Extracellular Vesicles-A Source of RNA Biomarkers for the Detection of Breast Cancer in Liquid Biopsies.

Over the past decade, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising source of cancer-derived RNAs for liquid biopsies. However, blood contains a pool of heterogeneous EVs released by a variety of cell types, making the identification of cancer RNA biomarkers challenging. Here, we performed deep sequencing of plasma EV RNA cargo in 32 patients with locally advanced breast cancer (BC) at diagnosis and 7 days after breast surgery and in 30 cancer-free healthy controls (HCs). To identify BC-derived RNA biomarkers, we searched for RNAs that had higher levels in BC EVs at the time of diagnosis compared with HCs and decreased after surgery. Data analysis showed that the fractions of miRNAs, snRNAs, snoRNAs, and tRFs were increased, but the fraction of lncRNAs was decreased in BC EVs as compared to HCs. BC-derived biomarker candidates were identified across various RNA biotypes. Considered individually, they had very high specificity but moderate sensitivity for the detection of BC, whereas a biomarker model composed of eight RNAs: SNORD3H, SNORD1C, SNORA74D, miR-224-5p, piR-32949, lnc-IFT-122-2, lnc-C9orf50-4, and lnc-FAM122C-3 was able to distinguish BC from HC EVs with an AUC of 0.902 (95% CI = 0.872-0.931, p = 3.4 × 10-9) in leave-one-out cross-validation. Furthermore, a number of RNA biomarkers were correlated with the ER and HER2 expression and additional biomarker models were created to predict hormone receptor and HER2 status. Overall, this study demonstrated that the RNA composition of plasma EVs is altered in BC patients and that they contain cancer-derived RNA biomarkers that can be used for BC detection and monitoring using liquid biopsies.

Early and strong antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 predict disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 is a valuable biomarker for the assessment of the spread of the virus in a population and evaluation of the vaccine candidates. Recent data suggest that antibody levels also may have a prognostic significance in COVID-19. Most of the serological studies so far rely on testing antibodies against spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) protein, however antibodies can be directed against other structural and nonstructural proteins of the virus, whereas their frequency, biological and clinical significance is unknown. METHODS: A novel antigen array comprising 30 SARS-CoV-2 antigens or their fragments was developed and used to examine IgG, IgA, IgE and IgM responses to SARS-CoV-2 in sera from 103 patients with COVID-19 including 34 patients for whom sequential samples were available, and 20 pre-pandemic healthy controls. RESULTS: Antibody responses to various antigens are highly correlated and the frequencies and peak levels of antibodies are higher in patients with severe/moderate disease than in those with mild disease. This finding supports the idea that antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 may exacerbate the severity of the disease via antibody-dependent enhancement. Moreover, early IgG and IgA responses to full length S protein may be used as an additional biomarker for the identification of patients who are at risk of developing severe disease. Importantly, this is the first study reporting that SARS-CoV-2 elicits IgE responses and their serum levels positively correlate with the severity of the disease thus suggesting a link between high levels of antibodies and mast cell activation. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study assessing the prevalence and dynamics IgG, IgA, IgE and IgM responses to multiple SARS-CoV-2 antigens simultaneously. Results provide important insights into the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and have implications in planning and interpreting antibody-based epidemiological studies.

Exercise-Induced Extracellular Vesicles Delay the Progression of Prostate Cancer.

