HIF1A-AS2 induces osimertinib resistance in lung adenocarcinoma patients by regulating the miR-146b-5p/IL-6/STAT3 axis

Revealing underlying regulatory mechanisms of LINC00313 in Osimertinib-resistant LUAD cells by ceRNA network analysis

BACKGROUND

Osimertinib, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), is the preferred treatment for EGFR-mutated lung cancer. However, acquired resistance inevitably develops. While non-coding RNAs have been implicated in lung cancer through various functions, the molecular mechanisms responsible for osimertinib resistance remain incompletely elucidated.

METHODS

RNA-sequencing technology was employed to determine differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) and mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) between H1975 and H1975OR cell lines. Starbase 2.0 was utilized to predict DE-lncRNA and DE-mRNA interactions, constructing ceRNA networks. Subsequently, functional and pathway enrichment analysis were performed on target DE-mRNAs to identify pathways associated with osimertinib resistance. Key target DE-mRNAs were then selected as potential risk signatures for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) prognostic modeling using multivariate Cox regression analyses. The Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry staining were used for result validation.

RESULTS

Functional analysis revealed that the identified DE-mRNAs primarily enriched in EGFR-TKI resistance pathways, especially in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, where their concerted actions may lead to osimertinib resistance. Specifically, upregulation of LINC00313 enhanced COL1A1 expression by acting as a miR-218-5p sponge, triggering an upstream response that activates the PI3K/Akt pathway, potentially contributing to osimertinib resistance. Furthermore, the expressions of LINC00313 and COL1A1 were validated by qRT-PCR, and the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway was confirmed by immunohistochemistry staining.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the LINC00313/miR-218-5p/COL1A1 axis potentially contributes to osimertinib resistance through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, providing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying acquired osimertinib resistance in LUAD. Additionally, our study may aid in the identification of potential therapeutic targets for overcoming resistance to osimertinib.

Combination Therapy with EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and TEAD Inhibitor Increases Tumor Suppression Effects in EGFR Mutation-positive Lung Cancer

EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are the first-line therapies for EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer. EGFR-TKIs have favorable therapeutic effects. However, a large proportion of patients with EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer subsequently relapse. Some cancer cells survive the initial treatment with EGFR-TKIs, and this initial survival may be associated with subsequent recurrence. Therefore, we aimed to overcome the initial survival against EGFR-TKIs. We hypothesized that yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) is involved in the initial survival against EGFR-TKIs, and we confirmed the combined effect of EGFR-TKIs and a YAP1-TEAD pathway inhibitor. The KTOR27 (EGFR kinase domain duplication) lung cancer cell lines established from a patient with EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer and commercially available PC-9 and HCC827 (EGFR exon 19 deletions) lung cancer cell lines were used. These cells were used to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo effects of VT104, a TEAD inhibitor. In addition, YAP1 involvement was investigated in pathologic specimens. YAP1 was activated by short-term EGFR-TKI treatment in EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer cells. In addition, inhibiting YAP1 function using siRNA increased the sensitivity to EGFR-TKIs. Combination therapy with VT104 and EGFR-TKIs showed better tumor-suppressive effects than EGFR-TKIs alone, in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the combined effect of VT104 and EGFR-TKIs was observed regardless of the localization status of YAP1 before EGFR-TKI exposure. These results suggest that combination therapy with the TEAD inhibitor and EGFR-TKIs may improve the prognosis of patients with EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer.

Non-coding RNAs as potential therapeutic targets for receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in solid tumors: current status and future directions

This review article presents an in-depth analysis of the current state of research on receptor tyrosine kinase regulatory non-coding RNAs (RTK-RNAs) in solid tumors. RTK-RNAs belong to a class of non-coding RNAs (nc-RNAs) responsible for regulating the expression and activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), which play a critical role in cancer development and progression. The article explores the molecular mechanisms through which RTK-RNAs modulate RTK signaling pathways and highlights recent advancements in the field. This include the identification of potential new RTK-RNAs and development of therapeutic strategies targeting RTK-RNAs. While the review discusses promising results from a variety of studies, encompassing in vitro, in vivo, and clinical investigations, it is important to acknowledge the challenges and limitations associated with targeting RTK-RNAs for therapeutic applications. Further studies involving various cancer cell lines, animal models, and ultimately, patients are necessary to validate the efficacy of targeting RTK-RNAs. The specificity of ncRNAs in targeting cellular pathways grants them tremendous potential, but careful consideration is required to minimize off-target effects, the article additionally discusses the potential clinical applications of RTK-RNAs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In essence, by providing a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of RTK-RNAs in solid tumors, this review emphasizes their potential as therapeutic targets for cancer while acknowledging the associated challenges and limitations.

