scholarly journals The Potential Association between the Risk of Post-Surgical Adhesion and the Activated Local Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptors: Need for Novel Treatment Strategies

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Mahmood Tavakkoli ◽  
Saeed Aali ◽  
Borzoo Khaledifar ◽  
Gordon A. Ferns ◽  
Majid Khazaei ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Post-surgical adhesion bands (PSABs) are a common complication after abdominal or pelvic surgeries for different reasons like cancer treatment. Despite improvements in surgical techniques and the administration of drugs or the use of physical barriers, there has only been limited improvement in the frequency of postoperative adhesions. Complications of PSAB are pain, infertility, intestinal obstruction, and increased mortality. The most important molecular mechanisms for the development of PSAB are inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and overexpression of pro-fibrotic molecules such as transforming growth factor β. However, questions remain about the pathogenesis of this problem, for example, the causes for individual differences or why certain tissue sites are more prone to post-surgical adhesions. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Addressing the pathological causes of PSAB, the potential role of local angiotensin II/angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AngII/AT1R), may help to prevent this problem. <b><i>Key Message:</i></b> The objective of this article was to explore the role of the AngII/AT1R axis potential to induce PSAB and the therapeutic potential of angiotensin receptor blockers in the prevention and treatment of PSAB.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Yun Yang ◽  
Wen-Long Ye ◽  
Ruo-Nan Zhang ◽  
Xiao-Shun He ◽  
Jing-Ru Wang ◽  
...  

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway mediates various biological functions, and its dysregulation is closely related to the occurrence of malignant tumors. However, the role of TGF-β signaling in tumorigenesis and development is complex and contradictory. On the one hand, TGF-β signaling can exert antitumor effects by inhibiting proliferation or inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. On the other hand, TGF-β signaling may mediate oncogene effects by promoting metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune escape. This review summarizes the recent findings on molecular mechanisms of TGF-β signaling. Specifically, this review evaluates TGF-β′s therapeutic potential as a target by the following perspectives: ligands, receptors, and downstream signaling. We hope this review can trigger new ideas to improve the current clinical strategies to treat tumors related to the TGF-β signaling pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 3208
Author(s):  
Kuo-Shyang Jeng ◽  
I-Shyan Sheen ◽  
Shu-Sheng Lin ◽  
Chuen-Miin Leu ◽  
Chiung-Fang Chang

Endoglin (CD105) is a type-1 integral transmembrane glycoprotein and coreceptor for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) ligands. The endoglin/TGF-β signaling pathway regulates hemostasis, cell proliferation/migration, extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis contributes to early progression, invasion, postoperative recurrence, and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most widespread malignancies globally. Endoglin is overexpressed in newly formed HCC microvessels. It increases microvessel density in cirrhotic and regenerative HCC nodules. In addition, circulating endoglin is present in HCC patients, suggesting potential for use as a diagnostic or prognostic factor. HCC angiogenesis is dynamic and endoglin expression varies by stage. TRC105 (carotuximab) is an antibody against endoglin, and three of its clinical trials were related to liver diseases. A partial response was achieved when combining TRC105 with sorafenib. Although antiangiogenic therapy still carries some risks, combination therapy with endoglin inhibitors or other targeted therapies holds promise.


2021 ◽  
Vol 221 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Zhou ◽  
Yasamin Dabiri ◽  
Rodrigo A. Gama-Brambila ◽  
Shahrouz Ghafoory ◽  
Mukaddes Altinbay ◽  
...  

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling plays a fundamental role in metazoan development and tissue homeostasis. However, the molecular mechanisms concerning the ubiquitin-related dynamic regulation of TGF-β signaling are not thoroughly understood. Using a combination of proteomics and an siRNA screen, we identify pVHL as an E3 ligase for SMAD3 ubiquitination. We show that pVHL directly interacts with conserved lysine and proline residues in the MH2 domain of SMAD3, triggering degradation. As a result, the level of pVHL expression negatively correlates with the expression and activity of SMAD3 in cells, Drosophila wing, and patient tissues. In Drosophila, loss of pVHL leads to the up-regulation of TGF-β targets visible in a downward wing blade phenotype, which is rescued by inhibition of SMAD activity. Drosophila pVHL expression exhibited ectopic veinlets and reduced wing growth in a similar manner as upon loss of TGF-β/SMAD signaling. Thus, our study demonstrates a conserved role of pVHL in the regulation of TGF-β/SMAD3 signaling in human cells and Drosophila wing development.


Author(s):  
Xin Li ◽  
Fanchen Wang ◽  
Xiaolin Xu ◽  
Jinguo Zhang ◽  
Guoxiong Xu

The signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) is a transducer protein and acts as a transcription factor but its role in ovarian cancer (OC) is not completely understood. Practically, there are two-faced effects of STAT1 on tumorigenesis in different kinds of cancers. Existing evidence reveals that STAT1 has both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting functions involved in angiogenesis, cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, drug resistance, stemness, and immune responses mainly through interacting and regulating target genes at multiple levels. The canonical STAT1 signaling pathway shows that STAT1 is phosphorylated and activated by the receptor-activated kinases such as Janus kinase in response to interferon stimulation. The STAT1 signaling can also be crosstalk with other signaling such as transforming growth factor-β signaling involved in cancer cell behavior. OC is often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to symptomless or atypical symptoms and the lack of effective detection at an early stage. Furthermore, patients with OC often develop chemoresistance and recurrence. This review focuses on the multi-faced role of STAT1 and highlights the molecular mechanisms and biological functions of STAT1 in OC.


Author(s):  
Hannah L. M. Spencer ◽  
Steven D. Shnyder ◽  
Paul M. Loadman ◽  
Robert A. Falconer

The dysregulation of Membrane - type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been extensively studied in numerous cancer types, and plays key roles in angiogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. MT1-MMP is a predictor of poor prognosis in osteosarcoma (OS), yet the molecular mechanisms of disease progression are unclear. This review provides a summary of the literature relating to the gene and protein expression of MT1-MMP (MMP-14) in OS clinical samples, evaluates the expression in cell lines and experimental models, and analyses its potential role in the progression and metastasis of OS. In addition, the therapeutic potential of MT1-MMP as a drug target has been assessed. Due to the biological complexity of MMPs, inhibition has proven to be challenging. However, exploiting the expression and proteolytic capacity of MT1-MMP could open new avenues in the search for novel, safer and selective drugs for use in OS.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document