Adenoviral gene therapy in gastric cancer： A review

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. With current therapeutic approaches the prognosis of gastric cancer is very poor, as gastric cancer accounts for the second most common cause of death in cancer related deaths. Gastric cancer like almost all other cancers has a molecular genetic basis which relies on disruption in normal cellular regulatory mechanisms regarding cell growth, apoptosis and cell division. Thus novel therapeutic approaches such as gene therapy promise to become the alternative choice of treatment in gastric cancer. In gene therapy, suicide genes, tumor suppressor genes and anti-angiogenesis genes among many others are introduced to cancer cells via vectors. Some of the vectors widely used in gene therapy are Adenoviral vectors. This review provides an update of the new developments in adenoviral cancer gene therapy including strategies for inducing apoptosis, inhibiting metastasis and targeting the cancer cells.     

Gene therapy for gastric cancer： Is it promising？

Gastric cancer is one of the most common tumorsworldwide.The therapeutic outcome of conventionaltherapies is inefficient.Thus,new therapeutic strategiesare urgently needed.Gene therapy is a promisingmolecular alternative in the treatment of gastric cancer,including the replacement of defective tumor suppressorgenes,the inactivation of oncogenes,the introduction ofsuicide genes,genetic immunotherapy,anti-angiogeneticgene therapy,and virotherapy.Improved molecularbiological techniques and a better understanding ofgastric carcinogenesis have allowed us to validate avariety of genes as molecular targets for gene therapy.This review provides an update of the new developmentsin cancer gene therapy,new principles,techniques,strategies and vector systems,and shows how they maybe applied in the treatment of gastric cancer.     

Tumor microenvironment involvement in colorectal cancer progression via Wnt/β-catenin pathway: Providing understanding of the complex mechanisms of chemoresistance

Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be one of the main causes of death from cancer because patients progress unfavorably due to resistance to current therapies. Dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a fundamental role in the genesis and progression of several types of cancer, including CRC. In many subtypes of CRC, hyperactivation of the β-catenin pathway is associated with mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. However, it can also be associated with other causes. In recent years, studies of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have demonstrated its importance in the development and progression of CRC. In this tumor nest, several cell types, structures, and biomolecules interact with neoplastic cells to pave the way for the spread of the disease. Cross-communications between tumor cells and the TME are then established primarily through paracrine factors, which trigger the activation of numerous signaling pathways. Crucial advances in the field of oncology have been made in the last decade. This Minireview aims to actualize what is known about the central role of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CRC chemoresistance and aggressiveness, focusing on cross-communication between CRC cells and the TME. Through this analysis, our main objective was to increase the understanding of this complex disease considering a more global context. Since many treatments for advanced CRC fail due to mechanisms involving chemoresistance, the data here exposed and analyzed are of great interest for the development of novel and effective therapies.     

Molecular mechanisms targeting drug-resistance and metastasis in colorectal cancer: Updates and beyond

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is the third most diagnosed malignancy and a major leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Despite advances in therapeutic regimens,the number of patients presenting with metastatic CRC(mCRC) is increasing due to resistance to therapy,conferred by a small population of cancer cells,known as cancer stem cells.Targeted therapies have been highly successful in prolonging the overall survival of patients with mCRC.Agents are being developed to target key molecules inv...     

Epigenetic silencing of LRRC3B in colorectal cancer

Objective. Tumor suppressor gene silencing via promoter hypermethylation is an important event in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Some aberrant DNA hypermethylation has high tumor specificity, so it may contribute to early diagnosis of CRC. The objective of this study was to establish novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies against CRC by identifying the novel methylation-related genes. Material andmethods. Two microarray-based approaches were used to identify novel methylation-related genes in CRC. We identified methylation-sensitive genes in colon cancer cell line SW1116 by comparing differential expression genes after treatment with the methylation inhibiting drug, 5-aza-2'-deoxycitidine (5-aza-dC) using gene expression microarray. Promoter microarray analysis was performed to identify cancer-specific, methylation-related genes in two patients with CRC. Gene promoter methylation was identified by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (MSP) in primary CRC. Gene expression level was assessed using real-time PCR analysis. Results. By using gene expression microarray, up-regulation of 253 genes was detected in the CRC cell line, SW1116, after treatment with 5-aza-dC. Of the 253 genes identified by gene expression microarray analysis, LRRC3B (leucine-rich repeat containing 3B) was isolated as a potential methylation-specific gene by promoter microarray analysis. MSP analysis showed frequent methylation of LRRC3B in primary CRC (24/31 cases, 77%). In addition, the LRRC3B methylation intensity was significantly higher in cancer tissues than in the corresponding non-cancerous tissues. Decreased LRRC3B expression (17/31, 55%) was observed in the cancer tissues by real-time PCR. Conclusions.LRRC3B may be a novel methylation-sensitive tumor suppressor gene in CRC. LRRC3B methylation has significant tumor specificity and may be a biomarker of CRC.     

