Targeting TUBB3 Suppresses Anoikis Resistance and Bone Metastasis in Prostate Cancer.

Bone metastases occur in more than 70% of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients, leading to a poor prognosis. Resistance to detachment-induced apoptosis, also known as anoikis, plays a crucial role in the onset of tumor metastasis. Targeting anoikis resistance is of immense therapeutic significance in repression of metastatic spread. In this study, based on an anoikis-related prognostic risk model of PCa, this study identifies TUBB3 as a key anoikis-related prognostic gene that is highly expressed in bone metastatic PCa. TUBB3 expression is increased in anoikis-resistant PCa cells, and TUBB3 depletion significantly reverses anoikis resistance during extracellular matrix (ECM) detachment and inhibits anoikis-resistance-induced PCa cell invasion and migration as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. TUBB3 knockdown significantly reduces αvß3/FAK/Src axis activation, blocking its downstream oncogenic signaling. In addition, this work develops bone-targeting lipid nanoparticles (BT-LNP) based on bisphosphonate-modified ionizable lipid for systemic delivery of siRNA targeting TUBB3 (siTUBB3). BT-LNP-delivered siTUBB3 therapy with localization in the bone microenvironment significantly attenuate PCa bone metastasis progression in vivo upon intravenous administration. These findings pinpoint that TUBB3, as a key regulator of anoikis resistance, is an effective therapeutic target in bone metastatic PCa and that BT-LNP-mediated systemic delivery of siTUBB3 can be developed as a novel therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Frizzled receptors (FZDs) in Wnt signaling: potential therapeutic targets for human cancers.

Frizzled receptors (FZDs) are key contributors intrinsic to the Wnt signaling pathway, activation of FZDs triggering the Wnt signaling cascade is frequently observed in human tumors and intimately associated with an aggressive carcinoma phenotype. It has been shown that the abnormal expression of FZD receptors contributes to the manifestation of malignant characteristics in human tumors such as enhanced cell proliferation, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance as well as the acquisition of cancer stemness. Given the essential roles of FZD receptors in the Wnt signaling in human tumors, this review aims to consolidate the prevailing knowledge on the specific status of FZD receptors (FZD1-10) and elucidate their respective functions in tumor progression. Furthermore, we delineate the structural basis for binding of FZD and its co-receptors to Wnt, and provide a better theoretical foundation for subsequent studies on related mechanisms. Finally, we describe the existing biological classes of small molecule-based FZD inhibitors in detail in the hope that they can provide useful assistance for design and development of novel drug candidates targeted FZDs.

IUPHAR ECR review: The cGAS-STING pathway: Novel functions beyond innate immune and emerging therapeutic opportunities.

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a crucial innate immune sensor responsible for distinguishing pathogens and cytosolic DNA, mediating innate immune signaling pathways to defend the host. Recent studies have revealed additional regulatory functions of STING beyond its innate immune-related activities, including the regulation of cellular metabolism, DNA repair, cellular senescence, autophagy and various cell deaths. These findings highlight the broader implications of STING in cellular physiology beyond its role in innate immunity. Currently, approximately 10 STING agonists have entered the clinical stage. Unlike inhibitors, which have a maximum inhibition limit, agonists have the potential for infinite amplification. STING signaling is a complex process that requires precise regulation of STING to ensure balanced immune responses and prevent detrimental autoinflammation. Recent research on the structural mechanism of STING autoinhibition and its negative regulation by adaptor protein complex 1 (AP-1) provides valuable insights into its different effects under physiological and pathological conditions, offering a new perspective for developing immune regulatory drugs. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview of the regulatory functions and molecular mechanisms of STING beyond innate immune regulation, along with updated details of its structural mechanisms. We discuss the implications of these complex regulations in various diseases, emphasizing the importance and feasibility of targeting the immunity-dependent or immunity-independent functions of STING. Moreover, we highlight the current trend in drug development and key points for clinical research, basic research, and translational research related to STING.

