Search Results (188)

Background: The progressive course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is more frequently observed in individuals with obesity, diabetes, pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, or arterial hypertension. Many patients with these conditions are prescribed statins to treat hypercholesterolaemia. However, statins exhibit additional pleiotropic effects. The present study aims to investigate the effects of all eight currently existing statins on the expression of genes whose products have been reported to be directly associated with complicated COVID-19 disease. Methods: We extended the interpretation of the whole-genome DNA microarray analyses of pancreatic cancer cells MiaPaCa-2 and whole-transcriptome analyses of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells AD-MSC that we had performed in the past. From the number of genes with altered expression induced by statins, we focused on those reported to be involved in a complicated course of COVID-19, including APOE and ACE2, genes encoding proteins involved in innate antiviral immunity and respiratory failure genes. Results: Although we did not observe statin-induced changes in the expression of APOE, ACE2 and any of the six genes clustered in the locus associated with respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19, some statins induced changes in the expression of genes encoding their interaction partners. Among genes associated with the immune system, all statins, which are effective in vitro affected the expression of genes encoding IL-6 and IL-8 and interaction partners of NF-kB, which may influence the duration of viral persistence. Conclusions: Statins act on multiple pathways simultaneously, some of which support COVID-19 development, while others suppress it. Full article

Background/Objectives: Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. While peripheral blood-derived mature dendritic cell (mDC) vaccines have shown potential in eliciting anti-tumor immune responses, clinical efficacy has been limited. This study aimed to enhance the potency and scalability of DC-based immunotherapy by developing an allogeneic DC platform derived from CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), genetically engineered to overexpress CD93, CD40L, and CXCL13, followed by maturation and tumor antigen pulsing. Methods: Engineered DCs were generated from CD34⁺ HSCs and matured in vitro after lentiviral transduction of CD93, CD40L, and CXCL13. Tumor lysates were used for antigen pulsing. A scrambled-sequence control DC was used for comparison. In vitro assays were performed to assess T cell activation and tumor cell killing. In vivo efficacy was evaluated using orthotopic pancreatic tumors in BLT and PBMC-humanized NSG mice established with the MiaPaca-2 (MP2) cell line. Results: Engineered DCs significantly enhanced T cell activation and tumor-specific cytotoxicity in vitro compared to control DCs. Antigen pulsing further amplified immune activation. In vivo, treated humanized mice showed increased CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and NK cell frequencies in peripheral blood and within tumors, correlating with reduced tumor burden. Conclusions: Our data shows that the antigen-pulsed, engineered DCs have the potency to activate immune cells, which leads to a significant reduction in pancreatic tumors and therefore could potentially provide an effective therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. Full article

Background/Objective: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death and tumors with an extremely poor prognosis. In the present study, novel biomarker candidates useful for the early diagnosis and prognosis of human invasive PDAC were investigated. Methods: Biomarker candidates were first selected based on the proteomic/bioinformatic and clinico-pathological analyses of 10 and 100 patients with PDAC, respectively, operated at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital (Exp. 1). Next, the expression and secretion of the target protein and its EV mRNA were investigated in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in a Balb/c nude mouse model. In addition, the protein and EV mRNA levels of candidate molecules were measured in the blood serum of 36 PDAC and 10 IPMN patients, and diagnostic significance was assessed (Exp. 2). Results: A significant elevation of peroxiredoxin 3 (PRX3), a mitochondrial matrix protein, was found in PDAC via LC-Ms/Ms analysis. In Exp. 1, PRX3 overexpression was found in PDAC and PanIN lesions and was associated with a tumor infiltrative growth pattern (INFc) and poor overall 1-year patient survival. The prognostic value was significantly improved when PRX3 was combined with serum SPan-1 and DUPAN-2 markers in survival analyses. Furthermore, the PRX3 protein and its extracellular vesicle (EV: exosome and oncosome)-incorporated mRNA were secreted at detectable levels from PANC-1, MIAPaCa-2, and SW1990 cells into the blood of Balb/c nude mice bearing tumors. The overexpression of PRX3 was positively correlated with that of cancer stem cell marker CD44 variant 9 (CD44v9), P-Nrf2, and FOXO3a, as well as the generation of reactive oxygen species. In Exp. 2, a significant increase in PRX3 protein and EV mRNA was detected in the blood serum of PDAC subjects compared to IPMN patients and healthy controls. Significantly higher PRX3 protein levels were found in the IPMN group. The elevation of PRX3 EV mRNA was significantly associated with poor patient survival. Conclusions: These results indicate that PRX3 may become a novel early biomarker for PDAC diagnosis and prognosis. Full article

