FGFs: crucial factors that regulate tumour initiation and progression

Fibroblast Growth Factor 11 Promotes Immune Escape of Cervical Cancer Cells by Promoting Infiltration of CD4+ T Cells, Particularly Regulatory T Cells

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the leading gynecological malignancies. Immunotherapy has shown limited efficacy, particularly for advanced, recurrent CC. Consequently, dependable prognostic biomarkers and treatment targets are needed. Methods and Results: In this study, we aimed to determine the association of fibroblast growth factor 11 (FGF11) with prognosis. FGF11 expression was assessed in both tissues and cells through immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical staining. Immune cell infiltration was predicted using Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and TIMER2.0. FGF11 was significantly correlated with prognosis. FGF11 expression was significantly elevated in CC tissues. Moreover, FGF11 expression was significantly higher in SiHa and HeLa cancer cells than in normal H8 cells, particularly SiHa cells. Enrichment analyses suggested that FGF11 may be involved in arachidonic acid and linoleic acid metabolism, indicating roles in epithelial adhesion and cell differentiation. FGF11 correlated positively with CD4+ T, regulatory T, and dendritic cells but negatively with CD8+ T cells. FGF11 also correlated positively with Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4), CD25, Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), and transforming growth factor β but negatively with human leukocyte antigens. Conclusions: FGF11 may enhance the immune escape abilities of CC cells by promoting CD4+ T cell infiltration (particularly regulatory T cells) into the tumor microenvironment, leading to poor prognosis. These findings provide a reference for the exploration of FGF11 as a prognostic biomarker and treatment target in CC.

Clinical advances and challenges in targeting FGF/FGFR signaling in lung cancer

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors regulate numerous cellular processes, such as metabolism and signal transduction, but can also drive tumorigenesis. Specifically, in lung cancer, the overexpression of FGFs, as well as the amplification, mutation and fusion of FGFR genes, are closely linked to the initiation, progression and resistance of the disease, suggesting that targeting FGF/FGFR is an attractive therapeutic strategy for lung cancer treatment. Nintedanib, a multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) used in combination with docetaxel, has shown some success as a second-line therapy for lung cancer. However, clinical trials evaluating other FGFR inhibitors have yielded mixed results, indicating substantial complexity in targeting aberrant FGF/FGFR signaling. In this review, we describe the aberrations in FGF/FGFR signaling in lung cancer and summarize the clinical efficacy of FGFR inhibitors, such as multitarget TKIs, selective FGFR-TKIs and biological agents. We also discuss various challenges associated with FGFR targeting in lung cancer, including precision patient selection, toxicity and resistance. Finally, we provide perspectives on future directions, namely, developing novel FGFR-targeting drugs, such as FGFR degraders and more specific FGFR-TKIs, adopting combination therapy and targeting FGFs.

Signaling molecules in the microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major fatal cancer that is known for its high recurrence and metastasis. An increasing number of studies have shown that the tumor microenvironment is closely related to the metastasis and invasion of HCC. The HCC microenvironment is a complex integrated system composed of cellular components, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and signaling molecules such as chemokines, growth factors, and cytokines, which are generally regarded as crucial molecules that regulate a series of important processes, such as the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Considering the crucial role of signaling molecules, this review aims to elucidate the regulatory effects of chemokines, growth factors, and cytokines on HCC cells in their microenvironment to provide important references for clarifying the development of HCC and exploring effective therapeutic targets.

Factors Determining Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Progression

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process in which an epithelial cell undergoes multiple modifications, acquiring both morphological and functional characteristics of a mesenchymal cell. This dynamic process is initiated by various inducing signals that activate numerous signaling pathways, leading to the stimulation of transcription factors. EMT plays a significant role in cancer progression, such as metastasis and tumor heterogeneity, as well as in drug resistance. In this article, we studied molecular mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and cellular plasticity of EMT, as well as microenvironmental factors influencing this process. We included both in vivo and in vitro models in EMT investigation and clinical implications of EMT, such as the use of EMT in curing oncological patients and targeting its use in therapies. Additionally, this review concludes with future directions and challenges in the wide field of EMT.

