Survivin as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Early detection, diagnosis, and treatment take on critical significance in preventing and treating bladder cancer. As indicated by numerous studies, survivin can serve as a biomarker of bladder cancer, whereas the results of a wide variety of studies have been controversial. This paper is to assess the accuracy of survivin in the diagnosis of bladder cancer by a meta-analysis. The studies regarding the diagnosis of bladder cancer using survivin were systematically retrieved from the CNKI, WanFang, CBM, VIP, Web of science, cochrane library and pubmed were extracted, and the literature quality was assessed. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 16.0 MP. 2,082 relevant studies were searched, and 40 studies were finally covered for meta-analysis. The pooled specificity and pooled sensitivity of survivin mRNA was 0.95 (95%CI: 0.91, 0.97) and 0.94 (95%CI: 0.88, 0.97). The pooled specificity and pooled sensitivity of survivin protein reached 0.95 (95%CI: 0.90, 0.97) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.78, 0.92). The pooled positive likelihood ratio, pooled negative likelihood ratio, the area under the curve, and diagnostic odds ratio for survivin mRNA reached 17.7 (95%CI: 10.3, 30.6), 0.07 (95%CI: 0.04, 0.12), 0.98 (95%CI: 0.97, 0.99) and 266 (95%CI: 114, 621), respectively. For survivin protein was 16.4 (95%CI: 7.9, 33.9), 0.14 (95%CI: 0.08, 0.24), 0.97 (95%CI: 0.95, 0.98) and 117 (95%CI: 38, 357), respectively. Survivin takes on great significance in diagnosing bladder cancer. However, due to some limitations in the number and quality of covered studies, this conclusion should be validated through additional higher quality clinical studies.

Dynamic localization of the chromosomal passenger complex in trypanosomes is controlled by the orphan kinesins KIN-A and KIN-B

The chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) is an important regulator of cell division, which shows dynamic subcellular localization throughout mitosis, including kinetochores and the spindle midzone. In traditional model eukaryotes such as yeasts and humans, the CPC consists of the catalytic subunit Aurora B kinase, its activator INCENP, and the localization module proteins Borealin and Survivin. Intriguingly, Aurora B and INCENP as well as their localization pattern are conserved in kinetoplastids, an evolutionarily divergent group of eukaryotes that possess unique kinetochore proteins and lack homologs of Borealin or Survivin. It is not understood how the kinetoplastid CPC assembles nor how it is targeted to its subcellular destinations during the cell cycle. Here, we identify two orphan kinesins, KIN-A and KIN-B, as bona fide CPC proteins in Trypanosoma brucei, the kinetoplastid parasite that causes African sleeping sickness. KIN-A and KIN-B form a scaffold for the assembly of the remaining CPC subunits. We show that the C-terminal unstructured tail of KIN-A interacts with the KKT8 complex at kinetochores, while its N-terminal motor domain promotes CPC translocation to spindle microtubules. Thus, the KIN-A:KIN-B complex constitutes a unique 'two-in-one' CPC localization module, which directs the CPC to kinetochores from S phase until metaphase and to the central spindle in anaphase. Our findings highlight the evolutionary diversity of CPC proteins and raise the possibility that kinesins may have served as the original transport vehicles for Aurora kinases in early eukaryotes.

Targeted inhibition of colorectal cancer proliferation: The dual-modulatory role of 2,4-DTBP on anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Survivin proteins

The anti-apoptotic proteins, Bcl-2 and Survivin, are consistently overexpressed in numerous human malignancies, notably in colorectal cancer. 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound known for its diverse biological activities, including anti-cancer properties. The mechanism behind 2,4-DTBP-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells, specifically regarding Bcl-2 and Survivin, remains to be elucidated. In this study, we employed both in silico and in vitro methodologies to underpin this interaction at the molecular level. Molecular docking demonstrated a substantial binding affinity of 2,4-DTBP towards Bcl-2 (ΔG = -9.8 kcal/mol) and Survivin (ΔG = -5.6 kcal/mol), suggesting a potential inhibitory effect. Further, molecular dynamic simulations complemented by MM-GBSA calculations confirmed the significant binding of 2,4-DTBP with Bcl-2 (dGbind = -54.85 ± 6.79 kcal/mol) and Survivin (dGbind = -32.36 ± 1.29 kcal/mol). In vitro assays using HCT116 colorectal cancer cells revealed that 2,4-DTBP inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. Fluorescence imaging and scanning electron microscopy illustrated the classical features associated with apoptosis upon 2,4-DTBP exposure. Cell cycle analysis through flow cytometry highlighted a G1 phase arrest and apoptosis assay demonstrated increased apoptotic cell population. Notably, western blotting results indicated a decreased expression of Bcl-2 and Survivin post-treatment. Considering the cytoprotective roles of Bcl-2 and Survivin through the inhibition of mitochondrial dysfunction, our findings of disrupted mitochondrial bioenergetics, characterized by reduced ATP production and oxygen consumption, further accentuate the functional impairment of these proteins. Overall, the integration of in silico and in vitro data suggests that 2,4-DTBP holds promise as a therapeutic agent targeting Bcl-2 and Survivin in colorectal cancer.

Oxidative tryptamine dimers from Corynebacterium durum directly target survivin to induce AIF-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells

Accumulating evidence indicates that microbial communities in the human body crucially affect health through the production of chemical messengers. However, the relationship between human microbiota and cancer has been underexplored. As a result of a biochemical investigation of the commensal oral microbe, Corynebacterium durum, we identified the non-enzymatic transformation of tryptamine into an anticancer compound, durumamide A (1). The structure of 1 was determined using LC-MS and NMR data analysis as bis(indolyl)glyoxylamide, which was confirmed using one-pot synthesis and X-ray crystallographic analysis, suggesting that 1 is an oxidative dimer of tryptamine. Compound 1 displayed cytotoxic activity against various cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 25 to 35 μM. A drug affinity responsive target stability assay revealed that survivin is the direct target protein responsible for the anticancer effect of 1, which subsequently induces apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated apoptosis. Inspired by the chemical structure and bioactivity of 1, a new derivative, durumamide B (2), was synthesized using another indole-based neurotransmitter, serotonin. The anticancer properties of 2 were similar to those of 1; however, it was less active. These findings reinforce the notion of human microbiota-host interplay by showing that 1 is naturally produced from the human microbial metabolite, tryptamine, which protects the host against cancer.

An Active Compound from the Pyrazine Family Induces Apoptosis by Targeting the Bax/Bcl2 and Survivin Expression in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia K562 Cells

BACKGROUND

It has been established that pyrazine derivatives, which have widespread bioactivities, can effectively treat cancer.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we investigated the effects of 2-methoxy-5-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl) phenyl pyrazine-2- carboxylate (2-mOPP), a new pyrazine derivative, on proliferation, viability, and apoptosis induction in human leukemia K562 cells.

METHODS

For this purpose, the K562 cells were treated with various concentrations (20-120 μM) of the 2-mOPP for 24-72 hours. Cell viability was determined by MTT growth inhibition assay. Apoptotic activity of 2-mOPP was investigated morphologically by Hoechst staining, cell surface expression assay of phosphatidylserine by Annexin-V/PI technique, as well as DNA fragmentation assay. The effect of 2-mOPP on the K562 cell cycle was studied by flow cytometry. To determine the impact of 2-mOPP on the expression of intrinsic apoptosis-related genes, Bcl2 (anti-apoptotic), Bax (pro-apoptotic), and Survivin genes expression levels were evaluated before and after treatment with 2-mOPP through Real-Time PCR analysis.

