Advances in molecular targeted drugs in combination with CAR-T cell therapy for hematologic malignancies.

Molecular targeted drugs and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy represent specific biological treatments that have significantly improved the efficacy of treating hematologic malignancies. However, they face challenges such as drug resistance and recurrence after treatment. Combining molecular targeted drugs and CAR-T cells could regulate immunity, improve tumor microenvironment (TME), promote cell apoptosis, and enhance sensitivity to tumor cell killing. This approach might provide a dual coordinated attack on cancer cells, effectively eliminating minimal residual disease and overcoming therapy resistance. Moreover, molecular targeted drugs can directly or indirectly enhance the anti-tumor effect of CAR-T cells by inducing tumor target antigen expression, reversing CAR-T cell exhaustion, and reducing CAR-T cell associated toxic side effects. Therefore, combining molecular targeted drugs with CAR-T cells is a promising and novel tactic for treating hematologic malignancies. In this review article, we focus on analyzing the mechanism of therapy resistance and its reversal of CAR-T cell therapy resistance, as well as the synergistic mechanism, safety, and future challenges in CAR-T cell therapy in combination with molecular targeted drugs. We aim to explore the benefits of this combination therapy for patients with hematologic malignancies and provide a rationale for subsequent clinical studies.

The role of ABCC10/MRP7 in anti-cancer drug resistance and beyond.

Multidrug resistance protein 7 (MRP7), also known as ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter subfamily C10 (ABCC10), is an ABC transporter that was first identified in 2001. ABCC10/MRP7 is a 171 kDa protein located on the basolateral membrane of cells. ABCC10/MRP7 consists of three transmembrane domains and two nucleotide binding domains. It mediates multidrug resistance of tumor cells to a variety of anticancer drugs by increasing drug efflux and results in reducing intracellular drug accumulation. The transport substrates of ABCC10/MRP7 include antineoplastic drugs such as taxanes, vinca alkaloids, and epothilone B, as well as endobiotics such as leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and estradiol 17 ß-D-glucuronide. A variety of ABCC10/MRP7 inhibitors, including cepharanthine, imatinib, erlotinib, tariquidar, and sildenafil, can reverse ABCC10/MRP7-mediated MDR. Additionally, the presence or absence of ABCC10/MRP7 is also closely related to renal tubular dysfunction, obesity, and other diseases. In this review, we discuss: 1) Structure and functions of ABCC10/MRP7; 2) Known substrates and inhibitors of ABCC10/MRP7 and their potential therapeutic applications in cancer; and 3) Role of ABCC10/MRP7 in non-cancerous diseases.

Therapeutic challenges in peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a rare and heterogeneous group of hematological malignancies. Compared to our knowledge of B-cell tumors, our understanding of T-cell leukemia and lymphoma remains less advanced, and a significant number of patients are diagnosed with advanced stages of the disease. Unfortunately, the development of drug resistance in tumors leads to relapsed or refractory peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (r/r PTCL), resulting in highly unsatisfactory treatment outcomes for these patients. This review provides an overview of potential mechanisms contributing to PTCL treatment resistance, encompassing aspects such as tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, and abnormal signaling pathways in PTCL development. The existing drugs aimed at overcoming PTCL resistance and their potential resistance mechanisms are also discussed. Furthermore, a summary of ongoing clinical trials related to PTCL is presented, with the aim of aiding clinicians in making informed treatment decisions.

Natural products for combating multidrug resistance in cancer.

Cancer cells frequently develop resistance to chemotherapeutic therapies and targeted drugs, which has been a significant challenge in cancer management. With the growing advances in technologies in isolation and identification of natural products, the potential of natural products in combating cancer multidrug resistance has received substantial attention. Importantly, natural products can impact multiple targets, which can be valuable in overcoming drug resistance from different perspectives. In the current review, we will describe the well-established mechanisms underlying multidrug resistance, and introduce natural products that could target these multidrug resistant mechanisms. Specifically, we will discuss natural compounds such as curcumin, resveratrol, baicalein, chrysin and more, and their potential roles in combating multidrug resistance. This review article aims to provide a systematic summary of recent advances of natural products in combating cancer drug resistance, and will provide rationales for novel drug discovery.

Exosomal circular RNAs: A chief culprit in cancer chemotherapy resistance.

