-
Cancers Jun 2024Circulating plasma cells (CPCs) are detected in most multiple myeloma (MM) patients, both at diagnosis and on relapse. A small subset, plasma cell leukemia (PCL),...
Circulating plasma cells (CPCs) are detected in most multiple myeloma (MM) patients, both at diagnosis and on relapse. A small subset, plasma cell leukemia (PCL), represents a different biology and has a poor prognosis. In this retrospective analysis, we evaluated patients with primary (pPCL, n = 35) or secondary (sPCL, n = 49), with ≥5% CPCs and a smaller subset with lower CPCs of 1-4% (n = 20). The median age was 61 years; 45% were men and 54% were Black. High-risk cytogenetics were found in 87% and extramedullary disease in 47%. For the entire cohort, 75% received a proteasome inhibitor, 70% chemotherapy, 54% an immunomodulatory drug, 24% a daratumumab-based regimen and 26% an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). The treatments marginally improved the overall survival (OS) for pPCL vs. sPCL (13 vs. 3.5 months = 0.002). However, the 5-year survival for the whole cohort was dismal at 11%. High-risk cytogenetics, low platelets, extramedullary disease and high LDH were independently associated with poor outcomes. Further research is urgently needed to expand the treatment options and improve the outcomes in PCL.
PubMed: 38893268
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112149 -
Cancers Jun 2024High expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor () and RTK mutations are associated with high-risk/worse prognosis in...
High expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor () and RTK mutations are associated with high-risk/worse prognosis in multiple myeloma (MM). Combining the pIGF1R/pINSR inhibitor linsitinib with the proteasome inhibitor (PI) bortezomib seemed promising in a clinical trial, but IGF1R expression was not associated with therapy response. Because the oncogenic impact of mutations is so far unknown, we investigated the functional impact of mutations on survival signaling, viability/proliferation and survival response to therapy. We transfected four human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs) with , and (Sleeping Beauty), generated CRISPR-Cas9 knockouts in the HMCLs U-266 (IGF1R) and L-363 (IGF1R) and tested the anti-MM activity of linsitinib alone and in combination with the second-generation PI carfilzomib in seven HMCLs. knockout entailed reduced proliferation. Upon IGF1R overexpression, survival signaling was moderately increased in all HCMLs and slightly affected by in one HMCL, whereby the viability remained unaffected. Expression of IGF1R reduced pIGF1R-Y1135, especially under serum reduction, but did not impact downstream signaling. Linsitinib and carfilzomib showed enhanced anti-myeloma activity in six out of seven HMCL irrespective of the mutation status. In conclusion, mutations can impact IGF1R activation and/or downstream signaling, and a combination of linsitinib with carfilzomib might be a suitable therapeutic approach for MM patients potentially responsive to IGF1R blockade.
PubMed: 38893258
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112139 -
Cancers Jun 2024French Guiana is a French Overseas territory with singular features: it has a high prevalence of HIV and HTLV-1, its population is ethnically mixed, with widespread...
French Guiana is a French Overseas territory with singular features: it has a high prevalence of HIV and HTLV-1, its population is ethnically mixed, with widespread poverty, and up to 20% of the population lives in geographic isolation. In this context, we used registry data to estimate incidence and mortality due to hematological malignancies and to compare them with France and tropical Latin America. ICD codes C90 and C88 were compiled between 2005 and 2014. The direct standardization of age structure was performed using the world population. Survival analysis was performed, and Kaplan-Meier curves were drawn. The overall standardized incidence rate was 32.9 per 100,000 male years and 24.5 per 100,000 female years. Between 2005 and 2009, the standardized incidence rate was 29.6 per 100,000 among men and 23.6 per 100,000 among women, and between 2010 and 2014, it was 35.6 per 100,000 among men and 25.2 per 100,000 among women. Multiple myeloma/plasmocytoma and mature t/NK cell lymphomas, notably adult t-cell lymphoma/leukemia due to HTLV-1 infection, were the two most common hematologic malignancies and causes of death. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma incidence estimates were greater than global estimates. After adjusting for age, sex, and type of malignancy, people born in a foreign country independently had a poorer case-fatality rate, presumably reflecting difficulties in accessing care. The epidemiology of hematological malignancies in French Guiana has features that distinguish it from mainland France or from Latin America. The incidence of multiple myeloma and adult t-cell lymphoma/leukemia was significantly greater in French Guiana than in France or other Latin American countries.
