RAZIEH MOMEN-MESGIN¹, JAFAR REZAIE^2,*, VAHID NEJATI¹, PEYMAN NAJAFI MOGHADAM³

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 665-674, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.054487 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Objectives: Due to systematic side effects, there is a growing interest in nanoparticle formulation of anticancer drugs. Here, we aimed to synthesize poly (styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) cross-linked by melamine (PSMA/Me) and coated with magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) PSMA/Me/Fe₃O₄. In addition, we aimed to load paclitaxel (PTX) into PSMA/Me/Fe₃O₄ for drug delivery and anticancer investigations. Methods: Novel PSMA/Me was synthesized via free radical copolymerization, coated with Fe₃O₄, and then used as a transporter for PTX delivery. Fabricated copolymer was characterized using SEM, TGA, and XRD techniques. Drug release rate and loading efficiency were investigated. Human ovarian cancer cells (Skov-3) and… More >

YONG RAO^1,3,4, XIAO CHEN^5,6, KAIYU LI^1,3,4, MINHAI NIE^1,3,4, XUQIAN LIU^2,3,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 577-590, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.053119 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Decorin (DCN) is primarily found in the connective tissues of various parts of the body, including the lungs, kidneys, bone tissue, aorta, and tendons. It is an important component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and belongs to the class I small leucine-rich proteoglycans family. DCN is increasingly attracting attention due to its significant role in tumors, fibrotic diseases, and the regulation of vascular formation. Moreover, its anti-tumor properties have positioned it as a promising biomarker in the fight against cancer. Numerous studies have confirmed that DCN can exert inhibitory effects in various solid tumors, particularly… More >

SHUANG CHEN^1,2,#, XUEMEI DENG^2,#, XINGTING HE², KEWEI XIANG², GUIHONG CHEN², HONGRU YANG^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 687-694, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.052133 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Previous experiments have demonstrated that hypofractionated radiation therapy (HFRT), low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT), and combined anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (αPD-1) can enhance the abscopal effect. Combined with the phenomenon of low prognosis in patients with breast cancer lung metastasis, our study establishes a mouse model and changes the irradiation regimen of LDRT to explore its preventive effect on breast cancer lung metastasis. Methods: The breast cancer subcutaneous graft tumor model was developed. Two-lung prophylactic LDRT was performed prior to the onset of lung metastases, in combination with HFRT (8 Gy, 3f), and αPD-1… More >

YULIAN WANG¹, LIANLI ZHU¹, RONGHAO ZENG², YUNPING PU³, BAIJIAN CHEN³, YUWEI TAN³, MING HONG^2,*, WEIJIA WANG^1,2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 695-708, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.051746 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: The role of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)₂D₃) in cancer prevention and treatment is an emerging topic of interest. However, its effects on the stemness of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells are poorly understood. Methods: The proliferation and differentiation of AML cells (HL60 and NB4) were investigated by the CCK-8 assay, immunocytochemical staining, and flow cytometry. The abilities of HL60 and NB4 cells to form spheres were examined by the cell sphere formation assay. In addition, the levels of stemness-associated markers (SOX2, Nanog, OCT4, and c-Myc) in HL60 and NB4 cells were measured by western blotting and… More >

BAOXING HUANG^1,#, ZICHANG JIA^1,#, CHENCHEN FU², MOXIAN CHEN², ZEZHUO SU^3,*, YUNSHENG CHEN^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 567-575, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.051672 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is a member of the lipocalin superfamily with multiple functions and can participate in the transport of a variety of small lipophilic ligands in vivo. LCN2 is significantly expressed in various tumors and plays an important role in regulating tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. The specific actions of LCN2 in tumors may vary depending on the particular type of cancer involved. In this review, we provide an extensive overview of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of LCN2 in health and disease. Furthermore, we summarize the impact of LCN2 dysregulation in a broad range More >