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have recently shown great promise as potential anticancer drug delivery carriers. MSCs exhibit tropism to inflammatory sites, such as tumor beds, and resistance to chemotherapeutics. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) conjugated with flurbiprofen (FLU) as a potential agent enhancing the GEM cytotoxic effect. Pancreatic cancer cell lines (PCCs), including PANC-1, AsPC-1, and BxPC-3, were studied meticulously. Moreover, the usefulness of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) treated with GEM and FLU, and the conditioned media from above these cells (CM) as elements supporting the in vitro action of GEM, inducing apoptosis, necrosis, and inhibiting the cell cycle, was tested. The results showed that CM-GEM exhibited higher cytotoxicity towards the selected PCCs compared to GEM alone. Furthermore, the obtained data revealed lower sensitivity of these cells to treatment, which promotes the utilization of BM-MSCs as potential drug carriers. Based on the presented findings, it seems that applying FLU in the antiproliferative effect of GEM might be regarded as an effective strategy in the therapy of pancreatic cancer, especially in the inhibition of proliferation and induction of cancer cell death. Full article

Bardoxolone methyl, also known as CDDO-Me or RTA 402, is a synthetic oleanane triterpenoid that has garnered significant attention as a potent pharmacological activator of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. Nrf2 is a master regulator of cellular redox homeostasis, controlling the expression of genes involved in antioxidant defense, detoxification, and mitochondrial function. By inducing Nrf2 and promoting the transcription of downstream antioxidant response element (ARE)-driven genes, bardoxolone methyl enhances cellular resilience to oxidative stress and inflammation. This mechanism is central not only to its cytoprotective effects but also to its emerging role in oncology. A number of studies investigated the effects of bardoxolone methyl in several malignancies including breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, oral and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ovarian cancer and glioblastoma. Studies in the literature indicate that bardoxolone methyl exhibits anticancer activity through several mechanisms, including the suppression of cell proliferation, induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and impairment of cancer cell stemness. Additionally, bardoxolone methyl modulates mitochondrial function, reduces glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation capacities, and induces reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated stress responses. In this review, we summarize the available literature regarding the studies which investigated the effects of bardoxolone methyl as anticancer agent. Full article

Tumor cell heterogeneity, e.g., in stroma-rich pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), includes a differential metabolism of lactate. While being secreted as waste product by most cancer cells characterized by the glycolytic Warburg metabolism, it is utilized by a subset of highly malignant cancer cells running the reverse Warburg metabolism. Key drivers of lactate transport are the carrier proteins SLC16A1 (import/export) and SLC16A3 (export). Expression and function of both carriers are controlled by the chaperone Basigin (BSG), which itself is functionally controlled by the transmembrane protease serine 11B (TMPRSS11B). In this study we explored the impact of TMPRSS11B on the phenotype of PDAC cells under reverse Warburg conditions. Amongst a panel of PDAC cell lines, Panc1 and BxPc3 cells were identified to express TMPRSS11B at a high level, whilst other cell lines such as T3M4 did not. ShRNA-mediated TMPRSS11B knock-down in Panc1 and BxPc3 cells enhanced lactate import through SLC16A1, as shown by GFP/iLACCO1 lactate uptake assay, whereas TMPRSS1B overexpression in T3M4 dampened SLC16A1-driven lactate uptake. Moreover, knock-down and overexpression of TMPRSS11B differentially impacted proliferation and chemoresistance under reverse Warburg conditions in Panc1 or BxPc3 and T3M4 cells, respectively, as well as their stemness properties indicated by altered colony formation rates and expression of the stem cell markers Nanog, Sox2, KLF4 and Oct4. These effects of TMPRSS11B depended on both SLC16A1 and BSG as shown by gene silencing. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a reciprocal expression of TMPRSS11B and BSG together with SLC16A1 in some areas of tumor tissues from PDAC patients. Those regions exhibiting low or no TMPRSS11B expression but concomitant high expression of SLC16A1 and BSG revealed greater amounts of KLF4. In contrast, other tumor areas exhibiting high expression of TMPRSS11B together with BSG and SLC16A1 were largely negative for KLF4 expression. Thus, the differential expression of TMPRSS11B adds to metabolic heterogeneity in PDAC and its absence supports the reverse Warburg metabolism in PDAC cells by the enhancement of BSG-supported lactate uptake through SLC16A1 and subsequent phenotype alterations towards greater stemness. Full article

