancer cells entirely. Therefore, relevant peptides considered as candidates for cancer therapeutics with specific sequences and known anticancer mechanisms were accurately reviewed. Likewise, those features which turn certain peptides into candidates and the mechanisms by which peptides mediate tumor cell death were highlighted. This information will make robust the knowledge of these candidate peptides with recognized mechanisms and enhance their non-toxic capacity in relation to healthy cells and further avoid cell resistance.

PM2.5 Aggravated OVA-Induced Epithelial Tight Junction Disruption Through Fas Associated via Death Domain-Dependent Apoptosis in Asthmatic Mice

BACKGROUND

Exposure to air pollutants cause exacerbation of asthma, but the experimental evidence and the mechanisms still need to be collected and addressed.

METHODS

Asthma model was constructed by ovalbumin (OVA) combined with or without airborne fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure. Lung sections were stained by hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E) and Masson's trichrome. RNA-seq and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify the key pathway. TdT mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay, real-time qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence and lentivirus transfection were applied for mechanism discovery.

RESULTS

In this study, we found PM2.5 aggravated airway inflammation in OVA-induced asthmatic mice. RNA-seq analysis also showed that epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) was enhanced in OVA-induced mice exposed to PM2.5 compared with that in OVA-induced mice. In the meantime, we observed that apoptosis was significantly increased in asthmatic mice exposed to PM2.5 by using GSEA analysis, which was validated by TUNEL assay. By using bioinformatic analysis, Fas associated via death domain (FADD), a new actor in innate immunity and inflammation, was identified to be related to apoptosis, EMT and tight junction. Furthermore, we found that the transcript and protein levels of tight junction markers, E-cadherin, zonula occludens (ZO)-1 and Occludin, were decreased after PM2.5 exposure in vivo and in vitro by using RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence, with the increased expression of FADD. Moreover, down-regulation of FADD attenuated PM2.5-induced apoptosis and tight junction disruption in human airway epithelial cells.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, we demonstrated that PM2.5 aggravated epithelial tight junction disruption through apoptosis mediated by up-regulation of FADD in OVA-induced model.

AK2 Promotes the Migration and Invasion of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Activating TGF-β/Smad Pathway In vitro and In vivo

Adenylate kinase 2 (AK2) is a wide-spread and highly conserved protein kinase whose main function is to catalyze the exchange of nucleotide phosphate groups. In this study, we showed that AK2 regulated tumor cell metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma. Positive expression of AK2 is related to lung adenocarcinoma progression and poor survival of patients. Knockdown or knockout of AK2 inhibited, while overexpression of AK2 promoted, human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion ability. Differential proteomics results showed that AK2 might be closely related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Further research indicated that AK2 regulated EMT occurrence through the Smad-dependent classical signaling pathways as measured by western blot and qPCR assays. Additionally, in vivo experiments showed that AK2-knockout in human lung tumor cells reduced their EMT-like features and formed fewer metastatic nodules both in liver and in lung tissues. In conclusion, we uncover a cancer metastasis-promoting role for AK2 and provide a rationale for targeting AK2 as a potential therapeutic approach for lung cancer.

Pro-inflammatory and proliferative microglia drive progression of glioblastoma

Scant understanding of the glioblastoma microenvironment and molecular bases hampers development of efficient treatment strategies. Analyses of gene signatures of human gliomas demonstrate that the SETD2 mutation is correlated with poor prognosis of IDH1/2 wild-type (IDH-WT) adult glioblastoma patients. To better understand the crosstalk between SETD2 mutant (SETD2-mut) glioblastoma cells and the tumor microenvironment, we leverage single-cell transcriptomics to comprehensively map cellular populations in glioblastoma. In this study, we identify a specific subtype of high-grade glioma-associated microglia (HGG-AM). Further analysis shows that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 derived from SETD2-mut/IDH-WT tumor cells activates HGG-AM, exhibiting pro-inflammation and proliferation signatures. Particularly, HGG-AM secretes interleukin (IL)-1β via the apolipoprotein E (ApoE)-mediated NLRP1 inflammasome, thereby promoting tumor progression. HGG-AM present extensive proliferation and infiltration to supplement the activated microglia pool. Notably, TGF-β1/TβRI depletion dramatically reduces HGG-AM density and suppresses tumor growth. Altogether, our studies identify a specific microglia subpopulation and establish the cellular basis of interactions between HGG-AM and glioblastoma cells.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells as a Vehicle for Cytokine Delivery: An Emerging Approach for Tumor Immunotherapy

