DDA suppresses angiogenesis and tumor growth of colorectal cancer in vivo through decreasing VEGFR2 signaling

Neuropilin-1 as a Potential Biomarker of Prognosis and Invasive-Related Parameters in Liver and Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human Studies

Simple Summary

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane protein which has had recently increased interest from cancer researchers. Liver cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC) are two of the most frequent and deadly tumors worldwide. Here, we assessed the prognostic, diagnostic and clinicopathological value of NRP1 in liver cancer and CRC patients by systematic searches in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library and a meta-analysis. Results obtained showed that NRP1 overexpression was significantly correlated with lower survival in liver cancer patients and with tumor development in hepatocarcinoma patients, and high levels of NRP1 were strongly correlated with an increased risk of vascular invasion in liver cancer and metastasis in CRC and liver tumors. Therefore, these findings could establish novel interest of NRP1 as a useful biomarker for patient prognosis as well as for invasive-related characteristics in patients with liver cancer or CRC.

Abstract

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane protein involved in numerous cellular functions which has had increasing interest from cancer researchers. Liver cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC) are two of the most frequent and deadly tumors with a complex pharmacological framework. Here, we assessed the prognostic, diagnostic and clinicopathological value of NRP1 in liver cancer and CRC patients. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library databases for articles evaluating the NRP1 correlation with survival parameters, tumor development or clinicopathological features. Hazard ratios and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were extracted or estimated by Parmar method and pooled to evaluate the overall effect size with STATA 16 software. Heterogeneity was analyzed by chi-square-based Q test and I² statistic, along with meta-regression and subgroup analysis, and publication bias was assessed by funnel plot asymmetry and Egger’s test. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022307062). NRP1 overexpression was significantly correlated with lower survival in liver cancer patients and with tumor development in hepatocarcinoma patients, and was strongly correlated with an increased risk of vascular invasion in liver cancer and metastasis in CRC and liver tumors. These results support the role of NRP1 as a potential and useful biomarker in both types of cancer.

Suppressing STAT3 activity protects the endothelial barrier from VEGF-mediated vascular permeability

Vascular permeability triggered by inflammation or ischemia promotes edema, exacerbates disease progression and impairs tissue recovery. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent inducer of vascular permeability. VEGF plays an integral role in regulating vascular barrier function physiologically and in pathologies, including cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, retinal conditions and COVID-19-associated pulmonary edema, sepsis and acute lung injury. Understanding temporal molecular regulation of VEGF-induced vascular permeability will facilitate developing therapeutics to inhibit vascular permeability, while preserving tissue-restorative angiogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that VEGF signals through signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) to promote vascular permeability. We show that genetic STAT3 ablation reduces vascular permeability in STAT3-deficient endothelium of mice and VEGF-inducible zebrafish crossed with CRISPR/Cas9-generated Stat3 knockout zebrafish. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression is transcriptionally regulated by STAT3, and VEGF-dependent STAT3 activation is regulated by JAK2. Pyrimethamine, an FDA-approved antimicrobial agent that inhibits STAT3-dependent transcription, substantially reduces VEGF-induced vascular permeability in zebrafish, mouse and human endothelium. Collectively, our findings suggest that VEGF/VEGFR-2/JAK2/STAT3 signaling regulates vascular barrier integrity, and inhibition of STAT3-dependent activity reduces VEGF-induced vascular permeability.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Summary: Genetic STAT3 ablation in mice and VEGF-inducible zebrafish reveals that VEGF signals through STAT3 to promote vascular permeability. Pyrimethamine reduces VEGF-induced permeability in animal models.

