Coxsackievirus Group B3 Has Oncolytic Activity against Colon Cancer through Gasdermin E-Mediated Pyroptosis

NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis exacerbates coxsackievirus A16 and coxsackievirus A10-induced inflammatory response and viral replication in SH-SY5Y cells

Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) and coxsackievirus A10 (CV-A10), more commonly etiological agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), are capable of causing severe neurological syndromes with high fatalities, but their neuropathogenesis has rarely been studied. Mounting evidence indicated that pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of cell death that might be widely involved in the pathogenic mechanisms of neurotropic viruses. Our study was designed to examine the effects of NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis in CV-A16- and CV-A10-induced inflammatory neuropathologic formation. In this work, it was showed that SH-SY5Y cells were susceptible to CV-A16 and CV-A10, and meanwhile their infections could result in a decreasing cell viability and an increasing LDH release as well as Caspase1 activation. Moreover, CV-A16 and CV-A10 infections triggered NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis and promoted the release of inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, activated NLRP3 accelerated the pyroptosis formation and aggravated the inflammatory response, but inhibited NLRP3 had a dampening effect on the above situation. Finally, it was further revealed that NLRP3 agonist enhanced the viral replication, but NLRP3 inhibitor suppressed the viral replication, suggesting that NLRP3-driven pyroptosis might support CV-A16 and CV-A10 production in SH-SY5Y cells. Together, our findings demonstrated a mechanism by which CV-A16 and CV-A10 induce inflammatory responses by evoking NLRP3 inflammasome-regulated pyroptosis, which in turn further stimulated the viral replication, providing novel insights into the pathogenesis of CV-A16 and CV-A10 infections.

Quercetin-induced pyroptosis in colon cancer through NEK7-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome-GSDMD signaling pathway activation

Pyroptosis, a gasdermin-mediated lytic cell death, is a new hotspot topic in cancer research, and induction of tumor pyroptosis has emerged as a new target in cancer management. Quercetin (Que), a natural substance, demonstrates promising anticancer action. However, further information is required to fully comprehend the function and mechanism of Que in pyroptosis in colon cancer. This study revealed the underlying mechanism of Que-induced pyroptosis in colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. Que inhibited colon cancer cell growth through gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis. Depletion of GSDMD, rather than gasdermin E (GSDME), reversed the cytotoxic effects of Que on colon cancer cells. Que treatment upregulated NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) protein expression, thus facilitating the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome and cleavage of GSDMD. NEK7 silencing resulted in colon cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, NEK7 depression restrained the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome-GSDMD pathway, thus attenuating pyroptosis triggered by Que in colon cancer cells. Furthermore, lower NEK7 and NLRP3 expression levels indicated colon cancer progression. Our results unveiled a novel pattern of anti-colon cancer activity of Que, and activation of NEK7-mediated pyroptosis is potentially a promising therapeutic target for colon cancer, which provides novel experimental proof for the clinical application of Que.

Engineering materials for pyroptosis induction in cancer treatment

Cancer remains a significant global health concern, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. This research paper aims to investigate the role of pyroptosis induction in cancer treatment. Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death characterized by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the formation of plasma membrane pores, has gained significant attention as a potential target for cancer therapy. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of pyroptosis and its role in cancer treatment. The paper discusses the concept of pyroptosis and its relationship with other forms of cell death, such as apoptosis and necroptosis. It explores the role of pyroptosis in immune activation and its potential for combination therapy. The study also reviews the use of natural, biological, chemical, and multifunctional composite materials for pyroptosis induction in cancer cells. The molecular mechanisms underlying pyroptosis induction by these materials are discussed, along with their advantages and challenges in cancer treatment. The findings of this study highlight the potential of pyroptosis induction as a novel therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment and provide insights into the different materials and mechanisms involved in pyroptosis induction.

Harnessing Pyroptosis for Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy is a novel pillar of cancer treatment that harnesses the immune system to fight tumors and generally results in robust antitumor immunity. Although immunotherapy has achieved remarkable clinical success for some patients, many patients do not respond, underscoring the need to develop new strategies to promote antitumor immunity. Pyroptosis is an immunostimulatory type of regulated cell death that activates the innate immune system. A hallmark of pyroptosis is the release of intracellular contents such as cytokines, alarmins, and chemokines that can stimulate adaptive immune activation. Recent studies suggest that pyroptosis promotes antitumor immunity. Here, we review the mechanisms by which pyroptosis can be induced and highlight new strategies to induce pyroptosis in cancer cells for antitumor defense. We discuss how pyroptosis modulates the tumor microenvironment to stimulate adaptive immunity and promote antitumor immunity. We also suggest research areas to focus on for continued development of pyroptosis as an anticancer treatment. Pyroptosis-based anticancer therapies offer a promising new avenue for treating immunologically 'cold' tumors.

