scholarly journals FROM EMERGING BIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS TO NOVEL TREATMENT STRATEGIES IN PROSTATE CANCER

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia Limonta ◽  
Roberta M. Moretti ◽  
Stefania Mai ◽  
Monica Marzagalli ◽  
Marcella Motta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Initial Phase ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Gnrh Agonists ◽  
Castration Resistance ◽  
Gnrh Receptors ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Prostate cancer is androgen-dependent in its initial phase. GnRH agonists, through desensitization of pituitary GnRH receptors and subsequent suppression of testosterone secretion, represent the therapy of choice for this pathology. After an initial phase of remission, prostate cancer progresses towards its most aggressive phase of castration-resistance (CRPC). Since conventional chemotherapy treatments (i.e., docetaxel) have provided scant benefit, the identification of the molecular mechanisms underlying prostate cancer progression will definitely help increase the therapeutic options for this almost incurable pathology. Receptors for GnRH agonists are expressed in CRPC cells and their activation significantly inhibit the proliferative and the metastatic behavior of cancer cells, and interferes with the angiogenic process. These data support the notion that locally expressed GnRH receptors represent an effective molecular target for novel therapeutic strategies for CRPC.

scholarly journals Skp2 and Slug Are Coexpressed in Aggressive Prostate Cancer and Inhibited by Neddylation Blockade

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2844
Author(s):  
Alena Mickova ◽  
Gvantsa Kharaishvili ◽  
Daniela Kurfurstova ◽  
Mariam Gachechiladze ◽  
Milan Kral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Slug Expression ◽  
Chemical Inhibition ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
E Cadherin

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in Western countries, and there is still an urgent need for a better understanding of PCa progression to inspire new treatment strategies. Skp2 is a substrate-recruiting component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, whose activity is regulated through neddylation. Slug is a transcriptional repressor involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which may contribute to therapy resistance. Although Skp2 has previously been associated with a mesenchymal phenotype and prostate cancer progression, the relationship with Slug deserves further elucidation. We have previously shown that a high Gleason score (≥8) is associated with higher Skp2 and lower E-cadherin expression. In this study, significantly increased expression of Skp2, AR, and Slug, along with E-cadherin downregulation, was observed in primary prostate cancer in patients who already had lymph node metastases. Skp2 was slightly correlated with Slug and AR in the whole cohort (Rs 0.32 and 0.37, respectively), which was enhanced for both proteins in patients with high Gleason scores (Rs 0.56 and 0.53, respectively) and, in the case of Slug, also in patients with metastasis to lymph nodes (Rs 0.56). Coexpression of Skp2 and Slug was confirmed in prostate cancer tissues by multiplex immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. The same relationship between these two proteins was observed in three sets of prostate epithelial cell lines (PC3, DU145, and E2) and their mesenchymal counterparts. Chemical inhibition of Skp2, but not RNA interference, modestly decreased Slug protein in PC3 and its docetaxel-resistant subline PC3 DR12. Importantly, chemical inhibition of Skp2 by MLN4924 upregulated p27 and decreased Slug expression in PC3, PC3 DR12, and LAPC4 cells. Novel treatment strategies targeting Skp2 and Slug by the neddylation blockade may be promising in advanced prostate cancer, as recently documented for other aggressive solid tumors.

scholarly journals Novel Strategies for Cancer Treatment: Highlights from the 55th IACR Annual Conference

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Charmsaz ◽  
Denis Collins ◽  
Antoinette Perry ◽  
Maria Prencipe
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Tumour Microenvironment ◽  
Annual Conference ◽  
Cancer Treatments ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
Novel Therapeutic Strategies

While conventional cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, have been combined for decades in an effort to treat cancer patients, the emergence of novel fields of cancer research have led to a renewed interest in combining conventional treatments with more innovative approaches. The realisation that cancer progression is not exclusively due to changes in the cancer epithelial cells, but also involves changes in the tumour microenvironment, has opened new avenues for combination treatments. Here we discuss the use of combination therapies presented at the 55th Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR) Annual Conference, highlighting examples of novel therapeutic strategies which, combined with conventional therapies, may greatly enhance not only the overall outcome for patients, but also the quality of life for cancer survivors. Among the novel treatment strategies, immune metabolism, epigenetic therapies and physical exercise are presented. In addition, novel technologies in the field of precision medicine, which will be useful to discover new therapeutics and to stratify patients for combination treatments, are also discussed.

scholarly journals Glyoxalase-1-Dependent Methylglyoxal Depletion Sustains PD-L1 Expression in Metastatic Prostate Cancer Cells: A Novel Mechanism in Cancer Immunosurveillance Escape and a Potential Novel Target to Overcome PD-L1 Blockade Resistance