Chemotherapy is one of the primary treatments for malignant tumors. However, the acquired drug resistance hinders clinical efficacy and leads to treatment failure in most patients. Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles with a diameter of 30-150 nm carrying and delivering substances such as DNAs, RNAs, lipids, and proteins for cellular communication in tumor development. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) present covalently closed-loop RNA structures, which regulate tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis by controlling different genes and signaling pathways. CircRNAs are abundant and stably expressed in exosomes. Recent studies have shown that they play critical roles in chemotherapy resistance in various cancers. In this review, we summarized the origin of exosomes and discussed the regulation mechanism of exosomal circRNAs in cancer drug resistance.

Current therapy and drug resistance in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), especially metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies and main cause of cancer-related death among men in the world. In addition, it is very difficult for clinical treatment because of the natural or acquired drug resistance of CRPC. Mechanisms of drug resistance are extremely complicated and how to overcome it remains an urgent clinical problem to be solved. Thus, a comprehensive and thorough understanding for mechanisms of drug resistance in mCRPC is indispensable to develop novel and better therapeutic strategies. In this review, we aim to review new insight of the treatment of mCRPC and elucidate mechanisms governing resistance to new drugs: taxanes, androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi). Most importantly, in order to improve efficacy of these drugs, strategies of overcoming drug resistance are also discussed based on their mechanisms respectively.

Multi-omics dissection of stage-specific artemisinin tolerance mechanisms in Kelch13-mutant Plasmodium falciparum.

AIMS: We investigated the stage-specific mechanisms of partial resistance to artemisinin (ART, an antimalarial drug) in Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) carrying the Kelch13 C580Y mutation. METHODS: Using fluorescence labeling and activity-based protein profiling, we systematically profile the ART activation levels in P. falciparum during the entire intra-erythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC), and determined the ART-targets profile of the ART-sensitive and -resistant strains at different stages. We retrieved and integrated datasets of single-cell transcriptomics and label-free proteomics across three IDC stages of wild-type P. falciparum. We also employed lipidomics to validate lipid metabolic reprogramming in the resistant strain. RESULTS: The activation and expression patterns of genes and proteins of ART-targets in both ART-sensitive and resistant strains varied at different stages and periods of P. falciparum development, with the late trophozoite stage harboring the largest number of ART targets. We identified and validated 36 overlapping targets, such as GAPDH, EGF-1a, and SpdSyn, during the IDC stages in both strains. We revealed the ART-insensitivity of fatty acid-associated activities in the partially resistant strain at both the early ring and early trophozoite stages. CONCLUSIONS: Our multi-omics strategies provide novel insights into the mechanisms of ART partial resistance in Kelch13 mutant P. falciparum, demonstrating the stage-specific interaction between ART and malaria parasites.

CAR T-Cell therapy for the management of mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a subtype of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of mature B-cells characterized by translocation, which is typically due to excess expression of Cyclin D1. Although with the progress in our knowledge of the causes for MCL and available treatments for MCL, this cancer is still incurable. Age, male gender, rapid advancement, significant nodal involvement, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase level, and prognostic indications including increased expression of Ki-67 and presence of TP53 mutation, are symbols of poor outcome. Advanced immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells is advantageous for patients suffering from B-cell malignancies and MCL. Targeting B-cell antigens on the cell surface is a feasible approach in re-occurring (R/R) MCL because of significant responses obtained in other B-cell cancers. USFDA has approved brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus, KTE-X19), a novel CAR T-cell therapy to be used in patients with MCL who have not responded to previous treatments or have relapsed. The FDA approved this new treatment depending on the outcomes of the ZUMA-2 clinical trial. Serious adverse reactions, moderate anti-tumor activity, allergen withdrawal, antigen escape, limited tumor infiltration, and trafficking are major barriers to successful CAR T-cell therapy. This review is a brief synopsis of the development of CAR T-cell therapy for MCL.

Paclitaxel resistance related to nuclear envelope structural sturdiness.

