Specific Therapeutic Targets Research Articles

Xiaoke Bitong capsule alleviates inflammatory impairment via inhibition of the TNF signaling pathway to against diabetic peripheral neuropathy

BackgroundXiaoke Bitong capsule (XBC) is a crude herbal compound believed to tonify qi, improve blood circulation, and alleviate blood stasis. It has been used as an herbal formula for the prevention and treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the pharmacological mechanisms by which XBC ameliorates DPN remain poorly understood. The interaction between pro-inflammatory factors and the activation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a critical role in the underlying mechanisms of DPN. XBC may protect against DPN through the regulation of the TNF pathway. PurposeMany studies show the association between DPN and nerve dysfunction, however, treatment options are limited. To identify specific therapeutic targets and active components of XBC that contribute to its anti-DPN effects, our study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of action of XBC during the progression of DPN using a system pharmacology approach. MethodsAn approach involving UPLC-Q-TOF/MS and network pharmacology was used to analyze the compositions, potential targets, and active pathways of XBC. Further, models of streptozocin (STZ) induced mouse and glucose induced RSC96 cells were established to explore the therapeutic effects of XBC. High glucose induced RSC96 cells were pretreated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to identify potential therapeutic targets of DPN. ResultsSeventy-one active compositions of XBC and five potential targets, including mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK), interleukin-6 (IL-6), poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP1), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), and transcription factor p65 (NF-κB), were considered as the potential regulators of DPN. In addition, the results revealed that the TNF signaling pathway was closely related to DPN. Moreover, DPN contributed to the decreased expressions of PI3K and AKT, increased TNF-α and IL-1β in RSC96 cells, which were both reversed by XBC or TNF-α siRNA. ConclusionXBC could protect against DPN by inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and regulating the activation of the TNF signaling pathway, further accelerating neurogenesis, and alleviating peripheral nerve lesions. Therefore, this study highlights the therapeutic value of XBC for DPN.

O-099 Implantation 2024 - what do we know?

Abstract Three major factors are involved in implantation, the embryo, the endometrium and the microbiome. The interactions between these major participants need to, support normal pregnancies and reject abnormal ones and have an appropriate pro/anti-inflammatory response to the genital tract microbiome. Implantation is controlled by a series biological checks and balances in the context of an endometrium that regenerates monthly. Our understanding of these checks and balances has been advanced with the use of sequencing technologies. • The high incidence of aneuploidy in early human embryos has been described in detail with low-coverage sequencing- based PGT-A. • The contribution of karyotype abnormality to miscarriages has been clarified with the use of a microarray-based comparative genomic hybridisation and the cell free DNA. • New insights into endometrial composition have been made through single cell sequencing that has revealed the existence of new subsets of cells at the maternal fetal interface. • The genital tract microbiome has been investigated using high-throughput next-generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. This rich tapestry of information has revealed the complexity of cellular and molecular process controlling implantation. The challenge is to identify specific mechanisms and therapeutic targets for couples suffering reproductive failure.

Antiplatelet drug ticagrelor suppresses triple negative breast cancer metastasis by targeting PI3K

Metastatic recurrence is still a major challenge in breast cancer treatment. Patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) develop early recurrence and relapse more frequently. Due to the lack of specific therapeutic targets, new targeted therapies for TNBC are urgently needed. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is one of the active pathways involved in chemoresistance and survival of TNBC, being considered as a potential target for TNBC treatment. Our present study identified ticagrelor, an anti-platelet drug, as a pan-PI3K inhibitor with potent inhibitory activity against four isoforms of class I PI3K. At doses normally used in clinic, ticagrelor showed weak cytotoxicity against a panel of breast cancer cells, but significantly inhibited the migration, invasion and the actin cytoskeleton organization of human TNBC MDA-MB-231 and SUM-159PT cells. Mechanistically, ticagrelor effectively inhibited PI3K downstream mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2 signaling by targeting PI3K and decreased the protein expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. In vivo, ticagrelor significantly suppressed tumor cells lung metastasis in 4T1 tumor bearing BALB/c mice model and experimental lung metastasis model which was established by tail vein injection of GFP-labeled MDA-MB-231 cells. The above data demonstrated that ticagrelor can inhibit the migration and invasion of TNBC both in vitro and in vivo by targeting PI3K, suggesting that ticagrelor, a pan-PI3K inhibitor, might represent a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of metastatic TNBC.

