Apoptosis In Cervical Cancer Cells Research Articles

Artesunate promotes cervical cancer cell apoptosis by regulating Bcl2 family molecules and reducing the mitochondrial membrane potential.

Artesunate (ART), an antimalarial drug, has a broad spectrum of antitumour effects in cancer types such as esophageal and gastric cancer. However, evidence demonstrating the role of ART in cervical cancer cells is limited. In the present study, the inhibitory effect of ART on the growth of cervical cancer cells through the modulation of the cell cycle and apoptosis was investigated. The growth-inhibitory effect of ART on a cervical cancer cell line (SiHa) was detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay after treatment with ART for 24 h, after which the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. Using flow cytometry assays, apoptosis, the cell cycle, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) ions, as well as the mitochondrial membrane potential were evaluated in SiHa cells following treatment with ART for 24 and 48 h. The mRNA expression levels of Bcl2, Bcl-xl, (myeloid cell leukaemia 1) Mcl-1, Bcl2-like protein 11 (BIM), (Bcl2-related ovarian killer protein) Bok, Bax and (Bcl2 homologous antagonist/killer) Bak in SiHa cells were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. ART inhibited the growth of SiHa cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 of ART in SiHa cells was 26.32 µg/ml. According to the IC50 value, 15, 30 and 100 µg/ml ART were selected for further experiments, and normal saline (0 µg/ml ART) was used as the control group. The results indicated that treatment with 15, 30 and 100 µg/ml ART for 24 and 48 h induced apoptosis, increased the levels of ROS, the levels of Ca2+ and the mRNA expression levels of BIM, Bok, Bax and Bak, but decreased the cell proliferation indices, the mitochondrial membrane potential and the mRNA expression levels of Bcl2, Bcl-xl and Mcl-1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In conclusion, ART inhibited the growth of SiHa cells and induced apoptosis via a mechanism associated with the regulation of Bcl2 family member expression, which was associated with the increase of the levels of ROS and Ca2+ and the reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential.

MicroRNA-875-5p inhibits the growth and metastasis of cervical cancer cells by promoting autophagy and apoptosis and inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

MicroRNA-875-5p (miR-875-5p) is a cancer-related microRNA. It has been demonstrated that miR-875-5p participates in the development of various types of cancer such as hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, prostate and bladder cancer. Previous research suggested that miR-875 is implicated in the development of cervical cancer cells. However, the exact role and function of miR-875-5p in cervical cancer remain unexplored. It is important to examine the role and function of miR-875-5p and the associated signaling pathway, as the findings may have diagnostic and therapeutic significance. Thus, in this study, we investigated the effect of miR-875-5p on the growth and metastasis of cervical cancer cells and the possible underlying mechanisms. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-875-5p in cervical cancer cells and normal cervical epithelium. After overexpression or co-expression of miR-875-5p in cells, the changes in cell function were analyzed. Western blot was used to detect the expression changes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -related proteins and autophagy-related proteins. Functional studies demonstrated that miR-875-5p overexpression significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT, and promotes apoptosis and autophagy of cervical cancer cells., while miR-875-5p knockdown promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT, and inhibited apoptosis and autophagy cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, Western blot results showed that overexpression of miR-875-5p downregulated the expressions of N-cadherin, Snail, Vimentin and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B I (LC3B I). Conversely, miR-875-5p upregulated the expression of E-cadherin. In conclusion, our findings suggest that miR-875-5p functions as a tumor inhibitor suppressing the growth and metastasis of cervical cancer. Overexpression of miR-875-5p inhibits malignant behavior and promotes autophagy and apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. These findings advance our understanding of the role and function of miR-875-5p in cervical cancer and could facilitate the development of early genetic markers or biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cervical cancer.

Deoxyshikonin triggers apoptosis in cervical cancer cells through p38 MAPK-mediated caspase activation.

