Myo1b promotes tumor progression and angiogenesis by inhibiting autophagic degradation of HIF-1α in colorectal cancer

FSTL3 promotes colorectal cancer by activating the HIF1 pathway

Follistatin-like 3 (FSTL3) is a glycoprotein known to promote tumor growth, invasion, and angiogenesis in various cancers. However, its role in Colorectal Cancer (CRC), particularly concerning the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) signaling pathway, remains unclear. The HIF1α pathway is critical in CRC progression, enabling tumor cells to adapt to hypoxia through angiogenesis, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), and metabolic reprogramming. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE39582 datasets revealed that FSTL3 is significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and correlates with poor Overall Survival (OS), Progression-Free Survival (PFS), and aggressive features such as venous, lymphatic, and perineural invasion. In vitro experiments demonstrated that FSTL3 overexpression in HCT15 and HCT116 cells promoted proliferation, migration, and cell cycle progression, whereas knockdown in LOVO and Caco2 cells suppressed these processes and induced apoptosis. Transcriptome sequencing and western blot analysis indicated that FSTL3 activated the HIF1α pathway by upregulating HIF1α, ANGPT2, and HK3, which are key regulators of angiogenesis and glycolysis. Importantly, treatment with the HIF1α inhibitor KC7F2 reversed the oncogenic effects of FSTL3 overexpression both in vitro and in vivo. In xenograft and tail vein metastasis models, KC7F2 suppressed tumor growth, reduced pulmonary metastasis, and restored lung tissue integrity, further downregulating FSTL3 and HIF1α expression. These findings suggest that FSTL3 promotes CRC progression via the HIF1α pathway and highlight its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Molecular mechanisms of recombinant proteins PTTG1IP, ADAM12, PAPSS1, and MYO1B and their effects on wound repair induced by tendon exposure: Analysis of key genes

Tendon injury repair involves a variety of cellular and molecular pathways. The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanisms and interactions of recombinant proteins PTTG1IP, ADAM12, PAPSS1 and MYO1B in wound repair induced by tendon exposure. The study collected a dataset of gene expression related to tendon exposure from the GEO database. Differential gene expression analysis and Venn diagram analysis were used to identify the differentially expressed genes before and after tendon exposure injury, and potential diagnostic markers were screened. Appropriate statistical methods were used to analyze all data. The results show that the expression levels of PTTG1IP, ADAM12, PAPSS1 and MYO1B change dynamically after tendon exposure injury, and PTTG1IP, ADAM12, PAPSS1 and MYO1B play an important role in the wound repair process caused by tendon exposure. The change of its expression level and function is closely related to the wound healing process.

Myosin 1b Inhibits the Phenotype of HemECs to Affect the Progression of Infantile Hemangiomas

Purpose

To investigate the role of myosin 1b (Myo1b) in infantile hemangiomas (IHs).

Patients and Methods

The expression of Myo1b in IHs and normal skin tissues was evaluated using immunohistochemical techniques. Expression of Myo1b in hemangioma endothelial cells (HemECs) was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting techniques. The effects of Myo1b on cell proliferation, invasion, tube formation and other biological characteristics were analyzed. A mouse model was established to observe the inhibitory effects of Myo1b in vivo. Protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) and glucose transporter 1 protein (Glut-1) in a Myo1b knockdown HemECs was detected using Western blot.

Results

Myo1b was highly expressed in the proliferative stage of IHs, and promoted proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis in vitro. Mouse models further demonstrated that Myo1b inhibited proliferation and angiogenesis of IHs. Knockdown of Myo1b inhibited Glut-1 activity, promoted expression of PPARγ transcription factor.

Conclusion

Myo1b has a pro-tumor effect on IHs, knockdown of Myo1b facilitated progression of the proliferating to involution phase of IHs. Therefore, Myo1b is expected to serve as a new target for the treatment of IHs.