Molecular characteristics of patients with colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma with different ABO blood groups

BackgroundColorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is a rare subtype of malignant adenocarcinoma, accounting for approximately 1 % of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. Its biomarkers and molecular characteristics remain controversial, and there are no specific therapeutic targets or strategies for its clinical treatment. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2021. 1058 colorectal cancer cases from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center and 489 cases from the Tumor Genome Atlas Project were included in the analysis, of which 64 were SRCC. Data extraction included patient demographics, blood types and risk factors, including clinical variables and genomics (either a 19-gene panel NGS or 1021-gene panel NGS). Univariate analyses were performed to identify factors significantly associated with overall survival. ResultsThe blood groups of 27 (42.2 %), 18 (28.1 %), 12 (18.8 %), and seven (10.9 %) patients were classified as O, A, B, and AB, respectively. We found that O was a unique blood group characterized by a low frequency of KRAS mutations, a high frequency of heterozygosity at each HLA class I locus, and a high tumor mutational burden (TMB). Patients in blood group A with high-frequency KRAS mutations and those in blood group B with anemia and metabolic abnormalities required targeted treatment. Furthermore, genetic alterations in SRCC differed from those in adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma. ConclusionsOur study revealed genomic changes in SRCC patients across different blood groups, which could advance the understanding and precise treatment of colorectal SRCC.

GINS2 promotes the progression of human HNSCC by altering RRM2 expression.

GINS2 exerts a carcinogenic effect in multiple human malignancies, while it is still unclear that the potential roles and underlying mechanisms of GINS2 in HNSCC. TCGA database was used to screen out genes with significant differences in expression in HNSCC. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR were used to measure the expression of GINS2 in HNSCC tissues and cells. GINS2 was detected by qRT-PCR or western blot after knockdown or overexpression. Celigo cell counting, MTT, colony formation, and flow cytometric assay were used to check the ability of proliferation and apoptosis. Bioinformatics and microarray were used to screen out the downstream genes of GINS2. GINS2 in HNSCC tissues and cells was up-regulated, which was correlated with poor prognosis. GINS2 gene expression was successfully inhibited and overexpressed in HNSCC cells. Knockdown of GINS2 could inhibit proliferation and increase apoptosis of cells. Meanwhile, overexpression of GINS2 could enhance cell proliferation and colony formation. Knockdown of RRM2 may inhibit HNSCC cell proliferation, while overexpression of RRM2 rescued the effect of reducing GINS2 expression. Our study reported the role of GINS2 in HNSCC for the first time. The results demonstrated that in HNSCC cells, GINS2 promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis via altering RRM2 expression. Therefore, GINS2 might play a carcinogen in HNSCC, and become a specific promising therapeutic target.

N-Benzyl piperidine Fragment in Drug Discovery.

The N-benzyl piperidine (N-BP) structural motif is commonly employed in drug discovery due to its structural flexibility and three-dimensional nature. Medicinal chemists frequently utilize the N-BP motif as a versatile tool to fine-tune both efficacy and physicochemical properties in drug development. It provides crucial cation-π interactions with the target protein and also serves as a platform for optimizing stereochemical aspects of potency and toxicity. This motif is found in numerous approved drugs and clinical/preclinical candidates. This review focuses on the applications of the N-BP motif in drug discovery campaigns, emphasizing its role in imparting medicinally relevant properties. The review also provides an overview of approved drugs, the clinical and preclinical pipeline, and discusses its utility for specific therapeutic targets and indications, along with potential challenges.

