Cynanchum paniculatum (Bunge) Kitag. ex H.Hara inhibits pancreatic cancer progression by inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis and suppressing TGF-ß-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Background: Cynanchum paniculatum (Bunge) Kitag. ex H.Hara, a member of the Asclepiadaceae family, has a rich history as a traditional Chinese medicinal plant used to treat digestive disorders. However, its potential anti-cancer effects in pancreatic cancer remain largely unexplored. Aim: This study delves into the intricate anti-pancreatic cancer mechanisms of C. paniculatum (Bunge) Kitag. ex H.Hara aqueous extract (CPAE) by elucidating its role in apoptosis induction and the inhibition of invasion and migration. Methods: A comprehensive set of methodologies was employed to assess CPAE's impact, including cell viability analyses using MTT and colony formation assays, flow cytometry for cell cycle distribution and apoptosis assessment, scratch-wound and Matrigel invasion assays for migration and invasion capabilities, and immunoblotting to measure the expression levels of key proteins involved in apoptosis and metastasis. Additionally, a murine xenograft model was established to investigate CPAE's in vivo anti-cancer potential. Results: CPAE exhibited time- and dose-dependent suppression of proliferation and colony formation in pancreatic cancer cells. Notably, CPAE induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest, effectively activating the caspase-dependent PARP pathway. At non-cytotoxic doses, CPAE significantly curtailed the metastatic abilities of pancreatic cells, effectively suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and downregulating the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 pathway. In vivo experiments underscored CPAE's ability to inhibit tumor proliferation. Conclusion: This study illuminates the multifaceted anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-invasive, and anti-migratory effects of CPAE, both in vitro and in vivo. CPAE emerges as a promising herbal medicine for pancreatic cancer treatment, with its potential mediated through apoptosis induction via the caspase-dependent PARP pathway and MET suppression via the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway at non-cytotoxic doses. These findings advocate for further exploration of CPAE's therapeutic potential in pancreatic cancer.

Berberine chloride suppresses pancreatic adenocarcinoma proliferation and growth by targeting inflammation-related genes: an in silico analysis with in vitro and vivo validation.

PURPOSE: Targeting inflammatory crosstalk between tumors and their microenvironment has emerged as a crucial method for suppressing pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) progression. Berberine (BBR) is a natural pentacyclic isoquinoline alkaloid known for its anti-inflammatory and antitumor pharmacological effects; however, the mechanism underlying PAAD suppression remains unclear. We aim to investigate the effects of BBR on PAAD progression and their underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The prognostic value of inflammation-related genes in PAAD was assessed using bioinformatics analyses, then the pharmacological effects and potential mechanisms of BBR on PAAD will be investigated in silico, in vitro, and in vivo. RESULTS: Fifty-eight prognostic inflammation-related genes were identified in PAAD, which were shown to have good sensitivity and specificity using a novel inflammation-related gene risk-prognosis prediction model. Among these, four candidate genes (CAPS3, PTGS2, ICAM1, and CXCR4) were predicted as targets of BBR in PAAD in silico. Molecular docking simulations showed that the four key targets docked well with BBR. Further BBR treatment suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, and induced cell cycle arrest in vitro. Moreover, BBR exhibited a significant tumor-suppressive effect in murine subcutaneous xenografts without macroscopic hepatic and renal toxicities. In addition, BBR downregulated CAPS3, PTGS2, ICAM1, and CXCR4 protein expression. CONCLUSION: This study not only elucidated the prognostic value of inflammation-related genes in PAAD but also demonstrated the potential of BBR to inhibit PAAD by targeting these genes.

Novel silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles conjugated gemcitabine induced cellular apoptosis via upregulating NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation suppresses pancreatic cancer growthin vitroandin vivo.