Identification of immune-associated signatures and potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) comprises a heterogeneous group of diseases with diverse aetiologies. It is characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricular (RV) failure without specific drugs for treatment. Emerging evidence suggests that inflammation and autoimmune disorders are common features across all PAH phenotypes. This provides a novel idea to explore the characteristics of immunological disorders in PAH and identify immune-related genes or biomarkers for specific anti-remodelling regimens. In this study, we integrated three gene expression profiles and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis. CIBERSORT was utilized to estimate the abundance of tissue-infiltrating immune cells in PAH. The PPI network and machine learning were constructed to identify immune-related hub genes and then evaluate the relationship between hub genes and differential immune cells using ImmucellAI. Additionally, we implemented molecular docking to screen potential small-molecule compounds based on the obtained genes. Our findings demonstrated the density and distribution of infiltrating CD4 T cells in PAH and identified four immune-related genes (ROCK2, ATHL1, HSP90AA1 and ACTR2) as potential targets. We also listed 20 promising molecules, including TDI01953, pemetrexed acid and radotinib, for PAH treatment. These results provide a promising avenue for further research into immunological disorders in PAH and potential novel therapeutic targets.

Identification of potential ferroptosis-associated biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation and gradual joint degeneration, resulting in function disability. Recently, ferroptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death that involves iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of RA. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and key genes involved in ferroptosis in RA remain largely unknown. Methods: The GSE134420 and GSE77298 datasets were downloaded and DEGs were identified using R software. The DEGs were then mapped to the dataset of 619 ferroptosis-related genes obtained from the GeneCards database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were conducted to investigate the possible biological functions. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed to identify the hub genes. The relationship between hub genes and immune infiltration was estimated using the CIBERSORT algorithms. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the underlying signaling pathways of hub genes. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis was performed to confirm the pathogenic regions of the hub genes. RcisTarget and Gene-motif ranking databases were used to identify transcription factors (TFs) associated with the hub genes. The miRcode databases were utilized to construct the microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) network. Single-cell analysis was utilized to cluster cells and display the expression of hub genes in cell clusters. Finally, the expression and potential mechanism of hub genes were investigated in human and experimental samples. Results: Three hub genes PTGS2, ENO1, and GRN highly associated with ferroptosis were identified. Four pathogenic genes HLA-B, MIF, PSTPIP, TLR1 were identified that were significantly and positively correlated with the expression levels of hub genes. The results of the GSEA showed that the hub genes were significantly enriched in pathways related to immunity, lysosome, phagocytosis and infection. ENO1 and PTGS2 were enriched in the TF-binding motif of cisbp_M5493. The hub genes were validated in experimental and patient samples and highly level of ENO1 expression was found to inhibit ACO1, which reduces ferroptosis in proliferating fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Conclusion: PTGS2, ENO1 and GRN were identified and validated as potential ferroptosis-related biomarkers. Our work first revealed that ENO1 is highly expressed in RA synovium and that ferroptosis may be regulated by the ENO1-ACO1 axis, advancing the understanding of the underlying ferroptosis-related mechanisms of synovial proliferation and providing potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for RA.

Risk of venous thromboembolism with janus kinase inhibitors in inflammatory immune diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the risk of venous thrombosis (VTE) associated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in patients diagnosed with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of PUBMED, Cochrane, and Embase databases for randomized controlled trials evaluating venous thromboembolic incidence after administering JAK inhibitors in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The studies were screened according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and a meta-analysis was performed. Results: A total of 16 studies, enrolling 17,242 participants, were included in this review. Four approved doses of JAK inhibitors were administered in the included studies. The meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in the incidence of VTE between patients receiving JAK inhibitors, a placebo, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (RR 0.72, 95% CI (0.33-1.55); RR 0.94, 95%CI (0.33-2.69)). Subgroup analysis showed a lower risk of VTE with lower doses of JAK inhibitors [RR 0.56, 95%CI (0.36-0.88)]. Compared with the higher dose of tofacitinib, the lower dose was associated with a lower risk of pulmonary embolism [RR 0.37, 95%CI (0.18-0.78)]. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials observed a potential increase in the risk of VTE in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases treated with JAK inhibitors compared to placebo or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, though statistical significance was not attained. Notably, a higher risk of pulmonary embolism was observed with high doses of tofacitinib. Our findings provide valuable insights for physicians when evaluating the use of JAK inhibitors for patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023382544, identifier CRD42023382544.

A novel immunogenic cell death-related subtype classification and risk signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy in gastric cancer.