Vitamin D and cancer

The role of vitamin D in the prevention of chronic diseases including cancer, has received a great deal of attention during the past few decades. The term "Cancer" represents multiple disease states with varying biological complexities. The strongest link between vitamin D and cancer is provided by ecological and studies like observational, in preclinical models. It is apparent that vitamin D exerts diverse biological responses in a tissue specific manner. Moreover, several human factors could affect bioactivity of vitamin D. The mechanism(s) underlying vitamin D initiated anti-carcinogenic effects are diverse and includes changes at the muti-system levels. The oncogenic environment could easily corrupt the traditional role of vitamin D or could ensure resistance to vitamin D mediated responses. Several researchers have identified gaps in our knowledge pertaining to the role of vitamin D in cancer. Further areas are identified to solidify the role of vitamin D in cancer control strategies.

Potential molecular mechanisms of myrtenal against colon cancer: A systematic review

Colon cancer is a serious health problem across the globe with various dietary lifestyle modifications. It arises as an inflammation mediated crypts in the colon epithelial cells and undergoes uncontrolled cell division and proliferation. Bacterial enzymes contribute to a major outbreak in colon cancer development upon the release of toxic metabolites from the gut microflora. Pathogen associated molecular patterns and damage associated molecular patterns triggers the NLPR3 inflammasome pathways that releases pro-inflammatory cytokines to induce cancer of the colon. Contributing to this, specific chemokines and receptor complexes attribute to cellular proliferation and metastasis. Bacterial enzymes synergistically attack the colon mucosa and degenerate the cellular integrity causing lysosomal discharge. These factors further instigate the Tol like receptors (TLRs) and Nod like receptors (NLRs) to promote angiogenesis and supply nutrients for the cancer cells. Myrtenal, a monoterpene, is gaining more importance in recent times and it is being widely utilized against many diseases such as cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes. Based on the research data's, the reviews focus on the anticancer property of myrtenal by emphasizing its therapeutic properties which downregulate the inflammasome pathways and other signalling pathways. Combination therapy is gaining more importance as they can target every variant in the cellular stress condition. Clinical studies with compounds like myrtenal of the monoterpenes family is provided with positive results which might open an effective anticancer drug therapy. This review highlights myrtenal and its biological potency as a cost effective drug for prevention and treatment of colon cancer.

The role of angiogenic growth factors in the immune microenvironment of glioma

Angiogenic growth factors (AGFs) are a class of secreted cytokines related to angiogenesis that mainly include vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs), fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and angiopoietins (ANGs). Accumulating evidence indicates that the role of AGFs is not only limited to tumor angiogenesis but also participating in tumor progression by other mechanisms that go beyond their angiogenic role. AGFs were shown to be upregulated in the glioma microenvironment characterized by extensive angiogenesis and high immunosuppression. AGFs produced by tumor and stromal cells can exert an immunomodulatory role in the glioma microenvironment by interacting with immune cells. This review aims to sum up the interactions among AGFs, immune cells and cancer cells with a particular emphasis on glioma and tries to provide new perspectives for understanding the glioma immune microenvironment and in-depth explorations for anti-glioma therapy.

The role of fibroblast growth factor 18 in cancers: functions and signaling pathways

Fibroblast growth factor 18(FGF18) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family (FGFs). FGF18 is a class of bioactive substances that can conduct biological signals, regulate cell growth, participate in tissue repair and other functions, and can promote the occurrence and development of different types of malignant tumors through various mechanisms. In this review, we focus on recent studies of FGF18 in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of tumors in digestive, reproductive, urinary, respiratory, motor, and pediatric systems. These findings suggest that FGF18 may play an increasingly important role in the clinical evaluation of these malignancies. Overall, FGF18 can function as an important oncogene at different gene and protein levels, and can be used as a potential new therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker for these tumors.