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) accounts for 90% of all pancreatic malignancies. Despite the remarkable improvement concerning treatment, late detection and resistance to clinically used chemotherapeutic agents remain major challenges. Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been recognized as an effective therapeutic agent against PDAC by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and sensitizing PDAC cells to chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine. Microgravity has become a useful tool in cancer research due to its effects on various cellular processes. This paper presents a deep molecular and proteomic analysis investigating cell growth, the modulation of cytokeratins, and proteins related to apoptosis, cellular metabolism, and protein synthesis after TSA treatment in simulated microgravity (SMG)-exposed PaCa44 3D cells. Our analysis concerns the effects of TSA treatment on cell proliferation: the impairment of the cell cycle with the downregulation of proteins involved in Cdc42 signaling and G1/G2- and G2/M-phase transitions. Thus, we observed modification of survival pathways and proteins related to autophagy and apoptosis. We also observed changes in proteins involved in the regulation of transcription and the repair of damaged DNA. TSA treatment promotes the downregulation of some markers involved in the maintenance of the potency of stem cells, while it upregulates proteins involved in the induction and modulation of the differentiation process. Our data suggest that TSA treatment restores the cell phenotype prior to simulated microgravity exposure, and exerts an intriguing activity on PDAC cells by reducing proliferation and inducing cell death via multiple pathways. Full article

The Wnt signalling pathway plays a crucial role in tissue homeostasis and cancer biology due to its regulation of cellular processes, including proliferation, migration, and stem cell activity. Frizzled receptor 7 (FZD7) (a member of the F-class G protein-coupled receptors) has emerged as a key Wnt receptor within this pathway, which is elevated in several human malignancies. FZD7 is notably upregulated in gastrointestinal, breast, pancreatic, and hepatocellular carcinomas and transmits oncogenic Wnt signalling through canonical and non-canonical pathways. FZD7 promotes tumour initiation, and emerging evidence implicates FZD7 in cancer stem cell maintenance and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), reinforcing its role in metastasis. Therapeutic strategies targeting FZD7 have shown promise, including FZD7-specific monoclonal antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), human single-chain fragment variable (scFVs) antibodies, and nanoparticles. Notably, our recent development of FZD7-ADC has demonstrated tumour-selective cytotoxicity with reduced off-target effects, positioning FZD7 as an attractive therapeutic target. Additionally, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have enhanced the precision of existing chemotherapies by targeting FZD7-expressing tumour cells. Despite significant advances, clinical translation remains a challenge due to potential on-target toxicity and the complexity of tumour microenvironments. Future research should focus on optimising delivery systems, refining antibody specificity, and conducting comprehensive preclinical and clinical trials. This review will focus on novel discoveries regarding FZD7 in cancer and provide an update on our original review on this subject in 2016. Additionally, we present new figures generated by our group using the publicly available Pan-Cancer Atlas RNAseq datasets, highlighting FZD7 expression patterns in patient samples. This integrated approach aims to provide updated insights into the function of FZD7 during cancer and its growing status as an attractive target for therapy. In summary, FZD7 stands out as a promising molecular target in cancer therapy due to its selective overexpression in tumours, functional role in Wnt-driven oncogenesis, and potential for innovative therapeutic applications. This review underscores the critical need for the continued exploration of FZD7-targeted therapies to improve patient outcomes in cancer treatment. Full article

Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) γ expression is restricted during adult haematopoiesis to haematopoietic stem cells and their immediate offspring and is required for their maintenance. From zebrafish studies, RARγ is selectively expressed by stem cells and agonism in the absence of exogenous all-trans retinoic acid blocked stem cell development. Recent findings for the expression of RARγ have revealed an oncogenic role in acute myeloid leukaemia and cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal, head and neck, hepatocellular, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and renal cancer. Overexpression and agonism of RARγ enhanced cell proliferation for head and neck, hepatocellular, and prostate cancer. RARγ antagonism, pan-RAR antagonism, and RARγ downregulation led to cell growth which was often followed by cell death for acute myeloid leukaemia, astrocytoma, and cholangiocarcinoma as well as hepatocellular, primitive, neuroectodermal ovarian, and prostate cancer. Histological studies have associated high level RARγ expression with high-grade disease, metastasis, and a poor prognosis for cholangiocarcinoma and ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. RARγ is expressed by cancer stem cells and is a targetable drive of cancer cell growth and survival. Full article