Pancreatic cancer's high fatality rates stem from its resistance to systemic drug delivery and aggressive metastasis, limiting the efficacy of conventional treatments. In this study, two-dimensional ultrathin silicene nanosheets were initially synthesized and near-infrared-responsive two-dimensional silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles (SMSNs) were successfully constructed to load the clinically-approved conventional pancreatic cancer chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine. Experiments on nanoparticle characterization show that they have excellent photothermal conversion ability and stability. Then silicene-mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with gemcitabine nanoparticles (SMSN@G NPs) were employed in localized photothermal therapy to control pancreatic tumor growth and achieve therapeutic effects. Our research confirmed the functionality of SMSN@G NPs through immunoblotting and apoptotic assays, demonstrating its capacity to enhance the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB p65, further affect the protein levels of apoptosis-related genes, induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, and ultimately inhibit the growth of the tumor. Additionally, the study assessed the inhibitory role of SMSN@G NPs on pancreatic neoplasm growthin vivo, revealing its excellent biocompatibility. SMSN@G NPs have a nice application prospect for anti-pancreatic tumors.

EIF2Ss, a Novel c-Myc-Correlated Gene Family, is Associated with Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a highly malignant tumor in urgent need of novel diagnostics, prognostic markers, and treatments. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunits (EIF2Ss), comprising Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit alpha (EIF2S1), Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit beta (EIF2S2), and Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit gamma (EIF2S3), is a family of eukaryotic initiation factors that participate in early protein synthesis and are crucial for tumor initiation and progression. However, the role of EIF2Ss in PAAD has yet to be reported. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze EIF2Ss in relation to the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of PAAD. METHODS: The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database was used to investigate gene expression and patient survival. Gene alterations, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoints in PAAD were also evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analysis, nomograms, calibration curves, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) diagrams were used to develop and evaluate a prediction model for patient outcome. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA) analysis, functional enrichment, co-IP assay, mass spectrometry, and western blot were used to study the relationship between EIF2Ss and c-myc in PAAD. RESULTS: EIF2Ss are over-expressed in PAAD tissue and are associated with poor prognosis. The frequency of EIF2S1, EIF2S2, and EIF2S3 gene alteration in PAAD was 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.2%, respectively. High EIF2Ss expression was associated with Th2 cell infiltration, whereas low expression was associated with pDC infiltration. Moreover, EIF2Ss expression was positively correlated with the expression of the NT5E, ULBP1, PVR, CD44, IL10RB, and CD276 checkpoints. A prediction model developed using EIF2Ss and important clinicopathologic features showed good predictive value for the overall survival of PAAD patients. ScRNA-Seq data showed that EIF2Ss was associated with enrichment for endothelial cells, fibroblasts, malignant cells, and ductal cells. EIF2Ss expression was also correlated with adipogenesis, interferon-alpha response, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, myc targets, G2M checkpoint, oxidative phosphorylation, and hypoxia. Functional enrichment analysis of EIF2Ss showed a close correlation with the myc pathway, and interactions between EIF2Ss and c-myc were confirmed by co-IP assay and mass spectrometry. Importantly, knockdown of c-myc decreased the expression of EIF2S1, EIF2S2, and EIF2S3 in PAAD cells. CONCLUSIONS: EIF2Ss were found to have significant clinical implications for the prognosis and treatment of PAAD. Inhibition of c-myc caused the downregulation of EIF2S1, EIF2S2, and EIF2S3 expression.

Suppression of NBS1 Upregulates CyclinB to Induce Olaparib Sensitivity in Ovarian Cancer.