RESULTS

The results revealed that 2-mOPP inhibited viability with IC50 of 25μM in 72 h. Morphological changes assessment by fluorescence microscopy, Annexin V/PI double staining by flow cytometry, and DNA ladders formation upon cell treatment with the 2-mOPP showed that this compound induces apoptosis at IC50 value. Cell cycle arrest was observed in the G0/G1 phase, and the sub-G1 cell population (the sign of apoptosis) increased in a time-dependent manner. Low expression levels of Bcl2 and Survivin in K562 cells were observed 24-72 h after treatment. Along with the down-regulation of Survivin and Bcl2, the expression of Bax was increased after treatment with 2-mOPP.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate that the new pyrazine derivative plays a crucial role in blocking the proliferation of the leukemic cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Everolimus Acts in Synergy with Vinorelbine to Suppress the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging cancer to treat, as traditional chemotherapies have shown limited effectiveness. The mammalian target of rapamycin/sirolimus (mTOR) and microtubules are prominent druggable targets for HCC. In this study, we demonstrated that co-targeting mTOR using mTOR inhibitors (everolimus and sirolimus) along with the microtubule inhibitor vinorelbine yielded results superior to those of the monotherapies in HCC PDX models. Our research showed that the vinorelbine arrests cells at the mitotic phase, induces apoptosis, and normalizes tumor blood vessels but upregulates survivin and activates the mTOR/p70S6K/4EBP1 pathway. The addition of the everolimus significantly improved the tumor response to the vinorelbine, leading to improved overall survival (OS) in most tested orthotopic HCC PDX models. The mechanistic investigation revealed that this marked antitumor effect was accompanied by the downregulations of mTOR targets (p-p70S6K, p-4EBP1, and p-S6K); several key cell-cycle regulators; and the antiapoptotic protein survivin. These effects did not compromise the normalization of the blood vessels observed in response to the vinorelbine in the vinorelbine-sensitive PDX models or to the everolimus in the everolimus-sensitive PDX models. The combination of the everolimus and vinorelbine (everolimus/vinorelbine) also promoted apoptosis with minimal toxicity. Given the cost-effectiveness and established effectiveness of everolimus, and especially sirolimus, this strategy warrants further investigation in early-phase clinical trials.

Targeting survivin for cancer therapy: Strategies, small molecule inhibitors and vaccine based therapeutics in development

Survivin is a member of the family of inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). It is involved in the normal mitotic process and acts as an anti-apoptotic molecule. While terminally differentiated normal tissues lack survivin, several human malignancies have significant protein levels. Resistance to chemotherapy and radiation in tumor cells is associated with survivin expression. Decreased tumor development, apoptosis, and increased sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation are all effects of downregulating survivin expression or activity. As a prospective cancer treatment, small molecules targeting the transcription and translation of survivin and molecules that can directly bind with the survivin are being explored both in pre-clinical and clinics. Pre-clinical investigations have found and demonstrated the effectiveness of several small-molecule survivin inhibitors. Unfortunately, these inhibitors have also been shown to have off-target effects, which could limit their clinical utility. In addition to small molecules, several survivin peptide vaccines are currently under development. These vaccines are designed to elicit a cytotoxic T-cell response against survivin, which could lead to the destruction of tumor cells expressing survivin. Some survivin-based vaccines are advancing through Phase II clinical studies. Overall, survivin is a promising cancer drug target. However, challenges still need to be addressed before the survivin targeted therapies can be widely used in the clinics.

Survivin-Sodium Iodide Symporter Reporter as a Non-Invasive Diagnostic Marker to Differentiate Uterine Leiomyosarcoma from Leiomyoma

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) has been challenging to diagnose because of limitations in clinical and radiographic predictors, as well as the lack of reliable serum or urinary biomarkers. Most uterine masses consist of benign leiomyoma (LM). However, it is currently a significant challenge in gynecology practice to differentiate LMS from LM. This inability poses grave consequences for patients, leading to a high number of unnecessary hysterectomies, infertility, and other major morbidities and possible mortalities. This study aimed to evaluate the use of Survivin-Sodium iodide symporter (Ad-Sur-NIS) as a reporter gene biomarker to differentiate malignant LMS from benign LM by using an F18-NaBF4 PET/CT scan. The PET/CT scan images showed a significantly increased radiotracer uptake and a decreased radiotracer decay attributable to the higher abundance of Ad-Sur-NIS in the LMS tumors compared to LM (p < 0.05). An excellent safety profile was observed, with no pathological or metabolic differences detected in Ad-Sur-NIS-treated animal versus the vehicle control. Ad-Sur-NIS as a PET scan reporter is a promising imaging biomarker that can differentiate uterine LMS from LM using F18-NaBF4 as a radiotracer. As a new diagnostic method, the F18 NaBF4 PET/CT scan can provide a much-needed tool in clinical practices to effectively triage women with suspicious uterine masses and avoid unnecessary invasive interventions.

Survivin degradation by bergenin overcomes pemetrexed resistance

PURPOSE

Chemoresistance is a primary factor for treatment failure and tumor recurrence in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. The oncoprotein survivin is commonly upregulated in human malignancies and is associated with poor prognosis, but its effect on carcinogenesis and chemoresistance in NSCLC is not yet evident, and to explore an effective inhibitor targeting survivin expression is urgently needed.

METHODS

The protumor characteristics of survivin and antitumor activities of bergenin in NSCLC cells were examined by MTS, colony formation assays, immunoblot, immunohistochemistry, and in vivo xenograft development.

RESULTS

Survivin was upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues, while its depletion inhibited NSCLC tumorigenesis. The current study focused on bergenin, identifying its effective antitumor effect on NSCLC cells both in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that bergenin could inhibit cell proliferation and induce the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis via downregulating survivin. Mechanistically, bergenin reduced the phosphorylation of survivin via inhibiting the Akt/Wee1/CDK1 signaling pathway, thus resulting in enhanced interaction between survivin and E3 ligase Fbxl7 to promote survivin ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, bergenin promoted chemoresistance in NSCLC cells re-sensitized to pemetrexed treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Survivin overexpression is required for maintaining multiple malignant phenotypes of NSCLC cells. Bergenin exerts a potent antitumor effect on NSCLC via targeting survivin, rendering it a promising agent for the treatment of NSCLC.

Survivin Dendritic Cell Vaccine Safely Induces Immune Responses and Is Associated with Durable Disease Control after Autologous Transplant in Patients with Myeloma

PURPOSE

We investigated whether a dendritic cell (DC) vaccine transduced with an adenoviral vector encoded with full-length survivin (Ad-S), with mutations neutralizing its antiapoptotic function, could safely generate an immune response and deepen clinical responses when administered before and after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) for multiple myeloma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This phase I first-in-human trial (NCT02851056) evaluated the safety of DC:Ad-S in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma not having achieved complete response with induction, given 7 to 30 days prior to stem cell collection and 20 to 34 days after ASCT. Anti-survivin antibodies and CD4+ and CD8+ specific T cells were quantified.

RESULTS

A total of 14 patients were treated and 13 included in the primary efficacy analysis. No serious adverse events were attributed to DC:Ad-S vaccine. Detectable anti-survivin antibodies increased from baseline in 9 of 13 (69%) patients, and 11 of 13 (85%) mounted either a cellular or humoral immune response to survivin. Seven patients had an improved clinical response at day +90, all of whom had mounted an immune response, and 6 of 7 patients remain event-free at a median follow-up of 4.2 years. Estimated progression-free survival at 4 years is 71% (95% confidence interval, 41-88).

CONCLUSIONS

Two doses of DC:Ad-S, one given immediately before and another after ASCT, were feasible and safe. A high frequency of vaccine-specific immune responses was seen in combination with durable clinical outcomes, supporting ongoing investigation into the potential of this approach. See related commentary by Dhodapkar, p. 4524.

