Survivin at a glance

Overview of role of survivin in cancer: expression, regulation, functions, and its potential as a therapeutic target

Survivin holds significant importance as a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family due to its predominant expression in tumours rather than normal terminally differentiated adult tissues. The high expression level of survivin in tumours is closely linked to chemotherapy resistance, heightened tumour recurrence, and increased tumour aggressiveness and serves as a negative prognostic factor for cancer patients. Consequently, survivin has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review, we delve into the various biological characteristics of survivin in cancers and its pivotal role in maintaining immune system homeostasis. Additionally, we explore different therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting survivin.

Survivin/BIRC5 as a novel molecular effector at the crossroads of glucose metabolism and radioresistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Metabolic reprogramming and abnormal glucose metabolism are hallmarks of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Certain oncogenes can promote cancer-related metabolic changes, but understanding their crosstalk in HNSCC biology and treatment is essential for identifying predictive biomarkers and developing target therapies.

METHODS

We assessed the value of survivin/BIRC5 as a radioresistance factor potentially modulated by glucose for predicting therapeutic sensitivity and prognosis of HNSCC in a cohort of 32 patients. Additionally, we conducted in vitro experiments to explore the role of survivin/BIRC5 in glucose metabolism concerning radiation response.

RESULTS

Tumoral BIRC5 expression is associated with serum glucose and predicts locoregional disease-free survival and lower BIRC5 mRNA levels are associated with better outcomes. Upregulation of BIRC5 by radiation depends on glucose levels and provokes a pro-tumoral and radioresistant phenotype in surviving cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Survivin/BIRC5 might be independently associated with the risk of recurrence in patients with HNSCC.

RNA therapy for oncogenic NRAS-driven naevi induces apoptosis

RAS proteins regulate cell division, differentiation and apoptosis via multiple downstream effector pathways. Oncogenic RAS variants are the commonest drivers in cancers, however they also drive many benign lesions predisposing to malignancy, such as melanocytic naevi, thyroid nodules, and colonic polyps. Reversal of these benign lesions could reduce cancer incidence, however the effects of oncogenic RAS have been notoriously difficult to target with downstream pathway inhibitors. Here we show effective suppression of oncogenic and currently undruggable NRASQ61K in primary cells from melanocytic naevi using siRNA targeted to the recurrent causal variant. This results in striking reduction in expression of ARL6IP1, a known inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis not previously linked to NRAS. We go on to show that a single dose of siRNA in primary cells triggers an apoptotic cascade, in contrast to treatment with a MEK inhibitor. Protective packaging of the targeted siRNA into lipid nanoparticles permits successful delivery into a humanised mouse model of melanocytic naevi, and results in variant NRAS knockdown in vivo. These data show that RAS-induced protection from apoptosis is involved in persistence of NRAS-driven melanocytic naevi and anticipate that targeted siRNA could form the basis of clinical trials for RAS-driven benign tumours.

Transcriptional regulation and therapeutic potential of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) in sarcoma

Sarcomas include various subtypes comprising two significant groups - soft tissue and bone sarcomas. Although the survival rate for some sarcoma subtypes has improved over time, the current methods of treatment remain efficaciously limited, as recurrent, and metastatic diseases remain a major obstacle. There is a need for better options and therapeutic strategies in treating sarcoma. Cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a transcriptional kinase and has emerged as a promising target for treating various cancers. The aberrant expression and activation of CDK9 have been observed in several sarcoma subtypes, including rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chordoma. Enhanced CDK9 expression has also been correlated with poorer prognosis in sarcoma patients. As a master regulator of transcription, CDK9 promotes transcription elongation by phosphorylation and releasing RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) from its promoter proximal pause. Release of RNAPII from this pause induces transcription of critical genes in the tumor cell. Overexpression and activation of CDK9 have been observed to lead to the expression of oncogenes, including MYC and MCL-1, that aid sarcoma development and progression. Inhibition of CDK9 in sarcoma has been proven to reduce these oncogenes' expression and decrease proliferation and growth in different sarcoma cells. Currently, there are several CDK9 inhibitors in preclinical and clinical investigations. This review aims to highlight the recent discovery and results on the transcriptional role and therapeutic potential of CDK9 in sarcoma.

Pla2g5 contributes to viral-like-induced lung inflammation through macrophage proliferation and LA/Ffar1 lung cell recruitment

Macrophages expressing group V phospholipase A2 (Pla2g5) release the free fatty acid (FFA) linoleic acid (LA), potentiating lung type 2 inflammation. Although Pla2g5 and LA increase in viral infections, their role remains obscure. We generated Pla2g5flox/flox mice, deleted Pla2g5 by using the Cx3cr1cre transgene, and activated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BM-Macs) with poly:IC, a synthetic double-stranded RNA that triggers a viral-like immune response, known Pla2g5-dependent stimuli (IL-4, LPS + IFNγ, IL-33 + IL-4 + GM-CSF) and poly:IC + LA followed by lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis. Poly:IC-activated Pla2g5flox/flox;Cx3cr1cre/+ BM-Macs had downregulation of major bioactive lipids and critical enzymes producing those bioactive lipids. In addition, AKT phosphorylation was lower in poly:IC-stimulated Pla2g5flox/flox;Cx3cr1cre/+ BM-Macs, which was not restored by adding LA to poly:IC-stimulated BM-Macs. Consistently, Pla2g5flox/flox;Cx3cr1cre/+ mice had diminished poly:IC-induced lung inflammation, including inflammatory macrophage proliferation, while challenging Pla2g5flox/flox;Cx3cr1cre/+ mice with poly:IC + LA partially restored lung inflammation and inflammatory macrophage proliferation. Finally, mice lacking FFA receptor-1 (Ffar1)-null mice had reduced poly:IC-induced lung cell recruitment and tissue macrophage proliferation, not corrected by LA. Thus, Pla2g5 contributes to poly:IC-induced lung inflammation by regulating inflammatory macrophage proliferation and LA/Ffar1-mediated lung cell recruitment and tissue macrophage proliferation.

Inhibition of survivin by 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate-modified steric-blocking antisense oligonucleotides

Chemically modified antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has been established as a successful therapeutic strategy for treating various human diseases. To date, ten ASO drugs, which are capable of either inducing mRNA degradation via RNase H recruitment (fomivirsen, mipomersen, inotersen, volanesorsen and tofersen) or splice modulation (eteplirsen, nusinersen, golodirsen, viltolarsen and casimersen), have been approved by the regulatory agencies for market entry. Nonetheless, none of these approved drugs are prescribed as cancer therapy. Towards this, we have developed steric-blocking ASOs targeting BIRC5 - a well-validated oncogene. Initial screening was performed by transfection of HepG2 cells with seven BIRC5 exon-2 targeting, uniformly 2'-OMe-PS modified ASOs at 400 nM respectively, leading to the identification of two best-performing candidates ASO-2 and ASO-7 in reducing the production of BIRC5 mRNA. Subsequent dose-response assay was conducted via transfection of HepG2 cells by different concentrations (400, 200, 100, 50, 25 nM) of ASO-2 and ASO-7 respectively, showing that both ASOs consistently and efficiently inhibited BIRC5 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, western blot analysis confirmed that ASO-7 could significantly repress survivin production on protein level. Based on our preliminary results, we believe that ASO-7 could be a useful BIRC5 inhibitor for both research purpose and therapeutic development.

The bright side of chemistry: Exploring synthetic peptide-based anticancer vaccines

The present review focuses on synthetic peptide-based vaccine strategies in the context of anticancer intervention, paying attention to critical aspects such as peptide epitope selection, adjuvant integration, and nuanced classification of synthetic peptide cancer vaccines. Within this discussion, we delve into the diverse array of synthetic peptide-based anticancer vaccines, each derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), including melanoma antigen recognized by T cells 1 (Melan-A or MART-1), mucin 1 (MUC1), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), tumor protein 53 (p53), human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), survivin, folate receptor (FR), cancer-testis antigen 1 (NY-ESO-1), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). We also describe the synthetic peptide-based vaccines developed for cancers triggered by oncovirus, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Additionally, the potential synergy of peptide-based vaccines with common therapeutics in cancer was considered. The last part of our discussion deals with the realm of the peptide-based vaccines delivery, highlighting its role in translating the most promising candidates into effective clinical strategies. Although this discussion does not cover all the ongoing peptide vaccine investigations, it aims at offering valuable insights into the chemical modifications and the structural complexities of anticancer peptide-based vaccines.