LINC00659 exacerbates endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction in deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities by activating DNMT3A-mediated FGF1 promoter methylation

It has been shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00659 was markedly upregulated in the peripheral blood of patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT). However, the function of LINC00659 in lower extremity DVT (LEDVT) remains to be largely unrevealed. A total of 30 inferior vena cava (IVC) tissue samples and peripheral blood (60 ml per subject) were obtained from LEDVT patients (n = 15) and healthy donors (n = 15), and then LINC00659 expression was detected by RT-qPCR. The results displayed that LINC00659 is upregulated in IVC tissues and isolated endothelial group cells (EPCs) of patients with LEDVT. LINC00659 knock-down promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis ability of EPCs, while an pcDNA-eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 (EIF4A3), a EIF4A3 overexpression vector, or fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) small interfering RNA (siRNA) combined with LINC00659 siRNA could not enhance this effect. Mechanistically, LINC00659 bound with EIF4A3 promoter to upregulated EIF4A3 expression. Besides, EIF4A3 could facilitate FGF1 methylation and its downregulated expression by recruiting DNA methyltransferases 3A (DNMT3A) to the FGF1 promoter region. Additionally, LINC00659 inhibition could alleviate LEDVT in mice. In summary, the data indicated the roles of LINC00659 in the pathogenesis of LEDVT, and the LINC00659/EIF4A3/FGF1 axis could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of LEDVT.

Nintedanib in an elderly non-small-cell lung cancer patient with severe steroid-refractory checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis: A case report and literature review

Immune checkpoint inhibitors tremendously improve cancer prognosis; however, severe-grade immune-related adverse events may cause premature death. Current recommendations for checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP) treatment are mainly about immunosuppressive therapy, and anti-fibrotic agents are also needed, especially for patients with poor response to corticosteroids and a longer pneumonitis course. This is because fibrotic changes play an important role in the pathological evolution of CIP. Here, we report a case demonstrating that nintedanib is a promising candidate drug for CIP management or prevention, as it has potent anti-fibrotic efficacy and a safety profile. Moreover, nintedanib could partially inhibit tumor growth in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, and its efficacy can be improved in combination with other anti-tumor therapies.

Germline Variants in Angiogenesis-Related Genes Contribute to Clinical Outcome in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Simple Summary

A high risk of relapse and treatment resistance are among the major challenges in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Data show that common germline alterations in genes regulating angiogenesis may modulate treatment sensitivity, cancer progression, and prognosis, but relatively little is known about their role in HNSCC. Thus, our goal was to examine the effect of variation in these genes on survival outcomes in HNSCC patients receiving radiotherapy and cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy. We identified genetic variants significantly affecting therapy results, constituting independent prognostic factors in these patients. Our results suggest that some polymorphisms in angiogenesis genes may be determinants of treatment efficacy and tumor aggressiveness in HNSCC, which may be of importance in standard therapy. These findings emphasize the potential value of the host genetic profile related to angiogenesis in assessing the risk of treatment failure.

Abstract

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/FGF receptor (FGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)/PDGF receptor (PDGFR) systems, as well as some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), are involved in various steps of angiogenesis. Data indicate that common germline variations in angiogenesis-regulating genes may modulate therapy results and cancer progression. However, whether these variants affect clinical outcome in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is unclear. Hence, we assessed the relationship between FGF/FGFR, PDGF/PDGFR, MMP, and TIMP genetic variants and treatment outcomes in HNSCC patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) alone or combined with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. In multivariate analysis, FGF2 rs1048201 CC homozygotes showed a higher risk of death (p = 0.039), while PDGFRA rs2228230 T was strongly associated with an increased risk of locoregional relapse (HR 2.49, p = 0.001) in the combination treatment subgroup. In the RT alone subset, MMP2 rs243865 TT carriers had a higher risk of locoregional recurrence (HR 2.92, p = 0.019), whereas PDGFRB rs246395 CC homozygotes were at increased risk of metastasis (HR 3.06, p = 0.041). The MMP2 rs7201 C and TIMP2 rs7501477 T were associated with a risk of locoregional failure in the entire cohort (p = 0.032 and 0.045, respectively). Furthermore, rs1048201, rs2228230, rs246395, rs243865, rs7201, and rs7201/rs7501477 were independent indicators of an unfavorable outcome. This study demonstrates that the FGF2, PDGFRA, PDGFRB, MMP2, and TIMP2 variants may contribute to treatment failure and poor prognosis in HNSCC.