Survivin-targeted nanomedicine for increased potency of abiraterone and enzalutamide against prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the leading and most aggressive cancer around the world, several therapeutic approaches have emerged but none have achieved the satisfactory result. However, these therapeutic approaches face many challenges related to their delivery to target cells, including their in vivo decay, the limited uptake by target cells, the requirements for nuclear penetration (in some cases), and the damage caused to healthy cells. These barriers can be avoided by effective, targeted, combinatorial approaches, with minimal side effects, which are being investigated for the treatment of cancer. Here, we developed a combinatorial nanomedicine comprising abiraterone and enzalutamide bioconjugated survivin-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (AbEzSvGNPs) for targeted therapy of prostate cancer. AbEzSvGNPs were characterized by different biophysical techniques such as UV visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, transmission electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Interestingly, the effect of abiraterone, enzalutamide and surviving encapsulated gold nanoparticles was found to be synergistic in nature in AbEzSvGNPs against DU 145 (IC50 = 4.21 µM) and PC-3 (IC50 = 5.58 µM) cells and their potential was observed to be greatly enhanced as compared with the combined effect of the drugs (abiraterone and enzalutamide) in their free form. Furthermore, AbEzSvGNPs were found to be highly safe and did not exhibit significant cytotoxicity against normal rat kidney cells. The observed effects of AbEzSvGNPs involved the modulation of different signaling pathways in prostate cancer cells. This delivery system employed non-androgen receptor-dependent delivery of abiraterone and enzalutamide. The anionic AbEzSvGNPs delivered abiraterone and enzalutamide unaltered into the nucleus through caveolae mediated internalization to act nonspecifically on DNA; internalization of the anionic nanoparticles into the cytoplasm was also observed via other routes. AbEzSvGNPs synthesized and evaluated in this study are promising candidates for prostate cancer therapy.

Endogenous Enzyme-Activatable Spherical Nucleic Acids for Spatiotemporally Controlled Signal Amplification Molecular Imaging and Combinational Tumor Therapy

Due to the adjustable hybridization activity, antinuclease digestion stability, and superior endocytosis, spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) have been actively developed as probes for molecular imaging and the development of noninvasive diagnosis and image-guided surgery. However, since highly expressed biomarkers in tumors are not negligible in normal tissues, an inevitable background signal and the inability to precisely release probes at the chosen region remain a challenge for SNAs. Herein, we proposed a rationally designed, endogenous enzyme-activatable functional SNA (Ep-SNA) for spatiotemporally controlled signal amplification molecular imaging and combinational tumor therapy. The self-assembled amphiphilic polymer micelles (SM-ASO), which were obtained by a simple and rapid copper-free strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition click reaction between dibenzocyclooctyne-modified antisense oligonucleotide and azide-containing aliphatic polymer polylactic acid, were introduced as the core elements of Ep-SNA. This Ep-SNA was then constructed by connecting two apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site-containing trailing DNA hairpins, which could occur via a hybridization chain reaction in the presence of low-abundance survivin mRNA to SM-ASO through complementary base pairing. Notably, the AP site-containing trailing DNA hairpins also empowered the SNA with the feasibility of drug delivery. Once this constructed intelligent Ep-SNA nanoprobe was specifically cleaved by the highly expressed cytoplasmic human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 in tumor cells, three key elements (trailing DNA hairpins, antisense oligonucleotide, and doxorubicin) could be released to enable subsequent high-sensitivity survivin mRNA imaging and combinational cancer therapy (gene silencing and chemotherapy). This strategy shows great application prospects of SNAs as a precise platform for the integration of disease diagnosis and treatment and can contribute to basic biomedical research.

The prognostic significance of tumor budding and the expression of focal adhesion kinase and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Adenocarcinoma is the tumor group with the highest incidence among lung cancers with poor prognosis. Tumor budding (TB) is the migration of single tumor cells or small clusters of cells from the neoplastic epithelium to the invasive front of the tumor. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and survivin are considered as poor prognostic factors in several tumors. Hence, we investigated TB, FAK, and survivin expression in lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

The study included 103 cases of lung adenocarcinoma in the resection materials. In tumoral tissues; TB was counted and scored in one high-power field (HPF), as low if <5 in 1 HPF and high if ≥5 in 1 HPF. FAK and survivin were studied immunohistochemically.

RESULTS

The mean number of TB in 1 HPF is 3.96 ± 2.8. Low-grade TB was observed in 45 (43.7 %) and high-grade TB was observed in 58 (56.3 %) patients. There was a positive correlation between TB and pT stage (p = 0.017), clinical stage (p = 0.002), lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.001), and perineural invasion (p = 0.045). The 4-year survival rate in patients was 90 % in those with low-grade TB and 60 % in those with high-grade TB (p = 0.001). FAK and survivin expressions were significantly increased in tumors with high-grade TB (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A significant correlation was found between the grade of TB and pT stage, clinical stage, lymphovascular and perineural invasion in lung adenocarcinoma. TB can be considered as a histological parameter showing poor prognosis. It is thought that high expression of FAK and survivin also affect the prognosis in these patients by increasing TB.

Survivin expression as a prognostic marker for breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

Due to the speed of development observed in breast cancer, several studies aimed at discovering new biomarkers have been carried out in order to arrive at an early diagnosis. As survivin plays a fundamental role in the evasion of apoptosis in tumor cells, the aim of this study was to verify the expression profile of the survivin gene in paraffin-embedded breast tumor samples and associate it with the clinical characteristics of the patients.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study, for which 100 tumor samples were obtained from cancer patients treated throughout the year 2019 at Instituto de Mama do Cariri (Juazeiro do Norte, in the state of Ceará). This study included women over 30 years old who had confirmed breast cancer through anatomopathological examination but excluded those with non-neoplastic breast comorbidities, other neoplasms, or chronic diseases. Survivin gene expression was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The expression of survivin is associated with the lack of expression of estrogen (p=0.027) and progesterone (p>0.0005) receptors. It means that survivin expression is higher in patients in which labeling was absent for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor.

CONCLUSION

Our data reinforce that survivin expression is higher in estrogen receptor-patients, thus representing an additional prognostic tool.

High expression of HSP60 and survivin predicts poor prognosis for oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

HSP60 is a heat shock proteins (HSPs) family member and help mitochondrial protein to fold correctly. Survivin is one of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein family member, which plays a significant part in cancer progression. They were capable of forming HSP60-survivin complexes and involved in the development of various tumors.

METHODS

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database demonstrated that HSP60 and survivin and their correlation on mRNA expression level with OSCC patients. Besides, expression of HSP60 and survivin proteins was studied utilizing immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays (TMA) in OSCC and in adjacent non-cancerous squamous epithelium (Non-CCSE) tissues.

RESULTS

Significantly increased levels of HSP60 and survivin in most cancers compared to normal tissue by pan-cancer analysis. HSP60 and survivin proved a significantly increased expression in OSCC samples compared to Non-CCSE both on mRNA and protein (both P < 0.05). Additionally, elevated HSP60 displayed a positive correlation with survivin in terms of mRNA and protein expression levels (all P < 0.001). Patients with OSCC who had advanced clinical stage or lymph node metastasis (LNM) showed higher HSP60 expression (P = 0.004, P = 0.006, respectively). Higher levels of the proteins HSP60 and survivin were significantly inversely correlated relationship with OSCC patients' overall survival rates in multivariate survival analysis (P = 0.018, P = 0.040). From the above results, overexpression of HSP60 and survivin protein may serve as independent biomarkers predicting poor prognosis in OSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated HSP60 and survivin might be served as novel poor prognosis biomarkers for surgically resected OSCC patients.

Predictive and Prognostic Value of TUBB3, RRM1, APE1, and Survivin Expression in Chemotherapy-Receiving Patients with Advanced Non‑Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the expression of class III β-tubulin (TUBB3), ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase 1 (RRM1), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), and survivin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to predict response to chemotherapy.

METHODS

TUBB3, RRM1, APE1, and survivin expression levels were determined using immunohistochemistry. Protein expression was validated in Car/Pac-resistant human H1792 and A549 cells. This study included 86 patients, among whom 34 received cisplatin (Cis)/gemcitabine (Gem) and 52 received carboplatin (Car)/paclitaxel (Pac).

RESULTS

Patients with low TUBB3 expression and high RRM1 and survivin expression had higher response rates than those with low RRM1 and survivin expression and high TUBB3 expression in the Car/Pac regimen. The multivariate analysis indicated that TUBB3 and RRM1 were significant independent predictive biomarkers for the Car/Pac regimen; however, there was no association between any protein and overall response in patients treated with this regimen. In the Cis/Gem regimen, only high TUBB3 expression was associated with poor overall survival; however, it did not exhibit a prognostic ability.

CONCLUSION

The expression levels of TUBB3 and RRM1 in NSCLC cells are potential predictive biomarkers, but not prognostic factors, of response to chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC receiving the Car/Pac regimen.