The MDM2-p53 Axis Represents a Therapeutic Vulnerability Unique to Glioma Stem Cells

The prevention of tumor recurrence by the successful targeting of glioma stem cells endowed with a tumor-initiating capacity is deemed the key to the long-term survival of glioblastoma patients. Glioma stem cells are characterized by their marked therapeutic resistance; however, recent evidence suggests that they have unique vulnerabilities that may be therapeutically targeted. We investigated MDM2 expression levels in glioma stem cells and their non-stem cell counterparts and the effects of the genetic and pharmacological inhibition of MDM2 on the viability of these cells as well as downstream molecular pathways. The results obtained showed that MDM2 expression was substantially higher in glioma stem cells than in their non-stem cell counterparts and also that the inhibition of MDM2, either genetically or pharmacologically, induced a more pronounced activation of the p53 pathway and apoptotic cell death in the former than in the latter. Specifically, the inhibition of MDM2 caused a p53-dependent increase in the expression of BAX and PUMA and a decrease in the expression of survivin, both of which significantly contributed to the apoptotic death of glioma stem cells. The present study identified the MDM2-p53 axis as a novel therapeutic vulnerability, or an Achilles' heel, which is unique to glioma stem cells. Our results, which suggest that non-stem, bulk tumor cells are less sensitive to MDM2 inhibitors, may help guide the selection of glioblastoma patients suitable for MDM2 inhibitor therapy.

Exploring effective biomarkers and potential immune related gene in small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is well known as a highly malignant neuroendocrine tumor. Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has become a standard treatment for extensive SCLC. However, since most patients quickly develop resistance and relapse, finding new therapeutic targets for SCLC is important. We obtained four microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and screened differentially expressed genes by two methods: batch correction and "RobustRankAggregation". After the establishment of a protein-protein interaction network through Cytoscape, seven hub genes (AURKB, BIRC5, TOP2A, TYMS, PCNA, UBE2C, and AURKA) with high expression in SCLC samples were obtained by eight CytoHubba algorithms. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression and the Wilcoxon test were used to analyze the differences in the immune cells' infiltration between normal and SCLC samples. The contents of seven kinds of immune cells were considered to differ significantly between SCLC samples and normal samples. A negative association was found between BIRC5 and monocytes in the correlation analysis between immune cells and the seven hub genes. The subsequent in vitro validation of experimental results showed that downregulating the expression of BIRC5 by siRNA can promote apoptotic activity of SCLC cells and inhibit their vitality, migration, and invasion. The use of BIRC5 inhibitor inhibited the vitality of SCLC cells and increased their apoptotic activity. BIRC5 may be a novel therapeutic target option for SCLC.

Centrosomes and associated proteins in pathogenesis and treatment of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide. Despite significant advances in treatment, it remains one of the leading causes of female mortality. The inability to effectively treat advanced and/or treatment-resistant breast cancer demonstrates the need to develop novel treatment strategies and targeted therapies. Centrosomes and their associated proteins have been shown to play key roles in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and thus represent promising targets for drug and biomarker development. Centrosomes are fundamental cellular structures in the mammalian cell that are responsible for error-free execution of cell division. Centrosome amplification and aberrant expression of its associated proteins such as Polo-like kinases (PLKs), Aurora kinases (AURKs) and Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been observed in various cancers, including breast cancer. These aberrations in breast cancer are thought to cause improper chromosomal segregation during mitosis, leading to chromosomal instability and uncontrolled cell division, allowing cancer cells to acquire new genetic changes that result in evasion of cell death and the promotion of tumor formation. Various chemical compounds developed against PLKs and AURKs have shown meaningful antitumorigenic effects in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of action of these inhibitors is likely related to exacerbation of numerical genomic instability, such as aneuploidy or polyploidy. Furthermore, growing evidence demonstrates enhanced antitumorigenic effects when inhibitors specific to centrosome-associated proteins are used in combination with either radiation or chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the roles of centrosome and centrosome-associated proteins in breast cancer pathogenesis and their utility as novel targets for breast cancer treatment.

Survival mechanisms of circulating tumor cells and their implications for cancer treatment

Metastasis remains the principal trigger for relapse and mortality across diverse cancer types. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which originate from the primary tumor or its metastatic sites, traverse the vascular system, serving as precursors in cancer recurrence and metastasis. Nevertheless, before CTCs can establish themselves in the distant parenchyma, they must overcome significant challenges present within the circulatory system, including hydrodynamic shear stress (HSS), oxidative damage, anoikis, and immune surveillance. Recently, there has been a growing body of compelling evidence suggesting that a specific subset of CTCs can persist within the bloodstream, but the precise mechanisms of their survival remain largely elusive. This review aims to present an outline of the survival challenges encountered by CTCs and to summarize the recent advancements in understanding the underlying survival mechanisms, suggesting their implications for cancer treatment.

Survivin as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of the progression of precancerous lesions to gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is a common cancer developed in a carcinogenesis process from precancerous lesions including chronic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia. Survivin, an inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein, is associated with the initiation and progression of gastric cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression patterns of survivin and its relationship with early diagnosis of gastric cancer in Iranian patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective case-control study, immunoexpression of survivin was investigated on sections obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 38 chronic gastritis, 32 intestinal metaplasia, 20 dysplasia, 28 gastric adenocarcinoma, and 22 controls.

RESULTS

Survivin immunoexpression in chronic gastritis was higher than controls, but this difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). However, survivin immunoexpression had a steady significant increase from control and chronic gastritis to intestinal metaplasia to dysplasia to gastric adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05). Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of survivin immunohistochemical test for the diagnosis of gastric cancer were 87.5%, 74.4%, and 0.85, respectively. Males had a significantly higher survivin expression than females (P < 0.001). Also, survivin expression was significantly higher in older patients than in younger ones (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

It seems that the steady increase in survivin expression from different precancerous lesions to gastric adenocarcinoma suggests that survivin can be used as a potential biomarker for the prevention and early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Lymphopenia associated with survivin and its downstream pathway in COVID-19 serving as a potential route in COVID-19 pathogenesis

PURPOSE

Starting in 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused an epidemic that was growing rapidly and has harmed millions of people globally. It has been demonstrated that survivin regulates lymphocyte survival, a main route involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Survivin belongs to the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, and its primary functions comprise regulating mitosis and inhibiting apoptosis. Since lower survivin expression has been shown to increase the sensitivity of lymphocytes to apoptotic induction, we looked into the function of survivin and its corresponding pathways in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of survivin, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), caspases 3, 7, 9, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was evaluated at both mRNA and protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from healthy donors and patients with severe and moderate COVID-19 by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Then, we enforced apoptosis to COVID-19 patient-derived lymphocytes, and the percent was assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Survivin and XIAP were less expressed in PBMCs derived from COVID-19 patients as apoptosis inhibitors than PARP, cleaved-PARP, caspase 9, and cleaved caspases 3 and 7, according to the results of real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Additionally, according to the flow cytometry results, the down-regulation of survivin served as a potential factor in the lymphocyte depletion observed in patients with COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

The role of survivin and its related pathway was first discovered in the development of COVID-19 and may serve as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target.

Sacituzumab govitecan plus platinum-based chemotherapy mediates significant antitumor effects in triple-negative breast, urinary bladder, and small-cell lung carcinomas

Sacituzumab govitecan (SG) is an antibody-drug conjugate composed of an anti-Trop-2-directed antibody conjugated with the topoisomerase I inhibitory drug, SN-38, via a proprietary hydrolysable linker. SG has received United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), unresectable locally advanced or metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer, and accelerated approval for metastatic urothelial cancer. We investigated the utility of combining SG with platinum-based chemotherapeutics in TNBC, urinary bladder carcinoma (UBC), and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). SG plus carboplatin or cisplatin produced additive growth-inhibitory effects in vitro that trended towards synergy. Immunoblot analysis of cell lysates suggests perturbation of the cell-cycle and a shift towards pro-apoptotic signaling evidenced by an increased Bax to Bcl-2 ratio and down-regulation of two anti-apoptotic proteins, Mcl-1 and survivin. Significant antitumor effects were observed with SG plus carboplatin in mice bearing TNBC or SCLC tumors compared to all controls (P < 0.0062 and P < 0.0017, respectively) and with SG plus cisplatin in UBC and SCLC tumor-bearing animals (P < 0.0362 and P < 0.0001, respectively). These combinations were well tolerated by the animals. Combining SG with platinum-based chemotherapeutics demonstrates the benefit in these indications and warrants further clinical investigation.

