Abstract 3302: The molecular landscape of oncogenic signaling pathways in The Cancer Genome Atlas

Comprehensive molecular analysis identifies RET alterations association with response of ICIs in multi-immunotherapy cohorts

BACKGROUND

The RET gene, which is frequently mutated across many types of cancer, has been proven to be critically involved in tumorigenesis and tumour development; however, its prediction of the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy remains to be elucidated. The present research aims to investigate the association between RET mutations and the efficiency of ICI therapy.

METHOD

We analysed the role of RET mutations in predicting the prognosis of patients receiving ICIs therapy in the discovery cohort and validated it in the validation cohort. Then, multi-omics data from TCGA pan-cancer cohort was employed to propose the association between RET mutations and tumour inflamed anti-tumour immune response and tumour antigenicity.

RESULTS

Our study revealed that among 606 cases and across five types of cancer, RET mutation was associated with better clinical outcomes for ICIs therapy, including elevated response rate, longer progression-free survival PFS, and longer overall survival OS. Multivariate analysis showed that RET mutation could independently predict the prognosis of patients treated with ICIs, after adjusting cancer types. The predictive value of RET status for the OS of patients treated with ICIs immunotherapy was further validated in the validation cohort (n = 1,409). Subgroup analysis suggested that only the monotherapy group showed significant differences in OS(P < 0.05) and PFS(P < 0.05) between RET-wildtype tumours and RET-mutant tumours. Multi-omics data analysis revealed potential anti-tumour immunity mechanisms of RET mutations, suggesting that RET-mutant tumours have enhanced immunogenicity, higher expression of immune checkpoints and chemokines, and higher immune cell infiltration than those observed in RET-wildtype tumours; thus, potentially indicating a more favourable response to immunotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

RET mutation may be a predictive biomarker of enhanced response to ICIs therapy. Extensive investigation of the underlying molecular mechanisms and prospective studies are needed in the future.

Prostate Cancer Review: Genetics, Diagnosis, Treatment Options, and Alternative Approaches

Simple Summary

Prostate cancer affects men of all racial and ethnic groups and leads to higher rates of mortality in those belonging to a lower socioeconomic status due to late detection of the disease. There is growing evidence that suggests the contribution of an individual’s genetic profile to prostate cancer. Currently used prostate cancer treatments have serious adverse effects; therefore, new research is focusing on alternative treatment options such as the use of genetic biomarkers for targeted gene therapy, nanotechnology for controlled targeted treatment, and further exploring medicinal plants for new anticancer agents. In this review, we describe the recent advances in prostate cancer research.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is one of the malignancies that affects men and significantly contributes to increased mortality rates in men globally. Patients affected with prostate cancer present with either a localized or advanced disease. In this review, we aim to provide a holistic overview of prostate cancer, including the diagnosis of the disease, mutations leading to the onset and progression of the disease, and treatment options. Prostate cancer diagnoses include a digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen analysis, and prostate biopsies. Mutations in certain genes are linked to the onset, progression, and metastasis of the cancer. Treatment for localized prostate cancer encompasses active surveillance, ablative radiotherapy, and radical prostatectomy. Men who relapse or present metastatic prostate cancer receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), salvage radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Currently, available treatment options are more effective when used as combination therapy; however, despite available treatment options, prostate cancer remains to be incurable. There has been ongoing research on finding and identifying other treatment approaches such as the use of traditional medicine, the application of nanotechnologies, and gene therapy to combat prostate cancer, drug resistance, as well as to reduce the adverse effects that come with current treatment options. In this article, we summarize the genes involved in prostate cancer, available treatment options, and current research on alternative treatment options.

Stepwise evolutionary genomics of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma manifesting as pure, heterogeneous and part-solid ground-glass nodules

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to unravel the genomic landscape and evolution of early-stage subsolid lung adenocarcinomas (SSN-LUADs) manifesting as pure ground-glass nodules (pGGNs), heterogeneous ground-glass nodules (HGGNs) and part-solid nodules (PSNs).

METHODS

Samples subjected to either broad-panel next-generation sequencing (NGS) or whole-exome sequencing (WES) were included. Clinicopathologic and genomic features were compared among pGGN, HGGN and PSN, while tumour evolutionary trajectories and mutational signatures were evaluated in the entire cohort.

