Hong-Lei Qin, Yang Han, Jian-Qi Li, Qing-Hua Wu, Yu-Ping Du, Qian-Hui Li, Xi Chen, Yong-Peng Wang, Xue Guan, Xiu-Jie Sheng, Shuo Chen, Yang Zhao
{"title":"piRNA28846 has the potential to be a novel RNA nucleic acid drug for ovarian cancer.","authors":"Hong-Lei Qin, Yang Han, Jian-Qi Li, Qing-Hua Wu, Yu-Ping Du, Qian-Hui Li, Xi Chen, Yong-Peng Wang, Xue Guan, Xiu-Jie Sheng, Shuo Chen, Yang Zhao","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00840-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00840-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conventional targeted therapies primarily rely on small molecules and proteins. However, they often struggle to enter specific protein conformations, which limits their therapeutic effectiveness. In contrast, RNA therapy is emerging as a more precise and effective targeting strategy. Through differential analysis comparing Pandora-Seq data with clinical samples, we discovered that the small RNA piR-28846 naturally, occurring in human body, exhibited low expression levels in ovarian cancer tissues. Experimental results indicate that piR-28846 inhibits the growth of ovarian cancer cells. Additionally, piR-28846 demonstrated significant therapeutic effects in xenograft models and ovarian cancer-like organoids. Further studies revealed that piR-28846 binds to NSUN2 and down-regulates it, which in turn affects the stability of KPNA2 mRNA. Notably, KPNA2 negatively regulates NSUN2 expression and localization. Given its inhibitory effects observed in vivo, in vitro, and in the ovarian cancer organoid model, we believe piR-28846 has strong potential as a small nucleic acid therapy of ovarian cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11890584/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143586426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Role of GPX3+ astrocytes in breast cancer brain metastasis activated by circulating tumor cell exosomes.","authors":"Guanghui Huang, Gongwen Xu, Qianqian Cao, Sheng Li, Hao Li, Xiaonan Zhang, Xiaomei Li","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00833-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00833-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brain metastasis from breast cancer (BMBC) contributes significantly to mortality, yet its mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the activation of GPX3+ astrocytes by circulating tumor cell (CTC)-derived exosomes in the metastatic process. Using a mouse model of BMBC, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and metabolomics to explore the role of GPX3+ astrocytes in the brain microenvironment. We found that CTCs activate these astrocytes, promoting IL-1β production and Th17 cell differentiation, crucial for the formation of the metastatic niche. Conditional knockout of GPX3 reduced brain metastasis and extended survival, highlighting its importance in metastasis. Our findings uncover a novel mechanism by which CTCs activate GPX3+ astrocytes to drive breast cancer brain metastasis, suggesting new therapeutic targets for intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11889224/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143586429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Successful unconventional precision treatment of inflammatory hormone receptor-positive breast cancer guided by molecular profiling.","authors":"Jailan Elayoubi, Yu Zong, Erich J Schwartz","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00845-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00845-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present a unique case of locally advanced, inflammatory hormone receptor (HR) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer in a young woman. A MammaPrint gene signature performed on the core biopsy indicated a very high risk of recurrence (MammaPrint high risk 2, MPH2). BluePrint 80-gene signature was used for the molecular subtyping and identified the tumor as a basal subtype, resembling triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) despite the strong estrogen receptor (ER) expression on immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. We treated the patient with a TNBC protocol, incorporating carboplatin and immunotherapy into the anthracycline-based chemotherapy backbone in the neoadjuvant setting. The patient achieved a complete response and remains to be disease-free after 2 years, with ongoing follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11889212/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143586431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Vinita Akula, Lily Chen, Yusuf Acikgoz, Katherine Klein, Betul Gok Yavuz, Lokman Cevik, Tarik Demir, Ashish Manne, Ilyas Sahin, Ahmed Kaseb, Elshad Hasanov","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00846-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00846-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. HCC treatment is challenging; surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for early-stage disease, but recurrence rates are high. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a promising neoadjuvant treatment that can reduce recurrence rates and mortality after surgery and achieve complete/partial responses. Clinical trials provide strong evidence for the efficacy and safety of ICI monotherapy for neoadjuvant HCC treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"60"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11885445/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143573422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lamis Yehia, Gilman Plitt, Ann M Tushar, Darren Liu, Julia Joo, Ying Ni, Sujata Patil, Charis Eng