S100A8/A9 predicts response to PIM kinase and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer mouse models

BACKGROUND

Understanding why some triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients respond poorly to existing therapies while others respond well remains a challenge. This study aims to understand the potential underlying mechanisms distinguishing early-stage TNBC tumors that respond to clinical intervention from non-responders, as well as to identify clinically viable therapeutic strategies, specifically for TNBC patients who may not benefit from existing therapies.

METHODS

We conducted retrospective bioinformatics analysis of historical gene expression datasets to identify a group of genes whose expression levels in early-stage tumors predict poor clinical outcomes in TNBC. In vitro small-molecule screening, genetic manipulation, and drug treatment in syngeneic mouse models of TNBC were utilized to investigate potential therapeutic strategies and elucidate mechanisms of drug action.

RESULTS

Our bioinformatics analysis reveals a robust association between increased expression of immunosuppressive cytokine S100A8/A9 in early-stage tumors and subsequent disease progression in TNBC. A targeted small-molecule screen identifies PIM kinase inhibitors as capable of decreasing S100A8/A9 expression in multiple cell types, including TNBC and immunosuppressive myeloid cells. Combining PIM inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade induces significant antitumor responses, especially in otherwise resistant S100A8/A9-high PD-1/PD-L1-positive tumors. Notably, serum S100A8/A9 levels mirror those of tumor S100A8/A9 in a syngeneic mouse model of TNBC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data propose S100A8/A9 as a potential predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker in clinical trials evaluating combination therapy targeting PIM and immune checkpoints in TNBC. This work encourages the development of S100A8/A9-based liquid biopsy tests for treatment guidance.

Knockdown of Antisense Noncoding Mitochondrial RNA Reduces Tumorigenicity of Patient-Derived Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Cells in an Orthotopic Xenograft Mouse Model

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prevalent form of renal cancer and its treatment is hindered by a resistance to targeted therapies, immunotherapies and combinations of both. We have reported that the knockdown of the antisense noncoding mitochondrial RNAs (ASncmtRNAs) with chemically modified antisense oligonucleotides induces proliferative arrest and apoptotic death in tumor cells from many human and mouse cancer types. These studies have been mostly performed in vitro and in vivo on commercially available cancer cell lines and have shown that in mouse models tumor growth is stunted by the treatment. The present work was performed on cells derived from primary and metastatic ccRCC tumors. We established primary cultures from primary and metastatic ccRCC tumors, which were subjected to knockdown of ASncmtRNAs in vitro and in vivo in an orthotopic xenograft model in NOD/SCID mice. We found that these primary ccRCC cells are affected in the same way as tumor cell lines and in the orthotopic model tumor growth was significantly reduced by the treatment. This study on patient-derived ccRCC tumor cells represents a model closer to actual patient ccRCC tumors and shows that knockdown of ASncmtRNAs poses a potential treatment option for these patients.

Fatty acid binding protein 5 is a novel therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive subtype of liver cancer and is one of the most common cancers with high mortality worldwide. Reprogrammed lipid metabolism plays crucial roles in HCC cancer cell survival, growth, and evolution. Emerging evidence suggests the importance of fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) in contribution to cancer progression and metastasis; however, how these FABPs are dysregulated in cancer cells, especially in HCC, and the roles of FABPs in cancer progression have not been well defined.

AIM

To understand the genetic alterations and expression of FABPs and their associated cancer hallmarks and oncogenes in contributing to cancer malignancies.

METHODS

We used The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets of pan cancer and liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) as well as patient cohorts with other cancer types in this study. We investigated genetic alterations of FABPs in various cancer types. mRNA expression was used to determine if FABPs are abnormally expressed in tumor tissues compared to non-tumor controls and to investigate whether their expression correlates with patient clinical outcome, enriched cancer hallmarks and oncogenes previously reported for patients with HCC. We determined the protein levels of FABP5 and its correlated genes in two HCC cell lines and assessed the potential of FABP5 inhibition in treating HCC cells.

RESULTS

We discovered that a gene cluster including five FABP family members (FABP4, FABP5, FABP8, FABP9 and FABP12) is frequently co-amplified in cancer. Amplification, in fact, is the most common genetic alteration for FABPs, leading to overexpression of FABPs. FABP5 showed the greatest differential mRNA expression comparing tumor with non-tumor tissues. High FABP5 expression correlates well with worse patient outcomes (P < 0.05). FABP5 expression highly correlates with enrichment of G2M checkpoint (r = 0.33, P = 1.1e-10), TP53 signaling pathway (r = 0.22, P = 1.7e-5) and many genes in the gene sets such as CDK1 (r = 0.56, P = 0), CDK4 (r = 0.49, P = 0), and TP53 (r = 0.22, P = 1.6e-5). Furthermore, FABP5 also correlates well with two co-expressed oncogenes PLK1 and BIRC5 in pan cancer especially in LIHC patients (r = 0.58, P = 0; r = 0.58, P = 0; respectively). FABP5high Huh7 cells also expressed higher protein levels of p53, BIRC5, CDK1, CDK2, and CDK4 than FABP5low HepG2 cells. FABP5 inhibition more potently inhibited the tumor cell growth in Huh7 cells than in HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSION

We discovered that FABP5 gene is frequently amplified in cancer, especially in HCC, leading to its significant elevated expression in HCC. Its high expression correlates well with worse patient outcome, enriched cancer hallmarks and oncogenes in HCC. FABP5 inhibition impaired the cell viability of FABP5high Huh7 cells. All these support that FABP5 is a novel therapeutic target for treating FABP5high HCC.

Prognostic and immunological roles of heat shock protein A4 in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Heat shock protein A4 (HSPA4) belongs to molecular chaperone protein family which plays important roles within variable cellular activities, including cancer initiation and progression. However, the prognostic and immunological significance of HSPA4 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not been revealed yet.

AIM

To explore the prognostic and immunological roles of HSPA4 to identify a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD.

METHODS

We assessed the prognostic and immunological significance of HSPA4 in LUAD using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The association between HSPA4 expression and clinical-pathological features was assessed through Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Univariate/multivariate Cox regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to evaluate prognostic factors, including HSPA4, in LUAD. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify the key signaling pathways associated with HSPA4. The correlation between HSPA4 expression and cancer immune infiltration was evaluated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA).

RESULTS

Overexpressing HSPA4 was significantly related to advanced pathologic TNM stage, advanced pathologic stage, progression disease status of primary therapy outcome and female subgroups with LUAD. In addition, increased HSPA4 expression was found to be related to worse disease-specific survival and overall survival. GSEA analysis indicated a significant correlation between HSPA4 and cell cycle regulation and immune response, particularly through diminishing the function of cytotoxicity cells and CD8 T cells. The ssGSEA algorithm showed a positive correlation between HSPA4 expression and infiltrating levels of Th2 cells, while a negative correlation was observed with cytotoxic cell infiltration levels.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate HSPA4 is related to prognosis and immune cell infiltrates and may act as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for LUAD.