Precision Therapy of Recurrent Breast Cancer through Targeting Different Malignant Tumor Cells with a HER2/CD44-Targeted Hydrogel Nanobot

Heterogeneity and drug resistance of tumor cells are the leading causes of incurability and poor survival for patients with recurrent breast cancer. In order to accurately deliver the biological anticancer drugs to different subtypes of malignant tumor cells for omnidirectional targeted treatment of recurrent breast cancer, a distinct design is demonstrated by embedding liposome-based nanocomplexes containing pro-apoptotic peptide and survivin siRNA drugs (LPR) into Herceptin/hyaluronic acid cross-linked nanohydrogels (Herceptin-HA) to fabricate a HER2/CD44-targeted hydrogel nanobot (named as ALPR). ALPR delivered cargoes to the cells overexpressing CD44 and HER2, followed by Herceptin-HA biodegradation, subsequently, the exposed lipid component containing DOPE fused with the endosomal membrane and released peptide and siRNA into the cytoplasm. These experiments indicated that ALPR can specifically deliver Herceptin, peptide, and siRNA drugs to HER2-positive SKBR-3, triple-negative MDA-MB-231, and HER2-negative drug-resistant MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. ALPR completely inhibited the growth of heterogeneous breast tumors via multichannel synergistic effects: disrupting mitochondria, downregulating the survivin gene, and blocking HER2 receptors on the surface of HER2-positive cells. The present design overcomes the chemical drug resistance and opens a feasible route for the combinative treatment of recurrent breast cancer, even other solid tumors, utilizing different kinds of biological drugs.

Potentiating Tweezer Affinity to a Protein Interface with Sequence-Defined Macromolecules on Nanoparticles

Survivin, a well-known member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is upregulated in many cancer cells, which is associated with resistance to chemotherapy. To circumvent this, inhibitors are currently being developed to interfere with the nuclear export of survivin by targeting its protein-protein interaction (PPI) with the export receptor CRM1. Here, we combine for the first time a supramolecular tweezer motif, sequence-defined macromolecular scaffolds, and ultrasmall Au nanoparticles (us-AuNPs) to tailor a high avidity inhibitor targeting the survivin-CRM1 interaction. A series of biophysical and biochemical experiments, including surface plasmon resonance measurements and their multivalent evaluation by EVILFIT, reveal that for divalent macromolecular constructs with increasing linker distance, the longest linkers show superior affinity, slower dissociation, as well as more efficient PPI inhibition. As a drawback, these macromolecular tweezer conjugates do not enter cells, a critical feature for potential applications. The problem is solved by immobilizing the tweezer conjugates onto us-AuNPs, which enables efficient transport into HeLa cells. On the nanoparticles, the tweezer valency rises from 2 to 16 and produces a 100-fold avidity increase. The hierarchical combination of different scaffolds and controlled multivalent presentation of supramolecular binders was the key to the development of highly efficient survivin-CRM1 competitors. This concept may also be useful for other PPIs.

E2F3 renders an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Involvements of the transcription activation of PRC1 and BIRC5

BACKGROUND

E2F transcription factors are well-recognized oncogenic molecules, and their correlation with immune cell infiltration has recently been reported. This work studies the impacts and mechanism of E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) in the growth and tumor microenvironment (TME) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS

Aberrantly expressed transcription factors in NPC were screened by abundant bioinformatics analyses. Gene expression in NPC cells was analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Malignant behaviors of NPC cells were analyzed by cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine labeling, Transwell assays, and xenograft tumor models. TPA-induced THP-1 cells (macrophages) were cultured in the conditioned medium of NPC cells to mimic tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in vivo, and these TAMs were cocultured with CD8+ T cells. Regulation of E2F3 on protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1) and baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) was validated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

E2F3 was highly expressed in NPC cells, and its knockdown suppressed malignant behavior and tumorigenic ability of the cells. The E2F3 knockdown condition downregulated M2 cytokines CD163 and interleukin-10 in TAMs, which further enhanced proliferation and activation of the cocultured CD8+ T cells. E2F3 promoted transcription of PRC1 and BRIC5. Furthermore, PRC1 or BRIC5 upregulation in NPC cells restored the malignant properties of NPC cells, reprogrammed the TAMs to M2 phenotype, and suppressed the CD8+ T cell proliferation and activation.

CONCLUSION

This work suggests that E2F3 renders an immunosuppressive TME in NPC by activating PRC1 and BIRC5. Suppression of any member involved might favor tumor elimination.

Tuning Nanobodies' Bioactivity: Coupling to Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles Allows the Intracellular Interference with Survivin

Nanobodies are highly affine binders, often used to track disease-relevant proteins inside cells. However, they often fail to interfere with pathobiological functions, required for their clinical exploitation. Here, a nanobody targeting the disease-relevant apoptosis inhibitor and mitosis regulator Survivin (SuN) is utilized. Survivin's multifaceted functions are regulated by an interplay of dynamic cellular localization, dimerization, and protein-protein interactions. However, as Survivin harbors no classical "druggable" binding pocket, one must aim at blocking extended protein surface areas. Comprehensive experimental evidence demonstrates that intracellular expression of SuN allows to track Survivin at low nanomolar concentrations but failed to inhibit its biological functions. Small angle X-ray scattering of the Survivin-SuN complex locates the proposed interaction interface between the C-terminus and the globular domain, as such not blocking any pivotal interaction. By clicking multiple SuN to ultrasmall (2 nm) gold nanoparticles (SuN-N), not only intracellular uptake is enabled, but additionally, Survivin crosslinking and interference with mitotic progression in living cells are also enabled. In sum, it is demonstrated that coupling of nanobodies to nanosized scaffolds can be universally applicable to improve their function and therapeutic applicability.

Is the serum level of survivin, an antiapoptotic protein, a potential predictive and prognostic biomarker in metastatic pancreatic cancer?

In the present study, we aimed to assess the association between the serum survivin level and overall survival and treatment response rates in metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC). Serum samples were prospectively collected from 41 patients with newly diagnosed MPC patients and 41 healthy individuals (control group) to assess the survivin levels. The median survivin level was 136.2 ng/mL in patients with MPC and 52 ng/mL in healthy individuals (P = .028). Patients were divided into low- and high-survivin groups according to the baseline median survivin level. Patients with a high serum survivin level compared with a low serum survivin level had shorter median progression-free survival (2.39 vs 7.06 months; P = .008, respectively) and overall survival (3.74 vs 9.52 months; P = .026, respectively). Patients with higher serum survivin levels had significantly worse response rates (P = .007). The baseline high level of serum survivin in patients with MPC may be associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis. A confirmation will be needed for these results in future large multicenter prospective studies.

Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) enhances intestinal immunity in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) via the NFκB/survivin signaling pathway

This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor, YM) in intestinal immunity and health. Largemouth bass, as an enteritis modeling animal, were fed 3 diets containing YM at 0% (YM0), 24% (YM24) and 48% (YM48). The YM24 group had reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines, while the YM48 group experienced a negative impact on intestinal health. Next, the Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) challenge test consisted of 4 YM diets, 0% (EYM0), 12% (EYM12), 24% (EYM24), and 36% (EYM36). The EYM0 and EYM12 groups exhibited intestinal damage and immunosuppression by the pathogenic bacteria. However, the above adverse phenotypes were attenuated in the EYM24 and EYM36 groups. Mechanistically, the EYM24 and EYM36 groups enhanced intestinal immunity in largemouth bass via activating NFκBp65 and further upregulating survivin expression to inhibit apoptosis. The results identify a protective mechanism of YM as a novel food or feed source by improving intestinal health.

Upregulation of HBXIP contributed to the anti-DND by ginsenoside Rg1 after global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion

OBJECTIVES

Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) has been well-documented to be effective against ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, whether it has therapeutic effect on delayed neuronal death is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Rg1 on delayed neuronal death and elucidate its underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Delayed neuronal death model was prepared by global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats, Rg1 was intravenously administered once a day. Nissl and Fluoro Jade B staining were carried out to evaluate the effect of Rg1 on delayed neuronal death. Western blot and qPCR were used to investigate the levels of HBXIP and Survivin. HBXIP/Survivin complex was observed by co-immunoprecipitation. AAV-CMV-shRNA (HBXIP) was used to observe the role of HBXIP on delayed neuronal death improved by Rg1.

