Enhancement of antitumor response of staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 mutant 2M-118 by promoting cell-mediated antitumor immunity.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) is used as an immunotherapeutic drug in China. However, SEC2 are limited due to its immunosuppressive and toxic effects. A SEC2 2M-118 (H118A/T20L/G22E) mutant generated by site-directed mutagenesis was studied to elucidate the underlying antitumor mechanism. METHODS: The effects of 2M-118 on mouse fibrosarcoma (Meth-A) cells and cytokine responses were tested in vitro using a transwell assay and ELISA, respectively. 2M-118 effect on immune function in tumor-bearing mice was tested. Cytokine levels and antitumor responses were measured using ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. TUNEL staining and immunohistochemistry were employed to detect the tumor apoptosis and CD4+ and CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in tumor tissue. RESULTS: 2M-118 demonstrated the growth inhibition on tumor cells, increase of cytokines production (IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) and splenocyte proliferation in vitro. 2M-118 effectively inhibited tumor development and increased lymphocytes and cytokines in a tumor-bearing mouse model. Additionally, 2M-118 regulated the tumormicroenvironment by reducing the number of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), increasing the number of TILs, and inducing tumorcell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: 2M-118 promotes immune function and enhances antitumor response. This indicates that 2M-118 could potentially be developed as a novel anti-tumor drug with-highefficiencyandlowtoxicity.

Several first-line anti-hypertensives act on fibrosarcoma progression and PD1ab blockade therapy.

PURPOSE: Patients are typically diagnosed with both hypertension and fibrosarcoma. Medical oncologists must prescribe suitable anti-hypertensive medications while considering anti-tumor drugs. Recently, immunotherapy has become prominent in cancer treatment. Nonetheless, it is unknown what role anti-hypertensive medications will play in immunotherapy. METHODS: We examined the effects of six first-line anti-hypertensive medications on programmed cell death protein 1 antibody (PD1ab) in tumor treatment using a mouse model of subcutaneous fibrosarcoma. The drugs examined were verapamil, losartan, furosemide, spironolactone, captopril, and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). The infiltration of CD8+ T cells was examined by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, several in vitro and in vivo assays were used to study the effects of HCTZ on human fibrosarcoma cancer cells to explore its mechanism. RESULTS: Verapamil suppressed tumor growth and showed an improved effect on the tumor inhibition of PD1ab. Captopril did not affect tumor growth but brought an unexpected benefit to PD1ab treatment. In contrast, spironolactone and furosemide showed no effect on tumor growth but had an offset effect on the PD1ab therapy. Consequently, the survival time of mice was also significantly reduced. Notably, losartan and HCTZ, especially HCTZ, promoted tumor growth and weakened the effect of PD1ab treatment. Consistent results were observed in vivo and in vitro using the human fibrosarcoma cell line HT1080. We determined that the Solute Carrier Family 12 Member 3 (SLC12A3), a known target of HCTZ, may be the principal factor underlying its effect-enhancing properties through mechanism studies employing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and in vivo and in vitro assays. CONCLUSION: Verapamil and captopril potentiated the anti-tumor effect of PD1ab, whereas spironolactone and furosemide weakened the effect of PD1ab on tumor inhibition. Alarmingly, losartan and HCTZ promoted tumor growth and impaired the effect of PD1ab. Furthermore, we preliminarily found that HCTZ may promote tumor progression through SLC12A3. Based on this study, futher mechanism researches and clinical trials should be conducted in the future.

