Wnt and β-Catenin Signaling in the Bone Metastasis of Prostate Cancer

Signalling pathways in a nutshell: from pathogenesis to therapeutical implications in prostate cancer

From tumorigenesis to the establishment of local or metastatic high-grade tumours, an integral part of the cellular lifespan relies on various signalling pathways. Particular pathways that allow cells to proliferate by creating a network of new blood vessels have been documented, whereas other pathways are primarily involved with a migration to distant body parts, partially through the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This review will discuss the different signalling pathways, such as TGF-β, Cripto-1, Wnt pathways, Hedgehog, Notch and NF-κB pathways, and how they promote tumour initiation and progression by influencing diverse cellular processes and EMT in general and in benign and malignant prostate tumours. This review will discuss only the critical pathways. Therefore, many other types of signalling pathways which are related to prostate cancer will not be discussed. Possibilities for further investigation will be mentioned, as many underlying mechanisms involved in these pathways have potential as targets in future tumour therapy. This review will also introduce some novel clinical trials relating to the inhibition of signalling pathways and their clinical outcomes.

Recent advances in understanding the role of Wnt5a in prostate cancer and bone metastasis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men, with a high propensity for bone metastasis that significantly impairs patient quality of life. The Wnt5a signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the progression and metastasis of PCa. Wnt5a can act as both an oncogene and a tumor suppressor, highlighting its complex and context-dependent functions. In PCa, Wnt5a promotes tumor progression through mechanisms such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and interaction with androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Conversely, Wnt5a can induce dormancy in bone-metastatic PCa cells via the ROR2/SIAH2 axis, inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Understanding the dual roles of Wnt5a in PCa and bone metastasis is crucial for elucidating the underlying mechanisms of disease progression and identifying potential therapeutic targets. This review focuses on the current understanding of Wnt5a's role in PCa and bone metastasis, emphasizing its significance in tumor biology and clinical management.

Synergistic targeting strategies for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of death among men worldwide. Androgen deprivation therapy is a common prostate cancer treatment, but its efficacy is often hindered by the development of resistance, which results in reducing survival benefits. Immunotherapy showed great promise in treating solid tumours; however, clinically significant improvements have not been demonstrated for patients with prostate cancer, highlighting specific drawbacks of this therapeutic modality. Hence, exploring novel strategies to synergistically enhance the efficacy of prostate cancer immunotherapy is imperative. Clinical investigations have focused on the combined use of targeted or gene therapy and immunotherapy for prostate cancer. Notably, tumour-specific antigens and inflammatory mediators are released from tumour cells after targeted or gene therapy, and the recruitment and infiltration of immune cells, including CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells activated by immunotherapy, are further augmented, markedly improving the efficacy and prognosis of prostate cancer. Thus, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and gene therapy could have reciprocal synergistic effects in prostate cancer in combination, resulting in a proposed synergistic model encompassing these three therapeutic modalities, presenting novel potential treatment strategies for prostate cancer.

Extracellular Vesicles from a Novel Chordoma Cell Line, ARF-8, Promote Tumorigenic Microenvironmental Changes When Incubated with the Parental Cells and with Human Osteoblasts

Chordomas are rare, generally slow-growing spinal tumors that nonetheless exhibit progressive characteristics over time, leading to malignant phenotypes and high recurrence rates, despite maximal therapeutic interventions. The tumors are notoriously resistant to therapies and are often located in regions that complicate achieving gross total resections. Cell lines from these tumors are rare as well. We cultured a new chordoma cell line (ARF-8) derived from an extensive clival chordoma that extended back to the cervical spine. We characterized the ARF-8 cellular and extracellular vesicle (EV) proteomes, as well as the impacts of ARF-8 EVs on the proteomes and secretomes of recipient cells (both ARF-8 and human osteoblasts) in autocrine and paracrine settings. Our proteomic analyses suggested roles for transforming growth factor beta (TGFB/TGFβ), cell-matrix interactions involving the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cell-extracellular matrix interactions in cell migration, consistent with a migratory/metastatic tumor phenotype. We demonstrated that ARF-8 tumor cell migration was dependent on general (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid [RGD]-based) integrin activity and that ARF-8 EVs could promote such migration. ARF-8 EVs also prompted proteomic/secretomic changes in human osteoblast cells, again with indications that cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions would be activated. All the characteristics typically associated with chordomas as cancers-migration and invasion, therapeutic resistance, metastatic potential-can be driven by tumor EVs. Overall, ARF-8 EVs promoted predicted tumorigenic phenotypes in recipient cells and suggested novel therapeutic targets for chordomas.

