HLF promotes ovarian cancer progression and chemoresistance via regulating Hippo signaling pathway

Autophagy-driven regulation of cisplatin response in human cancers: Exploring molecular and cell death dynamics

Despite the challenges posed by drug resistance and side effects, chemotherapy remains a pivotal strategy in cancer treatment. A key issue in this context is macroautophagy (commonly known as autophagy), a dysregulated cell death mechanism often observed during chemotherapy. Autophagy plays a cytoprotective role by maintaining cellular homeostasis and recycling organelles, and emerging evidence points to its significant role in promoting cancer progression. Cisplatin, a DNA-intercalating agent known for inducing cell death and cell cycle arrest, often encounters resistance in chemotherapy treatments. Recent studies have shown that autophagy can contribute to cisplatin resistance or insensitivity in tumor cells through various mechanisms. This resistance can be mediated by protective autophagy, which suppresses apoptosis. Additionally, autophagy-related changes in tumor cell metastasis, particularly the induction of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), can also lead to cisplatin resistance. Nevertheless, pharmacological strategies targeting the regulation of autophagy and apoptosis offer promising avenues to enhance cisplatin sensitivity in cancer therapy. Notably, numerous non-coding RNAs have been identified as regulators of autophagy in the context of cisplatin chemotherapy. Thus, therapeutic targeting of autophagy or its associated pathways holds potential for restoring cisplatin sensitivity, highlighting an important direction for future clinical research.

Unraveling a novel hippo-associated immunological prognostic signature: The contribution of SERPINE1 in facilitating colorectal cancer progression via the notch signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence demonstrated that Hippo signaling pathway is implicated in tumor initiation and progression. However, there have been limited studies on establishing signatures utilizing genes related to the Hippo pathway to evaluate prognosis and clinical efficacy in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

METHODS

Hippo pathway-associated genes with prognostic significance were identified in the TCGA database. Subsequently, a prognostic signature associated with the Hippo pathway was constructed using Cox and LASSO regression analyses. Survival analysis, ROC analysis, and stratified analyses were conducted to appraise the performance effect of our prognostic model. We also explored the relationship between the risk score and tumor immune microenvironment. Furthermore, GO analyses and GSEA were performed for SERPINE1. Additional experiments were conducted to illuminate the underlying function and possible mechanism of SERPINE1 in CRC cell proliferation and migration.

RESULTS

We identified 58 differentially expressed genes associated with Hippo pathway that have prognostic significance in CRC. Among them, five genes (PPP2CB, SERPINE1, WNT5A, TCF7L1, and LEF1) were selected to establish a prognostic signature for CRC. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that this signature exhibited excellent diagnostic and prognostic performance, providing maximum benefits for CRC patients. In accordance with the prognostic signatures, the cases were divided into low-risk and high-risk groups. Remarkably, the high-risk group displayed lower immune scores, reduced immune cell infiltration, and decreased expression of immune checkpoints. Low-risk group could more possibly benefit from conventional chemotherapeutic and targeted therapies. CRC exhibited significantly elevated expression of SERPINE1, which was linked to worst overall survival. Moreover, inhibition of SERPINE1 suppressed proliferation, invasion, and migration of CRC cells via Notch pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

To sum up, we established a novel immunological prognostic signature utilizing genes associated with the Hippo pathway. This signature offers accurate prognostic prediction and can guide individualized therapy for patients with CRC.

Novel players in the development of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer: ovarian cancer stem cells, non-coding RNA and nuclear receptors

Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks as the fifth leading factor for female mortality globally, with a substantial burden of new cases and mortality recorded annually. Survival rates vary significantly based on the stage of diagnosis, with advanced stages posing significant challenges to treatment. OC is primarily categorized as epithelial, constituting approximately 90% of cases, and correct staging is essential for tailored treatment. The debulking followed by chemotherapy is the prevailing treatment, involving platinum-based drugs in combination with taxanes. However, the efficacy of chemotherapy is hindered by the development of chemoresistance, both acquired during treatment (acquired chemoresistance) and intrinsic to the patient (intrinsic chemoresistance). The emergence of chemoresistance leads to increased mortality rates, with many advanced patients experiencing disease relapse shortly after initial treatment. This review delves into the multifactorial nature of chemoresistance in OC, addressing mechanisms involving transport systems, apoptosis, DNA repair, and ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs). While previous research has identified genes associated with these mechanisms, the regulatory roles of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and nuclear receptors in modulating gene expression to confer chemoresistance have remained poorly understood and underexplored. This comprehensive review aims to shed light on the genes linked to different chemoresistance mechanisms in OC and their intricate regulation by ncRNA and nuclear receptors. Specifically, we examine how these molecular players influence the chemoresistance mechanism. By exploring the interplay between these factors and gene expression regulation, this review seeks to provide a comprehensive mechanism driving chemoresistance in OC.