Extensive Synergy Between Recombinant Methioninase and Eribulin Against Fibrosarcoma Cells But Not Normal Fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the present study was to determine the synergy of recombinant methioninase (rMETase) and the anti-tubulin agent eribulin on fibrosarcoma cells, in comparison to normal fibroblasts, in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells and HS27 human fibroblasts were used for in vitro experiments. Four groups were analyzed in vitro: No-treatment control; eribulin; rMETase; eribulin plus rMETase. Dual-color HT1080 cells which express red fluorescent protein (RFP) in the cytoplasm and green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the nuclei were used to visualize cytoplasmic and nuclear dynamics during treatment. RESULTS: Eribulin combined with rMETase greatly decreased the viability of HT 1080 cells. In contrast, eribulin combined with rMETase did not show synergy on Hs27 normal fibroblasts. Eribulin combined with rMETase also caused more fragmentation of the nucleus than all other treatments. CONCLUSION: The combination treatment of eribulin plus rMETase demonstrated efficacy on fibrosarcoma cells in vitro. In contrast, normal fibroblasts were resistant to this combination, indicating the potential clinical applicability of the treatment.

COL1A1::PDGFB fusion-associated uterine fibrosarcoma: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal neoplasms of the uterus encompass a diverse group of tumors, with varying characteristics and origins, collectively accounting for 8% of uterine malignancies. The most common variants include uterine leiomyosarcoma, low-grade and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, adenosarcoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma. Clinical presentation is often nonspecific and can lead to delayed diagnosis. Uterine sarcomas are generally aggressive, resulting in poorer prognosis compared to carcinomas. Recent advances in molecular techniques, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), have led to the identification of new subtypes of uterine sarcomas, including COL1A1::PDGFB fusion-associated fibrosarcoma, which has a specific chromosomal translocation t(17;22)(q22;q13). Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is an effective treatment for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), marked by this translocation. CASE: We present the case of a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with COL1A1::PDGFB fusion-associated uterine fibrosarcoma. The patient underwent total hysterectomy and excision of the tumor, initially misdiagnosed as a low-grade leiomyosarcoma. Subsequent histological examination, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmed the diagnosis. After 10 months, disease recurrence was detected, and Imatinib therapy was initiated at a dose of 400 mg daily. An allergic reaction led to a temporary discontinuation, but upon resumption with appropriate medication, a positive radiological response was observed. The patient achieved a complete remission after 2 years and is still on Imatinib treatment. CONCLUSIONS: COL1A1::PDGFB fusion-associated uterine fibrosarcoma is an extremely rare mesenchymal neoplasm. In a case we present herein, we treated a patient with imatinib as first-line medical therapy. The patient is currently in complete remission after 37 months from treatment start. To the best of our knowledge, this represents a unique observation. We also provide a detailed literature review of the published cases so far. Prospective case series are needed to further understand the natural history of these tumors and optimize treatment strategies.

Troponin T1 silencing inhibits paclitaxel resistance and the development of breast cancer via suppressing rat sarcoma virus/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma 1 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the role of Troponin T1 (TNNT1) in paclitaxel (PTX) resistance and tumor progression in breast cancer (BC). METHODS: Differentially expressed genes were obtained from the GSE4298 and GSE90564 datasets. Hub genes were isolated from protein-protein interaction networks and further validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The effect of TNNT1 on PTX resistance was determined using cell counting kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, wound healing, transwell, flow cytometry assays, and subcutaneous xenografted tumor model. Western blotting was used to detect proteins associated with PTX resistance, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and other key pathways. Hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical staining were used to evaluate the role of TNNT1 in tumors. RESULTS: After comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, we identified CCND1, IGF1, SFN, INHBA, TNNT1, and TNFSF11 as hub genes for PTX resistance in BC. TNNT1 plays a key role in BC and is upregulated in PTX-resistant BC cells. TNNT1 silencing inhibited PTX resistance, proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis of PTX-resistant BC cells. Tumor xenograft experiments revealed that TNNT1 silencing suppresses PTX resistance and tumor development in vivo. In addition, TNNT1 silencing inhibited the expression of proteins in the rat sarcoma virus (RAS)/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma1 (RAF1) pathway in vivo. Treatment with a RAS/RAF1 pathway activator reversed the inhibitory effect of TNNT1 silencing on proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis of PTX resistance BC cells. CONCLUSION: Silencing of TNNT1 suppresses PTX resistance and BC progression by inhibiting the RAS/RAF1 pathway, which is a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for drug resistance in BC.