Prostate cancer microenvironment: multidimensional regulation of immune cells, vascular system, stromal cells, and microbiota

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent malignancies in males worldwide. Increasing research attention has focused on the PCa microenvironment, which plays a crucial role in tumor progression and therapy resistance. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the key components of the PCa microenvironment, including immune cells, vascular systems, stromal cells, and microbiota, and explore their implications for diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

Keywords such as "prostate cancer", "tumor microenvironment", "immune cells", "vascular system", "stromal cells", and "microbiota" were used for literature retrieval through online databases including PubMed and Web of Science. Studies related to the PCa microenvironment were selected, with a particular focus on those discussing the roles of immune cells, vascular systems, stromal cells, and microbiota in the development, progression, and treatment of PCa. The selection criteria prioritized peer-reviewed articles published in the last five years, aiming to summarize and analyze the latest research advancements and clinical relevance regarding the PCa microenvironment.

RESULTS

The PCa microenvironment is highly complex and dynamic, with immune cells contributing to immunosuppressive conditions, stromal cells promoting tumor growth, and microbiota potentially affecting androgen metabolism. Vascular systems support angiogenesis, which fosters tumor expansion. Understanding these components offers insight into the mechanisms driving PCa progression and opens avenues for novel therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor microenvironment.

CONCLUSIONS

A deeper understanding of the PCa microenvironment is crucial for advancing diagnostic techniques and developing precision therapies. This review highlights the potential of targeting the microenvironment to improve patient outcomes, emphasizing its significance in the broader context of PCa research and treatment innovation.

Curcumin blunts epithelial-mesenchymal transition to alleviate invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer through the JARID1D demethylation

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common and prevalent cancers in men worldwide. The majority of PCa-related deaths result from metastasis rather than primary tumors. Several studies have focused on the relationship between male-specific genes encoded on the Y chromosome and PCa metastasis; however, the relationship between the male specific protein encoded on the Y chromosome and tumor suppression has not been fully clarified. Here, we report a male specific protein of this type, the histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) demethylase JARID1D, which has the ability to inhibit the gene expression program related to cell invasion, and can thus form a phenotype that inhibits the invasion of PCa cells. However, JARID1D exhibits low expression level in advanced PCa, and which is related to rapid invasion and metastasis in patients with PCa. Curcumin, as a multi-target drug, can enhance the expression and demethylation activity of JARID1D, affect the androgen receptor (AR) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling cascade, and inhibit the metastatic potential of castration resistant cancer (CRPC). These findings suggest that using curcumin to increase the expression and demethylation activity of JARID1D may be a feasible strategy to inhibit PCa metastasis by regulating EMT and AR.

RNA-binding proteins in bone pathophysiology

Bone remodelling is a highly regulated process that maintains mineral homeostasis and preserves bone integrity. During this process, intricate communication among all bone cells is required. Indeed, adapt to changing functional situations in the bone, the resorption activity of osteoclasts is tightly balanced with the bone formation activity of osteoblasts. Recent studies have reported that RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs) are involved in bone cell activity regulation. RBPs are critical effectors of gene expression and essential regulators of cell fate decision, due to their ability to bind and regulate the activity of cellular RNAs. Thus, a better understanding of these regulation mechanisms at molecular and cellular levels could generate new knowledge on the pathophysiologic conditions of bone. In this Review, we provide an overview of the basic properties and functions of selected RBPs, focusing on their physiological and pathological roles in the bone.

miR-1202 regulates BPH-1 cell proliferation, apoptosis, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through targeting HMGCL

