Siva‑1 regulates multidrug resistance of gastric cancer by targeting MDR1 and MRP1 via the NF‑κB pathway

Reversal of chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer with traditional Chinese medicine as sensitizer: potential mechanism of action

Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most common types of cancer, ranking fifth among cancer-related deaths worldwide. Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for advanced GC. However, the development of chemotherapy resistance, which involves the malfunction of several signaling pathways and is the consequence of numerous variables interacting, seriously affects patient treatment and leads to poor clinical outcomes. Therefore, in order to treat GC, it is imperative to find novel medications that will increase chemotherapy sensitivity and reverse chemotherapy resistance. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been extensively researched as an adjuvant medication in recent years. It has been shown to have anticancer benefits and to be crucial in enhancing chemotherapy sensitivity and reducing chemotherapy resistance. Given this, the mechanism of treatment resistance in GC is summed up in this work. The theoretical foundation for TCM as a sensitizer in adjuvant treatment of GC is established by introducing the primary signal pathways and possible targets implicated in improving chemotherapy sensitivity and reversing chemotherapy resistance of GC by TCM and active ingredients.

MiRNAs function in the development of resistance against doxorubicin in cancer cells: targeting ABC transporters

Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents poses a significant challenge in cancer treatment, particularly with doxorubicin, a widely used drug for various cancers, including breast cancer, leukaemia, osteosarcoma, and gastrointestinal cancers. This review aims to elucidate the critical role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development of doxorubicin resistance, focusing on their interactions with ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanisms governing doxorubicin resistance still need to be completed, particularly regarding the regulatory influence of miRNAs on ABC transporter expression. By analyzing current literature, this review identifies a notable gap: the lack of comprehensive insight into how specific miRNAs modulate the expression and activity of ABC transporters in cancer cells, contributing to doxorubicin resistance. We systematically examine recent findings on the interplay between miRNAs and ABC transporters, providing a detailed assessment of potential therapeutic strategies that leverage miRNA modulation to overcome drug resistance. Ultimately, this review underscores the significance of integrating miRNA research into existing therapeutic frameworks to enhance the efficacy of doxorubicin in cancer treatment.

Inflammation-Associated Stem Cells in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Their Utility as Prognostic Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets

Stem cells are critical for the development and homeostasis of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Inflammatory molecules are known to regulate the activity of stem cells. A comprehensive review specifically describing the role of inflammatory molecules in the regulation of stem cells within the GI tract and in GI cancers (GICs) is not available. This review focuses on understanding the role of inflammatory molecules and stem cells in maintaining homeostasis of the GI tract. We further discuss how inflammatory conditions contribute to the transformation of stem cells into tumor-initiating cells. We also describe the molecular mechanisms of inflammation and stem cell-driven progression and metastasis of GICs. Furthermore, we report on studies describing the prognostic value of cancer stem cells and the clinical trials evaluating their therapeutic utility. This review provides a detailed overview on the role of inflammatory molecules and stem cells in maintaining GI tract homeostasis and their implications for GI-related malignancies.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Chemoresistance for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive tract, and chemotherapy plays an irreplaceable role in the comprehensive treatment of GC. However, chemoresistance makes it difficult for patients with GC to benefit steadily from chemotherapy in the long term, which ultimately leads to tumor recurrence, metastasis, and patient death. Elucidating the detailed mechanism of chemoresistance in GC and identifying specific therapeutic targets will help to solve the difficult problem of chemoresistance and improve the prognosis of patients with GC. This review summarizes and clarifies the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chemoresistance for GC.

SIVA-1 interaction with PCBP1 serves as a predictive biomarker for cisplatin sensitivity in gastric cancer and its inhibitory effect on tumor growth in vivo

Background: SIVA-1 has been reported to play a key role in cell apoptosis and gastric cancer (GC) chemoresistance in vitro. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of SIVA-1 in GC chemotherapy remains unclear. Methods and results: Immunohistochemistry and histoculture drug response assays were used to determine SIVA-1 expression and the inhibition rate (IR) of agents to GC and to further analyze the relationship between these two phenomena. Additionally, cisplatin (DDP)-resistant GC cells were used to elucidate the role and mechanism of SIVA-1 in vivo. The results demonstrated that SIVA-1 expression was positively correlated with the IR of DDP to GC but not with those of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or adriamycin (ADM). Furthermore, SIVA-1 overexpression with DDP treatment synergistically inhibited tumor growth in vivo by increasing PCBP1 and decreasing Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that SIVA-1 may serve as an indicator of the GC sensitivity to DDP, and the mechanism of SIVA-1 in GC resistance to DDP was preliminarily revealed.