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2965
Author(s):  
Cinzia Antognelli ◽  
Martina Mandarano ◽  
Enrico Prosperi ◽  
Angelo Sidoni ◽  
Vincenzo Nicola Talesa
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Metastatic Prostate Cancer ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Curative Therapy ◽  
Glyoxalase 1 ◽  
Immunosuppressive Microenvironment ◽  
Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) is a disease for which to date there is not curative therapy. Even the recent and attractive immunotherapeutic approaches targeting PD-L1, an immune checkpoint protein which helps cancer cells to escape from immunosurveillance, have proved ineffective. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms contributing to keep an immunosuppressive microenvironment associated with tumor progression and refractoriness to PD-L1 inhibitors is urgently needed. In the present study, by using gene silencing and specific activators or scavengers, we demonstrated, in mPCa cell models, that methylglyoxal (MG), a potent precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), especially 5-hydro-5-methylimidazolone (MG-H1), and its metabolizing enzyme, glyoxalase 1 (Glo1), contribute to maintain an immunosuppressive microenvironment through MG-H1-mediated PD-L1 up-regulation and to promote cancer progression. Moreover, our findings suggest that this novel mechanism might be responsible, at least in part, of mPCa resistance to PD-L1 inhibitors, such as atezolizumab, and that targeting it may sensitize cells to this PD-L1 inhibitor. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of mPCa immunosurveillance escape and help in providing the basis to foster in vivo research toward novel therapeutic strategies for immunotherapy of mPCa.

scholarly journals Breast Cancer Stem Cell-Derived ANXA6-Containing Exosomes Sustain Paclitaxel Resistance and Cancer Aggressiveness in Breast Cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zihe Guo ◽  
Ayao Guo ◽  
Chuang Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Hippo Pathway ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Promote Cell Migration ◽  
Cancer Aggressiveness ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Continuous chemotherapy pressure-elicited annexin-A6 (ANXA6)-containing exosome (ANXA6-exo) secretion contributes to paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in breast cancer (BC), but the molecular mechanisms are not fully elucidated. The present study managed to investigate this issue and found that ANXA6-exo promoted PTX resistance and cancer progression in BC cells in a Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1)-dependent manner. Specifically, the parental PTX-sensitive BC (PS-BC) cells were exposed to continuous low-dose PTX to generate PTX-resistant BC (PR-BC) cells, and we found that BC stem cells tended to be enriched in the descendent PR-BC cells in contrast with the PS-BC cells. In addition, PR-BC cell-derived exosomes were featured with highly expressed ANXA6, and ANXA6-exo delivered ANXA6 to promote cell migration, growth, autophagy, and stemness in PS-BC cells. Interestingly, ANXA6-exo increased PTX resistance in PS-BC cells via inducing autophagy, and the effects of ANXA6-exo on PTX resistance in PS-BC cells were abrogated by co-treating cells with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms were uncovered, and we evidenced that ANXA6-exo up-regulated YAP1 to promote Hippo pathway dysregulation, and the promoting effects of ANXA6-exo on PTX resistance and cancer aggressiveness in BC cells were abrogated by silencing YAP1. Taken together, this study firstly elucidated the underlying mechanisms by which BCSC-derived ANXA6-exo facilitated BC progression and PTX resistance, which might help to develop novel treatment strategies for BC in clinic.

scholarly journals Loss of dihydrotestosterone-inactivation activity promotes prostate cancer castration resistance detectable by functional imaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 293 (46) ◽  
pp. 17829-17837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziqi Zhu ◽  
Yoon-Mi Chung ◽  
Olga Sergeeva ◽  
Vladimir Kepe ◽  
Michael Berk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Functional Imaging ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Androgen Deprivation ◽  
Cancer Resistance ◽  
Castration Resistance ◽  
Gene Ablation

Androgens such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are a critical driver of prostate cancer progression. Cancer resistance to androgen deprivation therapies ensues when tumors engage metabolic processes that produce sustained androgen levels in the tissue. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this resistance process are unclear, and functional imaging modalities that predict impending resistance are lacking. Here, using the human LNCaP and C4-2 cell line models of prostate cancer, we show that castration treatment–sensitive prostate cancer cells that normally have an intact glucuronidation pathway that rapidly conjugates and inactivates dihydrotestosterone and thereby limits androgen signaling, become glucuronidation deficient and resistant to androgen deprivation. Mechanistically, using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene ablation, we found that loss of UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B15 (UGT2B15) and UGT2B17 is sufficient to restore free dihydrotestosterone, sustained androgen signaling, and development of castration resistance. Furthermore, loss of glucuronidation enzymatic activity was also detectable with a nonsteroid glucuronidation substrate. Of note, glucuronidation-incompetent cells and the resultant loss of intracellular conjugated dihydrotestosterone were detectable in vivo by 18F-dihydrotestosterone PET. Together, these findings couple a mechanism with a functional imaging modality to identify impending castration resistance in prostate cancers.

