Sialylated glycoproteins suppress immune cell killing by binding to Siglec-7 and Siglec-9 in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of male cancer death in the U.S. Current immune checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapies have improved survival for many malignancies; however, they have failed to prolong survival for prostate cancer.

Establishing and Characterizing the Molecular Profiles, Cellular Features, and Clinical Utility of a Patient-Derived Xenograft Model Using Benign Prostatic Tissues.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition marked by the enlargement of the prostate gland, which often leads to significant urinary symptoms and a decreased quality of life. The development of clinically relevant animal models is crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of BPH and improving treatment options. This study aims to establish a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model using benign prostatic tissues to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms of BPH.

Inhibition of protein translational machinery in triple-negative breast cancer as a promising therapeutic strategy.

Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is a proto-oncogenic protein associated with protein translation regulation. It plays a crucial role in the development and progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, we describe a promising approach to inhibit YB-1 using SU056, a small-molecule inhibitor.

AZGP1 deficiency promotes angiogenesis in prostate cancer.

Background: Loss of AZGP1 expression is a biomarker associated with progression to castration resistance, development of metastasis, and poor disease-specific survival in prostate cancer. However, high expression of AZGP1 cells in prostate cancer has been reported to increase proliferation and invasion. The exact role of AZGP1 in prostate cancer progression remains elusive.

Identification and characterization of intact glycopeptides in human urine.

Glycoproteins in urine have the potential to provide a rich class of informative molecules for studying human health and disease. Despite this promise, the urine glycoproteome has been largely uncharacterized. Here, we present the analysis of glycoproteins in human urine using LC-MS/MS-based intact glycopeptide analysis, providing both the identification of protein glycosites and characterization of the glycan composition at specific glycosites.

Co-axial hydrogel spinning for facile biofabrication of prostate cancer-like 3D models.

Glandular cancers are amongst the most prevalent types of cancer, which can develop in many different organs, presenting challenges in their detection as well as high treatment variability and failure rates. For that purpose, anticancer drugs are commonly tested in cancer cell lines grown in 2D tissue culture on plastic dishes, or in animal models. However, 2D culture models diverge significantly from the 3D characteristics of living tissues and animal models require extensive animal use and time.

Guanylate-binding protein 1 modulates proteasomal machinery in ovarian cancer.

Guanylate-binding protein 1 (GBP1) is known as an interferon-γ-induced GTPase. Here, we used genetically modified ovarian cancer (OC) cells to study the role of GBP1. The data generated show that GBP1 inhibition constrains the clonogenic potential of cancer cells.

The role of GCNT1 mediated O-glycosylation in aggressive prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and a major cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Nearly all affected men develop resistance to current therapies and there is an urgent need to develop new treatments for advanced disease. Aberrant glycosylation is a common feature of cancer cells implicated in all of the hallmarks of cancer.

ACAA2 is a novel molecular indicator for cancers with neuroendocrine phenotype.

Background: Neuroendocrine phenotype is commonly associated with therapy resistance and poor prognoses in small-cell neuroendocrine cancers (SCNCs), such as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Expression levels of current neuroendocrine markers exhibit high case-by-case variability, so multiple markers are used in combination to identify SCNCs. Here, we report that ACAA2 is elevated in SCNCs and is a potential molecular indicator for SCNCs.

Profiling of repetitive RNA sequences in the blood plasma of patients with cancer.

Liquid biopsies provide a means for the profiling of cell-free RNAs secreted by cells throughout the body. Although well-annotated coding and non-coding transcripts in blood are readily detectable and can serve as biomarkers of disease, the overall diagnostic utility of the cell-free transcriptome remains unclear. Here we show that RNAs derived from transposable elements and other repeat elements are enriched in the cell-free transcriptome of patients with cancer, and that they serve as signatures for the accurate classification of the disease.

ST6GAL1-mediated aberrant sialylation promotes prostate cancer progression.

Aberrant glycosylation is a universal feature of cancer cells, and cancer-associated glycans have been detected in virtually every cancer type. A common change in tumour cell glycosylation is an increase in α2,6 sialylation of N-glycans, a modification driven by the sialyltransferase ST6GAL1. ST6GAL1 is overexpressed in numerous cancer types, and sialylated glycans are fundamental for tumour growth, metastasis, immune evasion, and drug resistance, but the role of ST6GAL1 in prostate cancer is poorly understood.