{"title":"Extended spectrum of cancers in PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome.","authors":"Lamis Yehia, Gilman Plitt, Ann M Tushar, Darren Liu, Julia Joo, Ying Ni, Sujata Patil, Charis Eng","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00847-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00847-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) is associated with increased lifetime risks of breast, thyroid, kidney, endometrial, and colorectal cancers, as well as melanoma (collectively, component cancers). We sought to characterize non-component cancers (NCC) in PHTS. Of 701 research participants with PHTS, 340 (49%) had cancer, with 101 (30%) having at least one NCC. Interestingly, 71 (70%) of those with NCC had at least one other PHTS component malignancy. Patients with pathogenic PTEN variants showed higher risks for prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcomas at younger ages than the general population. A literature survey showed independent cases of NCC in PHTS, with PTEN-related molecular changes including second-hit somatic PTEN alterations in a subset of various specimens. We recommend increased awareness regarding NCC in individuals with PHTS, particularly increased risks for prostate cancer and sarcoma. Further studies are needed to define age-related penetrance and accordingly, the appropriate strategies for cancer risk management.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"61"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11885834/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143573450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pamela R de Santiago, Sho Sato, Stephanie J Zhang, Meaghan C Dougher, Kyle M Devins, Agnes J Bilecz, Sagar Rayamajhi, Gabriel Mingo, Hannah S Rendulich, Yi Feng, Connie Wu, Martin S Taylor, Yelena Zhuravlev, Euihye Jung, Dalia K Omran, Tian-Li Wang, Ie-Ming Shih, Lauren E Schwartz, Sarah Kim, Mark A Morgan, Janos L Tanyi, Kathleen H Burns, Ernst Lengyel, Carlos Parra-Herran, Andrew K Godwin, David R Walt, Ronny Drapkin
{"title":"LINE-1 ORF1p expression occurs in clear cell ovarian carcinoma precursors and is a candidate blood biomarker.","authors":"Pamela R de Santiago, Sho Sato, Stephanie J Zhang, Meaghan C Dougher, Kyle M Devins, Agnes J Bilecz, Sagar Rayamajhi, Gabriel Mingo, Hannah S Rendulich, Yi Feng, Connie Wu, Martin S Taylor, Yelena Zhuravlev, Euihye Jung, Dalia K Omran, Tian-Li Wang, Ie-Ming Shih, Lauren E Schwartz, Sarah Kim, Mark A Morgan, Janos L Tanyi, Kathleen H Burns, Ernst Lengyel, Carlos Parra-Herran, Andrew K Godwin, David R Walt, Ronny Drapkin","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00849-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00849-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1) retrotransposons are repetitive sequences that can move within the genome by an autonomous mechanism. To limit their mutagenic potential, benign cells restrict LINE-1 expression through molecular mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification, but these mechanisms are usually impaired in cancer. Clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) represents 5-10% of ovarian cancers and is thought to arise from endometriosis. Women with advanced CCOC face poor prognoses, highlighting the importance of understanding early disease pathogenesis. In our study, 33 of 40 cases (over 82%) of CCOC tumors express ORF1p, a LINE-1-encoded protein. We found that LINE-1 de-repression is an early event in CCOC, as ORF1p is enhanced during the transition from typical to atypical endometriosis and persists in invasive cancer. Finally, using single-molecule array (Simoa) assays, we detected ORF1p in patient blood, suggesting it as a potential minimally invasive biomarker for this disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"62"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11885553/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143573418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Phoebe T M Cheng, James T Topham, Ayman Aldeheshi, Gregory A Taylor, Erin Pleasance, Melissa K McConechy, Jessica M T Nelson, David F Schaeffer, Steven J M Jones, Marco A Marra, Janessa Laskin, Daniel J Renouf
{"title":"Whole-genome analysis of an aggressive metastatic pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.","authors":"Phoebe T M Cheng, James T Topham, Ayman Aldeheshi, Gregory A Taylor, Erin Pleasance, Melissa K McConechy, Jessica M T Nelson, David F Schaeffer, Steven J M Jones, Marco A Marra, Janessa Laskin, Daniel J Renouf","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00843-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00843-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) are uncommon tumors that rarely exhibit aggressive behavior. Given disease rarity, comprehensive studies to understand tumor biology, clinical course, and optimal management are limited. We describe an unusual case of a 55-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic SPN, where whole-genome and transcriptome analyses of the primary tumor and a metastatic liver lesion revealed a shared homozygous non-canonical mutation in APC. The patient received upfront modified FOLFIRINOX (infusional 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy due to rapidly progressive symptoms, demonstrating an early and sustained treatment response. Therefore, we identified potential genetic determinants of tumorigenesis and progression in a pathologically and clinically aggressive SPN, which may have important prognostic and treatment implications.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"59"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11880304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143557508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaofei Zhang, Ruoxin Lan, Yongjun Liu, Venu G Pillarisetty, Danting Li, Chaohui L Zhao, Suparna A Sarkar, Weiguo Liu, Iman Hanna, Mala Gupta, Cristina Hajdu, Jonathan Melamed, Michael Shusterman, Jessica Widmer, John Allendorf, Yao-Zhong Liu
