Andrographis Reverses Gemcitabine Resistance through Regulation of ERBB3 and Calcium Signaling Pathway in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Organoid, organ-on-a-chip and traditional Chinese medicine

In the past few years, the emergence of organoids and organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) technologies, which are complementary to animal models and two-dimensional cell culture methods and can better simulate the internal environment of the human body, provides a new platform for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) studies. Organoids and OOAC techniques have been increasingly applied in the fields of drug screening, drug assessment and development, personalized therapies, and developmental biology, and there have been some application cases in the TCM studies. In this review, we summarized the current status of using organoid and OOAC technologies in TCM research and provide key insights for future study. It is believed that organoid and OOAC technologies will play more and more important roles in research and make greater contributions to the innovative development of TCM.

The LAMB3-EGFR signaling pathway mediates synergistic Anti-Cancer effects of berberine and emodin in Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy, primarily due to the intrinsic development of chemoresistance. The most apparent histopathological feature associated with chemoresistance is the alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Natural dietary botanicals such as berberine (BBR) and emodin (EMO) have been shown to possess chemo-preventive potential by regulating ECM in various cancers. Herein, we further investigated the potential synergistic effects of BBR and EMO in enhancing anticancer efficacy by targeting ECM proteins in pancreatic cancer. Genomewide transcriptomic profiling identified that LAMB3 was significantly upregulated in PDAC tissue and highly associated with poor overall survival (OS, hazard ratio [HR], 2.99, 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.46-6.15; p = 0.003) and progress-free survival (PFS, HR, 2.59; 95 % CI, 1.30-5.18; p = 0.007) in PDAC. A systematic series of functional experiments in BxPC-3 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells revealed that the combination of BBR and EMO exhibited synergistic anti-tumor potential, as demonstrated by cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion assays (p < 0.05-0.001). The combination also altered the expression of key proteins involved in apoptosis, EMT, and EGFR/ERK1,2/AKT signaling. These findings were further supported by patient-derived organoids (PDOs), where the combined treatment resulted in fewer and smaller organoids compared to each compound individually (p < 0.05-0.001). Our results suggest that BBR combined with EMO exerts synergistic anti-cancer effects by modulating the EGFR-signaling pathway through interference with LAMB3 in PDAC.

Aronia Berry Extract Modulates MYD88/NF-kB/P-Glycoprotein Axis to Overcome Gemcitabine Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease with poor survival rates, primarily due to the limited effectiveness of gemcitabine (Gem)-based chemotherapy, as well as the acquisition of chemotherapeutic resistance. Aronia berry extracts (ABEs), abundant in phenolic constituents, have been recently recognized for their anticancer properties as well as their encouraging potential to help overcome chemoresistance in various cancers. In the present study, we explored ABE's potential to overcome Gem resistance in PDAC and identify specific growth regulatory pathways responsible for its anticancer activity. Through a series of in vitro experiments in gemcitabine-resistant (Gem-R) cells, we elucidated the synergistic interactions between Gem and ABE treatments. Using advanced transcriptomic analysis and network pharmacology, we revealed key molecular pathways linked to chemoresistance and potential therapeutic targets of ABE in Gem-R PDAC cells. Subsequently, the findings from cell culture studies were validated in patient-derived 3D tumor organoids (PDOs). The combination treatment of ABE and Gem demonstrated significant synergism and anticancer effects on cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion in Gem-R cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a correlation between the NF-Κb signaling pathway and Gem-R (p < 0.05), exhibiting a marked upregulation of MYD88. Additionally, MYD88 exhibited a significant correlation with the overall survival rates in patients with PDAC patients in the TCGA cohort (HR = 1.58, p < 0.05). The MYD88/NF-Κb pathway contributes to chemoresistance by potentially upregulating efflux transporters like P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Our findings revealed that the combined treatment with ABE suppressed the NF-Κb pathway by targeting MYD88 and reducing P-gp expression to overcome Gem resistance. Lastly, the combination therapy proved highly effective in PDOs in reducing both their number and size (p < 0.05). Our study offers previously unrecognized insights into the ability of ABE to overcome Gem resistance in PDAC cells through its targeting of the MYD88/NF-κb/P-gp axis, hence providing a safe and cost-effective adjunctive therapeutic strategy to improve treatment outcomes in PDAC.

Dysregulation of calcium homeostasis in cancer and its role in chemoresistance

Globally, cancer, as a major public health concern, poses a severe threat to people's well-being. Advanced and specialized therapies can now cure the majority of people with early-stage cancer. However, emerging resistance to traditional and novel chemotherapeutic drugs remains a serious issue in clinical medicine. Chemoresistance often leads to cancer recurrence, metastasis, and increased mortality, accounting for 90% of chemotherapy failures. Thus, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance and find novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. Among the several factors responsible for chemoresistance, calcium (Ca2+) dysregulation plays a significant role in cancer progression and chemoresistance. Therefore, targeting this derailed Ca2+ signalling for cancer therapy has become an emerging research area. Of note, the Ca2+ signal and its proteins are a multifaceted and potent tool by which cells achieve specific outcomes. Depending on cell survival needs, Ca2+ is either upregulated or downregulated in both chemosensitive and chemoresistant cancer cells. Consequently, the appropriate treatment should be selected based on Ca2+ signalling dysregulation. This review discusses the role of Ca2+ in cancer cells and the targeting of Ca2+ channels, pumps, and exchangers. Furthermore, we have emphasised the role of Ca2+ in chemoresistance and therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, targeting Ca2+ signalling is a multifaceted process. Methods such as site-specific drug delivery, target-based drug-designing, and targeting two or more Ca2+ proteins simultaneously may be explored; however, further clinical studies are essential to validate Ca2+ blockers' anti-cancer efficacy.

Coordinate transcriptional regulation of ErbB2/3 by C-terminal binding protein 2 signals sensitivity to ErbB2 inhibition in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

There is a critical need to identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Transcriptional co-regulators C-terminal binding proteins (CtBP) 1 and 2 are highly overexpressed in human PDAC, and CRISPR-based homozygous deletion of Ctbp2 in a mouse PDAC cell line (CKP) dramatically decreased tumor growth, reduced metastasis, and prolonged survival in orthotopic mouse allografts. Transcriptomic profiling of tumors derived from CKP vs. Ctbp2-deleted CKP cells (CKP/KO) revealed significant downregulation of the EGFR-superfamily receptor Erbb3, the heterodimeric signaling partner for both EGFR and ErbB2. Compared with CKP cells, CKP/KO cells also demonstrated reduced Erbb2 expression and did not activate downstream Akt signaling after stimulation of Erbb3 by its ligand neuregulin-1. ErbB3 expression in human PDAC cell lines was similarly dependent on CtBP2 and depletion of ErbB3 in a human PDAC cell line severely attenuated growth, demonstrating the critical role of ErbB3 signaling in maintaining PDAC cell growth. Sensitivity to the ErbB2-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib, but not the EGFR-targeted agent erlotinib, varied in proportion to the level of ErbB3 expression in mouse and human PDAC cells, suggesting that an ErBb2 inhibitor can effectively leverage CtBP2-driven transcriptional activation of physiologic ErbB2/3 expression and signaling in PDAC cells for therapeutic benefit.