Review
Oncology
Mohsen Karami Fath, Ali Azargoonjahromi, Asma Soofi, Faezeh Almasi, Shahnaz Hosseinzadeh, Saeed Khalili, Kamran Sheikhi, Saeid Ferdousmakan, Soroor Owrangi, Minoovash Fahimi, Hamidreza Zalpoor, Mohsen Nabi Afjadi, Zahra Payandeh, Navid Pourzardosht
Summary: Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer caused by genetic mutations in melanocytes. Epigenetics plays a crucial role in melanoma development and has become a novel target for treating this disease.
CANCER CELL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Marine Melixetian, Pier Giuseppe Pelicci, Luisa Lanfrancone
Summary: Long non-coding RNAs play crucial roles in melanoma growth and spreading, and can be used as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and patient prognosis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kevin Lou, Douglas R. Wassarman, Tangpo Yang, YiTing Paung, Ziyang Zhang, Thomas A. O'Loughlin, Megan K. Moore, Regina K. Egan, Patricia Greninger, Cyril H. Benes, Markus A. Seeliger, Jack Taunton, Luke A. Gilbert, Kevan M. Shokat
Summary: The traditional search for cell-permeable drugs has focused on small, nonpolar, rigid chemical structures. However, emerging therapeutic strategies have introduced flexible chemical entities composed of multiple ligands. This study identified an endogenous chemical uptake pathway involving interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) that modulate the cell permeability of specific inhibitors. The study also found that IFITMs moderately assist certain proteolysis-targeting chimeras and investigated the physicochemical requirements for involvement in this uptake pathway.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Altaf A. Dar, Vladimir Bezrookove, Mehdi Nosrati, Ryan Ice, John M. Patino, Edith M. Vaquero, Brian Parrett, Stanley P. Leong, Kevin B. Kim, Robert J. Debs, Liliana Soroceanu, James R. Miller, Pierre-Yves Desprez, James E. Cleaver, Nathan Salomonis, Sean McAllister, Mohammed Kashani-Sabet
Summary: The study finds that bromodomain inhibition, either alone or in combination with agents targeting the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway, is a rational therapeutic approach for melanoma refractory to standard targeted or immunotherapeutic approaches.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Pia Loren, Nicolas Saavedra, Kathleen Saavedra, Nadine De Godoy Torso, Marilia Berlofa Visacri, Patricia Moriel, Luis A. Salazar
Summary: Cisplatin is an anticancer drug used for the treatment of various solid organ cancers. However, chemoresistance due to the presence of anti-apoptotic regulators is a major challenge. It has been found that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can modulate the expression of target proteins and affect the development of chemotherapy drug resistance.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chengcheng Hao, Jane Lane, Wen G. Jiang
Summary: Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, and drug resistance is a significant obstacle in cancer treatment. Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein that is overexpressed in various types of tumors and is involved in multiple cellular processes related to drug resistance. Understanding the role of OPN in cancer drug resistance may have implications for improving cancer therapy by reducing drug resistance in sensitive tumors.
Article
Oncology
Sharad S. Singhal, Saumya Srivastava, Tamara Mirzapoiazova, David Horne, Sanjay Awasthi, Ravi Salgia
Summary: Metastatic melanoma treatment is hindered by dysregulation of signaling pathways like MAP and RLIP, causing cell apoptosis and regression. CDE plays a crucial role in promoting melanoma cell proliferation.
Review
Oncology
Kun Yao, Hua Liu, Shui Yu, Haohao Zhu, Jie Pan
Summary: This review discusses the resistance mechanisms and preventive strategies of ivosidenib and enasidenib drugs, as well as the opportunities and challenges of developing next-generation mIDH1/2 inhibitors and translating combination therapies into clinical applications.
Article
Oncology
Yi Qin, Milad Ashrafizadeh, Vera Mongiardini, Benedetto Grimaldi, Francesco Crea, Katja Rietdorf, Balazs Gyorffy, Daniel J. Klionsky, Jun Ren, Wei Zhang, Xianbin Zhang
Summary: The emergence of drug resistance is a major challenge for oncologists. Autophagy plays a complex physio-pathological role in cancer drug resistance, either promoting cell survival or contributing to cell death. Understanding the regulation and modulation of autophagy can lead to potential therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maya A. Dymova, Elena Kuligina, Vladimir A. Richter
Summary: This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of therapeutic resistance of GBM, molecular characteristics of glioblastoma cells, and barriers in the brain that contribute to drug resistance. The progress in developing new targeted drugs for glioblastoma and drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB) is also discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Alice Musi, Laura Bongiovanni
Summary: Melanoma, though representing only 1% of skin cancers, can be fatal in some cases. Currently, there are different therapies used for its treatment, but resistance remains an issue. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by melanoma cells play a crucial role in drug resistance. Understanding their role can improve melanoma treatment outcomes.