Mutation of SIVA, a candidate metastasis gene identified from clonally related bilateral breast cancers, promotes breast cancer cell spread in vitro and in vivo

Metastasis is the most dreaded outcome after a breast cancer diagnosis, and little is known regarding what triggers or promotes breast cancer to spread distally, or how to prevent or eradicate metastasis effectively. Bilateral breast cancers are an uncommon form of breast cancers. In our study, a percentage of bilateral breast cancers were clonally related based on copy number variation profiling. Whole exome sequencing and comparative sequence analysis revealed that a limited number of somatic mutations were acquired in this "breast-to-breast" metastasis that might promote breast cancer distant spread. One somatic mutation acquired was SIVA-D160N that displayed pro-metastatic phenotypes in vivo and in vitro. Over-expression of SIVA-D160N promoted migration and invasion of human MB-MDA-231 breast cancer cells in vitro, consistent with a dominant negative interfering function. When introduced via tail vein injection, 231 cells over-expressing SIVA-D160N displayed enhanced distant spread on IVIS imaging. Over-expression of SIVA-D160N promoted invasion and anchorage independent growth of mouse 4T1 breast cancer cells in vitro. When introduced orthotopically via mammary fat pad injection in syngeneic Balb/c mice, over-expression of SIVA-D160N in 4T1 cells increased orthotopically implanted mammary gland tumor growth as well as liver metastasis. Clonally related bilateral breast cancers represented a novel system to investigate metastasis and revealed a role of SIVA-D160N in breast cancer metastasis. Further characterization and understanding of SIVA function, and that of its interacting proteins, may elucidate mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis, providing clinically useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

SIVA-1 enhances acquired chemotherapeutic drug resistance of gastric cancer in vivo by regulating the ARF/MDM2/p53 pathway

SIVA-1 has been shown to affect apoptotic processes in various different cell lines, and SIVA-1 significantly contributes to the decreased responsiveness of cancer cells to some chemotherapy agents. However, whether SIVA-1 has potential application in gastric cancer remains unknown. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to clarify the distinct function of SIVA-1 in chemotherapeutic drug resistance within a living murine model with gastric malignancy, and initially elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In an established multidrug-resistant gastric cancer xenograft mouse model, lentivirus, named Lv-SIVA-1, was injected into xenograft tumors, and increased the mRNA and protein expression of endogenous SIVA-1 in tumors. Immunohistochemical assays of xenograft tumor showed that SIVA-1 was significantly upregulated, and the protein expression levels of SIVA-1 were highly increased, as detected by Western blotting. In addition, we detected the role of SIVA-1 in cell proliferation and cell apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by TUNEL and found that SIVA-1 decreased tumor cell apoptosis and promoted tumor growth in vivo. Using a TMT assay between tumor tissues of experimental and control groups, differentially expressed proteins were examined and three potential biomarkers of multidrug resistance (ARF, MDM2, and p53) were screened. We further investigated the molecular mechanism by which SIVA-1 played an efficient role against chemotherapies and found that overexpressed SIVA-1 leads to increased ARF and MDM2 expression and suppressed expression of p53 in tumor tissue. In conclusion, SIVA-1 plays a significant role in the multidrug resistance of gastric tumors. In addition, overexpressed SIVA-1 positively regulates cell proliferation, adjusts cycle progression, and reduces the response to drug treatment for gastric cancer in an ARF/MDM2/p53-dependent manner. This novel research provides a basis for chemical management of gastric cancer through regulation of SIVA-1 expression.

