Targeting tumor cell motility as a strategy against invasion and metastasis

Downregulation of ABLIM3 confers to the metastasis of neuroblastoma via regulating the cell adhesion molecules pathway

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most prevalent extracranial solid tumor in pediatric patients, and its treatment failure often associated with metastasis. In this study, LASSO, SVM-RFE, and random forest tree algorithms, was used to identify the pivotal gene involved in NB metastasis. NB cell lines (SK-N-AS and SK-N-BE2), in conjunction with NB tissue were used for further study. ABLIM3 was identified as the hub gene and can be an independent prognostic factor for patients with NB. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ABLIM3 is negatively correlated with the metastasis of NB. Patients with low expression of ABLIM3 had a poor prognosis. High ABLIM3 expression correlated with APC co-stimulation and Type1 IFN response, and TIDE analysis indicated that patients with low ABLIM3 expression exhibited enhanced responses to immunotherapy. Downregulation of ABLIM3 by shRNA transfection increased the migration and invasion ability of NB cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed that genes associated with ABLIM3 were primarily enriched in the cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) pathway. RT-qPCR and western blot analyses demonstrated that downregulation of ABLIM3 led to decreased expression of ITGA3, ITGA8, and KRT19, the key components of CAMs. This study indicated that ABLIM3 can be an independent prognostic factor for NB patients, and CAMs may mediate the effect of ABLIM3 on the metastasis of NB, suggesting that ABLIM3 is a potential therapeutic target for NB metastasis, which provides a novel strategy for future research and treatment strategies for NB patients.

Brunonianines D-F, three new C19-diterpenoid alkaloids from the Delphinium brunonianum, with therapeutic effect on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo

The current standard treatment for ovarian cancer consists of surgery to reduce the size of the tumor, followed by treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs, which have major side effects. Therefore, finding a new natural product drug with fewer side effects is a strategy. Delphinium brunonianum (D. brunonianum) is a traditional Tibetan medicine, mainly from southern Tibet, China, whereas the chemical constituents in this plant remain elusive. The major metabolites in the dichloromethane fraction of D. brunonianum were analyzed and purified by HPLC and various column chromatography techniques. Nine diterpenoid alkaloids (1-9) and one amide alkaloid (10) were isolated from D. brunonianum, including three novel C19-type diterpenoid alkaloids (Brunonianines D-F) (1-3). Their structures were elucidated by 1D/2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. All compounds were evaluated for toxicity in four tumor cell lines. Most of the compounds exhibited potent inhibitory effects on Skov-3 cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 2.57 to 8.05 μM. The western blotting experiment was used to further analyze the expression levels of molecules in the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 signaling pathway for compound 1. Molecular docking was performed to predict the binding modes of Brunonianine D with target proteins. In vivo experiments were also performed and evaluated in real time by monitoring the size of the Skov-3 tumor. Additionally, tumor H&E staining and the TUNEL assay used to evaluate anti-tumor effects.

Tumor invasiveness is regulated by the concerted function of APC, formins, and Arp2/3 complex

Tumor cell invasion is the initial step in metastasis, the leading cause of death from cancer. Invasion requires protrusive cellular structures that steer the migration of leader cells emanating from the tumor mass toward neighboring tissues. Actin is central to these processes and is therefore the prime target of drugs known as migrastatics. However, the broad effects of general actin inhibitors limit their therapeutic use. Here, we delineate the roles of specific actin nucleators in tuning actin-rich invasive protrusions and pinpoint potential pharmacological targets. We subject colorectal cancer spheroids embedded in collagen matrix-a preclinical model mirroring solid tumor invasiveness-to pharmacologic and/or genetic treatment of specific actin arrays to assess their roles in invasiveness. Our data reveal coordinated yet distinct involvement of actin networks nucleated by adenomatous polyposis coli, formins, and actin-related protein 2/3 complex in the biogenesis and maintenance of invasive protrusions. These findings may open avenues for better targeted therapies.

Effects of HMGA2 on the biological characteristics and stemness acquisition of gastric cancer cells

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

The high mobility group A2 (HMGA2), a nonhistone nuclear binding protein, modulates transcription by altering the chromatin architecture of the target gene DNA in its specific AT-hooks region. HMGA2 overexpression has been observed in embryonic tissue and many malignant neoplasms. This study sought to verify whether HMGA2 plays a role in the biological functions of gastric cancer cells, such as cell proliferation, invasiveness, migration, and stem cell acquisition, and to provide some ideas for further research on the metastatic mechanism of gastric cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HMGA2's effects on the proliferation, invasiveness, and migration capabilities of gastric cancer cells were individually detected by BrdU, Transwell, and wound healing assays. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to evaluate whether HMGA2 could promote the acquisition of gastric cancer cells. Biostatistical analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 for Windows.

RESULTS

HMGA2 expression levels in gastric cancer cell lines were significantly higher than those in human immortalized gastric epithelial cell lines (p < 0.01). Gastric cancer cell proliferation was inhibited when HMGA2 was overexpressed (p < 0.05). The invasiveness and migration capabilities of gastric cancer cells with HMGA2 overexpression were enhanced more than those of the corresponding control groups (p < 0.05). HMGA2 overexpression promotes the stemness acquisition of stem cells from gastric cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

This study verified that the HMGA2 structural transcription factor promotes invasiveness, migration, and acquisition of gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, our findings provide significant insight for further research on the metastatic mechanism of gastric cancer.

Paucatalinone A from Paulownia Catalpifolia Gong Tong Elicits mitochondrial-mediated cancer cell death to combat osteosarcoma

As the global cancer burden escalates, the search for alternative therapies becomes increasingly vital. Natural products, particularly plant-derived compounds, have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional cancer treatments due to their diverse bioactivities and favorable biosafety profiles. Here, we investigate Paucatalinone A, a newly discovered geranylated flavanone derived from the fruit of Paulownia Catalpifolia Gong Tong, notable for its significant anti-cancer properties. We revealed the capability of Paucatalinone A to induce apoptosis in osteosarcoma cells and deciphered its underlying mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate that Paucatalinone A substantially augments apoptosis, inhibits cell proliferation, and demonstrates a pronounced anti-tumor effect in a murine model of osteosarcoma. Mechanistically, Paucatalinone A disrupts calcium homeostasis and exacerbates intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation, leading to mitochondrial impairment, cytoskeletal collapse, and caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death. This study underscores the potential of Paucatalinone A in initiating apoptosis in cancer cells and highlights the therapeutic efficacy of plant-derived agents in treating osteosarcoma, offering a viable approach for managing other intractable cancers.

Brunonianines A-C, C20-diterpenoid alkaloids with cyano group from Delphinium brunonianum Royle

Cyano tends to have better biological activity, but it is rarely reported in natural products, especially in the C20-diterpene alkaloids. Herein, three unprecedented C20-diterpenoid alkaloids, brunonianines A-C (1-3), possessing rare cyano functional group as well as an atisine backbone constructed from a phenethyl substituent and a tetrahydropyran ring, along with four C19-alkaloids (4-7) and one amide alkaloids (8), were isolated from the whole plant of Delphinium brunonianum Royle. Compounds 1-3 are also the first atisine type diterpenoid alkaloids with cyano group obtained from nature. The structures of the previously undescribed compounds were elucidated by HR-ESI-MS, 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism calculations and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Reasonable speculations have also been made regarding the biogenic synthetic pathways of compounds 1-3. In addition, the inhibitory activity of all compounds was also tested against four tumor lines: A549, Caco-2, H460 and Skov-3, where compound 2 (IC50 2.20 ± 0.21 μM) showed better inhibitory activity against Skov-3 cells than the hydroxycamptothecin. Using flow cytometry, cell staining, migration and invasion analysis, and Western blot, compound 2 was found to arrest cells in the G2/M phase and was able to effectively inhibit cell motility to achieve potent anti-tumor effects. In addition, compound 2 can effectively induce apoptosis by activating the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 signaling pathway.

tRNA-derived fragments: Key determinants of cancer metastasis with emerging therapeutic and diagnostic potentials

Metastasis is a significant clinical challenge responsible for cancer mortality and non-response to treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis remain unclear, limiting the development of efficient diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Recent breakthroughs in cancer biology have discovered a group of small non-coding RNAs called tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs), which play a critical role in the metastatic behavior of various tumors. tRFs are produced from cleavage modifications of tRNAs and have different functional classes based on the pattern of these modifications. They perform post-transcriptional regulation through microRNA-like functions, displacing RNA-binding proteins, and play a role in translational regulation by inducing ribosome synthesis, translation initiation, and epigenetic regulation. Tumor cells manipulate tRFs to develop and survive the tumor mass, primarily by inducing metastasis. Multiple studies have demonstrated the potential of tRFs as therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic targets for tumor metastasis. This review discusses the production and function of tRFs in cells, their aberrant molecular contributions to the metastatic environment, and their potential as promising targets for anti-metastasis treatment strategies.