KEY FINDINGS

Rg1 attenuated delayed neuronal death at the dose of 20 mg/kg, which also improved the mRNA and protein levels of HBXIP, as well as Survivin. Moreover, administration of Rg1 promoted the formation of HBXIP/Survivin complex, which contributed to the reduction of caspases signaling pathway. Knockdown of HBXIP abolished the alleviation of DND and inhibition of caspase cascade induced by Rg1.

CONCLUSIONS

Rg1 alleviated delayed neuronal death by promoting anti-apoptosis effect by HBXIP/Survivin complex.

PI3K δ inhibitor PI-3065 induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting survivin

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and its clinical treatment remains challenging. The development of new treatment regimens is important for effective HCC treatment. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is a lipid kinase that plays an important role in cell growth and metabolism and is overexpressed in nearly 50% of patients with HCC. Studies have shown that PI-3065, a small-molecule inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta, significantly inhibits solid breast cancer. However, its antitumor effects against HCC and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we found that PI-3065 dose- and time-dependently reduced HCC cell viability and induced apoptosis while posing no obvious apoptotic toxicity in normal liver cells. Further mechanistic analysis showed that PI-3065 induced apoptosis mainly by inhibiting survivin protein expression, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential, and promoting cytochrome C release. Simultaneously, PI-3065 markedly suppressed the colony formation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition abilities of HCC cells. Furthermore, transplantation of nude mice with HCC tumors showed that PI-3065 inhibits HCC tumor growth in vivo by targeting survivin. In summary, PI-3065 specifically inhibited survivin expression and exerted anti-HCC activity in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that it may serve as an effective antitumor drug for HCC treatment, which warrants further study.

Beneficial Proapoptotic Effect of Heterobasidion Annosum Extract in Colorectal Cancer Xenograft Mouse Model

Fungal extracts possess potential anticancer activity against many malignant neoplastic diseases. In this research, we focused on the evaluation of Heterobasidion annosum (HA) extract in colorectal cancer in an in vivo model. The mice with implanted DLD-1 human cancer cells were given HA extract, the referential drug-5-fluorouracil (5FU), or were treated with its combination. Thereafter, tumor volume was measured and apoptotic proteins such as caspase-8, caspase-3, p53, Bcl-2, and survivin were analyzed in mice serum with an ELISA assay. The Ki-67 protein was assessed in tumor cells by immunohistochemical examination. The biggest volumes of tumors were confirmed in the DLD-1 group, while the lowest were observed in the population treated with 5FU and/or HA extract. The assessment of apoptosis showed increased concentrations of caspase 8 and p53 protein after the combined administration of 5FU and HA extract. The levels of survivin and Bcl-2 were decreased in all tested groups compared to the DLD-1 group. Moreover, we observed a positive reaction for Ki-67 protein in all tested groups. Our findings confirm the apoptotic effect of extract given alone or with 5FU. The obtained results are innovative and provide a basis for further research concerning the antitumor activity of the HA extract, especially in the range of its interaction with an anticancer chemotherapeutic agent.

Investigation of serum E-Cadherin, VEGF121, Survivin, Tenascin C and Tetraspanin 8 levels in patients with glioblastoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to determine biomarkers, which may be used in order to understand the pathophysiology, the diagnosis, progression surveillance/monitoring, and treatment efficacy of high graded glial tumors.

BACKGROUND

Radiological imaging in the diagnosis and relapse surveillance of glial tumors is sometimes insufficient. There is need for additional methods of diagnosis and surveillance in order to rule out contradictory circumstances.

METHOD

Using enzyme like immune sorbent assay method, E-Cadherin, Tenascin C, Tetraspanin 8, Survivin and VEGF121 levels were investigated in serum and tumor tissues of 28 patients diagnosed with pathological glioblastoma, and in the serum of 26 healthy individuals. Correlation between tumor tissue values and Ki67 percentage, and P53 mutation, and difference between unhealthy and healthy serum levels were sought.

RESULTS

It was found out that E-Cadherin and VEGF 121 levels in the unhealthy serum were high in comparison to the control group (p 0.05).

CONCLUSION

EC and VEGF121 are biomarkers, which have the potential to be used in the diagnosis, recurrence and treatment follow-up in high graded glial tumors (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 37). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: E-Cadherin, VEGF, Survivin, Tenascin-C, Tetraspanin, glioblastoma.

RUNX1-Survivin Axis Is a Novel Therapeutic Target for Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors

Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is a highly aggressive pediatric malignancy with no effective therapy. Therefore, it is necessary to identify a target for the development of novel molecule-targeting therapeutic agents. In this study, we report the importance of the runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) and RUNX1-Baculoviral IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis) Repeat-Containing 5 (BIRC5/survivin) axis in the proliferation of MRT cells, as it can be used as an ideal target for anti-tumor strategies. The mechanism of this reaction can be explained by the interaction of RUNX1 with the RUNX1-binding DNA sequence located in the survivin promoter and its positive regulation. Specific knockdown of RUNX1 led to decreased expression of survivin, which subsequently suppressed the proliferation of MRT cells in vitro and in vivo. We also found that our novel RUNX inhibitor, Chb-M, which switches off RUNX1 using alkylating agent-conjugated pyrrole-imidazole polyamides designed to specifically bind to consensus RUNX-binding sequences (5'-TGTGGT-3'), inhibited survivin expression in vivo. Taken together, we identified a novel interaction between RUNX1 and survivin in MRT. Therefore the negative regulation of RUNX1 activity may be a novel strategy for MRT treatment.

Nimbolide enhances the antitumor effect of docetaxel via abrogation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in prostate cancer preclinical models

Prostate cancer is the second most frequent type of cancer that affects men. Docetaxel (DTX) administration is the front-line therapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer and unfortunately, half of these patients develop resistance to DTX which could be due to its ability to activate the NF-κB pathway. The combinational effect of DTX and nimbolide on proliferation, apoptosis, activation of NF-κB, DNA binding ability of NF-κB, and expression of NF-κB-targeted gene products was investigated. The antitumor and antimetastatic effect of DTX or NL alone or in combination was also examined. The co-administration of NL and DTX resulted in a significant loss of cell viability with enhanced apoptosis in DTX-sensitive/resistant prostate cancer cells. NL abrogated DTX-triggered NF-κB activation and expression of its downstream antiapoptotic factors (survivin, Bcl-2, and XIAP). The combination of NL and DTX significantly reduced the DNA binding ability of NF-κB in both cell types. NL significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of DTX and reduced metastases in orthotopic models of prostate cancer. NL abolishes DTX-induced-NF-κB activation to counteract cell proliferation, tumor growth, and metastasis in the prostate cancer models.

Hypoxia induces docetaxel resistance in triple-negative breast cancer via the HIF-1α/miR-494/Survivin signaling pathway

Cytotoxic chemotherapy is the major strategy to prevent and reduce triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression and metastasis. Hypoxia increases chemoresistance and is associated with a poor prognosis for patients with cancer. Based on accumulating evidence, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in acquired drug resistance. However, the role of miRNAs in hypoxia-induced TNBC drug resistance remains to be clarified. Here, we found that hypoxia induced TNBC docetaxel resistance by decreasing the miR-494 level. Modulating miR-494 expression altered the sensitivity of TNBC cells to DTX under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, we identified Survivin as a direct miR-494 target. Hypoxia upregulated survivin expression. In a clinical study, the HIF-1α/miR-494/Survivin signaling pathway was also active in primary human TNBC, and miR-494 expression negatively correlated with HIF-1α and survivin expression. Finally, in a xenograft model, both miR-494 overexpression and the HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478 increased the sensitivity of TNBC to DTX by suppressing the HIF-1α/miR-494/Survivin signaling pathway in vivo. In conclusion, treatments targeting the HIF-1α/miR-494/Survivin signaling pathway potentially reverse hypoxia-induced drug resistance in TNBC.