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the expansion of the prostate gland that results in urinary symptoms. Both the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the Wnt signaling pathway are associated with BPH pathology. In this study, we find that miR-1202 is increased in BPH samples. Overexpression of miR-1202 in TGF-β-treated BPH-1 cells enhances cell survival and DNA synthesis and inhibits cell apoptosis, whereas miR-1202 inhibition partially abolishes the effects of TGF-β on BPH-1 cells. miR-1202 overexpression reduces E-cadherin level but elevates vimentin, N-cadherin, and snail levels, whereas miR-1202 inhibition partially attenuates the effects of TGF-β on EMT markers. Regarding the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, miR-1202 overexpression significantly enhances, whereas miR-1202 inhibition partially decreases, the promotive effects of TGF-β on Wnt1, c-Myc, and cyclin D1 proteins. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase (HMGCL) is a direct downstream target of miR-1202, and miR-1202 inhibits HMGCL expression through binding to its 3'UTR. Overexpression of HMGCL significantly reduces the effect of miR-1202 overexpression on the phenotypes of BPH-1 cells by inhibiting cell survival and promoting apoptosis. Similarly, HMGCL overexpression has the opposite effects on EMT markers and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and markedly alleviates the effects of miR-1202 overexpression. Finally, in the BPH rat model, Ki67 and vimentin levels are elevated, but E-cadherin and HMGCL levels are reduced. In conclusion, miR-1202 is upregulated in benign prostatic hyperplasia; miR-1202 enhances epithelial cell proliferation, suppresses cell apoptosis, and promotes EMT by targeting HMGCL. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway may participate in the miR-1202/HMGCL axis-mediated regulation of BPH-1 cell phenotypes.

Nuclear receptor NURR1 functions to promote stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer via its targeting of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Dysregulated activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is a frequent or common event during advanced progression of multiple cancers. With this signaling activation, it enhances their tumorigenic growth and facilitates metastasis and therapy resistance. Advances show that this signaling pathway can play dual regulatory roles in the control of cellular processes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness in cancer progression. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is shown to be common in prostate cancer and also castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the transcriptional regulators of this pathway in prostate cancer are still not well characterized. NURR1 (NR4A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor and plays an important role in the development of dopaminergic neurons. Previously, we have shown that NURR1 exhibits an upregulation in isolated prostate cancer stem-like cells (PCSCs) and a xenograft model of CRPC. In this study, we further confirmed that NURR1 exhibited an upregulation in prostate cancer and also enhanced expression in prostate cancer cell lines. Functional and molecular analyses showed that NURR1 could act to promote both in vitro (cancer stemness and EMT) and also in vivo oncogenic growth of prostate cancer cells (metastasis and castration resistance) via its direct transactivation of CTNNB1 (β-catenin) and activation of β-catenin to mediate the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover, we also demonstrated that NURR1 activity in prostate cancer cells could be modulated by small molecules, implicating that NURR1 could be a potential therapeutic target for advanced prostate cancer management.

Molecular biomarkers in prostate cancer tumorigenesis and clinical relevance

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent type of cancer in men and assessing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) by liquid biopsy is a promising tool to help in cancer early detection, staging, risk of recurrence evaluation, treatment prediction and monitoring. Blood-based liquid biopsy approaches enable the enrichment, detection and characterization of CTCs by biomarker analysis. Hence, comprehending the molecular markers, their role on each stage of cancer development and progression is essential to provide information that can help in future implementation of these biomarkers in clinical assistance. In this review, we studied the molecular markers most associated with PCa CTCs to better understand their function on tumorigenesis and metastatic cascade, the methodologies utilized to analyze these biomarkers and their clinical significance, in order to summarize the available information to guide researchers in their investigations, new hypothesis formulation and target choice for the development of new diagnostic and treatment tools.

Molecular Insight into Prostate Cancer: Preventive Role of Selective Bioactive Molecules

Prostate cancer (CaP) is one of the most prevalent male malignancies, accounting for a considerable number of annual mortalities. However, the prompt identification of early-stage CaP often faces delays due to diverse factors, including socioeconomic inequalities. The androgen receptor (AR), in conjunction with various other signaling pathways, exerts a central influence on the genesis, progression, and metastasis of CaP, with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) serving as the primary therapeutic strategy. Therapeutic modalities encompassing surgery, chemotherapy, hormonal intervention, and radiotherapy have been formulated for addressing early and metastatic CaP. Nonetheless, the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment frequently triggers the activation of signaling pathways, culminating in the emergence of chemoresistance, an aspect to which cancer stem cells (CSCs) notably contribute. Phytochemicals emerge as reservoirs of bioactive agents conferring manifold advantages against human morbidity. Several of these phytochemicals demonstrate potential chemoprotective and chemosensitizing properties against CaP, with selectivity exhibited towards malignant cells while sparing their normal counterparts. In this context, the present review aims to elucidate the intricate molecular underpinnings associated with metastatic CaP development and the acquisition of chemoresistance. Moreover, the contributions of phytochemicals to ameliorating CaP initiation, progression, and chemoresistance are also discussed.

