screening-identification-small-peptides-targeting-fibroblast-growth

Screening and Identification of Small Peptides Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor2 using a Phage Display Peptide Library

The human Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) family comprises four members, namely, FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, and FGFR4, that are involved in various ...

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are believed to influence tumor behavior and clinical outcomes. We previously showed that conditioned medium (CM) from CAFs induces proliferation and motility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which the CAF-secreted proteins induce ESCC development and progression. Using antibody arrays, we identified urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) as one of the main proteins whose release was increased in CAFs compared to normal fibroblasts (NFs). Immunohistochemical analysis of pathological sections showed that uPA-positive cells were localized at the boundaries of tumor and stroma tissues, in stroma between tumor nests, and within the tumors. Increased stromal uPA levels (132/146 cases) correlated with tumor invasion (p < 0.05) and overall survival of ESCC patients (p < 0.05). In vitro assays showed that uPA promotes ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling pathways. In vivo, anti-uPA antibody suppressed tumor growth in ESCC xenografts. These results suggest that uPA released from stroma, and especially from CAFs, might be a predictive marker for ESCC diagnosis and prognosis, as well as an effective therapeutic target.

Urokinase plasminogen activator secreted by cancer-associated fibroblasts induces tumor progression via PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In the present study, we successfully developed a preferable doxorubicin (Dox) loaded drug delivery system based on Cetuximab and silica nanoparticles (Cet-SLN/Dox). By employing the tumor homing property of Cetuximab and the drug-loading capability of silica nanoparticles, the prepared Cet-SLN/Dox was able to load Dox to achieve the co-delivery of two drugs (Cetuximab and Dox). In vitro analysis revealed that Cet-SLN/Dox was nano-sized particles with decent drug loading capabilities and smart drug release profile. Further studies demonstrated that Cet-SLN/Dox was superior in tumor-homing and anti-cancer efficiency than Cetuximab free SLN/Dox and free Dox, possibly due to EGFR mediated endocytosis and the combined anti-cancer effects of Cetuximab and Dox within Cet-SLN/Dox.

Cetuximab conjugated and doxorubicin loaded silica nanoparticles for tumor-targeting and tumor microenvironment responsive binary drug delivery of liver cancer therapy.

Resistance to platinum-based combination chemotherapy is the main cause of poor prognosis in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Previously, we showed that CACNA2D3 (voltage-dependent subunit alpha 2 delta 3 of a calcium channel complex) was significantly downregulated and functioned as a tumor suppressor in ESCC, but its role in the chemosensitivity of ESCC to cisplatin remained unknown. Here, we found that the expression of CACNA2D3 was significantly associated with poor platinum response in ESCC patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Overexpression of CACNA2D3 increased sensitivity to cisplatin in ESCC , whereas knockdown of CACNA2D3 increased cisplatin resistance. CACNA2D3 promoted cisplatin-induced apoptosis by modulating intracellular Ca stores.  experiments further showed that overexpression of CACNA2D3 enhanced cisplatin anti-tumor effects in a xenograft mouse model. CACNA2D3 overexpression also resulted in the attenuation of PI3K and Akt phosphorylation. Treatment with the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 restored the chemosensitivity of CACAN2D3-knockdown cells to cisplatin. In conclusion, the results of the current study indicate that CACAN2D3 enhances the chemosensitivity of ESCC to cisplatin via inducing Ca-mediated apoptosis and suppressing PI3K/Akt pathways. Therefore, regulating the expression of CACNA2D3 is a potential new strategy to increase the efficacy of cisplatin in ESCC patients.

CACNA2D3 Enhances the Chemosensitivity of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Cisplatin via Inducing Ca-Mediated Apoptosis and Suppressing PI3K/Akt Pathways.

Ying Zhao

Institute of Biomedicine & Department of Cell Biology,
Jinan University,
National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine,
Institute of Biomedicine & Department of Cell Biology, Jinan University, National Engineering Research Center of Genetic Medicine

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine

Screening and Identification of Small Peptides Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor2 using a Phage Display Peptide Library