Cancer SciencePub Date : 2024-07-21DOI: 10.1111/cas.16294
Dakeun Lee
{"title":"Which occurs first, ARID1A inactivation or microsatellite instability?: A comment to Yamamoto et al. (2024)","authors":"Dakeun Lee","doi":"10.1111/cas.16294","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16294","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Is ARID1A a victim of MSI-induced genomic instability, or is it an architect? This article aims to answer from a pathological perspective and give readers a balanced view.\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 10","pages":"3488-3490"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11447879/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141735377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The role of gastric mucins and mucin-related glycans in gastric cancers","authors":"Junya Arai, Yoku Hayakawa, Hiroaki Tateno, Hiroaki Fujiwara, Masato Kasuga, Mitsuhiro Fujishiro","doi":"10.1111/cas.16282","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16282","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Gastric mucins serve as a protective barrier on the stomach's surface, protecting from external stimuli including gastric acid and gut microbiota. Their composition typically changes in response to the metaplastic sequence triggered by <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> infection. This alteration in gastric mucins is also observed in cases of gastric cancer, although the precise connection between mucin expressions and gastric carcinogenesis remains uncertain. This review first introduces the relationship between mucin expressions and gastric metaplasia or cancer observed in humans and mice. Additionally, we discuss potential pathogenic mechanisms of how aberrant mucins and their glycans affect gastric carcinogenesis. Finally, we summarize challenges to target tumor-specific glycans by utilizing lectin-drug conjugates that can bind to specific glycans. Understanding the correlation and mechanism between these mucin expressions and gastric carcinogenesis could pave the way for new strategies in gastric cancer treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"2853-2861"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16282","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141731528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Discovering cancer stem-like molecule, nuclear factor I X, using spatial transcriptome in gastric cancer","authors":"Akira Ishikawa, Takafumi Fukui, Aya Kido, Narutaka Katsuya, Kazuya Kuraoka, Naohiro Uraoka, Takahisa Suzuki, Shiro Oka, Takahiro Kotachi, Hassan Ashktorab, Duane Smoot, Wataru Yasui","doi":"10.1111/cas.16288","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16288","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by significant intratumoral heterogeneity, and stem cells are promising therapeutic targets. Despite advancements in spatial transcriptome analyses, unexplored targets for addressing cancer stemness remain unknown. This study aimed to identify Nuclear Factor IX (NFIX) as a critical regulator of cancer stemness in GC and evaluate its clinicopathological significance and function. Spatial transcriptome analysis of GC was conducted. The correlation between NFIX expression, clinicopathological factors, and prognosis was assessed using immunostaining in 127 GC cases. Functional analyses of cancer cell lines validated these findings. Spatial transcriptome analysis stratified GC tissues based on genetic profiles, identified CSC-like cells, and further refined the classification to identify and highlight the significance of NFIX, as validated by Monocle 3 and CytoTRACE analyses. Knockdown experiments in cancer cell lines have demonstrated the involvement of NFIX in cancer cell proliferation and kinase activity. This study underscores the role of spatial transcriptome analysis in refining GC tissue classification and identifying therapeutic targets, highlighting NFIX as a pivotal factor. NFIX expression is correlated with poor prognosis and drives GC progression, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic target for personalized GC therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3180-3193"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16288","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141635143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ropivacaine synergizes with sorafenib to induce apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the IL-6/STAT3 pathway","authors":"Wenting Wang, Hongyun Lin, Desheng Liu, Tao Wang, Zicheng Zhu, Peng Yu, Jing Zhang","doi":"10.1111/cas.16261","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16261","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The development of resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells limits the effectiveness of sorafenib, but combination therapy with other drugs may have a positive effect. However, the effect of ropivacaine