D-mannose suppresses the angiogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer

Angiogenesis is an important factor influencing the development of solid tumors, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) is a central regulator of angiogenesis. Antibodies and inhibitors against VEGFR2 have been widely used in various malignancies. However, the regulatory mechanism of VEGFR2 has not been fully clarified. Here, we show that D-mannose can significantly inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth by degrading VEGFR2. Specifically, D-mannose inactivates GSK3β by promoting the phosphorylation of GSK3β at Ser9, enhances the nuclear translocation of TFE3, and promotes lysosomal biogenesis, thereby increasing the lysosome-mediated degradation of VEGFR2. Thus, D-mannose significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, and capillary formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Oral administration of D-mannose dramatically inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized anti-tumor mechanism of D-mannose by destabilizing VEGFR2 and provide a new strategy for the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Retromer promotes the lysosomal turnover of mtDNA

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is exposed to multiple insults produced by normal cellular function. Upon mtDNA replication stress, the mitochondrial genome transfers to endosomes for degradation. Using proximity biotinylation, we found that mtDNA stress leads to the rewiring of the mitochondrial proximity proteome, increasing mitochondria's association with lysosomal and vesicle-related proteins. Among these, the retromer complex, particularly VPS35, plays a pivotal role by extracting mitochondrial components. The retromer promotes the formation of mitochondrial-derived vesicles shuttled to lysosomes. The mtDNA, however, directly shuttles to a recycling organelle in a BAX-dependent manner. Moreover, using a Drosophila model carrying a long deletion on the mtDNA (ΔmtDNA), we found that ΔmtDNA activates a specific transcriptome profile to counteract mitochondrial damage. Here, Vps35 expression restores mtDNA homoplasmy and alleviates associated defects. Hence, we demonstrate the existence of a previously unknown quality control mechanism for the mitochondrial matrix and the essential role of lysosomes in mtDNA turnover to relieve mtDNA damage.

[High MYO1B expression promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells and is associated with poor patient prognosis]

OBJECTIVES

To analyze MYO1B expression in gastric cancer, its association with long-term prognosis and its role in regulating biological behaviors of gastric cancer cells.

METHODS

We analyzed MYO1B expression in gastric cancer and its correlation with tumor grade, tumor stage, and patient survival using the Cancer Public Database. We also examined MYO1B expression with immunohistochemistry in gastric cancer and paired adjacent tissues from 105 patients receiving radical surgery and analyzed its correlation with cancer progression and postoperative 5-year survival of the patients. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were used to explore the biological functions of MYO1B and the key pathways. In cultured gastric cancer cells, we examined the changes in cell proliferation, migration and invasion following MYO1B overexpression and knockdown.

RESULTS

Data from the Cancer Public Database showed that MYO1B expression was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in normal tissues with strong correlations with tumor grade, stage and patient prognosis (P<0.05). In the clinical tissue samples, MYO1B was significantly overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues in positive correlation with Ki67 expression (r=0.689, P<0.05) and the parameters indicative of gastric cancer progression (CEA ≥5 μg/L, CA19-9 ≥37 kU/L, G3-4, T3-4, and N2-3) (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that high MYO1B expression was associated with decreased postoperative 5-year survival and was an independent risk factor (HR: 3.522, 95%CI: 1.783-6.985, P<0.05). MYO1B expression level was a strong predictor of postoperative survival (cut-off value: 3.11, AUC: 0.753, P<0.05). GO and KEGG analyses suggested that MYO1B may regulate cell migration and the mTOR signaling pathway. In cultured gastric cancer cells, MYO1B overexpression significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted the phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR.

CONCLUSIONS

High MYO1B expression promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells and is correlated with poor patient prognosis.

FGF21 ameliorates septic liver injury by restraining proinflammatory macrophages activation through the autophagy/HIF-1α axis

INTRODUCTION

Sepsis, a systemic immune syndrome caused by severe trauma or infection, poses a substantial threat to the health of patients worldwide. The progression of sepsis is heavily influenced by septic liver injury, which is triggered by infection and cytokine storms, and has a significant impact on the tolerance and prognosis of septic patients. The objective of our study is to elucidate the biological role and molecular mechanism of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in the process of sepsis.

OBJECTIVES

This study was undertaken in an attempt to elucidate the function and molecular mechanism of FGF21 in therapy of sepsis.

METHODS

Serum concentrations of FGF21 were measured in sepsis patients and septic mice. Liver injury was compared between mice FGF21 knockout (KO) mice and wildtype (WT) mice. To assess the therapeutic potential, recombinant human FGF21 was administered to septic mice. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism of FGF21 was investigated in mice with myeloid-cell specific HIF-1α overexpression mice (LyzM-CreDIO-HIF-1α) and myeloid-cell specific Atg7 knockout mice (Atg7△mye).