The regulatory relationship between transcription factor STAT3 and noncoding RNA

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), as a key node in numerous carcinogenic signaling pathways, is activated in various tumor tissues and plays important roles in tumor formation, metastasis, and drug resistance. STAT3 is considered a potential subtarget for tumor therapy. Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) is a special type of RNA transcript. Transforming from "junk" transcripts into key molecules involved in cell apoptosis, growth, and functional regulation, ncRNA has been proven to be closely related to various epithelial-mesenchymal transition and drug resistance processes in tumor cells over the past few decades. Research on the relationship between transcription factor STAT3 and ncRNAs has attracted increased attention. To date, existing reviews have mainly focused on the regulation by ncRNAs on the transcription factor STAT3; there has been no review of the regulation by STAT3 on ncRNAs. However, understanding the regulation of ncRNAs by STAT3 and its mechanism is important to comprehensively understand the mutual regulatory relationship between STAT3 and ncRNAs. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the regulation by transcription factor STAT3 on long noncoding RNA, microRNA, and circular RNA and its possible mechanisms. In addition, we provide an update on research progress on the regulation of STAT3 by ncRNAs. This will provide a new perspective to comprehensively understand the regulatory relationship between transcription factor STAT3 and ncRNAs, as well as targeting STAT3 or ncRNAs to treat diseases such as tumors.

Emerging role of competing endogenous RNA in lung cancer drug resistance

Lung cancer remains one of the most common malignant cancers worldwide, and its survival rate is extremely low. Chemotherapy, the mainstay of lung cancer treatment, is not as effective as it could be due to the development of cellular resistance. The molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in lung cancer remain to be elucidated. Accumulating evidence suggests that ceRNAs are involved in various carcinogenesis and development. CeRNA is a transcript that regulates each other through competition with miRNA. However, the relationship between ceRNAs and chemoresistance in lung cancer remains unclear. In this narrative review, we provided a summary of treatment approaches that focus on ceRNA networks to overcome drug resistance.

Long non-coding RNAs in non-small cell lung cancer: implications for preventing therapeutic resistance

Lung cancer has the highest mortality and morbidity rates among all cancers worldwide. Despite many complex treatment options, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, and combinations of these treatments, efficacy is low in cases of resistance to therapy, metastasis, and advanced disease, contributing to low overall survival. There is a pressing need for the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the early diagnosis of lung cancer and to determine the efficacy and outcomes of drug treatments. There is now substantial evidence for the diagnostic and prognostic value of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). This review briefly discusses recent findings on the roles and mechanisms of action of lncRNAs in the responses to therapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Treatment strategies and drug resistance mechanisms in adenocarcinoma of different organs

Adenocarcinoma is a common type of malignant tumor, originating from glandular epithelial cells in various organs, such as pancreas, breast, lung, stomach, colon, rectus, and prostate. For patients who lose the opportunity for radical surgery, medication is available to provide potential clinical benefits. However, drug resistance is a big obstacle to obtain desired clinical prognosis. In this review, we provide a summary of treatment strategies and drug resistance mechanisms in adenocarcinoma of different organs, including pancreatic cancer, gastric adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and prostate cancer. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in drug resistance of adenocarcinoma vary from one organ to the other, there are several targets that are universal for drug resistance in adenocarcinoma, and targeting these molecules could potentially reverse drug resistance in the treatment of adenocarcinomas.

