Interaction of the Wnt/β-catenin and RAS-ERK pathways involving co-stabilization of both β-catenin and RAS plays important roles in the colorectal tumorigenesis

NEK kinases in cell cycle regulation, DNA damage response, and cancer progression

The NIMA-related kinase (NEK) family of serine/threonine kinases is essential for the regulation of cell cycle progression, mitotic spindle assembly, and genomic stability. In this review, we explore the structural and functional diversity of NEK kinases, highlighting their roles in both canonical and non-canonical cellular processes. We examine recent preclinical findings on NEK inhibition, showcasing promising results for NEK-targeted therapies, particularly in cancer types characterized by high NEK expression. We discussed the therapeutic potential of targeting NEKs as modulators of cell cycle and DDR pathways, with a focus on identifying strategies to exploit NEK activity for enhanced treatment efficacy. Future research directions are proposed to further elucidate NEK-mediated mechanisms and to develop selective inhibitors that target NEK-related pathways.

Effects of Chlorella protothecoides-derived polydeoxyribonucleotides on skin regeneration and wound healing

The skin acts as a crucial barrier and, upon injury, initiates complex wound-healing processes involving various cell types. Polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRNs) are well-known for their efficacy in enhancing skin regeneration and wound healing. This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of PDRNs derived from Chlorella protothecoides, a sustainable and scalable microalgal source, in promoting skin regeneration and wound healing. Keratinocytes and fibroblasts were used for assessing the impact of PDRNs on cell proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis. Gene expression and associated signaling pathways were also examined using RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses. Our findings demonstrated that PDRNs significantly enhanced the proliferation and migration of skin cells, upregulated growth arrest specific 6 (GAS6) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) expression, and increased collagen synthesis by modulating collagen type I alpha 1 (COLIA1) expression. Additionally, PDRNs enhanced angiogenesis by promoting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and activation of ERK, AKT, β-catenin and STAT3 pathways via an adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR)-dependent mechanism. These findings suggest that microalgal-derived PDRNs have significant potential as sustainable and effective agents for clinical and cosmetic applications aimed at improving skin health and wound healing.

Oral Administration of Carotenoid-Rich Dunaliella salina Powder Inhibits Colon Carcinogenesis via Modulation of Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Cascades in a Rat Model

The present study aims to investigate the oral therapeutic and molecular role of carotenoid-rich Dunaliella salina powder (DSP) against 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-triggered colon carcinogenesis. In this study, thirty six male Wistar rats were categorized into six distinct groups (G1-G6): G1 group with no intervention, G2 group received only DSP (1000 mg/kg), G3 group received only DMH carcinogen (20 mg/kg), and G4-G6 group received both DMH and DSP at various phases (pre-initiation, post-initiation and entire phases) for 32 weeks. Body weight, tumor incidence, tumor volume, histopathological examination, antioxidants, and detoxification enzymes activities were analyzed in the experimental rats. In addition, the protein expression profile of components involved in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was determined by western blot analysis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-7 and MMP-9), proliferation marker (PCNA), and pro-apoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bax) proteins were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Colorimetric assay was used to determine the levels of anti-inflammatory (iNOS and COX-2) and apoptotic proteins (Caspase-3 and Caspase-9). Results showed that concomitant administration of DSP with DMH significantly reduced tumor progression and prevented colon carcinogenesis in rats. However, treatment with DSP before or after DMH exposure did not significantly prevent colon carcinogenesis. DMH and DSP treatment group showed increased activities of antioxidant enzymes with significant reduction in the oxidative stress. Additionally, the detoxification enzymes and colonic histopathology of those rats were restored to that of control rats. The administration of DSP to rats exposed to DMH exhibited antitumor effects via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway with induced apoptosis through the Bcl-2/Bax/caspases signaling cascades. Moreover, the same group also showed significant anti-inflammatory activity via regulating iNOS and COX-2 biomarkers. Our findings revealed molecular chemopreventive activity of carotenoid-rich DSP through regulating Wnt/beta-catenin and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Thus, DSP is propound to function as a potent antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent against colon carcinogenesis.

SMYD1 modulates the proliferation of multipotent cardiac progenitor cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells during myocardial differentiation through GSK3β/β-catenin&ERK signaling

BACKGROUND

The histone-lysine N-methyltransferase SMYD1, which is specific to striated muscle, plays a crucial role in regulating early heart development. Its deficiency has been linked to the occurrence of congenital heart disease. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism by which SMYD1 deficiency contributes to congenital heart disease remains unclear.

METHODS

We established a SMYD1 knockout pluripotent stem cell line and a doxycycline-inducible SMYD1 expression pluripotent stem cell line to investigate the functions of SMYD1 utilizing an in vitro-directed myocardial differentiation model.

RESULTS

Cardiomyocytes lacking SMYD1 displayed drastically diminished differentiation efficiency, concomitant with heightened proliferation capacity of cardiac progenitor cells during the early cardiac differentiation stage. These cellular phenotypes were confirmed through experiments inducing the re-expression of SMYD1. Transcriptome sequencing and small molecule inhibitor intervention suggested that the GSK3β/β-catenin&ERK signaling pathway was involved in the proliferation of cardiac progenitor cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that SMYD1 acted as a transcriptional activator of GSK3β through histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation. Additionally, dual-luciferase analyses indicated that SMYD1 could interact with the promoter region of GSK3β, thereby augmenting its transcriptional activity. Moreover, administering insulin and Insulin-like growth factor 1 can enhance the efficacy of myocardial differentiation in SMYD1 knockout cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research indicated that the participation of SMYD1 in the GSK3β/β-catenin&ERK signaling cascade modulated the proliferation of cardiac progenitor cells during myocardial differentiation. This process was partly reliant on the transcription of GSK3β. Our research provided a novel insight into the genetic modification effect of SMYD1 during early myocardial differentiation. The findings were essential to the molecular mechanism and potential interventions for congenital heart disease.

Correcting for Observation Bias in Cancer Progression Modeling

Tumor progression is driven by the accumulation of genetic alterations, including both point mutations and copy number changes. Understanding the temporal sequence of these events is crucial for comprehending the disease but is not directly discernible from cross-sectional genomic data. Cancer progression models, including Mutual Hazard Networks (MHNs), aim to reconstruct the dynamics of tumor progression by learning the causal interactions between genetic events based on their co-occurrence patterns in cross-sectional data. Here, we highlight a commonly overlooked bias in cross-sectional datasets that can distort progression modeling. Tumors become clinically detectable when they cause symptoms or are identified through imaging or tests. Detection factors, such as size, inflammation (fever, fatigue), and elevated biochemical markers, are influenced by genomic alterations. Ignoring these effects leads to "conditioning on a collider" bias, where events making the tumor more observable appear anticorrelated, creating false suppressive effects or masking promoting effects among genetic events. We enhance MHNs by incorporating the effects of genetic progression events on the inclusion of a tumor in a dataset, thus correcting for collider bias. We derive an efficient tensor formula for the likelihood function and apply it to two datasets from the MSK-IMPACT study. In colon adenocarcinoma, we observe a significantly higher rate of clinical detection for TP53-positive tumors, while in lung adenocarcinoma, the same is true for EGFR-positive tumors. Compared to classical MHNs, this approach eliminates several spurious suppressive interactions and uncovers multiple promoting effects.