PubMed: 38893247
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112128 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy caused by the clonal expansion of immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells in the bone marrow and/or extramedullary sites.... (Review)
Review
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy caused by the clonal expansion of immunoglobulin-producing plasma cells in the bone marrow and/or extramedullary sites. Common manifestations of MM include anemia, renal dysfunction, infection, bone pain, hypercalcemia, and fatigue. Despite numerous recent advancements in the MM treatment paradigm, current therapies demonstrate limited long-term effectiveness and eventual disease relapse remains exceedingly common. Myeloma cells often develop drug resistance through clonal evolution and alterations of cellular signaling pathways. Therefore, continued research of new targets in MM is crucial to circumvent cumulative drug resistance, overcome treatment-limiting toxicities, and improve outcomes in this incurable disease. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the landscape of novel treatments and emerging therapies for MM grouped by molecular target. Molecular targets outlined include BCMA, GPRC5D, FcRH5, CD38, SLAMF7, BCL-2, kinesin spindle protein, protein disulfide isomerase 1, peptidylprolyl isomerase A, Sec61 translocon, and cyclin-dependent kinase 6. Immunomodulatory drugs, NK cell therapy, and proteolysis-targeting chimera are described as well.
Topics: Humans; Multiple Myeloma; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Antineoplastic Agents; Animals
PubMed: 38892379
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116192 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Periodontitis is a common oral condition that can have a significant impact on the overall health of the body. In recent years, attention has been paid to potential... (Review)
Review
Periodontitis is a common oral condition that can have a significant impact on the overall health of the body. In recent years, attention has been paid to potential relationships between periodontitis and various hematological disorders. This publication aims to present information available in the literature on this relationship, focusing on examples of red blood cell disorders (such as aplastic anemia and sickle cell anemia) and white blood cell disorders (such as cyclic neutropenia, maladaptive trained immunity, clonal hematopoiesis, leukemia, and multiple myeloma). Understanding these associations can help physicians and dentists better diagnose, monitor, and treat patients associated with both groups of conditions, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary care for patients with oral disorders and hematologic diseases.
Topics: Humans; Periodontitis; Hematologic Diseases
PubMed: 38892299
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116115 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024MicroRNAs (miRNAs), particularly miR-16 and miR-21, play a crucial role in multiple myeloma (MM) pathogenesis by regulating gene expression. This study evaluated the...
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), particularly miR-16 and miR-21, play a crucial role in multiple myeloma (MM) pathogenesis by regulating gene expression. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of circulating miR-16 and miR-21 expression levels in 48 patients with MM at diagnosis treated with lenalidomide-dexamethasone (LD) compared with 15 healthy individuals (HI). All patients were treated with LD, 13 at first line and 35 at relapse, of whom 21 were tested twice at diagnosis and before LD initiation. The results revealed significantly lower levels of miR-16 and miR-21 in patients than in HIs, both at diagnosis and relapse, with decreased miR-16 levels at diagnosis, indicating improved overall survival (OS) ( value 0.024). Furthermore, miR-16 and miR-21 levels were associated with disease markers, while both correlated with the depth of response and mir-16 with sustained response to LD treatment. Ratios of both miR-16 and miR-21 expression levels (prior to LD treatment/diagnosis) below two predicted a shorter time to response ( = 0.027) and a longer time to next treatment ( = 0.042), respectively. These findings suggested a prognostic value for serum miR-16 and miR-21 levels in MM, as their expression levels correlated with disease variables and treatment outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Multiple Myeloma; MicroRNAs; Lenalidomide; Male; Female; Aged; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Thalidomide; Biomarkers, Tumor; Dexamethasone; Aged, 80 and over; Adult; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Circulating MicroRNA; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38892251
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116065 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024The tumor suppressor gene F-box and WD repeat domain-containing (FBXW) 7 reduces cancer stemness properties by promoting the protein degradation of pluripotent stem cell...
The tumor suppressor gene F-box and WD repeat domain-containing (FBXW) 7 reduces cancer stemness properties by promoting the protein degradation of pluripotent stem cell markers. We recently demonstrated the transcriptional repression of FBXW7 by the three-dimensional (3D) spheroid formation of several cancer cells. In the present study, we found that the transcriptional activity of FBXW7 was promoted by the inhibition of the Ca-activated K channel, K1.1, in a 3D spheroid model of human prostate cancer LNCaP cells through the Akt-Nrf2 signaling pathway. The transcriptional activity of FBXW7 was reduced by the siRNA-mediated inhibition of the CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein C/EBP δ (CEBPD) after the transfection of miR223 mimics in the LNCaP spheroid model, suggesting the transcriptional regulation of FBXW7 through the Akt-Nrf2-CEBPD-miR223 transcriptional axis in the LNCaP spheroid model. Furthermore, the K1.1 inhibition-induced activation of FBXW7 reduced (1) K1.1 activity and protein levels in the plasma membrane and (2) the protein level of the cancer stem cell (CSC) markers, c-Myc, which is a molecule degraded by FBXW7, in the LNCaP spheroid model, indicating that K1.1 inhibition-induced FBXW7 activation suppressed CSC conversion in K1.1-positive cancer cells.
Topics: Humans; F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7; Male; NF-E2-Related Factor 2; Prostatic Neoplasms; Signal Transduction; Spheroids, Cellular; Cell Line, Tumor; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Up-Regulation; Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits; MicroRNAs; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
PubMed: 38892210
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116019 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Pinin (PNN) is a desmosome-associated protein that reinforces the organization of keratin intermediate filaments and stabilizes the anchoring of the cytoskeleton network...
Pinin (PNN) is a desmosome-associated protein that reinforces the organization of keratin intermediate filaments and stabilizes the anchoring of the cytoskeleton network to the lateral surface of the plasma membrane. The aberrant expression of PNN affects the strength of cell adhesion as well as modifies the intracellular signal transduction pathways leading to the onset of CRC. In our previous studies, we characterized the role of miR-195-5p in the regulation of desmosome junctions and in CRC progression. Here, with the aim of investigating additional mechanisms related to the desmosome complex, we identified PNN as a miR-195-5p putative target. Using a public data repository, we found that PNN was a negative prognostic factor and was overexpressed in colon cancer tissues from stage 1 of the disease. Then, we assessed PNN expression in CRC tissue specimens, confirming the overexpression of PNN in tumor sections. The increase in intracellular levels of miR-195-5p revealed a significant decrease in PNN at the mRNA and protein levels. As a consequence of PNN regulation by miR-195-5p, the expression of KRT8 and KRT19, closely connected to PNN, was affected. Finally, we investigated the in vivo effect of miR-195-5p on PNN expression in the colon of AOM/DSS-treated mice. In conclusion, we have revealed a new mechanism driven by miR-195-5p in the regulation of desmosome components, suggesting a potential pharmacological target for CRC therapy.
Topics: MicroRNAs; Colorectal Neoplasms; Humans; Animals; Mice; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Cell Line, Tumor; Male; Female
PubMed: 38892168
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115980 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024CAR-T cell therapy is at the forefront of next-generation multiple myeloma (MM) management, with two B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted products recently...
CAR-T cell therapy is at the forefront of next-generation multiple myeloma (MM) management, with two B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted products recently approved. However, these products are incapable of breaking the infamous pattern of patient relapse. Two contributing factors are the use of BCMA as a target molecule and the artificial scFv format that is responsible for antigen recognition. Tackling both points of improvement in the present study, we used previously characterized VHHs that specifically target the idiotype of murine 5T33 MM cells. This idiotype represents one of the most promising yet challenging MM target antigens, as it is highly cancer- but also patient-specific. These VHHs were incorporated into VHH-based CAR modules, the format of which has advantages compared to scFv-based CARs. This allowed a side-by-side comparison of the influence of the targeting domain on T cell activation. Surprisingly, VHHs previously selected as lead compounds for targeted MM radiotherapy are not the best (CAR-) T cell activators. Moreover, the majority of the evaluated VHHs are incapable of inducing any T cell activation. As such, we highlight the importance of specific VHH selection, depending on its intended use, and thereby raise an important shortcoming of current common CAR development approaches.
Topics: Multiple Myeloma; Humans; Animals; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Mice; T-Lymphocytes; Cell Line, Tumor; Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen; B-Cell Maturation Antigen; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; Single-Chain Antibodies; Single-Domain Antibodies; Lymphocyte Activation
PubMed: 38891821
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115634 -
Cells May 2024Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) overexpression in ovarian cancer (OVCA) disarms immune function, contributing to chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the...
Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) overexpression in ovarian cancer (OVCA) disarms immune function, contributing to chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunoregulatory effects of pGSN expression on natural killer (NK) cell function in OVCA. OVCA tissues from primary surgeries underwent immunofluorescent staining of pGSN and the activated NK cell marker natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 1 to analyze the prognostic impact of pGSN expression and activated NK cell infiltration. The immunoregulatory effects of pGSN on NK cells were assessed using apoptosis assay, cytokine secretion, immune checkpoint-receptor expression, and phosphorylation of STAT3. In OVCA tissue analyses, activated NK cell infiltration provided survival advantages to patients. However, high pGSN expression attenuated the survival benefits of activated NK cell infiltration. In the in vitro experiment, pGSN in OVCA cells induced NK cell death through cell-to-cell contact. pGSN increased T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain-containing-3 expression (TIM-3) on activated NK cells. Further, it decreased interferon-γ production in activated TIM-3+ NK cells, attenuating their anti-tumor effects. Thus, increased pGSN expression suppresses the anti-tumor functions of NK cells. The study provides insights into why immunotherapy is rarely effective in patients with OVCA and suggests novel treatment strategies.
Topics: Humans; Killer Cells, Natural; Female; Gelsolin; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Ovarian Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Middle Aged; Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; Apoptosis; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Interferon-gamma
PubMed: 38891037
DOI: 10.3390/cells13110905