Dipeptidase‑2 is a prognostic marker in lung adenocarcinoma that is correlated with its sensitivity to cisplatin

Lung cancer accounts for the highest percentage of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent subtype. Although numerous therapies have been developed for lung cancer, patient prognosis is limited by tumor metastasis and more effective treatment targets are urgently required. In the present study, gene expression profiles were extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and mRNA expression data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. In addition, TIMER 2.0 database was used to analyze the expression of genes in normal and multiple tumor tissues. Protein expression was confirmed using the Human Protein Atlas database and LUAD cell lines, sphere formation assay, western blotting, and a xenograft mouse model were used to confirm the bioinformatics analysis. Dipeptidase‑2 (DPEP2) expression was significantly decreased in LUAD and was negatively associated with prognosis. DPEP2 overexpression substantially inhibited epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as LUAD cell metastasis, and limited the expression of the cancer stem cell transformation markers, CD44 and CD133. In addition, DPEP2 improved LUAD sensitivity to cisplatin by inhibiting EMT; this was verified in vitro and in vivo. These data indicated that DPEP2 upregulates E‑cadherin, thereby regulating cell migration, cancer stem cell transformation, and cisplatin resistance, ultimately affecting the survival of patients with LUAD. Overall, the findings of the present suggest that DPEP2 is important in the development of LUAD and can be used both as a prognostic marker and a target for future therapeutic research.

Tocilizumab (monoclonal anti-IL-6R antibody) reverses anlotinib resistance in osteosarcoma

Purpose

Anlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has been in clinical application to inhibit malignant cell growth and lung metastasis in osteosarcoma (OS). However, a variety of drug resistance phenomena have been observed in the treatment. We aim to explore the new target to reverse anlotinib resistance in OS.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we established four OS anlotinib-resistant cell lines, and RNA-sequence was performed to evaluate differentially expressed genes. We verified the results of RNA-sequence by PCR, western blot and ELISA assay. We further explored the effects of tocilizumab (anti- IL-6 receptor), either alone or in combined with anlotinib, on the inhibition of anlotinib-resistant OS cells malignant viability by CCK8, EDU, colony formation, apoptosis, transwell, wound healing, Cytoskeletal stain assays, and xenograft nude mouse model. The expression of IL-6 in 104 osteosarcoma samples was tested by IHC.

Results

We found IL-6 and its downstream pathway STAT3 were activated in anlotinib-resistant osteosarcoma. Tocilizumab impaired the tumor progression of anlotinib-resistant OS cells, and combined treatment with anlotinib augmented these effects by inhibiting STAT3 expressions. IL-6 was highly expressed in patients with OS and correlated with poor prognosis.

Conclusion

Tocilizumab could reverse anlotinib resistance in OS by IL-6/STAT3 pathway and the combination treatment with anlotinib rationalized further studies and clinical treatment of OS.

Long non-coding RNA HIF1A-As2 and MYC form a double-positive feedback loop to promote cell proliferation and metastasis in KRAS-driven non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. KRAS is the main oncogenic driver in lung cancer that can be activated by gene mutation or amplification, but whether long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate its activation remains unknown. Through gain and loss of function approaches, we identified that lncRNA HIF1A-As2, a KRAS-induced lncRNA, is required for cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor propagation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in vitro and in vivo. Integrative analysis of HIF1A-As2 transcriptomic profiling reveals that HIF1A-As2 modulates gene expression in trans, particularly regulating transcriptional factor genes including MYC. Mechanistically, HIF1A-As2 epigenetically activates MYC by recruiting DHX9 on MYC promoter, consequently stimulating the transcription of MYC and its target genes. In addition, KRAS promotes HIF1A-As2 expression via the induction of MYC, suggesting HIF1A-As2 and MYC form a double-regulatory loop to strengthen cell proliferation and tumor metastasis in lung cancer. Inhibition of HIF1A-As2 by LNA GapmeR antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) significantly improves sensitization to 10058-F4 (a MYC-specific inhibitor) and cisplatin treatment in PDX and KRAS^LSLG12D-driven lung tumors, respectively.