Insights into How Plant-Derived Extracts and Compounds Can Help in the Prevention and Treatment of Keloid Disease: Established and Emerging Therapeutic Targets

Keloid is a disease in which fibroblasts abnormally proliferate and synthesize excessive amounts of extracellular matrix, including collagen and fibronectin, during the healing process of skin wounds, causing larger scars that exceed the boundaries of the original wound. Currently, surgical excision, cryotherapy, radiation, laser treatment, photodynamic therapy, pressure therapy, silicone gel sheeting, and pharmacotherapy are used alone or in combinations to treat this disease, but the outcomes are usually unsatisfactory. The purpose of this review is to examine whether natural products can help treat keloid disease. I introduce well-established therapeutic targets for this disease and various other emerging therapeutic targets that have been proposed based on the phenotypic difference between keloid-derived fibroblasts (KFs) and normal epidermal fibroblasts (NFs). We then present recent studies on the biological effects of various plant-derived extracts and compounds on KFs and NFs. Associated ex vivo, in vivo, and clinical studies are also presented. Finally, we discuss the mechanisms of action of the plant-derived extracts and compounds, the pros and cons, and the future tasks for natural product-based therapy for keloid disease, as compared with existing other therapies. Extracts of Astragalus membranaceus, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Aneilema keisak, Galla Chinensis, Lycium chinense, Physalis angulate, Allium sepa, and Camellia sinensis appear to modulate cell proliferation, migration, and/or extracellular matrix (ECM) production in KFs, supporting their therapeutic potential. Various phenolic compounds, terpenoids, alkaloids, and other plant-derived compounds could modulate different cell signaling pathways associated with the pathogenesis of keloids. For now, many studies are limited to in vitro experiments; additional research and development are needed to proceed to clinical trials. Many emerging therapeutic targets could accelerate the discovery of plant-derived substances for the prevention and treatment of keloid disease. I hope that this review will bridge past, present, and future research on this subject and provide insight into new therapeutic targets and pharmaceuticals, aiming for effective keloid treatment.

A novel prognostic predictor of immune microenvironment and therapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on angiogenesis-immune-related gene signature

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of RCC, typically produces no symptoms initially. Patients with ccRCC are at increased risk of developing advanced metastatic disease due to the absence of dependable and effective prognostic biomarkers. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to find optimal stratification of patients with ccRCC to distinguish the clinical benefits of different malignant degrees. Angiogenesis has a profound impact on the malignant behavior of renal cancer cells, and anti-angiogenic drugs have been applied to metastatic renal cancer patients. Moreover, immune function dysregulation is also a significant factor in tumorigenesis. We aim to construct a predictive model that combines angiogenesis and immune-related genes (AIRGs) to aid clinicians in predicting ccRCC prognosis.

Methods

We gathered transcriptome and clinicopathology data from two datasets, the E-MTAB-1980 dataset and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We utilized consensus clustering to find new molecular subgroups. A predictive model for the prognosis of angiogenesis-immune-associated genes (AIRGs) was conducted by the lasso and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The signature's predictive ability was then tested in different datasets. Meticulous scrutiny and comprehensive assessment were undertaken, both internally and externally, to establish the prognostic model. Analyses of immunogenomics were carried out to examine the relationship between risk scores and clinical/immune features, including immune cell infiltration, genomic alterations, and response to targeted and immunotherapy therapy.

Results

Our prognostic signature, comprising 4 AIRGs, stood as an independent prognostic factor for ccRCC, while risk scores emerged as a novel indicator for forecasting overall survival. Risk scores exhibited significant associations with various immunophenotypic factors, such as oncogenic pathways, antitumor response, different immune cell infiltration, antitumor immunity, and response to targeted and immunotherapy therapy.

Conclusions

AIRGs-based prognostic prediction model could effectively predict immunotherapy responses and survival outcomes of ccRCC.

Pioneering 4,11-Dioxo-4,11-dihydro-1H-anthra[2,3-d]imidazol-3-ium Compounds as Promising Survivin Inhibitors by Targeting ILF3/NF110 for Cancer Therapy

Survivin is a novel attractive target for cancer therapy; however, it is considered undruggable because it lacks enzymatic activities. Herein, we describe our efforts toward the discovery of a novel series of 4,11-dioxo-4,11-dihydro-1H-anthra[2,3-d]imidazol-3-ium derivatives as survivin inhibitors by targeting ILF3/NF110. Intensive structural modifications led us to identify a lead compound AQIM-I, which remarkably inhibited nonsmall cell lung cancer cells A549 with an IC50 value of 9 nM and solid tumor cell proliferation with more than 700-fold selectivity against human normal cells. Further biological studies revealed that compound AQIM-I significantly inhibited survivin expression and colony formation and induced ROS production, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and autophagy. Furthermore, the promoter-luciferase reporter assay showed that AQIM-I attenuated the survivin promoter activity enhanced by the overexpression of ILF3/NF110 in a concentration-dependent manner, and specific binding (KD = 163 nM) of AQIM-I to ILF3/NF110 was detected by surface plasmon resonance.

Fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma 3D organoids to predict effective drug combinations: A proof-of-concept on cell death inducers

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the main form of pediatric soft-tissue sarcoma. Its cure rate has not notably improved in the last 20 years following relapse, and the lack of reliable preclinical models has hampered the design of new therapies. This is particularly true for highly heterogeneous fusion-negative RMS (FNRMS). Although methods have been proposed to establish FNRMS organoids, their efficiency remains limited to date, both in terms of derivation rate and ability to accurately mimic the original tumor. Here, we present the development of a next-generation 3D organoid model derived from relapsed adult and pediatric FNRMS. This model preserves the molecular features of the patients' tumors and is expandable for several months in 3D, reinforcing its interest to drug combination screening with longitudinal efficacy monitoring. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate its preclinical relevance by reevaluating the therapeutic opportunities of targeting apoptosis in FNRMS from a streamlined approach based on transcriptomic data exploitation.

Targeting survivin for cancer therapy: Strategies, small molecule inhibitors and vaccine based therapeutics in development

Survivin is a member of the family of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). It is involved in the normal mitotic process and acts as an anti-apoptotic molecule. While terminally differentiated normal tissues lack survivin, several human malignancies have significant protein levels. Resistance to chemotherapy and radiation in tumor cells is associated with survivin expression. Decreased tumor development, apoptosis, and increased sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation are all effects of downregulating survivin expression or activity. As a prospective cancer treatment, small molecules targeting the transcription and translation of survivin and molecules that can directly bind with the survivin are being explored both in pre-clinical and clinics. Pre-clinical investigations have found and demonstrated the effectiveness of several small-molecule survivin inhibitors. Unfortunately, these inhibitors have also been shown to have off-target effects, which could limit their clinical utility. In addition to small molecules, several survivin peptide vaccines are currently under development. These vaccines are designed to elicit a cytotoxic T-cell response against survivin, which could lead to the destruction of tumor cells expressing survivin. Some survivin-based vaccines are advancing through Phase II clinical studies. Overall, survivin is a promising cancer drug target. However, challenges still need to be addressed before the survivin targeted therapies can be widely used in the clinics.

Inhibition of Survivin Homodimerization Decreases Neuroblastoma Cell Growth

Increased expression of BIRC5/survivin, a crucial regulator of the mitotic spindle checkpoint, is associated with poor prognosis in neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial tumor of childhood. Transcriptional inhibitors of survivin have been tested in adult cancers and inhibitors of survivin homodimerization are emerging. We compared genetic inhibition of survivin transcription with the inhibition of survivin homodimerization by S12 and LQZ-7I, chosen from a larger panel of survivin dimerization inhibitors with activity against NB cells. Mice hemizygous for Birc5 were crossed with NB-prone TH-MYCN mice to generate Birc5+/-/MYCNtg/+ mice. The marked decrease of survivin transcription in these mice did not suffice to attenuate the aggressiveness of NB, even when tumors were transplanted into wild-type mice to assure that immune cell function was not compromised by the lack of survivin. In contrast, viability, clonogenicity and anchorage-independent growth of NB cells were markedly decreased by S12. S12 administered systemically to mice with subcutaneous NB xenotransplants decreased intratumoral hemorrhage, albeit not tumor growth. LQZ-7I, which directly targets the survivin dimerization interface, was efficacious in controlling NB cell growth in vitro at markedly lower concentrations compared to S12. LQZ-7I abrogated viability, clonogenicity and anchorage-independent growth, associated with massively distorted mitotic spindle formation. In vivo, LQZ-7I effectively reduced tumor size and cell proliferation of NB cells in CAM assays without apparent toxicity to the developing chick embryo. Collectively, these findings show that inhibiting survivin homodimerization with LQZ-7I holds promise for the treatment of NB and merits further investigation.