B cell-mediated antigen presentation promotes adverse cardiac remodeling in chronic heart failure.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. A primary driver of cardiovascular mortality is ischemic heart failure, a form of cardiac dysfunction that can develop in patients who survive myocardial infarction. Acute cardiac damage triggers robust changes in the spleen with rapid migration of immune cells from the spleen to the heart. Activating this "cardio-splenic" axis contributes to progressive cardiac dysfunction. The cardio-splenic axis has, therefore, been identified as a promising therapeutic target to prevent or treat heart failure. However, our understanding of the precise mechanisms by which specific immune cells contribute to adverse cardiac remodeling within the cardio-splenic axis remains limited. Here, we show that splenic B cells contribute to the development of heart failure via MHC II-mediated antigen presentation. We found that the adoptive transfer of splenic B cells from mice with ischemic heart failure promoted adverse cardiac remodeling and splenic inflammatory changes in naïve recipient mice. Based on single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of splenic B cells from mice with ischemic heart failure, we hypothesized that B cells contributed to adverse cardiac remodeling through antigen presentation by MHC II molecules. This mechanism was confirmed using transgenic mice with B cell-specific MHC II deletion, and by analyzing circulating B cells from humans who experienced myocardial infarction. Our results broaden our understanding of B lymphocyte biology, reshape current models of immune activation in response to myocardial injury, and point towards MHC II-mediated signaling in B cells as a novel and specific therapeutic target in chronic heart failure.

Comparative genomics analysis to explore the biodiversity and mining novel target genes of Listeria monocytogenes strains from different regions.

As a common foodborne pathogen, infection with L. monocytogenes poses a significant threat to human life and health. The objective of this study was to employ comparative genomics to unveil the biodiversity and evolutionary characteristics of L. monocytogenes strains from different regions, screening for potential target genes and mining novel target genes, thus providing significant reference value for the specific molecular detection and therapeutic targets of L. monocytogenes strains. Pan-genomic analysis revealed that L. monocytogenes from different regions have open genomes, providing a solid genetic basis for adaptation to different environments. These strains contain numerous virulence genes that contribute to their high pathogenicity. They also exhibit relatively high resistance to phosphonic acid, glycopeptide, lincosamide, and peptide antibiotics. The results of mobile genetic elements indicate that, despite being located in different geographical locations, there is a certain degree of similarity in bacterial genome evolution and adaptation to specific environmental pressures. The potential target genes identified through pan-genomics are primarily associated with the fundamental life activities and infection invasion of L. monocytogenes, including known targets such as inlB, which can be utilized for molecular detection and therapeutic purposes. After screening a large number of potential target genes, we further screened them using hub gene selection methods to mining novel target genes. The present study employed eight different hub gene screening methods, ultimately identifying ten highly connected hub genes (bglF_1, davD, menE_1, tilS, dapX, iolC, gshAB, cysG, trpA, and hisC), which play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes. The results of pan-genomic analysis showed that L. monocytogenes from different regions exhibit high similarity in bacterial genome evolution. The PCR results demonstrated the excellent specificity of the bglF_1 and davD genes for L. monocytogenes. Therefore, the bglF_1 and davD genes hold promise as specific molecular detection and therapeutic targets for L. monocytogenes strains from different regions.

Antifungal efficacy and immunomodulatory effect of PLGA nanoparticle-encapsulated itraconazole in histoplasmosis in vivo model

