Review
Oncology
Chenming Zhong, Zijun Xie, Shiwei Duan
Summary: This article summarizes important predictive ncRNA biomarkers reported in cancer patients treated with different immunotherapeutic modalities including monoclonal antibodies, small molecule inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and CAR-T cells. In addition, a concise discussion on forthcoming perspectives is provided, outlining technical approaches for the optimal utilization of immune-modulatory ncRNA biomarkers as predictive tools and therapeutic targets.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Fong LaiGuan Zoey, Mathangi Palanivel, Parasuraman Padmanabhan, Balazs Gulyas
Summary: Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder associated with aging populations. The aggregation of alpha-synuclein has been identified as a key mechanism in the pathogenesis of PD. Rapid advancements in nanotechnology present promising solutions for early diagnosis and treatment of PD.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chul Won Yun, Juhee Jeon, Gyeongyun Go, Jun Hee Lee, Sang Hun Lee
Summary: Autophagy is a cellular degradation process that plays a role in regulating tumorigenesis, metastasis, cancer stem cells, and resistance to anticancer agents. While modulating autophagy may be a promising approach in anticancer therapy, its dual roles present limitations in its application.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Angela Ianniciello, G. Vignir Helgason
Summary: Minimal residual disease (MRD) is the main cause of relapse in solid cancers and leukemias. In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining the survival of drug resistant leukemic stem cells. Inhibition of autophagy-initiating kinase ULK1 could lead to stress-induced differentiation of leukemic stem cells, making them sensitive to drug treatment, providing a promising strategy for selective eradication of leukemic stem cells in CML patients.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Wang, Liangbo Hu, Hongyue Zhang, Yu Fang, Tingliang Wang, Huaimin Wang
Summary: Biomolecular condensates play a crucial role in controlling cellular functions, but constructing artificial biomolecular condensates remains challenging. This study presents a general approach to construct biomolecular condensates in lysosomes of living cells for cancer therapy, with potential applications in addressing multiple drug resistance.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Changpeng Chai, Pengfei Ji, Hao Xu, Huan Tang, Zhengfeng Wang, Hui Zhang, Wence Zhou
Summary: Cancer organoids generated from 3D in vitro cell cultures have provided valuable insights into drug resistance mechanisms. These organoids accurately predict drug resistance due to their genomic and transcriptomic similarity to parental cancer cells. Methods for establishing therapy-sensitive and therapy-resistant organoids involve either direct culture from patient samples or induction with anti-cancer drugs. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses and gene editing have identified key targets in drug resistance, including FGFR3, KHDRBS3, lncRP11-536 K7.3, and FBN1. Mechanisms contributing to resistance include metabolic adaptation, DNA damage response activation, apoptosis defects, reduced cellular senescence, cellular plasticity, subpopulation interactions, and gene fusions. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have also been implicated in drug resistance using organoid technology. Targeting key genes and CSCs in cancer organoids can reverse drug resistance. This review summarizes the applications of organoids in cancer drug resistance research, highlighting their prospects and limitations.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Milad Ashrafizadeh, Sepideh Mirzaei, Kiavash Hushmandi, Vahid Rahmanian, Amirhossein Zabolian, Mehdi Raei, Mahdi Vasheghani Farahani, Mohammad Ali Sheikh Beig Goharrizi, Haroon Khan, Ali Zarrabi, Saeed Samarghandian
Summary: Lung cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, with various risk factors such as genetics, epigenetics, and environmental factors playing a role in its development. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway is crucial in lung cancer progression, influencing metastasis, proliferation, and response to treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. AMPK activation can both enhance and suppress lung cancer progression, indicating its complex and dual role in cancer cells.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Canhui Jin, Tianbao Wang, Yanhui Yang, Pin Zhou, Juncheng Li, Wenhao Wu, Xin Lv, Guoqing Ma, Aihong Wang