Targeted non AR mediated smart delivery of abiraterone to the prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second-deadliest tumor in men all over the world. Different types of drugs with various delivery systems and pathways were developed, but no one showed prominent results against cancer. Meanwhile, nanoparticles have shown good results against cancer. Therefore, in the given study, citrate mediated synthesized gold nanoparticles (CtGNPs) with immobilized survivin antibodies (SvGNPs) were bioconjugated to the substantially potent drug abiraterone (AbSvGNPs) to develop as a combinatorial therapeutic against prostate cancer. The AbSvGNPs are made up of CtGNPs, survivin antibodies, and abiraterone. The selected drug abiraterone (Abira) possesses exceptionally good activity against prostate cancer, but cancer cells develop resistance against this drug and it also poses several severe side effects. Meanwhile, survivin antibodies were used to deliver AbSvGNPs specifically into cancer cells by considering survivin, an anti-apoptotic overexpressed protein in cancer cells, as a marker. The survivin antibodies have also been used to inhibit cancer cells as an immunotherapeutic agent. Similarly, CtGNPs were discovered to inhibit cancer cell proliferation via several transduction pathways. The given bioconjugated nanoparticles (AbSvGNPs) were found to be substantially effective against prostate cancer with an IC50 of 11.8 and 7.3 μM against DU145 and PC-3 cells, respectively. However, it was found safe against NRK and showed less than 25% cytotoxicity up to 20μM concentration. The as-synthesized nanoparticles CtGNPs, SvGNPs, and AbSvGNPs were characterized by several physical techniques to confirm their synthesis, whereas the immobilization of survivin antibodies and bioconjugation of Abira was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, DLS, TEM, FTIR, and zeta-potential. The anticancer potential of AbSvGNPs was determined by MTT, DAPI, ROS, MITO, TUNEL ASSAY, and caspase-3 activity against DU145 and PC3 cells.

Targeting inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) with IAP inhibitors sensitises malignant rhabdoid tumour cells to cisplatin

Malignant rhabdoid tumour (MRT) is a rare, aggressive paediatric malignancy most commonly diagnosed in those below the age of three. MRTs can arise in soft tissue but are more often associated with the central nervous system or kidney. Unfortunately, the prognosis upon diagnosis with MRT is poor. Given the resistance of MRT to current treatment protocols including cisplatin, and the vulnerability of this young patient population to aggressive therapies, there is a need for novel treatment options. Several members of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family including X‑linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP), cellular inhibitor of apoptosis proteins 1 and 2 (cIAP1/cIAP2), livin and survivin have been implicated in chemotherapy resistance in various malignancies. We have previously demonstrated expression of these IAP family members in a panel of MRT cell lines. In the present study, sensitivity of this same panel of MRT cell lines to small-molecule mediated inhibition of the IAPs via the survivin inhibitor YM155 and the XIAP/cIAP1/cIAP2 inhibitor BV6 was demonstrated. Additionally, both BV6 and the XIAP inhibitor embelin synergistically enhanced cisplatin mediated apoptotic cell death in MRT cell lines, with enhanced caspase-3 cleavage. Importantly, we have demonstrated, for the first time, expression of XIAP, its target caspase-3 and its endogenous inhibitor SMAC in rhabdoid tumour patient tissue. In conclusion, this study provides pre-clinical evidence that IAP inhibition may be a new therapeutic option in MRT.

Synergistic Anti-Angiogenic Effect of Combined VEGFR Kinase Inhibitors, Lenvatinib, and Regorafenib: A Therapeutic Potential for Breast Cancer

Background: Breast cancer currently affects more than two million women worldwide, and its incidence is steadily increasing. One of the most essential factors of invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells is angiogenesis and non-angiogenic vascularization. Lenvatinib and Regorafenib share the same anti-angiogenic effect by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs subtypes 1 to 3) and have been approved for treating different types of cancer. Methods: We investigated Lenvatinib and Regorafenib effects on a well-established in-vitro model of breast cancer using MCF-7 (estrogen, progesterone receptor-positive, and HER2-negative), MDA-MB-231 (triple negative), as well as Human Umbilical Vascular Endothelial Cell line (HUVEC) cell lines. We performed the cell viability assay on four groups of cells, which included a control group, a Lenvatinib treated only group, a Regorafenib treated only group, and a group treated with a combination of both drugs at 24, 48, and 72 h. Data were analyzed as means ± standard deviation, and the drug−drug interactions with Compusyn software. Cellular migration assay, tube formation assay, and Western blots were conducted to determine the functional and the protein expression of downstream signals such as Caspase-9, anti-apoptotic Survivin, P-ERK, and total-ERK in the control and treatment groups. Results: MCF-7 cells showed a reduction in cell survival rates with higher dosing and longer incubation periods with each drug and with the combination of drugs. A synergistic interaction was identified (CI < 1) with both drugs on MCF7 at different dose combinations and at a higher dose in MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, there was a marked decrease in the anti-angiogenic effect of both drugs in tube formation assay using MDA-MB-231 cells and survivin protein expression in MCF-7, and those antitumor markers showed a better outcome in drug combination than the use of each drug alone. Conclusion: Our result is the first to report the synergistic anti-angiogenic potential of combination therapy of Lenvatinib and Regorafenib. Therefore, it shows their therapeutic potential in breast cancer, including the aggressive types. Further studies are warranted to confirm and explore this therapeutic approach.

Synchronizing Mammalian Cells for Mitotic Analysis of the Localization of Survivin

This paper describes an easy method to enrich the harvest of adherent mammalian cells at each stage of mitosis (from prometaphase to cytokinesis) by combining Eg5 inhibition using dimethylenastron (DMA) with mitotic shake-off, followed by timed release from the drug.

Enhanced anti-cancer effects of oestrogen and progesterone co-therapy against colorectal cancer in males

Although ovarian sex steroids could have protective roles against colorectal cancer (CRC) in women, little is currently known about their potential anti-tumorigenic effects in men. Hence, this study measured the therapeutic effects of 17β-oestradiol (E2) and/or progesterone (P4) against azoxymethane-induced CRC in male mice that were divided into (n = 10 mice/group): negative (NC) and positive (PC) controls, E2 (580 µg/Kg/day; five times/week) and P4 (2.9 mg/Kg/day; five times/week) monotherapies, and concurrent (EP) and sequential (E/P) co-therapy groups. Both hormones were injected intraperitoneally to the designated groups for four consecutive weeks. Similar treatment protocols with E2 (10 nM) and/or P4 (20 nM) were also used in the SW480 and SW620 human male CRC cell lines. The PC group showed abundant colonic tumours alongside increased colonic tissue testosterone levels and androgen (AR) and oestrogen (ERα) receptors, whereas E2 and P4 levels with ERβ and progesterone receptor (PGR) decreased significantly compared with the NC group. E2 and P4 monotherapies equally increased ERβ/PGR with p21/Cytochrome-C/Caspase-3, reduced testosterone levels, inhibited ERα/AR and CCND1/survivin and promoted apoptosis relative to the PC group. Both co-therapy protocols also revealed better anti-cancer effects with enhanced modulation of colonic sex steroid hormones and their receptors, with E/P the most prominent protocol. In vitro, E/P regimen showed the highest increases in the numbers of SW480 (2.1-fold) and SW620 (3.5-fold) cells in Sub-G1 phase of cell cycle. The E/P co-therapy also disclosed the lowest percentages of viable SW480 cells (2.8-fold), whilst both co-therapy protocols equally showed the greatest SW620 apoptotic cell numbers (5.2-fold) relative to untreated cells. Moreover, both co-therapy regimens revealed maximal inhibitions of cell cycle inducers, cell survival markers, and AR/ERα alongside the highest expression of cell cycle suppressors, pro-apoptotic molecules, and ERβ/PGR in both cell lines. In conclusion, CRC was associated with abnormal levels of colonic sex steroid hormones alongside aberrant protein expression of their receptors. While the anti-cancer effects of E2 and P4 monotherapies were equal, their combination protocols showed boosted tumoricidal actions against CRC in males, possibly by promoting ERβ and PGR-mediated androgen deprivation together with inhibition of ERα-regulated oncogenic pathways.

