Cancer Cell International

The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a transmembrane protein facilitating the entry of calcium ions into mitochondria from the cell cytosol. Maintaining calcium balance is crucial for enhancing cellular energy supply and regulating cell death. The interplay of calcium balance through MCU and the sodium-calcium exchanger is known, but its regulation in the breast cancer tumor microenvironment remains elusive. Further investigations are warranted to explore MCU's potential in BRCA clinical pathology, tumor immune microenvironment, and precision oncology...

BACKGROUND: Exosomes derived from tumor cells contribute to the pathogenesis of cancers. Metformin, the most usually used drug for type 2 diabetes, has been frequently investigated for anticancer effects. Here, we examined whether metformin affects exosomes signaling in human ovary cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: Human ovary cancer cells, including A2780 and Skov3 cells, were treated with metformin for either 24-48 h. Cell viability and caspase-3 activity were determined by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) and colorimetric assays respectively...

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is important in regulating mRNA stability, splicing, and translation, and it also contributes to tumor development. However, there is still limited understanding of the comprehensive effects of m6A modification patterns on the tumor immune microenvironment, metabolism, and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we utilized unsupervised clustering based on the expression of 23 m6A regulators to identify m6A clusters. We identified differential m6A modification patterns and characterized m6A-gene-cluster A, which exhibited poorer survival rates, a higher abundance of Treg cells, and increased expression of TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment (TME)...

One of the contributing factors in the diagnosis and treatment of most cancers is the identification of their surface antigens. Cancer tissues or cells have their specific antigens. Some antigens that are present in many cancers elicit different functions. One of these antigens is the prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) antigen, which was first identified in the prostate. PSCA is a cell surface protein that has different functions in different tissues. It can play an inhibitory role in cell proliferation as well as a tumor-inducing role...

BACKGROUND: Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is closely related to anti-tumor therapy and regulates the tumor microenvironment (TME). This study aims to explore the molecular characteristics of ICD in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to analyze the value of ICD-related biomarkers in TME indication, prognosis prediction, and treatment response evaluation in AML. METHODS: Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis was used to calculate the ICD score. LASSO regression was used to construct a prognostic risk score model...

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) is a significant endogenous mediator that has been implicated in the progression of various forms of cancer including breast cancer (BC). Cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3MST) are the three principal mammalian enzymes responsible for H2 S production. Overexpression of CBS, CSE and 3MST was found to be associated with poor prognosis of BC patients. Moreover, H2 S was linked to an immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment in BC...

The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the management of hematological malignancies has emerged as a noteworthy therapeutic breakthrough. Nevertheless, the utilization and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors are still limited primarily because of the absence of tumor-specific target antigen, the existence of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, restricted T cell invasion and proliferation, and the occurrence of severe toxicity. This review explored the history of CAR-T and its latest advancements in the management of solid tumors...

Some noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) carry open reading frames (ORFs) that can be translated into micropeptides, although noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been previously assumed to constitute a class of RNA transcripts without coding capacity. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed that ncRNA-derived micropeptides exhibit regulatory functions in the development of many tumours. Although some of these micropeptides inhibit tumour growth, others promote it. Understanding the role of ncRNA-encoded micropeptides in cancer poses new challenges for cancer research, but also offers promising prospects for cancer therapy...

BACKGROUND: The metabolism of cancer cells generally differs from that of normal cells. Indeed, most cancer cells have a high rate of glycolysis, even at normal oxygen concentrations. These metabolic properties can potentially be exploited for therapeutic intervention. In this context, we have developed troglitazone derivatives to treat hormone-sensitive and triple-negative breast cancers, which currently lack therapeutic targets, have an aggressive phenotype, and often have a worse prognosis than other subtypes...

Extensive exploration of the molecular subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is critical for advancing precision medicine. Notably, the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype has attracted attention for targeted treatment combining androgen receptor antagonists and CDK4/6 inhibitors. Unfortunately, this strategy has proven to be of limited efficacy, highlighting the need for further optimization. Using our center's comprehensive multiomics dataset (n = 465), we identified novel therapeutic targets and evaluated their efficacy through multiple models, including in vitro LAR cell lines, in vivo cell-derived allograft models and ex vivo patient-derived organoids...

BACKGROUND: Fatty acids synthesis and metabolism (FASM)-driven lipid mobilization is essential for energy production during nutrient shortages. However, the molecular characteristics, physiological function and clinical prognosis value of FASM-associated gene signatures in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. METHODS: The Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO), the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) database were utilized to acquire transcriptome data and clinical information of HCC patients...

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the role and regulatory mechanism of miR-380 in cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: The TargetScan database and a dual-luciferase reporter assay system were used to determine if LIS1 was a target gene of miR-380. The Cell Counting Kit 8 assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay were used to detect the effects of miR-380 and LIS1 on the proliferation, S-phase ratio, and invasiveness of HCCC-9810/HuCCT1/QBC939 cells...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) drive cancer progression and treatment failure on one hand, while their tumor-restraining functions are also observed on the other. Recent single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses demonstrates heterogeneity of CAFs and defines molecular subtypes of CAFs, which help explain their different functions. However, it remains unclear whether these CAF subtypes have the same or different biological/clinical implications in prostate cancer (PCa) or other malignancies...

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) stands out as a prevalent and highly lethal malignancy worldwide. Chemoresistance significantly contributes to cancer recurrence and progression. Traditional Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage and molecular subtypes often fail to promptly identify treatment preferences based on sensitivity. METHODS: In this study, we developed a prognostic signature for BCa with uni-Cox + LASSO + multi-Cox survival analysis in multiple independent cohorts...

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most prevalent renal cancers, and the molecular mechanisms underlying its progression are still not fully understood. The expression of CCDC25, a notably underexpressed gene in many tumors, has been understudied in ccRCC. This research aims to explore the role of CCDC25 in ccRCC's clinical outcomes and uncover the molecular pathways influenced by it. METHODS: A multi-tiered approach was adopted involving bioinformatic analysis, tissue sample evaluation, in vitro and in vivo experiments...

BACKGROUND: GBM, also known as glioblastoma multiforme, is the most prevalent and lethal type of brain cancer. The cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and treatment of gliomas are significantly influenced by oxidative stress. Nevertheless, the connection between ORGs and GBM remains poorly comprehended. The objective of this research is to investigate the predictive significance of ORGs in GBM and their potential as targets for therapy. METHODS: We identified differentially expressed genes in glioma and ORGs from public databases...

Recent studies have increasingly highlighted the aberrant expression of SLC16A1-AS1 in a variety of tumor types, where it functions as either an oncogene or a tumor suppressor in the pathogenesis of different cancers. The expression levels of SLC16A1-AS1 have been found to significantly correlate with clinical features and the prognosis of cancer patients. Furthermore, SLC16A1-AS1 modulates a range of cellular functions, including proliferation, migration, and invasion, through its interactions with diverse molecules and signaling pathways...

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancers in men and is associated with high mortality and disability rates. β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a ketone body, has received increasing attention for its role in cancer. However, its role in PCa remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism and feasibility of BHB as a treatment alternative for PCa. METHODS: Colony formation assay, flow cytometry, western blot assay, and transwell assays were performed to determine the effect of BHB on the proliferation and metastasis of PCa cells...