RESULTS

In total, 247 SSN-LUAD samples subjected to broad-panel NGS and 125 to WES were identified. Compared with PSNs, HGGNs had significantly lower tumour mutation count (P < 0.001), genomic alteration count (P < 0.001), and intra-tumour heterogeneity (P = 0.005). Statistically significant upward trends were observed in alterations involving driver mutations and oncogenic pathways from pGGNs to HGGNs to PSNs. EGFR mutation was proved to be a key early event in the progression of SSN-LUADs, with subsequently two evolutionary trajectories involving either RBM10 or TP53 mutation in the cancer-evolution models.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided evidence for unravelling the previously unknown genomic underpinnings associated with SSN-LUAD evolution from pGGN to HGGN to PSN, proving that HGGN was an intermediate SSN form between pGGN and PSN genetically.

Synthetic RNA-based post-transcriptional expression control methods and genetic circuits

RNA-based synthetic genetic circuits provide an alternative for traditional transcription-based circuits in applications where genomic integration is to be avoided. Incorporating various post-transcriptional control methods into such circuits allows for controlling the behaviour of the circuit through the detection of certain biomolecular inputs or reconstituting defined circuit behaviours, thus manipulating cellular functions. In this review, recent developments of various types of post-transcriptional control methods in mammalian cells are discussed as well as auxiliary components that allow for the creation and development of mRNA-based switches. How such post-transcriptional switches are combined into synthetic circuits as well as their applications in biomedical and preclinical settings are also described. Finally, we examine the challenges that need to be surmounted before RNA-based synthetic circuits can be reliably deployed into clinical settings.

The Double-Edge Sword of Autophagy in Cancer: From Tumor Suppression to Pro-tumor Activity

During tumorigenesis, cancer cells are exposed to a wide variety of intrinsic and extrinsic stresses that challenge homeostasis and growth. Cancer cells display activation of distinct mechanisms for adaptation and growth even in the presence of stress. Autophagy is a catabolic mechanism that aides in the degradation of damaged intracellular material and metabolite recycling. This activity helps meet metabolic needs during nutrient deprivation, genotoxic stress, growth factor withdrawal and hypoxia. However, autophagy plays a paradoxical role in tumorigenesis, depending on the stage of tumor development. Early in tumorigenesis, autophagy is a tumor suppressor via degradation of potentially oncogenic molecules. However, in advanced stages, autophagy promotes the survival of tumor cells by ameliorating stress in the microenvironment. These roles of autophagy are intricate due to their interconnection with other distinct cellular pathways. In this review, we present a broad view of the participation of autophagy in distinct phases of tumor development. Moreover, autophagy participation in important cellular processes such as cell death, metabolic reprogramming, metastasis, immune evasion and treatment resistance that all contribute to tumor development, is reviewed. Finally, the contribution of the hypoxic and nutrient deficient tumor microenvironment in regulation of autophagy and these hallmarks for the development of more aggressive tumors is discussed.

Integrated analysis of gene expression, alteration and clinical significance of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 in cancer

Even though cell-cell adhesion molecule carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is extensively studied since the discovery, the role of CEACAM1 in different cancers is not completely clarified. In the present study, we examined CEACAM1 expression and its association with patient survival in various cancers by analysis of multiple databases. Oncomine database analysis revealed that CEACAM1 expression was upregulated in lung and pancreatic cancers, but downregulated in colorectal and head and neck cancers. PrognoScan and Kaplan‑Meier analyses showed that colorectal cancer patients as well as head and neck cancer patients with high CEACAM1 expression exhibited a higher overall survival rate. STRING analysis identified CEACAM3, CEACAM8, FN1, etc. as CEACAM1 interactors. Gene alteration analysis showed that CEACAM1 mutation predominantly occurred in the N-terminal. Coexpression analysis demonstrated that CEACAM1 had distinct coexpressed genes in different cancers, but KRT protein was consistently coexpressed with CEACAM1 in diverse cancer types. All the observations supported that CEACAM1 can serve as a diagnostic marker for some cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. And high CEACAM1 expression provides a better prognosis for some cancers, such as colorectal and head and neck cancers.

The Expression, Regulation, and Biomarker Potential of Glypican-1 in Cancer

Glypican-1 (GPC-1) and other glypicans are a family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans. These proteins are highly expressed on the cell membrane and in the extracellular matrix, functioning mainly as modulators of growth factor signaling. Some of them are abnormally expressed in cancer, possibly involved in tumorigenesis, and detectable in blood as potential clinical biomarkers. GPC-1 is another glypican member that has been found to be associated with some cancers, and has increasingly interested the cancer field. Here we provide a brief review about GPC-1 in its expression, signaling and potential as a cancer biomarker.