Biodegradable polymeric micelles encapsulated JK184 suppress tumor growth through inhibiting Hedgehog signaling pathway

Multi-omics analysis identifies a liquid-liquid phase separation-related subtypes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Growing evidence indicates that abnormal liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) can disrupt biomolecular condensates, contributing to cancer development and progression. However, the influence of LLPS on the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and its effects on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) are not yet fully understood. Therefore, we aimed to categorize patients with HNSCC based on LLPS-related genes and explored their multidimensional heterogeneity.

Methods

We integrated the transcriptomic data of 3,541 LLPS-related genes to assess the LLPS patterns in 501 patients with HNSCC within The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort. Subsequently, we explored the differences among the three LLPS subtypes using multi-omics analysis. We also developed an LLPS-related prognostic risk signature (LPRS) to facilitate personalized and integrative assessments and then screened and validated potential therapeutic small molecule compounds targeting HNSCC via experimental analyses.

Result

By analyzing the expression profiles of 85 scaffolds, 355 regulators, and 3,101 clients of LLPS in HNSCC, we identified three distinct LLPS subtypes: LS1, LS2, and LS3. We confirmed notable differences among these subtypes in terms of prognosis, functional enrichment, genomic alterations, TIME patterns, and responses to immunotherapy. Additionally, we developed the LPRS, a prognostic signature for personalized integrative assessments, which demonstrated strong predictive capability for HNSCC prognosis across multiple cohorts. The LPRS also showed significant correlations with the clinicopathological features and TIME patterns in HNSCC patients. Furthermore, the LPRS effectively predicted responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and facilitated the screening of potential small-molecule compounds for treating HNSCC patients.

Conclusion

This study presents a new classification system for HNSCC patients grounded in LLPS. The LPRS developed in this research offers improved personalized prognosis and could optimize immunotherapy strategies for HNSCC.

A drug screening to identify novel combinatorial strategies for boosting cancer immunotherapy efficacy

BACKGROUND

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells and immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) have made remarkable breakthroughs in cancer treatment, but the efficacy is still limited for solid tumors due to tumor antigen heterogeneity and the tumor immune microenvironment. The restrained treatment efficacy prompted us to seek new potential therapeutic methods.

METHODS

In this study, we conducted a small molecule compound library screen in a human BC cell line to identify whether certain drugs contribute to CAR T cell killing. Signaling pathways of tumor cells and T cells affected by the screened drugs were predicted via RNA sequencing. Among them, the antitumor activities of JK184 in combination with CAR T cells or ICBs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We selected three small molecule drugs from a compound library, among which JK184 directly induces tumor cell apoptosis by inhibiting the Hedgehog signaling pathway, modulates B7-H3 CAR T cells to an effector memory phenotype, and promotes B7-H3 CAR T cells cytokine secretion in vitro. In addition, our data suggested that JK184 exerts antitumor activities and strongly synergizes with B7-H3 CAR T cells or ICBs in vivo. Mechanistically, JK184 enhances B7-H3 CAR T cells infiltrating in xenograft mouse models. Moreover, JK184 combined with ICB markedly reshaped the tumor immune microenvironment by increasing effector T cells infiltration and inflammation cytokine secretion, inhibiting the recruitment of MDSCs and the transition of M2-type macrophages in an immunocompetent mouse model.

CONCLUSION

These data show that JK184 may be a potential adjutant in combination with CAR T cells or ICB therapy.

Targeting hedgehog signaling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a leading cause of cancer related death. The urgent need for effective therapies is highlighted by the lack of adequate targeting. In PDAC, hedgehog (Hh) signaling is known to be aberrantly activated, which prompted the pathway as a possible target for effective treatment for PDAC patients. Unfortunately, specific targeting of upstream molecules within the Hh signaling pathway failed to bring clinical benefit. This led to the ongoing debate on Hh targeting as a therapeutic treatment for PDAC patients. Additionally, concurrent non-canonical activation routes also result in translocation of Gli transcription factors into the nucleus. Therefore, different downstream targets of the Hh signaling pathway were identified and evaluated in preclinical and clinical research. In this review we summarize the variety of Hh signaling antagonists in different preclinical models of PDAC. Furthermore, we discuss published and ongoing clinical trials that evaluated Hh antagonists and point out the current hurdles and future perspectives in the light of redesigning Hh-targeting therapies for the treatment of PDAC patients.

Isolation and characterisation of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds from Gnaphalium polycaulon

ETHNO-PHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Gnaphalium polycaulon commonly known as "cudweed" has been used throughout South America as an infusion to treat colds, bronchitis, fever or pneumonia.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to determine the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous extract of Gnaphalium polycaulon and identify the related compounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A bio-guided isolation of the active compounds of Gnaphalium polycaulon was carried out, selecting the fractions depending on their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. The antibacterial effect was studied against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae; and the anti-inflammatory study was performed by measuring the inhibition of NF-κB in BEAS-2B and IMR-90 cell cultures.