RESULTS

Serum level of FGF21 was significantly increased in sepsis patients and septic mice. Through the use of recombinant human FGF21 (rhFGF21) and FGF21 KO mice, we found that FGF21 mitigated septic liver injury by inhibiting the initiation and propagation of inflammation. Treatment with rhFGF21 effectively suppressed the activation of proinflammatory macrophages by promoting macroautophagy/autophagy degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Importantly, the therapeutic effect of rhFGF21 against septic liver injury was nullified in LyzM-CreDIO-HIF-1α mice and Atg7△mye mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that FGF21 considerably suppresses inflammation upon septic liver injury through the autophagy/ HIF-1α axis.

ATP ion channel-type P2X purinergic receptors as a key regulatory molecule in breast cancer progression

Studies have confirmed that ATP ion channel P2X purinergic receptors play a key role in tumor growth and metastasis. Similarly, P2X purinergic receptors can be used as a favorable regulatory molecule of breast cancer cells to participate in the progression of breast cancer. There are abundant ATP and its cleavage products in breast cancer microenvironment, which can be used as natural activators of P2X purinergic receptors. P2X purinergic receptors play a role in regulating the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells by mediating signal transduction, growth regulation and immune cell activity in microenvironment. However, the application of P2X purinergic receptors antagonist has the pharmacological characteristics of inhibiting the progression of breast cancer cells. Among P2X purinergic receptors, there is a close relationship between P2X7 receptor and breast cancer patients. P2X purinergic receptors can be used as a biological marker for breast cancer patients. In this paper, we discuss the functional role and regulatory molecular mechanism of P2X purinergic receptors in the progression of breast cancer. The pharmacological effects of P2X purinergic receptors selective antagonist on the growth, metastasis and invasion of breast cancer cells were further discussed. Therefore, P2X purinergic receptors can be used as a key regulatory molecule of breast cancer and a pharmacological target for potential therapy.

Long noncoding RNA SNHG4 promotes glioma progression via regulating miR-367-3p/MYO1B axis in zebrafish xenografts

Glioma is one of the most malignancy and prevalent tumor in the human central nervous system, which is associated with severe morbidity and high mortality. Numerous studies have explained the clear correlation between abnormal expression of lncRNA and progression of Glioma. LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) have been proved to play oncogenesis roles in various tumors, however, the underlying mechanism remains to be explored deeply. In this study, by analysis of the public database, we found that SNHG4 was upregulated in multiple cancer tissues, including glioma. Subsequently, the functional roles of SNHG4 were investigated, and we found that knockdown of SNHG4 remarkedly inhibited cell proliferation, migration. While, overexpression of SNHG4 enhanced these functions of glioma cells in vitro. Meanwhile, as the in vivo tool, zebrafish xenograft model was used to verify the functions of SNHG4 in glioma cells. Mechanically, we identified that SNHG4 or MYO1B could bind with miR-367-3p by the luciferase reporter assays. Furthermore, the rescue experiments showed that the inhibition of miR-367-3p or the expression of MYO1B partially rescue the inhibition effects of SNHG4 in glioma cells. Our study reveals that SNHG4 promotes the proliferation, migration of glioma via regulating miR-367-3p/MYO1B axis.

Tumor dormancy and relapse: understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer recurrence

Cancer recurrence, driven by the phenomenon of tumor dormancy, presents a formidable challenge in oncology. Dormant cancer cells have the ability to evade detection and treatment, leading to relapse. This review emphasizes the urgent need to comprehend tumor dormancy and its implications for cancer recurrence. Despite notable advancements, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying dormancy and the lack of reliable biomarkers for predicting relapse. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the cellular, angiogenic, and immunological aspects of dormancy. It highlights the current therapeutic strategies targeting dormant cells, particularly combination therapies and immunotherapies, which hold promise in preventing relapse. By elucidating these mechanisms and proposing innovative research methodologies, this review aims to deepen our understanding of tumor dormancy, ultimately facilitating the development of more effective strategies for preventing cancer recurrence and improving patient outcomes.

Integrated Proteomics and Machine Learning Approach Reveals PYCR1 as a Novel Biomarker to Predict Prognosis of Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a rare tumor with a high 5-year mortality rate. However, proteomic technologies have not yet been utilized to identify SNSCC-associated proteins, which could be used as biomarkers. In this study, we aimed to discover a biomarker to predict SNSCC patients using proteomic analysis integrated with machine learning models. Support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and gradient boost (GB) classifiers were developed to predict SNSCC based on proteomic profiles of SNSCC compared with nasal polyps (NP) as control. Seventeen feature proteins were found in all models, indicating possible biomarkers for SNSCC. Analysis of gene expression across multiple cancer types and their associations with cancer stage and patient survival in the TCGA-HNSC dataset identified a PYCR1 and MYO1B gene that could be a potential tumor-associated marker. The expression of PYCR1 was confirmed by RT-qPCR in SNSCC tissues, and its high expression was associated with poor overall survival, indicating PYCR1 as a potential tumor-associated biomarker to predict the prognosis of SNSCC.