Comprehensive identification of FGFR1-4 alterations in 5 557 Chinese patients with solid tumors by next-generation sequencing

Deregulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) network is common in cancer due to activating mutations, gene amplifications and chromosomal translocations. Currently, various FGFR inhibitors are being developed. In order to optimize their clinical applications, understanding the frequencies and types of FGFR alterations in multiple cancer types appears to be extremely important. This study characterized FGFR1-4 alterations in solid tumors by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Between Jun. 2019 and Aug. 2020, the sequencing data of 5 557 solid tumors of diverse types in the database of Simcere Diagnostics, Inc. (Nanjing, China) were retrospectively analyzed. A panel-based NGS assay was used to detect FGFR1-4 alterations in tumor samples. 9.2% of cancer cases had FGFR1-4 alterations, in which gene amplifications (51.5%) and mutations (40.7%) were frequent, whereas gene rearrangements were less common (10.0%). FGFR1 was involved in 4.6% of 5 557 cases, FGFR2 in 2.1%, FGFR3 in 1.6%, and FGFR4 in 1.4%. Of patients with FGFR1-4 alterations, TP53, MUC16, NSD3, MYC and LRP1B genes were the top 5 mutant genes. FGFR1-4 aberrations occurred in almost every type of solid tumors, with the most common tumor being endometrial carcinoma (22.2%), followed by sarcoma (17.3%), breast cancer (13.2%), gastric cancer (12.2%), and more. 0.6% of cancer cases harbored FGFR1-4 fusions, with the most common fusion partner being TACC3. Two cases of GBM harboring FGFR3-TACC3 fusions were responsive to anlotinib treatment. In conclusion, FGFR1-4 alterations are prevalent in solid tumors of diverse types, with the majority being gene amplifications and mutations. FGFR1-4 fusions only occur in a minority of cancer cases, and those with glioblastoma harboring FGFR3-TACC3 fusions may benefit from anlotinib.

FGFBP1-mediated crosstalk between fibroblasts and pancreatic cancer cells via FGF22/FGFR2 promotes invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Fibroblast growth factor-binding protein 1 (FGFBP1) promotes fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activity by releasing FGFs from extracellular matrix storage. We previously reported that the tumor suppressor F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 suppresses FGFBP1 by reducing expression of c-Myc, which inhibits the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells. However, the potential mechanism by which FGFBP1 facilitates pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unexplored. In this study, we focused on the function of FGFBP1 in the interplay between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs). Decreased FGF22 expression was detected in CAFs co-cultured with PCCs with FGFBP1 abrogation, which was verified in the cell culture medium by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Active cytokine FGF22 significantly facilitated the migration and invasion of PANC-1 and Mia PaCa-2 cells. The number of penetrating PCCs cocultured with CAFs with FGF22 abrogation was significantly less than that of the control group. Interestingly, higher expressions of FGF22 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) were associated with worse prognosis of patients with PDAC and FGFR2, an independent prognostic marker of PDAC. The PANC-1 and Mia PaCa-2 cells with silenced FGFR2 showed weaker invasion and metastasis, even if these cells were simultaneously treated with cytokine FGF22. These results revealed that FGFBP1-mediated interaction between CAFs and PCCs via FGF22/FGFR2 facilitates the migration and invasion of PCCs. FGFR2 could act as a prognostic marker for patients with PDAC.

Future applications of FGF/FGFR inhibitors in cancer

INTRODUCTION

Deregulation of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/FGF receptor (FGFR) network occurs frequently in tumors due to gene amplification, activating mutations, and oncogenic fusions. Thus, the development of FGF/FGFR-targeting therapies is the focus of several basic, preclinical, and clinical studies. Areas covered: This review will recapitulate the status of current FGF/FGFR-targeted drugs. Expert commentary: Non-selective FGF/FGFR inhibitors have been approved for cancer treatment but evidence highlights various complications affecting their use in the clinical practice. It appears mandatory to identify FGF/FGFR alterations and appropriate biomarkers that may predict and monitor response to treatment, to establish the contribution of the FGF/FGFR system to the onset of mechanisms of drug resistance, and to develop effective combinations of FGF/FGFR inhibitors with other targeted therapies.