Caveolae contribute to the apoptosis resistance induced by the alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells

Pan-Cancer Insights: A Study of Microbial Metabolite Receptors in Malignancy Dynamics

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The role of the gut microbiome in cancer biology has become an increasingly prominent area of research, particularly regarding the role of microbial metabolites and their receptors (MMRs). These metabolites, through the various gut-organ axes, have been proven to influence several pathogenetic mechanisms. This study conducted a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of MMR transcriptomic profiles across twenty-three cancer types, exploring the mechanisms through which they can influence cancer development and progression.

METHODS

Utilizing both cancer cell lines from CCLE (Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia) and human tumor samples from TCGA (The Cancer Gene Atlas), we analyzed 107 MMRs interacting with microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, indole derivatives, and others while studying their interactions with key known cancer genes.

RESULTS

Our results revealed that certain MMRs, such as GPR84 and serotonin receptors, are consistently upregulated in various malignancies, while others, like ADRA1A, are frequently downregulated, suggesting diverse roles in cancer pathophysiology. Furthermore, we identified significant correlations between MMR expression and cancer hallmark genes and pathways, including immune evasion, proliferation, and metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the interactions between microbial metabolites and MMRs may serve as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy, highlighting their therapeutic potential. This study underscores the significance of the microbiota-cancer axis and provides novel insights into microbiome-based strategies for cancer treatment.

Caveolin-1 and lipids: Association and their dualism in oncogenic regulation

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a structural protein of caveolae that functions as a molecular organizer for different cellular functions including endocytosis and cellular signaling. Cancer cells take advantage of the physical position of Cav-1, as it can communicate with extracellular matrix, help to organize growth factor receptors, redistribute cholesterol and glycosphingolipids, and finally transduce signals within the cells for oncogenesis. Recent studies emphasize the exceeding involvement of Cav-1 with different lipid bodies and in altering the metabolism, especially lipid metabolism. However, the association of Cav-1 with different lipid bodies like lipid rafts, lipid droplets, cholesterols, sphingolipids, and fatty acids is remarkably dynamic. The lipid-Cav-1 alliance plays a dual role in carcinogenesis. Both cancer progression and regression are modified and affected by the type of lipid molecule's association with Cav-1. Accordingly, this Cav-1-lipid cooperation exemplifies a cancer-type-specific treatment strategy for a better prognosis of the disease. In this review, we first present Cav-1 as an oncogenic molecule and its communication via lipid raft. We discussed the involvement of Cav-1 with lipid droplets, Cholesterol, sphingolipids, gangliosides, and ceramides. Further, we describe the Cav-1-mediated altered Fatty acid metabolism in cancer and the strategic therapeutic approaches toward Cav-1 targeting.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Molecular Substrates Revealed by Competing Endogenous RNA Regulatory Networks

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive fibrotic disease of the lung with poor prognosis. Fibrosis results from remodeling of the interstitial tissue. A wide range of gene expression changes are observed, but the role of micro RNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNA) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to establish an messenger RNA (mRNA)-miRNA-circRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network to uncover novel molecular signatures using systems biology tools. Six datasets were used to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs (DEmiRNA). Accordingly, protein-protein, mRNA-miRNA, and miRNA-circRNA interactions were constructed. Modules were determined and further analyzed in the Drug Gene Budger platform to identify potential therapeutic compounds. We uncovered common 724 DEGs and 278 DEmiRNAs. In the protein-protein interaction network, TMPRSS4, ESR2, TP73, CLEC4E, and TP63 were identified as hub protein coding genes. The mRNA-miRNA interaction network revealed two modules composed of ADRA1A, ADRA1B, hsa-miR-484 and CDH2, TMPRSS4, and hsa-miR-543. The DEmiRNAs in the modules further analyzed to propose potential circRNA regulators in the ceRNA network. These results help deepen the understanding of the mechanisms of IPF. In addition, the molecular leads reported herein might inform future innovations in diagnostics and therapeutics research and development for IPF.

The regulatory pathways leading to stem-like cells underlie prostate cancer progression

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cause of malignancy in males and the third leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States. The standard care for primary PCa with local invasive disease mainly is surgery and radiation. For patients with distant metastases, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a gold standard. Regardless of a favorable outcome of ADT, patients inevitably relapse to an end-stage castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) leading to mortality. Therefore, revealing the mechanism and identifying cellular components driving aggressive PCa is critical for prognosis and therapeutic intervention. Cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotypes characterized as poor differentiation, cancer initiation with self-renewal capabilities, and therapeutic resistance are proposed to contribute to the onset of CRPC. In this review, we discuss the role of CSC in CRPC with the evidence of CSC phenotypes and the possible underlying mechanisms.