A novel patient-derived immortalised cell line of myxofibrosarcoma: a tool for preclinical drugs testing and the generation of near-patient models.

BACKGROUND: Myxofibrosarcoma is a rare malignant soft tissue sarcoma characterised by multiple local recurrence and can become of higher grade with each recurrence. Consequently, myxofibrosarcoma represents a burden for patients, a challenge for clinicians, and an interesting disease to study tumour progression. Currently, few myxofibrosarcoma preclinical models are available. METHODS: In this paper, we present a spontaneously immortalised myxofibrosarcoma patient-derived cell line (MF-R 3). We performed phenotypic characterization through multiple biological assays and analyses: proliferation, clonogenic potential, anchorage-independent growth and colony formation, migration, invasion, AgNOR staining, and ultrastructural evaluation. RESULTS: MF-R 3 cells match morphologic and phenotypic characteristics of the original tumour as 2D cultures, 3D aggregates, and on the chorioallantoic membrane of chick embryos. Overall results show a clear neoplastic potential of this cell line. Finally, we tested MF-R 3 sensitivity to anthracyclines in 2D and 3D conditions finding a good response to these drugs. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we established a novel patient-derived myxofibrosarcoma cell line that, together with the few others available, could serve as an important model for studying the molecular pathogenesis of myxofibrosarcoma and for testing new drugs and therapeutic strategies in diverse experimental settings.

Therapeutic strategies and clinical evolution of patients with infantile fibrosarcoma: a unique paediatric case series

Background Infantile fibrosarcoma is the most frequent soft tissue sarcoma in newborns or children under one year of age. This tumour often implies high local aggressiveness and surgical morbidity. The large majority of these patients carry the ETV6–NTRK3 oncogenic fusion. Hence, the TRK inhibitor larotrectinib emerged as an efficacious and safe alternative to chemotherapy for NTRK fusion-positive and metastatic or unresectable tumours. However, real-world evidence is still required for updating soft-tissue sarcoma practice guidelines. Objective To report our experience with the use of larotrectinib in pediatric patients. Methods Our case series shows the clinical evolution of 8 patients with infantile fibrosarcoma under different treatments. All patients enrolled in this study received informed consent for any treatment. Results Three patients received larotrectinib in first line. No surgery was needed with larotrectinib, which led to the rapid and safe remission of tumours, even in unusual anatomical locations. No significant adverse effects were observed with larotrectinib. Conclusion Our case series supports that larotrectinib may be a therapeutic option for newborn and infant patients with infantile fibrosarcoma, especially in uncommon locations (AU)

Neurotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion positive tumors: a historical cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: NTRK gene fusions have been identified in various tumors; some requiring aggressive therapy and sometimes new TRK inhibitors (TRKi). We aimed to describe a national, unselected, retrospective, multicenter cohort. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients were identified through the French sarcoma diagnostic laboratory at Institut Curie through samples analyzed by RT-qPCR or whole-transcriptome sequencing. RESULTS: From 2001 to 2019, 65 NTRK fusion tumors were identified within 2120 analyses (3.1%): 58 by RNA sequencing (including 20 after RT-qPCR analysis) and 7 exclusively by RT-qPCR. Of the 61 patients identified, 37 patients had infantile soft tissue or kidney fibrosarcomas (IFS), 15 other mesenchymal (Other-MT) and nine central nervous system (CNS) tumors. They encompassed 14 different tumor types with variable behaviors. Overall, 53 patients had surgery (3 mutilating), 38 chemotherapy (20 alkylating agents/anthracycline), 11 radiotherapy, two 'observation strategy' and 13 received TRKi. After a median follow-up of 61.0 months [range, 2.5-226.0], 10 patients died. Five-year overall survival is, respectively, 91.9% [95%CI, 83.5-100.0], 61.1% [95%CI, 34.2-100.0] and 64.8% [95%CI, 39.3-100.0] for IFS, Other-MT, and CNS groups. CONCLUSIONS: NTRK-fusion positive tumors are rare but detection is improved through RNA sequencing. TRKi could be considered at diagnosis for CNS NTRK-fusion positive tumors, some IFS, and Other-MT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not adapted.