Essential role of the interaction between classical swine fever virus core protein and cellular MYO1B in viral components transport to exosomes and titer maintenance

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a severe disease caused by the highly contagious CSFV. Our previous study demonstrated that exosomes from CSFV-infected cells contained significant amounts of viral genome and Core (C) protein and were infectious. To further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation of these infectious exosomes, we investigated the intracellular transport of the C protein in this study. We first identified the synchronized transport of the C protein and viral genome to exosomes, distinguishing it from other structural proteins. This suggests that the C protein likely binds to the viral genome and is transported to exosomes as a nucleocapsid. Subsequently, Co-IP and co-localization experiments confirmed the interaction between the host Myosin 1B (MYO1B) protein and the C protein. Key interaction sites were identified by generating and analyzing various C protein point mutations and truncation variants. The results indicate that specific sites at the N-terminus of the C protein significantly impact its interaction with MYO1B. Ultimately, by modulating MYO1B expression, we found that MYO1B knockdown significantly reduced the C protein and viral genome content in exosomes, leading to a decrease in CSFV titers. These findings underscore the critical role of MYO1B in facilitating the transport of the C protein and viral genome into exosomes during CSFV infection. Overall, this study explores the mechanism of infectious exosome formation during CSFV infection, revealing the critical role of the host MYO1B in this process. This is the first study to identify the involvement of MYO1B in viral infection, not only offering important insights into host-virus interactions but also identifying a new target for antiviral drug development.

Aberrant overexpression of myosin 1b in glioblastoma promotes angiogenesis via VEGF-myc-myosin 1b-Piezo1 axis

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive intracranial malignancy with poor prognosis. Enhanced angiogenesis is an essential hallmark of GBM, which demonstrates extensive microvascular proliferation and abnormal vasculature. Here, we uncovered the key role of myosin 1b in angiogenesis and vascular abnormality in GBM. Myosin 1b is upregulated in GBM endothelial cells (ECs) compared to the paired nonmalignant brain tissue. In our study, we found that myosin 1b promotes migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis of human/mouse brain ECs. We also found that myosin 1b expression in ECs can be regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling through myc. Moreover, myosin 1b promotes angiogenesis via Piezo1 by enhancing Ca2+ influx, in which process VEGF can be the trigger. In conclusion, our results identified myosin 1b as a key mediator in promoting angiogenesis via mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (Piezo1) and suggested that VEGF/myc signaling pathway could be responsible for driving the changes of myosin 1b overexpression in GBM ECs.

Pre-receptor regulation of 11-oxyandrogens differs between normal and cancerous endometrium and across endometrial cancer grades and molecular subtypes

Background

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a prevalent gynecological malignancy globally, with a rising incidence trend. While classic androgens have been implicated with EC risk, the role of their 11-oxygenated metabolites is poorly understood. Here, we studied 11-oxyandrogen formation from steroid precursors in EC for the first time.

Methods

We performed in vitro studies on a panel of four EC cell lines of varying differentiation degree and molecular subtype and a control cell line of normal endometrium to assess 11-oxyandrogen formation from steroid precursors. We also characterized the transcriptomic effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 11-keto-DHT on Ishikawa and RL95-2. Key molecular players in 11-oxyandrogen metabolism and action were explored in endometrial tumors using public transcriptomic datasets.

Results

We discovered that within endometrial tumors, the formation of 11-oxyandrogens does not occur from classic androgen precursors. However, we observed distinct regulatory mechanisms at a pre-receptor level in normal endometrium compared to cancerous tissue, and between low- and high-grade tumors. Specifically, in vitro models of low-grade EC formed higher levels of bioactive 11-keto-testosterone from 11-oxyandrogen precursors compared to models of noncancerous endometrium and high-grade, TP53-mutated EC. Moreover, the potent androgen, DHT and its 11-keto homologue induced mild transcriptomic effects on androgen receptor (AR)-expressing EC model, Ishikawa. Finally, using public transcriptomic datasets, we found HSD11B2 and SRD5A2, coding for key enzymes in steroid metabolism, to be associated with better disease-specific survival, whereas higher intra-tumoral AR expression correlated with lower recurrence in TP53-wt tumors.