Background: Deficiencies in DNA damage repair responses promote chemotherapy sensitivity of tumor cells. The Nibrin homolog encoding gene Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome 1 (NBS1) is a crucial component of the MRE11-RAD50-NBN complex (MRN complex) and is involved in the response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) repair that has emerged as an attractive strategy to overcome tumor drug resistance, but the functional relationship between NBS1 regulated DNA damage repair and cell cycle checkpoints has not been fully elucidated. Methods: In this study, lentivirus-mediated RNAi was used to construct NBS1-downregulated cells. Flow cytometry, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry were used to explore the regulatory relationship between NBS1 and CyclinB in vivo and in vitro. Results: Our findings suggest that NBS1 deficiency leads to defective homologous recombination repair. Inhibition of NBS1 expression activates CHK1 and CyclinB signaling pathways leading to cell cycle arrest and sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to Olaparib treatment in vitro and in vivo. NBS1-deficient ovarian cancer cells tend to maintain sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs through activation of cell cycle checkpoints. Conclusions: NBS1 may be a potential therapeutic target for epithelial ovarian cancer as it plays a role in the regulation of the DNA damage response and cell cycle checkpoints. Suppression of NBS1 upregulates CyclinB to induce Olaparib sensitivity in ovarian cancer.

KIF20B and MET, hub genes of DIAPHs, predict poor prognosis and promote pancreatic cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: The DIAPHs (DIAPH1, DIAPH2, and DIAPH3) are members of the diaphanous subfamily of the formin family. KIF20B and MET, hub genes of DIAPHs, play crucial roles in cytoskeletal remodeling, cell migration, and adhesion. However, their combined prognostic and treatment value in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) warrants further investigation. METHODS: Multiomics analysis tools were used to comprehensively assess the genomic expression and prognostic value of KIF20B and MET in PC. Immune cell infiltration, functional enrichment, single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA) analysis, potential therapeutic drugs, and nomograms were established and analyzed. CCK-8 levels, transwell assay, Co-IP assay, mass spectrometry, and western blotting were performed to assess the role of KIF20B and MET as modulators of ß-catenin and Lactate Dehydrogenase A (LDHA) in vitro. Xenograft tumor models were used to evaluate the anti-tumor effects in vivo. RESULTS: DIAPHs, KIF20B, and MET were overexpressed and functioned as poor prognostic markers of PC. Immunoinfiltration analysis revealed that pDC and NK cells were enriched with low expression levels of KIF20B and MET, whereas Th2 cells were enriched with high expression levels of these two genes. The copy number variations (CNVs) in KIF20B and MET were positively correlated with B cell and CD4 + T cell infiltration. Immunological checkpoints NT5E and CD44 were positively correlated with KIF20B and MET expression. Moreover, the nomogram constructed based on KIF20B and MET demonstrated predictive value for overall survival. scRNA-Seq analysis indicated that KIF20B and MET were enriched in endothelial, malignant, B, T, and CD8 + T cells, which correlated with glycolysis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The interactions of KIF20B and MET with ß-catenin and LDHA were verified by Co-IP assay and mass spectrometry. Knockdown of KIF20B and MET downregulates ß-catenin and LDHA in vitro. Furthermore, dual knockdown of KIF20B and MET exhibited a synergistic suppressive effect on PC progression in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: DIAPHs, KIF20B, and MET are promising candidates for the prognosis and treatment of PC. More importantly, downregulation of KIF20B and MET inhibited pancreatic cancer progression by regulating LDHA and EMT.

Sequential high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment combined with chemotherapy for inoperable pancreatic cancer: a retrospective analysis for prognostic factors and survival outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) therapy on the survival and prognosis of patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer, and the clinical application of serological prognostic indicators. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features, laboratory tests and follow-ups of 192 patients. Among the patients, 57 were treated with HIFU prior to chemotherapy (HIFU-priority), and 135 patients received chemotherapy followed by HIFU (HIFU-second). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine the prognostic value of tumor inflammation-related serological markers. A nomogram model was established based on the identified prognostic factors. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that receiving the treatment regimen in HIFU-priority was a significant protective factor for overall survival (OS, p < 0.001). Tumor stage, high C-reactive protein (CRP), high gamma-glutamyl transferase(γGT) high carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), high lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and liver metastasis were significant risk factors for poor prognosis (p < 0.05). CRP combined with normal tumor marker CA125 (CRP + CA125) was associated with longer OS (p = 0.005). Multivariate analysis shows that HIFU-priority is a protective factor for OS (Hazard Ratio, HR: 0.38; 95% confidence interval(CI): 0.25-0.57), tumor stage (HR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.12-2.31), CRP + CA125 (HR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.02-2.08) and γGT (HR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.04-1.98) are risk factors for OS and serve as independent prognostic factors in the nomogram. CONCLUSION: Early application of HIFU treatment improves the OS of patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. CRP + CA125 and γGT are independent prognostic factors.

Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: transarterial chemoembolisation plus Huachansu - a single-center randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Huachansu, a Chinese medicine derived from the dried skin glands of toad venom, has been used in China since the 1970s to treat liver cancer. Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the standard of care for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination of TACE and Huachansu in unresectable HCC. METHODS: From September 2012 to September 2016, 120 patients diagnosed with unresectable HCC were prospectively enrolled. Patients were randomised at a 1:1 ratio into the combined treatment group (Huachansu-TACE) and the TACE treatment group. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) and secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and safety. The exploration outcome serum Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) α3 at baseline and 3-month follow-ups were compared for a prognostic role. All patients were subjected to 36-month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients who completed the study were included in the analysis. PFS and OS were significantly better in the Huachansu-TACE group than in the TACE group (p=0.029 and p=0.025, respectively), with a median PFS of 6.8 and 5.3; and a median OS of 14.8 months and 10.7 months, respectively. Although no prognostic significance was found between the baseline NKA-low and NKA-high groups in the patients' OS (p=0.48), its changes after 3-month follow-up showed significant prognostic values, of which, were 8.5 months and 23.8 months, respectively (p<0.001). Treatment-related adverse events were comparable between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Huachansu-TACE is effective in prolonging the PFS and OS in patients with unresectable HCC. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01715532.

Pancreatic melatonin enhances anti-tumor immunity in pancreatic adenocarcinoma through regulating tumor-associated neutrophils infiltration and NETosis.

Tumor microenvironment contributes to poor prognosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) patients. Proper regulation could improve survival. Melatonin is an endogenous hormone that delivers multiple bioactivities. Here we showed that pancreatic melatonin level is associated with patients' survival. In PAAD mice models, melatonin supplementation suppressed tumor growth, while blockade of melatonin pathway exacerbated tumor progression. This anti-tumor effect was independent of cytotoxicity but associated with tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs), and TANs depletion reversed effects of melatonin. Melatonin induced TANs infiltration and activation, therefore induced cell apoptosis of PAAD cells. Cytokine arrays revealed that melatonin had minimal impact on neutrophils but induced secretion of Cxcl2 from tumor cells. Knockdown of Cxcl2 in tumor cells abolished neutrophil migration and activation. Melatonin-induced neutrophils presented an N1-like anti-tumor phenotype, with increased neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) causing tumor cell apoptosis through cell-to-cell contact. Proteomics analysis revealed that this reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated inhibition was fueled by fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in neutrophils, while FAO inhibitor abolished the anti-tumor effect. Analysis of PAAD patient specimens revealed that CXCL2 expression was associated with neutrophil infiltration. CXCL2, or TANs, combined with NET marker, can better predict patients' prognosis. Collectively, we discovered an anti-tumor mechanism of melatonin through recruiting N1-neutrophils and beneficial NET formation.