Giardiasis in an Infant With Fibrosarcoma: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Giardia lamblia is a neglected parasitic infection that typically affects the developing nations of the world. It is a microscopic intestinal parasite that is known to cause stomach cramps, bloating, nausea and bouts of diarrhoea. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we are presenting the case of a 1.5 years-old-baby with an immunocompromised condition who got infected by Giardia lamblia. The baby with fibrosarcoma was receiving treatment in our tertiary care centre, and later developed abdominal and minor systemic complaints. Stool samples were collected, which showed trophozoites and cysts of Giardia. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of Giardia lamblia infection in a paediatric patient with fibrosarcoma. The patient improved after taking metronidazole for ten days. CONCLUSION: It is critical to keep a watch out for this neglected parasite, and suggested samples, particularly stool samples, must be sent for investigation in order to diagnose and manage these cases properly.

Marginal resection as a potential curative treatment option of infantile fibrosarcoma with good response after chemotherapy: A case report of an ETV6-NTRK3 positive infantile fibrosacroma of the distal tibia.

RATIONALE: The infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is a non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma with locally aggressive properties. State of the art therapy consists of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by wide resection according to the criteria of the musculoskeletal tumor society. DIAGNOSES: An ETV6-NTRK3 positive IFS of the distal tibia in a 21-months old child showed good response to chemotherapy. INTERVENTIONS: Due to refusal of amputation marginal resection completing the margins with a high speed drill and filling the space with bone cement was performed. OUTCOMES: At latest follow-up 10 years after surgery, no recurrence was observed. LESSONS: An individual therapy for surgical treatment of IIFS is recommended. This comprises marginal resection in instead of the golden standard "wide resection" in selected cases.

Inhibition of Tumor-Derived C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 2 Expression Attenuates Tactile Allodynia in NCTC 2472 Fibrosarcoma-Inoculated Mice.

Neuropathic pain associated with cancers is caused by tumor growth compressing and damaging nerves, which would also be enhanced by inflammatory factors through sensitizing nociceptor neurons. A troublesome hallmark symptom of neuropathic pain is hypersensitivity to innocuous stimuli, a condition known as "tactile allodynia", which is often refractory to NSAIDs and opioids. The involvement of chemokine CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) in cancer-evoked neuropathic pain is well established, but opinions remain divided as to whether CCL2 is involved in the production of tactile allodynia with tumor growth. In this study, we constructed Ccl2 knockout NCTC 2472 (Ccl2-KO NCTC) fibrosarcoma cells and conducted pain behavioral test using Ccl2-KO NCTC-implanted mice. Implantation of naïve NCTC cells around the sciatic nerves of mice produced tactile allodynia in the inoculated paw. Although the growth of Ccl2 KO NCTC-formed tumors was comparable to that of naïve NCTC-formed tumors, Ccl2-KO NCTC-bearing mice failed to show tactile pain hypersensitivity, suggesting the involvement of CCL2 in cancer-induced allodynia. Subcutaneous administration of controlled-release nanoparticles containing the CCL2 expression inhibitor NS-3-008 (1-benzyl-3-hexylguanidine) significantly attenuated tactile allodynia in naïve NCTC-bearing mice accompanied by a reduction of CCL2 content in tumor masses. Our present findings suggest that inhibition of CCL2 expression in cancer cells is a useful strategy to attenuate tactile allodynia induced by tumor growth. Development of a controlled-release system of CCL2 expression inhibitor may be a preventative option for the treatment of cancer-evoked neuropathic pain. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The blockade of chemokine/receptor signaling, particularly for C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and its high-affinity receptor C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2), has been implicated to attenuate cancer-induced inflammatory and nociceptive pain. This study demonstrated that continuous inhibition of CCL2 production from cancer cells also prevents the development of tactile allodynia associated with tumor growth. Development of a controlled-release system of CCL2 expression inhibitor may be a preventative option for management of cancer-evoked tactile allodynia.

