Gallein, a Gβγ subunit signalling inhibitor, inhibits metastatic spread of tumour cells expressing OR51E2 and exposed to its odorant ligand.

Objective: We previously reported that the olfactory receptor OR51E2, overexpressed in LNCaP prostate cancer cells, promotes cell invasiveness upon stimulation of its agonist β-ionone, and this phenomenon increases metastatic spread. Furthermore, we showed that the induced cell invasiveness involves a PI3 kinase dependent signalling pathway. We report here the results of a new investigation to address whether gallein, a small inhibitor of G protein βγ subunit interaction with PI3 kinase, can inhibit β-ionone effects both in vitro and in vivo.

Dual modulation of MCL-1 and mTOR determines the response to sunitinib.

Most patients who initially respond to treatment with the multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib eventually relapse. Therefore, developing a deeper understanding of the contribution of sunitinib's numerous targets to the clinical response or to resistance is crucial. Here, we have shown that cancer cells respond to clinically relevant doses of sunitinib by enhancing the stability of the antiapoptotic protein MCL-1 and inducing mTORC1 signaling, thus evoking little cytotoxicity.

Preclinical Evaluation of AdVince, an Oncolytic Adenovirus Adapted for Treatment of Liver Metastases from Neuroendocrine Cancer.

Cancer immunotherapy is becoming a cornerstone in the clinical care of cancer patients due to the breakthrough trials with immune checkpoint blockade antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor T cells. The next breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy is likely to be oncolytic viruses engineered to selectively kill tumor cells and deceive the immune system to believe that the tumor is a foreign entity that needs to be eradicated. We have developed AdVince, an oncolytic adenovirus for treatment of liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumor (NET).

Other Novel Therapies: Biomarkers, microRNAs and microRNA Inhibitors, DNA Methylation, Epigenetics, Immunotherapy and Virotherapy.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) consist of heterogeneous neoplasms. The neuroendocrine cells of the human body are confined to certain organs, such as the thyroid, pancreas and adrenals, or they are dispersed throughout the body in the respiratory tract and in the intestinal mucosa. The cells belong to the diffuse endocrine cell system, share a neuroendocrine phenotype, and accumulate precursor molecules which are then processed into hormones, peptides or amines.

Roles of miR-196a on gene regulation of neuroendocrine tumor cells.

This study aims at investigating miR-196a roles using in vitro models. miR-196a was detected in small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) and lung NETs. miR-196a target prediction analysis suggested HOXA9, HOXB7, LRP4 and RSPO2 genes for further investigation.

Somatostatin Analogs Treated Small Intestinal Neuroendocrine Tumor Patients Circulating MicroRNAs.

We previously detected and investigated nine altered microRNAs in small intestinal neuroendocrine tumor (SI-NET) tissues at different stages of disease. The aims of this study are to: 1) analyze whether SI-NET tissue microRNAs can be also detected in patient serum samples, 2) investigate a potential somatostatin analogs (SSAs) role on microRNA levels regulation in SSA-treated patient samples and 3) elucidate whether the serum microRNA levels in samples collected in different hospitals are predictable and steady. Our results show that tissue microRNAs are detectable in patient serum samples, and miR-96, -182, -183, -196a and -200a levels are lower in SI-NET untreated patients than in SSA-treated patients at all different stages.

Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract: targeted next-generation sequencing suggests a monoclonal origin of the two components.

Background: Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas (MANECs) of the gastrointestinal tract are rare neoplasms characterized by coexisting exocrine and neuroendocrine neoplastic components. MANECs' histogenetic classification and molecular characterization remain unclear, significantly affecting the identification of innovative therapeutic options for these tumors.

Methods: The exocrine and neuroendocrine components of 6 gastrointestinal MANECs were microdissected and subjected to the simultaneous mutation assessment in selected regions of 54 cancer-associated genes using Ion Torrent semiconductor-based next-generation sequencing.

Identification of candidate serum proteins for classifying well-differentiated small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

Background: Patients with well-differentiated small intestine neuroendocrine tumors (WD-SI-NETs) are most often diagnosed at a metastatic stage of disease, which reduces possibilities for a curative treatment. Thus new approaches for earlier detection and improved monitoring of the disease are required.

Materials And Methods: Suspension bead arrays targeting 124 unique proteins with antibodies from the Human Protein Atlas were used to profile biotinylated serum samples.

Olfactory receptor 51E1 as a novel target for diagnosis in somatostatin receptor-negative lung carcinoids.

Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) may be used in lung carcinoids (LCs) for diagnosis and therapy, although additional targets are clearly warranted. This study aimed to investigate whether olfactory receptor 51E1 (OR51E1) may be a potential target for LCs. OR51E1 coding sequence was analyzed in LC cell lines, NCI-H727 and NCI-H720.

Improving the diagnosis and management of neuroendocrine tumors: utilizing new advances in biomarker and molecular imaging science.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) are malignant solid tumors that arise in hormone-secreting tissue of the diffuse neuroendocrine system or endocrine glands. Although traditionally understood to be a rare disease, the incidence and prevalence of NET have increased greatly in the past 3 decades. However, during this time, progress in diagnosis and outcome of NET has generally been modest.

Global microRNA profiling of well-differentiated small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors.

Well-differentiated small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors are rare malignancies. They arise from enterochromaffin cells and very little is known about differential microRNA (miRNA) expression. The aim of this study was to identify the miRNA profile of well-differentiated small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors, which may have a critical role in tumor development, progression and potentially develop miRNAs as novel clinical biomarkers.