Pro-inflammatory cytokines can effectively be used for tumor immunotherapy, affecting every step of the tumor immunity cycle. Thereby, they can restore antigen priming, improve the effector immune cell frequencies in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and eventually strengthen their cytolytic function. A renewed interest in the anticancer competencies of cytokines has resulted in a substantial promotion in the number of trials to address the safety and efficacy of cytokine-based therapeutic options. However, low response rate along with the high toxicity associated with high-dose cytokine for reaching desired therapeutic outcomes negatively affect their clinical utility. Recently, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) due to their pronounced tropism to tumors and also lower immunogenicity have become a promising vehicle for cytokine delivery for human malignancies. MSC-based delivery of the cytokine can lead to the more effective immune cell-induced antitumor response and provide sustained release of target cytokines, as widely evidenced in a myriad of xenograft models. In the current review, we offer a summary of the novel trends in cytokine immunotherapy using MSCs as a potent and encouraging carrier for antitumor cytokines, focusing on the last two decades' animal reports.

Development and Validation of an Autophagy-Related Signature for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Introduction

HNSCC is the sixth most frequent type of malignant carcinoma with a low prognosis rate. In addition, autophagy is important in cancer development and progression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential significance of ARGs in the diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.

Materials and Methods

Expression data and clinical information of HNSCC samples were collected from the TCGA database, and a list of ARGs was obtained from the MSigDB. Then, we used R software to perform differential expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis. Further analysis was also performed to find out the survival-related ARGs in HNSCC, and two prognosis-related ARGs, FADD and NKX2-3, were selected to construct a prognosis prediction model. Moreover, some methods were applied to validate the prognosis prediction model. Finally, we used cell lines and clinical tissue samples of HNSCC to analyze the importance of FADD and NKX2-3.

Results

We screened a total of 38 differentially expressed ARGs, and enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in autophagy. Then, we selected FADD and NKX2-3 to construct a prognosis model and the risk score calculated by the model was proved to be effective in predicting the survival of HNSCC patients. Additionally, significant differences of the clinicopathological parameters could also be observed in the risk scores and the expression of NKX2-3 and FADD. The expression of FADD and NKX2-3 in cell lines and HNSCC tissue samples also showed the same trends.

Conclusions

ARGs may be a potential biomarker for HNSCC prognosis, and targeted therapies for FADD and NKX2-3 are possible to be a new strategy of HNSCC treatment.

Harnessing TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis Pathway for Cancer Immunotherapy and Associated Challenges

The immune cytokine tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has attracted rapidly evolving attention as a cancer treatment modality because of its competence to selectively eliminate tumor cells without instigating toxicity in vivo. TRAIL has revealed encouraging promise in preclinical reports in animal models as a cancer treatment option; however, the foremost constraint of the TRAIL therapy is the advancement of TRAIL resistance through a myriad of mechanisms in tumor cells. Investigations have documented that improvement of the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins and survival or proliferation involved signaling pathways concurrently suppressing the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins along with down-regulation of expression of TRAILR1 and TRAILR2, also known as death receptor 4 and 5 (DR4/5) are reliable for tumor cells resistance to TRAIL. Therefore, it seems that the development of a therapeutic approach for overcoming TRAIL resistance is of paramount importance. Studies currently have shown that combined treatment with anti-tumor agents, ranging from synthetic agents to natural products, and TRAIL could result in induction of apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant cells. Also, human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) engineered to generate and deliver TRAIL can provide both targeted and continued delivery of this apoptosis-inducing cytokine. Similarly, nanoparticle (NPs)-based TRAIL delivery offers novel platforms to defeat barricades to TRAIL therapeutic delivery. In the current review, we will focus on underlying mechanisms contributed to inducing resistance to TRAIL in tumor cells, and also discuss recent findings concerning the therapeutic efficacy of combined treatment of TRAIL with other antitumor compounds, and also TRAIL-delivery using human MSCs and NPs to overcome tumor cells resistance to TRAIL.