IntroductionHistoplasma capsulatum is the etiological agent of histoplasmosis, the most common endemic pulmonary mycosis. Itraconazole (ITZ) is the choice for mild disease and a step-down therapy in severe and disseminated clinical presentations. Drug encapsulation into nanoparticles (NPs) is an alternative to improve drug solubility and bioavailability, reducing undesirable interactions and drug degradation and reaching the specific therapeutic target with lower doses. Objectiveevaluate the antifungal and immunomodulatory effect of ITZ encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs, administrated orally and intraperitoneally in an in vivo histoplasmosis model. ResultsAfter intranasal infection and treatment of animals with encapsulated ITZ by intraperitoneal and oral route, fungal burden control, biodistribution, immune response, and histopathology were evaluated. The results showed that the intraperitoneal administered and encapsulated ITZ has an effective antifungal effect, significantly reducing the Colony-Forming-Units (CFU) after the first doses and controlling the infection dissemination, with a higher concentration in the liver, spleen, and lung compared to the oral treatment. In addition, it produced a substantial immunomodulatory effect on pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and immune cell infiltrates confirmed by histopathology. ConclusionsOverall, results suggest a synergistic effect of the encapsulated drug and the immunomodulatory effect contributing to infection control, preventing their dissemination.

Abstract PR016: Investigating vulnerabilities associated with chromosome arm aneuploidy in cancer

Abstract Aneuploidy – loss or gain of whole chromosomes or chromosome arms, is rare and poorly tolerated in normal cells but occurs in ∼90% of solid tumors; however, the mechanisms through which specific aneuploidies affect cancer development are unclear. Additionally, generating mammalian models of specific chromosome arm alterations is technically difficult, limiting further study. Cancers have tumor, cell, and tissue type-specific patterns of chromosome arm copy-number alterations that influence tumor evolution and sensitivity to anti-cancer therapies. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) affecting lung, head and neck, esophageal, and cervical tissues have been shown to feature conserved early losses and gains of arms 3p and 3q, respectively, and are associated with relatively few oncogenic drivers and treatment options. These aneuploidies are particularly well established in lung SCC and have been shown to promote tumorigenesis, metastasis, and poor prognosis. To study cancer vulnerabilities associated with chromosome 3 arm aneuploidies, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to delete a 3p copy in human immortalized lung epithelial cell lines—the lung SCC cell-of-origin. A subset of clones duplicated a wild type chromosome 3 copy, transitioning to 3q gain and providing us with independent models for chromosome 3 wild type, 3p loss, and 3q gain. Next, we performed a CRISPRi screen and found that 3q gain cells are more sensitive to knockdown of sterol regulatory element-binding factor 1 (SREBF1)—a master regulator of cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis, its co-factor SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP), and downstream target HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR)—the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol synthesis. 3q gain cells also showed up-regulated fatty acid metabolites, ceramides, triglycerides, and phosphatidylinositols. After performing a chemical screen, 3q gain cells showed reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, and DNA damage in response to statins (HMGCR inhibitors). Statins have previously been shown to induce tumor-specific apoptosis and reduced cancer risk, although these studies have associated with variable efficacy and underlying mechanisms. We hypothesize that 3q gain is a biomarker of statin response and sensitivity in squamous cancers. We aim to study the mechanism through which aneuploidy alters lipid metabolism and contributes to cancer. Investigating aneuploidy-induced vulnerabilities will help us understand how cancers exploit aneuploidies to promote tumorigenesis and to elucidate novel and specific therapeutic targets for cancers with shared copy-number profiles. Citation Format: Nadja Zhakula-Kostadinova, Sejal Jain, Laura Byron, Matthew L. Meyerson, Alison M. Taylor. Investigating vulnerabilities associated with chromosome arm aneuploidy in cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities; 2024 Jun 10-13; Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2024;23(6 Suppl):Abstract nr PR016.

Sideroflexin-1 promotes progression and sensitivity to lapatinib in triple-negative breast cancer by inhibiting TOLLIP-mediated autophagic degradation of CIP2A

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer and it lacks specific therapeutic targets and effective treatment protocols. By analyzing a proteomic TNBC dataset, we found significant upregulation of sideroflexin 1 (SFXN1) in tumor tissues. However, the precise function of SFXN1 in TNBC remains unclear. Immunoblotting was performed to determine SFXN1 expression levels. Label-free quantitative proteomics and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to identify the downstream targets of SFXN1. Mechanistic studies of SFXN1 and cellular inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A) were performed using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence staining, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Functional experiments were used to investigate the role of SFXN1 in TNBC cells. SFXN1 was significantly overexpressed in TNBC tumor tissues and was associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with TNBC. Functional experiments demonstrated that SFXN1 promoted TNBC growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that SFXN1 promoted TNBC progression by inhibiting the autophagy receptor TOLLIP (toll interacting protein)-mediated autophagic degradation of CIP2A. The pro-tumorigenic effect of SFXN1 overexpression was partially prevented by lapatinib-mediated inhibition of the CIP2A/PP2A/p-AKT pathway. These findings may provide a new targeted therapy for patients with TNBC.

Collaboration between distinct SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes directs enhancer selection and activation of macrophage inflammatory genes

Macrophages elicit immune responses to pathogens through induction of inflammatory genes. Here, we examined the role of three variants of the SWI/SNF nucleosome remodeling complex-cBAF, ncBAF, and PBAF-in the macrophage response to bacterial endotoxin (lipid A). All three SWI/SNF variants were prebound in macrophages and retargeted to genomic sites undergoing changes in chromatin accessibility following stimulation. Cooperative binding of all three variants associated with de novo chromatin opening and latent enhancer activation. Isolated binding of ncBAF and PBAF, in contrast, associated with activation and repression of active enhancers, respectively. Chemical and genetic perturbations of variant-specific subunits revealed pathway-specific regulation in the activation of lipid A response genes, corresponding to requirement for cBAF and ncBAF in inflammatory and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) activation, respectively, consistent with differential engagement of SWI/SNF variants by signal-responsive transcription factors. Thus, functional diversity among SWI/SNF variants enables increased regulatory control of innate immune transcriptional programs, with potential for specific therapeutic targeting.

Integration of bioinformatics analysis, molecular docking and animal experiments to study the therapeutic mechanisms of berberine against allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is a prevalent inflammatory condition that impacts individuals of all age groups. Despite reports indicating the potential of berberine in alleviating allergic rhinitis symptoms, the specific molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of berberine remain unclear. This research aims to explore the pharmacological mechanism of berberine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis through bioinformatic analyses and experimental validation. The research utilized public databases to identify potential targets of berberine. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to allergic rhinitis were pinpointed from the GSE52804 dataset. Through bioinformatics techniques, the primary targets were discovered and key KEGG and GO-BP pathways were established. To confirm the therapeutic mechanisms of berberine on allergic rhinitis, an OVA-induced allergic rhinitis model was developed using guinea pigs. We identified 32 key genes responsible for the effectiveness of berberine in treating allergic rhinitis. In addition, five central genes (Alb, Il6, Tlr4, Ptas2, and Il1b) were pinpointed. Further examination using KEGG and GO-BP pathways revealed that the main targets were primarily involved in pathways such as NF-kappa B, IL-17, TNF, and inflammatory response. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated that berberine exhibited strong affinity towards these five key targets. Furthermore, the expression levels of IL-6, TLR4, PTGS2, and IL-1β were significantly upregulated in the model group but downregulated following berberine treatment. This research has revealed the mechanism through which berberine combats allergic rhinitis and has identified its potential to regulate pathways linked to inflammation. These discoveries provide valuable insights for the development of novel medications for the treatment of allergic rhinitis.

Tumor microenvironment activated and amplified self-luminescent nano photosensitizers for efficient treatment of triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative cancer (TNBC) is characterized as an aggressive phenotype lacking a specific therapeutic target. To date, self-illuminating photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) has emerged as a potential alternative for TNBC treatment by generating singlet oxygen (1O2), overcoming limitations in light penetration. However, this self-illuminating strategy heavily relies on endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and oxygen (O2) within the tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in inefficient therapeutic performance. In this study, we designed CLT@DPD nanoparticles capable of self-illumination via CRET and TME regulation through self-supplying H2O2 and O2. This nanoparticle was constructed by encapsulating luminol-tetreaphenylporphyrin conjugate (LT) and nanoscale CaO2 with DSPE-PEG 2000 and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). A good accumulation at tumor site was achieved due to enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect after intravenous injection of CLT@DP. Responsive to the high H2O2 levels and acidic aqueous conditions of TME, LT can be oxidized to produce 1O2via CRET, and the CaO2 can be decomposed to supply H2O2 and O2. Additionally, the presence of DOPC helps to enhance the permeability of the micelle shell under the oxidation of 1O2, thereby accelerating the release of H2O2 and O2. Our proposed nanoparticles exhibit excellent performance in eradicating in situ tumor cells and inhibiting metastasis by simultaneously enhancing self-luminous PDT and alleviating oxygen depletion in TME.

Heat-induced structural and chemical changes to a computationally designed miniprotein.

The de novo design of miniprotein inhibitors has recently emerged as a new technology to create proteins that bind with high affinity to specific therapeutic targets. Their size, ease of expression, and apparent high stability makes them excellent candidates for a new class of protein drugs. However, beyond circular dichroism melts and hydrogen/deuterium exchange experiments, little is known about their dynamics, especially at the elevated temperatures they seemingly tolerate quite well. To address that and gain insight for future designs, we have focused on identifying unintended and previously overlooked heat-induced structural and chemical changes in a particularly stable model miniprotein, EHEE_rd2_0005. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies suggest the presence of dynamics on multiple time and temperature scales. Transiently elevating the temperature results in spontaneous chemical deamidation visible in the NMR spectra, which we validate using both capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS) experiments. High temperatures also result in greatly accelerated intrinsic rates of hydrogen exchange and signal loss in NMR heteronuclear single quantum coherence spectra from local unfolding. These losses are in excellent agreement with both room temperature hydrogen exchange experiments and hydrogen bond disruption in replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations. Our analysis reveals important principles for future miniprotein designs and the potential for high stability to result in long-lived alternate conformational states.

Glial modulators as novel therapeutics for comorbid pain and opioid use disorder.

Chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are major public health problems, with rising opioid-related overdose deaths linked to increased opioid prescriptions for pain management. Novel treatment approaches for these commonly comorbid disorders are needed. Growing evidence supports a role for glial activation for both chronic pain and substance use disorders, including OUD. This review provides an overview of glial modulators as a novel treatment approach for comorbid pain and OUD. We aim to synthesize clinical studies investigating the efficacy of glial modulators in treating these comorbid disorders. We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases in October 2023 to identify relevant clinical trials. The included studies varied in terms of patient population, study methodology and outcomes assessed, and were often limited by small sample sizes and other methodological issues. Additionally, several glial modulators have yet to be studied for chronic pain and OUD. Despite these limitations, these studies yielded positive signals that merit further investigation. Both chronic pain and OUD remain significant public health problems, with many treatment challenges. Glial modulators continue to hold promise as novel therapeutics for comorbid pain and OUD, given positive indications that they can improve pain measures, and reduce addiction-related outcomes. As our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the contributions of glial modulators to pain and addiction behaviours deepens, we will be better equipped to identify more specific therapeutic targets for chronic pain and OUD.

Abstract PO1-24-02: Enhancement of TGF-β Receptor Inhibitor Efficacy through CD44 Suppression in Claudin-low Breast Cancer

Abstract Introduction: Claudin-low breast cancer is mostly classified as triple-negative breast cancer and is known to possess cancer stem cell properties with high expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. However, specific therapeutic targets for this subtype have not yet been identified. While reports suggest that inhibition of EMT using EMT inhibitors can suppress cell and tumor proliferation, monotherapy may not be sufficient. The expression of CD44, a surface marker of cancer stem cells, has been reported to be involved in multiple signaling pathways, promoting cancer growth and invasion. In this study, we focus on CD44 and the TGF-β receptor, which is involved in EMT, to investigate the effect of inhibiting TGF-β receptor through CD44 inhibition in Claudin-low breast cancer and validate its potential as an effective treatment. Methods: SUM159 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines were used as Claudin-low breast cancer cell models. CD44 knockdown cells were established to examine the effects of TGF-β receptor inhibition and downstream signaling. Results: CD44 knockdown did not affect the expression of TGF-β receptor. Both SUM159 and MDA-MB-231 cells showed comparable cell growth inhibition through CD44 knockdown and TGF-β receptor inhibition, with enhanced effects observed in CD44 knockdown cells in response to TGF-β receptor inhibition. Furthermore, CD44 knockdown combined with TGF-β receptor inhibition significantly reduced the expression of Smad2/3. Conclusion: In Claudin-low breast cancer cells, CD44 knockdown enhances the effectiveness of TGF-β receptor inhibition and significantly influences the expression level of Smad2/3. Citation Format: Ryoichi Matsunuma, Sae Imada, Shoko Sato, Ryosuke Hayami, Michiko Tsuneizumi. Enhancement of TGF-β Receptor Inhibitor Efficacy through CD44 Suppression in Claudin-low Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-24-02.

The role of systemic therapy in advanced skull base chordomas: overview of the current state and the MD Anderson protocol.

The role of systemic therapy in primary or advanced and metastatic chordoma has been traditionally limited because of the inherent resistance to cytotoxic therapies and lack of specific or effective therapeutic targets. Despite resection and adjuvant radiation therapy, local recurrence rates in clival chordoma remain high and the risk of systemic metastases is not trivial, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Recently, molecular targeted therapies (MTTs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as promising therapeutic avenues in chordoma. In recent years, preclinical studies have identified potential targets based on intrinsic genetic dependencies, epigenetic modulators, or newly identified tumor-associated cell populations driving treatment resistance and recurrence. Nonetheless, the role of systemic therapies in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting for primary, locally progressive, and distant metastatic chordomas is still being investigated. Herein, an overview of current and emerging systemic treatment strategies in advanced clival chordoma is provided. Furthermore, several molecular biomarkers have been recently uncovered as potential predictors of the response to specific molecular therapeutics. The authors describe the recently discovered role of 1p36 and 9p21 deletions as biomarkers capable of guiding drug selection. Then they discuss completed and ongoing clinical trials of MTTs, including several tyrosine kinase inhibitors used as monotherapy or in combination, such as imatinib, sorafenib, dasatinib, and lapatinib, among others, as well as mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors such as everolimus and rapamycin. They present their experience and other recent studies demonstrating vast benefits in advanced chordoma from ICIs. Additionally, they provide a brief overview of novel systemic strategies such as adoptive cell transfer (CAR-T and NK cells), oncolytic viruses, epigenetic targeting (KDM6, HDAC, and EZH2 inhibitors), and several promising preclinical studies with high translational potential. Finally, the authors present their institutional multidisciplinary protocol for the incorporation of systemic therapy for both newly diagnosed and recurrent chordomas based on molecular studies including upfront enrollment in MTT trials in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor upregulation or INI-1 deficiency or enrollment in ICI clinical trials for patients with high tumor mutational burden or high PD-L1 expression on tumor cells or in the tumor microenvironment.