A Narrative Review: Immunometabolic Interactions of Host-Gut Microbiota and Botanical Active Ingredients in Gastrointestinal Cancers

The gastrointestinal tract is where the majority of gut microbiota settles; therefore, the composition of the gut microbiota and the changes in metabolites, as well as their modulatory effects on the immune system, have a very important impact on the development of gastrointestinal diseases. The purpose of this article was to review the role of the gut microbiota in the host environment and immunometabolic system and to summarize the beneficial effects of botanical active ingredients on gastrointestinal cancer, so as to provide prospective insights for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. A literature search was performed on the PubMed database with the keywords "gastrointestinal cancer", "gut microbiota", "immunometabolism", "SCFAs", "bile acids", "polyamines", "tryptophan", "bacteriocins", "immune cells", "energy metabolism", "polyphenols", "polysaccharides", "alkaloids", and "triterpenes". The changes in the composition of the gut microbiota influenced gastrointestinal disorders, whereas their metabolites, such as SCFAs, bacteriocins, and botanical metabolites, could impede gastrointestinal cancers and polyamine-, tryptophan-, and bile acid-induced carcinogenic mechanisms. GPRCs, HDACs, FXRs, and AHRs were important receptor signals for the gut microbial metabolites in influencing the development of gastrointestinal cancer. Botanical active ingredients exerted positive effects on gastrointestinal cancer by influencing the composition of gut microbes and modulating immune metabolism. Gastrointestinal cancer could be ameliorated by altering the gut microbial environment, administering botanical active ingredients for treatment, and stimulating or blocking the immune metabolism signaling molecules. Despite extensive and growing research on the microbiota, it appeared to represent more of an indicator of the gut health status associated with adequate fiber intake than an autonomous causative factor in the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. This study detailed the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal cancers and the botanical active ingredients used for their treatment in the hope of providing inspiration for research into simpler, safer, and more effective treatment pathways or therapeutic agents in the field.

KRAS Mutation Subtypes and Their Association with Other Driver Mutations in Oncogenic Pathways

The KRAS mutation stands out as one of the most influential oncogenic mutations, which directly regulates the hallmark features of cancer and interacts with other cancer-causing driver mutations. However, there remains a lack of precise information on their cooccurrence with mutated variants of KRAS and any correlations between KRAS and other driver mutations. To enquire about this issue, we delved into cBioPortal, TCGA, UALCAN, and Uniport studies. We aimed to unravel the complexity of KRAS and its relationships with other driver mutations. We noticed that G12D and G12V are the prevalent mutated variants of KRAS and coexist with the TP53 mutation in PAAD and CRAD, while G12C and G12V coexist with LUAD. We also noticed similar observations in the case of PIK3CA and APC mutations in CRAD. At the transcript level, a positive correlation exists between KRAS and PIK3CA and between APC and KRAS in CRAD. The existence of the co-mutation of KRAS and other driver mutations could influence the signaling pathway in the neoplastic transformation. Moreover, it has immense prognostic and predictive implications, which could help in better therapeutic management to treat cancer.

Innovative Strategies to Combat 5-Fluorouracil Resistance in Colorectal Cancer: The Role of Phytochemicals and Extracellular Vesicles

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant public health challenge, with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance being a major obstacle to effective treatment. Despite advancements, resistance to 5-FU remains formidable due to complex mechanisms such as alterations in drug transport, evasion of apoptosis, dysregulation of cell cycle dynamics, tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions, and extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated resistance pathways. Traditional chemotherapy often results in high toxicity, highlighting the need for alternative approaches with better efficacy and safety. Phytochemicals (PCs) and EVs offer promising CRC therapeutic strategies. PCs, derived from natural sources, often exhibit lower toxicity and can target multiple pathways involved in cancer progression and drug resistance. EVs can facilitate targeted drug delivery, modulate the immune response, and interact with the TME to sensitize cancer cells to treatment. However, the potential of PCs and engineered EVs in overcoming 5-FU resistance and reshaping the immunosuppressive TME in CRC remains underexplored. Addressing this gap is crucial for identifying innovative therapies with enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicities. This review explores the multifaceted mechanisms of 5-FU resistance in CRC and evaluates the synergistic effects of combining PCs with 5-FU to improve treatment efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. Additionally, it investigates engineered EVs in overcoming 5-FU resistance by serving as drug delivery vehicles and modulating the TME. By synthesizing the current knowledge and addressing research gaps, this review enhances the academic understanding of 5-FU resistance in CRC, highlighting the potential of interdisciplinary approaches involving PCs and EVs for revolutionizing CRC therapy. Further research and clinical validation are essential for translating these findings into improved patient outcomes.

Peptide mimetic NC114 induces growth arrest by preventing PKCδ activation and FOXM1 nuclear translocation in colorectal cancer cells

The peptide mimetic, NC114, is a promising anticancer compound that specifically kills colorectal cancer cells without affecting normal colon epithelial cells. In our previous study, we observed that NC114 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, with significant downregulation of both Ser 675-phosphorylated β-catenin and its target genes, cyclin D1 and survivin. However, the molecular mechanism responsible for its cytotoxic effect has not yet been fully characterized. In the present study, we demonstrated that NC114 prevented cell cycle progression from S to G2/M phase by downregulating cell cycle-related gene expression, and also induced growth arrest in SW480 and HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells. A novel covariation network analysis combined with transcriptome analysis revealed a series of signaling cascades affected by NC114 treatment, and identified protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ) and forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) as important regulatory factors for NC114-induced growth arrest. NC114 treatment inhibits the activation of PKCδ and its kinase activity, which suppresses MEK/ERK signaling. Attenuated MEK/ERK signaling then results in a reduction in FOXM1 phosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of FOXM1 and β-catenin. Consequently, formation of a T-cell factor-4 (TCF4)/β-catenin transcription complex in the nucleus is inhibited and transcription of its target genes, such as cell cycle-related genes, is downregulated. The efficacy of NC114 on tumor growth was confirmed in a xenograft model. Collectively, elucidation of the mechanism by which NC114 induces growth arrest in colorectal cancer cells should provide a novel therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer treatment.

RNF43 Inactivation Enhances the B-RAF/MEK Signaling and Creates a Combinatory Therapeutic Target in Cancer Cells

RING finger 43 (RNF43), a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase, is a key regulator of WNT signaling and is mutated in 6-10% of pancreatic tumors. However, RNF43-mediated effects remain unclear, as only a few in vivo substrates of RNF43 are identified. Here, it is found that RNF43-mutated pancreatic cancer cells exhibit elevated B-RAF/MEK activity and are highly sensitive to MEK inhibitors. The depletion of RNF43 in normal pancreatic ductal cells also enhances MEK activation, suggesting that it is a physiologically regulated process. It is confirmed that RNF43 ubiquitinates B-RAF at K499 to promote proteasome-dependent degradation, resulting in reduced MEK activity and proliferative ability in cancer cells. In addition, phosphorylation of B-RAF at T491 suppresses B-RAF ubiquitination by decreasing the interaction between RNF43 and B-RAF. Mutations at K499 in B-RAF are identified in various cancer types. MEK and WNT inhibitors synergistically suppress the growth of RNF43-mutated pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, the research reveals a novel mechanism by which RNF43 inhibits B-RAF/MEK signaling to suppress tumor growth and provide a new strategy for the treatment of RNF43-inactivated pancreatic cancer.

Emerging trends in gastrointestinal cancers: Targeting developmental pathways in carcinogenesis and tumor progression

Gastrointestinal carcinomas are a group of cancers associated with the digestive system and its accessory organs. The most prevalent cancers related to the gastrointestinal tract are colorectal, gall bladder, gastric, hepatocellular, and esophageal cancers, respectively. Molecular aberrations in different signaling pathways, such as signal transduction systems or developmental pathways are the chief triggering mechanisms in different cancers Though a massive advancement in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions results in improved survival of patients with gastrointestinal cancer; the lower malignancy stages of these carcinomas are comparatively asymptomatic. Various gastrointestinal-related cancers are detected at advanced stages, leading to deplorable prognoses and increased rates of recurrence. Recent molecular studies have elucidated the imperative roles of several signaling pathways, namely Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch signaling pathways, play in the progression, therapeutic responsiveness, and metastasis of gastrointestinal-related cancers. This book chapter gives an interesting update on recent findings on the involvement of developmental signaling pathways their mechanistic insight in gastrointestinalcancer. Subsequently, evidences supporting the exploration of gastrointestinal cancer related molecular mechanisms have also been discussed for developing novel therapeutic strategies against these debilitating carcinomas.