Deoxyshikonin (DSK) is a biological component derived from Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Although DSK possesses potential anticancer activities, whether DSK exerts anticancer effects on cervical cancer cells is incompletely explored. This study was aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of DSK against cervical cancer cells and its molecular mechanisms. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Level of phosphorylation and protein was determined using Western blot. Involvement of signaling kinases was assessed by specific inhibitors. Our results revealed that DSK reduced viability of human cervical cell in a dose-dependent fashion. Meanwhile, DSK significantly elicited apoptosis of HeLa and SiHa cells. Apoptosis microarray was used to elucidate the involved pathways, and the results showed that DSK dose-dependently diminished cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 (cIAP1), cIAP2, and XIAP, and induced cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-8/9/3. Furthermore, we observed that DSK significantly triggered activation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK (p38), and only inhibition of p38 diminished the DSK-mediated pro-caspases cleavage. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DSK has anti-cervical cancer effects via the apoptotic cascade elicited by downregulation of IAPs and p38-mediated caspase activation. This suggests that DSK could act as an adjuvant to facilitate cervical cancer management.

The Role of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in the Growth of Cervical Cancer Cells.

Recently developed vaccines for the SARS-CoV-2 virus utilize endogenous production of the virus' spike protein (SP), allowing the host to develop an immune response. As a result of the novelty of this virus and its vaccines, little is known overall about the potential effects of the SP on the pathogenesis of neoplasia, either from vaccination or from infection. This study was designed to investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 SP has any direct effect on SiHa cervical cancer cells. The effects of SARS-CoV-2 SP on cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated by using clonogenic cell survival assay, quick cell proliferation assay, and caspase-3 activity kits in a widely-used cervical cancer cell line, SiHa. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were also performed to determine the potential molecular mechanisms. The growth and proliferation of SiHa cancer cells were inhibited by SARS-CoV-2 SP. SARS-CoV-2 SP also induced apoptosis in SiHa cancer cells. The anti-proliferative effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cancer cells was associated with the up-regulation of the anti-proliferative molecule p53. The pro-apoptotic effect of SARS-CoV-2 SP on SiHa cells was associated with the up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic molecule TRAIL. SARS-CoV-2 SP inhibits the growth of cervical cancer via up-regulation of p53 and TRAIL. Further studies are needed to elaborate on the potential effects of the SARS-CoV-2 SP on other cancer cell lines and normal physiological cell lines for comparison.

Norcantharidin Enhances the Antitumor Effect of 5-Fluorouracil by Inducing Apoptosis of Cervical Cancer Cells: Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Experimental Validation.

The high recurrence rate of cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an antitumor drug used to treat many types of cancer, but its diminishing effectiveness and side effects limit its use. Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated derivative of cantharidin, exhibits various biological activities. Here, we investigated whether NCTD could potentiate 5-FU to induce cervical cancer cell death. To assess the cell viability and synergistic effects of the drugs, cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays were performed using HR-HPV-positive cervical cancer cell lines. Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and TUNEL assays were performed to confirm the induction of apoptosis. The synergistic effect of NCTD on the antitumor activity of 5-FU was analyzed using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Apoptosis-related proteins were examined using immunoblotting. The combination of NCTD and 5-FU was synergistic in cervical cancer cell lines. Network pharmacological analysis identified 10 common targets of NCTD and 5-FU for cervical cancer treatment. Molecular docking showed the strong binding affinity of both compounds with CA12, CASP9, and PTGS1. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the complex system of both drugs with caspase-9 could be in a stable state. NCTD enhanced 5-FU-mediated cytotoxicity by activating apoptosis-related proteins. NCTD acts synergistically with 5-FU to inhibit cervical cancer cell proliferation. NCTD enhances 5-FU-induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cell lines via the caspase-dependent pathway.

MiR-4319 targets tuftelin 1 to reduce malignancy of cervical cancer cells.

Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common malignant tumor of female reproductive system. MiR-4319 has been identified as an anti-oncogene in various cancers. In the present study, role of miR-4319 in CC was identified. Colony formation, flow cytometer, wound healing, and transwell assays were used to detect CC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The expression of miR-4319 was decreased in clinical CC tissues and CC cell lines. Upregulation of miR-4319 suppressed cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis in CC cells. Moreover, tuftelin 1 (TUFT1) was verified as a direct target of miR-4319, as confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Additionally, TUFT1 expression was remarkably increased in clinical CC tissues and CC cell lines and was negatively associated with miR-4319 expression. Furthermore, overexpression of TUFT1 partially restored the effects of miR-4319 mimic on cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell apoptosis in CC cells. To conclude, miR-4319 played an anti-cancer role in the occurrence and development of CC, which might be achieved by targeting TUFT1.

Apigenin 7-glucoside impedes hypoxia-induced malignant phenotypes of cervical cancer cells in a p16-dependent manner.