Inhibition of murine colorectal cancer metastasis by targeting M2-TAM through STAT3/NF-kB/AKT signaling using macrophage 1-derived extracellular vesicles loaded with oxaliplatin, retinoic acid, and Libidibia ferrea

Colorectal cancer is still unmanageable despite advances in target therapy. However, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown potential in nanomedicine as drug delivery systems, especially for modulating the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, M1 Macrophage EVs (M1EVs) were used as nanocarriers of oxaliplatin (M1EV1) associated with retinoic acid (M1EV2) and Libidibia ferrea (M1EV3), alone or in combination (M1EV4) to evaluate their antiproliferative and immunomodulatory potential on CT-26 and MC-38 colorectal cancer cell lines and prevent metastasis in mice of allograft and peritoneal colorectal cancer models. Tumors were evaluated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The cell death profile and epithelial-mesenchymal transition process (EMT) were analyzed in vitro in colorectal cancer cell lines. Polarization of murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) was also carried out. M1EV2 and M1EV3 used alone or particularly M1EV4 downregulated the tumor progression by TME immunomodulation, leading to a decrease in primary tumor size and metastasis in the peritoneum, liver, and lungs. STAT3, NF-kB, and AKT were the major genes downregulated by of M1EV systems. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) shifted from an M2 phenotype (CD163) to an M1 phenotype (CD68) reducing levels of IL-10, TGF-β and CCL22. Furthermore, malignant cells showed overexpression of FADD, APAF-1, caspase-3, and E-cadherin, and decreased expression of MDR1, survivin, vimentin, and PD-L1 after treatment with systems of M1EVs. The study shows that EVs from M1 antitumor macrophages can transport drugs and enhance their immunomodulatory and antitumor activity by modulating pathways associated with cell proliferation, migration, survival, and drug resistance.

Depletion of circPDSS1 inhibits ITGA11 production to confer cisplatin sensitivity through miR-515-5p in gastric cancer

Chemoresistance limits cisplatin (DDP)-mediated treatment for gastric cancer (GC). Circular RNA (circRNA) acts an important role in chemoresistance. However, the underlying mechanism of circPDSS1 regulating DDP sensitivity in GC remains unclear. The expression patterns of circPDSS1, miR-515-5p and integrin subunit alpha 11 (ITGA11) were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Protein expression was checked by Western blotting analysis. Cell viability was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell proliferation was evaluated by colony formation assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay. The analysis of cell apoptosis, migration and invasion was performed by flow cytometry analysis and transwell assays. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay were conducted to identify the associations among circPDSS1, miR-515-5p and ITGA11. In vivo assay was implemented using a xenograft mouse model assay. CircPDSS1 and ITGA11 expression were significantly upregulated, whereas miR-515-5p was downregulated in DDP-resistant GC tissues and cells in comparison with controls. CircPDSS1 depletion reduced DDP resistance, cell proliferation, migration and invasion but induced cell apoptosis in DDP-resistant GC cells. CircPDSS1 directly bound to miR-515-5p. CircPDSS1-mediated actions were dependent on the regulation of miR-515-5p. Besides, miR-515-5p was associated with ITGA11, and circPDSS1 regulated ITGA11 expression by binding to miR-515-5p. Overexpression of miR-515-5p improved DDP sensitivity owing to the downregulation of ITGA11. Further, circPDSS1 mediated DDP sensitivity by regulating miR-515-5p and ITGA11 in vivo. CircPDSS1 conferred DDP resistance through the miR-515-5p/ITGA11 axis in GC cells.

Inhibition of apoptosis-regulatory protein Siva-1 reverses multidrug resistance in gastric cancer by targeting PCBP1

INTRODUCTION

Siva-1, as a pro-apoptotic protein, has been shown to induce extensive apoptosis in a number of different cell lines. In our previous study, we showed that overexpressed Siva-1 decreased the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. So, we believe that it can also work as an anti-apoptotic protein. The present study aimed to determine the specific role of Siva-1 in anticancer drug resistance in gastric cancer in vivo and in vitro and preliminarily reveal the mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A vincristine-resistant MKN-28/VCR gastric cancer cell line with stably downregulated Siva-1 was established. The effect of Siva-1 downregulation on chemotherapeutic drug resistance was assessed by measuring the IC50 and pump rate of doxorubicin. Proliferation, apoptosis of cells, and cell cycle were detected via colony formation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Additionally, migration and invasion of cells was detected via wound healing and transwell assays. Moreover, we determined in vivo effects of LV-Siva-1-RNAi on tumor size, and apoptotic cells in tumor tissues were detected using TUNEL and hematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTS

Siva-1 downregulation reduced the pump rate of doxorubicin and enhanced the response to drug treatment. Siva-1 negatively regulated proliferation and promoted apoptosis of cells by potentiality G2-M phase arresting. Inhibition of Siva-1 expression in MKN-28/VCR cells significantly weakened wound healing ability and decreased invasion ability. Poly(C)-binding protein 1 (PCBP1) was identified as a Siva-1-interacting protein in yeast two-hybrid screening. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and western blotting revealed that Siva-1 downregulation could inhibit expression of PCBP1, Akt, and NF-κB and eventually decrease the expression of MDR1 and MRP1.

CONCLUSION

he current study demonstrated that the downregulation of Siva-1, which functions as a regulator of MDR1 and MRP1 gene expression in gastric cancer cells by inhibiting PCBP1/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway expression, enhanced the sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to certain chemotherapies.

Astragalus polysaccharides affects multidrug resistance gene 1 and Pglycoprotein 170 in adriamycin nephropathy rats via regulating microRNA16/NFκB axis

OBJECTIVES

Nephrotic syndrome is a common disease of the urinary system. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) and P-glycoprotein 170 (P-gp170) in adriamycin nephropathy rats and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

A total of 72 male Wistar rats were divided into a control group, a model group, an APS low-dose group, an APS high-dose group, an APS+micro RNA (miR)-16 antagomir group and an APS+miR-16 antagomir control group, with 12 rats in each group. Urine protein (UP) was detected by urine analyzer, and serum cholesterol (CHOL), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (SCr) were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer; serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels were detected by ELISA kit; the morphological changes of kidney tissues were observed by HE staining; the levels of miR-16 and MDR1 mRNA in kidney tissues were detected by real-time RT-PCR; the expression levels of NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, and P-gp170 protein in kidney tissues were detected by Western blotting; and dual luciferase was used to verify the relationship between miR-16 and NF-κB.

RESULTS

The renal tissue structure of rats in the control group was normal without inflammatory cell infiltration. The renal glomeruli of rats in the model group were mildly congested, capillary stenosis or occlusion, and inflammatory cell infiltration was obvious. The rats in the low-dose and high-dose APS groups had no obvious glomerular congestion, the proliferation of mesangial cells was significantly reduced, and the inflammatory cells were reduced. Compared with the high-dose APS group and the APS+miR-16 antagomir control group, there were more severe renal tissue structure damages in the APS + miR-16 antagomir group. Compared with the control group, the levels of UP, CHOL, BUN, SCr, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDR1 mRNA, and the protein levels of p-NF-κB p65 and P-gp170 in the model group were significantly increased (all P<0.05); the levels of ALB and miR-16 were significantly decreased (both P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the levels of UP, CHOL, BUN, SCr, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MDR1 mRNA, and the protein levels of pNF-κB p65 and P-gp170 in the low-dose and high-dose APS groups were significant decreased (all P<0.05); and the levels of ALB and miR-16 were significantly increased (both P<0.05). Compared with APS+miR-16 antagomir control group, the UP, CHOL, BUN, SCr, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels, MDR1 mRNA, and the protein levels of p-NF-κB p65 and P-gp170 were significantly increased (all P<0.05). The levels of ALB and miR-16 were significantly decreased in the APS+miR-16 antagomir group compared with the APS+miR-16 antagomir control group (both P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

APS can regulate the miR-16/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby affecting the levels of MDR1 and P-gp170, and reducing the inflammation in the kidney tissues in the adriamycin nephropathy rats.