The Bone Microenvironment Soil in Prostate Cancer Metastasis: An miRNA Approach

Bone metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with a high risk of mortality. Changes in the expression pattern of miRNAs seem to be related to early aspects of prostate cancer, as well as its establishment and proliferation, including the necessary steps for metastasis. Here we compiled, for the first time, the important roles of miRNAs in the development, diagnosis, and treatment of bone metastasis, focusing on recent in vivo and in vitro studies. PCa exosomes are proven to promote metastasis-related events, such as osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation and proliferation. Aberrant miRNA expression in PCa may induce abnormal bone remodeling and support tumor development. Furthermore, miRNAs are capable of binding to multiple mRNA targets, a dynamic property that can be harnessed for the development of treatment tools, such as antagomiRs and miRNA mimics, which have emerged as promising candidates in PCa treatment. Finally, miRNAs may serve as noninvasive biomarkers, as they can be detected in tissue and bodily fluids, are highly stable, and show differential expression between nonmetastatic PCa and bone metastatic samples. Taken together, the findings underscore the importance of miRNA expression profiles and miRNA-based tools as rational technologies to increase the quality of life and longevity of patients.

Decoding Oncofusions: Unveiling Mechanisms, Clinical Impact, and Prospects for Personalized Cancer Therapies

Cancer-associated gene fusions, also known as oncofusions, have emerged as influential drivers of oncogenesis across a diverse range of cancer types. These genetic events occur via chromosomal translocations, deletions, and inversions, leading to the fusion of previously separate genes. Due to the drastic nature of these mutations, they often result in profound alterations of cellular behavior. The identification of oncofusions has revolutionized cancer research, with advancements in sequencing technologies facilitating the discovery of novel fusion events at an accelerated pace. Oncofusions exert their effects through the manipulation of critical cellular signaling pathways that regulate processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Extensive investigations have been conducted to understand the roles of oncofusions in solid tumors, leukemias, and lymphomas. Large-scale initiatives, including the Cancer Genome Atlas, have played a pivotal role in unraveling the landscape of oncofusions by characterizing a vast number of cancer samples across different tumor types. While validating the functional relevance of oncofusions remains a challenge, even non-driver mutations can hold significance in cancer treatment. Oncofusions have demonstrated potential value in the context of immunotherapy through the production of neoantigens. Their clinical importance has been observed in both treatment and diagnostic settings, with specific fusion events serving as therapeutic targets or diagnostic markers. However, despite the progress made, there is still considerable untapped potential within the field of oncofusions. Further research and validation efforts are necessary to understand their effects on a functional basis and to exploit the new targeted treatment avenues offered by oncofusions. Through further functional and clinical studies, oncofusions will enable the advancement of precision medicine and the drive towards more effective and specific treatments for cancer patients.

The CCL27-CCR10 axis contributes to promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion of lung squamous cell carcinoma

Lung cancer is characterized by its high mortality and morbidity. A deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer tumorigenesis helps to develop novel lung cancer diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. However, the picture of the associated molecular landscape is not yet complete. As understood, chemokine-receptor interactions contribute much to lung cancer tumorigenesis, in which CCR10 also plays an important role. This study aimed to expand the knowledge of CCR10 in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) in the manner of molecular mechanism and biological functions. Using GEPIA database, the survival analysis between LUSC patients with high and low CCR10 expressions was performed, showing that CCR10 could be regarded as a risk factor for LUSC patients. Subsequently, CCR10 protein and mRNA expressions in LUSC were examined by qRT-PCR and western blot respectively. The results indicated that CCR10 was highly expressed in LUSC cells. The results of CCK-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays presented that CCL27, the ligand of CCR10, promoted proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of LUSC cells by activating CCR10. Also, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was verified as the involved pathway by western blot. Overall, it could be concluded that the CCL27-CCR10 regulatory axis can activate the PI3K/AKT pathway fostering the malignant features of LUSC cells.