Apigenin 7-glucoside (A7G) can suppress cell proliferation and trigger apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. Considering that hypoxia is associated with the malignant phenotypes in cervical cancer, this study aimed to uncover whether A7G exhibits suppressive effects on the hypoxia-induced malignant phenotype of cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells). Compared to normoxia, hypoxia can enhance the malignant phenotypes of HeLa cells, including cell proliferation, reduced sensitivity against chemotherapeutic agents (oxaliplatin and paclitaxel), cancer stemness, migration, and invasion. A7G intervention (20, 40, and 60 μM) could impair these malignant phenotypes of HeLa cells and upregulate the expression level of total and nuclear p16 proteins. Molecular docking analysis showed the interaction between anion exchanger 1 and A7G. In p16-silencing HeLa cells, the anticancer effects of A7G were absent. Therefore, hypoxia derives malignant phenotypes of HeLa cells, which could be impeded by A7G in a p16-dependent manner.

HECW1 restrains cervical cancer cell growth by promoting DVL1 ubiquitination and downregulating the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

HECW1 belongs to ubiquitin ligase (E3) HECT family, and is found to be involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. However, the function of HECW1 in cervical cancer (CC) remains unknown. Clinical analysis showed that HECW1 is significantly decreased in CC tumor tissues. Ectopic expression of HECW1 suppressed cell growth, promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CC cells, while downregulation of HECW1 reversed these trends, impeded proliferation and accelerated cell cycle progression of CC cells. Overexpressing of HECW1 reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and the protein expression of voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1). In addition, upregulation of HECW1 inhibited nuclear β-catenin accumulation, downregulated β-catenin/TCF/LEF-mediated transcriptional activity and the expression of downstream gene c-Myc, whereas inhibition of HECW1 received opposite results. Further results confirmed HECW1 affects the protein expression of dishevelled-1 (DVL1), a potent activator of Wnt/β‐catenin, and inhibition of HECW1 inhibited the ubiquitination of DVL1, upregulating its expression. Inhibition of DVL1 restrained the promotion effect of HECW1 suppression on cell proliferation. In vivo experiments also verified that HECW1 suppression promoted the tumor formation of CC cells. Summary, we demonstrated that HECW1 inhibits CC cell proliferation and tumor formation by downregulating DVL1 induced Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway activation.

Retracted] MicroRNA‑15a‑5p‑targeting oncogene YAP1 inhibits cell viability and induces cell apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that certain of the Transwell invasion assay data shown in Fig.3A and B on p.1306 were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in a paper by different authors at a different research institute that had already been submitted for publication. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been submitted for publication prior to its submission to International Journal of Molecular Medicine, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. After having been in contact with the authors, they accepted the decision to retract the paper. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [International Journal of Molecular Medicine 46: 1301‑1310, 2020; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2020.4704].

HPV16 E6 promoting cervical cancer progression through down-regulation of miR-320a to increase TOP2A expression.

Cervical cancer (CC) has become the fourth most common cancer worldwide and it is mainly caused by the infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially high-risk HPV16. Aberrant miRNA expression in CC is closely related to HPV16 infection, and the regulation of HPV16 E6 expression can affect a variety of miRNA expression. This study aims to exploring the miRNAs involved in E6 regulation in CC. Our study screened differentially expressed miRNAs in cervical cells of HPV16 infected and uninfected cervical cancer patients by analyzing the GSE81137 dataset of the gene expression omnibus database (GEO), and identified miR-320a that plays an anti-tumor role and is associated with good prognosis of cervical cancer. Explore the effect of HPV16 E6 on the expression of miR-320a in cervical cancer, and verify whether HPV16 E6 regulates the downstream target gene TOP2A expression through miR-320a, thereby affecting cervical cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and EMT invitro and invivo. The bioinformatic methods selected the miR-320a, which was differentially expressed in cervical cells from HPV16-infected patients compared to uninfected patients. We further demonstrated that miR-320a level was regulated by HPV16 E6, which promoted the CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and inhibited apoptosis. In addition, we predicted the downstream target genes of miR-320a and confirmed that TOP2A was one of its targeting proteins. Moreover, HPV16 E6 promoted the TOP2A expression in CC cells through down-regulating miR-320a, leading to promoting CC development. We confirmed that HPV16 E6 promoted the TOP2A expression through down-regulation of miR-320a, thus promoting CC development, and the HPV16 E6/miR-320a/TOP2A axis may perform as a potential target for CC treatment.