Molecular Markers of MDR of Chemotherapy for HSCC: Proteomic Screening With High-Throughput Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Background

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell cancer (HSCC) is a head and neck tumor with a poor prognosis. Chemotherapy lacks effectiveness because of multidrug resistance (MDR), which has increased toxic side effects. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify the molecular markers of MDR of chemotherapy for HSCC.

Methods

Fifty clinical samples of HSCC were derived from patients including 12 sensitive or resistant to chemotherapy drugs. Proteomic screening was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which was based on data-independent acquisition. Molecular markers of MDR of chemotherapy in patients with HSCC were identified with clinical data and validated with ELISA.

Results

A total of 673 differentially expressed proteins were identified in HSCC samples, where 172 were upregulated and 501 were downregulated. A total of 183 differentially expressed proteins including 102 upregulated and 81 downregulated proteins, were identified by comparing cancer sensitive to chemotherapy with cancer resistant to chemotherapy. Clinical HSCC samples had significantly higher expression of FADD and significantly lower expression of RIPK1. Expressions of FADD and RIPK1 proteins were significantly lower in the chemotherapy-sensitive group. These expression differences were not correlated with clinical data. RIPK1 and FADD are involved in necroptosis and the signaling pathway of PRRs. Using ELISA, the low expression of RIPK1 and FADD was found in the patients sensitive to chemotherapy.

Conclusion

LC-MS proteomics is an effective method to identify the molecular markers of HSCC. FADD and RIPK1 can act as molecular markers of MDR of chemotherapy in patients with HSCC and may function through necroptosis and the PRR signaling pathway.

Regulation of Cancer Metastasis by TRAIL/Death Receptor Signaling

Death ligands such as tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; TNFSF10) and their corresponding death receptors (e.g., DR5) not only initiate apoptosis through activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway but also exert non-apoptotic biological functions such as regulation of inflammation and cancer metastasis. The involvement of the TRAIL/death receptor signaling pathway in the regulation of cancer invasion and metastasis is complex as both positive and negative roles have been reported. The underlying molecular mechanisms are even more complicated. This review will focus on discussing current knowledge in our understanding of the involvement of TRAIL/death receptor-mediated signaling in the regulation of cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

Transcriptome analysis and identification of age-associated fertility decreased genes in hen uterovaginal junction

Avian sperm storage tubules (SSTs), which are located in the uterovaginal junction (UVJ) of the oviduct, are primary sperm storage sites after mating or artificial insemination. The mechanism underlying reduced sperm storage efficiency of SSTs which is highly correlated with decreased fertility rates in aged laying breeders remains largely unclear. Here, comparative transcriptomic analysis between the aged and young White Leghorn hens (120 vs. 30 wk) was applied to identify gene expression changes of UVJs containing SSTs. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 567 upregulated and 1998 downregulated differentially expressed genes. Gene ontology analysis was highly enriched in terms of immune system, cell adhesion, and cytoskeleton proteins. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed 5 significant (P < 0.05) pathways including inositol phosphate and glycerophospholipid metabolism. β-Galactosidase staining of chicken UVJ sections suggested increased cell senescence via aging. Oil Red O staining and immunohistochemistry detection of ADFP both confirmed distribution of lipid droplets in SST cells with increased intensity in aged breeders. The lipid synthesis and metabolism-related genes represented by TFAP2 and PLD1 were differentially expressed in aged laying breeders. The upregulation of IL15 and downregulation of a large number of immune-related genes in aged breeders indicate altered immune homeostasis in UVJs and SSTs. The increased accumulation of lipids, and altered immunity homeostasis, combined with other factors (TJP1, MYL9, AFDN, and RPL13, etc.) are potentially dominant effectors to decrease the sperm storage efficiency and egg fertility in aged laying breeders.

Domesticated and optimized mitochondria: Mitochondrial modifications based on energetic status and cellular stress

Mitochondria are the main source of energy and play an important role in coupling intracellular and intercellular metabolic cooperation. Cellular stress and energetic status can affect various mitochondrial behaviors, including mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, assembly of respiratory chain supercomplexes and mitochondrial distribution. These modifications usually result in adaptive adjustment of mitochondrial output and resistance to cellular stress. However, when the pro-death signals triggered by excessive damage converge to mitochondria, mitochondrial reserve and functional status can profoundly determine the direction of cell death, and even affect the survival and death of surrounding or distant tissues. In this review, we discuss multiple mitochondrial modifications in eukaryotes based on metabolic status and cellular stress, and review the emerging knowledge about the effects of mitochondrial dysfunction on the fate of cells and surrounding tissues.