Comparative effect of sodium butyrate and sodium propionate on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells MCF-7

INTRODUCTION

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are ubiquitous lipids produced as a result of bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber. While their role in colorectal cancer is well known, the effect of SCFAs in breast cancer is poorly defined.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the various effects of SCFAs on breast carcinogenesis, we investigated the effect of sodium butyrate (NaB) and sodium propionate (NaP) in MCF-7 cell line.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cells were incubated with different concentrations of NaB or NaP for 24, 48, 72 or 96 h. Cell proliferation was assayed using MTT kit. Cell cycle was performed using propidium iodide staining then analyzed with a flow cytometer. Apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst technique and cell-cycle sub-G1 phase.

RESULTS

NaB and NaP inhibited MCF-7 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner with respective IC₅₀ of 1.26 mM and 4.5 mM, thus indicating that NaB is more potent than NaP. Low and medium levels of both SCFAs induced morphology changes which are characteristic of a differentiated phenotype. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a blockage in G1 growth phase. Interestingly, removing NaB or NaP from culture media after few days of treatment showed a reversible effect on cell morphology and proliferation where cells reentered the cycle after 24 h of drug wash-out. Finally, treatment with medium levels of these molecules induced low MCF-7 apoptosis, while higher doses led to massive apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that SCFAs may be considered as an interesting inhibitor for breast cancer progression.

Clinical significance of expression levels of serum ADRA1A in hysterocarcinoma patients

The clinical significance of the expression level of serum adrenergic receptor α1 (ADRA1A) in hysterocarcinoma patients was determined. Peripheral serum samples were collected at the Hubei Cancer Hospital from 455 patients affected by hysterocarcinoma and 380 healthy adults, who served as the normal control group. We determined the expression levels of ADRA1A by ELISA and analyzed its correlation to clinical features and prognosis of the patients. Compared with the normal control group, the expression of ADRA1A in the average peripheral serum level of hysterocarcinoma patients was clearly increased (P<0.05). In addition, the expression level of ADRA1A was positively correlated with the FIGO staging for hysterocarcinoma (r=0.312, P=0.014). Furthermore, the expression levels of serum ADRA1A in patients with metastasis were significantly increased compared to the levels of hysterocarcinoma patients without metastasis (P<0.05). Our analyses also showed that the expression levels of serum ADRA1A in hysterocarcinoma patients did not correlate with patient factors such as age, tumor invasive depth, tumor size or tumor differentiation degree (P>0.05). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated that the median survival time (37.1 months) of patients with a high expression of serum ADRA1A was lower than that of patients with a low expression of serum ADRA1A (68 months) (P<0.05). The three- and five-year survival rates of patients expressing low serum ADRA1A were, respectively, 74.00 and 62.00%; and the three- and five-year survival rates of patients expressing high levels of serum ADRA1A were 52.00 and 32.00%, respectively, with all the differences being statistically significant (P<0.05). ADRA1A was highly expressed in the peripheral serum in patients with hysterocarcinoma and the expression of ADRA1A was associated with FIGO staging and lymph node metastasis status. The expression of serum ADRA1A can be used to assess the survival rate and may be involved in the pathogenesis and metastasis progression of hysterocarcinoma.

Phosphatidylserine dictates the assembly and dynamics of caveolae in the plasma membrane

Caveolae are bulb-shaped nanodomains of the plasma membrane that are enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. They have many physiological functions, including endocytic transport, mechanosensing, and regulation of membrane and lipid transport. Caveola formation relies on integral membrane proteins termed caveolins (Cavs) and the cavin family of peripheral proteins. Both protein families bind anionic phospholipids, but the precise roles of these lipids are unknown. Here, we studied the effects of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P₂) on caveolar formation and dynamics. Using live-cell, single-particle tracking of GFP-labeled Cav1 and ultrastructural analyses, we compared the effect of PtdSer disruption or phosphoinositide depletion with caveola disassembly caused by cavin1 loss. We found that PtdSer plays a crucial role in both caveola formation and stability. Sequestration or depletion of PtdSer decreased the number of detectable Cav1-GFP puncta and the number of caveolae visualized by electron microscopy. Under PtdSer-limiting conditions, the co-localization of Cav1 and cavin1 was diminished, and cavin1 degradation was increased. Using rapamycin-recruitable phosphatases, we also found that the acute depletion of PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P₂ has minimal impact on caveola assembly but results in decreased lateral confinement. Finally, we show in a model of phospholipid scrambling, a feature of apoptotic cells, that caveola stability is acutely affected by the scrambling. We conclude that the predominant plasmalemmal anionic lipid PtdSer is essential for proper Cav clustering, caveola formation, and caveola dynamics and that membrane scrambling can perturb caveolar stability.