CAFs-derived exosomes promote the development of cervical cancer by regulating miR-18a-5p-TMEM170B signaling axis

Mounting studies have showed that tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for cervical cancer (CC), and cancer-related fibroblasts (CAFs) play a major role in it. Recently, exosomal miRNAs secreted by CAFs have been found to be potential targets for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this paper, we aimed to investigate the function of CAFs-mediated exosome miR-18a-5p (CAFs-exo-miR-18a-5p) in CC. First, in combination with bioinformatic data analysis of the GEO database (GSE86100) and RT-qPCR of CC clinical tissue samples and cell lines, miR-18a-5p was discovered to be markedly up-regulated in CC. Next, CAFs-secreted exosomes were isolated and it was found that miR-18a-5p expression was dramatically promoted in CC cell lines when treated with CAFs-exos. The CAFs-exo-miR-18a-5p was then elucidated to stimulate the proliferation and migration and inhibit the apoptosis of CC cells. In order to clarify the underlying mechanism, we further screened the target genes of miR-18a-5p. TMEM170B was selected by bioinformatic data analysis of online databases combined with RT-qPCR of CC clinical tissues and cells. Luciferase reporter gene analysis combined with molecular biology experiments further elucidated that miR-18a-5p suppressed TMEM170B expression in CC. Finally, both cell and animal experiments demonstrated that TMEM170B over-expression attenuated the oncogenic effect of CAFs-exo-miR-18a-5p. In conclusion, our study indicates that CAFs-mediated exosome miR-18a-5p promotes the initiation and development of CC by suppressing TMEM170B signaling axis, which provides a possible direction for the diagnosis and therapy of CC.

MiR-34b-3p-mediated regulation of STC2 and FN1 enhances chemosensitivity and inhibits proliferation in cervical cancer.

Dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression in cancer is a significant factor contributing to the progression of chemoresistance. The objective of this study is to explore the underlying mechanisms by which miR-34b-3p regulates chemoresistance in cervical cancer (CC). Previous findings have demonstrated low expression levels of miR-34b-3p in both CC chemoresistant cells and tissues. In this study, we initially characterize the behavior of SiHa/DDP cells which are CC cells resistant to the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin (DDP). Subsequently, miR-34b-3p mimics are transfected into SiHa/DDP cells. It is observed that overexpression of miR-34b-3p substantially inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of SiHa/DDP cells and also enhances their sensitivity to DDP-induced cell death. Quantitative RT-PCR and western blot analysis further reveal elevated expression levels of STC2 and FN1 in SiHa/DDP cells, contrary to the expression pattern of miR-34b-3p. Moreover, STC2 and FN1 contribute to DDP resistance, proliferation, migration, invasion, and decreased apoptosis in CC cells. Through dual-luciferase assay analysis, we confirm that STC2 and FN1 are direct targets of miR-34b-3p in CC. Finally, rescue experiments demonstrate that overexpression of either STC2 or FN1 can partially reverse the inhibitory effects of miR-34b-3p overexpression on chemoresistance, proliferation, migration and invasion in CC cells. In conclusion, our findings support the role of miR-34b-3p as a tumor suppressor in CC. This study indicates that targeting the miR-34b-3p/STC2 or FN1 axis has potential therapeutic implications for overcoming chemoresistance in CC patients.

Esculetin induce apoptosis in Human Cervical Cancer Cells (HeLa)

Esculetin induce apoptosis in Human Cervical Cancer Cells (HeLa)

Alantolactone Induced Apoptosis and DNA Damage of Cervical Cancer through ATM/CHK2 Signaling Pathway.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, known for its minimal side effects and significant clinical efficacy, has attracted considerable interest for its potential in cancer therapy. In particular, Inula helenium L. has demonstrated effectiveness in inhibiting a variety of cancers. This study focuses on alantolactone (ALT), a prominent compound from Inula helenium L., recognized for its anti-cancer capabilities across multiple cancer types. The primary objective of this study is to examine the influence of ALT on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and tumor growth of cervical cancer (CC) cells, along with its associated signaling pathways. To determine protein expression alterations, Western blot analysis was conducted. Furthermore, an in vivo model was created by subcutaneously injecting HeLa cells into nude mice to assess the impact of ALT on cervical cancer. Our research thoroughly investigates the anti-tumor potential of ALT in the context of CC. ALT was found to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in SiHa and HeLa cell lines, particularly targeting ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) proteins associated with DNA damage. The suppression of DNA damage and apoptosis induction when ATM was inhibited underscores the crucial role of the ATM/cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) axis in ALT's anti-tumor effects. In vivo studies with a xenograft mouse model further validated ALT's effectiveness in reducing CC tumor growth and promoting apoptosis. This study offers new insights into how ALT combats CC, highlighting its promise as an effective anti-cervical cancer agent and providing hope for improved treatment outcomes for CC patients.