Lnc-TMEM132D-AS1 as a potential therapeutic target for acquired resistance to osimertinib in non-small-cell lung cancer

Acquired resistance is a major obstacle to the therapeutic efficacy of osimertinib in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Current knowledge about the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in this phenomenon is insufficient. In this study, we screened the differentially expressed lncRNAs between osimertinib-sensitive and -resistant NSCLC cell lines, and determined that lnc-TMEM132D-AS1 was significantly upregulated in osimertinib-resistant NSCLC cells, as well as in the plasma of osimertinib-resistant NSCLC patients. Lnc-TMEM132D-AS1 markedly decreased the osimertinib sensitivity of NSCLC cells. After osimertinib exposure, it increased the cell proliferation and colony formation, decreased the cell apoptosis, and induced M2/G-phase cell cycle arrest. After identifying its cytoplasmic localization, a functional lnc-TMEM132D-AS1-miRNA-mRNA interaction network and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed to analyze its putative target genes and biological functions. Lnc-TMEM132D-AS1 could directly bind to miR-766-5p and lead to the upregulation of ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (ENTPD1), resulting in an increase in cell proliferation. Moreover, upregulated ENTPD1 was also associated with enhanced tumor infiltration of immunosuppressive cells and poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. In summary, lnc-TMEM132D-AS1 plays a crucial role in osimertinib resistance. It may serve as a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for acquired resistance to osimertinib in NSCLC.

Explore the mechanism and substance basis of Mahuang FuziXixin Decoction for the treatment of lung cancer based on network pharmacology and molecular docking

BACKGROUND

Mahuang FuziXixin Decoction (MFXD) is a classic Chinese herbal formula for the treatment of lung cancer. However, its mechanisms of action are unclear. In present study, network pharmacology and molecular docking technology were employed to investigate the molecular mechanism and substance basis of MFXD for the treatment of lung cancer.

METHOD

The active compounds and corresponding targets of MFXD were collected through the TCMSP database. OMIM and GeneCards databases were applied to filter the targets of lung cancer. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) were acquired through the STRING platform. Metascape and the Bioinformatics server were used for the visualization of GO and KEGG analysis. The tissue and organ distribution of targets was evaluated based on the BioGPS database. The binding affinity between potential targets and active compounds was evaluated by molecular docking.

RESULT

A total of 51 active compounds and 118 targets of MFXD were collected. The target with a higher degree were identified through the PPI network, namely AR, RELA, NCOA1, EGFR, FOS, CCND1, ESR1 and HSP90AA1. GO and KEGG analysis suggested that MFXD treatment of lung cancer mainly involves hormone and response to inorganic substance, transcription regular complex, transcription factor binding and Pathways in cancer. Experimental validation showed that MFXD treatment inhibited the proliferation of NSCLC cells through downregulation the expression of EGFR, HIF1A, NCOA1 and RELA. Moreover, molecular docking revealed that hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction contribute to the binding of the compounds to targets.

CONCLUSION

Our findings comprehensively elucidated the actives, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms of MFXD against lung cancer, providing a promising strategy for the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for the treatment of the disease.

Danshensu methyl ester enhances autophagy to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis by targeting lncIAPF-HuR complex

Pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible fibrotic process that has a high mortality rate and limited treatment options; thus, developing a novel therapeutic drug is critical. In this study, we synthesized danshensu methyl ester (DME) and explored its anti-pulmonary fibrotic ability on TGF-β1-stimulated lung fibroblast in vitro and on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. Results showed that DME decreased the expression of differentiation-related proteins, including fibroblast activation protein 1 (FAP1) and S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4), and fibrotic markers, such as a-SMA, vimentin, and collagen in vivo and in vitro. In addition, DME markedly repressed myofibroblast proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR, RNA immunoprecipitation, half-life, and other experiments revealed that DME inhibited activating transcription factor 3 expression via TGF-β1 signal transduction leading to a decrease in lncIAPF transcription and stability. Moreover, DME blocked human antigen R (HuR) nucleocytoplasmic translocation and promoted its degradation via downregulating lncIAPF, which markedly decreased the expression of HuR target genes such as negative autophagic regulators (EZH2, STAT1, and FOXK1). Collectively, our results demonstrated that DME enhanced autophagy to attenuate pulmonary fibrosis via downregulating the lncIAPF-HuR-mediated autophagic axis and the lncIAPF-HuR complex can be the target for drug action.

Protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in malignant tumors: molecular mechanisms and future perspective

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are a class of proteins with tyrosine kinase activity that phosphorylate tyrosine residues of critical molecules in signaling pathways. Their basal function is essential for maintaining normal cell growth and differentiation. However, aberrant activation of PTKs caused by various factors can deviate cell function from the expected trajectory to an abnormal growth state, leading to carcinogenesis. Inhibiting the aberrant PTK function could inhibit tumor growth. Therefore, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), target-specific inhibitors of PTKs, have been used in treating malignant tumors and play a significant role in targeted therapy of cancer. Currently, drug resistance is the main reason for limiting TKIs efficacy of cancer. The increasing studies indicated that tumor microenvironment, cell death resistance, tumor metabolism, epigenetic modification and abnormal metabolism of TKIs were deeply involved in tumor development and TKI resistance, besides the abnormal activation of PTK-related signaling pathways involved in gene mutations. Accordingly, it is of great significance to study the underlying mechanisms of TKIs resistance and find solutions to reverse TKIs resistance for improving TKIs efficacy of cancer. Herein, we reviewed the drug resistance mechanisms of TKIs and the potential approaches to overcome TKI resistance, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficacy of TKIs.

A novel regulated network mediated by downregulation HIF1A-AS2 lncRNA impairs placental angiogenesis by promoting ANGPTL4 expression in preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is the predominant medical condition leading to maternal and fetal mortality, and the lack of effective treatment increases its risk to the public health. Among the numerous predisposing factors, the ineffectual remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries, which can induce abnormal placental angiogenesis, has been focused to solve the pathogenesis of PE. According to the preceding research results, abnormal expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA)s could be associated with the pathological changes inducing PE. To be more specific, lncRNA HIF1A-AS2 was proposed for its potential to participate in the molecular mechanisms underlying PE. In vitro, in trophoblast cell lines HTR-8/SVneo and human umbilical vein endothelial cells HUVECs, HIF1A-AS2 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, migration and tube formation. Mechanistically, transcription factor FOXP1 could regulate the expression of HIF1A-AS2. Moreover, a series of assays, including RNA pull down and mass spectrometry, RNA immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, revealed that HIF1A-AS2 interacted with Lamin A/C (LMNA) to inhibit ANGPTL4 expression in trophoblast cells, thus further participating in the progression of PE. Taken together, these findings suggested that further analysis on HIF1A-AS2 could contribute to the development of prospective therapeutic strategy for PE.

Identification of Two Subtypes and Prognostic Characteristics of Lung Adenocarcinoma Based on Pentose Phosphate Metabolic Pathway-Related Long Non-coding RNAs

This study analyzed the differences in subtypes and characteristics of advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients based on the pentose phosphate metabolic pathway-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), along with their potential regulatory mechanisms. Using the expression profiling and corresponding clinical information of LUAD patients from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differential pathway scores between normal and tumor samples from TCGA were identified by rank-sum tests. Pearson correlation coefficients between pentose phosphate scores of the pentose phosphate samples and lncRNAs of the corresponding datasets were calculated. Next, the clusterProfiler software package was used for functional annotation. Clustering of pentose phosphate-related lncRNAs from LUAD samples categorized two molecular subtypes (C1, and C2). C1 was associated with a lower pentose phosphate score and a good prognosis; the C2 showed a higher pentose phosphate score and was related to poorer prognoses. The C2 was markedly associated with energy metabolic pathways. The expression of most immune cells were markedly higher in C1 subtype. Some crucial immune checkpoints, including CTLA4, CD274, and CD47, were also significantly upregulated in C1 subtype, leading to a higher score of clinical effect on the C1 subtype. Finally, one TF, BACH1, was found to be significantly upregulated in C1 subtypes; the pathways activated by this TF may be associated with tumor progression and poor prognoses. LUAD typing based on pentose phosphate metabolic pathway-related lncRNAs was confirmed. Differences in characteristics between C1 and C2 subtypes improved the current LUAD detection and treatment.