Simultaneous and Sensitive Sensing of Intracellular MicroRNA and mRNA for the Detection of the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in Live Cells

Simultaneous detection of the concentration variations of microRNA-221 (miRNA-221) and PTEN mRNA molecules in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is of significance to elucidate cancer cell migration and invasion, which is useful for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this work, we show the biodegradable MnO2 nanosheet-assisted and target-triggered DNAzyme recycling signal amplification cascaded approach for the specific detection of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in live cells via simultaneous and sensitive monitoring of the variation of intracellular miRNA-221 and PTEN mRNA. Our nanoprobes enable highly sensitive and multiplexed sensing of miRNA-221 and PTEN mRNA with low detection limits of 23.6 and 0.59 pM in vitro, respectively, due to the signal amplification cascades. Importantly, the nanoprobes can be readily delivered into cancer cells and the MnO2 nanosheets can be degraded by intracellular glutathione to release the Mn2+ cofactors to trigger multiple DNAzyme recycling cycles to show highly enhanced fluorescence at different wavelengths to realize sensitive and multiplexed imaging of PTEN mRNA and miRNA-221 for detecting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Moreover, the regulation of PTEN mRNA expression by miRNA-221 upon stimulation by various drugs can also be verified by our method, indicating its promising potentials for both disease diagnosis and drug screening.

Divergent iron-regulatory states contribute to heterogeneity in breast cancer aggressiveness

Primary tumors with similar mutational profiles can progress to vastly different outcomes where transcriptional state, rather than mutational profile, predicts prognosis. A key challenge is to understand how distinct tumor cell states are induced and maintained. In triple negative breast cancer cells, invasive behaviors and aggressive transcriptional signatures linked to poor patient prognosis can emerge in response to contact with collagen type I. Herein, collagen-induced migration heterogeneity within a TNBC cell line was leveraged to identify transcriptional programs associated with invasive versus non-invasive phenotypes and implicate molecular switches. Phenotype-guided sequencing revealed that invasive cells upregulate iron uptake and utilization machinery, anapleurotic TCA cycle genes, actin polymerization promoters, and a distinct signature of Rho GTPase activity and contractility regulating genes. The non-invasive cell state is characterized by actin and iron sequestration modules along with glycolysis gene expression. These unique tumor cell states are evident in patient tumors and predict divergent outcomes for TNBC patients. Glucose tracing confirmed that non-invasive cells are more glycolytic than invasive cells, and functional studies in cell lines and PDO models demonstrated a causal relationship between phenotype and metabolic state. Mechanistically, the OXPHOS dependent invasive state resulted from transient HO-1 upregulation triggered by contact with dense collagen that reduced heme levels and mitochondrial chelatable iron levels. This induced expression of low cytoplasmic iron response genes regulated by ACO1/IRP1. Knockdown or inhibition of HO-1, ACO1/IRP1, MRCK, or OXPHOS abrogated invasion. These findings support an emerging theory that heme and iron flux serve as important regulators of TNBC aggressiveness.

Further structural optimization and SAR study of sungsanpin derivatives as cell-invasion inhibitors

Metastasis is one of the major causes of death in patients with cancer, and cell invasion plays a fundamental part in this process. Because of the absence of efficacious treatments, caring for these patients is challenging. Recently, we optimized the structure of the naturally occurring lasso peptide sungsanpin. We identified two peptides, octapeptide S3 and cyclic peptide S4, which inhibited invasion into A549 cells effectively. We undertook an alanine scan of S3 to explore the structure-activity relationship. The linear octapeptide S3-4 and cyclic peptide S4-1 exhibited improved inhibition of invasion into A549 cells. We modified S3-4 to obtain S3-4K, which displayed much higher inhibitory activity against invasion into A549 cells than S3-4. Of all peptides tested, S4-1 upregulated significantly mRNA of tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase TIMP-1 and TIMP-2.

CAMSAP2 enhances lung cancer cell metastasis by mediating RASAL2 degradation

AIMS

Cancer metastasis significantly contributes to mortality in lung cancer patients. Calmodulin-regulated spectrin-associated protein family member 2 (CAMSAP2) plays a significant role in cancer cell migration; however, its role in lung cancer metastasis and the underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of CAMSAP2 on lung cancer.

MAIN METHODS

The clinical relevance of CAMSAP2 in lung cancer patients was assessed using public database. RNA interference experiments were conducted to investigate role of CAMSAP2 in cell migration through transwell and wound healing assays. Molecular mechanisms were explored by identifying the possible interacting partners and pathways using the BioGRID and KEGG pathway analyses. The impact of CAMSAP2 on Ras protein activator-like 2 (RASAL2)-mediated lung cancer metastasis was investigated through biochemical assays. Additionally, in vivo experimentation using a murine tail vein metastasis model was performed to comprehend CAMSAP2's influence on metastasis.

KEY FINDINGS

A high expression level of CAMSAP2 was associated with poor overall survival in lung cancer patients and it positively correlated with cell migration in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Knockdown of CAMSAP2 inhibited lung cancer cell motility in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Proteomic and biochemical analyses revealed the interaction between CAMSAP2 and RASAL2, which facilitates the degradation of RASAL2 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. These degradation processes resulted in the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway, thereby promoting lung cancer metastasis. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that CAMSAP2 is a crucial regulator of cancer cell migration and metastasis and a promising therapeutic target for lung cancer.

In silico screening of natural products as uPAR inhibitors via multiple structure-based docking and molecular dynamics simulations

Cancer remains one of the most pressing challenges to global healthcare, exerting a significant impact on patient life expectancy. Cancer metastasis is a critical determinant of the lethality and treatment resistance of cancer. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) shows great potential as a target for anticancer and antimetastatic therapies. In this work, we aimed to identify potential uPAR inhibitors by structural dynamics-based virtual screenings against a natural product library on four representative apo-uPAR structural models recently derived from long-timescale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Fifteen potential inhibitors (NP1-NP15) were initially identified through molecular docking, consensus scoring, and visual inspection. Subsequently, we employed MD-based molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) calculations to evaluate their binding affinities to uPAR. Structural dynamics analyses further indicated that all of the top 6 compounds exhibited stable binding to uPAR and interacted with the critical residues in the binding interface between uPAR and its endogenous ligand uPA, suggesting their potential as uPAR inhibitors by interrupting the uPAR-uPA interaction. We finally predicted the ADMET properties of these compounds. The natural products NP5, NP12, and NP14 with better binding affinities to uPAR than the uPAR inhibitors previously discovered by us were proven to be potentially orally active in humans. This work offers potential uPAR inhibitors that may contribute to the development of novel effective anticancer and antimetastatic therapeutics.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Anti-cancer activity of Marsdenialongise A, a new C21 steroidal glycoside isolated from Marsdenia longipes W.T. Wang (Apocynaceae)

C21 steroidal glycosides are a group of natural compounds with biological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-viral properties. In this study, we isolated and determined the structure of a new C21 steroidal glycoside, named Marsdenialongise A from Marsdenia longipes W.T. Wang, using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectra data. Marsdenialongise A is a derivative of tenacigenin B and was isolated for the first time from a plant. The inhibitory effect of Marsdenialongise A on cancer cells was evaluated through MTT and cell migration assays, cell cycle, and apoptosis analyses. The results of the MTT assay showed that Marsdenialongise A reduces the cell viability of cancer cells, with the AGS cell line being more sensitive than other cell lines, with an IC50 value of 5.69 µM (for 48 h of treatment). Marsdenialongise A also exhibited an ability to prevent the migration of cancer cells in AGS cells. Further analysis using flow cytometry has revealed that Marsdenialongise A is capable of inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The overexpression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by Marsdenialongise A can be considered a cause that leads to the influence on the cell cycle and apoptosis of cancer cells. Thus, Marsdenialongise A can be considered a potential anti-cancer agent.