肺癌相关抑癌基因的研究进展

肺癌的发病是多基因共同作用的结果,涉及到多个基因的遗传与分子变化.传统疗法效果不佳,因此针对问题基因进行治疗的手段应运而生.抑癌基因的失活是肺癌的重要致病因素之一,是基因治疗的一个重要靶点.本文就肺癌中具有重要意义的抑癌基因的最新研究进展作一综述.     

Micelles as potential drug delivery systems for colorectal cancer treatment

Despite the significant progress in cancer therapy, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy is currently the mainstay therapeutic modality adopted for CRC treatment. However, the long-term effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs has been hampered by their low bioavailability, non-selective tumor targeting mechanisms, non-specific biodistribution associated with low drug concentrations at the tumor site and undesirable side effects. Over the last decade, there has been increasing interest in using nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems to circumvent these limitations. Various nanoparticles have been developed for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs among which polymeric micelles are attractive candidates. Polymeric micelles are biocompatible nanocarriers that can bypass the biological barriers and preferentially accumulate in tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention effect. They can be easily engineered with stimuli-responsive and tumor targeting moieties to further ensure their selective uptake by cancer cells and controlled drug release at the desirable tumor site. They have been shown to effectively improve the pharmacokinetic properties of chemotherapeutic drugs and enhance their safety profile and anticancer efficacy in different types of cancer. Given that combination therapy is the new strategy implemented in cancer therapy, polymeric micelles are suitable for multidrug delivery and allow drugs to act concurrently at the action site to achieve synergistic therapeutic outcomes. They also allow the delivery of anticancer genetic material along with chemotherapy drugs offering a novel approach for CRC therapy. Here, we highlight the properties of polymeric micelles that make them promising drug delivery systems for CRC treatment. We also review their application in CRC chemotherapy and gene therapy as well as in combination cancer chemotherapy.     

Gene therapy developments for pancreatic cancer

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer have limited success and it is therefore an appropriate target for the development of new strategies, including gene therapy. Gene therapy approaches include inhibition of activated oncogenes (KRAS, LSM1) with antisense and RNA interference strategies, replacement of inactivated tumour suppressor genes (TP53, CDKN2A, CDKN1A), targeting of cell signalling pathways, gene-directed prodrug-activation therapies and the use of replication-competent oncolytic viruses. Angiogenesis and apoptosis have also been targeted for gene therapy. Clinical trials of gene therapy have shown only moderate anti-tumour effects. As there are many genetic abnormalities in pancreatic cancer, strategies combining different targets or indeed different modalities of treatment, may be more successful. Identification of new targets and improvements in delivery and targeting may further improve the efficacy of gene therapy in pancreatic cancer.     

基因突变与结直肠癌靶向治疗的新进展

KRAS基因突变作为表皮生长因子受体(epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR)单抗疗效预测指标的发现,给转移性结直肠癌(metastatic colorectal cancer,mCRC)的治疗带来了巨大的改变.然而,结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)的发生涉及到多个癌基因、抑癌基因和信号传导通路的改变,而不同的信号传导通路之间存在着千丝万缕的联系,形成了复杂的信号传导网络.如何寻找使用抗EGFR单抗的适合人群,从而避免不必要的不良反应和无效治疗是目前研究的热点.本文就目前国内外研究较多的预测抗EGFR单抗疗效的生物靶标及相应对策进行综述.     