Taxanes (Taxol/paclitaxel, Docetaxel/taxotere) are a key group of successful drugs commonly used in chemotherapy to treat several major malignant tumors also as a front-line agent in combination with carboplatin/cisplatin, as well as a second line drug with a dose dense regimen following recurrence. Overall, the response to paclitaxel is excellent, though drug resistance inevitably develops in subsequent treatments. The commonly accepted mechanism of action is that the hindrance of microtubule function by paclitaxel leads to cell cycle arrest at mitosis, and subsequent apoptosis. The mechanisms for resistance to paclitaxel have also been extensively investigated, such as ABC transporter overexpression, altered signaling and apoptotic gene expression to resist cell death, and changes associated with microtubules to reduce influences of the drugs. Meanwhile, another important mechanism of paclitaxel resistance has been proposed: increased nuclear lamina/envelope sturdiness to retard the breaking of nuclear envelop and the paclitaxel-induced multinucleation as well as the formation of multiple micronuclei. Here in this review, we focus on experimental findings and ideas on the mechanism of paclitaxel resistance related to cancer nuclear envelope, to provide new insights on overcoming paclitaxel resistance.

Targeting metabolism to overcome cancer drug resistance: A promising therapeutic strategy for diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Cancer cell metabolism including aerobic glycolysis, amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, has been extensively studied. Metabolic reprogramming is a major hallmark of cancer, which promotes cancer cell proliferation, progression and metastasis, as well as provokes resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Several signal transduction pathways, such as BCR, MEK/ERK, Notch, NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR, regulate tumor metabolism, hence promoting tumor cell growth, proliferation and progression. Therefore, targeting metabolic enzymes, metabolites or their signal transduction pathways may constitute a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance cancer treatment efficacy. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and one-third of DLBCL patients suffer from relapsed/refractory disease after chemotherapy. The mechanisms underlying drug resistance are complex, including target gene mutations, metabolic reprogramming, aberrant signal transduction pathways, enhanced drug efflux via overexpression of multidrug efflux transporters like P-glycoprotein, upregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, drug sequestration and enhanced DND repair. This review delineates the distinct metabolic reprogramming patterns and the association between metabolism and anticancer drug resistance in DLBCL as well as the emerging strategies to surmount chemoresistance in DLBCL.

Discovery of Norbornene as a Novel Hydrophobic Tag Applied in Protein Degradation.

Hydrophobic tagging (HyT) is a potential therapeutic strategy for targeted protein degradation (TPD). Norbornene was discovered as an unprecedented hydrophobic tag in this study and was used to degrade the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion protein by linking it to ALK inhibitors. The most promising degrader, Hyt-9, potently reduced ALK levels through Hsp70 and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in vitro without compensatory upregulation of ALK. Furthermore, Hyt-9 exhibited a significant tumor-inhibiting effect in vivo with moderate oral bioavailability. More importantly, norbornene can also be used to degrade the intractable enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) when tagged with the EZH2 inhibitor tazemetostat. Thus, the discovery of novel hydrophobic norbornene tags shows promise for the future development of TPD technology.

Reprogramming the tumor microenvironment by genome editing for precision cancer therapy.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is essential for immune escape by tumor cells. It plays essential roles in tumor development and metastasis. The clinical outcomes of tumors are often closely related to individual differences in the patient TME. Therefore, reprogramming TME cells and their intercellular communication is an attractive and promising strategy for cancer therapy. TME cells consist of immune and nonimmune cells. These cells need to be manipulated precisely and safely to improve cancer therapy. Furthermore, it is encouraging that this field has rapidly developed in recent years with the advent and development of gene editing technologies. In this review, we briefly introduce gene editing technologies and systematically summarize their applications in the TME for precision cancer therapy, including the reprogramming of TME cells and their intercellular communication. TME cell reprogramming can regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, and function. Moreover, reprogramming the intercellular communication of TME cells can optimize immune infiltration and the specific recognition of tumor cells by immune cells. Thus, gene editing will pave the way for further breakthroughs in precision cancer therapy.

A novel approach for relapsed/refractory FLT3mut+ acute myeloid leukaemia: synergistic effect of the combination of bispecific FLT3scFv/NKG2D-CAR T cells and gilteritinib.