Paired protein kinases PRKCI-RIPK2 promote pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis via enhancing NF-κB/JNK/ERK phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND: Protein kinases play a pivotal role in the malignant evolution of pancreatic cancer (PC) through mediating phosphorylation. Many kinase inhibitors have been developed and translated into clinical use, while the complex pathology of PC confounds their clinical efficacy and warrants the discovery of more effective therapeutic targets. METHODS: Here, we used the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and protein kinase datasets to map the PC-related protein kinase-encoding genes. Then, applying Gene Expression and Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), GEO and Human Protein Atlas, we evaluated gene correlation, gene expression at protein and mRNA levels, as well as survival significance. In addition, we performed protein kinase RIPK2 knockout and overexpression to observe effects of its expression on PC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, as well as cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and autophagy. We established PC subcutaneous xenograft and liver metastasis models to investigate the effects of RIPK2 knockout on PC growth and metastasis. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence were utilized to explore the interaction between protein kinases RIPK2 and PRKCI. Polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting were used to evaluate gene expression and protein phosphorylation level. RESULTS: We found fourteen kinases aberrantly expressed in human PC and nine kinases with prognosis significance. Among them, RIPK2 with both serine/threonine and tyrosine activities were validated to promote PC cells proliferation, migration and invasion. RIPK2 knockout could inhibit subcutaneous tumor growth and liver metastasis of PC. In addition, RIPK2 knockout suppressed autophagosome formation, increased ROS production and PC cell apoptosis. Importantly, another oncogenic kinase PRKCI could interact with RIPK2 to enhance the phosphorylation of downstream NF-κB, JNK and ERK. CONCLUSION: Paired protein kinases PRKCI-RIPK2 with multiple phosphorylation activities represent a new pathological mechanism in PC and could provide potential targets for PC therapy.

Immune landscape and prognostic index for pancreatic cancer based on TCGA database and in vivo validation.

The immunotherapy efficacy on pancreatic cancer remains unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is still necessary to further clarify the pancreatic immune cell infiltration and search for immune-related prognostic indicators. We analyzed the 135 pancreatic cancer patients' data retrieved from the TCGA database for the immune cell infiltration, tumor microenvironment score and the correlation of the immune cells, followed by identification of prognostic immune clusters and genes clusters. The R language was used for the immune score calculation, and immune cells proportion related survival differences identification. The function of immune cells was verified through datasets in the GEO database and in vivo experiments. The results showed that M0 Macrophages had negative relations to CD8 + T cells and immune scores. There were differences in median survival in ICI clusters, gene clusters, and immune score groups (p < 0.05). M0 macrophages accounted for more than 9.8%, indicating a poor prognosis, while T cells accounted for more than 9.2%, indicating a good prognosis. In vivo results showed that M0 macrophages promote pancreatic cancer growth. Elimination of M0 macrophages may be a hopeful strategy against pancreatic cancer.

Circulating tumor-associated autoantibodies as novel diagnostic biomarkers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

To develop a superior diagnostic approach for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAC), the present study prospectively included 338 PAAC patients, 294 normal healthy volunteers (NHV), 122 chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and 100 patients with non-PAAC malignancies. In the identification phase, HuProt Human Proteome Microarray, comprising 21 065 proteins, was used to identify serum tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAAbs) candidates differentiating PAAC (n = 30) from NHV (n = 30). A PAAC-focused array containing 165 differentially expressed TAAbs identified was subsequently adopted in the validation phase (n = 712) for specificity and sensitivities. The multivariate TAAbs signature for differentiation PAAC from controls (NHV + CP) identified five candidates, namely the IgG-type TAAbs against CLDN17, KCNN3, SLAMF7, SLC22A11 and OR51F2. Multivariate logistic performance model of y = (22.893 × CA19-9 + 0.68 × CLDN17 - 4.012) showed a significant better diagnostic accuracy than that of CA19-9 and CLDN17 in differentiating PAAC from controls (NHV + CP) (AUC = 0.97, 0.92 and 0.82, respectively, P-value < .0001). We further tested the autoantigen level of CLDN17 by ELISA in 82 sera samples from PAAC (n = 42), CP (n = 24) and NHV (n = 16). Similarly, the model showed superior diagnostic performance than that of CA19-9 and CLDN17 (AUC = 0.93, 0.83 and 0.81, respectively, P-value < .0001) in differentiating PAAC from controls. In conclusion, our study is the first to characterize the circulating TAAbs signatures in PAAC. The results showed that CLDN17 combined with CA19-9 provided potentially clinical value and may serve as noninvasive novel biomarkers for PAAC diagnosis.

