Pristimerin Suppressed Breast Cancer Progression via miR-542-5p/DUB3 Axis

Regulating pri/pre-microRNA up/down expressed in cancer proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis using selected potent triterpenoids

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in cancer progression by selectively inducing translational degradation of messenger RNA (mRNA) via sequence-specific interactions with the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR). The potential targeting of miRNA has been recognized as a significant avenue for investigating the biological progression of diverse cancer types. Consequently, targeting of pri-miRNA and pre-miRNA by phytochemicals emerges as a viable strategy in the realm of anticancer therapies. Among phytochemicals, triterpenoids have garnered significant recognition for their chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive capabilities in combating multiple cancers. To date, there is a dearth of literature about the molecular interactions between triterpenoids and miRNAs. The primary objective of this investigation is to discern the potential triterpenoids that can function as modulators for specific miRNAs, namely pri-miRNA-19b-2, pre-miR21, microRNA 20b, pri-miRNA-208a, pri-miRNA-378a, pri-miRNA-320b-2, and pri-miRNA-300, achieved through the use of in silico investigations. The study primarily focused on performing drug-likeness, computer-aided toxicity, and pharmacokinetic prediction studies for triterpenoids. Furthermore, molecular docking and simulation techniques were employed to investigate these compounds. The triterpenoids studied were shown to have drug-likeness characteristics, although asiatic acid, lupeol, and pristimerin were able to pass all toxicity tests. Among the triterpenoids that underwent docking, pristimerin had a significant binding energy of -10.9 kcal/mol during its interaction with pri-miR-378a. The stable interaction between the pristimerin and miRNA complex was demonstrated by molecular dynamics simulation. As a result, pristimerin has the potential to act as a modulator of carcinogenic miRNAs, making it a promising candidate for cancer prevention and treatment due to its tailored modulation of miRNA activity.

PEG-modified carbon-based nanoparticles as tumor-targeted drug delivery system reducing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity

Herein, a doxorubicin-loaded carbon-based drug delivery system, denoted as PC-DOX, composed of pH-responsive imine bond was developed for the tumor-targeted treatment. PC-DOX with a uniform particle size around 180 nm was synthesized by coating of as-synthesized hollow carbon-based nanoparticles (NPs) with dialdehyde PEG, which was used as carrier to attach DOX covalently through dynamic covalent bond. The unique structure endowed the advantages of specific tumor targeting and tumor microenvironment (TME) specific drug delivery capacity with PC-DOX. For the one hand, the tumor targeting caused by the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect could significantly improve the tumor cellular uptake. For the other hand, the pH-responsiveness could realize the effective DOX accumulation in tumor tissues, avoiding the unwanted side effect to the normal tissues. As a result, PC-DOX with high DOX loading capacity (70.12%) and excellent biocompatibility, concurrently, presented a significant anti-tumor effect at a low mass concentration (DOX equivalent dose: 20 μg/mL). Another attractive characteristic of PC-DOX was the remarkable protective effect towards DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, which could be clearly observed from in vitro cellular, and animal assays. Compared with free DOX, the cardiomyocyte viability increased by average 30.58%, and the heart function was also significantly improved. This novel drug delivery nanoplatform provides a new method for the future clinical application of DOX in the cancer's therapeutics.

Lnc‑RGS5 sponges miR‑542‑5p to promote FoxM1/VEGFA signaling and breast cancer cell proliferation

Breast cancer (BRCA) exhibits a high incidence rate among women worldwide. LOC127814295 (ENSG00000232995), termed long non‑coding (lnc)‑regulator of G protein signaling 5 (RGS5), is a novel lncRNA with a genomic region overlapping with protein‑coding gene RGS5. Results obtained using The Cancer Genome Atlas demonstrated that lnc‑RGS5 was deregulated in diverse cancer types, including BRCA; however, the functional role of lnc‑RGS5 remains unclear. Results of the present study demonstrated that lnc‑RGS5 was upregulated in BRCA tissues compared with healthy samples (n=30; P<0.0001), and was associated with the overall survival of patients with triple‑negative BRCA (n=106; P<0.05). Moreover, lnc‑RGS5 expression was significantly higher in triple‑negative BRCA samples than in LumA, LumB, or Her2 subtypes (P<0.05). Functionally, lnc‑RGS5 upregulation promoted BRCA cell proliferation in vitro, whereas lnc‑RGS5 knockdown elicited the opposite function. Stable knockdown of lnc‑RGS5 inhibited tumor cell proliferation in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that lnc‑RGS5 was significantly associated with RNA binding involved in post‑transcriptional gene silencing (P=0.002). Mechanistically, lnc‑RGS5 functions as a competing endogenous RNA via competitively sponging miR‑542‑5p to upregulate forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) and the VEGFA/Neuropilin 1 axis; thus, promoting BRCA cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, rescue experiments validated that the lnc‑RGS5/miR‑542‑5p/FoxM1 axis promoted BRCA cell growth in vivo. Collectively, results of the present study demonstrated that lnc‑RGS5 may exhibit potential as a novel oncogenic lncRNA in BRCA. The present study may provide a novel theoretical basis for the role of lncRNA in the targeted therapy of BRCA.