CACNA2D2 promotes tumorigenesis by stimulating cell proliferation and angiogenesis

In the present study, we have assessed whether a putative calcium channel α2δ2 auxiliary subunit (CACNA2D2 gene) could be involved in prostate cancer (PCA) progression. We therefore carried out experiments to determine whether this protein is expressed in PCA LNCaP cells and in PCA tissues, and whether its expression may be altered during cancer development. In addition, we evaluated the influence on cell proliferation of overexpressing or downregulating this subunit. In vitro experiments show that α2δ2 subunit overexpression is associated with increased cell proliferation, alterations of calcium homeostasis and the recruitment of a nuclear factor of activated T-cells pathway. Furthermore, we carried out in vivo experiments on immuno-deficient nude mice in order to evaluate the tumorigenic potency of the α2δ2 subunit. We show that α2δ2-overexpressing PCA LNCaP cells are more tumorigenic than control LNCaP cells when injected into nude mice. In addition, gabapentin, a ligand of α2δ2, reduces tumor development in LNCaP xenografts. Finally, we show that the action of α2δ2 on tumor development occurs not only through a stimulation of proliferation, but also through a stimulation of angiogenesis, via an increased secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor in cells overexpressing α2δ2.

Value of caveolin-1 in cancer progression and prognosis: Emphasis on cancer-associated fibroblasts, human cancer cells and mechanism of caveolin-1 expression (Review)

Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is found predominately in terminally differentiated cells, such as adipocytes, endothelia and smooth muscle cells, as well as type I pneumocytes. As a main structural component of caveolae, Cav-1 is important in modulating cellular signaling. In the present study, the expression and clinical role of Cav-1 were analyzed in tumor stromal and human cancer cells, respectively. The results of previous studies have shown that the downregulation of tumor stromal Cav-1 promotes tumor survival and predicts a poor tumor prognosis, predominantly concentrating on the mechanism of the metabolism of the cancer microenvironment (according to the autophagic tumor stroma model of cancer metabolism and the reverse Warburg effect). However, contradictory results concerning the expression, clinical roles and associated mechanisms of Cav-1 have been reported. An improved understanding of Cav-1 expression in tumor stromal and cancer cells will increase knowledge with regard to the clinical value of Cav-1 and its detailed mechanisms. This review summarizes the novel data concerning the clinical values and probable mechanisms of Cav-1 expression in tumor stromal (predominantly in cancer-associated fibroblasts) and cancer cells, respectively.

Age-related changes in the innervation of the prostate gland: implications for prostate cancer initiation and progression

The adult prostate gland grows and develops under hormonal control while its physiological functions are controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The prostate gland receives sympathetic input via the hypogastric nerve and parasympathetic input via the pelvic nerve. In addition, the hypogastric and pelvic nerves also provide sensory inputs to the gland. This review provides a summary of the innervation of the adult prostate gland and describes the changes which occur with age and disease. Growth and development of the prostate gland is age dependent as is the occurrence of both benign prostate disease and prostate cancer. In parallel, the activity and influence of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system changes with age. The influence of the sympathetic nervous system on benign prostatic hyperplasia is well documented and this review considers the possibility of a link between changes in autonomic innervation and prostate cancer progression.

TRP channels in prostate cancer: the good, the bad and the ugly?

During the last decade, transient receptor potential (TRP) channels emerge as key proteins in central mechanisms of the carcinogenesis such as cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration. Initial studies showed that expression profile of some TRP channels, notably TRP melastatin 8 (TRPM8), TRP vanilloid 6 (TRPV6),TRP canonical (TRPC6) and TRPV2, is changing during the development and the progression of prostate cancer towards the hormone-refractory stages. The link between the change in expression levels and the functional role of these channels in prostate cancer is step by step being elucidated. These recent advances are here described and discussed.