Viral nanoparticle vaccines against S100A9 reduce lung tumor seeding and metastasis

Metastatic cancer accounts for 90% of all cancer-related deaths and continues to be one of the toughest challenges in cancer treatment. A growing body of data indicates that S100A9, a major regulator of inflammation, plays a central role in cancer progression and metastasis, particularly in the lungs, where S100A9 forms a premetastatic niche. Thus, we developed a vaccine against S100A9 derived from plant viruses and virus-like particles. Using multiple tumor mouse models, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the S100A9 vaccine candidates in preventing tumor seeding within the lungs and outgrowth of metastatic disease. The elicited antibodies showed high specificity toward S100A9 without cross-reactivity toward S100A8, another member of the S100A family. When tested in metastatic mouse models of breast cancer and melanoma, the vaccines significantly reduced lung tumor nodules after intravenous challenge or postsurgical removal of the primary tumor. Mechanistically, the vaccines reduce the levels of S100A9 within the lungs and sera, thereby increasing the expression of immunostimulatory cytokines with antitumor function [(interleukin) IL-12 and interferonγ] while reducing levels of immunosuppressive cytokines (IL-10 and transforming growth factorβ). This also correlated with decreased myeloid-derived suppressor cell populations within the lungs. This work has wide-ranging impact, as S100A9 is overexpressed in multiple cancers and linked with poor prognosis in cancer patients. The data presented lay the foundation for the development of therapies and vaccines targeting S100A9 to prevent metastasis.

Ketogenic diet and metastasis: A critical review of the literature and possible mechanisms

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carb diet that has been indicated as a possible coadjuvant in cancer therapy, mainly due to its capacity to reduce glycolysis production, inflammation, and oxidative stress. However, KD's role in metastasis remains poorly explored. This study aims to provide a critical review of the literature about KD's efficacy in metastasis therapy and the possible molecular mechanisms behind it. Initially, general concepts on KD and metastasis are discussed. Then, it delves deeper into the main cancer mechanisms explored by KD experimental studies, discussing the central results obtained in metastasis research and their main limiting conditions. Following, there is a critical analysis of clinical trials, including those in the grey literature. In the end, there is a summary of the actual studies' limitations and barriers to future research. To date, it is possible to conclude that there is not enough evidence supporting the efficacy of KD in the treatment of metastasis.

Long-term, real-time and label-free live cell image processing and analysis based on a combined algorithm of CellPose and watershed segmentation

Developing a rapid and quantitative method to accurately evaluate the physiological abilities of living cells is critical for tumor control. Many experiments have been conducted in the field of biology in an attempt to measure the proliferation and movement abilities of cells, but existing methods cannot provide real-time and objective data for label-free cells. The quantitative imaging technique, including an automatic segmentation algorithm for individual label-free cells, has been a breakthrough in this regard. In this study, we develop a combined automatic image processing algorithm of CellPose and watershed segmentation for the long-term and real-time imaging of label-free cells. This method shows strong reliability in cell identification regardless of cell densities, allowing us to obtain accurate information about the number and proliferation ability of the target cells. Additionally, our results also suggest that this method is a reliable way to assess real-time data on drug cytotoxicity, cell morphology, and cell movement ability.

Blockade of chemo-resistance to 5-FU by a CK2-targeted combination via attenuating AhR-TLS-promoted genomic instability in human colon cancer cells

As highly expressed in several human cancers, Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) is involved in chemotherapy-induced resistance. As a new potent CK2 inhibitor, DN701 is used to overcome chemoresistance through its synergistic antitumor effect with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) has drawn our attention because it is associated with the development of chemo-resistance and tumor recurrence. The in vitro biological properties of 5-FU-resistant colon cancer cells revealed that DN701 combined with 5-FU could overcome chemo-resistance via blocking CK2-mediated aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and TLS-induced DNA damage repair (DDR). Moreover, pharmacologic and genetic inhibitions of AhR potently reduced TLS-promoted genomic instability. The mechanistic studies showed that combined DN701 with 5-FU was investigated to inhibit CK2 expression level and AhR-TLS-REV1 pathway. Meanwhile, DN701 combined with 5-FU could reduce CK2-AhR-TLS genomic instability, thus leading to superior in vivo antitumor effect. The insights provide a rationale for combining DN701 with 5-FU as a therapeutic strategy for patients with colon cancer.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel HDAC inhibitors with a 3-(benzazol-2-yl)quinoxaline framework

A series of novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors derived from 3-(benzazol-2-yl)quinoxaline derivatives were designed and synthesized by a pharmacophore fusion strategy. In vitro results showed that most of the synthesized compounds exhibited good anti-proliferative activity. Among them, compound 10c showed the most potent cytotoxicity, especially in HCT-116 cells with an IC50 value of 0.91 μM much superior to Vorinostat (5.66 μM). 10c was also found to induce cell apoptosis, arrest the cell cycle at G2/M phase, induce the generation of reactive oxygen species and inhibit cell invasion and migration in HCT-116 cells. Further studies revealed that 10c could up-regulate the acetylation levels of H3 and α-tubulin, exhibit significant Topo I inhibition and induce the release of related apoptotic biomarkers. These results highlight the great potential of 10c to become a promising anti-cancer HDAC inhibitor.

Circumventing drug resistance through a CK2-targeted combination via attenuating endogenous ahr-TLS-promoted genomic instability in human colorectal cancer cells

As anchoring Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) in several human tumors, DN701 as a novel CK2 inhibitor was applied to reverse chemo-resistance via its antitumor effect synergized with oxaliplatin. Recently, translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) has attracted our attention for its association with chemo-resistance, as demonstrated by previous clinical data. The in vitro cell-based properties supported that oxaliplatin combined with DN701 could reverse drug resistance via blockading CK2-mediated aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS)-induced DNA damage repair. Moreover, pharmacologic or genetic inhibition on REV3L (Protein reversion less 3-like) greatly impaired TLS-induced genomic instability. Mechanistically, combination of oxaliplatin with DN701 was found to inhibit CK2 expression and AhR-TLS-REV3L axis signaling, implying the potential decrease of genomic instability. In addition, the combination of oxaliplatin with DN701 could reduce CK2-AhR-TLS-related genomic instability, leading to potent antitumor effects in vivo. Our study presents an underlying mechanism that DN701 could attenuate tumoral chemo-resistance via decaying CK2-mediated AhR and TLS genomic instability, suggesting a potential cancer chemotherapeutic modality to prolong survival in chemo-resistant patients.

Antitumor activity and mechanisms of dual EGFR/DNA-targeting strategy for the treatment of lung cancer with EGFRL858R/T790M mutation

Dual- or multi-targeted EGFR inhibitors as single drugs can overcome EGFR inhibitor resistance and circumvent many disadvantages of combination therapy. In this work, fifteen 4-anilinoquinazoline derivatives bearing nitrogen mustard or hemi mustard moieties were designed and synthesized as dual EGFR-DNA targeting anticancer agents. Structures of target molecules were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and HR-MS, and evaluated for their in vitro anti-proliferative activities using MTT assay. Compound 6g emerged as the most potent derivative against mutant-type H1975 cells with IC₅₀ value of 1.45 μM, which exhibited 4-fold stronger potency than Chl/Gef (equimolar combination of chlorambucil and gefitinib). Kinase inhibition studies indicated that 6g showed excellent inhibitory effect on EGFR^L858R/T790M enzyme, which was 8.6 times more effective than gefitinib. Mechanistic studies indicated that 6g induced apoptosis of H1975 cells in a dose-dependent manner and caused DNA damage. Importantly, 6g could significantly inhibit the expression of p-EGFR and its downstream p-AKT and p-ERK in H1975 cells. Molecular docking was also performed to gain insights into the ligand-binding interactions of 6g inside EGFR^WT and EGFR^L858R/T790M binding sites. Moreover, 6g efficiently inhibited tumor growth in the H1975 xenograft model without side effects.

