Scavenger Receptor Class A to E Involved in Various Cancers / 전남의대학술지

Scavenger receptors typically bind to multiple ligands on a cell surface, including endogenous and modified host-derived molecules and microbial pathogens. They promote the elimination of degraded or harmful substances such as non-self or altered-self targets through endocytosis, phagocytosis, and adhesion. Currently, scavenger receptors are subdivided into eight classes based on several variations in their sequences due to alternative splicing. Since recent studies indicate targeting scavenger receptors has been involved in cancer prognosis and carcinogenesis, we will focus on the current knowledge about the emerging role of scavenger receptor classes A to E in cancer progression.

Therapeutic Effects of Synthetic Antimicrobial Peptides, TRAIL and NRP1 Blocking Peptides in Psoriatic Keratinocytes / 전남의대학술지

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, heterogeneous, cutaneous inflammatory skin disease for which there is no cure. It affects approximately 7.5 million people in the United States. Currently, several biologic agents that target different molecules implicated in the pathogenic processes of psoriasis are being assessed in diverse clinical studies. However, relapse usually occurs within weeks or months, meaning there is currently no cure for psoriasis. Therefore, recent studies have discovered diverse new potential treatments for psoriasis: inhibitors of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and neuropilin 1 (NRP1). A promising approach that has recently been described involves modifying antimicrobial peptides to develop new cutaneous anti-bacterial agents that target inflammatory skin disease induced by Staphylococcus. Increased expression of TRAIL and its death receptors DR4 and DR5 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of plaque psoriasis. In addition, TRAIL has the ability to inhibit angiogenesis by inducing endothelial cell death and by negative regulation of VEGF-induced angiogenesis via caspase-8-mediated enzymatic and non-enzymatic functions. Since NRP1 regulates angiogenesis induced by multiple signals, including VEGF, ECM and semaphorins, and also initiates proliferation of keratinocytes through NF-κB signaling pathway in involved psoriatic skin, targeting NRP1 pathways may offer numerous windows for intervention in psoriasis. In this review, we will focus on the current knowledge about the emerging role of synthetic antimicrobial peptides, TRAIL and NRP1 blocking peptides in the pathogenesis and treatment of psoriasis.

Melanoma Cell Death Mechanisms / 전남의대학술지

Over recent years, several new molecular and immunogenic therapeutic approaches to melanoma treatment have been approved and implemented in clinical practice. Mechanisms of resistance to these new therapies have become a major problem. Mutation-specific pharmacotherapy can result in simultaneous emergence of resistant clones at many separate body sites despite an initially positive therapeutic response. Additionally, treatments aimed at inducing apoptosis are subject to resistance due to escape through other known mechanisms of regulated cell death (RCD). In this review, we discuss the complexity in pharmacological manipulation of melanoma with c-Kit, BRAF, MEK, and/or mTOR mutant cell lines. This study also addresses melanoma evasion of cell death through modalities of RCD such as apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. This study also examines new combination therapies which have been approved to target both cell cycle dysregulation and cell death pathways. Lastly, we recognize the importance of immunomodulation though manipulation of the body's natural killing mechanisms with CTLA4, PD1, and CSF1 inhibition. As we begin to recognize tumor cell activation of alternate pathways, evasion of programmed cell death, and manipulation of the tumor microenvironment, it is increasingly important to grasp the complexity of personalized therapy in melanoma treatment.

Therapeutic Inhibitors against Mutated BRAF and MEK for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma / 전남의대학술지

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers in the world and is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Recent advances in the field of immunotherapy using active, adoptive, and antigen-specific therapeutic approaches, have generated the expectation that these technologies have the potential to improve the treatment of advanced malignancies, including melanoma. Treatment options for metastatic melanoma patients have been dramatically improved by the FDA approval of new therapeutic agents including vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and sorafenib. These kinase inhibitors have the potential to work in tandem with MEK, PI3K/AKT, and mTOR to inhibit the activity of melanoma inducing BRAF mutations. This review summarizes the effects of the new therapeutic agents against melanoma and the underlying biology of these BRAF inhibitors.

Therapeutic Inhibitors against Mutated BRAF and MEK for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma / 전남의대학술지

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers in the world and is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Recent advances in the field of immunotherapy using active, adoptive, and antigen-specific therapeutic approaches, have generated the expectation that these technologies have the potential to improve the treatment of advanced malignancies, including melanoma. Treatment options for metastatic melanoma patients have been dramatically improved by the FDA approval of new therapeutic agents including vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and sorafenib. These kinase inhibitors have the potential to work in tandem with MEK, PI3K/AKT, and mTOR to inhibit the activity of melanoma inducing BRAF mutations. This review summarizes the effects of the new therapeutic agents against melanoma and the underlying biology of these BRAF inhibitors.

Claudin-7 is Highly Expressed in Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma and Renal Oncocytoma

Claudin-7 has recently been suggested to be a distal nephron marker. We tested the possibility that expression of claudin-7 could be used as a marker of renal tumors originating from the distal nephron. We examined the immunohistochemical expression of claudin-7 and parvalbumin in 239 renal tumors, including 179 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC)s, 29 papillary RCCs, 20 chromophobe RCCs, and 11 renal oncocytomas. In addition, the methylation specific-PCR (MSP) of claudin-7 was performed. Claudin-7 and parvalbumin immunostains were positive in 3.4%, 7.8% of clear cell RCCs, 34.5%, 31.0% of papillary RCCs, 95.0%, 80.0% of chromophobe RCCs, and 72.7%, 81.8% of renal oncocytomas, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of claudin-7 in diagnosing chromophobe RCC among subtypes of RCC were 95.0% and 92.3%. Those of parvalbumin were 80.0% and 88.9%. The expression pattern of claudin-7 was mostly diffuse in chromophobe RCC and was either focal or diffuse in oncocytoma. All of the cases examined in the MSP revealed the presence of unmethylated promoter of claudin-7 without regard to claudin-7 immunoreactivity. Hypermethylation of the promoter might not be the underlying mechanism for loss of its expression in RCC. Claudin-7 can be used as a useful diagnostic marker in diagnosing chromophobe RCC and oncocytoma.