Advances in the Study of KRAS in Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

BACKGROUND

Brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM) is an abnormal vascular mass with disordered arteriovenous connection. Endothelial KRAS mutation is common in bAVM. In vivo studies have demonstrated that mutations of KRAS in somatic cells can induce bAVM-like angiogenesis, suggesting that KRAS gene may play a key role in the development and progression of bAVM.

SUMMARY

In this article, we will provide a comprehensive review of action mechanisms of KRAS mutations in the development of bAVM and summarize potential targeting drugs for KRAS mutations in bAVM somatic cells.

KEY MESSAGE

KRAS mutation in human brain endothelial cells is a key driver in the pathogenesis of sporadic cerebral arteriovenous malformations. It is of great clinical importance to explore and summarize the changes in the signaling pathway induced by KRAS mutation, which may provide additional targets for the treatment of sporadic bAVM development.

Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets for Plasmablastic Lymphoma Through Gene Expression Analysis: Insights into RAS and Wnt Signaling Pathways

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare and aggressive B-cell lymphoma with overlapping characteristics with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and multiple myeloma. Hyperactive Wnt signaling derails homeostasis and promotes oncogenesis and chemoresistance in DLBCL and multiple myeloma. Evidence suggests active cross-talk between the Wnt and RAS pathways impacting metastasis in solid cancers in which combined targeted therapies show effective results. Recent genomic studies in PBL demonstrated a high frequency of mutations linked with the RAS signaling pathway. However, the role of RAS and Wnt signaling pathway molecule expression in PBL remained unknown. We examined the expression of Wnt and RAS pathway-related genes in a well-curated cohort of PBL. Because activated B cells are considered immediate precursors of plasmablasts in B cell development, we compared this data with activated B-cell type DLBCL (ABC-DLBCL) patients, employing NanoString transcriptome analysis (770 genes). Hierarchical clustering revealed distinctive differential gene expression between PBL and ABC-DLBCL. Gene set enrichment analysis labeled the RAS signaling pathway as the most enriched (37 genes) in PBL, including upregulating critical genes, such as NRAS, RAF1, SHC1, and SOS1. Wnt pathway genes were also enriched (n = 22) by gene set enrichment analysis. Molecules linked with Wnt signaling activation, such as ligands or targets (FZD3, FZD7, c-MYC, WNT5A, WNT5B, and WNT10B), were elevated in PBL. Our data also showed that, unlike ABC-DLBCL, the deranged Wnt signaling activity in PBL was not linked with hyperactive nuclear factor κB and B-cell receptor signaling. In divergence, Wnt signaling inhibitors (CXXC4, SFRP2, and DKK1) also showed overexpression in PBL. The high expression of RAS signaling molecules reported may indicate linkage with gain-in-function RAS mutations. In addition, high expression of Wnt and RAS signaling molecules may pave pathways to explore benefiting from combined targeted therapies, as reported in solid cancer, to improve prognosis in PBL patients.

Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in the Development and Progression of Colorectal Cancer

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a growth control pathway involved in various biological processes as well as the development and progression of cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. The hyperactivation of Wnt signaling is observed in almost all CRC and plays a crucial role in cancer-related processes such as cancer stem cell (CSC) propagation, angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), chemoresistance, and metastasis. This review will discuss how the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of CRC and related therapeutic approaches.

Inhibition of Wnt7b reduces the proliferation, invasion, and migration of colorectal cancer cells

OBJECTIVE

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal tumors. The role of Wnt7b as a ligand of the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer remains to be studied. Through bioinformatics online analysis, we found that Wnt7b is abnormally highly expressed in a variety of gastrointestinal tumors. This study mainly explored the effects of Wnt7b regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SW480 cells in colorectal cancer.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Applying the TCGA data set, Wnt7b was found to be highly expressed in most gastrointestinal tumor samples. Real-time quantitative PCR(q-PCR), Western blotting(WB) results showed that Wnt7b was significantly higher expressed in colorectal cancer cell lines compared with normal intestinal epithelial cells. SW480 cells transfected with the sh-Wnt7b showed successful knockdown of Wnt7b. MTT colorimetry showed the proliferation ability of sh-Wnt7b group decreased significantly compared with the non-transfected group. The results of double staining flow cytometry showed that the sh-Wnt7b group had more apoptosis. Cell scratch test showed that the cell migration rate of sh-wnt7b group considerably reduced. The Transwell invasion experiment demonstrated that the number of cell invasions in the sh-Wnt7b group decreased significantly. After SW480 cells was transfected with sh-Wnt7b, the protein levels of β-catenin, CCND1, and CD44 in this group of cells were detected to be reduced by WB, and the same results were obtained by q-PCR detection of mRNA.

CONCLUSION

Wnt7b is highly expressed in colorectal cancer cells, which may affect the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer cells by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

MicroRNA-485-5p targets keratin 17 to regulate oral cancer stemness and chemoresistance via the integrin/FAK/Src/ERK/β-catenin pathway

Background

The development of drug resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) that frequently leads to recurrence and metastasis after initial treatment remains an unresolved challenge. Presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been increasingly reported to be a critical contributing factor in drug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis. Thus, unveiling of mechanisms regulating CSCs and potential targets for developing their inhibitors will be instrumental for improving OSCC therapy.

Methods

siRNA, shRNA and miRNA that specifically target keratin 17 (KRT17) were used for modulation of gene expression and functional analyses. Sphere-formation and invasion/migration assays were utilized to assess cancer cell stemness and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) properties, respectively. Duolink proximity ligation assay (PLA) was used to examine molecular proximity between KRT17 and plectin, which is a large protein that binds cytoskeleton components. Cell proliferation assay was employed to evaluate growth rates and viability of oral cancer cells treated with cisplatin, carboplatin or dasatinib. Xenograft mouse tumor model was used to evaluate the effect of KRT17- knockdown in OSCC cells on tumor growth and drug sensitization.

Results

Significantly elevated expression of KRT17 in highly invasive OSCC cell lines and advanced tumor specimens were observed and high KRT17 expression was correlated with poor overall survival. KRT17 gene silencing in OSCC cells attenuated their stemness properties including markedly reduced sphere forming ability and expression of stemness and EMT markers. We identified a novel signaling cascade orchestrated by KRT17 where its association with plectin resulted in activation of integrin β4/α6, increased phosphorylation of FAK, Src and ERK, as well as stabilization and nuclear translocation of β-catenin. The activation of this signaling cascade was correlated with enhanced OSCC cancer stemness and elevated expression of CD44 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We identified and demonstrated KRT17 to be a direct target of miRNA-485-5p. Ectopic expression of miRNA-485-5p inhibited OSCC sphere formation and caused sensitization of cancer cells towards cisplatin and carboplatin, which could be significantly rescued by KRT17 overexpression. Dasatinib treatment that inhibited KRT17-mediated Src activation also resulted in OSCC drug sensitization. In OSCC xenograft mouse model, KRT17 knockdown significantly inhibited tumor growth, and combinatorial treatment with cisplatin elicited a greater tumor inhibitory effect. Consistently, markedly reduced levels of integrin β4, active β-catenin, CD44 and EGFR were observed in the tumors induced by KRT17 knockdown OSCC cells.

Conclusions

A novel miRNA-485-5p/KRT17/integrin/FAK/Src/ERK/β-catenin signaling pathway is unveiled to modulate OSCC cancer stemness and drug resistance to the common first-line chemotherapeutics. This provides a potential new therapeutic strategy to inhibit OSCC stem cells and counter chemoresistance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12929-022-00824-z.