Olfactory receptor 51E1 protein as a potential novel tissue biomarker for small intestine neuroendocrine carcinomas.

Objective: Late diagnosis hinders proper management of small intestine neuroendocrine carcinoma (SI-NEC) patients. The olfactory receptor, family 51, subfamily E, member 1 (OR51E1) has been reported as a potential novel SI-NEC marker, without protein expression recognition. Thus, we further studied whether the encoded protein may be a novel SI-NEC clinical biomarker.

The somatostatin analogue octreotide inhibits growth of small intestine neuroendocrine tumour cells.

Octreotide is a widely used synthetic somatostatin analogue that significantly improves the management of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Octreotide acts through somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). However, the molecular mechanisms leading to successful disease control or symptom management, especially when SSTRs levels are low, are largely unknown.

Paraneoplastic antigen Ma2 autoantibodies as specific blood biomarkers for detection of early recurrence of small intestine neuroendocrine tumors.

Background: Small intestine neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) belong to a rare group of cancers. Most patients have developed metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, for which there is currently no cure. The delay in diagnosis is a major issue in the clinical management of the patients and new markers are urgently needed.

Double-detargeted oncolytic adenovirus shows replication arrest in liver cells and retains neuroendocrine cell killing ability.

Background: We have previously developed an oncolytic serotype 5 adenovirus (Ad5) with chromogranin-A (CgA) promoter-controlled E1A expression, Ad[CgA-E1A], with the intention to treat neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoids. Since carcinoids tend to metastasize to the liver it is important to fully repress viral replication in hepatocytes to avoid adenovirus-related liver toxicity. Herein, we explore miRNA-based regulation of E1A expression as a complementary mechanism to promoter-based transcriptional control.

Novel markers for enterochromaffin cells and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine carcinomas.

The gene expression profile of metastasizing serotonin-producing neuroendocrine carcinomas, which arise from enterochromaffin cells in the jejunum and ileum, is still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to identify genes and proteins, which are preferentially expressed by neuroendocrine carcinoma and enterochromaffin cells and therefore potential novel biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. Six carcinoma specimens and six normal ileal mucosas were profiled by Affymetrix microarrays.

Midgut carcinoid patients display increased numbers of regulatory T cells in peripheral blood with infiltration into tumor tissue.

Introduction: Our aim was to investigate the immune status of midgut carcinoid patients. Cancer patients generally display suppressed Th1-type immunity that disables mounting of an efficient anti-tumor response. However, little is known about patients with neuroendocrine midgut carcinoids.

CD8+ T cells against multiple tumor-associated antigens in peripheral blood of midgut carcinoid patients.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify immunogenic HLA-A*0201-binding epitopes derived from a number of classical midgut carcinoid-associated proteins. CD8(+) T cells recognizing tumor-associated antigen (TAA) epitopes are of great interest for the establishment of immunotherapy as a novel treatment for this type of malignancy.

Experimental Design: Midgut carcinoid tumor specimens were microdissected and expression levels of potential TAAs were investigated by quantitative real time PCR.

A novel chromogranin-A promoter-driven oncolytic adenovirus for midgut carcinoid therapy.

Purpose: The use of replication-selective oncolytic adenoviruses is an emerging therapeutic approach for cancer, which thus far has not been employed for carcinoids. We therefore constructed Ad[CgA-E1A], a novel replication-selective oncolytic adenovirus, where the chromogranin A (CgA) promoter controls expression of the adenoviral E1A gene.

Experimental Design: The Ad[CgA-E1A] virus was evaluated for E1A protein expression, replication ability, and cytolytic activity in various cell lines.

Simultaneous generation of cytomegalovirus-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes by use of dendritic cells comodified with pp65 mRNA and pp65 protein.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease remains a severe complication in patients who have undergone transplantation. Viremia can be prevented and treated by the adoptive transfer of donor-derived CMV-directed T cells. To ensure long-term protection against CMV disease, it is important to transfer CMV antigen-specific T cells that represent both the CD8+ and the CD4+ subsets.

Gene expression in midgut carcinoid tumors: potential targets for immunotherapy.

Classical midgut carcinoids are serotonin-secreting tumors derived from enterochromaffin cells in the gut. Metastatic disease represents a therapeutic challenge and immunotherapy implies a novel approach for treatment. In order to define antigens suitable for T-cell therapy with a preferential expression in midgut carcinoid tissue a broad screening of genes with preferential neuroendocrine restriction, genes described as over-expressed in various malignancies, and genes encoding cancer-testis associated antigens was performed.

Characterization of the androgen-regulated prostate-specific T cell receptor gamma-chain alternate reading frame protein (TARP) promoter.

TARP (T cell receptor gamma-chain alternate reading frame protein) is uniquely expressed in males in prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer cells. Here we demonstrate that TARP expression is regulated by testosterone at the transcriptional level through specific binding of androgen receptor to an androgen response element in the proximal TARP promoter. We further demonstrate that the promoter specifically initiates reporter gene expression in TARP-positive prostate cancer cell lines.

Coactivator-dependent acetylation stabilizes members of the SREBP family of transcription factors.

Members of the SREBP family of transcription factors control cholesterol and lipid homeostasis and play important roles during adipocyte differentiation. The transcriptional activity of SREBPs is dependent on the coactivators p300 and CBP. We now present evidence that SREBPs are acetylated by the intrinsic acetyltransferase activity of p300 and CBP.