Wnt Signaling in the Development of Bone Metastasis

Wnt signaling occurs through evolutionarily conserved pathways that affect cellular proliferation and fate decisions during development and tissue maintenance. Alterations in these highly regulated pathways, however, play pivotal roles in various malignancies, promoting cancer initiation, growth and metastasis and the development of drug resistance. The ability of cancer cells to metastasize is the primary cause of cancer mortality. Bone is one of the most frequent sites of metastases that generally arise from breast, prostate, lung, melanoma or kidney cancer. Upon their arrival to the bone, cancer cells can enter a long-term dormancy period, from which they can be reactivated, but can rarely be cured. The activation of Wnt signaling during the bone metastasis process was found to enhance proliferation, induce the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, promote the modulation of the extracellular matrix, enhance angiogenesis and immune tolerance and metastasize and thrive in the bone. Due to the complexity of Wnt pathways and of the landscape of this mineralized tissue, Wnt function during metastatic progression within bone is not yet fully understood. Therefore, we believe that a better understanding of these pathways and their roles in the development of bone metastasis could improve our understanding of the disease and may constitute fertile ground for potential therapeutics.

The roles of KLHL family members in human cancers

The Kelch-like (KLHL) family members consist of three domains: bric-a-brac, tramtrack, broad complex/poxvirus and zinc finger domain, BACK domain and Kelch domain, which combine and interact with Cullin3 to form an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Research has indicated that KLHL family members ubiquitinate target substrates to regulate physiological and pathological processes, including tumorigenesis and progression. KLHL19, a member of the KLHL family, is associated with tumorigenesis and drug resistance. However, the regulation and cross talks of other KLHL family members, which also play roles in cancer, are still unclear. Our review mainly explores studies concerning the roles of other KLHL family members in tumor-related regulation to provide novel insights into KLHL family members.

GPX2 predicts recurrence-free survival and triggers the Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway in prostate cancer

Objective

This study aimed to establish a prognostic model related to prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence-free survival (RFS) and identify biomarkers.

Methods

The RFS prognostic model and key genes associated with PCa were established using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Cox regression from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-PRAD and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) GSE46602 datasets. The weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) was used to analyze the obtained key modules and genes, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed. The phenotype and mechanism were verified in vitro.

Results

A total of 18 genes were obtained by LASSO regression, and an RFS model was established and verified (TCGA, AUC: 0.774; GSE70768, AUC: 0.759). Three key genes were obtained using multivariate Cox regression. WGCNA analysis obtained the blue module closely related to the Gleason score (cor = -0.22, P = 3.3e - 05) and the unique gene glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of GPX2 was significantly higher in patients with PCa than in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (P < 0.05), but there was no significant correlation with the Gleason score (GSE46602 and GSE6919 verified), which was also verified in the GSE46602 and GSE6919 datasets. The GSEA results showed that GPX2 expression was mainly related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Wnt pathways. Additionally, GPX2 expression significantly correlated with eight kinds of immune cells. In human PCa cell lines LNCaP and 22RV1, si-GPX2 inhibited proliferation and invasion, and induced apoptosis when compared with si-NC. The protein expression of Wnt3a, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), phosphorylated (p)-GSK3β, β-catenin, p-β-catenin, c-myc, cyclin D1, and vimentin decreased; the expression of E-cadherin increased; and the results for over-GPX2 were opposite to those for over-NC. The protein expression of GPX2 decreased, and β-catenin was unchanged in the si-GPX2+ SKL2001 group compared with the si-NC group.

Conclusion

We successfully constructed the PCa RFS prognostic model, obtained RFS-related biomarker GPX2, and found that GPX2 regulated PCa progression and triggered Wnt/β-catenin/EMT pathway molecular changes.