Adaptive tracking algorithm for trajectory analysis of cells and layer-by-layer assessment of motility dynamics

Tracking biological objects such as cells or subcellular components imaged with time-lapse microscopy enables us to understand the molecular principles about the dynamics of cell behaviors. However, automatic object detection, segmentation and extracting trajectories remain as a rate-limiting step due to intrinsic challenges of video processing. This paper presents an adaptive tracking algorithm (Adtari) that automatically finds the optimum search radius and cell linkages to determine trajectories in consecutive frames. A critical assumption in most tracking studies is that displacement remains unchanged throughout the movie and cells in a few frames are usually analyzed to determine its magnitude. Tracking errors and inaccurate association of cells may occur if the user does not correctly evaluate the value or prior knowledge is not present on cell movement. The key novelty of our method is that minimum intercellular distance and maximum displacement of cells between frames are dynamically computed and used to determine the threshold distance. Since the space between cells is highly variable in a given frame, our software recursively alters the magnitude to determine all plausible matches in the trajectory analysis. Our method therefore eliminates a major preprocessing step where a constant distance was used to determine the neighbor cells in tracking methods. Cells having multiple overlaps and splitting events were further evaluated by using the shape attributes including perimeter, area, ellipticity and distance. The features were applied to determine the closest matches by minimizing the difference in their magnitudes. Finally, reporting section of our software were used to generate instant maps by overlaying cell features and trajectories. Adtari was validated by using videos with variable signal-to-noise, contrast ratio and cell density. We compared the adaptive tracking with constant distance and other methods to evaluate performance and its efficiency. Our algorithm yields reduced mismatch ratio, increased ratio of whole cell track, higher frame tracking efficiency and allows layer-by-layer assessment of motility to characterize single-cells. Adaptive tracking provides a reliable, accurate, time efficient and user-friendly open source software that is well suited for analysis of 2D fluorescence microscopy video datasets.

Inhibition of glioblastoma proliferation, invasion, and migration by Urolithin B through inducing G0/G1 arrest and targeting MMP-2/-9 expression and activity

One kind of brain cancer with a dismal prognosis is called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) due to its high growth rate and widespread tumor cell invasion into various areas of the brain. To improve therapeutic approaches, the objective of this research investigates the cytotoxic, anti-metastatic, and apoptotic effect of urolithin-B (UB) as a bioactive metabolite of ellagitannins (ETs) on GBM U87 cells. The malignant GBM cell line (U87) was examined for apoptosis rate, cell cycle analysis, cell viability, mRNA expressions of several apoptotic and metastasis-associated genes, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), MMP-2, and MMP-9 activity and protein expression, and migration ability. The findings revealed that UB decreased U87 GBM viability in a dose-dependent manner and NIH/3T3 normal cells with the IC₅₀ value of 30 and 55 μM after 24 h, respectively. UB also induces necrosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in U87 cells. UB also increases ROS production and caused down-regulation of Bcl2 and up-regulation of Bax apoptotic genes. Additionally, treatment of UB reduced the migration of U87 cells. The protein levels, mRNA expression, and the MMP-2 and MMP-9 enzyme activities also decreased concentration-dependently. So, due to the non-toxic nature of UB and its ability to induce apoptosis and reduce the U87 GBM cell invasion and migration, after more research, it can be regarded as a promising new anti-GBM compound.

Breast cancer liver metastasis: Pathogenesis and clinical implications

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease in female patients worldwide and can spread to almost every place in the human body, most frequently metastasizing to lymph nodes, bones, lungs, liver and brain. The liver is a common metastatic location for solid cancers as a whole, and it is also the third most common metastatic site for breast cancer. Breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM) is a complex process. Although the hepatic microenvironment and liver sinusoidal structure are crucial factors for the initial arrest of breast cancer and progression within the liver, the biological basis of BCLM remains to be elucidated. Importantly, further understanding of the interaction between breast cancer cells and hepatic microenvironment in the liver metastasis of breast cancer will suggest ways for the development of effective therapy and prevention strategies for BCLM. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the hepatic microenvironment in BCLM formation and discuss current systemic therapies for treating patients with BCLM as well as potential therapeutic development based on the liver microenvironment-associated signaling proteins governing BCLM.

Effects of Resveratrol, Curcumin and Quercetin Supplementation on Bone Metabolism—A Systematic Review

Phenolic compounds are natural phytochemicals that have recently reported numerous health benefits. Resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin have recently received the most attention among these molecules due to their documented antioxidant effects. The review aims to investigate the effects of these molecules on bone metabolism and their role in several diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, bone tumours, and periodontitis. The PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers in line with the study topic. According to an English language restriction, the screening period was from January 2012 to 3 July 2022, with the following Boolean keywords: (“resveratrol” AND “bone”); (“curcumin” AND “bone”); (“quercetin” AND “bone”). A total of 36 papers were identified as relevant to the purpose of our investigation. The studies reported the positive effects of the investigated phenolic compounds on bone metabolism and their potential application as adjuvant treatments for osteoporosis, bone tumours, and periodontitis. Furthermore, their use on the titanium surfaces of orthopaedic prostheses could represent a possible application to improve the osteogenic processes and osseointegration. According to the study findings, resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin are reported to have a wide variety of beneficial effects as supplement therapies. The investigated phenolic compounds seem to positively mediate bone metabolism and osteoclast-related pathologies.

Thymoquinone Alterations of the Apoptotic Gene Expressions and Cell Cycle Arrest in Genetically Distinct Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and it is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women. triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC), a subtype of BC, is typically associated with the highest pathogenic grade and incidence in premenopausal and young African American (AA) women. Chemotherapy, the most common treatment for TNBC today, can lead to acquired resistance and ineffective treatment. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are needed to combat medication resistance and ineffectiveness in TNBC patients. Thymoquinone (TQ) is shown to have a cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells in vitro. However, TQ's mode of action and precise mechanism in TNBC disease in vitro have not been adequately investigated. Therefore, TQ's effects on the genetically different MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell lines were assessed. The data obtained show that TQ displayed cytotoxic effects on MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner after 24 h, with IC50 values of 25.37 µM and 27.39 µM, respectively. Moreover, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells in a scratched wound-healing assay displayed poor wound closure, inhibiting invasion and migration via cell cycle blocking after 24 h. TQ arrested the cell cycle phase in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. The three cell cycle stages in MDA-MB-468 cells were significantly affected at 15 and 20 µM for G0/G1 and S phases, as well as all TQ concentrations for G2/M phases. In MDA-MB-468 cells, there was a significant decrease in G0/G1 phases with a substantial increase in the S phase and G2/M phases. In contrast, MDA-MB-231 showed a significant effect only during the two cell cycle stages (S and G2/M), at concentrations of 15 and 20 µM for S phases and all TQ values for G2/M phases. The TQ effect on the apoptotic gene profiles indicated that TQ upregulated 15 apoptotic genes in MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells, including caspases, GADD45A, TP53, DFFA, DIABLO, BNIP3, TRAF2/3, and TNFRSF10A. In MDA-MB-468 cells, 16 apoptotic genes were upregulated, including TNFRSF10A, TNF, TNFRSF11B, FADD TNFRSF10B, CASP2, and TRAF2, all of which are important for the apoptotic pathway andsuppress the expression of one anti-apoptotic gene, BIRC5, in MDA-MB-231 cells. Compared to MDA-MB-231 cells, elevated levels of TNF and their receptor proteins may contribute to their increased sensitivity to TQ-induced apoptosis. It was concluded from this study that TQ targets the MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells differently. Additionally, due to the aggressive nature of TNBC and the lack of specific therapies in chemoresistant TNBC, our findings related to the identified apoptotic gene profile may point to TQ as a potential agent for TNBC therapy.

Metastatic Tumors to the Oral Soft Tissues and Jawbones: A Retrospective Analysis of 40 Cases and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Metastasis to the oral soft tissues and jawbones is rare and frequently associated with wide spread disease and dismal prognosis. Herein, we report the clinicopathologic characteristics of 40 intraoral metastatic neoplasms and perform a comprehensive review of the pertinent literature.

METHODS

Criteria for inclusion included: (a) archived cases from the UMN Oral Pathology laboratory with available tissue blocks and/or H&E-stained preparations diagnosed between 2003 and 2021, (b) proper documentation of the clinico-radiographic characteristics of oral metastasis along with confirmed history of primary malignancy, or (c) microscopic findings consistent with metastatic disease with or without discovery of the primary site.