Proteomics analysis of urine and catheter-associated biofilms in spinal cord injury patients.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), use chronic urinary catheters for bladder management is common, making these patients especially vulnerable to catheter-associated complications. Chronic catheterization is associated with bacterial colonization and frequent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). One determinant of infection success and treatment resistance is production of catheter-associated biofilms, composed of microorganisms and host- and microbial-derived components.

Integrated "lab-on-a-chip" microfluidic systems for isolation, enrichment, and analysis of cancer biomarkers.

The liquid biopsy has garnered considerable attention as a complementary clinical tool for the early detection, molecular characterization and monitoring of cancer over the past decade. In contrast to traditional solid biopsy techniques, liquid biopsy offers a less invasive and safer alternative for routine cancer screening. Recent advances in microfluidic technologies have enabled handling of liquid biopsy-derived biomarkers with high sensitivity, throughput, and convenience.

An Inflection Point in Cancer Protein Biomarkers: What was and What's Next.

Biomarkers remain the highest value proposition in cancer medicine today-especially protein biomarkers. Despite decades of evolving regulatory frameworks to facilitate the review of emerging technologies, biomarkers have been mostly about promise with very little to show for improvements in human health. Cancer is an emergent property of a complex system, and deconvoluting the integrative and dynamic nature of the overall system through biomarkers is a daunting proposition.

Methods to Evaluate Changes in Mitochondrial Structure and Function in Cancer.

Mitochondria are regulators of key cellular processes, including energy production and redox homeostasis. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with various human diseases, including cancer. Importantly, both structural and functional changes can alter mitochondrial function.

Transposable element RNA dysregulation in mutant KRAS(G12C) 3D lung cancer spheroids.

Mutant KRAS regulates transposable element (TE) RNA and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression, but it remains unclear whether diverse mutations in KRAS affect different TE RNAs throughout the genome. We analyzed the transcriptomes of 3D human lung cancer spheroids that harbor KRAS(G12C) mutations to determine the landscape of TE RNAs regulated by mutant KRAS(G12C). We found that KRAS(G12C) signaling is required for the expression of LINE- and LTR-derived TE RNAs that are distinct from TE RNAs previously shown to be regulated by mutant KRAS(G12D) or KRAS(G12V).

A photonic resonator interferometric scattering microscope for label-free detection of nanometer-scale objects with digital precision in point-of-use environments.

Label-free detection and digital counting of nanometer-scaled objects such as nanoparticles, viruses, extracellular vesicles, and protein molecules enable a wide range of applications in cancer diagnostics, pathogen detection, and life science research. Here, we report the design, implementation, and characterization of a compact Photonic Resonator Interferometric Scattering Microscope (PRISM) designed for point-of-use environments and applications. The contrast of interferometric scattering microscopy is amplified through a photonic crystal surface, upon which scattered light from an object combines with illumination from a monochromatic source.

Multimodal In Vivo Tracking of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells in Preclinical Glioblastoma Models.

Objectives: Iron oxide nanoparticles have been used to track the accumulation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the only nanoparticle available for clinical applications to date, ferumoxytol, has caused rare but severe anaphylactic reactions. MegaPro nanoparticles (MegaPro-NPs) provide an improved safety profile.

Upregulation of GALNT7 in prostate cancer modifies O-glycosylation and promotes tumour growth.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and it is estimated that over 350,000 men worldwide die of prostate cancer every year. There remains an unmet clinical need to improve how clinically significant prostate cancer is diagnosed and develop new treatments for advanced disease. Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer implicated in tumour growth, metastasis, and immune evasion.

Measuring the multifaceted roles of mucin-domain glycoproteins in cancer.

Mucin-domain glycoproteins are highly O-glycosylated cell surface and secreted proteins that serve as both biochemical and biophysical modulators. Aberrant expression and glycosylation of mucins are known hallmarks in numerous malignancies, yet mucin-domain glycoproteins remain enigmatic in the broad landscape of cancer glycobiology. Here we review the multifaceted roles of mucins in cancer through the lens of the analytical and biochemical methods used to study them.

Label-Free Identification of Exosomes using Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning.

Exosomes, nano-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted from cells, carry various cargo molecules reflecting their cells of origin. As EV content, structure, and size are highly heterogeneous, their classification via cargo molecules by determining their origin is challenging. Here, a method is presented combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with machine learning algorithms to employ the classification of EVs derived from five different cell lines to reveal their cellular origins.