{"title":"Complement activation in tumor microenvironment after neoadjuvant therapy and its impact on pancreatic cancer outcomes.","authors":"Xiaofei Zhang, Ruoxin Lan, Yongjun Liu, Venu G Pillarisetty, Danting Li, Chaohui L Zhao, Suparna A Sarkar, Weiguo Liu, Iman Hanna, Mala Gupta, Cristina Hajdu, Jonathan Melamed, Michael Shusterman, Jessica Widmer, John Allendorf, Yao-Zhong Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00848-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00848-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is increasingly being used for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study investigates how NAT differentially impacts PDAC's carcinoma cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Spatial transcriptomics was used to compare gene expression profiles in carcinoma cells and the TME of 23 NAT-treated versus 13 NAT-naïve PDACs. Findings were validated by single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis. NAT induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of carcinoma cells and coordinately upregulates multiple complement genes (C1R, C1S, C3, C4B and C7) within the TME. Higher TME complement expression following NAT is associated with increased immunomodulatory and neurotrophic cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs); more CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells; reduced immune exhaustion gene expression, and improved overall survival. snRNA-seq analysis demonstrates C3 complement is mainly upregulated in CAFs. These findings suggest that local complement dynamics could serve as a novel biomarker for prognosis, evaluating treatment response, and guiding therapeutic strategies in NAT-treated PDAC patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"58"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11876354/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143542910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Viviane Nascimento Da Conceicao, Yuyang Sun, Manigandan Venkatesan, Jorge De La Chapa, Karthik Ramachandran, Rahul S Jasrotia, Victor Drel, Xiufang Chai, Bibhuti B Mishra, Muniswamy Madesh, Brij B Singh
{"title":"Author Correction: Naltriben promotes tumor growth by activating the TRPM7-mediated development of the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.","authors":"Viviane Nascimento Da Conceicao, Yuyang Sun, Manigandan Venkatesan, Jorge De La Chapa, Karthik Ramachandran, Rahul S Jasrotia, Victor Drel, Xiufang Chai, Bibhuti B Mishra, Muniswamy Madesh, Brij B Singh","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00836-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00836-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"55"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11871210/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bohai Feng, Di Zhao, Zheng Zhang, Ru Jia, Patrick J Schuler, Jochen Hess
{"title":"Ligand-receptor interactions combined with histopathology for improved prognostic modeling in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.","authors":"Bohai Feng, Di Zhao, Zheng Zhang, Ru Jia, Patrick J Schuler, Jochen Hess","doi":"10.1038/s41698-025-00844-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41698-025-00844-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is a prevalent malignancy, with HPV-negative tumors exhibiting aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. Understanding the intricate interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for improving prognostic models and identifying therapeutic targets. Using BulkSignalR, we identified ligand-receptor interactions in HPV-negative TCGA-HNSC cohort (n = 395). A prognostic model incorporating 14 ligand-receptor pairs was developed using random forest survival analysis and LASSO-penalized Cox regression based on overall survival and progression-free interval of HPV-negative tumors from TCGA-HNSC. Multi-omics analysis revealed distinct molecular features between risk groups, including differences in extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis, immune infiltration, and APOBEC enzyme activity. Deep learning-based tissue morphology analysis on HE-stained whole slide images further improved risk stratification, with region selection via Silicon enhancing accuracy. The integration of routine histopathology with deep learning and multi-omics data offers a clinically accessible tool for precise risk stratification, facilitating personalized treatment strategies in HPV-negative HNSC.</p>","PeriodicalId":19433,"journal":{"name":"NPJ Precision Oncology","volume":"9 1","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11871237/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143531647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}