Conclusions

The intra-tumoral metabolism of 11-oxyandrogen precursors is characteristic for low-grade EC of non-TP53-alt molecular subtypes. Our findings support further exploration of circulating 11-oxyandrogens as prognostic biomarkers in EC.

Hypoxia-associated autophagy flux dysregulation in human cancers

A general feature of cancer is hypoxia, determined as low oxygen levels. Low oxygen levels may cause cells to alter in ways that contribute to tumor growth and resistance to treatment. Hypoxia leads to variations in cancer cell metabolism, angiogenesis and metastasis. Furthermore, a hypoxic tumor microenvironment might induce immunosuppression. Moreover, hypoxia has the potential to impact cellular processes, such as autophagy. Autophagy refers to the catabolic process by which damaged organelles and toxic macromolecules are broken down. The abnormal activation of autophagy has been extensively recorded in human tumors and it serves as a regulator of cell growth, spread to other parts of the body, and resistance to treatment. There is a correlation between hypoxia and autophagy in human malignancies. Hypoxia can regulate the activity of AMPK, mTOR, Beclin-1, and ATGs to govern autophagy in human malignancies. Furthermore, HIF-1α, serving as an indicator of low oxygen levels, controls the process of autophagy. Hypoxia-induced autophagy has a crucial role in regulating the growth, spread, and resistance to treatment in human malignancies. Hypoxia-induced regulation of autophagy can impact other mechanisms of cell death, such as apoptosis. Chemoresistance and radioresistance have become significant challenges in recent years. Hypoxia-mediated autophagy plays a crucial role in determining the response to these therapeutic treatments.

A Molecular Perspective on HIF-1α and Angiogenic Stimulator Networks and Their Role in Solid Tumors: An Update

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a major transcriptional factor, which plays an important role in cellular reprogramming processes under hypoxic conditions, which facilitate solid tumors' progression. HIF-1α is directly involved in the regulation of the angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, and extracellular matrix remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, an in-depth study on the role of HIF-1α in solid tumor malignancies is required to develop novel anti-cancer therapeutics. HIF-1α also plays a critical role in regulating growth factors, such as the vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor, in a network manner. Additionally, it plays a significant role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance by regulating a variety of angiogenic factors, including angiopoietin 1 and angiopoietin 2, matrix metalloproteinase, and erythropoietin, along with energy pathways. Therefore, this review attempts to provide comprehensive insight into the role of HIF-1α in the energy and angiogenesis pathways of solid tumors.

Biological landscape and nanostructural view in development and reversal of oxaliplatin resistance in colorectal cancer

The treatment of cancer patients has been mainly followed using chemotherapy and it is a gold standard in improving prognosis and survival rate of patients. Oxaliplatin (OXA) is a third-platinum anti-cancer agent that reduces DNA synthesis in cancer cells to interfere with their growth and cell cycle progression. In spite of promising results of using OXA in cancer chemotherapy, the process of drug resistance has made some challenges. OXA is commonly applied in treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) as a malignancy of gastrointestinal tract and when CRC cells increase their proliferation and metastasis, they can obtain resistance to OXA chemotherapy. A number of molecular factors such as CHK2, SIRT1, c-Myc, LATS2 and FOXC1 have been considered as regulators of OXA response in CRC cells. The non-coding RNAs are able to function as master regulator of other molecular pathways in modulating OXA resistance. There is a close association between molecular mechanisms such as apoptosis, autophagy, glycolysis and EMT with OXA resistance, so that apoptosis inhibition, pro-survival autophagy induction and stimulation of EMT and glycolysis can induce OXA resistance in CRC cells. A number of anti-tumor compounds including astragaloside IV, resveratrol and nobiletin are able to enhance OXA sensitivity in CRC cells. Nanoparticles for increasing potential of OXA in CRC suppression and reversing OXA resistance have been employed in cancer chemotherapy. These subjects are covered in this review article to shed light on molecular factors resulting in OXA resistance.