BACKGROUND: Patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Therefore, novel treatment modalities are needed. Since high expression of natural killer group 2 member D ligands (NKG2DLs) can be induced by FLT3 inhibitors, we constructed dual-target FLT3 single-chain fragment variable (scFv)/NKG2D-chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, and explored whether FLT3 inhibitors combined with FLT3scFv/NKG2D-CAR T cells could have synergistic anti-leukaemia effects. METHODS: FLT3scFv and NKG2D expression in CAR T cells, FLT3 and NKG2DL expression in AML cells, and the in vitro cytotoxicity of combining CAR T cells with gilteritinib were assessed by flow cytometry. The therapeutic effect was evaluated in a xenograft mouse model established by injection of MOLM-13 cells. Mechanisms underlying the gilteritinib-induced NKG2DL upregulation were investigated using siRNA, ChIP-QPCR and luciferase assays. RESULTS: The FLT3scFv/NKG2D-CAR T cells specifically lysed AML cells both in vitro and in the xenograft mouse model. The efficacy of FLT3scFv/NKG2D-CAR T cells was improved by gilteritinib-pretreatment. The noncanonical NF-κB2/Rel B signalling pathway was found to mediate gilteritinib-induced NKG2DL upregulation in AML cells. CONCLUSIONS: Bispecific FLT3scFv/NKG2D-CAR T cells can effectively eradicate AML cells. The FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib can synergistically improve this effect by upregulating NF-κB2-dependent NKG2DL expression in AML cells.

BCL-2 expression promotes immunosuppression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by enhancing regulatory T cell differentiation and cytotoxic T cell exhaustion.

BACKGROUND: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) results in increased susceptibility to infections. T cell dysfunction is not associated with CLL in all patients; therefore, it is important to identify CLL patients with T cell defects. The role of B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) in CLL has been explored; however, few studies have examined its role in T cells in CLL patients. Herein, we have investigated the regulatory role of BCL-2 in T cells in the CLL tumor microenvironment. METHODS: The expression of BCL-2 in T cells was evaluated using flow cytometry. The regulatory roles of BCL-2 were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and verified using multi-parameter flow cytometry on CD4 and CD8 T cells. The clinical features of BCL-2 expression in T cells in CLL were also explored. RESULTS: We found a significant increase in BCL-2 expression in the T cells of CLL patients (n = 266). Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) indicated that BCL-2+CD4+ T cells had the gene signature of increased regulatory T cells (Treg); BCL-2+CD8+ T cells showed the gene signature of exhausted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL); and increased expression of BCL-2 was associated with T cell activation and cellular adhesion. The results from scRNA-seq were verified in peripheral T cells from 70 patients with CLL, wherein BCL-2+CD4+ T cells were enriched with Tregs and had higher expression of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-ß than BCL-2-CD4+ T cells. BCL-2 expression in CD8+T cells was associated with exhausted cells (PD-1+Tim-3+) and weak expression of granzyme B and perforin. T cell-associated cytokine profiling revealed a negative association between BCL-2+ T cells and T cell activation. Decreased frequencies and recovery functions of BCL-2+T cells were observed in CLL patients in complete remission after treatment with venetoclax. CONCLUSION: BCL-2 expression in the T cells of CLL patients is associated with immunosuppression via promotion of Treg abundance and CTL exhaustion.

MG53 suppresses tumor progression and stress granule formation by modulating G3BP2 activity in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapeutic intervention by excessive formation of stress granules (SGs), which are modulated by an oncogenic protein G3BP2. Selective control of G3BP2/SG signaling is a potential means to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Co-immunoprecipitation was conducted to identify the interaction of MG53 and G3BP2. Immunohistochemistry and live cell imaging were performed to visualize the subcellular expression or co-localization. We used shRNA to knock-down the expression MG53 or G3BP2 to test the cell migration and colony formation. The expression level of MG53 and G3BP2 in human NSCLC tissues was tested by western blot analysis. The ATO-induced oxidative stress model was used to examine the effect of rhMG53 on SG formation. Moue NSCLC allograft experiments were performed on wild type and transgenic mice with either knockout of MG53, or overexpression of MG53. Human NSCLC xenograft model in mice was used to evaluate the effect of MG53 overexpression on tumorigenesis. RESULTS: We show that MG53, a member of the TRIM protein family (TRIM72), modulates G3BP2 activity to control lung cancer progression. Loss of MG53 results in the progressive development of lung cancer in mg53-/- mice. Transgenic mice with sustained elevation of MG53 in the bloodstream demonstrate reduced tumor growth following allograft transplantation of mouse NSCLC cells. Biochemical assay reveals physical interaction between G3BP2 and MG53 through the TRIM domain of MG53. Knockdown of MG53 enhances proliferation and migration of NSCLC cells, whereas reduced tumorigenicity is seen in NSCLC cells with knockdown of G3BP2 expression. The recombinant human MG53 (rhMG53) protein can enter the NSCLC cells to induce nuclear translation of G3BP2 and block arsenic trioxide-induced SG formation. The anti-proliferative effect of rhMG53 on NSCLC cells was abolished with knockout of G3BP2. rhMG53 can enhance sensitivity of NSCLC cells to undergo cell death upon treatment with cisplatin. Tailored induction of MG53 expression in NSCLC cells suppresses lung cancer growth via reduced SG formation in a xenograft model. CONCLUSION: Overall, these findings support the notion that MG53 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting G3BP2/SG activity in NSCLCs.