combined with sorafenib on the treatment of HCC cells and its potential regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. The proliferation and apoptosis of HCC cells treated with ropivacaine, sorafenib, and ropivacaine plus sorafenib were analyzed by cell-counting kit 8 and flow cytometry. The protein levels were measured by Western blot. The antitumor effect of ropivacaine, sorafenib, and their combination was verified by a tumor xenograft model. Ropivacaine and sorafenib markedly impeded the viability of HCC cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Compared with ropivacaine or sorafenib treatment alone, ropivacaine and sorafenib combination treatment impeded HCC cell proliferation, facilitated apoptosis, enhanced cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, and cyclin D1 protein expression, while it reduced IL-6 and p-STAT3 expression and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Importantly, the activation of the IL-6/STAT3 pathway could reverse the repressive or stimulative effects of ropivacaine and sorafenib on the proliferation and apoptosis in HCC cells. In summary, ropivacaine synergistically induces sorafenib-stimulated apoptosis of HCC cells via the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. Ropivacaine is a potential drug for the treatment of HCC when combined with sorafenib.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"2923-2930"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16261","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141628042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Protein phosphatase 6 promotes stemness of colorectal cancer cells","authors":"Nobuyuki Fujiwara, Ryouichi Tsunedomi, Yuta Kimura, Masao Nakajima, Shinobu Tomochika, Shuhei Enjoji, Takashi Ohama, Koichi Sato, Hiroaki Nagano","doi":"10.1111/cas.16271","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16271","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health concern, demanding a more profound comprehension of its molecular foundations for the development of improved therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to elucidate the role of protein phosphatase 6 (PP6), a member of the type 2A protein phosphatase family, in CRC. Protein phosphatase 6 functions as a heterotrimer with a catalytic subunit (PP6c), regulatory subunits (PP6Rs; PP6R1, PP6R2, and PP6R3), and scaffold subunits (ANKRD28, ANKRD44, and ANKRD52). Elevated PP6c expression has been identified in CRC tissues compared to normal mucosa, aligning with its potential involvement in CRC pathogenesis. PP6c knockdown resulted in decreased colony-forming ability and in vivo proliferation of various CRC cell lines. Transcriptome analysis revealed that PP6c knockdown resulted in altered expression of genes associated with cancer stemness. Notably, the PP6c-PP6R3 complex is a key player in regulating cancer stem cell (CSC) markers. Additionally, increased PP6c expression was observed in CSC-like cells induced by sphere formation, implicating the role of PP6c in CSC maintenance. This study highlights the role of PP6c in CRC and suggests that it is a potential therapeutic target disrupting a pathway critical for CRC progression and stem cell maintenance.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3067-3078"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16271","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141628041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cancer SciencePub Date : 2024-07-16DOI: 10.1111/cas.16290
Hailong Chen, Huifang Li, Minke He, Zhicheng Lai, Lichang Huang, Dongsheng Wen, Ming Shi, Anna Kan
{"title":"UBA2 SUMOylates NQO1 and promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating the MAPK pathway","authors":"Hailong Chen, Huifang Li, Minke He, Zhicheng Lai, Lichang Huang, Dongsheng Wen, Ming Shi, Anna Kan","doi":"10.1111/cas.16290","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16290","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In our previous study, we found that small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-activating enzyme ubiquitin-associated-2 domain (UBA2) was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who were insensitive to chemoembolization. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of UBA2 in HCC progression. Three cohorts were used to evaluate the efficacy of UBA2 as a prognostic factor for HCC. Our results indicated that UBA2 was associated with aggressive clinical behaviors and was a strong indicator of poor prognosis in HCC. In vitro experiments demonstrated that UBA2 accelerated cell growth, invasion, and migration. These results were further supported by in vivo experiments. RNA-sequencing analysis indicated NQO1 as a target of UBA2, with its levels altering following UBA2 manipulation. The results were verified by western blotting (WB) and quantitative PCR. The SUMOplot Analysis Program predicted lysine residue K240 as a modification target of UBA2, which was confirmed by immunoprecipitation (IP) assays. Subsequent mutation of NQO1 at K240 in HCC cell lines and functional assays revealed the significance of this modification. In addition, the oncogenic effect of UBA2 could be reversed by the SUMO inhibitor ML792 in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, our study elucidated the regulatory mechanism of UBA2 in HCC and suggested that the SUMO inhibitor ML792 may be an effective combinatory treatment for patients with aberrant UBA2 expression.