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)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Dejuan Sun, Yuanyuan Guo, Piyu Tang, Hua Li, Lixia Chen
Summary: ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6), a small G-protein, plays important roles in cellular events and cancer progression. Understanding its function and mechanism is essential for future cancer therapy. This review summarizes the structure and roles of Arf6 in cancer, and discusses its potential as a target for protein-protein interaction inhibitors.
ACTA PHARMACEUTICA SINICA B
(2023)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Hamed Rezayatmand, Mahboobeh Razmkhah, Iman Razeghian-Jahromi
Summary: Drug resistance caused by cancer stem cells (CSCs) is the main reason for the failure and relapse of cancer therapy. CSCs possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into heterogeneous cancer cells, and play a significant role in metastatic dissemination. Although chemotherapy can destroy most tumor cells, CSCs are left mostly intact, leading to resistance to treatment. It is crucial to understand the key features of drug resistance caused by CSCs in order to develop effective treatment strategies, but there are challenges in differentiating CSCs from normal cells.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Elisabetta Vergani, Giovanni L. Beretta, Mariachiara Aloisi, Matteo Costantino, Cristina Corno, Simona Frigerio, Stella Tinelli, Matteo Dugo, Felice Maria Accattatis, Agnese Granata, Lorenzo Arnaboldi, Monica Rodolfo, Paola Perego, Laura Gatti
Summary: The study investigated the impact of lipid metabolism on melanoma sensitivity to BRAF inhibitors, revealing that targeting lipid metabolism pathways in resistant cells reduces cell growth, increases drug sensitivity, and induces the expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Francesc Font-Clos, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: The study introduces a general algorithmic strategy called ARIADNE to assess metastasis risk in patients with triple-negative breast cancer from transcriptomic data, validated in three independent cohorts. This strategy provides a prognostic tool that could potentially be applied to other breast cancer subtypes or other tumor types.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Loretta Ferrera, Raffaella Barbieri, Cristiana Picco, Paolo Zuccolini, Alessia Remigante, Sara Bertelli, Maria Rita Fumagalli, Giovanni Zifarelli, Caterina A. M. La Porta, Paola Gavazzo, Michael Pusch
Summary: The response to oxidative stimulation in melanoma cells involves the activation of potassium currents and an increase in intracellular calcium levels, mediated by BK, KCa3.1, and TRPM2 channels. Differences in the expression levels of these channels in different cell lines may play a crucial role in melanoma progression. Targeting these ion channels pharmacologically could be a novel strategy to reduce the metastatic potential of melanoma cells alongside traditional treatments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Caterina A. M. La Porta, Maria Rita Fumagalli, Stefano Gomarasca, Maria Chiara Lionetti, Stefano Zapperi, Stefano Bocchi
Summary: This study analyzed geolocated data of pollutants in surface and groundwater of Lombardy, revealing presence of herbicides and insecticides above legal limits in surface waters. The research showed that a combination of multiple compounds can induce stress in algae, indicating synergistic effects on the environment. The work resulted in a pipeline that can be easily utilized to monitor other territories in Italy and abroad.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sara Donzelli, Francesca Spinella, Enea Gino Di Domenico, Martina Pontone, Ilaria Cavallo, Giulia Orlandi, Stefania Iannazzo, Giulio Maria Ricciuto, ISG Virology Covid Team, Raul Pellini, Paola Muti, Sabrina Strano, Gennaro Ciliberto, Fabrizio Ensoli, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta, Giovanni Blandino, Aldo Morrone, Fulvia Pimpinelli
Summary: The presence of undiscovered SARS-CoV-2 variants in Italy is described in this study. Deep sequencing analysis of respiratory samples revealed the D614G and S939F mutations. Unlike D614G, the S939F mutation has a slight but significant impact on immune response.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesc Font-Clos, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that grows and spreads quickly, has limited treatment options, and worse prognosis. This study compares two patient stratification strategies based on gene expression data and finds that they are not directly related, suggesting that the aggressiveness of TNBC may be influenced by multiple unrelated factors.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Maria Chiara Lionetti, Maria Rita Fumagalli, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: Tumor plasticity is the ability of tumor cells to change their phenotype in response to the environment. In this study, we investigated the biophysical changes that occur during phenotypic switching in human melanoma cells. Our results suggest that phenotypic switching in melanoma involves nuclear changes and chromatin remodeling, which alter the transcriptional activity and phenotype of cells.
