Synchronous co‑expression of Id‑1 and nuclear NF‑κB p65 promotes cervical cancer progression and malignancy, and is associated with a poor prognosis and chemosensitivity

Prognostic implications of the ID1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia patients treated in a resource-constrained setting

INTRODUCTION

The aberrant expression of the inhibitor of DNA binding (ID1) gene has been frequently associated with the leukemogenesis and prognostication acute myeloid leukemia (AML), although its clinical importance has never been investigated in patients treated outside well-controlled clinical trials.

METHODS

Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we investigated the role of the ID1 expression in the clinical outcomes of non-selected patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated in a real-life setting.

RESULTS

Overall, 128 patients were enrolled. Patients with high ID1 expression had a lower 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of 9%, with the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) at 3 to 20%, compared to patients with a low ID1 expression (22%, 95%CI: 11 - 34%) (p = 0.037), although these findings did not retain significance after adjustment (hazard ratio (HR): 1.5, 95%CI: 0.98 - 2.28; p = 0.057). The ID1 expression had no impact on post-induction outcomes (disease-free survival, p = 0.648; cumulative incidence of relapse, p = 0.584).

CONCLUSIONS

Although we are aware thar our data are confronted with many variables that cannot be fully controlled, including drug unavailability, risk-adapted treatment, comorbidities and the time from diagnosis to treatment initiation, we are firm believers that such an initiative can provide more realistic data on understudied populations, in particular those from low- and middle-income countries.

Expression of p52, a non-canonical NF-kappaB transcription factor, is associated with poor ovarian cancer prognosis

BACKGROUND

The canonical and non-canonical nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathways have key roles in cancer, but studies have previously evaluated only the association of canonical transcription factors and ovarian cancer survival. Although a number of in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated mechanisms by which non-canonical NF-κB signaling potentially contributes to ovarian cancer progression, a prognostic association has yet to be shown in the clinical context.

METHODS

We assayed p65 and p52 (major components of the canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways) by immunohistochemistry in epithelial ovarian tumor samples; nuclear and cytoplasmic staining were semi-quantified by H-scores and dichotomized at median values. Associations of p65 and p52 with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were quantified by Hazard Ratios (HR) from proportional-hazards regression.

RESULTS

Among 196 cases, median p52 and p65 H-scores were higher in high-grade serous cancers. Multivariable regression models indicated that higher p52 was associated with higher hazards of disease progression (cytoplasmic HR: 1.54; nuclear HR: 1.67) and death (cytoplasmic HR: 1.53; nuclear HR: 1.49), while higher nuclear p65 was associated with only a higher hazard of disease progression (HR: 1.40) in unadjusted models. When cytoplasmic and nuclear staining were combined, p52 remained significantly associated with increased hazards of disease progression (HR: 1.91, p = 0.004) and death (HR: 1.70, p = 0.021), even after adjustment for p65 and in analyses among only high-grade serous tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to demonstrate that p52, a major component of non-canonical NF-κB signaling, may be an independent prognostic factor for epithelial ovarian cancer, particularly high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Approaches to inhibit non-canonical NF-κB signaling should be explored as novel ovarian cancer therapies are needed.

Inhibitor of Differentiation 1 (Id1) in Cancer and Cancer Therapy

The inhibitor of DNA binding (Id) proteins are regulators of cell cycle and cell differentiation. Of all Id family proteins, Id1 is mostly linked to tumorigenesis, cellular senescence as well as cell proliferation and survival. Id1 is a stem cell-like gene more than a classical oncogene. Id1 is overexpressed in numerous types of cancers and exerts its promotion effect to these tumors through different pathways. Briefly, Id1 was found significantly correlated with EMT-related proteins, K-Ras signaling, EGFR signaling, BMP signaling, PI3K/Akt signaling, WNT and SHH signaling, c-Myc signaling, STAT3 signaling, RK1/2 MAPK/Egr1 pathway and TGF-β pathway, etc. Id1 has potent effect on facilitating tumorous angiogenesis and metastasis. Moreover, high expression of Id1 plays a facilitating role in the development of drug resistance, including chemoresistance, radiation resistance and resistance to drugs targeting angiogenesis. However, controversial results were also obtained. Overall, Id1 represent a promising target of anti-tumor therapeutics based on its potent promotion effect to cancer. Numerous drugs were found exerting their anti-tumor function through Id1-related signaling pathways, such as fucoidan, berberine, tetramethylpyrazine, crizotinib, cannabidiol and vinblastine.