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"2998-3012"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16290","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141628043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cytochrome P450 2J2 is required for the natural compound austocystin D to elicit cancer cell toxicity","authors":"Yukiko Kojima, Saki Fujieda, Liya Zhou, Masahiro Takikawa, Kouji Kuramochi, Toshiki Furuya, Ayaka Mizumoto, Noritaka Kagaya, Teppei Kawahara, Kazuo Shin-ya, Shingo Dan, Akihiro Tomida, Fuyuki Ishikawa, Mahito Sadaie","doi":"10.1111/cas.16289","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16289","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Austocystin D is a natural compound that induces cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenase-dependent DNA damage and growth inhibition in certain cancer cell lines. Cancer cells exhibiting higher sensitivity to austocystin D often display elevated <i>CYP2J2</i> expression. However, the essentiality and the role of CYP2J2 for the cytotoxicity of this compound remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that <i>CYP2J2</i> depletion alleviates austocystin D sensitivity and DNA damage induction, while <i>CYP2J2</i> overexpression enhances them. Moreover, the investigation into genes involved in austocystin D cytotoxicity identified <i>POR</i> and <i>PGRMC1</i>, positive regulators for CYP activity, and <i>KAT7</i>, a histone acetyltransferase. Through genetic manipulation and analysis of multiomics data, we elucidated a role for KAT7 in <i>CYP2J2</i> transcriptional regulation. These findings strongly suggest that CYP2J2 is crucial for austocystin D metabolism and its subsequent cytotoxic effects. The potential use of austocystin D as a therapeutic prodrug is underscored, particularly in cancers where elevated CYP2J2 expression serves as a biomarker.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3054-3066"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16289","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141621261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tumor thickness as a novel risk factor for lymph node metastasis by superficial squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck","authors":"Satoshi Fujii, Chikatoshi Katada, Hidenobu Watanabe, Tadakazu Shimoda, Atsushi Ochiai, Tetsuji Yokoyama, Yasutoshi Sakamoto, Koichi Kano, Masaaki Ichinoe, Tetsuo Nemoto, Masahiro Fujita, Yoko Tateishi, Hitoshi Sugiura, Tetuo Mikami, Tomonori Yano, Takakuni Kato, Manabu Muto, Ryuichi Hayashi","doi":"10.1111/cas.16209","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16209","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Narrow-band imaging combined with magnified endoscopy has enabled the detection of superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SSCCHN) that has been resected with minimally invasive treatment, preserving vocalization and swallowing functions. However, risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) must be identified, as some patients with LNM have a poor prognosis. From an initial 599 patients with 700 lesions who underwent trans-oral surgery in 27 Japanese hospitals (a nationwide registration survey), we enrolled 541 patients with 633 SSCCHNs, as indicated by central pathological diagnoses. All pathological specimens for each patient were examined using 20 pathological factors that are thought to affect the LNM of SSCCHN. In all, 24 (4.4%) of the 568 SSCCHNs exhibited LNM, and all 24 had at least one solitary nest of epithelial neoplastic cells present in the stroma, clearly separated from the intraepithelial carcinoma. Multivariate analysis also showed that tumor thickness (<i>p</i> = 0.0132, RR: 7.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54–40.02), and an INFc pattern classified as infiltrating growth (INF) with unclear boundaries between tumor and non-tumor tissues (<i>p</i> = 0.0003, RR: 14.47, 3.46–60.46), and tumor budding (<i>p</i> = 0.0019, RR: 4.35, CI: 1.72–11.01) were significantly associated with LNM. Solitary nests may be indicative of LNM. In addition, tumor thickness was revealed to be a risk factor for LNM in SSCCHNs using pT factors that do not include an invasion depth element because of the anatomical absence of the muscularis mucosae.