Dysregulation of RNA splicing in early non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through hepatocellular carcinoma

While changes in RNA splicing have been extensively studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), no studies have systematically investigated changes in RNA splicing during earlier liver disease. Mouse studies have shown that disruption of RNA splicing can trigger liver disease and we have shown that the splicing factor SRSF3 is decreased in the diseased human liver, so we profiled RNA splicing in liver samples from twenty-nine individuals with no-history of liver disease or varying degrees of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared our results with three publicly available transcriptome datasets that we re-analyzed for splicing events (SEs). We found many changes in SEs occurred during early liver disease, with fewer events occurring with the onset of inflammation and fibrosis. Many of these early SEs were enriched for SRSF3-dependent events and were associated with SRSF3 binding sites. Mapping the early and late changes to gene ontologies and pathways showed that the genes harboring these early SEs were involved in normal liver metabolism, whereas those harboring late SEs were involved in inflammation, fibrosis and proliferation. We compared the SEs with HCC data from the TCGA and observed that many of these early disease SEs are found in HCC samples and, furthermore, are correlated with disease survival. Changes in splicing factor expression are also observed, which may be associated with distinct subsets of the SEs. The maintenance of these SEs through the multi-year oncogenic process suggests that they may be causative. Understanding the role of these splice variants in metabolic liver disease progression may shed light on the triggers of liver disease progression and the pathogenesis of HCC.

MOGS promotes stemness acquisition and invasion via enhancing NOTCH1-glycosylation dependent NOTCH pathway in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent cancer globally, and about half of CRC patients eventually succumb to tumor metastasis. Despite this, treatment options for metastatic colon cancer remain severely limited, reflected by a 12% 5-year overall survival rate. Increasing evidence suggests that cancer stem cells (CSCs) are pivotal in driving CRC metastasis. Our study found a significant upregulation of MOGS in metastatic colorectal cancer, with high MOGS expression inversely correlating with patient prognosis. Additionally, MOGS enhances the NOTCH pathway, thus promoting stemness in CRC cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, MOGS may facilitate the maturation of NOTCH1 protein by promoting NOTCH1 glycosylation. Correspondingly, silencing MOGS markedly reduced invasion and stemness of CRC cells in vivo. In summary, our findings highlight the critical role of MOGS in fostering stemness and activating the NOTCH pathway in colorectal cancer cells. Disrupting the function of the MOGS/NOTCH could represent a feasible therapeutic strategy for CRC management.

Organometallic Phyllosilicate-Gold Nanocomplex: An Effective Oral Delivery System of Methotrexate for Enhanced in vivo Efficacy Against Colorectal Cancer

Purpose

Oral administration, although convenient and preferred for treating colorectal cancer (CRC), faces challenges due to limited CRC-related intestinal positioning and a dense mucus barrier. In the present study, a gold-nanoparticle decorated-organometallic phyllosilicate nanocomposite (AC-Au), with a pH-dependent surface coating, was employed for more effective oral delivery of anticancer drugs to treat CRC.

Methods

The organometallic AC-Au was synthesized using the in-situ sol-gel method. Subsequently, methotrexate (MTX) was loaded into AC-Au, and the complex (AC-Au/MTX) was surface-coated with poly (methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) (1:2), a pH-dependent polymer (E/AC-Au /MTX). The in vitro characteristics of nanoparticles were examined using various analytical methods. In vivo efficacy studies were also conducted using an HCT-116 orthotopic colorectal cancer model.

Results

AC-Au emerged as a spherical nanoparticle with a mean size of 26.5 ± 0.43 nm, displaying a positive charge over the pH range of 2-10. Both the uncoated and coated drug-loaded nanocomplexes (AC-Au/MTX and E/AC-Au/MTX) were fabricated with high entrapment efficiency (> 80%). Various analyses, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, confirmed the formation of the nanocomplexes. While AC-Au/MTX achieved rapid and extensive drug release at the pH range of 1.2-7.4, E/AC-Au/MTX exhibited pH-dependent drug release, with approximately 23% at pH 1.2 and 74% at pH 7.4. Relative to free MTX, the AC-Au-based nanocomplex significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of MTX in HCT-116 cells. Furthermore, orally administered E/AC-Au/MTX significantly improved the anti-tumor activity of MTX in an HCT-116 orthotopic colorectal cancer model, resulting in approximately 60% suppression of tumor mass compared with the positive control.

Conclusion

The organometallic AC-Au nanocomplex coated with a pH-dependent polymer has the potential to be an effective colonic drug delivery system of MTX, enhancing in vivo efficacy against colorectal cancer.