Butyrate Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation through Autophagy Degradation of β-Catenin Regardless of APC and β-Catenin Mutational Status

Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis is mainly driven by alterations in WNT signaling, which results in altered transcriptional activity of β-Catenin. Mutations in APC (Adenomatous Polyposis Coli) are reflected in β-Catenin hyperactivation and loss of proliferation control. Certain intestinal bacteria metabolites have shown the ability to limit CRC cell proliferation and CRC pathogenesis. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-proliferative activity of butyrate, a microbiota-derived short chain fatty acid, in two CRC cell lines, namely HCT116 and SW620, which bear a mutation in β-Catenin and APC, respectively. In particular, we focused on autophagy, a lysosome-dependent degradation pathway, which was shown to control intestinal tissue homeostasis. Butyrate reduced CRC cell proliferation, as witnessed by the downregulation of proliferation markers. TCGA bioinformatic transcriptomic analysis of CTNNB1 (β-Catenin) gene correlation in CRC patients showed that β-Catenin negatively correlates with the autophagy gene ATG4D. In CRC cells, regardless of the mutational state of APC or β-Catenin genes, butyrate caused the autophagy-mediated degradation of β-Catenin; thus, preventing its transcriptional activity. Autophagy gene silencing restored β-Catenin levels, allowing it to translocate into the nucleus to promote the expression of downstream genes associated with cancer cell proliferation. CRC-affected patients show driver mutations in the WNT pathway; thus, targeting its crucial effector may be a promising therapeutic strategy in CRC treatment; for instance, by using ad hoc probiotics that stimulate autophagy.

Multigene Panel Sequencing Reveals Cancer-Specific and Common Somatic Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Patients: An Egyptian Experience

This study aims at identifying common pathogenic somatic mutations at different stages of colorectal carcinogenesis in Egyptian patients. Our cohort included colonoscopic biopsies collected from 120 patients: 20 biopsies from patients with inflammatory bowel disease, 38 from colonic polyp patients, and 62 from patients with colorectal cancer. On top of this, the cohort included 20 biopsies from patients with non-specific mild to moderated colitis. Targeted DNA sequencing using a customized gene panel of 96 colorectal related genes running on the Ion Torrent NGS technology was used to process the samples. Our results revealed that 69% of all cases harbored at least one somatic mutation. Fifty-seven genes were found to carry 232 somatic non-synonymous variants. The most frequently pathogenic somatic mutations were localized in TP53, APC, KRAS, and PIK3CA. In total, 16 somatic mutations were detected in the CRC group and in either the IBD or CP group. In addition, our data showed that 51% of total somatic variants were CRC-specific variants. The average number of CRC-specific variants per sample is 2.4. The top genes carrying CRC-specific mutations are APC, TP53, PIK3CA, FBXW7, ATM, and SMAD4. It seems obvious that TP53 and APC genes were the most affected genes with somatic mutations in all groups. Of interest, 85% and 28% of the APC and TP53 deleterious somatic mutations were located in Exon 14 and Exon 3, respectively. Besides, 37% and 28% of the total somatic mutations identified in APC and TP53 were CRC-specific variants, respectively. Moreover, we identified that, in 29 somatic mutations in 21 genes, their association with CRC patients was unprecedented. Ten detected variants were likely to be novel: six in PIK3CA and four variants in FBXW7. The detected P53, Wnt/βcatenin, Angiogenesis, EGFR, TGF-β and Interleukin signaling pathways were the most altered pathways in 22%, 16%, 12%, 10%, 9% and 9% of the CRC patients, respectively. These results would contribute to a better understanding of the colorectal cancer and in introducing personalized therapies for Egyptian CRC patients.

Cancer Stem Cells: An Ever-Hiding Foe

Cancer stem cells are a population of cells enable to reproduce the original phenotype of the tumor and capable to self-renewal, which is crucial for tumor proliferation, differentiation, recurrence, and metastasis, as well as chemoresistance. Therefore, the cancer stem cells (CSCs) have become one of the main targets for anticancer therapy and many ongoing clinical trials test anti-CSCs efficacy of plenty of drugs. This chapter describes CSCs starting from general description of this cell population, through CSCs markers, signaling pathways, genetic and epigenetic regulation, role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transition and autophagy, cooperation with microenvironment (CSCs niche), and finally role of CSCs in escaping host immunosurveillance against cancer.

Small Interfering RNA in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis Therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with numerous genetic disorders and cellular abnormalities, and liver metastasis is a common health concern in patients with CRC. Exploring newer and more efficient therapies to block liver metastasis is pivotal for prolonging patient survival. Therefore, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are expected to be remarkable tools capable of regulating gene expression by participating in a process called RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi is a biological process among eukaryotes wherein specific messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules are destroyed and gene expression is inhibited. This technology is a promising therapeutic agent in the treatment of CRC liver metastasis (CRLM). Nevertheless, crucial problems in siRNA therapeutics, including inherent poor serum stability and nonspecific uptake into biological systems, must be recognized. For this reason, delivery systems are being developed in an attempt to solve these problems. Here, we discuss the utility of siRNA therapy for the treatment of CRCLM by targeting the major metastasis-related signaling pathways. siRNA therapy has the potential to be one of the most effective methods for CRLM treatment in the future.

Functional roles of the SHCBP1 and KIF23 interaction in modulating the cell-cycle and cisplatin resistance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the functional roles of Shc SH2-domain-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) and Kinesin Family Member 23 (KIF23) in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS

Bioinformatic analysis was conducted using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE103322. HNSCC cell lines were used for in vitro and in vivo analysis.

RESULTS

SHCBP1 upregulation was associated with unfavorable survival. SHCBP1 knockdown reduced cell proliferation and increased the cisplatin sensitivity of SCC9/SCC25 cells. SHCBP1 interacted with KIF23 via its Nesd homology domain (NHD) domain, which was important for its nucleus localization. SHCBP1 positively modulated KIF23 expression and activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, nuclear factor kappa B (NF/κB)-p65, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. KIF23 knockdown abrogated cisplatin resistance induced by SHCBP1 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

SHCBP1 interacts with KIF23 and cooperatively regulates cell-cycle progression and cisplatin resistance of HNSCC tumor cells.

A Duplex CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Nanomedicine for Colorectal Cancer Gene Therapy

Based on the high frequency of concurrent adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and KRAS mutations and their strong cooperative interaction in human colorectal cancer (CRC) promotion, we herein develop a CRISPR-Cas9-based genome-editing nanomedicine to target both APC and KRAS mutations for the treatment of CRC. To this end, a hyaluronic acid (HA)-decorated phenylboronic dendrimer (HAPD) was designed for the targeted delivery of Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP), by which both APC and KRAS genetic mutations harboring in CRC cells can be synergistically disrupted. Systemic administration of Cas9 RNP targeting APC and KRAS enabled by HAPD significantly inhibits tumor growth on xenografted and orthotopic CRC mouse models and also greatly prevents CRC-induced liver metastasis and lung metastasis. Thus, this duplex genome-editing system provides a promising gene therapy strategy for the treatment of human CRC and can be extended to other types of cancers with activated Wnt/β-catenin and RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways.

Effects of YAP1 and SFRP2 overexpression on the biological behavior of colorectal cancer cells and their molecular mechanisms

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and has a high mortality rate. With the development of tumor molecular biology, more and more attention is being paid to the mechanisms of cell pathways in colorectal carcinogenesis, such as the Hippo/Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways. The abnormal expression of YAP1 and β-catenin have been reported in CRC, and can lead to excessive cell proliferation, and eventually, tumor formation. Secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) levels have been found to be decreased in a variety of cancers, and SFRP2 is an antagonist that binds directly to Wnt signal. At present, the molecular basis of colorectal tumors is still not fully understood. In the present study, we sought to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying YAP1 and SFRP2 in the development of CRC.