Cancer, type 2 diabetes, and ageing: news from flies and worms

The tumour suppressor gene PTEN is, next to p53, the second most frequently mutated gene in human cancers. The genes TSC1 and TSC2 are mutated in the severe human syndrome called Tuberous Sclerosis. Patients with this disease have large benign tumours composed of large cells in the brain. The genetic dissection of pathways controlling the growth of cells, organs, and the entire organism in Drosophila has contributed to the understanding of the signalling pathways that are controlled by these two tumour suppressors. Together with studies on nutrient regulation of growth and ageing in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, evidence from these model organisms has moved the Insulin/IGF (IIS) and the Target Rapamycin (TOR) signalling pathway onto the centre stage of cellular growth control and made them attractive novel targets for cancer therapy. In this review, I will outline the contributions of model organism genetics to the understanding of these disease relevant pathways and highlight the evolutionary conservation of nutrient-dependent growth regulation.     

The Ras effector RASSF2 is a novel tumor-suppressor gene in human colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Activation of Ras signaling is a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the roles of negative regulators of Ras are not fully understood. Our aim was to address that question by surveying genetic and epigenetic alterations of Ras-Ras effector genes in CRC cells. METHODS: The expression and methylation status of 6 RASSF family genes were examined using RT-PCR and bisulfite PCR in CRC cell lines and in primary CRCs and colorectal adenomas. Colony formation assays and flow cytometry were used to assess the tumor suppressor activities of RASSF1 and RASSF2. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to determine the effect of altered RASSF2 expression on cell morphology. Mutations of K- ras , BRAF, and p53 were identified using single-strand conformation analysis and direct sequencing. RESULTS: Aberrant methylation and histone deacetylation of RASSF2 was associated with the gene's silencing in CRC. The activities of RASSF2, which were distinct from those of RASSF1, included induction of morphologic changes and apoptosis; moreover, its ability to prevent cell transformation suggests that RASSF2 acts as a tumor suppressor in CRC. Primary CRCs that showed K- ras /BRAF mutations also frequently showed RASSF2 methylation, and inactivation of RASSF2 enhanced K- ras -induced oncogenic transformation. RASSF2 methylation was also frequently identified in colorectal adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: RASSF2 is a novel tumor suppressor gene that regulates Ras signaling and plays a pivotal role in the early stages of colorectal tumorigenesis.     

Insight to drug delivery aspects for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed worldwide in human beings. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapiesare the conventional four approaches which are currently used for the treatment of CRC. The site specific delivery of chemotherapeutics to their site of action would increase effectiveness with reducing side effects. Targeted oral drug delivery systems based on polysaccharides are being investigated to target and deliver chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents directly to colon and rectum. Site-specific drug delivery to colon increases its concentration at the target site, and thus requires a lower dose and hence abridged side effects. Some novel therapies are also briefly discussed in article such as receptor(epidermal growth factor receptor, folate receptor, wheat germ agglutinin, VEGF receptor, hyaluronic acid receptor) based targeting therapy; colon targeted proapoptotic anticancer drug delivery system, gene therapy. Even though good treatment options are available for CRC, the ultimate therapeutic approach is to avert the incidence of CRC. It was also found that CRCs could be prevented by diet and nutrition such as calcium, vitamin D, curcumin, quercetin and fish oil supplements. Immunotherapy and vaccination are used nowadays which are showing better results against CRC.     

Pharmacogenomics in colorectal cancer： The first step for individualized-therapy

Interindividual differences in the toxicity and response to anticancer therapies are currently observed in practically all available treatment regimens. A goal of cancer therapy is to predict patient response and toxicity to drugs in order to facilitate the individualization of patient treatment. Identification of subgroups of patients that differ in their prognosis and response to treatment could help to identify the best available drug therapy according the genetic profile. Several mechanisms have been suggested to contribute to chemo-therapeutic drug resistance： amplification or overexpression of membrane transporters, changes in cellular proteins involved in detoxification or in DNA repair, apoptosis and activation of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Colorectal cancer （CRC） is regarded as intrinsically resistant to chemotherapy. Several molecular markers predictive of CRC therapy have been included during the last decade but their results in different studies complicate their application in practical clinical. The simultaneous testing of multiple markers predictive of response could help to identify more accurately the true role of these polymorphisms in CRC therapy. This review analyzes the role of genetic variants in genes involved in the action mechanisms of the drugs used at present in colorectal cancer.     