RESULTS

Intraoral metastases comprised 0.03% of all accessioned cases; 22 (55%) occurred in men and 18 (45%) in women (median age = 66.5; range = 18-94 years). Eighteen cases (45%) involved the gingiva, 16 (40%) the gingiva and jawbones, 5 (12.5%) were exclusively intraosseous, and 1 affected (2.5%) the tongue. The lung was the two most frequent primary site in both men (n = 6, 27.3%) and women (n = 5, 27.7%), followed by the colon (n = 4, 18.2%) and kidney (n = 3, 13.7%) in men, and colon (n = 4, 22.2%) and breast (n = 3, 16.6%) in women. Analysis of 1,084 metastatic cases from the literature (male-to-female ratio = 1.2; mean = 52.3; range = 0.6-90 years) indicated strong preference for the jawbones (69.5%) and significant site-specific predilection of certain primary malignancies.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral and gnathic metastases are rare but demonstrate a clear predilection for the gingiva and mandible. Clinicians should remain cognizant of such lesions since they frequently mimic inflammatory, reactive or benign neoplastic processes and, in certain cases, are the first indication of occult disease.

Modeling the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Cell Invasion

Simple Summary

Accurate in vitro modeling of diseases is essential to making breakthrough and clinically relevant discoveries. Assays to examine the process of invasion—a classical hallmark of cancer—have evolved over the years to overcome shortfalls in their design and accommodate new knowledge in the field, such as the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in propagating this process. The goals of this review are two-fold: To walk through the tried-and-true plus novel and new invasion assays currently used in cancer research with a focus on those incorporating cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and to be a resource for researchers to find the correct invasion assays that suit their own unique needs and biological questions.

Abstract

The major cause of cancer-related deaths can be attributed to the metastatic spread of tumor cells—a dynamic and complex multi-step process beginning with tumor cells acquiring an invasive phenotype to allow them to travel through the blood and lymphatic vessels to ultimately seed at a secondary site. Over the years, various in vitro models have been used to characterize specific steps in the cascade to collectively begin providing a clearer picture of the puzzle of metastasis. With the discovery of the TME’s supporting role in activating tumor cell invasion and metastasis, these models have evolved in parallel to accommodate features of the TME and to observe its interactions with tumor cells. In particular, CAFs that reside in reactive tumor stroma have been shown to play a substantial pro-invasive role through their matrix-modifying functions; accordingly, this warranted further investigation with the development and use of invasion assays that could include these stromal cells. This review explores the growing toolbox of assays used to study tumor cell invasion, from the simple beginnings of a tumor cell and extracellular matrix set-up to the advent of models that aim to more closely recapitulate the interplay between tumor cells, CAFs and the extracellular matrix. These models will prove to be invaluable tools to help tease out the intricacies of tumor cell invasion.

International Validation of the SORG Machine-learning Algorithm for Predicting the Survival of Patients with Extremity Metastases Undergoing Surgical Treatment

BACKGROUND

The Skeletal Oncology Research Group machine-learning algorithms (SORG-MLAs) estimate 90-day and 1-year survival in patients with long-bone metastases undergoing surgical treatment and have demonstrated good discriminatory ability on internal validation. However, the performance of a prediction model could potentially vary by race or region, and the SORG-MLA must be externally validated in an Asian cohort. Furthermore, the authors of the original developmental study did not consider the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, a survival prognosticator repeatedly validated in other studies, in their algorithms because of missing data.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) Is the SORG-MLA generalizable to Taiwanese patients for predicting 90-day and 1-year mortality? (2) Is the ECOG score an independent factor associated with 90-day and 1-year mortality while controlling for SORG-MLA predictions?

METHODS

All 356 patients who underwent surgery for long-bone metastases between 2014 and 2019 at one tertiary care center in Taiwan were included. Ninety-eight percent (349 of 356) of patients were of Han Chinese descent. The median (range) patient age was 61 years (25 to 95), 52% (184 of 356) were women, and the median BMI was 23 kg/m2 (13 to 39 kg/m2). The most common primary tumors were lung cancer (33% [116 of 356]) and breast cancer (16% [58 of 356]). Fifty-five percent (195 of 356) of patients presented with a complete pathologic fracture. Intramedullary nailing was the most commonly performed type of surgery (59% [210 of 356]), followed by plate screw fixation (23% [81 of 356]) and endoprosthetic reconstruction (18% [65 of 356]). Six patients were lost to follow-up within 90 days; 30 were lost to follow-up within 1 year. Eighty-five percent (301 of 356) of patients were followed until death or for at least 2 years. Survival was 82% (287 of 350) at 90 days and 49% (159 of 326) at 1 year. The model's performance metrics included discrimination (concordance index [c-index]), calibration (intercept and slope), and Brier score. In general, a c-index of 0.5 indicates random guess and a c-index of 0.8 denotes excellent discrimination. Calibration refers to the agreement between the predicted outcomes and the actual outcomes, with a perfect calibration having an intercept of 0 and a slope of 1. The Brier score of a prediction model must be compared with and ideally should be smaller than the score of the null model. A decision curve analysis was then performed for the 90-day and 1-year prediction models to evaluate their net benefit across a range of different threshold probabilities. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate whether the ECOG score was an independent prognosticator while controlling for the SORG-MLA's predictions. We did not perform retraining/recalibration because we were not trying to update the SORG-MLA algorithm in this study.

RESULTS

The SORG-MLA had good discriminatory ability at both timepoints, with a c-index of 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.86) for 90-day survival prediction and a c-index of 0.84 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.89) for 1-year survival prediction. However, the calibration analysis showed that the SORG-MLAs tended to underestimate Taiwanese patients' survival (90-day survival prediction: calibration intercept 0.78 [95% CI 0.46 to 1.10], calibration slope 0.74 [95% CI 0.53 to 0.96]; 1-year survival prediction: calibration intercept 0.75 [95% CI 0.49 to 1.00], calibration slope 1.22 [95% CI 0.95 to 1.49]). The Brier score of the 90-day and 1-year SORG-MLA prediction models was lower than their respective null model (0.12 versus 0.16 for 90-day prediction; 0.16 versus 0.25 for 1-year prediction), indicating good overall performance of SORG-MLAs at these two timepoints. Decision curve analysis showed SORG-MLAs provided net benefits when threshold probabilities ranged from 0.40 to 0.95 for 90-day survival prediction and from 0.15 to 1.0 for 1-year prediction. The ECOG score was an independent factor associated with 90-day mortality (odds ratio 1.94 [95% CI 1.01 to 3.73]) but not 1-year mortality (OR 1.07 [95% CI 0.53 to 2.17]) after controlling for SORG-MLA predictions for 90-day and 1-year survival, respectively.

CONCLUSION

SORG-MLAs retained good discriminatory ability in Taiwanese patients with long-bone metastases, although their actual survival time was slightly underestimated. More international validation and incremental value studies that address factors such as the ECOG score are warranted to refine the algorithms, which can be freely accessed online at https://sorg-apps.shinyapps.io/extremitymetssurvival/.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, therapeutic study.

Akt isoforms differentially provide for chemoresistance in prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

Early prostate cancer micrometastatic foci undergo a mesenchymal to epithelial reverting transition, not only aiding seeding and colonization, but also rendering the tumor cells generally chemoresistant. We previously found that upregulated E-cadherin in the epithelial micrometastases activated canonical survival pathways, including PI3K-Akt, that protected the tumor cells from death; however, the extent of protection from blocking the pathway in its entirety was modest, because different isoforms may have alternately affected cell functioning. Here, we characterized Akt isoform expressions in primary and metastatic prostate cancers, as well as their individual contributions to chemoresistance.

METHODS

Akt isoforms and E-cadherin were manipulated with drugs, knocked down, and over expressed. Tumor cell killing was determined in vitro and in vivo. Overall survival was calculated from patient records and specimens.

RESULTS

Pan-Akt inhibition sensitized tumor cells to chemotherapy, and specific blockade of Akt1 or/and Akt2 caused cells to be more chemoresponsive. Overexpression of Akt3 induced apoptosis. A low dose of Akt1 or Akt2 inhibitor enabled standard chemotherapies to significantly eradicate metastatic prostate tumors in a mouse model, acting as chemosensitizers. In human specimens, we found Akt1 and Akt2 positively correlated, whereas Akt3 inversely correlated, with the overall survival of prostate cancer patients. Akt1high/Akt2high/Akt3low tumors had the worst outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

E-cadherin-induced activation of Akt1/2 isoforms was the essential mechanism of chemoresistance, whereas Akt3 made cells more fragile. These findings emphasized the need to target Akt1/2, rather than pan-Akt, as a rational therapeutic approach.

