Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paula Colon-Bolea, Rocio Garcia-Gomez, Berta Casar
Summary: Metastasis is a complicated process in which cancer cells escape from the primary tumor and spread to distant organs. RAC1, a member of the RHO family, plays a crucial role in cancer migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Targeting RAC1 is seen as a promising strategy for treating metastatic cutaneous melanoma.
Review
Oncology
Charlise Basson, June Cheptoo Serem, Priyesh Bipath, Yvette Nkondo Hlophe
Summary: This article discusses the pathological characteristics of cutaneous melanoma, which is becoming increasingly prevalent, as well as the use of chemotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. It is found that the activation of chemokine axes plays an important role in the metastasis of melanoma, so intervention targeting these axes can be considered in the treatment of melanoma. Experimental results have shown that targeting chemokine axes can inhibit the migration, proliferation, and survival of tumor cells, thereby slowing down the metastasis and progression of melanoma.
Review
Immunology
Jessie Zhao, Angela Huang, Johannes Zeller, Karlheinz Peter, James D. Mcfadyen
Summary: Platelets not only play a crucial role in mediating thrombosis and haemostasis in cardiovascular disease, but also have key contributions to cancer growth, metastasis, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, targeting platelets therapeutically presents valuable opportunities for the development of novel cancer diagnosis tools and therapeutics.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Arwa Alkaraki, Grant A. McArthur, Karen E. Sheppard, Lorey K. Smith
Summary: Targeted anti-cancer therapies have transformed the care of melanoma patients, but cures are still rare due to acquired drug resistance. Recent insights have highlighted the key role of metabolic plasticity in disease progression and response to therapies, creating a challenge in identifying new combination therapies.
Review
Cell Biology
Cristina Teixido, Paola Castillo, Clara Martinez-Vila, Ana Arance, Llucia Alos
Summary: Melanoma develops as a result of genetic alterations and has seen significant advancements in treatment with targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Kaiyuan Chai, Chuanlei Wang, Jianpeng Zhou, Wentao Mu, Menghan Gao, Zhongqi Fan, Guoyue Lv
Summary: Drug therapy for cancer can paradoxically enhance cell proliferation, resistance, and metastasis, leading to decreased survival. Understanding the underlying mechanisms can aid in the development of targeted therapies to optimize patient outcomes.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Noa Sabag, Alexander Yakobson, Meir Retchkiman, Eldad Silberstein
Summary: This review provides a brief overview of malignant melanoma and its treatment, focusing on surgery in early stages and the paradigm shift to immunotherapy and targeted therapies in advanced stages.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Irati Beltran Hernandez, Jannes Z. Kromhout, Erik Teske, Wim E. Hennink, Sebastiaan A. van Nimwegen, Sabrina Oliveira
Summary: Innovative approaches are necessary for cancer treatment, with targeted therapies offering tumor specificity and reduced side effects. However, the low translation success rate highlights the need for improvement. Comparative oncology can aid therapy refinement and increase translational success by introducing companion animals with spontaneous tumors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mitchell E. Fane, Yash Chhabra, Gretchen M. Alicea, Devon A. Maranto, Stephen M. Douglass, Marie R. Webster, Vito W. Rebecca, Gloria E. Marino, Filipe Almeida, Brett L. Ecker, Daniel J. Zabransky, Laura Huser, Thomas Beer, Hsin-Yao Tang, Andrew Kossenkov, Meenhard Herlyn, David W. Speicher, Wei Xu, Xiaowei Xu, Elizabeth M. Jaffee, Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Ashani T. Weeraratna
Summary: The aged lung microenvironment provides a permissive niche for the growth and dissemination of melanoma cells, while age-related changes in the skin suppress melanoma growth but drive dissemination. Reprogramming of lung fibroblasts and activation of WNT5A promote the metastasis and dissemination of melanoma cells by inhibiting WNT5A in melanoma cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seungmin Shin, Seungyeon Yang, Minjoong Kim, Eun Kyung Lee, Soojung Claire Hur, Seung Min Jeong
Summary: Metastasis is a malignant characteristic of cancer cells. Melanoma cells undergo metabolic reprogramming during metastasis, specifically upregulation of fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Inhibition of FAO impairs migration of melanoma cells by regulating autophagosome formation. FAO inhibition increases autophagosome formation and suppresses migration and invasion properties of melanoma cells. Modulating cellular acetyl-CoA levels may be a potential therapeutic strategy for inhibiting cancer metastasis.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fanying Tang, Duo Xu, Shangqian Wang, Chen Khuan Wong, Alexander Martinez-Fundichely, Cindy J. Lee, Sandra Cohen, Jane Park, Corinne E. Hill, Kenneth Eng, Rohan Bareja, Teng Han, Eric Minwei Liu, Ann Palladino, Wei Di, Dong Gao, Wassim Abida, Shaham Beg, Loredana Puca, Maximiliano Meneses, Elisa de Stanchina, Michael F. Berger, Anuradha Gopalan, Lukas E. Dow, Juan Miguel Mosquera, Himisha Beltran, Cora N. Sternberg, Ping Chi, Howard Scher, Andrea Sboner, Yu Chen, Ekta Khurana