Apoptotic activity of genipin in human oral squamous cell carcinoma in vitro by regulating STAT3 signaling

Genipin, a natural compound derived from the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, was reported to have activity against various cancer types. In this study, we determined the underlying mechanism for genipin-induced cell death in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The growth-inhibitory effects of genipin in human OSCC cells was examined by the Cell Counting Kit-8 and soft agar assays. The effects of genipin on apoptosis were assessed by nuclear morphological changes by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, measurement of the sub-G1 population, and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining. The underlying mechanism of genipin activity was analyzed by western blot analysis, subcellular fractionation of the nucleus and cytoplasm, immunocytochemistry, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Genipin inhibited the growth of OSCC cells and induced apoptosis, which was mediated by a caspase-dependent pathway. Genipin reduced the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) at Tyr705 and its nuclear localization. Furthermore, inhibition of p-STAT3Tyr705 levels following genipin treatment was required for the reduction of survivin and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) expression, leading to apoptotic cell death. The genipin-mediated reduction in survivin and Mcl-1 expression was caused by transcriptional and/or posttranslational regulatory mechanisms. The results provide insight into the regulatory mechanism by which genipin induces apoptotic cell death through the abrogation of nuclear STAT3 phosphorylation and suggest that genipin may represent a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of human OSCC.

Downregulated BIRC5 inhibits proliferation and metastasis of melanoma through the β-catenin/HIF-1α/VEGF/MMPs pathway

PURPOSE

Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor caused by melanocytes and associated with high mortality rates. This study aims to investigate the specific mechanism of ZWZ-3 in melanoma proliferation and metastasis.

METHODS

RNA sequencing was performed to identify the effect of ZWZ-3 on gene expression. siRNA was used to inhibit BIRC5 gene expression in the B16F10 cell line. A zebrafish tumor model was used to assess the therapeutic effect of ZWZ-3 in vivo. Mechanistic insights into the inhibition of tumor metastasis by ZWZ-3 were obtained through analysis of tumor tissue sections in mice.

RESULTS

Our findings demonstrated that ZWZ-3 suppressed melanoma cell proliferation and migration. We performed RNA sequencing in melanoma cells after the treatment with ZWZ-3 and found that Birc5, which is closely associated with tumor metastasis, was significantly down-regulated. Bioinformatics analysis and the immuno-histochemical results of tissue chips for melanoma further confirmed the high expression of BIRC5 in melanoma and its effect on disease progression. Moreover, Birc5 knock-down significantly inhibited melanoma cell proliferation and metastasis, which was correlated with the β-catenin/HIF-1α/VEGF/MMPs pathway. Additionally, ZWZ-3 significantly inhibited tumor growth in the zebrafish tumor model without any evident side effects. Histological and immuno-histochemical analyses revealed that ZWZ-3 inhibited tumor cell metastasis by down-regulating HIF-1α, VEGF, and MMP9.

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed that ZWZ-3 could downregulate BIRC5 and inhibit melanoma proliferation and metastasis through the β-catenin/HIF-1α/VEGF/MMPs pathway. Therefore, BIRC5 represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma.

Synergistic effect of docetaxel combined with a novel multi-target inhibitor CUDC-101 on inhibiting human prostate cancer

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are commonly overexpressed in several types of human cancers, including prostate cancer (PCa). Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are emerging as promising tools for cancer therapy. However, there is still a need to understand their anti-tumor effects and the mechanisms underlying their action. In our study, we investigated the effects of co-treatment with CUDC-101 and docetaxel (DTX) on cell growth, clonogenicity, invasion and migration of PCa cells both in vitro, and in a xenograft mouse model. We found that the combination of CUDC-101 and DTX significantly reduced tumor growth, as evidenced by lower tumor weight and volumes. Moreover, apoptotic cell death was increased in the combination group compared to either drug alone or control. Mechanistically, we observed that the combined treatment of CUDC-101 with DTX suppressed the progression of PCa cell lines through the AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Additionally, this combination treatment reversed EMT by modulating the expression of key markers such as E-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and MMP-9. To conclude, these results demonstrated that the combination of CUDC-101 with DTX had a synergistic and significantly improved anti-carcinogenic effect. This combination may serve as a potential strategy for clinical treatment and prognosis improvement in PCa.

Protective effects of fruit extract of Rosa canina and quercetin on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury induced by hydrogen peroxide

The Nastaran plant, with the scientific name of Rosa canina, has been used since ancient times as a plant with medicinal properties. In the present study, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to examine the protective effects of R. canina fruit extract (RCFE) and its flavonoid ingredient (quercetin) against H2O2-induced cell injury. RCFE (1.25-20 μg/mL) and quercetin (1.25-20 μM) were exposed to H2O2-oxidizing agent (1 and 2 mM) and the protective effect was examined on HUVEC cells by Alamar Blue test. The amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by using DCFDA reagent by fluorimetric method. The effects of RCFE and quercetin on cell apoptosis were studied by staining with hypotonic PI solution and flow cytometry. The amount of PARP and survivin involved in the apoptotic process was measured using the western blot analysis. The results of the Alamar Blue test showed that RCFE and quercetin could reduce the toxicity of H2O2. RCFE and quercetin were able to significantly increase cell viability against H2O2. Also, it was found that RCFE and quercetin reduced the production of ROS by H2O2. It was found that RCFE and quercetin reduced the apoptosis and sub-G1 peak area in flow histogram after exposure of cells to H2O2. Based on western blot results, pretreatment with RCFE and quercetin could significantly increase survivin protein after exposure of cells to H2O2. Also, RCFE and quercetin could significantly reduce the amount of cleaved PARP after exposure of cells to H2O2. RCFE and its ingredient (quercetin) can be considered a promising source of phytochemicals in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

The survivin-ran inhibitor LLP-3 decreases oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis and growth of neuroblastoma cells

BACKGROUND

Neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial solid malignancy in children, carries a poor prognosis in high-risk disease, thus requiring novel therapeutic approaches. Survivin is overexpressed in NB, has pro-mitotic and anti-apoptotic functions, and impacts on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and aerobic glycolysis. The subcellular localization and hence function of survivin is directed by the GTPase Ran.

AIM

To determine efficacy and modes of action of the survivin-Ran inhibitor LLP-3 as a potential novel therapy of NB.

METHODS

Survivin and Ran mRNA expression in NB tumors was correlated to patient survival. Response to LLP-3 in NB cell lines was determined by assays for viability, proliferation, apoptosis, clonogenicity and anchorage-independent growth. Interaction of survivin and Ran was assessed by proximity-linked ligation assay and their subcellular distribution by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Expression of survivin, Ran and proteins important for OXPHOS and glycolysis was determined by Western blot, hexokinase activity by enzymatic assay, interaction of survivin with HIF-1α by co-IP, and OXPHOS and glycolysis by extracellular flux analyzer.

RESULTS

High mRNA expression of survivin and Ran is correlated with poor patient survival. LLP-3 decreases viability, induces apoptosis, and inhibits clonogenic and anchorage-independent growth in NB cell lines, including those with MYCN amplification, and mutations of p53 and ALK. LLP-3 inhibits interaction of survivin with Ran, decreasing their concentration both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. LLP-3 impairs flexibility of energy metabolism by inhibiting both OXPHOS and glycolysis. Metabolic inhibition is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and attenuated hexokinase activity but is independent of HIF-1α.

CONCLUSION

LLP-3 attenuates interaction and concentration of survivin and Ran in NB cells. It controls NB cells with diverse genetic alterations, associated with inhibition of OXPHOS, aerobic glycolysis, mitochondrial function and HK activity. Thus, LLP-3 warrants further studies as a novel drug against NB.

COVID-19 patients with high TNF/IFN-γ levels show hallmarks of PANoptosis, an inflammatory cell death

TNF and IFN-γ trigger cell damage during SARS CoV-2 infection; these cytokines can induce senescence and a cell death process called PANoptosis. This study included 138 vaccine-naïve COVID-19 patients, who were divided into four groups (Gp) according to the plasma level of TNF and IFN-γ (High [Hi] or Normal-Low [No-Low]), Gp 1: TNFHi/IFNγHi; Gp 2: TNFHi/IFNγNo-Low; Gp 3: TNFNo-Low/IFNγHi; and Gp 4: TNFNo-Low/IFNγNo-Low. Thirty-five apoptosis-related proteins and molecules related to cell death and senescence were evaluated. Our results showed that groups did not display differences in age and comorbidities. However, 81% of the Gp 1 patients had severe COVID-19, and 44% died. Notably, the p21/CDKN1A was increased in Gp 2 and Gp 3. Moreover, Gp 1 showed higher TNFR1, MLKL, RIPK1, NLRP3, Caspase 1, and HMGB-1 levels, suggesting elevated TNF and IFN-γ levels simultaneously activate diverse cell death pathways because it is not observed when only one of these cytokines is increased. Thus, high TNF/IFN-γ levels are predominant in severe COVID-19 status, and patients display cell alterations associated with the activation of diverse cell death pathways, including a possible senescent phenotype.