Curcuminoids as Modulators of EMT in Invasive Cancers: A Review of Molecular Targets With the Contribution of Malignant Mesothelioma Studies

Curcuminoids, which include natural acyclic diarylheptanoids and the synthetic analogs of curcumin, have considerable potential for fighting against all the characteristics of invasive cancers. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental process for embryonic morphogenesis, however, the last decade has confirmed it orchestrates many features of cancer invasiveness, such as tumor cell stemness, metabolic rewiring, and drug resistance. A wealth of studies has revealed EMT in cancer is in fact driven by an increasing number of parameters, and thus understanding its complexity has now become a cornerstone for defining future therapeutic strategies dealing with cancer progression and metastasis. A specificity of curcuminoids is their ability to target multiple molecular targets, modulate several signaling pathways, modify tumor microenvironments and enhance the host’s immune response. Although the effects of curcumin on these various parameters have been the subject of many reviews, the role of curcuminoids against EMT in the context of cancer have never been reviewed so far. This review first provides an updated overview of all EMT drivers, including signaling pathways, transcription factors, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and tumor microenvironment components, with a special focus on the most recent findings. Secondly, for each of these drivers the effects of curcumin/curcuminoids on specific molecular targets are analyzed. Finally, we address some common findings observed between data reported in the literature and the results of investigations we conducted on experimental malignant mesothelioma, a model of invasive cancer representing a useful tool for studies on EMT and cancer.

The Expression of Proto-Oncogene ETS-Related Gene (ERG) Plays a Central Role in the Oncogenic Mechanism Involved in the Development and Progression of Prostate Cancer

The ETS-related gene (ERG) is proto-oncogene that is classified as a member of the ETS transcription factor family, which has been found to be consistently overexpressed in about half of the patients with clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa). The overexpression of ERG can mostly be attributed to the fusion of the ERG and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) genes, and this fusion is estimated to represent about 85% of all gene fusions observed in prostate cancer. Clinically, individuals with ERG gene fusion are mostly documented to have advanced tumor stages, increased mortality, and higher rates of metastasis in non-surgical cohorts. In the current review, we elucidate ERG’s molecular interaction with downstream genes and the pathways associated with PCa. Studies have documented that ERG plays a central role in PCa progression due to its ability to enhance tumor growth by promoting inflammatory and angiogenic responses. ERG has also been implicated in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in PCa cells, which increases the ability of cancer cells to metastasize. In vivo, research has demonstrated that higher levels of ERG expression are involved with nuclear pleomorphism that prompts hyperplasia and the loss of cell polarity.

Roles of lncRNAs Mediating Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered the second most deadly cancer worldwide. Due to the absence of early diagnostic markers and effective therapeutic approaches, distant metastasis and increasing recurrence rates are major difficulties in the clinical treatment of HCC. Further understanding of its pathogenesis has become an urgent goal in HCC research. Recently, abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) was identified as a vital regulator involved in the initiation and development of HCC. Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been reported to obviously impact cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of HCC. This article reviews specific interactions, significant mechanisms and molecules related to HCC initiation and progression to provide promising strategies for treatment.

PCAT6 May Be a Whistler and Checkpoint Target for Precision Therapy in Human Cancers

Simple Summary

Prostate cancer-associated transcript 6 (PCAT6), as a newly discovered carcinogenic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), is abnormally expressed in multiple diseases. With the accumulation of studies on PCAT6, we have a deeper understanding of its biological functions and mechanisms. Therefore, in this review, the various molecular mechanisms by which PCAT6 promotes multiple tumorigenesis and progression are summarized and discussed. Furthermore, its potential diagnostic, prognostic, and immunotherapeutic values are also clarified.

Abstract

LncRNAs are involved in the occurrence and progressions of multiple cancers. Emerging evidence has shown that PCAT6, a newly discovered carcinogenic lncRNA, is abnormally elevated in various human malignant tumors. Until now, PCAT6 has been found to sponge various miRNAs to activate the signaling pathways, which further affects tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cycle, apoptosis, radioresistance, and chemoresistance. Moreover, PCAT6 has been shown to exert biological functions beyond ceRNAs. In this review, we summarize the biological characteristics of PCAT6 in a variety of human malignancies and describe the biological mechanisms by which PCAT6 can facilitate tumor progression. Finally, we discuss its diagnostic and prognostic values and clinical applications in various human malignancies.