Co-expression patterns of cancer associated fibroblast markers reveal distinct subgroups related to patient survival in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is rapidly increasing in high income countries due to its association with persistent high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. Recent scientific advances have highlighted the importance of the tumor microenvironment in OPSCC. In this study, including 216 OPSCC patients, we analyze the composition of four established markers of cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the context of intratumoral CD8 T-cell infiltration. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for fibroblast activation protein (FAP), platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRb), periostin, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and CD8 were analyzed digitally and their association with survival, tumor- and patient characteristics was assessed. Results: Co-expression of CAF markers was frequent but not associated with HPV status. FAPhigh and PDGFRbhigh expression were associated with increased CD8 T-cell infiltration. Low expression of PDGFRb improved patient survival in female patients but not in male patients. We identified PDGFRblow periostinlow α-SMAlow status as an independent predictor of improved survival (hazard ratio 0.377, p = 0.006). Conclusion: These findings elucidate the co-expression of four established CAF markers in OPSCC and underscore their association with T-cell infiltration and patient survival. Future analyses of CAF subgroups in OPSCC may enable the development of individualized therapies.

The multifaceted roles of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in cancer: therapeutic strategies and persisting obstacles

Pyroptosis is a novel regulated cell death (RCD) mode associated with inflammation and innate immunity. Gasdermin E (GSDME), a crucial component of the gasdermin (GSDM) family proteins, has the ability to convert caspase-3-mediated apoptosis to pyroptosis of cancer cells and activate anti-tumor immunity. Accumulating evidence indicates that GSDME methylation holds tremendous potential as a biomarker for early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of tumors. In fact, GSDME-mediated pyroptosis performs a dual role in anti-tumor therapy. On the one side, pyroptotic cell death in tumors caused by GSDME contributes to inflammatory cytokines release, which transform the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) from a 'cold' to a 'hot' state and significantly improve anti-tumor immunotherapy. However, due to GSDME is expressed in nearly all body tissues and immune cells, it can exacerbate chemotherapy toxicity and partially block immune response. How to achieve a balance between the two sides is a crucial research topic. Meanwhile, the potential functions of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) therapy, and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) therapy have not yet been fully understood, and how to improve clinical outcomes persists obscure. In this review, we systematically summarize the latest research regarding the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis and discuss the role of GSDME-mediated pyroptosis in anti-tumor immunity and its potential applications in cancer treatment.

Gasdermins and cancers

The identification of gasdermin as the executor of pyroptosis has opened new avenues for the study of this process. Although pyroptosis research has mainly focused on immune cells since it was discovered three decades ago, accumulating evidence suggests that pyroptosis plays crucial roles in many biological processes. One example is the discovery of gasdermin-mediated cancer cell pyroptosis (CCP) which has become an important and frontier field in oncology. Recent studies have shown that CCP induction can heat tumor microenvironment (TME) and thereby elicit the robust anti-tumor immunity to suppress tumor growth. As a newly discovered form of tumor cell death, CCP offers promising opportunities for improving tumor treatment and developing new drugs. Nevertheless, the research on CCP is still in its infancy, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the expression, regulation and activation of gasdermins are not yet fully understood. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of gasdermin research in cancer area, and propose that the anti-tumor effect of immune cell pyroptosis (ICP) and CCP depends on their duration, intensity, and the type of cells undergoing pyroptosis within TME.

The pyroptotic role of Caspase-3/GSDME signalling pathway among various cancer: A Review

Cytotoxic drugs have long been recognised to kill cancer cells through apoptosis. According to a current study, pyroptosis inhibits cell proliferation and shrinks tumors. Pyroptosis and apoptosis are caspase-dependent programmed cell death (PCD) processes. Inflammasomes activate caspase-1 and latent cytokines, including IL-1β and IL-18, to cleave gasdermin E (GSDME) and induce pyroptosis. Gasdermin proteins activate caspase-3 to induce pyroptosis, which is associated with tumour genesis, development, and therapy response. These proteins may serve as therapeutic biomarkers for cancer detection, and their antagonists may be a new target. Caspase-3, a crucial protein in both pyroptosis and apoptosis, governs tumour cytotoxicity when activated, and GSDME expression modulates this. Once active caspase-3 cleaves GSDME, its N-terminal domain punches holes in the cell membrane, causing it to expand, burst, and die. To understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of PCD mediated by caspase-3 and GSDME, we focused on pyroptosis. Hence, caspase-3 and GSDME may be promising targets for cancer treatment.

Oncolytic virotherapy: basic principles, recent advances and future directions

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) have attracted growing awareness in the twenty-first century, as they are generally considered to have direct oncolysis and cancer immune effects. With the progress in genetic engineering technology, OVs have been adopted as versatile platforms for developing novel antitumor strategies, used alone or in combination with other therapies. Recent studies have yielded eye-catching results that delineate the promising clinical outcomes that OVs would bring about in the future. In this review, we summarized the basic principles of OVs in terms of their classifications, as well as the recent advances in OV-modification strategies based on their characteristics, biofunctions, and cancer hallmarks. Candidate OVs are expected to be designed as "qualified soldiers" first by improving target fidelity and safety, and then equipped with "cold weapons" for a proper cytocidal effect, "hot weapons" capable of activating cancer immunotherapy, or "auxiliary weapons" by harnessing tactics such as anti-angiogenesis, reversed metabolic reprogramming and decomposing extracellular matrix around tumors. Combinations with other cancer therapeutic agents have also been elaborated to show encouraging antitumor effects. Robust results from clinical trials using OV as a treatment congruously suggested its significance in future application directions and challenges in developing OVs as novel weapons for tactical decisions in cancer treatment.