Adenovirus Biology, Recombinant Adenovirus, and Adenovirus Usage in Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is currently in the public spotlight. Several gene therapy products, including oncolytic virus (OV), which predominantly replicates in and kills cancer cells, and COVID-19 vaccines have recently been commercialized. Recombinant adenoviruses, including replication-defective adenoviral vector and conditionally replicating adenovirus (CRA; oncolytic adenovirus), have been extensively studied and used in clinical trials for cancer and vaccines. Here, we review the biology of wild-type adenoviruses, the methodological principle for constructing recombinant adenoviruses, therapeutic applications of recombinant adenoviruses, and new technologies in pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-based regenerative medicine. Moreover, this article describes the technology platform for efficient construction of diverse "CRAs that can specifically target tumors with multiple factors" (m-CRAs). This technology allows for modification of four parts in the adenoviral E1 region and the subsequent insertion of a therapeutic gene and promoter to enhance cancer-specific viral replication (i.e., safety) as well as therapeutic effects. The screening study using the m-CRA technology successfully identified survivin-responsive m-CRA (Surv.m-CRA) as among the best m-CRAs, and clinical trials of Surv.m-CRA are underway for patients with cancer. This article also describes new recombinant adenovirus-based technologies for solving issues in PSC-based regenerative medicine.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage colony stimulating factor, survivin, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-2 in analysis of damage and repair related to pediatric chronic kidney injury

BACKGROUND

Kidney injury in the course of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a consequence of aggravated cell migration, inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis. However, the sequence of these phenomena, as well as of the reparatory mechanisms, are not fully known. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF) trigger monocyte migration to the sites of inflammation and their transition into macrophages. Tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) plays a protective role against excessive matrix remodeling, whereas survivin is known for its anti-apoptotic activity.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the serum, urine and fractional excretion (FE) values of MCP1, MCSF, TIMP-2, and survivin in children at subsequent stages of CKD being treated conservatively, and to analyze the potential applicability of these markers in the evaluation of CKD-related renal damage and protective mechanisms against it.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study group consisted of 70 children with conservatively treated CKD, stages 1-5, and 12 controls. The serum and urine concentrations of MCP1, MCSF, TIMP-2, and survivin were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The FE of these parameters in the urine was also assessed.

RESULTS

The serum values of all parameters were significantly elevated at CKD stage 1 compared to the controls. The urinary concentrations of MCP-1 and MCSF (stages 1-2) rose earlier than TIMP-2 and survivin (stage 4) concentrations. The FE values started increasing at CKD stage 3 (MCP-1) or stage 4 (other parameters).

CONCLUSIONS

The complex analysis of serum/urinary/FE values of the selected parameters revealed a sequence of multifaceted CKD-related phenomena, when the migration of cells and inflammation were followed by delayed and insufficient anti-fibrotic and anti-apoptotic activity.

Multiple targeting strategies achieve novel protein drug delivery into proapoptosis lung cancer cells by precisely inhibiting survivin

Therapeutic recombinant proteins have numerous advantages and benefits over chemical drugs, particularly high specificity and good biocompatibility. However, the therapeutic potential and clinical application of current anticancer protein drugs are limited as most biomarkers are located within cells, and multiple physiological barriers exist between the point of administration and the intracellular biomarker. Herein, we report a novel strategy to accurately deliver a cell-permeable dominant-negative TATm-Survivin (TmSm) protein (T34A) to intracellular survivin in cancer cells by overcoming multiple barriers in vivo. A poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) inner core, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification, and a TATm peptide were simultaneously introduced to mediate tumor tissue targeting and response to pH-triggered TmSm release. Compared to free TmSm, the PEGylated-PLGA nanoparticle platform achieved a significantly higher cellular uptake efficiency (1.79-fold for A549 and 1.77-fold for Capan-2), effectively decreased IC50 (1.22-fold for A549 and 1.17-fold for Capan-2), and largely elevated apoptosis in different cancer cells (1.17-fold for A549 and 1.15-fold for Capan-2). Besides, this newly developed nanoplatform showed increased protein drug accumulation in the tumor site in A549-bearing nude mice and reached a tumor inhibition rate of 55.81% (1.35-fold versus free TmSm) by reducing the expression of intracellular survivin. All these results confirmed that our newly developed delivery strategy is a very promising tool, which helps protein drugs to cross multiple barriers in vivo and achieves precise targeting to intracellular biomarkers. This strategy could also be applied to other types of protein drugs to further improve their clinical anticancer therapeutic efficacy.

A Molecular Beacon Based Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Nanotag for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer

Current techniques responsible for bladder cancer diagnosis and monitoring are insensitive and invasive. Here, we report a surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanotag for the sensitive diagnosis of bladder cancer using urine samples as a noninvasive approach. The sea-urchin-like Au nanoclusters used in this work exhibit excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering ability with an enhancement factor of 3.44 × 10⁷. Molecular beacons labeled with Cy3 are covalently anchored to the surface of Au nanoclusters, which serve as a specific recognition site for survivin mRNA. Further a polyethylene glycol coating provides stability and completes the final functionalization. This surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanotag has good efficiency (equilibrium time: 10 min) with high sensitivity (detection threshold: 19.4 nM), high specificity (capable of single-base mismatch recognition) and good stability against nucleases. All these features are also verified in the fluorescence modality. Furthermore, its function was highly maintained in clinical samples from 13 patients with bladder cancer, as evidenced by a sensitivity up to 91.7% and a specificity up to 100%. The nanotag demonstrates its superiority over cytology and has its great clinical value even for early bladder cancer diagnosis. Thus, the nanotag is promising for noninvasive and sensitive diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Prognostic Implication of Survivin Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-An Immunohistochemical Study

AIM

Immunohistochemical expression of survivin was analyzed among the three histological grades (well differentiated, moderately differentiated, and poorly differentiated) of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study material consisted of 60 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples: 15 cases each of well, moderate, and poorly differentiated OSCC and normal oral mucosal (NOM) tissues as the control. Survivin expression was evaluated immunohistochemically and statistical analysis of data was performed using Fisher's Chi-square and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests.

RESULTS

Survivin was expressed in all grades of OSCC, but absent in normal oral tissue samples. Poorly differentiated OSCC exhibited 51 to 75% immunopositivity (53.3%) and severe staining intensity (46.7%) for survivin, predominantly in nuclear areas. While moderately differentiated OSCC had 26 to 50% immunopositivity (40%) and moderate staining intensity (80%), 5 to 25% immunopositivity (40%) with moderate staining intensity (86.7%) was observed in well-differentiated OSCC. Overall, there was a statistically significant difference among the three grades of OSCC in relation to survivin immunopositivity and immunoreactivity (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study supports the use of survivin as a potent diagnostic and prognostic marker for OSCC.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Increased survivin expression and its nuclear localization appeared to correlate with a higher grade of malignancy suggesting unfavorable prognosis.

Pathway crosstalk analysis in prostate cancer based on protein-protein network data

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the major leading cause in men and no effective biomarkers or therapy have been approved for it to date. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms and identify the potential molecular biomarkers of PCa. The microarray profile GSE38241 including 18 prostate cancer metastasis and 21 normal prostate samples was retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Limma. DEGs functions were investigated by Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis. Moreover, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed, followed by functional analysis of modules. Additionally, pathway crosstalk network was constructed by integrating PPI network and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways. Totally, 334 up - and 703 down-regulated DEGs were identified. The functions of up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in GO terms of cell cycle phase and cell cycle process. While down-regulated DEGs mainly participated in actin filament-based process. Among these pathways in the pathway crosstalk network, T cell receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathways, endometrial cancer and glioma were found to play critical roles during PC progression. Cell division cycle 45 (CDC45), baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) and cell division cycle associated 5 (CDCA5) may be useful markers for predicting tumor metastasis and therapeutic targets for the treatment of PCa patients. Moreover, the pathway crosstalk network provides the groundwork that targeting multiple pathways might be more effective than targeting one pathway alone.