scholarly journals Molecular mechanisms underpinning sarcomas and implications for current and future therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Damerell ◽  
Michael S. Pepper ◽  
Sharon Prince
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Epithelial To Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Mesenchymal To Epithelial Transition ◽  
Cells Of Origin ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies ◽  
Future Therapy

AbstractSarcomas are complex mesenchymal neoplasms with a poor prognosis. Their clinical management is highly challenging due to their heterogeneity and insensitivity to current treatments. Although there have been advances in understanding specific genomic alterations and genetic mutations driving sarcomagenesis, the underlying molecular mechanisms, which are likely to be unique for each sarcoma subtype, are not fully understood. This is in part due to a lack of consensus on the cells of origin, but there is now mounting evidence that they originate from mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs). To identify novel treatment strategies for sarcomas, research in recent years has adopted a mechanism-based search for molecular markers for targeted therapy which has included recapitulating sarcomagenesis using in vitro and in vivo MSC models. This review provides a comprehensive up to date overview of the molecular mechanisms that underpin sarcomagenesis, the contribution of MSCs to modelling sarcomagenesis in vivo, as well as novel topics such as the role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT)/mesenchymal-to-epithelial-transition (MET) plasticity, exosomes, and microRNAs in sarcomagenesis. It also reviews current therapeutic options including ongoing pre-clinical and clinical studies for targeted sarcoma therapy and discusses new therapeutic avenues such as targeting recently identified molecular pathways and key transcription factors.

scholarly journals Myeloma Bone Disease: Update on Pathogenesis and Novel Treatment Strategies

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Vallet ◽  
Julia-Marie Filzmoser ◽  
Martin Pecherstorfer ◽  
Klaus Podar
Keyword(s):  
Bone Disease ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Bone Fractures ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Nf Kappa B ◽  
Skeletal Involvement ◽  
Myeloma Bone Disease ◽  
Skeletal Related Events ◽  
Novel Treatment Strategies

Bone disease, including osteolytic lesions and/or osteoporosis, is a common feature of multiple myeloma (MM). The consequences of skeletal involvement are severe pain, spinal cord compressions, and bone fractures, which have a dramatic impact on patients’ quality of life and, ultimately, survival. During the past few years, several landmark studies significantly enhanced our insight into MM bone disease (MBD) by identifying molecular mechanisms leading to increased bone resorption due to osteoclast activation, and decreased bone formation by osteoblast inhibition. Bisphosphonates were the mainstay to prevent skeletal-related events in MM for almost two decades. Excitingly, the most recent approval of the receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand (RANKL) inhibitor, denosumab, expanded treatment options for MBD, for patients with compromised renal function, in particular. In addition, several other bone-targeting agents, including bone anabolic drugs, are currently in preclinical and early clinical assessment. This review summarizes our up-to-date knowledge on the pathogenesis of MBD and discusses novel state-of-the-art treatment strategies that are likely to enter clinical practice in the near future.

scholarly journals Characterization of Proteins Regulated by Androgen and Protein Kinase a Signaling in VCaP Prostate Cancer Cells

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1404
Author(s):  
Hye-Jin You ◽  
Byong-Chul You ◽  
Jong-Kwang Kim ◽  
Jae-Min Park ◽  
Bo-Seul Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Protein Kinase A ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
Normal Prostate ◽  
Prostate Cancer Development ◽  
Kinase A

Androgen signaling via the androgen receptor (AR) is involved in normal prostate development and prostate cancer progression. In addition to androgen binding, a variety of protein kinases, including cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), can activate the AR. Although hormone deprivation, especially that of androgen, continues to be an important strategy for treating prostate cancer patients, the disease ultimately progresses to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), despite a continuous hormone-deprived environment. To date, it remains unclear which pathways in this progression are active and targetable. Here, we performed a proteomic analysis of VCaP cells stimulated with androgen or forskolin to identify proteins specific for androgen-induced and androgen-bypassing signaling, respectively. Patterns of differentially expressed proteins were quantified, and eight proteins showing significant changes in expression were identified. Functional information, including a Gene Ontology analysis, revealed that most of these proteins are involved in metabolic processes and are associated with cancer. The mRNA and protein expression of selected proteins was validated, and functional correlations of identified proteins with signaling in VCaP cells were assessed by measuring metabolites related to each enzyme. These analyses offered new clues regarding effector molecules involved in prostate cancer development, insights that are supported by the demonstration of increased expression levels of the eight identified proteins in prostate cancer patients and assessments of the progression-free interval. Taken together, our findings show that aberrant levels of eight proteins reflect molecular changes that are significantly regulated by androgen and/or PKA signaling pathways, suggesting possible molecular mechanisms of CRPC.

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