The stroma of healthy pancreases contains various non-hematopoietic, non-endothelial mesenchymal cells. It is altered by chronic inflammation which in turn is a major contributor to the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In PDAC, the stroma plays a decisive and well-investigated role for tumor progression and therapy response. This review addresses the central role of stromal cells in the early inflammation-driven development of PDAC. It focuses on major subpopulations of pancreatic mesenchymal cells, i.e., fibroblasts, pancreatic stellate cells, and multipotent stroma cells, particularly their activation and functional alterations upon chronic inflammation including the development of different types of carcinoma-associated fibroblasts. In the second part, the current knowledge on the impact of activated stroma cells on acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and the transition to pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia is summarized. Finally, putative strategies to target stroma cells and their signaling in early pancreatic carcinogenesis are reflected. In summary, the current data show that the activation of pancreatic stroma cells and the resulting fibrotic changes has pro- and anti-carcinogenetic effects but, overall, creates a carcinogenesis-promoting microenvironment. However, this is a dynamic process and the therapeutic targeting of specific pathways and cells requires in-depth knowledge of the molecular interplay of various cell types. Full article

The synthetic cortisol analog budesonide (BUD) is an essential drug employed to manage chronic inflammatory diseases in humans, mainly those involving gastroenteric and airway mucosa, such as rhinitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, esophagitis, gastritis, and colitis, with high levels of success. As a glucocorticoid, BUD prevents the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the recruitment of immune cells into the inflamed mucosa. However, emerging evidence indicates that BUD, unlike classical glucocorticoids, is also a potent modulator of stem and cancer cell behavior/plasticity. Certainly, BUD stabilizes cell–cell adhesions, preventing embryonic stem cell differentiation and inhibiting the development of 3D gastruloids. In addition, BUD inhibits the motile/invasive propensity of different cancer cells, including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Finally, it prevents the infection of positive single-stranded human-infecting RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. At a molecular level, BUD induces epigenetic changes and modifies the transcriptome of epithelial, stem, and cancer cells, providing molecular support to the immune cell-independent activity of BUD. Here, we performed an in-depth review of these unexpected activities of BUD, identified by unbiased drug screening programs, and we emphasize the molecular mechanisms modulated by this efficacious drug that deserve further research. Full article

Background: Our aim was to assess the expression profiles of the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles of stem-cell genes (POU5F1, NANOG) and pancreatic progenitor genes (CK19, HES1, INS, PDX1) in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in selected neoplastic pancreatic diseases, such as cancer and neuroendocrine tumors, to identify neoplastic disease markers in the pancreas. Methods: In this study, 49 patients diagnosed with pancreatic neoplastic diseases (37 with cancer and 12 with neuroendocrine tumors) and 34 control patients, all of whom were hospitalized at a tertiary center, were enrolled. Venous blood samples were collected from the participants, and RNA was extracted from PBMCs. The mRNA expression levels of six stem-cell and pancreatic progenitor markers— POU5F1 (POU class 5 homeobox 1), NANOG, CK19 (keratin 19), HES1 (HES family bHLH transcription factor 1), INS (insulin), and PDX1 (pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1)—were quantified via real-time quantitative PCR. The data were statistically analyzed to explore associations between gene-expression levels and various clinical, biochemical, and morphological parameters (including full blood count, Ca 19-9, weight, height, and BMI) via the Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: The results revealed that the expression of the gene associated with early stem cells, NANOG (median= 0.002, p = 0.03), as well as the genes encoding insulin INS (median = 0.004, p = 0.02) and CK19 (median 0.0003, p = 0.005), was significantly elevated in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, the gene-expression levels in patients with neuroendocrine tumors did not exhibit statistically significant differences compared to those observed in the control group. Additionally, no significant differences in gene expression were observed among patients at different stages of pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, CK19 overexpression was found to be positively correlated with inflammatory markers, specifically C-reactive protein (CRP) and WBC, in patients with pancreatic cancer. Conclusions: An elevated mRNA expression of specific stem and pancreatic progenitor genes (NANOG, INS, CK19) in PBMCs may serve as a potential markers for pancreatic cancer, reflecting the disease’s interplay with systemic inflammation. Full article