Larotrectinib versus historical standard of care in patients with infantile fibrosarcoma: protocol of EPI-VITRAKVI.

The EPI VITRAKVI study is a retrospective study designed to place the results of the single-arm Phase I/II larotrectinib SCOUT trial into context by comparison with external historical controls. Its primary objective is to compare the time to medical treatment failure between larotrectinib and the historical standard of care (chemotherapy) in patients with infantile fibrosarcoma. External historical cohorts have been selected by using objective criteria. The Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting method will be used to adjust for potential confounding. The current publication illustrates how an external control arm study can complement data from a single-arm trial and addresses uncertainties encountered in the assessment of therapies targeting rare abnormalities where randomized controlled trials are considered not feasible. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05236257 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is a rare type of childhood cancer that commonly affects the legs and arms. In IFS cancers, the units which carry the information that determines your traits (genes), typically have specific changes which leads to the creation of an altered fusion protein, a protein which is created by joining parts of two different genes. This altered fusion protein can cause cancer cells to survive and to grow. Larotrectinib works by blocking the altered fusion protein and is already available in Europe and in many other countries. It is approved for prescription to patients with the altered fusion protein, whose cancer has spread to nearby tissues and/or lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. Since IFSs a rare disease, previous studies did not compare larotrectinib with the standard of care, which is chemotherapy. The main purpose of our study is to collect more results on how well larotrectinib works compared with chemotherapy taken from real world evidence data. The present publication explains how such a comparison can be made and how such a study can help in the assessment of treatments that target rare diseases.

Silibinin Inhibits Cell Invasion through the Inhibition of MMPs, p-p38, and IL-1ß in Human Fibrosarcoma Cells.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Normal cells become tumorigenic owing to mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes modulating cell division. Cancer cells break down extracellular matrix to metastasize other tissues. Therefore, the development of natural and synthetic substances that suppress metastatic enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 is useful to inhibit metastasis. Silibinin is the main ingredient of silymarin extracted from the seeds of milk thistle plants having lung cancer-suppressing effects and liver protection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of silibinin on the invasion of human fibrosarcoma cells. METHODS: The effect of silibinin on cell viability was measured in HT1080 cells using an MTT assay. The MMP-9 and MMP-2 activities were analyzed using a zymography assay. The expression of proteins in cytoplasm related to metastasis was examined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: In this study, silibinin above 20 µM showed growth inhibitory effects. Silibinin above 20 µM remarkably inhibited the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation under phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment conditions. Furthermore, silibinin at 25 µM reduced the levels of MMP-2, IL-1ß, ERK-1/2, and p-p38 expression and silibinin above 10 µM inhibited cell invasion on HT1080 cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that silibinin may have an inhibitory effect on the enzymes involved in invasion, hence it might influence the metastatic ability of tumor cells.

Therapeutic strategies and clinical evolution of patients with infantile fibrosarcoma: a unique paediatric case series.

BACKGROUND: Infantile fibrosarcoma is the most frequent soft tissue sarcoma in newborns or children under one year of age. This tumour often implies high local aggressiveness and surgical morbidity. The large majority of these patients carry the ETV6-NTRK3 oncogenic fusion. Hence, the TRK inhibitor larotrectinib emerged as an efficacious and safe alternative to chemotherapy for NTRK fusion-positive and metastatic or unresectable tumours. However, real-world evidence is still required for updating soft-tissue sarcoma practice guidelines. OBJECTIVE: To report our experience with the use of larotrectinib in pediatric patients. METHODS: Our case series shows the clinical evolution of 8 patients with infantile fibrosarcoma under different treatments. All patients enrolled in this study received informed consent for any treatment. RESULTS: Three patients received larotrectinib in first line. No surgery was needed with larotrectinib, which led to the rapid and safe remission of tumours, even in unusual anatomical locations. No significant adverse effects were observed with larotrectinib. CONCLUSION: Our case series supports that larotrectinib may be a therapeutic option for newborn and infant patients with infantile fibrosarcoma, especially in uncommon locations.