Summary: The abnormal progression of tumors has been a problem for cancer treatment, and therapy should target the main mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis. Genomic mutations can lead to changes in biological mechanisms in human cancers. Colorectal cancer, a highly malignant gastrointestinal tumor, poses challenges due to tumor cell resistance and aggressive behavior. New therapeutic methods for colorectal cancer are being explored, with a focus on the role of autophagy. Autophagy plays a dual role in the progression of colorectal cancer, with pro-survival autophagy promoting cell proliferation and survival, while pro-death autophagy inhibits tumor growth and invasion. The modulation of autophagy status is crucial for therapy response, and targeting autophagy can enhance the sensitivity of colorectal tumor cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nanoparticles show promise in targeting autophagy for cancer therapy, and autophagy modulators embedded in nanostructures may improve tumor suppression and facilitate cancer immunotherapy.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hamed Bashiri, Hossein Tabatabaeian
Summary: Multiple myeloma, the second most prevalent hematologic malignancy, has seen increased survival rates due to novel drugs and combination therapies. However, drug resistance remains a significant issue, with autophagic activity playing a critical role. High mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1)-dependent autophagy and proteasome suppression-induced autophagy have been found to contribute to drug resistance in multiple myeloma.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Gaoxia Yang, Yang Li, Yuqian Zhao, Liang Ouyang, Yi Chen, Bo Liu, Jie Liu
Summary: Atg4B is a pivotal protein family in macroautophagy/autophagy that regulates the autophagy process and plays a key role in the development of human cancers. Efforts are being made to explore Atg4B inhibitors or activators for the development of novel drugs targeting Atg4B for potential clinical applications.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hyein Jo, Kyeonghee Shim, Dooil Jeoung
Summary: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are protein deacetylases that regulate gene expression by modifying chromatin structure. Among them, HDAC6 is localized in the cytoplasm and is involved in the deacetylation of non-histone proteins. It plays diverse roles in cancer cell initiation, proliferation, autophagy, and anti-cancer drug resistance. The development of HDAC6-specific inhibitors has shown promising results.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Qianyu He, Zuojia Liu, Jin Wang
Summary: Pancreatic cancer is a highly challenging malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type, with KRAS being the most predominant mutated gene. KRAS has been considered undruggable for decades, but the advent of KRAS(G12C) inhibitors has provided hope. While G12C inhibitors show efficacy against non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), their effectiveness in PDAC, where G12C mutation is rare, is limited. Hence, targeting KRAS G12D/V, which forms the majority of KRAS mutations in PDAC, is gaining attention as a potential therapy.
Review
Cell Biology
Asha Tonkin-Reeves, Charlett M. Giuliani, John T. Price
Summary: The process of macroautophagy is essential for degrading unnecessary and damaged proteins and organelles, which are then reused by the cells. Autophagy is crucial for normal cells to survive various stressors, but it is often upregulated in cancer cells, promoting their aggressive behavior and resistance to treatment. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the role of autophagy in therapeutic resistance and the limitations of current autophagic inhibitors in cancer treatment. It emphasizes the urgent need to explore new inhibitors that can work synergistically with existing therapies to improve patient outcomes. Advancing research in this field is critical for developing more effective treatments and enhancing the lives of cancer patients.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammad Mahmoudi Gomari, Shadi Abkhiz, Taha Ghantab Pour, Ehsan Lotfi, Neda Rostami, Fatemeh Nafe Monfared, Babak Ghobari, Mona Mosavi, Behruz Alipour, Nikolay V. Dokholyan
Summary: The low efficiency of cancer treatment strategies is a major obstacle in developing cancer inhibitors. Peptidomimetics, a new class of agents, have been introduced to overcome the limitations of peptides and have shown effectiveness in inhibiting metastasis, angiogenesis, and cancerous cell growth.
MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoping Pan, Xiaolv Hong, Sumei Li, Ping Meng, Feng Xiao
Summary: This study identified the METTL3/miR-221-3p/HIPK2/Che-1 axis as a potential mechanism for breast cancer cell resistance to adriamycin. Knockdown of METTL3 resulted in reduced expression of miR-221-3p, leading to decreased drug resistance and increased apoptosis in ADR-resistant MCF-7 cells.These findings suggest that targeting the METTL3/miR-221-3p/HIPK2/Che-1 axis may improve chemotherapy efficacy in breast cancer.
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