The multifaceted mechanisms of pristimerin in the treatment of tumors state-of-the-art

As a globally complicated disease, malignant tumor has long been posing a threat to human health with increasingly high morbidity and mortality. Notably, existing treatments for tumors like chemotherapy generally carry intolerable toxicity, necessitating novel agents balancing safety and potency. Among them, the anti-tumor potency of herbs, featuring few adverse effects and promising efficacy, has attracted much attention recently. Pristimerin, a Quinone formamide triterpenoid compound extracted from Celastraceae and Portulacaceae, carries pronounced anti-tumor activity. It applies to various malignant tumors, including breast cancer, bile duct cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, glioblastoma, colorectal cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. In state-of-the-art understanding, pristimerin, alone or combined, can inhibit tumor cell proliferation, induce tumor cell apoptosis, inhibit tumor migration and invasion, inhibit angiogenesis, induce tumor cell autophagy, regulate the occurrence of inflammation related tumors, enhance chemosensitivity and regulate tumor microenvironment and immune cells. Despite the abundance of pristimerin-based research, systematic reviews on its anti-tumor mechanism remain needed. This study presented the anti-tumor mechanism of pristimerin by literature review, which might serve as a reference for further research and clinical practice.

Blocking ATM Attenuates SKOV3 Cell Proliferation and Migration by Disturbing OGT/OGA Expression via hsa-miR-542-5p

Blocking ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a crucial player in DNA repair responses, has been proposed as a promising strategy in anti-cancer therapy. Most previous studies have focused on DNA damage response-related pathways after administration of ATM inhibitors. However, ATM inhibition could potentially influence a wide range of changes in gene expression, which remain poorly defined. Here, we report that administration of the ATM inhibitor KU60019 led to impaired migration and enhanced apoptosis in the ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3, accompanied by abnormally elevated O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase expression levels. In addition, KU60019 treatment significantly suppressed expression of hsa-miR-542-5p in SKOV3 cells. Up-regulation of hsa-miR-542-5p expression inhibited increases in OGT and OGA level, and reversed the effects of ATM inhibition on apoptosis and migration in SKOV3 cells. Finally, we found aberrant expression of OGT and OGA to be associated with ovarian cancer patient survival. Taken together, our results suggest that ATM inhibition may promote SKOV3 cell apoptosis via suppressing hsa-miR-542-5p and elevating OGT and OGA expression, providing new insights into the application of ATM inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy.

Novel Pathways for Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and is the second leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. Angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel development from pre-existing vasculature, has been implicated in the growth, progression, and metastasis of cancer. Tumor angiogenesis has been explored as a key therapeutic target for decades, as the blockade of this process holds the potential to reduce the oxygen and nutrient supplies that are required for tumor growth. However, many existing anti-angiogenic approaches, such as those targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Notch, and Angiopoietin signaling, have been associated with severe side-effects, limited survival advantage, and enhanced cancer regrowth rates. To address these setbacks, alternative pathways involved in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis are being explored, including those involving Bone Morphogenetic Protein-9 signaling, the Sonic Hedgehog pathway, Cyclooxygenase-2, p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase, and Chemokine Ligand 18. This review article will introduce the concept of tumor angiogenesis in the context of breast cancer, followed by an overview of current anti-angiogenic therapies, associated resistance mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets.

The Role of Radiotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma on Extremities With Lymph Nodes Metastasis: An IPTW Propensity Score Analysis of the SEER Database

Background

Soft tissue sarcomas on extremities with regional lymph nodes metastasis (STSE-RLNM) is a devastating situation. Optimizing therapeutic approaches is vital but hampered by a shortage of randomized trials. We used a population-level database to evaluate radiotherapy’s impact on sarcoma-specific survival (SSS) and overall survival (OS) for surgery for STSE-RLNM.