Methods

We constructed CRC cell lines that stably overexpressed YAP1 and SFRP2 using lentivirus packaging and cell infection. The levels of expression of the proteins were evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence assays. Protein complex immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was used to detect the interaction between YAP1, SFRP2, and β-catenin. The functional roles of YAP1 and SFRP2 in CRC was determined by a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) proliferation assay and flow cytometric apoptosis assay.

Results

The data of the present study showed that the overexpression of SFRP2 promoted the expression of YAP1 and β-catenin protein, and the overexpression of YAP1 promoted the expression of β-catenin protein. YAP1 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, while SFRP2 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis.

Conclusions

Our findings showed that the expression of YAP1, SFRP2, and β-catenin is correlated in CRC cells. The Hippo pathway and Wnt pathway interact with each other in the pathogenesis of CRC, and YAP1 and SFRP2 are involved in the formation and development of CRC.

Genetic regressive trajectories in colorectal cancer: A new hallmark of oligo-metastatic disease?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) originates as consequence of multiple genetic alterations. Some of the involved genes have been extensively studied (APC, TP53, KRAS, SMAD4, PIK3CA, MMR genes) in highly heterogeneous and poly-metastatic cohorts. However, about 10% of metastatic CRC patients presents with an indolent oligo-metastatic disease differently from other patients with poly-metastatic and aggressive clinical course. Which are the genetic dynamics underlying the differences between oligo- and poly-metastatic CRC? The understanding of the genetic trajectories (primary→metastatic) of CRC, in patients selected to represent homogenous clinical models, is crucial to make genotype/phenotype correlations and to identify the molecular events pushing the disease towards an increasing malignant phenotype. This information is crucial to plan innovative therapeutic strategies aimed to reverse or inhibit these phenomena. In the present study, we review the genetic evolution of CRC with the intent to give a developmental perspective on the border line between oligo- and poly-metastatic diseases.

Potential Role of Traditional Chinese Medicines by Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Compared With Targeted Small Molecules in Colorectal Cancer Therapy

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has become a global public health problem because of its high incidence and mortality rate worldwide. The previous clinical treatment for CRC mainly involves conventional surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. With the development of tumor molecular targeted therapy, small molecule inhibitors present a great advantage in improving the survival of patients with advanced CRC. However, various side effects and drug resistance induced by chemotherapy are still the major obstacles to improve the clinical benefit. Thus, it is crucial to find new and alternative drugs for CRC treatment. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been proved to have low toxicity and multi-target characteristics. In the last few decades, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that TCMs exhibit strong anticancer effects in both experimental and clinical models and may serve as alternative chemotherapy agents for CRC treatment. Notably, Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a vital role in the initiation and progression of CRC by modulating the stability of β-catenin in the cytoplasm. Targeting Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a novel direction for developing therapies for CRC. In this review, we outlined the anti-tumor effects of small molecular inhibitors on CRC through Wnt/β-catenin pathway. More importantly, we focused on the potential role of TCMs against tumors by targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling at different stages of CRC, including precancerous lesions, early stage of CRC and advanced CRC. Furthermore, we also discussed perspectives to develop potential new drugs from TCMs via Wnt/β-catenin pathway for the treatment of CRC.

In vivo Functional Genomics for Undiagnosed Patients: The Impact of Small GTPases Signaling Dysregulation at Pan-Embryo Developmental Scale

While individually rare, disorders affecting development collectively represent a substantial clinical, psychological, and socioeconomic burden to patients, families, and society. Insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are required to speed up diagnosis, improve counseling, and optimize management toward targeted therapies. Genome sequencing is now unveiling previously unexplored genetic variations in undiagnosed patients, which require functional validation and mechanistic understanding, particularly when dealing with novel nosologic entities. Functional perturbations of key regulators acting on signals' intersections of evolutionarily conserved pathways in these pathological conditions hinder the fine balance between various developmental inputs governing morphogenesis and homeostasis. However, the distinct mechanisms by which these hubs orchestrate pathways to ensure the developmental coordinates are poorly understood. Integrative functional genomics implementing quantitative in vivo models of embryogenesis with subcellular precision in whole organisms contribute to answering these questions. Here, we review the current knowledge on genes and mechanisms critically involved in developmental syndromes and pediatric cancers, revealed by genomic sequencing and in vivo models such as insects, worms and fish. We focus on the monomeric GTPases of the RAS superfamily and their influence on crucial developmental signals and processes. We next discuss the effectiveness of exponentially growing functional assays employing tractable models to identify regulatory crossroads. Unprecedented sophistications are now possible in zebrafish, i.e., genome editing with single-nucleotide precision, nanoimaging, highly resolved recording of multiple small molecules activity, and simultaneous monitoring of brain circuits and complex behavioral response. These assets permit accurate real-time reporting of dynamic small GTPases-controlled processes in entire organisms, owning the potential to tackle rare disease mechanisms.

The Transition from Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia to Gastric Cancer Involves POPDC1 and POPDC3 Downregulation

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is an intermediate step in the progression from premalignant to malignant stages of gastric cancer (GC). The Popeye domain containing (POPDC) gene family encodes three transmembrane proteins, POPDC1, POPDC2, and POPDC3, initially described in muscles and later in epithelial and other cells, where they function in cell–cell interaction, and cell migration. POPDC1 and POPDC3 downregulation was described in several tumors, including colon and gastric cancers. We questioned whether IM-to-GC transition involves POPDC gene dysregulation. Gastric endoscopic biopsies of normal, IM, and GC patients were examined for expression levels of POPDC1-3 and several suggested IM biomarkers, using immunohistochemistry and qPCR. Immunostaining indicated lower POPDC1 and POPDC3 labeling in IM compared with normal tissues. Significantly lower POPDC1 and POPDC3 mRNA levels were measured in IM and GC biopsies and in GC-derived cell lines. The reduction in focal IM was smaller than in extensive IM that resembled GC tissues. POPDC1 and POPDC3 transcript levels were highly correlated with each other and inversely correlated with LGR5, OLFM4, CDX2, and several mucin transcripts. The association of POPDC1 and POPDC3 downregulation with IM-to-GC transition implicates a role in tumor suppression and highlights them as potential biomarkers for GC progression and prospective treatment targets.

RNAM EXPRESSION AND DNA METHYLATION OF DKK2 GENE IN COLORECTAL CÂNCER

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is the third most common neoplasm in the world. Methylation of tumor related genes in CpG islands can cause gene silencing and been involved in the development of cancer. The potential role of DKK2 as a biomarker for early diagnosis of colorectal cancer remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the profile of methylation and RNAm expression of DKK2 as potential predictors of colorectal cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

METHODS

Expression of mRNAs encoding DKK2 in 35 colorectal cancer tissues was quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The DNA methylation was studied by high resolution melting analysis. The general characteristics of the patients were collected. DKK2 methylation and expression were compared to clinical, pathological aspects and overall survival.

RESULTS

Among the 35 patients studied, 18 were male, 10 were on right colon and 25 on left colon. Among the 20 patients with high hypermethylation, 15 of them had mRNA low expression of DKK2. There was no significant association between DKK2 promoter methylation and mRNA DKK2 expression and clinical or pathological features. DKK2 promoter methylation (P=0.154) and DKK2 RNA expression (P=0.345) did not show significant correlation with overall survival.

CONCLUSION

DKK2 promoter methylation and DKK2 RNA status appear to be biomarkers of cancer diagnosis but not predictors of prognosis.