Combined therapeutic effect of YHO-1701 with PD-1 blockade is dependent on natural killer cell activity in syngeneic mouse models.

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway is a key mediator of cancer cell proliferation, survival, and invasion. We discovered YHO-1701 as a small molecule inhibitor of STAT3 dimerization and demonstrated its potent anti-tumor activity using xenograft mouse models as monotherapy and combination therapy with molecular targeted drugs. STAT3 is also associated with cancer immune tolerance; therefore, we used the female CT26 syngeneic mouse model to examine the effect of combining YHO-1701 administration with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Pretreatment of the mice with YHO-1701 before starting anti-PD-1 antibody administration resulted in a significant therapeutic effect. In addition, the effect of monotherapy and combination treatment with YHO-1701 was significantly abolished by depleting natural killer (NK) cell activity. YHO-1701 was also found to restore the activity of mouse NK cells under inhibitory conditions in vitro. Furthermore, this combination therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth in an immunotherapy-resistant model of murine CMS5a fibrosarcoma. These results suggest that the combination of YHO-1701 with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade might be a new candidate for cancer immunotherapy involving the enhancement of NK cell activity in the tumor microenvironment.

Allantopyrone A interferes with the degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α protein by reducing proteasome activity in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells.

Allantopyrone A is an α-pyrone metabolite that was originally isolated from the endophytic fungus Allantophomopsis lycopodina KS-97. We previously demonstrated that allantopyrone A exhibits anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective activities. In the present study, we showed that allantopyrone A up-regulated the protein expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. It also up-regulated the mRNA expression of BNIP3 and ENO1, but not other HIF target genes or HIF1A. Allantopyrone A did not inhibit the prolyl hydroxylation of HIF-1α, but enhanced the ubiquitination of cellular proteins. Consistent with this result, chymotrypsin-like and trypsin-like proteasome activities were reduced, but not completely inactivated by allantopyrone A. Allantopyrone A decreased the amount of proteasome catalytic subunits. Therefore, the present results showed that allantopyrone A interfered with the degradation of HIF-1α protein by reducing proteasome activity in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells.

A Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia Up-regulates COX-2 in Inflammation-related Malignant Progressive Fibrosarcoma Cell Clone QRsP-11.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cyclooxygenase is an enzyme that transforms arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an isoform of cyclooxygenase. There exist many reports on the expression levels of COX-2 in cancer tissues, and prognosis of cancer patients has been reported to be related to COX-2 up-regulation. In the present study we assessed the suppressive effect of AHCC® on the expression of COX-2 in QRsP-11cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: QR-32 is a clone which was derived from murine fibrosarcoma BMT-11 cells by treatment with quercetin. These clone cells regress spontaneously after injection into C57BL/6 mice. QRsP-11 is a clone derived from QR-32, showing very aggressive tumorigenicity. AHCC® is a standardized extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia and has been reported to exert suppressive effects on various tumor-associated proteins including HSP27. The protein levels of COX-2 in QR-32 and QRsP-11 cells were compared by using western blotting. Furthermore, the expression levels of COX-2 were assessed in QRsP-11 cells after AHCC®-treatment. RESULTS: Western blot analysis showed a significant up-regulation of COX-2 in QRsP-11 cells compared to QR-32 cells. In vitro AHCC®-treatment increased COX-2 expression levels in QRsP-11 cells contrary to expectations. CONCLUSION: When using AHCC® in cancer treatment, it might be important to decrease COX-2 expression by means of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanism of up-regulation of COX-2 through AHCC®-treatment.