The Genomic Processes of Biological Invasions: From Invasive Species to Cancer Metastases and Back Again

The concept of invasion is useful across a broad range of contexts, spanning from the fine scale landscape of cancer tumors up to the broader landscape of ecosystems. Invasion biology provides extraordinary opportunities for studying the mechanistic basis of contemporary evolution at the molecular level. Although the field of invasion genetics was established in ecology and evolution more than 50 years ago, there is still a limited understanding of how genomic level processes translate into invasive phenotypes across different taxa in response to complex environmental conditions. This is largely because the study of most invasive species is limited by information about complex genome level processes. We lack good reference genomes for most species. Rigorous studies to examine genomic processes are generally too costly. On the contrary, cancer studies are fortified with extensive resources for studying genome level dynamics and the interactions among genetic and non-genetic mechanisms. Extensive analysis of primary tumors and metastatic samples have revealed the importance of several genomic mechanisms including higher mutation rates, specific types of mutations, aneuploidy or whole genome doubling and non-genetic effects. Metastatic sites can be directly compared to primary tumor cell counterparts. At the same time, clonal dynamics shape the genomics and evolution of metastatic cancers. Clonal diversity varies by cancer type, and the tumors’ donor and recipient tissues. Still, the cancer research community has been unable to identify any common events that provide a universal predictor of “metastatic potential” which parallels findings in evolutionary ecology. Instead, invasion in cancer studies depends strongly on context, including order of events and clonal composition. The detailed studies of the behavior of a variety of human cancers promises to inform our understanding of genome level dynamics in the diversity of invasive species and provide novel insights for management.

HGAL inhibits lymphoma dissemination by interacting with multiple Cytoskeletal proteins

In vivo experiments demonstrate that HGAL expression in lymphoma decreases tumor dissemination and prolongs animal survival.

HGAL inhibits cell motility by interacting with multiple cytoskeletal proteins, thereby affecting cell motility by multiple mechanisms.

Human germinal center–associated lymphoma (HGAL) is an adaptor protein specifically expressed in germinal center lymphocytes. High expression of HGAL is a predictor of prolonged survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and classic Hodgkin lymphoma. Furthermore, HGAL expression is associated with early-stage DLBCL, thus potentially limiting lymphoma dissemination. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that HGAL regulates B-cell receptor signaling and cell motility in vitro and deciphered some molecular mechanisms underlying these effects. By using novel animal models for in vivo DLBCL dispersion, we demonstrate here that HGAL decreases lymphoma dissemination and prolongs survival. Furthermore, by using an unbiased proteomic approach, we demonstrate that HGAL may interact with multiple cytoskeletal proteins thereby implicating a multiplicity of effects in regulating lymphoma motility and spread. Specifically, we show that HGAL interacts with tubulin, and this interaction may also contribute to HGAL effects on cell motility. These findings recapitulate previous observations in humans, establish the role of HGAL in dissemination of lymphoma in vivo, and explain improved survival of patients with HGAL-expressing lymphomas.

Machine learning and deep learning methods that use omics data for metastasis prediction

Knowing metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths, incentivized research directed towards unraveling the complex cellular processes that drive the metastasis. Advancement in technology and specifically the advent of high-throughput sequencing provides knowledge of such processes. This knowledge led to the development of therapeutic and clinical applications, and is now being used to predict the onset of metastasis to improve diagnostics and disease therapies. In this regard, predicting metastasis onset has also been explored using artificial intelligence approaches that are machine learning, and more recently, deep learning-based. This review summarizes the different machine learning and deep learning-based metastasis prediction methods developed to date. We also detail the different types of molecular data used to build the models and the critical signatures derived from the different methods. We further highlight the challenges associated with using machine learning and deep learning methods, and provide suggestions to improve the predictive performance of such methods.

Deeply Infiltrating iRGD-Graphene Oxide for the Intensive Treatment of Metastatic Tumors through PTT-Mediated Chemosensitization and Strengthened Integrin Targeting-Based Antimigration

A limited infiltration and the subsequent low effective drug concentration result in poor chemotherapeutic outcomes against tumors, and even further promote tumor resistance and metastatic. Herein, iRGD-modified graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets (IPHG) are developed for the intensive treatment of metastatic tumors using focus-specific penetrated delivery together with photothermal therapy-mediated chemosensitization and photothermal therapy-strengthened integrin targeting-based antimigration. In vitro and in vivo data verified the mechanism of the tumor-selective infiltration of IPHG is based on a rigid 2D structure-associated advantage regarding hemodynamics and endothelial contact, followed by iRGD-endowed transendothelial and intratumoral transport. Once IPHG-DOX-penetrated 4T1 tumors are exposed to near-infrared irradiation, hyperthermia stress and photothermal therapy-elevated effective drug concentrations result in chemosensitization and prominent tumor suppression. Meanwhile, the specific binding of iRGD to integrins and photothermal therapy leads to the synergistic perturbation of cytoskeleton remodeling and subsequent impairment of cell motility and metastasis. The tailored design of IPHG validates a promising paradigm for drug delivery to combat tumor resistance and metastasis resulting from poor target access for single chemotherapy.

Silicane Derivative Increases Doxorubicin Efficacy in an Ovarian Carcinoma Mouse Model: Fighting Drug Resistance

The development of cancer resistance continues to represent a bottleneck of cancer therapy. It is one of the leading factors preventing drugs to exhibit their full therapeutic potential. Consequently, it reduces the efficacy of anticancer therapy and causes the survival rate of therapy-resistant patients to be far from satisfactory. Here, an emerging strategy for overcoming drug resistance is proposed employing a novel two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial polysiloxane (PSX). We have reported on the synthesis of PSX nanosheets (PSX NSs) and proved that they have favorable properties for biomedical applications. PSX NSs evinced unprecedented cytocompatibility up to the concentration of 300 μg/mL, while inducing very low level of red blood cell hemolysis and were found to be highly effective for anticancer drug binding. PSX NSs enhanced the efficacy of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) by around 27.8-43.4% on average and, interestingly, were found to be especially effective in the therapy of drug-resistant tumors, improving the effectiveness of up to 52%. Fluorescence microscopy revealed improved retention of DOX within the drug-resistant cells when bound on PSX NSs. DOX bound on the surface of PSX NSs, i.e., PSX@DOX, improved, in general, the DOX cytotoxicity in vitro. More importantly, PSX@DOX reduced the growth of DOX-resistant tumors in vivo with 3.5 times better average efficiency than the free drug. Altogether, this paper represents an introduction of a new 2D nanomaterial derived from silicane and pioneers its biomedical application. As advances in the field of material synthesis are rapidly progressing, novel 2D nanomaterials with improved properties are being synthesized and await thorough exploration. Our findings further provide a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the cancer resistance and can promote the development of a precise cancer therapy.

Sevoflurane inhibits the migration, invasion and induces apoptosis by regulating the expression of WNT1 via miR-637 in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignancy. Sevoflurane has been reported to involve in the progression in several cancers. However, the molecular mechanism of sevoflurane in CRC progression remains unclear. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot was used to detect the expression of miR-637 and WNT1. Cell migration, invasion and apoptosis were detected by transwell assay, flow cytometry or western blot, respectively. The interaction between WNT1 and miR-637 was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay and pull-down assay. We found sevoflurane could inhibit cell migration and invasion but induced apoptosis in CRC. Besides, the miR-637 level was decreased in CRC tissues and cells but could be rescued by sevoflurane. MiR-637 overexpression enhanced the anticancer functions of sevoflurane in CRC cells, while miR-637 inhibition showed opposite effects. WNT1 was confirmed to be a target of miR-637 and was inhibited by sevoflurane or miR-637. Importantly, knockdown of WNT1 reversed the carcinogenic effects mediated by miR-637 inhibitor in CRC cells treated with sevoflurane. Collectively, sevoflurane inhibited cell migration, invasion and induced apoptosis by regulating the miR-637/WNT1 axis in colorectal cancer, indicating a novel insight into the effective clinical implication for the anesthetic in CRC treatment.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-dependent ADAM12 expression mediates breast cancer invasion and metastasis

Breast cancer patients with increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in primary tumor biopsies are at increased risk of metastasis, which is the major cause of breast cancer-related mortality. The mechanisms by which intratumoral hypoxia and HIFs regulate metastasis are not fully elucidated. In this paper, we report that exposure of human breast cancer cells to hypoxia activates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling that is mediated by the HIF-dependent expression of a disintegrin and metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12), which mediates increased ectodomain shedding of heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor, an EGFR ligand, leading to EGFR-dependent phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase. Inhibition of ADAM12 expression or activity decreased hypoxia-induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro, and dramatically impaired lung metastasis after orthotopic implantation of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells into the mammary fat pad of immunodeficient mice.