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Its poor prognosis is closely related to late-stage diagnosis, which results from both nonspecific symptoms and the absence of biomarkers for early diagnosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) exert a regulatory role in numerous biological processes and their aberrant expression has been found in a broad spectrum of diseases, including cancer. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a driving force for PDAC initiation, progression, and metastatic spread. Our previous research highlighted the interesting behavior of miR-216a-5p and miR-125a-5p related to PDAC progression and the CSC phenotype. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of miR-216a-5p and miR-125a-5p on the acquisition or suppression of pancreatic CSC traits. BxPC-3, AsPC-1 cell lines, and their CSC-like models were transfected with miR-216a-5p and miR-125a-5p mimics and inhibitors. Following transfection, we evaluated their impact on the expression of CSC surface markers (CD44/CD24/CxCR4), ALDH1 activity, pluripotency- and EMT-related gene expression, and clonogenic potential. Our results show that miR-216a-5p enhances the expression of CD44/CD24/CxCR4 while negatively affecting the activity of ALDH1 and the expression of EMT genes. MiR-216a-5p positively influenced the clonogenic property. MiR-125a-5p promoted the expression of CD44/CD24/CxCR4 while inhibiting ALDH1 activity. It enhanced the expression of Snail, Oct-4, and Sox-2, while the clonogenic potential appeared to be affected. Comprehensively, our results provide further knowledge on the role of miRNAs in pancreatic CSCs. Moreover, they corroborate our previous findings about miR-216a-5p’s potential dual role and miR-125a-5p’s promotive function in PDAC. Full article

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies, largely due to its dense fibrotic stroma that promotes drug resistance and tumor progression. While patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have emerged as promising tools for modeling PDAC and evaluating therapeutic responses, the current PDO models grown in soft matrices fail to replicate the tumor’s stiff extracellular matrix (ECM), limiting their predictive value for advanced disease. Methods: We developed a biomimetic model using gelatin-based matrices of varying stiffness, achieved through modulated transglutaminase crosslinking rates, to better simulate the desmoplastic PDAC microenvironment. Using this platform, we investigated organoid morphology, proliferation, and chemoresistance to gemcitabine (Gem) and its lipophilic derivative, 4-N-stearoyl gemcitabine (Gem-S). Mechanistic studies focused on the interplay between ECM stiffness, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) expression, and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in drug resistance. Results: PDAC organoids in stiffer matrices demonstrated enhanced stemness features, including rounded morphology and elevated cancer stem cell (CSC) marker expression. Matrix stiffness-induced gemcitabine resistance correlated with the upregulation of ABC transporters and oxidative stress adaptive responses. While gemcitabine activated Nrf2 expression, promoting oxidative stress mitigation, Gem-S suppressed Nrf2 levels and induced oxidative stress, leading to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhanced cell death. Both compounds reduced HIF expression, with gemcitabine showing greater efficacy. Conclusions: Our study reveals ECM stiffness as a critical mediator of PDAC chemoresistance through the promotion of stemness and modulation of Nrf2 and HIF pathways. Gem-S demonstrates promise in overcoming gemcitabine resistance by disrupting Nrf2-mediated adaptive responses and inducing oxidative stress. These findings underscore the importance of biomechanically accurate tumor models and suggest that dual targeting of mechanical and oxidative stress pathways may improve PDAC treatment outcomes. Full article

The Wnt signaling pathway is critical in the onset and progression of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Anomalies in this pathway, often stemming from mutations in critical components such as adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) or β-catenin, lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation and survival. In the case of colorectal cancer, dysregulation of the Wnt pathway drives tumor initiation and growth. Similarly, aberrant Wnt signaling contributes to tumor development, metastasis, and resistance to therapy in other GI cancers, such as gastric, pancreatic, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Targeting the Wnt pathway or its downstream effectors has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for combating these highly aggressive GI malignancies. Here, we review the dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of GI cancers and further explore the therapeutic potential of targeting the various components of the Wnt pathway. Furthermore, we summarize and integrate the preclinical evidence supporting the therapeutic efficacy of potent Wnt pathway inhibitors with completed and ongoing clinical trials in GI cancers. Additionally, we discuss the challenges of Wnt pathway-targeted therapies in GI cancers to overcome these concerns for effective clinical translation. Full article