Self-Assembled Nanoparticle Mediated Survivin-T34A for Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Gene therapy is emerging as a promising tool for cancer treatment. Down-regulation of survivin gene can lead to the cancer inhibition. However, the lack of efficient and safe gene delivery system is still a critical obstacle to clinical gene therapy. In this study, we use a biodegradable nanoparticle to deliver human survivin-T34A (T34A) to dominant-negatively regulate survivin gene for ovarian cancer therapy. This nanoparticle, self-assembled from monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide) (MPEG-PLA) copolymer and N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy) propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride (DOTAP), has high transfection capability and negligible cytotoxicity. The nanoparticle-delivered T34A gene can efficiently inhibit the growth of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells through induction of apoptosis in vitro. After intraperitoneal injection, the nanoparticle-delivered T34A gene significantly inhibited the growth of intraperitoneal metastasis of SKOV3 ovarian cancer, with no obvious adverse effects. Our data suggest that the nanoparticle-delivered T34A gene has promising clinical applications in ovarian cancer treatment.

Hsa-let-7b inhibits cell proliferation by targeting PLK1 in HCC

Previous studies have shown that high levels of PLK1 are expressed in HCC, and PLK1 inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials. However, the mechanisms, which regulate PLK1 expression in HCC, have not been clarified. Here, we show that induction of let-7b over-expression inhibits the PLK1-regulated luciferase activity in HEK-293T cells, and decreases the levels of PLK1 expression in HCC cells. Furthermore, the levels of let-7b expression were negatively correlated with PLK1 expression in HCC tissues. Let-7b over-expression inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells and promoted their apoptosis, which were partially rescued by increased PLK1 expression. Let-7b over-expression decreased the levels of PLK1, CDC25C and Survivin phosphorylation and CDC2, β-catenin, TCF-4 expression, which were mitigated by increased PLK1 expression in MHCC-97H cells. Let-7b over-expression inhibited the development and growth of implanted HCC tumors in mice by decreasing PLK1 and Survivin expression in the tumors. Together, our data indicated that let-7b targeted PLK1 to inhibit HCC growth and induce their apoptosis by attenuating the PLK1-mediated Survivin phosphorylation. Our findings may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HCC.

Smac combined with DDP can inhibit drug resistance of ovarian cancer through regulation of Survivin expression

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological malignancies, presenting a major threat to women's life and health. It is essential to study the mechanisms of drug resistance to chemotherapy to identify ways to enhance drug-sensitivity. In recent years, many studies have shown that Smac/DIABLO is closely related to tumor drug resistance. Smac/DIABLO expression is markedly different between drug-resistant and chemo sensitive tumor cells. Up-regulation of Smac/DIABLO has been shown to increase tumor cell chemotherapy sensitivity. We found that Smac, combined with DDP greatly inhibited proliferation of subcutaneous xenografts of ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3/DDP without side effects. Mechanistic studies showed that Smac can inhibit the expression of Survivin, promote cell apoptosis of drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells and reverse the drug resistance.

Excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) overexpression inhibits cell apoptosis and is associated with unfavorable prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) functions as a nucleotide excision repair (NER) enzyme. Altered ERCC1 expression or function is closely associated with cancer development and progression. This study determined the association of ERCC1 expression with survivin expression, clinicopathological characteristics, and survival of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients after postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Tissue specimens from 102 resected ESCC patients were acquired for immunohistochemical analysis of ERCC1 and survivin protein expression.ERCC1 expression was detected in 62.7% of ESCC tissues and in 9.8% of normal squamous epithelium tissues (P < .01), while survivin expression was detected in 60.8% of ESCC tissues and in 19.6% of normal squamous epithelia (P < .01). ERCC1 overexpression associated with advanced tumor clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P < .05), but not with tumor size, depth of invasion, or differentiation (P > .05). ERCC1 overexpression was also associated with survivin levels (r = 0.42, P < .01) and worse progression-free survival of ESCC patients after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Multivariate analysis data revealed that ERCC1 and survivin protein expression were independent predictors of overall survival of ESCC patients after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy (P < .05).ERCC1 overexpression is an important phenotype that is associated with ESCC lymph node metastasis and advanced tumor clinical stages. ERCC1 expression may also inhibit ESCC cell apoptosis via regulating survivin expression, and ERCC1 and survivin overexpression are independent predictors of prognosis for ESCC patients who receive chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Enhanced endosomal escape by photothermal activation for improved small interfering RNA delivery and antitumor effect

BACKGROUND

Effective endosomal escape is still a critical bottleneck for intracellular delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to maximize their therapeutic efficacy. To overcome this obstacle, we have developed a photothermally triggered system by using the near-infrared (NIR) irradiation to achieve "on-demand" endosomal escape and subsequent siRNA release into cytoplasm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Herein, the poly-L-lysine (PLL) was successfully conjugated with melanin to obtain melanin-poly-L-lysine (M-PLL) polymer as a siRNA vehicle. The melanin was an efficient photothermal sensitizer, and the positive pendant amino groups of PLL could condense siRNAs to form stable complexes by electrostatic interactions.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Inspired by its excellent photothermal conversion efficiency, the melanin was first involved in the siRNA delivery system. Confocal laser scanning microscopic observation revealed that after cellular uptake the photothermally induced endosomal escape could facilitate siRNAs to overcome endosomal barrier and be delivered into cytoplasm, which resulted in significant silence in the luciferase expression over the NIR- and melanin-free controls. Moreover, the anti-survivin siRNA-loaded M-PLL nanoparticles displayed great inhibitory effect on 4T1 tumor growth in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the M-PLL-mediated siRNA delivery is a promising candidate for therapeutic siRNA delivery and shows improved effect for cancer therapy via enhanced endosomal escape.

Expression and clinical significance of survivin in ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis

To assess the clinicopathological significance of survivin in ovarian carcinoma through this meta-analysis. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies published through September, 2017. Included studies reported the case-control study of surviving expression with ovarian cancer and its clinicopathological characteristics. The quality assessment was performed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quality assessment of case–control studies. Statistical analysis was performed with the software Stata 12.0. Twelve eligible studies with a total of 1097 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Survivin overexpression was closely related to FIGO stage (I-II vs. III-IV) of ovarian carcinoma (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26,95% confidence interval [CI]:0.16,0.42),P<0.00001),tumor grade (G1-G2 vs. G3) (OR = 0.29,95%CI(0.17, 0.51),P <0.0001), but was not significantly associated with lymphatic metastasis (OR = 1.53, 95%CI(0.77, 3.03, P = 0.23),ascites (OR = 0.89,95%CI(0.39,2.05),P = 0.79). Our meta-analysis shows that survivin is strongly associated with FIGO stage and tumor grade of ovarian carcinoma. Maybe survivin is a novel clinicopathological marker of ovarian carcinoma.

TUG1 alleviates hypoxia injury by targeting miR-124 in H9c2 cells

TUG1 has been reported to play an important role in various cancer types. However, the study about the function of lncRNA TUG1 in myocardial infarction is limited. This study was aimed to investigate the role of TUG1 in H9c2 cell injury induced by hypoxia and explore its possible molecular mechanism. The proliferation assay, migration assay, invasion assay, and apoptosis assay were performed. RT-PCR was used to determine the relative RNA expression of TUG1, miR-124 and Hic-5. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of apoptotic proteins, Hic-5, Sp1, and Survivin. Hypoxia could significantly decrease cell proliferation, migration and invasion and increase H9c2 cell apoptosis. Knock-down of TUG1 promoted the cell damage induced by hypoxia. miR-124 was the direct target of TUG1 and down-regulated by TUG1. TUG1 silence aggravated hypoxia injury by up-regulating miR-124. In addition, Hic-5 was the target of miR-124 and negatively regulated by miR-124. Our findings showed that Hic-5 over-expression could significantly induce increases in cell viability, migration and invasion, and induce decrease in cell apoptosis after hypoxia damage. Over-expression of Hic-5 could increase the expression of Sp1 and Survivin, which inhibited the cell apoptosis, thereby reducing the cell damage induced by hypoxia.