Expression Pattern of Tumor-associated Antigens in Neuroblastoma: Association With Cytogenetic Features and Survival

Background/Aim

The prognosis of high-risk and relapsed neuroblastoma (NB) patients remains poor. The identification of tumor-associated markers is important for differential diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of targeted therapies. The aim of the study was to determine the expression profile of nine most common NB antigens and assess their association with clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival.

Patients and Methods

Tumor samples from 86 patients with NB were evaluated for the expression of tumor-associated antigen (TAA) using quantitative PCR. Twenty-one patients with benign tumors and 17 healthy donors were assigned as controls.

Results

Overexpression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), PHOX2B, PRAME, GPC2, B7-H3, and Survivin is the most typical for NB. Positive expression of MAGEA3, MAGEA1, and NY-ESO-1 at low levels was detected in 54%, 48%, and 52%, respectively, and was not NB specific. Higher TH expression was observed in samples without MYCN-amplification, while higher expression of Survivin, PHOX2B, and GPC2 was significantly associated with the presence of 1p.36 deletion. Overexpression of TH, PHOX2B, and MAGEA1 was associated with better event-free (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Survivin overexpression was associated with poor EFS but had no impact on OS. Multivariate analysis confirmed Survivin as independent marker for poor survival, and PHOX2B and MAGEA1 for better survival.

Conclusion

High expression of TH, PHOX2B, and MAGEA1 genes are favorable prognostic factors for OS and EFS, whereas high expression of Survivin is associated with an increased risk of relapse or progression.

Gastrodin destabilizes survivin and overcomes pemetrexed resistance

Survivin is a bifunctional protein that plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis. In the present study, we discovered that the natural product gastrodin suppressed the cell viability and colony formation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines A549, HCC827, and H460 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, gastrodin enhanced the protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3 by activating the endogenous mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Gastrodin inhibits protein kinase B (Akt)/WEE1/cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) signaling to downregulate survivin Thr34 phosphorylation. Survivin Thr34 dephosphorylation caused by gastrodin interfered with the binding of ubiquitin-specific protease 19 (USP19), which eventually destabilized survivin. We revealed that the growth of NSCLC xenograft tumors was markedly suppressed by gastrodin in vivo. Furthermore, gastrodin overcomes pemetrexed resistance in vivo or in vitro. Our results suggest that gastrodin is a potential antitumor agent by reducing survivin in NSCLC.

Targeting survivin with Tanshinone IIA inhibits tumor growth and overcomes chemoresistance in colorectal cancer

The inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin has a critical regulatory role in carcinogenesis and treatment tolerance in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the targeted drugs for survivin protein are extremely limited. In the present research, we discovered that Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) played a dual regulatory role in inhibiting tumorigenesis and reversing 5-Fu tolerance via modulating the expression and phosphorylation of survivin in CRC cells. Mechanistically, Tan IIA suppressed the Akt/WEE1/CDK1 signaling pathway, which led to the downregulation of survivin Thr34 phosphorylation and destruction of the interaction between USP1 and survivin to promote survivin ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, Tan IIA significantly facilitated chemoresistant CRC cells to 5-Fu sensitivity. These results revealed that Tan IIA possessed a strong antitumor activity against CRC cells and could act as an up-and-coming agent for treating CRC and overcoming chemotherapy resistance.

S100A8/A9 predicts triple-negative breast cancer response to PIM kinase and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition

It remains elusive why some triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients respond poorly to existing therapies while others respond well. Our retrospective analysis of historical gene expression datasets reveals that increased expression of immunosuppressive cytokine S100A8/A9 in early-stage tumors is robustly associated with subsequent disease progression in TNBC. Although it has recently gained recognition as a potential anticancer target, S100A8/A9 has not been integrated into clinical study designs evaluating molecularly targeted therapies. Our small molecule screen has identified PIM kinase inhibitors as capable of decreasing S100A8/A9 expression in multiple cell types, including TNBC and immunosuppressive myeloid cells. Furthermore, combining PIM inhibition and immune checkpoint blockade induces significant antitumor responses, especially in otherwise resistant S100A8/A9-high PD-1/PD-L1-positive tumors. Importantly, serum S100A8/A9 levels mirror those of tumor S100A8/A9 in a syngeneic mouse model of TNBC. Thus, our data suggest that S100A8/A9 could be a predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarker in clinical trials evaluating combination therapy targeting PIM and immune checkpoints in TNBC and encourage the development of S100A8/A9-based liquid biopsy tests.

The Apoptosis Inhibitor Protein Survivin Is a Critical Cytoprotective Resistor against Silica-Based Nanotoxicity

Exposure to nanoparticles is inevitable as they become widely used in industry, cosmetics, and foods. However, knowledge of their (patho)physiological effects on biological entry routes of the human body and their underlying molecular mechanisms is still fragmented. Here, we examined the molecular effects of amorphous silica nanoparticles (aSiNPs) on cell lines mimicking the alveolar-capillary barrier of the lung. After state-of-the-art characterization of the used aSiNPs and the cell model, we performed cell viability-based assays and a protein analysis to determine the aSiNP-induced cell toxicity and underlying signaling mechanisms. We revealed that aSiNPs induce apoptosis in a dose-, time-, and size-dependent manner. aSiNP-induced toxicity involves the inhibition of pro-survival pathways, such as PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling, correlating with reduced expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Survivin on the protein and transcriptional levels. Furthermore, induced Survivin overexpression mediated resistance against aSiNP-toxicity. Thus, we present the first experimental evidence suggesting Survivin as a critical cytoprotective resistor against silica-based nanotoxicity, which may also play a role in responses to other NPs. Although Survivin's relevance as a biomarker for nanotoxicity needs to be demonstrated in vivo, our data give general impetus to investigate the pharmacological modulation of Survivin`s functions to attenuate the harmful effects of acute or chronic inhalative NP exposure.

Role of YY1 in the Regulation of Anti-Apoptotic Gene Products in Drug-Resistant Cancer Cells

Cancer is a leading cause of death among the various diseases encountered in humans. Cancer is not a single entity and consists of numerous different types and subtypes that require various treatment regimens. In the last decade, several milestones in cancer treatments were accomplished, such as specific targeting agents or revitalizing the dormant anti-tumor immune response. These milestones have resulted in significant positive clinical responses as well as tumor regression and the prolongation of survival in subsets of cancer patients. Hence, in non-responding patients and non-responding relapsed patients, cancers develop intrinsic mechanisms of resistance to cell death via the overexpression of anti-apoptotic gene products. In parallel, the majority of resistant cancers have been reported to overexpress a transcription factor, Yin Yang 1 (YY1), which regulates the chemo-immuno-resistance of cancer cells to therapeutic anticancer cytotoxic agents. The relationship between the overexpression of YY1 and several anti-apoptotic gene products, such as B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2), B-cell lymphoma extra-large (Bcl-xL), myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) and survivin, is investigated in this paper. The findings demonstrate that these anti-apoptotic gene products are regulated, in part, by YY1 at the transcriptional, epigenetic, post-transcriptional and translational levels. While targeting each of the anti-apoptotic gene products individually has been examined and clinically tested for some, this targeting strategy is not effective due to compensation by other overexpressed anti-apoptotic gene products. In contrast, targeting YY1 directly, through small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), gene editing or small molecule inhibitors, can be therapeutically more effective and generalized in YY1-overexpressed resistant cancers.