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3169-3179"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16209","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141621262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Salivary metabolomic biomarkers for esophageal and gastric cancers by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry","authors":"Kosuke Nakane, Koichi Yagi, Sho Yajima, Sachiyo Nomura, Masahiro Sugimoto, Yasuyuki Seto","doi":"10.1111/cas.16256","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16256","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Early detection of esophageal and gastric cancers is essential for patients' prognosis; however, optimal noninvasive screening tests are currently not available. Saliva is a biofluid that is readily available, allowing for frequent screening tests. Thus, we explored salivary diagnostic biomarkers for esophageal and gastric cancers using metabolomic analyses. Saliva samples were collected from patients with esophageal (<i>n</i> = 50) and gastric cancer (<i>n</i> = 63), and patients without cancer as controls (<i>n</i> = 20). Salivary metabolites were analyzed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to identify salivary biomarkers. We also examined the metabolic profiles of gastric cancer tissues and compared them with the salivary biomarkers. The sensitivity of the diagnostic models based on salivary biomarkers was assessed by comparing it with that of serum tumor markers. Additionally, using postoperative saliva samples collected from patients with gastric cancer, we analyzed the changes in the biomarkers' concentrations before and after surgery. Cytosine was detected as a salivary biomarker for gastric cancer, and cytosine, 2-oxoglutarate, and arginine were detected as salivary biomarkers for esophageal cancer. Cytidine, a cytosine nucleotide, showed decreased concentrations in gastric cancer tissues. The sensitivity of the diagnostic models for esophageal and gastric cancers was 66.0% and 47.6%, respectively, while that of serum tumor markers was 40%. Salivary cytosine concentration increased significantly postoperatively relative to the preoperative value. In summary, we identified salivary biomarkers for esophageal and gastric cancers, which showed diagnostic sensitivity at least comparable to that of serum tumor markers. Salivary metabolomic tests could be promising screening tests for these types of cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3089-3098"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16256","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141617468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"FOXM1/DEPDC1 feedback loop promotes hepatocarcinogenesis and represents promising targets for cancer therapy","authors":"Teng Wei, Chenquan Zeng, Qineng Li, Zhiyuan Xiao, Leisheng Zhang, Qiangnu Zhang, Lili Ren","doi":"10.1111/cas.16273","DOIUrl":"10.1111/cas.16273","url":null,"abstract":"<p><i>Forkhead box M1</i> (FOXM1) is a key regulator of mitosis and is identified as an oncogene involved in several kinds of human malignancies. However, how it induces carcinogenesis and related therapeutic approaches remains not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to identify a regulatory axis involving FOXM1 and its target gene <i>DEP domain containing 1</i> (DEPDC1) and investigate their biological functions. FOXM1 bound to the promoter and transcriptionally induced DEPDC1 expression, in turn, DEPDC1 physically interacted with FOXM1, promoted its nuclear translocation, and reinforced its transcriptional activities. The FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis was indispensable for cancer cells, as evidenced by the fact that DEPDC1 rescued cell growth inhibition caused by FOXM1 knockdown, and silencing DEPDC1 efficiently attenuated tumor growth in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model. Furthermore, strong positive associations between FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis and poor clinical outcome were observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples, further indicating their significance for hepatocarcinogenesis. Finally, we attempted to exploit immunotherapy approaches to target the FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis. Several HLA-A24:02-restricted T-cell epitopes targeting FOXM1 or DEPDC1 were identified through bioinformatic analysis. Then, T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells targeting FOXM1<sub>262-270</sub> or DEPDC1<sub>294-302</sub> were successfully established and proved to efficiently eradicate tumor cells. Our findings highlight the significance of the FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis in the process of oncogenesis and indicate their potential as immunotherapy targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":9580,"journal":{"name":"Cancer Science","volume":"115 9","pages":"3041-3053"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cas.16273","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141617466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}