Targeted delivery of paclitaxel drug using polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles for fibrosarcoma therapy: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Fibrosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects cells known as fibroblasts that are malignant, locally recurring, and spreading tumor in fibrous tissue. In this work, an iron plate immersed in an aqueous solution of double added deionized water, supplemented with potassium permanganate solution (KMnO4) was carried out by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method (PLAIL). Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were synthesized using different laser wavelengths (1064, 532, and 266 nm) at a fluence of 28 J/cm2 with 100 shots of the iron plate to control the concentration, shape and size of the prepared high-stability SPIONs. The drug nanocarrier was synthesized by coating SPION with paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded chitosan (Cs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). This nanosystem was functionalized by receptors that target folate (FA). The physiochemical characteristics of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA nanoparticles were evaluated and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. Cell internalization, cytotoxicity assay (MTT), apoptosis induction, and gene expression of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA were estimated in fibrosarcoma cell lines, respectively. In vivo studies used BALB/c tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA exhibited suitable physical stability, spherical shape, desirable size, and charge. SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of cancer cells (P < 0.01). The results of the in vivo study showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA significantly decreased tumor size compared to free PTX and control samples (P < 0.05), leading to longer survival, significantly increased splenocyte proliferation and IFN-γ level, and significantly decreased the level of IL-4. All of these findings indicated the potential of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA as an antitumor therapeutic agent.

Sodium Multivitamin Transporter-Targeted Fluorochrome Facilitates Enhanced Metabolic Evaluation of Tumors Through Coenzyme-R Dependent Intracellular Signaling Pathways.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative molecular imaging (IMI)-guided resections have been shown to improve oncologic outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for solid malignancies. The technology utilizes fluorescent tracers targeting cancer cells without the use of any ionizing radiation. However, currently available targeted IMI tracers are effective only for tumors with a highly specific receptor expression profile, and there is an unmet need for IMI tracers to label a broader range of tumor types. Here, we describe the development and testing of a novel tracer (CR)-S0456) targeted to the sodium multivitamin transporter (SMVT). METHODS: Preclinical models of fibrosarcoma (HT-1080), lung (A549), breast (4T1), and renal cancers (HEK-293 T) in vitro and in vivo were used for assessment of (CR)-S0456 specific tumor labeling via sodium-mediated SMVT uptake in dipotassium phosphate or choline chloride-containing media buffer. Additionally, pharmacologic inhibition of multiple intracellular coenzyme-R obligate signaling pathways, including holocarboxylase synthetase (sulconazole nitrate), PI3K/AKT/mTOR (omipalisib), and calmodulin-dependent phosphatase (calmidazolium), were investigated to assess (CR)-S0456 uptake kinetics. Human fibrosarcoma-bearing xenografts in athymic nude mice were used for tumor and metabolic-specific labeling. Novel NIR needle confocal laser endomicroscopic (nCLE) intratumoral sampling was performed to demonstrate single-cell specific labeling by CR-S0456. RESULTS: CR-S0456 localization in vitro correlated with highly proliferative cell lines (MTT) and doubling time (p < 0.05) with the highest microscopic fluorescence detected in aggressive human fibrosarcomas (HT-1080). Coenzyme-R-specific localization was demonstrated to be SMVT-specific after competitive inhibition of internal localization with excess administration of pantothenic acid. Inhibiting the activity of SMVT by affecting sodium ion hemostasis prevented the complete uptake of CR-S0456. In vivo validation demonstrated (CR)-S0456 localization to xenograft models with accurate identification of primary tumors as well as margin assessment down to 1 mm3 tumor volume. Systemic treatment of xenograft-bearing mice with a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor suppressed intratumoral cell signaling and (CR)-S0456 uptake via a reduction in SMVT expression. Novel analysis of in vivo intratumoral cytologic fluorescence using near-infrared confocal laser endomicroscopy demonstrated the absence of coenzyme-R-mediated NIR fluorescence but not fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-conjugated fluorochrome, indicating specific intracellular inhibition of coenzyme-R obligate pathways. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a SMVT-targeted NIR contrast agent can be a suitable tracer for imaging a wide range of malignancies as well as evaluating metabolic response to systemic therapies, similar to PET imaging with immune checkpoint inhibitors.