Fibroblast activation protein-based theranostics in pancreatic cancer.

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a type II transmembrane serine protease that has specific endopeptidase activity. Given its well-established selective expression in the activated stromal fibroblasts of epithelial cancers, although not in quiescent fibroblasts, FAP has received substantial research attention as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an abundant fibrotic or desmoplastic stroma, leading to rapid progression, therapeutic resistance, and poor clinical outcomes. Numerous studies have revealed that the abundant expression of FAP in cancer cells, circulating tumor cells, stromal cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is implicated in diverse cancer-related signaling pathways, contributing to cancer progression, invasion, migration, metastasis, immunosuppression, and resistance to treatment. In this article, we aim to systematically review the recent advances in research on FAP in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, including its utility as a diagnostic marker, therapeutic potential, and correlation with prognosis. We also describe the functional role of FAP-overexpressing stromal cells, particulary CAFs, in tumor immuno- and metabolic microenvironments, and summarize the mechanisms underlying the contribution of FAP-overexpressing CAFs in pancreatic cancer progression and treatment resistance. Furthermore, we discuss whether targeting FAP-overexpressing CAFs could represent a potential therapeutic strategy and describe the development of FAP-targeted probes for diagnostic imaging. Finally, we assess the emerging basic and clinical studies regarding the bench-to-bedside translation of FAP in pancreatic cancer.

Adipose tissue-to-breast cancer crosstalk: Comprehensive insights.

The review focuses on mechanistic evidence for the link between obesity and breast cancer. According to the IARC study, there is sufficient evidence that obesity is closely related to a variety of cancers. Among them, breast cancer is particularly disturbed by adipose tissue due to the unique histological structure of the breast. The review introduces the relationship between obesity and breast cancer from two aspects, including factors that promote tumorigenesis or metastasis. We summarize alterations in adipokines and metabolic pathways that contribute to breast cancer development. Breast cancer metastasis is closely related to obesity-induced pro-inflammatory microenvironment, adipose stem cells, and miRNAs. Based on the mechanism by which obesity causes breast cancer, we list possible therapeutic directions, including reducing the risk of breast cancer and inhibiting the progression of breast cancer. We also discussed the risk of autologous breast remodeling and fat transplantation. Finally, the causes of the obesity paradox and the function of enhancing immunity are discussed. Evaluating the balance between obesity-induced inflammation and enhanced immunity warrants further study.

Keep a watchful eye on methionine adenosyltransferases, novel therapeutic opportunities for hepatobiliary and pancreatic tumours.

Methionine adenosyltransferases (MATs) synthesize S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) from methionine, which provides methyl groups for DNA, RNA, protein, and lipid methylation. MATs play a critical role in cellular processes, including growth, proliferation, and differentiation, and have been implicated in tumour development and progression. The expression of MATs is altered in hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) cancers, which serves as a rare biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of HBP cancers. Independent of SAM depletion in cells, MATs are often dysregulated at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational levels. Dysregulation of MATs is involved in carcinogenesis, chemotherapy resistance, T cell exhaustion, activation of tumour-associated macrophages, cancer stemness, and activation of tumourigenic pathways. Targeting MATs both directly and indirectly is a potential therapeutic strategy. This review summarizes the dysregulations of MATs, their proposed mechanism, diagnostic and prognostic roles, and potential therapeutic effects in context of HBP cancers.

A Mouse Model of Damp-Heat Syndrome in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Its Impact on Pancreatic Tumor Growth.