USP19 modulates cancer cell migration and invasion and acts as a novel prognostic marker in patients with early breast cancer

Tumor cell dissemination in cancer patients is associated with a significant reduction in their survival and quality of life. The ubiquitination pathway plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of protein homeostasis both in normal and stressed conditions and its dysregulation has been associated with malignant transformation and invasive potential of tumor cells, thus highlighting its value as a potential therapeutic target. In order to identify novel molecular targets of tumor cell migration and invasion we performed a genetic screen with an shRNA library against ubiquitination pathway-related genes. To this end, we set up a protocol to specifically enrich positive migration regulator candidates. We identified the deubiquitinase USP19 and demonstrated that its silencing reduces the migratory and invasive potential of highly invasive breast cancer cell lines. We extended our investigation in vivo and confirmed that mice injected with USP19 depleted cells display increased tumor-free survival, as well as a delay in the onset of the tumor formation and a significant reduction in the appearance of metastatic foci, indicating that tumor cell invasion and dissemination is impaired. In contrast, overexpression of USP19 increased cell invasiveness both in vitro and in vivo, further validating our findings. More importantly, we demonstrated that USP19 catalytic activity is important for the control of tumor cell migration and invasion, and that its molecular mechanism of action involves LRP6, a Wnt co-receptor. Finally, we showed that USP19 overexpression is a surrogate prognostic marker of distant relapse in patients with early breast cancer. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that USP19 might represent a novel therapeutic target in breast cancer.

PTCH1 regulates anchorage-independent growth and bone invasion of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Acquisition of metastatic potential by cancer cells is related to cancer stemness and anchorage-independent growth. The onset and progression of cancer are known to involve Hedgehog (HH) signaling that is activated by the binding of HH to the Patched 1 (PTCH1) receptor. However, the functions and mechanisms of action of PTCH1 in the context of bone metastasis remain to be elucidated. In this study, lentivirally-delivered shRNA was used to deplete PTCH1 levels, which resulted in the inhibition of spherical colony formation by the human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line; this suggested that PTCH1 promotes anchorage-independent growth. Concordantly, knockdown of PTCH1 resulted in significantly reduced migration and invasion of NSCLC cells; this was accompanied by the downregulation of MMP7 and SOX2. PTCH1 knockdown resulted in decreased bone destruction and osteoclastogenesis in a mouse bone metastasis model. These results indicate that PTCH1 may be an important regulator of bone invasion, and strongly suggest that knockdown of PTCH1 may decrease the anchorage-independent growth and metastatic potential of NSCLC.

Frequency-dependent interactions determine outcome of competition between two breast cancer cell lines

Tumors are highly dynamic ecosystems in which diverse cancer cell subpopulations compete for space and resources. These complex, often non-linear interactions govern continuous spatial and temporal changes in the size and phenotypic properties of these subpopulations. Because intra-tumoral blood flow is often chaotic, competition for resources may be a critical selection factor in progression and prognosis. Here, we quantify resource competition using 3D spheroid cultures with MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We hypothesized that MCF-7 cells, which primarily rely on efficient aerobic glucose metabolism, would dominate the population under normal pH and low glucose conditions; and MDA-MB-231 cells, which exhibit high levels of glycolytic metabolism, would dominate under low pH and high glucose conditions. In spheroids with single populations, MCF-7 cells exhibited equal or superior intrinsic growth rates (density-independent measure of success) and carrying capacities (density-dependent measure of success) when compared to MDA-MB-231 cells under all pH and nutrient conditions. Despite these advantages, when grown together, MCF-7 cells do not always outcompete MDA-MB-231 cells. MDA-MB-231 cells outcompete MCF-7 cells in low glucose conditions and coexistence is achieved in low pH conditions. Under all conditions, MDA-MB-231 has a stronger competitive effect (frequency-dependent interaction) on MCF-7 cells than vice-versa. This, and the inability of growth rate or carrying capacity when grown individually to predict the outcome of competition, suggests a reliance on frequency-dependent interactions and the need for competition assays. We frame these results in a game-theoretic (frequency-dependent) model of cancer cell interactions and conclude that competition assays can demonstrate critical density-independent, density-dependent and frequency-dependent interactions that likely contribute to in vivo outcomes.

Ceramide synthase 2-C24:1 -ceramide axis limits the metastatic potential of ovarian cancer cells

Regulation of sphingolipid metabolism plays a role in cellular homeostasis, and dysregulation of these pathways is involved in cancer progression. Previously, our reports identified ceramide as an anti-metastatic lipid. In the present study, we investigated the biochemical alterations in ceramide-centered metabolism of sphingolipids that were associated with metastatic potential. We established metastasis-prone sublines of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells using an in vivo selection method. These cells showed decreases in ceramide levels and ceramide synthase (CerS) 2 expression. Moreover, CerS2 downregulation in ovarian cancer cells promoted metastasis in vivo and potentiated cell motility and invasiveness. Moreover, CerS2 knock-in suppressed the formation of lamellipodia required for cell motility in this cell line. In order to define specific roles of ceramide species in cell motility controlled by CerS2, the effect of exogenous long- and very long-chain ceramide species on the formation of lamellipodia was evaluated. Treatment with distinct ceramides increased cellular ceramides and had inhibitory effects on the formation of lamellipodia. Interestingly, blocking the recycling pathway of ceramides by a CerS inhibitor was ineffective in the suppression of exogenous C24:1 -ceramide for the formation of lamellipodia. These results suggested that C24:1 -ceramide, a CerS2 metabolite, predominantly suppresses the formation of lamellipodia without the requirement for deacylation/reacylation. Moreover, knockdown of neutral ceramidase suppressed the formation of lamellipodia concomitant with upregulation of C24:1 -ceramide. Collectively, the CerS2-C24:1 -ceramide axis, which may be countered by neutral ceramidase, is suggested to limit cell motility and metastatic potential. These findings may provide insights that lead to further development of ceramide-based therapy and biomarkers for metastatic ovarian cancer.

Solid Lipid Particles for Lung Metastasis Treatment

Solid lipid particles (SLPs) can sustainably encapsulate and release therapeutic agents over long periods, modifying their biodistribution, toxicity, and side effects. To date, no studies have been reported using SLPs loaded with doxorubicin chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic cancer. This study characterizes the effect of doxorubicin-loaded carnauba wax particles in the treatment of lung metastatic malignant melanoma in vivo. Compared with the free drug, intravenously administrated doxorubicin-loaded SLPs significantly reduce the number of pulmonary metastatic foci in mice. In vitro kinetic studies show two distinctive drug release profiles. A first chemotherapy burst-release wave occurs during the first 5 h, which accounts for approximately 30% of the entrapped drug rapidly providing therapeutic concentrations. The second wave occurs after the arrival of the particles to the final destination in the lung. This release is sustained for long periods (>40 days), providing constant levels of chemotherapy in situ that trigger the inhibition of metastatic growth. Our findings suggest that the use of chemotherapy with loaded SLPs could substantially improve the effectiveness of the drug locally, reducing side effects while improving overall survival.

A phenotypic switch in the dispersal strategy of breast cancer cells selected for metastatic colonization

An important question in cancer evolution concerns which traits make a cell likely to successfully metastasize. Cell motility phenotypes, mediated by cell shape change, are strong candidates. We experimentally evolved breast cancer cells in vitro for metastatic capability, using selective regimes designed to simulate stages of metastasis, then quantified their motility behaviours using computer vision. All evolved lines showed changes to motility phenotypes, and we have identified a previously unknown density-dependent motility phenotype only seen in cells selected for colonization of decellularized lung tissue. These cells increase their rate of morphological change with an increase in migration speed when local cell density is high. However, when the local cell density is low, we find the opposite relationship: the rate of morphological change decreases with an increase in migration speed. Neither the ancestral population, nor cells selected for their ability to escape or invade extracellular matrix-like environments, displays this dynamic behavioural switch. Our results suggest that cells capable of distant-site colonization may be characterized by dynamic morphological phenotypes and the capacity to respond to the local social environment.