The majority of gastric cancer (GC) patients are in a progressive stage at the initial stage of treatment, and the overall response rate to immunotherapy remains unsatisfactory largely due to the lack of effective prognostic biomarkers. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) was identified as a new form of regulated cell death that can activate adaptive immune responses and further promote immunotherapy efficacy. Therefore, we attempted to characterize the ICD-associated signature to stratify patients who could benefit from immunotherapy. In our study, two subgroups of patients were identified based on the data of 34 ICD-related genes extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas database via consensus clustering. The estimated scores, stromal scores, immune scores, tumor purity, and survival rate showed significant differences between the low and high ICD groups. Then, we constructed an ICD-related risk signature, including IFNB1, IL6, LY96, and NT5E, using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis; then, high- and low-risk groups could be clearly distinguished. Notably, the risk score is a reliable predictor of the prognosis and immunotherapy outcome in GC, which was further validated in an immunohistochemistry assay. These results suggest that ICD is closely associated with the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment in GC. Taken together, this study first constructed and validated a prognostic ICD-related signature to predict the survival and effect of immunotherapy in GC, which provided new insight for potent individualized immunotherapy strategies.

The challenges and opportunities of αvß3-based therapeutics in cancer: From bench to clinical trials.

Integrins are main cell adhesion receptors serving as linker attaching cells to extracellular matrix (ECM) and bidirectional hubs transmitting biochemical and mechanical signals between cells and their environment. Integrin αvß3 is a critical family member of integrins and interacts with ECM proteins containing RGD tripeptide sequence. Accumulating evidence indicated that the abnormal expression of integrin αvß3 was associated with various tumor progressions, including tumor initiation, sustained tumor growth, distant metastasis, drug resistance development, maintenance of stemness in cancer cells. Therefore, αvß3 has been explored as a therapeutic target in various types of cancers, but there is no αvß3 antagonist approved for human therapy. Targeting-integrin αvß3 therapeutics has been a challenge, but lessons from the past are valuable to the development of innovative targeting approaches. This review systematically summarized the structure, signal transduction, regulatory role in cancer, and drug development history of integrin αvß3, and also provided new insights into αvß3-based therapeutics in cancer from bench to clinical trials, which would contribute to developing effective targeting αvß3 agents for cancer treatment.

Targeting integrin pathways: mechanisms and advances in therapy.

Integrins are considered the main cell-adhesion transmembrane receptors that play multifaceted roles as extracellular matrix (ECM)-cytoskeletal linkers and transducers in biochemical and mechanical signals between cells and their environment in a wide range of states in health and diseases. Integrin functions are dependable on a delicate balance between active and inactive status via multiple mechanisms, including protein-protein interactions, conformational changes, and trafficking. Due to their exposure on the cell surface and sensitivity to the molecular blockade, integrins have been investigated as pharmacological targets for nearly 40 years, but given the complexity of integrins and sometimes opposite characteristics, targeting integrin therapeutics has been a challenge. To date, only seven drugs targeting integrins have been successfully marketed, including abciximab, eptifibatide, tirofiban, natalizumab, vedolizumab, lifitegrast, and carotegrast. Currently, there are approximately 90 kinds of integrin-based therapeutic drugs or imaging agents in clinical studies, including small molecules, antibodies, synthetic mimic peptides, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, imaging agents, etc. A serious lesson from past integrin drug discovery and research efforts is that successes rely on both a deep understanding of integrin-regulatory mechanisms and unmet clinical needs. Herein, we provide a systematic and complete review of all integrin family members and integrin-mediated downstream signal transduction to highlight ongoing efforts to develop new therapies/diagnoses from bench to clinic. In addition, we further discuss the trend of drug development, how to improve the success rate of clinical trials targeting integrin therapies, and the key points for clinical research, basic research, and translational research.

SPP1 Promotes Enzalutamide Resistance and Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition Activation in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer via PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 Pathways.

The bottleneck arising from castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treatment is its high metastasis potential and antiandrogen drug resistance, which severely affects survival time of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) is a cardinal mediator of tumor-associated inflammation and facilitates metastasis. In our previous study, we firstly revealed SPP1 was a potential hub signature for predicting metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) development. Herein, we integrated multiple databases to explore the association of SPP1 expression with prognosis, survival, and metastatic levels in CRPC progression and investigated SPP1 expression in PCa tissues and cell lines. Next, PCa cell lines with overexpression or depletion of SPP1 were established to study the effect of SPP1 on enzalutamide sensitivity and adhesion and migration of prostate cancer cell lines and further explore the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemical staining, and western blot results suggested SPP1 upregulation had strong relationship with the malignant progression of CRPC and enzalutamide resistance. SPP1 knockdown enhanced enzalutamide sensitivity and repressed invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells. Importantly, upregulating SPP1 promoted, while silencing SPP1 attenuated epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT). Our results further demonstrated that SPP1 overexpression maintains the activation of PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. Overall, our findings unraveled the functional role and clinical significance of SPP1 in PCa progression and help to discover new potential targets against mCRPC.