Suppressing STAT3 activity protects the endothelial barrier from VEGF-mediated vascular permeability

Vascular permeability triggered by inflammation or ischemia promotes edema, exacerbates disease progression, and impairs tissue recovery. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent inducer of vascular permeability. VEGF plays an integral role in regulating vascular barrier function physiologically and in pathologies, such as cancer, ischemic stroke, cardiovascular disease, retinal conditions, and COVID-19-associated pulmonary edema and sepsis, which often leads to acute lung injury, including acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, after initially stimulating permeability, VEGF subsequently mediates angiogenesis to repair damaged tissue. Consequently, understanding temporal molecular regulation of VEG-Finduced vascular permeability will facilitate developing therapeutics that achieve the delicate balance of inhibiting vascular permeability while preserving tissue repair. Here, we demonstrate that VEGF signals through signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) to promote vascular permeability. Specifically, we show that genetic STAT3 ablation reduces vascular permeability in STAT3-deficient endothelium of mice and VEGF-inducible zebrafish crossed with CRISPR/Cas9 generated genomic STAT3 knockout zebrafish. Importantly, STAT3 deficiency does not impair vascular development and function in vivo. We identify intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) as a STAT3-dependent transcriptional regulator and show VEGF-dependent STAT3 activation is regulated by JAK2. Pyrimethamine, an FDA-approved antimicrobial agent that inhibits STAT3-dependent transcription, substantially reduces VEGF-induced vascular permeability in zebrafish, mouse, and human endothelium. Indeed, pharmacologically targeting STAT3 increases vascular barrier integrity using two additional compounds, atovaquone and C188-9. Collectively, our findings suggest that the VEGF, VEGFR-2, JAK2, and STAT3 signaling cascade regulates vascular barrier integrity, and inhibition of STAT3-dependent activity reduces VEGF-induced vascular permeability in vertebrate models.

miR-135a inhibits tumor metastasis and angiogenesis by targeting FAK pathway

Tumor metastasis has been the major cause of recurrence and death in patients with gastric cancer. Here, we find miR-135a has a decreased expression in the metastatic cell lines compared with its parental cell lines by analyzing microRNA array. Further results show that miR-135a is downregulated in the majority of human gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Decreased expression of miR-135a is associated with TNM stage and poor survival. Besides, regaining miR-135a in gastric cancer cells obviously inhibits tumor growth, migration, invasion and angiogenesis by targeting focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway. Bioinformatics analysis and molecular experiments further prove that miR-135a is a novel downstream gene of tumor suppressor p53. Blocking FAK with its inhibitor can also enhance miR-135a expression through inducing p53. In summary, this study reveals the expression and function of miR-135a in gastric cancer and uncovers a novel regulatory mechanism of miR-135a.

NHERF1 regulates the progression of colorectal cancer through the interplay with VEGFR2 pathway

The oncogenic role of ectopic expression of Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1) was recently suggested in colorectal cancer, where it was implicated in playing a role in the tumor hypoxia microenvironment. Here we showed that a high level expression of NHERF1 was found in colorectal cancer tissues and that the expression of NHERF1 was positively correlated with VEGFR2 expression. The prognostic value of VEGFR2 expression in colorectal cancer relied on the expression of NHERF1. The up-regulation of NHERF1 induced by the exposure to hypoxia in colon cancer cells depended on the activation of VEGFR2 signaling. NHERF1 in turn inhibited the activation of VEGFR2 signaling which could be regulated by the interaction between NHERF1 and VEGFR2, resulting in the reduction of migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. These results suggest a dynamic interplay between NHERF1 and VEGFR2 signaling in colorectal cancer, which could explain the contribution of NHERF1 to the regulation of tumor cell responses to the hypoxia microenvironment.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts enhance metastatic potential of lung cancer cells through IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway

Recent studies indicate that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are involved in tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, however, the underling mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of CAFs on the metastatic potential of lung cancer cells. The stromal fibroblasts we isolated from lung cancer tissues presented CAFs characteristics with high levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibroblast-activating protein (FAP). Our data showed that the conditioned medium from cultured CAFs (CAF-CM) dramatically enhanced migration and invasion of lung cancer cells. CAF-CM induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by regulating the expression of EMT-associated markers E-cadherin and vimentin, and also modulated metastasis-related genes MMP-2 and VEGF both in vitro and in vivo. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that CAFs enhanced the metastatic potential of lung cancer cells by secreting IL-6, subsequently activating of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Additionally, the inhibition of IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway by IL-6 neutralizing antibody or specific inhibitors of JAK2/STAT3 reversed CAF-CM induced EMT and migration of lung cancer cells. Taken together, these findings revealed a novel mechanism that CAFs induced EMT and promoted metastasis of lung cancer cells through the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway.