Target For Treatment Of Pancreatic Cancer Research Articles

Curcumin Inhibits the Development of Pancreatic Cancer by Targeting the circ_0079440/miR-522-3p/EIF4A1 Pathway.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a common gastrointestinal cancer with high invasiveness and high mortality. Curcumin is a natural polyphenol with anti-tumor activity against different cancers, including PC. Curcumin has been verified to mediate the expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) to inhibit tumor development. This study aimed to explore the function and regulatory mechanism of curcumin on circ_0079440 in PC. PC cells were treated with different concentrations of curcumin (0, 5, 10 or 15 μM) for 24 h. Gene expression in PC cells and tissues was detected using RT-qPCR. Cell malignant phenotypes were determined by functional assays. The levels of EMT-related proteins were tested using western blot. RNA interaction was determined using RNA pulldown assay, luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay. The results showed that curcumin suppressed cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities, and weakened epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a concentration-dependent way. Circ_0079440 was expressed at a high level in PC and its level was reduced via curcumin administration in PC cells. Rescue assays showed that circ_0079440 overexpression reversed the suppressive effects of curcumin on PC cell malignant phenotypes. Furthermore, in the xenograft mouse models, curcumin treatment inhibited tumor growth and metastasis, and circ_0079440 upregulation reversed the function of curcumin. Additionally, circ_0079440 was revealed to bind to miR-522-3p to upregulate eukaryotic initiation factor 4A1 (EIF4A1) expression in PC cells. EIF4A1 expression was also downregulated by curcumin, and EIF4A1 overexpression abolished the suppressive functions of curcumin. Moreover, EIF4A overexpression or miR-522-3p inhibition counteracted the anti-tumor effects of circ_0079440 depletion on PC development. To sum up, curcumin suppresses PC development by targeting the circ_0079440/miR-522-3p/EIF4A1 pathway, which might provide novel therapeutic targets for treatment of PC.

COL10A1 promotes tumorigenesis by modulating CD276 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BackgroundPancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a lethal malignant tumour. Further study is needed to determine the molecular mechanism and identify novel biomarkers of PAAD.MethodsGene expression data from the GSE62165 microarray were analysed with the online software Morpheus to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The STRING database was used to generate a protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network for these DEGs. Hub genes were identified with Cytoscape. COL10A1 expression in PAAD was analysed via the GEPIA database. COL10A1 expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines was measured by using qRT‒PCR. The LinkedOmics database was utilized to perform survival analysis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients grouped based on COL10A1 expression level. CCK-8, wound healing, and Transwell assays were used to study the role of COL10A1 in pancreatic cancer cell viability, migration, and invasion. Differentially expressed genes that were related to COL10A1 in PAAD were analysed via the LinkedOmics portal. After COL10A1 was knocked down, CD276 expression was assessed by western blotting.ResultsCOL10A1 was identified as one of the hub genes in PAAD by bioinformatics analysis of the GSE62165 microarray with Morpheus, the STRING database and Cytoscape. GEPIA revealed elevated expression of COL10A1 in PAAD samples vs. normal samples. COL10A1 expression was also increased in pancreatic cancer cells vs. control cells. Survival analysis of PAAD patients via LinkedOmics revealed that high expression of COL10A1 was associated with a poorer prognosis. Knockdown of COL10A1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells in functional assays. Furthermore, mechanistic studies indicated that CD276 was a target of COL10A1 and that knockdown of COL10A1 decreased CD276 expression. Overexpression of CD276 in cells reversed COL10A1 knockdown-induced repression of proliferation and migration.ConclusionsOur research suggests that COL10A1 promotes pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis by regulating CD276. This study provides new insight into biomarkers and possible targets for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Reduced expression of phosphorylated ataxia-telangiectasia mutated gene is related to poor prognosis and gemcitabine chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer

BackgroundLoss of expression of the gene ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), occurring in patients with multiple primary malignancies, including pancreatic cancer, is associated with poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated the detailed molecular mechanism through which ATM expression affects the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.MethodsThe levels of expression of ATM and phosphorylated ATM in patients with pancreatic cancer who had undergone surgical resection were analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining. RNA sequencing was performed on ATM-knockdown pancreatic-cancer cells to elucidate the mechanism underlying the invlovement of ATM in pancreatic cancer.ResultsImmunohistochemical analysis showed that 15.3% and 27.8% of clinical samples had low levels of ATM and phosphorylated ATM, respectively. Low expression of phosphorylated ATM substantially reduced overall and disease-free survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. In the pancreatic cancer cell lines with ATM low expression, resistance to gemcitabine was demonstrated. The RNA sequence demonstrated that ATM knockdown induced the expression of MET and NTN1. In ATM knockdown cells, it was also revealed that the protein expression levels of HIF-1α and antiapoptotic BCL-2/BAD were upregulated.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate that loss of ATM expression increases tumor development, suppresses apoptosis, and reduces gemcitabine sensitivity. Additionally, loss of phosphorylated ATM is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. Thus, phosphorylated ATM could be a possible target for pancreatic cancer treatment as well as a molecular marker to track patient prognosis.

DTX3L Accelerates Pancreatic cancer Progression via FAK/PI3K/AKT Axis.

DTX3L (Deltex E3 ubiquitin ligase 3L) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase, a member of the deltex family. It is also known as B-lymphoma and BAL-associated protein (BBAP). DTX3L has been proven to play an important role in various tumor development; however, its role in pancreatic cancer remains unknown. So, we analyzed the DTX3L expression in pancreatic cancer based on the TCGA database and verified it in our samples by qRT‑PCR and western blot. We identified that DTX3L was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer, and its expression level was significantly negatively correlated with patients' survival. Using CCK8, colony formation, transwell, and wound healing assays, we found that upregulated DTX3L promotes pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Mechanically, DTX3L combined with EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and prevented the ubiquitination degradation of it. Upregulated EGFR activated the FAK/PI3K/Akt pathway and promoted the progression of pancreatic cancer. Moreover, we found that DTX3L can weaken pancreatic cancer cells' sensitivity to chemotherapy using the orthotopic implant tumor model. In conclusion, DTX3L accelerates pancreatic cancer progression by EGFR dependent FAK/PI3K/Akt pathway activation and may become a potential target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

METTL3 promotes pancreatic cancer proliferation and stemness by increasing stability of ID2 mRNA in a m6A-dependent manner

In eukaryotes, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent epigenetic alteration. Methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is a key player in the control of m6A, although its function in pancreatic cancer is incompletely understood. In this study, we examined the role that METTL3 plays in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and stemness. We discovered that in pancreatic cancer cells, METTL3-mediated m6A alterations regulate ID2 as a downstream target. The stability of ID2 mRNA was decreased and m6A modification was effectively eliminated by METTL3 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cells. We also demonstrate that m6a-YTHDF2 is necessary for the METTL3-mediated stabilization of ID2 mRNA. Additionally, we show that ID2 controls the stemness molecules NANOG and SOX2 via the PI3K-AKT pathway to support pancreatic cancer growth and stemness maintenance. Our data suggest that METTL3 may post-transcriptionally upregulate ID2 expression in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner to further promote the stabilization of ID2 mRNA, which may be a new target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Silencing LINC01234 represses pancreatic cancer progression by inhibiting the malignant phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells

ObjectivePrevious works have outlined the pivotal involvement of long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA) in cancer progression, while the efficiency of LINC01234 in pancreatic cancer remained obscure. The purpose of this research is to unravel the regulatory mechanism of LINC01234 in pancreatic cancer via modulating microRNA (miR)-513a-3p and hexose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (H6PD). MethodsPancreatic cancer cells were cultured and clinical tissue specimens were collected. LINC01234, miR-513a-3p and H6PD levels in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues were examined. Plasmids altering LINC01234, miR-513a-3p and H6PD expression were transfected into pancreatic cancer cells to assess the change in biological behaviors of pancreatic cancer cells. The targeting relations among LINC01234, miR-513a-3p and H6PD were validated. ResultsLINC01234 and H6PD levels were elevated while miR-513a-3p level was reduced in pancreatic cancer cells and tissues. LINC01234 deficiency hindered the malignant biological activities of pancreatic cancer cells. MiR-513a-3p depletion or H6PD elevation could abrogate the inhibitory effects of LINC01234 silencing on pancreatic cancer cells. LINC01234 sponged miR-513a-3p that targeted H6PD. ConclusionThe reduced LINC01234 exerts inhibitory impacts on pancreatic cancer cells via targeting miR-513a-3p to restrain H6PD level. The current study broadens the understanding of LINC01234 function and affords novel therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer treatment.

O081 Investigating the FLYWCH1/ β-catenin signalling in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Introduction β-catenin is a protein molecule of the E-cadherin/catenin adhesion complex that maintains epithelial cell-cell adhesion and intracellular signalling. The mutation and overexpression of β-catenin leads to cancer, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). FLYWCH1 is a newly identified protein with zinc-finger type DNA-binding domain that interacts with nuclear β-catenin, leading to increased cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion in cancer and stem cells. This study aimed to explore the roles of crosstalk between FLYWCH1 and Wnt/β-catenin signalling for the first time in pancreatic cancer cells. Methods We performed Western Blot analysis for the extraction of FLYWCH1/β-catenin, E-cadherin and GSK3-b in AsPc-1, PANC-1, and MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Recommended concentrations of antibodies were used for the detection of proteins of interest. Tubulin was used as a loading control. Fluorescent detection was used, and the density of detected proteins were measured. Results Our results demonstrate evidence of differential expression of FLYWCH1 in pancreatic cancer cells. PANC-1 had less expression of FLYWCH1, but expression was moderate in AsPC-1. E-cadherin, β catenin, and GSK3-b were also expressed. These data suggest that FLYWCH1 levels correlated with unphosphorylated β-catenin to suppress the transcriptional product via controlling the aberrant Wnt/β-catenin pathway while E-cadherin promoted the cell-cell attachment. Conclusion These results suggest that Wnt1/β-catenin activity is negatively correlated with FLYWCH1 expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Thus, FLYWCH1 could have tumour suppressive activities. Future studies are required to elucidate their therapeutic and biomarkers efficacy. Take-home message FLYWCH1 is a newly identified protein could control B-catenin expression which leads tumour suppression. Thus, FLYWCH1 would be a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer treatment in the future.

Probe Synthesis Reveals Eukaryotic Translation Elongation Factor 1 Alpha 1 as the Anti-Pancreatic Cancer Target of BE-43547A2.

The natural product, BE-43547A2 , decreases pancreatic cancer cell stemness. However, its anticancer molecular mechanisms have not been fully established. Based on structure-activity relationships of BE-43547A2 , we synthesized a probe and investigated its potential targets using an in situ click reaction. We found that BE-43547A2 exerts its anticancer effects by covalently binding the cysteine234 (C234) residue of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (eEF1A1). This binding mode was confirmed by a series of experiments including a xenograft mouse model. We also determined that eEF1A1 plays an important role in regulating pancreatic cancer cell stemness. Analyses of 99 clinical pancreatic cancer samples revealed that eEF1A1 expressions are closely correlated with clinicopathological grade and patient survival. In conclusion, eEF1A1 is involved in pancreatic cancer progression and is therefore, a promising novel covalent target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Probe Synthesis Reveals Eukaryotic Translation Elongation Factor 1 Alpha 1 as the Anti‐Pancreatic Cancer Target of BE‐43547A2

AbstractThe natural product, BE‐43547A2, decreases pancreatic cancer cell stemness. However, its anticancer molecular mechanisms have not been fully established. Based on structure–activity relationships of BE‐43547A2, we synthesized a probe and investigated its potential targets using an in situ click reaction. We found that BE‐43547A2 exerts its anticancer effects by covalently binding the cysteine234 (C234) residue of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (eEF1A1). This binding mode was confirmed by a series of experiments including a xenograft mouse model. We also determined that eEF1A1 plays an important role in regulating pancreatic cancer cell stemness. Analyses of 99 clinical pancreatic cancer samples revealed that eEF1A1 expressions are closely correlated with clinicopathological grade and patient survival. In conclusion, eEF1A1 is involved in pancreatic cancer progression and is therefore, a promising novel covalent target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Abstract 5804: The inhibition of PLA2G2A decreases K-ras-driven pancreatic cancer growth and migration through damaging cell membrane and mitochondria function

Abstract The activation of oncogenic K-ras by mutations may stimulate multiple cellular processes including lipids modification. However, the mechanisms by which K-ras affects lipid metabolism remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that PLA2G2A, an enzyme that hydrolyzes membrane phospholipids at sn-2 position to release polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), was up-regulated by K-ras activation and its high expression was correlated with poor survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Abrogation of PLA2G2A by siRNA silencing or pharmacological inhibition significantly suppressed the proliferation of K-ras-driven cancer cells, as evidenced by inhibition of cell growth and loss of colony formation capacity. Suppression of PLA2G2A could also decrease K-ras-driven PDAC cell migration. Mechanistic study showed that PLA2G2A inhibition rendered cells vulnerability to lipid peroxidation, likely due to accumulation of excessive PUFA in the membranes. Such alterations resulted in membrane damage and mitochondrial dysfunction with elevated ROS, leading to a reduction in energy production and a decrease in acetyl-CoA, which further compromised de novo lipid biosynthesis. Our study suggests that PLA2G2A-mediated cell membrane remodeling plays an important role in cell survival and proliferation in during K-ras-driven cancer, and that PLA2G2 could be a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer treatment. Citation Format: Mingquan zhang, Peng huang. The inhibition of PLA2G2A decreases K-ras-driven pancreatic cancer growth and migration through damaging cell membrane and mitochondria function [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5804.

BUB1 Is Identified as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer Treatment.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging cancer types in clinical treatment worldwide. This study aimed to understand the tumorigenesis mechanism and explore potential therapeutic targets for patients with pancreatic cancer. Single-cell data and expression profiles of pancreatic cancer samples and normal tissues from multiple databases were included. Comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were applied to clarify tumor microenvironment and identify key genes involved in cancer development. Immense difference of cell types was shown between tumor and normal samples. Four cell types (B cell_1, B cell_2, cancer cell_3, and CD1C+_B dendritic cell_3) were screened to be significantly associated with prognosis. Three ligand–receptor pairs, including CD74-MIF, CD74-COPA, and CD74-APP, greatly contributed to tumorigenesis. High expression of BUB1 (BUB1 Mitotic Checkpoint Serine/Threonine Kinase) was closely correlated with worse prognosis. CD1C+_B dendritic cell_3 played a key role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression possibly through CD74-MIF. BUB1 can serve as a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for patients with pancreatic cancer. The study provided a novel insight into studying the molecular mechanism of pancreatic cancer development and proposed a potential strategy for exploiting new drugs.

Investigation of the potential role of TGR5 in pancreatic cancer by a comprehensive molecular experiments and the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based metabolomics

BackgroundTakeda G protein receptor 5 (TGR5) is widely recognized as a potential drug target for the treatment of metabolic diseases. TGR5 is not only a metabolic regulator, but also has a potential role that participating in developing and progressing of gastrointestinal cancer. We aimed to investigate the potential role of TGR5 in pancreatic cancer by utilizing molecular experiments and the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based metabolomics.MethodsHerein, we assessed pancreatic cancer proliferation, migration and invasion in response to TGR5 antagonist SBI-115 in vitro experiments. Cell death was examined by using TUNEL assay on agarose-embedded sections. Then we investigated the effects of TGR5 on PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, LC–MS-based metabolomics was performed to explore the potential underlying mechanisms of TGR5 in pancreatic cancer. The correlations between TGR5 and the metabolism-related genes were further analysed by GEPIA 2 database.ResultsWe found the proliferation capacities were decreased significantly in PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells after the treatment of SBI-115 for 48 h. The results of TUNEL assay showed that antagonism of TGR5 by SBI-115 had a remarkable effect on inducing cell death. Analysis of TEM demonstrated that SBI-115 treatment could impair the morphology of mitochondria in most PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells. The LC–MS-based analyses revealed that antagonism of TGR5 could alter the metabolic profiles of PANC-1 cells in vitro. Moreover, TGR5 was associated with some metabolism-related genes in pancreatic cancer.ConclusionOur data suggests that antagonism of TGR5 may suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. TGR5 may affect the metabolism of pancreatic cancer, and TGR5 would be an attractive target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Knockdown and Inhibition of Spleen Tyrosine Kinase Decreases mTORC1 Activity and Enhances Lysosomal Biogenesis and Autolysosomal Maturation in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines

In cancer, oncogene dependency is a phenomenon where a dominant driver oncogene promotes tumor cell proliferation and survival, and loss of this oncogene results in tumor cell death and, eventually, tumor regression. KRAS, a GTPase that regulates cell growth and proliferation, is an oncogene constitutively activated in over 90% of pancreatic cancer. However, clinically effective inhibitors of KRAS have been unsuccessful so efforts have been focused on identifying other potential targets associated with the KRAS signaling network. Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), which is expressed at high levels in KRAS‐dependent pancreatic cancer cell lines, may be one of these targets. Our data indicate that SYK activates the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1 (mTORC1), which promotes protein translation and cell growth. SYK activation also leads to decreased autolysosome count. In connecting SYK activation with increased mTORC1 activity and decreased autolysosome count, we hypothesis that the MiT/TFE transcription factors are involved. We propose that SYK inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells leads to reduced mTORC1 activity, which reduces phosphorylation of MiT/TFE transcription factors. The unphosphorylated MiT/TFE transcription factors may then enter the nucleus to activate genes for lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy. Autophagy is a process that recycles cellular macromolecules during nutrient deprivation by fusing autophagosomes and lysosomes, produced from lysosomal biogenesis, to generate autolysosomes. From our experiments, we were able to show that SYK inhibition blocks mTORC1‐dependent phosphorylation of MITF and TFEB transcription factors, members of the MiT/TFE family. MITF and TFEB activation leads to increased autophagy due to autolysosomal biogenesis and accumulation. In summary, our studies of the SYK‐mTORC1‐autophagy pathway provide support to investigate SYK as a candidate therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Histone methyltransferase Dot1L inhibits pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis by promoting NUPR1 expression.

ObjectiveTo explore functions of the histone H3 lysine 79 (K79) methyltransferase Dot1L in the development of pancreatic cancer and evaluate the possibility of targeting Dot1L to inhibit pancreatic cancer progression.MethodsPatient samples were used to detect differences in Dot1L expression between tumor and adjacent tissues and to determine correlations between Dot1L expression in patients with different stages of pancreatic cancer. Lentiviral-mediated knockdown of Dot1L expression and flow cytometry were used to detect apoptosis in pancreatic cancer lacking Dot1L expression; chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative PCR were used to detect downstream target genes of Dot1L.ResultsWe show that Dot1L is highly expressed in pancreatic cancer, and that its expression is related to pancreatic cancer stage. Knocking down Dot1L significantly promoted apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells, while overexpressing Dot1L inhibited apoptosis. Mechanistically, Dot1L regulated apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by promoting NUPR1 expression. The enriched H3K79 trimethylation in the transcription initiation region of NUPR1 promoted its expression. Overexpressing NUPR1 inhibited the pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis caused by Dot1L knockdown.ConclusionsDot1L inhibits pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis by targeting NUPR1; thus, Dot1L is a promising target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

The phosphatase CTDSPL2 is phosphorylated in mitosis and a target for restraining tumor growth and motility in pancreatic cancer.

Carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) small phosphatase like 2 (CTDSPL2), also known as SCP4 or HSPC129, is a new member of the small CTD phosphatase (SCP) family and its role in cancers remains unclear. Here, we used a Phos-tag technique to screen a series of phosphatases and identified CTDSPL2 as a mitotic regulator. We demonstrated that CTDSPL2 was phosphorylated at T86, S104, and S134 by cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) in mitosis. Depletion of CTDSPL2 led to mitotic defects and prolonged mitosis. Resultantly, CTDSPL2 deletion restrained proliferation, migration, and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells. We further confirmed the dominant negative effects of a phosphorylation-deficient mutant form of CTDSPL2, implying the biological significance of CTDSPL2 mitotic phosphorylation. Moreover, RT2 cell cycle array analysis revealed p21 and p27 as downstream regulators of CTDSPL2, and inhibition of p21 and/or p27 partially rescued the phenotype in CTDSPL2-deficient cell lines. Importantly, both CTDSPL2 depletion and phosphorylation-deficient mutant CTDSPL2 hindered tumor growth in xenograft models. Together, our findings for the first time highlight the novel role of CTDSPL2 in regulating cell mitosis, proliferation and motility in pancreatic cancer and point out the implications of CTDSPL2 in regulating two critical cell cycle participants (p21 and p27), providing an alternative molecular target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

SiRNA-circFARSA-loaded porous silicon nanomaterials for pancreatic cancer treatment via inhibition of CircFARSA expression

Novel functions and involvement of circFARSA have not been reported in pancreatic cancer; in addition, its inhibitor screening has not yet been conducted. The purpose of this study was to (1) verify circFARSA as a novel anti-cancer target for pancreatic cancer and (2) to prepare a novel anti-pancreatic cancer agent targeting circFARSA. In this study, we designed and synthesized a small interfering RNA (siRNA, named siRNA-circFARSA), which specifically inhibits circFARSA expression. Using liposomes and porous silicon nanoparticles (pSiNPs) as siRNA delivery system, we prepared liposome-siRNA-circFARSA and pSiNP-PEI-siRNA-circFARSA and investigated their anti-cancer mechanism by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. Cell proliferation curves and transwell migration assays were performed to investigate the effect of siRNAs proliferation and migration capabilities of cancer cells. Patient-derived tumor xenograft mouse models were used to investigate the anti-cancer effects in vivo. The data showed that both liposome-siRNA-circFARSA and pSiNP-PEI-siRNA-circFARSA (Si: 0.7 µg/mL) significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. However, the biological safety and in vivo anti-cancer effects of pSiNP-PEI-siRNA-circFARSA (Si: 22.4 µg/mL) were higher than those of liposome-siRNA-circFARSA. The results showed that siRNA-circFARSA could inhibit the expression of circFARSA and then BCL-2 protein expression, thereby leading to pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis after transportation into pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, this study provides tools for pancreatic cancer treatment in the future, as it (1) verified circFARSA as a novel target for pancreatic cancer treatment, and (2) prepared a novel anti-pancreatic cancer agent (pSiNP-PEI-siRNA-circFARSA).

Knockdown of EIF3H inhibits the development and progression of pancreatic cancer by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro.

Nowadays, pancreatic cancer has been recognized as one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide, the molecular mechanism of which is still not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to uncover the fundamental functions of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3H subunit (EIF3H) in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Firstly, the results of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining revealed that EIF3H was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer. Moreover, lentiviruses were used to deliver shRNAs into pancreatic cancer cells for silencing EIF3H. Furthermore, the loss-of-function assays demonstrated that knockdown of EIF3H could inhibit the progression of pancreatic cancer cells by reducing proliferation capacity, promoting apoptosis, arresting cell cycle in G2 and suppressing cell migration. In summary, EIF3H may play a critical role in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, which possesses the potential to act as a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

MicroRNA-26a represses pancreatic cancer cell malignant behaviors by targeting E2F7

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) exerts key roles in the development of pancreatic cancer (PCa). miR-26a is reportedly a tumor suppressor in cancers. However, whether miR-26a modulates PCa progression is poorly understood. Here, we found that miR-26a was down-regulated in PCa. Overexpressed miR-26a suppressed PCa cell proliferation, colony formation, and tumor stem cell properties. Mechanically, the transcription factor E2F7 is a downstream target of miR-26a. miR-26a decreased E2F7 expression through binding to the 3’-untranslated region (UTR) of E2F7. Decreased miR-26a in PCa tissues was inversely correlated with E2F7. The inhibitory effects of miR-26a in PCa were reversed by E2F7 overexpression. Consistently, the knockout of E2F7 further significantly inhibited the growth of PCa cells combined with miR-26a overexpression. Further study revealed that E2F7 bound the promoter of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), a key factor in angiogenesis, and transcriptionally activated the expression of VEGFA. miR-26a overexpression attenuated the effects of E2F7 on VEGFA promotion. Our results uncovered the novel function of miR-26a/E2F7/VEGFA in PCa, making miR-26a a possible target for PCa treatment.

CHK1 protects oncogenic KRAS-expressing cells from DNA damage and is a target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

SUMMARYWe apply genetic screens to delineate modulators of KRAS mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) sensitivity to ERK inhibitor treatment, and we identify components of the ATR-CHK1 DNA damage repair (DDR) pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of CHK1 alone causes apoptotic growth suppression of both PDAC cell lines and organoids, which correlates with loss of MYC expression. CHK1 inhibition also activates ERK and AMPK and increases autophagy, providing a mechanistic basis for increased efficacy of concurrent CHK1 and ERK inhibition and/or autophagy inhibition with chloroquine. To assess how CHK1 inhibition-induced ERK activation promotes PDAC survival, we perform a CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screen targeting direct/indirect ERK substrates and identify RIF1. A key component of non-homologous end joining repair, RIF1 suppression sensitizes PDAC cells to CHK1 inhibition-mediated apoptotic growth suppression. Furthermore, ERK inhibition alone decreases RIF1 expression and phenocopies RIF1 depletion. We conclude that concurrent DDR suppression enhances the efficacy of ERK and/or autophagy inhibitors in KRAS mutant PDAC.

Matrine injection inhibits pancreatic cancer growth via modulating carbonic anhydrases- a network pharmacology-based study with in vitro validation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMatrine injection is a complex mixture of plant bioactive substances extracted from Sophora flavescens Aiton and Smilax glabra Roxb. Since its approval by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in 1995, Matrine injection has been clinically used as a complementary and alternative treatment for various cancers; however, the underlying mechanism of pancreatic cancer treatment is yet to be elucidated. Aim of the studyThe present study explores the potential mechanism of matrine injection on pancreatic cancer through network pharmacology technique and in vitro experimental validation. Materials and methodsGenes differentially expressed in pancreatic cancer were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE101448). The potential active components of matrine injection were selected following a literature search, and target prediction was performed by the SwissTarget Prediction database. Overlapping genes associated with survival were screened by the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. In vitro experimental validation was performed with cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, apoptosis detection, cell cycle analysis, immunoblotting, and co-immunoprecipitation of the identified proteins. ResultsOne thousand seven hundred genes differentially expressed among pancreatic tumor and non-tumor tissues were screened out. Sixteen active components and 226 predicted target genes were identified in matrine injection. A total of 25 potential target genes of matrine injection for the treatment of pancreatic cancer were obtained. Among them, the prognostic target genes carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) and carbonic anhydrase 12 (CA12) based on the GEPIA database are differently expressed in tumors compared to adjacent normal tissue. In vitro experiments, the results of CCK-8 assay, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis, immunoblotting, and co-immunoprecipitation showed that matrine injection inhibited Capan-1 and Mia paca-2 proliferation, arrested the cell cycle at the S phase, and induced apoptosis through up-regulated CA12 and down-regulated CA9. ConclusionsIn this study, bioinformatics and network pharmacology were applied to explore the treatment mechanism on pancreatic cancer with matrine injection. This study demonstrated that matrine injection inhibited proliferation, arrested the cell cycle, and induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. The mechanism may be related to the induction of CA12 over-expression, and CA9 reduced expression. As novel targets for pancreatic cancer treatment, Carbonic anhydrases require further study.