Retraction.

'Interference of the long noncoding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 upregulates miR-181a-5p/TGFβI axis to restrain the metastasis and promote apoptosis and senescence of cervical cancer cells', by Lihong Zhu, Quanhua Zhang, Shaoping Li, Shan Jiang, Jingjing Cui, Ge Dang, Cancer Med. 2019; 8:1721-1730. The above article, published online on 18 March 2019 in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cam4.2040) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor in Chief, Stephen Tait, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on allegations raised by third parties. Multiple image elements in figures3, 5, and 7 were found to have been published elsewhere in a different scientific context. Thus, the editors consider the conclusions of this article to be invalid. The authors did not respond when asked to collaborate during the investigation.

KTt-45, a T-type calcium channel blocker, acts as an anticancer agent by inducing apoptosis on HeLa cervical cancer cell line

The abnormal expression in the T-type calcium channels is involved in various cancer types, thus inhibiting T-type calcium channels is one of approaches in cancer treatment. The fact that KTt-45 acted as a T-type calcium channel inhibitor as well as a pain-relief agent prompts us to address if KTt-45 plays any role against cancer cells. The results showed that KTt-45 caused cytotoxic effects towards HeLa cervical, Raji lymphoma, MCF-7 breast cancer, and A549 lung cancer cell lines with IC50 values less than 100 μM, in which highly selective toxicity was against HeLa cells (IC50 = 37.4 μM, SI > 3.2). Strikingly, the KTt-45 induced an accumulation of cytoplasmic vacuoles after 48 h treatment and mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis activation as evidenced by morphological features, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, and significant activation of caspase-9 as well as caspase-3. In conclusion, KTt-45 could inhibit cell growth and trigger mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis in HeLa cervical cancer cells. The results, taken together, strongly demonstrated that KTt-45 is a potential agent for further study on anticancer drug development which not only targets cancer cells but also helps to relieve neuropathic pain in cancer patients.

NDUFA8 is transcriptionally regulated by EP300/H3K27ac and promotes mitochondrial respiration to support proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer, a common malignancy in women, poses a significant health burden worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression, function, and potential mechanisms of NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit A8 (NDUFA8) in cervical cancer. The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database and immunohistochemical scoring were used to analyze NDUFA8 expression in cervical cancer tissues and normal tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analyses were performed to assess the expression level of NDUFA8 in cervical cancer cell lines. NDUFA8 knockdown or overexpression experiments were conducted to evaluate its impact on cell proliferation and apoptosis. The mitochondrial respiratory status was analyzed by measuring cellular oxygen consumption, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, and the expression levels of Mitochondrial Complex I activity, and Mitochondrial Complex IV-associated proteins Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit 5B (COX5B) and COX6C. NDUFA8 exhibited high expression levels in cervical cancer tissues, and these levels were correlated with reduced survival rates. A significant upregulation of NDUFA8 expression was observed in cervical cancer cell lines compared to normal cells. Silencing NDUFA8 hindered cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and concurrently suppressed cellular mitochondrial respiration, resulting in decreased levels of available ATP. Conversely, NDUFA8 overexpression induced the opposite effects. Herein, we also found that E1A Binding Protein P300 (EP300) overexpression facilitated Histone H3 Lysine 27 (H3K27) acetylation enrichment, enhancing the activity of the NDUFA8 promoter region. NDUFA8, which is highly expressed in cervical cancer, is regulated by transcriptional control via EP300/H3K27 acetylation. By promoting mitochondrial respiration, NDUFA8 contributes to cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. These findings provide novel insights into NDUFA8 as a therapeutic target in cervical cancer.