Immunotherapy Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages

Macrophages are phagocytic cells that play a broad role in maintaining body homeostasis and defense against foreign pathogens; whereas tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) support tumor growth and metastasis by promoting cancer cell proliferation and invasion, immunosuppression, and angiogenesis, which is closely related to the poor prognosis in almost all solid tumors. Hence, deep-insight knowledge into TAMs can provide an opportunity to discover more effective strategies for cancer therapeutics. So far, a large number of therapeutic agents targeting TAMs are in clinical trials. In this review, we introduce an extensive overview about macrophages and macrophage-targeting agents.

Identification of afzelin potential targets in inhibiting triple-negative breast cancer cell migration using reverse docking

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tends to be aggressive and metastatic, characteristics attributable to its cellular migration capabilities. Afzelin is a chemical compound with anti-metastatic potentials. This study aimed to predict proteins involved in TNBC cell migration which could be inhibited by afzelin.

METHODS

The protein database was constructed from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways collection which related to cell motility, then screened for druggability using SuperTarget and Therapeutic Target Database. The involvement of druggable proteins in the TNBC metastasis process was investigated through existing publications in The National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed database. Inhibitory potential of afzelin toward target proteins was compared to the proteins' known-inhibitor, using the reverse docking method.

RESULTS

Ten proteins identified as potential targets of afzelin, with the top 3 being ERK2, KRas, and FAK, respectively. Afzelin's 3-O-rhamnoside group played a dominant role in forming hydrogen bonds with the target proteins. Further analysis with STRING suggested that afzelin might be able to inhibit chemotaxis and haptotaxis of TNBC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Afzelin was predicted to inhibit TNBC cell motility, by targeting ERK2, KRas, and FAK activation.

Thymoquinone-Loaded Soluplus®-Solutol® HS15 Mixed Micelles: Preparation, In Vitro Characterization, and Effect on the SH-SY5Y Cell Migration

Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main active ingredient of Nigella sativa essential oil, with remarkable anti-neoplastic activities with anti-invasive and anti-migratory abilities on a variety of cancer cell lines. However, its poor water solubility, high instability in aqueous solution and pharmacokinetic drawbacks limits its use in therapy. Soluplus^® and Solutol^® HS15 were employed as amphiphilic polymers for developing polymeric micelles (SSM). Chemical and physical characterization studies of micelles are reported, in terms of size, homogeneity, zeta potential, critical micelle concentration (CMC), cloud point, encapsulation efficiency (EE%), load capacity (DL), in vitro release, and stability. This study reports for the first time the anti-migratory activity of TQ and TQ loaded in SSM (TQ-SSM) in the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line. The inhibitory effect was assessed by the wound-healing assay and compared with that of the unformulated TQ. The optimal TQ-SSM were provided with small size (56.71 ± 1.41 nm) and spherical shape at ratio of 1:4 (Soluplus:Solutol HS15), thus increasing the solubility of about 10-fold in water. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading were 92.4 ± 1.6% and 4.68 ± 0.12, respectively, and the colloidal dispersion are stable during storage for a period of 40 days. The TQ-SSM were also lyophilized to obtain a more workable product and with increased stability. In vitro release study indicated a prolonged release of TQ. In conclusion, the formulation of TQ into SSM allows a bio-enhancement of TQ anti-migration activity, suggesting that TQ-SSM is a better candidate than unformulated TQ to inhibit human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell migration.

Combination of DN604 with gemcitabine led to cell apoptosis and cell motility inhibition via p38 MAPK signaling pathway in NSCLC

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cancer in the world, which is still treated with Pt(II) agents as first-line drugs. As a traditional anticancer agent, gemcitabine is usually used in the combination treatment of various solid tumors with other drugs. Here, we investigate the combinatory application of gemcitabine with a Pt(II) agent (DN604, reported previously in our former research) in the treatment of NSCLC. In vitro biological assays suggested that DN604-gemcitabine treatment can effectively induce cell apoptosis and suppress cell motility, showing better anti-tumor effect than the single drug treatment or the combined treatment of cisplatin and gemcitabine. More importantly, investigation on the mechanism of the combined treatment proved that such combined treatment can suppress cell autophagy to inhibit cell motility via the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway. In vivo studies indicated that combination of DN604 with gemcitabine significantly inhibited the growth of tumor with nearly no influence on the normal organs and weight of mice. Our study widened the application scope of Pt(II) agents combined with gemcitabine for NSCLC treatment.

Endosulfan triggers epithelial-mesenchymal transition via PTP4A3-mediated TGF-β signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells

Endosulfan is a persistent organochlorine pesticide that bioaccumulates in human body through the food chain and thus represents a potential risk to public health. Despite epidemiological studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic effects of endosulfan in the prostate remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of endosulfan on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human prostate cancer PC3 and DU145 cells. Endosulfan induced alterations of EMT biomarkers, reflecting repression of E-cadherin expression and induction of fibronectin, snail2, ZEB2, Twist1 and Vimentin. The expression of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase 4A3 (PTP4A3) at mRNA and protein levels was upregulated by endosulfan. PTP4A3 inhibitor reversed the changes of EMT biomarkers, PTP4A3 and p-Smad2/Smad2, but did not affect the upregulation of Cleaved-Notch1 and Jagged1 in endosulfan-exposed cells. Endosulfan promoted cell migration and invasion, which were rescued by specific inhibitors for PTP4A3, TGF-β signaling and Notch signaling, respectively. These findings suggest that endosulfan promoted cell migration and invasion with the induction of EMT through PTP4A3-mediated TGF-β signaling pathway in prostate cancer cells.

High expression of GPNMB indicates an unfavorable prognosis in glioma: Combination of data from the GEO and CGGA databases and validation in tissue microarray

Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB), a transmembrane glycoprotein, has been reported to be involved in tumor progression, but its prognostic value for glioma and the mechanistic effects on glioma progression have not been clearly explored. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of GPNMB in glioma and the potential mechanisms of how GPNMB mediates glioma progression. Differentially expressed genes between the four highest and four lowest GPNMB expression samples in the GSE53733 dataset were first determined. Gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis and Gene set enrichment analysis results demonstrated that the significantly enriched pathways in samples with high GPNMB expression compared with those with low GPNMB expression were associated with hypoxia, angiogenesis, migration and invasion. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the correlations between GPNMB expression and the markers of hypoxia, angiogenesis, migration and invasion in GSE53733, which were further validated using another mRNA microarray dataset from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA). In addition, using the CGGA dataset, high GPNMB expression was demonstrated to be significantly associated with advanced WHO grade and short survival time in patients with glioma. Of note, based on the immunohistochemical staining of the tissue microarrays, Kaplan-Meier analysis with the Renyi test and a Cox proportional hazards model were used to validate the unfavorable prognostic role of high GPNMB expression in glioma. In conclusion, high GPNMB expression may be associated with high tumor grade and unfavorable prognosis in glioma. GPNMB expression was demonstrated to correlate with the markers of hypoxia, angiogenesis, migration and invasion, which may be potential mechanisms through which GPNMB mediates glioma progression.

A computational study of amoeboid motility in 3D: the role of extracellular matrix geometry, cell deformability, and cell-matrix adhesion

Amoeboid cells often migrate using pseudopods, which are membrane protrusions that grow, bifurcate, and retract dynamically, resulting in a net cell displacement. Many cells within the human body, such as immune cells, epithelial cells, and even metastatic cancer cells, can migrate using the amoeboid phenotype. Amoeboid motility is a complex and multiscale process, where cell deformation, biochemistry, and cytosolic and extracellular fluid motions are coupled. Furthermore, the extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a confined, complex, and heterogeneous environment for the cells to navigate through. Amoeboid cells can migrate without significantly remodeling the ECM using weak or no adhesion, instead utilizing their deformability and the microstructure of the ECM to gain enough traction. While a large volume of work exists on cell motility on 2D substrates, amoeboid motility is 3D in nature. Despite recent progress in modeling cellular motility in 3D, there is a lack of systematic evaluations of the role of ECM microstructure, cell deformability, and adhesion on 3D motility. To fill this knowledge gap, here we present a multiscale, multiphysics modeling study of amoeboid motility through 3D-idealized ECM. The model is a coupled fluid‒structure and coarse-grain biochemistry interaction model that accounts for large deformation of cells, pseudopod dynamics, cytoplasmic and extracellular fluid motion, stochastic dynamics of cell-ECM adhesion, and microstructural (pore-scale) geometric details of the ECM. The key finding of the study is that cell deformation and matrix porosity strongly influence amoeboid motility, while weak adhesion and microscale structural details of the ECM have secondary but subtle effects.