Overexpression of ABCG2 confers resistance to pevonedistat, an NAE inhibitor.

Pevonedistat is a potent, selective, first-in-class NEDD8 activating enzyme inhibitor. It is now under multiple clinical trials that investigate its anticancer effect against solid tumors and leukemia. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are membrane proteins that are involved in mediating multidrug resistance (MDR). In this article, we reveal that pevonedistat is a substrate of ABCG2 which decreases the therapeutic effect of pevonedistat. The cytotoxicity of pevonedistat was significantly weakened in ABCG2-overexpressing cells, and the drug resistance can be reversed by ABCG2 inhibitors. The ATPase assay suggested that pevonedistat can stimulate ABCG2 ATPase activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Pevonedistat showed little effect on the expression level or subcellular localization of ABCG2 after 72 h treatment. Furthermore, a pevonedistat resistance cell line S1-PR was established and overexpressed ABCG2. Generally, our study provides evidence that ABCG2 can be a prominent factor leading to pevonedistat-resistance. Furthermore, ABCG2 may also be utilized as a biomarker to monitor the development of pevonedistat resistance during cancer treatment.

Overexpression of ABCB1 Transporter Confers Resistance to mTOR Inhibitor WYE-354 in Cancer Cells.

The overexpressing ABCB1 transporter is one of the key factors leading to multidrug resistance (MDR). Thus, many ABCB1 inhibitors have been found to be able to overcome ABCB1-mediated MDR. However, some inhibitors also work as a substrate of ABCB1, which indicates that in order to achieve an effective reversal dosage, a higher concentration is needed to overcome the pumped function of ABCB1, which may concurrently increase the toxicity. WYE-354 is an effective and specific mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitor, which recently has been reported to reverse ABCB1-mediated MDR. In the current study, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was carried out to determine the cell viability and reversal effect of WYE-354 in parental and drug-resistant cells. Drug accumulation was performed to examine the effect of WYE-354 on the cellular accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs. The ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) activity of the ABCB1 transporter in the presence or absence of WYE-354 was conducted in order to determine the impact of WYE-354 on ATP hydrolysis. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay were used to investigate the protein molecules related to MDR. In addition, the interaction between the WYE-354 and ABCB1 transporter was investigated via in silico analysis. We demonstrated that WYE-354 is a substrate of ABCB1, that the overexpression of the ABCB1 transporter decreases the efficacy of WYE-354, and that the resistant WYE-354 can be reversed by an ABCB1 inhibitor at a pharmacological achievable concentration. Furthermore, WYE-354 increased the intracellular accumulation of paclitaxel in the ABCB1-mediated MDR cell line, without affecting the corresponding parental cell line, which indicated that WYE-354 could compete with other chemotherapeutic drugs for the ABCB1 transporter substrate binding site. In addition, WYE-354 received a high score in the docking analysis, indicating a strong interaction between WYE-354 and the ABCB1 transporter. The results of the ATPase analysis showed that WYE-354 could stimulate ABCB1 ATPase activity. Treatment with WYE-354 did not affect the protein expression or subcellular localization of the ABCB1. This study provides evidence that WYE-354 is a substrate of the ABCB1 transporter, implicating that WYE-354 should be avoided for use in ABCB1-mediated MDR cancer.

Modulating ROS to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer.