Abstract 6572: Screening of drug library targeting neural signaling identifies cholecystokinin B receptor as a potential therapeutic target in small cell lung cancer

Abstract Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by poor prognosis with limited therapeutic agents. Development of a new therapeutic strategy is urgently needed. SCLC can be classified into subtypes based on the expression levels of four transcription factors: ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3, and YAP1 (SCLC-A, SCLC-N, SCLC-P, and SCLC-Y, respectively). SCLC-A and SCLC-N are neuroendocrine (NE)-type tumors that secrete neurotransmitters and express their receptors. Recently, neural activity has been noted as a key regulator of cancer growth that affects cancer and other cells in the tumor microenvironment. We hypothesized that neurotransmitters that regulate the biology of NE-type SCLC (SCLC-A, SCLC-N) can be therapeutic targets. To explore this, we created a drug library consisting of 560 drugs known to target neural signaling including various G protein-coupled receptors and examined their growth-inhibitory effects in SCLC cell lines. When three NE-type SCLC cell lines (NCI-H146, SHP-77, and NCI-H446) were treated with 10 μM of the drugs as the first screening, 56 drugs in the library exhibited more than 50% inhibition of cell growth. After excluding drugs with possible nonspecific effects, the IC50 values of 24 drugs were examined in an expanded panel of 20 SCLC cell lines (7 of SCLC-A, 5 of SCLC-N, 3 of SCLC-P, and 5 of SCLC-Y cell lines) as the second screening. Sograzepide, a cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR) inhibitor exhibited distinctly lower IC50s in NE-type SCLC cells relative to non-NE-type cells, suggesting that CCKBR is potentially a specific therapeutic target for NE-type SCLC. CCK plays roles both as a neuropeptide in the central nervous system and as a peptide hormone in the gut. In our in silico analysis, CCKBR expression was high in the brain and the stomach, but not detectable in the lung when normal tissues were analyzed with NCBI database. Interestingly, when cancer cells were analyzed with CCLE database, CCKBR expression was substantially high in NE-type SCLC cells, compared with other cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that the growth-inhibitory effects of sograzepide examined in the drug screening were correlated with CCKBR expression levels. Then, we conducted functional analysis of CCKBR in NE-type SCLC cell lines with high CCKBR expression: NCI-H146 (SCLC-A), H209 (SCLC-A), and H524 (SCLC-N) cells. Knockdown of CCKBR by siRNAs inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. When treated with sograzepide, apoptosis was induced dose-dependently, and cell cycle assays showed increase in sub G1 phase in these cells. Collectively, we identified CCKBR as a potential therapeutic target in NE-type SCLC through screening of drug library targeting neural signaling. Further studies are warranted to reveal the mechanism for antineoplastic effects of antagonizing this neuropeptide receptor in SCLC. Citation Format: Masakatsu Tokunaga, Natsuki Nakagawa, Mirei Ka, Yuriko Sugiura, Takahiro Iida, Takahiro Ando, Kousuke Watanabe, Hidenori Kage, Masanori Kawakami. Screening of drug library targeting neural signaling identifies cholecystokinin B receptor as a potential therapeutic target in small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6572.

Guidelines for clinical diagnosis and treatment of advanced triple negative breast cancer in China（2024 edition）

Breast cancer ranks as the most common female malignancy worldwide. Data from GLOBOCAN 2020 showed that breast cancer surpassed lung cancer and become the leading malignancy globally which was a serious threat to women's health. Different from Caucasian, there is a lower prevalence of breast cancer in Chinese women. But the age-standardized incidence rate of breast cancer in China has reached to 39.1 per 100,000 in 2020, with 416,000 new cases, accounting for 18.4% of global breast cancer burden, due to multiple factors such as lifestyle and dietary habits changes in recent years[1]. The treatment and prevention of breast cancer are becoming increasingly a tuff task. In addition, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype with higher malignancy and worse prognosis. Due to lack of specific therapeutic targets, less treatment progress has been made in recent years. There is even less progress in the therapy of advanced TNBC, but huge unmet needs exist for further therapeutic optimization. Echoing advocacy from The Society of Breast Cancer China Anti-Cancer Association; International Medical Exchange Society, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Breast Cancer Group, Branch of Oncologist, Chinese Medical Doctor Association, top experts from multidisciplinary departments of breast cancer in China have consensus on this "Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in China (2024 Edition)" according to the latest evidence based updates. We hope this pater can guide or optimize the precise therapeutic decision-making for advanced triple-negative breast cancer in China.