Priming therapy by targeting enhancer-initiated pathways in patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells.

Background: Systems biology leveraging multi-OMICs technologies, is rapidly advancing development of precision therapies and matching patients to targeted therapies, leading to improved responses. A new pillar of precision oncology lies in the power of chemogenomics to discover drugs that sensitizes malignant cells to other therapies. Here, we test a chemogenomic approach using epigenomic inhibitors (epidrugs) to reset patterns of gene expression driving the malignant behavior of pancreatic tumors.

FGFR3 Mutational Activation Can Induce Luminal-like Papillary Bladder Tumor Formation and Favors a Male Sex Bias.

Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is more common in men and presents differences in molecular subtypes based on sex. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutations are enriched in the luminal papillary muscle-invasive BCa (MIBC) and non-MIBC subtypes.

Objective: To determine whether FGFR3 mutations initiate BCa and impact BCa male sex bias.

Levosulpiride Increases the Levels of Prolactin and Antiangiogenic Vasoinhibin in the Vitreous of Patients with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: High circulating levels of the hormone prolactin (PRL) protect against experimental diabetic retinopathy (DR) due to the retinal accumulation of vasoinhibin, a PRL fragment that inhibits blood vessel permeability and growth. A phase 2 clinical trial is investigating a new therapy for DR based on elevating serum PRL levels with levosulpiride, a prokinetic dopamine D2 receptor blocker. Here, we tested whether levosulpiride-induced hyperprolactinemia elevates PRL and vasoinhibin in the vitreous of volunteer patients with proliferative DR (PDR) undergoing elective pars plana vitrectomy.

Matrix Metalloproteases and Cathepsin D in Human Serum do not Cleave Prolactin to Generate Vasoinhibin.

Background: Vasoinhibin is generated in the pituitary gland and in multiple target tissues by proteolytic cleavage of prolactin by matrix metalloproteinases and cathepsin D. A dysregulation of vasoinhibin generation appears to contribute to diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, retinopathy of prematurity, peripartum cardiomyopathy, and preeclampsia. Here, we investigate whether vasoinhibin is generated by matrix metalloproteinases and cathepsin D in human serum.

Adjuvant Effect of Molecular Iodine in Conventional Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. Randomized Pilot Study.

This study analyzes an oral supplement of molecular iodine (I), alone and in combination with the neoadjuvant therapy 5-fluorouracil/epirubicin/cyclophosphamide or taxotere/epirubicin (FEC/TE) in women with Early (stage II) and Advanced (stage III) breast cancer. In the Early group, 30 women were treated with I (5 mg/day) or placebo (colored water) for 7-35 days before surgery. For the Advanced group, 30 patients received I or placebo, along with FEC/TE treatment.

APOBEC-mediated Mutagenesis as a Likely Cause of FGFR3 S249C Mutation Over-representation in Bladder Cancer.

FGFR3 is one of the most frequently mutated genes in bladder cancer and a driver of an oncogenic dependency. Here we report that only the most common recurrent FGFR3 mutation, S249C (TCC→TGC), represents an APOBEC-type motif and is probably caused by the APOBEC-mediated mutagenic process, accounting for its over-representation. We observed significant enrichment of the APOBEC mutational signature and overexpression of AID/APOBEC gene family members in bladder tumors with S249C compared to tumors with other recurrent FGFR3 mutations.

TYRO3 as a molecular target for growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in bladder cancer.

Background: Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is an aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis, lacking effective therapeutic targets. Oncogenic dependency on members of the TAM tyrosine kinase receptor family (TYRO3, AXL, MERTK) has been reported in several cancer types, but their role in bladder cancer has never been explored.

Methods: TAM receptor expression was evaluated in two series of human bladder tumours by gene expression (TCGA and CIT series), immunohistochemistry and western blotting analyses (CIT series).

An FGFR3/MYC positive feedback loop provides new opportunities for targeted therapies in bladder cancers.

FGFR3 alterations (mutations or translocation) are among the most frequent genetic events in bladder carcinoma. They lead to an aberrant activation of FGFR3 signaling, conferring an oncogenic dependence, which we studied here. We discovered a positive feedback loop, in which the activation of p38 and AKT downstream from the altered FGFR3 upregulates mRNA levels and stabilizes MYC protein, respectively, leading to the accumulation of MYC, which directly upregulates expression by binding to active enhancers upstream from Disruption of this FGFR3/MYC loop in bladder cancer cell lines by treatment with FGFR3, p38, AKT, or BET bromodomain inhibitors (JQ1) preventing transcription decreased cell viability and tumor growth A relevance of this loop to human bladder tumors was supported by the positive correlation between and levels in tumors bearing mutations, and the decrease in FGFR3 and MYC levels following anti-FGFR treatment in a PDX model bearing an mutation.

High Prolactin Excretion in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Renal Function.

Background: The metabolic clearance of prolactin (PRL) is partially executed by the kidney. Here, we investigate the urine excretion of PRL in patients with Diabetes Mellitus and renal impairment.

Methods: Serum and urine samples were collected from male, mestizo patients in central Mexico employing a cross-sectional study design.