The Role of ZNF275/AKT Pathway in Carcinogenesis and Cisplatin Chemosensitivity of Cervical Cancer Using Patient-Derived Xenograft Models

Zinc finger protein 275 (ZNF275) is a C2H2-type transcription factor that is localized on chromosome Xq28. Whether ZNF275 participates in modulating the biological behaviors of cervical cancer has not been determined to our knowledge. The present study employed CCK-8, BrdU, flow cytometry, and a transwell assay to investigate the cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. The application of Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC) aims to assess ZNF275 protein expression and identify the signaling pathway relevant to ZNF275-mediated effects on cervical cancer. The therapeutic impact of the combined therapy of the AKT inhibitor triciribine and cisplatin was evaluated on cervical cancer patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models expressing high ZNF275. The current research illustrated that cervical cancer tissue exhibited a higher expression of ZNF275 in contrast to the surrounding normal cervical tissue. The downregulation of ZNF275 suppressed cell viability, migration, and invasion, and facilitated the apoptosis of SiHa and HeLa cells via weakening AKT/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Moreover, triciribine synergized with cisplatin to reduce cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and enhanced the apoptosis of SiHa cells expressing high ZNF275. In addition, the combination treatment of triciribine and cisplatin was more effective in inducing tumor regression than single agents in cervical cancer PDX models expressing high ZNF275. Collectively, the current findings demonstrated that ZNF275 serves as a sufficiently predictive indicator of the therapeutic effectiveness of the combined treatment of triciribine and cisplatin on cervical cancer. Combining triciribine with cisplatin greatly broadens the therapeutic options for cervical cancer expressing high ZNF275, but further research is needed to confirm these results.

Glycyrrhizinic Acid as an Antiviral and Anticancer Agent in the Treatment of Human Papillomavirus.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), like any other virus, needs to penetrate the host cell and make use of its machinery to replicate. From there, HPV infection can be asymptomatic or lead to benign and premalignant lesions or even different types of cancer. HPV oncogenesis is due to the ability of the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 to alter the control mechanisms for the growth and proliferation of host cell. Therefore, the use of agents with the ability to control these processes is essential in the search for effective treatments against HPV infections. Glycyrrhizinic acid (Gly), the active ingredient in liquorice, has been shown in numerous preclinical studies to have an antiviral and anticancer activity, reducing the expression of E6 and E7 and inducing apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. In addition, it also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory or re-epithelializing properties that can be useful in HPV infections. This review includes the different antiviral and anticancer mechanisms described for Gly, as well as the clinical studies carried out that position it as a potential therapeutic strategy against HPV both through its topical application and by oral administration.

CBX7 is involved in the progression of cervical cancer throughthe ITGβ3/TGFβ1/AKT pathway.

The chromobox protein homolog 7 (CBX7) serves a tumor-suppressive role in human malignant neoplasias. The downregulation of CBX7 is associated with the poor prognosis and aggressiveness of various human cancers. However, the biological functions and underlying mechanisms of CBX7 in cervical cancer remain unclear. The present study investigated the role and mechanism of CBX7 in cervical cancer. Lentivirus and siRNA were used to construct cervical cancer cells with stable CBX7 knockdown and SiHa xenograft models. The cell growth, migration, invasion and apoptosis were observed through in vivo and in vitro experiments. The expression levels of CBX7, integrin β3 (ITGβ3), transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, E-cadherin (E-cad) and vimentin (VIM) were detected by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The correlation between CBX7 and these genes was analyzed. TGFβ1 was also silenced through shRNA in cells with stable CBX7 knockdown to detect its effect on cell growth, invasion and apoptosis, and on pathway-related gene expression. It was revealed that knockdown of CBX7 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells, and inhibited apoptosis. In addition, CBX7 knockdown promoted tumor growth in vivo. Correlation analysis demonstrated that CBX7 was negatively correlated with ITGβ3, TGFβ1, PI3K, AKT, phosphorylated AKT and VIM, but positively correlated with E-cad. Moreover, the knockdown of TGFβ1 reversed the promotion of cell proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis induced by CBX7 knockdown and attenuated the increase of ITGβ3, TGFβ1, PI3K, AKT and VIM caused by CBX7 knockdown. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that the downregulation of CBX7 enhances cell migration and invasion while inhibiting cell apoptosis in cervical cancer by modulating the ITGβ3/TGFβ1/AKT signaling pathways.