CELLS TISSUES ORGANS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Rita Fumagalli, Stella Maria Saro, Matteo Tajana, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: STELLA is a computational method used to derive the spectrum of metabolites associated with an individual's microbiome. By comparing the results with healthy individuals, individual metabolic alterations can be identified.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Zanchi, Stefano Zapperi, Chiara Zanotti, Marco Rotiroti, Tullia Bonomi, Stefano Gomarasca, Stefano Bocchi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: Time-dependent geolocalized analysis of pollution data is crucial for understanding and mitigating water pollution. This study examines pollutant concentrations in surface waters and groundwater in Lombardy, finding that groundwater has more sites exceeding legal limits for heavy metals. The results suggest that implementing stricter laws can improve the ecological status of water.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Caterina AM. La Porta, Stefano Zapperi
Summary: Predicting the risk of breast cancer metastasis after a first diagnosis is a crucial issue, which can be tackled by artificial intelligence. Incorporating biological insight into algorithms is necessary due to limited availability of standardized datasets.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: Finding prognostic and predictive markers for TNBC is highly desirable, and the recently developed transcriptomic test ARIADNE shows promising capabilities in this regard.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mrinmoy Mukherjee, Oleksandr Chepizhko, Maria Chiara Lionetti, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta, Herbert Levine
Summary: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in understanding the role of the adaptive immune system in controlling tumor progression. Studies have shown that the density of adaptive immune cells inside solid tumors is a favorable prognostic marker for various types of cancer, although the exact mechanisms behind immune cell infiltration are not fully understood. In this study, the researchers quantified the temporal dynamics of immune cell density around a solid tumor spheroid and developed a computational model that could reproduce the experimentally measured infiltration profile. Studying the density distribution of immune cells inside solid tumors can provide insights into immune trafficking in the tumor microenvironment and potentially guide the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies.
Article
Microbiology
Marianna Dourou, Caterina Anna Maria La Porta
Summary: The nucleation dynamic assay is used to identify microbial behaviors, such as the interactions between Trichoderma fungi and other members of soil microflora. Trichoderma-based fungicides are being researched as an alternative to synthetic ones, but the impact on the soil microbiome is not well-studied. In this study, twelve fungi were isolated from Italian vineyards, including three Trichoderma strains and nine other plant-associated fungi. Through a dual nucleation assay, it was observed that Trichoderma strains exhibited both neutral and antagonistic interactions with different fungi, including plant pathogens. The findings emphasize the importance of studying fungal interactions to understand the impact of fungal-based biological fungicides on soil communities.
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Caterina A. M. La Porta, Stefano Zapperi
Summary: Inequalities in wealth, income, access to food and healthcare have been increasing worldwide. This study explores the relationship between wealth inequality and mobility, comparing surveys conducted in the USA and Italy. It is found that greater wealth inequality in the USA is associated with poorer health conditions than in Italy. Additionally, mobility becomes slower at the extremes of the wealth distribution in both countries. Households trapped in persistent lack of wealth experience greater food insecurity and poorer health. A simple agent based model of wealth condensation driven by random returns and exchanges is used to explain the association between inequality and immobility. The model accurately describes survey data qualitatively, but overestimates mobility. The discrepancy is attributed to the model's incorrect representation of income generation for low-wealth households. On the other hand, the model effectively describes wealth dynamics within the ultra-wealthy class. The results highlight the interconnectedness of different forms of inequality and the need to address them collectively.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-COMPLEXITY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Rita Fumagalli, Stefano Zapperi, Caterina A. M. La Porta
Summary: Bats have the ability to coexist with viruses by regulating their body temperature variations between day and night, which prevents viral escape and makes the system more robust.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Caterina A. M. La Porta, Stefano Zapperi
Summary: The study identified three new Sars-Cov-2 variants that could potentially affect vaccine efficacy, with results showing varying impacts on immune responses depending on different HLA alleles. The findings suggest the importance of considering genetic diversity in vaccine design.
FRONTIERS IN DIGITAL HEALTH
(2021)