Artichoke as a melanoma growth inhibitor

Melanoma is the most lethal malignancy in skin cancers. About 97,610 new cases of melanoma are projected to occur in the United States (US) in 2023. Artichoke is a very popular plant widely consumed in the US due to its nutrition. In recent years, it has been shown that artichoke shows powerful anti-cancer effects on cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, and leukemia. However, there is little known about its effect on melanoma. This study was designed to investigate if artichoke extract (AE) has any direct effect on the growth of melanoma. Clonogenic survival assay, cell proliferation, and caspase-3 activity kits were used to evaluate the effects AE has on cell survival, proliferation, and apoptosis of the widely studied melanoma cell line HTB-72. We further investigated the possible molecular mechanisms using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. The percentage of colonies of HTB-72 melanoma cells decreased significantly after treated with AE. This was paralleled with the decrease in the optic density (OD) value of cancer cells after treatment with AE. This was further supported by the decreased expression of PCNA mRNA after treated with AE. Furthermore, the cellular caspase-3 activity increased after treated with AE. The anti-proliferative effect of AE on melanoma cells correlated with increased p21, p27, and decreased CDK4. The pro-apoptotic effect of AE on melanoma cells correlated with decreased survivin. Artichoke inhibits growth of melanoma by inhibition of proliferation and promotion of apoptosis. Such a study might be helpful to develop a new promising treatment for melanoma.

Biological functions and research progress of eIF4E

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E can specifically bind to the cap structure of an mRNA 5' end, mainly regulating translation initiation and preferentially enhancing the translation of carcinogenesis related mRNAs. The expression of eIF4E is closely related to a variety of malignant tumors. In tumor cells, eIF4E activity is abnormally increased, which stimulates cell growth, metastasis and translation of related proteins. The main factors affecting eIF4E activity include intranuclear regulation, phosphorylation of 4EBPs, and phosphorylation and sumoylation of eIF4E. In this review, we summarize the biological functions and the research progress of eIF4E, the main influencing factors of eIF4E activity, and the recent progress of drugs targeting eIF4E, in the hope of providing new insights for the treatment of multiple malignancies and development of targeted drugs.

Tuning Nanobodies' Bioactivity: Coupling to Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles Allows the Intracellular Interference with Survivin

Nanobodies are highly affine binders, often used to track disease-relevant proteins inside cells. However, they often fail to interfere with pathobiological functions, required for their clinical exploitation. Here, a nanobody targeting the disease-relevant apoptosis inhibitor and mitosis regulator Survivin (SuN) is utilized. Survivin's multifaceted functions are regulated by an interplay of dynamic cellular localization, dimerization, and protein-protein interactions. However, as Survivin harbors no classical "druggable" binding pocket, one must aim at blocking extended protein surface areas. Comprehensive experimental evidence demonstrates that intracellular expression of SuN allows to track Survivin at low nanomolar concentrations but failed to inhibit its biological functions. Small angle X-ray scattering of the Survivin-SuN complex locates the proposed interaction interface between the C-terminus and the globular domain, as such not blocking any pivotal interaction. By clicking multiple SuN to ultrasmall (2 nm) gold nanoparticles (SuN-N), not only intracellular uptake is enabled, but additionally, Survivin crosslinking and interference with mitotic progression in living cells are also enabled. In sum, it is demonstrated that coupling of nanobodies to nanosized scaffolds can be universally applicable to improve their function and therapeutic applicability.

Survivin Expression in Luminal Breast Cancer and Adjacent Normal Tissue for Immuno-Oncology Applications

Survivin (BIRC5) is a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) overexpressed in various tumors but present at low to undetectable levels in normal tissue. Survivin is known to have a high expression in breast cancer (e.g., Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and triple negative breast cancer). Previous studies have not compared survivin expression levels in DCIS tumor samples to levels in adjacent, normal breast tissue from the same patient. To ensure the effective use of survivin as a target for T cell immunotherapy of breast cancer, it is essential to ascertain the varying levels of survivin expression between DCIS tumor tissue samples and the adjacent normal breast tissue taken from the same patient simultaneously. Next-generation sequencing of RNA (RNA-seq) in normal breast tissue and tumor breast tissue from five women presenting with DCIS for lumpectomy was used to identify sequence variation and expression levels of survivin. The identity of both tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples were corroborated by histopathology. Survivin was overexpressed in human breast tissue tumor samples relative to the corresponding adjacent human normal breast tissue. Wild-type survivin transcripts were the predominant species identified in all tumor tissue sequenced. This study demonstrates upregulated expression of wild type survivin in DCIS tumor tissue versus normal breast tissue taken from the same patient at the same time, and provides evidence that developing selective cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) immunotherapy for DCIS targeting survivin warrants further study.

Herpes Simplex Virus, Human Papillomavirus, and Cervical Cancer: Overview, Relationship, and Treatment Implications

There is a significant body of research examining the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer, with a particular emphasis on the oncogenic proteins E5, E6, and E7. What is less well explored, however, is the relationship between cervical cancer and herpes simplex virus (HSV). To date, studies examining the role of HSV in cervical cancer pathogenesis have yielded mixed results. While several experiments have determined that HPV/HSV-2 coinfection results in a higher risk of developing cervical cancer, others have questioned the validity of this association. However, clarifying the potential role of HSV in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer may have significant implications for both the prevention and treatment of this disease. Should this relationship be clarified, treating and preventing HSV could open another avenue with which to prevent cervical cancer. The importance of this is highlighted by the fact that, despite the creation of an effective vaccine against HPV, cervical cancer still impacts 604,000 women and is responsible for 342,000 deaths annually. This review provides an overview of HSV and HPV infections and then delves into the possible links between HPV, HSV, and cervical cancer. It concludes with a summary of preventive measures against and recent treatment advances in cervical cancer.

In Silico Evaluation of HN-N07 Small Molecule as an Inhibitor of Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis Oncogenic Signatures in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis pathways have been identified as important therapeutic targets in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Bevacizumab, which is a monoclonal antibody, was the initial inhibitor of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis that received approval for use in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in combination with chemotherapy. Despite its usage, patients may still develop resistance to the treatment, which can be attributed to various histological subtypes and the initiation of treatment at advanced stages of cancer. Due to their better specificity, selectivity, and safety compared to chemotherapy, small molecules have been approved for treating advanced NSCLC. Based on the development of multiple small-molecule antiangiogenic drugs either in house and abroad or in other laboratories to treat NSCLC, we used a quinoline-derived small molecule-HN-N07-as a potential target drug for NSCLC. Accordingly, we used computational simulation tools and evaluated the drug-likeness properties of HN-N07. Moreover, we identified target genes, resulting in the discovery of the target BIRC5/HIF1A/FLT4 pro-angiogenic genes. Furthermore, we used in silico molecular docking analysis to determine whether HN-N07 could potentially inhibit BIRC5/HIF1A/FLT4. Interestingly, the results of docking HN-N07 with the BIRC5, FLT4, and HIF1A oncogenes revealed unique binding affinities, which were significantly higher than those of standard inhibitors. In summary, these results indicate that HN-N07 shows promise as a potential inhibitor of oncogenic signaling pathways in NSCLC. Ongoing studies that involve in vitro experiments and in vivo investigations using tumor-bearing mice are in progress, aiming to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of the HN-N07 small molecule.

Successful targeting in situ of an oncogenic nuclear antigen by hapten induced tumor associated autoantibodies (iTAA)

The abscopal is a hypothesis for treating of non-irradiated tumors after localized radiation therapy. It is associated with the products of tumor-associated gene as autoantibodies (aTAAs) in reaction to the tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), with increasing of anti-MAGEA3 and an relationship between the abscopal effect and immune response. The hapten enhanced local chemotherapy (HELC) was studied to kills tumor and release tumor TAAs, then hapten modify the TAAs to neu-TAAs, to produce tumor autologous antibodies, called induced tumor-associated autoantibodies (iTAAs) that is different from natural TAAs. Since the iTAAs and complement (C) are associated with cancer therapy Immunofluorescence (IF) was applied to evaluate the expression of the iTAAs and C3, C5, C9. Traces resulted in a partial staining of the nucleus in C3's perinuclear reaction. The iTTAs of Survivin, C-MYC, and IMP1 increased significantly in the tumor cells' intranuclear regions (P = 0.02, P = 0.00, P < 0.0001). Koc, zeta, RalA, and p53 had a similar trend in the perinuclear regions (P < 0.0001, P = 0.004, P < 0.0001, P = 0.003). Therefore, we can propose that tumor antigens inside the cancer cells' nuclei are targeted by the iTAAs since the iTAAs binding levels are higher after HELC. The iTAA tagging oncogenic nuclear antigens may play a distinctive role in regulating tumor cell growth.