Isolating and targeting the real-time plasticity and malignant properties of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a driving force in promoting malignant cancer, including initiation, growth, and metastasis. EMT is a dynamic process that can undergo a mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) and partial transitions between both phenotypes, termed epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP). In cancer, the acquisition of EMP results in a spectrum of phenotypes, promoting tumor cell heterogeneity and resistance to standard of care therapy. Here we describe a real-time fluorescent dual-reporter for vimentin and E-cadherin, biomarkers of the mesenchymal and epithelial cell phenotypes, respectively. Stable dual-reporter cell lines generated from colorectal (SW620), lung (A549), and breast (MDA-MB-231) cancer demonstrate a spectrum of EMT cell phenotypes. We used the dual-reporter to isolate the quasi epithelial, epithelial/mesenchymal, and mesenchymal phenotypes. Although EMT is a dynamic process, these isolated quasi-EMT-phenotypes remain stable to spontaneous EMP in the absence of stimuli and during prolonged cell culture. However, the quasi-EMT phenotypes can readily be induced to undergo EMT or MET with growth factors or small molecules. Moreover, isolated EMT phenotypes display different tumorigenic properties and are morphologically and metabolically distinct. 3D high-content screening of ~23,000 compounds using dual-reporter mesenchymal SW620 tumor organoids identified small molecule probes that modulate EMT, and a subset of probes that effectively induced MET. The tools, probes, and models described herein provide a coherent mechanistic understanding of mesenchymal cell plasticity. Future applications utilizing this technology and probes are expected to advance our understanding of EMT and studies aimed at therapeutic strategies targeting EMT.

Recent Updates on the Significance of KRAS Mutations in Colorectal Cancer Biology

The most commonly mutated isoform of RAS among all cancer subtypes is KRAS. In this review, we focus on the special role of KRAS mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC), aiming to collect recent data on KRAS-driven enhanced cell signalling, in vitro and in vivo research models, and CRC development-related processes such as metastasis and cancer stem cell formation. We attempt to cover the diverse nature of the effects of KRAS mutations on age-related CRC development. As the incidence of CRC is rising in young adults, we have reviewed the driving forces of ageing-dependent CRC.

Modulation of the Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway by Dietary Polyphenols, an Opportunity for Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention and Treatment

In the last few decades there has been a rise in the worldwide incidence of colorectal cancer which can be traced back to the influence of well-known modifiable risk factors such as lifestyle, diet and obesity. Conversely, the consumption of fruits, vegetables and fiber decreases the risk of CRC, which is why dietary polyphenols have aroused interest in recent years as potentially anti-carcinogenic compounds. One of the driving forces of colorectal carcinogenesis, in both sporadic and hereditary CRC, is the aberrant activation/regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. This review discusses reports of modulation of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway by dietary polyphenols (resveratrol, avenanthramides, epigallocatechinin, curcumin, quercetin, silibinin, genistein and mangiferin) specifically focusing on CRC, and proposes a model as to how this modulation occurs. There is potential for implementing these dietary polyphenols into preventative and therapeutic therapies for CRC as evidenced by some clinical trials that have been carried out with promising results.

Angiogenesis-Related Functions of Wnt Signaling in Colorectal Carcinogenesis

Simple Summary

Angiogenesis belongs to the most clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer (CRC) and is strongly linked to the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The most prominent factors stimulating constitutive activation of this pathway, and in consequence angiogenesis, are genetic alterations (mainly mutations) concerning APC and the β-catenin encoding gene (CTNNB1), detected in a large majority of CRC patients. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is involved in the basic types of vascularization (sprouting and nonsprouting angiogenesis), vasculogenic mimicry as well as the formation of mosaic vessels. The number of known Wnt/β-catenin signaling components and other pathways interacting with Wnt signaling, regulating angiogenesis, and enabling CRC progression continuously increases. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the role of the Wnt/Fzd/β-catenin signaling pathway in the process of CRC angiogenesis, aiming to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of metastasis as well as improvements in the management of this cancer.

Abstract

Aberrant activation of the Wnt/Fzd/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the major molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression. On the other hand, one of the most common clinical CRC characteristics include high levels of angiogenesis, which is a key event in cancer cell dissemination and distant metastasis. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin downstream signaling regulates the most important pro-angiogenic molecules including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and chemokines. Furthermore, mutations of the β-catenin gene associated with nuclear localization of the protein have been mainly detected in microsatellite unstable CRC. Elevated nuclear β-catenin increases the expression of many genes involved in tumor angiogenesis. Factors regulating angiogenesis with the participation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling include different groups of biologically active molecules including Wnt pathway components (e.g., Wnt2, DKK, BCL9 proteins), and non-Wnt pathway factors (e.g., chemoattractant cytokines, enzymatic proteins, and bioactive compounds of plants). Several lines of evidence argue for the use of angiogenesis inhibition in the treatment of CRC. In the context of this paper, components of the Wnt pathway are among the most promising targets for CRC therapy. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the role of the Wnt/Fzd/β-catenin signaling pathway in the process of CRC angiogenesis, aiming to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of metastasis as well as improvements in the management of this cancer.

The effects of mutant Ras proteins on the cell signalome

The genetic alterations in cancer cells are tightly linked to signaling pathway dysregulation. Ras is a key molecule that controls several tumorigenesis-related processes, and mutations in RAS genes often lead to unbiased intensification of signaling networks that fuel cancer progression. In this article, we review recent studies that describe mutant Ras-regulated signaling routes and their cross-talk. In addition to the two main Ras-driven signaling pathways, i.e., the RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways, we have also collected emerging data showing the importance of Ras in other signaling pathways, including the RAC/PAK, RalGDS/Ral, and PKC/PLC signaling pathways. Moreover, microRNA-regulated Ras-associated signaling pathways are also discussed to highlight the importance of Ras regulation in cancer. Finally, emerging data show that the signal alterations in specific cell types, such as cancer stem cells, could promote cancer development. Therefore, we also cover the up-to-date findings related to Ras-regulated signal transduction in cancer stem cells.

Growth Hormone Receptor Regulation in Cancer and Chronic Diseases

The GHR signaling pathway plays important roles in growth, metabolism, cell cycle control, immunity, homeostatic processes, and chemoresistance via both the JAK/STAT and the SRC pathways. Dysregulation of GHR signaling is associated with various diseases and chronic conditions such as acromegaly, cancer, aging, metabolic disease, fibroses, inflammation and autoimmunity. Numerous studies entailing the GHR signaling pathway have been conducted for various cancers. Diverse factors mediate the up- or down-regulation of GHR signaling through post-translational modifications. Of the numerous modifications, ubiquitination and deubiquitination are prominent events. Ubiquitination by E3 ligase attaches ubiquitins to target proteins and induces proteasomal degradation or starts the sequence of events that leads to endocytosis and lysosomal degradation. In this review, we discuss the role of first line effectors that act directly on the GHR at the cell surface including ADAM17, JAK2, SRC family member Lyn, Ubc13/CHIP, proteasome, βTrCP, CK2, STAT5b, and SOCS2. Activity of all, except JAK2, Lyn and STAT5b, counteract GHR signaling. Loss of their function increases the GH-induced signaling in favor of aging and certain chronic diseases, exemplified by increased lung cancer risk in case of a mutation in the SOCS2-GHR interaction site. Insight in their roles in GHR signaling can be applied for cancer and other therapeutic strategies.