Increasing evidence suggests that regular physical exercise not only reduces the risk of cancer but also improves functional capacity, treatment efficacy and disease outcome in cancer patients. At least partially, these effects are mediated by the secretome of the tissues responding to exercise. The secreted molecules can be released in a carrier-free form or enclosed into extracellular vesicles (EVs). Several recent studies have shown that EVs are actively released into circulation during physical exercise. Here, we for the first time investigated the effects of exercise-induced EVs on the progression of cancer in an F344 rat model of metastatic prostate cancer. Although we did not observe a consistent increase in the circulating EV levels, RNA sequencing analysis demonstrated substantial changes in the RNA content of EVs collected before and immediately after forced wheel running exercise as well as differences between EVs from runners at resting state and sedentary rats. The major RNA biotype in EVs was mRNA, followed by miRNA and rRNA. Molecular functions of differentially expressed RNAs reflected various physiological processes including protein folding, metabolism and regulation of immune responses triggered by the exercise in the parental cells. Intravenous administration of exercise-induced EVs into F344 rats with orthotopically injected syngeneic prostate cancer cells PLS10, demonstrated reduction of the primary tumor volume by 35% and possibly-attenuation of lung metastases. Hence, our data provide the first evidence that exercise-induced EVs may modulate tumor physiology and delay the progression of cancer.

Characterization of electron beam deposited Nb2O5 coatings for biomedical applications.

Niobium oxide coatings deposited on Ti6Al4V substrates by electron beam deposition and annealed in air at 600 °C and 800 °C were evaluated for their suitability towards dental, maxillofacial or orthopaedic implant applications. A detailed physico-chemical properties investigation was carried out in order to determine their elemental and phase composition, surface morphology and roughness, mechanical properties, wettability, and corrosion resistance in simulated body fluid solution (pH = 7.4) at room temperature. The biocompatibility of the bare Ti6Al4V substrate and coated surfaces was evaluated by testing the cellular adhesion and viability/proliferation of human osteosarcoma cells (MG-63) after 72 h of incubation. The coatings annealed at 800 °C exhibit more phase pure nanocrystalline Nb2O5 surfaces with enhanced wettability, reduced porosity and enhanced corrosion resistance properties making them good candidate for dental, maxillofacial or orthopaedic implant applications.

Wedelolactone Targets EZH2-mediated Histone H3K27 Methylation in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the catalytic subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), possesses histone N-methyltransferase (HMT) activity and plays an essential role in cancer initiation and development. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of Wedelolactone (WL) to inhibit the methylation activity of EZH2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cell line, Mino, was treated with WL, while untreated cells were used as control. HMT activity and EZH2 amount were measured in nuclear extracts from WL-treated and control Mino cells. RESULTS: WL was found to target EZH2-mediated histone H3K27 methylation. Along with the inhibition of H3K27 methylation in vitro (IC50=0.3 µM), WL suppressed HMT activity in Mino cells with an IC50 value of 3.2 µM. We detected a reduced amount of EZH2 in Mino cells treated with WL, compared to untreated control cells. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to show that WL induces inhibition of H3K27 methylation via EZH2 modulation and decreases cell proliferation in MCL, in vitro. WL is proposed as a promising agent and a novel epigenetic approach in MCL investigation and treatment.

A Novel Aziridine-based Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Induces Apoptosis Through Down-regulation of p65/RelA Phosphorylation on Serine 536 and ERK1/2 in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by hyperactive neoplastic B-cells and extended tumor cell survival. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), a crucial kinase in the B-cell antigen receptor signaling pathway, has emerged as a novel target of MCL therapy. A novel BTK-targeting inhibitor, JuSt-23F was prepared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The WST-8 assay was used to determine cytotoxicity and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for JuSt-23F against the MCL cell lines Mino and Maver-1. JuSt-23F-mediated apoptosis was assessed using the annexin V assay. We detected phosphorylation of p65/RelA on serine 536 in whole Jurkat, Mino and Maver-1 cells treated with JuSt-23F and stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNFα). We assessed JuSt-23F-mediated phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in T-cell lymphoma and MCL cells stimulated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that JuSt-23F inhibits apoptosis selectively in B-cell lymphoma cells. JuSt-23F exerts its antiproliferative effects on MCL cells through targeting the downstream BTK signaling cascade via down-regulation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells and ERK1/2 pathways. Thus, our findings propose the novel BTK inhibitor JuSt-23F as an attractive potential agent for investigation and treatment of MCL.