Ceramide Pathway Regulators Predict Clinical Prognostic Risk and Affect the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Lung Adenocarcinoma

Purpose

The ceramide pathway is strongly associated with the regulation of tumor proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis. This study aimed to explore the gene signatures, prognostic value, and immune-related effects of ceramide-regulated genes in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

Methods

Public datasets of LUAD from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus were selected. Consensus clustering was adopted to classify LUAD patients, and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was employed to develop a prognostic risk signature. CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate the association between the risk signature and the tumor immune microenvironment.

Results

Most of the 22 ceramide-regulated genes were differentially expressed between LUAD and normal samples. LUAD patients were classified into two subgroups (cluster 1 and 2) and cluster 2 was associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, a prognostic risk signature was developed based on the three ceramide-regulated genes, Cytochrome C (CYCS), V-rel reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA) and Fas-associated via death domain (FADD). LUAD patients with low- and high-risk scores differed concerning the subtypes of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. A moderate to weak correlation was observed between the risk score and tumor-infiltrating immune cells.

Conclusions

Ceramide-regulated genes could predict clinical prognostic risk and affect the tumor immune microenvironment in LUAD.

Engineering EHD1-Targeted Natural Borneol Nanoemulsion Potentiates Therapeutic Efficacy of Gefitinib against Nonsmall Lung Cancer

Despite the effective targeting of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the use of gefitinib (GFT) for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment meets a failure because of the insufficient drug accumulation in the tumor region. Therefore, developing chemosensitizers of GFT with synergistic therapeutic effects is urgently needed for advanced cancer therapy. Herein, a natural chemosensitizer, natural borneol (NB), is reformulated as an oil-in-water nanoemulsion to enhance its solubility, distribution, and to ultimately increase the therapeutic index with GFT. The nanolization of NB (NBNPs) displays stronger targeted delivery and cytotoxicity than NB by selectively identifying eight specific protein targets in A549 NSCLC cells as revealed by the proteomic studies. Consistently, NBNPs realize stronger chemosensitization effects than NB with GFT by effectively regulating EGFR/EHD1-mediated apoptosis in A549 NSCLC cells. Owing to the satisfying synergistic effect between NBNPs and GFT, the combined therapy not only enhances the anticancer ability of GFT against NSCLC proliferation but also avoids heavy double toxicity in vivo. This finding demonstrates the effective synergism between NBNPs and GFT with clear mechanistic investigation and is expected to extend the application of NBNPs as a novel chemosensitizer for advanced cancer chemotherapy.

Cell-Penetrable Peptide-Conjugated FADD Induces Apoptosis and Regulates Inflammatory Signaling in Cancer Cells

Dysregulated expression of Fas-associated death domain (FADD) is associated with the impediment of various cellular pathways, including apoptosis and inflammation. The adequate cytosolic expression of FADD is critical to the regulation of cancer cell proliferation. Importantly, cancer cells devise mechanisms to suppress FADD expression and, in turn, escape from apoptosis signaling. Formulating strategies, for direct delivery of FADD proteins into cancer cells in a controlled manner, may represent a promising therapeutic approach in cancer therapy. We chemically conjugated purified FADD protein with cell permeable TAT (transactivator of transcription) peptide, to deliver in cancer cells. TAT-conjugated FADD protein internalized through the caveolar pathway of endocytosis and retained in the cytosol to augment cell death. Inside cancer cells, TAT-FADD rapidly constituted DISC (death inducing signaling complex) assembly, which in turn, instigate apoptosis signaling. The apoptotic competency of TAT-FADD showed comparable outcomes with the conventional apoptosis inducers. Notably, TAT-FADD mitigates constitutive NF-κB activation and associated downstream anti-apoptotic genes Bcl2, cFLIP_L, RIP1, and cIAP2, independent of pro-cancerous TNF-α priming. In cancer cells, TAT-FADD suppresses the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome priming and restricts the processing and secretion of proinflammatory IL-1β. Our results demonstrate that TAT-mediated intracellular delivery of FADD protein can potentially recite apoptosis signaling with simultaneous regulation of anti-apoptotic and proinflammatory NF-κB signaling activation in cancer cells.