Summary: This study classified CRPC into different subtypes using ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, and DNA sequencing. The identified subtypes include AR-dependent, neuroendocrine, Wnt-dependent, and stem cell-like subtypes driven by AP-1 transcription factors. Transcriptomic signatures were used for patient classification, and SCL was found to be the second most common subtype of CRPC.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Lorena Cayetano-Salazar, Monserrat Olea-Flores, Miriam D. Zuniga-Eulogio, Caroline Weinstein-Oppenheimer, Gloria Fernandez-Tilapa, Miguel A. Mendoza-Catalan, Ana E. Zacapala-Gomez, Julio Ortiz-Ortiz, Carlos Ortuno-Pineda, Napoleon Navarro-Tito
Summary: Cancer is a global public health issue, with invasion and metastasis of cancer cells playing a crucial role in patient mortality. Research suggests that isoflavonoids have shown anticancer activity against invasion and metastasis of cancer cells, making them promising molecules for potential chemotherapeutic use in invasive cancers.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vladimir Cermak, Aneta Skarkova, Ladislav Merta, Veronika Kolomaznikova, Veronika Palusova, Stjepan Uldrijan, Daniel Rosel, Jan Brabek
Summary: This study shows that phenotype plasticity in melanoma can be induced by treatment with p38 MAPK inhibitors, leading to a switch from a more dedifferentiated invasive phenotype to a more differentiated state. This phenotypic change is accompanied by alterations in gene expression and morphological transition, contributing to invasion and metastasis in melanoma.
Review
Cell Biology
Eshita Sharma, Dharam Chand Attri, Priyanka Sati, Praveen Dhyani, Agnieszka Szopa, Javad Sharifi-Rad, Christophe Hano, Daniela Calina, William C. C. Cho
Summary: This article discusses the importance of anticancer herbal compounds in cancer treatment, particularly polyphenols. Polyphenols have been proven to effectively inhibit tumor growth with fewer side effects and can enhance the sensitivity of cells to other therapies.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Mickael Ohanna, Pierric Biber, Marcel Deckert
Summary: ——Metastatic melanoma is a aggressive skin tumor with poor prognosis, and current treatments have limited efficacy. This review discusses the role of ubiquitination in melanoma development and resistance to therapy and highlights the potential of deubiquitination enzymes as novel therapeutic targets.
Article
Oncology
Oscar Maiques, Bruce Fanshawe, Eva Crosas-Molist, Irene Rodriguez-Hernandez, Alessia Volpe, Gaia Cantelli, Lena Boehme, Jose L. Orgaz, Faraz K. Mardakheh, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
Summary: This study utilized bioinformatic analyses, in vitro validation, and tissue histology to investigate the mechanisms and effects of metastasis-inhibiting drugs in melanoma. The Rho kinase-myosin II pathway was identified as a potential therapeutic target, leading to the proposal of a migrastatic drug development pipeline.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Dermatology
Oscar Maiques, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: Abnormal cell migration and invasion are major challenges in cancer treatment, especially in the case of melanoma which is known for its high migratory and metastatic potential. Melanoma cells utilize various migratory strategies controlled by cytoskeletal remodelling, with particular emphasis on the importance of amoeboid invasive melanoma strategies. These strategies are facilitated by signaling pathways such as Rho-ROCK-Myosin II and are actionable in clinical settings.
EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Eva Crosas-Molist, Remi Samain, Leonie Kohlhammer, Jose L. Orgaz, Samantha L. George, Oscar Maiques, Jaume Barcelo, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: This review examines the role of Rho GTPase signaling in different stages of cancer progression, highlighting its importance in tumor initiation, proliferation, and metastasis, as well as its involvement in cell migration, interaction with the tumor microenvironment, and inflammation regulation.
PHYSIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Juliana B. Candido, Oscar Maiques, Melanie Boxberg, Verena Kast, Eleonora Peerani, Elena Tomas-Bort, Wilko Weichert, Amiram Sananes, Niv Papo, Viktor Magdolen, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Daniela Loessner
Summary: Kallikrein-related peptidases are upregulated in pancreatic cancer and associated with poor prognosis. Inhibiting KLK may be a potential therapeutic strategy for precision medicine.
Review
Cell Biology
Adrian Barreno, Jose L. Orgaz
Summary: Discusses the poor prognosis of melanoma and the issue of treatment resistance, highlighting the dependence of resistant cells on cytoskeletal signaling pathways, which can be targeted for future interventions.