Background: Damp-heat syndrome is one of the most important syndrome types in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation and treatment system, as well as the core pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer (PC) which remains a challenge to medical researchers due to its insidious onset and poor prognosis. Great attention has been given to the impact of damp-heat syndrome on tumorigenesis and progression, but less attention has been given to damp-heat modeling per se. Studying PC in a proper damp-heat syndrome animal model can recapitulate the actual pathological process and contribute to treatment strategy improvement. Methods: Here, an optimized damp-heat syndrome mouse model was established based on our prior experience. The Fibonacci method was applied to determine the maximum tolerated dosage of alcohol for mice. Damp-heat syndrome modeling with the old and new methods was performed in parallel of comparative study about general appearance, food intake, water consumption and survival. Major organs, including the liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, spleen, intestines and testes, were collected for histological evaluation. Complete blood counts and biochemical tests were conducted to characterize changes in blood circulation. PC cells were subcutaneously inoculated into mice with damp-heat syndrome to explore the impact of damp-heat syndrome on PC growth. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining and immunohistochemistry were performed for pathological evaluation. A chemokine microarray was applied to screen the cytokines mediating the proliferation-promoting effects of damp-heat syndrome, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were conducted for results validation. Results: The new modeling method has the advantages of mouse-friendly features, easily accessible materials, simple operation, and good stability. More importantly, a set of systematic indicators was proposed for model evaluation. The new modeling method verified the pancreatic tumor-promoting role of damp-heat syndrome. Damp-heat syndrome induced the proliferation of cancer-associated fibroblasts and promoted desmoplasia. In addition, circulating and tumor-located chemokine levels were altered by damp-heat syndrome, characterized by tumor promotion and immune suppression. Conclusions: This study established a stable and reproducible murine model of damp-heat syndrome in TCM with systematic evaluation methods. Cancer associated fibroblast-mediated desmoplasia and chemokine production contribute to the tumor-promoting effect of damp-heat syndrome on PC.

Mechanisms of pancreatic tumor suppression mediated by Xiang-lian pill: An integrated in silico exploration and experimental validation.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xiang-lian pill, consisting of Coptis chinensis Franch. coprocessed with Tetradium ruticarpum (A.Juss.) T.G.Hartley (Yu-huang-lian) and Aucklandia lappa DC. (Mu-xiang), is traditionally used to relieve fever, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal inflammatory symptoms observed in patients with malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. Each of the three herbs contained in Xiang-lian pill has been indicated to have anticancer effects on a variety of cancers, but its effects on pancreatic cancer remain unexplored. The main extracts of these herbs have anti-pancreatic cancer effects, but the comprehensive mechanism of this compound prescription of Xiang-lian pill in pancreatic cancer remains to be revealed. AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the main active ingredients, potential anti-pancreatic cancer targets, and related mechanisms of the Xiang-lian pill and to determine its therapeutic value in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Network pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis were applied to screen the potential effective ingredients and key targets. Liquid/gas-mass spectrometry was performed for ingredients validation. Molecular docking and the cellular thermal shift assay were performed to test the binding efficiency between ingredients and targets. A murine pancreatic cancer model was established and administered different doses of the Xiang-lian pill. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for histopathological observation. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were conducted for target validation. In vitro studies (cell viability and clonogenicity assays) were conducted to investigate the impact of three main ingredients in Xiang-lian pill on pancreatic cancer cells. PTGS2 overexpression was performed to reversely confirm the antitumor mechanisms of rutaecarpine as a specific PTGS2 inhibitor. RESULTS: Xiang-lian pill suppressed pancreatic cancer growth in the dose range of 0.78-2.34g/kg with no significant toxicity. Sixteen potentially active ingredients and 26 corresponding therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer were identified. PTGS2, PTGS1, KCNH2, PRSS1, and HSP90AA1 were the top 5 significant genes targeted by the Xiang-lian pill. Evodiamine, rutaecarpine and stigmasterol bound to PTGS2 and PTGS1 with different affinities and inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. The PTGS2-associated metabolic pathway MEK/ERK was downregulated by rutaecarpine in vitro and the Xiang-lian pill in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Xiang-lian pill mainly regulates inflammation, apoptosis, metastasis, and metabolism to exert an antitumor effect. The main active ingredients in Xiang-lian pill exhibit antitumor roles through directly binding to key targets in pancreatic cancer. PTGS2 mediated MEK/ERK inhibition by rutaecarpine represents a key therapeutic mechanism of Xiang-lian pill.

