Outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing sorafenib treatment: toxicities, cellular oxidative stress, treatment adherence, and quality of life: Erratum

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Its Role in Metabolic Reprogramming of Cancer

Background/Objectives: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs when ER homeostasis is disrupted, leading to the accumulation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. This condition activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), which aims to restore balance or trigger cell death if homeostasis cannot be achieved. In cancer, ER stress plays a key role due to the heightened metabolic demands of tumor cells. This review explores how metabolomics can provide insights into ER stress-related metabolic alterations and their implications for cancer therapy. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyze recent findings on ER stress, metabolomics, and cancer metabolism. Studies examining metabolic profiling of cancer cells under ER stress conditions were selected, with a focus on identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Results: Metabolomic studies highlight significant shifts in lipid metabolism, protein synthesis, and oxidative stress management in response to ER stress. These metabolic alterations are crucial for tumor adaptation and survival. Additionally, targeting ER stress-related metabolic pathways has shown potential in preclinical models, suggesting new therapeutic strategies. Conclusions: Understanding the metabolic impact of ER stress in cancer provides valuable opportunities for drug development. Metabolomics-based approaches may help identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, enhancing the effectiveness of antitumor therapies.

Photochemically Controlled Release of the Glucose Transporter 1 Inhibitor for Glucose Deprivation Responses and Cancer Suppression Research

Cancer cells need a greater supply of glucose mainly due to their aerobic glycolysis, known as the Warburg effect. Glucose transport by glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is the rate-limiting step for glucose uptake, making it a potential cancer therapeutic target. However, GLUT1 is widely expressed and performs crucial functions in a variety of cells, and its indiscriminate inhibition will cause serious side effects. In this study, we designed and synthesized a photocaged GLUT1 inhibitor WZB117-PPG to suppress the growth of cancer cells in a spatiotemporally controllable manner. WZB117-PPG exhibited remarkable photolysis efficiency and substantial cytotoxicity toward cancer cells under visible light illumination with minimal side effects, ensuring its safety as a potential cancer therapy. Furthermore, our quantitative proteomics data delineated a comprehensive portrait of responses in cancer cells under glucose deprivation, underlining the mechanism of cell death via necrosis rather than apoptosis. We reason that our study provides a potentially reliable cancer treatment strategy and can be used as a spatiotemporally controllable trigger for studying nutrient deprivation-related stress responses.

Bridging the gap: glucose transporters, Alzheimer's, and future therapeutic prospects

Glucose is the major source of chemical energy for cell functions in living organisms. The aim of this mini-review is to provide a clearer and simpler picture of the fundamentals of glucose transporters as well as the relationship of these transporters to Alzheimer's disease. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Electronic databases (PubMed and ScienceDirect) were used to search for relevant studies mainly published during the period 2018-2023. This mini-review covers the two main types of glucose transporters, facilitated glucose transporters (GLUTs) and sodium-glucose linked transporters (SGLTs). The main difference between these two types is that the first type works through passive transport across the glucose concentration gradient. The second type works through active co-transportation to transport glucose against its chemical gradient. Fluctuation in glucose transporters translates into a disturbance of normal functioning, such as Alzheimer's disease, which may be caused by a significant downregulation of GLUTs most closely associated with insulin resistance in the brain. The first sign of Alzheimer's is a lack of GLUT4 translocation. The second sign is tau hyperphosphorylation, which is caused by GLUT1 and 3 being strongly upregulated. The current study focuses on the use of glucose transporters in treating diseases because of their proven therapeutic potential. Despite this, studies remain insufficient and inconclusive due to the complex and intertwined nature of glucose transport processes. This study recommends further understanding of the mechanisms related to these vectors for promising future therapies.

GLUT-1 may predict metastases and death in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

Introduction

Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) has been studied as a possible predictor for survival outcomes in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

Methods

We aimed to investigate the prognostic role of GLUT-1 in LARC using the data of 208 patients with clinical T3-4 stage and/or node-positive rectal adenocarcinoma, all of whom underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and subsequent total mesorectal excision (TME). Both pre-CRT and post-CRT specimens were immunohistologically stained for GLUT-1. Patients were classified into GLUT-1-positive and GLUT-1-negative groups and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed and compared.

Results

At a median follow-up of 74 months, post-CRT GLUT-1 status showed a significant correlation with worse DMFS (p=0.027, HR 2.26) and OS (p=0.030, HR 2.30). When patients were classified into 4 groups according to yp stage II/III status and post-CRT GLUT-1 positivity [yp stage II & GLUT-1 (-), yp stage II & GLUT-1 (+), yp stage III & GLUT-1 (-), yp stage III & GLUT-1 (+)], the 5-year DMFS rates were 92.3%, 63.9%, 65.4%, and 46.5%, respectively (p=0.013). GLUT-1 (-) groups showed markedly better outcomes for both yp stage II and III patients compared to GLUT-1 (+) groups. A similar tendency was observed for OS.

Discussion

In conclusion, post-CRT GLUT-1 may serve as a prognostic marker in LARC.

Identification of a novel GLUT1 inhibitor with in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity

Glucose transporter (GLUT) is a group of membrane proteins which transport extracellular glucoses into cytoplasm, amongst GLUT1 is widely up-regulated in tumor cells. However, no FDA approved GLUT drug has been developed. In this study, we synthesized and identified a novel GLUT1 inhibitor (SMI277) based on in vitro assays and in vivo experiments. Compared with a known GLUT1 inhibitor, SMI277 showed stronger inhibitory activity to glucose uptake, and the inhibition was increased by 40 %. Lactate secretions were decreased by SMI277 in a dose dependent manner. SMI277 was able to inhibit cell proliferations and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Compared to that of the control group, the tumor growth in mouse model with the administration of 10 mg/kg SMI277 was significantly alleviated and the tumor size was reduced by 58 % on day 21 after inoculation. Interestingly, SMI277 could negatively regulate the expression of GLUT1 protein. Ex vivo experiments showed that SMI277 was capable to enhance CD8⁺ T cell response. Residues Q283, F379 and E380 were identified as contact residues for GLUT1/SMI277 interactions by mutagenesis based binding affinity measurement. In conclusion, SMI277 appeared to be a good lead compound for drug development with specific GLUT1⁺ cancer treatment.

Progression of Prothrombin Induced by Vitamin K Absence-II in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to the lack of efficient tools for early detection, asymptomatic HCC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, leading to a poor prognosis. To improve survival, serum biomarker prothrombin induced by vitamin K absence-II (PIVKA-II) was under investigation. PIVKA-II is an abnormal protein produced in HCC. The coagulation function was insufficient due to the lack of Gla residues. Elevated PIVKA-II was associated with bad tumor behavior in terms of proliferation, metastasis, and invasion. Three major signaling pathways were proposed to clarify the mechanism. With the advantages including affordability, minimal invasiveness, convenience, and efficiency, PIVKA-II could improve HCC management consisting of four aspects. First, PIVKA-II was an effective and dynamic tool for improving HCC surveillance in high-risk population. Changes in the serum levels of PIVKA-II provided valuable molecular alteration information before imaging discovery. Second, PIVKA-II offered a complementary approach for HCC early detection. Compared to traditional diagnostic approaches, the combination of PIVKA-II and other biomarkers had better performance. Third, PIVKA-II was an indicator for the assessment of response to treatment in HCC. Preoperative assessment was for selecting personalized therapy, and postoperative measurement was for assessing treatment efficacy. Fourth, PIVKA-II was considered as a prognostic predictor for HCC. Patients with elevated PIVKA-II were more likely to develop microvascular invasion, metastasis, and recurrence.