Article
Oncology
Marina Roy-Luzarraga, Louise E. Reynolds, Beatriz de Luxan-Delgado, Oscar Maiques, Laura Wisniewski, Emma Newport, Vinothini Rajeeve, Rebecca J. G. Drake, Jesus Gomez-Escudero, Frances M. Richards, Celine Weller, Christof Dormann, Ya-Ming Meng, Peter B. Vermeulen, Dieter Saur, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Ping-Pui Wong, Cyrill Geraud, Pedro R. Cutillas, Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke
Summary: This study reveals that endothelial cell focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a role in regulating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) metastasis and impacting the outcome of gemcitabine treatment. The findings suggest the potential clinical utility of combinatorial endothelial cell FAK targeting with gemcitabine in controlling metastasis in PDAC patients.
Review
Cell Biology
Vittoria Graziani, Irene Rodriguez-Hernandez, Oscar Maiques, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: This review focuses on the role of amoeboid behavior in cancer cell invasion and metastasis, as well as the molecular biomarkers and physicochemical triggers associated with it. The authors suggest that targeting these characteristics could lead to therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment.
TRENDS IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Anna Perdrix Rosell, Oscar Maiques, Joshua Alexander James Martin, Probir Chakravarty, Luigi Ombrato, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Ilaria Malanchi
Summary: The functional connection between cancer cells and their surrounding TME plays a crucial role in cancer development. Experimental evidence shows that perturbing the secretory profile of aggressive breast cancer cells can alter the tumor microenvironment, leading to the infiltration of anti-tumor macrophages and affecting long-term tumor growth.
Review
Oncology
Rebecca Adams, Gabriel Osborn, Bipashna Mukhia, Roman Laddach, Zena Willsmore, Alicia Chenoweth, Jenny L. C. Geh, Alastair D. MacKenzie Ross, Ciaran Healy, Linda Barber, Sophia Tsoka, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Katie E. Lacy, Sophia N. Karagiannis
Summary: The application of monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of melanoma has significantly improved clinical management over the last decade, but more than half of patients do not benefit from treatment. Targeting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and exploring new treatment strategies based on their diversity and plasticity hold promise for enhancing treatment success.
Article
Cell Biology
Yaiza Jung-Garcia, Oscar Maiques, Joanne Monger, Irene Rodriguez-Hernandez, Bruce Fanshawe, Marie-Charlotte Domart, Matthew J. Renshaw, Rosa M. Marti, Xavier Matias-Guiu, Lucy M. Collinson, Victoria Sanz-Moreno, Jeremy G. Carlton
Summary: Metastasis involves cancer cells spreading from the primary tumor to other sites. Researchers discovered increased expression of the protein LAP1 in metastatic melanoma cells, primary melanoma tumors, and metastases. They found that a shorter isoform of LAP1, LAP1C, supports constrained cell migration and invasion by allowing a weaker coupling between the nuclear envelope and the nuclear lamina. This suggests that LAP1 contributes to melanoma aggressiveness.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Genetics & Heredity
Jaume Barcelo, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: A new study reveals how the loss of NECTIN1 leads to melanoma dissemination after local depletion of IGF1.
Review
Cell Biology
Samantha George, Joshua Alexander James Martin, Vittoria Graziani, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: Cell migration plays a crucial role in immune responses and cancer metastasis. Amoeboid migrating cells use myosin II-powered blebs to move and change their shape and direction. Both immune cells and metastatic cancer cells utilize amoeboid migration, but with different purposes and processes. Exploring the similarities and differences between amoeboid immune and cancer cells can enhance our understanding of metastasis and provide insights for targeted therapies.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Jaume Barcelo, Remi Samain, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: ROCK belongs to the AGC family of Ser/Thr protein kinases and is involved in various cellular processes. It plays a crucial role in regulating cytoskeletal dynamics through actomyosin contractility, which is important for cell migration, proliferation, and survival in many cancer types. Targeting ROCK and its downstream effectors holds potential for cancer treatment, and local use of ROCK inhibitors may reduce side effects. Therefore, different therapeutic strategies and the latest generation of ROCK inhibitors are proposed for clinical use.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Samantha George, Mirella Georgouli, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: This article presents a protocol to drive human monocyte-macrophage differentiation using tumor-derived conditioned media and characterize TAMs in vitro, including isolation of CD14+ cells, induction of macrophage polarization, morphological assessment of macrophages, and validation of their functional behaviors with a tumor cell killing assay.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Oscar Maiques, Victoria Sanz-Moreno
Summary: This article describes a multiplex chromogenic immunohistochemistry platform for staining and analyzing two markers in paraffin tissue sections from mouse or human. The protocol involves stripping and re-probing steps followed by image analysis, allowing reliable and affordable multiplex imaging.