Recurrent copy number gains drive PKCι expression and PKCι-dependent oncogenic signaling in human cancers

PRKCI is frequently overexpressed in multiple human cancers, and PKCι expression is often prognostic for poor patient survival, indicating that elevated PKCι broadly plays an oncogenic role in the cancer phenotype. PKCι drives multiple oncogenic signaling pathways involved in transformed growth, and transgenic mouse models have revealed that PKCι is a critical oncogenic driver in both lung and ovarian cancers. We now report that recurrent 3q26 copy number gain (CNG) is the predominant genetic driver of PRKCI mRNA expression in all major human cancer types exhibiting such CNGs. In addition to PRKCI, CNG at 3q26 leads to coordinate CNGs of ECT2 and SOX2, two additional 3q26 genes that collaborate with PRKCI to drive oncogenic signaling and tumor initiation in lung squamous cell carcinoma. Interestingly however, whereas 3q26 CNG is a strong driver of PRKCI mRNA expression across all tumor types examined, it has differential effects on ECT2 and SOX2 mRNA expression. In some tumors types, particularly those with squamous histology, all three 3q26 oncogenes are coordinately overexpressed as a consequence of 3q26 CNG, whereas in other cancers only PRKCI and ECT2 mRNA are coordinately overexpressed. This distinct pattern of expression of 3q26 genes corresponds to differences in genomic signatures reflective of activation of specific PKCι oncogenic signaling pathways. In addition to highly prevalent CNG, some tumor types exhibit monoallelic loss of PRKCI. Interestingly, many tumors harboring monoallelic loss of PRKCI express significantly lower PRKCI mRNA and exhibit evidence of WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway activation, which we previously characterized as a major oncogenic pathway in a newly described, PKCι-independent molecular subtype of lung adenocarcinoma. Finally, we show that CNG-driven activation of PKCι oncogenic signaling predicts poor patient survival in many major cancer types. We conclude that CNG and monoallelic loss are the major determinants of tumor PRKCI mRNA expression across virtually all tumor types, but that tumor-type specific mechanisms determine whether these copy number alterations also drive expression of the collaborating 3q26 oncogenes ECT2 and SOX2, and the oncogenic PKCι signaling pathways activated through the collaborative action of these genes. Our analysis may be useful in identifying tumor-specific predictive biomarkers and effective PKCι-targeted therapeutic strategies in the multitude of human cancers harboring genetic activation of PRKCI.

A New Compound with Increased Antitumor Activity by Cotargeting MEK and Pim-1

Feedback circuits are one of the major causes underlying tumor resistance. Thus, compounds that target one oncogenic pathway with simultaneously blocking its compensatory pathway will be of great value for cancer treatment. Here, we develop a new MEK inhibitor designated as KZ-02 that exhibits unexpectedly higher cytotoxicity than its starting compound AZD6244, a well-known MEK inhibitor, in colorectal cancer (CRC). Subsequent kinase selectivity study identified Pim-1 as an additional cellular target for KZ-02. Further studies showed that AZD6244 and Pim-1 1 (a Pim-1 inhibitor) have a synergistic effect on CRC suppression. Mechanistic study revealed that MEK inhibition by AZD6244 leads to increased Pim-1 expression, which could be a general mechanism behind the compromised cell-killing activity of MEK inhibitors. KZ-02, despite increasing Pim-1 mRNA expression, simultaneously promotes Pim-1 proteasomal degradation. Therefore, we uncover a new MEK inhibitor KZ-02 with significantly enhanced antitumor activity by co-targeting MEK and Pim-1.

Active Compound of Pharbitis Semen (Pharbitis nil Seeds) Suppressed KRAS-Driven Colorectal Cancer and Restored Muscle Cell Function during Cancer Progression

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-driven colorectal cancer (CRC) is notorious to target with drugs and has shown ineffective treatment response. The seeds of Pharbitis nil, also known as morning glory, have been used as traditional medicine in East Asia. We focused on whether Pharbitis nil seeds have a suppressive effect on mutated KRAS-driven CRC as well as reserving muscle cell functions during CRC progression. Seeds of Pharbitis nil (Pharbitis semen) were separated by chromatography and the active compound of Pharbitis semen (PN) was purified by HPLC. The compound PN efficiently suppressed the proliferation of mutated KRAS-driven CRC cells and their clonogenic potentials in a concentration-dependent manner. It also induced apoptosis of SW480 human colon cancer cells and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. The CRC related pathways, including RAS/ERK and AKT/mTOR, were assessed and PN reduced the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR. Furthermore, PN preserved muscle cell proliferation and myotube formation in cancer conditioned media. In summary, PN significantly suppressed mutated KRAS-driven cell growth and reserved muscle cell function. Based on the current study, PN could be considered as a promising starting point for the development of a nature-derived drug against KRAS-mutated CRC progression.

Ras and Wnt Interaction Contribute in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent and malignant cancer types in men, which causes more than three-hundred thousand cancer death each year. At late stage of PCa progression, bone marrow is the most often metastatic site that constitutes almost 70% of metastatic cases of the PCa population. However, the characteristic for the osteo-philic property of PCa is still puzzling. Recent studies reported that the Wnt and Ras signaling pathways are pivotal in bone metastasis and that take parts in different cytological changes, but their crosstalk is not well studied. In this review, we focused on interactions between the Wnt and Ras signaling pathways during each stage of bone metastasis and present the fate of those interactions. This review contributes insights that can guide other researchers by unveiling more details with regard to bone metastasis and might also help in finding potential therapeutic regimens for preventing PCa bone metastasis.

Emerging Roles of Wnt Ligands in Human Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and constitutive activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is universal in most CRC cases. Wnt ligands (Wnts) are secreted glycoproteins and fundamentally essential for the transduction of Wnt signaling pathway. However, the 19 members of Wnts in humans imply a daunting complexity of Wnt signaling and biological effects, and our understanding of their roles in CRC tumorigenesis is still quite rudimentary. This review will give an overview of the structural characteristics and maturation process of Wnts. The expression pattern of all human Wnts in CRC tissues, including Wnt1, Wnt2, Wnt2b, Wnt3, Wnt3a, Wnt4, Wnt5a, Wnt5b, Wnt6, Wnt7a, Wnt7b, Wnt8a, Wnt8b, Wnt9a, Wnt9b, Wnt10a, Wnt10b, Wnt11, and Wnt16, and their relationship with the tumorigenesis and the progression of CRC will be specifically summarized separately. Despite certain challenges, Wnt-based therapeutics for CRC emerge continuously and some are now in clinical trials. In conclusion, a deep understanding of Wnts is very helpful for a better management of this disease.

A1CF-promoted colony formation and proliferation of RCC depends on DKK1-MEK/ERK signal axis

The function and mechanism of RNA editing proteins have been extensively studied, but its association with cellular processes and signaling pathways remained unaddressed. Here, we explored the function of RNA editing complementary protein- Apobec-1 Complementation Factor (A1CF) in the proliferation and colony formation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells. Decreased A1CF expression inhibits the proliferation and colony formation of 786-O cells; and further signaling pathway screening demonstrated that A1CF increases ERK activation and DKK1 expression. Moreover, knockdown of DKK1 has similar phenotypes with A1CF deficiency in 786-O cells on cell proliferation and colony formation and ERK activation. Decreasing of DKK1 expression reduces the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and MEK1/2 increased by A1CF overexpression; further, inhibiting of the phosphorylation of MEK1/2 by U0126 also decreases the ERK activation upregulated by A1CF overexpression. Deficiency of DKK1 or U0126 treatment suppresses the cell proliferation promoted by A1CF overexpression in 786-O cells; furthermore, U0126 treatment inhibits DKK1-increased cell proliferation in 786-O cells. Our results reveal that DKK1 mediates A1CF to activate ERK in promotion renal carcinoma cell proliferation and colony formation. For the important function of ERK signaling pathway in tumor metastasis and key position of DKK1 in Wnt signaling pathway, we associate RNA editing protein-A1CF with multiple cellular processes and signaling pathways through DKK1, and the key node of A1CF-DKK1-MEK/ERK axis is a potential targeting site for RCC therapy.

Loss of PTPN23 Promotes Proliferation and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Intestinal Cancer Cells

Background/Objectives

Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 23 (PTPN23) has recently been associated with several human epithelial cancers via regulation of growth factor signaling. Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a leading cause for cancer-related death worldwide and is associated with aberrant epidermal (EGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling. Here, we investigated whether PTPN23 might play a role in CRC.

Methods

Expression of PTPN23 was analyzed in CRC tissue by immunohistochemistry. PTPN23 was silenced in HT-29 cells to address the role of PTPN23 in EGF signaling, gene expression, and cell migration.