The American College of Gastroenterology Emily Couric Lecture--the adenoma-carcinoma sequence revisited: has the era of genetic tailoring finally arrived?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a common and often lethal disease. The classic adenoma-carcinoma sequence was defined on histologic grounds but over the last 25 years, the molecular basis of this process has been progressively clarified. There are at least three distinct molecular pathways to CRC: the chromosomal instability (CIN) pathway is thought to be largely driven by mutational events in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, the microsatellite instability pathway is responsible for Lynch syndrome CRCs and is driven by mutations in one of the DNA mismatch repair genes, and the epigenetic pathway is thought to be driven in large part by hypermethylation-induced silencing of tumor suppressor-like genes. The molecular understanding of this sequence has had a profound impact on our understanding of the process(s) of colonic carcinogenesis and this understanding has begun to change the clinical care of patients with colonic polyps and cancer including changes in therapy of established CRCs (anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody therapy is no longer offered to patients with mutant KRAS CRCs), identification of high-risk groups (diagnosis of Lynch syndrome by molecular analysis of CRCs) and the management of precursor lesions (identification of the serrated polyp pathway to CRC).     

Crosstalk between the estrogen receptor and the HER tyrosine kinase receptor family: molecular mechanism and clinical implications for endocrine therapy resistance

Breast cancer evolution and tumor progression are governed by the complex interactions between steroid receptor [estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor] and growth factor receptor signaling. In recent years, the field of cancer therapy has witnessed the emergence of multiple strategies targeting these specific cancer pathways and key molecules (ER and growth factor receptors) to arrest tumor growth and achieve tumor eradication; treatment success, however, has varied and both de novo (up front) and acquired resistance have proven a challenge. Recent studies of ER biology have revealed new insights into ER action in breast cancer and have highlighted the role of an intimate crosstalk between the ER and HER family signaling pathways as a fundamental contributor to the development of resistance to endocrine therapies against the ER pathway. The aim of this review article is to summarize the current knowledge on mechanisms of resistance of breast cancer cells to endocrine therapies due to the crosstalk between the ER and the HER growth factor receptor signaling pathways and to explore new available therapeutic strategies that could prolong duration of response and circumvent endocrine resistant tumor growth.     

NPRL2在结直肠癌中的抗肿瘤作用

结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)是全球最常见的癌症类型之一,其预后不佳提示明确CRC发病机制的重要性。既往研究表明,CRC的形成发展是多基因的,涉及多阶段变化,其中癌基因突变和肿瘤抑制基因(tumor suppressor gene,TSG)失活是促成CRC的重要因素。目前已经发现,氮通透酶调节因子-2(nitrogen permease regulator-like-2,NPRL2)作为抑癌基因在CRC中表达下调。NPRL2通过调节细胞周期进而抑制CRC的发生、发展,并且可以促进CRC细胞的凋亡和自噬,增强CRC细胞对多种化疗药物的敏感性。体内实验进一步验证了NPRL2在CRC中抗肿瘤和增强对化疗药物敏感性的作用。通过研究NPRL2在CRC中的抗肿瘤作用,有助于我们发现新的治疗手段。     

p16、p53、p21基因对肺癌细胞增殖的影响

目的 观察肿瘤抑制基因ｐ１６,ｐ５３及细胞周期信赖激酶抑制物ｐ２１基因单独或联合应用时对肺癌细胞增殖的影响。方法 应用十八酰基胺阳离子脂质体介导ｐ１６,ｐ５３,ｐ２１基因单独或共转染到非小细胞肺癌细胞系Ａ５４９和小细胞肺癌细胞系ＳＨ７７,观察转染后１,３,５日该细胞增殖的活力。采用四甲基偶氮唑 盐微量酶反应比色法（ＭＴＴ法）测定吸光度（Ａ）,以检测细胞增殖活力,结果 Ａ５４９细胞系：Ａ均值分别为：