Methods

We retrospectively screened data from the SEER database (2004–2015), and 265 patients with STSE-RLNM who received surgery, with (134) or without (131) radiotherapy, were enrolled in this study. A propensity-score-matched analysis with the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) Kaplan–Meier curve was created. The log-rank test and Cox regression analysis were performed to compare SSS and OS in patients with and without radiotherapy. Further analysis of radiotherapy time was conducted, and the Kaplan–Meier curve and the log-rank test were done. Landmark analysis was introduced to attenuate the immortal bias.

Results

In the original unadjusted cohort, the radiotherapy + surgery group is associated with improved SSS [hazard ratio (HR), 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47–0.91; p = 0.011] and OS (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47–0.88; p = 0.006). This significant treatment effect was also noted in IPTW-adjusted Cox regression either on SSS (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45–0.93; p = 0.020) or on OS (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46–0.91; p = 0.013). The Kaplan–Meier curve and log-rank test showed that pre- and postoperative radiotherapy was not related to SSS (p = 0.980 or OS (p = 0.890).

Conclusion

Radiotherapy and surgery has a significant benefit on the prognosis of patients with STSE-RLNM compared to surgery alone. These findings should be considered when making treatment decisions for them.

The Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Role of miRNAs in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with a dismal prognosis and a high rate of recurrence and mortality. Therapeutic options are limited. In some cases, the distinction of ACCs from benign adrenal neoplasms with the existing widely available pathological and histopathological tools is difficult. Thus, new biomarkers have been tested. We conducted a review of the recent literature on the advances of the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic role of miRNAs on ACC patients. More than 10 miRNAs validated by multiple studies were found to present a diagnostic and prognostic role for ACC patients, from which miR-483-5p and miR-195 were the most frequently met biomarkers. In particular, upregulation of miR-483-5p and downregulation of miR-195 were the most commonly validated molecular alterations. Unfortunately, data on the therapeutic role of miRNA are still scarce and limited mainly at the experimental level. Thus, the role of miRNA regulation in ACC remains an area of active research.

The role of the deubiquitinating enzyme DUB3/USP17 in cancer: a narrative review

The balance between ubiquitination and deubiquitination is critical for the degradation, transport, localization, and activity of proteins. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) greatly contribute to the balance of ubiquitination and deubiquitination, and they have been widely studied due to their fundamental role in cancer. DUB3/ubiquitin-specific protease 17 (USP17) is a type of DUB that has attracted much attention in cancer research. In this review, we summarize the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of USP17 in central nervous system, head and neck, thoracic, breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and gynecologic cancers as well as bone and soft tissue sarcomas, and we provide new insights into how USP17 can be used in the management of cancer.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pristimerin in Cancer Therapy: Recent Advances

Seeking an efficient and safe approach to eliminate tumors is a common goal of medical fields. Over these years, traditional Chinese medicine has attracted growing attention in cancer treatment due to its long history. Pristimerin is a naturally occurring quinone methide triterpenoid used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various cancers. Recent studies have identified alterations in cellular events and molecular signaling targets of cancer cells under pristimerin treatment. Pristimerin induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy to exhibit anti-proliferation effects against tumors. Pristimerin also inhibits the invasion, migration, and metastasis of tumor cells via affecting cell adhesion, cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, and angiogenesis. Molecular factors and pathways are associated with the anti-cancer activities of pristimerin. Furthermore, pristimerin reverses multidrug resistance of cancer cells and exerts synergizing effects with other chemotherapeutic drugs. This review aims to discuss the anti-cancer potentials of pristimerin, emphasizing multi-targeted biological and molecular regulations in cancers. Further investigations and clinical trials are warranted to understand the advantages and disadvantages of pristimerin treatment much better.

Participation of MicroRNAs in the Treatment of Cancer with Phytochemicals

Cancer is a global health concern and one of the main causes of disease-related death. Even with considerable progress in investigations on cancer therapy, effective anti-cancer agents and regimens have thus far been insufficient. There has been compelling evidence that natural phytochemicals and their derivatives have potent anti-cancer activities. Plant-based anti-cancer agents, such as etoposide, irinotecan, paclitaxel, and vincristine, are currently being applied in medical treatments for patients with cancer. Further, the efficacy of plenty of phytochemicals has been evaluated to discover a promising candidate for cancer therapy. For developing more effective cancer therapy, it is required to apprehend the molecular mechanism deployed by natural compounds. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been realized to play a pivotal role in regulating cellular signaling pathways, affecting the efficacy of therapeutic agents in cancer. This review presents a feature of phytochemicals with anti-cancer activity, focusing mainly on the relationship between phytochemicals and miRNAs, with insights into the role of miRNAs as the mediators and the regulators of anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals.