WEI HU^1,#, THOMAS WARTMANN^2,#, MARCO STRECKER², ARISTOTELIS PERRAKIS², ROLAND CRONER², ARPAD SZALLASI³, WENJIE SHI^2,*, ULF D. KAHLERT^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 227-239, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.043053

Abstract Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are strongly associated with colon cancer development and progression. This study leveraged a multivariate Cox regression model on publicly available datasets to construct a TRP channels-associated gene signature, with further validation of signature in real world samples from our hospital treated patient samples. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to evaluate this gene signature’s predictive accuracy and robustness in both training and testing cohorts, respectively. Additionally, the study utilized the CIBERSORT algorithm and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis to explore the signature’s immune infiltration landscape and underlying functional implications.… More > Graphic Abstract

JIN-HO CHOI, JOO DONG PARK, SEUNG HEE CHOI, EUN-SU KO, HYE JUNG JANG, KYUNG-SOON PARK^*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 127-138, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.042945

Abstract Purpose: Cancer cell metastasis is a multistep process, and the mechanism underlying extravasation remains unclear. ELK3 is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in regulating various cellular processes, including cancer metastasis. Based on the finding that ELK3 promotes the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), we investigated whether ELK3 regulates the extravasation of TNBC by forming the ELK3-ID4 axis. ID4 functions as a transcriptional regulator that interacts with other transcription factors, inhibiting their activity and subsequently influencing various biological processes associated with cell differentiation, survival, growth, and metastasis. Methods: We assessed the correlation between the expression of ELK3… More > Graphic Abstract

KUO-SHYANG JENG¹, PO-YU CHENG², YUEH-HSIEN LIN², PO-CHUN LIU², PING-HUI TSENG³, YU-CHAO WANG⁴, CHIUNG-FANG CHANG⁵, CHUEN-MIIN LEU^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 163-174, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030975

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Current therapies are effective for HCC patients with early disease, but many patients suffer recurrence after surgery and have a poor response to chemotherapy. Therefore, new therapeutic targets are needed. We analyzed gene expression profiles between HCC tissues and normal adjacent tissues from public databases and found that the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism was significantly different. The analysis showed that AKR1C3 was upregulated in tumors, and high AKR1C3 expression was associated with a poorer prognosis in HCC patients. In vitro, assays demonstrated that the knockdown of AKR1C3… More >

JING GUO¹, CHANGYONG TONG¹, JIANGUANG SHI¹, XINJIAN LI¹, XUEQIN CHEN^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 199-212, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030969

Abstract Oxidative stress (OS) is intimately associated with tumorigenesis and has been considered a potential therapeutic strategy. However, the OS-associated therapeutic target for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unconfirmed. In our study, gene expression data of ESCC and clinical information from public databases were downloaded. Through LASSO-Cox regression analysis, a risk score (RS) signature map of prognosis was constructed and performed external verification with the GSE53625 cohort. The ESTIMATE, xCell, CIBERSORT, TIMER, and ImmuCellAI algorithms were employed to analyze infiltrating immune cells and generate an immune microenvironment (IM). Afterward, functional enrichment analysis clarified the underlying mechanism of the model. Nomogram… More >

XUEGANG YANG^1,#, XIANHONG XIANG^2,3,#, GUOHUI XU¹, SHI ZHOU³, TIANZHI AN^3,4,*, ZHI HUANG^3,4,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 213-226, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030768

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common malignancy worldwide, still lacks effective clinical treatment. The study aimed to investigate the oncogenes that affect the progression of HCC and their possible mechanisms. In our study, we initially confirmed a higher level of PRDX2 in the bile of HCC patients compared to those with choledocholithiasis by 2-DE, LC-MS, and ELISA. Subsequently, we demonstrated the high expression of peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) in HCC based on the TCGA database and clinical sample analysis. Furthermore, PRDX2 overexpression enhanced the viability of HCC cells. And PRDX2 silencing induced senescence of HCC cells. In vivo, knockdown of PRDX2 significantly… More >

HEE JU SONG, TAEHEE KIM, HAN NA CHOI, SOO JIN KIM, SANG DO LEE^*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 151-161, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030690

Abstract Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers, in part because it readily metastasizes. The tumor microenvironment, comprising blood vessels, fibroblasts, immune cells, and macrophages [including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)], is closely related to cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. TAMs secrete several cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, which participate in cancer migration and invasion. p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), an important signaling molecule, induces cell migration and invasion in several carcinomas. Tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein (TonEBP) is also known to participate in cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. However, the mechanisms by which it increases lung cancer migration remain unclear. Therefore,… More > Graphic Abstract

HENG LI^1,#, YOUMING LEI^3,#, GAOFENG LI¹, YUNCHAO HUANG^2,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 187-197, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030656

Abstract Lung cancer is a prevalent malignancy, and fatalities of the disease exceed 400,000 cases worldwide. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) has been recognized as the most common pathological form of lung cancer. The comprehensive understanding of molecular features related to LUSC progression has great significance in LUSC prognosis assessment and clinical management. In this study, we aim to identify a panel of signature genes closely associated with LUSC, which can provide novel insights into the progression of LUSC. Gene expression profiles were retrieved from public resources including gene expression omnibus (GEO) and the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed… More >

VIGNESH BALAJI E¹, DIVYA RAMESH², MANISHA CHUNGAN SHAJU³, AKSHARA KUMAR⁴, SAMYAK PANDEY¹, RAKSHA NAYAK¹, V. ALKA⁵, SRISHTI MUNJAL⁶, AMIR SALIMI⁷, K. SREEDHARA RANGANATH PAI^1,*, SHANKAR M. BAKKANNAVAR²

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 73-94, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030401

Abstract Exosomes, small tiny vesicle contains a large number of intracellular particles that employ to cause various diseases and prevent several pathological events as well in the human body. It is considered a “double-edged sword”, and depending on its biological source, the action of exosomes varies under physiological conditions. Also, the isolation and characterization of the exosomes should be performed accurately and the methodology also will vary depending on the exosome source. Moreover, the uptake of exosomes from the recipients’ cells is a vital and initial step for all the physiological actions. There are different mechanisms present in the exosomes’ cellular… More > Graphic Abstract

SAYAKA IMATSUJI^1,#, YUKIKO UJIE^1,#, HIROYUKI ODAKE¹, MASAYA IMOTO^1,2, SUSUMU ITOH³, ETSU TASHIRO^1,3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 139-150, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.030190

Abstract Growing evidence suggests an association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of tumor malignancy, and chemoresistance to a number of anti-cancer drugs. However, the mechanism of EMT induction in the process of acquiring anti-cancer drug resistance remains unclear. To address this issue, we obtained a number of cisplatin-resistant clones from LoVo cells and found that almost all of them lost cell-cell contacts. In these clones, the epithelial marker E-cadherin was downregulated, whereas the mesenchymal marker N-cadherin was upregulated. Moreover, the expression of EMT-related transcription factors, including Slug, was elevated. On the other hand, the upregulation of other mesenchymal marker Vimentin… More >

QIUQIANG CHEN^1,*, XIAOLEI ZHAO², WENXUE MA^3,*

Oncology Research, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 95-98, 2024, DOI:10.32604/or.2023.046174

Abstract Greenblatt and his team have unveiled vertebral skeletal stem cells (vSSCs) as a critical player in the landscape of bone metastasis. This commentary delves into the transformative discoveries surrounding vSSCs, emphasizing their distinct role in bone metastasis compared to other stem cell lineages. We illuminate the unique properties and functions of vSSCs, which may account for the elevated susceptibility of vertebral bones to metastatic invasion. Furthermore, we explore the exciting therapeutic horizons opened by this newfound understanding. These include potential interventions targeting vSSCs, modulation of associated signaling pathways, and broader implications for the treatment and management of bone metastasis. By… More > Graphic Abstract