The successful treatment of cancer has significantly improved as a result of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. However, during chemotherapy, cancer cells evolve and can acquire "multidrug resistance" (MDR), which significantly limits the efficacy of cancer treatment and impacts patient survival and quality of life. Among the approaches to reverse MDR, modulating reactive oxidative species (ROS) may represent a strategy to kill MDR cancer cells that are mechanistically diverse. ROS in cancer cells play a central role in regulating and inducing apoptosis, thereby modulating cancer cells proliferation, survival and drug resistance. The levels of ROS and the activity of scavenging/anti-oxidant enzymes in drug resistant cancer cells are typically increased compared to non-MDR cancer and normal cells. Consequently, MDR cancer cells may be more susceptible to alterations in ROS levels. Numerous studies suggest that compounds modulating cellular ROS levels can enhance MDR cancer cell death and sensitize MDR cancer cells to certain chemotherapeutic drugs. In the current review, we discuss the critical and targetable redox-regulating enzymes, including mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, NADPH oxidases (NOXs), enzymes related to glutathione metabolism, glutamate/cystine antiporter xCT, thioredoxin reductases (TrxRs), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and their roles in regulating cellular ROS levels, drug resistance as well as their clinical significance. We also discuss and summarize the findings in the past decade regarding the efficacy of ROS modulators for the treatment of MDR cancer alone or as sensitizing compounds. Compounds that are efficacious in modulating ROS generation represent a prominent class of drug candidates that warrants evaluation in clinical trials for patients harboring MDR cancers.

Musashi-2 (MSI2) supports TGF-ß signaling and inhibits claudins to promote non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a 5-y survival rate of ∼16%, with most deaths associated with uncontrolled metastasis. We screened for stem cell identity-related genes preferentially expressed in a panel of cell lines with high versus low metastatic potential, derived from NSCLC tumors of Kras(LA1/+);P53(R172HΔG/+) (KP) mice. The Musashi-2 (MSI2) protein, a regulator of mRNA translation, was consistently elevated in metastasis-competent cell lines. MSI2 was overexpressed in 123 human NSCLC tumor specimens versus normal lung, whereas higher expression was associated with disease progression in an independent set of matched normal/primary tumor/lymph node specimens. Depletion of MSI2 in multiple independent metastatic murine and human NSCLC cell lines reduced invasion and metastatic potential, independent of an effect on proliferation. MSI2 depletion significantly induced expression of proteins associated with epithelial identity, including tight junction proteins [claudin 3 (CLDN3), claudin 5 (CLDN5), and claudin 7 (CLDN7)] and down-regulated direct translational targets associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, including the TGF-ß receptor 1 (TGFßR1), the small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3), and the zinc finger proteins SNAI1 (SNAIL) and SNAI2 (SLUG). Overexpression of TGFßRI reversed the loss of invasion associated with MSI2 depletion, whereas overexpression of CLDN7 inhibited MSI2-dependent invasion. Unexpectedly, MSI2 depletion reduced E-cadherin expression, reflecting a mixed epithelial-mesenchymal phenotype. Based on this work, we propose that MSI2 provides essential support for TGFßR1/SMAD3 signaling and contributes to invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung and may serve as a predictive biomarker of NSCLC aggressiveness.

WB-PBPK approach in predicting zidovudine pharmacokinetics in preterm neonates.

Antiretroviral therapy has been the mainstay of treatment for neonates born to HIV infected mothers. Neonates born prematurely to HIV positive mothers are underdeveloped not only in anatomical terms but also in their physiological systems. Zidovudine, the first antiretroviral drug in clinical therapy for the treatment of HIV has been approved for use in preterm neonates both prophylactically and therapeutically. The present work describes the whole body physiologically based pharmacokinetic (WB-PBPK) model development for zidovudine in preterm neonates of varying gestational ages, to observe the pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug in this vulnerable group of the population. Along with the height, weight, post-natal, and gestational ages of the preterm neonates, metabolic enzymes CYP2A6, CYP2C8, etc. were incorporated for each neonate. The composition of the different organs in terms of water and lipid components, blood flow rates, etc. were specified during simulations according to the gestational ages of these neonates. The following PK parameters were estimated for preterm neonates using simulated plasma profiles: AUC 2686.41 ± 123.49 µmol min/L, Cmax 6.46 ± 0.74 µmol/L, half-life 8.98 ± 2.36 hr, mean residence time 12.23 ± 3.43 hr, and total plasma clearance 1.48 ± 0.19 ml/min/kg in comparison with the observed PK parameters of a clinical study by Mirochknic et al. in preterm neonates with AUC 2020.04 µmol/min/L, Cmax 6.10 µmol/L, and total plasma clearance 1.62 ml/min/kg. PBPK simulations provide an opportunity to visualize the possible impact of physiological maturity levels at varying gestational ages on the pharmacokinetic behavior of zidovudine in preterm neonates.