Machine learning and single cell RNA sequencing analysis identifies regeneration-related hepatocytes and highlights a Birc5-related model for identifying cell proliferative ability

BACKGROUND

Partial hepatectomy (PHx) has been shown to induce rapid regeneration of adult liver under emergency conditions. Therefore, an in-depth investigation of the underlying mechanisms that govern liver regeneration following PHx is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of this process.

METHOD

We analyzed scRNA-seq data from liver samples of normal and PHx-48-hour mice. Seven machine learning algorithms were utilized to screen and validate a gene signature that accurately identifies and predicts this population. Co-immunostaining of zonal markers with BIRC5 to investigate regional characteristics of hepatocytes post-PHx.

RESULTS

Single cell sequencing results revealed a population of regeneration-related hepatocytes. Transcription factor analysis emphasized the importance of Hmgb1 transcription factor in liver regeneration. HdWGCNA and machine learning algorithm screened and obtained the key signature characterizing this population, including a total of 17 genes and the function enrichment analysis indicated their high correlation with cell cycle pathway. It is note-worthy that we inferred that Hmgb1 might be vital in the regeneration-related hepatocytes of PHx_48h group. Parallelly, Birc5 might be closely related to the regulation of liver regeneration, and positively correlated with Hmgb1.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has identified a distinct population of hepatocytes that are closely associated with liver regeneration. Through machine learning algorithms, we have identified a set of 17 genes that are highly indicative of the regenerative capacity of hepatocytes. This gene signature has enabled us to assess the proliferation ability of in vitro cultured hepatocytes using sequencing data alone.

Role of Histone Deacetylases in the Pathogenesis of Salivary Gland Tumors and Therapeutic Targeting Options

Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) comprise a rare and heterogenous category of benign/malignant neoplasms with progressively increasing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underpinning their pathogenesis, poor prognosis, and therapeutic treatment efficacy. Emerging data are pointing toward an interplay of genetic and epigenetic factors contributing to their heterogeneity and diverse clinical phenotypes. Post-translational histone modifications such as histone acetylation/deacetylation have been shown to actively participate in the pathobiology of SGTs, further suggesting that histone deacetylating factors (HDACs), selective or pan-HDAC inhibitors (HDACis), might present effective treatment options for these neoplasms. Herein, we describe the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the pathology of the different types of SGTs, focusing on histone acetylation/deacetylation effects on gene expression as well as the progress of HDACis in SGT therapy and the current status of relevant clinical trials.

Dendrobine enhances bovine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development and quality

Strategies for improving the quality of oocytes have important theoretical and practical significance for increasing the efficiency of livestock breeding. In this respect, the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a major factor affecting the development of oocytes and embryos. This study investigated the effects of Dendrobium nobile extract (DNE) on the in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes and embryonic development after IVF. DNE is an extract from Dendrobium rhizomes that contains alkaloids with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-ageing functions. Various concentrations of DNE (0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 μmol/L) were added during oocyte maturation in vitro, and we found that 10 μmol/L of DNE remarkably increased the oocyte maturation rate, the subsequent blastocyst formation rate and embryo quality. Further, we found that DNE treatment decreased the frequency of spindle/chromosome defects and ROS and increased the oocyte glutathione and mitochondrial membrane potential in oocytes. Moreover, DNE upregulated the expression of oxidative stress-related genes (Sirt1, Sirt2, Sirt3 and Sod1) in oocytes and apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-3, Caspase-4, Bax, Bcl-xl and Survivin) in blastocysts. These results suggest that DNE supplementation can promote oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development by regulating redox reactions and inhibiting embryonic apoptosis.

TRABID inhibition activates cGAS/STING-mediated anti-tumor immunity through mitosis and autophagy dysregulation

Activation of tumor-intrinsic innate immunity has been a major strategy for improving immunotherapy. Previously, we reported an autophagy-promoting function of the deubiquitinating enzyme TRABID. Here, we identify a critical role of TRABID in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. Mechanistically, TRABID is upregulated in mitosis and governs mitotic cell division by removing K29-linked polyubiquitin chain from Aurora B and Survivin, thereby stabilizing the entire chromosomal passenger complex. TRABID inhibition causes micronuclei through a combinatory defect in mitosis and autophagy and protects cGAS from autophagic degradation, thereby activating the cGAS/STING innate immunity pathway. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of TRABID promotes anti-tumor immune surveillance and sensitizes tumors to anti-PD-1 therapy in preclinical cancer models in male mice. Clinically, TRABID expression in most solid cancer types correlates inversely with an interferon signature and infiltration of anti-tumor immune cells. Our study identifies a suppressive role of tumor-intrinsic TRABID in anti-tumor immunity and highlights TRABID as a promising target for sensitizing solid tumors to immunotherapy.

An Insight into Survivin in Relevance to Hematological, Biochemical and Genetic Characteristics in Tobacco Chewers with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), encoded by the Baculoviral IAP Repeat Containing 5 (BIRC5) gene located on q arm (25.3) on chromosome 17. It is expressed in various human cancers and involved in tumor resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. The genetic analysis of the BIRC5 gene and its protein survivin levels in buccal tissue related to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in South Indian tobacco chewers has not been studied. Hence, the study was designed to quantify survivin in buccal tissue and its association with pretreatment hematological parameters and to analyze the BIRC5 gene sequence.

METHOD

In a single centric case control study, buccal tissue survivin levels were measured by ELISA. A total of 189 study subjects were categorized into Group 1 (n = 63) habitual tobacco chewers with OSCC, Group 2 (n = 63) habitual tobacco chewers without OSCC, and Group 3 (n = 63) healthy subjects as control. Retrospective hematological data were collected from Group 1 subjects and statistically analyzed. The BIRC5 gene was sequenced and data were analyzed using a bioinformatics tool.

RESULTS

Survivin protein mean ± SD in Group 1 was (1670.9 ± 796.21 pg/mL), in Group 2 it was (1096.02 ± 346.17 pg/mL), and in Group 3 it was (397.5 ± 96.1 pg/mL) with significance (p < 0.001). Survivin levels showed significance with cut-off levels of absolute monocyte count (AMC), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR) at (p = 0.001). The unique variants found only in OSCC patients were T → G in the promoter region, G → C in exon 3, C → A, A → G, G → T, T → G, A → C, G → A in exon 4, C → A, G → T, G → C in the exon 5 region.

CONCLUSIONS

The tissue survivin level increased in OSCC patients compared to controls; pretreatment AMC, LMR, and NLR may serve as add-on markers along with survivin to measure the progression of OSCC. Unique mutations in the promoter and exons 3-5 were observed in sequence analysis and were associated with survivin concentrations.

Drug repurposing and prediction of multiple interaction types via graph embedding

BACKGROUND

Finding drugs that can interact with a specific target to induce a desired therapeutic outcome is key deliverable in drug discovery for targeted treatment. Therefore, both identifying new drug-target links, as well as delineating the type of drug interaction, are important in drug repurposing studies.

RESULTS

A computational drug repurposing approach was proposed to predict novel drug-target interactions (DTIs), as well as to predict the type of interaction induced. The methodology is based on mining a heterogeneous graph that integrates drug-drug and protein-protein similarity networks, together with verified drug-disease and protein-disease associations. In order to extract appropriate features, the three-layer heterogeneous graph was mapped to low dimensional vectors using node embedding principles. The DTI prediction problem was formulated as a multi-label, multi-class classification task, aiming to determine drug modes of action. DTIs were defined by concatenating pairs of drug and target vectors extracted from graph embedding, which were used as input to classification via gradient boosted trees, where a model is trained to predict the type of interaction. After validating the prediction ability of DT2Vec+, a comprehensive analysis of all unknown DTIs was conducted to predict the degree and type of interaction. Finally, the model was applied to propose potential approved drugs to target cancer-specific biomarkers.

CONCLUSION

DT2Vec+ showed promising results in predicting type of DTI, which was achieved via integrating and mapping triplet drug-target-disease association graphs into low-dimensional dense vectors. To our knowledge, this is the first approach that addresses prediction between drugs and targets across six interaction types.