RESULTS

Three compounds were obtained and characterised by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. These compounds are 2-(4-(1-H-tetrazol-1-yl) phenyl)-2-aminopropanoic acid (1), N-phenyl-4-(3-phenyl-1,2,4-thiadiazol-5-yl) piperazine-1-carboxamide (2) and N-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-4-(2-methylimidazo-[1,2-α] pyridine-3-yl) thiazol-2-amine (3). All compounds showed antibacterial activity with MIC values of 44.80-44.85, 0.017-0.021 and 0.0077-0.0079 μM, respectively, in the Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae strains, while the positive control, Ofloxacin, had a MIC value of 27.64-27.67 μM. This was corroborated through a zone inhibition assay, where compound 3 (11.36-11.67 mm) was much more active than the positive control (Ofloxacin, 23.41-24.12 mm), while compounds 2 (26.47-27.64 mm) and 1 (28.39-29.76 mm) displayed similar antibacterial potential to the positive control. Finally, all the compounds presented NF-κB inhibitory activity, compounds 3 (IC₅₀ = 0.0071-0.0073 μM) and 2 (IC₅₀ = 0.016-0.019 μM) being the most promising. Compound 1 (IC₅₀ = 44.24-44.26 μM) had less anti-inflammatory potential, being also the closest to the values displayed by the positive control (Celastrol, IC₅₀ = 7.41 μM).

CONCLUSION

In the present study, three compounds were isolated for the first time from the aqueous extract of Gnaphalium polycaulon. Their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential was tested and showcased.

Single-cell patterning and axis characterization in the murine and human definitive endoderm

Defining the precise regionalization of specified definitive endoderm progenitors is critical for understanding the mechanisms underlying the generation and regeneration of respiratory and digestive organs, yet the patterning of endoderm progenitors remains unresolved, particularly in humans. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on endoderm cells during the early somitogenesis stages in mice and humans. We developed molecular criteria to define four major endoderm regions (foregut, lip of anterior intestinal portal, midgut, and hindgut) and their developmental pathways. We identified the cell subpopulations in each region and their spatial distributions and characterized key molecular features along the body axes. Dorsal and ventral pancreatic progenitors appear to originate from the midgut population and follow distinct pathways to develop into an identical cell type. Finally, we described the generally conserved endoderm patterning in humans and clear differences in dorsal cell distribution between species. Our study comprehensively defines single-cell endoderm patterning and provides novel insights into the spatiotemporal process that drives establishment of early endoderm domains.

Inhibition of JK184-Induced Cytoprotective Autophagy Potentiates JK184 Antitumor Effects in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BCa) is the most common aggressive tumor with limited curative therapeutic options available among women worldwide. JK184 is a potent Hedgehog inhibitor that regulates the glioma-dependent transcriptional activity. Although some studies have indicated that JK184 can kill BCa cells, it remains unclear whether there are any events that limit the use of JK184 in BCa therapy. Here, we report that JK184 intervention induces BCa cell death involving the dysregulation of autophagy in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The induction of autophagy compromises the antiproliferative effect of JK184. Mechanistically, JK184 induces autophagy via inhibiting the Akt/mTOR pathway in BCa cells. Taken together, our findings unravel a novel mechanism for JK184 treatment in BCa, suggesting that JK184 in combination with autophagy inhibitor may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the clinical treatment of BCa.

Polymeric Hybrid Nanomicelles for Cancer Theranostics: An Efficient and Precise Anticancer Strategy for the Codelivery of Doxorubicin/miR-34a and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

To realize precise tumor therapy, a versatile oncotherapy nanoplatform integrating both diagnostic and therapeutic functions is necessary. Herein, we fabricated a hybrid micelle (HM) utilizing two amphiphilic diblock copolymers, polyethylenimine-polycaprolactone (PEI-PCL) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid gadolinium(III)  (Gd-DTPA)-conjugated polyethyleneglycol-polycaprolactone (Gd-PEG-PCL), to codeliver the small-molecule chemotherapy drugs doxorubicin (Dox) and microRNA-34a (miR-34a), denoted as Gd-HM-Dox/34a. Conjugating Gd-DTPA on the surface of hybrid micelles, leading the relaxation rate of Gd-DTPA increased more than 1.4 times (13.6 mM^-1 S^-1). Furthermore, hybrid micelles enhanced the ability of miR-34a to escape from lysosomes/endosomes and Dox release to the nucleus. In addition, the released miR-34a subsequently downregulates Bcl-2, cyclin D1, CDK6, and Bax expression and inhibits proliferation and migration of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Moreover, the suitable micelle size improved the penetration of Dox into three-dimensional (3D) multicellular spheroids compared with Gd-HM-Dox and Free Dox, generating efficient cell killing in the 3D multicellular spheroids. Furthermore, the Gd-HM-Dox/34a exhibited augmented accumulation in the tumor tissue, which improved the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast of solid tumors and enhanced the combined efficiency of chemotherapeutic drugs Dox and therapeutic gene miR-34a in suppressing tumor growth on MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice. Therefore, we established a hybrid micelle to offer a promising theranostic approach that inhibits tumor growth and enhances MR imaging.

Influence of age on rat bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells potential

Mesenchymal stem cells promising role in cell-based therapies and tissue engineering appears to be limited due to a decline of their regenerative potential with increasing donor age. Six age groups from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of Wistar rats were studied (newborn, infant, young, pre-pubertal, pubertal and adult). Quantitative proteomic assay was performance by iTRAQ using an 8-plex iTRAQ labeling and the proteins differentially expressed were grouped in pluripotency, proliferative and metabolism processes. Proliferation makers, CD117 and Ki67 were measure by flow cytometry assay. Real time polymerase chain reaction analysis of pluripotency markers Rex1, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog were done. Biological differentiation was realized using specific mediums for 14 days to induce osteogenesis, adipogenesis or chondrogenesis and immunostain analysis of differentiated cell resulting were done. Enzimoimmunoassay analysis of several enzymes as L-lactate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase were also done to validate iTRAQ data. Taking together these results indicate for the first time that mesenchymal stem cells have significant differences in their proliferative, pluripotency and metabolism profiles and those differences are age depending.