Results

PTPN23 silencing in HT-29 and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cancer cells significantly enhanced activation of pro-oncogenic signaling molecules and genes promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) upon EGF treatment, while genes encoding tight junction proteins were significantly reduced.

Conclusions

Our data clearly indicate that loss of PTPN23 is associated with increased activation of pro-oncogenic signaling pathways and an enhanced ability of human intestinal cancer cells to undergo EMT. Taken together, these findings show that PTPN23 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in CRC.

A mutant KRAS-induced factor REG4 promotes cancer stem cell properties via Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Mutant KRAS provides a driving force for enhancement of cancer stem cells (CSCs) characteristics contributing transformation of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells harboring adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) mutations. Here, we identified the factors mediating the promotion of CSCs properties induced by KRAS mutation through microarray analyses of genes specifically induced in CRC spheroids harboring both KRAS and APC mutations. Among them, REG4 was identified as a key factor since CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of REG4 most significantly affected the stem cell characteristics in which CSCs markers were effectively suppressed. We show that REG4 mediates promotion of CSCs properties via Wnt/β-catenin signaling in various in vitro studies including tumor organoid systems. Furthermore, expression patterns of CSCs markers and REG4 correlated in intestinal tumors from Apc^min/+ /Kras^G12D LA2 mice and in CRC patient tissues harboring both KRAS and APC mutations. The role of REG4 in the tumor-initiating capacity accompanied by enhancement of CSCs characteristics was also revealed by NSG mice xenograft system. Collectively, our study highlights the importance of REG4 in promoting CSCs properties induced by KRAS mutation, and provides a new therapeutic strategy for CRC harboring both APC and KRAS mutations.

Cellular signaling and epigenetic regulation of gene expression in leukemia

Alterations in normal regulation of gene expression is one of the key features of hematopoietic malignancies. In order to gain insight into the mechanisms that regulate gene expression in these diseases, we dissected the role of the Ikaros protein in leukemia. Ikaros is a DNA-binding, zinc finger protein that functions as a transcriptional regulator and a tumor suppressor in leukemia. The use of ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and ATAC-seq—coupled with functional experiments—revealed that Ikaros regulates both the global epigenomic landscape and epigenetic signature at promoter regions of its target genes. Casein kinase II (CK2), an oncogenic kinase that is overexpressed in leukemia, directly phosphorylates Ikaros at multiple, evolutionarily-conserved residues. Phosphorylation of Ikaros impairs the protein's ability to regulate both the transcription of its target genes and global epigenetic landscape in leukemia. Treatment of leukemia cells with a specific inhibitor of CK2 restores Ikaros function, resulting in cytotoxicity of leukemia cells. Here, we review the mechanisms through which the CK2-Ikaros signaling axis regulates the global epigenomic landscape and expression of genes that control cellular proliferation in leukemia.

Anticancer effect of the traditional Chinese medicine herb Maytenus compound via the EGFR/PI3K/AKT/GSK3β pathway

Background

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide; folk anticancer medicinal plants have applied for cancer treatment. The Maytenus compound tablet as traditional Chinese compound medicine has been approved for alleviating hyperplasia of mammary glands, whether it can inhibit cancer still unknown. The study was to evaluate the anticancer activity of the Maytenus compound tablet.

Methods

MTS assay evaluated the anti-proliferation effect of the Maytenus compound on H226, A2058, 786O and HeLa cancer cells and two normal epithelial cell lines, namely, 16HBE and Hecate. Nude mouse xenograft tumor model using H226 and HeLa cells examined the drug’s anticancer effect in vivo. Western blot assay studied the possible mechanism.

Results

The Maytenus compound indicated obvious ability to against proliferation in four strains of cancer cells, particularly against H226 cells by an IC50 of 85.47±10.06 µg/mL and against HeLa cells by an IC50 of 128.74±17.46 µg/mL. However, it had a low cytotoxicity in human normal epithelial cell lines 16HBE with an IC50 of 4,555.86±25.21 µg/mL and Hecate with an IC50 of 833.56±181.88 µg/mL. The Maytenus compound at the 2.45 g/kg oral dosages inhibited the proliferation of H226 cells and HeLa cells in nude mouse with inhibitory rates of 36.06% and 26.45%, respectively, and no organ toxicity. The Maytenus compound could significantly downregulate the expression of pEGFR, pPI3K, pAKT, pGSK3β, β-catenin, and c-MYC and upregulate the protein expression of GSK3β.

Conclusions

The Maytenus compound has significant anticancer activities against human cancer H226 and HeLa cells both in vitro and in vivo, highlighting it may be an anticancer medicine.

Emerging insights into the biology of metastasis: A review article

Metastasis means the dissemination of the cancer cells from one organ to another which is not directly connected to the primary site. Metastasis has a crucial role in the prognosis of cancer patients. A few theories, different types of cell and several molecular pathways have been proposed to explain the mechanism of metastasis. In this work, the related articles in the limited period of time, 2000-mid -2018 were reviewed, through search in PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus database. The articles published in the last two decades related to the biology of cancer metastasis were selected and the most important factors were discussed. Metastasis is critical factor to predict survival in patients with advanced cancer and prognosis determines the treatment plan. Many different cell types and various signaling pathways control the metastatic process. Metastasis is a multistep process. Many signaling pathways and molecules are involved in metastasis. Increasing knowledge about the mechanism of metastasis can help in finding the promising targets of cancer therapy.

KRAS-mutant colon cancer cells respond to combined treatment of ABT263 and axitinib

Significant challenges to develop selective and effective pharmacological inhibitors for important oncoproteins like RAS continue impeding the success to treat cancers driven by such mutations. In the present study, the ABT263 and axitinib combination imposed synergistic effects on RAS-mutant colon cancer cells. The combination inhibited in vitro and in vivo growth of the cancer cells by enhancing apoptosis. Furthermore, AKT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways were slightly down-regulated by the combination in KRAS-mutant colon cancer cells. The current results indicate that oncogene addiction can be targeted for therapy in colon cancer cells harboring the RAS-mutant. Therefore, targeting oncogene addiction can be a viable strategy for treating refractory cancers driven by important oncogenes, such as KRAS, which are otherwise difficult to be targeted by small molecules.

Mitogen and stress- activated protein kinase regulated gene expression in cancer cells

The mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases activated by the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and/or stress-activated protein kinase 2/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways are recruited to the regulatory region of a subset of genes termed immediate-early genes, often leading to their induction. These genes, many of which code for transcription factors, have been directly linked to the phenotypic events in carcinogenesis. In this paper, we focus on the mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases; their discovery, activation, H3 phosphorylation and recent discoveries in their roles in cancer.

Cordyceps militaris Grown on Germinated Soybean Suppresses KRAS-Driven Colorectal Cancer by Inhibiting the RAS/ERK Pathway

Cordyceps militaris is a commonly used medicinal mushroom containing various therapeutic effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-cancer activities. This study examined whether Cordyceps militaris on germinated soybeans (GSC) has a suppressive effect on a v-ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-driven colorectal cancer which is notorious for its un-druggable features and the ineffectiveness of conventional therapies against it. GSC extract was prepared and its proximate composition and amino acids were analyzed. The suppressive effects were investigated with the KRAS-driven colorectal cancer cell-line, SW480. SW480 proliferation, clonogenic potential, apoptosis, and the RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway under the GSC treatment were analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot, respectively. An in vivo experiment with the SW480 xenograft mouse model was performed. As a result, GSC suppressed cell proliferation by inducing the apoptosis of KRAS-driven colorectal cancer cells and inhibited clonogenic capabilities. The decrease of KRAS and ERK phosphorylation was detected by Western blot. Tumor growth was significantly suppressed when GSC was introduced to the tumor-xenograft mouse model. In conclusion, GSC suppressed KRAS-driven colorectal cancer growth both in vitro and in vivo, and can be used as an alternative or simultaneous approach in colorectal cancer therapy.