Prognostic relevance of carbonic anhydrase IX expression is distinct in various subtypes of breast cancer and its silencing suppresses self-renewal capacity of breast cancer cells.

PURPOSE: Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is a hypoxia-inducible enzyme with extracellular catalytic domain that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers including breast cancer and plays a crucial role in maintaining favourable intracellular pH and reducing extracellular pH. The purpose of the current study was to elucidate the prognostic significance of CAIX in the intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer and to characterise CAIX as a drug target in breast cancer. METHODS: The prognostic significance of CAIX mRNA expression was interrogated in a cohort of 3,455 breast tumours by using an online tool, Kaplan-Meier plotter. The functional effects of stable CAIX depletion by shRNA in three breast cancer cell lines­MDA-MB-231, MCF7 and SKBR-3, representing basal-like, luminal A and HER2+ subtypes, respectively­were studied by proliferation, invasion, clonal spheroid formation and chemosensitivity assays under normoxia and hypoxia. Finally, the effect of pharmacological CA inhibition alone or in the combination with doxorubicin on self-renewal was assessed by spheroid-forming assay. RESULTS: High CAIX mRNA expression was significantly associated with poor survival in patients with basal-like, luminal B and triple-negative breast cancer, but not luminal A and HER+ subtypes. Silencing of CAIX expression had no significant effect on the cell proliferation or viability upon treatment with doxorubicin in any of the cell lines studied, while it inhibited spheroid formation in hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of CAs using acetazolamide had a synergistic effect with doxorubicin on decreasing the spheroid-forming efficiency in MDA-MB-231 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of CAIX reduces the self-renewal capacity of breast cancer cells, and the combination of doxorubicin and CAIX inhibition is an attractive therapeutic strategy in basal-like and triple-negative breast cancer, which warrants further investigations.

5-membered cyclic hydroxamic acids as HDAC inhibitors.

The new histone deacylases inhibitors (HDACi) were synthesized in the class of 5-membered cyclic hydroxamic acids (5-CHA), showing medium size CHA as a new Zn-binding group. New reaction sequence was proposed for the synthesis of 5-membered alkylidene-cyclic-hydroxamic acids starting from butyrolactone. Compound 10c showed low µM activity on HeLa cell extracts. From these results, cyclic hydroxamic acids will be further investigated to find more potent compounds.

A novel matrix metalloproteinase-2 inhibitor triazolylmethyl aziridine reduces melanoma cell invasion, angiogenesis and targets ERK1/2 phosphorylation.

A novel matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) inhibitor JaZ-30, which belongs to the class of C(2)-monosubstituted aziridine - aryl-1,2,3-triazole conjugates, was developed. MTT and crystal violet assays were used to determine cytotoxicity- IC(50) values of compound JaZ-30 on melanoma cell line B16 4A5. Our study proves the anti-cancer properties of JaZ-30 with a wide spectrum of activities. JaZ-30 was revealed as selective inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2. JaZ-30-mediated decrease of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) secretion results in inhibition of angiogenesis, performed with the human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (HUVEC-2) on Matrigel. A novel inhibitor decreases invasive properties of melanoma cells measured in Matrigel chambers assay. JaZ-30 downregulates phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in melanoma cells stimulated by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Our findings propose a novel MMP-2 inhibitor JaZ-30 as an attractive potential agent for melanoma treatment.

NFAT transcription factors control HIV-1 expression through a binding site downstream of TAR region.

NFAT factors control HIV-1 transcription. We show here that, in addition to binding to two NF-kappaB/NFAT sites within the U3 HIV LTR, NFATc1 and NFATc2 bind to an NFAT site within the LTR's U5 region. Mutations in this site which abolish NFAT binding reduce the ability of NFATs to transactivate LTR-mediated transcription. Mutations in all three NFAT sites strongly interfered with LTR induction, but affected moderately the stimulatory effect of Tat.