Integrating network pharmacology and experimental models to investigate the efficacy of QYHJ on pancreatic cancer.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Qingyihuaji decoction (QYHJ) is composed of seven herbs: Scutellaria barbata D.Don (Banzhilian, HSB), Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino (Jiaogulan, GP), Oldenlandia diffusa (Willd.) Roxb. (Baihuasheshecao, HDH), Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. (Lingzhi, GL), Myristica fragrans Houtt. (Doukou, AK), and Amorphophallus kiusianus (Makino) Makino (Sheliugu, RA), and Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf (Yiyiren, CL). QYHJ has been reported to exhibit clinical efficacy in the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study explores the therapeutic mechanism of QYHJ in the treatment of PAAD using network pharmacology to identify related targets and pathways in vivo and in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bioactive compounds of QYHJ were retrieved and screened using the ADME network pharmacology approach, followed by compound-target prediction and overlapping genes between PAAD oncogenes and QYHJ target genes. The compound-target-pathway network was established using The KEGG pathway, GO analysis, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis to identify potential action pathways. The effects of QYHJ on PAAD were evaluated in vivo and in vitro, and the predicted targets and potential pathways related to QYHJ in PAAD treatment were evaluated using qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. RESULTS: A total of 68 bioactive compounds of QYHJ fulfilled the ADME screening criterion, and their respective 242 target genes were retrieved. The compound-target-disease network identified 11 possible target genes. The KEGG pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of pathways in cancers, involving regulating cancer-related pathways of inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Furthermore, QYHJ inhibited PAAD growth in vivo; suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, and migration of PAAD; and induced cellular apoptosis in vitro. The qRT-PCR results showed that QYHJ suppressed the mRNA expression of ICAM1, VCAM1, and Bcl2, and increased that of HMOX1 and NQO1. Immunoblotting revealed changes in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1/NQO1, and Bcl2/Bax pathways upon QYHJ treatment. CONCLUSIONS: QYHJ can suppress PAAD growth and progression through various mechanisms, including anti-inflammation and apoptosis-induction.

Evidence-Based Dampness-Heat ZHENG (Syndrome) in Cancer: Current Progress toward Establishing Relevant Animal Model with Pancreatic Tumor.

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases affecting the health of human beings. With limited therapeutic options available, complementary and alternative medicine has been widely adopted in cancer management and is increasingly becoming accepted by both patients and healthcare workers alike. Chinese medicine characterized by its unique diagnostic and treatment system is the most widely applied complementary and alternative medicine. It emphasizes symptoms and ZHENG (syndrome)-based treatment combined with contemporary disease diagnosis and further stratifies patients into individualized medicine subgroups. As a representative cancer with the highest degree of malignancy, pancreatic cancer is traditionally classified into the "amassment and accumulation". Emerging perspectives define the core pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer as "dampness-heat" and the respective treatment "clearing heat and resolving dampness" has been demonstrated to prolong survival in pancreatic cancer patients, as has been observed in many other cancers. This clinical advantage encourages an exploration of the essence of dampness-heat ZHENG (DHZ) in cancer and investigation into underlying mechanisms of action of herbal formulations against dampness-heat. However, at present, there is a lack of understanding of the molecular characteristics of DHZ in cancer and no standardized and widely accepted animal model to study this core syndrome in vivo. The shortage of animal models limits the ability to uncover the antitumor mechanisms of herbal medicines and to assess the safety profile of the natural products derived from them. This review summarizes the current research on DHZ in cancer in terms of the clinical aspects, molecular landscape, and animal models. This study aims to provide comprehensive insight that can be used for the establishment of a future standardized ZHENG-based cancer animal model.