Effects of CD133 expression on chemotherapy and drug sensitivity of adenoid cystic carcinoma

The cellular resistance of tumors is a major obstacle for successful tumor therapy. Cluster of differentiation (CD)133 plays an important role in the regulation of drug resistance in gastric and colon cancers. However, its effect on chemotherapeutic sensitivity in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) has not been fully explored. The present study discussed the specific role of CD133 in ACC drug-resistant sensitive cells. KOA-1 cells were treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and pingyangmycin (PYM) to form drug-resistant cell lines. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to detect the cell survival rate. Cell invasion was measured using a Transwell assay. The expression levels of CD133 were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q) PCR. The expression levels of drug-resistant mRNAs and proteins were detected by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence analyses, respectively. The CD133 were inhibited by small interfering RNA technology. The survival rate and invasive ability of KOA-1 cells were increased following the induction of drug resistance. The expression levels of CD133, multidrug resistance protein (MDR)1 and multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP)1 were significantly increased in drug-resistant cell lines. Knockdown of CD133 expression in the resistant cell lines, KOA-1/5-FU and KOA-1/PYM, decreased the survival rate and invasive ability. The expression levels of MDR1 and MRP1 were also significantly decreased. Knockdown of CD133 expression in ACC drug-resistant cells could inhibit the viability and invasion of tumors and enhance the sensitivity of drug-resistant cells to chemotherapeutic drugs.

miR-654-5p promotes gastric cancer progression via the GPRIN1/NF-κB pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric carcinoma (GC) ranks the fifth most common cancer worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rates. Numerous microRNAs (miRNAs), including miR-654-5p, have been implicated in the pathophysiological processes of tumorigenesis. Nevertheless, the mechanism of miR-654-5p in GC is unclear.

OBJECTIVES

Our study is devoted to exploring the function and molecular mechanism of miR-654-5p on the malignant cell behaviors of GC.

METHODS

The gene expression was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. GC cell proliferation and motion were assessed by colony formation assay and transwell assay. The binding capacity between miR-654-5p and G protein-regulated inducer of neurite outgrowth 1 (GPRIN1) was explored by luciferase reporter and RNA pulldown assays. The protein levels were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTS

miR-654-5p expression was higher in GC cells and tissues than control cells and tissues. miR-654-5p promoted GC cell growth and motion. Moreover, our findings showed that miR-654-5p was bound with GPRIN1. Importantly, downregulation of GPRIN1 rescued the inhibitory influence of miR-654-5p knockdown on GC cell malignant behaviors. Additionally, miR-654-5p activated the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway by regulation of GPRIN1.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-654-5p facilitated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in GC via targeting the GPRIN1 to activate the NF-κB pathway.

JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor reduced 5-FU resistance and autophagy through ATF6-mediated ER stress

Drug resistance seriously limits the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and hinders successful treatment in patients with gastric cancer. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and autophagy are recognized to be one of the mechanisms involving the drug resistance of gastric cancer. The mechanisms of action of JAK2/STAT3 pathway were investigated in AGS cells with drug resistance of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by corresponding inhibitors. We firstly analyzed the effects of JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor on the expression of drug resistance genes, autophagy markers, and ER stress-related markers on AGS/5-FU cells by Western blot. Whether JAK2/STAT3 pathway regulated the transcription of ATF6 was investigated through luciferase reporter assay. The expression of LC3B was detected by immunofluorescence assay. Next, ER stress inhibitor and ATF6 overexpression plasmid were respectively used to treat AGS/5-FU cells for analyzing whether JAK2/STAT3 pathway regulated ER stress. The results showed that JAK2 inhibitor or STAT3 inhibitor significantly altered the expression of these proteins and suppressed the activities of ATF6 promoter. Intriguingly, ATP6 overexpression could markedly reverse their effects. Moreover, similar effects to JAK2 inhibitor or STAT3 inhibitor appeared in ER stress inhibitor-treated group. These findings indicated that the involvement of JAK2/STAT3 pathway in regulating ER stress affected the 5-FU resistance of AGS cells and autophagy, which was mediated by ATF6. Targeting JAK2/STAT3 pathway could be a potential approach to decrease the 5-FU resistance of gastric cancer and enhance the sensitivity of gastric cancer to 5-FU. Additionally, our study offers new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the resistance of gastric cancer to 5-FU.