ZIYI FANG^1,2, YONGFU SHAO^1,2,*, MENG HU¹, JIANING YAN², GUOLIANG YE^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 549-566, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.051589 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are formed by splicing of precursor RNAs and covalently linked at the 5′ and 3′ ends. Dysregulated circRNAs are closely related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of gastrointestinal malignancies. CircRNAs, including circRNA_0008717, circGOT1, circ-DOCK5, circVPS33B, circPVT1, circMET, circ-OXCT1, circ_67835, circRTN4, circ_0087502, circFNDC38, circ_PTEN1, circPGPEP1, and circ-E-Cad are involved in the EMT process of gastrointestinal malignancies through a variety of mechanisms, such as regulating EMT-inducing transcription factors, signaling pathways, and tumor microenvironments. Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies are common malignant tumors worldwide, and the heterogeneity and easy metastasis of gastrointestinal malignancies limit the effectiveness of More > Graphic Abstract

DONGYUN RONG^1,2,#, YUSHEN SU^1,#, ZHIRUI ZENG³, YAN YANG⁴, HONGUAN LU^1,*, YU CAO^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 605-616, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.050661 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Terpinen-4-ol (T4O), a key constituent of tea tree essential oil and various aromatic plants, has shown promising antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in melanoma and other cancer types. However, its efficacy against cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains unclear. Thus, in this study, we investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of T4O on cSCC cell lines and preliminarily explored its impacting pathways. Methods: Using CCK8 and assay colony formation, we assessed the viability of cSCC A431, SCL-1, and COLO-16 cells treated with T40 at varying concentrations (0, 1, 2, and 4 μM). Flow cytometry was… More >

RAHUL KUMAR SINGH^1,#, SUROJIT MANDAL^1,#, ADRIJA MOHANTA¹, RITU YADAV¹, RAJIV RANJAN KUMAR¹, RINKU KHATKAR¹, VIVEK UTTAM¹, UTTAM SHARMA¹, MANJIT KAUR RANA², MANJU JAIN³, HARDEEP SINGH TULI⁴, AKLANK JAIN^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 591-604, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.050548 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Objectives: Recently, we and others have demonstrated the involvement of Zinc Finger Antisense 1 (ZFAS1) in cancer development. However, the intricate interplay of ZFAS1 with miRNAs and mRNAs remains to be fully understood. Materials and methods: We followed PRISMA guidelines to retrieve and assess the available literature on the topic “ZFAS1/miRNA/mRNA axis” and “Cancer” from databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. We also used bioinformatic webtools for analyzing the potential miRNA targets of ZFAS1 and its role in survival of cancer patients along with their role in various biological functions and pathways. Results: Our literature search… More >

DAIEN ZHOU^1,#, HAOYANG YUAN^2,#, YIWEI HU³, CHUXU WANG¹, SA GE¹, KOUFENG SHAO⁴, HONGYING WANG¹, XIAOFENG TIAN^1,*, HAIBO HU^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 653-663, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.050182 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Despite the identification of numerous therapeutic targets in lung cancer, achieving significant efficacy has been challenging. TNFRSF21 plays an important role in various cancers. We investigated the function of TNFRSF21 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods: The prognostic value of TNFRSF21 expression in lung cancer was evaluated by the GEPIA and Kaplan-Meier Plotter databases. Lung cancer cell viability was assessed by the CCK8 assay. TNFRSF21 expression patterns in lung cancer tissues and cells were examined using RT-PCR assay. Tumor sphere growth was evaluated through tumor sphere formation assays. MtROS contents in lung cancer cells were… More >

DONG JIANG¹, ZHI QI³, ZHIYING XU^2,*, YIRAN LI^1,*

Oncology Research, Vol.33, No.3, pp. 709-722, 2025, DOI:10.32604/or.2024.050125 - 28 February 2025

Abstract Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent liver malignancy. This study examined the roles of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and cytochrome b5 domain containing 2 (CYB5D2) in HCC etiology and their prognostic biomarker potential. Methods: Key modules and prognostic genes were identified by analyzing the GSE101685 dataset by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. The expression levels of CYB5D2 and TGF-β in HCC cell lines were quantified using Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB) assays. Effects of CYB5D2 overexpression on cell proliferation,… More >